Freaky Fridays – “Headgame”!

Posted on March 6, 2022 by Denise
Horror, Cult Movies, Exploitation Cinema, 70s Schlock, and more! Let’s start the weekend off by getting freaky! Or something like that…

“Hey – wanna meet some friends of mine? I bet you’ll fit right in.”

Genre: “How did I get here?” Countdown Horror
Year Released: 2018
411: A Gravitas Ventures joint. So adjust your expectations. Or, if you’re like me, get stoked.
Where I Watched: Vudu Free-With-Ads

Synopsis: Jackie has a date with a good-looking rich guy. California jackpot! So when he asked her if she wants to go meet some of his friends, it’s a no-brainer for Jackie. Unfortunately, a whole lot of other folks were tricked into coming to this party by a pretty person. And when the invitees wake up the next morning? They all have cameras surgically attached to their foreheads, and are told only one survivor can escape. Uh, party.

Fabulous or Frustrating?: Throw Saw, Battle Royale, and Squid Game into a blender, hit frappe, and you’ve got Headgame. Yeah, the Final Girl is telegraphed from the jump, and we all know how things will pan out for the group of gamers forced into this “entertainment”. But watching how the characters go from disbelief to bloodthirsty – or how they try to hold on to their humanity – is the draw here. Who’s first to draw blood, and who’s first to drop? And, of course, that ticklish feeling in the back of your brain that’s hinting you’re no better than the characters that are watching everything go down on the game floor. While Headgame isn’t as deep as the other film’s I mentioned above, it is a fun way to pass an hour and a half. Well, ’til the film forgets its own story and flails around til they run out of film. Meh, whattaya gonna do?

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“The Batman” – powerful performances, punch-drunk plot

Posted on March 1, 2022 by Denise
Before hitting the multiplex, please consider the health risks involved with participating in group gatherings at this time. Take very good care of yourselves – I wanna see you on the other side.

“I wish I could say I’m making a difference. But I don’t know.”

Story: After his parents were brutally murdered, young Bruce Wayne became mentally iffy a man with a purpose; to fight crime. But during his second year as a caped crusader, he tangles with a villain who’s sure Batman understands him, and looks for a missing woman with ties to a criminal underworld Bruce only thinks he knows.

Genre I’d put it in: Superhero Noir
Release Date: 2022
Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original: Based on the bat-guy from comics, TV, film, and basically everything.

Gotta say: I’ve been a fan of the bat guy for decades now. My favorite graphic? The Long Halloween. No, not The Killing Joke – I don’t like how they fridge Barbara Gordon in that one. And I’ll be taking no questions about that at this time. Or ever. 

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TrailerWatch – “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” gets back to basics (she said hopefully)

Posted on March 1, 2022 by Denise

“The world as we know it is coming undone”

Man, that quote hits a bit too close to home right now… But I have to admit that after the lackluster Crimes of Grindelwald? I’m actually stoked to see this film, now that the focus seems to be back on Newt and his gang. Plus, I’m loving the extreme snark of the wonderful Jessica Williams as Eulalie Hicks, and the dark hotness of Mads Mikkelsen as a new and improved Grindelwald. (What? I can’t be the only one who hated Depp’s makeup…) Synopsis!

With Gellert Grindelwald’s power rapidly growing, Albus Dumbledore entrusts Newt Scamander and his friends with a mission leading to a clash with Grindelwald’s army. Dumbledore must also decide how long he will stay on the sidelines in the approaching war.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore hits theaters April 15th, 2022.

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Freaky Fridays – “Silent Retreat”

Posted on February 25, 2022 by Denise
Horror, Cult Movies, Exploitation Cinema, 70s Schlock, and more! Let’s start the weekend off by getting freaky! Or something like that…

“Please come back! PLEASE!” [editor: NO.]

Genre: Stepford And Descent Ripoffs
Year Released: 2013
Pedigree: NONE.
Where I Watched: Shudder

Synopsis: Janey has two options before her; go to a silent “Heal Thyself” retreat in the woods, or head directly to jail. What’s the worst that can happen out in a cabin in the woods?

Fabulous or Frustrating?: A story about how misogynistic men try to “cure” young women and turn them into perfect wife material is an intriguing concept. It’s been done before, but the “Stepford but at rehab” concept could be fun. A story about how young women who are trying to rebuild their lives at a silent retreat, but find there’s a monster in the woods could also be a good time. But this mangled mess of plot ideas is definitely not a good time. Even the interwebs didn’t want me to find its IMDb page (there’s a few other films with the same name in this new century of ours.) I should have taken the hint.

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Freaky Fridays – “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (2022)

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Denise
Horror, Cult Movies, Exploitation Cinema, 70s Schlock, and more! Let’s start the weekend off by getting freaky! Or something like that…

“Did that not feel like a bad omen to you? This place is cursed now.”

Genre: Remakes not worthy of the original
Year Released: 2022
Pedigree: Legendary studios similarly titled sequel to the 1974 classic
Where I Watched: Netflix

Synopsis: Remember Harlow, Texas? Y’know, where those horrible chainsaw murders took place, the perpetrator of which was never found? Well, a bunch of young and hungry twenty-somethings bought the whole damn town, in the hope of turning it into a hipster social media “destination”. But there’s still a handful of people who live in the town; a contractor Our Gang has hired to help fix up the place so potential buyers will buy, a very old woman who seems to believe that her deed is still in effect, and her old but still very imposing looking son. When the old woman has a heart attack from the stress of these whippersnappers bullying her, her son is less than pleased. Hey, is that a chainsaw he’s taking out of the wall? Ah, memories.

Fabulous or Frustrating?: there is nothing worse than a film that starts out promising and then limps, crawls, and hiccups its way to the finish. Behold, this insipid disappointing buttfart of a sequel. It should be a whole lot better than it is– the cinematography is breathtaking and the overall concept is intriguing – but it seems like nobody really knew what to do besides the cinematographer.

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TrailerWatch – “Baz Luhrmann’s ELVIS” shakes you up

Posted on February 17, 2022 by Denise

“I’m ready to fly.”

A story about Elvis Presley, told by Baz Luhrmann, from the viewpoint of Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker? SIGN ME UP. Synopsis!

The film explores the life and music of Elvis Presley, seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker. The story delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America. Central to that journey is one of the most significant and influential people in Elvis’s life, Priscilla Presley.

Elvis hits theaters June 24th, 2022.

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TrailerWatch – “Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”

Posted on February 13, 2022 by Denise

“You cannot control everything, Strange.”

Hello Superbowl trailers! This one takes a deeper look at the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel, including Wanda, Wong, Mordo, as well as crazy cool FX and a bombastic, wonderful soundtrack by Danny Elfman. I don’t really know what’s going on, but want more.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters May 6th, 2022.

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Freaky Fridays – “Wrong Turn” (2021)

Posted on February 11, 2022 by Denise

“These are clearly Not Good People. We gotta get the fuck outta here!”

Genre: “Hillbilly” Horror With A Twist
Year Released: 2021
Pedigree: Remake/reimagining of the original 2003 gorefest.
Where I Watched: Showtime

Synopsis: Poor Scott. His college age daughter Jen has been missing for almost two months, ever since she and her friends decided to hike a portion of the Appalachian Trail. But while Scott gets no help from the locals of the small Virginia town Jen last called him from, Jen and her friends have had it worse. Because they did the one thing locals warned against; they went off trail.

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“Marry Me” – a sweet Valentine treat

Posted on February 10, 2022 by Denise

“I am the love of, the love of my life.” – this song (hell, the whole soundtrack) SLAPS.

Genre I’d put it in: Easy To Enjoy JLo Rom-coms
Release Date: 2022 
Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original: Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Bobby Crosby. And fellow rom-com addicts will note the usual-but-well-loved clichés and plot beats in this film adaptation.

Story: Kat Valdez is one part of a pop star couple known throughout the world. In fact, she’s planning on marrying her beloved Bastian on stage, singing their new song “Marry Me”. Sweet, right? Um, one problem; Bastian has been cheating on Kat, and she finds out right when she’s about to go on-stage, wearing her wedding dress. So instead of having a public breakdown, she notices regular-guy/cool high school math teacher Charlie Gilbert holding a “Marry ME” sign (that his friend Parker brought)…and decides what the hell. What a fairy tale, right? Bingo! Let the rom-com fun begin!

Gotta say: Me is the perfect double feature with fellow “famous person meets regular schlub” stories like Notting Hill. Or, if you’re going from war of the J-Lo night? Team this one up with the “economically disparate pair fall in love” story Maid to Order. But any way you choose to watch this – and if you’re into rom-coms you’re gonna watch this, I know you (I DO KNOW YOU) – you’re gonna enjoy yourself. Why? Because while Me isn’t doing anything new, the megawatt presence of Lopez and Maluna, coupled with Wilson’s sweetness and a cadre of A+ talent rounding out the cast? This film is almost daring you to not enjoy yourself. Don’t take that bet y’all. You’ll lose. Gladly.

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TrailerWatch – “Jurassic World Dominion”

Posted on February 10, 2022 by Denise

“We created an ecological disaster.”

Ready for the grand finale of the Jurassic World series? Let’s do this!

I’m seeing a time jump of at least a few years, as the little girl Maisie is definitely a teenager now. And it’s looking like we humans have settled into a way of living with dinos…but with humans a few steps below in the pecking order. My only question – how did the entire world get completely overrun with so many species of dinos? Guess I’ll have to wait for the answer.

Jurassic World: Dominion hits theaters June 20th, 2022.

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