Category: General

Delirium – don’t believe the hype

August 27th, 2018 · · General No comments - Tags: , , , , ,

I had seen at least one recommendation for this film that raved and said it was an unsung hero in the horror genre that went completely unnoticed. Well, it was something.

We sat through the whole thing, but it was definitely not interesting at all. I appreciate that the actors did their best and the idea they tried to convey was interesting, however it didn’t jam well in our opinion.

Truth be told we kept waiting for dude-bros to start dying and hoping for some grisly justice in exchange for out time. It never came. I wish I could remember what site recommended this turd so that I could go and voice a dissenting opinion. I mean, this movie wasn’t even good in a ‘so bad it’s good’ way that some classics pull off. It was just badly put together.

Again, I get the idea they tried to pull off, but it didn’t come together and in the end you keep hoping for the characters to die, but they don’t. Avoid this even on late-night reruns.

Shudder Saga Continues (via Prime)

August 21st, 2018 · · General No comments - Tags: , , , , ,

Well, the entire reason we started the Shudder trial via Amazon Prime was to watch a film that caught my interest, Found Footage 3D. That was a couple of weeks ago but we still haven’t watched that particular movie. We have discovered quite a few other offerings on Shudder which have kept us busy and entertained.

Some of the movies have been yawns, classics – cult and otherwise, B-level, C-level, and some that we just missed because so many films are put out each year. Frankly we keep forgetting about movies that sound interesting via the trailers but then they get lost in the myriad of tent-pole trailer onslaught.

One show we gave a shot was The Shuttle with (starring?) Tony Curran from the sci-fi show I actually liked called Defiance. It thoroughly deserves its current 3-star rating. It wasn’t a great film because it falls on its face a few times and drags out a little longer than it should. That being said, you should give it a shot if you have 90 minutes to kill.

The scenes that are good are very good for the thriller genre, especially of late. Tony Curran gives a great performance. Granted the young male actors aren’t perfect, but they fill their purpose as typical fodder. If nothing else, you should appreciate the ending which does not cow to a tidy ending that most expect.

Spoilers follow

Open-ended stories are good occasionally, and this one pulls it off. Frankly I was shocked at how awful the ending is for the other lead character if you take it to its conclusion and I loved it. It’s not for everyone, but worth a watch if you’re in a dry spell for the parts that are pretty good.

So, we’ve been on a horror kick…

August 7th, 2018 · · General No comments

Lately at the house there have been a lot of horror movies being watched. Some of them are serious, some are not. Cabin in the Woods is always a favorite. I don’t know why we haven’t gone and bought some super-awesome Blu-ray release of it yet. Maybe there isn’t one. I should google that in a bit.

Moving on, last night I came home to Amityville: The Awakening having just started. By no means is this 2017 release a masterpiece, but it was mildly entertaining. Strangely enough it exists in a world where the other Amityville movies exist. The characters decide to watch the classic one night in the Amityville house. Short version is there is an evil in the house, possession, kinda scary, evil is defeated… for now.

Today I was flipping through upcoming Blu-ray releases to reserve at the library and came across Found Footage 3D. It sounds like a combination send-up of the found footage genre that most horror movies are using now and an actual horror movie rolled up into one neat little package. I plan to watch it tonight via a free trial from Amazon Prime. I’m sure they hate people who trial and then immediately cancel, but they do make the offer so meh.

If I remember, I’ll try to post thoughts on FF3D later. In the mean time, I wonder how many other possibly good movies we miss with so many avenues of delivery. We have Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO, IFC, Starz, PLUS the regular big-box movie houses that produce a slurry for consumption in addition to the independent films that are getting much better with technology becoming inexpensive. I suppose we’ll just have to keep our eyes open and catch what we can in our filter.

Of Snow and Idiots

January 7th, 2014 · · General, Illinois No comments - Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Yes, I’m well aware that many people believe they can drive well during inclement weather and all the other people can’t or are idiots. I’m also well aware that many people now operate four-wheel drive and/or all-wheel drive vehicles. Still, please bear with me as I rant a little.

Four-wheel drive is not a miracle cure for driving on snow. Yes you will likely have better traction and are more likely to keep moving, but it doesn’t help you stop. I repeat – four-wheel drive does not help you stop. When you’re cruising along at 50mph or so and pass me, your tires are just as likely to slip as mine in compacted snow and ice.

Which brings me to my second point – compacted, partially-thawed, re-frozen snow is now ice. When you are driving your big wheel that you bought because all the other soccer moms or doctors were buying one on ice you have (virtually) no better driving ability than me. Yes you stand a better chance of traction if one of the four wheels is not on ice, but otherwise we’re on the same ground.

All of this being said I would like to remind all of you that go sliding into intersections (cars included) that you’re dipshits and need to slow the hell down. If you’re heading to a real job they’ll understand. If you’re heading to a McJob – why hurry? Is the ensuing accident, expenses, and being late anyway worth the risk? Probably not. People can wait a minute or two for fries or to check out at the grocery and you should have left earlier.

I say all of this after a day of watching ABS kick in on most vehicles coming to a stop at traffic signals and stop signs. Most of the time I was already slowed down (from 30 or so) to watch them slide into the intersection because I knew they were going too fast. The Excursion that almost plowed me last night took 3 car lengths to stop and then tried to pass me as I turned into Schnucks. He/she was/is a twat.

Phil Robertson, the First Amendment, and Idiots

December 19th, 2013 · · Entertainment, General No comments - Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

So, I don’t like Duck Dynasty. No big deal. That’s not the reason for me spouting off about this latest controversy. Duck Dynasty is about a family that got rich making a good product. Good for them. They are the poster-family for the hunting/redneck lifestyle. Again, good for them. I wish them nothing but the best in life.

Now, they are being made martyrs for a few comments made by the patriarch, Phil Robertson. Here is the specific quote in question from GQ:

Everything is blurred on what’s right and what’s wrong. Sin becomes fine…Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,”

Well, he has his opinion and that’s fine. He has a popular medium to disseminate that opinion which is good for him. He has every right to spout off what he thinks while not inciting violence and with few other restrictions. I’m glad he has that right and I have mine to write here and post my remarks. That is the crux of the First Amendment.

He is not being punished for using those rights. People are espousing that he is being persecuted for his (christian) beliefs, etc. Nope. You’re wrong and if you can’t see that then you qualify as an idiot in my opinion. He is being punished because the television show which he participates in thinks that this will cause a ruckus and may damage the brand and/or show. It might to a certain degree, but what it will really do is make the brand stronger than ever because while a few moderates will drop off as fans because of this kerfuffle even more (christian) people will dig in their heels and swear allegiance to the ‘poor man who is being persecuted for stating his beliefs’. 

In reality A&E did the best thing possible to strengthen their brand and probably increase awareness (and profits). Judging by the fervor I am seeing via Facebook and Twitter their plan is working wonderfully. They are increasing ownership of current fans and pulling in the millions who consider this an attack on their religion instead of the brand protection/promotion that it is really.

So, he said what he wanted. A&E is protecting/promoting. No one is being punished for saying what they think. I saw someone compare him to Miley Cyrus being applauded for her recent weirdness and poor Phil being persecuted. No. Phil exercised his rights as did Miley. Miley arguably increased her brand as did Phil. The conservative groups speak ill of Miley and adore Phil. Two sides of the coin both increasing their coin.

If you cannot see these things, I pity you.