Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Why Thanksgiving the movie should be made

 Why Thanksgiving the movie should be made

Back in April of 2007, audiences were treated to what I believe was one of the coolest ways to watch a movie in the 21st century. Something many of our parents had done when they were in our teens, and we sadly hadn't been able to experience. Going back to the glory days of Grindhouse cinema, Grindhouse was released by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino who brought us Planet Terror and Death Proof, two very awesome thrill rides for the price of one. What also made Grindhouse so awesome was the fact fake trailers for movies were made to play in-between both films. All ready Rodiguez's Machete has been made into two films, but the film that seemed to stand out the most of an homage to 80's holiday themed slashers in the form of Eli Roth's Thanksgiving.

Eli Roth, before he became best known as The Bear Jew, was a pretty legit director. Cocky? Yes, a pretty good filmmaker? Of course. Not only was the dude handsome, he was able to make some pretty awesome horror movies that felt as though they were made in the late 70's/early 80's. All ready we had gotten Cabin Fever, and Hostel out of the man. That year Eli released Hostel II which in my eyes sorta jumped the shark for the movie that honestly should have been a stand alone film. Since then Roth has turned the tables and become a pretty good actor which plans on returning behind the camera next year. Back in 07, Roth helped out and directed one of the tiny trailers for Grindhouse. Here it felt like a horror movie straight from 1981 or 82. Based off such great slashers as Halloween, Silent Night Deadly Night, and Happy Birthday To Me, it really did leave me stunned that there hadn't been any horror movie from the 80's besides really Bloodrage that took place on Thanksgiving and played up the idea it took place on this holiday. I still remember the laughs, and gasps the trailer got when it was first showed and it was by far my favorite out of all of them.

Now the question remains if Roth will ever direct this movie into a full length film.


There have been rumors floating around for several years that the movie will be a go, being filmed in Plymouth MA. Still, with Roth gearing up for his next film after several years The Green Inferno, it leaves true hard core fans wondering when this turkey slasher will ever see the light of day? I mean Grindhouse did bomb at the box office simply because so many people didn't get the fact that they were getting two movies for the price of one. It also doesn't help that it was also released on Easter weekend. It just sorta annoys me that two...count them two Machete films have all ready been made which were AWFUL. Why not let Edgar Wright direct Don't, or have Zombie do Werewolf Women of the S.S? At least those films looked interesting.

Sadly I think the Grindhouse phase sorta passed us before it even got a chance to sink in. Still, it seems that so many filmmakers are dying to try and capture the magic the 70's and 80's had for horror and slashers. I mean right down to Ti West films, and the fact so many of these new movies are filmed as if they were released twenty or thirty years before.

With a fun director like Roth who has a huge passion for homaging movies back to the glory days. I feel if it was filmed in MA, the gore, and gritty look and feel for the movie will be perfect. + I really wanna see that human turkey.


I think Thanksgiving would make an awesome movie. Yes maybe some of the casting would have to change, but I feel for a silly over the top holiday slasher, this is exactly what horror fans want to see. So as another Thanksgiving comes upon us, we can only pray 2014 might finally be the year we finally get to see people get "stuffed".

Monday, November 25, 2013

My Science Project (1985)

 My Science Project (1985)

PLOT - Michael and Ellie break into a military junkyard to find a science project for Michael's class, and discover a strange glowing orb which absorbs electricity. When the orb begins to blend past, present, and future, its up to Michael and Ellie to stop the orb and save mankind. 

LOWDOWN -  Back in 2008 I had the BIGGEST crush on Fisher Stevens. Yep, that's right. I was head over heels in love with Chuck Fishman from Early Edition. I would like to blame this obsession since I had just watched The Burning in which Fisher was rocking those tiny shorts like there was no tomorrow. Well I went on a quest to find every movie with Mr. Stevens in it. Lucky for me, I was able to order My Science Project right before it went out of print. This is a must have for 80 movie lovers due to the fact this is a zany, action sci-fi thrill of a ride.

This movie is great fun, in fact it sorta ranks in the same leauge as Summer School. The 1980's had a certain sort of humor that was often over looked, in My Science Project it seriously had what seemed to be everything but the kitchen sink thrown into it. With an opening taking place in the 1950's, the overall idea of this being a science fiction movie is set into gear. Right away the audience is taken to the 1980's where the senior class is on the verge of graduating. Here we meet the ever so dreamily John Stockwell. John is best known as playing the handsome best friend in John Carpenter's Christine. I am a massive fan of John's. In fact I collect posters of his movies from the 1980's. John was star of a good handful of underrated classics in the 80's and My Science Project is one of the best. Stockwell plays Michael Harlan, a teen who's having a pretty awful day. First he's informed by his science teacher played by the late Dennis Hopper that if he doesn't turn in a science project he'll fail for the year, and his long term girlfriend Crystal has dumped him since she wants more out of life and their relationship. It's there Harlan runs into nerdy Ellie who writes for the school newspaper. Begging him to take her out on a date, he agrees and decides to take her along to the local junk yard to find something he can whip into a science project. It's there he finds the strange machine that has the ability to turn time forward and backwards along with sucking all power out of anything that runs on a battery.

I'm sure the idea of a poor nerdy girl begging the local campus stud for a date doesn't sound that nice but believe it or not it works in this movie. Harlan isn't the jock he's played in past movies, in fact he's sorta a grease monkey who only cares about his classic GTO. In fact the chemistry between Ellie and Harlan is nothing short of adorable. I love the scene where Ellie makes her car break down so Harlan can come over and fix it. Their little banter back and forth isn't like any other pairing I've seen in past movies and the spark between them seems pretty real. Plus John Stockwell in that trucker hat...so cute!


Who really steals the show is Fisher Stevens as the best friend Vinny. The fact they cast a Jewish guy to play a Brooklyn Italian teenager is beyond me, but I guess that's what Fisher Steven is best for. I mean we all remember him as the Indian scientist from Short Circut. Over the top as always, Steven's one liners is what truly stands out the best in this movie.

With Dennis Hopper as the science teacher still stuck in the 60's (Love the line about how he tried to teach the kids how to smoke banana peels.) this movie has tons of detail and funny little moments that are over the top and wild. I love the scene where they are arrested at the police station "Kid, why do you wear sunglasses at night? Because...when your cool like me the sun shines on you 24 hours day!" and the crazy homeless guy laughing as he runs out.


The movie has a huge final act where the machine goes nuts and pretty much turns the entire high school into different dimensions. We get knights, dinosaurs, even people from Egypt! With tons of action, likable leads, a cool car, and of course a killer music video playing over the credits...My Science Project is one of my all time favorite underrated films of the 1980's.

4 stars!


Friday, November 22, 2013

Greatest teen movies from the 1980's

 Greatest teen movies from the 1980's
I've said it once, and I'll say it again...I was born at the tail end of the wrong decade. In fact over and over again people are truly stunned to learn that I'm only 25 years old. (I think this is a nice way of saying "Wow really?! You look like you're forty you piece of shit!" but hey, what can I say...I've always been mature.) In fact as a teenager I was constantly told over and over again that the way I dressed, acted, the types of movies, and music I liked I seemed to be stuck in 1986. I think a huge reason behind this is that I had a very cool mother who raised by around some of the best music and movies of all time. In fact even though the 1980's wasn't an awesome decade, music and movie wise it was a whole hell of a lot better than the bullshit I grew up watching and listening to in my teens. I mean I honestly feel I was the only 13 year old who had a crush on Corey Feldman. Who owned Footloose on cassette, wore legwarmers, and owned every single movie the brat pack was part of. So here it is, in my eyes, back when teen movies were teen movies. Back when these films were fun, and a must to watch now after a few drinks in you so you can quote the hell out of them. Here are the greatest teen movies from the 1980's.

Sixteen Candles

The Breakfast Club

Pretty In Pink

Say Anything 

St. Elmo's Fire 

The Sure Thing 

Losin' It

Summer School

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

First Born

The Lost Boys

Dream A Little Dream 

Fast Times At Ridgemont High

Thrashin'

Valley Girl 

The Outsiders

Red Dawn

The New Kids

Class

One Crazy Summer

Grandview U.S.A

Just One Of The Guys

Secret Admirer

Some Kind Of Wonderful

Loverboy

Heathers

Night Of The Creeps

River's Edge 

Peggy Sue Got Married 


Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Greatest episodes in the first five seasons of Supernatural

 Greatest episodes in the first five seasons of Supernatural

Believe it or not it took me nearly five years to finally jump onto the Supernatural train. The story behind it is pretty simple, back in 2010 when I was away at school I decided to pop in My Bloody Valentine 3D (a remake I believe it or not really enjoyed even tho I'm a huge fan of the original.) while sculpting, I noticed the ever so handsome Jensen Ackles and I remembered that he was on some show called Supernatural. I had never once seen an episode of it before but I knew it had a huge following. On Youtube I went and the first clib I ever looked up as from Wishful Thinking from season 4 in which I watched a full sized teddy bear blow it's stuffing out. Safe to say I was interested.

Wishful Thinking - Season 4

So I went out and bought the first three seasons and before I knew it pretty much everyone in the apartment building I was living in got hooked as well. It seemed to be playing in every room on every floor over and over again. In fact me and my friends even made a drinking game to the show with beer staffs (worst idea e-v-e-r!) And after the holidays we plowed through the 5th season seriously for one whole day, none of us moving. Safe to say we were all a pretty big fan of the show back then.
Time moved on, and I sorta fell behind with the show. I did buy the 6th season and did watch and enjoy it once I moved back to MA but it just didn't seem the same. Maybe the huge part of the magic of watching this show was watching it with friends. Still, I heard the show's creator originally wrote the show to only be 5 seasons and end, which if you do indeed watch the 5th season you'll know why. Due to the show being so popular it kept going and now they are in their 8th season. I've fallen very behind, having not even seen one single episode of season 7, but I've heard mixed things. To me I really do feel the show should have in fact ended back with season 5. The show is very well written, has pretty awesome monsters/effects, and two very handsome likable leads...what else is there not to love? In fact back in 2011 I even worked a convention and got the chance to meet them. 

Yeah that's right boys...pull...pull real hard.

So what I decided to do is list my top favorite episodes from season 1 to season 5. Supernatural is a great show (in fact I decided to watch one of the new episodes just the night before and it was a stand alone episode so I wasn't too lost, and it made me remember why I loved the first few seasons. Every episode felt like a monster of the week, going back to classic shows from the 70's and 80's. So here it is, my favorite episodes from season 1 to season 5 of Supernatural.
Hammer Of The Gods

Dark Side Of The Moon

Fallen Idols

Jump The Shark

The Monster At The End Of The Book

Family Remains

It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester

In The Beginning

No Rest For The Wicked

A Very Supernatural Christmas

Bedtime Stories

The Kids Are Allright

All Hell Breaks Loose Part 2

Playthings 

Everybody Loves A Clown 

The Benders 

Faith 

Scarecrow

Home

Skin 

Pilot