9.29.2018

Blu-Ray Review: Albert Pyun's Blast (MVD)

Terror Has No Limits 

by robotGEEK

Highly prolific and legendary filmmaker Albert Pyun has always been one of my all-time favorite directors. Some of his films are among my absolute favorites, and while I haven't seen every single film he's ever made, as I continue to dig through his vast filmography, I come across true gems like this overlooked action film from 1997.

Recently released on Blu-Ray for the first time via the MVD Marquee Collection, Blast is literally what the title implies. It's a blast of pure fun and action done in a "Die Hard in an Olympic Swimming Pool" scenario and it's far better than I expected going in for a number of reasons. For starters, this is hands-down one of the best looking and most polished Albert Pyun films I've ever seen. Pyun's visual style and aesthetic changes so frequently from film to film, and that's one of the things I love about him. He'll never be pinned down to one specific visual style, but if I were to pick, I'd have to say his visual brilliance with films like Nemesis, Cyborg, Dollman and Hong Kong '97 are my absolute favorites.

Another positive aspect is it's impressive cast, mostly of Pyun regulars, but always a pleasure to watch and always bring their A-game. Andrew Divoff (Wishmaster, Another 48 Hrs.) as the villain ringleader is a hoot (like he always is), but then there's also Rutger Hauer as an eccentric wheelchair bound Native American counter-terrorism expert who guides our hero Linden Ashby (Mortal Kombat) through dismantling the bombs in the building via radio, kind of like the way Sgt. Powell does with John McClane in Die Hard. Tim Thomerson (Trancers, Dollman, Near Dark), Thom Mathews (Return of the Living Dead), Vincent Klyn (Cyborg), Yuji Okumoto (Karate Kid II) and even a young Shannon Elizabeth (uncredited) as one of the swim team hostages round out the cast, though I'm sure you'll spot more notable faces here and there. In short, the cast is awesome. I think the only real weak link is surprisingly the star, Linden Ashby, who just comes across as a grumpy, moody and totally unlikable guy that you find hard to connect with in any way.



There are more than a few nods to Die Hard in this, so I'm not going to get into them all here, but let's just say it played a big inspiration for a lot of what happens in the film. But I really feel I need to touch on just how great this film looks. Not in the sense that it's being released on Blu-Ray, but just in Albert Pyun's compositions. As much as I love Pyun and watch his films quite often, if I didn't already know going in, I would never have guessed this was a film directed by him. It's easily his most professional looking film, complete with all the bells and whistles you come to expect from big budget action films of the 90's, and honestly, looks like any big budget "Die Hard on a" style action film that could easily have played in your local theater. The cinematography alone is impressive, but it's in the editing, sound design, score and in the way he can shoot most of the film within a single structure and still make it look interesting and flawlessly stylish. I'm shocked he wasn't hired to direct big budget theatrical action films after this, because this could easily compete with them. Or maybe he did and he turned them down? I don't know. But what I do know is Blast is awesome from any angle and a true hidden gem of a film. His style here reminded me a lot of what Peter Hyams was doing with Van Damme in the 90's with Timecop and Sudden Death. It looks that good.

I honestly only have one single complaint, and that's the lack of blood on screen. I know, it's a weird thing to complain about, but it was hard "not" to notice that in all of the shootouts (of which there are many), you never actually see someone get shot, a squib or even blood, making it almost feel like a PG rated action film. So while there's a whole lot of action, most of the violence happens off-screen. It's just a weird thing to realize considering who's making this, when so many of his films are filled to the brim with onscreen violence.

Written by Albert Pyun under the alias Hannah Blue, Blast was released the same year as Mean Guns and Crazy Six, and the three films couldn't look and feel more different from one another. But that's part of what makes his films so special, never delivering the same type, or quality, of film and always trying to re-invent himself or experiment when he can. He may not always deliver a winner, but you can't ever say he was pigeonholed into the same style, type or genre of film. He's all over the place and that's what makes him so special.

MVD is fast becoming one of the best distributors of hard to find, under the radar films on Blu-Ray, in many cases having films released for the first time since their one and only release on VHS before being forgotten. If their recent release of the Van Damme classic Lionheart is any indication, their quality is nearly unmatchable. I hope they dig further into Pyun's large and eclectic filmography and release more of his insanely hard to find, and in some cases, never released, films for the first time in HD, and most importantly, in widescreen. I say that because it's no secret that most of his early films were impossible to find in their proper aspect ratio's for decades. I even read an interview with him once where he stated that was on purpose, because the person who controlled the rights to a lot of his early films intentionally released them in full frame out of spite. I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure I read that somewhere because it stuck with me at a time when I was always frustrated that I could rarely ever find a Pyun film, who's always been a visual filmmaker, in widescreen. Thankfully, all these new Blu-Ray releases will always come in widescreen and Blast takes full advantage of this format, with Pyun filling every single frame with beautiful imagery that was severely lost in it's cut full frame ratio on VHS.

MVD's 1080p transfer is really impressive here. Not only did they fix it by releasing it in it's true widescreen 2.35:1 aspect ratio, the image quality is fantastic. The film comes in it's original stereo audio 2.0 (uncompressed PCM). Sadly, this release has zero extras, save for a few trailers. No subtitles or audio commentary included either. It's a bare-bones release, which accounts for it's cheap retail price. Blast does come with a cool slipcase though.

Hands-down one of the best hidden gems I've seen this year, and easily one of Albert Pyun's better films. Strong and impressive cast, ace visuals and a mile-a-minute pace makes for a really fun action viewing experience all around. You can pick up Blast from any number of online retailers for roughly $20.

9.27.2018

80's Action Attack!: Rent A Cop (1987)

by robotGEEK

With the passing of Burt Reynolds recently, I used it as the excuse I needed to finally check this one out. I've been meaning to for ages, but never got around to it for one reason or another. So here we are, finally digging into a film that generally gets no love, that both Liza and Burt have called one of the worst films they've ever made. But I tend to love the films that others hate, so I went in with an open mind. Let's dig in.

Released in 1987, the same year as his cult classic Malone, Rent-a-Cop tells the story of Tony Church, an undercover cop who retired after a drug bust-gone-bad and is now working as a security guard and Rent-a-Cop. When a prostitute (Liza Minelli) is being hunted by the killer of that drug bust, she hires Church for protection. 

Rent-a-Cop starts off incredibly strong, where we witness this undercover sting operation go south when a motorcycle helmet-wearing bad guy (James Remar) storms in and kills everyone in the room, escaping with the drugs and money. Sadly the film doesn't maintain that momentum and kind of veers off into an entertaining, yet meanderingly tedious second act, before recovering by the third act, ending in a satisfying finale in the same tone that the film began.



I think a lot of the issues come from television director Jerry London, who just can't make the film look interesting, despite his best efforts. It looks and feels like a Made-for-TV-Movie (even Jerry Goldsmith's score screams TV work) and it's such a shame, because it does have some good things going for it. For starters, the opening and ending are pretty great, and the cast is pretty remarkable and surprisingly badass. James Remar plays the helmet wearing bad guy, who is also a dance instructor (there's even a hilarious sequence of him practicing in a studio), but then there's John P. Ryan (Class of 1999, Death Wish 4, Avenging Force), the legend Bernie Casey, Richard Masur (License to Drive, Shoot to Kill), Dionne Warwick and even a "blink and you'll miss him" Michael Rooker in the beginning. So it's not a total loss. The cast makes it enjoyable enough to sit through while you're waiting for the action to kick back in.

If Burt hated working on this film (he stated this was a time when he literally took any job he can get), you'd never know it. He's charming, sometimes funny, and a total badass when the situation calls for it, and really makes the film watchable for his involvement alone. Liza, on the other hand, was a pain to endure. She's just so damn annoying in this from the very first second she appears onscreen to the very end. I could hardly stand her and if there was ever a reason "not" to watch this, it would be because of her.

Another issue is that this film was an Italian production, shot mostly in Italy, with all of the voices dubbed in post. It's painfully obvious with most of the actors except for Burt, but most hilariously noticeable with Michael Rooker's brief moment in the beginning when he's dubbed by someone else entirely. Liza and Dionne Warwick are the worst at dubbing their own voices though and are pretty cringe-inducing. I guess Burt and James Remar must be used to it already and know how to do it correctly.



While Rent-a-Cop might qualify as a mess of a film, it's not terrible either. The film both starts and ends incredibly strong, and it's supporting cast is especially impressive and well worth checking out for alone. Burt is in top form delivering a damn fine performance, while Liza is incredibly annoying. But their chemistry is undeniable and in an odd way, makes the film a bit more lighthearted than you'd expect. Thankfully, a strong first and last act bookend a less than satisfying middle, but sometimes that's okay.

How to See it:
Released on VHS, Laserdisc and a cheap bare-bones DVD, Rent-a-Cop has never gotten an official widescreen release here in the states. And honestly, it doesn't matter, because it's such an uninteresting and visually unpleasing film that full frame will work just fine. I've seen a few uploads on YouTube of the full film as well, so you can certainly go that route too.

9.25.2018

90's Action Attack!: Demolition University

The Demolition Franchise Continues With This "Die Hard on a School Field Trip", Courtesy of Witchboard Director Kevin S. Tenney

by robotGEEK

I have to admit, these Demolition films are pretty fun for what they are. While I really didn't know what to expect with the first one, Demolition High, I found it to be an entertaining "leave your brain at the door" type of film that's easily a Die Hard ripoff with Corey Haim as a new transfer student at a high school when a group of terrorists take the school hostage. Naturally Haim implores his New York upbringing to outsmart them and take them down one by one. Directed by legendary low-budget king Jim Wynorski, it was ultimately better than I expected, with a killer cast (Jeff Kober is the villain!) and a fun vibe. Sure it's silly, but it's surprisingly competent and a fun easy way to spend your hour and a half.

Released a year after Demolition High, Jim Wynorski's friend (and fellow low-budget king himself) Kevin S. Tenney (Witchboard, Night of the Demons) takes on the sequel, this time taking place partly in a college, as our hero is once again put in a situation where he must take down a band of terrorists during a school field trip.



While not as entertaining, engaging or as well made (more on that later), it's still worth a watch. At a brisk 90 minutes, there are worse ways to spend an hour and a half of your life. It seems that director Tenney, once revered within the horror community in the 80's for his horror classics, and even delivering a kickass action flick in 1990 with the criminally forgotten Peacemaker, just doesn't have the touch anymore. While the film looks "okay" for the most part, it's in the action scenes where the film really starts to fall apart. Nothing flows smoothly, with the editing, choreography and camera setups looking downright amateurish, which blows my mind considering how much I love Peacemaker, which is full of nonstop action and insane stuntwork. I don't know what happened here, but none of this looks or feels like the same Kevin S. Tenney who made a handful of classics before this.

Still, it's not a terrible way to spend your time. You get Haim (also a producer on this) looking healthy and charming, Amy Dolenz being impossibly cute, and so many cliche's that you can't help but enjoy the ride. It's so silly (more so than Demolition High), and shockingly amateurish that it almost ends up being a parody.



While not as good as the first one, it's not terrible. Well yea, it's terrible, but at least it's terrible in a semi-fun way. Robert Forster is a welcome addition to this mess as a no-nonsense general, as is original SNL cast member Laraine Newman and Khrystyne Haje from the classic 80's sitcom Head of the Class. So if anything, the cast keeps it engaging enough. It's a shame this didn't turn into a series of more films, because it has potential and I quite enjoyed the first one. I don't know where it could have gone after college, but in the end, it's a fun, silly series of films that never take themselves seriously, and if anything, it's always good to see Corey Haim in top form taking down terrorists left and right.

You can currently watch both Demolition High and Demolition University on Amazon Prime for FREE.

9.21.2018

The Cult Corner: Short Time (1990)

It's Time to Give This 90's Gem Another Look

by robotGEEK

Dabney Coleman just doesn't get enough credit for being such a great actor. He steals the show in everything he comes out in, from Tootsie, to 9 to 5, to Cloak & Dagger (a personal favorite), and even Boardwalk Empire. Here, at the age of 58, and attempting to play someone in their late 40's, Dabney tried his first hand at action (if you don't count Cloak & Dagger) in this forgotten action comedy that delivers more than you expect in a big way.

Released in 1990, Short Time tells the somewhat macabre story of a police officer, who at just 8 days away from retirement, mistakenly thinks he's dying of cancer and has days to live. So in order for his family to collect on his life insurance (to ensure his young son can go to college), he decides to try and get killed in the line of duty, the only way his family can actually collect on it.

With a story like that, this film probably wouldn't get made today, but I'm also glad it was made in the late 80's/early 90's because it carries a very special flavor of action that you just don't see anymore. While marketed as more of a comedy (it is amusingly charming), it's the action that takes center stage as Det. Burt Simpson (Coleman) puts himself in harms way any chance he gets in a series of car chases and shootouts, only to find that trying to get killed in the line of duty isn't as easy as he thought. Director Gregg Champion (The Cowboy Way) handles the action sequences like a pro, shooting the film and the action in an evenhanded manner, much in the way someone like John Badham would. No frills, but highly effective when composing his shots and getting the maximum out of each sequence. And I have to admit, considering it's mostly trying to be a comedy, the action is pretty badass and damn impressive, most notably a crazy huge car chase sequence that would easily rival The French Connection and To Live and Die in L.A. respectively.



The cast is pretty ace, with Dabney's ex-wife being played by Terri Garr, who also appeared in Tootsie, and Matt Frewer playing his partner. I like Frewer for the most part, but there are times when he comes across as trying too hard to be funny and goofy, and it's a bit painful. This is one of those times. Frewer would appear in another forgotten action classic the following year with The Taking of Beverly Hills. Joe Pantoliano, Barry Corbin and Xander Berkeley round out the cast.

For his part Coleman is just awesome. I've always liked him, and here, seeing him thrusting himself head-on into dangerous situations that result in some pretty impressive action sequences was such a sight to see. While he typically plays unlikable characters, he comes across as both charming, tough and surprisingly effective as the action hero lead, who despite his best efforts to get himself killed, always turns out the hero.

I honestly can't praise this film enough. It was such a stark reminder of the type of action comedies that were actually really good once upon a time. The shot-on-film aesthetic and impressive camera setups (no handheld nonsense here) lend themselves to a visually pleasing experience full of action, heart and a tiny dose of laughs. It's a shame that to date, this has never gotten a release here in the U.S. other than on VHS. Not even on DVD, which just blows my mind. I hope a company out there like Kino or Shout! Factory snags the rights to this some day and gives it a legit release, and in widescreen, which would be a first for this film.

9.19.2018

Bad Movie Night Presents: Steele Justice

Unintentionally Hilarious and Insanely Entertaining 80's Action at it's Best

by robotGEEK

How have I not seen this until now? Released in 1987, Steele Justice stars legendary bad guy Martin Kove, here in an attempt to make him a leading action star for the very first (and only) time in a big budget film that, despite it's budget, looks and feels more like a classic Cannon flick more than anything, and it's fucking glorious.

Martin Kove plays John Steele (get it?), a down and out ex-cop and ex-Vietnam vet who wanders from job to job with no clear direction in life. When an old Vietnam General and former enemy Kwan (Soon-Tek Oh), now a successful businessman and secret drug lord, and his son begin creating terror in his hometown, Steele must stop them. When they kill Steele's ex-partner and only friend, they sealed their fate.




Steele Justice has so much going for it that I don't even know where to begin. For starters, the cast is just epic here, with a kickass roster of notable bad guy's who were mainstay's in the 80's showing up, most notably the legendary Al Leong in a much more prominent role than we're accustomed to, and of course Peter Kwong (Big Trouble in Little China, Never Too Young to Die), as the son of Kwan, who leads his fathers charge with a brutality that pisses John Steele off. Rounding out the surprisingly stellar cast is Sela Ward, Ronny Cox, Bernie Casey, Sarah Douglas, Shannon Tweed, Asher Brauner (American Eagle) and so many more. And of course, the one and only Martin Kove. I have to be honest and say that despite their best efforts, I just can't take Kove as the hero as he's made an amazing career out of playing bad guys. It's in his face too. Even when he's being charming and nice, his face betrays him in a way that no matter what he does or says, he just looks like a villain. Regardless, he was awesome, and unintentionally hilarious. I'm telling you, the cast is nuts, but in a purely delightful way.

Obviously played straight, Steele Justice is loads of unintentional hilarity in the best possible way. I'm saying this is easily one of our Bad Movie Night masterpieces, right up there with Never Too Young to Die, Hired to Kill, Mankillers, Strike Commando, Deadly Prey and Killer Workout. So much of this film doesn't make any sense, with so many of the decisions of the characters being so ridiculously stupid and defy all logical thinking that you just can't take any of it seriously. And then there are the moments that literally have no explanation and leave you confused and dumbfounded. I won't mention them to you here because it's best to experience them for yourself, but you'll know exactly what I'm talking about, and you'll more than likely say out loud "WTF??".  There's even a totally out of left field epicly WTF? music video sequence that will blow your mind halfway through.

 Steele, for his part, is a treasure to watch. It seems so effortless for Martin Kove to play this unlikable character, who's valiant attempt at being charming comes off as creepy, and he really puts his all into it. The moments when he yells out in anger (of which there are many) during any number of shootouts is pure gold (think Reb Brown in literally every movie he's in).

Steele Justice, written and directed by Robert Boris (Frank & Jesse), is a Bad Movie Night masterpiece of the absolute best kind. Unintentionally hilarious, oftentimes strange, full of an incredible list of actors that surprised me at every turn, solid action, absurdity aplenty, and Martin Kove turning in easily my favorite performance from his entire career. He may not be leading man material, but he sure does try, really hard, and it's a beauty to watch. If Steele Justice is anything, it's 100% entertaining from start to finish and you'll be hard-pressed to find a better time in the 80's action department.


9.18.2018

90's Action Attack!: Silent Trigger (1999)

by robotGEEK

Dolph is my all-time favorite action star. More than Arnold, Sly, Chuck and Charles. I wish I could explain my fascination with this guy, but I can't. I just think he's the coolest action star on the planet. So the fact that I haven't seen this until now kind of blows my mind. To make matters worse, this is directed by Russell Mulcahy (Highlander, Razorback, The Shadow), a director I adore. I honestly have no excuse. I guess I was worried it might not be any good, and here, a project starring and directed by two men I admire, was sidelined by me for many years. I should also mention that it wasn't an easy film to come by anyway in widescreen. Knowing how visual a director Mulcahy was, I did not want to settle for a full frame VHS tape or DVD my first time out. If there was any chance of being able to see it in widescreen, then I would just wait for that opportunity. Luckily Amazon Prime is the perfect place for these hard to find 90's action films.

Released in 1999, Silent Trigger see's Dolph Lundgren as a professional sniper, who is double-crossed. After a brief disappearance, he re-emerges for another job, surprisingly hired again by the company that double-crossed him, only to find that he may have been double-crossed again. Along with his previous "spotter", he tries to figure out who's responsible.



Silent Trigger was a solid flick from every angle. Simple in it's premise and approach, most of the film takes place inside a building, which gives Mulcahy ample excuses to get creative with the camera. Kudos to him for still giving the film a slick sheen despite these limitations. The film does venture outside of that building in flashbacks and in it's opening sequence momentarily, but the bulk of the film takes place within an abandoned high rise building under the watchful eye of security guards.

There's plenty of action, suspense and visual flair from start to finish, and while I wouldn't call this one of Mulcahy's best films, it's better than I expected for what it is. Let's just say, I've seen some of Mulcahy's films after this and they bare little resemblance to the once visionary directors previous style and work. But considering this is a pretty standard DTV flick, it's definitely above average. It's a very small cast, with Dolph leading the charge with zero effort and all macho charisma like a pro. And honestly, had anyone else headlined this other than Dolph, I doubt we'd even be discussing it today. It's as good as it is because of his involvement, plain and simple.

In the U.S., Silent Trigger is available on VHS, Laserdisc and DVD in Full Frame (as is the case for most of Dolph's DTV stuff in the 90's). To date there has been no official widescreen release of this film on any format in the U.S., let alone Blu Ray. I am aware that there is a snazzy German Blu Ray out there, which I'll probably snag at some point (I'll need to see if it's region-free). However, I have good news for you streamers. It's available on Amazon Prime right now, and in glorious widescreen, so like me, you have no excuse to finally check this out.


9.13.2018

90's Action Attack: Soldier (1998)

"I'm Going to Kill Them All"

by robotGEEK

I've never really been a fan of director Paul W.S. Anderson. So much so that I've systematically avoided all of the Resident Evil films after being extremely dissappointed with AVP. In fact, other than Death Race, I haven't seen any of his films in the last 20 years. And that's based solely on his very specific style of directing and overuse of bad CGI. I just can't stomach it. But then I remembered Event Horizon while I was browsing Hulu recently, and since it had been well over 20 years since I'd seen it, I figured why not give it another shot.....and I fucking loved it. It was like "Hellraiser in space", done to the nines and was a far better experience than I was expecting. That got me to thinking of some of his other early films I hadn't gotten to yet, namely Soldier, which was made the following year. So I felt that if he carried some of that same visual aesthetic over to Soldier, then I'm sure I'll dig it, even knowing Soldier was ultimately a flop.

Released in 1998, Soldier was Anderson's follow up to the sci-fi/horror classic Event Horizon. And even though Kurt Russell was still riding high following a string of hits, Soldier somehow failed. Even despite a kickass trailer that effectively used White Zombie's More Human Than Human, and displaying a barrage of kickass action, Soldier was a flop. So much so that Kurt Russell took a break from acting for a few years before returning with 3000 Miles to Graceland and Vanilla Sky in 2001. And I honestly can't explain why I avoided it all these years. I can surely attest to the fact that had I seen that trailer, I would have jumped on it immediately.



Soldier is another prime example that Anderson was once a great visual director. In fact, you can easily count his first 3 big budget Hollywood films (Mortal Kombat, Event Horizon and Soldier) among his best. Somehow for some reason his style changed drastically following Resident Evil, and it's the same visual aesthetic he's retained ever since, except for Death Race, which was surprisingly awesome. It might be partly due to the fact that he didn't use any CGI (from what I can remember), and it was just a big, loud fun action flick that reminded me why Anderson was so good in the first place. It may also be because Anderson, like most directors, transitioned from film to digital cameras, thus changing the "look" of his films entirely. Sadly Death Race was but a brief detour from his now usual "digital style" and he would go right back to overused CGI, slow-motion and uninspired camerawork.

One of the things that constantly surprised me was the familiar faces. Starting with Russell, who spoke less than 2 minutes of dialogue in the entire film. Here he's big (literally the biggest you've ever seen him, and ripped), tough and more of a robot than anything. But Jason Scott Lee (Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story) as the main villain was awesome, as was the inclusion of Gary Busey, Jason Isaac's, Michael Chiklis, Connie Nielson, and Sean Pertwee (Gotham), who were all welcome surprises.



All in all, Soldier was a pleasant surprise. It was stylish in a way I hadn't anticipated from Anderson, and full of rock-solid action both big and small. The production design was impressive, as were the plethora of practical effects and pyrotechnics. The film slowed down a tad in the middle, but was able to recover nicely in the last act to deliver a wholly satisfying finale full of spectacle.

One thing I did not know going in was that it was written by David Webb Peoples, who is most famous for writing Blade Runner and Unforgiven. Peoples has stated that Soldier exists in the same universe as Blade Runner, acting as sort of a side-quel. In fact, highly observant viewers can spot many nods to Blade Runner throughout, even the famous spinner, while experts will also point out that Peoples wrote this screenplay around 1982/83 when Blade Runner was hitting theaters, but kept getting shelved when actors and directors originally interested on the project passed. While all this is fascinating, I just found it to be a really great sci-fi/action film that delivered in a way that I was not expecting. I half-expected to trodge my way through it, thinking I would probably be playing on my phone half the time. But no. I was invested from the very start, and the film never failed to deliver the action goods. It was a good old fashioned time in the action department, and a reminder of the type of quality that Paul W.S. Anderson was able to deliver many years ago.

9.12.2018

The Cult Corner: Miami Blues (1990)

An Unconventional Caper That Delivers

by robotGEEK

I'm back. I guess I just can't stay away. I love movies so much and watch so many of them on a regular basis I feel the need to let some of you in on some hidden gems that you might not be aware of. But I think I'm going to change my format from here on out. I think from no on I'll stick to a "Short Form" review style, so that I can get more out in a timely manner. So let's kick things off with this under-the-radar film from 1990.

Like you, I've certainly come across this title at my local video store. I remember always thinking how crappy the cover was, and in any promotional material always seeing images of a shirtless Alec Baldwin, or that one image of him sitting in a bed with an uzi in one hand, and a wad of cash in the other. Other than that I knew nothing about it. Thankfully Hulu Plus has had this on their streaming site for a while and I finally took the plunge.

Miami Blues is great. It's also one of those films that is hard to categorize, much in the same way Miracle Mile, Into the Night, Joe Versus the Volcano, and hell, even Innerspace to some degree. And these are all incredible films, and the fact that they're nearly un-categorizable probably explains why they didn't do well, because how can you market a film that is hard to fit into a specific genre? The same can be said about Miami Blues, a film that came and went with very little attention, but has gained a cult status in the following years.

Part caper, part dark comedy, part thriller, part detective film, Miami Blues works as well for all the reasons it didn't do well financially. It's a very niche type of film that not a lot of people will understand, or "get", but if you can just go with the flow, you'll find that it's quite the pleasant surprise. Unconventional at it's core, you follow Alec Baldwin's just released from prison ex-con who immediately takes up his old ways upon release, but with more urgency, extreme and with higher consequences. On his trail is Sgt. Moseley (an excellent Fred Ward), an out of shape cop who knows he's got his man, but can't seem to connect him to anything concrete. The back-and-forth battle of wits between these two is what makes the film work so well, and combined with the film's unconventional approach, you have yourself a great time.



Baldwin does a great job at creating a totally unlikable character, and using brute force, intimidation and bully tactics to get what he wants. It's weird seeing him so thin and in great shape, compared to what we've grown used to seeing in the last 20 years. But it's Fred Ward (who also executive produced) who steals the show, as a somewhat bumbling sgt. who's always one step behind.

I discovered afterwards that the film's writer and director was George Armitage, who also did Gross Pointe Blank, which explains a lot about it's particular tone. It's based on a novel by author Charles Willeford, where they even attempted a tv series/movie in 2014 starring Paul Giamatti based on Ward's character Hoke Moseley. Sadly, I think that tv movie was intended as a pilot and it just didn't take.

The film carries a charm that is hard to define and describe. I really can't explain it. As I struggled to try and figure out just what type of film this was supposed to be, I couldn't help but fall in love with Fred Ward, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and the films odd tone. I never knew where it was going to go next and oftentimes blindsided me with what did end up happening next. For all of those reasons, Miami Blues deserves to be seen, or a second look if you've already seen it and just didn't connect with it before.

9.05.2018

Going on Hiatus....

As much as I enjoy sharing my talking films with all of you, and sharing some hidden gems that some of you may have forgotten about or not ever heard of, I've had a lot of different things pulling me in different directions lately, and I'm finding it increasingly difficult to post on here as much as I want. So I think the best course of action for me right now is to take a step back and focus more on some of my new passions that have taken up so much of my free time. I hope you understand.

If there are any of you who actually do care whether I return or not, or enjoy my taste in films and critiques, you can follow me on Instagram (I'm robotGEEK), where I post regularly because it's in short form. At this piont I don't know when, or if, I'll be back. But we'll see. I have a strong feeling that nobody is going to miss it though...

9.01.2018

Species II: A Totally Bonkers Blast of Gory, Nasty Fun

That Rare Exception When The Sequel is Better Than The First

by robotGEEK

I remember being pretty excited about the first Species when it first came out. Probably because H.R. Giger was designing the alien, but also because I just love sci-fi/action/thrillers, and this one looked to get a gem. But for me, it wasn't. I found it pretty dull and lifeless for the most part. Sure it's always nice seeing Natasha Henstridge nude, but overall it was a pretty forgettable experience for me. I decided to revisit it a few months ago out of sheer curiosity because I have been known to change my mind about movies, but not this time. I felt the exact same way as I did all those years ago, only now with a much clearer reason why I don't like it. It has all the bells and whistles of a big budget sci-fi film, a potential kickstarter to a new franchise, but it's just all so very bland. Great cast, and some nifty effects, but I just found it hard to care about anything or get excited. Even on a visual level, when I'd always felt Roger Donaldson was more of a serviceable director, and never adding any level of visual fun to the mix, I still had hope. But alas, it was not to be and Species left me underwhelmed yet again.

Then somebody had randomly mentioned how nuts the sequel was, and as luck would have it, Hulu added the Species films to their lineup and it was just the sign I needed to dig into them, since I would probably never make any real effort to. So let's dig in.



I don't even know where to begin. It seems like the filmmakers, production and studio decided to go the complete opposite direction of the first one, going so far into low-budget grindhouse that it was just fucking awesome. It's bloody, gory, fun, full of nudity and really just a blast from start to finish. It's so absurd, quite ridiculously silly, and unintentionally bonkers that I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing, but that's what I loved about it. It was a complete 180 from what I was expecting going in, and for lack of a better term, my mind was blown. This is the kind of experience I love, when I go in with one expectation, and being delivered something totally different.

Directed by Peter Medak (Romeo is Bleeding, The Krays), Species II piles on the blood, guts, gore and nudity in a way I was not expecting. Medak, who would seem like an unlikely choice for a project like this, handles it all with such care, giving the film a kind of slick "look" that you wouldn't normally see in a film like this, which only adds to it's continuous surprises.



On the flip-side though, I can completely understand why someone wouldn't like it. It's so bonkers, like writer Chris Brancato just though, "fuck it, I'm going to write a batshit crazy sequel and make it fun, something the first film wasn't". And he most certainly did. Some might consider this a mess. But it's a great looking mess, and a very fun one.

Species II exceeded my expectations in the most unconentional way. Where I was expecting a lower class sequel to a big budget hit, I got a blast of "go for broke" gory, bloody, nasty fun, made all the better with Steve Johnson's incredible practical effects work. I would strongly recommend this to anyone who loves films in the low-budget sci-fi/horror genre, because this one delivers the goods and is just so damn fun. Here's to hoping Part III is somewhere within the same scope. To be continued...