What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Class of Nuke 'Em High (USA, 1986) [VoD] – 3/5
A surprisingly cute love story set in a toxic comic book town. There’s also boobs, splatter, a toxic monster, radioactive marihuana, a post-apocalyptic gang, and a nice rock soundtrack… a seminal 80s high school film. And it really does the locale (Tromaville) better than you’d expect.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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The Muthers (Philippines, 1976) [VoD] - 2/5
A WiP pirate blaxploitation mash up, with Jeanne Bell and other pirates of the seven seas subjecting themselves to plantation slavery to find & rescue a missing little sister. "Getting in is easy, getting out is a different story". Not as bad as some of director Cirio H. Santiago's films, but lacks the pace and charisma of TNT Jackson, another movie he did with Bell. Some amusing martial arts action, Bell's boobs, and a cool attack boat provide entertainment, but can't redeem an otherwise clumsy, lightweight effort.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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The Bloodstained Butterfly (Italy, 1971) [VoD] -2.5/5
A somewhat confused part giallo, part poliziotteschi, part family drama court film. There's a solid mystery and some beautiful scenes, but it's not clear what the plot is and who are supposed to be the main characters. Some patience is needed to follow characters the viewer does not know why they are in the film until much later. The ending is superb, however, making it all feel worthwhile.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Friday the 13th: Part 2 (USA, 1981) [VoD] – 2.5/5
Surprisingly watchable sequel is functional from start to finish, and even cleaver at times. That is, the ridiculously long opening recap aside. It is too bad the film's hottest girl had to turn out to be a minor and her nude scene deleted from the film.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Friday the 13th: Part 3 (USA, 1982) [VoD] – 1.5/5
Inept third film bores the viewer to death before the last 3rd finally picks up the pace and delivers some tolerable horror action.

Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (USA, 1985) [(VoD] 1.5/5
Universally hated part 5, but not as bad as part 3, thanks to plentiful boobs and a nice little chainsaw scene at the end. The redneck mom-son tag team would admittedly be a new low if there wasn't so much plain boredom (which is even worse) in the series.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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HungFist wrote: 18 Jan 2021, 14:32 Friday the 13th: Part 2 (USA, 1981) [VoD] – 2.5/5
Surprisingly watchable sequel is functional from start to finish, and even cleaver at times.
I don't think Jason uses a cleaver. ;)
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Markgway wrote: 21 Jan 2021, 16:05
HungFist wrote: 18 Jan 2021, 14:32 Friday the 13th: Part 2 (USA, 1981) [VoD] – 2.5/5
Surprisingly watchable sequel is functional from start to finish, and even cleaver at times.
I don't think Jason uses a cleaver. ;)
Oops :lol:
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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HungFist wrote: 21 Jan 2021, 15:03 Friday the 13th: Part 3 (USA, 1982) [VoD] – 1.5/5
Inept third film bores the viewer to death before the last 3rd finally picks up the pace and delivers some tolerable horror action.

Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (USA, 1985) [(VoD] 1.5/5
Universally hated part 5, but not as bad as part 3, thanks to plentiful boobs and a nice little chainsaw scene at the end. The redneck mom-son tag team would admittedly be a new low if there wasn't so much plain boredom (which is even worse) in the series.
Both of these have individual moments of hilarity and cool gore, but they suffer from way too much stupid comic relief. Weird to think they are both written by Martin Kirtrosser, who is a regular Tarentino collaborator.

I've been playing the Friday the 13th game on the Nintendo Switch, and it is really bloody marvellous fun!
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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HungFist wrote: 18 Jan 2021, 14:32 Friday the 13th: Part 2 (USA, 1981) [VoD] – 2.5/5
Surprisingly watchable sequel is functional from start to finish, and even cleaver at times. That is, the ridiculously long opening recap aside. It is too bad the film's hottest girl had to turn out to be a minor and her nude scene deleted from the film.
The best in the series, it's such a pity the MPAA hacked this to bits gore wise - especially the double skewering which is cleary rippped off from Mario Bava's Bay of Blood, no matter what Steve Miner might say.

What are your thoughts on Part 4?
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Killer Meteor wrote: 21 Jan 2021, 21:04 What are your thoughts on Part 4?
I saw it some years ago. The details have departed my memory, but I thought it was among the better ones. Part 6 was probably my favourite, followed by 2 and 4. Mind you, I still don't consider any of them to be "good" but those were alright.

For a similar film, I must say I liked The Burning better than any of the Fridays.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Agreed on The Burning. That RIck Wakeman soundtrack is awesome!
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (USA, 1988) [VoD] – 1.5/5
Pedestrian entry gains some momentum towards the end (as usual) and the ridiculous climax makes it feel at least somewhat worth the pain it took to get there. Bad, but marginally better than parts 3 and 5.

Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (USA, 1988) [VoD] – 2.5/5
Jason goes on a cruise, and reaches N.Y. 25 min before the film ends. A welcome change of pace, technically more competent than some others in the series, and surely one of the best cruise ship slashers out there? Also contains a punk rock girl and the biggest asshole in the series.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Part VII suffers from heavy MPAA cuts, but Kane Hodder's Jason looks great.

Part VIII feels too...safe? mainstream? glamourous? Plus the redesigned Jason - both mask and unmasked - looks poor. Jensen Daggart as the female lead is a real beauty!
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Killer Meteor wrote: 26 Jan 2021, 11:11 Part VIII feels too...safe? mainstream? glamourous?
Professional? :lol:

Haha, I was just happy the film was easier to watch than some of the earlier ones. But then again, I have never understood the series' appeal. The Halloweens beat these easily IMO.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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HungFist wrote: 26 Jan 2021, 11:17 . But then again, I have never understood the series' appeal.
Sexy dames, and plenty of them!!!
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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The Toxic Avenger: Part II (USA, 1989) [VoD] – 2.5/5
Toxie goes to Japan, finds more evil to crush. Uneven sequel moves at snail pace at first, with all the usual Troma sins (childish acting, unfunny jokes etc.) in the opening third, then it relocates to Japan and actually becomes rather clever. There are loads of cultural jokes (had a chuckle with 悪魔の毒々モンスター written on Toxie's business card), people killed in uniquely Japanese ways, gruesome gore, a pretty cool cast (Rikiya Yasuoka as Toxie's dad, Angel Guts: Red Vertigo's Mayako Katsuragi as cute girlfriend side-kick, plus cameos like Go Nagai), and even the Japanese language spoken to a decent extent when not resorting to lame-ass dubbing work. Somehow Troma seems to have done their Japan homework better than most Hollywood films with Japan content. Unfortunately the film goes back to Tromaville for the anti-climatic last reel.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Watching the Toxic Avenger films is always a surreal experience - as a kid, I loved the Toxic Crusaders cartoon!
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Killer Meteor wrote: 04 Feb 2021, 07:47 Watching the Toxic Avenger films is always a surreal experience - as a kid, I loved the Toxic Crusaders cartoon!
I had a Toxie action figure as a kid. I suppose it was from that series. I had never seen the films nor the cartoon. But the kid next door kept telling me stories about the film. He had a liberal father who let him watch just about anything.

Troma's War (USA, 1988) [VoD] – 3/5
You haven't seen war until you've seen it through the eyes of Troma. Uneven, partly exhilarating action / satire / trash epic with plane crash survivors having to fight for their lives against an army of terrorists on an island. Shitloads of action ensues, with the body count reaching 600 (according to IMDb), most of it creditable to a holiday Rambo in Hawaii shirt and shorts. Blood, boobs, grenades, millions of bullets and a great soundtrack, as well as some idiotic Troma humour. The film is at its most outrageously fun when it plays it seemingly straight.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Twins of Evil (UK, 1971) – 3.5/5
Sisters Mary and Madeleine Collinson, one virginal and the other not so, move in with uncle Peter Cushing who just happens to be a man of faith who spends his nights chasing sexy young girls and burning them to death in the name of God! A later day Hammer film with a welcome blurring of lines: evil is seductive and the good guys are blind. Some great supporting characters, surprisingly grizzly violence at the end, and nudity mixed with classic Hammer magic. Cushing (having just lost his wife in real life) is excellent, too!
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Warrior Queen (USA, 1987) [VoD] -1/5
Mind-numbingly dull sword and sandals junk that can't decide what it wants to be. It starts out as a skin flick with the admittedly eye-pleasing Tally Chanel in ropes, then forgets about the ladies and brings in gladiators. Next comes some jealousy drama. Donald Pleasence is there too, God only knows why, and Warrior Queen Sybil Danning whose warriorhood is limited kicking one guy in the opening scene. There might've been another kick at the end, but I left the sinking ship before that.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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The Neon Demon - 2/5
LMAO, what is this pretentious trash? It's nowhere near as a clever as it portrays itself to be. The commentary about the hyper-competitiveness of the fashion industry and the low shelf life of models is put together with Duplo blocks. At least the cinematography looks amazing in 4k/HDR.

Did Nicolas Winding Refn just go off the deep end after Drive? Only God Forgives was big poop too. I can clearly see why Hideo Kojima is a big fanboy of this guy.

BlackkKlansman - 4/5
Overall a solid, enjoyable film. Sadly the "hurr durrr Trump is a white supremacist president" stuff at the end was big cringe, it's dated the film badly already.

Hustlers (2019) - 3/5
Decent crime movie. Did an even handed job of portraying the characters as both sympathetic but also the pieces of shit that they were.

Detective Pikachu - 3/5
Surprisingly decent, buddy action film. Reynolds as Pikachu and the human lead had good chemistry. They a good job with the world building. The villain felt an early MCU villain, i.e. barely developed.

I Care a Lot - 3/5
A Cohen Brothers-esque crime drama black comedy, that kept me engaged throughout. The lead character and her girlfriend/partner in crime were big pieces of shit and I was rooting for them to get their comeuppance.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Detective Pickachu was good fun, I enjoyed it :)
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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EvaUnit02 wrote: 01 Mar 2021, 21:08 The Neon Demon - 2/5
LMAO, what is this pretentious trash? It's nowhere near as a clever as it portrays itself to be. The commentary about the hyper-competitiveness of the fashion industry and the low shelf life of models is put together with Duplo blocks. At least the cinematography looks amazing in 4k/HDR.

Did Nicolas Winding Refn just go off the deep end after Drive? Only God Forgives was big poop too. I can clearly see why Hideo Kojima is a big fanboy of this guy.
Big disagree on both accounts.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Conquest (Italy, 1983) [VoD] – 3.5/5
Lucio Fulci’s barbarian adventure. A naive baby-face hero goes on a big journey, encounters nasty orks and an evil topless princess who has dreams of her head being ripped off in gruesome cannibal film detail. Excessive homo-eroticism ensues after the hero meets a wandering muscle (Jorge Rivero) who will accompany him. What a neglected barbarian gem! Fulci brings in some much needed tight technical grip, genuinely atmospheric mystics (partly creditable to an odd foggy visual look that gives the film a VHS appearance even in HD!) and a Claudio Simonetti score. And what an ending! A strong contender for the 2nd best barbarian movie ever made. I'd pull my head off to see this in 35mm.
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Re: What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

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Vampire Lovers (UK, 1970) – 2/5
Dated Hammer horror with plastic beauty Ingrid Pitt seducing naïve countryside girls behind men’s backs. Loads of nudity, but the whole thing feels silly, clumsy and morally conservative. Peter Cushing only shows up in the beginning and end. Twins of Evil did something similar far more convincingly a year later.
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