Arena / 48 (C+)

Pretty awesome I guess.  However, it was pretty slow.  They put a lot of effort into the uniforms and monster suits etc., but I guess overall the movie was what should be expected of a movie about a short order cook that becomes the next human intergalactic UFC (c) champion.

It's all about the handicapping for sure.

good quote: "...As long as there are Steve Armstrong's out there in the universe, there will always be contenders."

Now that this piece is over, I don't think I ever need to see it again - but I do have an itching to watch Star Crash on VHS.  I wonder if he ever gave that back to me?

Troll 2 / movie #47 (A+)

Right off the bat I get a similar feeling as the scene where Fred Savage was being told a story by Peter Falk in Princess Bride...directly followed by eating green goo like in Bad Taste!  Beauty beginning!!  So, I'm going to do a semi-play by play on this one, instead of the end of movie recap...I will try not to give away the awesome plot as I go along.

Mmmmmm....green icing!  This little kid, who looks 17, has been freaking out for the first 19 minutes of the movie so far, and he gets a warning in the form of a death threat on a softball (written in green icing no doubt) and he tosses it aside like it was nothing.

I think I just found my favorite line of the movie..."you can't piss on hospitality...I WON'T ALLOW IT".   Holy crap, that was AWESOME!

Is that the church from In the Mouth of Madness?  Also, what is up with the one Troll that doesn't have black sunken in eyes, instead, the eyes are totally sticking out and very fake looking?  I don't like that one, it's much creepier to have the eyes be dark and sunken.  I'll write the director and let him know about this.

"I can't move, why?"...."Why can't I move, there must be a logical reason"....."OH MY GOOOOOOOD!!!!!"  Totally classic!!

Immediate cut to girl doing flashdance while wearing Garfield shirt.  Huh?

Another fancy item to note, they call the beasts "Goblins" throughout the movie - yet the movie itself is called "Troll 2".  Must be on purpose.

Another good line, "There's no coffee here in Nilbog, that's the devil's drink!"

Great out of mirror, hack off hand, back through mirror scene!

Cop says, "There's sandwiches for tonight in here.  It would go easier if you eat 'em.  You'll make our work easier, otherwise we'd be forced to kill you VIOLENTLY!"

baloney sandwich, another softball...The End.  Totally worth watching if you like campy B-rated movies.  I would recommend this for that reason.

Just corrected this rating.  My bad.

46 Contagion (B-)

This movie bounced around a lot.  There were a lot of main actors and main scenes.  I did like it, and it's scary to think about an infection hitting the world that is bigger than what we've had before.  I can say I was happy that it started right off and didn't have a bunch of building characters time.  They actually pulled it off that the character building occurred after the action started, which worked.

Saw this flick with 3 others and didn't get much feedback from them afterwards.  I think we all liked it enough.  It is worth seeing, but perhaps not necessary on the big screen, just rent it with Qwickster.  LOL.

P.S. Are Jude Law's teeth always like that, or did they do this just for the movie to make him look more like an everyday person?  There are some intense zoom in scenes on those bad boys during the 2nd half of this movie.  He should get braces.  Just saying...trying not to hate, just never noticed this before.

Gamer / 45 (D)

Finally hit #45, on a long route to 200. I hope I make it.

This flick, with constant back and forth and mind effing, was straight awful.  Leguizamo (sp?) again was putrid.   I couldn't even hear him when he was speaking. Good job John. I hope you have a The Happening poster in your bedroom.

Like Death Race, this movie has the right idea for a plot of the 2010s.  However, wasn't good.  

Stone / 44 (D)

This had a good cast and I'm always impressed with Edward Norton's ability to act and transform, but this was booooooooooooring.   I just couldn't get into it - at all, at least at 74% in....I have 28 minutes left and I don't know if I can finish.  Ugh.  The plot is just so slow.

I watched the last % of the plot and this movie was no where near good.  What even happened at the end there? I don't recommend this movie to ANYONE.

Birdemic: Shock and Terror - movie 43 (A)

The Room II?  Possibly!  Holy crap.  When I first saw one of the parrot type CGI effects I couldn't stop laughing.  Greatness...greatness AND a simply beautiful love story!  The editing of this piece is fantastic, purposefully leaving the scene running even when the lines are over.  Pretty damn straight awesome.

Quick assessment midway though, I have an incredible urge to see the main actors get eaten....and SOOOOON!!  Man oh man, this is definitely the Room part 2.  TOTALLY on purpose.  Where did they get those crazy guns??  So hilarious!

Might I add, great music score.  During the motivational speech by the manager in the office board room (pre-attack), they paused the music and then started it again with such great epic timing...

And the little girl saying, "I'm hungry, I've been under the car for a long time."  Good line.

I honestly think my favorite part of the movie are the way too long science lessons by the tv announcer, old man on bridge, and Tom Hill the hippie living among the trees.

Definitely a must watch for those who know who they are.  For people who liked Transformers part 2 (and by liked, I mean actually even took the time to watch it), this movie will not be for you.  Thanks for the recommendation and persistence dude.  Well worth it.

Leviathan / 42 (C)

• Atlantic Ocean - 16,000 feet deep.
• Tri Oceanic Mining Corperation
• Mission: Extraction of Silver and Other Precious Metals
• Classification of Mission: Extremely Hazardous
• LOL

Damn sunken vessel under the sea!  Why'd we have to stumble upon you?

This movie was okay only.  Pretty good cast full of back-up type actors I suppose.  I can't believe Robocop (Peter Weller) was in this movie.  My favorite line from the dude from Hand that Rocks the Cradle, "Hey, I ain't never gonna be able to sleep again, in light, EVER!"...classic!  There was a good transformation scene from human to monster where the dudes hand turned into a mouth with crazy sharp teeth.  Those crazy guns they ran around with, that have the fire pilot on the end, were totally rad.  More movies should use those!  And I call BS on the ending - it just becomes laughable.  The final 3 minutes were ridiculous.

Which came first, this or Aliens?

Thanks - have a good day.

Nightmares in Red. White and Blue (documentary) #41 (B+)

I know this doesn't really count as it's a documentary, but I watched it and I'm going to blog about it. It's a look back at mostly US horror as a genre, but it does stretch out to other countries at the end, acknowledging that there are many greats out there to be found. Interesting, they allude at one point that it was a precidence set that all monsters must die by the end of a film, as if it were a rule back in the beginning of horror. Pretty cool/interesting.

What is going on with this one dude's Freddy/Reagan reference? I don't see the need for that at all.

Well, this was a good documentary. Not like that one that focuses on Wolfmen or Frankensteins only - the one that Christopher Lee hosted. It definitely got really good half way through. I really want to give a try to some of the oldies with Bela or Lon, but honestly modern movies are best for me.

I realized a few movies I need to see again like Scream and Hostel, and the newer TCMs (even though I've seen them many times). Also there are movies I would like to check out like The Last House on the Left (1972), The Stepford Wives (1975), and It's Alive (1974). That was definitely a bonus as they showed clips, they threw the name of the movie in the bottom corner.

Lastly I feel the need to apologize again for liking this genre. I'm sorry. But I really do like it. I've noted with this "project" that I watch about 5 horror for every 1 normal comedy or drama. I do keep noting this and realize that it might just be that I'm an uber-fan. I love the strange, oddness, and I like to be scared (although it barely ever works). :) This really was a good documentary in the end. I'm happy I saw it.

Lake Mungo #40 (C-)

Well, 22% of the way through this movie I sort of freaked myself out and turned it off. I think it might be some noises I heard in my house on the first night, but I definitely chickened out mid-way through and had to return another day.

One issue, the sound on this film SUCKS. When the people are being interviewed, I can barely hear them...I turn it up, and then the interviewees are super loud. The noise really is deterring me from enjoying this. Sorry to all of a sudden take a negative slant, however so far I'm enjoying this movie, but they just threw a twist into the middle of the movie that is really dumb. I wish they didn't just do that. Honestly I hope it makes sense by the time this ends.

Ok, I just jumped for real. Got goose bumps and literally jumped, skin and all. Keep getting better movie, I'm waiting and I dare you - Don't let me down. It certainly helps from a scare standpoint when I'm alone and the freaking cats are looking around the room like they hear something.

Finally done. Dumb dumb dumb. Not worth it. I did like the first 20 or so minutes, and the one time I jumped, but totally not worth watching. Sorry to those I told about this and potentially got your hopes up. It was just okay, it was definitely a mix between Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity, but I still give it a C-.

Paul #39 (B+)

This film was funny. It started slow, but gained fun as it went. I was initially upset with Pegg and Frost as they seemed "off" compared to Hot Fuzz or Shawn of the Dead. Watch the beginning on a decent flat-screen and you will see what I mean. The acting and the "clarity" were not good for well over 30 minutes. But, it/they got better. I suppose what I'm saying is the first 30 or so minutes seemed pretty shite-ass, but they turned it around. I loved when the girl character turned her "mood". For me that's when the movie got going. I also sort of wish I didn't know that Paul's voice was that dude from Undeclared. It sort of ruined it for me, I constantly imagined him. After writing this up, seems like I hated it but really I didn't, just being critical.

Anyway, I would watch this again and would own it...it gained fun as I said above. Totally worth watching. Don't let your kids watch it, unless they are 16+. There is a lot of language.

Good day.

movie #38 Nightbeast (B-)

Holy crap Mike, 1982 in it's glory - watch this flick. The "thing" just blasted a guy with a greedo type gun and a light beam literally came out of it, and the guy he blasted turned into a silhouette with lighting around the edges and then he disappeared. This is classic B-rated-awful-yet-great-80's action!!! This movie reminds me of a mix between Star Crash and Pumpkinhead. So so great. Action starts at minute 1 and doesn't give up. Acting is superb and even full mustaches - excellent!

Mike, we could make this movie...perhaps a sequel or remake!

Holy crap, a station wagon just got blasted into a silhouette and disappeared! There goes a volvo via light blast! And a dude just disintegrated like Pacman after getting hit by a ghost...he turned into fireworks/sparkler effects!!!!!!!! Holy Damn!

Man, I need to rent "the Stuff" again soon.

(oh man, the poison gas announcement by that Jason Lee look-alike was so funny!)

Eyes Without A Face (D) / #37

Yikes. I'm glad I was born when I was. I can't even get into older movies, the plots are just so slow moving. There was surely some taboo things for the time, but this movie just was not my style. Dude, you were right, what's wrong with me trying out something from 1959. I guess I even feel bad busting on movies from back then, but I just haven't liked one much yet. Eraserhead was good, but I bet that was from the 80's wasn't, just filmed in 50's style. Ugh, I don't know...I'm just happy times have changed. I also wonder what is wrong with the Netflix (c) viewers who rated this movie as a must see.

Here's a creepy picture from the movie:

36 / The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (C+)

Well, I guess this was pretty good, kind of. I think the random connection with the girl and the guy was a bit much, I mean, I know it wasn't really "random", but c'mon. And then another item that bothered me where the mystery clues that they were able to decipher. That was pretty far fetched. However, overall I suppose it was pretty okay. Basically nothing to write home about. Would I ever want to see this movie again? Probably not. I suppose my desire to see the next two in the trilogy is currently much less.

I had such high expectations of this film. Critics and Netflix (c) reviewers had so much good to say about it. It wasn't horrible, but it also wasn't something that I care to pass along to someone as a "must see". Again, I wanted it to be better. And the plot was NOTHING like I thought it would be. I guess due to the title and the cover of the movie, I didn't realize it would be about a hacker girl with crazy skills teaming up with a prison bound journalist while they research a 40 year old murder/missing persons case.

I just officially listed this as 3 out of 5 stars on Netflix (c) and dropped it from a B- to a C+. Perhaps if the "clues" weren't so random and cryptic, and thus more believable that they could figure them out, I might have been a bit more on-board with the movie.

#35 The Debt (A)

I saw this film with two of my buddies. First, I'd like to note that the previews for Ides of March, Haywire, and Dream House look good - although, is Dream House really a carbon copy of Shutter Island's story?

I absolutely loved this movie. Really, one of the best ones I've seen in a long time. High quality. One of the guys I went with was displeased with how the Islamic special forces were portrayed, as in, they should have been more on-point with less mistakes if any. The other guy wanted more action scenes. Me, I was on the seat of my chair and really enjoyed every moment. Even the tense scenes got more tense.

One of my favorite lines was when Helen Mirren told Tom Wilkensen, "God didn't make car b*mbs" and then he told her he wasn't referring to himself in a wheelchair. This doesn't make sense unless you see the movie, but in a movie that wasn't a comedy, I burst out laughing at these two lines.

Anyway, go see it.

34: The Host (A-)

The CGI scenes throughout the Host were quite phenomenal. I was very very impressed with the first time the beast was encountered. I was also happy that the beast wasn't really the focal point of the movie.

The cover of the movie made me think I was about to embark on a journey much like Anaconda or Rodan, glad that wasn't really the case.

Not sure this really qualities as a horror movie, but it is definitely good. The story more revolves around an action/adventure plot, rather than anything horror. Still I don't advise watching it with your wife.

Bravo for the one aspect of the ending, which I won't say. Not many movies go there and I applaud the director/writer for having the balls to do it.