Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on October 15th, 2021
“Aliens from the future gave us magic powers. It was staring me in the face.”
This was a series that managed to catch me completely off guard. I’m still in a state of shock for how much I loved this show. Beforehand, I heard little about the show. I think I may have caught a glimpse of a commercial for it or the odd promo, but I never paid attention to it. I expected that it would be dreary and flat. Now, I’ve gone from thinking this was something I would have to endure for six episodes, to chomping at the bit to get my hand on the second set of six episodes. There were so many elements and themes that were combined with rich and complex characters. All the pieces came together to make this Lauren Donnelly and Ann Skelly-led series a masterpiece of entertainment. I know what you are thinking. The quote above is kind of telling, but trust me, there are so many other reveals jam-packed into these six episodes that you will hardly miss that one. Plus I just wanted to gift you one of my favorite lines, which was delivered with such dry wit and perfectly encompasses the plot of the series.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on October 15th, 2021
Fried Barry is definitely one of those fun quirky movies that needs to be seen to be believed. One thing I should definitely say from the start is this movie is definitely not for everyone but if you are willing to go into this with an open mind well you just might appreciate this little gem ad for those late night drinkers and tokers, this is one that is fun to put on for those late night movie nights. If you are looking for a high brow art film you’ve come to the wrong place and despite how the covert art suggests “A Hard R version of ET” well that’s a bit of a stretch in the ET department but this is definitely a film not for the kiddies but perfect for those high school film geeks looking for an outlet from woke society. I feel like this is the kind of movie we need as the rest of the world is so scared about offending one another Fried Barry instead asks it viewers to kick back and prepare to get uncomfortable and enjoy the ride.
Gary Green plays the role of Barry, a quiet and not very likeable drug addict that happens to also be a terrible father. Everything about Green goes against the mold of what a lead actor is supposed to be but it doesn’t take long before you realize how this man was born to play this part and I’m willing to bet this will make him a cult hero in the upcoming years. Green doesn’t talk much during the film and it’s really his facial expressions, body movements and his eyes that drive this performance, while I’m not saying this is an Oscar worthy performance, on a physical level Gary Green has a physicality that I haven’t seen in quite some time.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 14th, 2021
"It's alive!"
After nearly 90 years the Universal horror cycle stands as one of the most enduring collection of horror movies today. Their influence on modern horror is unmistakable. There have been literally thousands of incarnations of Dracula, The Wolf Man and Frankenstein's Monster, but the first image that comes to your mind will always be the nightmare creations of those Universal films. Studio head Carl Laemmle, Jr. was trying to break away from his father's control and create a studio culture of his own. The results would start in 1931 when an unknown Hungarian actor named Bela Lugosi jumped from the stage to the screen in Dracula, directed by Tod Browning. Laemmle's niece, Carla Laemmle, is the girl in the coach headed for Borgo Pass as the film opens to the musical strains from Swan Lake. She is reading a travel brochure about vampires and thus speaks the very first lines ever spoken in a horror film in the era of sound. Lugosi was mesmerizing, and the film was a hit. There was a depression on, but that didn't stop crowds from lining up around theater blocks to be hypnotized by Lugosi's Dracula.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 13th, 2021
"He's dangerous, amoral, he pathologically flaunts authority. He's reckless to the point of suicidal. But all of this ... everything we've done. None of it would have been possible if it weren't for him."
Him, of course is James Spader as the enigmatic Raymond "Red" Reddington. The show is NBC's breakout hit The Blacklist, created by first-time show-runner Jon Bokenkamp. Bokenkamp is truly a newcomer to the business. He has literally only a couple of very minor writing credits to his name. Perhaps that's why The Blacklist is able to contain quite a few of the cliché elements running through television today and still feel like one of the freshest shows in a long while. Or maybe it's really Spader.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Brent Lorentson on October 13th, 2021
“They are coming to get you, Barbara.”
Step aside, Gus Van Sant’s 1998 remake of Psycho; there’s a new most useless remake (of all time) in town. Seriously, to whoever is responsible for getting this film green-lit, I seriously hate you and all that you’ve done to George A. Romero’s classic and not to mention groundbreaking film. The fact that his name isn’t even in the credits on the Blu-ray is equally a blessing and a low blow. George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead is pretty well known for being the first film to depict zombies as undead, flesh-eating beings and literally kick-started its own subgenre in horror. It’s also perhaps known for one of the biggest blunders involving copyright protection, which resulted in Romero losing out on millions and the distributors pocketing most of the financial gains the film had. In 1990, Tom Savini would go on to remake the film, but this time shoot the film in color and also update it with new and improved special effects. The remake is good, but not great, but it would introduce many horror fans to Tony Todd before he took on the now iconic role of Candyman. So in the age where Hollywood is obsessed with reboots and remakes, what makes this film stand out as the dumpster fire that it is? Simply put, this was obviously not a passion project, but instead an obvious cash grab that has the artistic integrity of an amateur porn film.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on October 13th, 2021
Justin Long chose an interesting film for his directorial debut. Lady of the Manor is Casper meets For a Good Time Call ..., which is not a dig, as I found both those films enjoyable. The best way to categorize the movie is as a raunchy ghost story, which is an interesting combination. My skepticism was high going into the film, and while I did enjoy the film, I will say that it ran a little long. There are several scenes that could have been cut out, and I feel like for the most part it wouldn’t have sacrificed quality. Melanie Lynskey of Two And A Half Men fame played to her niche, embodying another quirky character, but this time a rated-R version. Rounding out the cast, Judy Greer as the aforementioned lady of the manor, Ryan Phillippe, Luis Guzman, Patrick Duffy (Dallas), and of course, the director himself, Justin Long. Interesting tidbit I learned: principal photography and filming for the movie took place in the Tampa and Saint Petersburg area. I thought certain areas looked familiar.
The film centers around Lynskey’s Hannah Kolinsky, a lazy and directionless stoner who manages to get herself in trouble with the law when she somehow ends up at the wrong address for her weed delivery and ends up ensnared in a To Catch a Predator-esque sting. I will say that this was something I did not expect. Based on the preview, I foresaw the trouble with the cops, but the circumstance really was funny, especially the reverse sexual harassment from the paid actor who ensnares her. Even the cops had to shake their heads about it.
Posted in: Podcasts by Gino Sassani on October 10th, 2021
After nearly 100 years the Universal Horror cycle stands as one of the most enduring collection of horror movies today. Their influence on modern horror is unmistakable. There have been literally thousands of incarnations of Dracula, The Wolf Man and Frankenstein's Monster, but the first image that comes to your mind will always be the nightmare creations of those Universal films. Now the first collection of Universal Horror classics finally comes to UHD Blu-ray and glorious 4K. It doesn't get any better than this. A while back I got to talk with Sarah Karloff, daughter to the legendary monster himself, Boris Karloff. Here what she had to say about those monsters of the past. Bang it here to listen to my interview with Sara Karloff
Posted in: The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on October 9th, 2021
“As long as we are looking over our shoulder, the past is not dead.”
When it comes to Daniel Craig’s Bond movies, I’ve found them to be hit or miss. There are those I love, such as Casino Royale and Skyfall, and then there are those that I wasn’t that into, such as Quantum of Solace and Spectre. However, when it comes to No Time to Die, there is no question that it is my favorite of all the Craig-led Bond movies. Maybe it was how long I’ve been waiting to experience it given that the onset of COVID resulted in the film’s release being delayed multiple times, so by the time it was finally here, I could barely contain my excitement. However, I think it is more likely that the reason is the knowledge that this will be Craig’s final portrayal as the suave secret agent with a penchant for shaken martinis. Either way, Craig’s swan song film was without question great, despite certain elements not delivering on the hype. Craig leaves the franchise with is head held high, as I cannot imagine a more dignified exit for his portrayal.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2021
We first came to know Paul Hogan as the "Shrimp On The Barbie" guy. He was doing television and radio ads for Australian tourism. A smart fellow, he saw that the ad character was popular and rode an enormous wave of an Australian fad that hit America in the 1980's. Suddenly there were Australian bands like Men At Work teaching us about vegemite sandwiches on the top of the music charts. We got steak, not shrimp, on our barbie with a chain of Australian-themed steakhouses appropriately called Outback "no rules, just right" started up by a Florida group. Pop culture became inundated with catch phrases like "no worries" and "G'Day". Australia was cool, and we even had an "Australian" neighbor we all later found out was faking it for years. No doubt anything Aussie was considered cool. It was in that light that Hogan parlayed his tourism ads into an over-the-top Aussie character named Michael J. "Crocodile” Dundee.
The film was an almost instant hit. It pulled in a rather sweet $175 million at the domestic box office. Remember, this was a 1987 comedy with no real known American stars. Of course there was going to be a sequel. That film pulled in considerably less, but still a respectable $110 million. Those three films have now been brought to Blu-ray as a three-disc set from Paramount. The third film was called Crocodile Dundee In Los Angeles and tanked big time with an embarrassing $25 million box office total. That was 2001, and the Aussie fad has long since passed.
Posted in: Uncategorized by Gino Sassani on October 5th, 2021
Too much of what comes out of the entertainment industry today is remakes/reboots/revivals and sequels. There's certainly a place for some of that but if you are like me you are hungry for originality. I found it in the unusual film Fried Barry. Filmed in South Africa the film pays a lot of homage to many iconic film moments without losing its own originality. I had the chance to talk with director/writer Ryan Kruger and it was a blast. He's doing his own thing out there and that made for some interesting conversation, to be sure. You can listen in on my conversation with Ryan Kruger and then go out and find the film. Bang it here to listen to my conversation with: Ryan Kruger.
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