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Sunday, April 20, 2014

Fool's Views (3/17 – 3/30)


I can see for miles and miles and miles and miles...

Howdy, folks!

Gamely attempting to catch up to the tail that wags the proverbial dog, and having a fairly good time in so doing. The horror offerings covered during this two-week period represent independents all, ranging from the microbudget to the slightly better funded, from terrific to terrible, and from the Doc’s Midwestern backyard to the far reaches of Australia. Not too shabby.

As always, feel free to leave your two cents worth – we’ll make sure you get some change back.

Enjoy!



HORROR:


Babysitter Massacre (2013) d. Couto, Henrique (USA) (1st viewing)

My buddy Jason Coffman liked this one a bunch (more than me, to be honest), so I figured I’d let him take the lead here. Pick up what he’s laying down over at Film Monthly.

http://www.filmmonthly.com/film/babysitter-massacre





Happy Camp (2014) d. Anthony, Josh (USA) (1st viewing)

***CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW***





Proxy (2013) d. Parker, Zack (USA) (1st viewing)

***CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW***





Return to Nuke 'Em High, Vol. 1 (2013) d. Kaufman, Lloyd (USA) (1st and 2nd viewings)

***CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW***





WNUF Halloween Special (2013) d. LaMartina, Chris (USA) (1st viewing)

I absolutely loved this slice of throwback goodness from the guys who gave us last year’s surprisingly enjoyable slasher President’s Day. Felix Vasquez from Cinema Crazed gives it the glowing review it deserves and I’m not about to try to improve upon perfection:

http://cinema-crazed.com/blog/2013/11/04/wnuf-halloween-special-2013-limited-edition-vhs/




PATRICK THEN AND NOW


Patrick (1978) d. Franklin, Richard (Australia) (2nd viewing)

***CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW***





Patrick (2013) d. Hartley, Mark (Australia) (1st viewing)

***CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW***




CIVILIAN:


Ballast (2008) d. Hammer, Lance (USA) (1st viewing)

Hammer won the Best Director prize at Sundance with his deceptively muted drama about the repercussions a local man’s suicide has on his estranged son (JimMyron Ross) and ex-wife (Tarra Riggs), as well as his twin brother (Micheal J. Smith Sr.). Breathtakingly authentic performances, a thorny narrative, and desolate Mississippi locations make this a marvel to behold, one that has regrettably slipped off the radar along with its creator. Deserving of your time.





Cold in July (2014) d. Mickle, Jim (USA) (1st viewing)

***CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW***





Fury (1936) d. Lang, Fritz (USA) (1st viewing)

Lang’s first U.S. feature follows Spencer Tracy after he is wrongfully accused of a series of murders and set upon by a vicious small-town lynch mob led by King Kong’s Bruce Cabot. Sylvia Sydney (who received top billing at the time) plays his distraught fiancée, and those who only know her from her later character years (Beetlejuice, Damien: Omen II, and, er, Snowbeast) deserve to check out her turn here as a knockout leading lady.





Limitless (2011) d. Burger, Neil (USA) (1st viewing)

“What if a pill could make you rich and powerful?” Bradley Cooper comes across a stash of trial drugs that boost his intellectual potential, making him smarter, quicker, sexier, etc., but of course, it all comes at a price and supplies are, well, limited. A great what-if scenario from Burger, who gave us the underrated 2006 magician thriller The Illusionist, the hardly seen war drama The Lucky Ones, and the recent superteen epic Divergent. Fine popcorn thriller that gets a little cute (and bloody) in the final reel, but not destructively so.


2014 Totals to date: 70 films, 35 1st time views, 39 horror, 1 cinema

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