Hillside Cannibals

Wow. That's all i have to say about this.

I got this one out of the horror section at blockbuster- the best section ever.

Think Hills Have Eyes with Caveman and House of Wax (minus the wax) all in one movie and THAT is Hillside Cannibals.

Splice

This is interesting. I do enjoy myself a good sci-fi flick every so often (actually most of the time it's my preferred movie choice...or a b-list horror movie!)...

Anyway. Adrien Brody and Random Blonde chick play two scientists (perhaps 50 years in the future?) that work in a lab splicing different animal DNA together to create a weird creature thing and synthesize some proteins for human usage to cure disease, cancer, AIDS, etc etc. They want to splice human DNA in at some point, but they get rejected because the lab got different funding and so of course they do it anyway.

A good 10 minutes of the movie is spent with them staring at a screen with chromosomes that says FAIL! you suck at being scientists, then all of a sudden YAY! it works. They create some strange human-fish-tadpole-bird-hamster-mouse creature that grows really fast. It's weird-has no hair and has weird pointy horse-bird feet. Oh, and it's androgynous and/or changes sex.

THe rest of the movie is consumed with Random Hot Blonde Scientist forming a mother-child like bond with said creature, peeking into R.H.B.S.'s past life and how her mother was evil and now RHBS has to be a control freak. Oh, also, Adrien Brody falls for Creature and sleeps with it, then RHBS catches them and goes into a tizzy.

The ending of the movie was kind of "meh", so I'll save that for you to experience. It was another cop-out ending all M. Night Syahadmhahamlalan-like, so it was kind of disappointing. The relationships between the characters is kind of interesting, but has "Stereotypical Psychology Case Study" written all over it. All in all, it was pretty ok, but I probably won't watch it again.

The Stuff

Holy smokes. This movie. It's like if Marshmallow Fluff grew an evil soul-brain thing and decided to wreak havoc on the economy and ice cream business and people's families. It's great!

I don't even remember half of what the heck was going on because the scenes were so damn jumpy...and I'm pretty sure whats-his-face investigator guy was doing his investigation for a few years and was wearing the same outfit the whole time. I have to admit, though, His boots were pretty sweet.

Also, why do kids always know the truth about what's going on?! Either that or they're freaking creepy. This time it wasn't the case that the kid was creepy; he was just smarter than all of the other adults around him.

Also: There's a token black guy in this flick. His name is "Chocolate Chip" Charles. Wrap your head around that one.

Date Night

Hah. Steve Carrell and Tina Fey. You'd think it'd be a pretty neat duo, but it was just meh. The two are pretty funny, but the wit and sarcasm is lost between their fumblings throughout Jersey...or New York...where ever they were.

Anywho, Tina and Steve make a pretty good upper-middle class suburban white folk boring couple with a house, dog, and 2.4 kids. (They should have just used their real names as the character names...Tina and Steve....much more bland than whatever their character names where)...It wasn't as funny and sarcastic as I expected it to be, which was a little disappointing. But, they make for a good chuckle if you are in need of one.

Either way, this is just a movie to rent when you're bored one night. I'd take Monty Python over this any day.

The Science of Sleep

Well. This was the strangest movie I had seen in a while. Stephane was really annoying though and needed to stop crying and grow a pair.

There's Gael Garcia Bernal as Stephane, Charlotte Gainsbourg as Stephanie, and some other people. I heard an album by Charlotte Gainsbourg a while back and I was surprised to see she's an actress as well. I also read somewhere that she got in a really bad skiing accident and hit her head and had to have brain surgery or something...crazy, I know!

Stephane moves back to France after his father passes away because his mother has a job set up for him there. He moves into an apartment (unknowingly) next to Stephanie and he meets her by helping her movers bring a piano up to her apartment. Some weird things go on and Stephane ends up liking Stephanie (cute...matching names) and for some odd reason Stephane's boss tells Stephane to pretend he's not Stephanie's neighbor. So that just screws up everything because poor Stephane is already emotionally unstable and cries at everything AND mixes reality with his dreams. oy. This guy needs some structure in his life! After Stephanie jerks him around a while, he cries some more and then all is well. Stephane and Stephanie ride off into the sunset on a blue felted horse with yarn hair and they live happily ever after. The End!

The Crazies

Well, I didn't hear about this movie until it got released on DVD at my place of employment, and after seeing it I think I know why that was the case. It was pretty much a half-assed zombie movie with half-assed zombies. Everybody pretty much dies in the end....but the zombies (if that's even what they are) aren't even zombies!!

Some super-generic bio-hazard substance has found its way into the water system of your generic, midwest American town turning its victims "crazy" (I guess). Slowly but surely, everyone gets infected, the government intervenes, and nukes everyone so the substance doesn't spread. The story follows a couple trying to leave the town, but they're doomed from the beginning, and everyone knows that, so I don't really know why they even made a movie out of this. It would have almost been a little better if contact from the fake-zombies turned you into a zombie, but it doesn't. AND!! You don't even have to shoot the fake-zombies in the head to kill them! LAME.

Toy Story 3

Yup. It's just as all the critics said it was. Cute. Charming. Touching. Frightening (but only for a moment!). Definitely a good ending to the series my generation has grown up with. The creators did not try to cheese it up at with some sappy story about how Andy keeps his beloved toys on his shelf for the rest of time, but made it much more realistic as to what would really happen (thank god). Hopefully Toy Story doesn't turn into a mass-market-put-whatever-story-we-got-out-there type thing and try to wring every last penny out of its audiences. (I don't think it will.) This finale left us all in a good spot knowing that Andy is going to carry on with life and that the toys will have a not-so-dismal future ahead of them. Hooray!

Gattaca

Hooray for more sci-fi!- although a little more updated than Soylent Green. In the future (surprise! a sci-fi film about the future!), people are conceived via in-vitro with the best traits of each parent chosen from them. People conceived naturally are looked down upon even though such discrimination is against the law (sound familiar?-a.k.a. the world we live in RIGHT NOW. o.m.g.).

Ethan Hawke plays Vincent, a naturally conceived young gentleman who aspires to be much more than society is allowing him to be. His brother Anton is conceived the more "conventional" way, and throughout life the two are constantly battling to see who is better. Vincent strives to go into space someday and studies and trains his butt off, only to become a janitor in the work-place of his dreams (where he wouldn't be a janitor)....but he's still a janitor. Damn. Then enter Jude Law playing Jerome Eugene Morrow, an almost-perfect human specimen who oh-so-conveniently has gone into seclusion due to an accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Vincent jumps at the chance to finally become what he wants to be, risking his and Jerome's reputation (although Jerome doesn't really care, because even though he's a 9.3, he's dug himself into a pit of self-hatred and despair because of his perfectness. What a terrible life he has.) Anywho, an accident occurs at Gattaca Aerospace...whatever...leaving one if its head guys dead and Vincent as the prime suspect.

Throughout the film we see numerous issues about genetics, perfection, life, siblings, souls, etc etc, but who cares. It's just a movie. Oh, a good thing to note: Anton and Vincent play a game where they swim out to sea and see who can swim out farthest without getting tired and/or scared. Usually Anton beats Vincent, but one time Anton gets tired and starts to drown, so Vincent has to come back and save him! They had a bit of a falling-out because obviously Anton is crushed that his genetically inferior brother beat him at his own game. Later on, Anton comes back for one more game, but Vincent still beats him! Anton asks Vincent how he does it!, and Vincent answers:

"I never saved anything for the way back."

Hoo-rah! Well. That was pretty decent. Kinda cheesey, but hey, it's 1997. When are we going to ever see a decent sci-fi flick?...Oh there was Avat....nevermind...

Howl's Moving Castle

Right off the bat I'd have to say of the three Miyazaki films I've seen thus far, this one is hands down the best! Plus, Turniphead is 10 times better than the kodama of Princess Mononoke (although still super cute).

Howl is a very angsty (teenage?) wizard trained by the Queen's sorceress. He happens upon Sophie while she's walking home from work and is being accosted by some quite ungentlemanly guards. Howl does the age-old "hi dear, I'm glad I caught you! Let me walk you home" trick and accompanies her home. He, however, is also being followed by some creepy black globby shape changers. Sophie finally gets home and eventually has to return to work where the black globby shapeshifter things show up again, but this time with their master. She ends up putting a spell on Sophie which makes her incredibly old. Sophie then goes out to try and break the spell, and then happens upon Howl's Castle and decides to let herself in and acts as housekeeper. A number of spells, inanimate objects becoming animate, a war, and a destroyed castle later rounds out the movie in pure Miyazaki style.

As I said with the other Studio Ghibli's movies, I am a huge fan due to my fantasty fan-dom anyway. Another for the must-see list!

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Another Miyazaki one here. More excellent animation/computer enhancement, excellent story lines and Japanese fantasy, and an amazing cast of talented voices.

Nausicaa is the princess of the Valley of the Wind, one of the last human settlements left in a world ridden with pollution and hostile take-over by giant insects and poisonous forests. The residents of the Valley of the Wind seek to live in harmony with the forest and the insects, and Nausicaa seems to be one of the few that know how to calm the giant insects after they are angered. After a neighboring settlement's airship crashes into the lakeside, the Queen of the neighboring settlement is seeking to take over the Valley of the Wind and completely destroy the surrounding forest. Nausicaa knows that this is not the right way to go about things as she has spent a good chunk of her time researching cures for her father's sickness and subsequently came across interesting discoveries regarding the forest.

I might be slightly biased with my opinions of this film as I am a huge fan of fantasy already. The story line was great and well thought out, and the characters were definitely given much personality. You were able to relate to Nausicaa and her struggles to keep her people and Valley alive and out of the hands of the enemy as well as the angry insects of the forest. She plays a great peace-keeper between the humans and the forest, and (sorry to get cheesey here) shows you that with a little understanding the ways of every living creature can be empathized with. (which, I could totally go on a philosophical rant here, but I'll spare your eyes and brain. haha!).

All-in-all, this movie was pretty good! You should watch it!

Princess Mononoke

I can see why this movie has made it onto so many "Best Movies of _____" Lists and such-this is another one of those everything-about-it-is-great movies! It's also pretty amazing that pretty much this whole movie is hand drawn, what with all the CGI and computer animation these days. (Although, do note that a bit of computer enhancement was used to better the picture.)

Princess Mononoke was released in the States in 1999 with much success. This is another Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli Film that definitely earns its reputation. The film starts out with Prince Ashitaka slaying a demon-possessed boar god. He gets cursed from the slaying and is outcast from his village to try and find a way to cure himself. While in exile, he finds himself upon Iron Town lead by Lady Eboshi. For numerous reasons, Iron Town and the Forest are continually waging battle and Ashitaka brings it upon himself to try to bring the two entities together in peace.

I've always been intrigued by Japanese folklore, literature, and things of that nature, and I've found that this movie pretty much encompasses everything that the Japanese folklore has to offer. Now, I'm no anime professional, but I just thought this film was really great. The story line is fantastic, the visuals are stunning, the music is eerie and wonderful, and the little kodama forest spirits are the creepiest/cutest things I have ever seen! Look:

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Michael Cera....I hope one day to see you in a movie where you play a DIFFERENT type of character! Maybe a different angsty teen or something...I'm sure that would broaden your horizon! Sheesh!

Well, this starts of with Nick (Cera) taking a "personal day" and calling his ex-girlfriend and leaving agonizing voicemails and making ridiculous mixes for her and just overall being an angsty depressing high schooler. His (gay) friends come over and force him out of his house to go on an adventure to find some band called "Fluffy" playing a secret show somewhere in New York City. A chance encounter with Norah, who just so-happens to be one of Nick's ex's good (fake) friends leads to the next 2-hour long drama-filled "she-said-he-said" obnoxiousness. I'm so glad I'm not in high school anymore.

I do have to admit though, it was a pretty cute flick. I was roped in only because I wanted to make sure drunk Caroline got home ok. I'm sure all the hipster indie-kids are all like "OMG I KNOW THIS BAND AND I LOVE IT BECAUSE I'VE HEARD OF THEM SIX MONTHS AGO AND NOW THEY'RE ON THE RADIO AND I CAN'T LISTEN TO IT ANYMORE!"

Also...get a new freaking piece of gum, dammit! That is so nasty! I have never ever had a piece of gum last for more than 30 minutes, let alone survive the chomping of more than 3 mouths. Gross!

Wolfman (2010)

Well, here's the "new" redone Wolfman. I've never seen the original(s), but my dearest Aunt Pat said the wolfman looked the same as when she was younger and watched these series....which she means to say it looked just as terrible.

This movie has a few people of note: Benicio de Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Michael Cronin. It was released in theaters just this past February and came pretty quick to DVD and Blu-ray. To me, that just seems like someone is trying to make a quick buck, which after watching this movie I can see why they felt that.

Wolfman gets off to a bit of a slow start, posing questions without answers, showing mysterious old men with canes and gypsies with secret spells and stories which forces you to stick around for the whole movie. It wasn't entirely intriguing, and the most exciting bits of it were in the last 20 minutes. I didn't think the costuming of the Wolfman was all that great either; there was something just not quite right about the way they looked. I think it's because they looked too human-esque and just looking like those people with that weird hair disease that makes excessive amounts of hair grow all over their face and body. Oh well.

I'm glad I didn't watch this in theaters. I would have been severely disappointed and pissed off that I wasted 7 bucks.

Blow

Johnny Depp has really bad hair in this movie. And Penelope Cruz is super hot, as always. This movie was released in 2001 and directed by Ted Demme. The film tells the story about George Jung who apparently set the scene for cocaine dealing and using throughout the states in the 70s.

I thought this flick was pretty good. Johnny Depp is always a good actor and plays George in Blow. The movie starts out with George telling his story of how he got in jail. It starts out with his humble beginnings in suburban 1950s America with a hard-working Dad and ungrateful mother. His dad then goes bankrupt and George decides then and there he never wants to have to work as hard to make such a living.

I really couldn't get over Depp's hair! It's just so..70s and...BAD, and then the 80s rolls in and it just gets worse. Oy vay. Also there's a moral to this story: don't do drugs!!

Rear Window

I told you more Hitchcock films were incoming! Well, just this one for now until I get a stockpile of them from friends and/or the library. James Stewart and Grace Kelly star in this thriller as L.B. "Jeff" Jeffries and Lisa, respectively. Jeff is confined to a wheel chair for 7 weeks after an accident left him with a broken leg, and as a hobby has taken up watching the goings-on outside his apartment window. He learns about all the people he can see, and begins to get suspicious of Mr. Thorwald who one rainy night leaves his house 3 times with a large suitcase each time. He first confides in his masseuse-friend Stella who tells him to quit being a peeping tom, and then to Lisa, who says the same thing. The two eventually become as interested in the happenings with Mr. Thorwald, and are bent on giving away his secret.

I didn't like this one as much as Dial "M" for Murder, but it was still amazing. I really enjoy all the twists and turns that keep you guessing the whole time. I haven't seen a movie do that in a while. Thanks Alfred! You're a real swell guy.

Dial "M" for Murder

First off, I'd like to give all of my readers [all 2 of them] a heads up to be expecting many more Hitchcock thrillers in the future. I can't even believe I've never watched any of this before!! AAGHHH!!!

I do not think that anyone can even put this film in the same realm as the crap that is made today. I haven't seen a good thriller like this in...well...ever I think. Everything now is just "the gorier, the better", which really isn't the case because that kind of crap doesn't freak you out for a good week straight. Dial "M" for Murder didn't freak me out, but I still kept guessing and guessing and could not keep up with it! I haven't seen a movie do that in..well..ever!! [Ok...maybe in Hide and Seek I was a teensy bit scared, but that was the lamest, most cop-outest-ending ever!].

Tony Wendice thinks he's got it allllllll figured out. He thinks he's got the blackmail of all blackmails, the plan of all plans!! He even gets you into thinking poor Swan/Lesgate/Wilson/Adams is totally screwed, too. At their first and only encounter throughout the film, Tony paints a pretty good picture of how this will all work out, and why it will due to his avid..."research" all while obsessively wiping down everything that poor Lesgate has touched to avoid traces of fingerprints [because that's how they always catch the criminal!]. It is seemingly a foil-proof plan, but it starts to crumble when unsuspecting Margot thinks she might go out to a movie while the gentlemen go out for their drink [darn women, always ruining everything!]. And so carries on the film (I can't give away any more!! JUST watch it, dammit!)

I have to say again how brilliant this is. You see the oh-so-crafty Tony keep trying to make this work out his way, but the one thing I did guess right was that the Inspector called his bullshit [which could be one of many!], and unfortunate Margot kept being pushed and pulled making your own mind go every which way!! Yikes! Overall, I feel like my culture level has just plummeted due to the notion that I've never viewed this film before.

The oh-so-humble combing of the mustache was brilliant. If there's one thing to sit through this movie for, it's that. Oh, and the great dialogue/plot/etc etc. Enjoy!

Charly

Science and the 60s just really never went that well together, apart from the decade before when the double helix was discovered...At least they tried. That's cute.

I have read the book from which this movie is based off of [Flowers for Algernon], and I'd have to say the film is quite true to the book, apart from how Charly figures out he's doomed. Cliff Robertson plays an OK Charly. I don't think he quite hit the hammer on the head with the portrayal of a person with an IQ of 59....his hands just look like he has arthritis, and the protruding lower lip is just ridiculous. OH! And is the audience not supposed to notice that Charly switches to using his right hand when he gets "smarter"?! You do still feel sorry for the chap when you see him getting tormented at work by his "friends" while he's totally unaware that these so-called friends are laughing AT him, not with him. And when he realizes his genius is doomed...Poor Charly.

Also, what the heck was with the random acid trip and Mrs. Kinnian...excuse me...Alice, decides to fall in love with Charly mere days after he forces himself upon her?! What happened to the feminist revolution of the 60s and 70s?!?! Some things just never change I guess.

All in all, this was a pretty good flick- it had the awesome 70s acting, awesome 70s hair-dos and tweed suits. It could be one for the vault though...read the book- it's 10 times better.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

So, I really enjoyed Val Kilmer in The Salton Sea. If you haven't seen it, I highly suggest you do. He was a bit younger and a little less of a chubster, so this movie made me not like his looks all that much anymore, but the character he plays is hilarious. Also, Robert Downey Jr.: I just love everything about his part in this from the bantering narration to his lowly antics. I'd like to have a drink with this guy one day.

Well, this masterpiece of a film was directed by the same guy that did the Lethal Weapon movies- Shane Black. [here, look him up on Wiki: Shane Black] I have yet to see that, but it is on my to-do list!! (which keeps growing and growing..yikes!) There aren't many other notable actors in this one apart from Kilmer and Downey, Jr., but Michele Monaghan has a decent part. (She's really pretty. I am jealous).

This whole movie is darkly comical, and you definitely have to have a certain sense of humor to watch it. (i.e. one of those where you won't be disturbed that a coffin is hanging off of a highway sign with the poor girl's arm hanging out of it...). Also, Gay Perry (Kilmer) is a brilliant character- he might be gay, but is trying not to be, but still is....you just don't know!...or maybe you do! I also couldn't get enough of Harry's narration. Hi-freakin-larious!! "I saw Lord of the Rings...this movie won't end 17 fucking times.") HAHA! I can't get enough of it. I have to watch this again. ASAP!

Well...maybe tomorrow morning.

Soylent Green

Oh I love this movie. So so much. This film was released in 1973 and was directed by Robert Fleischer.(This guy started out his directing career by directing shorts that his dad wrote of Popeye, Betty Boop, and Superman. Neat!) Also starring the ever-so-handsome Charlton Heston, this movie is set in the dystopian future created by overpopulation and global warming, among other things. (boo greenhouse gases!) The government is reduced to feeding its people delicious colored little styrofoam cracker things, and real food is so rare only the most elite people can obtain it. When one of these prominent rich guys is murdered, Heston's character Robert Thorne is sent to investigate, and so begins the movie.

Soylent Green kind of makes me not want to have children...the portrayal of the overpopulation and pollution and horrendous-ness of the future is quite scary. You don't even get clean water and you a have to ride a bike connected to a generator to keep your lights on!! AH! Overall though, the intrigue of this society keeps your eyes glued to the screen from start to finish. There's also a pretty great story with some terribly awesome 70s acting and over-dramatic women. The futuristic ideas of the 70s are quite comical to observe as well.

So, in conclusion, if you are a sci-fi fan, you have to see this one. HAVE TO!!! You cannot call yourself a sci-fi flick fan if you don't know what Soylent Green is.

The Day After Tomorrow

Jake Gyllenhal really is only good at playing an angsty teen...really shows you only how far one can get with just a pretty face. HA! I'm very conflicted about this movie....it was sort of good, but it was also way too long. Actually I lied. I really just wanted to turn it off about 35 minutes into the movie because the absolute ridiculousness of it was just too much. I decided I had to finish watching it though for the sake of this blog. I also kept looking at the timer on the dvd player, and time crept on way too slowly.

I don't think I'll be watching any more end of the world/death-by-earth movies anymore (read: I'm not watching 2012). Has there even been any evidence of this rapid of a climate change?! I'm no geologist or meteorologist or climatologist, but that just seems too crazy. I mean, Chicago has it's bi-polar days with 80 degrees one day, and then 2 inches of snow the next (yes, this actually happened!!) But, is that really enough evidence for something as drastic as what happened in this movie to happen?? I'm sorry, but i just think "extreme" movies are ridiculous. I like my movies to be at least a little bit realistic...

So I guess if you like disaster movies with death and destruction and lots of snow, this one's for you, chumly.

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Might I say right off the bat that this film was a shocker. Robert DeNiro makes a surprisingly frightening Frankenstein Monster! Kenneth Branagh directed this one and also starred in it as Victor Frankenstein alongside Helena Bonham Carter (why, in all of the movies she is in, must she have ridiculous hair!?) and a small bit by John Cleese. I must admit I was afraid to watch this, not because it might have been scary, but because it would have been terrible, but was I was pleasantly surprised.

Now, I'm a big fan of low-budget movies, but there are some that are just...bad....

This one isn't completely atrocious, but it still has its weak points. Throughout the film there are intermittent periods of extreme happiness followed by something completely tragic. Sheesh! More mood swings than a woman going through menopause!! And although some of the acting is sub-par (ahem, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hulce), the overall story is pretty good, albeit a bit choppy. It's also one of the best Frankenstein films I've seen and the monster is great!

This is definitely on my list of films to see again and to suggest to others!

Hide and Seek

I watched this because it was one of the few dvds left on the family shelf that I had yet to watch. Robert DeNiro and Dakota Fanning are in it.

Don't waste your time. A few thriller parts with the generic creepy kid with the imaginary friend, generic creepy footsteps, generic creepy basements, generic creepy houses in generic creepy small towns, generic creepy dolls and music boxes, generic strange neighbors....of course that's a recipe for a horror flick- a totally disastrous one. While I admit I was a teensy bit frightened at some parts, the ending just totally ruined it. It went all M. Night Shyamamamlalamamlam and did the whole twist-ending thing.

Lame.

Elizabeth

I decided to jump ahead a few years (or back in time, really) and watched Elizabeth today. This exceptional film was released in 1998 and was directed by Shekhar Kapur, and includes a slew of cast members like Geoffrey Rush, Joseph Fiennes, and Daniel Craig. (yes! Daniel Craig, the new James Bond!) Elizabeth is forced upon the throne when her dear half-sister Queen Mary falls ill (with child?) and tragically dies. Elizabeth arises to the throne with much pressure of obtaining a husband to ward off bands of treacherous enemies, the pope, and other Catholics. (yikes!) Oh, and Daniel Craig plays a pope that targets a poor, random, Elizabethan follower and bludgeons him over the head with a rock. Classy.

I remember watching parts of this film in my freshman year of high school's history class, but I only remembered the part at the end where she comes out wearing all white declaring she is married....to England, so I decided another viewing was in order. I was thoroughly impressed with the cinematography, costuming, make-up, casting, script, acting, and everything else that involves a film. I personally am a big fan of renaissance-era clothing and was completely over-whelmed with all of the awesome ideas I soaked up while watching this. I lost count of Cate Blanchett's costume changes after about 5. *Mental Note* Make a Renaissance-era noble woman's dress!!

A note on Shekhar Kapur, since I am unawares of his prominence in the film world: Kapur was born in what is now modern-day Pakistan to a rich doctor father and notable journalist mother. He is a big director in Bollywood and apparently directed a semi-notable film called Mr. Bandit, which I have never seen or heard of, so I suppose it is now going on my list of movies to see. Kapur also of course directed Elizabeth: The Golden Age, which I have yet to see as well. Blog for that coming soon!

Young Frankenstein

Released in 1974, directed by Mel Brooks with screenplay by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder, starring Gene Wilder...etc. etc. The usual Mel Brooks film suspects with a pseudo-humorous cameo by Gene Hackman as a reclusive blind priest. This was odd to me since I've seen The Birdcage numerous times and all I can picture Gene Hackman as is an über-conservative stuck up white guy. I suppose that should make it slightly more hilarious.

Quick summary incoming!!: Gene Wilder plays Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced Fronk-en-steeeeen), a mildly prominent doctor/professor at some school. While giving some sort of a lecture about voluntary and reflexive movements (to medical students?? i learned this shit in high school!), he learns of his inheritance to his grandfather's fortune (the original Dr. Frankenstein). So, Frankenstein III travels to Transylvania (I guess? supposedly Transylvania is just a generic scary horror place where people have weird german-french-british accents), where he learns of his grandfather's work and has a life-changing moment and decides to continue his grandfather's legacy and now becomes the popularly pronounced Frankenstein. What follows are comical adventures of the Frankenstein monster and mass mobs of people with torches and pitchforks with the occasional comedic flavoring and super cheesey ending. Really?

Well, needless to say, I was a bit disappointed. I was waiting for the great lines to be repeated at family parties, but alas there were none....and then the movie ended. I think I need to watch Blazing Saddles again.

The Forbidden Zone

Released in 1982, and directed by Richard Elfman (yes! Danny Elfman's brother!) and based upon the Mystic Knights of Oingo Boingo! Only less than a handful of semi-notable actors are in this film-that one being Herve Villechaize playing King Fausto of the Sixth Dimenstion (although Danny Elfman does have a cameo as the Devil doing a cover of "Minnie the Moocher" with some slight lyrical changes. hilarity ensue.) A winner and must-see of all low-budget films!

Where do I begin with this one? HA! Well, the Hercules family (consisting of a myriad of the Elfmans' actual family members and friends since the movie was so low-budget) move in to a house that has an entrance to the 6th Dimension in the basement. That area of the house is forbidden for the children to go to, yet one day Frenchy somehow manages to finagle her way down there. Her brother Flash and Gramps figure out where she has gotten to and decide to try and save her all while trying to avoid the Queen of the Sixth Dimension, her guard Frog, and an assortment of other obstacles. Flash and Gramps have to save Frenchy because apparently King Fausto has fallen madly in love with her with one look, and now Queen Doris is incredibly jealous and is plotting to rid the Sixth Dimension of King Fausto's new infatuation.

This is definitely one of those movies you need to see more the once (preferably not more than once in the same day, for your brain might die). Also, this must be seen with an open mind, otherwise the overwhelming awesome-ness may be just that- totally overwhelming! From the outrageous one-liners ("I ain't goin' nowhere, you honky bitch!") to the inherent racism, to the ridiculous musical-danny-elfman-esque chic, this is a definite (lesser known) cult classic. It is also the first movie Danny Elfman wrote the score to. I tried introducing some of my friends to it- they just really don't understand and don't appreciate it. Haters.

Also-be warned that many of the women in this movie are topless with very unsexy panties on.

There is also a release date set for sometime this year of the Forbidden Zone 2: The Forbidden Galaxy. YES! I am super excited for this one.