What I Saw Last Week...

Street Fighter: Round One Fight (2009)
First View
* ½
I sort of just randomly watched this one. I don’t care for the style of anime that is of pictures being moved around with voiceovers. It would have been much more enjoyable as standard anime.

The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (1958)
First View
* ½
A silly dubbed Mexican flick that seems like a picture cobbled together by hacking and splicing several films. Fun for the younger set I guess but a badly written bore for the rest of us.

Dante’s Peek (1997)
Repeat View
* * * ½
The better of the two volcano films that year. “Volcano” just was too farfetched.

Predator 2 (1990)
Repeat View
* * * ½
“P2” is a sold sequel but not quite as good as the original. Bringing the Predator to the big city was a wise choice.

Fight Club (1999)
Repeat View
* * * * *
I am Tyler’s busted nut…

Leon: The Professional (1994) Extended Version
Repeat View
* * * * *
Jean Reno, Gary Oldman and Natalie Portman really hit this one out of the park as does Luc Besson. (t’s a pity the sequel never materialized.

The Unborn (2009) Unrated
Repeat View
* * *
The Unborn is a hodge-podge of Jewish mysticism, The Exorcist and a smidge of The Grudge. It’s decent but it treads some tired old ground as it unwinds.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
Repeat View
* * * *
Indiana finally makes the jump to the 21st century. Overwrought, under-realized CGI and all. For me it rates above Crusade but below Raiders and Doom.

S.F.W. (1994)
Repeat View
* * * *
S.F.W. is an excellent drama-dy on the fickleness of pop culture and the lunacy of the “15 Minutes of Fame” culture. It’s not changed. It’s only gotten worse.

Suspiria (1977)
Repeat View
* * * * *
What else can be said?

Saw VI (2009)
First View
* * *
I enjoyed the first two. But starting with part three it did a nose-dive in to non-existent plot with character twists seemingly pulled out of thin air (or asses more likely) and gore galore. Then it did a crapper around five. Now Lionsgate is trying to revive their cash-cow with so-so effect. It kinda hit with a thud at the box office. The ride may be over. Saw VI is improvement over the last two or three installments but I think it’s time to take this franchise out behind the barn.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Extended Edition
Repeat View
* * * * *
I thought I’d have a holiday viewing of the extended trilogy.

Crank (2006)
Repeat View
* * * *
“Crank” is an insanely entertaining concept which which Statham and the creators milk to the 9’s.

Triangle (2009)
First View
* * * ½
A group of friends go sailing. During their voyage a storm nearly kills them. Afterwards they come across an old ocean liner that they investigate. The second and third acts start twisting away and although it gets a bit muddled Triangle is a pretty decent thriller.

The Blackout (2009)
First View
* * *
An apartment building comes under siege of some nasty beasts that creep out of the Earth after tremors leave them a pathway from the depths. A likable horror that draws off “The Descent” and maybe “Demons 2”.

Crank 2: High Voltage (2009)
Repeat View
* * * *
“High Voltage” is an even more psychotic and stylized sequel to the incredibly fun original.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) Extended Edition
Repeat View
* * * * *
I continue my journey through Middle Earth.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
First View
* *
First of all I gave the first one a three of five so I did like that one for what it was. Bur “New Moon” is two plus hours of pure mopping around. Dreadfully slow, this unapologetic redux of “Romeo & Juliet” drags on and on until one can almost not stand it any longer. I know I’m not the target audience (cougars & ‘tweens) but holy hell will something interesting happen already. The photography is the only real high point. The question shouldn’t be are you Team Edward or Team Jacob but when the hell will the credits roll?