SaitoRyo

Always loved the Nightmare on Elm Street films as a kid and the Never Sleep Again documentary is really good, too. Tend to agree about 1 and 3 being the best of the bunch, but I have fond memories of them all. New Nightmare was a good return to Freddy actually being scary again. Anyway... Fire in the Sky A member of a logging crew is abducted in the Arizona mountains in 1975. The rest of the crew are distraught by what they have witnessed, but the local townspeople suspect murder. Based on a 'true story'. Where the fuck did this come from? I'd never even heard of it before but loved it. It's more of a paranoid small-town drama with some sci-fi/horror elements, rather than a full-blown sci-fi film, and that's fine by me. Looking at reviews online, people seem bored/irritated by small town stuff and just want to see aliens, but I liked it all. It's got a very effective atmosphere and there's some great performances in there. Honestly surprised it's not talked up more (or at all), outside of one particular scene. Will definitely watch this one again at some point down the road.

Homegrown A group of dope growers agree to proceed with a big-money deal even after their big boss is killed. They find themselves in way over their heads and double-crossing ensues. Eh, this one didn't do too much for me. It's meant to be a dark comedy/crime drama, but it's not funny or dramatic enough. Absolutely mental cast, mind, as Billy Bob Thornton, Hank Azaria, Ryan Phillippe, Kelly Lynch, John Lithgow, Judge Reinhold, Jamie Lee Curtis and Mr. Bovine Joni himself all star. But yeah, this was just sort of there, with a few standout scenes but not really enough to make the whole movie worthwhile. Billy Bob is good as usual, mind.

I went to see the De Palma doc at the BFI Southbank when it was first released and remember having a really good time with it. I've always been interested by De Palma, even if some of his later stuff is awful. That early 70s to mid-90s era produced some fantastic stuff though. Sisters, Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Blow Out, Body Double, Scarface, The Untouchables, Carlito's Way... I mean, that's a hell of an output, plus stuff like Phantom, Obsession, Raising Cain and more I'm probaby forgetting. He obviously borrows a lot from Hitchcock in certain films, but he's a great director in his own right and doesn't deserve the 'rip-off' tag imo.

The Dark Wind The first (and so far only) feature film from the great documentary filmmaker Errol Morris. Adapted from the book of the same now, which was later adapted into the TV series Dark Winds. This isn't as good as the TV series, but it was alright. It's a fairly low-key mystery/drama. Slow pace, but engaging at times (not so much at other times). Lou Diamond Phillips is decent as the lead. Mr. Woodcock Wife's choice as we couldn't decide on anything and had seen it before a long time ago, so it was somewhat familiar. Apparently everyone hated this when it was released, including the critics, lead actors and director. I thought it was really funny in places, actually, mainly due to Billy Bob Thornton, who gets to play a real asshole and does it well. 80 minutes, too, which is a bonus. The Legend of Billie Jean The poster of this had always confused me and made me think it was some 80s roller derby sports drama or something. It's not. It's a bout a bunch of kids who are accused of doing something they didn't do and run away from the cops, becoming folk heroes to teens throughout Texas. I really liked it and thought Helen Slater was excellent in the title role.

The new Margo Cilker album is lovely.

Stealing Home A washed up minor league baseball player must return to his home town and confront the ghosts of the past when he learns that his first love has committed suicide and entrusted him to deal with her ashes. This was alright, you know. I wasn't super into it, but it was a nice drama, half told via flashback. Not too heavy, not too light. Decent cast, including Mark Harmon, Harold Ramis and the always-watchable Jodie Foster. People seemed to hate it at the time, but I feel like that hate was unwarranted. It's just a nice, sentimental small-town film that you'd probably appreciate if you're at or approaching middle-age.

Eye of the Tiger Vietnam vet Gary Busey is let out of prison - where he was put unjustly, obviously - only to find out his hometown is being terrorisied by a group of murderous, motorcycle-riding thugs. The town's corrupt police force aren't doing anything about it so, after they target his own family, Busey decides to take matters into his own hands. A really fun mid-80s action exploitationer. Yes it looks cheap at times and, yes, one of the dead extras blatantly binks on camera, but you expect that sort of thing, don't you? Busey is great, as is Yaphet Kotto as Busey's Vietnam buddy (and one of the only cops who hasn't been bought). Gets the job done in 90 minutes, too, which is always appreciated.

Beer and cig ads >>>>>> gambling and crypto

Next of Kin Vigilante action thriller starring Patrick Swayze as a cop seeking to bring his brother's killer to justice. But it's not that straightforward, as they were both from the hills of Kentucky but living in Chicago. When their older brother back home (Liam Neeson) finds out about the murder, he heads to the big city to sort things out country-style. I will not apologise for enjoying this film. I do not think it is genuinely good, but it is perfectly acceptable and I had a great time with it. I mean, it's hillbillies versus the Italian mob, you know? Fun premise with lots of action. Feels very late-80s, in a good way. Loaded cast, too, as Ted Levine, Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt, baby Ben Stiller and more also feature.

You laugh now but we'll all be eating concrete cake with mint custard once AI destroys the world.

Inside Moves Released in 1980, but very much early-to-mid 70s New Hollywood in spirit. It's about a man who is left partially disabled after a failed suicide attempt and becomes friends with the characters a local dive bar (sort of like Cheers but without as many one-liners). It's a really good character study with an excellent central performance by John Savage. Bit of a weird career move from Richard Donner, coming off the back of The Omen and Superman, but I'm glad he made it as it's something of a hidden gem. Call Me Late-80s indie thriller about a reporter who is harrassed by a stranger over the phone after she witnesses a murder in a bar bathroom. Decent enough premise, not good in execution. Wasn't really feeling this one, despite it having a tone and aesthetic I generally go for, as well as some reliable faces in the cast (such as Steve Buscemi). Didn't help that the main character was an absolute idiot. Over Your Dead Body A bickering married couple (Jason Segel and Samara Weaving) go away for a weekend together in a secluded country house, unaware that they both want to kill each other. Things get very complicated - and very violent - as their trip unfolds in very unexpected ways. I thought this was a very fun Friday night film, to be honest. It wasn't the film I thought it was going to be, but I found it pretty funny and entertaining with good performances by all involved. Glad I gave it a go. Near Dark I've always loved this and fancied a re-watch as it had been a while. It's just fucking great and feels completely tailored to my tastes. Great mood, killer score, all-time Bill Paxton performance. I will watch it again (and again). Blood Simple Another one like Near Dark, in that I have always loved it and opted for an overdue re-watch. Again, I just love everything about it and will definitely be watching it again down the road.

I was nowhere near emotionally ready for that video package they put together for Ben. Wow. Just an incredible piece of work and a lovely tribute show all around. Still doesn't feel real and I'm not sure it ever will, but seeing him celebrated like this really does helps at this time and long may it continue.

For Ben.

Grief is a strange thing. I won't go into details, but I knew Ben very well for a while. I hadn't seen him for a number of years, as his job had taken him around the world and he liked to live a quiet, normal life whenever he was back home, but news of his passing hit me like a truck and the past couple of days have been really hard. There's a million thoughts running through my head, but the most important thing was that I loved my friend and I am truly gutted he is no longer here. He was every bit as good as people are saying, if not better.

One False Move Long-overdue re-watch. What a fucking great film this is. A southern melodrama wrapped up in an early-90s indie noir thriller. It's so well-directed and everyone in it is excellent. It's so lean, but punctuated by moments of shocking, visceral violence. The ending is a total gut punch, even though you expect it. I loved this and won't wait another fifteen-or-so years before I watch it again.

Love Lies Bleeding is on the list. Heard good things. I didn't mind Drive-Away Dolls, but I think it benefitted from being one of the few times I got to the cinema that year (as well as being a rare date night with the wife). I have no desire to ever watch it again, however.

Honey Don't Yeah, not great, this. I remember somewhat enjoying Drive-Away Dolls that one time I saw it in the cinema and held out hope that I would similarly enjoy this, the second of a supoosed (loose) trilogy from Ethan Coen and his wife Tricia Cooke. But for a small-town noir with dark comedy elements and a modern western vibe, this should have been much better. There's obvious talent there both on screen and behind the camera, but the film just never adds up. Not much happens, which I don't actually mind in films as I'm rarely watching for the plot, and it just kind of meanders, never really going anywhere. It felt like something that the filmmakers enjoyed writing and directing and the actors enjoyed acting in, but there's not much there for an audience to latch onto. It's not very funny, even if there are a couple of cute exchanges of dialogue here and there. Margarey Qualley is good, mind, and she does have it off with Aubrey Plaza, so that's a bonus. And it was a touch under 90 minutes, which always helps.

The Wraith File this one under 'things I enjoyed a lot more than I thought I would'. I'm really not big on sci-fi and stuck this one on not expecting to get much out of it. But it's not really a sci-fi. Well, it is. But it's a million other things, too, including a car chase film, a neo-western and a high school romance drama. Don't worry about the plot and just appreciate the aesthetic and the iconography and the vibes of it all. It's so incredibly 80s, has a belting soundtrack (and score) and features Sherilyn Fenn wearing cowgirl clothes. Lots to love, basically.

Night Game Detective/slasher film with Roy Scheider as a burnt-out cop investigating a serial killer targetting young, pretty women. Which is bad news for him, as he's engaged to a pretty, young woman (too young for him to be honest). I'd seen this once before absolutely ages ago and just wanted something that was 90 minutes and available on Tubi (the best streaming service). It's alright. Nothing really new here, but it has its moments and the plot revolving around some baseball playoffs is a little bit different. It's nowhere near as bad as reviews at the time made out, anyway. The main issue is the shifts in tone, as it goes from police procedural, to slasher, to romance and back again. Besides that, it's a perfectly serviceable late-80s thriller and I feel like Scheider is always worth watching, even when he's not giving it 100%.

I think Malenko is someone who, because of his style, rarely looked like he got out of third gear in the ring. Everything was always a little too smooth with him. A little sterile. Felt better suited to Japan. In saying that, he was someone who could work with just about anyone, regardless of their style. He had many good matches (and some very good matches), but few 'great' ones. I really liked his '96 series with Mysterio. Oh, and I still get a chuckle out of this from the '97 PWI 500...