Faster (2010)

2.5 / 5  Aug '11
Tagline:  Justice is swift. Vengeance is faster.
Directed by:  George Tillman Jr.
Written by:  Tony Gayton, Joe Gayton
Actors include:  The Rock, Maggie Grace, Billy Bob Thorton
Genre:  Action, Thriller
Length:  98 minutes
Banned:  Nope

Review: 
Well, I'll start with the pros, which include that it's violent and that it's a revenge movie.  Ahem, the cons...well that's a slightly longer list.  The acting was laughable (seriously why is The Rock an actor again?), and the plot was hilariously predictable and eye rollingly cliche.  The plot is about a fellow called Driver (the Rock of course) who gets out of prison and then goes for revenge!  See turns out that he and his brother are shot up by some bad guys so he's gonna get them back come hell or high water.  We also have Officer Billy Bob Thorton on the prowl trying to solve the case.  They at least try to throw a few surprises the way of the viewer, however I wouldn't say they were very effective nor surprising.  Just the same if you want a simple shoot 'em up revenge flick you could do worse I suppose.

Availability:  on Blu-Ray & DVD

Harry Brown (2009)

3.5 / 5
Tagline:  One Man Will Stand Alone
Directed by:  Daniel Barber
Written by:  Gary Young
Actors include:  Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, David Bradley
Genre:  Action, Crime, Drama
Length:  103 minutes
Banned:  Nope

Review: 

Every year must have a decent revenge flick, and for 2009 Harry Brown is where it's at.  Michael Caine plays the title character, a lonely man living in a dangerous neighborhood.  After his only friend and Wife are killed by the street toughs, he decides to take matters into his own hands (he's an ex-serviceman).  The Police of course are useless and they seem oblivious to Caine, but when it starts coming together they are willing to look the other way (lazy butts).  It's kinda missing the sentimentality that made Gran Torino so effective, and it's not quite as brutal or satisfying as the Death Wish.  Still it's highly entertaining and Caine does a good job, and the pacing is quite good despite the lack of originality.  I'm always a sucker for a good revenge film and this is a good one, just not in league with some of the classics!

Availability:  On DVD & Blu-Ray

Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia (1974)

4.5 / 5 Dec '09
Tagline: It's got guts!
Directed by: Sam Peckinpah
Written by: Frank Kowalski, Sam Peckinpah
Actors include: Warren Oates, Isela Vega, Robert Webber
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Adventure, Western, Drama
Length: 112 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
At first I wondered what the heck was up with this movie as it shows some awful strange things that characters do that seem like they should have explanations but they don't. Once I came to accept and just appreciate the events that were unfolding in front of me I really enjoyed the heck out of it. It sort of gives off a Pulp Fiction vibe though the two share nothing plot wise. The story is about a young girl who is impregnated by a man named Alfredo Garcia. Since her family has money and power they offer a million dollar bounty on his head (hence the title). We meet up with a bartender and his prostitute girlfriend who go on a road trip together to try and get that head for they really need the money. The characters are given real depth to their personalities and are extremely well acted and believable which makes this all the more interesting. This is an extremely violent and depressing in many ways picture, but it's always exciting and beautiful to watch. It's shocking to see just exactly how much goes down all over one simple pregnancy. Definitely one of those films that I think just about anyone could enjoy, it really does have everything from romance to thrills.

Availability:  On DVD

Assault On Precinct 13 (1976)

4.5 / 5 Jan '10
Tagline: L.A.'s deadliest street gang just declared war on the cops.
Directed by: John Carpenter
Written by: John Carpenter
Actors include: Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston, Laurie Zimmer
Genre: Thriller, Crime
Length: 91 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Now this is one heck of an action packed and bullet filled thriller. It's hard to believe that this was only John Carpenter's second major film yet he made a perfect soundtrack and an exciting movie to boot. We meet up with an older man and his daughter Kathy (who played Inga in Little House on the Prairie) as they are out and about. When Kathy goes to get ice cream she is brutally gunned down along with the ice cream man by a rough gang (tough area). The older man goes out and chases down the thug's car and takes out one of them. This seems to provide the ammunition for a huge gang retaliation on a closed down Police station precinct 13. There are still a few roaming about but they are in no state to prepare for a multi-gang violent attack (super violent). The remaining Officers and staff are forced to work together with death row inmates on their way to a transfer to try to survive against the gangs. It's exciting, bloody as heck and super gripping, it really has something for everyone (providing that everyone likes violence) and I'd definitely recommend it. This was remade in 2005 with bigger name actors but I haven't been moved to watch it, why would I when this was so awesome?
 
Availability:  On DVD & Blu-Ray

Targets (1968)

4.5 / 5 Jan '10
Tagline: TARGETS are people...and you could be one of them!
Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich
Written by: Peter Bogdanovich, Polly Platt
Actors include: Boris Karloff, Tim O'Kelly, Arthur Peterson
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Length: 90 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
I definitely liked this a whole bunch, even though parts of it seemed unimportant...the great moments more than made up for any lulls. Boris Karloff plays aging horror star (what a stretch) Byron Orlok who is working on retiring because he feels he's irrelevant. Also we have a story with a fellow named Bobby Thompson (who looks like a cross between Bobby Kennedy & Matt Damon) who seems very square, has a very nice family yet something is very clearly wrong with him. He gleefully shoots and collects guns...and rounds of ammo and gets weirder and weirder. He snaps, goes on a huge massacre spree that winds up at the drive-in where Byron is showing one of his films. It's actually a very cold and evil feeling picture, I can't help but wonder if it helped inspire any of the shooting tragedies that followed in real life unfortunately. This is one dark and strange film, the tension is great as one can tell something bad is about to happen for much of the movie. I'm surprised they got away with this sort of thing back in '68 but heck I'm glad they did. Something that you've really got to see, shocking and disturbing probably Karloff's best late film that I've seen.
 
Availability:  On DVD

The Spell (1977)

4 / 5 Feb '10
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Lee Philips
Written by: Brian Taggert
Actors include: Lee Grant, Susan Myers, Helen Hunt
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Drama
Length: 86 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Imagine you are a 15 year old girl named Rita that is slightly overweight. Now imagine you have a perfect thin little sister aged 13 (in this case played by a young Helen Hunt) who can do no wrong in your Parent's eyes. Now imagine that you are teased constantly at school, then when you get home your Father seems to hate you as does your sister also because you are overweight. It's oddly very realistic seeming...this sort of thing does go on and it's very much the way it's portrayed here, the acting in this is quite impressive really. When things start to go wrong with those who make fun of the 15 year old people are getting scared...could Rita have anything to do with this? It definitely does echo Carrie in several ways but I wouldn't exactly say that this is a rip-off, it's quite different. This isn't filled with blood and torment (though the boiling from the inside scene is quite a treat), it's more of a drama with horrific elements but it's a good drama. It's a rather intense tale and for a made-for-tv movie it's quite good really and it's available to watch for free on the internet...who can argue with that?

Availability:  Not on DVD but available to watch for free online here:  http://www.hulu.com/watch/92741/the-spell

Rolling Thunder (1977)

4 / 5 May '10
Tagline: Major Charles Rane Is Coming Home To War!
Directed by: John Flynn
Written by:  Paul Schrader, Haywood Gould
Actors include: William Devane, Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Haynes
Genre: Thriller
Length: 95 minutes
Banned: Norway, Finland

Review:
I expected an exciting thriller out of this but instead was treated to a disturbing revenge drama which works too, it's just not what I thought. William Devane plays Major Charles Rane, a fellow who finally gets to return home after over 2000 days of being tortured during the war. As a reward he was given 2000+ silver dollars, one for each day of his torment. When he returns, his Son doesn't recognize him, and his Wife has moved on to another man. Soon a group of violent thugs turn up at Charles' door demanding the silver dollars, but when he won't cave they torture the heck out of him (it's hard to watch). Finally his Wife and Child return home in time to tell them where the money is. After some recouping Charles goes on a mission to find the men who did this to him. Soon a "groupie" starts to follow him about and ends up on a road trip with her after he finds the culprits. It's a different kind of revenge film that has a very dramatic middle section, it's a slow moving film but it's purposeful and touching. It does have some exciting and violence but it's not filled with it, still a very effective picture though.

Availability:  not on DVD, only VHS currently

Long Weekend (1978)

4.5 / 5 July '10
Tagline: Their crime was against nature...Nature found them guilty.
Directed by: Colin Eggleston
Written by: Everett De Roche
Actors include: John Hargreaves, Briony Behets, Mike McEwen
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Drama
Length: 92 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This is one heck of a film and it most definitely makes it's point. It's an Australian film about a fella named Peter who wants to go camping in the wilderness...the only thing is that he's a menace to the outdoors. He's reluctantly dragging along his girlfriend Marcia who hates the outdoors. This sounds like a comedy and in a demented way it kind of is...I mean this couple does everything but burnt down the outdoors. Peter is particularly evil and cruel, even to Marcia who starts to realize something is terribly wrong. See nature isn't going to take this kind of abuse sitting down...it's going to take revenge! Strange things begin happening to the couple including animals attacking them, so Marcia takes the hint and wants to go home. Thing is Peter isn't about to let her leave, and nature isn't about to let them leave either... It's quite an interesting film, when I read the plot I knew I had to see this to see just exactly how this plays out. It's actually rather well made, nicely filmed and it more than makes it's point. Definitely recommended for those looking to see a different kind of horror film.

Availability:  On DVD

Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (1969)

2.5 / 5 July '10
Tagline: What made you leave him, Cathy ... was it the way he made love, or why?
Directed by: Mark Robson
Written by: Larry Cohen
Actors include: Carol White, Paul Burke, Mala Powers
Genre: Thriller
Length: 108 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
I was really looking forward to this as some talented filmmakers and so forth were at the helm here. The film is very nicely shot in San Francisco and I truly thought the concept was a good one. The story is about a young woman called Cathy who meets a young man, realizes he's mentally disturbed about the same time she finds out she's pregnant. She decides to have an abortion and tells the nutty father about it (big mistake!). Anyhow flash forward to later when she's met a new feller married and now with a baby and this is where the majority of the film takes place. The nutty fella turns up in her new life posing as a photographer and playing games with her. He wants to punish her and get revenge for the abortion but can she and her child be saved? What made this movie so awful was the actress playing Cathy, irritating, bitchy and whiny as heck, it's hard to feel bad for someone you hate. In fact there really wasn't much of anyone to try to root for in this, everyone was unlikable! The terrible theme song kept reoccurring (one of the worst I've heard yet), and most of the film dragged and dragged and was rather predictable. It's also the handling of the story was so overwrought and obnoxious it was difficult to even sit through. It's a shame because I feel this could have been something special if quite a few things changed.

Availability:  Not on DVD

The Psychic Killer (1975)

3 / 5 July '10
Tagline: First it drives you mad, then it kills and kills and kills!
Directed by: Ray Danton
Written by: Greydon Clark, Mikel Angel
Actors include: Paul Burke, Jim Hutton, Julie Adams
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Length: 89 minutes
Banned: Iceland

Review:
Oh dear, this is quite a film I suppose. It reminds me of Patrick I guess, only this film uses some sort of astral projection in order to get revenge. Arnold Masters is in a mental hospital for a crime he didn't commit. He makes friends with another in the hospital who gives him his magical charm when executed which teaches Arnold astral projection revenge. See Arnold is very mad at the people who killed his Mother and the Men who set him up to make him look guilty. One by one they die off in amusing ways (I give credit there, they did try with the deaths), but it's baffling the cops. See they are tailing Arnold and watching him go into trances while the murders happen, but will they be able to solve the puzzle before Arnold goes too far? It's rather slow and dry for the most part but it never really got to the level of being boring. The amusing deaths and strange story aren't exactly a must see but some will find this entertaining.

Availability:  On DVD

The Plumber (1979) aka The Mad Plumber

4 / 5 Aug '10
Tagline: The Australian New Wave Has Come
Directed by: Peter Weir
Written by: Peter Weir
Actors include: Judy Morris, Ivar Kants, Robert Coleby
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Length: 77 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
So it would appear that The Cable Guy was entirely ripped off from this one. The big difference being that Jim Carrey in his film was just obnoxious, the plumber in this film was disturbing. A couple are adjusting to their relatively new apartment and their new situation (the wife has decided to stay home and study for a bit while the husband works). When the wife is home alone she gets a knock on her door from the plumber, he just needs to check her pipes you see. Next thing you know he's claiming the pipes are rotted and need to be replaced. Before long he's mentally tormenting her in her own home and the bathroom has turned into total destruction. He's writing song lyrics in her shower and performing in her bathroom, watching her change and various other creepy things. Just watching him interact with her is extremely uncomfortable. It's actually a relatively well made film and it was really short (77 minutes) but originally it was shot for tv. Still it packs quite a punch, and well it would make most people think before answering the door to a plumber!

Availability:  On DVD

The New Kids (1985)

4 / 5 Aug '10
Tagline: The kids learned three things about southern hospitality, blood, sweat and terror!
Directed by: Sean S. Cunningham
Written by: Stephen Gyllenhaal, Brian Taggert
Actors include: Shannon Presby, Lori Laughlin, James Spader
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Length: 89 minutes
Banned: Iceland

Review:
Teehee, well this starts out like an insanely cheap teeny bopper flick it morphs into one heck of a bizarre and satisfying revenge flick so stick with it. Brother Charlie (Eddie Jones) and Sister Abby (Lori Laughlin yes Rebecca from Full House) are orphaned and they end up living at their Uncle's house. Uncle and wife are working on making a little theme park about Christmas, and together they all restore the park. It's not all happy though because Abby is one heck of a pretty girl and the local thugs have noticed. When she refuses each and every one of them a date, war is on and it's really not pretty (it actually goes a lot further than I thought it would dare). There are knives being pulled, they keep trying to light Abby on fire and ultimately a huge showdown occurs at the theme park (which involves many deaths with the rides which is awesome). It's got a lot more to offer than one might think, but you really wouldn't know it was from the same guy who directed Friday the 13th. Also be prepared to laugh hysterically at James Spader who plays one of the main thugs and looks like an albino, and has a terrible accent.

Availability:  On DVD

Hobo With A Shotgun (2011)

3.5 / 5  May '11
Tagline:  Delivering justice, one shell at a time...
Directed by:  Jason Eisener
Written by:  John Davies, Jason Eisener
Actors include:  Rutger Hauer, Brian Downey, Molly Dunsworth
Genre:  Action, Exploitation, Crime
Length:  86 minutes
Banned:  Nope

Review:
Ahhh some Canuxploitation that delivers exactly what one might think judging by the title.  It's pretty much non-stop action and violence, prepare for buckets of red stuff and plenty 'o deaths by shotgun of course.  The plot is pretty simple, Hobos are getting beaten, tortured and killed by criminals that are running the streets.  One particular Hobo (Rutger Hauer) goes all Death Wish on the the thugs along with his trusty Prostitute companion Abby (Molly Dunsworth).  It's very simple and revenge is a rather trusty theme for Grindhouse pictures but this was entertaining to the hilt and jam packed with fun.  Some of the bonding between Abby and the Hobo could have been whittled down a tad but really that is my only big criticism.  If you are looking for a nice graphic little splatter film to pass the time, this is well worth checking out.

Availability:  On DVD & Blu-Ray

 

The Initiation Of Sarah (1978)

2.5 / 5 Sept '10
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Robert Day
Written by: Kenette Gfeller, Tom Holland
Actors include: Kay Lenz, Shelley Winters, Tisa Farrow
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Length: 96 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Well this was really a combination of Carrie and Revenge of the Nerds only I really loved both of those films and I thought this one was dull and mundane. It was a made-for-tv (expect no violence and no killing...it's a horror movie, what were they thinking?) about a girl named Sarah with unexplained powers (that are usually used for dunking people in water who piss her off), she belongs to an adoptive family that have a daughter her age called Patty. The sisters go off to college, Patty is beautiful and has a great personality to match, so she gets in the "cool" fraternity. Sarah is an introvert and a brain and frankly a bit strange so she gets into the lamer fraternity that doesn't seem to care about much of anything. Sarah's "den mother" (Shelley Winters) is into witchcraft and wants Sarah for some sort of old initiation (which had someone die in it last time it was performed). See not much is explained, and the payoff is very weak to say the least. Despite the fact that it's tolerable schlock and well acted it's still not really worth bothering with, I kept waiting for something exciting to happen but it never really reached that point. It certainly could have been worse but considering the premise it should have been so much better.

Availability:  Not on DVD

The Psychopath (1975)

3.5 / 5  Sept '10
Tagline: He's Judge... Jury... Executioner
Directed by: Larry G. Brown
Written by: Larry G. Brown, Walter Dallenbach
Actors include: Tom Basham, Gene Carlson, Gretchen Kanne
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Length: 84 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This is the kind of film that rarely turns up, it's truly absurd and seems to fail on every level it's trying to achieve but it has tons of camp value. It's a PG film, but surprisingly violent considering though you don't see anything, it's just implied. The plot is about a children's host and puppeteer called Mr. Rabbey who looks like a pedophile but is actually some sort of defender of children. Mr. Rabbey is actually rather slow and creepy and a treat to watch, they don't make psychos like this very often. He really hates child abuse, he hangs out in the playground and hospital to observe abused children and watch parents be cruel to their kids. I hate to say the abuse is funny but in this case it kind of is, it's over the top and it's stereotypical to say the least. Anyhow Rabbey comes to their houses later and kills the Parents who are offenders...one of them he kills by snapping a towel and then running them over with a lawnmower (I'm not kidding...though you don't see the lawnmower bit). Something to see for fans of weirdo '70s films for sure, cheaper than cheap and obviously influenced by Herschell Gordon Lewis what with the ridiculous close-ups of people's eyes, drummer for a soundtrack and general cheapness. It's not the greatest film ever and some gore would have helped it out but it still makes it's point...I think.

Availability:  Not on DVD

The Exterminator (1980)

4 / 5 Sept '09
Tagline: A one man army. A new kind of soldier in a new kind of war.
Directed by: James Glickenhaus
Written by: James Glickenhaus
Actors include: Samantha Eggar, Christopher George, Robert Ginty
Genre: Action, Horror
Length: 101 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This really does start out in an exciting and bloody manner and it manages to keep that pace throughout. The story is about a man who ends up going by the name of "The Exterminator" who was in a torture war situation before escaping. Then in the real world life is pretty ordinary until thugs at his workplace kill his best friend and he vows a violent revenge. From that point on we get some amusing deaths, strange situations and so forth, it's pretty decently paced. The biggest complaint is that the story is strung together inexplicably...I mean one minute we are talking to some fella, next he's hung on a pole or something, it just wasn't well assembled. Still he does use a flame thrower, many guns and this is a violent bloody treat in many ways. It's sort of like an ultraviolent superhero movie made with a lowish budget, some will love others will cringe.

Availability:  on DVD

Hard Candy (2005)

2 / 5 Oct '10
Tagline: Strangers shouldn't talk to little girls.
Directed by: David Slade
Written by: Brian Nelson
Actors include: Ellen Page, Patrick Wilson, Sandra Oh
Genre: Thriller
Length: 104 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
I can see why people are rather split on this, I thought from reading the synopsis that this looked interesting but the execution proved how wrong I was. I even liked Ellen Page in Juno but found her to be an obnoxious little snot nosed brainiac kid in this. She plays Haley, a character who seduces a fellow who she perceives as an online pedophile. I'm dead against pedophilia but this girl is pretty much equally to blame with the shenanigans she's pulling. She meets Jeff (the pedo) in person before going to his house and causing problems. At first she's playing along but before long she ties him up while searching through his house for evidence of wrong doing. When she finds some pictures she decides she should castrate him and the game rolls on. It's incredibly slow moving and talky and irritating I'm afraid, not nearly as disturbing or graphic as I'd been led to believe at all, it could nearly have been a PG were it not for "adult discussion". Definitely a disappointment, it seems like they could have done so much more with this one.

Availability:  On DVD & Blu-Ray

Her Vengeance (1988) aka Bloody Rose aka Xue Mei Gui

4.5 / 5 Nov '10
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Ngai Kai Lam
Written by: N/A
Actors include: Ching-Ying Lam. Elaine Jin, Pauline Wong
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Length: 87 minutes (approx)
Banned: Nope

Review:
This is one heck of a hilarious rape/revenge action packed Hong Kong film. Susan ticks off a group of bad guys when she has to ask them to behave in the night club she works at. To pay her back they take her to the cemetery and gang rape her. Now the copy I saw had questionable (yet comical) subs, so from this rape I think she got gonorrhea (though at first they call it A.I.D.S. yet they give the symptoms of VD)...at any rate she's not happy and neither is her vagina. She decides along with the help of her blind Sister and her former Brother-in-law (a wheelchair bound kung fu expert) to get her vengeance....even if it costs her more than it was worth. She lures these fellows out to deal them harsh and violent and bloody punishment and it's a real treat to watch. The person who made this must have loved Thriller - en grym film [Thriller: They Call Her One Eye], and the booby trapping scenes in this reminded me of Home Alone only of course way more inappropriate. I thought this was a laugh riot and it gave plenty of splatter and it's ridiculously easy to follow...this is a must for those who like excessive revenge films.

Availability:  On DVD
HER VENGEANCE

In A Glass Cage (1987) aka Tras El Cristal

4.5 / 5 Nov '10
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Agustí Villaronga
Written by: Agustí Villaronga
Actors include: Günter Meisner, David Sust, Marisa Paredes
Genre: Horror, Drama, War, Thriller
Length: 105 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Egads, this must have been the feel bad movie of the year. That being said, it's really an amazing picture about the atrocities of war and their lasting effects even after and it's told in a different way then I've ever seen before. It's so bleak and difficult to watch in places, this one will test and disturb, I doubt I'll ever forget it. The story is about a former Nazi/pedophile named Klaus who tormented little boys but is now clinging to life at home in an iron lung. His wife seems harsh and awful as well, and their poor little girl Rena lives with them too. A young Man called Angelo shows up at their house wanting to take care of Klaus but something isn't quite right with this arrangement. It's brutal, violent, explicit, humorless and in no way should this be watched by everyone. Still it's an impressively made and acted film that leaves one hell of an impression and does more than makes it's point. It's rare to see such a combination of exploitation/drama and horror but this is effective and worthwhile to the right viewer.

Availability:  On DVD

Southern Comfort (1981)

3 / 5 Jan '11
Tagline: It's the land of hospitality... unless you don't belong there.
Directed by: Walter Hill
Written by: Walter Hill, Michael Kane
Actors include: Keith Carradine, Powers Boothe, Fred Ward
Genre: Thriller, Drama
Length: 106 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
I really expected more from this considering it has a rather good reputation, but as is it was acceptable. Definitely we have sentiments of Deliverance, the plot is about a group of army fellas sent on a mission, but they steal canoes from some Cajuns and shoot blanks on them....it's all down hill from there. The natives start picking them off and setting up eerie traps and stuff. The thing is, it seems like it's made-for-tv and more safe than necessary, also the acting isn't the greatest (though it is mainly tv actors which makes some sense). It drags for long periods of time and although I suppose it was supposed to be "tension" building, it just sort of stayed at a meh sort of pacing. Sure it has a few violent moments and the concept although derivative isn't all that bad, it's just that it wasn't very rewarding.

Availability:  On DVD