The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 444: Nightbreed, Clive Barker, and Director’s Cuts
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Mark and John Leavengood (@MFFHorrorCorner on Twitter) discuss the 1990 fantasy horror film Nightbreed. Directed by Clive Barker, and starring Craig, Sheffer, Anne Bobby, David Cronenberg, and some rampaging berserkers, the movie focuses on what happens when a monster utopia named Midian is attacked by a deadly serial killer and a group of dumb humans. In this episode, they also talk about movie monsters, director’s cuts, and Clive Barker. Enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
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John’s Horror Corner: Moloch (2022), a sleepy Scandinavian folk horror about the whispers of a long dead bog witch.
MY CALL: This film is slow and interesting, but more boring than slowburn as it never quite musters the degree of dread desired for an effective horror experience. Not bad, but not necessarily recommended unless you are all about folk or folklore horror. IF YOU LIKE THIS WATCH: Frankly, I think you all should just go watch The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) instead. And for the folk vibes you were looking for, go for The Apostle (2018).
This patient film introduces us to Betriek (Sallie Harmsen) and her quirky family, which includes her daughter, husband, and elderly parents. Their rural Netherlands home resides near a bog, where two recent events transpire within a day—the unearthing of a well-preserved but long dead woman, and the death by hypothermia of a local homeless man in hole he had curiously dug nearby.
As some locals begin acting strangely (including a strange home invasion and attack on Betriek’s family), a visiting investigator (Alexandre Willaume; Deliver Us from Evil, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets) is taught the local superstition—folklore about “whispers” from the bog and the legend of Feike, a witch.
An hour into this film and nothing has happened. It’s not uninteresting, but it’s becoming boring. And no, I don’t think it fair to defend this as an intriguing slowburn; it’s not, it’s just slow. When they finally drop the big conceptual reveal in our lap, it feels impotent. I didn’t necessarily know what was going to happen, but the delivery was accompanied by zero shock, dread, impression or terror. Truly, I don’t think I felt a strong sense of dread or tension throughout the entire film, and this is the very style of film which relies on just that. The actions that transpire amounted to a watered down Hereditary (2018) finale with a couple visually satisfying moments, but nothing more.
For his first feature film, director Nico van den Brink has proficiently made a film that desires much more in the way of tension, dread and probably budget (in terms of special effects). As unexciting as this film was, it was definitely not bad. It simply lacked the elements of horror (or degrees of those elements) I consider critical, despite good storytelling and photography in this sleepy horror folklore film. I’d definitely be interested in whatever Nico van den Brink does next.
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 443: Old (2021), M. Night Shyamalan, and Magic Beaches
You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
Mark and Norbert (@eddiecaine on Twitter) discuss the 2021 thriller Old (AKA Magic Beach). Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, and starring Gael García Bernal, Vicky Krieps, Rufus Sewell, and some rusted cutlery, the movie focuses on what happens when a group of tourists are stuck on a magic beach. In this episode, they also talk about mid-sized sedans, committed performances, and the excellence of M. Night Shyamalan. Enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
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John’s Horror Corner: As Above, So Below (2014), an Indiana Jones adventure movie spliced with a found footage dark supernatural horror.
MY CALL: An adventure-horror movie? Yes please! While higher budget among its subgenre, this is definitely one of the better found-footage horrors on the market in my opinion, but more for its style, genre-crossing and concepts than its horror filmy-ness. MORE MOVIES LIKE As Above, So Below: For more archeology in horror, consider Dolly Dearest (1991), The Lair of the White Worm (1988), Inseminoid (1982), and then the Egyptian archaeology fare of Manhattan Baby (1982), Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990) and The Pyramid (2014) . Also consider The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), which swaps an archaeologist for an anthropologist. The Deep House (2021), The Cave (2005) and The Descent (2005) also spring to mind for obvious exploratory reasons.
Director and co-writer John Erick Dowdle (The Poughkeepsie Tapes, Devil, Quarantine) clearly adored the Indiana Jones (1981-1989) and National Treasure movies (2004, 2007), and he wears this adoration proudly on his sleeve as archeology professor Scarlett (Perdita Weeks; Penny Dreadful, Prowl) is joined by tinkering rogue and fellow adventurer George (Ben Feldman; Friday the 13th), her cameraman Benji (Edwin Hodge; The Purge 1-3) and renegade catacomb spelunker Papillon (François Civil) in their pursuit of the Philosopher’s Stone, an artifact sought for its arcane powers of alchemy. They investigate relics in cathedrals, translate dead languages to solve riddles, uncover clues leading to more sleuthing and yet more clues, all just to bring them to the doors of their adventure.
Guided by Papillon’s cave-diving team, they illegally “break in” to parts of the catacombs no longer meant for human navigation, traversing parts long forgotten and unknown. Strange people and superstition abound the catacombs as readily as wayward cultists and lost souls. Very early into their journey things begin to go wrong. Cave-ins trap and redirect them, crevices lead to impossible locations where perhaps impossible things have happened, and secret doors enable their passage through this ancient pyramid-like Labyrinth. Scarlett’s once-tidy plan unravels and her team is faced with a curio of encounters that feel as if they are spelunking their own subconsciouses, if not their own purgatory, as they wander yet deeper into the catacombs encountering riddle after ancient booby trap after secret corridor and yet new clue. To escape: “the only way out is down.”
The first hour of this movie is all dark but lively adventure and practically no horror. Although the next 30 minutes shift gears strongly. There are some brief brutal scenes, macabre curiosities, and a hallucinatory menagerie of personal demons.
Kind of strange: when I first saw this movie, I was unimpressed and somehow managed to remain completely unenamored by the Ford-Cage adventurer-sleuthing honorarium before me in the horror genre. Yet now, I just… adore that aspect of it! It’s not the best horror film out there, but it strives to be different in its genre while exploring some cool history and concepts. Consider Mark’s movie review, which addresses the abysmal Rotten Tomatoes score. I guess I get it… since upon my first watch, I didn’t get it as much. But I think it’s worthy of a “lower-end fresh” on RT. If for no more than its novelty, I strongly recommend this film. If you read this far and still remain on the fence, check out this podcast discussion (which will include spoilers).
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Quick Thoughts – Grade B+ – The first four episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law are a delight. Ignore all the complaints about the VFX (which aren’t great) and just embrace a Marvel Cinematic Universe show that embraces comedy and feels like an actual television show. Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) is a blast, and the weekly court cases will put a smile on your face.
What I like about She-Hulk; Attorney at Law is that it’s in on the joke and knows it’s a show about a lawyer named Jennifer Walters (Maslany) who turns into a “She-Hulk” when she and her cousin Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) get into a car accident and his blood spills onto her and seeps into a cut on her arm. What’s nice about She-Hulk is that she doesn’t have to go on a soul-searching journey to figure out if she belongs because she already knows what she wants and is way better at keeping her temper than her cousin Bruce. Jennifer has no interest in being a superhero, and is more concerned with working cases with her friend/paralegal Nikki Ramos (Ginger Gonzaga) . The problem is, during one particular case, she is forced to “Hulk out” when the courtroom is attacked by a villain-influencer named Titania (Jameela Jamil). Her heroic outburst, which saves several jurors from being smushed, gets her fired from her job and forces her to figure out her life/work balance when it comes to being a human being who can turn into a large green giant capable of throwing boulders with ease.
The show is at its best when it focuses on Jennifer’s dating life, or plays up the influence of John Byrne’s and Dan Slott’s comics (bright colors, cheeky humor). The comedy gives the show much needed distance from its other Phase Four properties and allows it to be a television show about a lawyer (which is nice). It’s also nice that She-Hulk’s origin story is quick, simple and dealt with in a manner that it’s not totally life changing. The first episode is dedicated to figuring out Jennifer’s new abilities, and then it’s on her trying to find a new job while worrying about her school loans. Throughout the episodes Jennifer isn’t saving the world (yet), or dealing with gods (yet), she’s more interested in breaking the fourth wall, arguing with fan-favorite Dr. Strange 1 & 2 alum Wong (Benedict Wong), and hanging out at a How I Met Your Mother-esque bar where she works on getting Abomination (Tim Roth – very good) out of jail.
The four episodes fly by and I don’t want to spoil any of the surprises because I knew nothing about the show before watching it and I really enjoyed the twists and turns. What can you expect? You can expect rock throwing, dangerous portals, Sopranos references, funny Minnesota bits, and Tatianna Maslany stealing the show. It’s a lot of fun.
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 442: Waterworld, Sea Monsters, and Jet Skis
You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
Mark and Adam (of the GoFigure YouTube show) discuss the 1995 aquatic action film Waterworld. Directed by Kevin Reynolds, and starring Kevin Costner, Dennis Hopper, Jeanne Tripplehorn and dozens of jet skis, the big budget movie focuses on the battle between a mutant named the Mariner and a cigarette-loving villain named Deacon (who is basically Dennis Hopper having a great time). In this episode, they also talk about sea monsters, smokers, and the infamous toy line.
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 441 – The Thor Franchise, Rock Monsters, and Loki
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You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
Mark and Jack Austin (of the Alter Ego Podcast) discuss the rank the four Thor movies released since 2012 (Thor, The Dark World, Ragnarok, and Love and Thunder). The results will shock you (not really, but it’s always fun to write stuff like that). They also talk about rock monsters, small towns, and put together their ultimate Avengers squads. Enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
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Baby Assassins (2021) – Review
Quick Thoughts – Grade – B+ – The best thing about Baby Assassins is I’ve never seen anything like Baby Assassins. The Yugo Sakamoto written and directed film is a delight to watch.
Baby Assassins revolves around teenagers Chisato (Akari Takaishi) and Mahilo (Saori Izawa) graduating from high school and learning that they have to move in together and find part-time jobs to show some income on their taxes. Why? Chisato and Mahilo are assassins, which means they don’t get their taxes deducted from their contracts, and it looks shady if two teenagers are able to afford an apartment and pay their other bills if they are unemployed. Their shadowy agency doesn’t mind the police (they own them), but are worried about the tax collectors who are more dogged about getting their money and it doesn’t matter who owes it. It’s an inspired concept because it shows what happens when two deadly sociopaths/psychopaths are forced to work at a waffle restaurant or be a hostess at a restaurant that caters toward male clientele.
The most enjoyable aspect of Baby Assassins is the dark humor. Mahiro and Chisato kill without remorse and you can tell they actually love guiding their prey into alleys where they shoot, kill and stuff their victims into tiny boxes that will be picked up by their employers. They are stone-cold killers who also love sitting on their comfortable looking couch and playing video games all day. Their mundane daily lives provide a fun contrast to their deadly profession and their unpredictable nature adds a wildcard element to any situation they are in. It’s also fun watching two psychopaths learn to live together. Mahiro is an introverted sociopath and Mahilo is a social psychopath, and together they create a neat duo who cook each other dinner, argue about work, and apologize to each other by buying delicious looking bread as an olive branch.
Things get complicated for Mahiro and Chisato when they come across and kill some Yakuza who are attempting to hunt them down. This leads to a final showdown inside a warehouse that features Chisato blowing away people with a large gun, and Mahiro battling a “very strong” Yakuza bodyguard. The action throughout is excellent and that’s because the action director is Kensuke Sonomura (Machine Girl, Bushido Man, Manhunt), an absolute legend whose resume is stacked with fun fights and cool set pieces. He puts his imprint on the film immediately as the opening action scene features Mahiro wiping out a group of men inside a convenience store. It’s a fun fight that pits Mahiro’s speed and desire to kill against several larger men who have no clue that they are battling an absolute killer. During the fight people are stabbed, there’s lots of creative sliding and Mahiro walks out alive.
If you are looking for a fun action-comedy that features two teenage maniacs learning how to live together, while also battling the Yakuza, it doesn’t get any better than Baby Assassins.
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When it was first announced that Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane, The Boys, Black Mirror) would be directing a Predator film starring Amber Midthunder (watch Legion now – she is great), I knew I had to watch it. His film 10 Cloverfield Lane is an effective tension bomb that features Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher Jr., and John Goodman engaging in a deadly game of chess inside a sealed off bunker. Trachtenberg’s Cloverfield-spinoff is a solid white-knuckler, and the 6’2” Goodman plays an absolute menace who towers over his captives and forces them to get extremely creative in their quest to escape his bunker/prison. Trachtenberg’s skill set is perfect for a Predator movie because he knows what made the first film so good (remote location, cool villain, capable heroes, chaos, fun final fight). Also,the idea of taking the Yautja hunter back to the 1700s where it battles Comanche hunters and French fur traders is inspired because the heroes don’t have a M134 Minigun to shoot at the invisible villain. The icing on the science fiction film cake is that Amber Midthunder was cast to be the main protagonist. She’s so good in Legion, and her stunt/fight training are put to good use here as her character Naru is outmatched physically (like all the other main characters in the franchise), but knows the terrain and has a sharp ax that she ingeniously ties a rope to for quicker retrieval.
The best part about Prey is how it relies on a simple plot revolving around Naru and her brother Taabe (Dakota Beavers) battling a Yautja (Dane DiLiegro – a 6′ 9″ former basketball player) who hunts them while they’re on a hunt. To make things worse for Naru, is that she isn’t taken seriously as a warrior and is only brought along for her tracking skills and healing prowess which come in handy when her trusted dog gets stuck in a metal trap or fellow warriors get their legs blown off. What’s cool about Prey is how it stands on its own but also features fun callbacks (mud is used, limbs are lost) and Easter Eggs (there’s a fun Predator 2 reference) to appease Predator franchise fans. Also, there are some beautiful moments that allow the Yautja to absolutely demolish dozens of people who were stupid enough to get in its way. This isn’t the cheeky Yautja of The Predator, this is a super mean and deadly monster that is all about hunting and killing.
Writer Patrick Aison (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Treadstone – he was also a consultant on Legion) deserves credit for knowing what’s important and building towards a fun final fight between Naru and the jerky hunter. I really enjoyed watching Naru rely on her intelligence and ax throwing to combat a technologically superior foe who is also about three-feet taller than her. The simple premise allows for some fun set pieces that will put a smile on your face as you watch a river battle involving a Yautja wrestling with an angry bear.
When looking back at the Predator franchise, the producers/directors have done a good job of casting a diverse group of heroes who are forced to battle the Yautja. Whether it’s the burly group of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers. Bill Duke and Adrien Brody, or the extremely capable (but not as burly) Danny Glover, Sanaa Latham, and Alice Braga, there’s a neat range of memorable characters who either become an honorary Yautja, or get their arms blown off by a laser cannon. I’m pleased to announce that Midthunder’s character Naru fits nicely within the classic character canon and her final battle with the Yautja stands alongside the best the franchise has ever offered.
Prey is one of the best Predator films, and I really hope that audiences discover it on Hulu.
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 440: Scream (2022), Lemon Squares and The Babadook
You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
Mark and Zanandi (@ZaNandi on Twitter) discuss the 2022 horror film Scream (or 5cream). Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (watch Ready or Not), and starring Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera, Jack Quaid, and an angry masked killer, the movie focuses on what happens when the Scream franchise gets a rebootquel. In this episode, they also talk about lemon squares, legacy characters, and screaming. Enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
Movies, Films & Flix 