Counter Cinema

The DP for this film should be shot. The constant zooming was...

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 23:25:26 -0500

The DP for this film should be shot. The constant zooming was so distracting. You have amazing actors, you don’t have to fucking tell me how to feel with your zooming. I can see it on John C. Reilly’s face.

In other news, John C. Reilly should stop doing those shitty comedies and do more movies like this. With a different cinematographer.

-Dan

Ladies and gentlemen, Kevin Corrigan.

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 11:17:03 -0600

Ladies and gentlemen, Kevin Corrigan.

Today’s viewing: Joseph Mangine’s Neon Maniacs...

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 13:08:00 -0600

Today’s viewing: Joseph Mangine’s Neon Maniacs (1986)

“When the world is ruled by violence
And the soul of mankind fades
The children’s paths shall be darkened
By the shadows of the Neon Maniacs.”

The full Scream 4 trailer has been released. Considering Scream...

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 21:22:06 -0600

The full Scream 4 trailer has been released. Considering Scream 3 was a heaping pile of dog shit, it looks pretty decent. I hope Courteney Cox gets slaughtered.

I received a Best Buy gift card this holiday season, so I...

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 09:25:00 -0600

I received a Best Buy gift card this holiday season, so I waddled on down to the local store and after gasping at all their outrageous prices and searching like items on Amazon and gasping more, I found a couple cheap gems on sale.

Unforgiven (1992) for $16 and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) for $10 on Blu Ray.

Gift card well spent.

-Dan

peterostrander: Recording a podcast for Counter Cinema (Taken...

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 12:43:48 -0600

peterostrander:

Recording a podcast for Counter Cinema (Taken with instagram)

I know a lot of people hate this movie, but I am a fan of it. I...

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 12:26:00 -0600

I know a lot of people hate this movie, but I am a fan of it. I think the suspense is well done, I like that it gives an old War of the Worlds/Invasion of the Body Snatchers feel, the score is great and Joaquin Phoenix is hilarious.

I do, however, hate the ending. I don’t mean the “twist” that happens. That’s lame as well. But I hate that M. Night showed the alien. The scene at the Mexican birthday party is well crafted and everything is out of focus enough that it works, but the end shows the shitty CG alien and it ruins all the suspense that has been built up. If Shyamalan would have just shot the whole final scene with the alien in the family room from the reflection of the television, instead of a full body shot of the invader, it would be a much better movie. He’s an idiot.

Signs (2002)

-Dan

Top Ten Christmas Movie 10. Bad Santa (2003) - It’s a...

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:44:17 -0600

Top Ten Christmas Movie

10. Bad Santa (2003) - It’s a nice change of pace from the normal Christmas film, with Billy Bob cursing a little kid and genuinely staying a piece of shit throughout the entire film. Plus, Thurman Merman is the most pathetically adorable kid ever.

9. While You Were Sleeping (1995) - One of the few rom coms I commend, Sandra Bullock is adorable in this Christmastime romance about a woman infatuated with a man (Peter Gallagher) and saves him when he is mugged on the El train (Chicago!) and falls on the tracks, then lies to the hospital and his family that she is his fiancée when the hospital won’t let her see him. Of course, it’s even more complicated than that, with her falling in love with the brother instead (played by Bill Pullman, can you blame her?!?) and sticky situations ensue. This film is truly great because of the family, as she falls in love with them, the viewer does too. Watch. Enjoy. Love.

8. Elf (2003) - I am very much over Will Ferrell and his one-note-wonder ways, but this film is possibly him at his best. His blind optimism leads to much hilarity. Because when Santa smells like beef and cheese, Christmas is in trouble.

7. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) - No, not the the piece of shit with Jim Carrey that crushed the soul of this film, the Boris Karloff narrated animated short that brings my heart nothing but Christmas cheer. All those Whos down in Whoville make me go, “Woo Hoo.”

6. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) - Just this:

“Nobody’s leaving. Nobody’s walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We’re all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We’re gonna press on, and we’re gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fucking Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he’s gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse.”

That is all.

5. Love Actually (2003) - It’s just pleasant. And very Christmas-y. And one of the few ensemble casts that doesn’t blow ass. It makes me smile. To me, you are perfect. Also, Liam Neeson.

4. Die Hard (1988) - Because nothing says Christmas like bullet holes. Welcome to the party, pal!

3. Home Alone/the end of Home Alone 2 - I use to argue to the death my belief that Home Alone 2: Lost in New York was a superior film to it’s predecessor. But mostly I think I just love that Talk Boy and thoughts of running around the Plaza Hotel. But I came to the realization this year that Home Alone is the superior film overall, but Home Alone 2 has the better ending. This may just be me, but the fact that every hit or trick pulled on Harry and Marv in the sequel is so over the top and ridiculous just rockets the film to greatness. Getting hit in the head with bricks thrown from 4 stories up? Priceless. It would also render you a vegetable or dead. And that’s why it’s better. Also, watch out for tool chests falling down the stairs.

2. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) - A top on most lists, but there is a reason for that. It’s actually a very dark movie for the majority of it. George Bailey contemplates suicide and thinks his life is worthless. It takes the aide of an angel to show him that “no man is a failure with friends.” It warms the soul. I am also comfortable to announce that every year, I get choked up when Harry Bailey says, “A toast to my big brother George: The richest man in town.” Tear.

1. Scrooged (1988) - Bill Murray is the only one who could pull off this role this well. The first two ghosts are hilarious (Buster Poindexter as the Ghost of Christmas Past giving Murray shit and Carol Kane as the Ghost of Christmas Present beating the shit out of Murray - classic). It’s funny, it’s the best representation of the story and the end is Christmas sappy and great. God bless us, everyone.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Whatever You Believe. And Holy Shit.

-Dan

Honorable Mentions: The Shop Around the Corner (1946), White Christmas (1954), A Christmas Story* (1983), A Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

*I am aware that everyone considers Christmas Story the best holiday film ever, but I’m over it.

2 films surprised me this weekend. How glorious. Easy A (2010)...

Sun, 28 Nov 2010 09:37:00 -0600

2 films surprised me this weekend. How glorious.

Easy A (2010) is the Mean Girls of 2010. It surprised the shit out of me.

The writing is great, the supporting cast is incredible (Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson, Hayden Thomas Church, Malcolm McDowell, Fred Armisen) and Emma Stone is adorable and awesome with the quit fire dialog. Go see it. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

-Dan

I watched this film last night with the family, it was one of...

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 10:10:30 -0600

I watched this film last night with the family, it was one of those situations where we didn’t really have anything else to watch and for some reason my mother had rented it on Netflix and wanted to ship it back asap.

I laughed my ass off. The main story is decent, but the supporting cast is really what makes the movie. T.J. Miller (known for a great short-lived show called Carpoolers and “The Guy That’s Holding the Camera” in Cloverfield) plays the asshole friend, Nate Torrence (Get Smart) plays the creepy buddy) and Kyle Bornheimer (he’s been in an episode of just about every show) plays the douche bag brother. They really sell the movie and make it better than the majority of the rom-com type crap out there.

The R-rating really helps out the film, giving it a more adult feel, and allows for some of the jokes to go a little further (and more surprising) than a teeny setting would have allowed. Plus, I just like hearing people say “fuck” a lot, it’s more like real life.

Just see it. I never would have, either, but was very pleasantly surprised. You’ll get a few laughs at the least.

-Dan

26. A Chinese Ghost Story dir. by Siu-Tung Ching (1987) If you...

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 12:16:10 -0500

**26. A Chinese Ghost Story dir. by Siu-Tung Ching (1987)**

If you like wire kung-fu, demon-horror, romance, comedy films starring Leslie Cheung, then you’ll probably like A Chinese Ghost Story (I did).

Leslie Cheung plays a tax collector that stays the night in a haunted temple, meets a talented swordsman, and falls in love with a ghost. Unfortunately, an evil tree spirit comes between our two lovers with it’s gigantic tongue that bleeds what I assume is white, milky tree sap… I mean, I hope that’s what it is.

A pretty unique film (that spawned two sequels). Slow at times, but ultimately entertaining.

Watch the trailer | Buy it from Amazon | Rent it from Netflix

25. Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth dir. by Anthony Hickox...

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 11:16:05 -0500

**25. Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth dir. by Anthony Hickox (1992)**

“Ready for your closeup?”

In Hellbound: Hellraiser II, Pinhead got himself trapped inside of some hellish sculpture. Well, that sculpture found it’s way into the hands of a homeless man and that homeless man sold that sculpture to some millionaire playboy/douche bag who keeps it in his weirdly sadistic night club. Naturally, Pinhead wants out, and he wants some new Cenobite pals.

Hellraiser III’s heroine, Joanne (Terry Farrell) [1], is an investigative reporter that gets wrapped up in the whole Hellraiser deal when she witnesses a club patron being ripped apart by chains at the local hospital. From there she looks into videotapes of Kirsty Cotton (from the first two Hellraiser films), investigates some strange happenings at J.P. Monroe’s nightclub, befriends J.P.’s ex-girlfriend Terri (Paula Marshall), and eventually has a pretty satisfying encounter with Pinhead and five new Cenobites.

I think I like the Cenobites in Hellraiser III the most out of all the movies. They’re just so ridiculous. Descriptions from Wikipedia:

Pistonhead: An evil sex fiend that owned “The Boiler Room” club; had a hot, never ending piston shoved through his skull.
Camerahead: An expert camera man for the news was killed by Pinhead; and brought back to life with a camera for an eye.
Dreamer: A smoking teenager that never had dreams; is now a Cenobite with a cigarette in a throat wound.
CD: A deejay from “The Boiler Room”; now Cenobite with the power to throw CDs like a ninja with throwing-stars.
Barbie: A bartender from “The Boiler Room”; now Cenobite wrapped in barbed wire; and has the ability to spit out white pus that ignites upon touching air.

I know I said that Hellraiser IV was my favorite, but I think I flip around each time I see a new Hellraiser film. If you’re going to watch a Hellraiser movie, watch this one.

Watch the trailer | Buy it from Amazon | Rent it form Netflix

24. Dance of the Dead dir. by Gregg Bishop (2008) Dance of the...

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 10:31:30 -0500

**24. Dance of the Dead dir. by Gregg Bishop (2008)**

Dance of the Dead ended up being a lot more entertaining than I’d anticipated. There’s just too much here to like.

Prom night turns out to be less than stellar for a group of teens when the dead start blasting out (literally) of their graves and taking out their undead boredom on the local townspeople. It’s up to a group of misfits (the sci-fi club, the loser pizza delivery driver, the class vice-president, and the 3-year senior bully) to put a stop to the zombie menace and warn their classmates of the epidemic before the zombies can reach the school gym.

Going into this, I expected some awful MTV mad-for-tv movie. Boy was I wrong. This movie was fun, gory, romantic, hilarious, and had some genuinely original and entertaining zombie kills. While it’s not in my top 10 horror films of all time, it’s an incredibly fun film to watch, and great Halloween horror fluff if you’re looking to relax and not feel too invested in a movie.

Watch the trailer | Buy it from Amazon | Rent it from Netflix

23. Demons dir. by Lamberto Bava (1985) Lamberto Bava (son of...

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 09:43:42 -0500

**23. Demons dir. by Lamberto Bava (1985)**

Lamberto Bava (son of Mario Bava and protégé to Dario Argento) directs this oddly meta tale of film come to life.

Two young women are given free tickets to the premiere of a new horror film. Together with a theatre full of strangers, the women are subjected to an hour and a half of very real horror, as the story happening on the screen begins to bleed into the real world. Plenty of great kills, impressive creature effects, and hilariously bad ADR’d dialogue make this a treat to watch.

I haven’t seen Demons 2 yet, but if it follows the storyline of the first, I’m looking at a pretty great post-apocalyptic demon story. Watch it with friends.

Watch the trailer | Buy it on Amazon | Rent it from Netflix

22. Ghoulies II dir. by Albert Band (1988) Ghoulies II is...

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 07:47:22 -0500

**22. Ghoulies II dir. by Albert Band (1988)**

Ghoulies II is entertaining enough, but it holds a special place in my heart as a “scary” move that I wasn’t allowed to watch, but that my dad rented from the local video store for me one weekend.

This Ghoulies had Albert Band (father of horror producer/director Charles Band) at the director’s helm. Still no Stan Winston, but at least there’s a Band in there.

Some of the ghoulies from the first film skip town via a roving carnival. They set up shop in the failing horror house and start being all ghoulish. Some gross out scares, and kind of fun. There’s a giant ghoulie payoff in the end. More entertaining than the first, but still not top notch horror.

Watch the trailer | Buy it on Amazon | Watch it on Netflix

21. Ghoulies dir. by Luca Bercovici (1985) When I think of the...

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 07:20:59 -0500

**21. Ghoulies dir. by Luca Bercovici (1985)**

When I think of the movie Ghoulies, I think of Boglins. Then I just get kind of upset because there was never a Boglins film or cartoon series (please, correct me if I’m wrong).

Anyway, Ghoulies is kind of a bust in my opinion. Originally slated to be directed by Charles Band (of Puppet Master fame) with special effects by Stan Winston (Jesus, I mean he’s done everything), the film looked like it was destined to become an excellent addition in the tome of great 80’s horror films. Alas, all was for not, and some jabronies got there hands on it instead. What we get is a story about a man obsessed with controlling demons, and demons that look they’re on the end of a kebob stick being waved around.

Skip this one and stay tuned for part 2…

Watch the trailer | Buy it on Amazon | Rent it from Netflix

20. Pet Sematary dir. by Mary Lambert (1989) Seriously people,...

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 06:55:43 -0500

**20. Pet Sematary dir. by Mary Lambert (1989)**

Seriously people, pay attention to where your kids are when there’s a 90mph highway 20 feet in front of your house. And when an the old guy across the street drawls out the recommendation that you not bury a human being up in that there pet cemetery, you best gather your wits together and listen up.

Pet Sematary introduces one of the 90’s most memorable child actors, Miko Hughes. Miko puts on a pretty impressive performance for being 2-years old. He showed up in just about every tv show in the 90s at some point, found his way into hits like Apollo 13 and Spawn (ahahaha!), but most memorably, he played Nancy Porter’s son, Dylan, in Wes Craven’s New Nightmare.

An instant classic from the mind of Stephen King.

Watch the trailer | Buy it on Amazon | Rent it from Netflix

19. Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy dir. by Daniel...

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:20:24 -0500

19. Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy dir. by Daniel Farrands, Andrew Kasch (2010)

Never Sleep Again is a 4-hour long documentary covering the Nightmare on Elm Street series from the very first film in ‘84 all the way through 2003’s Freddy vs. Jason. Basically, it covers all the Nightmares that Robert Englund played Freddy Krueger in.

Due to poor planning on my part, I had to split this up into two two-hour viewings. That’s not necessarily a bad thing (I think I cut off after Elm Street 4), but I don’t want to give the impression that this doc is slow in any way. I could have easily sat through all four hours without blinking.

Farrands and Kasch tackle the series in chronological order, bookending each movie with brand new claymation/stop-motion Freddy clips to introduce each film. These interstitials are well done, nostalgic, and just generally fun to watch. It reminds me of the old MTV Liquid Television ads.

The films’ cast and crew, series’ directors, and series’ producers all turn up to talk about the respective film(s) they were involved with. The amount of content, stories, and behind-the-scenes footage makes this feel like an epic bonus disc. Noticeably absent from the film are sit-downs with Johnny Depp (A Nightmare on Elm Street) and Patricia Arquette (Dream Warriors). The other cast and crew of the films do a good job of telling stories about the two on set though, so they aren’t missed. Not really anyway.

Never Sleep Again is just a well put together documentary on what is probably the biggest horror franchise of all time. If you have any interest in the Nightmare on Elm Street films, you’ll thoroughly enjoy this. And for those that hate campy horror but like docs, you’re in for a treat as well.

The Collector’s Edition even contains a second disc bringing the grand total of watching time to 8 hours. That’s one hell of a special feature.

Watch the trailer | Buy it on Amazon | Rent it from Netflix

18. Hellbound: Hellraiser II dir. by Tony Randell...

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:15:10 -0500

18. Hellbound: Hellraiser II dir. by Tony Randell (1988)

“Your suffering will be legendary, even in hell!”

Hellbound: Hellraiser II had the honor of nabbing an X rating back in 1988.

Hellbound picks up where the first Hellraiser left off. Kirsty Cotton is in an insane asylum after her family was murdered by Julia Cotton and the Cenobites. Thinking that the nightmare is finally over, Kirsty confides in Dr. Channard, who just so happens to have been trying to find a doorway to hell for years now. Conveniant!

Channard manages to open the gates and release the Cenobites from the first film: Pinhead, Chatterer, Butterball, and Female Cenobite. Kirsty realizes that her father is suffering in hell and she’s the only one that can save him, battling against the four legacy Cenobites, and one new one - Dr. Channard.

If there’s anything to say about the Hellraiser series, it’s that these movies are gory. Hellbound features a skinless folks crawling around small rooms, bloodying up the place and Dr. Channard’s phallic case of Cenobite puts a good hurting on some unsuspecting victims as well.

I like the Hellraiser series, but it’s probably my least favorite of the major horror franchises. It’s probably best to start off with the first Hellraiser film before watching Hellbound, as this is a direct tie-in - but if you’re just looking for a gore-fest, the film opens with a quick 30-second recap on the Hellraiser of old.

Watch the trailer | Buy it on Amazon | Rent it on Netflix

17. Hellraiser IV: Bloodline dir. by Kevin Yagher, Alan Smithee,...

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:15:50 -0500

17. Hellraiser IV: Bloodline dir. by Kevin Yagher, Alan Smithee, and Joe Chappelle (1996)

Hellraiser: Bloodline spans a few centuries of Cenobite history. The film opens in outer space in the year 2127, where Dr. Paul Merchant, an ancestor of Philip L’Merchant (the toymaker that created the puzzle box that holds the Cenobites), is trying to close the gates of hell.

So that sets the story. Head on back to the 18th century, where Jacques (played by Adam Scott), runs amok as a murderous, sexual deviant in possession of his very own Cenobite - newcomer Angelique.

From there we make our way into the present, where John Merchant, his wife, and their son are on the run from Pinhead and the other Cenobites.

After a short story arc in the present, the film comes full circle for it’s conclusion in 2127 aboard the spaceship puzzle box.

Doug Bradley returns as Pinhead, and three new Cenobites are introduced: Angelique, Chatterer Beast and Siamese Twins. The appeal hear is seeing Adam Scott in a Hellraiser movie.

Watch the trailer | Buy it on Amazon | Rent it on Netflix