Toho Kingdom

The Wedding Singer- I'm a huge fan of Adam Sandler and this is defiently one of my favorites of his films. I would have loved to have seen a sequel to this like it was rumored but oh well still a great film. 9 out of 10

Grandma's Boy- I like it being a video game nerd and all I can get some of the jokes and stuff. Surprised Sandler didn't have a cameo in it like he normally does in films his company makes. 8 out of 10

American Teen- This is a documentary about the life of various teenagers at a mid west school you have your various social classes in there like the popular girl the ackward art girl, the popular joke and the nerd. It was interesting for what it was. 7.5 out of 10

Up Syndorme- A documentary that was filmed in 1999 and released in 2000. It's the story about a film maker chronicalling his best friend who happens to have down syndrome. It was really well done, by just showing home movie footage of how the kid spent his time. Some stuff was sad, while others the kid made you laugh doing jokes and stuff. 8.5 out of 10

Monster in the Closet- Part B-movie, part B-movie parody, all great. I loved this film! It's a definitively a spoof, but a much more subtle on that the likes of Scary Movie and Spy Hard. It had me laughing throughout.

Uh, considering the kind of movie it was I wasn't exactly looking for any plot-holes and I'm pretty sure the resemblance was on purpose.

He also fell in love with the main characters. And the old scientist survived the monster's bombardment too. So, like I said, looking for realism in this movie is kinda pointless.

Still a great movie though. Love the last line:

"Go home, go back and rebuild your closets."

Saw V- Ugh this series is getting stale fast. The kills wheren't very imaginative and there really wasn't any twists or turns like the previous installments. Thank god the series is ending with Saw 3D supposedly. 6 out of 10

Gamera vs Gyaos- Since we've all seen this before well pretty much all of us I'm just going to comment on the new Shout DVD. It's fantastic. I decided to watch the AIP dub since I've never seen it and I thought it was okay. The print is really great if all you've seen is the Sandy frank VHS tape then your in for a treat it's clean and crisp. Another A+ effort from Shout. It would have been nice to switch audio options on the fly via the Audio button on my DVD/BD remote then again this could have been an issue with my player/remot I was using the PS3 and it's official Bluetooth BD Remote. 8.5 out of 10

Gamera vs Viras- As with Gyaos I'll concentrate on the DVD itself. The print was amazing, again it never looked cleaner. However on the dubb the audio will get really lound in some spots and it does switch over to the Japanese version for scenes that weren't dubbed. I assume the audio issue isn't present on the Japanese audio option. Other than this minor bug the DVD is fantastic. 8.5 out of 10

Saw VI- It was better than Saw V but not as good as the first few. I think they're just making these for the sake of making them now. I'd rate it at 7 out of 10

Gamera vs Guiron- The new Shout disc looks simply amazing. I watched the AIP dubbing again it was my first time seeing it and no they didn't cut the Space Gyaos vs Guiron battle out when that scene came on they switched to the international dubbing which is also present on the disc. But yeah the print used is stunning and very clear. 9 out of 10

Gamera vs Jiger- Again an excellent DVD with amazing picture quality. I watched the Monster X dub (only dub on the disc) and eh it's not that great. Movie is kind of slow paced as well but Jiger is an awesome looking monster with interesting abilities. 9 out of 10

Hybrid- A guy gets wolf eyes transplanted into his body and starts seeing visions of wolves from the pack that the wolf's eyes came from. Pretty stupid in fact the only reason I rented it from Netflix is because I thought it was a werewolf flick and it wasn't. 5.5 out of 10.

Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966)
Quite possibly the worst movie ever made. However, I still like this movie for two reasons: It gave us Torgo and an awesome MST3K episode.
I give it 2 Godzilla vs. Megalons out of 6 Super Monster Gameras.

Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
A bit overrated by some fans, but it's still a good movie. Tsuburaya's effects look great but Godzilla looks a bit washed out during some of the city composite shots. I give it a 4.2 out of a 5

Gamera the Invincible. The cheapo DVD doesn't have the A/V quality of Shout's, but I like this cut of the movie better. I might watch the Japanese Gamera vs. Barugon instead of the English, though.

"Monsters" 2010

Do yourself a favour and don't watch it, srsly.

Night of the Dead -- A doctor experiments with dead patients to test his "resurrection" serum. However, like the title suggests, it turns the patients into zombies. A pregnant woman and her husband must survive in a hospital that is soon occupied by a zombie horde. If I could describe this movie with one word, it'd be "campy." If the makers wanted to make it scary, they failed. In the beginning, the doctor uses a dead frog as a test subject; when it comes back to life, it starts....screaming? Give it a try, just to get a laugh. But campy movies have their limits, and this happens to solidify my claim. 3/10

Aliens (1986)
If given the choice between the first two Alien movies and the entire Alien and Predator franchise, I'd take the first two without a moment's hesitation. And forced to choose between the two films, I'd take James Cameron's fast-paced, action-packed sequel over Ridley Scott's horrific masterpiece. While neither film can really be directly compared, I just enjoy Aliens more. It's my all-time favorite movie, period. And much like its predecessor, there's almost nothing bad to say about it.

The cast is solid and likeable (or, in Burke's case, hateable) and they know their roles well. Sigourney Weaver offers a further developed version of Ellen Ripley. Whereas in the original film she was just a terrified member of the Nostromo who managed to survive, it was this movie that turned her into the Action Hero she's known as today while showing just enough of her vulnerable/motherly side. Michael Biehn turns in a solid performance as Dwayne Hicks, a competent soldier who manages to be a strong character without overshadowing Ripley. Unlike many people of this type, he's actually likable ( ). Paul Reister's character, Burke, is my least favorite. But that's actually to his credit. I found his character convincing enough as a villain that I was genuinely disappointed when I didn't get to see him get ripped apart by the alien. Bill Paxton brings in the comic relief very well. Newt (Carrie Henn), Bishop (Lance Henriksen), and Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein) all fill their roles just fine, and manage to be very entertaining, but there's not much to say about them.

While people have expressed disappointment at the evolution of the original Alien to a swarm of creatures, I feel it was the next logical step. A singular alien picking apart the team one-by-one would be nothing but a rehash of the original. The facehugger creatures return and the Alien Queen is a truly frightening creation, very on par with the original monster. The special effects are magnificent. There's honestly very little wrong with them. And Horner's fast-paced score fits the movie very well. And even without the horror elements, we still get plenty of gore with the chestburster scene and the many instances of soldiers blowing aliens apart.

One reason why I think Aliens succeeds so well is because it doesn't follow in the steps of the original. Cameron makes his own film. It's not a horror movie - it's a suspenseful action movie with a science-fiction theme. And it brings with it a strong cast and script, a strong musical score, excellent effects work, and Cameron's great direction.

Awesome movie, definitely. Give me this movie and Ridley Scott's film and you can keep everything else.

I saw Aliens in a midnight screening a week ago. Fantastic experience, especially in an actual theatre. It was packed at that; everyone from goth kids, to middle aged women, to film nerds came out at midnight to see it. (This was a bit of a shock, considering the midnight screenings of Robocop and Army of Darkness had something like 8 people). Everyone cheered and laughed at the right parts. Nothing beats seeing films at midnight with the right crowd.

While people have expressed disappointment at the evolution of the original Alien to a swarm of creatures, I feel it was the next logical step.

I agree. Stan Winston took what was a delicate, harsh, work of art (pretty much literally) and turned it into a real movie monster; the new design for the Alien works for the tone and style of the film, just like how the original look for the alien matches the tone and style of its debut film.

the Alien Queen is a truly frightening creation, very on par with the original monster.

The reveal is great in how it wasn't just "BOO!" it was slow and quiet. And there's nothing freakier then the matriarch of a species of rape monster just watching and thinking about you.


After seeing this, I went out and bought Predators, something I didn't get to see in theatres. So happy the Predators are actually scary again, and this is the first film that feels like a real sequel to the original. Adrian Brody as a dark action hero is fresh and he does a great job in not trying to one-up Arnold but just does his own thing. However, I don't like the "Tribal Warfare" amongst the Predators subplot in the film, doesn't add anything to the story and it's just fluff in what is overall a nice and efficient film. And it's another case of someone taking their own Predator and having it beat up the original (They're still better then the 'roided up Anime Predators of AvP).

Still it's a solid movie and I recommend it.

TokyoVigilante wrote:After seeing this, I went out and bought Predators, something I didn't get to see in theatres. So happy the Predators are actually scary again, and this is the first film that feels like a real sequel to the original. Adrian Brody as a dark action hero is fresh and he does a great job in not trying to one-up Arnold but just does his own thing.

I like Predators, but I honestly felt that Adrian Brody's character could have been done better. The way in which he seemed to know everything and just what to do at any given moment was a bit off-putting as a main protagonist. I preferred the characters around him (especially Topher Grace, who I still think should have been the protagonist) and thought that they were far more interesting. I don't think Brody did a bad job or anything, but the way in which his character was written bothered me a bit.

However, I don't like the "Tribal Warfare" amongst the Predators subplot in the film, doesn't add anything to the story and it's just fluff in what is overall a nice and efficient film.

Perhaps it can be developed more in the sequel. I thought it was a good concept, but since the film rarely strayed from its "comfort zone" it didn't amount to much.

Still it's a solid movie and I recommend it.

Agreed. I enjoyed it a lot more than I enjoyed Predator 2 and it works better as a sequel.

--

(Alright gvamp, you've sold me. I'm going to get that Anthology set. Maybe I'll actually give Alien 3 another chance... maybe.)

Alien (1979)
I feel kind of sad whenever I watch this. Once upon a time, Alien truly horrified me and made me completely reluctant to watch it again. I just finished it, and I realized that I've seen this movie so many times and enjoy it so much that there's almost nothing that disturbs or scares me anymore. The iconic scene where the alien bursts from Kane's chest makes me fidget a bit, but other than that... nothing. I've begun to see Alien as a fun film when I shouldn't. All the big reveals and plot twists obviously don't phase me and knowing exactly when and where each kill scene takes place robs the film of any element of surprise. In fact, I actually laughed when Dallas bit it (the way the alien appears in the beam of light with its hands wide open makes it look as if it's saying "Surprise!") and Brett's kill scene isn't even startling (you see the alien drop down behind him a few seconds before, and then there's the pan up where you get your first shot of it. By the time Brett dies, I'm not even scared anymore - mainly because I've already seen what a full size alien looks like thanks to the sequels and popular culture). Not even the scene where Ash tries to kill Ripley is all that horrifying anymore. This is probably why I've come to prefer the sequel, Aliens.

My personal feelings aside, however, this is a great movie - Ridley Scott's finest (that I've seen) and one of the greatest horror films that I've ever seen. I suppose it probably would have been best had I seen this without the context of the sequels because so much of the terror relies on the hidden presence of the alien. Only at the end do you see the entire thing. For most of the film, the alien remains hidden in the shadows and you only get a look at part of it. The alien itself is magnificent, though. And I definitely appreciate its phallic appearance, which furthers the "rape" angle. The sets, the space scenes, the creature, and whatever gory scenes (not many) were present were all examples of the great special effects. And the musical score is genuinely chilling. The general premise of a creature lurking in the ship that you cannot kill is frightening. The characters are all interesting and well-acted, my favorites being Ripley (of course) and Parker. Ash makes for a good "human" villain as well. It's largely thanks to these features of the film that I can still enjoy it, despite it no longer being able to frighten me.

In all, one could make the argument that this is the greatest film in the franchise. And while I certainly prefer it to the latter two Alien films (the vapid Alien 3 and the genuinely awful Alien: Resurrection) and the idiotic AvP films, as well as any Predator film, I personally think Aliens fares better in the long run - as one can watch it over and over and still continue to have fun with it. While Alien can only horrify you once or twice before you begin to stop feeling frightened. Despite that, it's still one of the greatest films that I've ever seen and one of my favorites.

Alien (Directors Cut) [BD]- As I mentioned I got the Alien Anthology BD set and watched this first night I got it. Alien looks simply amazing for being a 31 year old film. While watching it I've seen things I've never noticed before like when Brett goes looking for Jones there's a glimpse of the alien hanging near the chains. Also Ripley's space suit you can see all sorts of finger prints and dust on it. 9.5 out of 10

Aliens (Directors Cut) [BD]- As with Alien the film looks fantastic to quote Ash from Alien "I've never seen anything like it". The print was simply amazing if your looking to show off the benefits of BD especially an older film this is defiently one to do so. Again I've noticed things I've never noticed before. 9.5 out of 10

Alien 3 (Assembly Cut) [BD]- They defiently have fixed up the audio and if I recall correctly the video too. The video is hit and miss. Despite all the hate Alien 3 gets I actually enjoy it that being said I find the Theatrical Cut to be better than the AC. IMO the TC just flows better and plus you get to see the queen burst out at the end whereas you don't with the AC.

Gamera GOTU (BD)- I'm not really a fan of Kaneko's Gamera films but the print used on the new Mills Creek BD was fantastic. My only complaint with this film is the plot seems to drag on and Gamera and Gyaos look kind of goofy in this. If you have a BD player and enjoy the Gamera Trilogy pick this up you'll love it. 7.5 out of 10

Gamera 2 (BD)- My favorite film out of the three and it looks really great on BD, there's a few scenes with some major grain but for the most part the film looks stunning in fact I've never noticed how crappy the CGI is in some scenes, most notably when Gamera gets atttacked by Soldier Legions after destroying the first flower. He moves very robotic in it. 8.5 out of 10.

Rocky Horror Picture Show. You wanna get laid? Learn the Timewarp.

Also it's a good time. But the last act drags like nobodies business.

I've been going on a Romero "Dead" marathon. I've watched all 4 of the movies in the series, I started on Tuesday and ended today.

Tuesday:
Night of the Living Dead (1968) - Wonderfully atmospheric and intense. It truly is a film classic. 4.5/5

Thursday:
Dawn of the Dead (1978) - The U.S. theatrical version, and the best version in my opinion. What else can be said of this flick that hasn't? It's awesome. 5/5

Friday:
Day of the Dead (1985) - Still Romero's best of the quadrilogy in my opinion. Awesome gore, insanely intelligent and a perfect soundtrack. 5/5

Today:
Land of the Dead - Much better on its second viewing (and unrated), but still has a few issues such as unnecessary CG gore and a soundtrack that just doesn't shut up, which plagues most horror films today. Oh, and the ending still feels a tad Hollywood-ized. 4/5

Been watching through the Alien and Predator films, but the original Alien (1979) is the only film I'd recommend to anyone wanting a good horror movie. Unfortunately, a lot of the true horror elements are lost to me - since I've watched this non-stop. I want the Anthology set, just for the commentaries, though.

The others are either excellent action movies (Aliens, Predator, Predators), mediocre (Alien 3) or just not worth the time (Resurrection and the AvP films).

wataru wrote:This is a very special thread, which I will ask an admin to lock after Halloween is over.

It can be merged into the "Latest Movie You Watched" thread, since this is similar to that one.

I saw an old one called Atomic Age Vampire. It's a b movie with a bad monster mask, but mildly entertaining.

Friday:
Halloween

Saturday:
Aliens
Predator 2

Sunday:
Ghostbusters 1 and 2
Dawn of the Dead

Tyler wrote:I just watched this crazy-ass movie called The Tingler. You don't get stuff like that nowadays.

I LOVE that movie! William Castle was a genius.