“Who says revenge is boring?”

After the suicide of his girlfriend, Goda(Shinya Tsukamoto), a commercials director tries to put the pieces together as they rapidly fall apart. As he adopts a fascination with the gun used to kill her, he studies it feverishly in hopes of obtaining one. Failing at locating one he tries to build one himself. Creating an almost, popgun, he now journeys into the world with different eyes. After being robbed by a group of thugs he beefs up his hunt for ‘chiefs special’. Somehow he becomes involved with Chisato (Kirina Mano) in a sad game of puppy love.

Probably the most impressive aspect of this film was Tsukamoto’s ability to star as well as direct. His performance was powerful and sets the tone from the get go. The battles were a plenty in this flick, and played out in a ‘Warriors-like’ showdown at the end. From swordplay to scissor punctures, Bullet Ballet delivers the goods. The additions of realistic imagery help make this movie a powerful message. In a weird way all the combatants in this situation were all linked somehow to the suicide of Goda’s wife. This was such a kick ass flick I’ve already seen it 3 times. Filmed entirely in black and white Bullet Ballet is surrealistic and outright horrific’

As usual Artsmagic DVD hasn’t let us down putting out another ‘Grade ‘A” flick. Complete with tons of sweet extras including a documentary from the multi-tasker himself Tsukamoto and one by Tom Mes. In all fairness I feel like Tsukamoto has equaled his predecessor Tetsuo,. Bullet Ballet Is bar none one hell of a ride..

Dead Heat is TOTAL TREAT!

It’s fun to recall movies you watched as a kid. You know the ones I’m talking about. Sunday matinee on channel 27 type shit. It’s awesome.
It’s even more awesome to realize you watched these movies in the 80’s. The 80’s were not a simple time. They were full of over the top violence, nudity, and balls out ACTION. Moreso are the great one liners delivered by your stars. Sure, sure, you’ve got your Schwarzenegger, Stallone…but did you ever think you’d say Piscapo? If you’ve seen DEAD HEAT, then you would. The man does it all in this flick, he even gets yelled at by a police chief! Superb!
The movie begins with our two detectives ACTION and PACKED…wait no, that’s me talking about how AWESOME this movie is again. Sorry.
Detectives Roger Mortis and Doug Bigelow get to the scene of a jewelry store heist by a couple of leather masked goons. Of course the entire police force is there, attempting to take out these leather clad wackos. No such luck, bitches, THEY’RE REANIMATED CORPSES WITH BRAINS! You can’t kill these Disney nightmare’s unless you explode the bastards, or something close.
Of course, Mortis (Treat Williams) smacks takes the bull by the horn and takes these two undead jerks to the farm.
The two find out that those guys were (gulp!) already admitted to the morgue! They do some dick work and come across a fancy research facility where Roger gets trapped in a ….
Ah, I don’t want to ruin the big fun of the movie. Revealing any more would reveal some pretty awesome plot spoilers. Yes, this movie has a good story to it. It also has quite a few great old school cameos that genre fans will love.
There’s multiple copies of this film on dvd, personally, I’d go with the divimax special edition. It’s got the best dvd transfer and a few special features. Like cult fav THE STUFF, this one’s already been bootlegged all through Asia with zero region dvds..so be wary.

“If the world were to be destroyed..only the cockroaches would survive”

If New York wasn’t already bad enough, RED COCKROACHES is set in a period where things are much, much different then the normal shitty New York surroundings. Acid rains permeate the air and the people seem oblivious to it, due to their moral values being shot all to hell. The only thing sacred is the life that the DND Corporation allows you to see, or is it?

Adam has a pretty odd life to begin with. Just when everything in his life seems to be going to shit he meets a mysterious woman in a cemetery named Lily. This disrupts any sort of normal existence he will have from now on. He doesn’t know what it is about this girl but he is completely entrapped by her. As complete infatuation and obsession set in we are presented with some incest like situations that would make Jenna Jameson blush! Acts involving ketchup and utter bliss will keep you in awe throughout the entire viewing.

Extremely sensual yet stomach churning RED COCKROACHES will make your stomach hurt people. Packed with beautiful cinematography RED COCKROACHES is hard to follow but is so worth it when you figure out what is happening. Director Miguel Coyula is a sick, sick man and has one warped mind, but I so love it. He shocks, and actually has a good story to back it up. This movie was so good in so many ways. The main acting core of Adam Plotch and Talia Rubel helps make this tale believable. They put all the cards on the table and shone brightly. I know I’ll definitely be looking out for them in other films.

Distributed by Heretic films Red Cockroaches is a movie I must highly recommend. You can even pick it up in Blockbuster which is something that has confused me. They’ll censor the new John Waters film , but not this!!! They have no clue what they’re carrying do they?

Check it out’.

Hop in for a fun ride in the “Blood Car”

Horror movies have been a medium in which filmmakers can add a splash of social commentary or a dab of political subtext in with the blood, guts, and terror that draw the audience in. It worked for ‘Night Of The Living Dead’, ‘The Stepford Wives’, and countless other flicks in the genre. And in this day and age where high gasoline prices seems to be a hot button issue it seems only natural that someone would incorporate a subtle jab at the ‘No Blood For Oil’ argument. But subtlety is not something that you should expect from the gang behind ‘Blood Car’, the new horror/comedy that is already gaining a strong cult following. It’s no-holds-barred in-your-face and all-up-in-yo-grill obvious what these guys have to say about things. And this ‘Blood Car’ is worth taking a ride in.

Imagine a world in the not too distant future where gas prices have reached an astronomical level. The streets are no longer filled with bumper-to-bumper traffic as no one can afford to drive any more. Cars sit in automobile graveyards and everyone travels either on foot or on bicycles. This is the world of ‘Blood Car’ and the scary thing is it doesn’t seem too far fetched.

We meet Archie, a mild mannered kindergarten teacher and vegetarian. His days are spent teaching his beloved students and his evenings are spent experimenting with an alternative fuel source: wheatgrass. Archie believes he can power an engine with the wheatgrass he buys on a daily basis from Lorraine, played by ‘My Girl’ star Anna Chlumsky (all grown up and looking sweet!!), who runs a veggie stand directly across from a meat stand run by the uber-hot Denise. Lorraine has the hots for Archie, as evidenced by her graphic drawings of herself performing certain ‘acts’ on him, but Archie is oblivious to her affections. Denise, on the other hand, is too self absorbed to give a guy like Archie a second look. One evening, after visiting Lorraine’s stand for wheatgrass, Archie cuts his hand open on a vodka bottle. His blood falls into his model engine and the engine roars to life. Archie realizes that blood will power his engine. And so begins his adventure……

Unfortunately for Archie only human blood works in his car, as he hilariously finds out after a funny, but rather unsettling, series of sequences finds him shooting dogs and small animals to try to power his ride. Yes, I said ’shooting dogs and small animals’. But I also said ‘funny’. Now I’m not saying that the murder of these pets and animals is something to laugh over, but watching Archie forego his animal-loving ways in the name of science and research, not to mention the way he breaks down and cries over every animal he puts down, well, folks, I’d like to see YOU try to stifle your laughter. Yes, its disturbing, even to the point of being just plain fucked up, but dammit it’s hilarious. And it gets worse.

After the realization hits him that only human blood will make his engine purr Archie begins to do the unthinkable. He resorts to straight up murder. And why? Well, his car gets him laid. Simple as that. Denise, the meat stand hottie, begins giving Archie mucho attention once he has the only drivable car in town, much to Lorraine’s chagrin. Yeah, the things men will do for a little poonanny. And I need to mention that Archie’s every move is being watched by the government which is intent on finding out how Archie’s car works.

To keep the car on the road there is seemingly no limit to what Archie will do or who he will do it to. It’s zany, sick, and disturbing, but it makes for a fun watch. War veterans, old ladies, hitchhikers……I think I mentioned that subtlety was out the window on this one, gang. Not to mention all morality. Wait til the end and you’ll get my drift.

Despite the movies low budget origins the filmmakers were able to deliver a campy, fun, and depraved little flick. It’s very well shot and the acting is good all around. The direction is solid and the gore is delivered. Plus an astute viewer will catch on to all the other films that are paid homage to throughout the 72 minute running time.

It’s no masterpiece, but ‘Blood Car’ hits on all cylinders. In more ways than one it defies its low budget origins, but I think the budgetary limitations actually helped make this a more memorable movie. I just couldn’t see this one being done on a larger scale and working as well as it did. Props to the guys and gals behind this fun little flick. And find this one…..seek it out. It’s a ride worth taking.

Grab The Whip, And Watch Out For Snakes, NEW INDY PICS!

Indy is back, and Harrison Ford looks ready to kick some ass again. Too bad its Russian commies this time, I always loved watching the nazis get the beat down. And I don’t know what Karen Allen has been taking to not have aged in nearly thirty years, but I want it.

Source Aint It Cool

Get Lost In “The Mist”

It’s generally accepted that Stephen King is a great writer. He has legions of fans, has written a zillion best sellers, and at times has proven to be a brilliant storyteller (especially with some of his older novels - ‘Carrie’, ”Salem’s Lot’, ‘The Shining’ just to name a few of his better works). You can’t argue the guys success…he knows his horror. Hollywood knows this as well as anyone else and for three decades they have been pumping out film adaptations of his work. And as any fan of the genre is well aware some of these adaptations hit the mark while others are way off course. Whenever someone tries to take on a Stephen King property they run the risk of either striking gold or royally fucking up…there is rarely a middle ground to be found in adapting King’s work.

There have been a couple of directors who have been to the plate on more than one occasion and actually knocked their vision of King’s novels out of the park. One is Mick Garris. He’s the guy who did several made-for-television mini-series based on some of Stephen’s more popular books. Garris did ‘The Stand’, ‘Desperation’, and ‘The Shining’ remake and also tackled ‘Riding The Bullet’. I’ve personally always enjoyed Garris’s take on King and you can tell that Garris has a lot of respect for the source material. The other director who is batting .1000 so far in the King-adaptation ballgame is Frank Darabont. He began his career with a King short story, ‘The Woman In The Room’, and since then has helmed the incredible ‘Shawshank Redemption’ and the excellent ‘The Green Mile’. Now Darabont has stepped up to the plate yet again, this time with his take on King’s fan-favorite short ‘The Mist’. And this time he hit the grand slam.

‘The Mist’ begins with a violent thunderstorm in a small Maine town. After the storm passes David Drayton (Thomas Jane) and his wife and child assess the damage to their home and property. After seeing that his boathouse was destroyed by a tree from a neighboring yard David goes over to his neighbor Brent Norton (played by the always excellent Andre Braugher) to exchange insurance information. It’s a tense introduction to Braugher’s character, as we later learn that David had already brought a lawsuit against Brent, but the two men seem to put the past behind them and work together during the storm’s aftermath. David and his son give Brent a ride into town so that they can buy materials to patch up their damaged homes as well as hit up the grocery store.

During all of this Darabont show’s us that the area is surrounded by the titular mist and that it is closing in on the small town. As David and his traveling companions meet up in the supermarket an older local fella comes running in with blood on his face screaming that there is something in the mist. The patrons in the store are terrified and watch as the mist quickly moves across the parking lot. All doors are closed on the building as the mist overtakes it. The old man reiterates that there is something in the mist and that he witnessed it take someone away. Panic slowly begins to set in.

During the following moments we begin to learn a little about the people trapped inside the supermarket. We find early on that there is going to be trouble in the form of Mrs. Carmody, a bible-spouting religious zealot who believes that the end times have come. Marcia Gay Harden plays Mrs. Carmody with such zeal that she is by far the most memorable character in the film. You’ll despise her, you’ll loathe her, and you’ll beg for her to finally shut the fuck up, but you’ll also be transfixed by Harden’s performance in this role. It’s one of those characters you’ll love to hate.

But everyone soon learns that there is indeed something in the mist…..and it’s not friendly. Darabont wisely chooses to tease us by cloaking whatever it is in the mist with the heavy fog, giving us only tiny glimpses sporadically placed throughout the film. Trapped in the store, the residents begin to argue over what is happening, some chalking it up to natural events while others maintain that supernatural happenings are afoot. Allegiances are formed and lines are drawn as the terror mounts, both inside the store and outside in the mist. Escape plans are hatched and rescue missions are attempted as things come to a boiling point. And we watch as these terrified people onscreen reveal the fear, vulnerability, and prejudices of being ordinary people put into an extraordinary sitution.

Darabont utilizes a different style of camera work with ‘The Mist’ rather than use the fluid, steady shots that worked so well with his previous King adaptations. The camera moves frequently and unsteadily, panning and zooming in and out quickly, which adds to the chaotic feel that the film tries to evoke. The film is well paced and exciting and rarely lags. The acting ranges from good to great (props again to Harden) with a few standout performances from William Sadler (who also voice acted for the audio book version of ‘The Mist’) and Toby Jones.

You’re going to hear a lot said about the final five minutes of this film, no doubt. Forget the ambiguous ending from the short story…it’s out the window. What we have here is ballsy writing and directing from Darabont. I’m not going to ruin the ending for you here, but please, for your own enjoyment’s sake, do NOT let anyone ruin the ending for you. Some will like it, some will hate it, but everyone will still have something to say about it…it’s that daring! Props to Darabont for having the sack to end the film the way he did.

I’m still torn on whether or not this is the best King adaptation so far. It’s definitely up there in the top three, with ‘Misery’ and ‘The Shawshank Redemption’, and after repeated viewings it may fall into my top spot. It’s that damn good. It hit all the right notes and left me more than satisfied. It wouldn’t bother me a bit if no one else but Darabont and the aforementioned Mick Garris were allowed to handle King’s film adaptations.

Parasite from the Pit

Obviously, somebody knew thirty years ago that David Cronenberg was a director with a different way of looking at just about everything; Rabid is a standard horror film handled with sophistication and a propensity for the strange. I consider myself a David Cronenberg fan, so I can’t explain my delay in watching this little jewel from the early part of his catalogue. I think this was his second feature, and what stands out is an artist confident in their abilities. The movie is smart, sexy, and gross ‘ all staples of the Cronenberg film diet.

For 1977, Rabid is on par with the early Michael Crichton films such as Westworld and The Andromeda Strain (just quite a bit more on the horror side of things). What I mean by that is, his movies have a mixture of intellectual dialogue with horror or science fiction thrown in the mix. Early on in the film, Rose, played by 1970’s porno queen Marilyn Chambers trying to go mainstream, is severely injured in a motorcycle accident. She is rushed to a hospital, and receives emergency surgery. Unfortunately for Rose, as we will find out later, the doctor gives her an experimental skin graft that infect her with a parasite. What is unveiled is a creature that inhabits a typically Cronenberg butthole shaped orifice in Marilyn Chambers’ armpit, (yes, I said armpit) and it infects a rabies like virus in all that it comes in contact with. Pretty soon the whole town is infected, and something must be done before she infects everybody.

I think Rabid should be required viewing for all David Cronenberg curious types. He is at his best; pushing buttons by playing with the things we are all vulnerable about ‘ this time, it is the doctor’s care. There is no underlying mad doctor sense about the surgeon, it is just matter of fact ‘ a doctor just wants to try out his weird experiment with no diabolical Re-animator like plan, just curious to see. This feeling was further exploited in his later classic Dead Ringers ‘ remember the gynecological instruments for mutant women? The cold scenes of Rose prostituting herself for victims, completely turns the tables on the standard John fearing hookers of films past. So, if you are a fan of early Cronenberg, go rent or buy Rabid, I am sure you won’t be disappointed.

New Photos Of Watchmen Set

On the official “Watchmen” website, director Zack Snyder has included some info on the backlot construction of the graphic novels version of New York City. The included photos are giving me hope that this will surpass “Sin City” as the most faithful comic adaptation ever put to screen. The amount of detail given to this set is amazing.

Source Official Watchmen Website

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