Welcome to the 909th Edition of my series. I am also in week 4 of the Madness and I will release that later in the week as I still have some things to watch. I hope everyone enjoys their holiday however celebrated. I don't have a lot going on so I will just get on with my selections for the week.
The Flash (2023): Andy Muschietti directed this superhero film from the DC Universe. Ezra Miller reprises his role of Barry Allen aka the Flash. This uses the common Flashpoint theme where Barry uses his speed to go into the past and save his mother. When this happens, this makes the world much different and in this one General Zod, played by Michael Shannon, is back. He must rely on another version of himself, a retired Bruce Wayne, reprised by Michael Keaton, and Kara Zor-El aka Supergirl, played by Sasha Calle, who is in a Russian prison. Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdu, Kiersey Clemens, Jeremy Irons, Antje Traue, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Rudy Mancuso, Temuera Morrison, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Sean Rogers, Kieran Hodgson, Luke Brandon Field, Ian Loh, Karl Collins, and many others co-star in this superhero film. There also a few other cameos from the universe so I'll just keep those a surprise. The highlight of this film for me is the return of Keaton as Batman. It also has a really cool homage to the history of DC comics and I will just leave it at that.
Joy Ride (2001): John Dahl directed this horror film. Paul Walker co-stars as Lewis who goes on a road trip to pick up his troubled brother Fuller, played by Steve Zahn, and his friend Venna, played by Leelee Sobieski. Fuller gets the idea to joke around with someone over the CB radio and must fight for their life when the trucker turns out to be a psychopathic killer. Jessica Bowman, Stuart Stone, Basil Wallace, Brian Leckner, Mary Wickliffe, Dell Yount, Jim Beaver, and many others co-star in this horror film. This was the start of a franchise. This was a pretty compelling film made better by the low budget. It is a movie still talked about today. This could be a good double feature to go along with Spielberg's DUEL.
Let Me In (2010): Matt Reeves directed this vampire movie which is based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist. Kodi Smit-McPhee stars as the awkward young boy Owen who is bullied a lot at school. He is befriended by female vampire Abby, played by Chloe Grace Moretz. They form an unusual friendship that includes Abby advising Owen to stand up to the bullies. Richard Jenkins co-stars as Abby's guardian who helps her supply what she needs for survival. Cara Buono, Elias Koteas, Sasha Barrese, Dylan Kenin, Chris Browning, Richie Coster, Dylan Minnette, Jimmy Jax Pinchak, Nicolai Dorian, and many others co-star in this film. This is a remake of the Swedish film LET THE RIGHT ONE IN and I believe they each stand their ground. This is the same year that KICK-ASS would come out where Moretz racked up quite the body count that year at her young age. This is a very dark but rather moving film at times.
The Crocodile Case (1958): This is my short film for the week but is technically an episode of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS. Don Taylor directed this episode of the anthology series. Denholm Elliott and Hazel Court star in this episode as Jack and Phyllis after Jack kills Phyllis's first husband. Phyllis is upset when Jack loses the crocodile dressing case that her husband was returning to her. When the police find it, it could give up Jack's guilt. Patricia Hitchcock and Frederick Worlock co-star in this episode while Alfred Hitchcock was the host as always. Elliott and Court worked well together and Court is rather underrated so I decided to check this one out.
Son of Frankenstein (1939): Rowland V. Lee directed this sequel in the Universal series which is the third one. Basil Rathbone stars as Baron Wolf von Frankenstein who is the son of the late Henry Frankenstein. He is not welcomed by the locals through fear of his late father. When arriving at the manor, he finds the the Creature, reprised by Boris Karloff, has been kept alive by his father's assistant Ygor, played by Bela Lugosi. Lionel Atwill, Josephine Hutchinson, Donnie Dunagan, Emma Dunn, and many others co-star in this sequel. This is possibly Lugosi's best performance of his career. I believe a lot of elements of this one were used in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. This stands alone with just about everything else from Universal horror from this era.
The Wicker Man (1973): Robin Hardy directed this horror mystery which was directed by David Pinner. Edward Woodward stars as Sergeant Howie who goes to a small Scottish island in search of a missing girl. The Pagan locals there deny knowledge of the girl and things get stranger for Howie the more he learns. Christopher Lee co-stars as Lord Summerisle who runs things on the island. Diane Cilentro, Britt Eklund, Ingrid Pitt, Lindsay Kemp, Aubrey Morris, Walter Carr and many others co-star in this film. This has a very subtle and creepy feel to it. Lee gets to show off his singing talent in this film. Eklund is a sight for the eyes in this film. A good double feature for this film would be this and MIDSOMMAR.
After Life (1998): Hirokazu Koreeda wrote and directed this film that takes place in the afterlife. When people die, they get send to a lodge where they stay for a week. The workers of the place explain that they can hold onto one memory from their life and they have that week to decide. Susumu Terajima, Kyoko Kagawa, Taketoshi Naito, Yusuke Iseya, and many others co-star in this film. This has a documentary feel to it and much of the interviews were unscripted with non-actors. The afterlife of this film looks like any place and low budget put into it was very effective. It is hard to really explain this much further, it just needs a watch.
Halloween (1978): John Carpenter directed and co-wrote this film along with Debra Hill. Donald Loomis stars in this film as psyciatrist Dr. Loomis who must go to Haddonfield, Illinois when he learns that Michael Myers, played by Tony Moran, escapes from a mental hospital. Fifteen years ago, Myers murdered his own sister when he was six years of age. Now he is back in the town and targeting Laurie Strode, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, who just thinks she's in for a simple night of babysitting. Nancy Kyes, P.J. Soles, Charles Cyphers, Kyle Richards, Brian Andrews, John Michael Graham, Nancy Stephens, and many others co-star in this film. This is the start of a very popular franchise and made icons out of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode. Another star of the film like a lot of Carpenter's movies was the music score that he wrote. Nothing more needs to be said and deserves a lot of credit in the horror genre.
Godzilla Raids Again (1955): Ishiro Honda directed this sequel to the iconic 1954 film. Tokyo is in for even more trouble when they discover another creature named Anguirus as it takes on a new Godzilla. They fight all over Tokyo vandalizing the town as the townspeople try to figure out how to take them out. This is the first time that Godzilla fights another creature and would go onto fight many more through the years. What more can be said, long live the Kaijus.
Highlander (1986): Russell Mulcahy directed this film that takes place among a group of immortals that can only die upon a beheading. Christopher Lambert stars as Connor MacLeod who was a Scottish warrior of a clan and upon death he was resurrected as an immortal. This would done in flashbacks where Connor learns to fight from fellow immortal and mentor Ramirez, played by Sean Connery. In the modern era, Connor must prepare for a battle with the ruthless immortal Kurgan, played by Clancy Brown. Roxanne Hart, Beatie Edney, Alan North, Sheila Gish, Jon Polito, Hugh Quarshie, Christopher Malcolm, Peter Diamond, and many others co-star in this fantasy film. Also, in the beginning Connor was a a wrestling show where the Fabulous Freebirds Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, and Buddy Roberts were taking on the High Flyers Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne along with the Tonga Kid. This is another one that starts a pretty popular franchise that includes sequels and tv shows. I have always been more into the tv series HIGHLANDER and more into Adrian Paul's Duncan MacLeod but I know we need to give this credit where it is due. This is still a fun and intriguing watch with a really good and underrated soundtrack from Queen.
Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week for the 18 year anniversary and for part four of the Madness later in the week.
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