Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 414th Edition and The Madness: Video Nasty Week 2

 

Welcome to the 414th Edition of my long-running series.  It has been a great week.  Last friday, my friends Ashley and Stephen got married at Cumberland Falls in Kentucky.  It was a great wedding and great time in general.  I wish these newlyweds all the best in the future.  This week is week two of the Madness and really did not get a lot of selections with everything going on this week but was totally worth it.  I will now get to my recommendations for the week.

Paranormal Activity 2 (2010):  This is the second of this horror franchise.  Brian Boland and Molly Ephraim star as Daniel and Ali Rey who along with their older daughter Kristi, played by Sprague Grayden and their toddler Hunter as well as their dog move into a nice home in Carlsbad, CA.  Things slowly begin to go wrong with Kristi and Ali begin to suspect weird happenings while Daniel does not believe them until it gets more intense.  I really liked this one more than the first one as it got a lot more intense and had more happen in my opinion.  I really liked the way it started out slow into little things that lead into a lot more creepy events. 

Thursday's Child (1950s):  This is my short film for the week which focuses on a school for teaching the deaf and how they go about it.  It shows the teacher first trying to associate words, then even find ways to teach them sound.  It is an interesting few minutes showing possibly the most difficult work for a teacher.  This is actually available on the Criterion Collection on the movie IF....  I could not find any info anywhere else on the short film.

Hi Mom! (1970):  Brian De Palma wrote and directed this comedy which stars a very young Robert De Niro even before MEAN STREETS and THE GODFATHER PART 2.  De Niro stars as Vietnam vet Jon Rubin who moves into New York and comes up with a peeping tom style of filming the apartments that are across from him while also trying to hook up with the one he is peeping in upon.  That does not work out for him and joins a radical "black power" group which lead him to do some acts of urban terrorism.  I really do not know the way to describe this film.  On one hand I found De Niro to be absolutely hilarious and the funniest I have seen him do in the world of comedy.  On the other hand, there are some very disturbing scenes where this group is trying to make some statement.  Either way, I believe it is worth it to see a very young and outgoing Robert De Niro.

Gremlins (1984):  Joe Dante directed and Chris Columbus wrote this 80s classic which is really more of a Christmas movie but has enough to make my contest so I'm including it here.  Zach Galligan stars as Billy whose father, played by Hoyt Axton, gets him a gremlin named Gizmo.  Gizmo is a very good-natured gremlin but when one of the three rules were broken it resulted into more and those guys were not nearly as nice as Gizmo.  The gremlins then decided to wreak havoc upon the town.  One of the interesting things I observed was that Gizmo really had more sense than anyone else in this movie.  He understood his rules and what he could and could not do.  Corey Feldman, Phoebe Cates, Harry Carry Jr., and Judge Reinhold all co-star in this great film.  Howie Mandel is also rather amusing in his Gizmo voice.  This can be good for the Halloween season due to the gremlins but it could also be good for the Christmas season, especially those who do not like the real sappy holiday films.  This has about everything in it and really ranks up in the 80s films.  My favorite part might be when all the gremlins in the movie theater.

She (1935):  This is my fantasy movie for the week which was produced by Merian C. Cooper.  Randolph Scott stars as Leo Vincey who is told by his dying uncle of a land visited 500 years ago.  Leo along with his friend Horace, played by Nigel Bruce, and Horace's daughter Tanya, played by Helen Mack, to find this land and discover its secret to immortality.  When getting there, they find a land being run by an immortal queen named She, played by Helen Gahagan, who believes Leo is her long-lost lover John.  This is a very good film visually and is really a lot of fun.  There were some special effects that were really good for its time and even now they really do not look that bad compared to some dated special effects.  It was also interesting seeing Randolph Scott in that sort of film as he is usually used to westerns.  This is an absolute must for classic film buffs and fans of older fantasy/sci-fi films.

The Cabin in the Woods (2012):  Drew Goddard directed and co-wrote this film along with Joss Whedon.  A group of five friends decided to go on a cabin for the weekend.  What I wrote is already a very familiar story line but this one had a very interesting take.  Kristen Connelly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Franz Kranz, and Jesse Williams all play the friends.  There is a rather different twist on how the cabin is run and is a pretty good satire.  Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, and many others co-star.  This has a good combo of laughs and scares and is really pretty well done.  The five actors in the cabin do a pretty good job and are really pretty likable in their characters.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

Invisible Ghost (1941):  This is my b-movie for the week which stars Bela Lugosi.  Lugosi plays Mr. Kessler who is a high class citizen but becomes a murderer upon his wife's departure.  This is as I say,  b-movie.  There is not really a lot of plot but the atmosphere is good and is enjoyable for those who like the genre and Lugosi.  This is the first of a serise of nine movies through a movie studio called Monogram Pictures that Lugosi was involved.

Bubba Ho-Tep (2002):  Don Coscarelli directed this movie based on a short story by Joe R. Lonsdale.  This is really one of my favorite movies.  Bruce Campbell plays an aging Elvis who is living in a small town nursing home.  We learn from this movie that Elvis did not die, it was an impersonator named Sebastian Haff whose name he took when he wanted to leave the spotlight but no one seems to believe him except one person which is our former president John F. Kennedy.  Ossie Davis actually plays JFK who we learn survived the assassination but the government turned him black and now he is living in the same nursing home.  In this nursing home, their is a mummy who is feeding off of the souls of others.  Elvis and JFK team up to take on this mummy and save the souls of others while also trying to achieve redemption for themselves.  The plot may sound very absure but Coscarelli's direction makes this into a very compelling film.  I thought this was Bruce Campbell's best performance and Davis was great really making me believe he was JFK.  This is actually a true story except for the part about the mummy.

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973):  This is my western for the week.  Sam Peckinpah directs this take on the western legend.  A few movies come to mind in this era where an outlaw is portrayed anti-heroic like DILLINGER and BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID.  James Coburn portrays Pat Garrett who is an aging lawman hired to go after his old friend Billy the Kid, portrayed by Kris Kristofferson.  Garrett assembles his posse to go after the outlaw leading up to a final showdown between the two.  Most people at least know the basic part of what happens between the two but I'll keep it to myself for if you do not know.  Richard Jaeckel, Katy Jurado, Chill Wills, Jason Robards, and Bob Dylan co-star in this western.  Bob Dylan also wrote the original soundtrack to this film and makes his film debut doing a good job in his role.  The leads were very good and worked very well together. This is a very good take on the legend and is a lot better than last week's feature of BILLY THE KID VS. DRACULA. 

Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty (2008):  I end the week with this animated short film.  This shows a child who is trying to sleep and their granny reads a bedtime story of the title.  When reading this, she does not really do it in a way that will put a child to sleep but really puts fear into the child instead.  This had some pretty funny moments and was a good six minutes.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week.  Continue to read for week two of the Madness.

THE MADNESS:  VIDEO NASTY WEEK 2

 

This is the second week of the contest and I did not get as much done but that is okay with the great week I had.  Once again I use the four 6 system in order to rate my selections.

BRUCE CAMPBELL






Bubba Ho-Tep (2002, 92 minutes, 2 points):  6666.  One of my favorite movies.

CABINS

 

The Cabin in the Woods (2012, 95 minutes, 2 points):  666.  Not much explanation needed here.

CHARLES DURNING



Hi Mom!(1970, 87 minutes, 2 points):  666.  This early De Niro film qualifies due to Durning who plays a superintendent at an apartment complex.  This is a comedy and far from horror.

CREATURE FEATURES

 

Gremlins (1984, 106 minutes, 2 points):  666 1/2.  This 80s classic should get listed.

FANTASY



She (1935, 101 minutes, 2 points):  666.  This is a pretty dark movie which deals some in reincarnation and even has a group of cannibals at one point.

PARANORMAL

 

Paranormal Activity 2 (2010, 91 minutes, 2 points):  666.  I continue my watching of these films and found that I liked this one a little more than the first one as i felt more happened.

SAM PECKINPAH



Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973, 122 minutes, 2 points):  666.  This is my western loophole using Sam Peckinpah as a wild card.

SERIAL KILLERS

 

Invisible Ghost (1941, 64 minutes, 1 point):  66.  This has Bela Lugosi and a movie billed as horror.

VAMPIRES

 

The Vampire Diaries:  The Five (2012, 45 minutes, 1 point):  666 1/2.  Not much explanation needed here.

WOMEN IN PRISON

 

Orange is the New Black:  WAC Pack (2012, 56 minutes, 1 point):  666 1/2.  I am going to make a loophole attempt here since it is a show about women in prison, just not nearly as exploitative than Roger Corman's 70s films.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommmendations- 413th Edition and The Madness- Video Nasty: Week 1

 

Welcome to the 413th Edition of my long running series.  I will be posting both my blog and the first week results of the Madness contest which is an annual contest we do every October but more to come later on that one.  I assure you, I will not be shut down by the goverment so I will continue to bring you your recommendations for the week.  I will now bring your recommendations for the week.

Killer at Large (2008):  This is one of my documentaries of the week.  This takes a look at our obesity problem here in America.  It shows the political fault, education fault, and just the restaurant industry in general.  It even takes a religious look where pastors are condemning overweight people as sinners due to gluttony.  It also looks at groups like schools and even businesses who are trying to correct this problem.  The one that really got me the most was when schools mandated healthy snacks and parents actually protested this.  I also liked the brief scenes where they look into where it is just as unhealthy to be way too skinny which is another problem in our society.  I have found that even the most shallow of men do not want someone who is too skinny and also took a good luck at that side.  The only thing I would have liked to see more though is looking into foreign countries who eat like us but do not have the weight problem like us.  This is a very thought provoking documentary that should really be looked upon.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel (2011):  This is my second documentary for the week and this one takes a look at filmmaker Roger Corman.  It starts out with his briefly working in Hollywood and not feeling very respected becoming one of the hardest working filmmakers who did just about everything on his own with a very low budget.  His career really consists of a lot of b-movies that are science fiction, exploitation, and really just challenged the system.  Many refer to him as "The King of the B's" but there is so much more to him.  He inspired many filmmakers today and much of today's high profile film industry like Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jack Nicholson, Ron Howard, and many others.  Corman really helped the careers of many like Pam Grier and Jack Nicholson.  It also takes a look at his help towards the American distribution of a lot of foreign filmmakers like Federico Fellini.  Corman has produced and/or directed almost 400 films where some are quite good and others are so bad they are good.  You can always expect to be entertained by Corman.  His best movies are probably his Poe adaptations that would always star Vincent Price.  I would say my favorite of his would be BUCKET OF BLOOD.  I also really liked LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS which would go onto become that great musical today where credit must be given where it is due.  I liked how both of them focused on a rather nerdy person who resorts to murder in order to get noticed.  He also had some exploitive women in prison movies, as well as some pretty decent ones where he makes a statement towards racism and sexism.  He is a very daring filmmaker and gets a great tribute here.

Superman/Batman:  Apocalypse (2010):  This is my animated superhero movie for the week.  In this one, Kara Zor-El lands on Earth from Krypton and must really learn about this world.  She is a cousin to Superman who wants to help her but Batman remains very suspicious of her.  Things take a deadly turn when she is abducted by Superman's enemy Darkseid who takes her to his world of Apokolips in hopes of bringing her to his side.  The two title characters along with Wonder Woman and Big Barda set out to rescue her from that world.  Barda is someone who used to be a warrior to Darkseid but defected and joins the Justice League.  One thing I like abotu this one is the development of Kara into Supergirl.  She does not quite have the ideals of her cousin but wants to do good in the world.  Voice talent includes Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, Andre Braugher, Susan Eisenberg, Summer Glau, Edward Asner, and Tara Strong.  This movie has some great action scenes and really shows the strength of each character in a good way.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

One Week (1920):  This is my short film for the week which is a silent short from Buster Keaton.  Buster marries a girl named Sybil and they look to make a house which his rival for Sybil sets out to sabotage the plans.  Buster makes great use of trying to build a house in twenty minutes leading into some pretty comical scenes.  This is actually the first movie where he did not work with his mentor Fatty Arbuckle.

The Mummy's Hand (1940):  This is my mummy movie for the week which is a Universal film.  A couple archaeologists played by Dick Foran and Wallace Ford set out to find the burial place of Egyptian Princess Ananka.  In their quest, they encounter a sinister high priest, played by George Zucco, and a mummy named Kharis who are guardians of the tomb.  This by no means matches THE MUMMY which is the one time where I felt Universal topped Hammer but this still entertains.  This is a more comedic movie which I believe is the first of the four flims to feature the character of Kharis.

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969):  This is my Hammer selection for the week and the fourth of their Frankenstein series.  Peter Cushing reprises his role as Baron Frankenstein who is at it again and has really become more evil than ever.  He then works with a young doctor named Karl, played by Simon Ward, and his fiance Anna, played by Veronica Carlson, kidnap the mentally sick Dr. Brandt to perform a brain transplant.  He uses very corrupt methods to get what he wants.  Cushing was great as the Baron in this film and was very believable in his character.  This is a very good entry into the Hammer series for Frankenstein and prefer their films over Universal.

The Bad Seed (1956):  Mervyn Leroy directed this thriller based on a play by Maxwell Anderson.  Patty McCormack stars as Rhoda Penmark who is 8 year old girl who seems very perfect but has a very dark side.  Nancy Kelly stars as her mother Christine who slowly begins to realize that her daughter is just a little too perfect.  Henry Jones plays Leroy who is a slow-minded yardworker who sees right through Rhoda but has a hard time getting anyone to listen.  This was a rather daring film for the time and can really keep your interest without having really violent scenes but still be very disturbing.  There is also a rather clever ending to accomodate to the Motion Picture Production Code.

Billy the Kid vs. Dracula (1966):  This is clearly the guilty pleasure of the week.  Chuck Courtney stars as William Bonney who is more known as gunslinger Billy the Kid.  He is trying to get his life together and becomes engaged to be married.  John Carradine plays the legendary vampire who decides to go to the old west and targets that fiance by posing as her uncle.  Billy the Kid begins to be suspicious among other townspeople.  Both people have had much better movies about them but we do have the ultimate battle that many people may never think about.  Carradine has played Dracula in the past and has done a good job but really overacts in this one but is pretty fun.  This is really one that a bunch of friends should get together and just have a good time.

The Grudge (2004):  I figured this would made a good October selection.  Takashi Shimizu directs the remake to his own Japanese film.  BUFFY alum Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as Karen who is an American nurse living in Japan.  When getting a job there, she encounters a supernatural vengeful spirit.  When a series of deaths occur, she looks to stay alive and break the curse forming her own investigation on how it started.  Jason Behr, William Mapother, Clea Duvall, Bill Pullman, and many others co-star.  I honestly have not seen the orginal which I am sure is better but Shimizu does a good job making one for the American audiences.  This also had a lot of good effects for the spirits.

Red State (2011):  I end the week with this film written and directed by Kevin Smith who has for years given us the great Jay and Silent Bob comedies but takes a much different turn here.  In this film, three teens respond to an ad which is to have a foursome with a 38 year old woman.  They find out that she is nothing as she appears and soon they find themselves captive at the fundamentalist Five Points Church which is very similar to the infamous Westboro Baptist Church and an obvious stab to them.  Michael Parks stars as Pastor Abin Cooper who kills those he believes sins against the bible which is mostly people dealing in sodomy.  He does not feel he is in the wrong because they are not men of God.  John Goodman co-stars as ATF agent Joseph Keenan who tries to save them but ends up with a shootout with people in the church which gets very violent. Stephen Root, Melissa Leo, Marc Blucas, and Kevin Pollak co-star.  I found this to be very interesting and really liked the premise of it.  It was quite dark and was interesting seeing that both sides were in the wrong in some ways.  Parks did a great job as the corrupt preacher.  Smith did a good job of making the most of a low budget.  The portrayal of the church was pretty realistic besides the killing but maybe that is not as far fetched as we think though I do not believe WBC is quite to that extreme and even acknowledged that in the film.  This movie is available on Instant Netflix.

Well, that is it for the recommendations.  I will be back next week but keep on going for the Madness.



THE MADNESS:  VIDEO NASTY:  WEEK 1

This is the first week of this awesome annual contest where I am billed as "The King of the Loopholes" in which I find lots of non-horror to be featured which I'm sure makes many cringe.  I have a couple challenges this week that I will look to get approved  I am told I must rate and while I do not like to do that, I will follow the rules.  I use the four 6 system myself and will continue in this one.  I will also categorize my selections.



ALIENS

Battleship (2012, 131 minutes, 2 points):  66.  I believe this should count for the alien attacks that happen in this movie.   I never knew until watching this movie that this game is based on an alien attack.  This is pretty harmless action but nothing great.



CHILD KILLERS

The Bad Seed (1956, 129 minutes, 2 points):  666 1/2.  This is billed as horror with the seemingly innocent little girl who commits brutal murders.



COMIC BOOK MOVIES AND TV SHOWS

Batman (1966, 105 minutes, 2 points):  66 1/2.  I know thi s is not the really dark Batman that we have gotten to know through the years but the more campy version so I must make an argument.  This I will just try to argue the point in the rule of "Think Batman Over Superman".

Batman:  Year One (2011, 64 minutes, 2 points):  666 1/2.  This is a really good animated film that features Bruce Wayne returning home after many years to see all the corruption in town and takes matters into his own hands by becoming Batman.  Jim Gordon also arrives in Gotham City and finds he works for very corrupt people and slowly finds Batman is the only one he can trust.  We also get to see Selina Kyle aka Catwoman.  So to justify it, once again, "Think Batman over Superman."

Justice League:  Secret Society Part 1 and 2 (2003, 60 minutes, 1 point):  666.  This deals with mind control, a villainous gorilla, among other things that should count.

Justice League:  The Terror Beyond:  Part 2 (2003, 30 minutes, .5 points):  666:  I feel this should count due to the darker dimension they go into.

Superman/Batman:  Apocalypse (2012, 78 minutes, 2 points):  666 1/2.  I know the rules state "Think Batman Over Superman" and both characters are featured.  However, I feel this should count for the dark world that Darkseid sees over.



CREATURE FEATURES

King Kong (1933, 100 minutes, 2 points):  666 1/2.  I do not believe I must give any sort of justification for this one with the big ape and the iconic female in Fay Wray.  The ultimate creature feature.

The Lorax (2012, 86 minutes, 2 points):  666.  I believe this should be approved as its assigned category.  The title character really is not anything specific but billed as a creature.



DEADLY SPIDERS

Arachnophobia (1990, 103 minutes, 2 points):  666.  This is a really good comedy thriller which feature very deadly spiders terrorizing a small town.



FRANKENSTEIN

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969, 101 minutes, 2 points):  666.  This is another Hammer selection and a very good entry to their franchise.

 

JOHN SAXON

The Appaloosa (1966, 98 minutes, 2 points):  666.  Now this is a western that in no way resembles a Halloween film but anything with John Saxon counts.

 

JOHN WATERS

This Film is Not Yet Rated (2006, 98 minutes, 2 points):  666 1/2. This counts because John Waters is one who gets interviewed in this documentary which targets the rating system by the MPAA and some of their questionable decisions which could be just as scary as any horror film featured in this contest.



MUMMIES

The Mummy's Hand (1940, 66 minutes, 2 points):  66 1/2.  Not much needs to be explained here to get this mummy movie counted.



PARANORMAL

Paranormal Activity (2007, 86 minutes, 2 points):  666.  I did know where to classify this so I came up with that title.  I look forward to seeing the rest of the three this month.



RELIGIOUS CULTS

Red State (2011, 88 minutes, 2 points):  666.  Great stab at the Westboro Baptist Church and billed as horror.



ROGER CORMAN

Corman's World:  Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel (2011, 95 minutes, 2 points):  666 1/2.  This documentary should count since Roger Corman is considered a wild card.



SATANIC CULTS

The House of the Devil (2009, 95 minutes, 2 points):  666.  This is about a college girl being hired as a babysitter only to learn they are a satanic cult.  I have always enjoyed this one and may look into this every so often.



SERIAL KILLERS

Red Riding-1974 (2009, 102 minutes, 2 points):  666.  This is about the investigation of the Yorkshire Killer so I feel this should count.



VAMPIRES

Billy the Kid vs. Dracula (1966, 72 minutes, 2 points):  66.  Yes, it was quite a showdown with Dracula for some reason ending up in the wild west.

Horror of Dracula (1958, 82 minutes, 2 points):  6666.  One of the best Dracula adaptations and vampire films with my favorite horror duo of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.

The Vampire Diaries:  The Rager (2012, 60 minutes, 1 point):  666 1/2.  I don't have to explain this one very much.



VENGEFUL SPIRITS

The Grudge (2004, 92 minutes, 2 points):  666.  I could not think of the right category to put this in so I did this one.  Decent American remake.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 412th Edition

 

Welcome to the 412th Edition of my long-running series.  I am now 1-2 in Fantasy Football finally getting a win last week.  I now look to go 2-2 and progress further.  Today started the annual contest of the Madness where I have always participated.  I never win but always earn the nickname "The King of the Loopholes" and I declare myself the unofficial winner of variety.  I did not get the part in ANNIE at the Muncie Civic Theater so I'll just move on and see what's next next.  I am also proud to report that the great karaoke duo of No BS which includes myself and my friend Brittany sang JUST A KISS by Lady Antebellum on Thursday night which is our first time since her motorcycle accident which happened in late August.  She is progressing very well and it was a great night.  I will now get on with my selections for the week.

Fired Up! (2009):  I start the week out with this comedy that was written and directed Will Gluck.  Eric Christian Olsen and Nicholas D'Agosto star as high school football stars and best friends Nick and Shawn.  They hear about a Cheerleaders' camp and contest which they decide is the perfect way to score with many girls so they decide to join the team despite the head of the team Carly, played by Sarah Roemer, being able to see right through them but knowing they do not have much choice with their lack of success.  The plan goes awry when one of them ends up falling in love.  Molly Sims, Annalynne McCord, Philip Baker Hall, John Michael Higgins, and many others co-star in this comedy.  This is a harmless comedy that will probably be most enjoyed by a group of high school and college guys.

The House of the Devil (2009):  Now I go more into the horror genre in this film written and directed by Ti West.  Jocelin Donahue stars as broke college studen Samantha who takes a babysitting job which turns out to be a rather unusual one but takes it for the money.  She soon learns that her clients, played by Tom Noonan and Mary Woronov, lead a satanic cult where she must soon fight for her life.  Greta Gerwig, AJ Bowen, and Dee Wallace all co-star.  I remember seeing this a couple years ago and actually liked it far more than I thought I would.  Donahue carries it very well by herself when she is at the home by herself trying to figure out what is happening.  This takes place in the 80s and how can you dislike a movie which has THE BREAKUP SONG by the Greg Kihn Band.  This did have some good suspense and Ti West did a great job of making a good movie out of a familiar storyline.

The Lorax (2012):  This is my animated movie which was based on the children's book by Dr. Seuss which was his statement towards global warming.  This takes place in a walled city called Thneed-Ville where everything including trees and even air is artificial.  A boy in the community named Ted, voiced by Zac Efron, wants to see real things and to win over the girl of his dreams Audrey, voiced by Taylor Swift.  He then seeks out the Once-ler, voiced by Ed Helms, who then tells Ted the story of how his greed for land ruined the town to make it what it is today.  The title character is a creature who is a protector of the forests but is driven out due to the greediness of the Once-Ler who then sees Ted as that person who can save the town.  Betty White, Rob Riggle, Stephen Tobolowski, and many others lend their voices. This is a hard film to adapt and at times felt a bit all over the place but Devito was a lot of fun as the Lorax.  It was still a pretty fun film though I know Dr. Seuss would not like it.  It also had some pretty fun music numbers.

American Spoken Here (1940):  This is short film in a series of films narrated by John Nesbitt.  This one takes a look at origins of expressions like "kick the bucket" and many others explaining how their is two types of language which are standard and slang.  This is a charming and amusing short film that is worth the 11 minutes.

King Kong (1933):  Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack direct this creature film which stars Robert Armstrong as filmmaker Carl Denham that is out to make a great film no matter what the cost.  He learns of an unknown island called Skull Island but needs a leading lady.  He soon discovers Ann Darrow, played by the iconic Fay Wray, and along with his film crew and boat crew they set out for the Skull Island but they soon find that they are in for far more than they bargained for when they see a ruthless indigeounous tribe and very unusual creatures.  Ann is soon abducted for the tribe and is presumably their sacrifice until the title character is introduced and has an obvious love for the actress.  Bruce Cabot co-stars as ship member John Driscoll who does not like the idea of the island and sets out to find Ann Darrow while Carl is just looking for footage to take back.  Soon, the big gorilla known as King Kong is exploited in New York where he soon begins to wreak havoc.  This has been remade twice now.  There was the 1976 version which was more of a guilty pleasure than anything.  Peter Jackson then came out with what is actually my favorite version in 2005.  This one though still stands the test of time and even has pretty good special effects for the time.  This is a great creature feature where credit must be paid where it is due.

Horror of Dracula (1958):  Terence Fisher directed this version of the vampire legend which is through Hammer Films. Christopher Lee stars as the title character in this one and Peter Cushing plays his rival Van Helsing.  I actually favor this version over the Universal version.  There were some rewrites of the story due to copyright issues but was still a great story.  Universal's version is still a classic but feel this one retains more of its creepiness.  Also, the climatic battle between Dracula and Van Helsing was a lot better in my opinion.  Last week I used Hammer's CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN and now I continue with this one.  Hammer put out what I believe were some of the best horror and monster movies and one should not miss this one.  The leads are great in their roles and this film has some great action scenes.

Paranormal Activity (2007):  I will make a confession that this is the first time I have seen any of these films.  Oren Peli wrote and directed this horror film.  Katie Featherstone and Micah Short star as characters of their first names.  They are a young married couple who are just moving into a suberban home.  Katie begins to complain about a strange presence while Micah is very obsessed with his video camera and is looking to get footage of the presence that she is talking about.  These two mostly carry this movie within the house and do a pretty good job considering being unknowns.  It starts out slow with their interactions of adjusting to the new home and Micah not really believing her at first and then progresses to get creepier and creepier not having to rely on gore.  It does a good job with the first person camera footage with the two working well together to carry the film.  I did not think it was the best of the genre but was still pretty innovative and well done.  I intend to watch the sequels this month.

Batman (1966):  I now bring some of the early Batman franchise which was based on that 60s sitcom.  In this one, Adam West and Burt Ward star as Batman and Robin.  Usually there would be one main villain each week but this one had the Joker, played by Cesar Romero, the Riddler, played by Frank Gorshin, Catwoman, played by Lee Meriwether, and the Penguin, played by Burgess Meredith.  They all join forces to take on the caped crusaders and pretty much take over the world.  I'm not going to go into the plot of what was going on.  Those who know the sitcom will know more of what to expect.  Keep in mind, they are not movies that Christopher Nolan and Tim Burton brought to life.  I suppose it is more like BATMAN FOREVER and BATMAN AND ROBIN.  Batman names each weapon and vehicle the bat-something.  Robin seems very holy.  This must be taken for what it is worth, and really more like fun.  If you like the sitcom, you'll love this and if you do not like this presentation of Batman, you will probably not like it.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

The Appaloosa (1966):  This is my western for the week which was directed by Sidney Furie.  Marlon Brando stars as Matt Fletcher who is a gunslinger and buffalo hunter and is harassed by bandit general Chuy Medina, played by John Saxon.  Soon, Matt's horse is taken and sets out to get him back and mostly takes on the gang single handedly.  This is a pretty decent western with some good scenery, music score, and even a believable Saxon as a Mexican.  Brando was good in his spagetti western. 

Arachnophobia (1990):  Frank Marshall directs this movie about some of the most deadly spiders and loose in California.  Jeff Daniels stars as Dr. Ross Jennings who has moved into a small town under the impression he will inherit the local doctor's practice upon his retirement.  He has moved in only to learn that doctor decided to to retire after all which really limits his work.  There soon begin to be some mysterious deaths which are ruled as heart attacks but he does not buy it.  John Goodman co-stars as a local exterminator and Julian Sands co-stars as a spider expert who help Ross get rid of the spiders.  The difficult thing for Dr. Jennings is his fear of spiders just like the title says.  Harley Jane Kosak, Stuart Pankin, and many others co-star in this horror comedy.  Arachnophobia might be the most common phobia in the world.  I know many who have it and request to me that I kill them which I do not like that but I understand.  I know many of the toughest people go into panic only when they see that little creature.  If you have that phobia, this might not be for you but if you can tolerate them at least on the television and know they will not come after you, this is a pretty good movie.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and what you dislike and stay tuned for next week.