Harold Lloyd's World Of Comedy

Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy (1962)

Runtime: 94 minutes

Directed by: Harold Lloyd

Starring: You guessed it, Harold Lloyd, along with other actors in this compilation.

From: Continental Distributing

This is a short review from me; there is not a lot to say about a compilation, even if it is of a famous silent figure who got to show off his best moments after his movies had not been seen at the time for a few decades. I give my brief thoughts below: 

This will actually be a short review from me. This played on TCM late last night so I figured I would watch it that way rather than watch it via “a certain streaming video site”. It is a compilation of various clips of Harold Lloyd shorts and features, silents and talkies, all put together by Lloyd himself. This made him popular among a new generation of people who had never even heard of him before, much less seen any of his work. It is nice seeing all those clips as they are all funny but it'd be better in context with the films they were pulled from, you know... and various scenes have what appear to be added sound effects, which I thought weren't really needed. All that said, this is a fun hour and a half filled with memorable moments.

For the record, according to the IMDb they used clips from the following:

Safety Last!
Why Worry?
Girl Shy
Hot Water
The Freshman
The Kid Brother
Feet First
Movie Crazy
The Milky Way
Professor Beware

Thankfully most of those films can easily be found online, if you catch my drift.

They're Watching

They're Watching (2016)

Runtime: 95 minutes

Directed by: Jay Lender/Micah Wright

Starring: Brigid Brannagh, David Alpay, Kris Lemche, Mia Faith, Dimitri Diatchenko

From: Best Served Cold Productions

I watched this movie last night... it's been awhile since I've hated a motion picture this much! It's found footage horror but that wasn't why this raised my ire. I heard warnings about it from others and even then it was worse than what I could have imagined. If you love seeing the worst of humanity in a movie, then this will be perfect for you. Otherwise... this is bottom of the barrel entertainment, it really was. I deliver a long explanation below via my Letterboxd review as to why this made me so angry:

Oh, why did I not listen to the mutuals who saw this and gave scathing reviews? Maybe it was because I was amused by the poster art, or maybe because I laughed when I first read the description of “home improvement show” and I thought of the likes of Tim “The Toolman” Taylor, Al Borland, Wilson the Neighbor, Heidi, and all the rest. Then, when I dug deeper and realized that it was a spoof of those obviously fake shows on HGTV like House Hunters (which is supposed to be a legit look at home buyers purchasing a new dwelling; I know people who watch that crap so I've seen clips and even before reading online the stories of how it's all staged, I realized it was phony stupid garbage), it piqued my interest. Well... I've given plenty of movies bad ratings, but the lowest designation of half a star, that is pretty rare. I've rated and reviewed 987 films now in the 3 ½ years I've been a member of this site, and this is only the 17th time I have handed out the lowest possible score. This now joins the likes of Mr. Jones, Leonard Part 6, Theodore Rex, Hatchet III, The Ridiculous 6, and Foodfight! I hope I can convey why this offended me so.

The movie is in everyone's favorite genre, found footage horror! We follow a few members of the crew of an HGTV-like show. We first see a dopey couple purchase an old abandoned house in the middle of Moldova. As an aside, this is the only movie I've seen which was set in the country of Moldova. However, it was actually filmed in Romania. Considering all the horrible things that the movie said about the country, no wonder they did not actually film in Moldova. Anyhow, much of the movie is those people returning 6 months later to see what the house looks like now. Only, the crew is downright loathsome and they understandably tick off the locals. In addition, someone is involved in certain acts that were portrayed much much better in a film or two that got wide released early this year.

Believe me, calling these asshats loathsome is no exaggeration. It is focused on two young dudes and a young girl. All are nauseating presences, tremendously rude people who insult each other and the country they are in, act awfully towards the locals because they are “different”, and are not the type of people I wanted to spend an hour and a half with. Then, there's the producer character Kate; what an unflattering portrait of a woman. She always looks like a bitch and constantly yells & curses at everyone. Note that if this was a male character, I would hate him just as much due to the attitude and the invariable foul language you'd always get from them. Vladimir the real estate agent is as much a stereotype as you'd expect a dude named Vladimir in a bad movie to be, yet because he's not a piece of sewage, his presence was welcomed by me. Unfortunately, the Kate character is SO awful in a way that makes you want to shut off the movie and never finish it, not even goofy Vladimir and his hilariously colorful shirts could save it.

This is so amazingly bad. Besides the garbage story and all the characters acting like morons because the script asked them to, you figure out things long before the characters do (even when things are blatantly telegraphed) and then you have moments which made me really question if this is actually a “comedy” like it's billed on such sites as the IMDb and Wikipedia. Even before this moment laughs were as rare as my giving out half a star ratings. But, one of the guys tells the girl a teary-eyed horrifying story of how he was in the Middle East and he saw a 10 year old girl get killed with a knife and he has guilt over it... so the guy and girl start making out then they have sexual intercourse?! I swear, this actually happened! Was this supposed to be hilarious... was I supposed to be horrified? I have no idea.

Then again, maybe the “comedy” label applies to all the atrocious CGI that is present in the finale of the movie. I mean, we're talking the cheapest of the SyFy Channel original movies here; I did laugh at how terrible they looked. Or maybe it was the most awkward lead-in to a sex scene in movie history was supposed to be gut-busting hilarious. Personally, maybe I shouldn't be surprised something like this came from a pair of people who worked on such things as a Call of Duty game (I've never played one but I know they aren't exactly beloved due to the stories they tell) and SpongeBob SquarePants. Not to get sidetracked, but I really am befuddled as most of what is popular among “the youth” of the 21st century. Just in the television world, what I've seen and know about such things as SpongeBob, Robot Chicken, Adult Swim (yes, even Rick & Morty, guys), all those obviously fake “reality” shows that most people can't seem to realize are obviously fake... I just don't get it; I certainly don't find it good or entertaining. It's why I've mentioned as of late how unlike many think these days, being gross and vulgar does not necessarily = funny, let alone entertainment I will get enjoyment out of.

All that said... maybe that is why I actually have seen some glowing reviews for this here and elsewhere. God bless those fans, but it is impossible for me to get behind this movie at all. Maybe if you enjoy hanging out with A-holes all the time this is for you. Otherwise, beware.

The Boogens

The Boogens (1981)

Runtime: 95 minutes

Directed by: James L. Conway

Starring: Rebecca Balding, Fred McCarren, Anne-Marie Martin, Jeff Harlan, John Crawford

From: Taft International Pictures

I saw this horror film on Monday night. I enjoyed this. Tonight I'll post a review for a horror film I saw last night and I tell you, I did not enjoy that. But for now, I talk about this fun creature feature which does have a silly name-admittedly-yet that shouldn't dissuade you from seeing this:

This is a horror film I've known about for a few years now but last night was the night I finally saw it in full. While it's not the greatest, at least I can say it's “fine”. It has to be said right away that this takes its time in telling its story and thankfully because I thought it had interesting and entertaining characters, I did not complain about it being “slow-burn”, as the kids like to say.

This is set in Colorado (but filmed in Utah) and is about a mining company opening up an old mine closed decades ago after a disaster. Turns out, the disaster was due in part to the titular Boogens; that company unwittingly set loose those creatures to wreak havoc. Mostly, you see either tentacles or POV shots as if it was Bruce the shark from Jaws. At the end their appearance is finally revealed, and... I can understand why some people would scoff or laugh at what they are. While you wouldn't want to scrutinize how they survived in their ecosystem, to me they aren't so unbelievable as real life creatures.

We mainly follow around two couples; the men are young dudes who work at the mine and their ladies do other things, such as work for a nearby newspaper. They aren't revolutionary or outstanding characters, yet they are still entertaining and likable enough to where you enjoy following and getting to know them (and the dog that one of the girls has) & it's not such a big deal that there's a long stretch before any creature attacks or deaths happen. Once that stuff does happen, it's fun; they try their best with an obvious low budget.

I understand why some would be bored with this; personally, I am glad after all these years I was able to check this out. The appealing cast and good filmmaking behind the camera helps make this an pleasant horror diversion, a diverting creature feature.

Blazing Saddles Is Still Great

I watched this last night on the big screen at AMC Disney Springs. I was happy to see it with a crowd, like I did in May of 2013 at the local Cinemark.

Prom Night (The Remake, Unfortunately)

Prom Night (2008)

Runtime: 89 minutes

Directed by: Nelson McCormick

Starring: Brittany Snow, Scott Porter, Jessica Stroup, Johnathan Schaech, Idris Elba!

From: Screen Gems

I've always heard this was a bad movie. Those that said this... you guys were right. I give all the gory (even though the film is the opposite of gory) details below: 

Yes, I am a masochist so even though I always heard that this was a pretty bad remake, I figured I should watch this right after seeing the original Prom Night. Turns out, this is a pretty bad remake; hilariously, one of the production companies was named “Original Film”. It's not the worst thing I've ever seen, but... unless you are a 13 year old girl, there is absolutely no need to see this. It certainly isn't scary, menacing, creepy, or even thrilling.

Aside from it being set at prom and there being a creep who escapes from an institution, this and the original have little in common. Brittany Snow is Donna, a teen who is stalked by an ex-teacher and he kills her family. A few years later he escapes and he descends upon her prom, which is held in a swanky-ass hotel. A throwaway line tries to explain why it's such a lavish affair but it's still pretty dopey. The characters you see are mainly stereotypes, especially the teenagers. They're lame. I was begging for someone interesting; I figured it was too much to ask for a Seymour “Slick” Crane but how about a meathead unibrowed doofus like Lou?

Various things happen, and as this was originally made as a PG-13 slasher (talk about self-defeating right there), the kills are lame and even in the “unrated” version I saw, there's not a lot of blood to be seen. A real neutered experience all around, it was. Then, you had the characters be really stupid too often. This even goes for the detective played by... IDRIS ELBA. Yes, before his career improved (although not to the point it should be; to be honest he should be a superstar) he appeared in garbage like this. It was unfortunate his character was a dumbass too; I mean, clearing a swanky hotel by pulling a fire alarm in the hopes that the killer will be flushed out? What?

I happened to enjoy the disco soundtrack of the original movie; even if you didn't, you'll be pleading for it after hearing all the terrible pop-rock songs on the remake's soundtrack. The version of Time of the Season you hear during the opening credits... laughable compared to the badass original by The Zombies. Now, I can't give this a bottom of the barrel rating. It at least was not a struggle to finish and I can't really complain about any performances. It's just a bad movie, and slasher fans definitely aren't the demographic it was made for. As I mentioned in the beginning, young teenagers are probably the only market for this slop; otherwise, this is a must-avoid.

Prom Night

Prom Night (1980)

Runtime: 93 minutes

Directed by: Paul Lynch

Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Casey Stevens, Anne-Marie Martin, Michael Tough, Leslie Nielsen

From: Simcom Limited

Last night I saw this movie as a start to my September and October of horror watching for Letterboxd; the title of the list I'll put this and the other horror I watch will likely be something along the lines of: “The Bride Of A Ghastly Ghoulish Spine-Chilling Spookshow”, as it references the title of the list I did for Letterboxd last year. This movie in particular is at least fine. The Letterboxd review is below: 

I am someone who doesn't always do things by the rules here on Letterboxd. I enjoy it when once a year people make lists where they spend a month watching foreign movies, and in the fall they do the same thing for horror films; I do it myself, except I just watch whatever the hell I want to or whatever I stumble upon, rather than follow a strict set of rules on what I HAVE to watch. I still don't quite get the “Hoop-tober” name or why it only seemingly pays tribute to Tobe Hooper when it is supposed to encompass all of horror... but it's irrelevant as throughout September and October I'll periodically watch horror films; early November I will post the list for people to see. At random I decided this should be the first one to watch.

The film is not the most inventive or original slasher but that is OK. Several 10 year olds play a rather morbid version of Hide and Seek. Another 10 year old girl shows up, an accident happens, and she is killed. The group swears secrecy and a pervert is busted for the crime instead. Years later, that group and several others get ready for their high school prom, when a killer with a ski mask and a shard of broken glass is on the loose. Is it the pervert who just escaped from the institution?

Other slashers are better when it comes to imagination or setpieces (although the final act has some quality moments) or kills. Yet I can still say that this is fine. Time is spent getting to know the main characters before any slashing even starts. While not the most interesting at least I did not mind following these teenagers acting like typical teenagers. There are various petty high school feuds going on over such things as who should be the prom queen and which person has which boyfriend or girlfriend. I imagine everyone experienced such things in high school; it did remind me of personal experiences. I was amused by such characters are Jeff Wincott's A-hole character Drew, the unibrowed meathead Lou, the creepy groundskeeper Mr. Sykes or especially the short chubby nerd known as Seymour “Slick” Crane, who even drives a stereotypical 70's van. I am glad that Crane's character wasn't quite treated like you'd expect a movie to treat a chubby nerd. I won't reveal what happens to him, except that for starters he gets a nice date for the prom.

The highlight isn't the cool final act, nor having Jamie Lee Curtis as the lead and Leslie Nielsen in a supporting role... no, it's how the prom has a DISCO MADNESS theme and it's hilarious. They even brought in a light-up dance floor w/ multiple colored lights a la the dance floor of 2001 Odyssey of Saturday Night Fever fame. There's even a dance scene, and it rules. Much of the second half of this ends up being set to a pulsating disco soundtrack, and to me that's a good thing. It was nice seeing killings or attempted killings set to such music. Anyhow, we get a haunting ending and this is still a cult favorite among slasher fans.

Cloverfield

Cloverfield (2008)

Runtime: 85 minutes

Directed by: Matt Reeves

Starring: Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel

From: Paramount

After 8 and a half years I finally saw this movie again. I don't quite get all the love it's gotten throughout the years but at least I can say that it's fine; Heaven knows it's better than Don't Breathe. Peep all the deets (as the kids would say) below: 

I have mentioned it in other reviews but I am not a big J.J. Abrams fan. Even after The Force Awakens, I feel this way. Most of his movies are overrated in my eyes and all that nonsense surrounding his films beforehand about “mysteries” and stupid “viral marketing”, I think I'll always look at him negatively. It even goes for movies he only produced and not directed, such as this one. The viral marketing surrounding that really ended up being pointless, didn't it? Let's not even get into Lost, a show I never watched but heard was a massive wankoff, pretty much. I hadn't watched this since I saw this on the big screen way back in '08, and at the time I only thought it was fine. Viewing it a second time, my opinion hasn't changed.

The general idea of covering a giant kaiju attacking a major city from the perspective of average people on the street and seeing all the carnage on the street: a good one. Even following a sap and his friends rescue a woman from peril is OK. Personally, I'd also want to rescue Odette Annable (nee Odette Yustman) if she was my girlfriend! In execution, I do not know how well this movie handles it. These are rich yuppie types who live in the middle of New York City and many come off as real tools, cameraman Hud being the shining example there. What an annoying dumbass he was. Exciting things happen and the teasing of the monster is fine; the found footage aspect is a detriment at times and while it did not bother me then or now, I do understand why back in '08, theatrers had to post warnings about how some could get motion sick from watching the motion picture. Maybe a more traditional way of telling the story would have worked better.

Then there's controversy over how the monster looked. I guess it was fine, but it's part of a bigger problem concerning how modern Hollywood monsters have an unfortunate familiarity to them. More heinous to me here is how this ends; the critter
must have tremendous stealth abilities... it bothered me then and it bothers me now. At least the cast was fine (or better); some of them became better known later on. I wonder why Lizzy Caplan isn't in more high profile films; she deserves better than garbage like The Interview. Here she delivered the best performance.

One day in the future I will watch 10 Cloverfield Lane and maybe that'll be more up my alley. While I am not in love with this like many are, at least I can still say that it's fine and watchable.