Saturday, December 31, 2011

Home Alone 2 (1992)

Revisit
Format: Blu--ray
Venue: Rivendell


Not as good as the first, I recognize that, but still a lot of fun and I have plenty of childhood nostalgia for the first two films in this franchise. The sequel, as with the first, contributed to creating A Very Junkfood Christmas for Film School Rejects.

Rating: 6/10 Atkins

Home Alone (1990)

Revisit
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell



A holiday tradition around the Mullensbury household. Love it! It actually had the honor of kicking off Junkfood Cinema's A Very Junkfood Christmas.


Rating: 8/10 Atkins

Beginners (2010)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell



A movie with its head stuck firmly up its own ass. Pretentious as pretentious films get. No thank you.

Rating: 2/10 Atkins

Our Idiot Brother (2011)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell




Nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be and, in fact, fairly charming. Paul Rudd does not, as one would assume, play a total manchildish buffoon. He's just a guy who's a little naive and far too trusting of strangers as well as his highly dysfunctional family all of whom are much worse than he is but treat him as if he's the black sheep.


Rating: 7/10 Atkins

Superheroes (2011)

1st View
Format: DVD
Venue: Rivendell



Strange, uneven, but ultimately fascinating documentary about real life superheroes.

Rating: 6/10 Atkins

Friday, December 30, 2011

Little Big Man (1970)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: LEOG Lair



The movie was long-winded, but well-formed and had some of the most upsetting Native American slaughters I've ever seen. Watched this, along with several other films in preparation for the first episode of the new Spill.com podcast I'll be co-hosting called Remote Viewing. Check out the inaugural entry over at Spill.

Rating: 6/10 Atkins

Alien: Resurrection (1997)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell



The only film in the franchise I had not seen. Some interesting ideas, gorgeously shot, and the Whedonisms are strikingly apparent from the get-go. Not bad at all.


Rating: 6/10 Atkins

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)

Revisit
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell



Don't think I'd seen this all the way through since theaters, wanted to give it another chance. Still largely insufferable thanks largely to the Wayans brother. Shame.

Rating: 3/10 Atkins

Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993)

Revisit
Format: Netflix WI
Venue: Rivendell



Revisited this chuckle fest and wrote it up in this week's For Your Consideration at Hollywood.com. Check it out why don't you just!

Rating: 6/10 Atkins

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Santa Sangre (1989)

1st View
Format: DVD
Venue: LEOG Lair



I can't even rate this film, one of the most thoroughly surreal mind-fucks to which I have ever subjected my consciousness. Damn you Alejandro Jodorowsky, your bizarre imagery will forever haunt my nightmares.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Hugo (2011)

1st View
Venue: Regal Metropolitan (Press Screening)


I have issues with its pacing and bizarre cinematography, but Hugo is a beautiful love letter to cinephilia and the origins of film itself. For that, I loved it.

Rating: 7/10 Atkins

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Revisit
Format: DVD
Venue: Rivendell


Never a bad time to revisit one of the greatest action movies ever made.


Rating: 10/10 Atkins

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Aliens (1986)

Revisit
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell


I wasn't merely revisiting this film because the Blu-ray look phenomenal, which it does, or because it's one of my favorite action movies of all time, which it is. I was watching Aliens on this day to get into the proper mindset for the evening's performance of Aliens on Ice. What's Aliens on Ice, you ask? Take a gander at this recap I wrote on the incredible live reinterpretation by Austin comedy troupe The Old Murder House Theater. Game over, man, game indeed over.

Film Rating: 9/10 Atkins




Aliens on Ice Rating: Mostly Too Amazing For Words...Mostly

The Muppets (2011)

1st View
Venue: Galaxy Highland (Press Screening)


Start the music and light the lights, Kermit and the gang are back! Here is my review of the long-anticipated return of The Muppets in...THE MUPPETS! 

The Birdcage (1996)

Revisit
Format: Netflix
Venue: Rivendell


Was working late, needed a great comedy to provide background noise. The Birdcage is a true classic. Love it.


Rating: 8/10 Atkins

The Rock-afire Explosion (2008)

Revisit
Format: Netflix
Venue: Rivendell


 A weird, wonderful documentary about the animatronic band from Showbiz Pizza Place locations across the country in the late 80s. The doc not only charts the rise and fall of the company that created the Rock-afire Explosion, Creative Engineering, but also spends time with a few eccentric fans whose lives were so touched by this strange entertainment niche.


Rating: 6/10 Atkins

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Revisit
Venue: Alamo Ritz (Cast Reunion Screening)


As part of Austin Comic Con, several members of the cast of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory were on hand for this special Alamo screening. The experience brought back a great many memories of watching the film with my aunt Symone and fast-forwarding to the part wherein the kids actually enter the factory. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to interview the grownup Wonka kids for Movies.com. Come with me, give a read, to my article of pure imagination.

Hatchet 2 (2010)

Revisit
Format: Cable
Venue: Rivendell


Little late-night revisit. Still quite fun.


Rating: 6/10 Atkins

Immortals (2011)

1st View
Format: XD Digital
Venue: Tinseltown


Boring, long-winded, and uninteresting. Shame.


Rating 4/10 Atkins 

The Fall (2006)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell


Just before we departed to catch the midnight screening of Immortals, the wife and I decided to watch director Tarsem Singh's previous film The Fall. It was every bit as breathtaking, visually, as I had expected, but for some reason I had also expected the narrative to be abstract and barely existent. Not sure why. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that while I had heard people universally praising The Fall's visual landscape, I had never heard anyone even mention the plot. Turns out, the storytelling is just as beautiful as the imagery.


Rating: 8/10 Atkins

BMX Bandits (1983)

Revisit
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell


A classically befuddling "kids" movie from the great Brian Trenchard-Smith. BMX Bandits' bicycular hijinx won the film the honor of Junkfood Cinema immortality. Pedal on over and give it a read!




Rating: 6/10 Atkins

Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

Revisit
Format: DVD
Venue: Rivendell


Here again, a terrible sequel. But again, one I enjoy despite its every attempt to fail. Entertaining in the basest way.


Rating: 5/10 Atkins

J. Edgar (2011)

1st View
Venue: Galaxy Highland (Press Screening)



Uneven, unfocused, and overall flat, J. Edgar is one of the most disappointing films of the year. Dicaprio's accent and makeup are as laughable as his cloying performance. Clint Eastwood has become a peddler of mediocrity who is more concerned with getting a film released in time for awards season every year than crafting anything of quality.


Rating: 3/10 Atkins

Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

Revisit
Format: DVD
Venue: Rivendell



The first appearance of Kane Hodder as Jason. Still better than it gets credit for, but not one I enjoy all that much.


Rating: 5/10 Atkins

Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI (1986)

Revisit
Format: DVD
Venue: Rivendell


I know this one is bad, I know that. And yet I can't help but enjoy it. I get a kick out of the fact that people show up to die independent of the plot. Plus, it is the birth of zombie Jason!


Rating: 5/10 Atkins

Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)

Revisit
Format: DVD
Venue: Rivendell


Speaking as a fan, I find this to be the second worst of the entire franchise; second to the deplorable Jason Goes to Hell. Unbearable characters, shitty directing and photography, an the ending is painfully facepalm-inducing. If it weren't for the dark, surprisingly adept performance of John Shepherd as grownup Tommy Jarvis, this would be a totally worthless entry.


Rating: 3/10 Atkins

Deathtrap (1982)

1st View
Format: Netflix WI
Venue: Rivendell


I had heard good things about this film, and must say I was not disappointed. I always relish the opportunity to see Christopher Reeve in a role other than Superman, and he shines tremendously here. Michael Caine is as brilliant as ever and I desperately need to see more Lumet films. Deathtrap wears its stage roots on its sleeve but it still works beautifully.




Rating: 7/10 Atkins