Fast Five (2011)

1st View
Format: D-Box
Venue: Galaxy Highland

I wish I liked this movie, I desperately wanted to like this movie. But the script is so bad, so lazy and incompetent that I could not divorce myself from its ineptitude in order to be lost in the sheer entertainment value; as is my wont. But I will say that seeing it in D-Box was sublime. Oh, and the Rock was so off-the-wall insane as to remind me of a giant, neckless Bo Svenson.

Rating: 3/10 Atkins

Ghost Story (1980)

Revisit
Format: Netflix WI
Venue: Rivendell

Had only seen this film once before, but grew up hearing my father quote it on a regular basis. When an HD version popped up on Netflix, I decided to make it the subject of my Hollywood.com column Under the Radar. Give it a look-see.

Rating: 8/10 Atkins

Pumpkinhead (1988)

1st View
Format: MGM-HD
Venue: The Great Hall's

One of my horror blind spots rectified! The thing that struck me the most about Pumpkinhead is how b-movie and exploitation-y it was. I was under the impression that the buzz around the film was that it was a legitimately "good" horror flick. While I still very much enjoyed it, Pumpkinhead is super cheesy. I will say it has one of the best practical monsters I have ever seen.


Rating: 6/10 Atkins

Troll (1986)

Revisit
Format: 35mm
Venue: Alamo Ritz (Terror Tuesday)

Hadn't seen this since I was a kid. Turns out it's only slightly more coherent than its "sequel" despite living in its imposing shadow. I've put together quite an awesome crew over at Horror's Not Dead to start covering Terror Tuesday and contributing original content. Our own Jacob Hall breaks down the madness that is Troll. Check it out!

Rating: 6/10 Atkins

Thor (2011)

1st View
Venue: Galaxy Highland (Press Screening)

 First big movie of the summer, at least for me. Enjoyed 90% of the film and appreciated that it was the first to seamlessly incorporate so many appendages of the Marvel universe; no longer a gimmick that all the Avengers exist in the same reality. I like the character-centric superhero film angle, but felt it was a bit forced. Overall, a success I feel.


Rating: 7/10 Atkins

Dick Tracy (1990)

Revisit
Format: HBO On-Demand
Venue: Rivendell

Touching base with a film I used to watch ad nauseam as a kid. In addition to being the strangest film in terms of source adaptation, Dick Tracy served as the subject for Junkfood Cinema over at FSR. Stop playing with your watch communicator and give it a read!

Iron Man (2008)

Revisit
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Castle Greyskull

My good friend John Gholson hosted a marathon of both Iron Man films and The Incredible Hulk as a prelude to this summer's Captain America: The First Avenger which itself serves as a prelude for next year's The Avengers. I still love Iron Man; one of my favorite superhero movies. It has the larger-than-life flashiness of a Marvel superhero movie but with skillful directing and masterful character development thanks to the incomparable Robert Downey Jr.

Rating: 8/10 Atkins