TODAY I WATCHED (Movies, TV series) 2015

Fear the Walking Dead

Zoo



This show just dropped on Netflix and I decided to check out the pilot and found myself so engrossed that the next thing I realized I was on episode 5... Yeah, it's not that believable but it's damn entertaining.

tohostudios wrote:

Last Man On Earth

This show has really grown on me.  I started to bail on it when they destroyed the original premise and started introducing other people but they've taken the whole thing in a direction I was not at all expecting and that has me interested again.

Catching S02E02 tonight.

The biggest problem with the first season--and it's still a bit prevalent--is how UNLIKABLE Forte's character is. They went to great lengths to show him as a narcissistic, self-involved sociopath. His actions made me writhe in fury. I'm hoping this is either explained more or at least toned down this season. So far he seems to have much more humane compassion than before.

Regardless, what an entertaining and hooky show. I agree Toho, I was not expecting that--very curious how this all turns out.

corplhicks wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

Last Man On Earth

This show has really grown on me.  I started to bail on it when they destroyed the original premise and started introducing other people but they've taken the whole thing in a direction I was not at all expecting and that has me interested again.

Catching S02E02 tonight.

The biggest problem with the first season--and it's still a bit prevalent--is how UNLIKABLE Forte's character is. They went to great lengths to show him as a narcissistic, self-involved sociopath. His actions made me writhe in fury. I'm hoping this is either explained more or at least toned down this season. So far he seems to have much more humane compassion than before.

Regardless, what an entertaining and hooky show. I agree Toho, I was not expecting that--very curious how this all turns out.

 Yeah, suddenly Phil and Carol are the "good guys" and everyone else is "eviiiiiiil".

Interesting. And exactly what keeps me coming back; I have no idea where they are going with this.

tohostudios wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

Last Man On Earth

This show has really grown on me.  I started to bail on it when they destroyed the original premise and started introducing other people but they've taken the whole thing in a direction I was not at all expecting and that has me interested again.

Catching S02E02 tonight.

The biggest problem with the first season--and it's still a bit prevalent--is how UNLIKABLE Forte's character is. They went to great lengths to show him as a narcissistic, self-involved sociopath. His actions made me writhe in fury. I'm hoping this is either explained more or at least toned down this season. So far he seems to have much more humane compassion than before.

Regardless, what an entertaining and hooky show. I agree Toho, I was not expecting that--very curious how this all turns out.

 Yeah, suddenly Phil and Carol are the "good guys" and everyone else is "eviiiiiiil".

Interesting. And exactly what keeps me coming back; I have no idea where they are going with this.

Saw the latest ep last night. Still holding my interest.

I think I found my biggest problem with this comedy--it's just not that funny. There are bits and pieces that give me a chuckle (the "sex scenes" are ingenious) but the humor is rather broad and forced. I especially tire of the "conversations" with inanimate objects. Perhaps if they pared these scenes down a bit I'd be okay, but there's just too many pretend friends going on.

Anyway, as an end-of-the-world story it mostly succeeds. As a comedy it falls flat. Wishing at this point it were more like the former.

The Big Bang Theory

Schlock-Tober continues with...

"Deadly Blessing" (1981)


A recently widowed farm wife tangles with the members of a sinister Amish-style religious sect in one of Wes Craven's lesser-known mid-career flicks. "Deadly Blessing" builds up a decent amount of suspense for most of its length but totally falls apart in the last fifteen minutes, thanks to a WTF plot twist and a cop-out "supernatural" ending that feels like it was tacked on as an afterthought.
Also of note: the high eye candy quotient, provided by the lovely Maren Jensen (of TV's "Battlestar Galactica") and a young-and-unknown Sharon Stone (in a supporting role that mainly demands she wear a nightie and pout). Sadly, Maren Jensen retired from acting after finishing this flick due to health issues.
"Deadly Blessing" isn't one of Wes' best, but it's not his worst either.

Bronson - B+. This film has two things going for it: Tom Hardy's tour de force (even if OTT) performance and the Kubrick-meets-Forman direction (including a score which is purely classical music!). Sadly, it has two things going against it: a lack of substance and a lack of character--if you stand back and look widely at them, Bronson's ramblings are nothing but aimless padding, despite great delivery. Still watchable and entertaining, however.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Schlock-Tober continues with...

"Deadly Blessing" (1981)


A recently widowed farm wife tangles with the members of a sinister Amish-style religious sect in one of Wes Craven's lesser-known mid-career flicks. "Deadly Blessing" builds up a decent amount of suspense for most of its length but totally falls apart in the last fifteen minutes, thanks to a WTF plot twist and a cop-out "supernatural" ending that feels like it was tacked on as an afterthought.
Also of note: the high eye candy quotient, provided by the lovely Maren Jensen (of TV's "Battlestar Galactica") and a young-and-unknown Sharon Stone (in a supporting role that mainly demands she wear a nightie and pout). Sadly, Maren Jensen retired from acting after finishing this flick due to health issues.
"Deadly Blessing" isn't one of Wes' best, but it's not his worst either.

One of the films I snuck into as a kid at the local movie theater. Buy a ticket for the PG film playing next door, wait about 5 minutes then sneak in to see the horror flick.

The tacked on jump scare ending seemed to be a prerequisite for just about every horror movie that came out after Carrie. The film is actually one of Craven's creepier affairs prior to running off the rails in the final reel.

corplhicks wrote:

Bronson - B+. This film has two things going for it: Tom Hardy's tour de force (even if OTT) performance and the Kubrick-meets-Forman direction (including a score which is purely classical music!). Sadly, it has two things going against it: a lack of substance and a lack of character--if you stand back and look widely at them, Bronson's ramblings are nothing but aimless padding, despite great delivery. Still watchable and entertaining, however.

Thing is they didn't really have much to go on character wise. Bronson is a rather sad mentally ill man (I worked in a drug rehab and knew people who were in prison with him) who has somehow become a kind of anti folk hero. That said I loved the movie, which was really surprising.

corplhicks wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

Last Man On Earth

This show has really grown on me.  I started to bail on it when they destroyed the original premise and started introducing other people but they've taken the whole thing in a direction I was not at all expecting and that has me interested again.

Catching S02E02 tonight.

The biggest problem with the first season--and it's still a bit prevalent--is how UNLIKABLE Forte's character is. They went to great lengths to show him as a narcissistic, self-involved sociopath. His actions made me writhe in fury. I'm hoping this is either explained more or at least toned down this season. So far he seems to have much more humane compassion than before.

Regardless, what an entertaining and hooky show. I agree Toho, I was not expecting that--very curious how this all turns out.

 Yeah, suddenly Phil and Carol are the "good guys" and everyone else is "eviiiiiiil".

Interesting. And exactly what keeps me coming back; I have no idea where they are going with this.

Saw the latest ep last night. Still holding my interest.

I think I found my biggest problem with this comedy--it's just not that funny. There are bits and pieces that give me a chuckle (the "sex scenes" are ingenious) but the humor is rather broad and forced. I especially tire of the "conversations" with inanimate objects. Perhaps if they pared these scenes down a bit I'd be okay, but there's just too many pretend friends going on.

Anyway, as an end-of-the-world story it mostly succeeds. As a comedy it falls flat. Wishing at this point it were more like the former.

I agree; Last Man is not "laugh out loud" funny.  I do find it amusing however and I love the changing dynamics between the characters and the fact that the show is unpredictable.  Hell, it started out as "Last Man On Earth" then changed to "Last Man (and woman) On Earth, then went to "Last Man (and woman and another man and woman) On Earth to Last Man (and woman and man and woman and two more women) On Earth to "Last Man (and woman and another man and woman and two more women plus another man who maroons the original man in the middle of the desert) On Earth.

"Tremors 5: Bloodlines" (2015)



The Graboid problem has gone global! When the critters turn up in South Africa, there's only one man to call ... survivalist and Graboid hunter extraordinaire Burt Gummer, who teaches the natives a thing or two about how to handle the pests. Not as cartoony as most of the prior installments, this one is more of a straight up creature feature as Burt encounters a new mutant strain of Graboid that's even more bad-ass than the American variety.

Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Criminal Minds
Friday the 13th(remake)

"Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015)


Tony (Iron Man) Stark's ill-advised experiments with artificial intelligence accidentally produce Ultron - a super-powered android creature with a Destroy-All-Humans agenda. Stark's teammates naturally come running to the rescue, with a few new recruits (the Vision, the Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver) added to the roster. Much blasting, zapping, and exploding occurs. Action packed, fast 'n' furious popcorn fun.

S.D. wrote:

Zoo



This show just dropped on Netflix and I decided to check out the pilot and found myself so engrossed that the next thing I realized I was on episode 5...  Yeah, it's not that believable but it's damn entertaining.  

Sadly the season limped to the finish line, not living up to the potential the first few episodes hinted at. Too much running from the feds and running from the evil corporation and not enough about the animals. In the end the season felt rushed. It's an okay time killer but I cannot recommend it.

Dual Survival

Agents of Shield - enjoying season 3 so far
Modern Family - still funny, but seems to be in the last quarter of it's life
Fear The Walking Dead - Unless I am bored, won't be tuning into season two

Back on Schlock-Tober duty with...

"Dolly Dearest" (1991)


An American family arrives in Mexico to take over running a dilapidated doll factory ... which just happens to be located close to the ancient tribal tomb of something called "The Devil Child." You can pretty much write the rest yourself.

(See? This is what happens when you out-source American jobs to Mexico! Hahahaha)

Obviously this is a no-budget, gender-reversed "Child's Play" wanna be, but at least "Dolly" doesn't talk like a third rate standup comedian like her obvious inspiration, "Chucky."

I still say the scariest "doll" movie I've ever seen is the "Amelia" story with Karen Black in "Trilogy Of Terror"

tohostudios wrote:

I still say the scariest "doll" movie I've ever seen is the "Amelia" story with Karen Black in "Trilogy Of Terror"

That thing scared the hell out of me when I first saw it as a kid.

Same here.  I had nightmares for days.

It's still pretty damn creepy.

I read the short story "Prey" before I saw the film so it didn't have quite the same impact on me, but it's a still a fine adaptation.

Never knew that was an adaptation of a short story.

I haven't seen Trilogy of Terror in dog years. I need to revisit that one of these days.