Horror Double Feature

Halloween is just around the corner and, as I typically do this time of year, I've been watching a few of horror movies to get into the spirit. Last night I ventured into the dark recesses of a couple streaming services hoping to find some spooky options. 

The first movie I decided to check out was American Poltergeist on Netflix. 

Released in 2015, this film is about a group of college kids who decide that this semester they want to live off-campus, and so they rent a couple of rooms at an old house. Of course, this house has a dark past and is haunted. At first it starts out with the landlady acting a little creepy and some strange noises in the house. Eventually, when one of the girls starts to have visions of the people who were killed in the home, things start to escalate quickly. Overall, there is very little positive to say about this movie. The acting is bad, it's not well written, the sound design is shoddy, etc. However, it does hit that sweet spot of being so bad that I found it hilarious. I can't recommend this movie if you're looking for some good scares, with that being said, you may get a few laughs out of it. This one deserves a 0 out of 5 rating but, because I was so entertained by it, I'm going to give American Poltergeist a 1 out of 5.


The second movie I landed on last night was Exorcism of the Dead from 2017, which I came across on Amazon Prime Video. 

Movies about exorcisms have always had a way of suckering me in ever since I first saw 1973's The Exorcist which still stands as the gold-standard of such films. This movie could not be further in quality from that masterpiece. Exorcism of the Dead is probably one of the worst movies I've ever seen. The movie starts off with a woman emailing the Catholic church asking for help as she believes her daughter is possessed by a demon. Eventually a priest arrives and goes up to the girl's room, with her uncle, to perform an exorcism. Most of the movie takes place in this one room and it might be the most boring exorcism ever put to film. Occasionally the movie will venture to another location to show a murder, but it's not much more interesting. This is a rare film with no redeeming qualities, at least that I could spot. I'm giving this one a 0 out of 5.

Movie Review: American Made (2017)

Those who frequent this blog may remember that I wrote a piece a few months back titled "10 Tom Cruise Movies Everyone Should See" (you can check that out by clicking here). Obviously 'American Made' wasn't out at the time I wrote that but if I ever decided to update or redo that list of films, this one would be hard to leave off.

Without giving too much away here's a sort overview:

Tom Cruise plays Barry Seal, an airline pilot, who is recruited by the CIA to gather reconnaissance information regarding a communist threat in Central America. It isn't long before Barry finds himself not only in charge of a massive covert CIA operation, but also flying drugs into the U.S. from a South American cartel. Tensions ramp up with Barry caught between the CIA, the DEA, and the cartel. It's a wild ride.

 The film is well directed and Cruise turns in a really solid performance. The movie is fun, exciting and even the little moments of comedy sprinkled throughout all hit the mark. It was definitely nice to go to the theater and watch a film that felt like something fresh among the vast landscape of prequels, sequels, reboots, and re-imaginings.

Overall, this is one I definitely recommend seeing.

 I give it a 4.5 out of 5


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Western Wednesday: In Old Caliente

 It's Wednesday! So, as always, today's movie is a Western.

In Old Caliente is a 1939 film starring screen legend Roy Rogers, as well as, Mary Hart, George "Gabby" Hayes and, of course, Trigger 'the smartest horse in movies'.

So what's it about?

Well, settlers are moving West to new the state of California, and Roy Rogers is there working at a Spanish estate. One day some bandits lead by the ranch's foreman, Sujarno (played by Jack LaRue), rob a wagon carrying gold that is actually headed to the ranch. When news of the robbery gets back to the ranch's owner, the word is that some 'gringos' were behind it. Well, the folks at the ranch immediately suspect Roy of tipping the robbers off and he's promptly fired. 

Later, Roy and Gabby (one of the settlers) team up to discover the bandits' hideout and they recover the stolen gold. Unfortunately, they only have it in their possession long enough to be framed for the robbery. The two are brought back to the estate, where they are imprisoned in the cellar. While stuck down there, Roy gets Gabby to join him in a duet of "We're Not Coming Out to the Dance Tonight" which is one of the highlights of the film. So, they have to make their escape and come up with a plan to clear themselves of the crime they've been falsely accused of.

 Overall, this is halfway decent flick, it's pretty entertaining and there are little comedic moments thrown in. If you like Roy Rogers movies then you'll probably like this one. 

I give it a 3 out of 5.

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Western Wednesday: The Man from Utah (1934)

It's Wednesday, which means it's time for a Western!
 This week's film is 1934's The Man From Utah.

Now, I've included John Wayne films in some of my previous 'Western Wednesday' post, such as The Big Trail and True Grit. So, let's take a look at another movie featuring the man synonymous with the genre. 

In this one John Wayne plays John Weston and he is, as the title would suggest, a man from Utah. He rides into a small town one day seeking work. However, shortly after he arrives three men rob the local bank and, being the man of action he is, John guns down two of the robbers and shoots the gun out of the hand of the third. After the marshal sees how easily this man stopped the three criminals, he decides he can use the sharp-shooting Weston to help him in his investigation to figure out who's behind a crooked rodeo. Weston enters the rodeo, he does really well, and from there everything you'd expect to happen pretty much does. The Duke infiltrates the rodeo gang, figures out how they operate, and, of course, saves the day.

So, is this one of the great John Wayne films? No. The characters are one-dimensional and the plot is pretty basic. Overall, it's watchable, and it's only about a hour long (unfortunately a significant portion of that is rodeo stock footage). If you're a big John Wayne fan then I recommend it, but otherwise it's not a must-see.

I give it a 2 out of 5.

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Western Wednesday: The Big Trail

Another Wednesday means another Western!

Today's film is The Big Trail, it was released in 1930 and was one of John Wayne's earliest starring roles.
John Wayne plays Breck Coleman, a trapper who has returned to Missouri to avenge the death of a fellow trapper. He was killed for his furs by a man named Red Flack and his associate Lopez along the Santa Fe trail. While in Missouri, Coleman is asked by a group of settlers headed West to scout their caravan. He initially declines, but he soon changes his mind and agrees to scout for the train after he learns that Flack and Lopez were just hired to boss a bull train along the Oregon Trail to a trading post north of Oregon. Coleman figures that he can keep an eye on Flack and Lopez and kill them as soon as they reach the trading post. As the wagon train heads West, Coleman falls in love with a settler named Ruth (played by Marguerite Churchill), Flack does everything he can to have Coleman killed before he finds any proof of what he had done, and the group of settlers faces several hardships and obstacles along the way. Eventually, as expected, the villains meet their end and Coleman and Ruth presumably settle down together in Oregon.

Overall, though not as well know or iconic as some of John Wayne's others like 1956's The Searchers, 1962's The Man Who Shoot Liberty Valance, or 1969's True Grit (you can read my review of that one here) I'd argue that The Big Trail should still be placed among that top tier of his films.

Whether you're a John Wayne fan or just a fan of Westerns in general, I'd definitely recommend this one. I give it a 4 out of 5.


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Western Wednesday: River of No Return (1954)

  

River of No Return is a 1954 film that focuses on Matt Calder (played by Robert Mitchum),who recently has been released from prison and is looking to reconnect with his young son Mark, and a singer named Kay (played by Marilyn Monroe). Now, you may be saying to yourself "I usually don't think of Marilyn Monroe when I think of Westerns". Yeah me neither, but she's actually not half bad in the film.

So here's the story. Kay and her fiance, Harry Weston (Rory Calhoun), are headed to Council City to file the deed on a gold mine that he won in a card game. So, they head down the river toward Council City river on a log raft, but they eventually encounter some rough rapids right near Matt's cabin. Harry doesn't think he can make the rest of the trip by raft, so he offers to buy Matt's rifle and horse. Matt refuses so Harry just knocks him out and steals the horse and rifle. However, Kay decides to stay behind with Matt and Mark, so Harry can get to Council City quicker.

Soon after Harry leaves, some Indians attack the farm and the three have no other choice then to hope on the raft to escape. The next big chunk of the movie involves traveling down a river and Matt and Kay arguing. Matt questions why Kay would choose to marry a jerk like Harry. Kay reminds Matt that Harry never killed a man and went to prison like he did... But along the way, they deal with whatever problems come along, (including a cougar attack) and they end up resolving there differences.

Eventually, they all arrive in Council City. Matt intends to confront Harry but instead gets shot at, and in a fairly predictable twist, Mark ends up shooting Harry to save his Dad. Shortly after, Kay, Matt, and Mark ride off together and the movie ends.

Overall, I definitely wouldn't call this one of the all-time great westerns, but it's a decent movie and worth checking out.

I give it a 2.5 out of 5.

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Coming Soon: Western Wednesdays

Starting this week, I'm going to add something new to the 'Only in the Movies' blog. In addition to my regular movie reviews, movie franchise rankings, and the '10 Movies Everyone Should See' lists, I'm going to start 'Western Wednesdays'. It's one of my favorite movie genres, and there are a ton of great films to talk about.

 In recent years our theaters have been filled with comic book movies and computer animated family films, and that's not a bad thing, but when there are a few genres really dominating the market some others get pushed to the side. For Westerns, this has been happening for a long time. Occasionally there is a good one, but we are long past the days of John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Gary Cooper, and Golden Age of Westerns. Some of this is because American Westerns aren't big box office draws in foreign markets. I think political correctness has damaged the genre, and Westerns simply fell victim to history. Once the "Space Race" came about in the 1960's, American film goers became less interested in the American frontier and more interested in the next frontier.

All of this isn't to say Westerns will eventually die off completely. Like I stated earlier, decent ones are still being made. I thought the 'True Grit' remake from a couple years ago was decent, last years 'The Hateful Eight' was fun, and I really enjoyed 'In a Valley of Violence' which was just released recently (You can check out the review for that one here: http://onlyinthemoviesblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/todays-movie-in-valley-of-violence-2016.html). I'm going to try to have a decent mix of classic Westerns and modern ones for these 'Western Wednesday' reviews and, hopefully, my appreciation of the genre introduces some people to films they may have otherwise not checked out.

10 Tom Hanks Movies Everyone Should See

Here it is, my latest ’10 Movies Everyone Should See’ List. This one is a look at the quintessential everyman of modern American cinema, Tom Hanks. Like all previous entries this isn’t necessarily a ‘Top 10’ list but rather a list of films that best represent the person’s career.

1)      Forrest Gump -1994

It’s the story of a kind of dumb guy with a heart of gold that accomplishes more than any regular guy ever would. Tom Hanks would go on to win his 2^nd Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in this film and it’s a nice blend of comedy, drama.

2)      Cast Away -2000

It's still kind of surprising how good this movie is. 2hrs of Tom Hanks alone on an island, talking to volleyball doesn't sound all that great, but 'Cast Away' is enjoyable start to finish. It says a lot about Hanks’ ability to single-handedly carry a film.

3)      Apollo 13 -1995

After an oxygen tank explosion, the Apollo 13 astronauts soon find that their spacecraft is low oxygen, experiencing power failure, and the mission is no longer to land on the moon but to make it back to Earth alive. This movie is tense, exciting, and one of Tom Hanks’ best performances.

4)      Big -1988

A kid wants to be an adult and by way of a magical fortune teller machine his wish comes true and hilarity ensues. This could've been a really dumb movie, but instead it turned out to be one of Tom Hanks' best.

5)      Bridge of Spies -2015

The 4^th pairing of Director Steven Spielberg and Actor Tom Hanks (the previous three films being ‘Saving Private Ryan’, ‘Catch Me If You Can’ and ‘The Terminal’) may actually be there best. It’s a pretty outstanding Cold War, espionage movie.

6)      Road to Perdition – 2002

Tom Hanks stars alongside screen legend Paul Newman in this exciting crime film set in the 1930’s. In addition to Tom Hanks’ solid performance, the cinematography in this film is great, and this would also end up being one of Paul Newman’s final big-screen roles.

7)      Toy Story -1995

Every so often a movie comes along that is a complete game-changer for the industry. This is one of those films. Tom Hanks voices a toy cowboy named Woody who is jealous of new toy, Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen) in this computer animated, comedy. Pretty much every animated movie since has strived to be the next ’Toy Story’.

8)      Splash -1984

Over the years Tom Hanks has been in some great and memorable movies. So it's easy to forget the one where he falls in love with a mermaid... It's not great or his best, but it is fun, light-hearted entertainment.

9)      Philadelphia -1993

Up until this film Tom Hanks had best been known for his comedic roles in film like ‘Big’, ‘Bachelor Party’, ‘The Money Pit’, etc. However, this movie about HIV, homosexuality, and homophobia proved that Hanks could tackle some heavy dramatic roles too.

10)   Saving Mr. Banks -2013

The film is about Walt Disney’s desire to obtain the film rights ‘Mary Poppins’ from author P.L. Travers. The dynamic between Tom Hanks (Disney) and Emma Thompson (Travers) is really entertaining. Also, Paul Giamatti is in the film, so that’s a plus.

Honorable Mentions: Saving Private Ryan (1998), The Green Mile (1999), Catch Me If You Can (2002)

For more like this one, I’ve also previously posted ’10 Movies Everyone Should See’ lists focusing on the films of Sean Connery, John Travolta, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alfred Hitchcock and Chuck Norris.

Have a suggestion for a review or a ’10 Movies Everyone Should See’ list?

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10 Chuck Norris Movies Everyone Should See

While sitting in my screen room, drinking my coffee during a hurricane, I thought to myself “Today’s blog entry should be about a true force of nature: Chuck Norris”. 

So, like my previous ‘10 Movies Everyone Should See’ lists (the others being Sean Connery, John Travolta, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Alfred Hitchcock), this list will focus on 10 films that I think best represent the person’s career.

1)      Lone Wolf McQuade -1983

This always made my think of a sort of alternate universe version of the TV show ‘Walker Texas Ranger’. Chuck Norris still plays a Texas Ranger, except this one he is more violent, drinks heavily, and is a total badass. This one is also my personal favorite of all his films

2)      Missing In Action -1984

Norris plays a Vietnam vet who goes back into Vietnam to rescue some prisoners of war. The 1980’s were full of action flicks set in Vietnam, but I’d put this one up there as one of best. Its two sequels ‘Missing in Action 2: The Beginning’ and ‘Braddock: Missing in Action III’ are also good movies for any 80’s action fan.

3)      Forced Vengeance -1982

Chuck plays the Head of Security for a casino named ‘Lucky Dragon’. One day some mobsters kill the casino’s owner, but the head of mob didn’t realize that Chuck Norris would be looking for revenge.

4)      The Delta Force -1986

When terrorist hijack a plane, the Delta Force is called in take care of things… that’s uh, pretty much the whole plot. It’s as much of a hostage drama as it is an action movie, but it is one of Chuck Norris’ most well know films and so it deserves a place one this list.

5)      Top Dog -1995

It’s a pretty standard buddy cop action/comedy except it’s Chuck Norris and a dog. I’m not gonna lie and tell you that it’s a good movie. It’s dumb, but fun-dumb and entertaining.

6)      The President’s Man -2000

A simple but enjoyable movie about a Secret Service agent (Chuck Norris) that is ready to retire but needs to train his replacement.  And here’s a Fun Fact: Chuck’s son Eric Norris actually co-Directed the film.

7)      Good Guys Wear Black -1977

Though generally not thought to be one of his best films, it’s entertaining to watch Chuck Norris roundhouse kick his way through this action/thriller. At one point he even jump kicks his way through a car windshield to kill the driver, you just don’t get that in every movie.

8)      The Way of the Dragon –1972

This movie has Bruce Lee fighting Chuck Norris in the Roman Coliseum. That alone makes this one worth watching at least once.

9)      The Hitman -1991

Chuck Norris plays a cop who gets shot and is believed to be dead. And since everyone thinks he’s dead, it seems like a perfect opportunity to give him a new identity and send him in to infiltrate the mob. 90’s Norris movies generally are not as memorable as his films from the 80’s but this one is still enjoyable.

10)   Hero and the Terror – 1988

 After a serial killer breaks out of prison and goes back to killing in L.A. there is only one man who can stop him. That man is, you guessed it, Chuck Norris!

Honorable Mentions: Invasion USA (1985), Hellbound (1994), A Force of One (1979)


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A Look Back At American History X (1998)

Tonight's movie stars Edward Norton and Edward Furlong and centers around a neo-Nazi movement in Los Angeles, California.

It's a gritty, and incredibly compelling movie.

Derek (played by Edward Norton) has just been released from prison only to find that his younger brother Danny (Edward Furlong) has been getting mixed up with the same white supremacist group that he was a part of before being locked up.

We also see, via flashbacks, the circumstances that lead to Derek's incarceration as well as his time in prison and how this has changed his perception of everything. Derek convinces Danny that he needs to change his ways, but it's too little too late.

Norton is especially good in the film, and it's arguably the best performance of his career to date.

I highly recommend this one.

4.5 out of 5

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