Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Felix Vasquez

Now Exclusively in Theaters.

I’ve had my problems with the “Bad Boys” series in the past, but unlike the “Fast and the Furious” franchise, it’s been one of the most consistent series of action films ever released. The vision for “Bad Boys” has remained very precise and direct without adding too much or taking too much away. The stakes get higher with every film, and through it all we’ve stayed with Marcus and Mike only without adding on so much excess characters like “Lethal Weapon” fell victim to. “Bad Boys” has mainly been a vehicle for Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, sure, but at least it knows what it is and tries to deliver on more complex ideas and bigger stakes.

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The Bootleg Files: Lulu

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 869: “Lulu” (1962 German drama starring Nadja Tiller and Hildegard Knef).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: On a public domain label that probably didn’t have the rights to the film.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: It fell through the proverbial cracks.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Unlikely.

Remaking classic films is almost always a surefire mistake, since cinematic lightning rarely strikes twice. But it is easy to understand the temptation of going that route. After all, audiences don’t have to be cajoled into considering an unknown quantity with a remake, and the new versions usually take advantage of presentation opportunities not present in the original production – think of silent films remade in the sound era, black-and-white works reimagined in widescreen color, racy offerings that could unveiled without censorship constraints, and old-school epics refashioned with cutting-edge special effects to make them even more epic in scope.
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Interview with Filmmaker Austin Kase

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Felix Vasquez

Austin Kase is an award-winning writer, director, and editor of short and feature films, music videos, and commercials who has recently directed the horror short “Hide Your Crazy.” The romance horror comedy and allegory for mental illness awareness has been doing well at various festivals and the up and coming filmmaker takes time out to discuss film and his love for horror.

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You Have to See This! No Contest (1995)

Posted on June 6, 2024 by Felix Vasquez

Now Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel

The nineties were an interesting time for action movies. You had your A tier action flicks hitting the box office, and then you had your C and D tier on home video filling shelves. Among them there was “No Contest.” If you were a premium cable subscriber in the nineties, you probably know what “No Contest” is. This movie fulfilled two big purposes in that it gave the studio their very own “Die Hard” wannabe, and it pushed their star Shannon Tweed to the forefront in her long effort to become a mainstream movie star.

Shannon Tweed was a gorgeous and sexy woman and former Playboy model in the eighties who got in to feature films in the nineties and worked hard to become a big screen actress.

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Interview with Up and Coming Director Sarah Young

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Felix Vasquez

Sarah Young is a brave new voice in the film world bringing to the forefront socially volatile commentary as well as genuine scares. With “Not Him,” the genuinely talented filmmaker directs a horror film that works as a taut allegory for domestic abuse. “Not Him” is now making the rounds in various festivals and Ms. Young took time out to speak with us.

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The Working Man’s Artform: Reflections on The Movie Theater

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Felix Vasquez

“This is a working man’s art form. It’s not the opera. It’s not theater. It’s not going to a big concert. The idea was that anyone could go and see a movie… we have priced them out to where now it’s a deal.” – Quentin Tarantino

When I was a kid we lived in a small one bed room apartment shared by four people. My dad worked all day and only on the weekends could he really find time to spend with me and my brother. On the weekends he’s gather us together and we’d find time to do something together. The only caveat is we’d had to be able to afford it. Even in the late eighties that was a tough endeavor. So we’d go to the park, or the public pool, or free day at the Bronx Zoo. But quite often he’d snatch up me and my brother and we’d go to the movies together. It was the least expensive option that offered an immersive experience.

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