You Have to See This! Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996)

By 1996, “Mystery Science Theater 3000” was known as a cult comedy series that had gained enough mainstream traction to earn a feature film. By 1996 the once unusual comedy had become very much a hit for fans of cult cinema and science fiction. The series as a whole, when first stepping in to it, is weird. I fondly remember first watching the series and literally thinking “What the hell is this?” But when you get in to the nuts and bolts of the concept, it’s not only genius but hilarious. Suffice to say, I was hooked, without apology. Essentially you’re watching a man watching bad movies with two robots.

That’s the gist of the whole shebang.

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Mortal Kombat (2021)

I’m one of the many who were there when “Mortal Kombat” crashed through America in 1992. Going from an arcade hit everyone talked about because of its vicious violence, to a home console darling, “Mortal Kombat” is a prime franchise candidate that was sadly snuffed out in 1997. After the absolute embarrassment of “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation” it took two decades for “Mortal Kombat” to finally return as a potential cinematic/franchise heavyweight.

Is Warner Bros.’ and Simon McQuoid’s reboot perfect? No. But hot damn it is good!

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Nobody (2021)

It’s not too often that a movie title can take on so many meanings as a narrative unfolds, but director Ilya Naishuller manages to pull off what might be one of the more entertaining play on words of the year. “Nobody” is a pretty excellent film that, while it doesn’t re-invent the wheel, does a lot with the numerous resources on hand to create a thrilling action film that’s darkly comedic, satiric and presents an interesting conversation about the antiquated concept of the nuclear family.

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Hercules and the Captive Women (1961): Special Edition [Blu-Ray]

Also known as “Hercules and the Conquest of Atlantis,” and “Hercules Conquers Atlantis,” Vittorio Cottafavi’s is not a total disaster of a Hercules installment. Surely, it’s a weird, bizarre, and occasionally dull picture, but if the sword and sandal films (or “Peplum”) are your bag, this might whet you’re appetite. With its American title, The Film Detective releases Reg Parks’ Hercules debut from Italy in its full form, restored from the original 35mm negative and in crystal 4K clarity.

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Godzilla (2014) [4K/Blu-Ray/Digital HD]

After the travesty that was the 1998 Roland Emmerich reboot of “Godzilla,” the king of the monsters went in to hiding from the states for a long time. It was until Legendary came along to hop on the expanded universe band wagon to finally give Gojira and his merry band of monsters and allies a chance to win a new generation of fans. Despite some bumps and tumbles, Gareth Edwards’ “Godzilla” is a giant step up from the 1998 embarrassment and still manages to travel well, with or without the impending “Godzilla vs. Kong.”

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Robert Kirkman’s “Invincible” is a Stellar, if Flawed, Superhero Epic

Full Disclosure: Amazon Studios gave us access to the first three episodes of “Invincible.” Please read with discretion.

I missed the boat when Invincible had its run in Image Comics, and I regret it, especially as a fan of “The Walking Dead.” Robert Kirkman is one of the group of Image comics heavyweights who manages to offer up his own superhero tale, but it’s given a massive twist that’s both bold and insanely violent. Taking the animated route this time out, producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg help realize Kirkman’s epic “Invincible” for the small screen, sticking true to many of the comics original storylines, and unfolding what is a unique, exciting, albeit imperfect at times, saga.

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Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)

After relentless caterwauling from fans for four years, director Zack Snyder is allowed to return to the DCEU once again to offer his original vision (or a very close facsimile) of what he had planned for the “Justice League” and the DCEU. While I don’t miss Snyder and his involvement with the DC movies (the man loves his slow motion), his “Justice League” is, shocking enough, an infinitely superior adaptation than the 2017 Joss Whedon lemon. I wouldn’t call it a masterpiece, but if pushed in to a corner, I’d happily rewatch the “Snyder Cut” again, with warts and all.

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