After spending a long time without an actual release, the Vestron Video Collector’s Series is back with two new titles in time for October. One of the biggies is “Little Monsters,” the 1989 cult classic that’s been considerably out of print for years and been handed some flimsy DVD releases. Now on Blu-Ray, “Little Monsters” is available for a new generation of blooming horror fans. As someone that lovingly looks at “Little Monsters” as a childhood favorite, I’m happy to declare that (despite a tonal change in the second half) the movie has lost little of its luster.
Tag Archives: Adventure
Happy Halloween, Scooby Doo! (2020)
Who better to celebrate Halloween than the Scooby Gang? “Happy Halloween, Scooby Doo!” is the thirty first animated movie in the long running franchise. It’s a long running franchise that, to its credit, doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. This installment is firmly a Halloween oriented movie, revolving around the idea of fear, and Velma trying to ignore her emotional response to fear in favor of rationality. What she ultimately comes to realize is that fear can be a good thing; it can even help us survive in perilous situations.
Vampires vs. The Bronx (2020)
While many of the influences for SNL are apparent, director-writer Oz Rodriguez has a great eye for unfolding some great horror that’s absolutely entertaining but also socially conscious (like his contemporary Jordan Peele). “Vampires vs. The Bronx” is a surefire amalgam of “The Lost Boys” and “Attack the Block.” It’s a creepy, fun, horror flick with an all Latinx and African American cast that’s also very clear cut condemnation of gentrification.
Shortcut (2020)
I admit that I was a bit hesitant during “Shortcut” as it seems to meander back and forth between time lines and whatnot. However, during the final half, Alessio Liguori’s “Shortcut” finds a path and sticks to it, offering a horror movie with great substance. “Shortcut” is a mix of It Chapter One” and “Jeepers Creepers 2” (sans the uh… uncomfortable pedo overtones) and really sucked me in as a creepy, weird, and engaging tale of coming of age in the face of a dark force on a deserted highway.
The Goonies (1985) [4K Ultra HD/Blu-Ray/Digital]
Even though I was born in the eighties, I don’t have a particular connection with “The Goonies” as while it’s mostly considered a masterpiece, I’ve only ever considered it just pretty good. Director Richard Donner’s adventure film is the Hardy Boys Meets Indiana Jones and for the most part it’s an entertaining call back to fodder like “The East Side Kids,” which keeps in line with Spielberg’s ode to his childhood cinema.
Crazy Samurai Musashi (2020) [Fantasia Festival 2020]
An action-filled telling of Miyamoto Musashi’s most famous battle where he defeated 588 enemies, this film is a 77 minute fight sequence with intro and conclusion added around it.
Random Acts of Violence (2020)
A comic book writer who took inspiration for his work from a serial killer and now someone is reproducing the gruesome murders from his work. As things go from bad to worse, the writer is pulled deeper into the situation.