Sharktopus vs. Whalewolf (2015)

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I bet you’re wondering the same thing. In order for a whalewolf to come to life should a werewolf bite a whale, or would a whale bite a werewolf? If a whale bit a human would it become a werewhale? Hey, the logic I’m posing is just as silly as the logic in “Sharktopus vs. Whalewolf,” a movie that’s much more fun than it has any right to be. Right off the bat, the thing to remember is the movie doesn’t take itself seriously at all. This is about a movie where a sharktopus are murdering people left and right and our main heroes aren’t all that emotionally distraught after the fact.

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Hot Pursuit (2015) [Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital HD]

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“Hot Pursuit” is another in a long line of half baked festering “Midnight Run” wannabes where our two cast members fail to live up to any expectations of chemistry we might have. For all their talents, Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara can’t muster any kind of friction or tension between them. Instead they come off as bickering harpies that fail to do anything but annoy. And “Hot Pursuit” tries harder than anything to create some memorable laughs, and barely comes up with a chortle in the duration of its goofy ridiculous narrative.

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Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon (1985)

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It’s hard to express why I love Berry Gordy’s “The Last Dragon” so much. I have loved it for years ever since I was a small child and used to watch it religiously on network television every time it came on. Perhaps it’s the minority hero, perhaps it’s the Bruce Lee idolatry, who the hell knows? With “The Last Dragon” I stopped asking why I loved it a long time ago and just embraced it as one of my all time favorite action films. Yes, I said it’s one of my all time favorite action films. It’s not just a film but it’s an experience to boot. Taimak’s performance as Bruce Leroy is just so genuine and fun it’s hard to really rag on his presence here.

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Into the Grizzly Maze (2015) (DVD)

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It’s a shame that “Into the Grizzly Maze” didn’t get a wider release, because while the cast is strong, director David Hackl delivers a very strong survival thriller. I’m not going to claim it a masterpiece, but for what it promises, it’s a damn solid action adventure that’s set against the backdrop of the Alaskan wilderness. Much like “The Edge,” it’s mainly a movie about men confronting their personal demons while battling a giant ferocious and cunning bear that has decided it’s had enough with humanity. After illegally poaching a bunch of bears, a rogue bear has decided to strike down any and all intruders, and begins slaughtering conniving hunters and officers alike.

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Big Match (2015) [Fantasia Film Festival]

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FANTASIA FILM FESTIVAL

Director Choi Ho’s “Big Match” is probably one of my favorite action movies of the year. It’s a wonderful amalgam of action, comedy, and thrills acting on a fast pace with a multi layered story of a man running against the clock. Choi Ik-ho is a man kicked out of professional soccer for rough housing and enters in to MMA to get his aggression out. With the help of his big brother Young-ho, Choi Ik-ho has become one of the greatest fighters of modern times. He’s kept under tight supervision by his big brother, a retired MMA fighter. But when he suddenly disappears, Ik-ho is suspect number one. Young-ho is suspected of being murdered, and Ik-ho is arrested.

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The Demolisher (2015) [Fantasia Film Festival]

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FANTASIA FILM FESTIVAL

I really do want to see more from Canadian director Gabriel Carrer, mainly because “The Demolisher” brought back waves of Nicholas Winding Refn and Michael Mann with it. “The Demolisher” is a slow burn and really stellar revenge thriller that picks up after an admittedly sluggish first half hour. “The Demolisher” picks up steam and collides in to an all out assault of blood shed, gore, and violence that help to explore the crumbling of a man’s sanity. Evocative of films like “Ms. 45” and “Death Wish,” Carrer channels the idea of trauma and its lasting effects and how it can toy with one man’s idea of justice for his beloved wife.  Continue reading →

I, Madman (1989) [Blu-Ray]

Tibor Takács’ “I, Madman” kind of snuck up on me when I first saw it twenty years ago. I was primarily invested in the movie for the whole idea of fiction coming alive. I had no idea it would evolve in to a gruesome slasher and Giallo. That’s not a set back for me, but it’s really surprising how “I, Madman” looks and flows like a living comic book, but is never shy about grue and gore.

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