The Death of Superman Lives – What Happened? (2015)

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Felix Vasquez

It’s funny to think that in an alternate reality so many radical ideas were likely able to flourish. In some reality Jodorowsky made his version of “Dune,” and in an alternate reality perhaps we had “Superman Lives.” I wasn’t keen on exploring the story of the lost production of “Superman Lives,” the failed reboot of the Superman movie franchise initially. But the documentary proves that the enduring fascination with its potentially disastrous development is just, and very much a worthwhile exploration of too many cooks in the kitchen. There was a time where superhero movies weren’t a common place in cinema, and those that were in theaters were low tier barely marketable characters that almost always guaranteed to flop.

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Terror in the Aisles (1984)

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

If there’s one film I’d suggest to blossoming horror fans that need a primer course for the genre, I’d suggest “Terror in the Aisles.” It’s not a horror movie, so much as a compilation of some of the most interesting thrillers and horror movies from the seventies and eighties, and it touches on the idea of horror’s role in our everyday lives. Why do people love to be scared? What keeps us coming back to horror movies? Why do so many people frighten by horror cinema when there are valid threats in reality? One of the more interesting ideas behind “Terror In the Aisles” is the exploration of movie going as a communal experience.

Once upon a time we could sit in a large dark room with a bunch of strangers and soak in a horrific experience together. We’d laugh, flinch, scream, and feel some sense of camaraderie, in the end. That’s become something of an antiquated habit with the advent of home entertainment. I won’t be seeing “Terror in the DVD Player” any time soon. The gorgeous Nancy Allen and Donald Pleasance host what is a pretty well put together montage that examines fear and how we use it as a means of excitement and exhilaration, even when we’re sitting in the comfort of a movie theater. Allen and Pleasance’s hosting is fantastic as they indulge the audience with charismatic introductions of key moments in some great horror films.

They’re fitted to topics like sex, natural terrors, the occult, and despicable villains. One of the reasons why the documentary is still so resonant is because there are moments during the compilation where we’re given a glimpse at movie goers watching and reacting to horror movies. Scripted as they may be, director Andrew J. Kuehn captures the thrill of the movie theater and losing yourself in frights accurately, and they result in some fun and funny slices of life. I’m still a bit taken aback that there are no clips to “Dawn of the Dead” or “The Exorcist.” You figure two films with such impact on the horror medium, including the latter title would be the centerpiece of the documentary.

Despite that glaring omission, there are still a myriad iconic moments from great films like “Scanners,” “Strangers on a Train,” and “Carrie.” Kuehn’s documentary is a thrilling and excellent celebration of horror and the movie theater community, and is a must see to this day.

Men in Suits (2012)

Posted on October 2, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

Director Frank H. Woodward’s “Men in Suits” is one of the best film related documentaries ever made. It’s an insightful and entertaining look at a rarely covered corner of Hollywood that’s gone unnoticed and uncredited since the beginning of film. “Men in Suits” is a fantastic chronicle of the facet of Hollywood films revolving around men that dress up as monsters for horror, fantasy, and science fiction, and bring to life many of the most iconic and horrific monsters ever put to film. Woodward chronicles how the art form began in the golden age of filmmaking, and has become something of a rare form of performance art in the era where studios are dependent on CGI and polygons.

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Invasion of the Scream Queens (1992): 20th Anniversary Edition

Posted on October 1, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

Director Donald Farmer’s “Invasion of the Scream Queens” is an interesting memento of the horror world that should be preserved for posterity. Film lovers in general seem to have a very low opinion of the scream queen and how crucial they are to horror films, while they’re a mostly undocumented period of the horror and video era. “Invasion of the Scream Queen” centers on almost a dozen beautiful scream queens, all of whom sit down with director Donald Farmer to discuss their experience in the business of horror filmmaking, and their thoughts on acting.

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Turtle Power: The Definitive History of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

I’d be very hesitant to call “Turtle Power” the definitive history of the Ninja Turtles franchise since it’s only ninety minutes, covers only the nineties portion of the series history, and feels like a glorified DVD extra, but all in all it’s still a worthwhile documentary. Director Randall Lobb composes an entertaining history of the series teeming with excellent nostalgia that chronicles the origins of TMNT from their introduction as an independent comic book, to their inevitable domination of the world in the eighties and nineties. “Turtle Power” definitely has some interesting tidbits and trivia about the franchise and the series in general, while the producers are slick to feature some of the 2014 TMNT posters in a few timeline graphics.

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Elvis: That’s the Way It Is (1970) [Digibook Blu-Ray/DVD]

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

For Elvis fans still celebrating the “Viva Las Vegas” release, Warner re-releases the 2007 DVD except in Blu-Ray Digibook form and in its 2001 edition, which is considerably shorter in length. That’s because the film’s director chopped some fan segments. You can still watch the original version on the DVD supplied in the Digibook edition, while the supplements are rather extensive for hardcore fans. This includes the very detailed aforementioned book within the Blu-Ray case that should act as a fine memento for Elvis buffs.

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Video Games: The Movie (2014)

Posted on July 28, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

One of the many things I really like about “Video Games: The Movie” is that it occasionally shares knowledge that not even vintage gamers like me knew. I was always convinced the term “bits” was a completely nonsensical buzzword invented to sell games, but surely enough it’s a real term. It’s not only real, but makes a big difference in regards to game consoles. While “Video Games: The Movie” may not shed new information for everyone, it’s at least a charismatic and entertaining celebration of the medium that’s become big business all over the world.

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