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.

Continue reading →

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.

Continue reading →

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.

Continue reading →

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.

Continue reading →

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.

Continue reading →

Go Go Mania (1965)

Posted on June 4, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

It all started with the Beatles. From there it was a slew of really interesting British Invasion groups, and singers, many of whom ranged from absolutely abysmal, to quite unique. It’s a shame many of these bands never quite garnered the legacy that the Beatles did, but “Go Go Mania!” has value, if anything, in showing how many bands climbed out of the woodwork to claim their own fame once the Beatles stormed America.

Continue reading →

Jodorowsky’s Dune (2013)

Posted on April 24, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

The highlight of “Jodorowsky’s Dune” is the sheer enthusiasm of Alejandro Jodorowsky who viewed his acquisition of Frank Herbert’s Dune as less of a film project and more as a life changing event. He is very excited and joyous whenever he discusses how he wanted to change the world, and even insisted on changing the cast he recruited for his adaptation. He refers to his cast and crew as “spiritual warriors,” and is never afraid to admit that he was intent on giving audiences something to take away beyond a mere science fiction space opera. He wanted to build a world, and he was willing to do whatever he could to achieve what he considered a master mold of cinema. He’s a very likable and charming personality who more or less became a burden on his “spiritual warriors,” managing to travel the world in search of the perfect crew to bring his vision to life.

Continue reading →