Angel the prostitute with the heart of gold returns for the final installment (psst—not really) to investigate the disappearance of her long lost sister. For this even lower budget third part in the “Angel” saga, all of Angel’s colorful cohorts are gone, and the narrative suffers this time around because of it. Kit Carson and Solly are nowhere to be found, and Angel is pretty much just a free agent being led to the California strip, yet again. No longer a law student, Angel is now a freelance photographer who spends a lot of her nights running around with the police taking pictures of stings and busts for her paper.
Tag Archives: Gangster
Avenging Angel (1985)
The saga of Angel the prostitute with the heart of gold and a thirst for vengeance reaches new levels of camp with “Avenging Angel.” While “Angel” wasn’t exactly high art, “Avenging Angel” makes the former film look like a John Ford Western by comparison. That’s not to say “Avenging Angel” is an awful movie. It’s just so deliriously stupid and absurd, and I couldn’t help but enjoy everything from the goofy protagonists we have to root for, to the shoddy stunt work. If you liked the transvestite fighting off the serial killer in “Angel,” prepare for two transsexuals getting in to a fist fight with two armed thugs. Try not to notice the stunt doubles wearing bad wigs during the fight scene.
Cellblock Sisters: Banished Behind Bars (1995)
Henri Charr’s “Cellblock Sisters: Banished Behind Bars” (aka “Banished Behind Bars”) is one of the most nineties straight to video movies ever released. It’s a rip off of “Bad Boys” that pits nothing but gorgeous blond women against one another in a women’s prison and forces them to fight it out for control and petty grudges. Henri Charr’s crime thriller is surprisingly convoluted, but one that also gets a free pass for being one of the last of its kind before the early aughts indie resurgence of women in prison films.
Streets of Fire (1984)
It’s difficult to explain “Streets of Fire” to anyone and make it sound coherent. Walter Hill’s action film has just about everything, and ends up creating one of the most vivid and exciting amalgams of genres and themes I’ve ever seen. “Streets of Fire” is a film you just have to sit down, shut up, and experience. It’s a post depression, mid-fifties, action, crime thriller and romance noir with a rock and roll and soul beat. See? I can’t sum this movie up in one whole sentence, and I’m not going to try to. I’m ashamed I took so many years getting around to watching “Streets of Fire,” but goddamn I’m very glad that I did.
The Demolisher (2015)
After Samantha is brutally attacked by a gang on the job, she becomes handicapped and her husband Bruce does all he can to help her live her life and get better. While being the dotting husband she needs, he also has a need to exact revenge on the gang who did this. He embarks on a vigilante journey to avenge her and to try to put his mind at ease. This however leads him down a path of violence and paranoia. His mind begins to slip and he begins taking his issues out on a young woman who they previously crossed paths with.
Point Break (2015) [Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital]
Kathryn Bigelow’s 1991 action film “Point Break” was never really anything resembling a masterpiece, but one thing you could never call it was boring. It’s garnered something of a cult following over the years, for a reason. It’s a silly, goofy, and fun bromance where Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze bring their A game in one of the most sexless male romance action films of all time. It’s a camp classic despite its major failings. “Point Break” 2015 takes the 1991 original and saps out all of the fun and inherent camp, transforming it in to a tedious, overlong action thriller without a lick of humor about itself. Even “Fast and the Furious,” which copied “Point Break” shamelessly, had a sense of humor about itself and embraced its silly trappings and ridiculous plot line. Coming ten years too late, “Point Break” comes along after about fifteen retreads, and doesn’t really do anything except inspire the viewer to check out the original action film.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Duology (2012, 2013)
For better and for worse “The Dark Knight Returns” duology is a loyal adaptation of the Frank Miller graphic novel. Both films are very ugly and violent, not to mention incredibly grim to the point where any and all sense of entertainment value is absolutely gone. Miller’s tale of Batman is violent and grotesque, painting Batman more as an avenger of the people while Superman is a despicable asshole working as a fascist tool to help restore order for a president whose lust for violence is very laissez faire. “The Dark Knight Returns Part I” is actually quite riveting with brilliant animation, as Bruce Wayne experiences a mental crack in the vein of his past foes, and uses his insanity as a form of instilling justice. Even Commissioner Gordon has somewhat given in to his baser urges and turned to Batman as a means of hope by putting in jeopardy all of his beliefs, and completely dismissing the establishment altogether.