Total Recall (1990)

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Sure “Total Recall” is an ultraviolent and action filled adaptation of the original “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale” from Phillip K. Dick, there’s a rhyme and reason for everything that unfolds in the film, right down to the prostitute with the trio of breasts. The inherent lunacy reflects the mind set of our main hero Douglas Quaid and acts as a platform for the idea that perhaps he’s living a fantasy or is really this vicious secret spy. Paul Verhoeven’s version of the original story packs a real sense of intellect and brilliant ambiguity beneath the seemingly surface science fiction action tale of a man named Quaid, who is struggling to battle the government and fight for a group of underground mutants. When we meet Quaid he’s a man who is comfortable at home living in a well furnished apartment and is married to an insanely sexy woman. He wants more though, especially with developments involving the government exploring Mars, and perhaps using it as a means of travel for local tourists.

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Batman: Bad Blood (2016) [Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital]

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Bat people! Bat people! So many Bat people! Back when I was a young lad, there were only two or three Batman oriented characters. Now there is practically a whole legion of masked vigilantes by the time “Bad Blood” comes to a close. Who even needs the Gotham Police Force, anymore? It’s admittedly kind of ridiculous, but also kind of fun to see how many people have been influenced by The Dark Knight to keep going forward and fighting crime. Gotham needs as much as help as it can get, obviously, so why not have a Batgirl, a Batwoman, a Nightwing, and a Batwing, amiright?

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Crossworlds (1996)

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Before “The Matrix” there was this wonky surreal tale about existentialism, the meaning of existence and reality, and a suited mad man trying to infiltrate worlds through concepts concerning being, matter, and dimensional travel. By way of “Star Wars,” director Kristin Rao brings us a tasty goofy bit of direct to video goodness with Rutger Hauer as an uber-Obi Wan Kenobi who helps a young man find his way as a warrior and help him learn about his mysterious past involving his father. Hauer even waxes poetic and dons his own combat attire while venturing to save our reality from interdimensional beings looking to conquer various dimensions, including our own.

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Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance (2015)

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The only ways to watch “Samurai Cop 2” is with a stern tongue in cheek, or on the basis that you’re a hardcore fan of the original schlock classic. Though a few of the original cast members have come and gone, director Gregory Hatanaka does his best to channel the nineties vibe that the original film was oozing with. Despite taking place in modern times, “Samurai Cop 2” is still very much a nineties action film with the tough sergeant, obligatory sex scenes, Joe Marshall’s long hair, and ninjas galore. There are even ninjas dressed in business suits for some reason.

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The Dungeonmaster / Eliminators: Double Feature [Blu-ray]

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Scream Factory continues to deliver for fans of the Empire Pictures and Charles Band era, with a double feature Blu-Ray set featuring two of their most entertaining titles from their heyday. While I’d be hard pressed to call these films masterpieces, they’re nonetheless entertaining and novel genre films that attempt to market on a particular trend. Charles Band was always savvy about aspiring to make films for his company that touched on current cinematic trends and the double feature here from Scream! Factory covers the gamut of pop culture trends quite well.

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Dutch (1991)

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Back in 1991, I was a big fan of “Married with Children,” and loved Ed O’Neill. He was raucously funny as the blue collared Al Bundy, whose life was an endless series of misfortunes, so a big screen career seemed only a natural next step. I never caught “Dutch,” however I do fondly remember it as the failed big screen feature of O’Neill’s that became a consistent running joke on his hit sitcom. You can even see a “Dutch” standee during an episode where Al and Peggy are in a video store, promising a free copy for all customers. Oddly enough, “Dutch” isn’t that bad.

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Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015)

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Ethan Hunt is no mere agent. He’s a force of nature that keeps pushing himself to the brink of imminent death every single time we meet him. Last time he hung on the side of a high rise, and this time he hangs along the side of a flying aircraft. Not to mention he merely drowns in one of the many close call operations he and the disbanded IMF commit towards. Tom Cruise lends the character an intensity and bug eyed gutsiness that make him a hero you want to root for, and someone you most definitely want on your side at all times. Hunt has met his match this time with the evil Lane (Sam Harris), a leader of a rising organization called the Syndicate, who is always one step ahead of Hunt, while sidekick Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson) displays an enigmatic aura that makes Hunt uncertain if she’s friend or foe.

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