A Scanner Darkly (2006)

Aside from the utterly fascinating concept, Linklater re-visits the same wonderful animation he enlisted in the fantastic “Waking Life,” with this visceral piece of druggie science fiction that instead focuses on the mechanics of the mind rather than in machines and science. As usual, Linklater prefers to delve into the human psyche and he gives it his best effort with some brutally beautiful animation. I dare you to look away from the Scramble suit. I dare you. Beyond that, the stand out performance is by Robert Downey Jr. as a druggie scientist who is both brilliant and mad, which is not hard to believe for a man who has no screws.

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Hot Wheels Acceleracers, Vol. 4 – The Ultimate Race (DVD)

hotwheels_wp1_1280x1024If you’re a fan of “Oban Star Racers,” or “Speed Racer,” movie 4 of the “Acceleracers” series will please tween boys with bright animation, epic car races, and stories simplistic enough to keep their attention. This final installment involves the Acceleracers devising a plan to save one of their kidnapped team mates Wylde brother of the hero Kurt. To do this they have to open the Cosmic Realm, a dimension of twists and turns and infiltrate Racing Drones Headquarters, and the action beefs up for this last go around. Are you excited?! I sure am! Even though I have no idea what I just wrote! Can you get your son to explain to me?

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Festival of Fright (DVD)

Upon first glance at the cover, it’s pretty obvious “The Monster Club” didn’t just take a bunch of images and pasted them together (seriously, take a look at the cover! It’s like a poster! The horror gods shine on you Kerry Gammill). And “Festival of Fright” is not just a pastiche of trailers to sell DVDs. “Festival of Fright” is in the tradition of trailer compilations of the VHS era that not only help us relive some of the best and worst horror films ever made, but also show us that film can still be fun because it invokes nostalgia, amusement, and lets us marvel at how film has evolved and devolved over decades.

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Future-Kill (1985) (DVD)

514bYHgDDAL“Future-Kill” is an immensely dated and standard science fiction punk flick from the era of leather jackets and Mohawks. In some unsure futuristic world, a gang of mutants and gladiators in the vein of “Mad Max” meets “The Warriors” are battling among one another, and the tensions are obviously high. You can see that by the opening where the leader confronts the loose cannon Splatter, a violent individual who hides behind body armor and is basically an intimidating presence. Moore then introduces a comedic element for some reason with a group of frat boys curiously detracting from the future element, that have to pledge a fraternity. Moore’s film has not held well over time.

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District B13 (2004)

1I don’t know. Perhaps I’m burned out on action films, particularly from action films with flashy stunts that don’t serve much of a purpose. In the end, “District B13” is a string of action sequences featuring shoot outs, fight scenes, and acrobatics, and not much of a story or characterization to keep us watching. I mean sure, the action scenes are great, but I couldn’t pretend to care when I wasn’t sure who was who and what the grand plot of the entire film is supposed to be.

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Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman – The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)

Season four is when “Lois & Clark” started to fall apart. While this series basically was just Luke & Laura a la Krypton, by season four, we saw Lois and Clark finally wed, and that’s when the series began to topple, because that’s when the romantic chemistry died, and the “Moonlighting” dichotomy faded; thus season four was the final season of this series, now on DVD from Warner Brothers Home Video.

Those who know me, know I’m a hardcore passionate Superman fan, have been since I was four. But those at the superman site I discuss the character with also know very well that “Lois & Clark” was probably the worst Superman adaptation I’ve ever seen.

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City of Rott (2006)

cor1bDon’t be fooled, its goofy animation isn’t a sign that it’s for kids. This is strictly an adult affair, folks. Imagine “South Park” played with a straight face, imagine Romero’s “Dead” films without a plot, and you’ll get Frank Sudol’s “City of Rott.” An old man is the basic hero for Sudol’s zombie epic in which a new toxin discovered in water creates a citywide epidemic of flesh eating zombies that are rotting from the inside out. Armed with only a walker, which is his best friend, his means of conveyance, and his weapon, he looks around for some new loafers to help his ailing feet, but he can’t stop running into those stupid zombies, and the parasites that leak from the bodies when destroyed.

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