What I Watched - June 23-29 2014

Note: A quiet week without much in the way of movie viewing, but busy enough in other areas of my life that I didn't find time to write any full reviews. Tune-In June was finished off with three made-for-TV movies and the pilot of a TV show. 

WHAT I WATCHED: June 23-29

TUNE IN JUNE: Killdozer (1974) AVI
- This ABC Movie of the Week has a ridiculous-but-awesome concept - on a small Pacific Island an alien force takes over a bulldozer and begins killing off members of a small construction crew. These days it would be played completely for laughs, but there's not even a hint of humour here. Everything is played completely straight. Directed by Jerry London (who also helmed a TV movie I watched in May, MANHUNT FOR CLAUDE DALLAS), it has a good cast, including Clint Walker (TV's CHEYENNE), Neville Brand (EATEN ALIVE) and Robert Urich (TV's SPENSER FOR HIRE). The concept is better than the end result, but for the sheer fact of getting to see people fighting for survival against a driver-less bulldozer, it's worth checking out. 

TUNE IN JUNE: Moving Target (1988) VHS
- Fairly innocuous 80s made-for-TV movie about a teenager (Jason Bateman in the midst of his rise to fame on TV's VALERIE) on the run from organised crime. You know the kinds of shenanigans that come with this kind of movie, but the writers and director Chris Thomson (who, like me is a New Zealander) throw enough balls in the air that it stops from being completely predictable. Shockingly, Bateman isn't obnoxious (I can't stand the guy usually), and the rest of the cast are good, from his love interest, Chynna Phillips (of 80s music group Wilson Phillips), to his dad (Tom Skeritt, ALIEN), the hitman (Jack Wagner) and the main bad guy (Richard Dysart, THE THING).

TUNE IN JUNE: Calendar Girl Murders (1984) Netflix
- Back-to-back Tom Skerritt, but here he's the main protagonist in this made-for-TV movie about, well, a string of calendar girl murders. It's fairly basic fare but the acting is really what makes it stand out (a constant pattern with these 70s and 80s TV flicks). Skerritt is always great, and there are prominent roles for Sharon Stone and TV regulars Robert Culp (GREATEST AMERICAN HERO) and Alan Thicke (GROWING PAINS). Stone's role as a model caught in the middle of a murder mystery, trying to seduce a straight-laced cop, make it impossible not to think of Basic Instinct, minus the edginess obviously. You'll see the ending "twist" coming a mile away though.

TUNE IN JUNE: Warehouse 13 pilot (2009) Netflix
- I've been meaning to check out this SyFy TV series for a while, so finally got around to watching the movie-length pilot. The concept (male and female secret service agents are invited to join a secret government organisation which tracks and warehouses all of the world's magical and supernatural items) is reminiscent of TV's Friday the 13th: The Series, with aspects of The X-Files, Supernatural and Men in Black thrown into the mix. I like the concept, but it's handled in a more comedic way than I'd like, making everything a bit goofy, but I'll be checking out some more episodes at some point.

Whore's Glory (2011) Netflix
- Fairly interesting documentary that follows the daily life of prostitutes in three different countries (Thailand, Bangladesh and Mexico). Some very eye-opening stuff. Be warned - for the most part it is frank without being graphic, but towards the end there's some graphic sex involved.

Transformers: Age of Extinction 3D (2014) Cinema
- I know, I know. Why the hell did I go to the cinema to see the fourth Transformers movie? I'll tell you why. I had free tickets to a fancy theatre (leather recliners, meal service etc) that expired at the end of June. This was the only thing showing on the last weekend of the month, so this is what I ended up seeing. I went in with extremely-low expectations, and ended up actually enjoying it. It could be that I saw it without having to pay any money or it could be that I saw it in 3D (my first ever 3D cinema experience), but I found Age of Extinction entertaining enough. I like Mark Wahlberg (yay no more Shia LeDouche!), the Dinobots were cool, the action was easier to follow and a lot of the dumb comedy from the earlier movies was gone. Definitely the best of the series so far.

What I Watched - June 16-22 2014

Note: A busy week of movie watching, including three more entries in Tune in June, a number of documentaries and plenty of Netflix viewing (after being without Netflix for a month or so I've been catching up).

WHAT I WATCHED - June 16-22:

Eyes of the Mothman (2011) Netflix
- Documentary about the Mothman legend of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, made famous by the 2002 Richard Gere movie, Mothman Prophecies. Fairly interesting, with a lot of interviews with local townsfolk, college professors and the like. Definitely worth watching if you're interested in unexplained phenomena, whether you're a believer or a sceptic.

Cashback (2006) Netflix
-  With a concept like this (guy learns how to stop time while working late nights at a supermarket), the easy route would be to turn it into a teen comedy full of toilet humour. Instead English director/writer Sean Ellis crafts a funny-but-heartfelt romantic comedy full of fantastic acting performances, particularly from leads Sean Biggerstaff (HARRY POTTER movies) and Emilia Fox. Yes, there is plenty of nudity, but it is handled in a smart way, while leaving room for plenty of humorous moments.

Open Season 2 (2008) Netflix
- Father-son movie night. I haven't seen the first movie, but this one was adequate enough and my son enjoyed it (to be honest there's not much animated that he doesn't like). The highlight was the little creature voiced by Scottish comedian Billy Connelly.

TUNE IN JUNE: Condor (1986) Netflix
- See full review here.

TUNE IN JUNE: Time Trax (1986) VHS
- See full review here.

Of Two Minds (2012) Netflix
- Documentary about bi-polar disorder, focusing on several individuals with it. Doesn't go too much into the science, instead shining the spotlight on what it's like to live with mental illness, both for the sufferers and their family and friends. A decent enough time waster.

Only God Forgives (2013) Netflix
- I'm a huge fan of Drive, so when I heard that director Nicolas Winding-Refn and star Ryan Gosling were getting back together to make another movie, I was excited. Unfortunately I was disappointed by Only God Forgives. I wanted to like it, I really did. But what was great about Drive (long periods of contemplative, beautifully-shot scenes mixed with brief moments of intense violence) comes off here as over-indulgent. The Thailand setting is refreshing, and Gosling continues to be badass, but Only God Forgives seems to be trying too hard and falls short.

Madhouse (2004) Netflix
- A horror movie set in an insane asylum starring a trio of late-90s, early-2000s "stars" (Blair Witch Project's Joshua Leonard, American Pie's Natasha Lyonne and Cabin Fever's Jordan Ladd). Like Shutter Island there's a mystery to solve (who is killing patients?), but on a far lower budget. Some nice stylistic touches and a decent twist ending, and it's always good to see Josh Leonard getting work.

You're Gonna Miss Me (2005) Netflix
- Music doco about psychadelic rock pioneer Roky Erickson and his downward spiral from musical success in the 1960s and early 70s, to institutionalisation and then ending up as a shell of his former self, living with his mom in poverty. Less a documentary about music and more a frank look at mental illness (a theme I can't seem to get away from at the moment!) and the effects of bad parenting.

TUNE IN JUNE: Brian's Song (1971) AVI
- When I decided to do Tune in June I looked up lists of the top made-for-TV movies, and this one was mentioned on a lot of lists. I'll admit that I knew nothing about it, other than it was about an American Football player who died young. That's the crux of it, but what makes this so special is the great acting by James Caan and Billy Dee Williams, and the way they're able to bring the true-life friendship of Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers to life. Truly touching.

The Tall Man (2012) Netflix
- I think Pascal Laugier's Martyrs is one of the greatest horror movies of the last decade. It's suspenseful, brutal and I was left thinking about it's content for days afterwards. I was excited to hear that Laugier had followed up with this tale of children going missing in a small US mountain town. Whereas Martyrs is a decidedly French movie, this moves to English language, an American setting and American stars, headlined by Jessica Biel. The result is not as brutal as Martyrs but just as thought provoking and suspenseful. Get this man more work!

Strongman (2009) Netflix
- Another documentary, this one about Stanless Steel, a powerful middle-aged showman strong enough to bend pennies with his bare hands. But he's living in poverty, his family is messed up and his relationship with his live-in girlfriend/announcer is hardly ideal. There's no real point to this doco, no real point that it builds to, but it's a frank and honest look at a man who thinks he should be famous but isn't.

TUNE IN JUNE: Time Trax (1993)

Note: Here on Shlock to the System, June is TUNE IN JUNE, which is really just an excuse for me to catch up on some TV series I've been meaning to watch for a while. But I will also be watching a number of TV movies, particularly ones from the hey-day of the TV movie, the 70s and 80s.

 
Time Trax (1993)
Director: Lewis Teague
Starring: Dale Midkiff, Mia Sara, Elizabeth Alexander, Michael Warren, Henry Darrow
Format: VHS

Plot: Captain Darien Lambert (Midkiff) is a police officer in the year 2193, in the elite fugitive retrieval unit. He learns that a prominent scientist has developed a time machine called Trax. For a large fee, he has been sending dangerous criminals back to the year 1993, where they are safe from capture. When Darien corners the scientist, he escapes into the past. Darien also travels to 1993, vowing to retrieve all fugitives and send them back for punishment. Armed with a computer that looks like a credit card, named SELMA (Alexander), and a high-tech laser weapon disguised as a remote car alarm.

This is the two-part pilot of a TV series that apparently lasted two seasons (although I've never seen it, or in fact heard of it before I bought this pilot/movie on VHS). But I quite enjoyed it, and will hopefully come across the series one day and be able to check it out (as far as I can tell it's only available as part of Warner's MOD program, and sells at ridiculous prices).

Because this is a pilot movie, a good portion of it is spent setting up the characters and scenario, which does drag out a bit, but the action really ramps up towards the end, with an exploding boat, a chase through a jungle and someone falling off a massive waterfall. And it's no coincidence that things improve overall once the setting shifts from 2193 to 1993, because the portion set in the future isn't very convincing, or interesting for that matter. The "fish out of water" stuff in 1993 is much more fun.

Dale Midkiff is a likeable enough leading man and he has good chemistry with his love interest, the always-beautiful Mia (FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF), who plays dual roles - a woman in the future who Lambert falls for, and her great-granddaughter in 1993. A year after this she would also star in another time travel story, Jean Claude Van Damme's TIMECOP. Another piece of trivia is that both Midkiff (PET SEMETARY) and director Teague (CUJO) had previously worked on Stephen King adaptions, althought not together.

The hologram companion, coupled with time travel, did make me think of QUANTUM LEAP, with it's similar construct, but Time Trax doesn't have the wry sense of humour of Dean Stockwell's Al.

In summary, if I'd caught this Time Trax pilot back in the day, I'd be tuning in to catch the series to see if it develops well. The concept is interesting and any excuse to look at Mia Sara on a regular basis, am I right?

TUNE IN JUNE: Condor (1986)

Note: Here on Shlock to the System, June is TUNE IN JUNE, which is really just an excuse for me to catch up on some TV series I've been meaning to watch for a while. But I will also be watching a number of TV movies, particularly ones from the hey-day of the TV movie, the 70s and 80s.

Condor (1986)
Director: Virgil W Vogel
Starring: Ray Wise, Wendy Kilbourne, James Avery
Format: Streaming (Netflix)

Plot: In futuristic Los Angeles, a crime-fighting organization known as Condor goes up against the Black Widow, a female master criminal. The Black Widow steals the national security code and threatens to blow up Hollywood unless her old enemy, Proctor, a Condor operative, is turned over to her.

This ABC made-for-TV movie was intended as the pilot for a TV series, but it never happened. Which is a shame, because if this was a series, I'd watch it.

Sure, Condor is pretty damn cheesy but it's also good fun. Most of its appeal is due to leading man Ray Wise (it's hard to believe this is just four years before he'd portray Laura Palmer's dad on TWIN PEAKS), who plays a suave and wise-cracking detective, Proctor.

Attractive blonde Wendy Kilbourne (TV's MIDNIGHT CALLER) is his android partner, Lisa. Naturally Proctor doesn't like having a robot for a partner, and they constantly bicker, as is usually the dynamic in these sorts of shows. Proctor's prejudice against his android partner reminded me of the dynamic in the TV series Alien Nation (as well as Wise's minor resemblence to that series' star, Gary Graham). The late James Avery (Uncle Phil on FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR) turns up in a minor supporting role.

Aside from the good work by Wise, the main reason to watch this is to see how they handle "the future" in 1986. There's plenty of hokey "future" scifi stylings (hands-free driving, robot servants, laser guns, androids, hologram TV) and while the clothing might have seemed quite futuristic at the time, 30 years later it just seems like a slight variation on awful 80s fashions. One funny moment is when Lisa asks Proctor where his PC is. "My what?" he asks, and she replies "Personal Computer". In 1986 this was probably futuristic speak, but today it just seems quaint.

My only real complaint is with the pilot's villain, Rachael Hawkins (Carolyn Seymour), who is as bland as they come. A stronger antagonist might have helped this series get picked up.

Condor isn't anything special, but I was a kid of the 80s who grew up on the TV of the time. This reminded me of any of the various early-80s scifi/crime shows (Street Hawk, Automan, Knight Rider, Airwolf), minus the cool vehicle, but with the overall same sort of vibe. For that reason I enjoyed it, although it's probably not to everyone's tastes.

What I Watched - June 9-15 2014

Note: This was a very slow week in terms of movie watching, with a lot of other stuff going on. But I did manage to take in two more entries for Tune In June as well as a few other random flicks.

WHAT I WATCHED - June 9-15:

Watership Down (1978) DVD
- I first saw this movie (an animated tale about rabbits venturing away from their home) when I was about 6 or 7 years old, at the cinema as part of a class trip. I hadn't seen it since, although some scenes remained vivid in my memory, as did the fact that I cried during some of the sadder moments. I rewatched it with my four-year-old son after all these years and found it to be beautifully-animated and quiet touching. Great voice work by the likes of John Hurt, Richard Briers, Roy Kinnear and Denholm Elliott. Not as sad as I remembered (my young mind must have misinterpreted some of the scenes), although my son said he found some of it a bit scary.

TUNE IN JUNE: Hawaiian Heat (1984) VHS
- I had planned on giving this 1984 TV movie a full review, but somehow I lost my notes. This was the pilot for a TV series that lasted one season. Two Chicago cops (one of whom is Robert Ginty from THE EXTERMINATOR!) move to Hawaii and move in with a group of beautiful women (including Tracy Scoggins from BABYLON 5). They end up working as cops in Hawaii and with all guns blazing take down a drug syndicate. This has a good supporting cast, with the likes of John Fujioka (AMERICAN NINJA), Mako and Branscombe Richmond (RENEGADE). I guess the 80s were a time for shows featuring cops in warm climates, but this is no Magnum PI and it sure isn't Miami Vice. It's corny, blandly shot and has uninteresting leads. Easy to see why it got cancelled after one season.

 Tentacles (1977) Netflix
- My Netflix is working on my main TV again! Woohoo! Upon discovering that fact, I dived into my to-watch list, starting with this Italian-American co-production monster movie. It's obviously an attempt to cash in on the popularity of Jaws two years earlier, with a giant shark replaced by a giant octopus. The effects are good cheesy fun, but what elevates this from z-grade status is the cast, with legends John Huston and Henry Fonda, the rugged Bo Hopkins and the hammy Shelley Winters in great form. Directed by Ovidio G Assonitis (BEYOND THE DOOR).

The Imposter (2012) Netflix
- Intriguing documentary about a French man who impersonated an American teenager who went missing in the early 90s. Travelling all the way from Spain, he is "reunited" with the boy's American family, somehow passing off as the missing boy. It sounds implausible, but as the story unfolds even darker motives are uncovered. This is well put together, mainly from the point of view of the French man, the American family and the authorities.

TUNE IN JUNE: Fortress (1985) AVI
- See full review here.

TUNE IN JUNE: Fortress (1985)

Note: Here on Shlock to the System, June is TUNE IN JUNE, which is really just an excuse for me to catch up on some TV series I've been meaning to watch for a while. But I will also be watching a number of TV movies, particularly ones from the hey-day of the TV movie, the 70s and 80s.

Fortress (1985)
Director: Arch Nicholson
Starring: Rachel Ward, Marc Aden Gray, Rebecca Rigg, Sean Garlick
Format: AVI

Plot: In the Australian countryside, a school teacher and her students are kidnapped by masked men. She and the children fight for their lives and try to escape from their captors.

This Australian made-for-TV movie stars the beautiful Rachel Ward, who was fresh off a series of American big budget movies (SHARKEY'S MACHINE, DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID, AGAINST ALL ODDS), and a supporting cast made up mostly of children actors.

Teacher and children are the focus of the movie, from the moment they're snatched from their classroom and taken into the Aussie bush for ransom, through their escape from a cave, to another run-in with their captors and climaxing in a final, deadly showdown that sees the kids becoming feral warriors, ala Lord of the Flies, but with bad guys on the receiving end instead of other children.

The fact that this is a made-for-TV movie might suggest that the violence is muted. But remember, this is Australian TV, not American. Whereas American network TV is highly censored, that's not the case in Australia (or here in New Zealand). With a story like this, that's an important difference, because the violence is an important part of proceedings and doesn't have to be kept off-screen.

But in saying that, some of the violence is still quite shocking, being that it involves children. And not children as victims, but children as perpetrators. These kids are pushed over the edge and they fight back in a big way.

The kidnappers are kept faceless for all but a brief moment, and their masks really add to the tension. Like in a more recent move, You're Next, seemingly-friendly masks become instruments of terror. Here it's also animal masks, but the ringleader wears a Santa Claus mask, which is all kinds of twisted.

Ward carries the bulk of the acting load (as well as getting her kit off), but most of the children also do a great job of acting terrified and bewildered and then, towards the end, vengeful. None of the young actors went on to become a Heath Ledger or Naomi Watts, but for most part they've all kept working in TV and movies since.

Fortress is a prime example of a made-for-TV movie done right. At just short of 90 minutes it never feels overly-long. Unencumbered by the censorship issues of an American production, it doesn't pull any punches and weaves an entertaining and suspenseful tale which will have you cheering along as the kids mete out their justice.

What I Watched - June 2-8 2014

WHAT I WATCHED: June 2-8:

Lone Survivor (2014) AVI
- Big-screen account of the true-life navy seal operation to kill a Taliban leader in Afghanistan, which as the name suggests didn't go well. From the start you know that only Mark Wahlberg's character will survive, which takes away some of the emotional impact. Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch and Ben Foster are all excellent actors, but don't have much in the way of character development to work with here. But the action is exhilirating and there are enough twists and turns to keep things exciting (an important one prevents this from becoming an exercise in anti-Muslim sentiment). A good watch for action fans.

 Win Win (2011) TV
- I caught this late at night on TV and kept watching mainly due to the presence of Paul Giamatti, who is excellent in everything he does. Giamatti plays a small-town lawyer down on his luck and looking to make a buck by double-crossing an elderly client, until that client's estranged grandson comes to town. Giamatti, a high school wrestling coach, and his family take in the boy, who turns out to be a talented wrestler. Heartfelt and funny, this movie will fly under the radar of many but is definitely worth catching if you get the chance.

Toy Story (1995) Blu Ray
- Father-son movie night and time for another Disney classic. My son has a Buzz Lightyear doll and knows a few of the other characters, but had never seen the movie. This looks great in HD, and of course is one of the all-time great family flicks.


 

TUNE IN JUNE: Gargoyles (1972) AVI
- See full review here
 

American Hustle (2013) AVI
- David O Russell's latest offering has an all-star cast (Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper etc) and is very good. I still like The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook better, but there's a lot to like about this one too. The 70s setting allows for outrageous fashion (the overall look of this film is dazzling) and some fun moments (like Bale getting an early microwave and his wife accidently blowing it up). Bale and Adams are excellent as two con-artists caught by the FBI and trying to find a way out while helping the feds catch other crooks. The plot does drag slightly in the middle, but the payoff is worth it. 
 

TUNE IN JUNE: Deadwood Season 2 (TV series, 2005) DVD
- See full review here