Saturday, November 27, 2021

Dishes Served Cold

     We draw November to a close with four courses of revenge severed at the proper temperatures.

     The first entry in Park Chan-wook's Vengeance Trilogy. Ryu is desperate to get his sister the transplant she needs. Dong-jin is desperate to get his young daughter returned to him safely. When their paths are set on a collision, the bloody trail of bodies doesn't undermine your Sympathy for Mr Vengeance.
     Nick Hume witnesses his eldest son be brutally murdered in a gang initiation. When he learns of the system's offer, he decides to take his own course of payback. Soon Nick is in deeper than he imagined and his remaining family is at risk as the gang's own revenge begins. For every action they all find a Death Sentence.
     Thana, a mute seamstress working in New York's Garment District, is raped at gun point. She survives the attack and stumbles home. Only to find a burglar in her apartment, who decides to rape her a second time. Being constantly under different attacks from the dangerously gendered city, Thana soon starts going out at night to avenge herself on the city's predators. Lessening the subgenre's usual fantasy for a slightly more grounded, though still highly exploitation driven, exploration of the trauma, rage, and fear women experience in the everyday in the world... Ms .45. 
     Three working women are pushed too far by their sexist, bigoted, egomaniacal, hypocrite of a boss. When their flight of fancy accidentally spill into the office, they seize a bold plan to keep their boss in line through mutually assured destruction. They get it all done between 9 to 5.
     All that and Dave used a song from we are lady parts (which you should watch), Tyler dreams in Capcom isometric horror, and after a fall down the stairs Kevin now lives in a noir hellscape.
     Join us, won't you?
Episode 233- Dishes Served Cold


Saturday, November 20, 2021

Stone's Double Crossing

     This week a trio of period pieces sweeping from the 1920s through modern times and ending up in 2509 that might just sum up the depth and breadth of human existence... but probably not.
     Tom Reagan is the right-hand man of a political boss who runs a US city at the height of Prohibition. When the boss extends his protection to a bookie's conniving competitor, Tom soon finds himself playing for the other side as a street war threatens to erupt. His loyalty questioned by his new employer, blackmailed by a third interest, and target number two on his former boss's hit list. Tom may find himself left at Miller's Crossing.
     Five years after learning trust and the value of others, Richard B. Riddick threw that all away to go to a disused Star Trek set and scamper free. Unfortunately, others conspire to bring him back to civilization to stop the galactic threat of the Necromongers, a group of hardcore H.R. Giger and Norwegian Black Metal fans. A threat that only he can face. Because there are prophecies and magic and elementals now... and he is still wanted despite everyone thinking he's dead and he talks about being a bad guy a LOT despite never doing anything actually bad.... yon know what? Just go with The Chronicles of Riddick.
     The final pick of pain from our "friend", Stone. A modern retelling of a classic Poe tale. Told in a way that makes the viewer long for the sweet sweet release of death from being chopped up and stuck under some floorboards or, you know, the movie end. Whichever is faster. The Tell-Tale Heart.
     All that and Dave has two visions, Tyler finally becomes a real live boy, and Kevin catches up with his favorite doll. Join us, won't you?

Episode 232: Stone's Double Crossing


Saturday, November 13, 2021

Vanity Hell Detective

     This week three films about people trying to stop evil.

     October 1986, the bodies of two women are found raped and murdered outside a small town. The local detectives are out of their depth, evidence is improperly collected, crime scenes are destroyed, their methods are ethically questionable, and forensics is almost nonexistent.  Loosely based on the true story of Korea's first serial killer, Memories of Murder.
     If you contact the Hell Correspondence website at exactly the right time and enter the name of someone you have a grudge against, they will be dragged to Hell. Miho and Hakura are massive fans of pop metal singer Maki. When Maki's protégé is dragged to hell, he soon sets his sights on Hakura. A cult, music, plans for global destruction, betrayals, blood attacks... and Hell Girl waits for names.
     Big time Hollywood actor-director-producer-writer-icon, Bruce Campbell, is taken to a small town of Gold Lick, Oregon. There he will make a lot of references, lots of homophobic jokes, force Ted Raimi to be his personal Rob Schneider, just so much racism, and ultimately face off against an ancient Chinese god. Do you like Bruce Campbell? Because if you like Bruce Campbell even a tiny tiny fraction as much as Bruce Campbell likes Bruce Campbell and the money he can milk from Bruce Campbell cult followers then Bruce Campbell has a very special message.... My Name is Bruce (Campbell).
     All that and Kevin has a Raymond Chandler evening, Tyler prepares himself for the FULL Diesel, and Dave does the time warp (again). Join us, won't we? 

Episode 231- Vanity Hell Detective


Saturday, November 6, 2021

Lunch with Jercules

    This week November brings two films that premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and Stone makes a brief pop in to deliver some pain.

     Simon, also known as John Q masked singer of  local punk band PSYOPS, needs a place to lie low for a couple days. Patty is a painfully awkward introvert with health issues and John Q's most obsessed fan. A super agro, infectiously punk anti-romcom romcom with an incredible lead performance that is sure to be a favorite of youths looking for their own voices for years to come... Dinner in America.
     Zola is a waitress and occasional dance in Detroit. When she becomes fast friends in with Stephani, dancer and part time escort, Zola gets swept up in a nightmarish weekend trip to Florida. A tale that launched a million Tweets recreated for the screen with hyper stylized visuals and walking the line between social media satire and harrowing glimpse at the economy of male lust, Zola.
     Hercules, traditionally, was a great champion of the weak whose strength and far flung adventures have been told through centuries. Renny Harlin's 2014 feature throws all of that away for bad CG, terrible fights, and a cast who shouldn't be allowed to act ever... not even in local dinner theater. Specifically brought out to cause pain of us, it does it's job and at least one is left a weeping mess. The only thing this Legend of Hercules should have left behind is a lot of dead careers.
     All that and Tyler loves to love, Kevin finally catches up on the latest thang, and Dave just can't hold it in. Join us, won't we?

Episode 230- Lunch with Jercules