STOP! Motion Time

     This week we close out the month with a gang of puppets moving one frame at a time.

     In 1957, a rare Sumatran rat monkey was smuggled into New Zealand and put on display. When meek Lionel's domineering mother is bit by the rat monkey, he soon finds himself desperately trying to contain a zombie outbreak. The last of Peter Jackson's early splatter comedies, Braindead (aka Dead Alive).
     Norman Babcock can speak to the dead. As the anniversary of the town's witch trial approaches, Norman beings having nightmarish visions of the past. Soon he has to decide if he will continue the yearly traditions of soothing a very restless spirit or choose a new approach. The second feature from Laika, ParaNorman.
     Grace Pudel is a young girl in 1970s Australia. When her father dies, she and her twin brother, Gilbert, are sent to different foster families on opposite sides of the country. Despite Gilbert writing letters promising their reunion, Grace is unable to form connections, which leads to her hording all the snail-themed products she finds. The latest feature from minimalist tragicomedy auteur Adam Elliot, Memoir of a Snail.
     Iria, an extraterrestrial bounty hunter, and her AI sidekick, Bob, arrive on Earth to capture a fugitive. They plan to hold their confrontation in The Zone, a virtual environment, to lessen damage to the natives. Unfortunately, this draws a lot of power and pulls a pair of electric company technicians into the fight. The second feature from tokusatsu mastermind Keita Amemiya- Zeiram.
     All that and Tyler is still euphoric, Craig gets euphemistic, Dave uses some eucaine, and Kevin debates adding a eucleidae to his woodland army. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 462- STOP! Motion Time

400 (Unsimulated) Blows

     This week- we celebrate our 400th episode with a four pack of films, each tailored to our individual tastes. Apparently, we all like crime. A lot.

     When Drew returns home after a long time away, this adoptive sister lover concocts a plan to escape with the addict of his eye. Even if it means murdering their adoptive father. Unfortunately, Papa isn't as slow as everyone else and makes plans of his own. An early film from John Swab, a favorite filmmaker of Tyler's, about existential criminal crisis in the Bible Belt- Let Me Make You a Martyr.
     Cerebral and coolheaded Detective Somerset is looking forward to retiring at the end of the week. His replacement, young and brash Detective Mills, arrives just in time for a little touch passing and training. Unfortunately for them both, this all happens just as a serial killer with a religiously inspire masterplan announces his arrival in sadistic fashion. Both a number close to Kevin's heart and widely considered on of director David Fincher's best films- Seven.
     In 1964, Johnny Bartlett was executed for killing 12 people at the local hospital. In 1990 Frank Bannister's wife died under mysterious circumstances with the number "13" craved into her forehead. The trauma leaves Frank with the ability to communicate with ghosts. Now Frank leads a pack of spirited haunters and is about to learn that Bartlett's rampage might not be as far in the past as everyone assumes it it. An uneven goofy romp with deeply disturbing meta undertones, just like Dave, and the first major effects project helmed by Peter Jackson- The Frighteners.
     Gal and his wife have long since left their seedy London criminal origins for a nice quiet life in Spain. When they get the news that an old psychotic associate, Don, will soon be arriving with a job offer. Unwilling to take no for an answer and with a violent temper that knows little restraint, Gal just might find himself back with the gang for one more heist. The first feature from Craig's favorite director and costarring a fistful of his favorite actors- Sexy Beast.
     All that and a twist ending that leaves three of the Raiders devastated. Join us, won't you?
  Episode 400- 400 (Unsimulated) Blows