Clue #2: This month's movie co-stars an actress who's in another film on our possible re-screen list.
Tape Freaks Presents: January's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, January 1st @ 7:00pm, only $5!
****Purchase advance ticket here****
December 30, 2019
Second Clue: January's Mystery Movie
Tape Freaks Presents: January's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, January 1st @ 7:00pm, only $5!
December 29, 2019
First Clue: January's Mystery Movie
Clue #1: This month's movie is a fun filled action flick.
Tape Freaks Presents: January's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, January 1st @ 7:00pm, only $5!
****Purchase advance ticket here****
December 4, 2019
Third Clue: December's Mystery Movie
Clue #3: This month's movie could be considered an anthology, though it's entirely different from any anthology we've ever encountered.
Tape Freaks Presents: December's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, December 1st @ 7:00pm, only $5!
Tape Freaks Presents: December's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, December 1st @ 7:00pm, only $5!
****Purchase advance ticket here****
December 3, 2019
Media that Kills: So Many Different Ways
Media kills in so many ways, it's honestly surprising how varied this genre is. It never fails to delight me to see what filmmakers will do with such a seemingly simple premise.
Black Roses: This movie fits our theme in a few ways, but I gotta say, this scene is probably the most literal interpretation of "media that kills" that I could ever find! (Excuse the Spanish, it's the only version I could find.)
The Ring: Like a haunted chain letter from hell, media can kill you for merely consuming it as intended. [Side story: before the US remake of The Ring was released, an unmarked version of this short film was mailed to my job. We watched it, and were thoroughly confused. A day or two later, free passes to a sneak preview of The Ring also showed up at my job. A few of us went to the screening and I was EXTREMELY UNNERVED when the tape we watched just days before was a key part of the film. When I got home, I unplugged everything in my house (except the fridge) and didn't plug anything back in for a good 9 days, just to be on the safe side.]
Videodrome: Definitely the most "out there" in this category, the voice-over explains it best, "TV will change your mind, Videodrome will change your body."
The Running Man: Sometimes when media kills, it's by design. (This was one of my favorite movies as a kid, and I'm really not sure what that says about me...)
Terrorvision: Media can bring a monster directly to your living room.
Black Roses: This movie fits our theme in a few ways, but I gotta say, this scene is probably the most literal interpretation of "media that kills" that I could ever find! (Excuse the Spanish, it's the only version I could find.)
The Ring: Like a haunted chain letter from hell, media can kill you for merely consuming it as intended. [Side story: before the US remake of The Ring was released, an unmarked version of this short film was mailed to my job. We watched it, and were thoroughly confused. A day or two later, free passes to a sneak preview of The Ring also showed up at my job. A few of us went to the screening and I was EXTREMELY UNNERVED when the tape we watched just days before was a key part of the film. When I got home, I unplugged everything in my house (except the fridge) and didn't plug anything back in for a good 9 days, just to be on the safe side.]
Videodrome: Definitely the most "out there" in this category, the voice-over explains it best, "TV will change your mind, Videodrome will change your body."
The Running Man: Sometimes when media kills, it's by design. (This was one of my favorite movies as a kid, and I'm really not sure what that says about me...)
Terrorvision: Media can bring a monster directly to your living room.
Brainscan: But media can also make you the monster...
Pontypool: And with no further explanation, Pontypool is on this list. (Just watch it.)
Second Clue: December's Mystery Movie
Clue #2: This month's movie features one of the first lead roles for an actor who's become something of staple in the indy-horror genre.
Tape Freaks Presents: December's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, December 4th @ 7:00pm, only $5!
Tape Freaks Presents: December's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, December 4th @ 7:00pm, only $5!
****Purchase advance ticket here****
December 1, 2019
First Clue: December's Mystery Movie
Clue #1: This month's movie is an underrated genre-mashing indy horror. (It should also be noted that there's a fair amount of brutal violence in this film but, the film offers much more than brutality alone.)
Tape Freaks Presents: December's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, December 4th @ 7:00pm, only $5!
Tape Freaks Presents: December's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, December 4th @ 7:00pm, only $5!
****Purchase advance ticket here****
November 5, 2019
Third Clue: November's Mystery Movie
Clue #3: The director of this month's movie only directed 13 films, one of which was among the first movies we screened at the Trylon!
Tape Freaks Presents: November's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, November 6th @ 7:00pm, only $5!
****Purchase advance ticket here****
Lost in Translation: The Two Akira's
Many, many, many, many years ago (in the mid 90s) a friend of mine introduced me to the wonders of anime. Movies like Fist of the North Star, Ninja Scroll, Lily C.A.T., Vampire Hunter D, Ghost in the Shell, and Wicked City captured my attention and shifted my expectation of what animation could be while introducing me to the twisted side of Japanese animation. Some of the movies (all on VHS) were subtitled, but most of them were dubbed in English. Although I was no stranger to watching foreign films (as my mother was a movie fanatic), but these were the first dubbed films I had encountered, and having never had a problem understanding subtitled foreign language films, I assumed dubbed versions would be that much easier to follow! At least, that's how I felt before my friend brought over a dubbed version of Akira. Never have I been more determined to understand a film that seemed to refuse to be comprehended, and as a result, there might only be one movie I've seen more times that the dubbed version of Akira.
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For anyone who's not watched anime from that time period, or maybe not seen Akira, there's a ocean of difference between watching, say Fist of the North Star, where there's gore abound but the animation quality is lower, and watching Akira. Comparing the two would be akin to comparing John Carpenter's Halloween and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon; the only real direct comparison being their both live action genre movies. Akira considerably raised the bar on what animation could achieve through both storytelling and visual effects.* But if you'd only seen the dubbed version, you'd only agree with the second half of that statement.
Akira has some of the most intricate, resplendent cell animation you'll ever see, but the dubbing is akin to most Americanized anime TV shows of the time, with "ahhhhhhhh"ing and "huuuuuuhhhhh"ing peppered into sparse and disconnected dialogue. The only logical conclusion I could draw from that disconnect was that I was missing something in the dialogue, some key phrase somewhere that pulled all the disconnected ideas together. And on one level I was correct; on another, more immediately important level, I was too trusting of the ability of dubbing to effectively communicate the nuances of plot and character development.
In all I probably watched the dubbed version ten times before giving up all hope. And then, a few months later, someone gave me a bootleg of the subtitled version. Not only was the dubbed version missing LOADS of plot nuance, it was missing key bits of the main characters relationships, backstory, and most importantly, it was missing the poetry of the story. Up to that moment in my life, I had never felt more vindicated: this glorious visual feast of a movie ACTUALLY HAD A WELL THOUGHT OUT PLOT, WELL DEVELOPED CHARACTERS, AND LAYERS OF DEEPER MEANING. This was indeed the masterpiece I had always felt it must be, and for years after that, if someone wanted to watch a dubbed version of something, I opted to not watch the film at all.
Sometimes you just have to read a movie to get the intended experience. Next time you're deciding between dubbed and subtitled, see if you can watch both at the same time, and see for yourself the difference. (Or watch the dubbed version so many times you accidentally memorize the dialogue and compare them that way...)
*(If you want to know more about Akira's cultural impact, Karla Clark's article on the subject is a pretty good place to start.)
For anyone who's not watched anime from that time period, or maybe not seen Akira, there's a ocean of difference between watching, say Fist of the North Star, where there's gore abound but the animation quality is lower, and watching Akira. Comparing the two would be akin to comparing John Carpenter's Halloween and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon; the only real direct comparison being their both live action genre movies. Akira considerably raised the bar on what animation could achieve through both storytelling and visual effects.* But if you'd only seen the dubbed version, you'd only agree with the second half of that statement.
Akira has some of the most intricate, resplendent cell animation you'll ever see, but the dubbing is akin to most Americanized anime TV shows of the time, with "ahhhhhhhh"ing and "huuuuuuhhhhh"ing peppered into sparse and disconnected dialogue. The only logical conclusion I could draw from that disconnect was that I was missing something in the dialogue, some key phrase somewhere that pulled all the disconnected ideas together. And on one level I was correct; on another, more immediately important level, I was too trusting of the ability of dubbing to effectively communicate the nuances of plot and character development.
Sometimes you just have to read a movie to get the intended experience. Next time you're deciding between dubbed and subtitled, see if you can watch both at the same time, and see for yourself the difference. (Or watch the dubbed version so many times you accidentally memorize the dialogue and compare them that way...)
*(If you want to know more about Akira's cultural impact, Karla Clark's article on the subject is a pretty good place to start.)
Lost in Translation: Centipede Horror
Thanks to Gregg for contributing a guest piece for this month's theme! Gregg Kapsalis is a local genre fan who loves watching, reading about and discussing all things related to genre movies! Check out his horror group "Twin Cities Genre Group" on Facebook and join the conversation!
Quick! What bug movie gave you the worst creepy-crawlies? Argento’s Phenomena (aka Creepers)? Creepshow? Arachnophobia? Kingdom of Spiders? Well, allow me to submit to you a possible new answer to that question: Centipede Horror.
Even before the title card appears, we are provided with creepy-crawly inducing voice-over and images:
The plot involves a young lady who wants to visit Southeast Asia with her friend. While her Grandmother forbids anyone from the family visiting this region she talks her older brother into allowing her. He does make her promise to wear their Grandmother’s medallion to keep her safe while traveling. Of course, early in their vacation, the young lady decide the medallion is too heavy to wear and it’s unceremoniously ditched, and she and her friend swiftly die under mysterious and horrifying circumstances. Her brother comes looking for answers and discovers that an evil wizard has been using his powers to exact revenge on the descendants of the man responsible for the destruction of his village. The Wizard’s revenge tactic of choice: casting a spell that causes his victims to vomit up live centipedes, which then eat said victim. Eventually the previously ditched medallion is used to summon a cobra that kills the wizard thus ending his quest for revenge.
Centipede Horror, like all cinema, is best understood in the context of its home culture. So I’ll leave you with a few things I noticed that might have made more sense to it’s home audience.
1) One of the first things the young ladies do on their vacation is purchase grass jelly from a street vendor. A quick google search told me that it’s a jelly-type dessert eaten in East Asia served chilled, often with toppings such as fruit and has a “mild, and has a slightly bitter” taste. It doesn’t seem like the sort of thing you’d enjoy as a mid-jog treat, but it seems that both girls enjoy it while doing just that. (Personally, I’d settle for a cold water and a granola bar.)
2) Apparently anyone can have a heart-attack from simply seeing centipedes! One of the young ladies is attacked by centipedes while on a hike, covering her from head to toe. The trauma of seeing her friend covered in centipedes causes the young friend to die of a heart attack on the spot. I will repeat that: a young lady of maybe 16 years of age, instantly dies from a heart attack after seeing her friend covered in centipedes. It makes you wonder if dying of fright is a commonly accepted cause of death in Hong Kong
3) At times the acting feels somewhat stilted or hammy (like the grass jelly vendor evil-villain mugging to the camera). Some of that could be attributed to budget constraints and a less experienced director, but it also seems to be pretty common place for the era and the region. It is also hard to tell if it’s a throwback to silent Hollywood films (when everyone overacted, to ensure nothing is missed by the audience), or if that was an organically universal way to make low budget films.
This movie is seriously bonkers! The gore effects are truly stomach churning, and the cast and crew must be applauded for their bravery. These are not CGI bugs crawling over all our actors, these are real, biting, hissing centipedes! While it somewhat relies on some old tropes, that never deters from the fun. It’s a cheeky, gross, creepy-crawly movie that plays well to a crowd of fun-loving, brave souls. So grab some of your more squeamish friends and give this one a shot!
Even before the title card appears, we are provided with creepy-crawly inducing voice-over and images:
"Centipede is a worm-like animal with a long, flat segmented body and many legs. Its body is made up of 22 segments. Each is provided with a single pair of walking legs. It's head bears a pair of antennae and eyes in the form of one or many pairs of ocelli. The first pair of trunk limbs are shaped like hooks. The tips of the claws have tiny holes which are connected to poison glands inside. When the centipede stings its prey, venom is injected into the body of the victim immediately. If the victim is not treated in time, he dies rapidly. Centipedes live under stones or hide in moist, dark places forging insects for food."
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| Just let your eyeballs soak in those horrifying images. |
The plot involves a young lady who wants to visit Southeast Asia with her friend. While her Grandmother forbids anyone from the family visiting this region she talks her older brother into allowing her. He does make her promise to wear their Grandmother’s medallion to keep her safe while traveling. Of course, early in their vacation, the young lady decide the medallion is too heavy to wear and it’s unceremoniously ditched, and she and her friend swiftly die under mysterious and horrifying circumstances. Her brother comes looking for answers and discovers that an evil wizard has been using his powers to exact revenge on the descendants of the man responsible for the destruction of his village. The Wizard’s revenge tactic of choice: casting a spell that causes his victims to vomit up live centipedes, which then eat said victim. Eventually the previously ditched medallion is used to summon a cobra that kills the wizard thus ending his quest for revenge.
Centipede Horror, like all cinema, is best understood in the context of its home culture. So I’ll leave you with a few things I noticed that might have made more sense to it’s home audience.
1) One of the first things the young ladies do on their vacation is purchase grass jelly from a street vendor. A quick google search told me that it’s a jelly-type dessert eaten in East Asia served chilled, often with toppings such as fruit and has a “mild, and has a slightly bitter” taste. It doesn’t seem like the sort of thing you’d enjoy as a mid-jog treat, but it seems that both girls enjoy it while doing just that. (Personally, I’d settle for a cold water and a granola bar.)2) Apparently anyone can have a heart-attack from simply seeing centipedes! One of the young ladies is attacked by centipedes while on a hike, covering her from head to toe. The trauma of seeing her friend covered in centipedes causes the young friend to die of a heart attack on the spot. I will repeat that: a young lady of maybe 16 years of age, instantly dies from a heart attack after seeing her friend covered in centipedes. It makes you wonder if dying of fright is a commonly accepted cause of death in Hong Kong
3) At times the acting feels somewhat stilted or hammy (like the grass jelly vendor evil-villain mugging to the camera). Some of that could be attributed to budget constraints and a less experienced director, but it also seems to be pretty common place for the era and the region. It is also hard to tell if it’s a throwback to silent Hollywood films (when everyone overacted, to ensure nothing is missed by the audience), or if that was an organically universal way to make low budget films.
This movie is seriously bonkers! The gore effects are truly stomach churning, and the cast and crew must be applauded for their bravery. These are not CGI bugs crawling over all our actors, these are real, biting, hissing centipedes! While it somewhat relies on some old tropes, that never deters from the fun. It’s a cheeky, gross, creepy-crawly movie that plays well to a crowd of fun-loving, brave souls. So grab some of your more squeamish friends and give this one a shot! November 4, 2019
Second Clue: November's Mystery Movie
Clue #2: This month's movie stars an actor who would later star in one of the most popular genre movies of the early 2000s.
Tape Freaks Presents: November's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, November 6th @ 7:00pm, only $5!
****Purchase advance ticket here****
November 3, 2019
First Clue: November's Mystery Movie
Clue #1: This month's movie is an off the wall 80s action-horror flick.
Tape Freaks Presents: November's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, November 6th @ 7:00pm, only $5!
****Purchase advance ticket here****
October 1, 2019
Third Clue: October's Mystery Movie
Clue #3: This month's movie is difficult to write about without spoilers, but somehow I've managed to write about it twice on our blog...
Tape Freaks Presents: October's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, October 2nd @ 7:00pm, only $5!
Tape Freaks Presents: October's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, October 2nd @ 7:00pm, only $5!
****Purchase advance ticket here****
September 30, 2019
Second Clue: October's Mystery Movie
Clue #2: This month's movie comes from a country that doesn't produce a lot of genre movies, but the genre movies they do produce are typically very good.
Tape Freaks Presents: October's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, October 2nd @ 7:00pm, only $5!
Tape Freaks Presents: October's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, October 2nd @ 7:00pm, only $5!
****Purchase advance ticket here****
September 28, 2019
First Clue: October's Mystery Movie
Clue #1: This month's movie is a genre mashing movie that is best watched knowing as little about it as possible.
****Purchase advance ticket here****
September 3, 2019
Third Clue: September's Mystery Movie
Clue #3: One of the actors in this month's movie is well known for reprising a popular roll in a particularly popular film franchise, and although he has a handful of TV acting credits, this might well be his only other film credit.
Tape Freaks Presents: September's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, September 4th @ 7:00pm, only $5!
****Purchase advance ticket here****
September 2, 2019
Second Clue: September's Mystery Movie
Clue #2: The star of this month's movie went on to voice the titular character in a widely popular animated series from the UK.
Tape Freaks Presents: September's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, September 4th @ 7:00pm, only $5!
****Purchase advance ticket here****
August 30, 2019
First Clue: September's Mystery Movie
Clue #1: Unlike some of the more popular films in this category, this month's "transportation" is doing much of the killing without the aid of humans.
Tape Freaks Presents: September's Mystery Movie at the Trylon Cinema, September 4th @ 7:00pm, only $5!
****Purchase advance ticket here****
August 7, 2019
Third Clue: August's Mystery Movie
Clue #3: The stars of this month’s movie are closely related to one another.
****Purchase advance ticket here****
August 5, 2019
Second Clue: August's Mystery Movie
Clue #2: This month’s movie was directed someone who is more established in the horror genre, but did not shy away from sci-fi.
****Purchase advance ticket here****
August 2, 2019
First Clue: August's Mystery Movie
Clue #1: This month’s movie is an underrated classic on the fun end of the space-aliens-attack-earth genre.
****Purchase advance ticket here****
Space Aliens Invade Earth: Unacknowledged
It's no secret that the writing half of Tape Freaks (Colette here) doesn't enjoy space alien movies. Movies like E.T. and Fire in the Sky, ruined my ability to enjoy this genre long ago. (There are exceptions to the rule, but generally, it takes a lot for me to even want to watch one.) But recently, upon my second-youngest sister's recommendation, I watched a documentary about space aliens. And not entirely unlike E.T., the bad guys of this movie were also bureaucrats! But also like in E.T., that offered me little comfort. In the weeks since, I've asked almost every nerd I've come across if they've watched this movie, because honestly, I NEED TO DISCUSS THIS THING WITH MORE PEOPLE!
The topic of this documentary: The Disclosure Project has spent decades trying to get our government to release to the public all the intelligence it has on alien technology. At some point along the way, they began trying to get it released to elected government officials and high ranking military officials as well. The documentary focuses in on the unexpected reasons UFOs encounters have been relegated to the tabloids for so many decades.
Don't believe it's for real?: I don't blame you. I was watching this doc while meal prepping, and at some point it started to seem like I should maybe be paying fuller attention. So I watched it a second time, and you know what? I've been sucked into conspiracy theories before, and I've been sucked into well-meaning-but-clearly-biased documentaries; this didn't seem to fit either of those categories. There were several points in this doc that made me stop and think “that actually makes way more sense as a motive than [any number of conspiracies that never made much sense to me]”. It honestly took very little suspension of disbelief to accept the information presented throughout the film.
Questions I've often asked that this documentary answered handily: Why (in an time when we carry computers/communication devices in our pockets) are we still relying EXTREMELY outdated technology for all our transportation and energy needs? In fiction, why are space aliens so often portrayed as evil invaders hell bent on conquering our planet, often for EXCEPTIONALLY flimsy reasons? Why would space aliens be so interested in probing our orifices? Why are UFO encounters from unreliable witnesses amplified so loudly, when there are credible witnesses of UFO encounters from around the globe? If there was an electric car to be killed, so many decades ago, why are our current electric cars so expensive and mostly still dependent on fossil fuels? (I could honestly go on all day.)
Other things I'll ask about if you've seen this one: Have you seen/read The Watchmen?
In the end, this was not a documentary about aliens: This was yet another reason we should abandon capitalism.
What wild documentary did I end up watching next?: The Pyramid Code. That one was more conspiracy leaning, but still offered some ideas that were similarly interesting and overlapping. (Some of the questions they examine: Why do we insist on infantilizing our ancient societies? Why would the technologies that ancient societies used be lost over time?)
But do we recommend it?: The subject matter is interesting, and it's a well made documentary collecting interesting perspectives (that are often overlooked in favor of more outrageous claims) all in one place. (Plus it's narrated by Giancarlo Esposito!) But be the judge yourself! It's currently on Netflix*, so watch it before you come to Tape Freaks because I SERIOUSLY NEED TO DISCUSS THIS MOVIE WITH MORE PEOPLE!
*Blogger's comment section remains a complete and total mystery to me. I edited this post to reflect that this movie is available on Netflix!
July 3, 2019
So Many Star Wars Movies: Content Warning
Facebook is giving us tons of problems today, so if you are also having trouble and were wondering about content warnings: we didn't have any for this month's screening.
But, if you are worried about any possible content, please email us and we'll get back to you ASAP!
Tim: TimMonsters@gmail.com
Colette (me): EmmaLowmax@gmail.com
Seriously, if you are ever concerned about possible content (violence, gore, language, clowns, misogyny, racism, animal death, tubas, explosions, nudity, literally anything), do not hesitate to reach out! We would rather people get fun surprises at our screenings rather than have their PTSD suddenly triggered.
But, if you are worried about any possible content, please email us and we'll get back to you ASAP!
Tim: TimMonsters@gmail.com
Colette (me): EmmaLowmax@gmail.com
Seriously, if you are ever concerned about possible content (violence, gore, language, clowns, misogyny, racism, animal death, tubas, explosions, nudity, literally anything), do not hesitate to reach out! We would rather people get fun surprises at our screenings rather than have their PTSD suddenly triggered.
Third Clue: July's Mystery Movie
Clue #3: This month's movie is an alternate cut, one that most people prefer but don't get to experience too often.
****Purchase advance ticket here****
July 2, 2019
So Many Star Wars Movies: The Holiday Special
If you've never seen the Star Wars Holiday Special, then it might not be confusing when I say that people gather at the Bryant Lake Bowl every year to watch it. (They also collect donations for Toys for Tots, a lot of donations.) It's a great gathering of people who want to have fun while watching something so, so, so, so very bad it hurts. No really, let me tell you how bad things get:
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| Seems reasonable so far, right? |
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| Oh. Well that's not creepy... |
The plot unfolds something like this: Chewbacca's family (Malla, Lumpy, and Itchy) are preparing for Chewbacca's return from a Rebel space mission so the family can celebrate Life Day together. A local trader and family friend (Art Carnie) arrives at the family home just ahead of an Imperial ship, who want to search the home for Chewbacca, who is luckily still on his mission. From here it turns into your standard holiday special of the time, with special guest stars singing and dancing their way through the most painful performances of their lives.
I might have failed to mention: In the first twenty mins of this show, the only dialogue is spoken in Wookie. "How fun!" you might have thought. But I also might have failed to mention that there are absolutely zero subtitles translating all that dialogue, so you're literally watching the opening of a show where you stand no chance of understanding what's going on. For. Twenty. Whole. Minutes.
There's so much more that's hard to believe: The Wookie opening to the movie only seems like it could be the wildest thing that happens in the special, but there's also a scene where the grandpa Wookie (Itchy) watches what amounts to a VR lap dance, in the family living room. We not only get to see the VR show through his eyes, but we're treated to his reactions as well.
Another thing that's hard to believe: The Holiday Special gives us the first appearance of Boba Fett.
And so, so, so, so much more weirdness: I can't even begin to explain how far off the rails this special goes, it's honestly something you have to witness to fully understand.
The Bryant Lake Bowl tradition: The entry fee to this spectacular spectacle is a toy donation for Toys for Tots. Every year the number of toys collected grows substantially, which seems to mean the attendance also grows each year. (Or at least the hopeful attendance grows, as the shows inevitably "sell" out.) Before the first SWHS BLB screening event, Chris Grap (the mastermind behind this event) reached out to the writer of this mind-boggling show and, to everyone's total surprise, got a response: a letter apologizing for the atrocity that is the Star Wars Holiday Special. So every year, Chris Grap reads this formal letter of apology to an audience dressed to the Star Wars nines, who are bursting with generosity, and are ready to sit through one of the most painful attempt at entertainment to ever cross the airwaves.
What's that? You still want to join this mind-melting tradition?: Honestly, the only way I can imagine watching the SWHS is surrounded by a sea of Star Wars cosplayers who've all gathered in the spirit of generosity and fun. If you're gonna watch the SWHS, this is one hundred percent the way to go. (Like their FB page to stay updated on screening dates.)
Second Clue: July's Mystery Movie
Clue #2: This month's movie features an actor early in his career, who would go on to act in over 300 other projects, with some of his more iconic rolls coming later in life.
****Purchase advance ticket here****
July 1, 2019
So Many Star Wars Movies: Even Actual Star Wars Movies!
Before I get into it here, let me be clear: even when we don't like a movie ourselves, we will never judge you for liking a movie. We might joke about it or give you guff, but really, we just want you to enjoy what makes you happy! And that goes for everything (unless you're hurting someone else*): drink a pumpkin spice latte, eat a pizza with pineapple on it, go for a bike ride when it's 90 degrees out (stay hydrated please), go for a jog, ferment your own hot sauce, post pictures of your pets/kids/food/self to social media, wear a crop-top (on any body), paint your nails a fun/sparkly color. We are on this planet once, do the things you want to do (without hurting anyone else*). And just as importantly, let other people enjoy their own runs on this planet (as long as they're not hurting anyone else*). There's room for everyone to experience joy.
Even in the Star Wars movie franchise, there are a lot of Star Wars movies. Some are more wholly accepted than others, some are more wholly dismissed than others, some even shift where they fall on that scale over time. But the one that gets the most universally dragged, by far, is The Phantom Menace. This movie is so actively despised and ridiculed that some of the actors involved quit acting all together. I'm not sure people should have quit acting all together because of one character they played (Robert Pattinson for instance is a much better actor than his Twilight roles), but full disclosure: I've never seen The Phantom Menace.
Everything I know about this movie I learned from watching the Red Letter Media review, listening to people complain about it, and seeing it parodied in pop culture. It wasn't until I started asking people from a younger generation about the prequels that I got any positive feedback on this movie (or the next two really). People who saw Episodes I-III when they were younger have a genuine love for these films, and who's to say they should feel any other way? But when you hold them all together, there are some clear reasons that the prequels fall pretty far down the enjoyable-list for fans of the franchise.
When I watched the Red Letter Media reviews I learned a TON, not just about the films themselves, but about writing and film in general. And even if you enjoy The Phantom Menace, this is a pretty unflinching examination of why most people didn't, but it's also very constructive in it's criticism. (Also, they're hilarious!) So, if you've never watched these reviews, or haven't revisited them in a long time, watch these cultural gems and remind yourself that films can be enjoyed even when they are epically and unequivocally bad!
*Seriously, if you derive pleasure from hurting other people, stop what you're doing and allow yourself to get help. There are people who dedicate their lives and careers to helping people move past unhealthy expressions of anger and frustration. Here's a very good resource to start with, and remember that getting help is literally part of human nature, even though our dominant society is set up to keep us isolated and suffering: Walk In Counseling Center (Minneapolis and St Paul)
June 26, 2019
First Clue: July's Mystery Movie
Clue #1: This month's movie features an actor who would go on to play a fan-favorite Batman villain in three different Batman adaptations.
****Purchase advance ticket here****
June 4, 2019
Third Clue: June's Mystery Movie
Clue #3: This month's movie's casting director was also casting director for Ghostbusters, Action Jackson, Death Becomes Her, and Dr. Giggles.
****Purchase advance ticket here****
Space Alien Action: The Hidden
A detective movie starting Kyle MacLachlan and featuring body-jumping space alien? Yes please! This movie is full of weirdness, cameos, and chase scenes. (It's also a movie we love, as evidenced here.)
The plot unfolds something like this: A string of normal every day people are suddenly committing crimes with no apparent motivation. The only thing that connects them to one another are their brief proximity to one another at some point after each crime is committed. The only person who seems to think this is a connection worth following is FBI Special Agent Lloyd Gallagher. He's on the case and won't rest until he gets to the bottom of this strange case.
FBI Special Agent Kyle MacLachlan: This movie predates Twin Peaks by a few years, but in both this movie and Twin Peaks, MacLachlan's character is an FBI Special Agent.
The chases: This movie is basically one long chase scene, in a really good way! Each time Agent Gallagher gets close to the alien, it's switches bodies and gives him the slip and a new chase begins!
The fun people who pop up in this film: Lin Shaye, Danny Trejo, Ed O'Ross, Clu Gulager, Chris Mulkey, Claudia Christian, and so many more!
Fun people who worked behind the scenes: Katherine Kean worked as an animator on this film, and on films like Conan the Barbarian, The Thing, The Fly II, and unfortunately, Fear No Evil. The cinematographer, Jacques Haitkin, also shot A Nightmare on Elm Street, Bloodsport 2, Scanner Cop, The Ambulance, My Demon Lover and many more b-movie gems.
But did we like it: This movie is pretty fast paced, action packed, weird at most turns, has a fun soundtrack, and is dripping in 80s aesthetic; it's a fun watch for anyone who likes any of those elements!
The plot unfolds something like this: A string of normal every day people are suddenly committing crimes with no apparent motivation. The only thing that connects them to one another are their brief proximity to one another at some point after each crime is committed. The only person who seems to think this is a connection worth following is FBI Special Agent Lloyd Gallagher. He's on the case and won't rest until he gets to the bottom of this strange case.
FBI Special Agent Kyle MacLachlan: This movie predates Twin Peaks by a few years, but in both this movie and Twin Peaks, MacLachlan's character is an FBI Special Agent.The chases: This movie is basically one long chase scene, in a really good way! Each time Agent Gallagher gets close to the alien, it's switches bodies and gives him the slip and a new chase begins!
The fun people who pop up in this film: Lin Shaye, Danny Trejo, Ed O'Ross, Clu Gulager, Chris Mulkey, Claudia Christian, and so many more!
Fun people who worked behind the scenes: Katherine Kean worked as an animator on this film, and on films like Conan the Barbarian, The Thing, The Fly II, and unfortunately, Fear No Evil. The cinematographer, Jacques Haitkin, also shot A Nightmare on Elm Street, Bloodsport 2, Scanner Cop, The Ambulance, My Demon Lover and many more b-movie gems.But did we like it: This movie is pretty fast paced, action packed, weird at most turns, has a fun soundtrack, and is dripping in 80s aesthetic; it's a fun watch for anyone who likes any of those elements!
June 3, 2019
Second Clue: June's Mystery Movie
Clue #2: This month's movie was directed by a man who's responsible for some of our favorite film stunts of all time!
****Purchase advance ticket here****
May 24, 2019
First Clue: June's Mystery Movie
Clue #1: This month's movie features a stunt actor who is also a trailblazer for female stunt coordinators. (She is also credited with stunt work on one episode of Rizzoli & Isles, a show that has been relentlessly coming across our radar of late.)
****Purchase advance ticket here****
April 30, 2019
Third Clue: May's Mystery Movie
Clue #3: This month's movie features an actress that had a minor role in one of Quentin Tarantino's first films, has a tiny speaking roll in a Star Wars movie, and appears in one of the modern Sherlock Holmes movies.
****Purchase advance ticket here****
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