CultFlicks.net

Rating:

Review

With deep religious undertones, and wild performances of sacrilege, The Holy Mountain is a metaphor for religious insurrection as much as a take on why religion sucks ass. There are many direct and indirect allusions to religious events thrown all about the film, and though it really doesn’t come together into something that makes all that much sense, it does sort of make you think- instead of thinking about what app you will download to your phone, thoghts willa rise such as “does the animal i sacrified have a bearing on how many virgins i will get ” or “would being possessed by kind of cool?”

Reason to Watch

You don’t really learn anything and the plot is a series of disjointed scenarios and frames, wrapped in a casing of science-fiction and awkward melodrama. Sounds like a cult film to me.

Context

The Holy Mountain really tells a bizarre story about combining the world of heaven with the realities of earth, and how the task is insurmountable and kind of daunting. It also has a lot of dead animals and religious subtext, so there is a whole lot of something here, not executed all that well.

Most Memorable Quote(s)

• The Alchemist: You are excrement. You can change yourself into gold. 
• Surrender yourself to the Earth. Return what was loaned to you. Give up your pleasure, your pain, your friends, your lovers, your life, your past, what you desire. You will know nothingness, it is the only reality.

What You Need to Get Through This Movie

A copy of The Bible, the Quaran, Islamic texts and an mp3 of System of a Down’s hit song, Holy Mountains.

Trivia

The crucified animal carcasses were borrowed from a local restaurant, which were then served to customers upon being returned.

The “tumor” that the priests pull out of the back of the Thief’s neck was an octopus the filmmakers purchased at a local market.

The crew didn’t obtain any permits for the shot of the helicopter setting down in the street, merely had an actor in a police uniform shop traffic while they filmed, then proceeded to run off after the shot was complete.

Educational Content

When dogs fight, people cry

Chanting is religious, but may have consequences, such as bleeding out the eyes or eternal damnation

Justification for Rating

it is hard to determine if The Holy Mountain is a good weird, a bad weird, or an absurdly awesome weird. The rating is irrelevanet here, because The Holy Mountain is every type of weird at any moment in the film

Clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHiA3w6Y3KA

Rating:

Review

Surfing has always held a sort of niche appeal. Sure, many people love it, and many people follow it, but to get the most of surfing, you really need to become completely enveloped in it. I have too much patience to be smacked in the face by salty fishpee water all day, but one can absolutely see the appeal. The Endless Summer is just about the definitive classic surf film. It follows two surf legends across the globe, as they spend three months travelling to wild locales and predominantly beach havens and niches across the globe. It’s a documentary in a literal sense, but a superb representation of escapism at its finest. the Endless Summer is very specific, and has drawn it a cult following because of it, but it does hold up as offering something sweet and salty to anyone open-minded to realize surfing isn’t always totally lame.

Reason to Watch

I wish I can put “girls in bikinis” here, just like most surfing movies, but then this one is in the late 60’s, and girls put beachwear and granny panties in the same sentence. Not quite as skimpy as we would like to see them, but they were still cute. The ocean is always pretty too.

Context

The Endless Summer lacks substance. It lacks plot progression and high quality striking effects. What lacks in anything that is seen in a more traditional popcorn movies, it makes up for in “cool bros” and “rad beaches.” Ok, it is a pretty compelling movie regardless, and shows surfing culture in its prime, right around the release of The Beach Boys Pet Sounds. Surfing didn’t die after this, but classic surf fans can wish again for a time where surfing wasn’t a total corporate whore.

Most Memorable Quote(s)

• Summer means many different things to different people. To some it might mean the thrill of a high speed catamaran. Others like to float around and soak up a few stray rays. Still others like some kind of inland activity. But for us, it’s the sport of surfing.
• They started getting it really wired, some pretty hot angles going, and a beautiful el rollo. They even came up with a few orginial manuevers. A West African pullout here called a “Reverse Atrise Lamumba.”
• They stood there for hours, completely fascinated. If you lost your board it’d come inside and the native kids would hop on it and play with it until you come and ask for it back. Usually they give it back, but they were kids and you were bigger then they were. But you weren’t bigger then the chief who was bigger then anybody, thats why he was chief.

What You Need to Get Through This Movie

A pit of sand and three attractive woman on your arm, will suffice.

Trivia

Bruce Brown “stars” in the film, but also directed and wrote it. he created 6 previous surf films

The two surf legends starring in the film were told South America was a poor place to surf, until they revolutionized the sport there by finding many key iconic surf spots

Educational Content

• Surfing was, in fact, once pretty cool
• Other countries have beaches too
• Standing on water is a lot harder than Jesus would make you think

Justification for Rating

The Endless Summer is a recording of the last time surfing was primeval and not a sellout. For that, it deserves to be in a time capsule with other legendary films. Surfing isn’t all that important, but it does represent total pure entertainment. For that, a 4 rating.

Clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZsuQXKkPdw

Rating:

Review

Christian Slater goes against character type by playing a bad boy, and Winona Ryder goes against character type by playing a a witty goth “against the norm” girl in this High School dark comedy. Ok, so Heathers isn’t breaking stereotypes of reinventing its own wheel, but it does offer a peculiar look at a peculiar subject with a wit and charm that very few films could put together. Suicide is one of the untouchables. So it is remarkable that the cast and filmmakers crafted something so honestly enthralling and funny without being taboo and pretentious. In 1989, this is quite a feat. Heathers touches on reigning High School topics without being stuffy or egotistical, and manages to craft an addicitive and charming story through all the quirkiness.

Reason to Watch

Lots of attractive High School girls that we can only hope are much older in real life than the age they play on television. It also allows us to make fun of High schoolers without having to pull up to our old High School in beat-up Chevy’s to tell them ourselves.

Context

Heathers is dark, weird, and potentially too niche for everyone to relate to. Unlike something like The Breakfast Club, which is too catch-all to ctach anyone off guard, Heathers is darker and more twisted in construction and execution. The context, truly, is that Heathers holds little back, and succeeds brilliantly because of it.

Most Memorable Quote(s)

• Veronica Sawyer: It’s one thing to want someone out of your life, but it’s another thing to serve them a wake-up cup full of liquid drainer. 
• Heather Chandler: You wanted to be a member of the most powerful clique in school. If I wasn’t already the head of it, I’d want the same thing. 
• Heather Chandler: Grow up Heather, bulimia’s so ’87. 

What You Need to Get Through This Movie

If you are not a High School girl, and never have been, a current High School girl or a girl who was in High School in the 80’s will do just fine. if you are or were a total nerd, this movie may go right over your head. Though do keep in mind for you nerds, the movie has more vengeance than a Superman spin-off series.

Trivia

Main bad boy J.D. is a direct reference to famous Catcher in the Rye author J.D. Salinger and iconic bad boy, James Dean

A character tricks another character into killing someone by saying that the gun shoots special non-piercing bullets called iche luges.” Iche luge is German for I’m lying

The film was considered as putting Christian Slater on the map as an actor. The film barely grossed a million and failed to make its budget

Educational Content

• Many parallels to Columbine can be found in this film. Not a comedic point, but a frightening one
• Much of this film is based on real events in Ohio circa the mid 80’s. Be glad you didn’t grow up there

Justification for Rating

The movie holds up well, but is perhaps too bizarre for its own good. For every attractive high School girl, there is a lame bad boy who hogs screen time.

Clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEeQpejFbYA

Rating:

Review

Napoleon Dynamite isn’t for everyone. Set in a rural town in Idaho, Napoleon Dynamite is the master of the nerds. he draws fake animals called Ligers and stuffs teeter tots in his pocket to eat during class. he has huge glasses and a weird addiction to chapstick. If the citizens of Idaho are anything like the characters in Napoleon Dynamite, we need to just blow that state of the map. But the film’s charms and overall style is so bizarre and uniformly stupid, it remains intensely hysterical and oddly endearing. You may not be Napoleon, and you may be unable to relate to any character in this “story,” but there is something here like watching a train explosion that in slow motion.

Reason to Watch

The film doesn’t have a well defined plot, but it’s worth watching for a few scenes. The following are inside jokes that will go right over the head of those who haven’t seen it: Stella! I hunt wolverines! I see you’re drinking 1%. The film is obscure  comedy fodder

Context

Airheads is essentially a less funny more painfully obnoxious version of This is Spinal Tap, and yet, you feel compelled and drawn into its 90’s aesthetics and terrible sweater shirts.

Most Memorable Quote(s)

• Napoleon Dynamite: Well, I have all your equipment in my locker. You should probably come get it cause I can’t fit my numchucks in there anymore.
• Napoleon Dynamite: You know, there’s like a boat-load of gangs at this school. This one gang kept wanting me to join because I’m pretty good with a bow staff.
• Napoleon Dynamite: How long did it take you to grow that moustache?
  Pedro: A couple of days.

What You Need to Get Through This Movie

Marijuana. Done.

Trivia

Napoleon creates an animal called a “Liger.” this is a real animal, created by mating a lion and tiger.

The film was shot in 22 days

Lead character Napoleon was played by Jon Heder. He earned $1,000 for the role, the film went on to make $40 million

Educational Content

• Idaho is the worst state ever
• No matter how dorky you are, if you don’t have nun-chucks in your locker and live with your grandma, it could always be worse

Justification for Rating

There is a reason that this film is as notorious as it is. And there is no way Jon Heder is digging himself out and away from this role. After it’s all said and done, Napoleon Dynamite is oddly genius.

Clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr7djGY1fhA

Rating:

Review

This film should have been amazing, and in some ways, it absolutely is. The plot is inane and the characters beyond idiotic, but the quirkiness is escalated by the sheer absurdity of the events. Chaz, Rex, and Pip LOVE rock and roll. They love rock and roll enough to hold a radio station hostage until their music is played. And chaos ensues. The film’s plot is as flimsy as a combover, but it does introduce us to some almost iconic archetypes. Adam Sandler and Steve Buscemi play wildly retarded (apologies but that’s basically their characters) individuals, and the plot becomes even more outrageous as time goes on. but for music fans, and fans of terribly ill-conceived humour, Airheads might be for you.

Reason to Watch

Grunge rock was once the shit, and this is a nice little reminder of that

Context

Airheads is essentially a less funny more painfully obnoxious version of This is Spinal Tap, and yet, you feel compelled and drawn into its 90’s aesthetics and terrible sweater shirts.

Most Memorable Quote(s)

• Chazz: Yvonne, get your shit and go. You’ll be home in time for The Simpsons. 
• Chazz: We got to send one person out. 
  Pip: I’ll go. 
  Rex: One of the hostages, doof. 

What You Need to Get Through This Movie

A suspension of disbelief. These guys someone, in some way, manage to succeed (arguably). Knowing their terribly garage band made it off the ground and your awful post-jam collective failed may infuriate.

Trivia

Lead singer of famed metal band Motorhead, Lemmy, makes an appearance in the film

The character Rex is a representation of Rex Brown from metal band, Pantera

Educational Content

• By being a criminal you can, in fact, get your career known. though dj’s and record label executives have known that for years
• Adam Sandler has been playing the same role long before Little Nicky and The Waterboy

Justification for Rating

Airheads isn’t particularly a BAD film, but it does introduce too many presumptions for the viewer. For a dumb 90’s popcorn film that focuses more on grunge rock and less on quality, like a Soundgarden album or Brendan Fraser’s career, this one is for you.

Clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-tj-4M-Jok