CultFlicks.net

Rating:

Review

Groundbreaking and mind-bending, Reservoir Dogs historically introduces us to the dynamic and twisted mind of famed American director Quentin Tarantino. Though his career can almost entirely be dubbed “cult,” his mainstream appeal is still very much apparent. Though there is little doubt that this low-budget early 90’s gem brought the life of Tarantino’s aesthetic to the masses. Reservoir Dogs takes a group of psychotic men to the brink when a botched robbery brings them circling around who to trust and who is out to out the entire group. there are plenty of homages to crime films of many eras, and the film is almost seen as a homage to crime film making as a whole. The film is violent, twisted, and accounts for some of the most iconic scenarios in modern crime films. It can be said that Tarantino began a new trend of homaging old school films and bleeding turmoil for all with 1992’s Reservoir Dogs.

Reason to Watch

The film acts as an early introduction to some fantastic actors with a great cast. One scene in particular is simply astonishing effective at being both emotional and merciless. Yet it is the introduction to Tarantino’s style and the films overt influences that makes it a worthy watch.

Context

The film is undoubtedly violent, but the plot structure and characterization creates some crime staples seen throughout many films following it. The film is intense and merciless in its construct, and is a stand towards what a directorial debut can accomplish with a fantastic cast and a blender of influence and creativity.

Most Memorable Quote(s)

• Joe: He was the only one I wasn’t 100% on. I should have my fuckin’ head examined, going on a plan like this when I wasn’t 100%. 
  Mr. White: [shouting] That’s your proof? 
  Joe: You don’t need proof when you have instinct. 
• Mr. Blonde: Listen kid, I’m not gonna bullshit you, all right? I don’t give a good fuck what you know, or don’t know, but I’m gonna torture you anyway, regardless. Not to get information. It’s amusing, to me, to torture a cop. You can say anything you want cause I’ve heard it all before. All you can do is pray for a quick death, which you ain’t gonna get.  You ever listen to K-Billy’s “Super Sounds of the Seventies” weekend? It’s my personal favorite. 
• Mr. Blonde: Eddie, you keep talking like a bitch, I’m gonna slap you like a bitch. 

What You Need to Get Through This Movie

A lack of knowledge of Pulp Fiction would be a great addition to your viewing experience. The film spoils the Tarantino style and arguably executes it better. Also, a color chart is a necessity, as every core character is based on a color. If you skipped grade school or never seen a rainbow, you may be confused.

Trivia

The film uses the word “fuck” 272 times.

The film completed final editing and pressing just 3 days before its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival

The film budget was so low, many actors wore their own clothes

Reservoir Dogs is consistenly ranked as one of the best heist films- a heist that happens entirely off screen

The film was filmed in just over a month

Director Quentin Tarantino plays Mr. Brown. he is also quoted as probably being the most inexperienced person on set

Mr. Blonde is considered the most ruthless, yet he is one of the only characters to never kill in the film

Educational Content

• Pink is a good luck color
• robberies are probably a bad idea

Justification for Rating

There are 8 key characters in the film, 1 star for every character that is a total Rambo badass

Clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-qV9wVGb38

Rating:

Review

On the surface, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension is not a good move. I would not disagree if you though it was, in fact, a terrible abysmal film. Yet Buckaroo Banzai does something few films have managed to do well- it was brilliantly spoofed the entire science-fiction genre. it has played on the cliches and basic ideological bullshit stuffed into them, while being engrossing and entertaining throughout. The film is smarter and better than most its peers, and stands as just a ridiculous example of film making. Everything about this film cries out as being the last calling card for all sci-fi byproducts. None are greater than the one that single-handedly mocked all the cliches of the times in one fell swoop.

Reason to Watch

Buckaroo Banzai might kick your ass if you do not. Personally, I like my ass intact and have ordered a new copy of Buckaroo Banzai Across whatever through Amazon.

Context

It’s like Dune, except not as pretentious and bloated and more streamlined and awesome.

Most Memorable Quote(s)

• Perfect Tommy: Pictures don’t lie. 
  Reno: The hell they don’t. I met my first wife that way. 
• John O’Connor: They’re only monkey-boys. We can crush them here on earth, Lord Whorfin. 

What You Need to Get Through This Movie

An awesome open mind and appreciation for Banzai, the Chuck Norris of his time.

Trivia

• The latitude and longitude recited by the technicians during the “alignment” of the Oscillation Overthruster are the coordinates of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
• President Widmark is clearly intended to look and sound like Orson Welles, who directed and starred in the radio presentation of “War of the Worlds” referenced in the film.

Educational Content

Well, for starters, there is an 8th dimension

Science fiction films as a whole are sort of dumb, no matter how many dimensions they add

Justification for Rating

However you spin it, this science fiction spoof is smarter, wittier, and basically superior to any legitimate science-fiction film ever made. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy holds its own as a film, but this came out decades before and stands the test of the time as the final capstone on terrible science-fiction, and what a way to bow out.

Clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NG8Ipk9CnU

Rating:

Review

Having been banned in countless countries, including rape scenes and controversy, and the utter hatred of the author who created the original story, the film version of A Clockwork Orange is polarizing and simply awesome. Stanley Kubrick is a tue visionary of the film medium, and by making a film so outwardly bizarre and controversial, it has essentially confirmed the film the status of “cult.” Yet despite the status, the film manages to say something about society, commercialism, greed, and corruption in a way that is so fresh and inventive it still stands the test of time as a primeir film of the horror divine. Kubrick is a cult mastermind, and A Clockwork Ornage arguably stands as his greatest creation in film-making.

Reason to Watch

Without getting into too great of detail, two scenes in particualr are enough to watch this film. it is also culturally historic. if you haven’t seen the move, i’m sure you’ve missed a few references to it in other areas. The cinematography is exquisite and astonishing effective in setting the mood. For you move newbies and dingdongs, that basically means it’s really cool to look at. On a final note, if you have no knowledge of Stanley Kubrick (or awesomeness) there’s no better place to start.

Context

The movie is not without its detractors. its controversy and message still holds up over time, and if you want to hear what all the fuss is about, might as well dive into the film right. it may offend you, even for its time, and it may keep you reeling from thoughts such as “how did they get away with that?” and “I want to learn cool dance moves and rape things.”

Most Memorable Quote(s)

• Alex: Welly, welly, welly, welly, welly, well. To what do I owe the extreme pleasure of this surprising visit? 
• P.R. Deltoid: I’ve just come from the hospital; your victim has died. 
  Alex: You try to frighten me. Admit so, sir. This is some new form of torture. Say it, Brother Sir. 
  P.R. Deltoid: It’ll be your own torture. I hope to God it’ll torture you to madness. 
• Chief Guard Barnes: Are you now, or have you ever been a homosexual? 

What You Need to Get Through This Movie

Hallucinogenic drugs wouldn’t hurt, though we would never condone behavior such as that. A bottle of Nightquil will do. Ok, maybe just a backscratcher. Do not watch with a new date!

Trivia

One of only two films to ever be nominated for an Academy Award to debut with an X rating.

The film’s first cut was just over 4 hours, a notorious typical action for Kubrick

Director Stanley Kubrick handled a large portion of the marketing for the film, a rarity, especially in the early 70’s.

The film largely uses a made up language, a mix of Russian, English, and slang words of both. It was an original invention of original author Anthony Burgess, which you would think makes the book unreadable but contrarily makes it amazing.

Educational Content

• Sex isn’t always fun or awesome
• The message: over saturation of media is bad, in case you haven’t heard that before
• You can change a person from bad to good if you force their eyeballs open and have them watch depictions of cute puppies cuddling

Justification for Rating

After it’s all said and done, A Clockwork Orange says more than most films ever could and does it more splendidly and with greater enthusiasm than most films could ever achieve- all capped with an unrivaled eye for perfection from director Stanley Kubrick.

Clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C-20JyOgMY

Rating:

Review

Dorothy is a spoiled little girl who lives on a farm in Kansas with her Uncle Henry and Auntie Em. She runs away when the old lady down the street takes her dog (Toto) after he bit her, he escapes and comes back. Scared she will come back for him, they hit the road and eventually (like the pansy ass she is) come running home. But what’s this? There is a tornado and poor Dorothy and Toto can’t get into the shelter (I think they KNEW she was out there and they wanted her to get sucked up).  Anyways… Her and Toto end up flying through the air in the farm house and land with a quaint little “oh” from Dorothy.  They open the door to find a land of rainbows and sunshine, meet the good witch, give all the little munchkins boners, and piss off the bad witch. Sooo… Dorothy has to head out to Emerald City to meet the Wizard of Oz so she can get home. Along the way, she picks up three needy vagrants that also seek help from the Wizard. She manages to keep her dress on and they arrive, only to find out they need the witches broom before the Wizard will consider helping. They kill the bitch, bring back the broom and the Wizard turns out to be a fake then good witch shows up and gives Dorothy some bullshit that she could have went home whenever she wanted. Dorothy clicks her heels and wakes up from a dream, leaving you going WTF… cop out of an ending if you ask me!

Reason to Watch

Because you have children and want to teach them that running away will land them in Munchkin hell with a witch trying to murder their innocent little asses.

Context

For 1939 the graphics of this film were considered cutting edge. Musicals were very popular during that time and all I can say is thank God that phase is over!

Most Memorable Quote(s)

• “I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore”
• “I’m Melting, I’m Melting”
• “Auntie Em! Auntie Em!”
• “There’s no place like home”
• “I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!”
• “Follow the yellow brick road”

Trivia

Judy Garland couldn’t stop giggling while filming the scene in which Dorothy slaps the Cowardly Lion. So the director, Victor Fleming, took her aside and slapped her. She returned to the set and filmed the scene in one take. KUDOS to Victor for that one! Munchkins earned $50 per week, while Toto bagged $125 per week.  L Frank Baum received $75,000 for the rights to his book.

Educational Content

Never trust creepers behind curtains, monkey’s are evil creatures and living on a farm in Kansas would SUCK!

Clip

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aopdD9Cu-So

Rating:

Review

George A. Romero’s epic sequel to his genre-defining Night of the Living Dead is arguably superior to its ground-breaking predecessor.

As a zombie plague engulfs the planet, four survivors – TV girl Fran, her helicopter pilot boyfriend Stephen and two soldiers Peter and Roger – take refuge in a sprawling shopping mall, sealing the doors and creating a zombie-free hideout. In time they find their lives dull and empty inside their consumers’ paradise until their peace is destroyed by a marauding biker gang. The ensuing battle against both the bikers and the undead provides more opportunity for some wonderful gore.

The film is wonderfully written and directed and is full of satire, sub-text, allegory and clever imagery. The characters are well developed and reasonably played and the dialogue is both believable and economic enough to ensure a well-paced film. This all means that you can watch, completely guilt-free, an array of wonderfully produced gory effects (god bless Tom Savini) – screwdrivers through the ear, a rotor-blade scalping, bullet induced head explosions, machete decapitations and a liberal sprinkling of gut-munching.

On a personal note, Romero is the “Daddy” of the zombie genre and all the subsequent fast moving zombie goons really need to be bitch-slapped with a copy of the DVD, preferably prior to removing from the player.

Reason to Watch

The film is simply one of the best horror films ever made. Can be watched simply to revel in the violence or gore (of which there certainly is plenty) or can be appreciated as multi-faceted piece of cinematic art.

Context

Made in 1978 a full ten years after the first in the series. The delay, in part, was due to Romeros desire not to become overly identified with the horror genre. The delay didn’t work out too well for old George as whilst the film was a huge critical and financial success it certainly had him positively hog-tied to the zombie genre.

Most Memorable Quotes

“They’re us, that’s all, when there’s no more room in hell.”

“Who the hell cares! Let’s go shopping!”

What You Need To Get Through This Movie

To some extent this depends on what you want to take from the movie and also which version you are watching. If you are planning to have a beer-soaked gore and violence fest then the remote may come in handy, especially if you are watching the rather-slower paced 140 minute extended version.

Trivia

Despite being a sequel this is the first Romero film in which the zombies were actually called zombies.

Simon Pegg, star and co-writer of Shaun of the Dead, is a huge fan of the film and the work of Romero generally and is hence staunchly against the seeming modern move towards faster moving zombies.

Educational Content

1. Zombies move slowly!
2. To kill a zombie their brain must be destroyed.
3. Even well-lit malls can be really scary.
4.  Surviving a zombie apocalypse is pretty tricky and we should all have our plans in place.
5. Zombies may be slow and clumsy but you have to admire their tenacity.

Justification for Rating

It would have got 10 out of 10 but some of the acting could have been a little better.

Clip