Thoughts on what has happened so far.

A little over a month ago I started this personal challenge and with in this month and odd days. Something has changed. When I started watching all these B-Films I was harsh, abrasive and did not see the beauty that each has. Granted not all of them have that indistinguishable beauty take Kung Fu Mummy for example. But most are not as bad as people make them out to be. Hell, I am enjoying movies that are often given crap reviews.

All because I found something that I might have missed prior to this challenge. That is the heart of cinema. The further and further I go into this. The more I am feeling in touch with these movies. It is one thing to be a critic and it is another to be film connoisseur as I am quickly becoming. I do not see this as a challenge anymore. But a hobby that I can be paid for. What was once just why am I doing this. Has vastly become I will do this and possibly keep on doing it past the 365 and just turn this into a movie review day.

With hundreds upon hundreds if not thousands of movies released each year. This movie blog can live on for as long as I can write, watch and enjoy films. So who knows how long I will keep this up or what it will become. What I can say though is I am having fun and enjoying writing and reviewing movies. So hears to hoping that this personal challenge to myself pays off.

Michelle a.k.a The B-Flick Chick

Movie Review # 37 The Dogfather (2010)

Release: 2010
Director: Richard Boddington http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1856678/
Writer(s):
Michael Hamilton-Wright http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0358228/
Russell Scalise http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2925617/
Cast:
Chris Parnell http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0663177/
William Cuddy http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2336753/
Brandy Ward http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0911419/


Ratings:
Rotten Tomatoes: 33% Audience http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_dogfather/
IMDb: 2.9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1475549/
Netflix: 2.9 Stars


Review:
Children film are often not enjoyable for the masses of parents. Thankfully that can not be said of the Dogfather. It is still sugary sweet, outlandish and often times silly in a Rocky and Bullwinkle or Wily Coyote and Road Runner way. But not to the point of groin inducing why am I watching this kind of way. It does get close but these scenes are short sweet and there for the children.

Which is what this film is written for. As an Aunt and someone who never let go of their inner child this movie can have a place many parents dvd shelves as its fun and silly. The story is something straight out of a child's mind. A family of Don's has just added in a new Don and in the process of taking his acceptance speech his dog Sunny eats his prized ring. Which causes him to go a little crazy and call for his two incompetent goons to retrieve the ring.

This is where the story really kicks off as Sunny escapes and becomes a member of a new family. All the while the goons are still searching for the dog and ultimately the ring. Which is where most of the comedy comes in. As I can hear Boris saying "Look Moose and Squirrel." followed by Natasha "Yes darling." As the the goons chase after Sunny all the while getting beat up as if they are Wily Coyote. It is painfully sugary and goofy. I enjoyed it some adults will not though.

The rest of the story though is Sunny becoming part of the new family and how the patriarch can not stand the dog. Just like Beethoven which this movie leans on heavily when it comes to the family dog scenes and comedic learnings. Which is fine I just wish this movie had more originality than it did. The end is extremely stupid and annoying. But the end credits are worth viewing once you make it there. Because the movie rips itself and that was worth the 90 minutes alone.

As for the acting it was decent to good. Often times you feel you are watching a Saturday afternoon serial with how hammy and cheesy the acting are. At the same time it will not make you turn it off as it is palatable and enjoyable for children. I can not emphasize that enough that this film is written for children and not adults. As such this movie has gotten horrible reviews. All because adults can not hide their adult blanket and pull out their children's blanket and enjoy what is a good family movie.

Even people have ragged on Chris Parnell of 30 Rock fame for being in this. Honestly leave the man alone. This movie is for his children and gives them something to enjoy that has daddy in it. Since most of his films are for adults or at the very least late teens. This is a good branching point for his kids to enjoy their father the actor. So all in all this is just a simple, fun and enjoyable movie. Nothing amazing or great and definitively a B-Film straight to dvd goofest. But it is enjoyable and like able.

If you have kids you can do far worse and if your a kid at heart. Give this film a shot and it might surprise you and take a spot in your heart as it did mine.

Rating 3/5

Movie Review # 36 King Cobra (1999)

Release: 1999
Director(s):
David Hillenbrand http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0384862/
Scott Hillenbrand http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0384863/
Writer(s):

David Hillenbrand http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0384862/

Scott Hillenbrand http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0384863/

Cast:
Pat Morita http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001552/
Scott Hillenbrand http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0384863/
Casey Fallo http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0266398/

Ratings:
Rotten Tomatoes:
IMDb: 2.6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138797/
Netflix:


Review:
Terrible, lackluster, boring, hideous! These are all adjectives that describe this pathetic excuse for a creature feature. That should have died when it had struggles to be made. Sadly that is not the case and what we are left with a 93 minute long movie that contradicts itself, has glaring loopholes and even worse creature effects.

Here are a few examples. Child get's scared to a catatonic state we never find out about him afterwards. The snake breaks a fang yet still has a full set when ever you see it. Despite it being shown in the first 15 minutes of the movie that it should only have 1 and half fangs now. The good doctor Hosh we never know if he died or not. We just assume he did. But above all else is the freaking end of the movie. That is so damn cheesy and stupid that I could have swore a toddler wrote it.

With Pat Morita going toe to toe with a rubber snake with nothing but over sized snake handler tools. Yep I just blew the ending and for good reason. None of you should have to sit through this alone. With friends yes maybe and that is the only good thing. Is this movie has redeeming qualities to be made fun of with friends. Nothing else is. Sadly this seems to be a pattern with B-Films is they set the bar so low that the only way for them to be seen. Is to be awful and believe me this one is beyond awful.

It is just on the bright side of awful and not the dark side. Which I can not say about some of the other films I have seen recently. With as bad as this is. Seeing the Erik Estrada cameo is not only funny but fitting for how low his life has gotten, and now for the verdict. Do not watch this alone but with friends and a case of beer or a pitcher of margaritas. So that you can enjoy it more and make fun of the fact that this movie is just a crappy creature feature. One that will make Sy-Fy proud to show on Saturday nights as their Sy-Fy movie of the night.

Rating: 1.5/5 Stars

Movie Review # 35 Assassination of a High School President (2009)

Release: 2009
Director: Brett Simon http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1843195/
Writer(s):
Tim Calpin http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1926674/
Kevin Jakubowski http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2489912/
Cast:
Bruce Willis http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000246/
Reece Thompson http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1107127/
Mischa Barton http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0059215/


Ratings:
Rotten Tomatoes: 50% Critics 40% Audience http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/assassination_of_a_high_school_president/
IMDb: 6.6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1018818/
Netflix:  3.2 Stars


Review:
Assassination of a High School President is a movie that every high schooler should see. It breaks down high school life into portion sized pieces. As it shows that life inside the brick and mortar buildings we send our kids to are prisons unto themselves. As one event can make or break you in the social jungle of high school. All the while it shows how schools create clicks and ultimately a stepped society. Where each wrung you go up the better your life is.

That is just high school and yet this movie covered it elegantly. Thankfully this movies second act the mystery of who stole the schools S.A.T's was fun, engaging and ultimately worth more than a price of admission. As it's smart writing, amazing acting and engaging characters come to life in ways that are shocking and love able. The main focus is on Bobby Funke played by Reece Thompson. As he wants to write for the school paper and his ground breaking story on who stole the S.A.T's. Only to have to have start and ground zero and figure out what really happened.

This is where the movie gets fun and very entertaining. With each successive event that unfolds and the more you find out. The more you are drawn in and the more you wish to know the whole story and not just the partial that is presented at the beginning. At no point do you ever feel lead on or even insulted by the story. You just feel like part of it and that says a lot about the writing of the co-writers of this film Tim Calpin and Kevin Jakubowski who are known more for writing several episodes of South Park.

Yet as this movie proved even comedy writers can pen a masterpiece and that is what they did. Even the director Brett Simon is a unknown. Just not for long as this movie sets a benchmark for excellence and enjoyment. Despite all this glowing the story of what happened to this film is sad. As it opened at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and received great reviews and was supposed to see a limited release. Only see that fall through as the financing company Yari Film Group go under stopping it from coming out.

Which is the same company that produced the movie The Maiden Heist that also suffered the same fate as this one. No matter the outcome of the company. This movie is steps above a majority of main stream movies that come out each summer. Both in story, character design and ultimately staying factor in your mind. I can stress enough how good this movie is. So I will just close with this. Assassination of a High School Principal is an amazing neo noir comedy that is nothing more than great cinema.

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Movie Review # 34 Hunter Prey (2010)

Release: 2010

Director: Sandy Collora http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004611/

Writer(s):

Sandy Collora http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004611/

Nick Damon http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1414878/

Cast:

Clark Bartam http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1298134/

Damion Poitier http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1364280/

Erin Gray http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001292/

Ratings:

Rotten Tomatoes: 43% Audience http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hunter_prey_2010/

IMDb: 5.8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1270291/

Netflix: 2.7 Stars

Review:

Hunter Prey is a interesting movie as takes parts from Star Wars, Halo and the movie Enemy Mine. Then brings them all together in a interesting way just not the cleanest way though. As parts of this movie mostly in audio direction is muffled and at times makes you scream for Cortana and Master Chief as you hear the banter back and forth between Centauri 7 and Clea the ships computer.

So what did they steal from the other movies? Well desert planet with bones scattered about with little water and no residents. That is a card out of Star Wars as the sets and location look similar in nature to Tatooine from Star Wars and for Enemy Mine? All I will say is the end of the movie screams it if you have ever seen it but not in your typical way. As before they got this portion of the film it was more like Star Trek when James Kirk fought the Gorn. In the classic TV series.

Again another blatant rip off and even with these. I can honestly this movie was not bad at all. Especially for the budget which was under $500k for the entire film. Which says a lot about the make up department who made the alien models in this movie. They where amazing with fully articulated faces and expressions. It was honestly refreshing to not have to look at CGI aliens through the film but make up and old school movie magic.

It was because of this care this movie brought out a certain bit of reality. Sadly though the story took way to long to build up and that is movies biggest draw back. As you feel like your watching a group of men playing Halo in the Desert for the first 30 to 40 minutes of the film. Once all that boyhood commando bravado is shelled out the movie moves more into a action survival and character building movie. 

Which is where this movie was at its best as the two leads. Both of whom have different agendas and priorities learn from each other and ultimately come to understand one another. Sorta like how Riddick did with Jack in Pitch Black. Wait another movie reference? Wow! So yea this movie took from that one as well. No wonder I enjoyed this movie the way I did. But this one is the biggest stretch but still a close enough movie reference that once you see the film you will understand.

All in all this is not a great movie but what it is. Is just a good movie that showed great times are ahead for this director and writers. It is just a honest stepping stone and one I that I honestly can not wait to see for all that are involved in this movie.

My Rating: 3/5 Stars

Movie Review # 33 Confessions of a Porn Addict (2007)

Release: 2007
Director: Duncan Christie http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1275148/
Writer(s):
Duncan Chrisie http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1275148/
Spencer Rice http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0723551/
Cast:
Spencer Rice http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0723551/
Mark Breslin http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0107742/
Lindsey Connell http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0175008/


Ratings:
Rotten Tomatoes: 24% Audience http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/confessions_of_a_porn_addict/
IMDb: 5.1/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1207648/
Netflix: 2.2 Stars


Review:
Confessions of a Porn Addict is a special movie as it takes on an addiction that many the world over suffer from which is porn addiction. But what they did not do was destroy the source material nor did they really create a true mockumentary. Instead what Spencer Rice and Duncan Christie came up with was a heartfelt, touching and often moving movie about a man who wants to overcome his addiction to porn and ultimately getting back his life and his wife.

All the while the movie felt real and never really scripted as many mockumentaries do. As it followed the story of Mark and his struggles you felt for him. You wanted him to succeed and ultimately win back everything. Well that might be the only part of this movie that did feel scripted was him getting back his estranged wife. Even then the way it was told was beautiful and magical way.

Despite this one minor complaint this movie is funny, enjoyable and honestly just a great piece of independent film. Nothing is top notch nor is it ever presented as such. But what this film does have is that it factor. The same it factor that Blair Witch had, (500) Day's of Summer and Little Miss Sunshine. Sadly what cost this movie is that it dealt with the porn industry and showed some scenes from those movies. Moving it from a strong R to NC-17 to what this film was not rated.

Even with this nothing in the movie really is that offensive and honestly you would see far worse on late night Cinemax than what is presented in this movie. As most is presented more in the mid R range. Which honestly isn't all that bad. Sadly for most they will just skip over this film and never give it a shot all because of the title and honestly they will be missing out on a wonderful art film.

But and yes it is a big but. This movie is not for everyone as most people want comedies like American Pie, South Park and Family Guy. This is not one of those movies and should never be seen as such. Instead it should be seen as a real life art project about a serious subject told in a elegant and truthful way. Which enlightens you on the struggles of a porn addict and ultimately yourself on your own struggles.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Movie Review # 32 Vexille (2007)

Release: 2007

Director: Fumihiko Sori http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1216495/

Writer(s):

Fumihiko Suri http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1216495/

Haruka Handa http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1602468/

Cast:

Colleen Clinkenbeard http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1513684/

Meisa Kuroki http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1800338/

Ratings:

Rotten Tomatoes:  60% Critics 67% Audience  http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1196090-vexille/

IMDb: 7.0/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970472/

Netflix: 3.7 Stars

Review:

(Originally written on March 16^th, 2011)

[ I decided to postpone this review for several reasons. I watched this morning after the Tsunami and Earthquake that hit Japan. Seeing what takes place in this film made postpone this till today. At the same time at no point will there be a good time for me post this. As this movie deals with a real issue in society that happened and this movie will hit home for to many. So please take my heartfelt apology if you watch this then hate me later. I am just doing movie reviews and this one was what cued up the day after the events in Japan.]

Vexille is a interesting what if movie. One that we as humans honestly honestly have to sit back and think about. Much like the Terminator series. This movie is about the making of androids specifically life like one's that regenerate. Even that is not doing it justice as the androids where once real humans who took a vaccine and turned them into what they are now living metal.

That is the entire basis of the story and honestly I enjoyed it. I would have enjoyed this more if it was not for the fact that the earthquake and tsunami destroyed most of northern Japan. Because the what if's and the destruction of the entire populace of the Japanese people in this film would strictly would have been fantasy instead of living reality for me. I just will not let that sway me on my opinion of this movie.

Which it is honestly a beautiful and well written movie. It touched home with many key issues in modern society. From genome matching to cloning. It even asked the question if we are playing God? Or are we just evolving as humans to a higher power? In the end they still do not answer them and left you with more questions than answers. As I say that they leave you with a thought on your humanity. One that is still wringing in my ears and mind.

I just can not let that part slip. It would ruin the film. As of right now I can not recommend this film to anyone affected by the Japan earthquake. It is also the reason I am delaying this review to this day. If you are over it and are in need of a gorgeous anime with real world questions and ties. This might just be for you. Especially if you enjoy the Matrix and Terminator films.

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars