West of the Moon - ★★★★

West of the Moon - ★★★★
REVIEWED

"It was not a Great War, it was terrible."

Narrator (Michael John Galvin

Quirky and extremely glossy 10 minute short, linking various children's dream accounts into a fantasy ripping yarn. With the main universal themes being about age and memories of those we've lost.

Such an easy way to spend 10 minutes, it looks somewhat like an expensive beer commercial, but thats not exactly bad. Another gem I've stumbled upon thanks to a member on LBoxd.

[PRFR]
The whole 10 minutes are pure eye candy. But the moment that stuck out for me was when I understood it came from children's ideas, with the segment they change it from a bird in the kitchen to a robot, kinda makes you sad kids lose their imaginations as they grow older.

Originally taken from Letterboxd

Ubit Drakona, 1988 - ★★★★

Ubit Drakona aka Kill the Dragon 1988 - ★★★★
REVIEWED

"The only way to get rid of a dragon, is to have ones own dragon."

The Archivist 

 

Beguiling Russian fable that uses the age old theme of an Hero vs Dragon as its backdrop to study human nature and why society will always be governed by one system or another and never be truly free. A traveler who claims to be a descendant of Lancelot walks into a city to find it under the grip of the tyrannical Mr Dragon. Our hero learns that anyone has a right to challenge the Dragon, only do the backward nations people really need or want their freedom back.

The movies all over the damn place, theres musical numbers and science fiction thrown in among its more dramatic moments. But even though its absurd its got an extremely sharp plot and makes great points. I'll be honest, a touch of the more political aspects flew gleefully over my head, outside of the Cold War and Stalin I'm very ignorant to Soviet Union politics. The structure of 'Ubit Drakona aka Kill the Dragon' reminded me most of Jack Arnold's anti war/establishment classic 'The Mouse That Roared', in that its really a comedy about the little man making a stand. Hell Oleg Yankovskiy as Mr Dragon hops into several persona's equally as well as Sellers managed to do. In fact the acting is solid throughout especially from Yankovskiey and Aleksandr Abdulov as our hero. Like most Russian fantasy movies its visually sumptuous, the locations used and peculiar architecture really add to the other world & time feel.

[PRFR]
Some of the crazy policys used like boarding up every window in the city so its populus can't see the truth. And the clever ending with children watching a man flying a dragon kite, open to being taught an alternative way of life.

Originally taken from Letterboxd

The Peanut Butter Solution, 1985 - ★★★½

The Peanut Butter Solution, 1985 - ★★★½
_REVIEWED_

"Its a case of the hair'em scare'em..."

Dr. Epstein (Harry Hill)

Fun, twisted children's fantasy from Canada. Due to shock while in an haunted house a boy named Michael loses his hair. Out of frustraition he ends up using a magical peanut butter potion to help it grow back. Only it causes his hair to grow extremely long and fast. In steps a sinister arts teacher, who uses this to his advantage to make magic paintbrushes.

Though a touch dated feeling, its still very inventive even downright surreal at times. I'd never heard of it until today but I guess it was a real treat to see back on its release in the 80's. Visually it looks pretty much TV quality, in fact a fair few of the cast I'd seen in Degrassi Junior High.

[PRFR]
The wickedly OTT performance of the kidnapping arts teacher/maniacal painter (aren't they all).

Originally taken from Letterboxd

Mama, 2013 - ★★½

Mama, 2013 - ★★½
REVIEWED

"I will come back from Clifton Forge with an answer"

Dr. Dreyfuss (Daniel Kash)

A disturbed man having killed his wife, flees to a remote cabin with his two young daughters. His intention is to kill his children so they don't have to face the horrors of life, only hes stopped in his tracks and the girls are left alone for 5 years, only are they really alone.

Bang a few creepy kids in a supernatural horror movie and you're usually onto a sure fire hit. Sadly Andrés Muschietti feature length version of Mama fails to deliver where it matter, namely in being scary. It isn't a total disaster it manages to build a sinister atmosphere early on, in fact for the first hour I was really enjoying it. Its when we finally see our completely CG rendered ghoul that it falls flat, and the film shifts from actually being an horror movie into being more of a fantasy. Didn't help I got confused with the same actor playing both the kids Dad and Uncle.

I just feel a little cheated being a huge horror fan, 'Mama' just fails to offer anything we've not seen dozens of times before and better. Its like they can just tag Guillermo del Toro's name or one of his movies to it and it will be an automatic success. For me 'Painless' was a far superior Spanish horror this year, and 'When the Lights Went Out' made a better child based supernatural chiller.

[PRFR: Personal Reasons For Remembering]

The acting especially by the children is way above standard. As is the cinematography, like the glorious opening with the car speeding along the winding snowy roads (that was oddly reminiscent of Kubrick's The Shinning).

Originally taken from Letterboxd

Skellig: The Owl Man, 2009 - ★★★½

Skellig: The Owl Man, 2009 - ★★★½
REVIEWED

"Reasons to be cheerful part 3, 1 2 3, some of Buddy Holly, the working folly, the Bolshoi Ballet...."

Dave (John Simm) Dad singing to Ian Dury

Wickedly subdued slice of fantasy dealing with faith and self belief. Michaels parents move to a rundown old house in-order to make room for their impending addition of a new baby sister. Angsty teenager Michael discovers a stranger is living in an old work shed in the garden. At first he assumes the man is merely a junkie seeking shelter, though later he learns the man who seems to have given up on himself isn't what he first appeared.

Charming made for TV family movie based on David Almond's clever children's book. The story is very reminiscent of the classic children's faith testing movies 'Forbidden Games' & 'Whistle Down the Wind' only much more fantasy orientated, its a solid adaptation with great production values. I'm actually shocked how mature SKY Televisions output has become over the last three or four years, gone are the crumbly old days of starsearch. The casts fantastic with Tim Roth, Kelly Macdonald & John Simm, but its young 'Son of Rambow' actor Bill Milner that shines brightest.

[PRFR: Personal Reasons For Remembering]

Quality acting, magical numbered Chinese take aways and dodgy gags about arteritis (Arthur Itus).

Originally taken from Letterboxd

Between Time and Timbuktu, 1972 - ★★★½

Between Time and Timbuktu, 1972 - ★★★½
REVIEWED

"I think that I'm traveling through my own nightmares... ohh and a few nice dreams too"

Astronaut Stoney Stevenson (William Hickey)

Idiosyncratic and downright surreal made for TV science fiction fantasy & social satire based on various Kurt Vonnegut Jr scribblings. Average American Stoney Stevensen is the not so lucky winner of a fizzy drinks contest that promises to put a man into space. Only the spacecraft Prometheus 5 takes poor Stoney on a voyage of self discovery and to the verge of madness.

The writing and plot is all over the damn place which gives it a very disjointed feel, the only theme that constantly carries from one segment to the next is the anti establishment vibe. The more surreal segments include tropical hippy communes, cryogenic sperm banks hell theres even a little yellow submarine style animated piece thrown in. Age hasn't been so kind but it still makes a great curiosity, sad that modern Television doesn't take risks on material like this anymore.

"I'm not in control of my own destiny... its a miracle I can control my own bladder."

Stoney (William Hickey)

[PRFR: Personal Reasons For Remembering]
The moments Stoney goes crazy, and starts speaking with himself, we even got multiple images of him.

Originally taken from Letterboxd

Chupacabra vs. The Alamo, 2013 - ★½

Chupacabra vs. The Alamo, 2013 - ★½
REVIEWED

"Not a wild goose chase, a coyote"

Carlos (Erik Estrada)

Bad movie fans rejoice we got more Syfy shit, this time... legendary Mexican TV bike cop Erik Estrada (still looking well for his age) returns to the saddle as Carlos, hes a tough maverick cop whose trying to solve a slew of slaughtered people surrounding the famous fort Alamo. Turns out a mutant coyote (chupacabra) pack are to blame, so Estrada with his criminal son and his buddies set up a plan to blow the shit out of them.

I'm not even gonna mention the crap CGI thats a given with SYFY, but it never fails to make me wonder how they write this junk, out of shame even the trained monkey's use Alan Smithee aliases. I'd say fuck you SYFY, but know the next time another original airs I'll be tuned in.

[PRFR: Personal Reasons For Remembering]
Estrada's hot daughter and the way he says coyoteeee

Originally taken from Letterboxd

Cloud Atlas, 2012 - ★★★

Cloud Atlas, 2012 - ★★★
REVIEWED

"Ain't no blade can protect you from the True-True..."

Old Georgie (Hugo Weaving)

So the Wachowski's (with aid from Tom Tykwer) finally serve up their new dish minus meat and two veg, and for most part its pure nonsensical self indulgence, but at least its visually rewarding self indulgence. Its a cee gee eye/costume heavy, fantasy morality pantomime. With the simplistic Buddhist message that a selfless kind act can be as important to the grand scale of things than a vicious one, ohh and love never dies. But its drawn out over six stories in six timelines and what felt like several hours.

"Soylent Green are people!"

Timothy Cavendish (Jim Broadbent)

I don't want to be malicious, because its very good in parts, and the Wacko's offer heaps of colour and variety to cinema. Even though I didn't overly like it myself, I'll give it credit for at least trying to do its own thing in a unique way. Typically Wachowski's pay a massive nod to their love of anime, and the future Seoul setting was arguably the best timeline. It was my personal favorite until Neo popped up and it turned into a videogame cutscene. My key problem though was the twee concept of the same actors surfacing again in different guises wore thin fast. I wanted it to just tell its story not force me to play a really fuckin' expensive version of 'Wheres Wally' (or 'WHICH ONES WALLY' in this case).

Originally taken from Letterboxd

Nightflyers, 1987 - ★★

Gates of Heaven, 1978 - ★★★½

"They opened up her head... and took her gifts away"

Jon the ships empath (Jon Winderman)

Badly conceived b-grade adaptation of George R.R. Martin's (Game of Thrones) well regarded science fiction novel (which I'll be honest haven't read or heard of). It follows a space ships hazardous attempt to find a mythical space entity known as Volcryn. Only the ships onboard AI mainframe goes berserk and threatens to destroy their intended mission.

While not the worst science fiction movie ever made, its script is severally incoherent at times. The actings below par and the synthesizer music is abysmal. Its a real shame because theres brief moments the plot threatens to break through and turn it into a worthwhile movie. Visually its not so bad, the digital FX work is primitive but the lighting, sets and prop design are great for its budget. Its shocking how even crappy 80's spacecraft models look better than so much of todays CGI.

Originally taken from Letterboxd

Saint (2010)

Saint (2010)
Director: Dick Maas
Writer: Dick Maas
Country: Netherlands Runtime: ● Soundtrack: Various
Cast: Huub Stapel, Caro Lenssen, Egbert Jan Weeber, Madelief Blanken
A horror film that depicts St. Nicholas as a murderous bishop who kidnaps and murders children when there is a full moon on December 5.

Review Coming Soon...

Themes Included: ___ ● ___ ● ___
___ ● ___ ● ___ ● ___ ● ___

Cultdb Totals
[Rated _ out of 10 Good]
[Deathcount _]
[Gorequota _/10]
[Boobquota _/10]

Red Riding Hood (2011)

Red Riding Hood (2011)
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Writer: David Johnson
Country: USA / Canada Runtime: ● Soundtrack: Music by Alex Heffes, Brian Reitzell
Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Lukas Haas, Gary Oldman
Set in a medieval village that is haunted by a werewolf, a young girl falls for an orphaned woodcutter, much to her family's displeasure.

Review Coming Soon...

Themes Included: ___ ● ___ ● ___
___ ● ___ ● ___ ● ___ ● ___

Cultdb Totals
[Rated _ out of 10 Good]
[Deathcount _]
[Gorequota _/10]
[Boobquota _/10]

The Phantom (1986)

The Phantom (1986)
aka: Widziadlo
Director: Marek Nowicki
Writer: Karol Irzykowski, Marek Nowicki
Country: Poland Runtime: 95 mins. Soundtrack: Krzysztof Knittel
Cast: Roman Wilhelmi, Marzena Trybala, Hanna Mikuc
Set in the early years of the century. A story of a country gentleman haunted by the memory of his first wife. His current wife, had enough of his obsession and has taken a lover, who is mysteriously paralyzed. Meanwhile, main character´s son gets his first taste of sensual experience with a mute peasant girl.

Set at the turn of the the century, Peter Strumienski lives in his rural manor home with his wife Ola and his children. He's a deeply unhappy man, haunted by his first wife Angelica, his obsession with her pushes his new wife into a sexual relationship with her own cousin Mariusz. Peter has dreams still of Angelica who tells him he'll never find satisfaction in any other woman. Its not that he doesn't try, knowing of Ola's affair he himself tries to seduce a visiting photographers wife, only he just can't do it. At this time his son whose back home on a break from boarding school, is skirting with his first sexual experiences, after he's become transfixed with a mute peasant girl who lives feral around the manor grounds. One night Peter catches her visiting his son, but instead of seeing the mute girl he see's his wife. Peter wanting to end his misery, shoots the poor girl. This sets about a cataclysmic final, with Peter now knowing there is no hope within his soul, to ever be free of Angelica.


Moody Polish fantasy melodrama, the story is pretty much a lurid family saga with a faint hint of horror flowing under the surface. Its highly atmospheric and very decadent. The visuals have a very brown Autumn tone, which is very fitting with the plot about losing something, and waiting for something else to grow in its place. The central performance from Roman Wilhelmi is perfect, really capturing a man whose living but not feeling anything. The ending has so much impact, Peter rides an horse to his graphic death. We learnt earlier in the film the horse once belonged to Angelica, she used to ride it naked during stormy nights, which the locals including a priest and friend to the family, enjoyed peeping at. I really loved it, even though it contains plenty of nudity, I'd guess it'd be a touch slow and depressing for some viewers tastes, best appreciated by fans of arthouse cinema.

Themes Included: Mute Girl ● Incest ● Head Smash
Naked Horse Ride ● Creepy Picture ● Peeping Priest

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 8½ out of 10 Good]
[Deathcount 3]
[Gorequota 4/10]
[Boobquota 4/10]

Nirvana (2008)

Nirvana (2008)
Director: Igor Voloshin
Writer: Olga Larionova
Country: Russia Runtime: 90 min Soundtrack: Alexander Kopeikin
Cast: Marya Shalaeva, Artur Smolyaninov, Olga Sutulova
Essentially a conventional story about dug addiction and the redemptive power of female friendship, Bored and disappointed with life in Moscow, nurse Alisa moves to St. Petersburg, where she takes a room in a filthy but once-stately apartment. The dig's other residents are Valera, nicknamed "Dead Man", and his bartender g.f. Vel, whom the landlady describes as "drug addicts, but quiet."

Review Coming Soon...

Themes Included: ___ ● ___ ● ___
___ ● ___ ● ___ ● ___ ● ___

Cultdb Totals
[Rated _ out of 10 Good]
[Deathcount _]
[Gorequota _/10]
[Boobquota _/10]

I Am God (2009)

I Am God (2009)
aka: Naan Kadavul
Director: Bala
Cast: Arya, Rajendran, Pooja Umashankar
Indian drama.

A man and his daughter ask a holy mystic to help them track down the son who's been away on a spiritual journey for 14 years. Only on finding their son it turns out he has risen to the state of a Aghori God (must mean a god on earth). Gods aren't aloud to have bonds with humans so he is ordered to travel back to his home village, to end his ties with his family, before he can return to his spiritual life. Only he ends up staying in the village, helping a blind beggar stand up against a sadistic people trader and his gang.

Bollywood is one of the few world movie markets I've never fully embraced, for no other reason than, no matter what genre the film, they always contained impromptu song and dance moments, and musicals aren't me. On the surface 'I Am God' is no exception only its more in keeping with a tradition samurai movie or spaghetti western. Visually its fantastic, the music/sound is rich and the story is amazingly puzzling. Did I enjoy it, hell yeah. Did I have a clue what was going on, for most part hell no. The moral ground it takes was also beyond me, take the son, evens though he is meant to be a god, he's lazy smokes opium most the times hes awake, and beats up anyone who pisses him off including women and the police. Another thing is I've never seen as many people with pysical disabilities deformities in a feature film, even Tod Brownings Freaks pales alongside it. Oddly it is these moments with the beggars that I enjoyed the most, theres a real natural feeling to the scenes like the legendary dueling banjo scene from Deliverance or that Mama Sunshine musical number from that Todd Solandz movie, these parts would usually make you feel depressed or angry at the way they are being exploited but strangely the scenes have a great sense of humour and warmth. The squeaky voiced Samuel L Jackson looking guy and his laughing midget sidekick could have become a great comedy duo, I was so hoping they would have given them a Pulp Fiction type of diner moment together. Excellent movie that has deserved its praise among cult and world movie fans.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 8 out of 10]
[Deathcount 2]
[Gorequota N/A]

Themes Included: Smokin' ● Midgets ● Spirituality
Corrupt Police ● Bollywood Fu ● Blind Busker Singing ● Tranny Dance Routine

X-Men: First Class (2011)

X-Men: First Class (2011)
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence
In 1962, the United States government enlists the help of Mutants with superhuman abilities to stop a malicious dictator who is determined to start world war III.
STORYLINE : Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-MEN.

Entertaining fourth entry in the x-men franchise, this time an origin story of Prof X and Magneto. Not sure why it flew through the cinema's so quickly as its as good as the previous three entry's and heaps better than the tragic first Wolverine origin tale. James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence and Kevin Bacon were all great, I was particularly impressed with Michael Fassbender as Magneto. Not gonna bother going to in depth as there's 1000s of reviews already online, I liked it my only niggle was the Ron Weasley looking kid who could fly with sonic waves, the effects they used looked terrible.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 7 out of 10 Good]
[Deathcount N/A]
[Gorequota N/A]

Themes Included: Comic Book Heroes ● Mass Missile Attack ● Nazi Death Camp

Black Goat (2011)

Black Goat (2011)
Director: Joseph Nanni
Cast: Adam Wilson
Jacques Cowan is what the French call "a runner of the woods." He may be a foreigner in the new world but Jacques quickly learned the ways of the native people, their language, their routes, and their skills. But he didn't leave his life in another land for adventure, freedom, and wealth - he had much more in mind than trading pelts and cheating death. Jacques had listened intently to the stories that had crossed the ocean, extraordinary tales of mystical creatures and unknown forces. Black Goat finds Jacques mid hunt, as he closes in on what others thought was a legend. What he doesn't realize is that the legend is on a hunt of its own.

Review Coming Soon...

Cultdb Totals
[Rated _ out of 10 Good]
[Deathcount _]
[Gorequota _/10]

Themes Included: ___ ● ___ ● ___
___ ● ___ ● ___ ● ___ ● ___