6 new releases to discuss with a couple I had wanted to see but didn’t.

First up we have

Jack the Giant Slayer

Jack and the Beanstalk meets Clash of the Titans seems to be what this film is, I have yet to see it and shocked Ewan McGregor was in the film, I am somewhat intrigued with this one even though it looks like it could totally blow (eighties terminology for suck).

next up we have

21 and Over

Straight A student turns 21 and decides to do the wrong thing for a change, weak concept and I imagine weak ass film.

and then we have

Movie 43

Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman, and Naomi Watts star in this film which I know nothing about and that is why I probably will not see it.  Any of our readers see this?   What was it about and how was it?

next up is

The Last Exorcism Part 2

Redundant title probably means redundant film, nuff said.

and then

Stoker

This film looks interesting and has some good star power, Nicole Kidman, who should not get anymore collegen in those lips and face lifts, Mia Wasikowska, and a blast from the past Dermot Mulroney.  Billed as a dram/horror/mystery/suspense I am looking forward to giving this a watch.

and finally

Quartet

Never heard of this one, about retired musicians and thats all I got.  Any of our readers suggest this one?

That’s it that’s all

Upstream Color (2013)

Directed By: Shane Carruth
Written By: Shane Carruth
Starrring: Amy Seimetz, Shane Carruth, Andrew Sensenig
Reviewed By: Adam Griffith
Method Viewed: Netflix Streaming

Writer Director Shane Carruth (Primer) returns with his second film Upstream Color.  A woman (Seimetz) is drugged and abducted by a man who uses a rather unique drugging method.  Over a period of several days this drug causes the woman to become highly suscetptible to suggestion.  The abductor forces his victim to hand over her stash of gold coins, take out all the equity in her home, empty out all of her bank accounts and pretty much ruins her financial life.  For extra fun, she is instructed to transcribe the book Walden (Henry David Thoreau) by hand.  While this process is going on she neither sleeps nor eats anything with the exception of glasses of delicious ice water.

When her bank accounts are emptied and the money orders have cleared our victim Kris (Seimetz) is pretty well shattered.  Not only is she now destitute but she also loses her job after not showing up for days.  Similarly, she is completely freaked out by the entire ordeal and is trying desperately to recall what exactly has happened to her.  Traumatized, she is now a shell of her former self and is walking through life in a zombified state in part due the medications she is now taking to deal with the effects of the PTSD she is so obviously suffering from.

While sitting on a subway she meets a stranger named Jeff (Carruth) and it is obvious that the two have a strong attraction to each other.  It is only later that we learn that Jeff has also been a victim of this strange abduction method. Are these two simply attracted to each other because they have been abducted and drugged?  Is their relationship going to help or hinder their ability to recover from their PTSD?  What do these blue orchids have to due with this mysterious drug and its potency?  How does The Sampler (Sensenig) and his pig farm fit into this whole puzzle?  Perhaps most importantly, will you ever eat bacon again after watching this film?

This is a film that will have you scratching your head trying to piece together what exactly is going on.  There is a pervasive feeling of unease during much of the film.  While viewing the film it almost feels as if the drug in the film is also affecting you the viewer.  Writer/director/actor Carruth manages to create an environment of extreme incertitude that feels very similar to a dream or nightmare state.  For those familiar with Carruth’s first film Primer (2004), I would suggest that this film is a bit more approchable.  However, that is not to suggest that is any less perplexing as far as the narrative is concerned.

Strong performances by all three leads Seimetz, Carruth and Sensenig coupled with a complex and absorbing story will leave you questioning the  nature of our interconnectedness with nature and each other.  Furthermore the level of Carruuth’s technical mastery with regards to look of this film versus Primer can not be overempahazised.  Whereas his Freshman effort looked at times as if it was shot by someone just out of film school, this film looks closer to Tree of Life by Terrence Malick.  Make no mistake Carruth is a auteur in the truest sense of the word.

I urge everyone reading this to give this film a watch as this  is one of the most original and impressive films I have viewed this year.  The good news is that you can stream this film right now on Netflix.  How crazy is that?  Well not as crazy as this film but I look forward to hearing what you all think of it.  I am giving this film two and half piglets.

Welcome to this week’s installment of “It Came from the Bargain Bin!” To tell you the truth, I was not sure what angle to approach this week’s intro from. I was going to go with focusing on this week’s Director, Sam Peckinpah, who has directed cinematic classics such as “Straw Dogs” (1971) and The Wild Bunch (1969). Or this week’s intro could have focused on the star of this week’s movie, Kris Kristofferson, who has, simply, done it all, from writing the Janis Joplin hit song  “Me and Bobby McGee” (1971) to starring in hit films like “A Star is Born” (1976) for which he received a Golden Globe for Best Actor. On the other hand, I could have gone with a tribute to Ernest Borgnine who won a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of “Marty Piletti” in the hit movie “Marty” (1955) and of course starred opposite Jan-Michael Vincent in the popular eighties television show “Airwolf” among many other film, stage and television accomplishments. Not to mention, this week’s selection is tied to the hit song “Convoy” (1975)  written by Bill Fries aka C.W. McCall, so I pondered focusing the intro on films that either created hit songs or films that were more or less, based on hit songs. In the end, what you have just read is the intro that I’ve decided to go with so I hope it works for you. All that being said, lets get to this week’s review of the movie directed by Sam Peckinpah, starring Kris Kristofferson and Ernest Borgnine and driven (yes, pun intended) by the hit song “Convoy” by Bill Fries or C.W. McCall. This week’s pick from The Bin is, you guessed it, 1978′s……………”Convoy.”

Starring: Kris Kristofferson, Ali MacGraw, and Ernest Borgnine
Writers: Bill L. Norton (film) and Bill Fries (song)
Director: Sam Peckinpah

It’s the Arizona desert and independent trucker Martin Penwald aka “Rubber Duck”, because even a handle name like Rubber Duck sounds cooler than a trucker named Martin and of course all big rig truck drivers need a “handle”, has the “pedal to the medal” when he is passed by a beautiful motorist who is taking pictures of him while he’s driving. Wouldn’t you know it but along comes a “Bear” or highway patrol officer, who’s driven off the road by the two flirting motorists. When Rubber Duck informs the officer that the woman that was driving alongside of him isn’t wearing any panties the officer lets him off with a warning and pursues the panty-less beauty. This will not be the last time that The Duck crosses paths with the convertible cruising vixen nor will it be the last time The Duck has a run-in with an officer of the law.

Soon we meet The Duck’s cohorts like “Spider Mike” (Franklin Ajaye) and Bobby ‘Love Machine’ ‘Pig Pen’ (Burt Young) who are both enamored by The Duck due to various tales from the highway that have helped make the notorious and beloved Duck a truck driving legend. It isn’t long before The Duck becomes re-acquainted with his old arch rival the local “Bear” Sheriff Lyle “Cottonmouth” Wallace (Ernest Borgnine) through the magic of “CB” (Citizens Band) Radio. When The Duck and his fellow truckers drive into a speed-trap courtesy of Sheriff “Cottonmouth” The Duck quickly realizes that Cottonmouth has no changed a bit. Not only has Wallace broken the law by interfering through the use of a CB but he isn’t afraid to abuse his power by whatever means he deems necessary. The Duck and his buddies are soon free to go but not until they are nailed with a few tickets and you know that they will soon have to deal with Sheriff Wallace again.

When The Duck and his buddies arrive at local truck stop “Raphael’s Silver Cloud”, as fate would have it, Melissa (Ali MacGraw), the photo-snapping motorist beauty who The Duck was flirting with earlier, is there and she just so happens to need a ride due to unforeseen car problems. Soon enough Sheriff Lyle makes his presence known once again when he enters Raphael’s and attempts to arrest “Spider Mike” for the false charge of vagrancy. When Spider Mike and The Duck respond to Cottonmouth’s threats by knocking him out, things become very serious. As soon as The Duck’s friends try to flee the scene they are surprised by two more officers and a real brouhaha breaks out. After winning the fight it’s time for the gang to follow The Duck in a rush to the state line where they hope to avoid arrest and prosecution in the form of a……………….convoy!

Okay, so Convoy isn’t graced with great acting and the plot, may nowadays, be pretty humorous but for good or bad, it is a memorable film. Lets be honest, you might even watch Convoy if you were to come across it on TV and nothing else decent was on. If you haven’t watched Convoy I recommend checking it out if not only to get a kick out of a movie that was actually pretty popular at one time. Watching Convoy reminded me of films like ”Every Which Way You Can” and “Every Which Way But Loose” both starring Clint Eastwood and ”Clyde” the orangutan or maybe the “Smokey and the Bandit” movies starring Burt Reynolds and Jackie Gleason are better comparisons. Although, these films may not be on the top 50 best films of all time list they are still entertaining and fun to watch when you are hanging out at home. Nonetheless, Convoy is not a very good movie so, unfortunately, I have to give it 1 1/2 out of 3 Rubber Ducks, but don’t let this rating stop you from checking it out. See you next week with another pick from The Bargain Bin.

Lady in a Cage

Director: Walter Grauman
Writer: Luther Davis
Starring: Olivia de Havilland, James Caan, Jennifer Billingsley
Review By: Griff

I took it easy on you guys last week and went with some lighter fare but we snapping back to the dark side this week with one of the OG’s of the home invasion genre, Lady in Cage! This is James Caan’s first starring role (although not his first picture) and he plays a brutal character that he modeled after Marlon Brando in Streetcar Named Desire.

Olivia de Havilland (yes that Olivia de Havilland) is Cornelia Hilyard, a wealthy widow who is recovering from hip surgery. In order to get to the second floor of her house she has an elevator installed. On this particular day Cornelia is taking the lift upstairs when the power goes out and traps her between floors. Fortunately for her she has an emergency button that rings a bell outside the house. Instead of someone coming to rescue her however, the bell lures a bum (Jeff Corey) into the house. He steals some bottles of wine and then walks off with Cornelia’s toaster which he takes to a local pawn shop. Randall (James Caan) and his two lackeys Elaine and Essie (Jennifer Billingsley and Rafael Campos) also happen to be at the pawn shop and they decide to follow the bum and see what he is up to. The bum goes to visit Sade (Ann Sothern) a local hustler who he is enamored with. Together the two of them decide to go back to Cornelia’s house and rob the place blind.

Randall and his gang follow them there and attack the two of them taking them captive in the house. What follows is a whole bit of nastiness as the crew torture the bum, Sade, Cornelia, and even each other. Cornelia realizes that not only is she trapped but she is now fighting  for her life.

This was a surprisingly graphic film for 1964 and couple of scenes surprised me. Especially the end sequence. You can definitley see the influence of this film on movies like The Strangers, Funny Games, and to some extent Last House on the Left.

James Caan is great as the brutish gang leader and he is a highlight here. Olivia de Haviland well, lets just say that there was never any danger of her winning her 3rd Oscar for this one. Jeff Corey who plays the bum is also hamming it up pretty good. Jennifer Billingsley and Rafael Campos as the two lackeys were both pretty interesting though. (Although I wouldn’t call their performances subtle either.)

Lady in a Cage also tried to have some things to say about society and how no one helps each other. No one responds to Cornelia’s bell for example and latter she is trying to get people’s attention on a busy street and everyone just ignores her and goes about their business. There is some other interesting stuff going on with the relationship between Cornelia and her son (who has gone away for the weekend) that borders on creepy.

So if you are looking for something off the beaten path and want to see a movie that has definitely influenced a few other films than you should Lady in a Cage a try. It gets 2 guys from me.

So you are a really big fan and you want to get an early look at hunky Brad Pitt in this summer’s hot zombie film World War Z.  Well you are in luck friend, because in select cities Regal Entertainment theaters are offering a Mega Ticket deal. For a paltry $50 American you can purchase the oppurtunity to check out the film a whole two days before the rest of the riffraff get a chance to view the film.  As an added bonus at $50 a pop, it is pretty doubtful that you are going to be dealing with any screaming children at your viewing.

However, early access is not the only thing you get for you money.  Also included in this deal is a code for a digital download of the film whenever that gets released.  You also get some World War Z 3D glasses to make all your friends jealous.  What you are still not convinced that this is a good deal?  How about this you also get a limited edition World War Z poster (sorry does not include zombie cat picture on poster) and a small popcorn.  That is right a small popcorn, want a drink well your out of luck and have to buy that yourself.

I can only assume this photo is of crowds of movie goers running to snap up this deal.

This amazing deal is only available in select citys so click right here to see if you can become one of the chosen few to experience World War Z Mega Ticket.  Please let us know how many tickets you plan on purchasing in the comment section.

El Ultimo Elvis (The Last Elvis) 2012

Directed By: Armando Bo
Written By: Armando Bo, Nicolas Giacobone
Starring: John McInerny, Griselda Siciliani, Margarita Lopez
Method Watched: HBO Go
Reviewed By: Adam Griffith

I had featured this trailer in our Tremendous Trailer Trash Tuesday feature at some point last year.  I have been fascinated by Elvis and Elvis impersonators for some time.  In total I have probably seen at least six or seven different Elvis impersonator performers work their magic.  From Big Elvis Peter Vallee in Las Vegas to Elvis Impersonator Ron Short’s Blue Hawaii show in Hawaii the misses and I make it a point to check out Elvis impersonators when we are on vacation.  Hell we even had an Elvis Impersonator perform a set at our wedding in Vegas.  Needless to say I was intrigued to check out this film from Argentinian director Armando Bo.

Carlos, call me Elvis, Gutierrez works at a factory doing mindless assembly work.  His job sucks, but not as much as the trampy whores he picks up on street corners for what passes for companionship in his life.  When he is not busy working or ignoring his ex-wife and his daughter, Lisa Marie, he is working on his music.  For Carlos, his main calling in life is that of an Elvis Impersonator.  However, Carlos does not just think that he is impersonating The King, he thinks he is The King reborn or reincarnated or that he has a gift from god to emulate Elvis.  To be honest it was sort of hard to tell what to think as the film is subtitled and it is difficult to discern Carlos’s mental state.  Is Carlos obsessed, delusional, bat shit crazy or is he just a bit of a strange character and an Elvis fan?

Elvis, is forced to become the father that he has not been for his daughter, Lisa Maria, after his ex-wife is involved in a car accident.  For the first time he develops a positive relationship with his young daughter.  She becomes accepting of her fathers Elvis obsession and even starts to eat peanut butter and banana sandwiches.  All the while when he is helping his daughter he is also hard at work perfecting his performance.  It is worth mentioning that actor John McInerny does a very respectable Elvis impersonation (think late stage 1970′s Elvis).  This is McInerny’s first role in a film, in real life he moonlights as an Elvis Impersonator and it shows.  The songs he performs in the film are actually of good quality.

Eventually our story leads to Carlos taking a trip to Graceland to see the home of the King.  It is in this section of the the film that we find out the most about Carlos. Is he really the reincarnated Elvis, or simply a dedicated fan.  Will Carlos hit the big time as an Elvis impersonator in the United States?  Has the improved relationship with his ex-wife and young daughter altered his perspective on the world?  While Graceland would not allow director Bo to actually film at Graceland the house the film does utilize is amazingly close looking to the original.  I have been to Graceland, and I could not tell the difference when viewing the film.

This film kept me regaled despite having to read the subtitles throughout the movie.  That was mainly because, Carlos “Elvis” Gutierrez is a fascinating character to watch on screen.  The film manages to deal with the role of fatherhood and the role of celebrity in our culture, while avoiding coming off as preachy.  The emotional roller coaster the film takes you on will keep you guessing about what exactly you are watching right up till the films conclusion.  To my knowledge this is also the first Argentinian film that I have watched and I was highly impressed with director/writer Armando Bo.   Fans of the music of Elvis or Elvis impersonators will certainly want to give this one a watch.  However, there is enough of a quality story here to keep those with little or nothing in the way of an Elvis reference highly entertained.  I am giving this film two hunka-hunka burning loves.

Check out John McInerny  performing some Elvis Tunes.

Why did you start blogging about film?   Hmmmm, to be honest, I started blogging about film when my brother asked me to fill a spot that had opened up on this blog.  I had always been interested in writing, as it had nothing to do with math or numbers.  I always considered algebra the work of the devil.  Once I started writing about movies and films (a topic I was already interested in) I found that I enjoyed discussing films with other like minded individuals from all over the globe.  While I often times don’t end up agreeing with every writer’s opinion on each film, it is still intriguing to me to hear what other people think about films.

At times it seems that we spend as much time utilizing social networks as we do writing about films.  While it is a bit of distraction from reviewing films, it does allow our reviews to reach a larger audience.  It is not so much an interest in attracting hits or views on our site as it is a matter of getting eyes on our reviews.  I realize some folks simply write just for the process of writing and don’t care if anyone reads what they have written.  However, I don’t really share that sentiment.  My goal is to get as many people as possible to read the reviews and opinion pieces we create.  As an added bonus we get to go to the movies every week!

Scott had on a cardigan everyday I saw him except the one when this photo was taken.

So why did you start writing about film?  What caused you to start up a blog about movies and do you care if anyone reads what you have written?

This may be the best collection of trailers we have put together in a long time.  Be forewarned, some of these are red band trailers.  So if you are susceptible to coming down with a touch of the vapors you may want to proceed with caution.

Runner, Runner:  Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake, star in this online poker thriller.  After getting hosed by Affleck in an online poker game, college student Timberlake travels to Costa Rica in an attempt to track him down and get his cash back. Nice to see Affleck playing a bad guy in this one and there are crocodiles or maybe alligators, I can’t tell, but I am pretty sure they eat people.   Look for Runner Runner to bust the house when it ante up’s on September 27th.

Filth:  James McAvoy and Imogen Poots star in this film about an out of control cop who goes on a rampage around Christmas in the hopes of getting a promotion and winning back his wife and daughter.  This looks to me like a mix of Trainspotting and The Bad Lieutenant.  That is probably due to the fact that Irvine Welsh wrote both the novel this is based on and Trainspotting.  Wait this film also comes out on September 27th, looks like a busy weekend at the cinemaplex for a lot of folks.

The To Do List:  Aubrey Plaza, Bill Hader, Rachel Bilson and Andy Samberg star in this raunchy coming of age teen comedy.  A high achieving book worm (Plaza) attempts to become sexual experienced prior to heading off to college.  This film was written and directed by Maggie Carey, wife of Bill Hader.  As soon as I saw this film starred Aubrey Plaza I decided I was going to be giving it a watch.  Horrifying parents everywhere, this R rated film opens on July 26th.

Ain’t Them Bodies Saints:  Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck and Ben Foster star in this Terrence Malick film.  Just kidding this movie is actually written and directed by David Lowery.  Affleck takes the fall for his wife after she kills a cop.  He then escapes from prison and makes his way across hot as hell Texas in an attempt to reunite with his wife and his daughter that he has never seen.  This film won a Cinematography and producers award at Cannes and was also nominated for the Grand Prize Jury award.   Look forward to seeing if this film lives up to the hype on August 16th.

I told you we had a sweet set of trailers for you to check out this week didn’t I?  So which of these look interesting to you?  To be honest I think I will probably watch all four of these films when they hit theaters.

We have 4 new releases to discuss this week and it looks like nothing real exciting, unless of course you loved our first dvd…

Oz The Great and the Powerful

We here at 3guys did not like this film at all, especially Mark and you can read our review @ http://3guys1movie.com/oz-the-great-and-powerful/, and that is all I have to say about that.

next we have

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters

I have no interest in seeing this one and it seems that nobody liked this film, getting hammered by reviewers.  I would give you a rundown but feel like I do not have to.

next up we have

Snitch

Starring the ever-charming Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and academy award winner Susan Sarandon, someone has been wrongly accused of drug trafficking and “The Rock” is going to fix it.  Sounds like a decent action movie.

and finally we have

Bullet to the Head

Sly Stallone back in an action film based on a Graphic Novel.  Sly is a hit man who teams up with a cop to find some killers.  This seems like a total retread of 50 other films but you never know.

That’s it that’s all

Welcome to this week’s installment of “It Came from the Bargain Bin!” I guess this week’s selection falls under the “horror” genre but you and I know that often times just because a movie is labeled horror, drama, action, etc., etc., this does not mean that the particular movie always reflects the genre that it falls under. For example, Escape from L.A. may be considered an action movie but we all know that Escape from L.A. may as well be a comedy and I feel this this week’s pick from The Bin is one of those multi-genre movies. To be honest, I’m not sure if this week’s flick even reflects the horror genre as much as it comes across as a comedy. You decide where this movie stands as far as it’s genre. This week’s “horror” movie from The Bargain Bin is 1985′s “The Toxic Avenger!”

The Toxic Avenger

Starring: Andree Maranda, Mitch Cohen, and Jennifer Prichard
Writers: Lloyd Kaufman and Joe Ritter
Directors: Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman

Tromaville, New York is, some might say, the toxic waste dumping capital of New York and it just so happens that Tromaville is also the residence of Melvin Ferd. Melvin is what many may consider your classic nerd. Not only is Melvin an awkward teen but he also happens to be the “Mop Boy” at the local athletic club where hard bodies, leotards, and spandex are the norm. Melvin is obviously a square peg at the Tromaville Health Club. Life is far from easy for poor Melvin who constantly falls victim to the harassment of other more athletic members of the club, like the muscle-bound meatheads known as “Bozo” and “Slug.”

One day, while working out at the athletic club, Bozo’s girlfriend “Julie” devises a plan to teach Melvin a lesson that he won’t soon forget. The “harmless” prank proves to be extremely harmful for Melvin when, to escape the laughter and ridicule of the onlookers, Melvin dives through the window of the health club and into a barrel containing toxic waste thus transforming Melvin into a super hero/monster whose sole purpose is to avenge the victims, including himself, of all evil doers throughout New York City.

The Toxic Avenger has all the makings of a cult classic. Not that all cult classics have the same formula and of course, not all cult classics are very good movies and The Toxic Avenger is one of those cult classics. What The Toxic Avenger does have going for it is a ridiculously far fetched plot, horrible acting that you have to watch like a bad car accident, and an unlikely hero that you have to love. I, myself, love this flash from the past but I am not blinded by the fact that The Toxic Avenger, although entertaining, is, quite frankly, a bad movie. Lets be honest, I think we all know, once having viewed The Toxic Avenger, that it was not made to be a great or even good movie. It is also obvious that The Toxic Avenger is not exactly a horror movie but lets not label this one with a genre because some movies just aren’t meant to be trivialized by labels. The Toxic Avenger is an intentionally bad movie and this is one of the things that I love about it. I give The Toxic Avenger 1 1/2 out of 3 Guys. See you next week with another review from The Bargain Bin.