With my can on Slim Jims in one hand  and my 12 pack of Vanilla Coke in the other, I too often find myself standing in a ridiculously long line at the local grocery store. Ahead of me are older women who have their carts overflowing with a variety items that they may or may not ever use. Every now and then i pick up an edition of The National Enquirer, i know they stories are usually bizarre and strange but they do intrigue me. Another magazine that does so is The Inside View. Stories about zombies, aliens, and even Vampires are regular topics and the latter just so happens to be the main topics that the reporters are after in the 1997 release of Stephen King’s “The Night Flier.”

The stage is set up with Richard Dees ( played by Miguel Ferrer) being the veteran reporter at a magazine that features stories of the unbelievable, strange and unreal. When a lead comes up on possible vampire that attacks his victims around airfields, he quickly passes on it, and after the newbie, Katherine Blair (Julie Entwisle), starts cracking more light on the case, Dees quickly decides to jump back on it and the chase begins.

I thought this adaptation of King’s story from his book, Nightmares and Dreamscapes, was a surprisingly impressive one. It was easily able to keep me intrigued and hardly got dull in any moments. The transitions from location to location are smooth and they don’t feel rushed or out of place. Directed by Mark Pavia, the film really grabs a hold of the audience and doesn’t loosen up a bit.The acting shocked me as being one of the biggest positive things out of the film. Miguel handles the lead of the film EXTREMELY well and he is a very underrated actor. Julie Entwisle took the supporting role and ran with it. They both shined and never let down in their performances.

Overall, it seemed like the feel of the film reminded much of an HBO episode of Tales from the Crypt. I liked the filmed and i thought Miguel did an outstanding job. Totally will recommend this King Adaptation to any lover of his work as they will not be disappointed.

4/5 Reels
Golden Squid Rating
Check It Out!!

Trailer:

The SquidFlicks Staff endures a summer of horrible schooling. Will their summer be lost? or will they somehow escape the clutches of the Evil Teacher. Stay tuned every Tuesday and Thursday for new Episodes. 5/8

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ma8qBkmSYo

We all are told to make the most of our youthful innocence. The only responsibilities we know as kids is to go to school and church on a regular basis, more or less. After that, you could do anything you wanted. Staying up all night, hanging with friends, going on adventures in the woods, playing video games, watching TV, and just plan old having fun. Most of us grew up with a small circle of close friends, and sometimes we lose touch with each other through the course of life. 

For friends Lenny Feder (Adam Sandler), Eric Lamonsoff (Kevin James), Kurt McKenzie (Chris Rock), Marcus Higgins (David Spade), and Rob Hillard (Rob Schneider), they had a great childhood, culminating in a youth basketball championship with their collective coach and father figure, Bobby ‘Buzzer’ Ferdinando. As they got older, they moved away and went on to lead lives of varying success and happiness. The group is reunited when, 30 years after their championship year, coach Ferdinando dies. They all get the news, and are reunited at the funeral, where hilarity ensues with a rendition of Ava Maria by Rob Schneider (CLASSIC!)

Afterward, the families decide to spend the holiday weekend at a traditional lake house together, where as kids they had spent many summers before. There are plenty of hilarious antics as they vastly different dynamics of all five families collide in a confined space. From swinging ropes to relationships to the zipline at a local water park, it’s a summer adventure for sure!

After it’s all said and done, everyone ends up being a better person and happier with where they are in life. Even the opposing team from the championship game, left to a life full of unfulfilled dreams ever since their ‘tragic’ loss (and multiple claims of the game winning shot being invalid), gets a morale boost at the hands of Lenny in a rematch to end the story.

At heart, Grown Ups is a big SNL reunion, with a bunch of big comedy actors and some other pretty high profile celebs (Selma Hayek!) The story also has some pretty important messages buried deep in all the hilarity. It was an example that no matter where you end up in life, you are never too important or too rich to spend time with other people and respect them for who they are, and that you can never truly leave your friends behind. I know there are probably many of you that have grown apart from someone (or multiple people) that were once a special part of your life. I’m sure you know that even if you don’t necessarily agree with what they have become or the choices that they make, you still care about them as a friend.

Maybe I am reading a little too much into a Sandler film, but I really think the most important things to take away from this movie are: Always be a (responsible) kid at heart, and never forget those friends, family members, and the community that helped shape us into the people that we are today, or simply, don’t forget your past. It’s the little things that matter in life, and I think Grown Ups was a great way to show that to us.

Campfire Stories. Hearing that title you expect to hear, or see rather, stories that leave your bones cold even though your body is warm, stories that give you goosebumps all over your body. Stories that are suppose to give you nightmares and cause you pain. Pain that’s brought on by the suspense of the story, and NOT by the horrible acting of one. Sadly, the only pain you’ll be experiencing while you watch the 2002 release of “Campfire Stories” is just that.

You can pretty much tell the direction this whole thing is going within the first five minutes of the film. Shot on video, you can tell the budget wasn’t too big, so you have to lower your expectations a tad so that you can appreciate the film for its stories it’s trying to relay through the film. I found myself not appreciating anything from this film.

The wraparound focuses on two young men driving down a deserted road and stopping suddenly at the sight of a young, female traveler (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) standing in their path who also claims to have had car trouble (though her car is nowhere to be seen). The travelers decide to team up and look for help by, of course, wandering into the woods, and this is where they encounter a very unsettling David Johansen playing an oddball character called “Ranger Bill.”

The stories start horrible, but they do get better as each one passes. The only shining hope in this one is Sigler, maybe its because i liked her so much in The Sopranos. I can’t say I’d ever recommend this to ANYONE but if you want to watch ever horror anthology, like me, it’s one you’ll have to suck up and endure.

Overall, Campfire Stories is a poorly written, acted, and directed film. It’s one of the WORST anthology films to be put on DVD. Avoid Campfire Stories, but SEE Campfire Tales. Kudos to Jamie-Lynn Sigler in this one.

1/5 Reels
Dying Squid Rating
Watch at your own Risk!!!

Trailer:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykSYa3fyG94

The SquidFlicks Staff endures a summer of horrible schooling. Will their summer be lost? or will they somehow escape the clutches of the Evil Teacher. Stay tuned every Tuesday and Thursday for new Episodes. 4/8

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k9DxUNuHtI

Halloween. A time when we have an excuse to act like a kid and dress up. Traditionally a holiday where kids go from house to house asking for candy in various costumes. Horror movies are seen regular on televisions all over the world and we just cant seem to get enough of the macabre. Skulls and Jack O’ Lanterns are symbols of the season,however; another tradition of Halloween dates back thousands of years. Human sacrifices were common then and if you were ever to break that tradition you may get visited by a demon or two. Meet Sam. Like the crew in the 2008 release of Michael Dougherty’s “Trick ‘R Treat.”

Going into this film i had good expectations. For a few years it has received praise for being the best horror film in years, and one of the best anthology films of all time. I never expected it however to be as amazing as it was. The way the film was setup, reminded me of “Pulp Fiction.” All of the stories were intertwined, and you’d see certain scenes and characters featured in one story in the background of another.

Glen MacPherson, the film’s cinematographer, did an outstanding job with the look of the film. It caught the real essence of the fall time and everything seemed to be just in place and very eerie looking to it all. Just like wine, time did this film justice and ever disappoints

Michael Dougherty did a superb job writing a well entertaining film that isn’t predictable at all. The stories were all very original, and they kept you in shock as the film reveals its twists and turns throughout. The acting was great as well. Dylan Baker was excellent as the Principal gone killer. Others that stood out to me were Britt Mckillip and Brian Cox.

This is a def. new film im going to watch every year at Halloween time. It’s one that you’ll never get tired of and always fun to go back try and to connect everything together. Michael Dougherty has stated that he plans to make a sequel, hell i say make a new one every year!

5/5 Reels
Platinum Squid Rating
Don’t Miss this instant Classic!!!

Trailer:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jh0DwJZjz8

Here are the latest Squidflicks Summer School Episodes and a Video Review of the 1986 anthology film, “Deadtime Stories.” Enjoy!!!

Squidflicks Summer School Episode 2

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iO9R7EuL3E

Squidflicks Summer School Episode 3

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_PfHHc4VME

“Deadtime Stories” Video Review

www.youtube.com/watch?v=x48Ia7EoKvA

Ooops the last half of the teacher’s papers has seemed to have been misplaced. So we’ll pick up with Anthology Week!!

The SquidFlicks Staff endures a summer of horrible schooling. Will their summer be lost? or will they somehow escape the clutches of the Evil Teacher. Stay tuned every Tuesday and Thursday for new Episodes. 1/8

www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3f82kZsqpk

1997. The year that saw the death of Princess Diana, Gas was $1.22 a gallon, Titanic was released, and life was simpler and less worrisome. A lot of the 90s was spent living a more stress free life than many of us do now. Some however, depicted 1997 as a totally opposite reality. Picture 1997. The year where the entire Government structure is changed and the state of New York is turned into a maximum security prison. The President’s life is in danger and a man called Snake has to save him. Welcome to John Carpenter’s “Escape from New York.”

This film’s story, I feel, is way ahead of it’s time. By having the set-up be in New York is such a memorable image of America, it could really hit home. Pitting the sole leader of the free world in danger against the gangs and criminals of New York is a ballsy move and it sure as hell worked to perfection. The Criminal anti-hero, Snake Plissken, is as badass as they come. Only caring for himself and no one else makes him one BAMF guy.

The actors in the film are as seasoned as they come. Donald Pleasence, Kurt Russell, Tom Atkins, Adrienne Barbeau all starred in this cult classic and they raised the film’s quality tremendously. They each have their own unique and distinct role which they all execute wonderfully.

Carpenter composed the music himself, and he, yet again, delivered in high form. He’s use of heavy synth in his compositions makes his sound the true “Carpenter sound.” The main theme makes you get ready for the action adventure you’re about to witness and doesn’t lay off until the closing credits have rolled.

Overall, this film is a underrated classic in my eyes. I feel it’s one of Carpenter’s best scripts, and films. If you have Escape lately, then pop some popcorn, lay back on the couch and watch the 1997 that you never thought would be.

5/5 Reels
Platinum Squid Rating
Watch it NOW!!

Trailer:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckvDo2JHB7o