Dolly Dearest

Wait Until Dark (1967)
Dir - Terence Young

Wow! This is an amazing thriller that I'm ashamed to have not seen until now. Hepburn, Arkin and Crenna really nail it, but everyone in the cast is outstanding. Henry Mancini's score adds a delightfully creepy vibe. This is an absolute must see!

Pennsylvania 6-5000

The Glenn Miller Story (1954)
Dir - Anthony Mann
Jimmy Stewart Sundays

Another Jimmy Stewart film, another win. This biopic about the life of Glenn Miller is wonderfully enjoyable, interesting and full of great music. There is some great use of Technicolor, but also some moments seem a tad overboard. One scene in particular centers around a late night visit to a Harlem Jazz club where Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa and other play some toe-tapping tunes. Even though this is my favorite scene the ever changing color wheel on the band gets a bit laughable. Watch this, you won't be disappointed.

T-U-R-T-L-E POWER

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
Dir - Steve Barron
Midnight Madness

The first time I saw this was on opening night on a friend's birthday after going and eating pizza. It was such a blast and we were a very happy group of 10-year-olds. Having not seen it in quite a few years, and not in 35mm since 1990, I can say that I still find it a ton of fun! Henson's Creature Workshop does a great job with the costumes and Splinter. Watching this really makes me want to go back and watch the other movies (never saw part 3 or the recent CGI version) and even the original cartoon series, which I watched obsessively at one time. I also need to read the source comic series. I've wanted to for years. Somebody hook a brutha up!

Now, where's that pizza?

Devil Snake!

Jaws of Satan (1981)
Dir - Bob Cleaver

So, it's a movie about the devil in a King Cobra's body coming after a new priest in a small town? Sign me up! There isn't a lot of crazy snake action, but it does build a fair amount of suspense in one scene in particular where a rattlesnake hides in a shower. I would scream like a little girl. Some of the make-up FX of the snake bites are pretty cool but that doesn't make up for some of the acting. This was also a very young Christina Applegate's first film.

A few years before she was prime time jailbait, she was snake bait.

Where's My Mr. Goodbar?

Penitentiary (1979)
Dir - Jamaa Fanaka
Weird Wednesday


From the man who brought us Welcome Home Bother Charles, comes the first in the trilogy of films about boxing in the big house. A few great fight scenes, but there is a bit of odd editing and some out-of-place feeling fourth wall breaking. If nothing else I now have to watch the other two films, the sequel has Mr. T and Ernie Hudson, and I want to eat a(nother) Mr. Goodbar.

Hitting the Slopes

Iced (1988)
Dir - Jeff Kwitny
Horror Movie Night

Perfect night to watch this during the crazy icy weather attacking North Texas. This is a special kind of slasher from the late 80s centered around a timeshare ski weekend. Not much makes sense and the main female is always working out in the kitchen. What do curls with a rolling pin really accomplish? There are some hysterical lines and just plain ridiculous logistics. On the plus side a grown-up Lisa Loring, the original Wednesday Addams, gets naked. Heh.

BOOM!

The Expendables (2010)
Dir - Sylvester Stallone

This does have the joy of the 80s action throwback but feels a little long with some very out of place moments. The fight scenes are great and some of the other gunplay, and numerous explosions, are quite enjoyable to watch. One thing that really bugs me is the less than stellar CGI mainly for blood. I snickered every time it was used. It might be a bit cheaper/quicker/easier to use a computer over a practical effect but it looks absolutely ridiculous. Stallone looks a little deflated and I wish JCVD would have said yes. Maybe for The Expendables 2!

Exploding Birds and Man-Faced Dogs

A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
Dir - Jack Sholder

Surely one of the worst NOES sequels but there are still a few good moments... and A LOT of cheese. There are some decent FX but most are pretty laughable, as is the main characters spectacular dance sequence in his room. There is a ton of gay subtext and if those involved are telling the truth that it wasn't planned then this has to be the most unintentionally gay movie ever! There's a scene where the high school kid wanders into an S&M club and finds his coach all leathered out. Of course he goes back to the school with him and runs laps. Crazy!