Movie Log: By Rating

There’s no escaping these superhero movies. I was trapped in rural America with two hours to kill and this... more

I wasn’t exactly sold on this movie. Most of it comes across as a sophomore art project with cheap... more

There are hints of The Terminator (the first one) and Robocop in this but it doesn’t quite rise to... more

I don’t think I get Brian Depalma yet. The whole time I was watching this I was thinking about... more

Another gaping hole from my 80s cinema to-do list. The premise is extremely cheesy and the execution isn’t much... more

Japanese horror that draws almost note for note from Italian gore-maestro Lucio Fulci–synthy score, gratuitous eye gag, sound f/x... more

A Shaolin monk on the run vows to avenge the death of a friend and, over the course of... more

Umberto Lenzi directs this post-Baker giallo about a group of tourists in Barcelona who are killed off one-by-one by... more

Donald Sutherland is miscast as the titular Casanova in this beautiful looking interpretation of that story. Every colorful frame... more

The second film in this series has the same visual flair of the first. This entry is a pretty... more

Italian thriller from the early 70s. Beautiful colors and photography and an excellent Morricone score. Not the most complicated... more

I probably would have like this better if the sound was in tact. The story and mystery is obvious,... more

Strange Bava sex comedy based on Rashomon.

This was a movie that I really wanted to see. It’s directed by Ben Wheatley, who made the gangster-hybrid... more

A cartoon drama from Studio Ghibli about a teenage girl who misses her dead father and raises signal flags for... more

The third Gamera reboot film is the best of the three. It actually takes some time to establish some... more

Slow moving sci-fi ala Brave New World. The DNA distopia idea isn’t very interesting, but a decent formula mystery.

Still not sure what I think of this. A brutal character study of an anti-hero with a confusing plot.

Well, like everyone else who saw this movie, I think the first quarter is very good, mostly because Brian... more

Grand Slam is a reasonably amusing heist film with the usual tropes of assembling of the team, a complicated heist,... more

This classic Studio Ghibli cartoon is about the horrors of war. But it’s really more about the horrors of... more

Sure there are a few laughs, but, for the most part, Greenberg is a drifting, plotless character study of a really... more

We watched this movie because my kid was in a local production of the musical version and I wanted... more

Not as good as #3, but the ending is worth all the cheesy dragon fighting.

Mondo Macabro has been pretty consistent in their DVD releases. Lots of trashy and weird genre films from outside... more

Aside from the incredible Hercules starring Lou Ferrigno, I have not seen many of these Italian swords and sandals epics. This... more

A classic western that doesn’t hold up against my beloved spaghetti westerns. The acting is stilted and the continuous... more

I wanted to check out more of Leos Carax’s work after watching Annette, and this is the movie that... more

This is crime thriller from 1955 that is unique in that it was shot on location in post-war Japan and... more

I went into this film not knowing anything about it and ended up liking it despite the slow, SLOW... more

The English title of this one is Lust of the Vampire. Thankfully, these are just titles and there are no... more

Entertaining one-joke movie about a future of stupid people.

I was expecting something a bit more action packed. Instead this movie is just a series of scenes of... more

I appreciate the brainy sci-fi themes regarding relativity and time dilation, but the “human” story about connecting with a... more

This is the “true story” of Bruce Lee’s teacher, Ip Man. The WWII setting gives it some gravitas as characters live under... more

A serviceable zombie movie whose hook is its communist Cuban setting. The characters refer to the undead as dissidents... more

In many ways, much tighter than Rabid Dogs, but the ending ruins the film.

Slow moving ghost story that is just a bit lacking in budget to make it great. I write a... more

Buying this DVD was worth it for the extras (besides, I got it for less than five bucks). The... more

Amazon recommended this movie to me probably because I have watched a lot of Kung-Fu movies lately? I think... more

Decent animated feature that’s completely cliche, but enjoyable.

Japanese horror anthology from the mid-sixties that features beautiful surreal sets and cinematography but is very light on the... more

Marcello Mastroianni is an antiques dealer who is taken in by the police, accused of murdering his lover. It’s... more

All of the artsy Italian films from the 60s seem to be about the same thing: wealthy middle aged... more

Yet another plot-less art film from Antonioni about the tedium of life in early middle age. Wonderfully shot, but... more

Wonderfully photographed and filled with memorable moments, but this just wasn’t my cup of tea. A little too meandering... more

Well, here I go down the Eurocrime rabbit hole. The plot in this one is odd. The film starts... more

I’m slowly working my way through the films of Michelangelo Antonioni. I think I liked this better than L’Avventura,... more

This film is a pre Dawn of the Dead zombie flick that takes place in the idyllic English countryside. The first... more

Ernesto Gastaldi is much better known as a screenwriter rather than a director. He’s responsible for some of the... more

British production from the producer of Pieces. Pretty good but suffers from mediocre acting in what is essentially a... more

Man, Stephen Chow has been making the same movie over and over for more than two decades. Don’t get... more

Mad Monkey Kung Fu is all about the acrobatic fight choreography and feel a lot like a Nineties Jackie Chan... more

This has all the look and feel of a typical spaghetti western except this takes place in 19th century... more

Movie number four from the excellent Icons of Suspense Collection: Hammer Films DVD package. Despite having a killer with a blow... more

Somewhat cheesy in its anthropomorphic overkill, but very good nonetheless.

Interesting and well-acted witch hunt movie. Lots of torture.

This one is mostly noteworthy for its wacky premise of new wave rock band karate masters fighting motorcycle ninjas.... more

In the post Wicker Man world, I guess creepy European folk culture turned death-cult is now officially a horror sub-genre. I... more

French Gothic horror from the 60s. Some creepy imagery and fairly good pacing for an old movie.

The follow-up to Perfect Blue is downright whimsical compared to its predecessor. There are still more grown-up themes than your typical... more

Okay, here we go to the un-numbered M:I sequels. This one was directed by The Iron Giant’s Brad Bird. The intro credits are... more

Say what you will about Tom Cruise, he knows how to put together a decent popcorn movie. The plot... more

If you haven’t followed “On Cinema” on Adult Swim, I can’t imagine appreciating this movie. If you’re a fan,... more

Decent thriller, that gets a bit too political at times and, like Spielburg’s last few movies, doesn’t know when... more

This is the 1974 version, not the Kenneth Branagh handlebar mustache version. Unfortunately, I watched this knowing the ending... more

A bright and colorful comedic kung-fu movie about a young widow who was tasked with protecting a family fortune... more

This 1961 movie based on the Jules Verne story follows a group of Civil War soldiers who escape from... more

A corny, low-budget sci-fi movie that somehow I missed back in the 80s. This is the type of PG-rated... more

An Italian thriller (aka L’ultimo treno della notte) that leaves you feeling a bit icky not because of gore, but... more

Black and white Gothic horror with Barbara Steele in a dual role as blonde lady and brunette lady. I... more

The sorta-sequel to Revenge of the Ninja doesn’t quite rise to its levels of unmatched 80s action. What it... more

I enjoyed this movie for the most part but there were a few plot points that felt off, and... more

What can be said about this movie that hasn’t already been said in the “Under Pressure” video by Queen.... more

Studio Ghibli animated film about a middle aged woman who apparently is obsessed with her year in fifth grade.... more

I recognized most of the story here from having read Jackie Chan’s memoir, I Am Jackie Chan. It’s the story... more

I decided to watch this anime on a whim after revisiting The Girl Who Leapt Through Time the other night. The... more

Stanley Kubrick made a World War I movie? Well, I learn something every day. In reality, most of this... more

This should be an awful movie. The fact that it is produced by Adam Sandler should be enough of... more

I love how the Phantasm sequels start off by completely negating the end of the previous film. Each film... more

This is another Miyazaki film to watch strictly for the visuals. The story is pretty inane, but, as far... more

A piece of 80s shlock that’s much better than it should be mostly due to the excellent cast and... more

While still better than the majority of post-Connery Bond films, this one lacks the intrigue and story of Casino Royale.... more

The first Rec was both a very good as “zombie” movie and for being a “found footage” film. You never thought... more

Another movie that has no reason for being enjoyable, and yet I thought it was pretty good. This could... more

The sequel to the memorable One-Armed Swordsman is less about character development and more about action (Duh… you could say that... more

The first follow-up to The 36th Chamber still features Gordon Liu in the lead role, but it’s mostly a parody of... more

I watched this with the intention of seeing the third film in the theater soon thereafter. As far as... more

I used to listen to Adam Carolla’s podcast pretty regularly but stopped around the time Alison Rosen was unceremoniously... more

This early version of The Maltese Falcon is played as a comedy. The basics of the story are still there (it’s... more

Nice nun-sploitation film with lots of nudity and satanic creepiness.

The skillful and clever style of this movie has become an aesthetic touchstone for just about every gaming YouTuber... more

A journalist has been murdered and the department really wants to find the killer quickly and brush this case... more

Horrible child acting ruins what would be a great thriller.

Initially compelling giallo that loses steam at the out-of-nowhere ending.

The story is implausible and Nick Cage is as ridiculous as ever, but the stylish direction makes this an... more

Another pre-Argento giallo mystery that felt a lot like the movie I had just watched the night before, Diabolique.... more

I do love pinball and this documentary is about a bunch of people who also love their pinball too.... more

Documentary about National Spelling Bee. Not a terribly deep movie, but entertaining nonetheless.

This is a cult classic from what I hear. I thought it was pretty good but not great-a little too... more