Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris
The third Gamera reboot film is the best of the three. It actually takes some time to establish some motivations for the human characters and gives a better sense of the size and threat of giant-sized monsters.
Titan
Libertarian disaster porn that moves along nicely until the actual disaster hits (figuratively) about two-thirds into the book. At that point it becomes pages and pages of characters explaining inflation and banking in unrealistic monologues that would bore John Galt. The Mandibles told a very similar story much better.
Gamera 2: Attack of the Legion
Another passable giant monster movie from Japan. The its predecessor there is absolutely nothing interesting about the human characters and the monsters don’t seem to pose any tangible threat. But watching guys in rubber suits smash model cities is always fun.
Gamera: Guardian of the Universe
I wanted to watch a somewhat “modern” take on a Japanese giant monster movie. This was okay. The effects aren’t much better than they were in the 60s and Gamera is more of a kids character than a seriously threatening monster.
Last House on the Beach
A group of young theater students and their chaperone (played by Florinda Bolkan) are held captive by a trio of bank robbers on the run. Despite the awfulness of the robbers, there never felt there was really any tension or suspense. However, it’s worth sitting through if only to get to the crazy ending in which the girls get their revenge with various garden implements.
Dishonored 2 on PC
It’s time to return the steampunk world of Dishonored in which you sneak around and strangle everyone who crosses your path. Dishonored 2 should be commended for allowing players to complete their goals in a variety of ways. I usually prefer the stealthy, non-lethal approach, but if you want, you can murder everyone in sight or even ignore the enemies and run to the end of the level.
As you play you begin to acquire super-powers allowing the player to teleport, see through walls, etc. The teleportation power is the first one you get and it is by far the most useful. I felt like I was cheating because I was allowed to zap myself above and around obstacles. The challenge became trying to collect all the charms strewn throughout the world without ever being detected or using lethal takedowns.
Once again I finished the game without ever killing anyone, but I still was tagged for 2 or 3 deaths along the way. I wish there was a progress screen so I would know mid-level if I accidentally hid a sleeping enemy in a killer rats nest or whatever. There was also a glitch where bodies weren’t where I left them when loaded a save, causing them to be detected by guards. I really don’t have the patience to replay the game and attempt a perfect run especially since the various endings are just quick voiceovers that change slightly based on your actions. I got my “good” ending and that’s enough for me.
Open: The Story of Human Progress
In many ways this is a continuation of The Future and Its Enemies with a heavy emphasis on open borders and free trade. The concept is simple: human progress is largely tied to open, dispersed systems of knowledge and exchange.
Ninja III: The Domination
The sorta-sequel to Revenge of the Ninja doesn’t quite rise to its levels of unmatched 80s action. What it lacks in stunts and fights it makes up for in exorcisms, aerobics, and golf.
A Haunted Turkish Bathhouse
Ladies and gentleman, it’s officially the one-millionth time a movie has been based on Poe’s The Black Cat! This time it’s the soft-core, Japanese version. The real reason to watch this is the bonkers final act in which the ghost of the killed protagonist gets revenge on her assailants. It’s very reminiscent of Suspira except everything is blue instead of red.
Avatar
I respect the ambition of James Cameron and his plan for his Avatar sequels so I figured I should finally see the first one. It’s okay. I suppose I am losing something by watching it on a tiny computer screen without the 3-D effects. There’s just something corny and uninspired about the character designs which prevents me from being impressed. It looks like a video game from 2002 and the creatures are animated with floaty, unrealistic movements. These is especially apparent because the cartoon is mixed with live-action actors. For all the technical innovation, everything else about this movie is a cliché. It’s an entertaining spectacle but there are no fun surprises.