Up first this week is V/H/S/99. V/H/S is one of the biggest horror anthology series out there and the latest is all stories based in 1999. The 1990s were my favorite decade so seeing the clothing, lack of cell phones and things still shot on handicams was pretty cool. Like all anthology films, some stories are better than others. The first story is about a band who breaks into an old club that burned down killing a band who were playing at the time. It’s rumored to be haunted by the band’s members. The second story is about a girl rushing a sorority who gets convinced she must stay in a coffin in a graveyard all night. But look out for the ghost of a previous girl who died doing the same thing! The third story is about a young girl who breaks her leg during a kid’s game show and her family kidnaps the game show host and wants him to grant their wish. What’s in the cave is beyond their dreams. The next story is about an attractive girl next door who all the boys are infatuated with. They convince the brother to install spyware on her computer until she turns on them and isn’t what she appears. Last we have a story about two guys sent to a hell type dimension when witches accidentally get them involved in their chants when all they were hired to do was video the events. If you are a fan of the franchise you should check it out. I loved the metal tin type case the Blu-ray came in.
Sticking with horror we have Consecration which stars Jena Malone and Danny Huston. Malone plays a young woman who finds out her priest brother died after allegedly killing another priest. She travels to an island in Scotland to find out the truth about her brother and the convent there. Huston plays a priest who wants to help her or so he claims. She has a past she doesn’t remember and her investigation opens all kinds of secrets. I’m not sure of Malone’s accent, but overall I thought the film was solid for something I had never heard of. Huston is always good and is an underrated actor. The location really works and the religious setting adds to the film. If you aren’t familiar with it and like religious paranormal films then give it a watch.
Third we have Detectorists Complete Collection and Detectorists Movie Special. The series is one of the most quirky shows I’ve watched in the past ten years and I’ve always dug it (pun intended). Toby Jones and Mackenzie Crook (who also wrote and directed the series) play detectorists, metal detector users, looking for treasure and history. It ran for 3 seasons and was something I really enjoyed. Every character is off-beat as is the entire concept, a series about guys using metal detectors. The Movie Special sort of recaps and ends the series with Toby Jones’ character finding a piece of treasure on his own permission, but not telling Crook about it. He decides to re-find the metal, but it blows up in his face with Crook getting the recognition for it. Of course like the series the movie doesn’t go in the direction you expect with a potential religious artifact found and being tossed away. If you are a fan of the series this new complete collection is a must own. If you haven’t seen the movie special (I hadn’t), it’s a nice way to reconnect and close out the series.
Speaking of television, Mill Creek Entertainment has Go On: The Complete Series out this week. Matthew Perry’s return to TV after Friends, the series didn’t catch on as they hoped it would. I actually was a fan when it aired. Perry played a sports radio talk show host who joins a support group to help with his grieving after his wife died. That group allowed the show to have all kinds of oddball characters from actors like Lauren Benanti, Julie White, Suzy Nakamura, Brett Gelman, Sarah Baker, Tonita Castro and Tyler James Williams. John Cho played Perry’s boss and friend. If the ratings were decent it’s a show that could have gone a couple of a seasons, but it only lasted 22 episodes. I think it still holds up and sure some of the jokes are a bit dated, but the concept of grief and making friends with that grief is pretty timeless. If you liked the show pick up the complete series. If you don’t know it, but like Matthew Perry I also recommend it.
Violent Streets is a 1970s Yakuza film about a retired gangster turned club owner who unfortunately gets back into the lifestyle. Gangsters from his past want his club and there is a gang war brewing on the streets. He turns to his old ways and there is lots of bloodshed. It’s a pretty cool film I had never seen with good 1970s styling and action. It could easily compare to Mean Streets or early Michael Mann films. It’s considered one of the best Yakuza films of all-time and I can understand why. It’s fast paced and violent. It has great characters from low levels to bosses. It has a great vibe to it and despite being decades old feels very fresh and timeless. I liked this a lot.
Last we have Warm Water Under A Red Bridge which if I described in my own words you’d think I made it up. It starts out with a man trying to find work after his last job was lost due to bankruptcy. An old man he knew told him about a gold statue hidden at a house near a red bridge. After his wife hounds him for money, he decides to find this gold statue to help relieve his financial burden. There he sees a woman stealing cheese and wetting the floor. He tracks her down because she lives in the house where the statue allegedly is. She has a secret and um, it’s hard to explain. She gets filled with water and has to release it I guess is the best way to describe it. When it’s released the movie has funny 1980s game show sound effects which made me laugh every time. I have no idea what the point of the movie actually is, but I’d be lying if I don’t admit to calling a friend after watching it and trying to explain what I just watched. It played Cannes in 2001 so it’s a film people will know about. I had never seen it because believe me I’d remember a film like this. What it all means I don’t understand, but you kind of have to see it for yourself.
The Nerds Templar 