Hobo with a Shotgun (2011)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

The headline read “Hobo Stops Begging, Demands Change.” That, and the fact that all exploitation elements are cranked to 11, sums up this movie. I’ve been a Rutger Hauer fan since seeing Blade Runner is a kid. I think I’ve seen the majority of his films, and I have even read his autobiography. For many years I complained about the injustice of Hauer not getting a good lead role. Well in 2011 the stars aligned – Hobo with a Shotgun was announced. I was avidly following the pre-release promotion of the movie, and was not disappointed when I finally got to see the finished product. I think the low rating on imdb is because of the overall purposeful cheese factor, and the fact everything offensive is thrown in to the mix. Yeah it ain’t Ingmar Bergman, but I give it a perfect score. RIP Mr. Hauer.

Available on Blu-ray from Magnet.

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Christmas Evil (1980)

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Streaming on YouTube | imdb | trailer

This is my favorite Christmas horror movie. Yes, the original Black Christmas and Silent Night Deadly Night are great, but this one is just so much more twisted and fun. Christmas Evil is also built on intentional humor that works, and features an absolutely unforgettable ending. You might just spill your eggnog. 

Available on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.

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The Horrible Dr. Hichcock (1962)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

This is a solid gothic horror, starring Barbara Steele, by Ricardo Freda who later made the very good films The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire and Tragic Ceremony. If you are a fan of early Mario Bava and the Roger Corman Poe films, you will almost certainly be pleased. Warning to the casual horror fan: this is pretty tame aside from the implied necrophilia that makes this doctor so horrible. The movie relies on suspense instead of blood, and the pace is very deliberate. However if you can watch it with that in mind, you might enjoy it as much as I do. One definite incentive is that Barbara Steele gets a lot of screen time.

Available on Blu-ray from Olive.

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Capote (2005)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

As I’ve said in the past, I really try to avoid recommending Academy Award winners. I really love this film though, and have not heard it mentioned in years. Capote is the story behind the writing of the grandaddy of all True Crime books “In Cold Blood”, and it’s pretty much a perfect film. This is also my favorite Philip Seymour Hoffman performance (RIP). This is one dark, beautifully filmed, emotional movie, that I give a 10/10. Also, if you’ve never read “In Cold Blood” before, do yourself a favor and do so immediately. It really is one of the very best works of American non-fiction.

Available on Blu-ray from MGM.

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The Silence of Others (2018)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

This is an outstanding documentary on the victims of Franco’s regime in Spain (1939 – 1975). I knew next to nothing about the horrors that went on during this period, so this was a real eye opener. Yes this movie is depressing. However it is very well made, and contains a ton of important human stories. It’s crucial to learn about the dark aspects of history that are hidden. Still to this day many people in Spain do not want this period brought up at all, including those in power. Do the victims a small favor and learn about what happened.

Not available on domestic Blu-ray.

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Things to Come (1936)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

I avoided this film for a while, but damn it’s really something special. The story is the unfolding of a century from war and chaos, to utopian innovation. I was already a fan of H.G. Welles adaptations since I was a kid, I’ve read some of his books as an adult, but I never really understood the breadth of his imagination until seeing this movie. Welles wrote The Shape of Things to Come in 1933. If it’s anything like The War of the Worlds, the book is FAR better than the film. In spite of that, to SEE how ‘30s filmmakers applied Welles’ ideas is truly stunning. Things to Come has a far more spectacular look than I would have thought was possible before WW2. In the beginning of the film everything appears like you would expect. As the story moves forward in time, it all becomes more and more wonderfully bizarre, and just keeps getting weirder. The grim war years are particularly something to behold. Bottom line, if you are a science fiction fan, this is essential viewing.

Available on Blu-ray from Criterion Collection.

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Dawn of the Dead (2004)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

You’ve seen the original 1978 version right? If not, fix that immediately. There was a time when I said that was my favorite movie of all time. I still love it. I am very cautious about remakes, but I saw this version in the theater when it came out and immediately enjoyed it. This is a “reimagining” done right. Zack Snyder and James Gunn took the same very general plot and did something new with it. They don’t use the same characters or location, which is key in honoring the source material. This Dawn is not better than the original, but well worth seeing. Here you have some serious fast-paced, violent, and intense horror. The CG looks a wee tiny bit dated, but honestly, it doesn’t bother me much. Oh yeah, I recall that this and 28 Days Later caused all these nerds to complain about fast moving zombies. They apparently forgot about Return of the Living Dead which was made in 1985. I hardly watch zombie flicks these days, but I don’t care how fast they move as long as the movie is good.

Available on Blu-ray from Scream Factory.

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I Know What I Saw (2009)

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No high resolution image was available, so I improvised – ha ha.

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

Most shows and movies about UFO / AEP sightings are unwatchable cheese. They use spooky music, melodramatic narration, and very little actual evidence. Well, this is the polar opposite, in fact I Know What I Saw is a very convincing documentary. The quality could be a little better, but honestly the information is so compelling it doesn’t matter. This film focuses on intelligently presented details from reputable sources. I’m not going into further detail, but if you want to remain a UFO skeptic, do not watch this movie.

Not available on Blu-ray.

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Under the Shadow (2016)

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Streaming on Netflix | imdb | trailer

You may have noticed I am not a fan of PG-13 movies. Well, this is an exception. Under the Shadow is a very creepy horror film set in ‘80s Iran during that country’s war with Iraq. Your city being bombed regularly is bad enough, but throw an evil spirit into the mix and you have serious trouble. Sounds like some full-blown Anomalous Cinema right? This is a unique film that I thoroughly enjoyed. I hope to see more quality dark horror movies come out of Islamic countries in the near future.

Not available on domestic Blu-ray.

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The Descent (2005)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

A group of women go on a cave expedition and run into some particularly freaky monsters. This was Neil Marshall’s follow up to the excellent Dog Soldiers (2002). Sadly it looks like his career didn’t continue on its upward trajectory, but I truly enjoyed this film. It’s all handled very well, and with a great attention to detail. This is an intense, quality horror film, that has withstood the test of time.

Available on Blu-ray from Lion’s Gate.

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