C.H.U.D. II: Bud The Chud (1989)

It's my new favorite day of the week and you may be asking why is Thursday my new favorite day of the week? Well that is because Dreadphile Cinema Club is back at it broadcasting another film on Twitch and this week it's a good one as they broadcast C.H.U.D. II: Bud The Chud which was released in 1989 and was directed by David Irving (The Great Texas Dynamite Chase). After the events of the first film, all of the C.H.U.D.'s (Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers) have all been destroyed except for one named Bud (Gerrit Graham) who gets reanimated by a couple of teenage kids. Now he is on the loose and he's biting everything in sight in this small town. Can the town be saved before it's too late. The film also stars Brian Robbins (Head Of The Class) as Steve,  Bill Calvert (Spider-Man 2) as Kevin, Tricia Leigh Fisher (Pretty Smart) as Katie, Robert Vaughn (The Magnificent Seven) as Col. Masters, Larry Cedar (American Horror Story) as Graves, Jack Riley (History Of The World: Part One) as Wade Williams, Sandra Kerns (The Incredible Hulk) as Melissa Williams, and cameos by Robert Englund (A Nightmare On Elm St), Norman Fell (The Graduate), Priscilla Pointer (Carrie), Frank Birney (Critters 2), and so many more.

The film was definitely enjoyable to watch as the creators of the sequel decided to take the route that so many did as well withe very serious first film and the horror comedy styling of the sequel like Gremlins 2 or even how Return of The Living Dead differentiated itself from the original Night Of The Living Dead. I definitely believe that is what made the film enjoyable is that they didn't take themselves too serious with this one and it works especially in the 1980's. One thing is for certain and that is that Gerrit Graham deserves a lot of credit because not only did he have to do lines (not very many), but he did a lot of physical acting through body expression and the look on his face when he grunted. Gerrit is a great actor and a horror vet who I respect a lot. The film definitely took the route of the sequel to Return of the Living dead with the electricity killing them as we bait and trap them into one area with this one being in the swimming pool. I don't care that they did this because what film didn't borrow elements from other films all the time? I do have to be honest in saying that in the beginning I thought this was going to be a different film like a buddy (no pun intended) movie with the Chud, but I was definitely happy with the direction they did take. I definitely liked the fact that animals could be just like them and that they were evolving too during the film. It adds to the element of the film for sure. So, with that being said, I am going to give the film an A- for final grade.

Return To Nuke 'Em High Volume 1 (2013)

One of the longest active reel independent film companies in the world is none other than Troma Entertainment who has been making films for well over 40 years. After talking briefly to longtime president of the company Lloyd Kaufman, I decided that I would sign up for Troma Now (watch.troma.com) and check out Return To Nuke 'Em High Volume 1 as today's film which was released in 2013 and was directed and features Kaufman in the film. A lot of time has passed since the disastrous events of Class Of Nuke 'Em High 3, but has Tromaville really learned since then? A group of students begins investigating things at a local dairy when weird things start happening to students who ate the tacos. The film stars Asta Paredes (Shades Of Blue) as Chrissy Goldberg,  Catherine Corcoran (Terrifier) as Lauren, Clay von Carlowitz (The Shadow Scarf) as Eugene, The late Lemmy Kilmister (Tromeo & Juliet) as The President, Zac Amico (Amityville: Vanishing Point) as Zack, Babette Bombshell (Grindsploitation 4: Meltsploitation) as Principal Westly, Tara E. Miller (Cool As Hell) as Rachel Ruysch, Stefan Dezil (Shadow Of A Gun) as Slater, Debbie Rochon (Slime City Massacre) as Coach Kotter, Dan Snow (The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie) as Cigar Face, Mark Quinnette (Battle) as Michelangelo, Reiki Tsuno as Rembrandt, and Jim Sheppard (Battledogs) as Raphael.

What is there to say about a Troma film that hasn't already been said before? I love Troma films because it's the very embodiment of creative freedom without the pressures of Hollywood telling you what is acceptable and what is not. The film has all of the schlock moments that you would expect from a Troma film like the penis creature that melts a couple who are having sex or what about this sequence featuring our two main girls with one who is pregnant (thanks to the toxic material) and shoots milk out of her breasts as a weapon while the other one grows a giant penis that she beats people with. I also love how when the cretins were normal they sucked at singing, but since mutating they become the glee team they wished to be. The film also has it's ear to the ground of current events with Coach Sandusky who is also a priest that loves... well you know what. Troma has always been ahead of the curve (sorta) when it comes to the real social issues as they do a great job exploring it in every film. The film is the right amount of cheese that is just so easy to enjoy and as you just immerse yourself in all of the schlock that makes them who they are. The cinematography is great and I laughed at one point because they are still using the car flipping scene from Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. which by the way is an epic one, but it's funny how they try to make it blend with the rest of the film. I loved the casting in the film and I definitely look forward to Volume 2 which is why I am going to give the film an B- for a final grade or in the terms of Cheeseball Cinema grading I am giving it an 4 for a final grade (1=A-List Hollywood, 5= Cheesiest film of all time).

Sonic The Hedgehog (2020)

One of my favorite video games as a kid was Sonic The Hedgehog for Sega Genesis and when my mother bought me that game, I played it for hours and hours. Years have passed since then and with an animated series, I thought that was all we would get until the announcement of the film, but unfortunately thanks to Covid-19, I was never able to see the movie until now right on my VUDU app as it is today's film. The film stars Ben Schwartz (Parks And Recreation) as our really fast blue alien known as Sonic The Hedgehog. You see Sonic has been living on Earth for some time after having to escape his home planet and things are going good until he creates a power surge in a small Montana town. That power surge attracts the wrong people like an smart evil genius known as Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) who wants to catch him and experiment on him, but it will take the help of a small town cop (James Marsden) to help Sonic escape. The film also stars Tika Sumpter (Ride Along) as Maddie, Natasha Rothwell (A Year And Change) as Rachel, Adam Pally (The Little Hours) as Wade, Lee Majdoub (The 100) as Agent Stone, Neal McDonough (Captain America: The First Avenger) as Major Bennington, Frank C. Turner (Needful Things) as Crazy Carl, and the film was directed by Jeff Fowler in his major motion picture debut.

One thing was for certain when I started watching the film and that was I didn't know how they were going to handle the idea of turning him into a film. We all know that a lot of video game movies fail at the box office with the exception of a few, but most of the time they fall flat. So, I had that to worry about when I started the film, but in the end I was rather pleased with what I saw. One you have to give the filmmakers a lot of credit because they listened to their fanbase and they redid all of Sonic's animation for the film. A lot of people were outraged and they knew the film would tank if they didn't do something about it, but they did and they get kudos for that cause he looked a lot better. I definitely loved the story and I loved where they went with it because it became a buddy road trip kind of film with a lot of laughs and it was cute. I thought James Marsden was great in the film and he would almost get MVP status, but that honor belongs to Jim Carrey who played one hell of a villain who in my opinion saved the movie. Jim Carrey was the right man for the role and he knocked it out of the park playing a great villain. If you are a fan of the character and the games then I definitely suggest that you at least check it out once because it's definitely worth one. I am going to give the film an B+ for a final grade because there is some really cool action scenes and more.

Fun With Dick and Jane (2005)

It's Monday, it's a new month, and it's a new week of films that are available on every streaming services everywhere and I was in the mood to watch a comedy for today and I looked to someone who I adored as a child. The man I am talking about is none other than Jim Carrey (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective) who I have followed since his days on In Living Colour and for today we are checking out 2005's Fun With Dick and Jane which was directed by Dean Parisot (Galaxy Quest). The film stars Carey as recently promoted VP of public relations Dick Harper who works for a major cooperation that threw him out to dry when all of their stocks plummeted. With his back against the wall and everything being taken away from them, Dick and his wife will turn to a life of crime to make ends meet. The film stars Téa Leoni (Jurassic Park III) as Jane, Alec Baldwin (A Star Is Born) as Jack McCallister, Richard Jenkins (Step Brothers) as Frank, Carlos Jacott (Grosse Point Blank) as Oz, John Michael Higgins (Yes Man) as Garth,  Richard Burgi (The Green Inferno) as Joe Cleeman, Aaron Michael Drozin (The Ant Bully) as Billy, Gloria Garayua (Driving While Black) as Blanca, and Angie Harmon (Agent Cody Banks) as Veronica Cleeman.

Originally as I was watching this film, I thought that the plot and the events of the film sort of mirrored the events of Enron so that's what I thought the film was about. I had no idea that the film was actually a remake of a 1977 version that starred Jane Fonda. So upon reading that, it changes my perspective on the film a tiny bit, but I just want to be clear that I really liked the film. I definitely believe that this is not the best Jim Carrey film in the world, but it was a lot better than a lot of the films he was coming out with. While the film wasn't laugh out loud funny all the time, it had a lot of great moments in it and that starts when they turn to their life of crime. That right there was some dynamite stuff that made me laugh and they did something with the story that I loved. We all thought that Dick and Jane were going to screw Baldwin's character at the bank, but when it failed we were all like wow no happy ending? Then they throw you a curveball out of left field that was satisfying because you wished this had happened to the Enron people. Unfortunately real life is a hell of a lot crueler than Hollywood and that happy ending did not happen, but there was a quick reference at the end of the film to Enron. The film is available right now on Netflix and I definitely think it's a film worth checking out especially if you want to hear Baldwin's ridiculous southern accent. I am going to give the film an B for a final grade.

The Comedy Of Terrors (1963)

We are now well into the month of May and I hope everyone is being safe as we all endure the pains of Quarantine and government imposed stay at home orders. I just hope that through this blog, I can give you some suggestions on films to watch and for today's Sunday At The Classics, we have decided to check out 1963's The Comedy Of Terrors which was directed by Jacques Tourneur (I Walked With A Zombie). The film stars Vincent Price (The House On Haunted Hill) as drunkard undertaker Waldo Trumbull who along with his trusty sidekick Felix (Peter Lorre) run a funeral home that isn't quite the most happening place for business in New England. Then you add the pressure of owing rent and now Trumbull has the bright idea that if they are not willing then we shall make them so as he creates his own clients. The film also stars Boris Karloff (Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome) as  Amos Hinchley, Joyce Jameson (The Outlaw Josey Wales) as Amaryllis Trumbull, Joe E. Brown (It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World) as Cemetery Keeper, Beverly Powers (Kisses for My President) as Mrs. Phipps, Orangey The Cat (Breakfast At Tiffany's) as Cleopatra, Luree Holmes (How To Stuff A Wild Bikini) as Black's servant, and Basil Rathbone (The Adventures Of Robin Hood) as John F. Black.

When you have the caliber of actors in this film like Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Basil Rathbone would you expect anything less than a great performance from them? Vincent Price was brilliant as a self centered drunkard who only cared about money more than anything in the world while Peter Lorre played the obedient servant who was only obedient because of a secret that was being held over him. Basil Rathbone on the other hand was the Shakespearean loving landlord who just refused to stay dead in the film which was the comedy of terrors in this film. At points in this film, you will find yourself rooting for Peter Lorre's character as he attempts to get the girl because she deserves better than Trumbull because I sure as heck was rooting for him. I know I didn't mention Boris Karloff in the beginning and that is because he looked like death in this film and while he played his role well, he didn't have to do much, but act like he had one foot in the grave. He does however shine towards the end of the film when he gets his one big scene. I thought the film was a lot of fun to watch and I can imagine that it entertained a lot of horror fans back in the day as this is an original horror comedy as there were a lot of good laughs in this one for sure. I am definitely recommending this one to anyone who loves any of those four gentlemen in this film. That is why I am going to give the film an B+ for a final grade so check it out on Amazon Prime right now.

Parasite (2019)

Every year the Academy Awards are held and they honor all the best in cinema from best picture right down to best actor and so much more. Sometimes, there are films that look like they are going to be a shoe in for the Best Picture Award, but then there are some years we are surprised with a head scratcher like Moonlight in 2017 or the film I chose for today in this year's big winner Parasite. The film was released in 2019 and it was written and directed by Bong Joon Ho (Okja) and it stars Woo-sik Choi (Okja) as Ki Woo, a kid from the slums of Korea who gets the opportunity of a lifetime when he agrees to tutor a girl from a wealthy family. After seeing how successful he is, he decides to get his family involved secretly with jobs, but soon greed and class discrimination will come between the two families. The film also stars Kang-ho Song (Snowpiercer) as Ki Taek, Sun-kyun Lee (A Hard Day) as Dong Ik, Yeo-jeong Jo (The Servant) as Yeon Kyo, So-dam Park (The Silenced) as Ki Jung,  Hye-jin Jang (Marine Boy) as Chung Sook, Jeong-eun Lee (Okja) as Moon Gwang, Ji-so Jung (The Tiger) as Da Hye, and Hyun-jun Jung (The King: Eternal Monarch) as Da Song.

I wanted to know what the big deal with this film was and why it would win best picture over 1917, Ford V Ferrari, Joker, Little Women, etc. With the exception of Ford V Ferrari and Little Women (I have not yet seen those films) any one of those pictures had a legitimate shot at winning especially Joker. The question of why still lies in front of us and this is one of those you have to see it for yourself kind of films because one it is a well written story of desperation to not continue to be on the opposite side of society. Ki Woo is sick and tired of being poor, living in a basement apartment just to wonder if they'll have Wifi or not which seems like the least of their worries. He is sick of the idea that his father could never provide for them so when he infiltrates this family's, they initiate their plan and they infiltrate it like they are parasites. Just when you think the story is just going to be whether they get caught in a lie or not, they throw the added layer of the man living in the basement which adds another layer of WTF!The acting in the film is very well done and I was thoroughly impressed with everyone's performance in the film. The cinematography was great as well with all those gritty shots and the overall tone of the film was dark for the most part like it was a seedy undertaking. I definitely think that this was a really good film and I would have picked this one over Moonlight as a best picture winner, but I am still not sure I would have picked this over some of the other films.  With that being said, I am going to give the film an A for a final grade because it definitely deserved best foreign film and best original screenplay for sure.

Voice From The Stone (2017)

I was looking for a film to watch today and I realized I haven't seen enough Horror films yet and I have this amazing app I haven't used a lot called Shudder. If you are a horror fan and you do not have this app then you are truly missing out on the amazing library they have which leads me to the film I chose for today which is 2017's Voice From The Stone which was directed by Eric D. Howell (From Heaven to Hell). The film is based off of the novel La Voce Della Pietra which was written by Silvio Raffo and it stars Emilia Clarke (Solo: A Star Wars Story) as Verena, a nurse who goes from house to house and she helps children that are in need of help. She decides to take a job looking after a boy who has fallen silent after the passing of his mother, but soon haunting things begin to happen at the manor. The film also stars Marton Csokas (The Amazing Spider-Man 2) as Klaus, Caterina Murino (French Fried Vacation 3: Friends Forever) as Malvina, Remo Girone (Ford V Ferrari) as Alessio,  Lisa Gastoni (Come Play With Me) as Lilia, Edward Dring (In The Coat's Pocket) as Jakob, Duccio Camerini (Bruno Is Waiting On The Car) as Doctor, and Kate Linder (The Young and The Restless) as La Vecchia.

I am going to be perfectly honest in saying that I had no idea what the "horror" part of the story was because I understood the plot. She is trying to convince the boy that everything is in his head and that he needs to speak because his mother would be disappointed in him if he didn't. Then it all starts to make sense towards the end of the film when she starts hearing the mother as well and she ends up finding out some haunting truths about some of the people she talks to. I don't think it's a possession story by any means, but more of a ghostly brainwashing if you ask me because all of a sudden she wants to stay and she can't live without them and what the mother says to the boy in the beginning comes true after all. You'll have to watch the film to get what I am saying because it's really not that scary at all. The fact that Emilia gets naked in the film is not that big of a deal because she spent most of Game Of Thrones naked to begin with. The acting was fantastic from Csokas and Clarke while the overall tone was that grayish haunting look for a while mixed with some bright colors. The cinematography was pretty good with all of the great shots of the manor and other scary angles. That was one scene actually that scared the crap out of me was the scene at the top of the watchtower. There was definitely some suspense there, but not enough to help this film. That is why I am giving it an B-/C+ (somewhere in there) for a final grade.