recluse2 Reviews

House of VHS (2016)

It is watchable.

[5/10 · 30 April 2023]

The best asset this movie has is its hot-looking early-twenties women. It's filmed pretty good and the acting didn't seem so bad to me. The plot didn't make much sense and there were no actual scares. The "horror-est" parts were some of the brief clips of movie scenes that the characters are watching on the old VHS tapes they have found in an old house they are squatting in for a fun holiday. Everything revolves around the videotapes and the VCR that somehow sucks them into an alternate reality. Still, I thought it was OK for a low budget movie; it mostly kept my attention. (I am told now as I submitted the review that it needs to have at least 600 characters.) So is this enough words now, IMDB?

Svengali (1983 TV Movie)

A Little Above-Average

[6/10 · 3 April 2020]

There were a handful of touching scenes in this older man/younger woman love story. The movie improved close to one full hour in when Jodie's character says to her singing teacher that she loves him and wants to go to bed with him---I think it was in those exact words. Jodie Foster looks gorgeous, angelic in this movie, in the full bloom of her beauty. I did not know she is a singer---and wow she can sing great. The acting is well-done; O'Toole and Foster make their characters very believable. The talent scout woman put in a nice performance as well.

Ten Cents a Dance (1931)

Charming and Delightful

[9/10 · 9 February 2020]

I was so impressed and enchanted by this flick. Barabara the dime-per-dance girl is such a beautiful person inside and out, self-sarificing and sweet. The older gent who loves her is a gentleman through and through. The integrity of these characters really shines forth, like they are two angels. The young husband does not seem to be a bad sort at first, but it turns out he is a lousy scoundrel. I think the writing that went into the screeenplay of this flick is very fine, with many wonderful lines which actually restore your faith in mankind. As it turns out, the nice people attract the nice people and they end up living with each other and the scoundrels go wherever scoundrels belong.

The Wet Parade (1932)

An Important Film

[10/10 · 29 December 2019]

This must be one of the best films dealing with alcoholism. It shows how stupid drunk people can be, and the tragedies that sometimes occur because of alcohol abuse. It takes place during prohibition (and immediately before the law was passed), and we get plenty of history here as well as drama. I love all the actors and the story couldn't be better. The dialogue I thought was outstanding; I think this might be attributed to the screenplay being adapted from a novel by the well-regarded Upton Sinclair.

The Godmother of Rock & Roll: Sister Rosetta Tharpe (2011)

Very worthwhile

[8/10 · 25 December 2019]

The subject was an obscure figure to me. Film had excellent footage of her playing her music, and was thoroughly researched and well-presented.

Ground Zero (1973)

weak

[2/10 · 26 November 2019]

This movie barely moved. I had trouble following the plot also. I am giving it two stars for the spectacular camera shots from atop the highest point of the Golden Gate Bridge. It looked both spectacular and scary, and the wind sound effects added to the impact. These camera shots came at the conclusion, by the way. It was rather painful trying to get through this film.

Pollen (II) (2016)

watchable

[4/10 · 12 November 2019]

I didn't get the plot still was somewhat fun i know 42nd street pete from his writings and this movie showed me that he has some acting ability his character (red) appealed to me, as did that of bob, and the lead girl

The Fountain (1934)

melancholy and gives some positive feelings

[7/10 · 5 November 2019]

This is slow-moving; after the first twenty minutes it has really no action to speak of, It is totally dialogue and psychological and philosophical to the end. It is also a very sad movie. Still it ends on a positive note, and as a whole is positive, and somewhat dreary at the same time.. Everyone's performances are laudable. Come to think of it, there are even some comic parts in the first section. But once the lead arrives at the estate there is nary a chuckle. However, that is as it should be. The movie speaks of "peace of mind" and "stillness of spirit" as the aims of life. The male lead's performance is extremely sensitive and gentle and his face and manner perfectly express that. The husband is totally mellowed-out and peaceful after the injury he has suffered in the war. It is halfway through the film, when he comes home, that the story gets into the conflict. The whole movie is low-key and very thoughtful. As an aside, the female lead's piano playing and the exact pieces she is playing are wonderful--and quite unlike overly dramatic piano playing you often hear in other movies. The way she handles the part of her character seems just right too.

Grief Street (1931)

short but sweet

[7/10 · 3 November 2019]

This flick fulfills the need for diverting entertainment. The petite actress playing Jean Royce is perfectly sweet, charming, and guileless. The newspaperman is the all-around good-guy. The police sergeant, a comic relief guy, practically steals the show. There's even another fellow who works in the newsroom who has a severe stutter that is played for laughs. As for the mystery story aspect, it is halfway decent. And check out the petite chick's penthouse apartment furnished in chic art-deco style. There's nothing here to bog down the film ; it's to-the-point-ness really works in its favor. It goes down easy, like a glass of 7up.

The Drifter (1988)

kind of quiet but suspenseful

[6/10 · 18 October 2019]

This was not outrageously wild or gory or intense but it keeps up a consistent suspense level. Kim plays her role well. She proves herself to be pretty ballsy under fearful circumstances so I respected her and I respected her as a hard-working professional.

There seems to be a blue color scheme in some of the scenes. Kim's wardrobe is well-chosen. The outdoor restaurant with the picnic tables and the bikers seems an apt, realistic locale. Kim's apartment is stylish, austerely furnished in New Mexico Native American style. So the movie has a certain amount of flair.

The concluding twist works adequately well. This low-key thriller was fairly enjoyable.

Girl Lost (2016)

worth watching but lacking something

[6/10 · 17 October 2019]

1st off, the young girl main character is very pretty, which doesn't hurt. The acting by everyone is decent and the characters and situations seem realistic. Location shooting is one of the strongest aspects of this film. However, I wasn't quite satisfied. If it somehow went deeper I would have given it one or two more stars.

Let the Good Times Roll (1973)

Keeps Up the Energy

[8/10 · 5 September 2019]

Exciting like a rock n roll film oughta be. Uses split-screen to great effect. Doesn't hit you over the head with too much history/social commentary, but has some old footage in that vein. (not speaking about the b&w clips of the stars in the 50s, but cultural/political stuff). Hot spots: Chubby Checker---has incredible charisma and dancing skills. Bo Diddly's second tune, rocks out w/ the distortion. Little Richard doing some performance art atop a stack of speakers.

Click: The Calendar Girl Killer (1990)

I Did Watch It all the way through

[5/10 · 17 August 2019]

Average. Action and T, & A. Plenty of early 20's girls, fashion models. The sounds of all the guns (and some explosions) were strangely soothing to me. You would call this mindless entertainment. As far as caring about the characters; you don't mind if they get killed.

The Brain (1962)

I Guess I'm Not a Brain

[4/10 · 17 August 2019]

I'm sure the movie told an intriguing story, but I just couldn't understand the plot. Very dense, intricate plot, very talky film. Could always re-watch it but I don't have the patience. It was a brain strain. If you have a higher IQ than me you will probably give it more than 4 stars.

The Edge of the World (1937)

Heartwarming

[8/10 · 14 August 2019]

The story, location, acting, and cinematography are fantastic. The events that transpire in the story are extremely dramatic, and you care quite a bit about the characters. Dialogue is to the point, and in many scenes not a lot of talking is done, because not a lot of talking is necessary. Often, the characters communicate with subtle expressions that convey more than words. The rugged natural location is 3/4's of the movie. You see how close to nature these people's lives are. It's remarkable how tiny the population is on this isolated island---maybe 40. Anyhow, an absolute classic.

Rolling Thunder Revue (2019)

Not Overly Exciting

[6/10 · 11 August 2019]

The doc is valuable as a piece of Bob Dylan history. Otherwise there isn't anything really special that will strongly captivate you. In the description I was reading how it is a portrait of America in the mid-seventies and that the Revue takes us on a tour of the economically depressed towns and cities of America, a country that is shell-shocked from the Vietnam War. In reality, you don't see much of the towns and cities the tour passes through, just glimpses. You get to meet a lot of the folks in the traveling show but they don't quite come fully to life. The camera just isn't capturing a hell of a lot. There is plenty of music, so it does function as a concert movie. And I hate to sound negative, but I just don't care for Dylan's band's sound on this tour. (Although I overall like Dylan's recordings quite a bit). I'm not saying the movie is not worthwhile; it just had nothing particularly exciting which I was hoping it would. Probably the best parts are the interview segments, dispersed throughout, with the 70-something Dylan reflecting on the tour 40 years later.

I must add: the strongest, best-sounding song I heard, the only one that really had "oomph," is "Romance in Durango" which is heard as an outro, during the end credits. I must give kudos to that song.

Sugar Cookies (1973)

Very Seductive

[7/10 · 11 August 2019]

The 2 lead females are stunningly sexy. The eroticism between Lynn and Mary is realistic and hot. Both of these women's acting is quality.. There is a gorgeousness to this film---for example the plush interiors and the tasteful stylish clothes the characters wear. The plot seems to come at the very beginning and at the end. Mainly what we have in between is Lynn and Mary becoming friends and lovers. There is a comic character---an overweight young guy---but his parts do not fit in very well with the rest of the movie. Nevertheless, whatever comic relief he provides helps to off-set the serious, heavy mood.

Ms .45 (1981)

Killing Was Never So Much Fun

[9/10 · 31 July 2019]

This film is hot! It's pretty much a thrill a minute. Excellent use of NYC street locations, in fact a large portion of the running time is shot in the streets of New York. The main character is stunning. The clothes, costumes and visuals are eye candy. Also has a wicked sense of humor and even a lighter side. The characters portrayed are realistic. What more can I say? A heck of a lot of fun. Some decent soundtrack music as well.

Mansion of the Doomed (1976)

Eyeless in L.A.

[6/10 · 29 July 2019]

Good god ghastly. Tearing eyes out of people to do eye transplants? Picking up a hitchhiker and bringing her home to the basement laboratory to perform the brutal operation? Trying to restore his beloved daughter's sight in vain. The attempts are not working. The first try (the daughter's boyfriend being the first unwitting donor) worked, but soon after the daughter went blind again. The doctor is determined to find a way that will work. More eyes are needed. The doctor gets them but it is still not working. The victims (who he drugs first) are adding up and crowding the jail cell in the basement. Their eyes are ripped out They howl when they wake up and discover what has happened to them.. The doctor hits on a possible solution: He needs young eyes! He kidnaps a 10-year-old girl from a playground promising to take her to disneyland but she escapes. At one point he is picturing, in his mind, an even younger, baby girl, as a source of eyes. The 10-year-old broke thru taboos and the baby girl, even just his picturing of her, was worse. He did not go thru w/ it, and you breathe a sigh of relief.

So there are sufficient horrors in this film. Its shortcoming is that some parts are a little slow.

The Blonde Captive (1931)

Has Value as an Anthropological Document

[8/10 · 9 July 2019]

The title makes it sound like it is a Tarzan-like jungle movie. Not at all. It is a non-fiction travelogue, but not a "dull one" as another reviewer said. It has very close-up intimate footage of tribes which the exploring party encountered (and lived with) in remote parts of Australia. The racist and superior attitude can easily be ignored and chalked up to the old prevalent way of thinking. The film is very educational. You will learn a lot about these peoples and this land and its wildlife. The exploring party had courage to travel to these remote tribes---they were perhaps some of the only white men ever seen by the tribes-people. There is also intimations of cannibalism. So the party bravely went in there and brought back this priceless footage. I bet any professor of anthropology would agree with me that this is a valuable educational film. It also has funny witty narration (which is also a little corny). All in all, it is a worthwhile unusual film.

Dope Sick Love (2005 TV Movie)

Weren't Parts of this Staged?

[6/10 · 10 May 2019]

When Michelle gets into Maxima to rip off trick, didn't it seem staged? How are the conversations inside the car recorded very loud and clear? (cameraman is not inside car).Is it recorded with a pocket recorder (or phone) by Michelle and then re-recorded later? Other parts also appeared staged. And were the two couples paid to be in the film? And if not, why would they do it? Another nagging question is: Are these couples homeless? We are never told whether they are sleeping outside or have places.

Still worth 6 stars though.

Relentless (1977 TV Movie)

Outdoor Adventure

[6/10 · 26 April 2019]

The beautiful scenery (including snow) was a highlight. Action and story were adequate. It fell a little into the cliche' of the local cop battling the Fed cop for domination, but didn't harp on it overmuch. As actors, the villains were okay, but nothing special. The native american police officer and his rookie partner were the best actors.

Fish Hawk (1979)

Enjoyable family style film

[6/10 · 25 April 2019]

It reminded me of a Disney film, wholesome and giving you a story with a lesson. All of the actors played their characters well. It's almost all shot outdoors and the location is rural and pretty. Plenty of animals liven things up: A bear, a boar, wild cats, ducks, cows,dogs, and horses pulling a very basic looking carriage that makes appealing rustic wood creaky noises as it drives along. There are old colored glass bottles too, which one character loves so much that he collects them in a burlap sack. There's even a little folk music played by the farmer and a couple of other guys. The speech and expressions they use, and the clothing they wear all seem right on, accurate to the time being portrayed. The movie did not make me cry (like Old Yeller) but I would call it heart-warming.

Candy Stripe Nurses (1974)

Watchable but slow and corny

[5/10 · 23 April 2019]

I actually expected this to be more of a sexploitation flick. It was comic in nature ( I imagined it would be that) but many parts were like a straight drama. You had 3 stories going on at once---switching from one to the other---involving dramas that were happening to 3 of the nurses (high school age girls). One out of the three was somewhat interesting. There were action things in the film, but despite this the film moved slow and felt long. There was the required nudity but it wasn't a big deal. The comedy was corny. Yet overall there was entertainment value. If somebody asked me, "Would you rather have watched this title or not watched it," I would reply in the negative.

The Crawling Eye (1958)

Bore Yawn Bore Snore

[4/10 · 18 April 2019]

A rugged looking Alp (the picture of the peak they show is a highlight). A radioactive cloud, I think. (Behind the monsters of most of these 50s sci-fi horrors lies radioactivity). A collection of people staying at an Inn. Some scientists w/ accents. Some mountaineers. Some decapitations. A well-made monster in the last 15 minutes. That's it. It might or might not sound interesting to you but it sucked.