Author Archives: David

Review: Full Moon Scimitar (Hong Kong 1979)

Posted on May 4, 2021 by David

I was not expecting this to start with an actual ballad about the titular scimitar that lays out the story. Sample lyrics “The full moon, the smooth scimitar, The moon knows my heart’s desire. The scimitar would join two loving hearts.” … Continue reading →

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Review: Death Force (USA/Philippines 1978)

Posted on January 23, 2021 by David

Cirio Santiago week! That was strangely classy for a Santiago movie. James Iglehart (Savage!) is strong as a Vietnam vet betrayed by his buddies and left to die on an island inhabited solely by Filipinos playing long lost Japanese WW2 … Continue reading →

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Review: Hired to Kill (USA 1990)

Posted on November 5, 2020 by David

Nico Mastorakis’s Hired to Kill is another cheesy Distaff Dirty Dozen, in the vein of Mankillers but with slightly more appropriate combat garb (not booty shorts and tank tops), with soldier of fortune Brian Thompson masquerading as a fashion designer and leading … Continue reading →

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Review: The Ring (USA 2002)

Posted on July 24, 2020 by David

Finally watched the American remake after all these years and … not overly impressed. I’ve had people argue to me that it’s better than the original but I don’t see it. Seemed largely an adequate copy with some minor cultural … Continue reading →

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Review: Outlaw: Gangster VIP 2 (Japan 1968)

Posted on July 17, 2020 by David

Part 2 of the Goro saga moves to Tohoku, and gives us snow instead of city for a while. Tetsuya Watari is back as honorable (now former) gangster Goro – he tries to get out but they keep pulling him … Continue reading →

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Review: Judex (France 1963)

Posted on July 17, 2020 by David

Georges Franju’s tribute to the silent serials of Louis Feuillade. Franju takes a different path than Olivier Assayas, whose tribute to Les Vampires, Irma Vep, recontextualized the action into a meta-tribute to Feuillade and Maggie Cheung. Rather Franju does something … Continue reading →

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Review: The Beach Bum (USA 2019)

Posted on July 16, 2020 by David

Why do I keep watching Harmony Korine movies? I hate Harmony Korine movies. I can only imagine the pitch on this one: “Spring Breakers, but with old people!” I spent the whole first half of this movie thinking these people are … Continue reading →

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Review: The Old Guard (USA 2020)

Posted on July 12, 2020 by David

Solid sci-fi actioner with a Highlander twist from the Netflix factory, Gina Prince-Bythewood, and Greg Rucka (and man does this feel like a Rucka joint thematically). Weakened a bit by low stakes and a really lame villain (Harry Melling doing … Continue reading →

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Review: Outlaw: Gangster VIP (Japan 1968)

Posted on July 9, 2020 by David

First in the series (working my way through a box set I received as a present). Apparently I’d watched this before but had no memory of it. Somewhat old fashioned Yakuza high melodrama starring Tetsuya Watari covers all the cliches: … Continue reading →

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Ennio Morricone, RIP

Posted on July 6, 2020 by David

Man, what can you say about Ennio Morricone. Man was a legend. When people ask about my favorite film composers, he’s always one of the first couple that come to mind, along with other titans like Bernard Herrmann, Henry Mancini, … Continue reading →

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