VHS Nostalgia #1 - VHS Hunting

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VHS Nostalgia #1 - VHS Hunting

Ahhhhhh!!

 I'm the kind of person who likes to reflect on the past. Quite often i find myself in my own head pondering over days gone by and how quick life seems to pass us by. One fond memory i always seem to come back to time and time again is an era long since past, the era of the VHS. Now don't get me wrong the technological era we live in now is great, id never be without the internet, my Blu Ray player or HDTV now, but part of me still longs for a simpler more exciting time. Maybes its all rose tinted spectacles and nostalgia, but part of me still longs for a time when everything wasn't so readily available, a time when you actually had to leave the comfort of your own home to purchase your favorite movies - i know!! Shocking right? There was nothing quite like the feeling of browsing around an old jumble sale or a video store and not knowing what B movie classic you were going to unearth next. I myself discovered some of my most beloved films that way, i remember it well.

I was ten years old and my mom and aunt had dragged me to a huge jumble sale, i was pretty bummed out having found nothing all day, we only had a little stretch of stalls left, then i saw it,

the coolest thing id ever seen. What id found was the Friday the 13th VHS and me and my cousins had a blast that afternoon watching it. I remember feeling a sense of accomplishment after scouring this huge jumble sale and coming away with a film that turned out to be awesome, and in some ways has changed my life for the better.

I just dont get the same satisfaction with ordering a film off the internet or streaming it on Netflix, there was something about the journey, the smells in the air, the browsing of random VHS artwork in the video store, the hunting through Mom and Pops for rare B movie classics when more often than not, the covers themselves would be more entertaining than the actual film.

Don't get me wrong i also love the instant gratification era we live in, one click and a movie turns up at your doorstep or on your screen from the comfort of your home, but part of me wants to feel that journey one more time, to stare in awe at the wonderful VHS artwork, it truly was a honor to have experienced this magical era.

Who's that ugly guy..oh wait, its me!!

 So guys that the first part of my VHS Nostalgia series of articles over and done with, i hope you had as much fun reading it as i did writing it. Id love to hear from you guys about your VHS memories! Are they good or bad? Do you sometimes miss VHS like me or did you never like it at all? Let me know it the comments section below, id love to hear from you guys. Well goodbye till next time!

                   

Evil Dead (2013) Mini Review

WildCinemaPresents

Evil Dead (2013) Mini Review

Here at WildCinema we love a good horror film. We love Evil Dead. So this pickup is a no brainer really. Ill cut to the chase, we live in the era of the reboot at the moment, Hollywood is churning out remake after remake of all our favorite movies, and lets be honest, most remakes suck the big one. Uninspired PG-13 drivel for the most part i know. But my friends Evil Dead is here to restore your faith in remakes somewhat, because it rocks!!

Internet trolls are divided on this film as it dosent feature the infamous Ash from the original trilogy. But dont let that put you off, this is a rip roaring good time, and quite possibly one of the best remakes ever. Featuring realistic practical effects over cgi, violence hasn't looked so brutal in a long time.

I'm going to keep this review short, this movie lived up to my expectations, fans of the original three should check this out as it is a really well done remake, and people who want a perfectly executed R-rated scare should also check this out. Not for the faint hearted mind you!!

Buy now at Amazon:

Evil Dead [Blu-ray] [2013]

Movie Review: Foxy Brown (1974)

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Movie Review: Foxy Brown (1974)

                                               Director: Jack Hill

                                               Starring: Pam Grier, Terry Carter. Peter Brown

 

The Lowdown:

Originally intended to be a sequel to 73's "Coffy" Foxy Brown features more action, sex, and 70s goodness from blaxploitation Icon Pam Grier. Foxy sets out on a path of vengeance against those who murdered her boyfriend. 

Featuring lesbian bar fights, men getting chopped up by plane propellers and once again Pam Griers best asset - her naked breasts, this is a blast from start to finish. My only complaint is at times its feels a little slow, and although never boring it would have been nice to see the action paced out a little better.

Pam Grier's performance is pretty solid as the badass action heroine Foxy and she brings a physical presence to the role like no other female at the time could, paving the way for future action heroines such as Sigourney Weaver in Aliens, and Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2 this is pretty much the birth of the kick ass leading lady, something we now take for granted.

Sadly after a couple movies Pam all but fizzled out and took a back seat, and played more supporting roles until Tarantino Cast her In 1997s Jackie Brown, which is a shame as i would have loved a whole bunch of violent 70s and 80s actioners from Ms Grier. But her work in this and "Coffy" have truly cemented her as an Icon of 70s action cinema, and nobody can take that away from her.

While not quite as good as "Coffy" Foxy Brown is a fantastic way to spend an evening. Brimming with 70s swagger, Gratuitous Violence and a Finale that would make Dirty Harry proud, Foxy Brown is hard hitting entertainment from a fantastic era.

Final Verdict:

Boobs, blood and a pickle jar filled with a mans floating member make this classic worthy of revisiting. Witness the rise of the action heroine and marvel at the beauty of Ms Grier. Foxy Brown Still delivers the goods in 2013. You would be foolish to have not seen this cult classic.

Rating:

Nothing less than a solid 4 out of 5 for this vintage classic.

Pick this classic up at Amazon here: Foxy Brown [DVD]

Movie Review: Dirty Harry (1971)

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Movie Review: Dirty Harry (1971)

                                            Director: Don Siegel

                                            Starring: Clint Eastwood, Andrew Robinson

 

 

The Lowdown:

Lets face it, in 2013 we all know the catchphrases, we all know the name, but surprisingly there are still people out there unfamiliar with the Dirty Harry films.If you are one of those people then this is the place to start,Harry Callahan's first outing still stands up after all these years. A tense action thriller that set up every hard boiled cop movie cliche you can think of and launched a wave of imitators in the process.

In his first outing Callahan plays cat and mouse with a psychotic killer and finds himself challenging his beliefs in the law he desperately tries to uphold. Featuring violent shootouts, breathtaking scenery, and a truly superb villain this is one cop flick fans of the genre shouldn't miss. Clint Eastwood was practically born to play this type of hard boiled cop and it shows as he oozes bad-ass-ness and lights up the screen whenever he is on. Audiences agree as Clint was back to play Harry 4 more times after this one. But it is this first flick which is perhaps the most iconic.

Final Verdict:

Bad ass catchphrases, big bad handguns and an unmatchable bad ass attitude Dirty Harry is an icon of American Cinema. Everybody should make my day and check out this fine slice of entertainment.

Rating:

4 out of 5

The future of The Terminator Franchise.

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The Terminator Franchise : The future

The Terminator has always been near and dear to me. Seeing the first two films at a young age clearly shaped my love for well written genre bending sci fi, and to this day the first two installments remain two of my favorite films.

Its after the first two installments where things took a nose dive quality wise. 2003's Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was for most fans a disappointment. Gone is the James Cameron magic. Gone is Brad Fidel's haunting score. What we got was a pale imitation of a Terminator film that left a sour taste in everyone's mouth.

Terminator Salvation in 2009 seemed like it could be the film we had all be waiting for since 1984. A film that would show us the dark future of the previous three entries. But what we got barely resembled a Terminator flick. And with that, I and every other Terminator fan lost all hope.

Now in 2013 T5 is a certainty. Scheduled to start shooting in early 2014 what can we really expect?

Can we really expect anything as good as, or dare i say it better than James Cameron's own sequel Terminator 2:Judgment Day? Highly unlikely.

However we can all hope for a quality Terminator film. One that brings the series back from the brink. I guess we will all just have to hold our breath until more details are announced.

For now im just going to assume Hollywood will do us Terminator fans right and give us the dark gritty future war movie we all want and so desperately need.But with Schwarzenegger signing on who knows what angle this new film will take.Hopefully the right one. 

We need L.A. 2029 and we need it now. Whose with me?

Buy the Terminator Quadrilogy from Amazon here :

Terminator Quadrilogy [DVD] [2009]