jasonsutekh

[jasonsutekh]

The Mummy films: The Mummy (1932), Hand (1940), Tomb (1942), Ghost (1944), Curse (1944), Abbott and Costello Meet (1955), The Mummy (1959), Curse of Tomb (1964), and Shroud (1967)

Many tombs are opened and curses invoked, then ancient corpses are resurrected to kill those who invaded the sacred spaces.

Occasionally one of these works as a cheap horror movie with a basic premise and can be followed with ease thanks to the simple charm of the time. The mummy itself is never as threatening or uncanny as zombie movies but it has its own kind of threat by being persistent and unstoppable.

Easily the worst part of the franchise from the 30s to the 60s is that they’re all the same movie repeated with very few scant details changed as an excuse to re-release it. In one of them they literally spend half of the run-time just recapping the previous installment when it wasn’t even necessary for the plot. There’s also a great deal of unfortunate blackface effects.

In one or two of them there are some highly recognisable Hammer Horror actors and in others there are some less known but still familiar faces. Some of the locations and sets help with the entertainment and rather than continuing the explanation of tanner leaves, there are new artefacts in subsequent ones for the story, even if they serve the same purpose.

Repetition really is the worst part of the franchise, not just on a basic level but also in terms of how long it takes for the Mummy to awaken. We know where the narrative will head just from the plot so waiting for half the movie just to start seeing the main part gets tedious the first time, much less by the fourth or fifth.

The Mummy 1932: 3/10 -This one’s bad but it’s got some good in it, just there-

The Mummy’s Hand: 3/10 -This one’s bad but it’s got some good in it, just there-

The Mummy’s Tomb: 2/10 -It’s not THE worst, that’s something else. But…-

The Mummy’s Ghost: 2/10 -It’s not THE worst, that’s something else. But…-

The Mummy’s Curse: 2/10 -It’s not THE worst, that’s something else. But…-

Abott and Costello Meet the Mummy: 3/10 -This one’s bad but it’s got some good in it, just there-

The Mummy 1959: 3/10 -This one’s bad but it’s got some good in it, just there-

The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb: 3/10 -This one’s bad but it’s got some good in it, just there-

The Mummy’s Shroud: 2/10 -It’s not THE worst, that’s something else. But…-

-The original movie suggests that Bast assists Imhotep by sending evil power, however Bastet in Egyptian mythology is a protective goddess.

-Imhotep translates roughly from Egyptian as “I come in peace”.

-The franchise was inspired by the discovery and opening of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922.

[jasonsutekh]

Man of the West (1958)

After a man is robbed of money for a new schoolteacher, he turns to old friends for help only to find they have become far worse since he left them.

The locations were a great help in reflecting the isolation and lawlessness of the narrative. It also appears barren for miles, similar to the morals of most of the characters. All the usual iconography is present and some of the acting is decent but largely it’s a run-of-the-mill genre picture.

It’s fairly standard for a Western in both structure and character design. There aren’t any that are likeable enough to connect with in any meaningful way, mostly they’re there to follow and see how much they lose before the inevitable gunfight. There’s no comedy so combined with the stiff characters, the entertainment is limited.

Some of the scenes had enough gravity to be dramatic such as the two stripping scenes as they focus more on discomfort and brutality than it does sex. The ending was a little more happy and casual than one would expect after the subject matter but that at least made it a little unusual.

Due to the prelude to the rape being so drawn out and dramatic, it makes the actual incident seem rather fleeting and unsuspenseful. There’s also some conflict for the characters as though it’s a choice, much less a moral judgement and it may be unsympathetic but the characters literally provoke it in him.

2/10 -It’s not THE worst, that’s something else. But…-

[jasonsutekh]

Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage (2021) and Venom 3: The Last Dance (2024)

An alien symbiote and his host attempt to save the world from a far worse symbiote and a mysterious para-dimensional being.

As a sequel the second installment steps things up by having a far better villain who is both more hateable and has more personality than just being a slightly bigger symbiote. There was also some sub-plot to the love interest as well as some new lore as she represented another kind of meta-human.

One of the main flaws for both films was that the lead actor and character together just don’t carry the drama as well as he should. Perhaps the case is different if the audience fancies him as some portion of it appears to, but to those who see inexpressive muscle, it’s just plain with a little macho banter thrown in.

The third one mixes it up a bit by having an actual world threat involved rather than just a city-wide rampage kind of deal and the monsters look pretty cool. There’s more connection in the third on than the other two combined and we get to see it as a personality rather than just a monster, with even a little family to facilitate the charaterization.

There were a few issues with raising the stakes, one was that we never get to properly know the main villain or even understand what he’s capable of since his release is thwarted. There was also a lot of lore about the symbiotes that wasn’t entirely clear like why some of them were on the same side while Riot and Carnage were wile elements. There was an attempt to have sub-plots with the scientists but one was a gimmick and the other went straight from callous data to saving people with no motivation.

Venom 2: 4/10 -It’s below average, but only just!-

Venom 3: 3/10 -This one’s bad but it’s got some good in it, just there-

-The sequel was in active production when the first Venom from 2018 was already being made.

-The symbiotes in the third Venom film have recognisable precenses in the comics but are just generic variations in the movie.

-The sequel is supposed to be one and a half years after the first film but in the third one it’s mentioned it has only been a year.

[jasonsutekh]

Prince of Darkness (1987)

Some amateur scientists unleash a mysterious liquid that defies tha laws of physics which may threaten all humanity.

Most of the aspects were superficially strong, especially the horror elements. There were only a few effects but they were iconic enough to be memorable and look realistic. The liquid dripping upwards was in keeping with the imagery of mirrors and the vomit scenes were similar to the later film The Invasion (2007).

There were a few deaths but many of them were a little too wuick and repetitive, also some kills happened after the characters were written off so it was unclear what the point of those were. Only a few of the characters were memorable and that was mainly due to differences in gender, race, or body type and not character.

A fair few of the cast were recognisable, not necessarily the biggest names and some of the more notable didn’t get the more notable parts but they were still fun to see. The religious iconography was stronger than the scientific aspects and one of the more likeable characters was Walter since his performance was one of the more realistic.

The threat from outside was mainly there to isolate the building but it wasn’t clear how the lore worked or what the video mechanics from the future was about, like it was combining sci-fi time travel with demonic prophecy except it never quite works out. This makes the little cliffhanger moment a little lackluster.

4/10 -It’s below average, but only just!-

-In the closed captions, the unnamed priest is called “Father Loomis”, a nod the the actor’s character in Halloween (1978).

-The screenplay was by John Carpenter but he credits himself as “Martin Quatermass”.

-The trick with the mirrors was done by having a prosthetic arm dip into mercury, drained from one of the set machines.

[jasonsutekh]

Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

A newspaper baron running a little empire dotes on his younger sister, until one of his minions tries to help his boss by sabotaging her boyfriend.

It’s something of a twist on the typical film noir structure but has all of the classic iconography, including being in black and white which was certainly a deliberate option for the time. The characters are very much still presented as gangsters even though they have official jobs by having them still commit crimes such as bribery, and the actresses are essentially parallels of prostitutes.

Unlike some of the classic Noir movies from earlier decades, there is no strong femme fatale characters, only weak timid women there exclusively to obey the men aside from one moment right at the end. One may expect nightlife and some kind of New York glamour, however it’s largely just small time politics and lots of cigarettes.

The subtext works because one could draw a parellel between organised gang crime and the fame industry, but by doing so it makes it applicable to any institution like monarchy, politics, or religion. Some of the city shots were appealing and grabbed attention from the opening, unfortuantely they were rare.

Although there are several coloquialisms that are typical of the setting and year, some of the dialogue is so bizarre that even the context still leaves it as nonsense. It’s expected for there to be no characters to relate to or like but it’s tedious to have so many small-minded ones leading the drama and acting big.

3/10 -This one’s bad but it’s got some good in it, just there-

-Vaseline was spread on the main antagonist’s glasses for publicity photographs to increase the shine and make the character’s stare more menacing.

[jasonsutekh]

The Pact (2021-2)

A close group are involved in a death and must cover for each other until the mystery is resolved and all the secrets revealed.

The better series was probably the first one since it had a clearer mystery and more suspense from the outset because there was the threat of a killer in the community. The second season doesn’t repeat the tropes of the first as the setting and structure are both different though the effective cinematography and lighting are consistent.

Although there are conclusions to both storylines, there isn’t exactly a strong sense of justice or closure, more just a lie that seems more appealing than all the others. Some of the sub-plots are also wrapped up a little too conveniently to get them tied up rather than feeling fluid or real, possibly to lend most of the drama for the main arc.

Both casts are strong with a variety of characters and it was good that there was lgbt representation in both series. Some of the locations added gravitas and looked appealing while also sinister in some ways, such as the dark sea and woods. Although there’s murder, the main focus is on relationships which makes the narrative feel strong.

It’s a little jarring that the entire cast renews for the second season but they’re still engaging. The structure, however, is a little weaker; the first series opens with a death, by not having one right away for the sequel series, it made it a scale down, then when someone eventually does die, the impact isn’t as great, especially since we know the method of death rather than it being part of the mystery.

5/10 -Can’t find a better example of average-

[jasonsutekh]

Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023)

A security guard is offered a poorly paying job in an abandoned pizzeria but the work comes with more catches the he expects; he may not even be able to protect his younger sister from the dangers.

There are many adaptations of simple vidoe games that don’t quite work with the very basic lore of the source material but this one works new lore on top of the basic plot that games come with. It was very helpful that the lead actor was likeable even in his weakeat moments, but also wouldn’t have worked if the weak point had lasted any longer.

It wasn’t’ entirely clear how the dream elements worked or how much effect either the dreamer or the children have on what is shown to the audience. It’s always odd when the main villains are made out to be somehow neutral since you can’t route for them but they’re often the coolest elements which has unhealthy connotations. The sister could have used more characterisation to not seem so irritating.

Many adaptations have all the basic iconography ans little else which makes it superficial, however by adding the dream elements and an actual backstory, it makes it a proper movie. It’s not necessarily surprising considering how few characters there are but it is realistic that the main villain is from the jobcentre and his accomplice a corrupt cop.

Before this film was a movie called Willy’s Wonderland (2021) that involved animatroic animals with souls trapped inside. It was an obvious parody of the Five Nights at Freddy’s game with different lore but much like this movie; so in an odd way it makes this film a parody of a parody, although with more developed characters and a less obvious twist. There were a fair few dissapearances and even corpses that didn’t seem to haven any follow-up that made it seem odd no matter how happy it turned out.

4/10 -It’s below average, but only just!-

-The actress playing Aunt Jane was a child actor in The Stepford Wives (1975) which involved sinister animatronics.

-In the break-in scene, the character Carl is wearing a t-shirt that has a scene from Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator on it.

-It took as many as six puppeteers just to make the Foxy animatronics legs move.

[jasonsutekh]

Jing wu men (Fist of Fury) (1972)

After a kung-fu master dies under mysterious cicumstances, his favourite pupil seeks to find answers and get revenge. The prime suspects are the aggressive occupying Japanese rival dojo.

As far as gang warefare goes it seemed fairly realistic with each side trying to take a bigger revenge on the other, even if most of the vengeance was carried out by one guy. Some of the locations were aesthetically pleasing which was effective in contrasting the later devastation when things are wrecked and there are bodies everywhere.

It was somewhat inconsistent that the protagonist had an uncontrollable need for vengeance fueled by grief when even slightly provoked by strangers, but also had the wherewithall to dress up in elaborate disguises and keep his cool around the main bad guys he wants to kill the most.

Some of the conflict between the Japanese and Chinese territorial politics was interesting and represents a long-standing conflict. It’s good to be reminded that it’s a modern problem as well as an ages-old one since one thinks of feudal Japan rathern than telephones and guns, even if few projectile weapons were used in the actual film.

The main spectacle was the fighting and while some of it was engaging and had a little variety, there was a great deal of basic punching which got repetitive in the extended sequences. It was amusing that some of the effects distorted reality somewhat but a few of them just looked a little silly.

4/10 -It’s below average, but only just!-

-One of the Chinese students attacked by the Japanese was a cameo by Jackie Chan.

-Much of the budget went on creating Japanese gardens including the bridges and ponds.

-Bruce Lee choreographed his own fight scenes.

[jasonsutekh]

Paths of Glory (1957)

An insane general orders World War One troops on a suicide mission and then condemns them to a court martial when some return alive.

There’s an engaging mix of serious tension and a hint of comedy created by the bizarre fallacy of the official proceedings. One relates to the soldiers who are each different but believable in their reactions to being faced with death. Being shot isn’t the only painful part of their ordeal, as we see them humiliated and frightened by the failure of the very justice system they’ve been fighting to protect.

Although there’s some suspense, the situation is presented as so hopeless that the audience might not necessarily be holding out for a last minute reprieve. As is the case with reality, the villains of the piece aren’t properly punished so the end is necessarily bleak. It could have been more clear that the story was based on real events.

It’s bold in how unpatriotic it is for a war movie and wouldn’t have gotten away with it much closer to the time of the actual war. It’s also based on real events so it does some justice to those wrongfully killed. The fighting sequence is also suitably overwhelming; the scene is long, confusing, and the noise doesn’t end, giving us a clear idea of what the war was like.

The gore element is actually fairly tame considering the subject matter. One would expect there to be realism and excessive bodies but the camera shies away from showing much of the actual death, instead favouring descriptions. In its brutal form there would have been far more blood as is representative of horror on the front line.

4/10 -It’s below average, but only just!-

-The scar on General Mireau’s cheek is genuine, the actor got it in a car accident.

-France banned the film until 1975 citing that it dishonored their army. Germany banned it for a few years so as not to strain political relations with France.

-Over a ton of explosives were bought and discharged during the first week of filming alone.

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[jasonsutekh]

Cool Runnings (1993)

A Jamaican sprinter doesn’t make it to the Olympics but finds a way through a bod-sledding team, the first of any team composed of people-of-colour, however they manage and prove their worth.

Even though it was a comedy, it uses circumstancial issues and political subtext to add gravity to the narrative while also being amusing as a superficial movie. In this way it passes a message while also being entertaining and having some engaging character development, mainly the rich kid. It was amusing that the main competetors were the East Germans considering they had one year before their entire team were consolidated into a more inclusive united German team.

It wasn’t clear all the way through that it was based on real events, that would have had far more gravitas at the beginning even if it had gone ahead with comedy as the leading genre. There were several parts that could have done much better with a more serious element added, such as suspense while convincing the council to acquiesce.

Most of the cast were engaging enough, especially the main four since they provided different styles of entertainment, in particular the one who tried to be tough the whole time but eventually allowed himself to present as human. The change in environment was also engaging because even though they were the underdog, the whole plot didn’t depend on winning, just proving they were worthy of notice and an equal chance.

Much of the main doubt about whether it was based on real events or simply a made-up comedy was related to how the characters were racial archetypes. The characters were stronger than clichés and there could have been at least a notable female character. Sometimes the comedy undermines the racial element of the story, especially when their case has to be fought by the main while character.

5/10 -Can’t find a better example of average-

-The songs on the soundtrack are also part of the musical “Rasta in the Snow”, which is based on the same story.

-The film putting off participants in the film is made from real archivel footage of sporting events.

-The team was genuinely disqualifies by the International Olympic Committee, as part of the film , but was reversed due to appeals from third parties

[jasonsutekh]

Letyat zhuravli (The Cranes Are Flying) (1957)

Two young lovers are separated in Russia at the start of World War Two. They fight to find each other again while fighting off the fascist invaders.

The representation of war was more realistic than Russian filmmakers had been permitted to release for several years. The characters appeared genuine enough and there were some both in the fighting as well as at home. In particular the scenes in the hospital demonstrated some of the horrors war creates without undermining the necessity of fighting to prevent oppression.

There was still an element of propaganda to some aspects, most notably the patriotic judgement when it came to shaming anyone who stayed at home. As it perhaps unfairly but accurately considered typical, the conclusion at the end is depressing in order to suggest a tough lesson about hardship and war.

Some of the cinematography was engaging and there were several unusual but very effective and memorable shots such as the one on the staircase following the couple up floor-by-floor. It probably helped that it was in black and white, even though most countries had moved to colour by that point, since it added to the bleak tone.

An aspect that could have been explored more is how poorly the Russian goventment employed their forces, leading to preventable deaths and capturing of Russian troops. Corruption is notably avoided throughout in order to emphasise the heroism of the military and the darker aspects are attributed solely to the consequences of international conflict.

4/10 -It’s below average, but only just!-

-The cinematographer inspired his decisions with experience as a military cameraman during the war.

[jasonsutekh]

Bharat Mata (Mother India) (1957)

A mother is thrown into poverty when a greedy landlord takes most of the family’s land and harvest as interest for a loan that can never be paid off. When her husband leaves she fears she will have to do terrible things to keep her children alive.

As one of the early colour films to be made in India, it explores the new element by contrasting the bright vibrancy of clothing and jewels to the plain browns and greys of the farming work. There are also a few striking and memorable images such as the toil or dragging a plow and the starving children spitting out seeds in favour of their mother’s love.

Though most of the subtext is strong and can be analysed in several ways, the one part that didn’t work so well is the heronie’s adamant refusal to take revenge on the oppressor of the entire community. Several times the village groups together, either to heal the land, or to try and drive one of her sons out, but not to reclaim and redistribute the hoarded food.

One of the more powerful scenes was the protagonist pleading with the statue of a deity and questioning whether divine providence bought her to that point or if it was a test of her honour. That theme is maintained throughout and believably reinforces the decisions she makes when raising her sons.

Even though the songs are an important part of the structure and help to explain some of the plot points a little more, while being fun breaks from dialogue or action scenes, they sounded a little to similar to one another and largely seemed to be made of repeating lines. It’s not a bad start for what would build into a famous film industry but there are better ones.

3/10 -This one’s bad but it’s got some good in it, just there-

[jasonsutekh]

Tron (1982) and Tron Legacy (2010)

Humans are drawn into a digital world where they’re forced to participate in colloseum-style arcade games.

The first one is easily the superior of the installments, representing classic arcade games with retro effects brought into a third dimension while still having a similar charm. Learning the rules is part of the fun since the digital dimension has an almost arcane lore all of its own while relating to repercussions in the real world.

At times the relationship between the Grid and reality is so tenuous that it may as well be another dimension. Most of the lore is very intriguing and has some science fiction principals that work, however other elements are just left to best guesses, such as why there are wind storms or how independent digital life forms can manifest.

Each of the two installments are quite different, the first is strong because the villain is an all-powerful AI and the introduction to the world is so much more realistic, also there was more time for the games. The sequal has some good factors, namely that the son makes a likeable character and more memorable sidekicks.

Easily the sequel is far worse than the original. For one thing the corporate subtext isn’t nearly as strong and we don’t even get to properly revisit it in the real world so the living villains just get away with stuff. Also the main villain as well as his henchmen were far weaker. The lead antagonist was an inferior copy of a secondary protagonist and one of his prime henchmen steps aside at the slightest threat. Also, the age-reversing tech was horrific.

Tron: 6/10 -Just a cut above average-

Tron Legacy: 4/10 -It’s below average, but only just!-

-In the original the formation of the cycles had to be hand-drawn but the animation was computer-generated. The back of the bikes were harder angles to reduce the power needed to render them.

-Some of the intercaces for technology in The Grid are based on arcade and video game controllers, such as bike handlebars or joysticks.

-The main unmasked henchman in the sequel is called Jarvis, also the name of an AI in the Marvel movies; both the Tron films and Marvel are owned by Disney.

[jasonsutekh]

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

Captured soldiers and officers are forced to build a bridge for the Japanese while other British forces are being sent to ensure its destruction.

It begins as an exploration of POW ethics and even has subtext about unionization but develops almost into indoctrination as the captured men slowly get used to the idea of helping their enemies by doing a better job than they had planned. This is then resolved when they are exposed to soldiers still with their original alliegence in tact.

Part of the point of the narrative is that it’s difficult to pick anyone to allign with closely since the intended sympathy is naturally with the oppressed group, the prisoners, however the subtle change of principles leaves them seeming naive and also technically betraying their own country and principles.

A large amount of the entertainment comes from the practical visuals and stunt-work. Also the scale of the operation, effectively building a real bridge and then destroying it gave the climax the required gravitas and spectacle. The military colour palette contrasts the vibrancy of the green foliage well, adding to the aesthetic tableau.

The best character probably had to be the younger soldier who wasn’t so eager to kill. Even though it’s an expected part of being in the military, it still felt disappointing that he was forced by circumstance to kill another British soldier, even though his own development demanded it and it was the technically correct course of action.

4/10 -It’s below average, but only just!-

-The paratroopers were played by members of the Royal Air Force.

-The story was based on the building of the real Burma Railway during the construction of which 16,000 POWs died.

-The island of Ceylon had no facility to process the film rushes so they had to be flown to London, processed, and then flown back.

[jasonsutekh]

Trading Places (1983)

Two evil executives throw an employee into poverty while elevating a homeless man into a position of authority for a bet.

Fundamentally the premise is a pretty good one since it underlines the callousness of the ruling class while also maintaining a mature representation of prostitution in a big city. The fact that one of the less-accepted working class characters was show as kind and empathetic was the thing that sopped this movie being all bad.

Far to easily, the worst part about the film was the abundant use of racial and sexual slurs and while some fo the narrative subverted the racial ones by proving a character-of-colour could perform just as competently as the white junior partner, the homophobic elements weren’t addressed and arguably the ape scenes added to that aspect by making the smaller male the “female”.

The two main actors were strong enough to carry the drama and comedy but there were so few scenes where they actually got to be together that is was mostly build-up. It was enjoyable that most of the audience hate was aimed at the corporation executives, however it felt like the henchman suffered the worse fate even though he barely had a line.

Too much was left to chance; in particular it wasn’t great that the experiment was esentially proved correct if some chance hadn’t left one subject to learn the terms of the experiment. The blacking-up was also horrific. There was also far too little emphasis put on the point that one character attempted suicide as a result of the bet.

4/10 -It’s below average, but only just-

-By 2025 prices, the 9kg of gold seen on a plate in the movie would be worth approximately a million dollars.

-One of the Duke brothers had evil US president Ronald Reagan on his desk, whereas the other Duke brother had evil US president Richard Nixon on his desk.

-There are a few references to Shakespeare throughout the movie, including the name Ophelia, but also the ling “Gentlemen, there is something rotten in Heritage Club”, another Hamlet reference similar to “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”.

[jasonsutekh]

Return of the Living Dead films: 1 (1985), 2 (1988), 3 (1993), 4: Necropolis (2005), and 5: Rave to the Grave (2005)

A government canister that has been neglected and lost for many years is opened and releases a virus the causes the victims to rise from the grave or die and crave brain matter.

Some fo the franchise changed the rules for zombie lore enough that it wasn’t the typical threat. The earlier versions meant that not even complete combustion ended the danger, much less headshots. There was a little lore in the third one that involved some science and some Hellraiser-esque aesthetics which mixed it up a bit.

Although there are many attractive men in the movie, there’s far more focus on the nudity of women, the most you usually get from the male characters is shirtless which doesn’t promote feminism well but also suggests a repression in male sexuality. Each installment is a little too similar to all the others, it’s basically a formula with small details changed.

Most of the films combine an equal amount of gore and ecstasy with some little avirety in the plots. Some of the movies are more focused on military experiments and a few actual characters, others however are more about love or just partying and having zombies show up at the parties. The last one had some decent messages about drug moderation.

The second one was basically a repeat of the the original plot and therefore didn’t have much of an imapct, it even had two of the same characters (and actors) die in exactly the same way and mentioned it. There aren’t great arcs for the characters since the best can’t really be hoped for in this franchise which leave smost fo them pretty disappointing.

Return of the Living Dead: 4/10 -It’s below average, but only just!-

Return of the Living Dead 2: 3/10 -This one’s bad but it’s got some good in it, just there-

Return of the Living Dead 3: 4/10 -It’s below average, but only just!-

Return of the Living Dead Necropolis: 3/10 -This one’s bad but it’s got some good in it, just there-

Return of the Living Dead Rave to the Grave: 3/10 -This one’s bad but it’s got some good in it, just there-

-The mortitian in the first film is a Nazi sympathizer, listening to German marching music and has an Eva Braun poster, alluding to the many Nazi zombie franchises.

-A zombie in the second one deliberately resembles the Michael Jackson Thriller zombie, the make-up took three and half hours to apply.

-The chemical in the early instalments was 4-5 Tioxin but by the fourth film, which was filmed simultaneously with the fifth, it was changed to Trioxin 5.