Movie Review: The Hateful Eight (2015)

The eight film from Quentin Tarantino brings yet another all-star cast filled with incredible
performances.  Along with great dialogue, the violence was definitely not lacking.  I was originally going to see this movie as part of the 70mm Road Show.  There were about 100 movie theaters across the United States that were showing The Hateful Eight on actual film as opposed to the digital projectors.  I was excited to enjoy the viewing experience but the cost was double what I ended up paying a week later to watch it digitally.  The film is still beautiful, and I had a great time.

The Hateful Eight takes place in the state of Wyoming where a blizzard is sweeping through. Throughout the movie, you find yourself trying to figure out who the bad guy, or perhaps bad guys, are.  This proves difficult as all of the characters are more sinners than they are saints.

Kurt Russell is the bounty hunter John Ruth and he aims to collect when he delivers Daisy Domergue who is played amazingly by Jennifer Jason Leigh.  With their stagecoach driver O.B.(James Parks) hey cross paths with Samuel Jackson who played the part of Major Marquis Warren and later run into Walton Goggins' character, Chris Mannix.  These four characters have reputations that proceed them, so everyone has an idea of who they're dealing with and it's explained why everyone is on edge.

Movie Review: Bring Me the Head of the Machine Gun Woman (2012)

A video game loving DJ named Santiago(Matias Oviedo) overhears a conversation he should not have involving mob boss Che Longana(Jorege Alis).  In order to get out of being killed, Santiago says he is able to bring them the Machine Gun Woman(Fernanda Urrejola) - dead or alive.

I'm sure you can guess by the name, that this movie does not take itself too seriously.  Director Ernesto Diaz Espinoza puts this film together in a really fun and creative way.  The movie looks like you're playing the video game Grand Theft Auto in the country of Chile.  Characters are introduced with a video game look and once Santiago gets started on his "mission," you will feel like you're watching the game. The shots of the car on the way to missions and the final battle scene shows that this was the exact look they were going for.

The flow of the film works for what it is going for and the run time is only 73 minutes.   If you're in the mood for something artsy and Oscar-worthy, you will want to look elsewhere.  If you're looking for late night laughs, insane violence and fun cheese then give it a shot.

"Bring Me the Head of the Machine Gun Woman" is subtitled as it was shot in Spanish.  The original title is, "Traiganme la Cabeza de la Mujer Metralleta."

On the scale of up to 5 Pile Drivers, "Bring Me the Head of the Machine Gun Woman" receives 3.

Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

You can read more of my reviews here on Cinema Head Cheese and also please check out my blogs, reviews and podcasts on http://maskerpiecetheatre.blogspot.com/

Movie Review: Farmer's Daughters (1976) (Impulse Pictures/Synapse Films)

Reviewed by: Rick L. Blalock - October 22, 2015

Starring :                                                           

Gloria Leonard

Susan McBain

Nancy Dare 
Marlene Willoughby

John Black

Spalding Gray

Philip Marlowe

Zebedy Colt

Bill Cort

Synopsis

An innocent afternoon of spying on their parents having sex (and then forcibly sexually assaulting the farm hand) turns even more vile for three daughters when escaped convicts pick their farm to hide from the cops! A horrifying, hardcore afternoon of assault, torture and incest follows as the convicts take advantage of the entire family, culminating in a shocking, perverted game of “Simon Says” and a weirdly mixed and edited final montage. This film is the very definition of “hardcore,” and one of the most eyebrow raising films in the Impulse Pictures library!

(Runtime - 61 minutes)

Will be released on DVD on November 10, 2015 (Impulse Pictures/Synapse Films)

Movie Review: Killer Joe (2011; Voltage Pictures/Lionsgate)

...it's a bygone truth in considering that the impact...the very vibrancy of the hero of the story is directly proportionate to, reciprocative of...and in most cases...is outright dependent upon the often times greater impact and vibrancy of the villain. Let's face it: we have certain expectations, when it comes to the hero, and without fail...unless that hero takes total leave of his senses...the hero typically performs as expected, with no real surprises; however, without a worthy and polar-opposite comparable adversary, the hero really has nothing to do, right?? The old story of 'there's no good, unless there's bad...and vice-versa. And how about the villain?? A picture of self-interest...relentless...conniving...often times, violent...clearly knowing right from wrong, but not caring...quite literally carefree, in fact. And there's no denying that in each and very one of us, there's a spark of envy, in that respect...though, it's intervening morality, which keeps us 'normal people' in check...

Movie Review: Quest For Fire (1981, Blu-ray)

Review By: Rob Sibley

I remember watching Quest For Fire when I was just about six years old. I remember staying up late one night and popping in the VHS with my older brother. The film completely captivated my imagination. So twenty years after first seeing the flick on VHS I finally got the chance to revisit it courtesy of Second Sight Pictures on glorious Blu-ray. I tackled the film with great trepidation, you know films you see as a kid and love then you watch them again years later and they lose that magic. Luckily this wasn't the case with Quest For Fire.

I found myself engrossed in the world from frame one. Think about by all means QFF should be a cheese fest. Were dealing with sabor tooth tigers, cave men, ape men and all sorts of things that are recipes for cheese. But director Jean-Jacques Annaud pulls everything off by playing it completely serious. The film is drenched in a rich atmosphere thanks to cinematographer Claude Agostini who usually worked on French comedy's. The locations and costume designs are just spot on and help draw you in. 

Movie Review: Grand Duel (1972, DVD)

Review By: Rob Sibley

How does this sound? Directed by Giancarlo Santi who was Sergio Leone's second unit director on Good, The Bad & The Ugly and Once upon a time in the west. Written by one of the most talented and prolific Italian writers Ernesto Gastaldi. Who brought us many wrote many fine Westerns such as Day of Anger and My Name is Nobody. What might interest you is Gastaldi was more well known for writing Giallo's.

Such classics as Torso, The Case Of The Scorpions Tail, All the colors of the dark and The Case of the Bloody Iris to name a few. He also wrote the hard boiled crime classic "Kidnap Syndicate" for Fernando Di Leo. Then add in the always impressive Lee Van Cleef and you have one of the best and maybe one of the most single handily underrated spaghetti Westerns of all time! Even Quentin Tarantino used Luis Enríquez Bacalov theme for the film very effectively in Kill Bill Vol 1.

Movie Review: Muay Thai Warrior (2011, Blu-ray)

Review By: Rob Sibley

Do you dig Muay Thai boxing? How about ninjas and some right on the money Samurai action? How about all of that tossed into one film? If so, this little Thai mini-epic might just be the tasty little morsel you've been looking for. Let me backtrack a bit, I've always been a sucker for any film featuring Muay Thai fighting. Muay Thai fight films really became popular on American shores when Tony Jaa burst onto the scene with Ong-bak in 2003. Since then Muay Thai films having been popping up left, right and center. The best of the bunch have starred Jaa and usually were directed by Prachya Pinkaew. Who is arguably the most talented action director in Thailand.

Jaa wasn't alone though, equally talented but sadly nowhere near as famous is Dan Chupong. Who stared in two equally impressive films Born to Fight and the bat-shit crazy Thai-Western Dynamite Warrior. I would also be doing Thai action cinema a disservice if I didn't bring up Panna Rittikrai. The man is responsible for discovering Chupong and Jaa along with directing Ong-Bak 2 & 3. While were talking Thai action stars JeeJa Yanin jumped onto the scene and showed fighting wasn't only for dudes. Her impressive skills were showcased in her debut “Chocolate” (Directed by Pinkaew) and “Raging Phoenix”. Her latest flick is going to be co-starring role in Tony Jaa's The Protector 2 which also interestingly enough is going to feature Dan Chupong as well.

Movie Review: Baise-moi (2000, DVD)

Review By: Rob Sibley

Leave it to the fine folks at Arrow UK to release one of the most controversial French films and give it an all star treatment. This is the first time the film has been presented in widescreen! To that I raise my glass and say bravo Arrow for giving the film it's best release yet! Baise-moi which in French literally translates to English as “Fuck Me”. Was attacked by critics and film goers upon release back in 2000. One could say it started the “new wave” of French films that packed a punch and dealt with pretty nasty material. It's interesting to think how viciously this film was attacked. If only brilliant films like Xavier Gens' masterpiece “Fronteir(s)” or Pascal Laugier's “Martyrs” would have come out that year. French film critics would have had a heart attack.

So the big question is does Baise-moi really deserve all the controversy that surrounded it upon intial release? Even more important is the film good enough to break through it's exploitation roots and become something more grand? To think that this film is still banned in Australia and it's considered a criminal offense if you own it is down right silly.