W♥M

Black Bag

Black Bag (2025) Synopsis From Director Steven Soderbergh, Black Bag is a gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse and his beloved wife Kathryn. When she is suspected of betraying the nation, George faces the ultimate test – loyalty to his marriage or his country. Starring: Cate Blanchett Michael Fassbender Regé-Jean Page Marisa Abela Naomie Harris Tom Burke Pierce Brosnan Directed by: Steven Soderbergh Written by: David Koepp Produced by: Casey Silver Greg Jacobs Read More Black Doves The new Netflix series, Black Doves, just aired. This British spy thriller series was created by Joe Barton and stars skinny girl Keira Knightley (as previously mentioned I have been …

The new spy thriller film Black Bag will be out this Friday, March 14, 2025, but we got to see a preview screening at the ShowPlace ICON theater in St Louis Park earlier today.

The Black Bag film was written by David Koepp (who wrote the first two Jurassic Park films and also my least favorite Indiana Jones film Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) and directed by Steven Soderbergh (who started with Sex, Lies, and Videotape and famous for the Ocean's Eleven films).

Soderbergh has a certain realistic way of framing and telling us a story, set in the real world. For example, when you’re first introduced to our main character, George (played by Michael Fassbender), you don’t actually see his face. Instead, you’re following him from behind as he walks through a maze of streets and alleys and stairs and through doors in a long one-take scene… ending in a meeting with his contact. This meeting set up the story: George is given a list of five names, who are suspected of stealing something called Cerberus. One of the names on the list is his own wife, Kathryn (played by Cate Blanchett).

All five suspects are then invited to a dinner party, so now we’re introduced to all the characters. We have the wife Kathryn, the young satellite technician Clarissa (played by Marisa Abela – who famously played Amy Winehouse), Clarissa’s bearded boyfriend Freddie (played by Tom Burke - who previously played Praetorian Jack in Furiosa), a psychiatrist Zoe (played by Naomie Harris from No Time to Die), the colonel James (played by Regé-Jean Page from Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves). One of these people at the dining table is a traitor, and it’s up to George to sort it all out.

Part of the fun is to try and figure out who the villain is and what their motives are. I don’t want to give myself a pat in the back, but I sort of figure out who it was – after a one-on-one meeting with George and some information were diverged. Even if I was wrong, I knew it wasn’t the obvious choice. It was smartly written, and it had a very satisfying ending.

Fassbender did a great job, playing a very calm and collective agent… even when he knowingly messed up. My favorite is his line deliveries for the polygraph tests. Just imagine a deadpan question from Fassbender: “Are you tightening your anal sphincter?” Marisa Abela’s delightful face was just so funny!

My only issue with the film is that the language is British and as someone who is unfamiliar with the terms “Black Bag”, you’re forced to guess that it’s a term for some sort of covert operations. Or “the boot” means the trunk of a car.

This is a Focus Film, and typically I would describe as an art film or independent film. If you understand that, then you’re going to enjoy this dialogue-heavy, smart, and thrilling film.

Black Bag will be out in theaters on Friday, March 14, 2025.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Novocaine (2025)

Novocaine (2025) Details Release date: March 14, 2025 (USA) Directors: Robert Olsen, Dan Berk Distributed by: Paramount Pictures Read More Movies The movie works because of their two stars. Sophie Thatcher, as Iris, is perfectly cast. She’s a little quirky and plays a very likeable girl. Jack Quaid, I’m only familiar with him in The Boys …

"Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M. opens this 2025 movie Novocaine set to release on March 14th. Ironically the film is about a man who doesn't feel pain. Jack Quaid's character Nathan Caine has the rare condition CIP, or Congenital Insensitivity to Pain. His nickname, somewhat appropriately then as "Novo-Caine" follows him into adulthood, where most with this condition are not expected to live past 25 years of age. The bully we meet at the bar who coins the term and hits on Sherry, played by Amber Midthunder, the girl of his dreams does get what comes to him, no spoilers though.

One can imagine the hijinks that can be written into a movie where the main character can get shot, stabbed, burned, bones broken and still continue to function. All this while upbeat tunes like "So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings" by Caroline Polachek and "Casual" by Chappell Roan plays in the background. The soundtrack also includes Charles Trenet, a score by Steve Bartek and movie music stable Danny Elfman.

My favorite song in the movie was "You're the Inspiration" by Chicago, set to a torture scene, the villain having a history in the special forces. What does that say about 80's hair bands? The best part about the character was how polite he was, asking if it was ok before inflicting bodily harm to the opposition. He, himself had tattoos all over, because when you can't feel pain, why not? At the end of the day, he does get the girl and ultimately, it's just a meet-cute love story that starts with a Christmas bank robbery and ends in cherry pie.

quynh ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Last Breath

Last Breath (2025) Read More Woody Harrelson Woody Harrelson at Rock the Garden. Additional photos will be uploaded as soon as it is available and processed here: RTG 2015 Photo Gallery. …

We just saw Last Breath, a survival thriller film, based on a true story (and is a feature film version of the 2019 Netflix documentary of the same name), and not to be confused with The Last Breath (a 2024 film about treasure hunters), at a preview screening event at the ShowPlace ICON theater in St Louis Park.

The film follows Chris the diver (played by Finn Cole), who is part of a maintenance crew to repair deep underwater pipes. It’s his first real dive, and it might be his last, because of some bad luck. First there’s a storm, then their ship’s software didn’t work, then Chris umbilical cord got cut off, leaving him with only 10 minutes of oxygen.

The rest of the film shifts focus on Dave the diver (played by Simu Liu) and Duncan the diver (played by Woody Harrelson). There’s also some scenes of the ship’s crew manually piloting the ship and fixing the software… it’s all very intense as they race against time to save Chris. Chris, on his part, managed to orientate himself and climbed on top of the manifold.

Normally, documentary and movies based on real life events aren’t my cup of tea, but there’s enough story here to make it interesting. The director, Alex Parkinson, did a good job in telling that story from all sides… from the ship captain to diver’s management team. Special mentions to the cinematographer and lighting department for presenting what it is like to be thousands of meters in deep darkness at the bottom of the sea. Visibility is next to nothing, even with underwater light flares, you still cannot see what is ahead of you.

The film’s soundtrack is by Paul Leonard-Morgan, who was also responsible for one of my favorite film Dredd. The film’s soundtrack is available on Amazon.

Last Breath will be out in theaters on Friday, February 28, 2025.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

The Monkey

The Monkey (2025) Read More Stephen King Heart Eyes (a film about a serial killer on Valentine’s Day), The Monkey (a Stephen King horror story about a cursed monkey toy), Companion, Nosferatu, and Wolf Man… I think it’s cool, as a horror movie …

We ended up going to see The Monkey, the new film by Oz Perkins, at the Emagine Cinema in Willow Creek, as part of their $5 Tuesday promotion.

The film is based on a short Stephen King story, and produced by James Wan, so you would think The Monkey is a serious horror film… but it is more of a comedy with some disgusting deaths. I was just hoping it was a hardcore horror film… I know Perkins is capable, because he directed the interesting horror film Longlegs last year, which I said I liked.

I guess Perkins took a different direction, and I’m not sure if I like the comedy angle. The film also changed a lot from the short story. For example, the Monkey is a drummer in the movie, but in the book, it is just cymbals. The other big change is that it is about twin brothers.

Anyway, the movie starts out with a comical introduction of the Monkey. The owner of the Monkey is trying to return it to the store he bought it for. Once the hand of the monkey comes down, it ultimately kills the store owner in a most disgusting way. That sets the tone of the film, which is comical and brutal deaths. Then the movie cuts to the twin brothers. You’re told that their father just went out for cigarettes and never came back. The brothers find the toy Monkey and turn its key to activate it… and soon enough their babysitter gets beheaded by accident. Then their mother died. The younger brother dismembered the Monkey and threw it in the trash… only to find the monkey back.

More deaths followed (their uncle got trampled by horses), so the brothers decides to contains the monkey and threw it down a well.

25 years later, the Monkey appears again after their Aunt’s death. Then a series of death… it seems someone was turning the Monkey’s key. I won’t give away the ending, but there some questionable motivations from the key turner.

So yeah, if you’re looking for a comedy/horror-ish film, The Monkey is entertaining… but for true horror fans, this film is just a little too silly for my taste.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

We♥Movies! Becoming Led Zeppelin - film review

Jimmy Page John Paul Jones John Bonham Robert Plant Directed by Bernard MacMahon Screenplay by Bernard MacMahon, Allison McGourty Cinematography Vern Moen Edited by Dan Gitlin Music by Led Zeppelin Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics Release date: February 7, 2025 (IMAX, United States/Canada); wider release Feb 14 Running time 121 minutes Read More Led Zeppelin The English musician best known as the lead singer and lyricist for Led Zeppelin, will be headlining the Orpheum Theatre. Billed as Robert Plant & The Sensational Space Shifters …

Be there for the start of arguably the world’s greatest rock ‘n roll band--

That’s the premise and it’s confirmed in the title of Becoming Led Zeppelin, the new two-hour music bio that opened exclusively in IMAX theaters this weekend. Starting this coming Friday, it will expand to more traditional screens and we hope, an eventual home release.

This has been long in the making, as guitarist Jimmy Page remains under tight control of the band’s legacy and after hearing many proposals, agreed to work with Irish/English documentarian Bernard MacMahon, previously known for his multi-part chronicling of early roots music, American Epic.

First announced in 2019, a work-in-progress print was screened back in Sept 2021 at the Venice Film Festival, and the end result finally hit nationwide screens after a three-and-a-half year wait following that preview.

The story is told without narration, and is instead driven by recent interviews with Page, singer Robert Plant, and bassist John Paul Jones, and an unearthed early interview from drummer John Bonham, heard here publicly for the first time. Add to that, some photos and film clips also never before seen, and It’s a delight for the diehard fan and helps bring further life into the story for anyone more casual.

The film traces the four musicians back through their respective childhoods – Page picking up the guitar early and joining bands, Jones the product of a set of stage parents and creatively inclined from a young age, and Page and Bonham growing up in the Midlands trying to find their own way.

Still teenagers, Page and Jones would go on to become in-demand session players in London (both even contributed to the James Bond theme, “Goldfinger” sung by Shirley Bassey), with Page then joining, and soon becoming the lead guitarist of The Yardbirds after Jeff Beck quit.

With that band disassembling, Page already clearly envisioned his next plan (to be initially named The New Yardbirds), convincing Jonesy to give up his stable session work to be in a band and recruiting Plant and Bonham from their own Band of Joy (and despite Bonham’s wife’s incessant misgivings apparently).

The resulting foursome met in a basement rehearsal space, first jamming on the jump blues classic, “Train Kept a Rollin’” and all knew they had something special and never heard before- a magical combination of blues-infused muscle rock and folk, inspired by American soul, the early R’nR of Little Richard and Elvis, the jazzy skiffle of Lonnie Donegan, and the numerous early American Blues pioneers that so many UK artists of the day admired.

Taking on a name from a disparaging comment by The Who’s drummer, Keith Moon, the band set about to conquer the world, starting slowly in Scandinavia and even making themselves a big name in America, before building any sizable UK fame.

The 1969 Danish TV footage most fans have seen (and was included in the band’s own 2012 DVD release), is given fresh life and immense volume in the IMAX format, and new clips from the Roundhouse in London and the band’s first UK festival in Bath, were all welcome additions.

The band said goodbye to their families and began their initial US Tour on the day after Christmas 1968 playing with Vanilla Fudge in Denver and built-up word of mouth and increasing ticket demand, for every show following.

Synced and restored 8mm footage from the Texas International Pop Fest and Atlanta Pop Fest show the band’s explosive live stage presence, and even recording/rehearsal footage from London’s Olympic Studios provided a rare glimpse into how they recorded their first album playing live (in just 36 hours over a few weeks), rather than mixing individual performance tracks.

It’s charming to see the three surviving members smile wryly hearing their drummer comment from beyond the grave, and seeing some the footage that we’re also seeing, for the first time, The performances shine with as much picture restoration as possible, and an audio soundtrack that booms the limits of the IMAX system.

It’s a satisfying beginning, but sadly only that- the film ends as the decade of the 1960s does, with the band well on its way, and just having released its even heavier second studio album. So, it seems to be a chapter one (of three or four?) and the ‘ten years gone’ of what’s ahead- seven more groundbreaking studio albums to the band’s untimely end, will all have to wait.

Becoming Led Zeppelin is a worthy first course, to document the roots and early era of the legendary band. We just hope we can see the rest of the story similarly and properly presented, in our lifetime (or that of Page, Plant, and Jones’).

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

Valentine Horror

You know, with Valentine’s Day coming up on February 14, you would think the movie studios would be releasing romantic comedy films… but this year: it’s a hard no. Instead you’re seeing an action film called Love Hurts, Flight Risk, and Den of Thieves 2… and plenty of horror movies: Heart Eyes (a film about a serial killer on Valentine’s Day), The Monkey (a Stephen King horror story about a cursed monkey toy), Companion, Nosferatu, and Wolf Man… I think it’s cool, as a horror movie fans (after all I love the fact that for the months of October to December, we’re seeing a constant holiday horrors).

Companion (2025) Read More M3GAN The first horror film of 2023 is called M3GAN. To be honest, it’s not really a horror film, more like comedy/horror… M3GAN is from James Wan, who created Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring franchises. …

Companion (2025)
warnerbros.com

In order to enjoy this film, Companion, you have to go into it not knowing what’s it about. If you watch the trailer, it gives away too much.

I’ll just describe the first part of the film. The film starts with Irish and Josh meeting for the first time in a grocery store and it was love at first sight. Then the couple is driving to a remote cabin to meet some friends. The Russian who owns the cabin is a multi-millionaire and sexually assaulted Iris, which resulted in her killing him. That’s when the movie shifts and you find out what is really going on.

Even though I’m dancing around the ‘twist’, most viewers will likely already know or have figured out what is going on. It does work best if you have no idea what the movie is about. Just go in cold. Think of this film as a couple going on a retreat in a cabin somewhere in the middle of nowhere. It’s a romantic getaway, that is spoiled by a little murder.

The movie works because of their two stars. Sophie Thatcher, as Iris, is perfectly cast. She’s a little quirky and plays a very likeable girl. Jack Quaid, I’m only familiar with him in The Boys, plays a nerdy dork. No one believes he could have a great girlfriend as Iris. Later in the film, we find out that the nerdy kid is really a horrible villain. Quaid is great, and I had no idea Dennis Quaid is his dad!

As for the Companion story, I do love all the twists and turns. I do love how smart the film is… despite how illogical some things are. I won’t go into the details, but if you sit and think about it, some things just doesn’t make sense. Don’t let it bother you, just go with it, and you’ll have a good time with the movie. Think of this film as something like M3GAN or Scream.

Highly recommended.

Wolf Man (2025) Read More Ginger Snaps In my final installment of Halloween treats, I'm going to compile some songs about Werewolves. I actually had a lot more Halloween-related posts I wanted to do, but lately I have not been home. …

Wolf Man (2025)
wolfmanmovie.com

Not sure who was asking for a brand new Wolf Man remake/reboot, but it’s 2025, and we have a new film from Blumhouse Productions. I guess this film was originally meant to be part of the Universal Monsters franchise, but since The Mummy failed, the Wolf Man film went into ‘development hell’.

The new film stars Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner (you might remember her from Sin City: A Dame to Kill For), about a couple, and their daughter, going back to husband’s old home in the remote mountains. They’re attacked by a werewolf and ultimately, the film is about Abbott slowly turning into a werewolf, but also trying to protect his family. The story is very straightforward, no plot twists, no reveals. If there was a mystery, I figured it all out just by deductive reasonings. One scene leads to another. Garner is trying to get away from the werewolf with her daughter, and that’s pretty much the film.

I don’t hate the film, but I found it just a little boring.

How you can make a good werewolf movie is that ‘A Werewolf in our Midst’ or ‘Wolf in Sheep Clothing’ mindset… where you don’t know who the wolf is. Wes Craven tried to do this with his Cursed film… where our protagonist, who is cursed with the werewolf blood, has to find out who the master Wolf is, so she can be cured. The mystery and horror, that’s the cool part. With Wolf Man, it is just about a man who is turning into a werewolf, and that’s pretty much all there is to it.

Even the bad Werewolves movie released last year had a better story and concept. In that film, everybody is infected with the Werewolf virus and every full moon (or Super Moon) night, the world turns into a PURGE-style world. Anything goes, it’s lawless, and you have got to survive until the morning. That’s more entertaining than Wolf Man!

Read more Movies.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

R.I.P. David Lynch

Read More Twin Peaks So a little information about Julee Cruise's involvement with Twin Peaks: she was working for Angelo Badalamenti as a talent scout in the mid 80s. Badalamenti was already working with David Lynch on his film Blue Velvet …

You may have heard already that the visionary director David Lynch has died at the age of 78.

I’m a pretty big Lynch fan, owning most of his Criterion releases. There are very few movies that I’ll buy on Criterion (simply because they’re so expensive)… but for Lynch, I’m willing to shell out the money to have his films in my collection. I generally like his films, but man, some of his movies are straight-up a weird dreams or nightmares… and they often don’t add up. I mean, have you seen Lost Highway? What is that about? Have you seen Mulholland Drive? I thought I read somewhere that the two girls switch bodies and the whole story was from a dream that David Lynch had. Even if you didn’t like his films, you can’t deny that he has a certain vision and style. It’s uniquely David Lynch, no doubt about it.

Like all visionary artists, Lynch is also a photographer (he’s obsessed with smoke), he’s an artist, he’s a musician. He actually has a good ear for music, and under his personal choices to hire them, he was able to introduce Julee Cruise and Angelo Badalamenti to me.

So that brings me up to Twin Peaks… the revolutionary television show. I’m so glad they finally got to make a third and final season in 2017, so we can finally put a bow on the series. Badalamenti, Cruise, and now Lynch.... all gone too soon. Rest in peace.

TWIN PEAKS DEATHS

[16 Jan 2025] David Lynch (American television and film director, visual artist and musician), 78, emphysema Director-writer David Lynch, who radicalized American film with with a dark, surrealistic artistic vision in films like “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive” and network television with “Twin Peaks,” has died. He was 78. … via variety

[28 Feb 2024] Victoria Catlin (American actress for Twin Peaks), 71 Victoria Shechter Catlin, 71, of Merriam, KS, passed away February 28, 2024. Victoria was born in Moline, Illinois; the family ultimately moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1956. … via legacy

[14 Oct 2023] Piper Laurie (American actress for Carrie, Ruby, Twin Peaks), 91 Piper Laurie, the three-time Oscar-nominated actress known for her performances in The Hustler and Carrie and for her outlandish two-character, two-gender turn on the original Twin Peaks, died Saturday morning in Los Angeles. She was 91. … via hollywoodreporter

[06 Jan 2023] Annette McCarthy (American actress for Twin Peaks), 64 Annette McCarthy was a theatre actress who in the 1980s and 1990s starred in several popular film and television productions. Her greatest role was played by Evelyn Marsh from the cult series "The Twin Peaks". … via film

[11 Dec 2022] Angelo Badalamenti (American film and television composer for Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet), 85 Angelo Badalamenti, the acclaimed David Lynch composer who went from teaching in junior high school in Brooklyn to creating haunting, ethereal music for the filmmaker’s Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive, has died. He was 85.  ... via hollywoodreporter.com

[02 Dec 2022] Al Strobel (American actor for Twin Peaks), 83 Al Strobel, who played Phillip Michael Gerard (aka Mike) (the One Arm Man) in David Lynch and Mark Frost’s “Twin Peaks”, passed away on Friday at the age of 83. ... via darkhorizons.com

[05 Jul 2022] Lenny Von Dohlen (American actor for Twin Peaks), 63 Lenny Von Dohlen, who played Harold Smith on the hit series “Twin Peaks,” died on Tuesday, his agent confirmed to Variety. He was 63. ... via variety.com

[09 Jun 2022] Julee Cruise (American singer, musician and actress), 65, suicide by asphyxiation Julee Cruise, the singer-songwriter best known for collaborations with David (Twin Peaks) Lynch, Angelo Badalamenti, and The B-52’s has passed away at the age of 65. ... via weheartmusic.com

[05 May 2022] Kenneth Welsh (Canadian actor for Twin Peaks), 80, cancer Prolific Canadian actor Kenneth Welsh has died after a decades-long career on stage, television and the big screen. He was 80. ... via cbc.ca

[11 Apr 2022] Gary Bullock (American actor for Twin Peaks), 80 Bullock died on April 11, 2022, at the age of 80 ... via wikipedia.org

[26 Jul 2021] Rick Aiello (American actor for Twin Peaks), 65, pancreatic cancer Actor Rick Aiello -- son of the late legendary actor, Danny Aiello -- has died of pancreatic cancer ... his family tells TMZ. According to Rick's mother, Sandy ... he passed away Monday night surrounded by loved ones at a hospital in Warwick, New York. … via tmz

[06 Apr 2021] Walter Olkewicz (American actor for Twin Peaks), 72 Walter Olkewicz, a versatile character actor with a range from Seinfeld to Twin Peaks and beyond, died Tuesday in Reseda, CA after a long battle with infections. He was 72 and his death was confirmed by his son, screenwriter Zak Olkewicz. … via deadline

[04 Oct 2020] Clark Middleton (American actor for Twin Peaks), 63, West Nile virus Actor, director and producer Clark Middleton, who appeared in “Kill Bill Vol. 2,” “The Blacklist” and “Snowpiercer,” died Sunday as a result of West Nile Virus, his wife Elissa confirmed. He was 63. … via variety

[25 Sep 2019] Linda Porter (American actress for Twin Peaks), 86, cancer Linda Porter, a character actress who appeared in dozens of TV series and feature films and was perhaps best known for her role as Myrtle in NBC’s Superstore, died Wednesday after a long battle with cancer. She was 86. … via deadline

[11 May 2019] Peggy Lipton (American actress for Twin Peaks and model), 72, colon cancer Actress and former model Peggy Lipton, who rose to stardom in the late 1960s on the counterculture police series “The Mod Squad” and later starred on TV’s “Twin Peaks,” has died. She was 72. … via latimes

[16 Apr 2018] Pamela Gidley (American actress for Twin Peaks and model), 52 Actress Pamela Gidley, who starred in the "Twin Peaks" prequel "Fire Walk With Me," died earlier this month, according to The Associated Press. She was 52. … via cbsnews

[18 Oct 2017] Brent Briscoe (American actor for Twin Peaks), 56, fall Brent Briscoe, the busy character actor who appeared alongside Billy Bob Thornton in Sling Blade and A Simple Plan and played Det. Dave Macklay on the recently revived Twin Peaks, has died. He was 56. … via hollywoodreporter

[09 May 2017] Michael Parks (American actor for Twin Peaks), 77 Michael Parks, a character actor with over 100 film and television credits, has died. He was 77. Parks’ agent announced that the actor died on Tuesday. … via variety

[17 Feb 2017] Warren Frost (American actor for Twin Peaks), 91 Warren Frost, the late-blooming actor who played the dependable town physician Will “Doc” Hayward on Twin Peaks, has died. He was 91. … via hollywoodreporter

[19 Jan 2017] Miguel Ferrer (American actor for RoboCop,Twin Peaks), 61, heart failure Miguel Ferrer, best known for starring as Owen Granger on NCIS: Los Angeles, died Thursday of cancer. He was 61. Ferrer, who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout his career, passed peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends, according to CBS. … via hollywoodreporter

[28 Sep 2015] Catherine E. Coulson (American actress and production assistant for Twin Peaks), 71, cancer Catherine E. Coulson, who played the Log Lady on David Lynch‘s “Twin Peaks” TV series and was set to return to the new Showtime version, died Monday morning of cancer. She was 71. … via variety

Read more Musicians Who Died.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

I fell in love with the Video Nasty

Lisa Loeb: Video Nasty Nasty by The Damned Catch the tide at the flood My TV screen is seeking blood My walls, my floors, are red too The night is coming after you I only hear the silver screams of pain He's coming for you again and again There's no escape, there's no way out Catch, catch the horror taxi I fell in love with the video nasty Catch, catch the horror train Freeze frame, gonna drive you insane The axe is sharp, the blade is keen Creature features, spirits on your screen Shadows fall, in all this gloom You're not so safe In the safety of your room All I want is to make a killing To drill a killer might be really thrilling Why are my victims so unwilling You can't be sure that you won't see me Careful with that axe, you meanie Catch, catch the horror taxi I fell in love with the video nasty Catch, catch the horror train Freeze frame, gonna drive you insane Catch, catch the horror taxi I fell in love with the video nasty Catch, catch the horror train Freeze frame, gonna drive you insane Catch, catch the horror taxi I fell in love with the video nasty Catch, catch the horror train Freeze frame, it’s going drive you insane Read More Video Nasty For those interested in learning more about the video nasties, the banned 72 movie titles by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), there is a really terrific documentary called Video Nasties: The Definitive Guide …

With the recent airing of Video Nasty in January 2025, I was treating myself to listening to the original song “Nasty” by The Damned. The original song was written for The Young Ones in 1984, and made its way to the B-Side of their single “Thanks for the Night.”

I’ve listened to it, and it sounds really short and incomplete. Sure, all punk songs are only a minute, but perhaps it was written to be brief, since The Young Ones was only going to use portions of the song. All that really matters is a ‘killer’ chorus, and they absolutely ‘killed’ it with their lyrics:

Catch, catch the horror taxi
I fell in love with the video nasty
Catch, catch the horror train
Freeze frame, gonna drive you insane

As much as I like loud, punk music, I felt the message was better delivered as a soft, pleasant version by Lisa Loeb and Steve Reynolds with their approach and production. Just my opinion, but I felt the Loeb version was a better version. You juxtapose Loeb’s sweet innocent voice with gruesome lyrics drench in blood. It’s pretty swell.

As for the lyrics, it does make some references to some Video Nasty banned films. I have not seen all the Nasties, but I’ve seen a good amount. The walls are red could reference several movies… so if you know the exact reference, let me know. Here are the ones I was that I matched with a movie. Some of them, I’ll admit, is a bit of a stretch! Please post your suggestions or email me, and I’ll add them as a postscript.

The Witch Who Came from the Sea (1976)

“Catch the tide at the flood”

The Witch Who Came from the Sea is a 1976 American psychological horror film produced and directed by Matt Cimber and starring Millie Perkins, Lonny Chapman, Vanessa Brown, Peggy Feury, Rick Jason, George Buck Flower, and Roberta Collins. The film centers on an emotionally scarred woman who goes on a killing spree after taking a job as a waitress in a seaside bar.

The film was classified as a “video nasty” by the United Kingdom Department of Public Prosecutions and was considered prosecutable for violating obscenity laws, but the prosecution proved unsuccessful.

The Video Dead (1987)

“My TV screen is seeking blood”

The Video Dead, a 1987 American horror film written and directed by Robert Scott and starring Roxanna Augesen, is actually not on the Video Nasty list - not for the lack of trying! The filmmakers added grisly scenes and gruesome artwork… but unfortunately did not make the Nasty list.

Still, with the plot involving a television set that produces zombies to murder and eat humans… I thought I’d use the film on this Nasty list.

Don't Go in the House (1980)

“My walls, my floors, are red too”

Don't Go in the House is a 1980 American slasher film written and directed by Joseph Ellison, written by Ellen Hammill and Joe Masefield, and starring Dan Grimaldi. Its plot follows a disturbed man who, after suffering an abusive childhood in which his mother punished him with burning, becomes a pyromaniac and serial killer who kidnaps and burns alive any women who resemble her.

Since the line, walls and floors, I thought a movie about a house might fit the bill for these lyrics.

Night School (1981)

“The night is coming after you”

Night School or aka Terror Eyes is a 1981 American slasher film directed by Ken Hughes and starring Rachel Ward, in her film debut, Leonard Mann, and Drew Snyder. The plot revolves around a series of brutal murders in Boston, Massachusetts. Alfred Sole was the film's original director, but he passed on the project. Hughes was ultimately brought in to direct, and Night School was his final film.

Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 1 minute 16 seconds cut in 1987.

Scream for Vengeance (1980)

“I only hear the silver screams of pain ”

Scream for Vengeance or Vengeance is a 1980 film about four criminals who murder a jeweler and his family before kidnapping a senator's granddaughter. She and her boyfriend fight back, killing the gang one by one until her final confrontation with the last member.

The film was directed by Bob Bliss and stars Sally Lockett, Nicholas Jacquez, Bob Elliot, and Walter Addison.

Escape from Hell (1980)

“He's coming for you again and again
There’s no escape, there’s no way out”

Escape from Hell, aka Hell Prison, I'm Coming Your Way and Femmine infernali, is a 1980 Italian exploitation film distributed by Variety Distribution. The film belongs to the women in prison subgenre.

While not prosecuted for obscenity, the film (titled Hell Prison) was seized and confiscated in the UK under Section 3 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 during the video nasty panic.

The Last Horror Film (1982)

“Catch, catch the horror taxi ”

The Last Horror Film, aka Fanatic, is a 1982 American horror comedy film produced by Judd Hamilton directed by David Winters and starring Joe Spinell and Caroline Munro. Its plot follows a delusional middle-aged New York City taxi driver who, fixated on the idea of being a film director, visits the Cannes Film Festival where he begins stalking an actress he is obsessed with.

The Last Horror Film is praised for its unique blend of self-reflexive horror, humor, and inventive filmmaking. Critics highlight its avant-garde approach, using the Cannes Film Festival as a backdrop for a slasher plot that cleverly reflects on the film industry.

Night Train Murders (1975)

“Catch, catch the horror train”

Night Train Murders, aka Last Stop on the Night Train and Late Night Trains, is a 1975 Italian revenge horror film directed by Aldo Lado and starring Flavio Bucci, Macha Méril, and Irene Miracle.

This film combines the plot of two other films: The Virgin Spring and The Last House on the Left. The film is about two girls riding a train on Christmas Eve, when they are brutalized by three criminals who eventually end up lodging in their parents’ home.

Originally refused a cinema certificate in 1976. Released uncut in 2008.

NOTE: This film’s title is often mistaken for Terror Express… which was seized due to the similarity to Night Train Murders.

Frozen Scream (1981)

“Freeze frame, gonna drive you insane”

Frozen Scream is a 1981 American horror film directed by Frank Roach, produced by Renee Harmon, and starring Harmon, Lynne Kocol and Thomas McGowan. Harmon also co-wrote the story with Doug Ferrin. Its plot follows two scientists whose experiments in unlocking the secrets of immortality result instead in the creation of black-robed zombies who must be preserved at very low temperatures to continue functioning.

Principal photography of Frozen Scream began in Los Angeles in 1975. Although it did not receive a theatrical release, it was made its way to home video in 1983… where it was put on the Video Nasty list.

Axe (1974)

“The axe is sharp, the blade is keen”

Axe, aka Lisa, Lisa and California Axe Massacre. Originally passed with cuts for cinema. Released with 19 seconds cut in 1999. Released uncut in 2005 with an 18 certificate.

Axe is a 1974 American independent horror film written and directed by Frederick R. Friedel and starring Leslie Lee. Its plot follows a trio of criminals who lodge at a rural farmhouse where a teenage girl resides with her disabled grandfather. After one of the men attempts to rape her, she enacts revenge.

Night of the Bloody Apes (1972)

“Creature features, spirits on your screen”

Night of the Bloody Apes is the title of the 1972 English language version of the 1969 Mexican horror film La Horripilante bestia humana ("The Horrible Man-Beast"), also known as Horror y sexo ("Horror and Sex") and as Gomar—The Human Gorilla. The film was directed by René Cardona and is a remake of his 1962 film Las Luchadoras contra el medico asesino ("The Wrestling Women vs. the Killer Doctor"; U.S. title Doctor of Doom), the first in a series of films blending elements of the lucha libre and horror genres.

The Black Room (1982)

“You're not so safe, In the safety of your room”

The Black Room is a 1982 American horror film directed by Elly Kenner and written and co-directed by Norman Thaddeus Vane. It stars Stephen Knight, Cassandra Gava, Jimmy Stathis and Clara Perryman, and features Christopher McDonald and Linnea Quigley in small, early roles.

The plot concerns siblings who lure swingers to their Hollywood mansion, kill them, then - with long scenes of blood transfusions - drain their blood. Though there is no classical vampirism in the film—in the sense of supernatural beings or blood drinking—the plot's focus on draining blood to prolong life has led to many sources considering it a vampire film

The Killing Hour (1982)

“All I want is to make a killing”

The Killing Hour, aka The Clairvoyant is a 1982 American psychological horror film directed by Armand Mastroianni and starring Perry King, Norman Parker, and Elizabeth Kemp. The plot follows a New York City detective and his friend who pursue a mysterious "handcuff killer" with the aid of an artist who sees—and draws—the killer's crimes before they are committed.

While not prosecuted for obscenity, the film was seized and confiscated in the UK under Section 3 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 during the video nasty panic.

The Driller Killer (1979)

“To drill a killer might be really thrilling”

The Driller Killer, a 1979 black comedy slasher film directed by Abel Ferrara and starring Ferrara (credited as Jimmy Laine), Carolyn Marz, Baybi Day, and Harry Schultz. The plot concerns Reno Miller, a struggling artist in New York City, turning insane from stress and killing derelicts with a power drill.

When the film was released on video cassette in 1982, its graphic packaging drew complaints which landed the release on a list of "video nasties" that were banned in the United Kingdom under the Video Recordings Act 1984.

The Driller Killer – Released with 54 seconds of pre-cuts in 1999. Re-released uncut in 2002.

The Headless Eyes (1971)

“You can't be sure that you won't see me”

The Headless Eyes is a 1971 American exploitation horror film written and directed by Kent Bateman.

The film depicts an artist named Arthur Malcolm who sneaks into a woman's bedroom and tries to steal the money off her nightstand to pay his rent. Mistaking the thief for a rapist, the woman pushes his eye out with a spoon from her evening tea and knocks him out the second-story window. After being gawked at with his eye dangling from his head and the ultimate loss of his eye, Arthur becomes a serial killer and uses his victims' eyes in his artwork.

Absurd (1981)

“Careful with that axe, you meanie”

Absurd, aka Anthropophagus 2 and Zombie 6: Monster Hunter is a 1981 English-language Italian slasher film directed, lensed and co-produced by Joe D'Amato and starring George Eastman, who also wrote the story and screenplay.

This film is wacky. Lots of gore, for those interested in this sort of thing. The ending of the film features a beheading using a medieval knight axe. When the cops arrive, they find the lead actress standing, covered in blood, and holding a severed head.

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Guns, gangs, and girls

Absolution (2024) Read More Liam Neeson Where we last saw actor Liam Neeson, it was for the “hitman with a heart of gold” movie Memory in 2022 - a remake of The Alzheimer Case. I mentioned for an actor in his 70s he was still very believable as an action star. …

Absolution (2024)
samuelgoldwynfilms.com

You guys know that I’m a massive Liam Neeson fan. I will see any film he stars in, including stinkers like Retribution (2023).

Neeson’s latest action thriller Absolution came out November 1, 2024, in theaters and is making its way to streaming services and home entertainment. I’ve previously mentioned that the actor is in his 70s and perhaps his time as an action star should be downgraded something a little slower.

Still, I love watching Neeson. It’s his voice or something. He plays a former boxer, now aging gangster (I’m not even sure he’s given a name!), but he’ll slip into his Irish accent sometimes. Who cares, he just sounds so tough!

I like the story, as predictable as it is. It’s one of those gangster with a heart of gold story or it’s a redemption story. Always enjoyable, but predictable. Of course, that one guy is the bad guy, of course he’s going to die soon (or contemplating suicide and has nothing to live for).

The action sequences and gunfights are the best part of the movie. Neeson is old (he looks it too!) and he doesn’t always move too fast… but when he hits a guy, “his ancestors will feel it!” It’s great. I don’t even mind that it’s a body double doing some of the action. Let’s face it, he’s no Tom Cruise.

The worst part of Absolution is the pacing. It’s a slow burn to get to the plot. Why are we spending time dining with his girlfriend? Why are we given all these dreams with his dad? I know it’s a way to tell the story of this gangster, but I felt those scenes didn’t really pay off at the end of the film. Can we just focus on trying to find out who put a hit on Neeson?

Sadly, given his advanced age, Neeson will likely stop doing action films this year (2025). His next film will be a reboot of The Naked Gun.

Dirty Angels (2024) Read More Eva Green The main character is Ethan Chandler (played by Josh Hartnett) as a gunfighter. He's recruited by Vanessa Ives (Eva Green) and Sir Malcolm (Timothy Dalton) to fight some old Egyptian evil. …

Dirty Angels
lionsgate.com

It’s been a while since I last saw Eva Green. In her prime, she was starring in various Frank Miller’s films like Sin City, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, and 300: Rise of an Empire. I love seeing her, and loved her television appearance in Penny Dreadful … but, like I said, that’s probably the last time I saw her.

I found out that she spent a few years suing a production company for not paying her, and the film, A Patroit, was ultimately abandoned. She then starred in a Philippines movie called Nocebo (it looks like a low budget movie) and a couple of French films based on Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers… which I never saw.

So, Dirty Angels is probably Green’s first major US film in quite a few years. Seeing Green on screen, it’s fascinating how much she’s changed over the years. I almost didn’t recognize her.

The story is about a military soldier who survived a hostage situation in Afghanistan, where her entire crew was killed. Years later, she returns to the country to help try and free several students captured by a group of terrorists. Green joins a group of other skilled women, like a mechanic, a technician, a weapon expert, etc. They posing as charity/medical team traveling in a dangerous country.

It does sound like a good setup for a movie, I was already picturing this as the A-Team or something, but as the story drags on, I realized it’s playing it too realistic… and too depressing.

As you can probably guess, I didn’t like this film. I think if you like military-type films, this might be really cool for you, but I just found it kind of boring and I didn’t really care for any of the characters. I wish there was also more action, and less on the terrorists.

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Justice is Blind

Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman (Television Show) Read More Zatoichi If you've never heard of Zatoichi, he's a blind swordsman, who wanders Japan in the Edo period as a masseur (although he seems to make most of his money at dice games). …

Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman
tubitv.com

Do you ever wonder why there are so many Zatoichi films (26 in total)? That’s because it was really meant to be a serial for television, but back in the early sixties, televisions weren’t as common. By the mid-seventies, almost every home in Japan had a television, so Zatoichi continues his adventures in a television show. Between 1974 and 1979, a total of 100 episodes of Zatoichi were produced.

Distribution rights for those television shows were made available on DVD via Tokyo Shock, but they are somewhat hard to find and is expensive for subtitled shows. I have a few of those Zatoichi television shows at home, but gave up on trying to collect the whole 100 episodes.

The cool thing is that you can now stream those Zatoichi shows on Tubi for free as of September 2024. Remember how I own a giant Vizio 65” TV? Tubi is one of the apps on Vizio! This is just perfect. If you don’t have a TV, you can download the free app or watch it via your web browser on your computer.

Since I do own the DVDs, I have watched the first few episodes, but let me tell you - I have no memory of it! It’s good to re-watch the first episode and remind myself of the old television aspect ratio (4:3) and how almost black-and-white and grainy it seems. They must have shot this on cheap film. I wonder if some company might re-master or enhanced the shows to add a little more color and saturation?

If you’re itching for more Zatoichi, you can purchase each film on Amazon for about $4.50 each.

Eye for an Eye 2: Blind Vengeance (2024) Read More Defiant Defiant (目中无人), aka Blind Sword, a 2022 Chinese movie, is clearly a rip off of Zatoichi. You know me, I love Zatoichi, I own all of Toho’s films on DVD and Bluray (thanks to the Criterion boxset), and even owning the …

Eye for an Eye 2
amzn.to

I was pretty sure I’ve seen the first movie, yet the title Eye for an Eye 2 didn’t sound familiar. It turns out that I’ve seen the first movie, but it was titled Defiant. Of course, it was also known as Blind Sword… so the film makers didn’t even know what to call the first movie. The film was eventually re-titled to Eye for an Eye: The Blind Swordsman when it was released on Bluray by Wells Go USA.

Just before the new year, Eye for an Eye 2: Blind Vengeance dropped on streaming through Hi-YAH! subscription, and unfortunately, because it came from the source, the film felt like it was heavily censored. There were some moments in the film that just abruptly cut into the next scene. It’s possible that the director isn’t very good and made some bad edits.

The other thing is that the trailer advertised part two as a prequel, which it is not. I wonder if something got lost in translation? If you watch the new film, there is a husband-and-wife kill team recognized the lieutenant and said they served under his direction (indicating that this happened after the first film).

Eye for an Eye 2 starts off with a good action sequence, which sees the blind swordsman kill a bunch of criminals. Then the film flashback and explains how (and why) the blind swordsman ended up there.

While the first film was China’s blatant rip off of Zatoichi, the second film doubles up and also rips off Lone Wolf and Cub. This time, the blind swordsman (I don’t think he’s given a name) is traveling the countryside with a child. The young girl (age 10?) wants revenge for the murder of her brother (?). The father-daughter bounty hunters tracks down all the people who were responsible for her brother’s death.

I find the whole child as an assassin unrealistic. For example, am I to believe that a small child can hold onto an item in a tug of war with a grown man and wins? That’s stupid. Just any scene with the girl fighting, it just looks so stupid. A small child, weighing like fifty pounds, there is absolutely no way can kill a grown man. In fact, any scenes with the girl, I absolutely hated.

I also didn’t like was the inconsistent skills of the blind swordsman. One moment, he’s clearing out a room full of deadly fighters … but in another scene he’s bumbling around and walking into tables. It doesn’t make any sense! I know they had those scenes for comedy relief, but I would take it out! That tone doesn’t belong in this serious movie.

The last thing is that the final boss feared the child assassin. He’s shaking! What??!? It’s a small kid, can’t you defend yourself against a small child? Then later he faces the blind swordsman, and he’s confident and becomes a masterful fighter that can stand his grounds against the blind swordsman. Again, it’s inconsistent.

The only thing good about Eye for an Eye 2 are the fight sequences. I think those scenes are done very well.

If they are going to make a Eye for an Eye 3, I hope they kill off the kid right away and that sets up a revenge plot. You don’t need a story, it’s all action and kills. Also, make use of more darkness/turning out the lights scenes, it’s always a hoot to see Zatoichi take advantage of darkness… it also leaves it up to the viewers’ imagination and saves on budget!

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