Netflix DVD - Brigsby Bear: A Mental Disorder to Rally Around

 

I can work to find the bright side of any situation, so my girlfriend's 24-hours of sleeplessness on Thursday (was it inspired by concluding "Fight Club" or just her buyer's remorse on skipping a B1G1 deal at Rue 21?) allowed me to finally get comfortable enough to explore a feature about captivity, mental illness, and Teddy Ruxpin, "Brigsby Bear".

James Mitchum has been growing up in a post apocalyptic world where VHS is the only thing that allows him to escape the isolation. Every week, a new video is delivered to the bunker. It is the only TV show anyone born after the fall of man knows. At least that is how it was for James. Once Ted and April Mitchum are captured for abducting him as an infant, he is thrown into a world where nothing that he grew up knowing actually exists.

"Brigsby Bear Adventures" was a show produced and developed by Ted to serve as educational programming for his pseudo son, so in order to keep up the illusion of "Fallout: New Salt Lake", James was the only person to ever watch the show. It is the only thing James is interested in, but after his real father, Greg, takes him to see a movie, he discovers there is a way to still hold on to the world he knew, or at least grow beyond it. He is going to conclude the Brigsby story by writing and producing his own feature film.

Being James's only passion, people who try and get to know him cannot help but be mesmerized by his tales of a Chuck E. Cheese robot battling a bearded, cackling sun. His sister Aubrey's friends are all in on making this film and aspiring director Spencer uploading the old tapes to Youtube, the kidnap kid's popularity only grows. With some sympathetic former actors in the police department having access to the show's props, the only things that could possibly stop the film from wrapping up are his real parent's need for him to identify with them and his Google search history that raises a lot of red flags at Homeland Security.

Practical effects are a lost art. If their was ever a greater reason to destroy the Patriot Act, I would like to hear it.

At one hour and 37 minutes, "Brigsby Bear" is a work of genius. You get this convoluted story on top of actual moments of dealing with the trauma of being throw into a world that you have never known. The story is an inspiring and great tale about the need for compassion and understanding.

There are still some nits to pick. Imagining this film with a budget is something you cannot help but do. The feature does not offer anything in exceptional in terms of primary cast and direction. I think it is a bit too meta to direct the film like the characters directing their own film.

The lead and primary writer Kyle Mooney displays passion well, but the characters who turn out to be his adversaries are too restrained. Perhaps they could have been exaggerated in their efforts to make James face reality, but with Greg Kinnear, Mark Hamill, and all the adolescent characters shine when they get their chance, director Dave McCary's approach may have been appropriate.

With concise direction and writing, it is a shame that "Brigsby Bear" did not get a wider release. It is funny and clever and has a message that I think everyone could benefit from. The actors you came to see deliver and any one from Generation X to Millenials can appreciate the celebration of not quite ready for PBS productions.

My only other wish is that it was released eight years earlier when I started trying to promote "Main Event of the Dead" my low-budget, pro-wrestling themed zom-com. Feel free to request a treatment at russthebus07@gmail.com. It may have let more of my acquaintances giving my weird and passionate self a chance.

Lonely Island, are you interested in another sub $7 million project?

http://www.brigsbybear.jp/

Futureworld (1976) - The Standard for an Ill-Advised Sequel

The original "Westworld" was 88 minutes. Because a sequel is meant to build upon the world of the previous feature, I can overlook this feature's extra 16 minutes.

Futureworld - The Standard for an Ill-Advised Sequel

 Steven Spielberg did not direct "Jaws 2". From a film "expert" standpoint, it easy to assume why. A good sequel does not change the original formula. Thus, it should essentially be the same movie, only better. How do you top "Jaws"?

A bad idea for a sequel comes when the formula is changed. It is forgivable to tweak the original's premise to further adapt beloved characters from the first film, but the feature still needs to be a copy of the original. Luke running from the Empire must be constant. So in "Jurassic Park" the dinosaurs going nuts need some build up.

It is easy to see why Spielberg took on "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" because dinosaurs are already nuts. This gave him a new idea to play with. Unfortunately, Spielberg must have failed to remember the sequel to Michael Crichton's "Jurassic Park" prototype, "Westworld's" "Futureworld".

With so much money invested into the Delos resort, it would be foolish not to reopen the facility because of a singular robotic revolution that started in Westworld. The company swears nothing can go wrong, but they need some great publicity to assure those who can afford $12,000 a day that the attraction is safe.

Along with high-ranking Soviet and Japanese officials, Delos has invited America's premier TV personality, Tracy Ballard (Blythe Danner), and an investigative reporter, Chuck Browning (Peter Fonda), to prove that nothing negative will occur with their relaunch. Everything seems kosher, since they removed the human technicians with robots, but it all seems too perfect. There must be something sinister a foot. Can our journalists discover it, or will decadence or Delos consume them?

"Futureworld" lacks the charm of its predecessor. It is a B-movie about journalists like "The Manchurian Candidate" instead of a tale about a perfect world crumbling. There a a few interactions between our characters and the environment, and because humans and robots mingling together is what sold the first film, why would we return for a sequel where this is lacking?

We hardly get five minutes in any of the theme parks. If you have seen "Westworld", it is kind of a downer that our protagonists choose to have sex with each other rather than a robot.

I saw this feature in 2010, so I could not have known that Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy were such fans of the franchise that they would successfully figure out how to manifest everything from this feature to work in the "Westworld" HBO series.

"Westworld" was a tacky premise, but was delivered and produced as a great sci-fi film (The 1970's may have been the golden era when you take "Silent Runnings" and "Logan's Run" into account.). Everything in the sequel, with the exception of brilliant CG, is incredibly tacky from sets to dialogue. Honestly, "Futureworld" is not bad for low-budget 70's fare, but it is a sequel to a classic which makes the Yul Brynner "Man in Black" dance dream the most redeeming thing about it.

"Futureworld" is a fine example of how not to make a sequel. Movies are not fan fiction. We do not want them to serve only as a setting for a story. If the original environments or characters that drew us to the first film are lacking, then you are better off writing a reboot for you own sake.

Pinterest @ednaha7

NinetyForChill - The #Podcast: "The Suicide Squad" vs. Vampires"

  Films Researched for This Episode: Daughter of Darkness (1990) and Blood Sucking Bastards (2015), The Suicide Squad (2021).

NinetyForChill.com: The Podcast

Episode 30: "The Suicide Squad" vs. Vampires" (Does DC Even Suck Blood?)

This week's episode is short and sweet. Cool Movies Darth offers up his opinion on the latest DCEU feature, James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad", to show that he has his finger on the cinematic pulse while offering up some vampiric movies to check out, Stuart Gordon's "Daughter of Darkness" and the 2015 office comedy "Bloodsucking Bastards".

Am I surprised that the new squad has a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes? A bit because it definitely is not on the level of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" or even "Guardians of the Galaxy". I can see everybody agreeing that this feature is good, but it is an example of why all films should target a 90-minute runtime. If anyone wants to chat about this, send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter @catbusruss. Just offer a 90-minute subject (film, director, theme, or actor(s)) to also chat about. OR, another movie to figure out how to get from a bloated state down to the ideal frame of 74 to 99 minutes.

As for the vampire features, "Daughter of Darkness" is a fun made for CBS feature. If there is a flaw, it was the Chicagoan Gordon picking on Peoria and soy beans. Sadly, it also lacks the gore of "Reanimator" or "Castle Freak". In other words, where was Jeffrey Combs?

The vampire flick that I think all should have a ball with is "Bloodsucking Bastards". It features your typical timid white nerd, the juvenile-acting bro, and the former military security guard versus a homo-nocturna, sales manager Pedro Pascal. Part of the fun is seeing Oberyn Martell acting like a regular douchebag instead of foreign weapon expert. This is the perfect middle-ground between "Game of Thrones" and "The Mandalorian".

I do not know what next week's show will bring us. Perhaps it will be a podcast first date. Tinder has introduced me to a girl who wants to cover Kevin Smith's "Red State". That is the kind of sense of humor I do not want to miss out on.

I would not mind being a couples week ahead when it comes to content, so I would love to hear from you with ideas on what to chat about. Frankly, it would be honor to host you and find out about why you offered your incite. Send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com with a movie, theme, director, or actor. If you promise to center the topic around movies between 74 and 99 minutes, audio gold should be the product.

 

If you need some suggestions, movies like "Fear of a Black Hat", "UHF" and "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" can make for a great theme. ThePoeticCritic knew that Robert Downey Sr.'s satirical masterpiece, "Putney Swope" fits the pod's time restraints. There are also Tim Burton's early classics "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" and "Beetlejuice". Or we could just focus on movies Danny Elfman scored.

 

I have been asking for weeks for assistance in composing an episode dedicated to vampire features like "The Lost Boys" trilogy, "Near Dark", and the "Underworld" movies. Here is to hoping that this bunch of critiques will stir up some inspiration in my audience to step up and hold off on the garlic. If this is a topic you up for discussing, feel free to send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. All I need is a half hour on Zoom to get this done.

I hope I am impressing or at the very least amusing you with this podcast and I am open to any and all criticism. My biggest want is more guests and more suggestions on what to chat about (@catbusruss, russthebus07@gmail.com@coolmoviesdarth). If we can get 3 hours out of "Little Nicky", the possibilities are endless. Thanks for visiting.

 

After WrestleMania Backlash, I will tell you that we need to take zombie pro wrestling back. My suggestion is that we finally get my low-budget zombie movie, "Main Event of the Dead" off the ground. The script lacks a lumberjack match, so you know it has got to be better than the "Army of the Dead" advertisement. Ask for a treatment or give me suggestions on how to get it to a crowd-sourcing stage with an email to russthebus07@gmail.com.

 

 

The Suicide Squad: Promotional Poster - TheDirect.com

Boy Eats Girl: Good Porn Title/Bad Zombie Flick

High school students and zombies, this must sound like a “can’t miss” concept. The Irish/British co-production "Boy East Girl" was not content with having two demographics covered, and drops the ball when it tried to incorporate an "American Pie" coming of age tale into it.

Nathan is a shy student who cannot stop his friends from hassling him when it comes to crush on their best friend Jessica. Eventually, they decide to play cupid by using Nathan’s phone to arrange a meeting between the two. An overprotective father and a douche bag end up ruining the plan, and leaves Nathan believing that Jessica is a slut. Crushed, Nathan flirts around with a pint of whiskey and a noose. Unaware of what he is doing with the music turned up so loud, his mother inadvertently knocks over the chair that he was standing on when she barges into his bedroom.

ranker.com - The Best Ever Horror Comedies

Like any good mother would do, she decides to borrow the book of voodoo from the secret crypt at the local cathedral, and resurrects her son. Unfortunately, she did not realize that the last page was missing, so she cannot prevent him from craving human flesh. After biting a bully at the end term dance, Nathan has unwittingly unleashed a zombie apocalypse. Hopefully, his mother can find the way to reverse the infection before Nathan and company resort to unleashing the fury of farm equipment in the name of defending the little village and Jessica’s honour.

What writer Derek Landy and director Stephen Bradley failed to realize about zombie comedies is the need to have the humor first and action second. The audience wants to see gore, but they want to be able to laugh at it throughout the entire picture. Instead, "Boy Eats Girl" focuses too much on capturing chase sequences than providing the audience with laughs.

A board with a nail to a zombie skull is funny, but the director cannot leave it at “zombie pulls board off.” Why not have him stumble around a bit since he cannot see? Why not let him trip over a fence shrub and take a header into a wood chipper? These zombies are runners, so it is not like they are going to fall too far behind their prey. Most of the humor comes at the expense of Nathan’s dorky sidekicks. This is not necessarily a bad thing as long as they are attached at the protagonist’s hip. Sadly, that is not the case.

To the film’s credit, the gore is really good, but it only gets a pan over by the director. There are a lot of limbs and entrails to trip over, but the audience is never treated to this. The only thing that would excuse the flaws of this zombie comedy would to have a decent love story, but previews of "Twilight" seem to do a better job at that than this film. Our hero’s is a little too worried about saving the town than winning the girl like any good hero should do.

The title to "Boy Eats Girl" is a brilliant one, but it fails to deliver on the assumed premise. It fails to make fun of high school romance and to have fun with the humorous nature of zombies. It is bland throughout, and the viewers are more likely to take up eating human flesh to get rid of the taste the film leaves them with.

 

NinetyForChill - The #Podcast: "Stealing Harvard" with JDHD

Films Researched for this Episode: Stealing Harvard (2002) and Powerbomb (2018).

NinetyForChill.com: The Podcast

Episode 29: "Stealing Harvard" with JDHD (Because they won't give Skimble a scholarship).

J.D. Grieving from the JDHD Series graces us with his presence to discuss "Stealing Harvard". For a 17 year-old J.D., this helped lay the groundwork for his own style of comedy. For a 22 year-old C.M. Darth, I needed something to further bury the memory of "Freddy Got Fingered". 

Stealing Harvard - movieposters.com

"Stealing Harvard" is a film that was a transition in feature comedy. It was an effort to capture both the tried and true narrative of the "Saturday Night Live" films of the 90s' and the off-the-wall nature of MTV's antics. This feature takes an act to set up the board, but both J.D. and I agree that once the pieces are laid out, the comedy is gold. If you have the patience, you will be rewarded.

Every actor is utilized to their strengths. Who does not like Dennis Farina, Chris Penn, Richard Jenkins, Megan Mullaly, and Leslie Mann? They all deliver strong and memorable performances. Tom Green is successfully presented as controlled chaos. The only questions we have are about director (and "Kid in the Hall") Bruce McCulloch's ability to frame the feature and why Jason Lee would soon become a slave to CGI chipmunks.

This is another first time meeting for me, and I think J.D. and I are cut from similar cloths. We talk a bit about what is like being from and appreciating the Peoria metro area and offer hints on how to survive it. I think it is about maintaining liberal sensibilities despite parents and finding a creative outlet. For me, it is my blog and podcast. For J.D., it is clever but immature YouTube videos.

Since this is a first time gathering, there are a lot of tangents and just getting to know each other. I did my best to avoid too many repeated stories. If you want to hear about how New Jack brought me justice by stabbing a guy nine times, listen to last week's show. As for coping with the immaturity of "Morbidly Macabre's" primary host, that has been mercifully cut.

I do not know what next week's show will bring us. Perhaps it will be a podcast first date. Tinder has introduced me to a girl who wants to cover Kevin Smith's "Red State". That is the kind of sense of humor I do not want to miss out on.

She also seems like she would give this weeks trip to Ally's Accessories Shop on Etsy's Trash Feature Review, "Powerbomb", a chance. It is a look at the "seedy underbelly" of Cleveland's indie wrestling scene. Britt Baker, Matt Cross, and Gregory Iron deserve as much exposure as they can grab. Too bad I cannot say that for the film's writer and directors.

I would not mind being a couples week ahead when it comes to content, so I would love to hear from you with ideas on what to chat about. Frankly, it would be honor to host you and find out about why you offered your incite. Send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com with a movie, theme, director, or actor. If you promise to center the topic around movies between 74 and 99 minutes, audio gold should be the product.

 

If you need some suggestions, movies like "Fear of a Black Hat", "UHF" and "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" can make for a great theme. ThePoeticCritic knew that Robert Downey Sr.'s satirical masterpiece, "Putney Swope" fits the pod's time restraints. There are also Tim Burton's early classics "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" and "Beetlejuice". Or we could just focus on movies Danny Elfman scored.

 

I have been asking for weeks for assistance in composing an episode dedicated to vampire features like "The Lost Boys" trilogy, "Near Dark", and the "Underworld" movies. Here is to hoping that this bunch of critiques will stir up some inspiration in my audience to step up and hold off on the garlic. If this is a topic you up for discussing, feel free to send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. All I need is a half hour on Zoom to get this done.

I hope I am impressing or at the very least amusing you with this podcast and I am open to any and all criticism. My biggest want is more guests and more suggestions on what to chat about (@catbusruss, russthebus07@gmail.com@coolmoviesdarth). If we can get 3 hours out of "Little Nicky", the possibilities are endless. Thanks for visiting.

 

After WrestleMania Backlash, I will tell you that we need to take zombie pro wrestling back. My suggestion is that we finally get my low-budget zombie movie, "Main Event of the Dead" off the ground. The script lacks a lumberjack match, so you know it has got to be better than the "Army of the Dead" advertisement. Ask for a treatment or give me suggestions on how to get it to a crowd-sourcing stage with an email to russthebus07@gmail.com.

 

 

HorrorPatch.com