Whatcha Gonna Queue?!!!!! Web review show!

Hey Guys! Long time no see! Sorry, I have been crazy busy with writing (8 total projects), children (apparently you have to feed them and such), work (MONEY!!!), and that HUGE distraction called Halo: Reach! Well, I'm back! Well, at least to tell you about this awesome new Youtube Channel/Movie review show that was just recently brought to my attention. It is called "Whatcha Gonna Queue?", and it is awesome! These two guys, Alex and Jim, sit down and discuss their selections for movies, similar to many other review shows only less boring. From the episodes that I have seen so far, I thoroughly trust their selections and recommend everyone watch the show! Their recent Halloween selections came out this past Tuesday and I must say they are all solid choices! Great job guys.

Here is some of their info if you would like to follow them (and I strongly suggest it):

Email -
Alex - ajrab@magnetmediafilms.com
JIm - jr@magnetmediafilms.com

Website -
http://whatchagonnaqueue.com

Facebook -
www.facebook.com/whatchagonnaqueue

Twitter -
whatcha_gonna_Q

And last but not least, here is the most recent episode, so enjoy!!! Then subscribe to them. Talk to them! Give them your input. Us as bloggers have an duty to do so!

Crawlspace (1986)

Crawlspace (1986) Directed by David Schmoeller

A man who runs an apartment house for women is the demented son of a Nazi surgeon who has the house equipped with secret passageways, hidden rooms and torture and murder devices.

I had been itching to see Crawlspace for some time now, and when I spotted it on at 2:00 AM last night, I said why the hell not?! I'm glad that I decided to stay up and watch it. While it wasn't the best of movies, it was definitely worth the watch.



I was really excited to see another David Schmoeller movie. I feel like Schmoeller was a fairly dominant Director in the Late 70's to Late 80's, with movies like Tourist Trap (1979), The Seduction (1982) with Morgan Fairchild, Catacombs (1988), and Puppetmaster (1989). His Puppetmaster characters went on to drive another eight Puppetmaster movies, and I have loved every frickin one of them! When I saw that he had paired up with Klaus Kinski on a movie, I had to see it!

Klaus Kinski really is the driving factor in this film. Without him, the movie really doesn't have a lot going for it. It really isn't Schmoeller's best writing job, but Kinski plays the part so creepy that it even got to me a little bit. You could have a short film of Klaus Kinsk making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and describing it as he made it, and it could be labelled a horror movie. The awkward chemistry between he and the other characters actually feels genuine, and that's because it probably is.



There are a few negative things about the movie, but they don't really affect it at all. Just know the movie isn't that great before watching it, haha. The pace of Crawlspace is at times mind-numbingly slow, and the acting aside from Kinski is sometimes unbearable. The plot and execution of the film is unique enough to keep you interested, but at times I felt myself thinking "really...really?" at some of the contraptions he had built. I also felt like the movie was creepy enough without the son of a Nazi surgeon side/back story. All in all, the movie is good enough for at least one viewing, and I strongly suggest it purely based on the need to see a great Klaus Kinski performance.

Entertainment Value: 7/10 Trapdoor Rat Holes
Cinematic Value: 5/10 Trapdoor Rat Holes

Monsters (2010)

Monsters (2010) Dir. by Gareth Edwards

Six years after Earth has suffered an alien invasion a cynical journalist agrees to escort a shaken American tourist through an infected zone in Mexico to the safety of the US border.

First of all, Gareth Edwards is a genius! To make a movie of this caliber on $15,000 and edit the whole thing from his laptop computer is not only un-frickin-believable but it is inspirational to independent filmmakers everywhere.



I really want to make sure that people understand that yes there are monsters in this movie, and yes they do look wicked cool, but it is not a monster movie all together. It is a romance/friendship film developed with a monster story background. The film is truly driven by the two main characters played by Whitney Able and Scoot McNairy. Watching their progress through the film really does feel natural and not hurried. I don't want people to go into this film thinking they are going to see Cloverfield, or The Host. It is a slower paced character drama with little action spots sprinkled throughout. When the action does come it is really amazing considering the budget. Vehicles are being thrown, and the bodies and make-up look very realistic. The CG in the film is nearly flawless, and in most of the scenes a difference can hardly be noticed. The lighting in the film feels mostly natural, and I don't think they had a lot of lighting equipment when they were traveling around South and Central America. A really solid story supports the characters and makes their own issues seem normal.



The other thing I really loved about this film was the taking in of Central American culture. The scenery was absolutely beautiful, and most of the locations used actually look the way you see them. There aren't alot of man made set pieces in the film. I was blown away by this film and the amount of strong imagery used. The great acting by the lead characters only added to the film. The only downside I found of the film is, because of its natural lighting, it might be best to see this movie first when it comes out in theaters. The dark theater environment might help process some of the dark images compared to the 27 inch TV in my apartment. I recommend everyone lower their expectation's of action and science fiction before they go see this amazing character driven romantic science fiction film.

Entertainment Value: 9/10 Tree Hugging Shrooms
Cinematic Value: 10/10 Tree Hugging Shrooms

Basket Case 3: The Progeny (1992) Guest Review

Basket Case 3: The Progeny (1992) Dir. by Frank Henenlotter


Basket Case 3: The Progeny (Frank Henenlotter) is an interesting mish-mash of horror and slapstick comedy. It was released one year after Basket Case 2 and nine (!) years after the first film in the series. The overarching plot focuses on Duane Bradley and his malformed, telepathic twin named Belial.

The original Basket Case sets up background of how Duane and Belial were surgically separated. Duane carries his brother around in a wicker basket and whenever Belial gets out, he attacks and brutally murders anyone who gets in the way (specifically the doctors who separated him and his brother).



In the second movie, Duane's aunt Granny Ruth is introduced as their care-taker. Her living situation proves to be most accommodating to other creatures and deformed "freaks" much like Belial. There's not too much of a plot in the second film, and the characters are too goofy for my tastes, but it provides a necessary transition into the third (and far better) entry. (Spoiler) In short, the conclusion to Basket Case 2 shows Duane sewing Belial back onto his torso following a freak accident at a dinner party.

Fast-forward to Basket Case 3, which, again, picks up where 2 leaves off. After an unsuccessful attempt at re-attaching his twin brother, Duane is reprimanded. Many months later, Granny Ruth takes Duane, Belial and the other freaks on a bus trip. What is the main purpose of this trip? Granny Ruth's ex-husband, who is also a doctor, is enlisted to help deliver Belial's offspring. Yes, Belial is going to be a father as his lover, named Eve - who is also a misshapen fleshy blob, is pregnant. Sound ridiculous? It is.




What occurs from here on is an exercise in gore and absurdity. There's a rather bizarre sing-along number on the bus lead by Granny Ruth and all of the freaks. A wild goose chase occurs when the police discover the freaks' whereabouts. All of this culminates in a standoff too outlandish to put into words.

Frank Henenlotter makes wonderful low budget, exploitation films. Between the brain-eating parasite in Brain Damage and the super-crack in Frankenhooker, there's no subject too taboo for this director. While Basket Case 3 may not be one of his best, it is odd enough to warrant a mild recommendation on my part.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

By James Munson