Eddie’s Countdown To Halloween Episode 5 (4/20/23)

There is only a 194 more days until Halloween which is super exciting. On this week’s episode, we check out the new Shudder exclusive Kids Vs Aliens as well as the latest Dark Horse Comics release All Eight Eyes #1. You can follow the podcast on social media by visiting facebook.com/eddieshorrorworld and instagram.com/eddies31daysofhalloween/.

To check out what I thought about the film, please check out the podcast version, but please be aware that there are going to be spoilers. You can check out the podcast by visiting these links: Amazon, Anchor, Spotify, Stitcher, Pandora

Eddie’s Countdown To Halloween: Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey

We are 258 days away from Halloween and to celebrate, we have a special episode of the show for all of you as I checked out the latest indie horror film Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey which was directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield and it stars Nikolai Leon, Maria Taylor, Craig David Dowsett, and many more.

To check out what I thought about the film, please check out the podcast version, but please be aware that there are going to be spoilers. You can check out the podcast by visiting these links: Amazon, Anchor, Spotify, Stitcher, Pandora

Movie Reviews: The Intern And The Green Inferno

Black Mass was a thing last week and while it may still carry some juice in it while people who have waited to see it will go, but we have some new films that could steal the attention away. The first film, I am looking at is a highly anticipated horror release from the sick mind of Eli Roth (Hostel, Cabin Fever) in The Green Inferno. Fans have had to wait for this film to be released for quite some time as it sat in limbo for a little while, but never fear cause Roth’s ode to the late 70’s/80’s cannibal films is now out. The film is about a group of college kids who happen to be activists who set out to stop  corporation from destroying the Amazon near Peru. What they don’t expect is that while on this trip they are going to end up being lunch for the whole entire indigenous tribe of that section of the Amazon. It will literally take everything they’ve got if they hope to survive this gory nightmare. The film stars Lorenza Izzo (Knock Knock), Ariel Levy (Aftershock), Sky Ferreira (Vampire Academy), and so many more. Watch it if you dare and expect a full review for Eddie’s 31 Days Of Halloween coming very soon.

The last film that I am going to touch upon only because Hotel Transylvania 2 was not available for me to watch is the new Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway film The Intern. De Niro stars as Ben Whitaker, a 70 year old man living in a time that no longer belongs to his generation. He is retired, old, and he has absolutely nothing to do. One day he sees an ad for a senior internship program and he jumps on the chance. He eventually gets hired where he meets his reluctant boss played by Anne Hathaway. While De Niro’s character may be old and out of touch with the millennials, he soon starts to change the way everyone feels at this company and he basically saves the day for everyone. While I don’t think it’s the greatest movie ever made, I have to give it to them because they make funny and enjoyable as it has it’s moments where it shines. I was pleasantly surprised with the film as to how it came out, the overall feel of it, and De Niro’s brilliant interaction with some of today’s newbies. The film also stars Rene Russo (Ransom), Andrew Rannells (The New Normal), Adam DeVine (Pitch Perfect), Zack Pearlman (Staten Island Summer), and so many more. I am going to give this film a B for a final grade.

Movie Reviews: Sinister 2, American Ultra, and Hitman: Agent 47

The summer is dwindling down which means that the summer of blockbusters is almost over and it’s time to look forward to the fall. I recently watched three films and I have a small little review of all three which are Sinister 2, American Ultra, and Hitman: Agent 47. The films were released today so choose wisely and enjoy!

Sinister 2– Back in 2012, we were introduced to an evil demon known as Bughuul who gets children to commit unthinkable acts to their parents. In the first film Ethan Hawk was an author who was researching all of the weird crimes for a book that he was writing with the help of Sheriff Deputy So & So (James Ransone). As we all know, Ethan Hawke’s character dies and now the ex- deputy So & So is back and this time he is obsessed with solving the mystery. While on the journey, he runs into a mother (Shannyn Sossamon) and her twin sons who are living in an old house that has been marked for death. I truly believe that the first Sinister was just brilliant and spooky while this one just tries to spook you with the cheap scares and some gruesome kill scenes. The film isn’t terrible, but it definitely wasn’t better than the first despite the fact we get to see Bughuul a little bit more. The film also stars Lea Coco, Robert Daniel Sloan, Dartanian Sloan, Lucas Jade Zumann, and Nicholas King as Bughuul. I am giving the film a C- for a final grade

American Ultra– There was quite some hype heading into this film as some were saying that if Pineapple Express (a personal favorite of mine) and all The Bourne Films had a baby this would be their child. The film stars Lex Luthor himself Jesse Eisenberg as a stoner who has no idea that he is a Government secret weapon until he is activated by his creator while at work. Along with his girlfriend Phoebe (Kristen Stewart), they’ll go one heck of an adventure as they try to avoid ultimate extinction. I have to be honest with all of you and say that I really enjoyed watching this film even though I had no expectations heading into it. It’s fun and it’s a different kind of way to handle secret agent films to make it more hip to the younger crowd. The film also stars Topher Grace, Connie Britton, Walton Goggins, John Leguizamo, and Bill Pullman to name a few. I am going to give this film an A- for a final grade.

Hitman: Agent 47– I honestly didn’t know what in the world was wrong with the Original Hitman movie that starred Timothy Olyphant, but then again I am not in charge of these things. Well, Agent 47 returns to the big screen in Hitman: Agent 47, but the role is played by Rupert Friend (Pride & Prejudice) who is a man on a mission. This time he is looking for a woman by the name of Katia (Hannah Ware) who is just as special as him and can lead him directly to his target, but he has to get her before Syndicate agent John Smith (Zachary Quinto) does. If you’re looking for a very high body count then you’ll want to check this out, but some of the interactions are a little awkward at times during the film. Look for a full review coming next week in Ass Whoopin Wednesday. The film also stars Jürgen Prochnow, Ciaran Hinds, Angelababy, and Dan Bakkedahl to name a few. If you want to know what grade I gave this film, then you’ll have to wait for the full review coming on Wednesday.

Filmfest Fridays: Dirty Girl (2010)

I am starting to figure out that I am a huge fan of Juno Temple and her work whether it be Killer Joe, Horns, Maleficent, or in the film that I chose for today’s Filmfest Friday flick. The film I chose for today is 2010’s Dirty Girl which pins Juno Temple as the overly sexual, fatherless, and lost girl Danielle. Danielle is lost because she is doing all the wrong things that end up finding her being sent down to a special classroom with the “special kids” or as it would be called Study Skills in some states.There she is forced to partner with Clarke (Jeremy Dozier) who is a boy just screaming to come out of the closet, but is scared to be himself for fear of what his father may do. With the help of Clarke, Danielle finally discovers who her real father is and the two will set out on a road trip to California so that Danielle can reunite with her father. Hopefully on the trip, Clarke can find what he is looking for as well because he is also on a personal journey. The film also stars Milla Jovovich (Dazed And Confused) as Danielle’s mother Sue Ann, Mary Steenburgen (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?) as Clarke’s mother Peggy, Dwight Yoakam (Sling Blade) as Clarke’s father Joseph, Brent Briscoe (The Dark Knight Rises) as Officer Perry, William H. Macy (Boogie Nights) as Ray, Nicholas D’Agosto (Fired Up) as Joel, Tim McGraw (The Blind Side) as Danny, and the film was directed by Abe Sylvia (Nurse Jackie). 

When watching this film, you have to remember what times must have been like in Norman, Oklahoma circa 1987 and it all makes sense that someone would treat Clarke the way his father treats him. Fathers must have believed that it was a mental disease that could be cured and hence is the reason our society was so backwards for such a long time. Even though Danielle is on a journey to find her father, she is also on a journey to self discovery because Clarke is the most enlightened one of the duo. Clarke is the one that is most accepting of people while Danielle is much like her society, but she is willing to accept him because she feels they are misfits. Throughout this whole journey, Danielle wakes up and grows up right before your eyes, but she couldn’t have done it without Clarke as he is the agent of change much like John Candy’s character in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is to Steve Martin’s character hence the reason it’s a coming of age story. This is an amazing film that every one should check out because it’s well written and well acted and it features a great cast as well. The film debuted back in September of 2010 at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) and it’s available to watch on Netflix as we speak. I am going to give the film an A for a final grade because it was enjoyable to watch.

Based On A TRUEsday Story: Bronson (2008)

It has been a while since we last did a Based On A TRUEsday Story (a play on the words True Story and Tuesday) and since Tom Hardy is coming out with Mad Max: Fury Road in May, I figured I would watch one that caught my eye on Netflix. The film is called Bronson and it’s a fictionalized biographical look at England’s most notorious prisoner Michael Peterson (Hardy) who was renamed Charlie Bronson by his bare knuckle boxing promoter after he decided that he didn’t like Michael’s name. He is born to a middle class family, but the man is just out of control and it affected him his whole life as he lands himself in prison for most of his life where he spent 30 years of it in solitary confinement. It’s the wild and crazy tale that he tells from his perspective and it truly is wild and insane. The film also stars Kelly Adams (My Last Five Girlfriends) as Irene, Luing Andrews (The Oxford Murders) as Hysterical Screw, Katy Barker (Here Lies) as Julie, Amanda Burton (Peak Practice) as Charlies Mum, Andrew Forbes (Incognito) as Charlies Dad, Matt King (RocknaRolla) as Paul Daniels, James Lance (Marie Antoinette) as Phil, Hugh Ross (Trainspotting) as Uncle Jack, and the film was directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (Only God Forgives). 

You are all probably wondering how much of this film is factual and how much of it is exaggerated and that is a good question. What apparently is true is that he was a troubled prisoner often getting into fights with fellow inmates and prison guards as he was moved around through about 120 different prisons in Her Majesty’s Prison System and was referred to by the press as the most violent prisoner. This is apparently him in his own words, “I’m a nice guy, but sometimes I lose all my senses and become nasty. That doesn’t make me evil, just confused.” Tom Hardy is beginning to be one of my favorite actors around and he puts on one hell of a performance as the loose cannon. The film is dark and very violent at times and I have to say that the real Michael Peterson must have been one hell of a guy to study. It’s hard to believe that someone was as crazy as this guy, but nevertheless the style of the film is also different. There are times when Tom Hardy is on stage performing in front of a crowd as he tells his story as it balances out between that and the actual scenes themselves. If you want to check out some great work from Tom Hardy then check out this film. I am giving it an A- for a final grade.

Super Sunday: Iron Man 3 (2013)

For this week’s Super Sunday film, we are heading back into the Marvel Cinematic Universe because Avengers: Age Of Ultron is less than a week away. So, we decided to review the last film that was made in the Iron Man realm as we tackle Iron Man 3. In the timeline of events, the world now knows who Iron Man really is thanks to the attack on New York City by Loki and the alien forces. The only problem is that Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) hasn’t been handling what happened very well as he is now the victim of anxiety attacks. Though, something else is about to happen that rocks Stark’s world. A new and formidable opponent known only to the world as the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) is causing enough damage that it sets Stark on a quest of rebuilding and retribution. The film also stars Gwyneth Paltrow (Iron Man) as Pepper, Jon Favreau (Swingers) as Happy, Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential) as Aldrich Killian, Rebecca Hall (The Town) as Maya, James Badge Dale (World War Z) as Savin, Paul Bettany (Priest) as Jarvis, William Sadler (Hard To Kill) as President Ellis, Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda) as Iron Patriot, Ty Simpkins (Insidious) as Harley Keener, Miguel Ferrer (Robocop) as Vice President Rodriguez, and the film was directed by Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang). The film also features cameos from various news anchors and political analysts like Bill Maher, Josh Elliot, Joan Rivers, Thomas Roberts, George Kotsiopoulos, and more. 

Is this my favorite film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Well, I can’t answer that because every time they come out with a film, a better and more bad ass one comes out not too long afterwards. Marvel and Disney have been hitting home runs with all of their films whether it be Iron Man, Avengers, or even the Guardians Of The Galaxy. They are dominating the box office for a reason and what more can you say about the film other than the fact that Robert Downey Jr. is Iron Man. Do you want action well than this film has it. Do you want melodrama well then this film and any of the others are great sources of it. Do you like Robert Downey Jr.’s Charisma then you’ll enjoy every last drop of it in this film as it oozes out of him. I have to say that I also enjoyed seeing Guy Pearce as the villain and the origin story that builds it up is great as well. I cannot wait to see what the future holds when the new Avengers film comes out this Thursday (April 30) because I know it’s going to be epic. I was kind of hoping for an Iron Man 4, but I’ll take whatever we can get out of Robert in any of the films. Robert deserved the award he received at the MTV Movie Awards because he has had the most epic comeback of a career that cultivated with these Marvel films. That is why I am going to give this film an A for a final grade.

1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: L.A. Confidential (1997)

The real title of the book is called 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die and I finally had the chance to see a film that I had always wanted to see, but never did. L.A. Confidential is a film that always intrigued me because of the amount of star power that was in the film at the time. I mean the film features the likes of Kevin Spacey (American Beauty), Guy Pearce (Memento), Russell Crowe (Gladiator), Kim Basinger (The Getaway), and so many more in this neo-noir classic. The film is about three cops: a by the book (Pearce), a brute (Crowe), and the sleaze (Spacey) who investigate a murder that involves a call girl, drugs, and an ex-cop. All three men have different agendas and different ways of going about their business, but once some of begin to not add up, they all begin to work together to solve the mystery. The film also stars Danny Devito (One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest) as Sid Hudgens, David Strathairn (Good Night, And Good Luck) as Pierce Patchett, Ron Rifken (The Majestic) as D.A. Ellis Loew, Matt McCoy (The Hand That Rocks The Cradle) as Brett Chase, James Cromwell (The Artist) as Dudley Smith, Simon Baker (The Devil Wears Prada) as Matt Reynolds, and the film was directed by Curtis Hanson (8 Mile).

First of all I want to say I have no idea why it took me from 1997 until now to view this film because it is absolutely amazing and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. There is not one actor in this film that I can say I like better than the other because all three men (Pearce, Spacey, and Crowe) all did a terrific job playing their characters to a T. Pearce’s character is one that you start off hating , but by the end of the film you gain a little respect for him. Russell Crowe’s character is easily the fan favorite pick because he’s the guy that hates seeing women get beat by men and he’s the muscle, but by the end of the film you see him change. Kevin Spacey’s character lands right into the middle of the equation because you’re not sure whether you like him or hate him, but you know he’s a jaded cop. The film has some great character studies, but that also comes from great writing and that is what you get with this film. The film brings us back to a time when we enjoyed watching films like Chinatown or even The Maltese Falcon which both are actually also apart of the list of 1001 films, but also because Film Noir is amazing to watch for the who dunnit factor. The film is amazing and everyone does a terrific job on the film that its hard to find any real flaws and I can see why it’s on the list for sure. I am going to give the film an A for a final grade because of great acting, writing, cinematography, and Kim Basinger.

Filmfest Fridays: Horns (2013)

I wanted to save this film for Eddie’s 31 Days Of Halloween 2015, but then again I saw a perfect opportunity to review a great independent film for Filmfest Fridays. All of us are used to seeing Daniel Radcliffe as the wizard Harry Potter, but in Horns he plays a different character. Radcliffe plays Ig Perish, a kid who seems to have it all Seattle until his beautiful girlfriend and love of his life Merrin (Juno Temple) is murdered. Everyone in the town believes that Ig committed the murder, but he is trying to prove his innocence. One day after saying something in frustration, Ig starts to grow horns on his head and everyone in the town is acting weird around him as they start confessing how they really feel to him. Will Ig find out the truth behind Merrin’s murder or will the towns people be right about him? The film also stars Max Minghella (The Internship) as Lee, Joe Anderson (The Crazies) as Terry Perish, Kelli Garner (Lars And The Real Girl) as Glenna, James Remar (Pineapple Express) as Derrick Perish, Kathleen Quinlan (Apollo 13) as Lydia Perish, David Morse (The Hurt Locker) as Dale, Heather Graham (Boogie Nights) as Veronica, and the film was directed by Alexandre Aja (High Tension).

One of the things you’ll notice about the film is the constant imagery and symbolism that is thrown in your face from the constant sightings of a snake  which appear everywhere that Ig appears. It’s the battle between good and evil in the film and Ig is the catalyst as people confess their deepest desires to him or at least the ones with bad intentions. This is definitely one of Daniel Radcliffe’s best performances and it proves that he can act beyond Harry Potter and I have to say that everyone in the film is masterful as well. As always, I truly enjoyed Juno Temple’s performance in this film and just about everything she is in these days. I love the contrast in styles in this film where the film gets pretty dark at times, but then it can switch and give you some humor and at other times it feels like a horror film. That is all because of excellent writing from the book it was adapted from to the pages of the script. I love the cinematography as well because they get some really amazing shots of Washington state and where IG lives besides capturing all the dark imagery. Overall, it was an excellent film in my opinion and one that I can watch time and time again. It’s available to watch on Netflix and any other VOD service. I am giving the film an A for a final grade.

Filmfest Fridays: Sleeping Beauty (2011)

Filmfest Fridays is the best name I could come up with to describe my newly acquired love for Foreign and Independent film making because some stars in Hollywood had to start somewhere. So for the very first post, I chose a film that I had seen lingering around Netflix and it caught my attention based on the film’s poster. The film is called Sleeping Beauty and it stars Emily Browning (Sucker Punch) as Lucy, a college student who is trying everything she can to make a little money by working many odd jobs, but that desperation will soon lure her into a world she has never seen before. You see she answers an ad that leads her to become a sleeping beauty which is basically women who are paid to be fondled by men while they are sleeping. The film also stars Rachael Blake (Derailed) as Clara, Les Chantery (Pitch Black) as the driver, Michael Dorman (Killer Elite) as the cook, Eden Falk (The Great Gatsby) as Thomas, Mirrah Foulkes (Spider) as Sophie, Ewen Leslie (Dead Europe) as Birdmann, Sarah Snook (Not Suitable For Children) as Lucy’s Flatmate, and the film was written and directed by Julia Leigh (The Hunter).

The world in which Lucy has gotten her self into is very dark and it seems like a decent into personal madness as she digs herself deeper and deeper into a hole that she cannot escape from. There’s this one scene in the film that just confirms the sexual deviant nature of the film’s tone as she is walking around in lingerie serving a beverage to over-privileged members of Australian society. The look of sex is all around them and it’s like it’s not a big deal to them, but a part of the norm. There is Lucy whose decent into a personal hell is almost hard to watch as she digs herself deeper into that hole whether she’s at the bar looking to entertain men for money, pretending to be someone’s girlfriend for money, or the fact she becomes a sleeping beauty who is fondled by disgusting old men with too much money to their names. The tone of the film is very melancholy like where it just seems so gloomy throughout the whole film and the camera work was superb. This was Julia Leigh’s directorial debut and according to IMDB, this has been her only so far which is unfortunate. I am going to give the film an A for a final grade.