Phil sees SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING at the AMC Eastridge 15 Theaters - Sept. 21, 2017

With the dismal returns from THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2, Sony Pictures proved that they no longer had the ability to make any good Spider-Man movies. Then the unthinkable happened: Sony struck a deal with Marvel Studios and allowed our favorite wall crawler to become part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The result of this extraordinary deal lead to Spider-Man appearing in last year's summer blockbuster CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. For this third incarnation, Marvel Studios recruited English born actor Tom Holland to don the red and blue spandex suit and both critics and fans were enthusiastic with this decision. They also returned Peter Parker to his comic book roots: that of a 15 year old high school student who has to deal with ordinary everyday teenage issues. Now Sony Pictures, Marvel Studios and Tom Holland return to theaters with SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING, which I finally got around to seeing this week!

The film's official synopsis: A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, begins to navigate his new found identity as the web-slinging super hero in SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING.  Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.

Fans have finally got the Spider-Man movie that we've all been waiting for! Tom Holland was absolutely perfect as our Peter Parker/Spider-Man. He was able to capture the character's personality perfectly. He looks and acts like a teenager; dealing with all the issues that a teenager faces, such as school, being picked on and put down, having a secret crush on the school's most popular girl and hanging out with his best friend. But add on his responsibilities as our Wall Crawler and his desire to become an Avenger and trying to thwart the super-villain Vulture. The casting of Holland has totally revived the franchise!

Speaking of the Vulture, who else can bring this beloved character to the big screen other than the great Michael Keaton? He was phenomenal as our antagonist and brings a lot of layers to his character; a criminal worthy of Spider-Man's attention but adds a touch of madness and evil that elevates him to one of the greatest villains in the Spidey Universe. Also by adding Downey as Peter's mentor and hero Tony Stark/Iron Man, Tony's lovable Happy Hogan (played once again by actor/director Jon Favreau) and Marisa Tomei as our new Aunt May, everything came together beautifully!

Credit also goes to Jon Watts, who did an incredible job of directing the film. Watts captured the look and spirit of the comic book while providing moviegoers a visually satisfying film complete with amazing set-ups and compositions, sweeping camera pans and nice close-ups to give us the ability to get in touch with the films' characters. This was Watts third feature film and the man knocked it out of the park! He has signed on to direct the sequel and I hope he'll be able to capture lightening twice!

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING is the best Spider-Man film of all time!! I can't even get over on how much fun the movie was!! Sony, along with Marvel, have brought the character back to his comic book roots and fans are enthusiastic about this!! This is what we have been wanting and now we finally have it!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING is now currently playing in theaters nationwide, including at the AMC Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at http://www.amctheatres.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees GHOSTBUSTERS in 2D from Sony Pictures/Columbia Pictures - August 18, 2016

In 1984, filmmaker Ivan Reitman directed the movie GHOSTBUSTERS, which is now regarded as one of the all-time comedy classics. Starring Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, the late Harold Ramis, Sigoirney Weaver, Rick Moranis, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts, the film garnered an enormous legion of fans over the past several decades. Then in 1989, GHOSTBUSTERS 2 came out and killed the franchise. There were talks about a sequel for years but nothing ever came to fruition. Fast forward to 2015 and filmmaker Paul Feig announced that he was teaming up with Sony and Columbia Pictures to make an all-new film, but this time it would feature an all female cast. The controversy surrounding this decision was deafening. Fans were outraged, they were protesting, bowing up social media outlets, the backlash was deafening but also very misogynistic. The film's trailer holds the recors for the most dislikes in YouTube history. Depite all the negative press and whatnot, I saw the new GHOSTBUSTERS movie and I really enjoyed it!

Theatrical Movie Poster

The film's official synopsis: Following a ghost invasion of Manhattan, paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) and Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy), nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon), and subway worker Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) band together to stop the otherworldly threat.

These four funny ladies have fantastic on-screen chemistry with one another (of course it doesn't hurt that both McKinnon and Jones are on Saturday Night Live and so was Wiig at one time). All of these talented actresses are funny, intelligent, strong and courageous in the film. It's interesting to see Wiig portray such a conservative character, however, she does get silly though whenever hunky Chris Hemsworth's character Kevin is around. McCarthy and Jones have some of the best lines but McKinnon's Jillian is by far my favorite character in the movie. She is just hysterical and proved without a shadow of a doubt that women can be as funny, or funnier, than there male counterparts!

Another fun aspect is all the cameos from the original cast. Murray,Potts, Aykroyd , Hudson and Weaver all appear in the film. At the very end of the credits, there is a dedicated to the late Harold Ramis. That part of the movie made me a bit teary-eyed a bit. 

Feig not only directed the film, he also co-wrote the script with Katie Dippold, who also co-wrote THE HEAT with him as well. I think that's what a lot of people who saw the movie are complaining about. It was like the original because it's being told from a female perspective. With Feig and Dippold, there is this feminist realism to the characters; the sound like real women who happen to catch ghosts. When you don't compare it to the 1984 classic, the movie stands up on its own. It's a really cool, action filled comedy! So people everywhere, stop your damn complaining, will you?!?

As I'm writing this review, it was just announced that Sony has officially scrapped the sequel that they were planning to do. It is predicted that the film is set to lose over $70 million, which caused the studio to make this decision. This is really sad news because after the credits there's a post credits scene and (SPOILER ALERT!) it was set up for for the ladies to take on Zuul!! C'mon Sony!! That sounds so bloody cool!! I would pay money to see that movie!! But, alas, it looks like the franchise is back on ice again.

GHOSTBUSTERS is this summer's surprise action comedy joy ride of the season!! It's got action, laughs, funny characters and enough ghost to fill up a containment unit!! I saw the film in standard 2D but it is avaibable to see in Real 3D and IMAX 3D but no matter which way you watch it, just go and watch it!! 4 out of 5 stars!! Recommended viewing!!

GHOSTBUSTERS is playing in 2D, Real 3D and in IMAX theaters nationwide, including the Century Greenback 16 in Sacramento. Check your local listing to see if it is playing at a theater near you.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show! 

Phil sees STAR TREK BEYOND in 2D from Paramount Pictures - August 17, 2016

In 2009, director J.J. Adams relaunched creator Gene Roddenberry's beloved sci-fi franchise with his rebooted film STAR TREK. While it divides Trekkies worldwide, it nonetheless scored huge with audiences and became the biggest summer blockbuster of that year. In 2013, Abrams returned with STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, a film that I enjoyed so much I saw the film twice on opening day! Now in 2016, Abrams has stayed on producer as he's passed the director's chair to Justin Lin (FAST AND FURIOUS fame) for the newest installment of the rebooted series STAR TREK BEYOND.

Theatrical Movie Poster

The film's official synopsis: The USS Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a new ruthless enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

Before I review the movie, there are two things that I would like to address real quick. Both have to do with movie, but more importantly, it's about two of the series' actors.

On February 27, 2015 legendary actor Leonard Nimoy passed away at the age of 83. For fans all over the world, this was such a shock and tragic loss. Not only was he everybody's favorite Vulcan Spock, but he was also Leonard Nimoy: actor, father, husband and artist. The outpouring from the masses was overwhelming. From hardcore fans, people in Hollywood, even President Obama mentioned the loss of this man. When the franchise was rebooted in 2009, Abrams brought back Nimoy's Spock and made him the catalyst for the new timeline that was established in the new films. This Spock Prime character was the bridge between the classic STAR TREK series and this new series. With his death, there is now a big hole in the franchise that will never, ever be filled.

This past June 19, 2016, actor Anton Yelchin was tragically killed in a freak accident when he was pinned between his jeep vehicle and the brick mailbox. He was only 27 years old. The STAR TREK community and movie fans alike began an outpour of shock, sadness and disbelief. At the time of his death STAR TREK BEYOND was only a month away for its release date. Now, audiences would see him in this, the last STAR TREK film that the young actor would appear in. Shortly after his death, J.J. Abrams told the media that he would not recast the role of Chekov, out of respect for Yelchin. The entire cast of the film posted their griefs via several media outlets, saying that he was just an talented actor but they had all lost a good friend.

With these two sad passings still fresh in our subconscience, STAR TREK BEYOND serves as a fitting tribute to these two actors. In fact, Nimoy's death is actually worked into the script, which was written by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung. Zachary Quinto's Spock learns of Spock Prime's death and now must come to terms with what this means to him. At the same time, the crew of the Enterprise led by Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), now on its "996th day of it's five-year mission" encounter a new villain in the form of Krall (played by the brilliant Idris Elba). With a skeleton crew and their new ally Jaylah (Sofia Boutella), Kirk must free the rest of his crew and stop Krall from destroy the Federation space station Starbase Yorktown.

Justin Lin does an amazing job of continuing the film's visual look and tone from Abrams, but manages to make it in his own vision as well. The only main difference between these two men can be boiled down to two words: lens flares. Yup, there are no lens flares to be found anywhere in the movie. Now I'm perfectly fine with or without them but I will admit that you can really see more of the movie without them. And Lin's framing and set-ups are action packed awesomeness!!

STAR TREK BEYOND is one of the best sci-fi summer blockbusters of the year!! It's got action, thrills, humor and also humanity. It's hard to watch this film without thinking of Nimoy and Yelchin. The movie is a fitting tribute to these two men as well as all of those who have left us over the years. So make sure you see this epic motion picture on the big screen!! 4 1/2 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

STAR TREK BEYOND is playing in 2D, Real 3D and in IMAX theaters nationwide, including the Century Greenback 16 in Sacramento. Check your local listing to see if it is playing at a theater near you.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show! 

Phil sees CABIN FEVER from IFC Midnight-February 20, 2016

In 2002, filmmaker Eli Roth made a huge splash in the horror genre with his directorial debut CABIN FEVER. A homage to Sam Raimi's EVIL DEAD, Roth's film's was a breathe of fresh (or contaminated) air. After two less than stellar straight-to-video sequels, the series was reported to receive a reboot using Roth's original screenply with Travis Zariwny directing it. Now I found this bit of news perplexing considering that the original film came out only 14 years ago. However, one must remember that this is Hollywood we're talking so I shouldn't have of been surprised. Once the film was completed, the film was picked for distribution by IFC Midnight. So let's talk about what I thought about the remake of CABIN FEVER.

Theatrical Movie Poster (2016)

The film's official synopsis: Executive producer Eli Roth presents this reboot of his instant classic gorefest, which features all new characters and all new kills. The story is familiar: fresh out of college, a group of five friends retreat to a remote cabin in the woods for one last week of partying—only to become snacks for a gruesome, flesh-eating virus. What’s surprising are the ingenious new deaths, which offer a fresh spin on a horror-comedy milestone. With Gage Golightly (Teen Wolf) and Dustin Ingram (PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3).

So what did I think of it!? It was OK. There were some cool stuff in it but mostly it was a shot-for-shot remake of the original. My understanding is that the filmmakers used Roth's original script but all the deaths were going to be changed and they incorporated aspects into the film that Roth wasn't able to include. So believe what you want but it was entertaining, albeit an unessesary remake. But I'll explain to you all in more detail what I liked about it.

First up is the cast. The stand-outs for me were actresses Nadine Crocker who portrays Marcy in this version (Cerina Vincent played her in the original). Crocker's performance was really good and she goes full throttle in her performance and doesn't hold back. Her acting is believable, showed great range of emotions and her sex scenes were very hot. I was surprised by how raw and risqué those scenes were because she was very much in the moment. Very beautiful, sexy and talented, I hope to see more of Miss Crocker. The other actress I enjoyed watching was Louise Linton as Deputy Winston. While she didn't get a lot of screen time, I really enjoyed her interpretation of the character. Now as many of you recall, actor Giuseppe Andrews originally portrayed the deputy in the original film. Zariwny changed the character from male to female because he thought there as no way to recapture Andrews' performance. 

Some new ingredients to the remake/reboot include this crazy infested dog, which as a cool concept. The formentioned Deputy Winston gender swap was a good idea. Again, all the character's death scenes were completely different and very gory, which was a lot of fun to watch. Let's see what else am I missing here......well hell's bells, I think that's about it! Oh, during the end credits we see the police arriving and taking away all the dead bodies. So yeah, that's all folks!

Travis Zariwny is best known as a production designer, having worked on films like BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON, WAKE, CHILLERAMA, SUGAR and DIGGING UP THE MARROW. His previous directing duties include SCAVENGERS, INTRUDER and a couple of short films. Overall, I can't really comment on his style cause this was a rehash of the original and I saw nothing new here. I'll have to view his other two films to better make a critique of his directing style.

CABIN FEVER is an OK remake, but honestly, there was no reason to remake the movie. It was perfectly fine but some people can't leave well enough alone. Truth be told, I thought that trailer was better than the film itself. So if you want to see this remake, go ahead but you're better off watching the original. 2 out of 5 stars! It's a rental at best!

CABIN FEVER is playing in limited release in select theaters nationwide. It's also available through Video On Demand. To learn more about upcoming releases, visit the IFC Films website at www.ifcfilms.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees VACATION from Warner Bros. Pictures-November 27, 2015

When the original NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION movie was released back in 1983, it became an instant comedy classic. The crazy, road trip shenanigans of Clark W. Griswold (portrayed by the lovable Chevy Chase) and his family as they drove across the country to the fun-filled amusement park Walley World struck a chord among fans and became a huge hit at the boxoffice, which in turned spawned a franchise. EUROPEAN VACATION came out in 1985, CHRISTMAS VACATION in 1989 (which has also become a holiday classic film) and lastly VEGAS VACATION in 1997. After that, it looked like the Griswold family would finally stay at home for good. Then it was announced that Warner Bros. were reviving the series and a new generation of fans were going to see a new Griswold family trek out to the infamous Walley World once more. So fasten your seat belts everybody, put on some traveling music and let's the open road as I review the new VACATION film.

Theatrical Movie Poster (2015)

The film's official synopsis: Hoping to bring his family closer together and to recreate his childhood vacation for his own kids, an adult Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) takes his wife Debbie (Christina Applegate) and two sons James (Skyler Gisondo) and Kevin (Steele Stebbins) on a cross-country road trip to Walley World. Needless to say, things don't go quite as planned.

Also appearing in the film are Leslie Mann (Audrey Crandall), Chris Hemsworth (Stone Crandall), Catherine Missal (Adena), Charlie Day (Chad), Norman Reedus (Truck Driver) and once again, Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo reprising their iconic roles as Clark and Ellen Griswold. 

The cast looks like they had fun making this film and it shows. I love Christina Applegate's Debbie as she is both the glue that holds the family together while trying to keep herself happy for her husband. The youngest son Kevin can give South Park's Eric Cartman a run for his money, as he's one of the most fouled mouth pre-pubescent little shit I've seen in a movie. He's the youngest and he bullies his older brother, calling him a pussy and writing "I have a vagina" on his guitar. Ed Helms makes this incarnation of Rusty so-so. I don't recall if Rusty was really this much of a loser in the previous films. I guess he changed a lot when he got older. And it was freaking awesome to see Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo return as the parental units once more. Even though Chevy's Clark is only a cameo, he makes the most of it as he reminds us just how funny he is.

First time directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein attempt to recapture the magic from the first film while trying to create a film that both stands on its own and stays in the continuum of the series. The guys do a great job of capturing the zany wackiness that transpires for our new family with fluid directing and great set-ups. The car scenes made me feel like I was there along for the ride, especially when Rusty would sing along to Seal's "Kiss from a Rose." They guys also were able to capture a lot of beautiful scenery that our favorite family travel to: from Chicago to the Grand Canyon and, of course, Walley World and even San Francisco too.

At this time I would like to point out that once again we see San Francisco in another movie. Yup, this is like the fourth time I saw the city in a movie. Let's see, this year San Franciso has appeared in TERMINATOR: GENISYS, ANT-MAN, SAN ANDREAS, and now this one. Oh, and it was on the poster for PIXELS as well getting eaten up by Pac-Man. So yeah, take that Los Angeles! San Francisco and NorCal are now where the action's at!!

Both Daley and Golstein also wrote the script as well, bringing to it a newer, more raunchier level that modern audiences seem to enjoy. Now this works twofold: the first being that it will appeal to fans that like those raunchy comedies like THE HANGOVER, THIS IS THE END, BORAT, and TED. It's loaded with fowl language, sexual situations, grotesque racial profiling and over-the-top toilet humor. So yes it was hilarious!! I laughed so hard during the entire movie. From the awesome credit intro (courtesy from the awesome people at awkwardfamilyphotos.com) to my favorite scene where Debbie tries to relive her sorority days and just fails miserably. Knowing this information, it makes the film work if you were expecting this type of comedy.

Now the downside is that fans of the original films will be disappointed if they were expecting something that resembles the film's they grew up with. This could alienate those hardcore fans as well as those who like their comedies more subtle and less raunchiness. Personally, it didn't bother me at all. I thought the film was funny as hell but then again I'm a weird kinda guy. I mean, I watch Troma movies for crying out loud, so this was actually tame compared to some of the other films I've seen.

So this VACATION was a blast to watch as it both honors the series while simultaneously made me laugh my ass off. That is the soul purpose of making comedies: to make us laugh and to forget about our problems for a bit. And this film did just that and then some. A great addition to this series and one you all should see. 4 out of 5 stars! Definitely worth seeing!!

VACATION was just released on both Blu-Ray and on DVD and is available at your local retailer. The film is also avaibable at your local Redbox and on Video On Demand.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees TERMINATOR: GENISYS from Paramount Pictures-November 11, 2015

When director James Cameron made the first TERMINATOR back in 1984, all it was really was a little low budget B-Movie that did a lot better than it was supposed to at the box office and it went on to become a sci-fi classic. In 1991, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY was released and the bar was set very, very high after that. The film completely changed the landscape of what not only a sequel could be but how movies could be made. Then Cameron left his series to make TITANIC and AVATAR so he could win a shitload of awards for them (which he did). As a result, the following two sequels TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES and TERMINATOR: SALVATION sucked hard. Seriously, they really did suck that bad. They were somewhat entertaining, but you could tell they were soulless Hollywood sequel creations whose only purpose for making them was to try to squeeze every last dollar out of their dying franchise so that fans of the series would shell out their hard earn cash to see them (which I did unfortunately. Hey, I'm a film buff. That's what I do). Then there was the short lived television series (which wasn't too bad of a show by the way) but it seemed like Skynet was finally shut down. Then out of nowhere, Paramount Pictures along with Skydance Productions announced that they had obtained the rights to the series and were planning on relaunching the franchise with a new trilogy of movies. The first installment of this trilogy is TERMINATOR: GENISYS which I finally got around to seeing.

The film's official synopsis:When John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline. Now, Sgt. Reese finds himself in a new and unfamiliar version of the past, where he is faced with unlikely allies, including the Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), dangerous new enemies, and an unexpected new mission: To reset the future.

Now the film has been receiving a lot of negative reviews from critics and from fans of the franchise. Some said the plot was too confusing and not structured correctly, some didn't like the acting, while others thought it just sucked ass. Here are some of the complaints that I had with the movie:

So let's start with the acting first. It's not that great. Hey, I'm being honest. You know it's bad if Arnold Schwarzenegger is the best actor out of the bunch. Yes, I know people love Emilia Clarke because she's on Game of Thrones and she's a decent actress but she's no Linda Hamilton. As for Jai Courtney, can someone please me why the hell is he still getting work? After seeing him in the two DIVERGENT films, I guess he's the new flavor in Tinseltown. But just like Clarke, he had some big shoes to fill and he came nowhere close to being Michael Biehn. And why is J.K. Simmons wasting his time and talent making this film? Plus I was really excited to see Matt Smith (aka the Twelfth Doctor from Doctor Who) making his big screen American film debut and he's on screen for about two minutes!! WTF?!? Come on people he was Doctor Who for crying out loud!! He's a really talented actor and you only use him at the beginning and the very end of the movie?!? Why did you cast him in this film if you were not going to use him properly?!? Bloody freaking hell!! You people are freaking morons!!

Director Alan Taylor helmed the 2013 Marvel film THOR: THE DARK WORLD. Here, he's trying to replicate his summer blockbuster, big screen debut with this follow-up to a dead franchise. And he tries so hard to make it work, but it's rather difficult to make a good movie when the script has you all over the damn place. Screenwriters Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier were trying to write a great screenplay, but it's a convoluted mess. First the trailers gave away the big plot twist! Spoilers!! Then where in the future of 2029, then we're back in 1984 LA. Then we're flung to 2017 San Francisco. I'm sorry but I thought the whole Terminator Universe took place in Los Angeles. I mean, that's where Skynet was born, where Sarah and Reese meet, fall in love, bonked and stuff. It's where all the other films take place. Why change the locations? 

Speaking of locations, has anyone else notice that San Francisco is now the new city for absolute annihilation, carnage and out of this world destruction? It's been ground zero in recent films like X-MEN 3, GODZILLA, STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, SAN ANDRES, and RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Looks like our City by the Bay is the new LA for today's films! Way to go NorCal!!

Now after hearing me gripe about the movie I have a confession to make. And here is it: I really enjoyed the film. Crazy, right? Reason I liked it was because I liked how it took its own timeline and completely blew it all to shit and started over again. That was smart of the filmmakers. That's how you reboot a franchise these days. Blow up your continuity to hell in a hand basket and start fresh. It worked for the STAR TREK franchise, so why not for the TERMINATOR series?!?

For you old school fans of the series, it works on a nostalgic level. The first half hour replays some of your favorite moments and scenes from both the first two films to, so as to get you invested in the story and with the characters. Then there's a curveball thrown at us: holy crap the timeline is all messed up!! There's two Arnold Terminators in 1984? The T-1000 liquid metal Terminator is there too? And it's not Robert Patrick but it's Byung-hun Lee from the G.I. JOE movies? And Sarah Connor is a bad ass already? And it's like this for the rest of the film and you can't look away from it. Like a car wreak, it's grotesquely fascinating!

So in conclusion, TERMINATOR: GENISYS is one of the best movies you'll love to bitch about! In all honesty, it's so bad it's good! I loved this stupid film! And it really is stupid. But I can promise you all out there that you will be entertained! 4 out of 5 stars! Definitely worth watching!!

TERMINATOR: GENISYS is now available on both Blu-Ray and DVD at your local retailer. You can also order the movie on Video On Demand, Digital Download as well as at your local Redbox.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil's Halloween Horror Watch: THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN (2014) from Image Entertainment-October 29, 2015

THE TOWN THAT DREADED Blu-Ray (2015)

THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN
Starring: Addison Timlin, Veronica Cartwright, Travis Tope, Gary Cole, Edward Herrmann, Anthony Anderson
Screenwriters: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa & Earl E. Smith
Cinematographer: Michael Goi
Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

Production Companies: Blumhouse Productions & Ryan Murphy Productions

Distributor: Image Entertainment

Most horror movie remakes are terrible. Just terrible. Absolutely terrible. So terrible to the point I want to gouge out my eyes with an ice cream scooper. But every now and then a remake comes out that captures my interest. For me, it must capture the spirit of the original while simultaneously be able stand on its own. So it was a pleasant surprise to see the remake of THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN which is one of the better remakes that I have seen a very long time.

The film's official synopsis: 65 years after a masked serial killer terrorized the small town of Texarkana, the so-called 'moonlight murders' begin again. Is it a copycat or something even more sinister? A lonely high school girl named Jami (Addison Timlin), with dark secrets of her own, may be the key to catching him.

What I found interesting about the film is that while it's been called a reboot, it's more of a sequel. The filmmakers acknowledge the original 1976 film (which was released on Blu-Ray last year by the fine folks at Scream Factory) and also acknowledge that it was based on true events. As a result, the film feels more grounded in the real world while simultaneously reminding us that this is a sequel. Very smart move on their behalf and an element that I was happy with.

Lead actress Addison Timlin is just absolutely incredible as our final girl Jami Lerner, who is seriously having a rough time. Her boyfriend was killed by the infamous masked killer, who seems to be the same one from the first film. While being stalked by him (or her), she goes on a quest to solve the mystery of this mysterious killer. Timlin brings a lot of emotion and integrity to her role and portrays Jami as a strong, smart and brave young heroine. This is something we horror fans don't get to see a lot lately. In Hollywood productions the supposed "final girl" are flat, two-dimensional carachtures of what's they used to be and we are not fully invested in them. Congratulations to Timlin for making a character that we actually care and cheer for!

Theatrical Movie Poster (2015)

The film was the feature length directorial debut by newcomer Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, who does a great of creating atmosphere, dread and, of course, gallons and gallons of bloodshed. Most first time directors fail to make their first film entertaining and move at a reasonable pace. Alfonso bypasses this freshman mistake by making a fast paced, entertaining film filled with tension, horror and gore. There is so much gore in this film and I loved it! Definitely keep an eye out for this talented filmmaker as I hope to see more great things to come!

As with all classic horror films, a good script can help elevate a film and make it r commended viewing. What screenwriter Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa did which was smart was that he wrote the film to tie-in to the original Charles B. Pierce 1976 slasher classic. He even went to so far to include the film, Mr. Pierce himself, and cast Denis O'Hara as Charle Pierce Jr. to help make it more believable. Roberto's script again is smart, clever and really takes it to the next level.

Before I forget, I must mention actor Edward Herrmann, who portrays the Reverand Cartwright in the film. Herrmann has been in the business for over forty years, appearing films like THE PAPER CHASE, THE GREAT GASBY, ANNIE, THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO, NIXON, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET and genre classics like THE LOST BOYS and DEATH VALLEY. However he's mostly known as Richard Gilmore from the old WB show Gilmore Girls, which ran from 2000-2007. Recently Netflix announced that they are planning on reviving the show and will be reuniting most of the original cast but unfortunately Mr. Herrmann won't be there. On December 31, 2014, Edward Herrmann passed away at the young age of 71. This was the last film he appeared in.

Blumhouse Productions was one of the production companies that helped make this film a reality. If you're not familiar with them, you should be. They're the ones that helped put the PARANORMAL ACTIVITIES, THE PURGE and SINISTER franchises on the map. So keep that in mind when you see their cool and creepy looking intro before all their films.

Overall THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN is a worthy entry to the slasher genre as well as a sequel to a slasher classic. There's enough scares, blood, action and kills to satisfy event the most hardcore horror fanatic. So make sure you see this film cause you're gonna have a bloody good time watching it! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN is available on both DVD and BLU-Ray. Visit your local retailer to pick up a copy today. The movie is also available on VOD. Also follow the film on Facebook and Blumhouse Productions on Twitter. To learn more about Blumhouse Productions visit their website at www.blumhouse.com.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the show!

Phil sees JURASSIC WORLD in 3D at the Regal Natomas Stadium 16-August 8, 2015

It been 14 years since JURASSIC PARK III was released and let's be honest, it wasn't that great of a film and a weak conclusion to what was a highly popular and profitable franchise. So when it was announced last year that Universal Pictures was reviving the series with a new (and fourth) entry, I was very hesitant. Let's face it: Hollywood has seriously run out of original ideas so they're continuing to raid their vaults to either remake or make new sequels of previously popular films. But after taking my family to see JURASSIC WORLD in 3D at the Regal Natomas 16 Theater, I was very surprised on how excellent it was!

The film's official synopsis: 22 years after the original Jurassic Park failed, the new park (also known as Jurassic World) is open for business. After years of studying genetics the scientists on the park genetically engineer a new breed of dinosaur. When everything goes horribly wrong, will our heroes make it off the island?

This film was a lot more fun to watch than I was expecting it to be. It had action. It had scares. It had comedy, It had genetically created dinosaurs that ate a shit load of innocent people! And kids went to see this film! What the hell America? What is wrong with you? Have you no sense of morals these day? Don't you know you are desensitizing your children? If you take them to see this movie you're only making them want to go out and commit violence in the world!

Actually I'm just kidding! Take the kids to see this movie! It was awesome! Now back to my movie review.

First, this was a worthy entry to the series (given that JURASSIC PARK  III sucked really bad that's not saying much). It picks up after the first film, which also takes place on the original island. This was a smart move on both Universal and the filmmakers. If you want to have people come see it and enjoy it, have it tie in to the original because people love the first one.

Second, have interesting characters in the film. Sure there have been some arguments that Chris Pratt's character Owen is very masochistic and he demeans women in the film. Well, what did you expect from a Hollywood film? Political correctness? Look in this film and you'll find a plethora of old school stereotypes: an evil Asian scientist, a female in distress, annoying stupid kids getting into trouble, and a handsome brave alpha male to save the day. Did I leave anybody out?

Third, fill the screen with awesome special effects that will make them crap in their pants. With today's CGI effects, the dinosaurs look even more real than they did 22 years ago. And seeing it in 3D was pretty damn spectacular. But if you don't like 3D and if it gives you a headache, then 2D is just as cool.

Fourth, have an incredible script to go with your incredible CGI. Well....ok the script was kinda weak and the characters are kinda two-dimenional stereotypes like I previously mentioned. But it did have a beginning, a middle, and an end. So they got that right.

So JURASSIC WORLD is typical Hollywood escapism film and that's a good thing. It's a summer blockbuster popcorn action/adventure film and that's fine. Nothing wrong with that. It had it all and made a fun movie going experience so do check it out. Four out of five stars! Very entertaining!

JURASSIC WORLD is currently playing in both 2-D and 3-D in theaters nationwide, including at the Regal Natomas Stadium 16. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.regmovies.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees GODZILLA at the Camera 7 Pruneyard Campbell-May 16, 2014

An actor in a rubber monster suit. Decal buildings and toy cars. Flying creatures on strings. Firecracker explosions decorating the scenery. These images from my childhood conjure some many nostalgic emotions for me. For you see, I use to watch the old GODZILLA movies, and they captured my imaginations like no other! To see Godzilla battle Mothera, or team up with Ultraman, or go head to head with King Kong, these movies were incredible! Sure the budgets of these films were about $35 but who cares! They were entertaining as hell! And I loved them!!

Then came the 1998 remake film with Matthew Brodrick. My childhood died that night.

Now here we are, several years later and Warner Brothers unleashes its newest interpretation of the famed King of Monsters. And after watching it, GODZILLA is a phenomenal cinematic adventure that will appeal to diehard fans worldwide!

The film's official synopsis: A contemporary re-telling of the origin of Godzilla, based on the legendary Toho film series. In this powerful story of human courage and reconciliation in the face of titanic forces of nature, the giant radioactive monster Godzilla rises from the ocean depths to restore the balance, wreaking destruction as humanity stands defenseless and ponders the error of its way.

The movie get the Godzilla legend back on track, thanks to several people. First congratulations to its director Gareth Edward, who made a big splash with his 2010 directing debut MONSTERS. With this, his second feature film, Edwards knocks it out of the park! His style of directing fits perfectly with this legendary icon. His combinations of smooth pans, attention to details, intimate moments, simple shots, and big action sequences make the film all that much more fun to watch. And this is only his second film! As I write this review, Gareth Edwards has been hired to direct one of the STAR WARS spinoff films so congrats to Mr. Edwards and I'm definitely looking forward to his next film!

Also helping to put this legendary icon back in the spotlight are writers Max Borenstein and Dave Callaham. By combining the social commentary from the original film and with today's hot topics, along with a romantic subplot, they successfully craft a screenplay that is thoughtful, topical, as well as damn entertaining!

Another factor that makes the movie incredible is the cast. Ken Watanabe grounds the film in reality and also acts as the link to the original.  Aaron Taylor-Johnson is believable as our hero and protagonist Ford Brady, who must help save not humanity, but also his beloved wife Elle (Elizabeth Olsen) and son Sam (Carson Bolde). Also making a memorable appearance in the film is the one and only Bryan Lee Cranston, who portrays Ford's father Joe Brody. Cranton is most famous for portraying Walter White on the AMC series Breaking Bad and the father Hal on the Fox comedy Malcolm in the Middle.

The special effects are out of this world and look so damn real! Long gone are the days of men in ribber suits. Now some people that I know are refusing to see this film, based on their old and fond memories of watching some actor in a rubber suit destroy a HO scale modle of Japan. But here's a movie that not only pays homage to the original film, but also takes it into the 21st century. Not only is it Japan that gets wrecked, but also Hawaii and none other than San Francisco! Yes sir, no longer is Los Angeles the mecca of destruction. Now NorCal is getting its time in the spotlight!

Overall GODZILLA is a engaging, insightful, and entertaining summer blockbuster that is sure to chase those summer blues away! Now the film is available to see in both 2D and 3D, so either way you need to see the movie on the big screen! it's the only way to see the King Of the Monsters as he was meant to be seen! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

GODZILLA is currently playing in both 2-D and 3-D in theaters nationwide, including at the Camera Cinemas here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil's Top Ten Films of 2013-Jan. 1, 2014

Hello again everybody and Happy New Year! Now I saw a lot films last year, at least over 130 of them!! Now that is a lot of movies to see in one year! Now I couldn't see every single film that was released (some that just came out I'll be reviewing later on), but over 130 movies is still pretty damn impressive! But remember, I am a professional and it's my job to see these films for you. So without further adieu, here are my Top Ten Films of 2013!

1) DALLAS BUYERS CLUB: Based on the incredible true story of real-life Texas electrician Ron Woodroof, an ordinary man who was diagnosed as HIV-positive and given 30 days to live and went on to fight with the medical establishment, big pharmaceutical companies, and the U.S. government. Here, Matthew McConaughey gives his best performance ever! His portrayal of Woodroof is sensitive, sincere, funny, and touching. Jared Leto's portyal of a transgender woman Rayon is mesmorizing; he adds a lot of fun, flare, and is the perfect antithesis to Woodroof's redneck ways. Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, his is without a doubt THE BEST FILM of 2013! If you don't agree, then you should see it again!

2): BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR: Based on the 2010 French graphic novel Le Bleu est une couleur chaude by Julie Maroh, the film was directed by Abdellatif Kechiche and stars Adele (Adele Exarchopoulos), a 15-year-old girl who falls for Emma (Lea Seydoux), a mysterious, blue-haired art student. The film has that look and energy of the French New Wave movement from the 1960s: filmed mostly hand held, shot on real locations, and portraying love and life as a celebration. Despite all the controversy its received (namely the explicit and explosive lesbian love scene ever captured), the film is the most beautiful, breathtaking, poetic film about love that I have ever seen in my entire life!

3) INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS: Written, directed and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen, the film was inspired by folksinger Dave Van Ronk's autobiography entitled The Mayor of MacDougal Street. The film stars Oscar Isaac, who gives one of his best performances ever in front of the camera with portrayal of the struggling folksinger Llewyn Davis. With Justin Timberlake, Carey Mulligan, and John Goodman also making appearances in the film, and featuring an outstanding soundtrack by producer T Bone Burnett, INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS is one of the greatest films the Coen brothers have ever made! From the first frame to the last, you will never find a more perfect film to watch than this cinematic treasure!

4) MAN OF STEEL: Directed by Zack Snyder (300, THE WATCHMEN, DAWN OF THE DEAD) and produced by Christopher Nolan (director of the DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY), this reboot of the Superman franchise stars Henry Cavill in the title role. Cavill portrays both Clark Kent and Superman with such convection, strength, and vulnerability. Truly this man was born to wear the suit. He brings a new dimension to this iconic superhero. Also boasting an A-list cast of actors including Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, and Michael Shannon, and you have an excellent film, full of superhero action, romance, some humor, alien invasion, and one heluva super battle finale!!

5)  WEST OF MEMPHIS: In 1993, the bodies of Christopher Byers, Steven Branch, and Michael Moore were found viciously beaten and murdered in the small town of West Memphis, Arkansas. Less than a year later, Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, Jr. and Jason Baldwin were convicted of the crime, even though the prosecution's evidence was feeble and speculative at best. Almost 18 years later, the three wrongfully convicted men still claim their innocence and fight to overturn the injustices that have destroyed the larger part of their lives. Directed by Amy J. Berg and produced by none other than Peter Jackson, this documentary is a powerful, riveting, and unflinching examination of our flawed justice system.

6) AMERICAN HUSTLE: Writer and director David O. Russell (along with co-writer Eric Singer) once again knocks it out of the park with this film that is absolutely amazing! Bringing back his dynamic duo of Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence from last year's award winning film SILVER LINING PLAYBOOK, Christian Bale gets lost in another character (his Irving is a character you love to hate), Amy Adams gives another Oscar-winning performance as Irving's love interest and partner Sydney Prosser. What I really enjoyed about the film was that story, which was so brilliantly written. There is that element of surprise which I loved. The film is just simply amazing from start to finish!

7) DESPICABLE ME 2: You want to know something? Kids movies are a lot of fun to watch! And this film made me feel like a kid again. And thanks to screenwriters Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul, this film has a much better script and better character development, which I thought the first one lacked. Gru's personality is enhanced, especially with the chance of saving the world. Plus being teamed up with Agent Wilde, we get to have a love interest that will take Gru to the next level. And having him be the hero gives the film a dimension, thus propelling the character to new realms. The film is packed with action and laughter, mostly from the scene stealing Minions, which are super funny, cute, and adorable! One of the best family films of 2013!

8) ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES: Director Adam McKay does a tremendous job creating a sequel that's funnier, crazier, and wilder than its predecessor.Of course it doesn't hurt that McKay once again teamed up with Farrell to write this outrageous follow up. These two madmen have done the franchise justice with this latest installment. The old gang that we know and love return to their respective characters and they are fantastic! Farrell, Rudd, Carell, and Koechner are just as rambunctious as they were in the first film, but here the laughter is cranked up to eleven! The film goes way beyond the first installment, making it truly the funniest film of 2013! Go see this while it's still in theaters!

9) BETTIE PAGE REVEALS ALL: Everybody knows who Bettie Page is, but does anybody really know who she is? Director Mark Mori sheds some light on our favorite "Queen of the Pinups" is this entertaining and informative documentary. Also the film was narrated by Bettie Page herself, which was culled from over 6 hours of interviews that Mori conducted with her prior to her death (she passed away on December 11, 2008 from pneumonia), so we hear the whole story from the pinup goddess in her own voice! Including interviews by Hugh M. Hefner, Bunny Yeager, Paula Klaw, Tempest Storm, and Dita Von Teese just to name a few, this is far and away the best film ever about Bettie Page!

10) STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS: In 2009, writer/director J.J. Abrams did the impossible with his re-imaging of STAR TREK. With this sequel, he expands on the characters we've all come to know and love while giving us one of the greatest villains of all time. The entire cast from the first film are once again reunited for this successful sequel and all turn in great performances. However the big star of the film is Benedict Cumberbatch, who's Kahn is one of the greatest villains to ever grace the silver screen. Unlike the previous incarnation, this Kahn is far more intelligent, more cunning, and more vicious. Overall the film is on helluva sci-fi, hi-octane, roller coaster ride of a sequel and a worthy entry in the franchise.

And there you have it folks! My Top Ten Films of 2013! Every year this list gets harder and harder to put together, but these were films that really made an impact on me, and I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading my picks. So if by chance there are films here that you haven't seen yet, I encourage you to check them out. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by them!

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!