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Sunday, June 26, 2011

"Mega Python vs. Gatoroid" review

Mega Python vs. Gatoroid (2011)



Director: Mary Lambert
Writer: Naomi L. Selfman

Deborah Gibson ... Dr. Nikki Riley
Tiffany ... Terry O'Hara
A Martinez ... Dr. Diego Ortiz
Kathryn Joosten ... Angie
Kevin M. Horton ... RJ Cupelli
Carey Van Dyke ... Justin

Giant gators and pythons are attacking and only 80's pop stars can save the day. Debbie Gibson and Tiffany are ready to go to war in the Everglades to answer the trivia question of which 80's pop singers appeared in a movie with Gatoroids? Debbie, (or is it Deborah?), Gibson is a kooky environmentalist who releases pythons into the wild. The local ecosystem cannot handle the pressure so Sheriff Tiffany pumps up the gators with steroids. Hence, they become Gatoroids. Pythons eat steroid-saturated Gatoroids and become Mega Pythons. Gibson and Tiffany will have to combine their powers if there is any hope of saving humanity from these ridiculous CGI creatures.


"Mega Python vs. Gatoroid" finally lets me ask the question I've been wanting to ask for years. At last, a chance to ponder one of life's great mysteries. No, I'm not wondering about who would win in a battle of Mega Pythons vs Gatoroids. No one cares about that. I am curious about the only aspect of this movie that is worth thinking about. The one aspect of this movie that the filmmakers exploited brilliantly. That is, who would you rather have sex with, Tiffany or Debbie Gibson?


Now this is a tough question. One shouldn't rush to judgment here. On the one hand, Debbie has the innocent persona, (don't know if it's true but for ridiculous arguments sake let's say it is), the blonde svelte look and overall hotness. Tiffany, on the other hand, has grown up to be a voluptuous vixen. What I mean is, she has amazing breasts. She was the best special effect in "Mega Python vs Gatoroid". The filmmakers kept her cleavage displayed in almost every scene she was in and I was astounded each time.


Before watching this movie, I was sure the answer to my carnal question was going to be Debbie Gibson. But I'm going to have to go with Tiffany. (It's OK Debbie. Dry your eyes.) Tiffany is my kind of woman. I was staring at her bountiful harvest throughout most of the movie. She made every scene she was in better by embracing the B-movie standard of breasts excellence. Gibson is a little too thin for my tastes. Frankly, she needs to eat a cheeseburger or two. Gibson needs to take a break from Pilates and head to In-N-Out. She'll need the carbs if she's going to battle Gatoroids.


As for the movie, it was a typical cheesy monster movie. If Tiffany and Gibson weren't in it, it would not be worth talking about. The only redeeming part of this movie is the battle royale between Tiffany and Gibson near the end. Gibson and Tiffany have a food fight/wrestling match during a party in which whipped cream and other substances are rubbed over each other. This was a fine B-movie moment. The filmmakers also deserve some points for dropping references to Gibsons and Tiffany's songs. It makes me want to sing a Debbie Gibson song now. Would I get a chance to forgo my carnal question and just have a three-way with the 80's ladies? As Debbie would say, Only in my dreams...


SCORE: 2 out of 4 80's ladies

Saturday, June 04, 2011

"Skyline" review

Skyline (2010)

Directors: Colin Strause Greg Strause








Eric Balfour ... Jarrod

Scottie Thompson ... Elaine

Brittany Daniel ... Candice
Crystal Reed ... Denise

Neil Hopkins ... Ray

David Zayas ... Oliver

Donald Faison ... Terry


A group of friends are hanging out in a nice condo in Marina Del Rey when aliens attack. Their hangover gets interrupted as blue strobe lights flash through the windows of a beautiful, two bedroom condo with central heating. The friends hunker down and try to discuss survival tactics in an architectural masterpiece that soars into the Marina Del Rey skyline. They run around the valet parking area, the spacious pool and sauna and even the rooftop helicopter pad but there is no escape amongst the vast assortment of luxury amenities.


"Skyline" is the most amazing condo porn I have ever seen. This movie makes me want to move. I'm living in a hovel compared to this alien infested building. I knew I had seen this building before but I wasn't sure where. It was the helicopter pads that reminded me of those condos on Lincoln Blvd in the Marina. Sure enough, as I went to grab some Chipotle I remembered this towering condo structure. Upon further research, I learned that the director lived at this building and shot the entire movie at his place.


"Skyline" is B-movie making at it's finest. The director just had to roll out of bed to film the alien invasion. He didn't even need to put on any pants but I hope that he did. "Skyline" never leaves this condo building as the aliens come to it. Eric Balfour and his buddies run back and forth as various brain sucking invaders crash the director's pad. Every part of this condo building is used for filming. There's an extended scene in the parking garage, a chase scene by the pool and the rooftop helicopter pad is exploited for all its worth. A one bedroom here will run you about $3K/month but with so many amenities to run to during an intergalactic invasion, it's so worth it.


But is "Skyline" any good? Sure, if you like B-movies about aliens sucking peoples brains in a luxury condo. "Skyline" was made for DVD but somehow ended up in theaters. I suspect normal moviegoers were aghast that this cheap exercise in alien Armageddon infested the theaters. As for me, I dug it. Oh sure, Eric Balfour has a face you want to slap and every character was annoying but that condo made me want to sign the lease right after the movie. It could have used a little more blood and guts to punch things up but the filmmakers needed to save some money for their rent.


"Skyline" makes it clear that the only place to be during an alien invasion is in this condo building. I want the director to know that if aliens invade L.A., I'm coming over. Don't worry, I'm a gracious guest and will bring my own pillow and some beer. I just want to experience this condo building before I die. A few laps in the pool, then a quick trip to the sauna and then the aliens can eat my brains. I'll die a happy brainless man.



SCORE: 2.5 out of 4 glorious Marina skylines


The Marina.


The pool.

The helicopter pad. This movie has everything!

Friday, June 03, 2011

"Porno Holocaust" review

Porno Holocaust (1981)


Director: Joe D'Amato
Writer: George Eastman

George Eastman ... Dr. Lemoir
Dirce Funari ... Simone
Annj Goren ... Contessa


"Porno Holocaust". No self respecting exploitation fan could resist a movie with a title like that. I am no exception. I knew that it was in Italian with no subtitles but I didn't care. I had to see it. I beg forgiveness for my movie sins.


The most important thing to know about this flick is that it is a porno movie. It's not a particularly good porno movie either. A bunch of people head to an island, have sex and discover a monster. There are scenes of "horror" mixed with the hardcore. They consist of people getting bashed over the head with blood coming out of their skulls. There is also a scene where a girl is raped by the monster. The monster is a black man with some makeup on his face to make him look "radioactive". Scary stuff.


Director D'Amato likes his interracial porn. Here he spices things up by making the black man a monster that likes to rape the visiting white women. They die after the rape because the monster is radioactive. It sounds pretty sordid but when you see it you can't help but yawn.


D'Amato is such an incompetent dolt he can't even film a porn scene right. He has one couple have sex three different times. YAWN! Variety man! The actors shouldn't be monogamous with each other! Not only that, he has them roll into the same sex positions. Every porn scene has music blasting over the top of it. Hello?! I can't hear their supposed screams of ecstasy with this flute blasting in my ear. He also managed to make a scene with two women having sex seem tedious.


So as a porno movie, it's a bust. As a horror movie, it stinks. But as a warped sleaze experience, "Porno Holocaust" should probably be seen once. It's not good but it's unique in it's own grimy way.


SCORE: 1.5 out of 4 radioactive freaks