Kong: Skull Island (2017)

After watching Awakening the Zodiac, it was time to change genres. Having felt such a connection to Caesar, I decided to grab another flick with some Simian heritage. That movie was the 2017 blockbuster Kong: Skull Island.  

Plot/ A team of scientists explore an uncharted island in the Pacific, venturing into the domain of the mighty Kong, and must fight to escape a primal Eden.

I am sure that this is going to be a polarizing film split between the love or hate communities. Personally, I loved this one and think that this is one of the better blockbuster creature features to come out in some time. I will admit that there were a ton of plot holes and the characters were not only flat, but their decision making was unfathomable, but I was able to look past those elements. All of the creatures were amazing, with this representation of Kong being one of my favorites. The fight scenes were fierce and at times gory, and the performances were solid. Overall, this was exactly as advertised a blockbuster creature feature that brought one of the all-time greats back from the dead. In the end, the film will likely disappoint some hardcore Kong fans. Yes, it has some flaws, but if you are in the mood for a mindless creature feature with some tremendous fight scenes this one is for you.

The Ninth Configuration (1980)

With this holiday weekend coming to a close, I decided to kick back and watch some different movies I found on Shudder over the past few days. One of the more interesting ones comes from writer William Peter Blatty, of Exorcist fame. While this one did not deal with demonic possession, it did deal with a disturbing subject matter. That movie is the 1980 cult classic The Ninth Configuration.

Plot/ A new commanding officer arrives at a remote castle serving as an insane asylum for crazy and AWOL U.S. Army soldiers where he attempts to rehabilitate them by allowing them to live out their crazy fantasies while combating his own long-suppressed insanity.

When I saw this one on Shudder, I had no idea what to expect. What I found was extremely different from anything that I could have imagined coming from the mind of Blatty. The Ninth Configuration is a subtle mixture of comedy, horror, and drama that makes for an entertaining evening. Completely different from The Exorcist, this movie offers an interesting and intelligent look at mental illness and creates a narrative that is a valuable tool for understanding. The cast is tremendous, the performances solid, and the storyline offers many different angles into the mindset of the characters. Yes, some of it does feel dated at times, but that is really not a problem, as the overall power of the message comes through clearly. In the end, this is an underrated gem, and a movie that must be seen. Sure, it is not a mindless entry and it will require some thought while viewing but that is perfectly fine with this one. Check it out!

Across the Universe (2007)

After taking a break from the blog last night, I decided that I needed to watch something extremely different tonight, as I have been overly submerged in darkness for some time not. After some debate, and a quick search of Netflix, I decided on something extremely different, and one of my favorite musicals, Across the Universe from 2007.

Plot/ The music of the Beatles and the Vietnam War form the backdrop for the romance between an upper-class American girl and a poor artist from Liverpool.

As some already may realize, I do have some diverse tastes in my movie selections, and this is one of my favorites that sit outside of the horror or sci-fi genres. While this is not a textbook movie and it has many flaws with some pacing issues, weak character development, and some of it may feel a touch forced, but that does nothing to truly bring down the experience. Yes, it is not perfect, but it is both beautiful and captivating, and features some of the best interpretations of classic Beatles songs that you will find. Couple that with some intense and vivid visuals, an interesting storyline that captured the turmoil of the era, and an emotional tone that will definitely strike a chord with many viewers (but also turn some viewers off). In the end, this may not be the best musical out there, and it may be somewhat polarizing, but if you kick back and embrace the creativity, you will experiences something amazing. Check it out.

Jacob's Ladder (1990)

As I sit here tonight re-watching V for Vendetta with the daughters, I am excited about the fact that the judges at the Fayette County Fair actually got my zombie entries. That is right, I actually pulled in four Blue Ribbons (first place) and two White Ribbons (third place) for my entry’s. Honestly, that is so much better than I could have expected. It also gave me time to review a flick I watched the other night with working on those, the 1990 classic Jacob’s Ladder.

Plot/ Mourning his dead child, a haunted Vietnam vet attempts to discover his past while suffering from a severe case of disassociation. To do so, he must decipher reality and life from his own dreams, delusion, and perception of death.

Even after all these years, Jacob’s Ladder remains a great atmospheric tale that continues to leave its mark on your mind. Yes, some of it may be a touch incoherent and not make sense, but to me, it just adds to its mystery. This film has everything you should want it a flick. It has some awesome visual effects, it has some great acting within the outstanding script, and the mood and atmosphere is dark, dreary and perfect for the movie. This is one of the better films of any genre to come out in the 1990s and a movie that must be seen. Sure, it may leave a lasting impression, but that is what a flick is supposed to do.