Aug 1, 2016

Monthly Movie Recap - July 2016


One of the great things about the hot summer weather is that it doesn't make you feel too bad about lounging about in an air conditioned room watching movies.

I saw a poster for Rogue One at my IMAX theater this weekend which was so cool to see in person! Just a handful of months left.

I call them out later, but if you should be listening to the Cult Film Club Podcast. They do reviews of some really cool flicks and it may even lead you to a new favorite.

The Houses October Built (2014, Netflix)
A found footage road trip to find the next level of haunted attractions? Sounds good! While it can feel like an ad for the real life attractions, I enjoy the footage around and in them. The cast seem like real people instead of actors and that goes a long way to keeping my attention between haunts. The interviews with the haunt workers starts to hint at the possibility of a dark side to the industry but the story goes in a different direction.

Cool: Some genuinely creepy moments. Seeing the haunts.
Lame: Ending was a little disappointing. I was expecting something a little more supernatural.

Rating: 6/10 

Vaction (2015)
I didn't hate it but I also didn't love it. I think they blew a lot of the good gags in the trailers but there are still some funny bits throughout. I never really got involved with the "new" Griswold clan.

Cool: Love the rental car! The foul mouthed little brother. Chris Hemsworth is a riot.
Lame: Felt like a lot of bits strung together. Not much of a story, more like a Vacation checklist.

Rating: 6/10


Ping Pong Summer (2014, Amazon Video)
Shout out to Cult Film Club for getting me to this movie! Possibly the best 80s movie that wasn't made in the 80s. It's got the quirky humor of Napolean Dynamite and the feel of the Karate Kid, just replace karate with ping pong.

Cool: The awkwardness of the kids makes it feel that much more authentic. Bitchin soundtrack!
Lame: I need more of this in my life!!

Rating: 8/10

Pet owners/lovers will probably get the maximum enjoyment out of this one. I'm pretty sure the over 40 gang I went with was laughing harder, and more often, than the kids that were there! I think this is the closest DreamWorks has gotten to the feel of a Pixar movie. It's a fun, and funny, movie.

Cool: The pets' antics are so funny because they're true to life. The sausage factory is probably the best sequence in he whole movie.
Lame: There's a weird subplot sandwiched into the movie about one of the dog's former owners that just doesn't feel like it needed to be there.

Rating: 6.5/10


I don't even know where to start with this one. It's just a damn good time that has a smooth blend of horror and comedy. It's definitely got a Todd & The Book of Pure Evil vibe to it. And if you haven't seen that, you're really missing out!

Cool: Plenty of gore and gags, usually combined.
Lame: No complaints here, rock on! \m/

Rating: 8/10

Continuing the crazy antics from the previous movie and still revving it over the top! They've sure come a long way from hijacking trailer trucks of DVD players. Sometimes it feels "Like gas through a fuel pump, so are the wacky days of our lives" but then there's some great action. Plot? Plausability? This is not that franchise.

Cool: Some insane stunts. A return to Race Wars. Finally connecting all the movies!
Lame: I hate to say it, but for maximum pay off, you have to watch the first six. Ok, look, I know why the Paul Walker thing is at the end and the did a nice job with it but it flat out does not fit in the story context...and some of those CGI shots are just damn creepy.

Rating: 7/10

I'm a pretty casual Trek fan so I think I'm having an easier time with the reboot series. There's some nice character moments and a decent story hiding under the action. It's definitely a fun ride. The word "pulp" kept coming to mind as it hardly slows down and there's always another plot complication around the corner. It feels like what a classic scifi B movie would be if you threw millions of dollars and good actors into it. 

Cool: No shortage of action (even if it doesn't always seem logical)
Lame: By the time you find out the baddie's motivation and are able to piece together the seemingly random clues dropped, the movie is almost over and there's no reason to care about why he's carrying out his evil plan.

Rating: 7/10

Month Total
 New: 7  Rewatch: 0

Year Total
 New: 40  Rewatch:3

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