As many of you know, I am a fan of Amazon Prime video selections. Each month they publish their upcoming video selection on their site, but what is worth seeing?
Here’s a list of my picks for the month:
Dick Tracy (1990) was ahead of its time. Warren Beatty directed this early 90’s comic strip film as a response to Tim Burton’s Batman, no doubt, but he did it in a very intelligent and informed way. To emulate the look of the comic strips, he used only 6 colors throughout the film and every yellow was the same yellow. Every red the same red. Not by CGI. By design. The story is convoluted and the cast is stuffed to the point you don’t know who you are looking at for half the flick (Is that really Al Pacino?), but it is still a treat for the eyes.
Available now for free with Amazon Prime with Cinemax trial.
I love this movie! Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974) is probably my favorite Hammer film. It is how Hammer would make superhero movie with the swashbuckling Captain Kronos hunting an evil vampire in gothic Europe. I think it is the perfect Hammer flick to show young (but not too young!) horror fans to get them into the genre. It’s a hero movie with a decided horror bend to it. Fun and gruesome all in one gulp.
BTW, Caroline Munro. Enough said.
I was shocked to learn that Earth Girls Are Easy (1989) was made so LATE in the MTV tide of pop culture. First, absolutely everything is in a shade of neon. I mean, look at the poster art. It screams 80’s….not grunge is about to come. Second, it has a big role for Julie Brown. Not Downtown, the other Julie Brown. It also has 2/3 of its aliens in the form of Living Color celebrities: Damon Wayans and Jim Carrey (in a very early role). The stars were married at the time, Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis. Now, you are wondering…is the movie any good? I say back: Does it matter?
I’m not the only one surprised to say this: I actually like 2013’s The Last Stand. I can’t take it back. In fact, it is probably my favorite post-Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger movies. Co’starring Johnny Knoxville, for some reason, and Forest Whitaker, this throwback to over-the-top 1980’s action films is fun, fast and filled with gun-toting violence. Don’t expect one of Arnie’s classics, but do expect to have a really fun time.
I feel like 2011’s Super 8 has been forgotten. I can’t figure out why. JJ Abrams directed this as an ode to Stephen King and Stephen Spielberg…before Stranger Things was, you know, a thing. Is it as great as Stranger Things? I don’t think so…but it also didn’t have the luxury of 8 hours to tell its story. I think some of the characters are just as fun as the kids from It or Stranger Things, but for some reason, they are just forgotten. And that’s a shame because this is a great movie of an alien coming to town and the parents just don’t understand. The price is right, so check it out.
Available February 18 on Amazon Prime.