My Favorite Movies

It has been over 13 years since I have first laid eyes on this film ( a whopping old age of 10 I was!) and to this day and beyond no other movie breaks down my emotionless barrier unlike The Deer Hunter. For myself this film was the stepping stone to great cinema. I am a life long diehard Deniro and Walken fan because of this film. It ranks on my TOP 10 Greatest Movies Ever and will never leave and maybe ascend a spot or two as I get older. The story of small town blue-collar iron/steel mill workers fascinates from the beginng credits of the early morning dusk settling down sleeping forests of green, to the tyrranical jungles of Vietnam, amd back again to the small town turned upside down by tragedy striking thousands of miles away. Hands down this movie deserved every Oscar appointed to it and Deniro was a fine canidate for BEST ACTOR. Walken hands down acted his heart out and as I write this I recieve chills and goosebumps at remeberances of scenes past. If there were a TEN STAR rating I would mark that a million fold. Every one: young, old, skinny, fat, handicapped, bald, blue, hermaphrodites, whatever you may be....much watch this film before crossing over to the unknown which this movie so proudly exhibits.

Flat out 5 stars for the visceral italian style gore in the vein of Dr. Butcher M.D. and Fulci's Zombi. Joe D'Amato lets loose his exploitation, world wide banned masterpiece with comic book blood, shaky cameras, a skinned rabbit along with one forced abortion you have to see to believe. The backstory of the title creature is told through one meager backstory but it is enough to set your teeth on edge. The two disc uncut edition can be picked up for about 15 bucks. The special features are nothing to orgasm about, but if your a film fan/freak like me the extra tidbits delivered by the late D'Amato on the origin of the film are interesting enough. Worthy of mulitple views.

One of the best extreme gore movies of the 80s with a cast of great unknowns. The lead of Fred was actually the make-up assistant to Jennifer Aspinell who has had a remarkable career with TROMA, SNL, Mad TV, NFL, and helmed the new Indiana Jones flick. The story is original and does not lack the depth and charge it nees to succeed. The liquor, Tenafly Viper lends a Lovecraftish feel to the film when it is found behind a secret compartment in the basement of Ed's Liquors. A fantastic film which is a must for every horror afficiandos film collection.

I am a huge Ray Laine fan. His films are filled with such charisma. The role he has as the down and out discharged army private is filled with such realism and prestige. Simple lines and unabashed winks and smiles to the camera wrap the viewer into a frenzy to find out just what is this guy trying to do with himself. From session guitar player to wanting to write his first novel, to scamming his way into a conglomerate advertising/marketing firm, Laine shines. I cannot get enough of this film and I recommend it to anyone who wants to watch a great actor act. RIP Mr. Ray Laine. We do miss your charm.

For over three decades, no one has had the same illustrious illusion...or disillusion as the writer and director of ERASERHEAD. David Lynch has said in his interview contained on the ERASERHEAD DVD from Absurda, that fans have expressed many different outlooks on his landmark film, but none even close to what he envisioned while writing and filming this masterpiece. Brilliantly done in everyway, ERASERHEAD stands out as one of the more hidden gems of important cinema. Lynch's astounding visual effects and subtle glances at sexual frustration and lonliness are well executed by stars JACK NANCE (R.I.P.) and Charlotte Stewart. The amazing sexual reproduction intro has to be seen to believe. At some points in the film, hints of occult and evil imagery flicker for milliseconds and beyond, never really uncloaking itself to the viewer. Also (depending on your outlook and creative curve), I find the film carrying on in a sort of exploitation comedy. The sets are crafty and elegant, although sometimes the film gives off a vibe very close to a stage play...in no way a bad thing. The Lady In The Radiator is very astonishing and extremely creepy. Her "In Heaven" song has to be the most memorable scene in the film. Most of what I have explained are hidden from the non eccentric viewer, yet eccentrics like myself tend to delve deep. Sometime a little too deep that we over-analyze. I stand by my synopsis 100 percent. ERASERHEAD is not for the lax newbie viewer. The film relates more to hardcore Experimental/Art film buffs. For fans of Kenneth Anger, E. Elias Merhige, Maya Deren, and more notably Stanley Kubrick.

This movie is a one of a kind laugh-fest that has the gore for the horror aficionados. The smallest of small things make me laugh. From the zombies burping after a heavy meal to the witty one liners that, although sometimes asinine, can still create a chuckle from the lax viewer. Ferd Mertz (Bucky Santini) is by far the winner here when it comes to the laughs. A great way to spend a good night and to introduce people to the bizarre and obscure. Totally cheesy but all in good fun! There are really no blatant cliché moments in this one that leave you scratching your head and wondering if your intelligence has been insulted. Redneck Zombies is not suppose to be taken seriously. Anyone who does is obviously watching this movie for all the wrong reasons. Highly recommended if you can find a place that carries it. If not there is always Amazon.

A gem of a movie from TROMA(One of the first) that has a great plotline with a twist. The gore is top notch and definetly of low budget material. The cast is strong for what it is. Young Melvin is defininetly the strong point of the pre-monster Cohen.

The legend lives on....a personal favorite of mine which cashed in on the dead teenager formula of the 80s that was eating up the box office at the time. Definetly a shocker and the imaginative deaths realign horror with reality.

A surreal look at the American Govenment and the brainwashing that goes with the military. Kubricks storytelling is precise and as gritty as ever. Kubrick succeeds in every category. Matthew Modine puts forth every unstrained human emotion to the test with finess and determination. The most meorable however has to be Vincent D'Onfrio as the excellently dimwitted Private Leonard Lawrence (aka Private Pile). D'Onfrio sets forth a nerve twitching confrontation with gusto and the viewer generally feels sorry for him. With top notch actors, and a great pace, Full Metal Jacket will reign as one of the greatest Vietnam era inspired movies of all time.

Watch it 3 times in a row the other night! Such a fantastic story and beautifully executed with a no name cast. Some crew members from this movie went on to work on The Toxic Avenger, Street Trash, I was a Teenage Zombie, and Slime City!!