Shudder Day: Arcadian (2024)

Nic Cage and Shudder are a match made in Heaven.  

Let's see what his most recent Film is like...

It's the end of the World as we know it!

Naturally, Nic Cage survived.

15ish years later, he's raising his two Sons as they live out in a Farm.

They live a humble life and are sure to be locked into the House by sundown.

They try to make the most of the situation, living comfortably as a family.

However, the one Brother is constantly leaving to go to 'The Rose Farm.'

Considering that someone or something is trying to claw their way into the house every night, should you be distracted that much.

Is it safe for you or anyone else?

Of course, he's a young man, so he's got one thing on his mind.

And no, it's not roses.

Who will live?
Who will die?

Will the reveal of the Monsters be worth all of the build-up?

To find out, stream it now.

A Film that is interesting contrast of many things at once.

The Film looks peaceful, with its lovely farmlands and hills in Ireland.
The Film gets very chaotic when the Monsters make their (erratic) moves!

The Film is all about Family and staying together.
The Family is torn about by one's desire to hang out with a girl somewhere else.

The Monsters- no SPOILERS- are freaky things.
The Monsters don't really get explained and you *really* want to know how they got like this.

The Film is sold on Nic Cage vs. Monsters.
Nic Cage is a key part of the Film, but the Plot gives the main focus to the young Leads.

Arcadian is a fun and interesting low-budget Horror Film.  There are certainly lots more 'Family surviving against weird monsters' after A Quiet Place (not that the Film introduced the concept).

This is a good one of those, even giving us a Relax at the Waterfall Scene to boot!

A Film with a tight focus, a small Cast and some crazy Monsters.  They are definitely worth the build-up, so give this one a chance.

Tubi Thursday: Jiu Jitsu (2020)

 Remember when one of those Trailers comes out online and you're like 'Wow, that's weird.'  
Now remember when you forget about the Film actually coming out and then just move on with your life.

That's what happened to me until today with...

A man runs from...something and falls into the water, hitting his head.

He's stitched up and brought to a Military Base in Burma, but he has amnesia.

Meanwhile, a, well, let's just call it like it is, a 'Predator' is on Earth and killing people.

It is a cross between a Predator, a Guyver and those CGI Suits that that Kryptonians in Man of Steel wore.

After meeting his old allies (who he doesn't remember) and engaging in around 26 different Fight Scenes, he ends up meeting the real Star of this Film.

Nic MUFUGGIN Cage.

He reveals the truth to our Hero- after another Fight Scene, of course.

An Alien Not Predator comes every 6 years to fight the best Earth has to offer.  If they don't fight, he destroys, well, everything.
Cage ran away from his fight and hid.

Apparently, our guy did as well- see the beginning- but now he's willing to work with the others to save the World.

Can our Hero master the art of Jiu Jitsu to stop the Not Predator?

Will I lose count of how many random Fight Scenes take place?

Did I only review this because it has Nic Cage and Tony Jaa in it?

To find out the answers to the first 2 questions (#3 is obviously 'Yes.'), stream it now.

It is fine...I guess.  You really just need to know what to expect.

Basically, it is a series of good to alright Fight Scenes involving lots of people.  In the brief bits without fighting, you get some silly Plot.

That's pretty much it.

I do like watching Tony Jaa (clearly, if I made it through Ong Bak 2 & 3) and Cage was good fun here.  Too bad our Lead- like most in these kinds of Films- has to be about as exciting as watching paint dry in someone else's house.

Seriously, you really do appreciate the naturally charismatic Leads like Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee (to name the obvious) when you get so many that can fight...but you just kind of accept them as Actors.
Thankfully, they got 'Crab Man' from My Name is Earl to liven things up at times.

The Film has a wacky premise, a wacky performance by Cage, a cool-looking villain and... a pretty so-so execution.  This is just less bonkers than I was expecting.  

Kind of like the alternate Title really.

A good series of Fight Scenes that don't connect to make that great of a Film.  At least Cage and Jaa are good here.

Shudder Sunday: Prisoners of the Ghostland (2021)

 Another Nicolas Cage Movie?
You spoil me, Shudder.

This is a Post-Apocalyptic, Neo-Western Samurai Film.  Enjoy...

A Prisoner- Cage- is suited up (literally) with a mission to rescue The Governor (Bill Mosely) of Samurai Town's Daughter.

If he acts up, the suit will blow him up.  Why him?

Well, some time ago, him and his partner robbed a Bank and many people died.

That sounds fair then.

The trip involves going into the titular Ghostland, which is a bad, bad idea.

He runs afoul of some really weird- even for this post-apocalyptic land- people, but...did he find his target?

The problem- she doesn't seem to remember who she is.

The traumatic events and landscape have done a number on her psychologically.

With time (and the bombs on his body) ticking away, can a crazy Cage make sense of the Ghostland?

Even if he can make it back, will it be a happy homecoming?  After all, Tak Sakaguchi is there with a katana and he's not happy.

To find out, stream the Film now.

A weird, weird Film.  When even Nic Cage describes how strange the Film is, you're on the right track.

Prisoners is, as you saw in my Intro, a hard to describe Film.  Is it a hard to enjoy Film?  No.

For me, it was an enjoyable bit of insanity involving Samurai, a man with a bomb suit, the Clock Tower from Back to the Future and radioactive Ghosts.

What's not to love?

To be fair, the Film is a bit long and takes a bit of time to explain what all happened.  Does it make sense?  Kind of.  Sort of.

This is the kind of cray that you're either going to love or hate.  Just know that if you hate it, these folks won't be happy.

A crazy Film that is big on style and excess.  While you can argue that it is a bit overlong, it is still an enjoyable car crash.