Tubi Thursday: Djinn (by Tobe Hooper) {2013}

 A life of Filmmaking that begins in Texas ends, oddly, enough in the United Arab Emirates.  See how Tobe Hooper's last Film came about...

After learning about what Djinn are- they are magical beings that hide amongst mankind- we meet 2 Arab men and their American friend.

After more talk of Djinn and how one had a kid with a human, the foreshadowing is over and the latter is killed.

In America, an Arab Couple is grieving the loss of their child.

They go to a Therapist who gives them a (strange) solution- move back home.

Bye, America!

They move back and meet her family.  They are all very happy.

When they learn the duo are living in a random Building in the middle of nowhere, less so.

Literally minutes after the guy leaves for work, the Wife starts to see weird stuff and slightly-freak out.

This Movie sure is in a hurry!

As people die (there's only like 10 people in the Film, so, I guess SPOILERS) and she gets more worried, will the Wife find out what is going on?

UPDATE: An Actress who's now in Moon Knight is in this.  Neat.

Will the Djinn win?

To find out, watch the Film now.

A pretty decent Ghost Story...just with something other than Ghosts.  It succeeds at it wants to be.

It just doesn't aim to be all that much.  It's just 'people under threat from vague evil' thing.
At least Under the Shadow had a real historical setting and used the Horror to accentuate the subtext.  Seriously, check it out.

Djinn really just aims to be a Grudge-style Film, just with a light bit of accent.  I'm still not sure how and why Tobe Hooper ended up doing this- other than money for him and 'hiring the guy from Poltergeist' for the Producers).  It's a weird final Chapter for the guy.

Djinn isn't terrible.  Djinn isn't great.  I'm told that if you add 'The' to the Title that it gets better though.

A decent Film that doesn't seem to aspire to be all that unique.  For what it is, it's fine and simple enough to watch for fans of this kind of Film.

New Streaming: Moon Knight- Episode 2

 After the Debut set things in motion, where do they go from here?

Let's find out...

Steven's World kind of falls apart as the mystic side of his life has recently collided with the normal side of it.

As he finds people attached to the former, will he lose the latter?

He learns about Khonshu and the apparent bargain that was made by Marc Spector.

Steven was supposed to not be involved in any of this, but I guess we wouldn't have a Show if that happened.

Face to face again with Arthur Harrow, he learns about the connection that they share.

He's not taking kindly to how Steven/Marc keep interfering in his plans to revive his Mistress from the Afterlife.

He also speaks terrible Mandarin, which I guess is the most important thing in the World.

Steven and Marc are still fighting for control as Arthur's men- and something worse- try to kill them.

Can Steven fulfill the Title and 'summon the suit.'

Well, yes and no.

To see how it goes, stream the Episode before watching #3.

We get a good follow-up to a Story that only gets bigger.  This one had a tough act to follow.

The Plot works well, as you can feel for poor Steven as nobody believes what he sees (and what we know to be true).  As he digs deeper, it only seems to get worse.  Why is this happening to him?  Could you imagine if this happened to you?!?

Everything continues to pay off nicely as we learn more about the Marc/Steven dynamic, the past that one has, Khonshu, the big bad and just everything going on.

It's a weird, but good Show that I could see working, in, say, Animation as well.

Next time, Episode 3 goes abroad.  That's all I know.  See you then...

Poor Bastards of Cinema: Dracula's Daughter (1936)

 Let's go back to the Golden Age of Cinema to see a random schmuck get killed.

In 1936's Dracula's Daughter (also the first Universal Horror Sequel, Film Trivia Buffs), we see the titular character show up to burn/bury her Father.

She has been afflicted with his same curse and hopes that his death will end it.

Sadly, that bit of lore had not been made up yet.

Pressed on by her Man Servant, she goes out to see if she can resist temptation.
A man walks into her range...

She does not succeed at her check and approaches the man...

She does her trick involving her hypnosis ring on him.

She also has her Dad's face-covering thing down.

...and I guess he's dead.

They didn't show fangs in a Vampire Film until the 1950s, so I guess this is for the best.

While he is an intended victim, his appearance is sudden, he is never named (not even in the Credits AFAIK) and only gets a passing mention as 'a previous victim' before the Film's end.

The lesson- avoid strange ladies in dark alleys.  I guess big rings too.

Next time, I go back to a previous Holiday Review to memorialize some real ancillary Characters.  They aren't important, but their deaths sure are violent!  See you then...

Tubi Thursday: Timebomb (1991)

 After Doppelganger and Savage, I was in the mood for some more Avi Nesher.

Will this one make more or less sense?

A mild-mannered man- Michael Biehn- works at a Watch/Clock Repair Shop.

Things change when a fire breaks out next door and he rushes to save someone, getting his face on TV.

This guy- who FYI was calling a Phone Sex Line when he saw the News- calls his superiors and says that 'Eddy Kay is alive.'

Time to kill him...for some reason that has nothing to do with Chekhov's Broadcast about the future D.A. being in Town.

They send in a bunch of people to kill him, but they try at first to make it look like an accident, so the Film manages to reach 90 minutes.

FYI these guys are all named Mr. Black, Mr. White, etc.  This was made *before* Reservoir Dogs. 

He remembers the woman he met earlier who happens to be a Psychologist.  

Like Savage, a poor woman is dragged into this nonsense.

She helps him uncover the confusing truth.  I'll try to summarize...

Something involving Vietnam Vets and mind-control to make them assassins.
It involves lots of tubes, nodules and hologram.

Fun?

Can she help him break out of his programming in time to save some lives?

Will he be the Hero that hew as always meant to be?
Will this Film called Timebomb actually revolve around a timebomb in any meaningful way?

To find out, stream it in glorious HD.  Yes, THIS got a Blu-Ray release.

It's not great.  Is that a surprise after his previous Films though.

The Plot could be interesting.  Granted- it wouldn't be unique.  It's a little bit The Bourne Identity, a little bit Universal Soldier and even has a dash of The Terminator thrown in.  Sadly, it's not the 'cool killer robot' part.

Michael Biehn and a poor young woman are being chased by those that want to kill them.  Unlike that classic Film, they are trying to kill him instead of her.  When you cast the same guy, I'm going to get the same vibe.

The big problem is that they drag out the reveal and throw in the crazy freak-outs (like in Doppelganger and Savage).  Like my first experience with him recently, it can't just tell you a crazy story in order.  It's almost ashamed of its key Plot Points and wants you to get fully-invested before you learn them.  Insert Scientology Joke Here.

In better hands, Timebomb could be/has been a better Film.  It has crazy, silly Action at times, so its never boring.  Speaking of 'Bo,' one of the bad guys is played by a man who would be more known for something else...

It's not the worst '90s Action Film out there.  It's just so oddly-paced and shy about its Plot that you might zone out before it bothers to share it.

New Streaming: Creepshow- 'Skeletons in the Closet'

 We're back with another Segment from Season 3 of Creepshow.  

What happens when the skeletons you're hiding are real...and someone finds out?

A man and his girlfriend run a Horror Movie Museum full of props and freaky things.

Who could have so much of this stuff?  Oh right- Greg Nicotero (who co-wrote and Directed).

His rival shows up offering to buy some of his goods, but he won't sell.

However, he knows a secret and can get what he wants...

They do something dramatic and now they need to cover it up.

Seems simple enough, right?

Will it be that easy or will the 'magic' of the Store make things more dangerous?

Will all of that Psycho foreshadowing pay off?

To find out, stream it.

A fun, creepy Episode.  It's always something when a Show like this can slip in references that even I don't get.  Yes, I don't know everything about everything- big shock.

Seriously though, the simple Plot has a nice pay-off and great atmosphere.  I really want to actually go to this place if it was real.  It's worth the price of admission.

This one is a love-letter of sorts to classic Cinema, somehow referencing The Omen, TCM, Phantasm, Psycho and Clash of the Titans (plus more) in one 20-minute segment.  Nice segment and nice, random use of POV.

Next time, I try not to get too Familiar with the 2nd segment.  Get it?  You will.

New Streaming: Moon Knight- Episode 1

 As we get deeper into the Marvel Catalog, we get fun, fresh stuff like this.  A Sleepwalker Show is just around the corner, no?

Please!

This is...

Steven Grant is a man with some troubles- mental ones that is.

He seems to sleepwalk and goes so far as to try and stop himself from sleeping when things get worse.

Is there more to it?

When he's awake, he works at a Museum.

Specifically, he works *in the Gift Shop* for a woman who looks like a Blond Jen from The I.T. Crowd.

When one of his sleep walks takes him to a dangerous place, will this lead him to the secrets of his 'sleeping' life?

Will he even live to learn them?

He returns home, but it's not going to be that easy, is it?

What follows it home?
Who is Marc Spector?
Who is that voice?

To find out, see the first Episode now, before the second one 'drops' tomorrow.

A strong, strange start to the Series.  It's definitely not the usual Marvel stuff, which I'm all in favor of.

Moon Knight- at least in his origin story- needs to feel very different.  It needs to be weird,  It needs to be quirky.  It needs to leave you asking questions.

With its musical cue, confused Main Character, use of smash cuts and overall odd feel, this one is just right.  I'm curious to see just how far they go with this and I, for one, am glad that they didn't cut this Scene...

Next time, the second Episode finally gives us the titular character.  What else will we see?

Shudder Stock: Siege (1983)

 A random bit of curiosity led me to this not-so-remembered Film.  1983's Siege- also known as Self Defense (see below)- is a Canadian Thriller.  It is thankfully remembered enough to get a recent Blu-Ray upgrade, which seems to be the one I streamed.  There are some differences between the Digital and Physical, but I'll save that for the end.

The Plot involves a man on the run from some bad guys.  Said bad guys killed everyone at a Gay Club and want no witnesses.  Why can't they go to the Police?  They're on strike.

Supposedly, the real footage they use of the *actual* Police Strike is the only existing footage to document this event.  To be clear, that's just the Strike, not the Film's Plot.  I suppose it makes sense- what local news group keeps 40 year old (give or take) footage?

Is this a forgotten gem or an overrated oldie?  Let's find out...

A Gay Bar in Canada is hopping.

Well, there are like 6 people...but it is Halifax.

You're burned, Halifax!!!

A bunch of bigots show up with bats and other wooden objects to cause trouble.

When one of the people is killed, they call in Cabe- the Leader- who kills everyone, save for one lithe man.

He runs for help, but there are no Cops due to a (real) Police Strike.

He runs to a mostly-empty Building and gets help from a friendly couple, who are having a pair of blind men over from a nearby School.

This is Canada, so will they dare put the handy-capable in real peril?

The shockingly-well-armed men lay siege- oh, I get it!- to the Building.

Thankfully, the group has some weapons, but in conveniently-limited amounts.

A gun- but only 3 bullets.

A bow- but only one arrow.

What's next- half of a sword?!?

Will they survive the Siege?  Will the bigots face justice?

Will we learn to fear the name of Cabe?

To find out, stream the Film on Shudder.

A fun, low-budget Thriller with some good surprises and atmosphere.

The Film won't win any Awards for its presentation.  It's simple, grimy and gritty.  This Film can't have more of a Budget than a School in the 'wrong part of Town' has yearly.  It's not going to give you flash or show you some big flourish of action.

Much like Assault on Precinct 13 (an obvious influence), the Film keeps you in a tight space and makes you yearn for freedom like its Leads do.  It makes you feel like you're surrounded and under attack.  It doesn't pull any punches.  Nobody is safe.

So, naturally, you can buy the physical copy and see what this Film doesn't need- Scenes set outside in the daytime that take place BEFORE the Story begins proper.  Good choice of Cuts, Shudder.

If you want a tight, atmospheric Film that is surprisingly-engaging, check this out.  If you want big Budget and Action, well, don't go to Canada in 1983.

Holiday Review: Twilight (1998)

It's not the sparkly-vampire Film. 

No, I'm actually covering...

This 1998 Thriller is notable for being the only Film to star James Garner, Paul Newman and Gene Hackman.  It just happens to share the name with the sparkly-vampire Film.

In it, Newman is a retired P.I. who's staying with a friend and is asked to do a simple job for him.

Of course, no job is that simple in Noir Films.

By Siskel & Ebert logic, this must be great.  Why?

It features M. Emmet Walsh (even if he is dying right away).

This, of course, complicates things and drags Newman into a case that somehow ties back to 20 years ago.

Can James Garner help him solve the case?

People sure are wanting to hit and or shoot at poor Mr. Newman here.  His Salad Dressing isn't that bad, is it?!?

All joking aside, lots of people are out to get each other here.

So, naturally, the only innocent one here is Giancarlo Esposito. 

No, really.

Can he solve the case (that involves blackmail, murder and a cold case)?

Will he survive to tell anyone?

To find out, watch this honestly-underrated and forgotten Film.

That's not a joke btw.

To be fair, the Film isn't *completely-forgotten* due to 2008's Twilight.  No, people online usually discover it when they learn that Reese Witherspoon appears topless in it.  

That's not why I watched it, just for the record.  And no, I'm not sharing a Screen Cap of it (censored or otherwise).

The Film is quite good as both a chance to get old, respected Actors together and to tell a good Story.  It doesn't cheat like many Mysteries do, which is nice.  It has some great Stars in it (like Stockard Channing), even when you get down to looking at future Stars.  Besides the aforementioned Witherspoon, you have Liev Schrieber in a small, but pivotal role.

It's honestly quite good, so I didn't want to SPOIL too much.  I will, however, SPOIL that apparently we have a Cameo (that I couldn't for the life of me spot) by Clint Howard and...Jason Clarke?!?

I hope you enjoyed the joke and actually check out the real Film.

April Fools Day can bring you something nice, can't it?