Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) Review:

Jason Vorhees is one of those special villains who manages to stay a float no matter how bad the films revolving around him got. The first three films told one storyline centering around Jason's mythology. Then the fourth and fifth films connected to those by introducing a new character by the name of Tommy Jarvis. After seeing friends and family massacred by the machete wielding masked killer, Tommy has remained haunted by those moments since. However by this film, storytelling was way off, the characters were uninteresting and the series was really hitting a slump in its creativity. But for the series sixth outing, it actually managed to step it up a bit. By no means is it fantastic, but it is better than the previous entry before it.

Thom Mathews (right) as the new Tommy Jarvis

Tommy Jarvis (Thom Mathews) is now a bit older than previous events and has made it his mission to destroy Jason (C.J. Graham) and the grave where his body rests. After failing to do so when a lightning bolt revives Jason from the dead, Jarvis heads back Camp Crystal Lake now renamed Camp Forest Green to warn the authorities headed by Sheriff Garris (David Kagen). Much to no one's surprise, Garris does not believe Jarvis and holds him captive. Meanwhile Jason begins doing what he does best; racking up the body count. All the while Garris' daughter Megan (Jennifer Cooke) wants to get to know more about Tommy. The script and direction was taken care of by Tom McLoughlin. Who actually helps make this film much more watchable.

The script isn't perfect because it still has big hurdles to overcome, but it shows there was effort put in. First the problems. Being that the last film concluded rather obnoxiously, McLoughlin sort of had to overwrite the prior story. This leads to bad continuity in this second saga of Jason Vorhees Vs Tommy Jarvis. On top of that, much of the supporting characters are still as bland as ever. David Kagen plays his role like every other non believer, Kerry Noonan, Renée Jones, Tom Fridley and Darcy DeMoss are completely oblivious as to what's happening. The only three actors to really make anything of it was Thom Mathews as Tommy Jarvis, who at least has way more personality than John Shepard in the last film.

Jennifer Cooke also tries to help when needed. C.J. Graham as Jason works too, with his lumbering yet imposing presence. What does work in the script though is the satirical tone that is used. Right from the beginning, the intro credits are introduced by Jason walking in on the screen like he's 007. There's also a character that references the fact that "any weirdo wearing a mask isn't friendly". These are things not expected, but clever. There's also a little more tension to this feature because the campsite is actually populated with kids this time. That can be scary. Unfortunately, the kills and the cliches that bring them are still not the best. It is still a step in the right direction though.

"I'm back,........surprised?"

The cinematography shot by Jon Kranhouse was well lit. Seeing Jason walking around during the day is different even though over time, the settings convert to night time. Even then, the images filmed are nicely lit. There's an underwater scene that looks very impressive too. Kranhouse would also film for Kickboxer (1989), Decoy (1995) and Something More (1999). Lastly was Harry Manfredini's score which also has improved and has thankfully stuck around. The score not only continues its usual Friday the 13th stings, but also includes the latin hymn Dies Irae into it as well. This not only makes the motif for Jason more distinguishable, but also more memorable. Nice.

Concluding the Tommy Jarvis saga wasn't as good as it could have been, but it definitely finished better than expected considering its prior entry. The characters are still not that interesting and the kills are regaining some of their uniqueness, but it’s not there yet. What really stands out though is the music, camerawork and some of the satirical additives the script throws in.

Points Earned --> 5:10

Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992) Review:

Taking on a gig just to outdo a competitor isn't usually the wisest idea. When you make haste, you lay waste. Unfortunately for Sylvester Stallone, he learned the hard way, when he and Arnold Schwarzenegger were neck and neck. Both stars were at the top of their game when it came to action films, and both were highly sought out. Especially after James Cameron's blockbuster hit Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Stallone was more than likely looking for a way to one up Schwarzenegger. His rival thought otherwise and began a rumor that he would be signing on to the project that would become this movie. As for Stallone, he took the bait and fully regrets the decision.

Eselle Getty & Sylvester Stallone

Written by three people Blake Snyder, William Osborne and William Davies, the story is about Joe Bomowski (Sylvester Stallone), a good cop trying to keep things together. Not only with his career but his love life involving his lieutenant Gwen Harper (JoBeth Williams). However, when Joe learns his mother Tutti (Estelle Getty) is coming to visit, things get tougher for him, because his mother embarrasses him every step of the way. Whether it be on the job or in front of his snobby colleague Ross (J. Kenneth Campbell), Joe can't cut a break. With two writers who would later pen The Scorpion King (2002), Flushed Away (2006) and How to Train Your Dragon (2010), it's amazing they made it past this.

This is not even an okay comedy at all, but it also isn't awful either. It's just bad. With director Roger Spottiswoode at the helm, viewers would think there must be some redeemable qualities. This is yet to be completely seen though when it comes to how the cast performs. Sylvester Stallone as Joe Bomowski is not much of a compelling character. He's constantly grinding his teeth and griping about everything. Understandably so since Estelle Getty as Joe's mom is completely oblivious as to what his son needs, which is personal space. There are things she spews out to the public that just shouldn't be repeated. How anyone thought this was cute doesn't make any sense.

For comedy, there's only a few chuckles from time to time, but much of it is cringe worthy and silly dialog. The fact that the other characters think Joe is too uptight and his mother is really sweet is truly unbelievable. There's also appearances from Roger Rees, Martin Ferrero and Richard Schiff. This doesn't add much to the experience though seeing that they all share the mediocre load of the film. One redeemable aspect are the action sequences since they are fairly quick and entertaining. Further down the run time an interesting set piece takes place that some viewers may not ever get to see done practically. By today's standards it would all be done via CGI.

"So,.....I was supposed to star with Arnold"

Visually, the film doesn't have much style. It is as bland as the material presented on screen. The cinematography handled by Frank Tidy was competently shot, it just didn't do anything for the viewing experience. While he has worked on other films like Hot Pursuit (1987), Code of Silence (1985) and The Mean Season (1985), this particular work by him is just standard. The film score was composed by Alan Silvestri who does his best to make sure he's known throughout the film. Here he creates a comical theme for the scenario and it's quite different from that of his more contemporary works. His action cues also contain a lot of percussion, again not heard much in his later career. Well done.

The problem with this comedy is that it's just not funny and it has really silly material. The cast try to make this work, but it falls flat with uninspired camerawork, and ludicrous circumstances. The only parts that are worth noting is the music and a couple different action sequences. It's good just to see how low Stallone's career was for him at the time.

Points Earned -->4:10

I Am Mother (2019) Review:

Science fiction futures are becoming more of a reality every day. Technology is becoming smarter, quicker, more dynamic and more independent. While most of these attributes are good things, for every plus comes a negative, or vise versa. For all the science fiction films that brought audiences cute and happy Johnny Fives from Short Circuit (1986), there will always be a T-800 from James Cameron's The Terminator (1984). It's something that us humans need to be mindful of every time we tinker with these artificial intelligent contraptions. If we're not careful, as many public figures have expressed, we humans may be responsible for our own undoing. Which is pretty much how this film starts off.

Mother robot

In a not so distant future, viewers are introduced to a sentient robot who calls herself mother, voiced by Rose Byrne. There she artificially conceives a baby using enhanced biotechnology. Time passes and we learn that things have become rather rotten outside and Mother doesn't want her daughter (Clara Rugaard) to go outside. But like any young adult, her curiosity gets the better of her. More specifically, when an outsider gets her attention played by Hilary Swank. This new introduction in the daughter's life begins a battle between who is telling the truth. Both the female stranger and her mother begin saying things that seem questionable. The question is, who is more right, or, right at all for that matter?

The script was written by Michael Lloyd Green who had only written for two short films before this. The same could be said for director Grant Sputore, who had only worked on one short and the Castaway series. However, things seemed to turn out okay because of the limited cast for this production. Most newcomer directors and writers have a harder time when big name stars, studios or productions are involved. That's not the case here though. Both Green and Sputore use their limits to the max by providing a tightly knit story with several layers of thought provoking commentary on human morals and where the decisions are no longer a yes or a no. Situations are not always two choices.

Yet, the one thing the screenplay does not do justice for the film are the results of those decisions. There are a few vague setups that are open for interpretations that aren't exactly clear. This can be frustrating for viewers who will want some kind of resolve for various things. Really though, this is the only weak point within the movie. The actors cast for this feature do a competent job. Luke Hawker who plays the physical movements of Mother does a good job. Even without a face, expression can be understood through body language. The same could be said for Rose Byrne who voices Mother. Her vocals are not only soothing, but quite impressive for a robot who has one eye like that of Hal 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).

"So,....you gonna help me get out?"

Clara Rugaard and Hilary Swank also work well on screen together. Swank is obviously a veteran in her career but Rugaard plays a second best to her. Rugaard has also been in Teen Spirit (2018). As for the visuals, the special effects were very believable. Mother is quite a piece of machinery, kudos to the person who designed her. The cinematography by Steve Annis was good too, considering he's only shot for Kissing Candace (2017). The film score was also very appropriate, mixing synthesizers and classic orchestral components, making the story that more engaging. Composing the score was duo Dan Luscombe and Antony Partos; both have had their fair share of projects.

Vague setups left for interpretation is probably the only shaky area to this feature. The cast, music, camerawork, effects and underlining themes are the soundest parts a viewer will come across in this intriguing sci-fi thriller.

Points Earned --> 8:10

Oscar (1991) Review:

Parodies among various genres can be tough to pull off correctly. It must lightly make fun of the subject it is presenting without stepping on anyone's toes. It can be challenging, because swinging either way to an extreme will make the story not funny at all. It'll either insult the audience watching it, or it'll be just flat out boring. For Sylvester Stallone, comedy was never a strong point of his. In the few that he did partake in, nobody found it funny nor did he get positive recognition from it. However, there is one film that proves he could do it and this is the feature. Whether it's because he was involved with the right crew or if he found the right material to work with, both of these possible solutions are what helped in the viewing experience.

Stallone as "Snaps" Provolone

Stallone plays Angelo "Snaps" Provolone, an Italian mobster who is forced into a change in lifestyle when his dying father Eduardo (Kirk Douglas), asks him to go into a different profession. Soon after, "Snaps" moves into the banking business, but needs to convince a set of bankers first that he qualifies. The day of this meeting, he learns his accountant Anthony (Vincent Spano) wants to ask his daughter for her hand in marriage. Turning things even more upside down is learning that his daughter Lisa (Marisa Tomei) is pregnant but from a fired employee of "Snaps" called Oscar. All the while, the cops led by Lt. Toomey (Kurtwood Smith) is trying to pin "Snaps" for something illegal.

The script was written by Michael Barrie and Jim Mulholland, who would later write for Bad Boys (1995) and then the Late Show with David Letterman. Directing the feature was John Landis, famously known for his widely popular The Blues Brothers (1980). The writing to this feature only has one critical flaw and that is, it may move just a little too fast for some viewers. Mainly because the plot written above contains only some of the complexities to this story. However, this is also what makes it so intriguing to watch because of how many subplots cross, and yet they manage to all stay on track and resolve themselves over the course of the running time. That is impressive since many stories suffer from this kind of pitfall.

The comedic elements to this feature are a bundle of laughs. Stallone gives a great performance thanks to his googly eyed reactions, quick retorts and 4th wall breaking looks he gives to the camera. His henchmen led by (Aldo) Peter Riegert and Connie (Chazz Palminteri) go with the flow. These three are the ones who more or less fall into the parody genre since they have tropes that make fun of Italian mobsters. Marisa Tomei as Lisa is fantastic, being that she would later become Aunt May, it was a rather wonderful surprise. Even Tim Curry shows up for some fun as Dr. Poole, a teacher in linguistics to help "Snaps" get better at talking like a normal person.

"I Marisa Tomei,...will become Aunt May in the future!"

That and the rest of the supporting cast work well off each other. There's also appearances from Yvonne De Carlo, Don Ameche, Eddie Bracken, Art LaFleur, Martin Ferrero and Harry Shearer. For cinematography, the camera was handled by Mac Ahlberg. Having worked on other films like Hell Night (1981), Re-Animator (1985), House (1985), DeepStar Six (1989) and Robot Jox (1989), Ahlberg's work uses all of the settings to his advantage for clear and picturesque views. Lastly Elmer Bernstein composed the score for this film. Unfortunately the score isn't as much as some would hope, but it does fit the film very well. The film also utilizes older music too from other artists like Bing Crosby.

For parodies on the Italian mobster, this film is as good as it gets. The script has some sharp dialog and a very interesting plot. The actors all do a swell job, the camerawork is competent and the music is all easy on the ears. Just be sure to keep up with the pacing.

Points Earned --> 8:10