Today's Movies

Many Small Creatures 2: The Main Batch Movie Night

Three months ago we watched Critters and Gremlins. This Friday we'll learn where those stories were headed provided that they were intriguing enough to earn money at the box office.

Critters 2 decided to add one of the elements missing from its Gremlins-reminiscent original, a holiday setting. It's set at Easter compared to the also-Jesus-oriented Gremlins that takes place around Christmas. An Alien vs. Predator-type sequel would take place on the festival of Candlemas which celebrates the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. (Gremlins 2 x Critters 2)3: Twelfth Night.



It marks Eddie Deezen's fifth appearance:

 

Now I love Eddie Deezen but who is for moving the yardstick for qualifying BMN all-stars? It's currently at 5 movies.

We saw what would happen when you give Joe Dante $60,000, ten days and free reign to make a movie. What would happen if you gave him $5 million and several months? Gremlins 2 did not do great when it was first released but it's since become a cult movie. I saw it when it first came out, thank god, because it contains a joke that only works in the theater. Like when Ferris Bueller tells you to go home.



It stars Christopher Lee,

 

with a cameo by Paul Bartel,

 

and, of course, Dick Miller.



Which puts Dick in second place, two behind Cameron Mitchell and one ahead of Linnea Quigley and now Paul Bartel. Can't wait for the documentary about him.

 Here's what happened last week:

Today's Movies

William Shatner Movie Night

As far as I have the patience to look it up, Captain Kirk lived to 78. That's four years and counting (as of Friday) behind the actor that played him. Which means Leonard Nimoy can expect to live to at least 160. He better reboot In Search Of...



Incubus was beaten to the Esperanto punch by some movie called Angoroj that came out the year before. Incubus was almost lost to the sands of time. Stupid sand. Fortunately, the last copy was saved. Unfortunately, French subtitles where on the print. Fortunately, you could just block those out with the English subtitles. Unfortunately, for some reason the subtitles are practically in the middle of the frame. Fortunately, I've run out of material for this bit. Let's try the alphabet game!

A movie called Impulse is a favorite amongst Shatner fans. Because it's pretty ridiculous. Can you guess why? Director William Grefe might begin to explain it. Early in Mystery Science Theater 3000's run came one of my favorite episodes, Wild Rebels. Fuck this. Gotta go!

Here's what happened last week:

Today's Movies

Video Game Intrigue With Dabney Coleman Movie Night

This is the third and fourth Dabney Coleman movie at Bad Movie Night. He was in Viva Knievel! and Bad Ronald. In fact, this will be the third and fourth Dabney Coleman movie I've seen this week. Still not watching Boardwalk Empire though.

Cloak and Dagger is a rare non-horror movie from Tom Holland of Child's Play and Fright Night.

They actually made a game:



Unfortunately there are no giant tentacled eyeballs in the movie. This is the game seen in the movie, not a game based on the movie. What would that involve? A final boss where you mend father/son relations? Aim for the weak spot, their annual fishing trip!

WarGames, like SpaceCamp, doesn't believe in spaces. All it cares about is the new game from Protovision and what DEFCON it is. All I care about is Eddie Deezen's return to BMN for the first time since Zapped!

Here's what happened last week (NSFW):

Today's Movies

Erik Estrada Movie Night

Erik Estrada turns 64 next week. Or as I call it, Paul McCartney-years-old. So we should finally honor the man that's been in tons of movies that fit into the BMN aesthetic yet has been bridesmaided at every turn.



He developed such an impressive resume by working with some of the best. The guy who did Miami Connection. The guy who did Desperation Rising. The guy who did 1990: The Bronx Warriors. That last one would be Enzo Castellari, who also directed Light Blast. Light Blast is IMDB user Manloaf's favorite movie. Are you going to doubt Manloaf?



All the other movies by the guy who made Caged Fury have titles like A Scent of Heather and All American Girls II: In Heat. So while he may not belong to "some of the best" he's seen more naked women than I have.



The director's filmography gives clues as to why there's a weird combination of name actors in Caged Heat along side people with names like April Dawn Dollarhide, The Todd and Beano. Some of those name actors are Michael Parks from Kill Bill, James Hong from everything, Gregory Scott Cummins who I just noticed has been in three previous BMN movies and Ron Jeremy from Ghostbusters.



Here's what happened last week:

Today's Movies