Gross Movie Reviews #562

Vertigo (DVD) – This Hitchcock film from 1958 is debated among many movie fans on how high it actually ranks among Hitchcock’s classics as it has a couple twists to it? Jimmy Stewart is a retired detective after he had an incident while chasing a criminal on rooftops. John has trouble with overcoming this fear so believes he should stay retired until a rich friend of his wants John to follow his wife for a bit of an unusual reason. John’s rich friend comes up with a whole possession of a past relative is the reason but that doesn’t stop John falling in love with her and trying to help her. The twist comes when she commits suicide and John cannot take the shock but a year later finds himself seeing her again… alive. More to the plot than I am leading on and there are a lot of things that can be pulled from this movie to debate on if you look closer? To me at least it is an interesting film but maybe not the best from Hitchcock as I give this debated classic 2 ½ stars.

Lethal Games (VHS) – A little known b-movie action flick from 1991 that stars Frank Stallone in a tale of vengeance. A new construction company pops into town to corrupt the cops and hire two goons to run people off their property. But after a couple of women have been wronged by the goons they team up with Sly’s brother to fight back and regain their community. Not a whole lot to be excited about except for a dude getting blown to bits by a rocket launcher in the last 5 minutes as I give it 1 star.

The Amityville Horror (DVD) – This 1979 film was based on the book that was written about the experience of the Lutz family had in the infamous haunted house where they only lived there for a few weeks before moving. The new family supposedly moved into a house that was the sight of a mass murder and experience lots of paranormal activity that gained worldwide attention. As a kid this movie scared the holy crappola out of everyone but as the years have passed it’s been proven a hoax. As the years go on and rewatch after rewatch the shine on this horror film as dulled. Once a classic, now I believe doesn’t hold a candle to stuff like: The Exorcist and The Omen of the same era as I give it 2 stars.

The Amityville Horror (DVD/remake) – I will be the first to admit I was surprised this film was getting an update in 2005 along with starring Ryan Reynolds as George Lutz. This film goes with more of the possession of George along with the usual paranormal bullcrap but you do get to see a very mean side of Mr. Reynolds as George Lutz that is kind of unsuspected but cool. In the end some horror fans love this version but I find it forgettable more than anything as I gave it another chance and it still didn’t do anything for me as I give it 1 ½ stars.

Baby Oopsie (Tubi) – So Charles Band has decided to dip into the less popular ‘Demonic Toys’ pool and let William Butler hopefully work his magic once again with an ultra-low budget even for Full Moon. But Butler comes out swinging as we are introduced to Sybil, a shy chubby woman who is a doll collector and has an internet show about dolls. When Sybil isn’t being picked on constantly by co-workers or mom she receives unexpectingly a package that contains “Baby Oopsie’s” head. After she fixes it up and has it on her show Baby Oopsie decides it is time to seek revenge on those who have wronged Sybil. It seems like the right thing to happen until Sybil struggles with trying to control her new doll and what damage it can actually do! Super surprised how entertaining this new Full Moon film was but with saying that this project didn’t need to be split into two parts but that s for another conversation as I give it 2 ½ stars.

The Amityville Asylum (DVD) – So by some chance you are a complete crazy person like me and keeping track: this is entry #11! Okay folks two minutes in they are trying to connect to the original slayings in 1974. How you ask? Well apparently Lisa is a young woman who badly needs a job and just got hired by an asylum as a janitor. Things are good until Lisa begins seeing dead people throughout the night while working but oh yeah some shithead built an asylum on top of 112 Ocean Ave. If that wasn’t enough story for you 11 entries in, Lisa is a patient and she is a part of the Dark Master’s plan? So begin your WTF is this series doing as this cheap entry was shot in the U.K. but sloppily tries to make you think it’s Amityville, New York as I give this a ½ star.

Bingo Hell (DVD) – Welcome to Oak Springs where the seniors of the community love their little dying community as they try to rage against the hipsters and the inevitable rebuilding. These seniors do their best to help each other out throughout the community until a mysterious black car shows up and they find out Mario just sold the bingo hall. Lupita the leader of the seniors warn them all of what bad things will come with new membership of the bingo hall but that doesn’t stop the new owner Mr. Big$ to suck residents into the devil’s den bright den. As Mr. Big keeps stealing souls of the community, Lupita refuses to break and has to figure out how to bring down this mysterious demonic presence before he feeds on all their souls. Richard Brake checks in with a wonderful performance as usual and we get a nice amount of gore but this horror film suffers from something I cannot put a finger on that stopped me from completely enjoying the horror film as I give it 2 ½ stars.

The Amityville Playhouse (DVD) – Just in case yinz kids are still counting pay attention because entry #13 is also known as ‘The Amityville Theater’ or ‘Amityville Legacy’ depending what country you are in and if you are streaming it? Anyhow part 13 is Canadian after having a short stint in the U.S. under the direction of Mark Polonia. This time around we get a film that involves a young lady named Fawn who inherits a movie theater in Amityville after her parents die. So of course the Fawn and the rest of the Scooby gang get locked into the theater for the dullest entry of the series yet. Oh hey bright idea… let’s bring an Ouija board and have the main plotline about six people being killed on November 13^th every year? Again welcome to the WTF world of Amityville but gotta give them credit: 36 years, 13 entries in and they are still trying to connect all this to the original murders and haunted home. Sounds fun but it is not because I am now invested and must this through as I have to give this dud 0 stars.   

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