Now Watching: CRAWL OR DIE (2014) via Roku’s Amazon Prime VOD Channel

CRAWL OR DIE – Mixing part ALIEN, part DESCENT, part TANK GIRL and sporting committed performances by its cast, particularly Nicole Alonso as Tank, who carries the bulk of the movie, CRAWL OR DIE manages to be more than its influences. Written and Directed by the fantastically named Oklahoma Ward and co-produced and conceived by star and producer Nicole Alonso CRAWL OR DIE manages to, transcend its inspirations, to feel fresh and be a surprisingly compelling 91 minutes of film.

Ostensibly a monster movie it becomes for star and audience something of an endurance test, filled as it is with moments of repetition, belly-gazing, and frustration,,, but mostly it is about the will of Man or in this case Woman… to survive. An addictive tale of endurance, and the will to go on, and it doesn’t hurt that you have the fine form of Nicole Alonso to follow through those tunnels (while unlikely someone would strip down to their underwear to crawl through a tunnel, having watched the movie, I for one am quite supportive of the decision :) ).

Add to that a well done creature design, a definite call to the designs of HR Giger, immersive sound design, and an unusual and frenetic title/credit sequence and you have a movie deserving of being far more well known and well seen than it is.

This is the type of film that is a great reason for DVDs and Blurays to still exist in the age of streaming, because yes I saw it for free on Amazon Prime, but I immediately wanted to own this in the best quality available, complete with Director’s and cast commentary, and special features; because for me, and others, documenting the the process can be as interesting (and sometimes moreso) as the movie.

Unfortunately CRAWL AND DIE currently has no such DVD/Blu-Ray version, and it is indicative of a failing of the industry, companies releasing these bare-bone DVDs without special features. As a rule I do not buy DVDs unless they have director’s commentary and special features.

I think these small independent film productions (such as this or FRANKENSTEIN’S ARMY, BLOOD GLACIER, THE ARROYO, CUT TO BLACK, PRAYER TO A VENGEFUL GOD, THE VALDEMAR LEGACY, AT THE DEVIL’S DOOR, THE FORBIDDEN GIRL) are doing themselves a disservice by not mining the, if not large, passionate and influential DVD/Blu-Ray aficionado market, as well as providing for posterity a little bit of documentation of the process and promotion/aggrandizement of their cast and crew.

That aside CRAWL OR DIE (far better than the other, more offensive, title that early on was bandied about for it), potentially the first in a trilogy… comes strongly Recommended. Grade: B+.

For those of you who want to try before you buy go here:

Crawl or Die Streaming

For those of you like me who like the permanence of physical media (not needing access to the cloud to view a given film, or being at the mercy of data throttling) go here:
Crawl Or Die DVD

What I’m Watching on Amazon Prime – Under Construction

What I’m Watching tonight on Amazon Prime

DARK TAROT (2014, THRILLER) – Hot women can’t save this snooze fest. avoid
SHOCK ATTACK – In this day of unlimited entertainment at your fingertips, right or wrong a movie has to sell itself in the first 7 minutes (20 minutes at the extreme outside) and unfortunately if it dooesn’t it could have the best 2nd half in the world, most people, myself as well won’t be around to find out. This movie is the poster child for that sentiment
PUZZLED LOVE -I don’t even like Romantic Comedies but this film has such energy and such wacky inventiveness you can’t help watching it. It’s a keeper.

ANGEL TERMINATORS- Crazy 80s early 90s Hong Long action. Fun bit of fluff for classic Hong Kong action fans

BLACK MASK II – Tsui hark is very much a hit or miss director but when he’s on he shines. The big camp, 60s pop art comic book stylings, of the Black Mask property plays to Tsui Harks sense of fantasy and the absurd. Perhaps too much, its a bit cheap looking, but it’s worth sticking with.

ALL SAINTS EVE- Undeniably low budget I do like the opening precredit sequence and the credit sequence while simple is well done. Will see if the rest of it holds up.

STREAMING VOD Channel of the Day : Watch Free Flix

Today’s recommended channel is Watch Free Flix.

Why.

For one main reason… the movie SUDOESTE.

Eduardo Nunes’ 2012 feature film debut is a languid, assured fable, sumptuously told. Think Djibril Diop Mambety’s HYENAS meets Murnau’s SUNRISE, not in theme, but in visual language, in pacing, in storytelling.

Other highlights of this channel:

DOSE OF REALITY (2013)
ANOTHER MAN’S GARDEN
FUSE
DIOSES
THE PRECINCT
MORLANG
POSSIBLE LIVES
EL DEDO
WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD
THOSE THREE
KABALA
OS INQUILINOS
PARTITION
THE OTHER SIDE
EXHUMED
TIN CAN MAN
CHILDREN OF A DARKER DAWN
HOUSE OF WHIPCORD

Try the channel for yourself:

http://watchfreeflix.com/

STREAMING VOD Channel of the Day : TUBITV!

Okay faithful blog reader we’re going to launch a new installment… Streaming VOD Channel of the Day!!!

Okay the name needs work, but stick with me here.

This is the golden age of choice, with more books, more music, more movies, more television, more video games, more product, more diversions at your fingertips than ever before in the history of mass-media. But the downside of all that choice, all that content, is determining what is worth your time, wading through the mire to find the marvels.

Theodore Sturgeon’s oft cited quote, ‘90% of everything is crud’ is one of the understood barometers of the digital and Internet age, and while I don’t think Sturgeon himself believed that pessimistic number (90%, that’s a bit pessimistic, I think more like 75% :)), it is true enough. There is at any given moment a lot of dreck to sift through, and limited time.

That’s where this article comes in.

Every installment we are going to examine a Streaming Roku VOD channel we think is deserving of your time, and cite specific examples you should check out from that channel.

So without further ado, this installment’s STREAMING VOD Channel of the Day (SVODCOTD for short :)) is (drumroll please)….

TUBI TV!!!

Okay, yeah it is not a name that rolls off the tongue, but let’s ignore that for the moment, the oddly named channel has some solid content and ok quality. Their content can be viewed at TUBITV.COM and the channel added to your Roku by going here.

And currently it has the below list of interesting content available. Many of the below are not available even on pay sites such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. However the negatives are:

1/ the quality needs to be better. TUBI TV needs to kick in for more bandwidth as quality can severely fluctuate during a film.

2/ the interruptions while relatively short are WAY too many! There is easily ten of them in a typical 90 minute movie. Interruptions need to be kept to less than four per 90 minute movie,

3/ Where commercials do interrupt the movie, they do so at the worst possible moment. A smarter placement of interruptions has to be devised

So a channel not without issues to overcome. But it looks like a channel that is trying to improve. So here’s the list of content you can checkout today on TUBI TV:

DOGTOOTH
CHOKING MAN
THE MILL AND THE CROSS
SCALENE
THE LOCAL
LANDSCAPE NO. 2
MORLANG
BE WITH ME
THE UNJUST – Harrowing 2010 Korean crime film
OPEN CITY -2008 Korean film pitting an international pickpocket ring against Korea’s version of the FBI. Sounds very interesting.
BLOOD RAIN – Violent, Supernatural mystery from Korea
BLEAK NIGHT – Well regarded Korean Drama not on Amazon Prime or Netflix
ARAHAN – Well regarded 2004 Martial Arts comedy not on Amazon Prime or NetFlix
ANTARCTIC JOURNAL
GOOD MAN TOWN
OCEAN OF PEARLS
LIVING IN SEDUCED CIRCUMSTANCES-seemingly all the festival reviews state that this bit of venomous and divisive horror is overlong at 75 minutes, so someone listened as it has been cut down to 61 minutes for streaming
DR. BRONNER’S MAGIC SOAP BOX
AFTER PORN ENDS
THE STRIKING TRUTH
HE’S ON MY MIND
COLOUR FROM THE DARK
THE OTHER SIDE
NUMBER 13
NIGHT FEEDERS
FUGUE – I knew nothing about this film, but I’m glad I saw it. Director Barbara Stepansky creates a captivating drama/mystery/thriller with a supernatural tinge.
BAD TASTE
SHE BEAST
WALK OF THE DEAD/VENGEANCE OF THE ZOMBIES
THE HOUSE WHERE HELL FROZE OVER
STREET LAW
ICY BREASTS
MEET THE FEEBLES
KNIFE OF ICE
RETURN OF THE STREET FIGHTER
SISTER STREET FIGHTER
ZOMBIE A-HOLE
All this plus some intriguing content such as Fitness Classes. Find out more at TUBI TV.

The 5 Best and 5 Worst Things on NetFlix Streaming!

5 BEST

Alejandro Hidalgo’s THE HOUSE AT THE END OF TIME- A genre bending film,that is smartly executed.

THE SLAP – This original 8 part Australian series comes strongly recommended. I see no way the American remake can be as compelling.

RIPPER STREET- The first two seasons are on Netflix, and they are solidly brilliant. One of the best and most consistently excellent BBC series (Unlike LUTHER that had half a good first season, and an atrocious season 2 and season 3. Or even Sherlock that had a great first season and third season, but a mediocre 2nd season)

KIDNAPPED- It took me multiple attempts to make it through this 1974 crime thriller by Mario Bava, but I’m glad I did. Nice twist at the end just puts the plus on a solidly impressive film.

THE CLEVELAND SHOW – I’m not a fan at all of Family Guy, but love the CLEVELAND SHOW.

5 WORST

DANGER 5

CHILLERAMA

REPENTANCE

HOW I ENDED THIS SUMMER – With Repentance just one of the most dissapointing and unsatisfying films on Netflix

THE REEDS – boring and mediocre

Movie Original vs Remake : THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN

THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN (1976) VS THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN (2014)

I recently watched the original THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN FROM 1976 and to my surprise rather than a simple exploitation film, I found a compelling, harrowing, and somehow (despite it’s matter of fact “pseudo documentary” style) eminently watchable film. An unexpected examination into the American heart of darkness that manages to linger and haunt long after the credits role.

I really had no interest in the 2014 ‘remake’, largely because I saw it incapable of transcending that original film’s “of its time” power. Thankfully the filmmakers had the same respect for the original and rather than attempting to remake it, they created an unexpected sequel to it that manages to speak to a 21st century audience, while invoking the unyielding ghost of that 20th century nightmare.

However, the true saving grace and the the true validation of this sequel lies in its director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, who creates one of the most stylish and inventively directed thrillers of recent years.

And even though the film falters a bit at the end (you get the feeling the scriptwriters didn’t really know how to end the film, as the reveal and conclusion stumble a bit, in a way the original film didn’t), still the momentum that Alfonso delivers is enough to leave you impressed and satisfied.

Final Grade: Both films are available for streaming [The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014)] and both are worthy of owning, but the one that I am personally excited about adding to my Blu-Ray collection (when it hopefully quickly becomes available) is the Alfonso Gomez-Rejon version, simply because of some of the superlative direction and cinematography involved. It is the calling card of a filmmaker to watch.

Scratch that. Having seen the specs on the Shout! Factory Blu-ray version of the original THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN, and its load of special features, I now proudly proclaim it as a must own Blu-Ray. For all the dazzle that the newer film offers, there are moments of pure horror in the first film that it does not come close to touching. One attack in particular, in the original film, will stick with you, about a woman and a cornfield and its unbelievable outcome, that is simply jaw dropping in its true life power, and makes pale in comparison some of the cinematic histrionics of the newer film. Decide for yourself here: The Town That Dreaded Sundown (BluRay/DVD Combo) [Blu-ray]

Movie Posters of the Day!