Saturday, September 11, 2021

Alexandra Baron


 

New Stuff: From Straight to Bizarre: Zappa, Beefheart, Alice Cooper and LA's Lunatic Fringe

 


Morgan Fletchall

 


Alien³ (1992)

 

Ripley continues to be stalked by a savage alien, after her escape pod crashes on a prison planet.

Although it has a good premise, all the necessary ingredients and some great visual moments, this movie is from beginning to start incoherent, basically a total mess.

On re-watching: the longer so-called Assembly Cut is a major improvement and offers a more stringent narrative than the original theatrical release.

Halliwell (no star): "Grim, grey sequel that struggles, and fails, to add something new to the now familiar story."

Maltin**: "More-of-the-same sequel...Good performances, some scares, but a definite feeling of deja vu hangs over the proceedings."


 

Tao Okamoto



New Stuff: Sons of Kemet


 

Friday, September 10, 2021

Who's That Girl?

 

(ph: Andre Da Costa)

Art: Beatrice Cerocchi


 
Find more at:

 
 

Imaan Hammam

 

ph: Alasdair McLellan

A day in the life, Jul 28, 2021

 

A day in the life, Jul 28, 2021, at the carousel

Andrea Bartlow


 

Aliens (1986)

 

The planet from Alien (1979) has been colonized, but contact is lost so a rescue team with impressive firepower is sent to investigate.

Sensible sequel to a sci-fi classic and upping the ante on suspense and action, although there are some silly moments (alien mother riding the elevator).

On re-watching: A step down from the original, more focused on action, but it certainly delivers the goods.

Halliwell*: "Frightening but mechanical sequel with none of the half-assed poetry of the original."

Maltin***1/2: "Intense, exciting sequel directed by Cameron the same way he did THE TERMINATOR - once it gets going there's just no letup! Weaver is sensational in compelling leading role."


 

Janiece Dilone

 

ph: Yulia Gorbachenko

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

First Lines: Muriel Spark - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

 

The boys, as they talked to the girls from Marcia Blaine School, stood on the far side of their bicycles holding the handlebars, which established a protective fence of bicycle between the sexes, and the impression that at any moment the boys were likely to be away.

Sunday, September 5, 2021

Today's Cat


 

Alina Phillips


 

A day in the life, Aug 9, 2020

 

A day in the life, Aug 9, 2020, three chimneys

Birgit Kos

 

ph: Camilla Akrans

New Stuff: John McLaughlin


 

Kaia Gerber

 

ph: Luigi & Iango

Alien (1979)

 

After a space merchant vessel receives an unknown transmission as a distress call, one of the crew is attacked by a mysterious life form and they soon realize that its life cycle has merely begun. 

Superbly directed and highly suspenseful sci-fi thriller, the decrepit spaceship design and especially the truly abhorrent creation of the alien still influence sci-fi and horror movies to this day.

On re-watching: a classic of its genre that reveals new details on every new viewing.

Halliwell****: "Deliberately scarifying and highly commercial shocker. On its own terms, a classic of suspense - and art direction."

Maltin***1/2: "Space-age horror film reverts to 1950s formula, but unfolds at a deliberate pace, populates the story with interesting, colorful characters, and plants its (genuine) shock moments with exceptional skill. Imitated but seldom equaled."