Netflix Helps...Sometimes: Killer Klowns from Outer Space

Arguably the worst film of all time, Killer Klowns from Outer Space (yes, with a "k") is one of the most hilarious movies as well.  The characters are terrible, underdeveloped, and cliché, but add to the atrociousness this film possesses.  It is at points irrelevant and weak, but delivers in terms of entertainment.  This is a film to see on a late Friday or Saturday night, and is accessible through Netflix.

Basic B horror film plot:  Clowns similar to aliens arrive from an unusual space ship and terrorize a small town.  The film's protagonists are Dave (John Allen Nelson), a cop determined to kill these clowns; Mike (Grant Cramer), a Tom Brady lookalike who first notices the landing and tries his best to stop them as well; and Debbie (Suzanne Snyder), a person who has been involved in a love triangle between Mike and Dave.  There are several supporting character like two twins who are characterized as "lame" and sell ice cream with a truck with a clown's head as either irony or a symbol.

This film is terrible.  Completely terrible.  But it has some charming qualities that make this film very fun.  For example, though the clowns are terrible choreographed, they are just a joy to watch.  The special effects are so embarrassingly bad but cannot stop making me laugh.  No one can tell whether the director wanted to make a film this bad or not, but it sure makes for a fun ride.

Despite the characters being painfully bland, the clowns truly steal the show.  They are so much fun to watch and the filmmakers actually were very creative with how the clowns function.  They have a super ability to jump and can kill people with little ray guns.  There are moments that are laugh-out-loud hilarious and much more than a chuckle.

I wish I could say more about this film, but I cannot think of much.  It has the quality of a high school project for Film Studies made on Photoshop effects and terrible costumes and makeup.  It is hysterical but stupid.  Is it worth your time?  Yes.  Is it worth giving a "so bad it's good" score, however.  Absolutely not.  Killer Klowns from Outer Space receives a 1/4.

Top 5 Movies That Come to Mind When I Think of Citizen Kane

This is a complete waste of time, but I figured I'd make something somewhat interesting based on one of my favorite movies of all time.  Whether it has to do with the characters, the story, or the title, these are the first five movies that come to mind when I hear the movie title, Citizen Kane.  This is an activity you can do, too, where you clear your mind and think of five movies after this movie.

5. Gone with the Wind
Always argued as the greatest epic in the history of films, Gone with the Wind is a film that any movie buff has to see to consider themselves that.  The film has great cinematography, is well-edited, and has a fantastic premise, and is still revered as one of the greatest films of all time, much like Kane


4. Saving Private Ryan
I already wrote about War Horse today, so it figures this movie would come up.  So, what does this film have to do with Kane?  I actually don't know.  It's a film that came to mind, but they both have creative scripts, a fantastic lead (Orson Welles and Tom Hanks for each film respectively), and are both worth watching.

3. Cool Hand Luke
Easily one of my favorite movies, this is classic in its own right, and what I consider the first of an unofficial "prison trilogy" including this film, One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest, and the Shawshank Redemption.  Both this and Citizen Kane both have well-developed leads and are very unique in the crowd of "regular" people; they start a revolution for their respective environment.

2. Monsters, Inc.
I don't know how this relates to Citizen Kane, this is just what comes to mind.  No, I am not writing this as a joke.  I guess if I can compare the two films you can say how Kane is usually said to be the greatest film of all time, and Monsters, Inc. is my favorite Pixar film of all time, so that relates.  Or maybe this is very random.  I agree with the ladder part.

1. The Big Lebowski
I love this movie.  I love Citizen Kane.  They are both fantastic for their time periods and make huge impacts to filmmakers today.  They both have original stories, each have a lead that is very unique in terms of characterization, and each have are loved but by different types of movie fans.  These movies are awesome and that is why the Big Lebowski is the number one movie that comes to mind when I think of Citizen Kane. You human paraquats.

Wait, why did I make this again?  To waste time?  I guess I did that pretty well.  This was actually very fun and I might do this again.  But this would never be on the front page of the website, though.

AMC Best Picture Showcase: War Horse

Coming out on Christmas Day of last year, Steven Spielberg impressed audiences yet again with War Horse, a story of cheerfulness through all of its sad, harsh tones.  John Williams returns for some of his most striking work of composition of the 21st century, and surely holds the story up.  This is a film not to miss despite flaws.

Set in Europe during World War I, a teenager, Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine) convinces his family to adopt a horse from an auction which he names Joey (and has different names throughout the film as he meets new people, but I'll be calling him Joey for the sake of this review) and promises to raise it.  However, once the war calls out for whatever is best, the general takes Joey and Albert puts on him his dad's ribbon as a way of remembering him and we follow the horse's experience from there.  Whether he be on the Allies or the Central Powers, you're just rooting for the horse and making sure he's alive.

This film is technically beautiful.  The art-direction and the cinematography can draw in any viewer easily and can make a 4th grader even sit through a two-and-a-half hour film.  The sound, too, put me in a trance of fear and excitement at the same time, and I also believe was snubbed at the Oscars.  It is a spectacle to watch this film, and is worth the excitement.

What steals the show, though, is John Williams' score.  It's hard not to appreciate him by now.  He's won five Oscars, been nominated for 40, and is still the best guy to get right now.  His music is astounding, even in this film.  It truly helps add to the feeling of every character Joey encounters (of course, not deliberately), and adds a little touch for the striking war scenes or the tear-jerking happy scenes.  At the end, it will be because of John Williams that you will be smiling as you leave the theater.

Spielberg's touch on any film is magic.  Sure, he produces close to every film nowadays, but when he directs, he has a truly distinct style.  He puts the magic touch on any film, whether it be blockbuster (Jaws, E.T., Indiana Jones) or serious-mode (more recent like Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me if You Can), he always finds a way to impress audiences.  What I feel is the best shot is a little past the beginning when Albert is training Joey, seeing him ride the horse in a distanced shot feels so marvelous with all of the beautiful scenery in the sunset, feels like the most moving scene Spielberg directed since the first act of Saving Private Ryan.

This is not a film about a horse in a war.  WWI is the secondary of the plot.  The film is about a horse's encounters with many people and the relationships the people have with him.  As I stated, he doesn't mean to - everybody else does.  Spielberg treats Joey as a horse and that's all he is.  He doesn't speak or cry when there's an emotional scene, he just responds to whatever he is commanded, and this is a huge plus to the film.

War Horse is a technical masterpiece and is such a well-made film.  Of course, it is not one of Spielberg's best, but that's just like saying how Eyes Wide Shut isn't one of Kubrick's best films.  Compared to movies today versus the director's other filmography, this film is terrific.  It is definitely worth buying on Blu-Ray, and receives a 3/4.