Movie #139/ New Movie #73/ 1980s Movie #12/ Shudder Film #7: The Beyond
More of an excuse for creative practical effects than any kind of satisfying narrative, but the practical effects are a lot of fun. The idea of seven gateways to hell seems like something worth exploring in a TV show.
7/10

Movie #140/ New Movie #74/ 1980s Movie #13/ Shudder Film #8: Phantasm
This is an oddball independent film with a lot of weird concepts and practical effects. It certainly has its own style.
7/10

Movie #141/ New Movie #75/ 1970s Movie #14/ Shudder Film #9: Cat O’Nine Tails
Karl Malden’s blind former reporter is a pretty likable co-lead for a slasher, and makes for some interesting complications in the otherwise completely competent giallo.
7/10

Movie #142/ 1960s Movie #18/ Criterion Edition #27/ Czech Film #5/ Jiri Menzel Film #3/ Trains Movie #4: Closely Watched Trains
What works so well about the film is the contrast between the setting (Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia) and the concerns of the lead, an unambitious man who got a steady job and wants to satisfy his girlfriend, stumbling into a moment of historical impact. The combination of satire, sex comedy, and resistance makes this the definitive film of the Czech New Wave.
10/10

Movie #143/ New Movie #76/ 2010s Movie #17/ Shudder Film #10/ Trains Movie #5/ South Korean Movie #2: Train to Busan
Solid zombie film with decent social commentary, and an interesting concept executed well with a zombie outbreak on a train, resulting in clever threats and solutions to challenges.
8/10

Movie #144/ 2000s Movie #9/ Criterion Edition #28: The New World (First Cut)
This version remains an impressive take on people whose actions will be relevant for centuries figuring out their own lives during a historically significant time, although I do think I prefer the shorter theatrical cut, or the longer extended edition. The cinematography is breathtaking, and it is one of the great film culture clashes, a surprisingly mature and complex romance.
9/10



Movie #145/ 1990s Movie #11/ New Film #6/ Czech Film #6/ Jiri Menzel Film #4: Larks on a String
Technically, this was made in the 60s, but wasn’t released until the early 90s. It starts as a whimsical take of life at a reeducation camp (a highlight being an absurd wedding by proxy), but things get darker when the lead starts wondering where his friends have gone and asking too many questions of the authorities.
9/10

Movie #146/ New Movie# 77/ 2010s Movie #18/ Comic Book Documentary #4: Future Shock- The Story of 2000 AD
It’s an accessible documentary about the impact of a British comics anthology on pop culture and American comics, and the feedback loop as the company has to adjust to all these changes. It’s a good primer on a period in comics that I’m not all that familiar with, and has some great stories. My main complaints are that some of the events seem convenient (The current publisher and creative teams are all an improvement over a dark period in the 90s) and some of the rationale isn’t always explained (Are concerns about censors due to British law, the market, or some mix of the two?)
8/10

Movie #147/ New Movie #78/ 2000s Movie #10/ New Film #6/ Czech Film #7/ Jiri Menzel Film #5: I Served the King of England
It’s satisfying to see Menzel back at it thirty years after the Czech New Wave came to a cruel end. It’s a fun story of a flawed ambitious man, exploring themes and eras from Menzel’s earlier work.
8/10

Movie #148/ New Film #79 Silent Era Movie #10/ Criterion Edition #29: Master of the House
A theatrical adaptation set in one house is probably not the best material for a silent movie, but this is a worthwhile look of a patriarch getting humbled by the women around him, after spending the first half of the film earning their ire.
7/10

Movie #149/ New Film #80/ 2010s Movie #19: Dragon Ball Super: Broly
It’s a solid movie-length adventure for iconic characters, having some fun with the clashes between Goku and Vegeta, while setting up a worthwhile threat, and introducing decent side characters with some modern touches, like the assistants of the big bad guy having their own character arcs.
8/10

Movie #150/ New Movie #81/ 1990s Movie #12/ Criterion Edition #30/ Comic Book Documentary #5: Crumb
Probably the most famous comic book documentary, it’s a great take on a writer/ artist who provides excellent material. Robert Crumb’s upbringing, unusual style and some of the well-earned controversies about his work are all explored, in a portrait of a man who seems guileless but reveals a more twisted personality. It comes across as what it is; a talented director telling the story of a complex friend involved in a visually interesting medium. The commentary tracks are particularly useful, given how well Zwigoff knows the subject.
10 /10