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Reviews
Hoshikuzu kyôdai no densetsu (1985)
A film that radiates creativity and passion
I will forgive many things to a film that looks like it was made with a passion and with joy. I caught this film at a film festival a few years ago and it immediately became one of my top five favorites. First, yes the plot is super thin and sort of just keeps going but honestly that's not something that bothers me about it. Others may disagree and that's ok. Everything else is pure fun, however. The acting is exaggerated and campy. The sets are each carefully constructed, completely distinct and full of character and color. Each musical number is a joy to listen to and harkens to different musical style. It's like 15 practical effects-jammed bombastic music videos piled one after another. It takes you on a ride and doesn't let up for the entire runtime.
It's wacky and fun and I adore this singular piece created by a young film student with clearly tons of passion. I can't stress how creative this thing is. If you get the chance, absolutely check it out.
Little Corey Gorey (1993)
Seriously underrated and overlooked gem
I watched this on a whim while looking through movies released in 1993, not expecting much. While it isn't an unparalleled masterpiece, I was surprised by how much I genuinely appreciated and enjoyed this film. I watched it once on my own then again the next day because I was so delighted that I wanted to show my spouse. It's incredibly well-shot with interesting and varied shots, the ADR adds charm and is as well-done as can be expected with this limitation and it's genuinely funny in all the ways it intends!
It's very clearly a parody of horror movies and it does that well. Plot elements are set up and pay off In satisfying ways. My favorite element of the plot was the serial killer on the loose, which resolves in an absolutely delightful way. The biggest failing you see in a lot of low budget films is the pacing. That's not an issue here at all! It moves really quickly and throws a lot at you but it's always coherent and interesting, densely packed with gags and humor.
I think it's a shame that so many people equate low budget with a movie being automatically "so bad it's good". Those movies absolutely exist and I adore them but not every low budget production that's funny is good/bad. This is intentionally funny and none of the humor comes from sincere moments that are ridiculous or production errors.
Please watch this and spread it around. It's a crime that this isn't a cult classic. The whole thing is available for free on the director's website, too! Littlecoreygorey . Com will get you there.
Psycho Goreman (2020)
If you read the description and said, "this movie is for me" then you will love this
This is not a movie that children should watch but it is a kid's movie in logic and plot- and that glue and consistency makes everything come together to make a movie that I now consider one of my favorites. The writer/director clearly has a great love for both "kid befriends monster" movies and tokusatsu programming. And it's funny. The script is tightly packed with humorous moments in almost every line and scene. After my spouse and I saw this at the drive-in, we drove home recounting our favorite tiny moments that stood out and made us laugh the hardest.
With a background in practical effects and a passion for the material, we have a movie that's consistently funny and does this concept without being edgy or "shocking just to shock". Yes there's plenty of gore in select scenes but it isn't gore that's done to turn stomachs but instead as a gift to those who love practical effects and those who enjoy B horror. And this may sound strange but pretty much every scene and image of gore is done strategically for laughs. It doesn't linger on a scene or revel in it. It's an homage and a gag.
I want to also briefly mention the character and "monster" designs of this movie. Incredibly, each new horrible transformation or supervillain was head-to-toe encased in a lovingly detailed and distinct wild and creative costumes, each a nod to power ranger-esque villains. My favorite was a walking bucket of corpses who got ground up to weakly spray blood as their attack. It's hard to describe in words what was such a slate of fantastic and detailed character designs.
In the end I don't know if this movie will land with everyone. Like I said above, this is very much a kid's movie, though twisted into a bizarre alternate world version of one where swearing is a no go but someone shattering into a pile of viscera right in front of two children is fine. I do think that most people who looked at the premise and were intrigued will find this a lovingly crafted and very funny way to spend an hour and a half.