Cinema Strikes Back

Cinema Strikes Back

@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

Movie reviews, news and interviews since 2004. We particularly love the unusual and absurd – kung fu, giallo, Czech New Wave, etc. Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/tVcR

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Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

RIP to a real one and a dude who clearly loved and appreciated doing silly accents.

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

Plus a gratuitous scene of Walter Koenig doing a Sigmund Freud impression and nailing that Austrian accent like a driver walking a line for a cop after two full bottles of Jim Beam and an eight ball.

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

What could be more badass than impaling a dude with your own gravestone?

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober Sundel Bolong (1981) - Suzzana and Barry Prima, Indonesia’s two great genre stars, in a rape/revenge ghost melodrama where S becomes a sundel bolong (a “prostitute with a hole in her” - not that hole, you creeps). Overlong but amazing practical effects and wtf moments. Suzzana COMMITS.

Cinema Strikes Back reposted

Movies Silently
@moviessilently.bsky.social

This is a great excuse to plug the British miniseries FLICKERS (1980), one of the most authentic portrayals of the madcap days of early cinema. Hoskins plays a sleazy small timer who ends up paired with a wealthy woman who needs to cover an illicit affair.

Terence Towles Canote@mercurie80.bsky.social

Today in 1942 Bob Hoskins was born.

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

I like some horror reading with my horror watching every #Shocktober, where I’m at: Read: Jaws - Peter Benchley The Ankle Grabber - Grady Hendrix States of Grace - Stephen Graham Jones The Indigo Room - SGJ Reading; The Green Man - Kingsley Amis Let’s Go Play at the Adams’ - Mendal Johnson

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober The Indigo Room (Stephen Graham Jones 2025) - not one of his better horror short stories, bit too predictable and the characters didn’t pop.

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober The Indigo Room (Stephen Graham Jones 2025) - not one of his better horror short stories, bit too predictable and the characters didn’t pop.

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober The Bride! (2026) - Huge swing, and while I wouldn’t call it a home run, I wouldn’t exactly call it a whiff either. Maybe a spectacular foul tip. Buckley was a bit too theatrical for me, especially next to Bale, and I thought the Shelley conceit was a distraction that didn’t pay off. /

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober The Bride! (2026) - Huge swing, and while I wouldn’t call it a home run, I wouldn’t exactly call it a whiff either. Maybe a spectacular foul tip. Buckley was a bit too theatrical for me, especially next to Bale, and I thought the Shelley conceit was a distraction that didn’t pay off. /

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober Hex vs Witchcraft (1980) - y’all know I love Kuei Chih-Hung but I knew I was in trouble when the horrible comedy music started 1 minute in. 40m before anything supernatural happens plus a lead I somehow hated more than the dude from Obsession. Even rampant nudity couldn’t save this turd.

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

Skerritt for me is kind of peak manly for a man of a certain age, like what you aspire to look like in your 50s and 60s, kind of rugged and rangy

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

Aw man, I fucking love Tom Skerritt. One of those actors who was just everywhere and always memorable. Loved him as a kid in Picket Fences. His big centerpiece in Alien is just immaculate and in large part because you can watch and hear him steadily lose his chill.

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

Aw man, I fucking love Tom Skerritt. One of those actors who was just everywhere and always memorable. Loved him as a kid in Picket Fences. His big centerpiece in Alien is just immaculate and in large part because you can watch and hear him steadily lose his chill.

Mark Harris@markharris.bsky.social

RIP Tom Skerritt, a reliable and enduring actor who you probably remember from...everything, basically. www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...

hollywoodreporter.comTom Skerritt, Star of ‘Picket Fences’ and ‘Alien,’ Dies at 93Mentored by Robert Altman in 'M*A*S*H,' the Emmy-winning actor later stood out in 'Top Gun,' 'The Turning Point' and 'A River Runs Through It.'
Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober Hex vs Witchcraft (1980) - y’all know I love Kuei Chih-Hung but I knew I was in trouble when the horrible comedy music started 1 minute in. 40m before anything supernatural happens plus a lead I somehow hated more than the dude from Obsession. Even rampant nudity couldn’t save this turd.

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober Cyclops (1987) - Joji Iida is the consummate weirdo. This one has a Scanners vibe with its story about mutants passing in normal human society - you know, until the tentacles come out (not that kind of tentacles, you perv). Some seriously fucked up effects ensue. Short, tight, fun.

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

+4 stars for all the incredibly gratuitous nudity, which is pretty much all the Hex films have going for them and why the third Hex, which has none, sucks so even worse. +1 star because Lo Meng shows up briefly. +1 star for the final gambling scene which is decently amusing.

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

A few more original posters from the Deadly Prey exhibit - the Spit on Your Grave one is WILD

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

so I had an insanely busy four days from Thurs to Sun what with The Devils, my shuffleboard league, a ton of wargaming, PT, the new CollectedCon at Industry City, and checking out the Deadly Prey travelling show of original Ghanaian posters. I’ll get some pics up this week, but here’s a taste.

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober Cyclops (1987) - Joji Iida is the consummate weirdo. This one has a Scanners vibe with its story about mutants passing in normal human society - you know, until the tentacles come out (not that kind of tentacles, you perv). Some seriously fucked up effects ensue. Short, tight, fun.

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober Mon Mon Mon Monsters (2017) - The poster makes the film look like fun hijinks but this is bleak AF in that uniquely HK School on Fire/Dangerous Encounters way. One of those “but who are the real monsters?” movies - the vampiric nocturnal murder cannibals or goddamn teenagers.

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

hot beef injection from Hooper

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

This edition of Jaws includes a list of all the titles that Peter Benchley considered and discarded before settling on “Jaws”. Without further ado, I give you the five shittiest: 1. Death in Squam 2. The Grinning Fish 3. Fluke 4. White Evil and last but by no means least 5. Peter Ginkel

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

Folks, what are some good ones I’m missing? My criteria for what is a tournament movie are in the list preamble.

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

This is my current tournament film ranking list, I’m sure I’m missing some good ones:

boxd.itFighting Tournament Films!!!Ranked based on the tournament, not the movie as a whole. Must be a combat sport where the goal is to defeat the opponent, need not be to the death. Should be an organized bracket and a specific time ...
Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober so far

boxd.itShocktober 2026On deck: Specters Hex vs Witchcraft Penda’s Fen Mad God Primate Smile 2 Evil Dead Trap: Hideki Bring Her Back Final Destination 5
Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober Mon Mon Mon Monsters (2017) - The poster makes the film look like fun hijinks but this is bleak AF in that uniquely HK School on Fire/Dangerous Encounters way. One of those “but who are the real monsters?” movies - the vampiric nocturnal murder cannibals or goddamn teenagers.

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

Immersive and horrifying, very much worth a watch

Jayce@jayceb.bsky.social

Gerald Kargl’s Angst (1983), a viciously marmite piece of work and clear common ancestor of New French Extremity, feels and looks decades ahead of itself in its use of body-rigs and mirrored shakey cam and seizure. Camcorder snuff and handheld horror years and years before digital’s birth.

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober Mon Mon Mon Monsters (2017) - The poster makes the film look like fun hijinks but this is bleak AF in that uniquely HK School on Fire/Dangerous Encounters way. One of those “but who are the real monsters?” movies - the vampiric nocturnal murder cannibals or goddamn teenagers.

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober The Shallows (2016) - Competent and short, which puts it over like 3/4s of shark movies. Careful not to show too much shark, though the CG is dicey when it does. Decent watch. The standout is the beautiful aquatic photography, this is low key a better surfing movie than a shark movie?

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

This edition of Jaws includes a list of all the titles that Peter Benchley considered and discarded before settling on “Jaws”. Without further ado, I give you the five shittiest: 1. Death in Squam 2. The Grinning Fish 3. Fluke 4. White Evil and last but by no means least 5. Peter Ginkel

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober Jaws (Benchley 1974) - hilarious how everyone is so much nastier. Brody’s wife is a snob and a cheater. Brody is a reverse snob and a shit. Hooper schtups Brody’s wife and is on board with opening the beaches. Mayor Vaughan is in bed with the mob. Quint ... well, he’s still an asshole 😆

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober The Shallows (2016) - Competent and short, which puts it over like 3/4s of shark movies. Careful not to show too much shark, though the CG is dicey when it does. Decent watch. The standout is the beautiful aquatic photography, this is low key a better surfing movie than a shark movie?

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

#Shocktober Jaws (Benchley 1974) - hilarious how everyone is so much nastier. Brody’s wife is a snob and a cheater. Brody is a reverse snob and a shit. Hooper schtups Brody’s wife and is on board with opening the beaches. Mayor Vaughan is in bed with the mob. Quint ... well, he’s still an asshole 😆

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

Me this morning on Bluesky 😆 (god I love Snuff Box)

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

I seem to recall it had a little bit of the same idiot vibe as when people are like “Succession?!!?! Why I would NEVER watch that, it’s about RICH people, ew” - the most hilariously pathetic bit of in-group cred-chasing since folks started pretending they need canes

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

I seem to recall it had a little bit of the same idiot vibe as when people are like “Succession?!!?! Why I would NEVER watch that, it’s about RICH people, ew” - the most hilariously pathetic bit of in-group cred-chasing since folks started pretending they need canes

Cinema Strikes Back@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

Is it just my memory playing tricks on me or was there a weird outpouring of hate for Fielder on Bluesky when the Holmes movie got announced? Because now it’s getting a pretty rapturous reception but I seem to recall the initial reaction being more of a kneejerk “Fielder pissed in my oatmeal”

Cinema Strikes Back
@cinemastrikesback.bsky.social

Is it just my memory playing tricks on me or was there a weird outpouring of hate for Fielder on Bluesky when the Holmes movie got announced? Because now it’s getting a pretty rapturous reception but I seem to recall the initial reaction being more of a kneejerk “Fielder pissed in my oatmeal”