[Phantom Stranger]

"Fantastic Voyage" (1966)
                -Stephen Boyd, Raquel Welch
Plot: IMDB
Scientist Jan Benes, who knows the secret to keeping soldiers shrunken for an indefinite period, escapes from behind the Iron Curtain with the help of CIA agent Grant. While being transferred, their motorcade is attacked. Benes strikes his head, causing a blood clot to form in his brain. Grant is ordered to accompany a group of scientists as they are miniaturized. The crew has one hour to get in Benes's brain, remove the clot and get out.

Phantom's Review: Slow moving, but highly entertaining sci-fi adventure. Interesting story, good acting and Oscar winning special FX, and , of course....Raquel Welch, the most gorgeous woman in movie history.  A really good movie.

[Angelus]

I love all horror movies. I am currently watching (though not a movie) the complete Twin Peaks. Never saw it before but its great so far.

[Phantom Stranger]

A weekend of holiday cheer:

"The Polar Express" (2004)
"A Christmas Carol" (1984. George C. Scott. My personal favorite version of the penisens classic)

[Phantom Stranger]

"Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows" (2011)
                                   -Robert Downey jr, Jude Law

Plot: IMDB
Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr.) and his longtime trusted associate, Doctor Watson (Jude Law), take on their arch-nemesis, Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris), with the help of Holmes's older brother Mycroft Holmes (Stephen Fry) and a gypsy named Sim (Noomi Rapace).

Phantom's Review: First, let me say, I'm a huge Holmes fan. I've read all the original stories and novels, seen dozens of films, collect the comic book, etc,. So when Downey Jr's version of Holmes hit theaters a couple of years ago I was just a bit curious about this new grungier action hero Holmes. Much to my surprise, I thought it was pretty damn good, and the sequel is even better. it follows the same style as the first one, but has a much better villain and a more interesting story. A rare sequel that's even better than the first.

[Loki]

Just saw 'Hidden', a B-movie from Canada. Some interesting monsters which are creatures born from experiments on addicted people.

[Phantom Stranger]

"Whiteout" (2009)
                    -Kate Beckinsale

Plot: IMDB
U.S. Marshal Carrie Stetko is three days from the end of her tour at an international research station in Antarctica after which she'll resign. An incident from her past haunts her. The continent's first winter storm is coming when a body, wearing no gear, is discovered in the tundra. She investigates, soon finds more bodies, and must find a motive and a murderer before the storm and her departure. A U.N. agent, Robert Pryce, appears, seemingly out of nowhere, to help. An aging physician about to retire, a nervous mission chief, a downed Soviet plane, and the weather's deadly elements add to the story.

Phantom's Review: The absolutely gorgeous Kate Beckinsale stars in a pretty standard murder mystery. Beckinsale and the rest of the cast do their best  with the material, but except for the location, most of this film is unoriginal. Not bad, if your a mystery fan, but not all that great either.
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[Phantom Stranger]

"The Mummy" (1959)
                       -Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee

Plot: IMDB:   In the 1890s a team of British archaeologists discover the untouched tomb of Princess Ananka but accidentally bring the mummified body of her High Priest back to life. Three years later back in England a follower of the same Egyptian religion unleashes the mummy to exact grisly revenge on the despoilers of the sacred past.

Phantom's Review: My personal favorite "Mummy" movie. A little more fast paced than the Karloff classic, but not an "Indiana Jones" style movie like the Brendan Frasier version. Good FX and make up. Stylish sets and costumes (of course, it's Hammer Films) and fine acting from the cast.
A highly entertaining movie.

The Wicker Tree 2011.

After four decades Robin Hardy is releasing, not a reboot or official sequel follow up to The Wickerman- The Wicker Tree- based upon his novel of the name "Cowboys and Christ" he brings to our screens what stirred a cult following back in 1973.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8etQKSZcHEY


The Wicker Tree: Young Christians Beth and Steve, a gospel singer and her cowboy boyfriend, leave Texas to preach door-to-door in Scotland . When, after initial abuse, they are welcomed with joy and elation to Tressock, the border fiefdom of Sir Lachlan Morrison, they assume their hosts simply want to hear more about Jesus. How innocent and wrong they are.

Interesting watch.

[Phantom Stranger]

"The Town That Dreaded Sundown" (1976)
-Ben Johnson
Plot: IMDB

A Texas Ranger hunts for a hooded serial killer terrorizing the residents of a small town, set in 1946 Texas. Loosely based on a true story.

Phantom's Review: I remember seeing this film in theaters way back in '76 and thinking it was a pretty good thriller, well..36 years have passed and time has not been kind to this film. With the exception of star Ben Johnson (who had been making movies for about 40 years at this time) most of the actors seem amateurish. The attempts at humor fall completely flat and their is absolutely no suspense. Actress Dawn Wells (of "Gilligan's Island" fame) has a small part as one of the victims and she does a good job, but is in the film for a very short time. Overall, my memory of this movie was a lot better than the actual film.
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[Phantom Stranger]

"Apollo 18" (2011)

Plot: IMDB
Decades-old found footage from NASA's abandoned Apollo 18 mission, where two American astronauts were sent on a secret expedition, reveals the reason the U.S. has never returned to the moon.

Phantom's Review:  Bad, really bad. The kind of bad that when the film is over you get up and open the doors to let the stink out. Skip it at all costs.

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The kind of bad that when the film is over you get up and open the doors to let the stink out. Skip it at all costs.

I laughed hard.

[Phantom Stranger]

"The Woman In Black" (2012)
                             -Daniel Radcliffe

Plot: IMDB
A young lawyer travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals.

Phantom's Review:  This is a terrific, old fashioned ghost story. Instead of the sledge hammer shocks and gore that most modern day horror films go for, this film opts for a slow build up of suspense. This film has excellent atmosphere and a couple of good scares. Daniel Radcliffe does a great job as the young lawyer  If you like classic style ghost stories, I think you'll like this film, I know I did.

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[Phantom Stranger]

"Godzilla 2000"

Plot: IMDB

Godzilla saves Tokyo from a flying saucer that transforms into the beast Orga.

Phantom's Review: First "Godzilla" film after that wretched American film was made, brings the Big G back home where he belongs. Plenty of monster action, a very cool looking "Godzilla" costume and a basic plot make this an entertaining film. Not the greatest "Godzilla" movie, but certainly not the worst.
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"The Woman In Black" (2012)

Phantom's Review:  This is a terrific, old fashioned ghost story. Instead of the sledge hammer shocks and gore that most modern day horror films go for, this film opts for a slow build up of suspense. This film has excellent atmosphere and a couple of good scares. Daniel Radcliffe does a great job as the young lawyer  If you like classic style ghost stories, I think you'll like this film, I know I did.

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Awesome movie and I totally agree on the review Phantom, i enjoyed the trail of old Christopher Lee movies

[Phantom Stranger]

"The Deadly Mantis" (1957)
                         -Craig Stevens

Plot: IMDB
A giant prehistoric praying mantis, recently freed from the Arctic ice, voraciously preys on American military at the Dew Line and works its way south.

Phantom's Review: Wonderfully corny, 1950's monster movie. Decent FX, plenty of stock footage to pad out the film and a monster that sounds just like "Spot" from "The Munsters".  A total blast.