Zeiram (1991) & Zeiram 2 (1994) Movie Review

Zeiram is a franchise created by science fiction and action film director, art designer and artist Keita Amemiya. The main character, Iria (played by Yūko Moriyama), a female space bounty hunter, has become wildly popular among Tokusatsu fans and because of the success of the first feature film outing a prequel animated series was released in 1994, months before a sequel.

The first film is about a bounty hunter named Iria who, along with her partner Bob, catches intergalactic criminals. They travel to earth so they can get Zeiram, an extraterrestrial creature that could become a great threat to humanity. Two electricians (Kamiya and Tepei) help Iria fight the alien creature in a virtually constructed alternate dimension called a "Zone", where the battle for the fate of mankind will take place.

The script for the sequel is kind of similar with a few modifications here and there. This time, Zeiram is back in the body of a robotic supersoldier and summons new minions and threats the protagonists have to defeat.

Featuring abundant dynamic action, pretty fantastic practical special effects that bring to life the biomechanical H. G. Giger-like creature designs with the charm and spectacle one can expect from Tokusatsu, both Zeiram films deliver the goods when it comes to enjoyable and fun thrills and top notch VFX for a film of its kind.

There´s also some solid direction going on, with great shots, well done cinematography and entertaining fight sequences that entertain all throughout. I will say that the actual plots are perhaps a bit too uninvolving and dry, sometimes you feel like there's not enough dramatic force or character progression going on, even feeling borderline repetitive.

Another problem is that the character of Iria isn't the main focus of the movies and she sort of steps back from a lot of the runtime and more character development is given to the human male characters, who aren't awful but are far from interesting. I think there was a lot of wasted potential when it comes to Iria, she has the personality, the looks and the abilities to be a great heroine in media but it's all bogged down because there aren't any character arcs or personal conflicts going on with her. I understand that she is kind of non-human, but you can still do a compelling story with her. Her relationship with the human guys is also quite stale and too distant to work fully, but it's far from bad or incoherent.

I think that when it comes to production design, art design and just pure kineticism these movies have you covered because they involve all of the basic ingredients for a fun time with an action flick, especially if you are particularly fond of delirious japanese sci-fi with outrageous stunts and creature designs.

Check these movies out and have some fun with the cool Iria and Bob.

Annie Oakley (1935) Movie Review

Annie Oakley is a 1935 classic western movie directed by George Stevens and stars the legendary Barbara Stanwyck as the equally legendary but real western icon Annie Oakley. The film tells the life of the female sharpshooter and her romantic relationship with Toby Walker. 

First thing you should know is that this a highly fictionalized version of Annie's real life and becomes more palatable for a Hollywood audience but it's also perfectly structured as a western melodramatic story. So I will review it as it's own thing. The good news is that it works, being a highly enjoyable piece of old Hollywood, if perhaps somewhat dated. 

This was a pretty enjoyable and riveting old-timey western spectacle. The main conflict probably gets lost a bit in between the different shows and shooting sequences but it's entertaining all throughout. I liked the chemistry between the two leads and their relationship was very solidly constructed and performed by the actors, whose on screen presence is quite engaging.

Annie is a nice feminist character in western cinema, often being more capable and talented at shooting than her male counterparts (something incredibly obvious if you know anything about the title character), however, in a key scene for the plot she misses intentionally and makes her family lose money. Now, you might think that she missed because she wanted to protect her opponent's fragile masculinity or because of societal pressure but instead it is revealed shortly after that she did it because she had the hots for him. Ok then...

It's likely that the film is about the progress and continuous advancement in society from the late 1800's to the 1900's, embodied by the feminist Annie. I say this because the whole movie gives me a vibe of long gone male dominated era to enter a more egalitarian and modern one, this is further confirmed by the remarks some old people make about how women weren't allowed to do certain things like smoking in previous times, something laughable considering how normal those things were even during the making of the film, lines like that are delivered ironically and for perhaps satirical purposes.

Overall, with a nice pace and short runtime, Annie Oakley might me romanticized version of the female shooter's life story, but it stands on its own as a romantic and funny American myth (back when Hollywood could change things with a purpose), complete with a nice love story. There's no real "action" but it's far from boring.

This wouldn't be the first or last time Annie was featured in a film. The real life Annie shot a short film titled Annie Oakley in 1894, showing her shooting prowess. As a fictional character, Annie would later appear in the second best known movie about her: Annie Get Your Gun (1946) and several other films and TV shows would continue adding to her legend.

Borderlands (2024) Movie Review

Based on the successful video game franchise, Borderlands is a 2024 action-adventure sci-fi movie directed by Eli Roth, who also co-wrote the film with an unknown writer named Joe Crombie. The film had a good cast with many familiar faces such as Cate Blanchett, Ariana Greenblatt, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Jamie Lee Curtis. Roth has stated that this is supposed to be his Barbarella (1968) tribute for the new era. 

A film inspired by the games had been planned as far back as 2011 but it wasn't until 2021 when they actually started shooting. After watching the finished film, director Tim Miller (Deadpool, Terminator: Dark Fate) was brought in by the studio executives for reshoots in 2023. These reshoots were apparently extensive and completely changed the film in the editing room.

A box office failure, the film was also panned by both critics and audiences across the globe. Often being cited as one of the worst video games movies and among the worst of 2024. Is it really? or is that an exaggeration?

Space bounty hunter Lilith (Cate Blanchett) is hired by Atlas, a powerful magnate, to rescue his daughter, Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), at Pandora (Lilith's home planet). Once there, she meets several misfits who join her as she finds out about Atlas' real motivations and secrets. 

It really sticks to the screenwriting mantra of "make each plot point interesting and add more conflict to any scene that you can" which makes for some rather fun twists and turns inside the structure of each scene. In that sense, you get some inventive sequences every now and then that break any type of monotony and when you mix that up with a fast pace and constant movement you get the film at its best: as a serviceable and entertaining romp.

The worst parts aren't as prominent but they really stick with you. For starters there's nothing new or truly original about its story, it's all bare bones and very by-the-book at its core, which can only amount to so much. The small robot, Claptrap, is also quite annoying, that's really the most awful comedic part (aside from some of Kevin Hart's quips), it's hardly a total dealbreaker, but it's somewhat constant.

The action is well thought and decently shot overall, with good stunts and creative choreographies that are visually quite imaginative. I can see the influence Barbarella had on Roth, to a point, but this reminds me more of a crappy Star Wars rip off or Galaxina (1980) more than anything and it's sort of funny seeing that style of filmmaking in a modern day blockbuster movie based on a video game.

Blanchett has a great time with her role as a stern but unclean bounty hunter, like a modern version of spaghetti western protagonists. The best performance in the picture. Jamie Lee Curtis is alright but the director never used her much. Ariana Greenblatt is cheeky and funny, she has her moments as a cute mayhem girl. The rest I can take or leave. That's a big problem because they never get intimate moments or even good chemistry among them, so their relationships seem rushed and stale sometimes.

I can really only recommend it to those who watch a lot of movies. Hear me out. If you are used to low rent movies and have been exposed to strange, offbeat and quirky genre films you can probably get that vibe here with more entertainment value. Otherwise, it's not something noteworthy.

The Muthers (1976) Movie Review

Here we have another low budget exploitation film, this time a Phillipino production directed by Cirio H. Santiago (TNT Jackson, Firecracker, Silk, Naked Vengeance, Angelfist). Released in 1976 and starring Jeannie Bell, Rosanne Katon, Trina Parks and Jayne Kennedy. While sometimes considered a blaxploitation film it lacks the urban aspect but has some of the other requirements.

The Muthers rose to prominence soon after Quentin Tarantino called it one of his favorite films. It was also one of the films featured in the documentary Machete Maidens Unleashed (2010), about the exploitation productions of the country. It's also known for being one of the rare action pictures with black female leads. Making it a noteworthy cult film, probably more seen in recent times than ever before.

Two modern day female pirates, Kelly (Jean Bell) and Angie (Rosanne Katon) operate in the South Seas, stealing from tourists and other ships. Sandra, Kelly's sister, is captured and taken to the dangerous Monteiro Plantation, where the inmates face cruel and ruthless treatment. Now the two leading ladies have to use their crew and dangerous abilities in order to get Sandra out of that hellhole.

With super cool action sequences, a solid sense of rhythm, a captivating premise and rough yet pleasant performances The Muthers is simply a very tender and no-frills flick. The type of cinema that solves everything with a good fist fight and a shootout. In fact, by the end there's nothing but people shooting and being shot.

The main actresses look beautiful and are quite photogenic, their performances are also charismatic, giving the characters vivid personalities and they all inhabit a rich world of their own. I think the fun/funny conversations the characters have also add a lot to the experience, the plotline may be bare bones, but the sharp dialogue and the organic acting make it refreshing and enjoyable to watch.

The direction is a bit still and dry for some of it, there aren't many fancy camera tricks, framings or compositions, but it more than makes up for it with the constant action and the fast moving editing that gives the film a good rhythm. A bit basic but reliable and digestible in every way. 

The settings are rich and full of life, very solid locations that might feel a bit redundant or familiar if you have seen the Women In Prison movies Roger Corman produced. I will say, this one is a bit more heavy on the liberating action and about the same regarding their women's lib attitude.

There are also some brutal scenes that won't really put anyone away if they know that this is an exploitation film, but that might shock some viewers if they are new to this type of film. It's sleazy and crude but we can't expect any less from a grindhouse movie, it also never undermines the women in any fashion. That's a plus in the field.

Recommended for those looking for a cheap but somewhat clever action movie from the seventies. No holds barred and nothing but camp.