Posts by silentcanyon58

A little bit of trivia for anyone scratching their heads over this one...

Author Barry Longyear reported at a convention that the studio insisted on adding a subplot involving a mine, thinking the audience would not realize that the "Mine" in the title was a possessive (as in "My Enemy") rather than an object.

Is the word 'mine' in 'Enemy Mine' actually referring to a scavenger's mine?

Not at all! Author Barry Longyear was quoted as stating that 20th Century Fox asked him to write in the subplot involving the scavenger mine because the audience would not figure out that the title 'Enemy Mine' was actually a play on the phrase 'My enemy.'

Dennis Hayes39 said:The special effects might be dated and modest, but they are absolutely excellent. Just look at that opening scene with the wreckage of the spacecraft. You get this genuine sense that those are actual pieces of twisted, scorched metal floating in space. To me, that shot carries way more weight than any of the seizure-inducing lens flare spectacles found in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek. 🤷

Honestly, everything about this hits home for me! Being born in the late seventies, I practically grew up mesmerized by those kinds of practical special effects... it was just part of the landscape back then. I can't help but draw a massive parallel between what we had and what we see today; if you showed some of those old-school techniques to the younger generation, they’d probably find them a little silly or dated, but man, there was a certain soul to it that you just don't see anymore! 🙂

Personally, I’ve always been much more of a fan when it comes to practical effects—you know, those incredible physical models, intricate masks, and lifelike animatronics. There is just something so tactile and real about them! Of course, if you can blend that tangible craftsmanship with some clever CGI that actually serves the story rather than just being eye candy, then you’ve absolutely hit the jackpot in my book. 🙂

Look, I’ll be honest—you can take the plot of this movie and toss it out the window, because if we're talking about pure cinematic impact, *Hell in the Pacific* still reigns supreme in my book. But man, what stays with me even after all these years is just how fantastic the sci-fi elements are! It really hits that sweet spot for me. I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately about how much our surroundings shape our entire perspective on life, isn't that just fascinating? It’s like when you move from a quiet little suburb out in the Midwest to the bustling, high-energy streets of New York City—everything about how you process information and interact with others shifts instantly! I remember once during a summer road trip through the Rockies, I felt this incredible sense of clarity just by being surrounded by those massive, silent peaks, whereas living in a cramped apartment in Chicago can sometimes make you feel like you're constantly rushing against a clock that doesn't exist. It really makes you wonder how much of our internal "setting" is actually just a reflection of the physical world we inhabit every single day. And honestly, those special effects have such a charming, nostalgic quality to them! Even if they don't quite hold up when you hold them against today's high-tech CGI standards, they still possess this incredible sense of soul and a certain kind of magic that stays with you long after the credits roll. 🙂

Frank Moore4 said:This is such a solid movie, based on the absolute classic Hell in the Pacific starring Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune. You also can't overlook how even Enemy (TNG), where Geordi and a Romulan end up stranded on a hostile planet in the Neutral Zone, and Dawn (ENT), featuring Trip and an alien stuck on a similarly brutal world, were basically homages to the film.

Spot on! And while it would probably make the most sense to suggest watching Hell in the Pacific instead, my heart just leans much more toward Sci-Fi, so that’s definitely where my loyalties lie! 🙂

Bryan Hill4 said:This looks incredibly powerful—really stands out from the crowd. It’s definitely a must-watch. Though, if I recall correctly, I read somewhere a few months back that they actually offered the role to Shia Labeouf... honestly, thank God he isn't the one starring in this.

I have to admit, when I first saw that shot of Radcliffe with those horns coming out of his head, I actually burst out laughing! But then, as more of these bits of news started trickling in—like the fact that it's an adaptation of a book (which I haven't read myself, though I doubt it's exactly light beach reading!) combined with a director who is really starting to make a name for himself in the high-end horror scene—I found myself getting more and more hooked on the idea. Plus, I'm a huge fan of revenge movies, so when you throw in a touch of the occult, it’s basically a winning combination for me. 🙂

Oh, and one more thing... aside from how that guy was practically jumping out of his cereal box a while back because of how intense he was being, I personally don't have anything against Labeouf... even if I do think Radcliffe is a much better choice for almost any role... and I really hope they let him keep that accent of his! 🙂

While I have to agree that Spinelli is absolutely fantastic, I honestly think Jack the Ripper is total garbage... I still can't wrap my head around why people constantly rank it at the very top of the genre or why it has such a massive cult following... maybe I just totally missed the point 🤷 Aside from the fact that I am genuinely excited to see Wood playing the part of Frank, I really don't see the point in this remake for anything else. 🙂

Horns (2013.)

Daniel "Harry Potter" Radcliffe and director Alexandre Aja—who we all know from his work on films like High Tension (2003.) and Piranha (2010.)—are teaming up on a project that looks like it might be a dark horror-comedy mixed with some heavy drama elements. Since I’ve always been a huge fan of the director's style, and honestly, I can't say I mind the charming American actor either, I thought I'd start a new thread to chat about this!

The story follows a guy with the rather unusual name, Ignatius Perrish, who is head over heels for his girlfriend. After she is brutally murdered, a young Ignatius finds himself cursing God, only to wake up the very next morning with actual horns growing out of his head! To make things even more intense, he discovers that the people around him suddenly have this overwhelming urge to confess their darkest, most twisted secrets and ideas to him. Naturally, Ignatius decides to use these strange new abilities to hunt down his girlfriend's killer and get his revenge.

Just so you know, the movie is actually an adaptation of the book by Joe Hill... though I should probably warn you that the Wikipedia link likely contains spoilers, so please read at your own risk!

Anyway, here are a few behind-the-scenes shots from the set, along with this article over at Arrow in the Head...

Man, what an absolute blast! I honestly loved every single second of this ride. It feels like it’s been ages since Oliver Stone actually delivered something this punchy and unapologetic during the 2000s! One thing that really struck me was how there isn't a single "good guy" in sight—everyone is essentially a villain. Some are clearly more monstrous than others, obviously, but Stone handles that moral gray area so masterfully. He weaves it all together with those intense sequences of drug percentages, constant psychological mind games, and those sudden, jarring bursts of extreme violence that just catch you off guard. And don't even get me started on the cast; they were phenomenal! I honestly can't wrap my head around why this movie didn't hit harder with mainstream audiences... it's just brilliant. Plus, instead of that gloomy, dark crime vibe we usually see, it’s set against the gorgeous, sun-drenched backdrop of California, bursting with vibrant, almost oversaturated colors. It’s such a sweet, high-octane trip. I can't recommend it enough!

I might be totally off base here, but contrary to what most people think, Psycho (1960) isn't actually the very first slasher ever put on film... the title of "the first" really belongs to Peeping Tom (1960), even if they both hit theaters in the same year. 🙂

Oh, absolutely! I mean, people love to dive into deep discussions about movies and actors like that, regardless of what genre they’re into. It’s just part of the culture. 🙂

For instance, I could easily sit down and give you a full breakdown of why Frankenfish is actually such a fantastic watch, while Devil Fish is total garbage—honestly, it has exactly the kind of low rating on IMDb that it deserves. 🙂

I feel like we’ve drifted a bit away from the main topic here, so maybe—with the blessing of Jessica Morris6 and our moderators—we could officially rename this thread to something like "Guilty Pleasures or those movies I love but am secretly embarrassed to admit are actually great." 🙂

goldenscout14 said:Here’s a little list of some of my absolute favorite Guilty Pleasures from back in the day—hopefully you'll spot something here that hits the spot for you too!

Class of 1990

Dark Angel "Independence Day."

The Hidden

Maximum Overdrive

Hardware Mark 13

The Stuff

Split Second

Watchers

Enemy Territory

Hmm... isn't that just funny? I wouldn't go so far as calling those "guilty" pleasures at all; honestly, I think that’s just what I call having great taste in movies! 😁🙂

Mark Cruz15 said:these three: Las Vegas (1991) - IMDB

Oh man, Las Vegas! I haven't thought about that one in years! What an absolute blast of a movie! Back in the day, I was basically following everything Michael Ironside did like it was my full-time job.
🙂

Laura Palmer25 said:Could you please list which specific dates we're talking about? I'd love to take a look so we can figure out exactly where the grading went sideways! ☕

Well, if you're looking for some personal picks, here are a few of my absolute favorites that definitely didn't get the critical acclaim they deserved—even though, for some reason, I ended up having a total blast watching them! 🙂

Moontrap (1989)

Warner Bros. (1992)

Microsoft (1999)

Paramount Pictures: Universal Pictures (1990)

Netflix (1996)

John Doe (1990)

Los Angeles (1983)

Anyone else feel the same way, or am I just all alone in this? 🙂

Mark Cruz15 said:I just finished watching it! Honestly, the acting was pretty decent, and for a movie from 1982, those monsters actually looked surprisingly solid, though I felt like the special effects 🙂 and some of the battle sequences were a little rough around the edges—plus, there were definitely a few plot holes that tripped me up.
Overall, it wasn't a boring watch at all, and I think it’ll be a hit for anyone who doesn't mind a bit of a low-budget feel. For me, it’s a 5/10.

You actually gave it a pretty fair rating! You know, if I were the one grading movies, I’d probably land on something similar... maybe even higher, honestly, just because I tend to get a little sentimental about these classics... and speaking of which, I'm actually feeling quite nostalgic enough to go give it a watch myself right now! 🙂

Mark Cruz15 said:I'm planning on checking it out today and maybe dropping a review! I actually picked it up at Walmart for just a couple of bucks. 😁

If my math is right, you hit the nail on the head regarding how much this movie is actually worth. 🤣 🙂

Mark Cruz15 said:Wait, wasn't she doing those nude maternity shoots?

A-ha! That’s exactly what I was getting at regarding those photos... specifically for Vanity Fair. Major respect there. 🙂

But anyway... are you actually going to sit down and watch that damn movie Parasite or what? 🙂 Honestly, the film is total garbage and there isn't much worth seeing, but then again, on the flip side, I'd still recommend it to you... I don't even know why myself... probably just pure nostalgia talking. 🙂

Mark Cruz15 said:I feel like she was really at her best in that movie with Michael Douglas, where she's working for a big tech firm. Every major star needs that one breakout role to really put them on the map, you know?

Oh, absolutely! Disclosure (1994)... that's exactly the one we were just discussing earlier. 🙂

Laura Palmer25 said:Have you ever actually seen the shots from Playboy 😁

Oh, I definitely have! But honestly, if I had to pick, I’d much rather look at those stunning spreads she did for >. 🙂

Laura Palmer25 said:Oh, you definitely caught me there! Honestly, she just wears that villainous energy so well—it’s almost like she’s just channeling her own inner 😛
onto the screen.

And don't even get me started on Striptease and Angels: Full Throttle... it's honestly hard to decide which one is the bigger disaster! But hey, I'll be the first to admit I wasn't exactly complaining about her onscreen presence... call me a caveman if you want, but I certainly wasn't looking away! 🙂