Movie Stakeout Reviews 06/09/19-19/09/19

All the latest Movieland investigations from detectives Dick Japowski & Joey Arizona. This time around we have a double-sized, super, bumper, forgot to file the paperwork edition. So let's get dusting for prints.

The Many Views of Detective Dick Japowski
Crucible of Terror (1971)
An artist uses his models for more than just inspiration in this incredibly British horror flick. This one was of interest to me as it was filmed in my village of St. Agnes with some great scenes of Jericho valley and the craggy cliffs.
If you're not into the scenery, there is also some nasty gore and creepy imagery.
First watch: 3 Doughnuts

The Arizona Case Files
Big Hero 6 (2014)
Hiro's brother Tadashi builds a robot healthcare assistant, but following his death Hiro uses the machine to help bring Tadashi's killer to justice.
Disney takes an obscure Marvel comic and turns it into a family friendly adventure, a fresh entry in a otherwise saturated market.
Rewatch: 4 Doughnuts

The Arizona Case Files
Coffy (1973)
A young nurse seeks revenge on the big players in the local drug biz after her young sister falls foul to their products.
Blaxploitation flicks are somewhat of an unexplored genre for me, besides parody I'm Gonna Git You Sucka and the classic Shaft, and if this is true representation of the genre it may need some more exploration, over the top violence, ropey acting, and cracking soundtrack, although the amount of randomly exposed breasts got a bit much.
First watch: 3 Doughnuts.

The Arizona Case Files
Knock Off (1998)
Jean-Claude van Damme is the export business, his partner is a secret CIA agent, working for a group of operatives based inside a giant Buddha statue. A representative of a company who's products JCVD exports is investigating his working practices...and is also a secret CIA agent, investigating the first group of CIA agents. Sounds complicated? Try adding in Hong Kong police, Russian terrorists, counterfeit goods, super micro bombs and you'll be as confused as this JCVD flick.
But a ridiculous plot could work in the right hands, but Knock Off seems to have been directed by someone working from the Student Filmmaker's Book of Cool Shots, and an editor mainlining caffeine for the entirety of production.
First watch: 1 Doughnut

The Many Views of Detective Dick Japowski
The Dead Don't Die (2019)
When the moon shifts off its axis Iggy Pop will come to life as one of the ravenous undead!
Colour me curious with this one. A Jim Jarmusch zombie film with a cast to die for. It's such an odd fit that I ended up appreciating what he was going for even if it is a little redundant.
First watch: 3.5

The Arizona Case Files
Judge Dredd (1995)
Sylvester Stallone plays a law enforcer in a future world where the 'Judges' cops, jury, and executioner, and Dredd's just been framed for a crime he didn't commit.
Over the years there has been a lot a whining surrounding this movie, even before the internet was a thing fan reactions to the comic adaption were heard far and wide, and for those guys it probably didn't hit the mark, but before this movie it was a relatively obscure character outside of Britain.
What you have to remember is this a Stallone action movie, and when you expect little else than that, you get more than you could of hoped for.
Rewatch: 3 Doughnuts

Dick Japowski's VHS Chronicles
The Karate Kid (1984)
Trailers: See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Candyman
Classic underdog story that sees Daniel Larusso move across country from Newark to L.A, fall for the cute ex girl of king karate and then have to deal with an entire 80s bad guy karate dojo! Best get training with the local handyman.
I couldn't even hazard a guess how many times we watched this film as children, this was the go to feel good movie.
Loved showing this to my boy for the first time... He wouldn't rate it, but he liked it, and it wasn't because I threatened him with a Chinese burn!
Rewatch: 5 Doughnuts

The Arizona Case Files
Munster, Go Home (1966)
Herman discovers he has inherited an English estate, so the Munsters head across the pond to claim their new fortune, much to the annoyance of their new relatives.
I never saw The Munsters growing up, my first introduction to the franchise was the eighties reboot series, so there is zero nostalgia attached to this flick. It was mildly amusing, but not really my sense of humour, and I lost completely in the middle section.
First watch: 2 Doughnuts

The Arizona Case Files
Primal Rage (1988)
A student Journalist investigates a campus lab experimenting with brain cell regeneration, but when he's attack by one of the research animals he becomes increasingly feral.
This is one of those bad movies that are also hugely entertaining, the acting is largely terrible but the effects are magnificent, and it's full of Eighties charm.
First watch: 3 Doughnuts

Have you seen any of the movies we've investigated? Which are pillars of the community and which ones need locking up for good? Let us know in the comments below.