Movies
Pretty kitsch, pretty cheap, but good fun. Battle Beyond the Stars is the kind of film that doesn't really care that it has a low budget. It has a story to tell, involving aliens, spaceships, and faraway planets, and it commits to that the best it can. What it lacks in skill and budget, it tries to make up with passion. A peaceful planet is under attack. Aggressive aliens are trying to take over the planet, the peaceful aliens find no better solution than to hire a band of fighters. Under the command of Cowboy, the leader of the pack, the gang will do their best to stop the alien invasion, which is easier said than done. The plot is loosely based on Seven Samurai, but who cares? This is a cheesy space opera with shoddy effects but made with lots of dedication. The designs are rather creative, the pacing is slick and the entertainment value is high throughout. It's far from the best sci-fi I've seen, but it sure was entertaining from start to finish.Read all
I really liked Frank Oz' remake of this film, but I had never watched the original. While I'm not a big fan of classic horror, this turned out to be a rather short film. It would also be my first Corman, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to give it a go. It's a good thing I did, as I was happily surprised to find an amusing and entertaining film here. Seymour is a clumsy guy who can't do right by his boss. He's on the verge of getting fired from the flower shop, but he gets one more chance to prove himself worthy. Seymour grew a special plant and by putting it on display in the shop he hopes to attract a lot of clients. While his plan seems to work, the plant poses a couple of practical problems. The film is a goofy, almost slapstick-like comedy enriched with some dark humor and amusing special effects. The film feels a bit rushed (it was shot in only two days, so no surprises there) and the performances are well over-the-top, but it's pretty funny and the short runtime makes sure it doesn't overstay its welcome. Quite fun.Read all