Bad Idea Podcast #9: Attack of the Puppet People

488) Attack of the Puppet People (1958) Dir: Bert I. Gordon Date Released: April 1958 Date Seen: December 1, 2011 Rating: 1.75/5

490) Attack of the Beast Creatures (1985) Dir: Michael Stanley Date Released: ??? Date Seen: December 3, 2011 Rating: 1.5/5

491) The Eiger Sanction (1975) Dir: Clint Eastwood Date Released: May 21, 1975 Date Seen: December 3, 2011 Rating: 2.25/5

492) Doll Graveyard (2005) Dir: Charles Band Date Released: (DVD): October 11, 2005 Date Seen: December 4, 2011 Rating: 0.75/5

493) Black Devil Doll from Hell (1984) Dir: Chester Novell Turner Date Released (DTV): XX 1984 Date Seen: December 4, 2011 Rating: 4.25/5

Oh yes, there will be creepy puppets. Listen to the ninth Bad Idea Podcast for yourself and find out whyyyyyyy.

470) J. Edgar (2011)

470) J. Edgar (2011) Dir: Clint Eastwood Date Released: November 11, 2011 Date Seen: November 12, 2011 Rating: 3.75/5

I wish this had caught on with Oscar voters. Because I'd like to see a film that's this challenging and, in some places, rather stiff, get recognized instead of The Artist, which is a very consistent and entertaining but also totally unambitious. The scope of J. Edgar is incredible and, save perhaps for the way the Clive subplot develops, the film is a generally fascinating and thoroughly opinionated take on who Hoover (Leonardo Dicaprio) was.

Psychotic, basically. He was psychotic. 

But what a psychotic! Just as in Hereafter, one of J. Edgar's best scenes is a very kinky moment of abortive romance. The game that Hoover and the girl that would become his secretary play in the Library of Congress is one of my favorite scenes of last year. Of all the recent (live-action) Oscar bait films that I've seen, this is the one I probably want to rewatch the most. 

Also: dig the use of Zipatone in this poster. Though I thought they stopped producing real Zipatone. Is that not true? I could be totally wrong...I always leave room for that eventuality.

329) Hereafter (2010)

329) Hereafter (2010) Dir: Clint Eastwood Date Released: October 2010 Date Seen: October 12, 2010 Rating: 3.5/5

This one, flawed as it is, connected with me. A lot going on in it. See my review for the New York Press.