No Holds Barred DVD

 

TITLE-No Holds Barred

SOURCE-WWE DVD

Oh man the late 80s. I was watching any wrestling on tv. Renting ppvs as soon as the tapes hit the video stores. And buying every wrestling mag I could find. You would think that I was there opening night to see No Holds Barred I bet. Nope.

Situation is unique. Growing up in the heart of Mid South Wrestling territory I was never a Hulk Hogan fan. Had  a feeling the movie was going to be really bad. Rented it once it hit VHS. Hated it and never bothered seeing it again.

Few weeks back vending at a indie wrestling event down on the gulf coast. Another vendor walks over sees I got a figure he wants. Asks if I wanted to work a trade. Walk over see his DVD rack and grabbed a few to make the deal.

Thinking ok maybe it is a so bad it is good film. NOPE. 

Hogan is Rip the biggest star in wrestling. Tiny Lister is Zeus the star of a tough man contest like sport. Where they fight in an 8 sided ring.

Hogan asks a guy if he is smelling dookie. Joan Severence shows her boney butt in some panties. And Hogan shows off his orange ass cheeks in a dumb scene.

The story behind the writing and filming of this film are much more entertaining than the movie. Stories of Vince and Hogan staying up 2 days in a hotel room writing the script,with rumored mounds of cocaine.

Love seeing people hate on Ready to rumble,which is WCW's version of No Holds Barred,then claiming NHB is good.

Nah they are both bad. Just that Ready to Rumble is bad in a watchable way. And this is bad in a "Oh man I loved this as a kid so now I watch it again to go back to my childhood" way.

No Holds Barred gets a F-

Wonder Woman DVD

 

TITLE-Wonder Woman

SOURCE-Double Feature WB DVD

Years back when Wonder Woman came out I skipped it. Lots of it having to do with me just not enjoying most DC movies.

But yea part of it is I have never been a huge Wonder Woman fan. As a kid growing up in the 70s I saw her on Superfriends and the live action Linda Carter TV show. But when I would find her comic it was eitheer issues from the Kung fu era or she was fighting the dumbest villains ever.

Really it wasn't until her revamp after Crisis on Infinite Earths by George Perez that I really enjoyed Wonder Woman in comics. 

Add in how she was portrayed in the Justice League and then JLU sequel series I was a small fan.

Set back during World War 1 this movie from my memory of it shows Wonder Woman's origin as it was back in the pre-Crisis days.

Born from clay on Paradise Island. Heads to man's land after Steve Trevor lands on the island during WW1. And becomes Diana Prince.

What this film does so well is takes that basic story that I had been told in 8 pages in a reprint and makes it a fully fleshed out movie with 3 acts. And this was 2 hours 20 somethng minutes and didn't feel padded or bloated like most other capeshit films.

Our leads are all great in their roles. Gal is a believable Wonder Woman. I was worried cause she isn't as big as say Linda Carter was. But she makes it work. The guy playing Steve is good. Balancing comedy and heroism. And Ares oh so damn good.

Great battle scenes. The one with Wonder Woman jumping out of a trench and just runniing full force at a machine gun nest is so well shot,edited and everything.

Hearing the sequel isn't nearly as good. Got it on this DVD pack with the first one cheap.

Wonder Woman gets a B+

Venom Let there be Carnage DVD

 

TITLE-Venom Let There Be Carnage
SOURCE-Sony DVD

Venom hit the Spidey comics around the time I was dropping them. When the first Venom movie came out I caught it late one night on STARZ and it wasn't bad. 

Found this sequel new sealed at a pawn shop for a buck and took the chance. 

Eddie has a deal with Venom. Venom gets to eat chicken brains and chocolate,aand Eddie and Venom will fight crime.

Kletus Kasaday the serial killer wants to speak to Eddie and only Eddie. Offering him a exclusive interview. While doing the interview Kletus bites Eddie. 

Not long after this when Kletus is being put to death he doesn't die. Nope somehow part of the Symbiote is in him now. And Kletus is Carnage ready to destroy the world. Along side his girlfriend Shriek.

Only Eddie and Venom can stop them. But after a argument Venom leaves and is body hopping. Which a trip to a rave that is one of the best scenes in the film.

Leading up to a big battle at a church. Pure capshit spectacle and it was glorious.

Big and dumb,but fun...Venom Let There Be Carnage is worth seeing. And gets a C.

Shazam Fury of the Gods DVD

 

TITLE-Shazam Fury of the Gods

SOURCE-WB DVD

Never noticed back then but in the late 70s when I was a young kid DC was pushing Captain Marvel,AKA Shazam now,hard. Live action SatAM show. Cartoon,new comic,piles of merch. And it never seemed to work.

Then a few years ago a Shazam film came out and like I do with so many of these capestuff movies I buy it let it sit on my shelf for a long time then watch it. Loved it and when I found the second film cheap not that long ago I grabbed it.

Got told "Go find us a Marvel movie we haven't seen off the comic book movie shelf". Grabbed Shazam Fury of the Gods cause well they are the MARVEL family.

Billy and the rest of the Marvel family still living with their foster family. Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu show up in Greece and get the wizards staff from the first film. Get the wizard to repair it and put a bubble up around the city.

While this is going on Freddy is trying to impress the new girl at school,who turns out to be the sister of Helen and Lucy. Mary Marvel is about to head off to college and the rest of the Marvel Family has their various issues.

Seems the three sisters are the Daughters of Atlas. And are trying to take over the mortal world. 

Big battles ,decent FX work,a cool looking dragon. And we are lead to believe Billy has died. But a cameo from another DC Heroine saves the day.

Yea this ain't nearly as good as the first film. Not sure what is missing. Story,acting and FX work are all good. Also it is LONG. Like at least 20 minutes longer than needed. 

Shazam Fury of the Gods gets a C+