Movie Tally for June 2014

So, yeah... That moving thing I mentioned last month? Did not happen. I've told the story a number of times already, but the short of it is that we are relieved it did not happen. So relieved were we that we treated ourselves to a day at the cinemas, which resulted in the first two movies on the list. It still ended up being a light month, though. I'll admit it; I'm not proud of it. Nonetheless, here's what I did see in June:

Godzilla (2014)
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Saving Mr. Banks
Hatchet III
Manhunter
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
Almost Human (2013)
Warm Bodies
Would You Rather
Deadly Eyes
Intrepidos Punks

Notes:

• I finally got to see Joe Begos's low-budget sci-fi horror flick, Almost Human. So worth the wait! A much-needed reminder that extravagent budgets and condescending self-awareness are not the only routes to make a monster movie. Almost Human proves that sometimes imagination is all you need to kick ass.
• Once a month, Jumpcut Cafe in Studio City hosts Secret Sixteen, where a movie is projected in 16mm, and the identity of the picture isn't known until it starts. June's screening was co-hosted by Shout! Factory's phenomenal sub-line, Scream Factory, promoting one of its upcoming releases: the 1981 Canadian killer rat flick, Deadly Eyes. That was an incredibly entertaining hidden gem, and it is definitely being added to my ever-growing Scream Factory Blu-ray wishlist. Thanks to Scream Factory's Jeff Nelson, projectionist Mike Williamson, and Jumpcut owner Elric Kane for a great showing.

•  I can't believe it took me this long to watch Manhunter. I've heard so many great things about this first film adaptation of Thomas Harris's novel, Red Dragon, yet I never made an effort to seek it out. It took seeing the existence of a 2001 limited edition DVD by Anchor Bay to spur me into making the film a blind buy. I hardly ever do that, but Manhunter had a profound effect on me with its dream-like quality, 80s soundtrack, and performances by William Peterson and Tom Noonan. The film has given me tremendous courage to purchase movies I've never watched before, but deep down feel I will enjoy.
• Speaking of seeking out new stuff, allow me a moment to pimp out the new book Heavy Metal Movies, by Mike "McBeardo" McPadden. It's a massive guide to "...666 Most Ear- and Eye-Ripping Big Scream Films Ever." This is a tome I've been anticipating a long time, and once it was out I snatched a copy up. As of right now, I am about half-way through reading it, and it has been glorious! Get your copy here. On a whim one night, I decided to put it to use and checked out the Mexican exploitation pic, Intrepidos Punks, via YouTube. The look and attitude may scream Plasmatics, but the music and sensibility is more along the lines of late-60s biker movies. What a wacko combo.
• The new Godzilla rocked my world.