Monday, August 7, 2017

RiffTrax and Worst Movies Ever – Plus The Five Doctors; Box Office and Movie News, #IWSG News, Contests, and Member in Need; and WEP

RiffTrax – Worst Movie Ever

For years, Manos: Hands of Fate was considered one of the worst films ever made. Plan Nine from Outer Space also vied for that title. Both were attacked by RiffTrax with hilarious results.

However, RiffTrax has recently tackled a couple films that just might be worse than either of those movies.

R.O.T.O.R.
Made in the 80’s as a Robocop ripoff, this film wallows in its cheapness and lack of cohesive plot. You really feel sorry for everyone who saw or rented this film, thinking they were getting something cool. Half the props look like cardboard. Plus ROTOR can see into the past with Sensor Recall. What?! This one is inept from start to finish.

Birdemic
Made in 2010, this film is even worse. A vanity project for a computer software salesman who made a fortune and then blew a chunk of it making this crappy movie. There is a ton of padding, namely with boring characters you don’t care about. The dialogue is horrible - worse than bad Japanese monster movie translations. Nothing that happens makes sense. And the birds? They would’ve been bad special effects in the 50’s.


Galaga and Pheonix arcade games had better graphics!

Watch both (at your own risk) and let me know which one you consider the worst movie ever made!

Rifftrax: Live – Doctor Who: The Five Doctors

The next show is August 17, with an encore showing on August 24 – and the guys are tackling Doctor Who.

If you’ve never been to a live show, you need to go. Mike, Bill, and Kevin riff the movie in front of a live theater audience (usually in Nashville) and the broadcast goes out live to theaters across the country. Now, seeing them in person is the best (I managed to do it once) but seeing a live broadcast is almost as good. Plus there’s something magical about being in a theater full of people who ‘get it.’

So, if you’re a RiffTrax or MST3K fan, or a Doctor Who fan, or just someone who likes making fun of movies, don’t miss it!


Box Office and Upcoming Films

An update on some big releases this year in terms of worldwide box office:
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Despicable Me 3, and Wonder Woman are all in the $800 million dollar range.
Although not likely to catch Beauty and the Beast or The Fate of the Furious, both over $1.2 billion dollars.
Spider-Man: Homecoming is still moving up with over $650 million.
And fortunately, Transformers: The Last Knight has stumbled and not even hit $600 million. (The last three Transformers films have all gone over a billion.) Maybe they will finally stop making them…

In my August movie preview, I failed to mention Wind River, starring Jeremy Renner and Kelsey Asbille. It came out August 4 in limited release. An FBI agent teams with a game tracker in a murder investigation that occurred on an American Indian reservation. What caught my attention was the director – Taylor Sheridan wrote the screenplay, and he also wrote the screenplays for Hell and High Water and Sicario, two films I really enjoyed. I’ll have to track down this film somewhere.


You’ll notice I never did review Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. I can sum it up in two words for you – hot mess. Enough said.

As for other notable films coming out this year:

September – The LEGO Ninjago Movie. No, I will not be seeing this one! Despite the Ninjas and Olivia Munn. Those are not my LEGOS. Nor did the first film amuse me.

October – Blade Runner 2049. Wow, does it look sleek!

November – Thor: Ragnarok. Wicked cool – and funny – trailers! Can’t wait to see Hulk and Loki interact. Looks like a great end to the trilogy.


November – Justice League. I have been dreaming of this film since I was a little comic book geek!!!! Joss Whedon is putting finishing touches on it after stepping in for Zack Snyder. (Who could not continue after his child committed suicide, which is very sad.)

Star Wars: The Last Jedi. It will be bittersweet, but looking forward to another great installment.


Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Thanks to every one for another great IWSG post day!
Remember, that is not a day to post and run – it’s a day to visit other writers and offer support.
It’s also not a day to just toss out a guest post – it has to relate to writer insecurity if you do.
Thanks for understanding!

There were also so many awesome #IWSGPit stories! Even those who didn’t see a lot of action on their Tweets had a good time.
2300 Tweets and our hashtag was a trending topic – that still blows me away!
The next #IWSGPit will be January 2018, and I am already adding to the list of agents and publishers to contact. We’ll have five times as many tuning in for the next one!

I still need one more co-host for September 6! Please leave a comment if you can co-host that day. You'll get the inside scoop on the IWSG Anthology Contest early...


I also wanted to mention a IWSG member in need. Christopher Votey has been a dedicated member for years and contributed a piece on world building at the IWSG site recently.
He’s also homeless right now. Due to an injury, he cannot work, and he couldn’t stay where he was living past August 1. A friend is trying to help him. Chris is a great guy – if you can. Please stop by and leave a word of encouragement for him.

Don’t forget the IWSG Show us Your Writer Insecurity contest on October 4.

There are some awesome prizes…

I’m looking forward to seeing all of the images!






And guess what’s coming in September…

Write…Edit…Publish

The Write...Edit...Publish team, Denise Covey, Yolanda Renee, Olga Godim and Nilanjana Bose, invite all writers to submit to our August challenge. We welcome flash fiction, non-fiction, poetry, photo essays or artwork. There is a $10 Amazon Gift Card for the winner, plus topnotch badges for the runners up. Let your creative juices flow for the REUNIONS challenge. Check out the WEP website for more stimulus.




What do you think is the worst film ever made? Going to see RiffTrax and The Five Doctors? What fall movie catches your interest? Participating in either IWSG contest? And have you seen Dunkirk yet? Why not?

I’m going to be gone this weekend, then after than I am taking most of August off. (I’ll poke in now and then though.) Two goals – writing and research more agents and publishers for the next #IWSGPit. Plus gear up for our next annual anthology contest!
Have a great summer.

132 comments:

Suzanne Furness said...

Hi Alex, must be holiday time for me - here early! I too, will probably just drop in and out during August. Few things planned and want to get some writing done too! Enjoy your break and summer.
Haven't been to the movies in ages - must change that soon!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Alex - thank you but no I won't be seeing any of your movies ... good or bad! Believe it or not I went to see Valerian with a grandmother and her 12 year old Belgian granddaughter ... she enjoyed it - I've yet to 'discuss' with her grandmother! So glad about the IWSG pitch ...

Yes - entering the Write Edit Publish hop with Denise and Yolanda ..

I have seen Dunkirk - a great film for a number of reasons ... the film without heroes ... a treat to watch ...

Enjoy the break and time out ... take care - cheers Hilary

Annalisa Crawford said...

Thor, Justice League and The Last Jedi are on our family radar! I'm excitedly scanning for trailers :-)

lostinimaginaryworlds.blogspot.com said...

Thanks for your tremendous help, Alex, and enjoy your break. Looking forward to your next idea.

nashvillecats2 said...

Although I have not seen any of the films I do enjoy reading your reviews, Much going on in the ISWG and am looking forward to the oncoming events.
Enjoy your break.....well deserved.

Yvonne.

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

I've seen MST3K take on Manos: The Hands of Fate. I missed seeing some of the movies you mentioned in theaters, so hopefully I'll be able to catch them on Blu-Ray. I've been watching a lot more videos lately while I crochet. My husband does plan to see Dunkirk soon with some friends; scheduling keeps getting in the way.

kaykuala said...

Something contrary to the expected recommendation - this time the other way around on ROTOR and Birdemic, that's being fair.

Hank

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I've always thought Doctor Who was cheesy, so I bet they have fun with that film.

I'm looking forward to more Thor.

Shady Del Knight said...

Hi, Alex!

Thanks for reporting the latest RiffTrax nominees for worst movies of all time. When it comes to action and/or horror movies I'm not hard to please. For example I am hooked on the Sharknado series. I can use my imagination and tolerate cheap props and implausible plots but I don't sit still for movies that are padded with boring dialogue delivered by boring characters. I have not seen R.O.T.O.R. or Birdemic and I think I'll keep it that way. :)

Have a great week, Alex!

The Cynical Sailor said...

I can't believe it's almost time for the next anthology contest - where does the time go? I'm very much looking forward to the next Star Wars movie. That will be once I definitely try to see in the theater when it comes out. Enjoy your time off in August. Cheers - Ellen

stephen Hayes said...

Worst movie ever? I've only walked out of a theater during one movie---Howard the Duck.

mshatch said...

I think there are probably a lot of movies that could tie for worst movie but I can't choose! And it goes without saying I can barely wait for The Last Jedi. It will be bittersweet.

DMS said...

Those films do look bad. At least the ROTOR was from the 80s- but Birdemic one was made less than 10 years ago. Those graphics look like the 80s!

I just saw a preview for Wind River yesterday. It looks intense and like quite the thriller. Hope you can find it in a theater near you. :)

Enjoy your break!
~Jess

Pat Hatt said...

Sooo many bad movies it would be hard to pick. Bad big budget movie, Die Hard 5, most horrible sequel I ever watched. I'd rather watch Indiana Jones 4 and Beverly hills cop 3 back to back. Let's not even mention the Star Wars prequels. A lot of direct to dvd crap, mainly Bruce Willis,. John Cusack and Nic Cage making that garbage. Nirvana pops in, with highlander dude, awful. One of the latest mind numbing ones I watched was Human Nature, blah. Okay, done.

Sure some good ones coming up. Glad that stupid transformers is finally wearing out. Meh, to the lego movies. Hot mess seems to be the general consensus on Valerian.

My WEP is done times two. Enjoy the time off at your zoo.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I already have a note of Wind River, but I can't remember where I first heard about it....

Watched 12 Feet Deep over the weekend - it was good! Solid acting, creepy story. Along the lines of Open Water.

Christine Rains said...

I have seen Birdemic, and wow, it's absolutely horrible! I would love to see the guys riffing on Doctor Who. Thankfully I have not been subjected to the Emoji movie yet... but that might happen. You're a busy guy! Have a great week. :)

Stacy McKitrick said...

Enjoy your break!

Truedessa said...

Good Morning Alex

I totally agree Valerian was a hot mess! I wanted to tell you I saw my first preview for Riff Trax when I was on vacation. I've never seen one before, I guess it must have something to do with regional showings.

I saw previews for WindRiver and I too want to see this movie. I like Jeremy Renner so I am a bit interested in seeing him in this role.

A new contest as well! That is always exciting.

Have a great week!

Stephen Tremp said...

I have a super power like R.O.T.O.R. and can also look into the past. It's called memory.

We finally got around to seeing Spiderman-Homecoming Saturday. Best Spidey movie by far. Michael Keaton was great in it.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

That is too cool about your hashtag trending! Didn't know that.

Maybe this will be the death-knell for the Transformers...

Jemi Fraser said...

Congrats on such a successful Pitch event - so much fun.
Hope you enjoy your August - I'm still having a hard time believing it's August 7th. Summer is zipping along!

Andrew Leon said...

Plan 9 is not as bad as everyone says. I've seen much MUCH worse.
Highlander 2 comes to mind.

Patricia Stoltey said...

I just put a "save" on Wind River in my Netflix DVD queue. It sounds like a movie I'd really like.

Have a great August, Alex! I hope to keep my nose to the grindstone finishing a manuscript I want to pitch to an agent at the Colorado Gold Conference in Denver in September.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Hilary, indeed a film without heroes. Just real people doing what they can.

Shady, those two are worse than Sharknado. At least Sharknado knows what it is.

Stephen, that was a bad one!

Jess, that's what blows my mind about Birdemic.

Pat, I just pretend the Star Wars prequels don't exist...

Madeline, will check it out.

Christine, there's a movement to get RiffTrax to do the Emoji Movie next.

Truedessa, sorry you had to endure Valerian.

Stephen, funny!

Elizabeth, thanks, and I hope so.

Jo said...

I don't think I will be seeing any of those movies although I have yet to see the Guardians and Wonderwoman movies.

Barbara said...

Hi Alex,
The cover art on Birdemic would be enough to put me off watching it. R.O.T.O.R. looks a bit better, but I honestly wouldn’t want to watch either of them.

I tried to visit Christopher Votey but was met with an HTTP ERROR 503, will try again later.

We went to see Dunkirk last week, brilliant film and one that sticks in the mind for more than half a day!

Enjoy your break.

cleemckenzie said...

I have to have very compelling reason to see a movie, so I think I'll skip these. Have a great break. Mines coming in September. Time to switch gears and get out and about.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

When my kids were younger we used to have fun with popcorn and whatever SyFy channel movie was on Saturday night. They made some really terrible ones with saber tooth tigers.
Looking forward the Thor and Justice League.

Tara Tyler said...

Two tons of fun and info!

Love all your movie comments and reviews - too bad about Valerian, but I saw it coming. Need a better plot, not just action - was my take on the trailers

Yeah, Bladerunner and Ragnarok! Might bring me out to the theater!

Congrats to the #IWSGPit crew! I hope to have something ready for Jan - that's my goal! That Oct contest looks tempting. And I'd like to try for the anthology again, too - hope I can squeeze it in.

Did you get enough co-hosts for Sept? Give me a shout if you need more.

Erika Beebe said...

The birds do look terrible! Turkey vultures? I am looking forward to Thor and to Star Wars. Have a great week Alex :)

Fundy Blue said...

I always enjoy your movie reviews, Alex. I'll be on the look for "Wind River." Sorry I can't help you out in September as a co-host. I'm flying to Victoria at that time.

On IWSG Day I focused on the newest members at the end. I think it's important to reach out to them and make them feel welcome. There were a surprising number who didn't post, more so than I have seen in the past. I often try to put a positive spin on my IWSG posts, even if they're related to insecurity. It's the elementary teacher in me. Sometimes I think we can get too caught up in the negative. Yes, we deal with insecurities, but I think we have to find a way to rise above them too. Enjoy your break and have a productive time!

Charles Gramlich said...

Oh wow, those movies sound awful. I've seen some bad ones. "Monster a go go" is probably the worst.

Joanne said...

I absolutely hated Eyes Wide Shut with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. I don't care that it was Kubrick - it was stupid! So there!
Anyway - you saw my Dunkirk review today - wow and awesome for Oscar potential.
So much other news out there, you cover a lot and a lot of folks. So much writing excitement and more.
Enjoy your August time and stay cool.

A Beer for the Shower said...

I've never heard of ROTOR but I almost want to see Birdemic. Seems like one of those so bad it's hilarious type of things.

The worst movie of all time, I maintain, is The Room. But you could never Rifftrax that one, because it's so laugh out loud funny just on its own.

Cherie Reich said...

I've heard bad things about Valerian, which is a shame. The images looked so cool. I'm looking forward to seeing Justice League and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Juneta key said...

You probably already have my name from last time when you ask, but I can host any of the dates you need.

Looking forward to seeing the new Transformer.

Juneta @ Writer's Gambit

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Patricia, good luck!

Jo,, you need to see both.

Barbara, that's not good! I will check out his site.

Susan, I remember that one...

Tara, I could use one more! Hope you have something for the pitch and the anthology.

Fundy, thanks for reaching out to the newbies.

Charles, which is why MST3K covered that film.

Brandon and Bryan, they did do a RiffTrax of The Room! And it was funny.

Juneta, thanks.

Tonja Drecker said...

I'm looking forward to Thor + Justice League. Love the 'hot mess' description; had me smiling. Have a nice break and good look agent/pub hunting!

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

I gasped when I read: "$800 million range." I can't even imagine a small fraction of that - why so crazy expensive? And for what? I mean, I heard Wonder Woman's a great movie, but it hasn't changed the world.
I hope you have a great rest of the month, Alex.

Misha Gerrick said...

Quite a few of those movies are on my radar, but the Lego movie isn't one of them. :-D

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Wow, I show up and you leave. :)

Poor Christopher V. I'll be praying for him. Star Wars will be bittersweet. Gotta watch it though.

Just so you know, The Hitchcock bird movie is still one of my favorites EVEN though it has a lot of phoney looking stuff.

Have a great time off.

J E Oneil said...

I hope Justice League is half as good as Wonder Woman. And sorry to be that guy, but it was Zach Snyder's daughter who died.

Have a nice vacation. You deserve it :)

Liz A. said...

It's kind of hard to pin down the worst movie ever made, because who's seen every movie? But the worst movie I've ever seen is called Dear God, and I hope to never see anything worse.

Have a great vacation.

Carol Kilgore said...

I did see Dunkirk. Awesome. I think I forgot to say congratulations on IWSG being a Top 100 site for writers. Good job. And lots of hard work. Well deserved.

Jenni said...

Enjoy your break in August, although it sounds like you'll still be working hard. Thank you for all you do for ISWG and to support the writing community! I think my son wants to see Ninjago--but I'm staying well away. :) I can't wait for the next Star Wars.

H. R. Sinclair said...

So sad to hear about Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets! I've been looking for to it. Ho hum. My worst movie is Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.

Elephant's Child said...

Thank you for all the supportive work you do. Enjoy your time away. I hope it is productive AND fun.

SpacerGuy said...

Dunkirk is a good family entertainment war movie to have for younger audiences. No horror kills and the plot.... well, what is the algorithm explains everything. Fun movie and Angelique was wonderful.

Nick Wilford said...

I didn't realise Valerian was a stinker. Certainly hyped to excess. Have a great break!

Sandra Cox said...

Ooh, ooh, can't wait to see Star Wars though I'm still disgusted about Harrison Ford being killed off. Though I heard that was his idea. And even if it was, I'm still disgusted.
;)

Karen Jones Gowen said...

We just came from seeing Dunkirk this afternoon. What an amazing film, really I've never seen anything quite like it. I enjoyed it immensely, could have watched another 2 hours.

Anonymous said...

I am so late on getting around to IWSG. Last Wednesday I was a vendor at a craft show then had another Friday and Saturday, so I'm behind on everything. And now I have work drama thrown my way. Someone clone me.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Robyn, it's scary how much some of them make.

Misha, smart woman.

Teresa, Hitchcock's The Birds is pure genius next to Birdemic!

JE, thanks, will fix that!

Liz, I will avoid it.

Thanks, Carol!

Jenni, appreciate it.

HR, bad, but I've now seen worse. At least it knew it was bad.

Space Guy, exactly!

Sandra, it was his idea.

Karen, good for you! Yes, a really unique war movie.

Patricia, want to take a run through my clone machine?

Cathrina Constantine said...

Oh my goodness! So much is happening in the community. It's great. I've got to see Dunkirk, everybody is talking about it!!

Alex, have a great week!

Trisha said...

Bummer to hear about Valerian. I'll still see it, but I guess I'll not expect an Oscar winner or anything. :)

I can't wait for Blade Runner! I hope it isn't shockingly bad - I'll hope for "decent" I guess.

L.G. Keltner said...

RiffTrax and Doctor Who? There's no way that isn't going to be amazing!

Birgit said...

My. Niece loves Dr. Who so this will be fun for her. I am looking forward to many of these films you mentioned. I will skip the. 2 very bad ones unless they are so bad they are funny. I still think Plan 9 is the worst but there are others that vie for the title like Attack of the Killer Shrews. I hang my head low that I have not seen Dunkirk yet but am planning to see it this weekend. Have a great time off this month!

Unknown said...

Aaah, I'm waiting for that Thor movie--- you can be sure I shall have advance tix!

Damyanti

G. B. Miller said...

Funny thing about the movie "Dunkirk" (and this made the news), a small segment of none-too-bright people were trashing the movie because it was too white and didn't have enough people of color in it.

Which I find incredibly hilarious, as anyone with common sense and knowledge of world history would know that everything did indeed revolve around white people because back then, people of color were either severely marginalized or simply just not recognized, thus were not involved with a war that was not of their doing or none of their business (so to speak).

I Are Writer!

Murees Dupè said...

Enjoy your time off Alex. I'm heading over to Christopher right now.

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

We hadn't been to a movie theater in years and decided to go for our wedding anniversary last week. Because we didn't want to be in the middle of a battlefield for two hours, we decided against Dunkirk and chose Valerian instead. It was a bad decision. So disappointing!

Chrys Fey said...

I'm surprised the newest Transformers movie has fallen short, though I haven't seen it yet.

I'm sorry to hear about what Chris is going through. I'll pay him a visit.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

PONTYPOOL was both the worst and, in a way, still good film. An intellectual zombie movie that tried to be thought-provoking. Glad I got to see it for free though! You have a great summer, too. My prayers are with Chris.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Tricia, hope they don't kill it.

Birgit, that's why MST3K took on Attack of the Killer Shrews and their dogs with bathmats tied to their backs.

GB, exactly!

Mary, sorry!

Roland, that movie had a great beginning and then sagged at the end.

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

I won't be seeing any of the films, just not my type of movies. Give me Elvis or Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne or Doris Day. :)

Have a great break.

Sandra Cox said...

Also want to see Thor.
Wind River sounds intriguing, but I'm not sure how violent it's going to be.

Mandy said...

Loved Spider-man so much that I saw it twice. It sounds like November is going to be a good month for movies. Thor and Justice League will be two that I'll want to see as soon as they come out.

I feel so badly for Christ. Thanks for sharing his story. I hope he is able to get back on his feet soon.

Al Penwasser said...

I hope 'Justice League' will be awesome! And much better than Batman V Superman.
Although, I have to admit, I won't like seeing Wonder Woman share the screen. HER standalone film WAS awesome.

T.F. Walsh said...

Hey Alex... love how on top of your movies you are... and I will watching so many of them :) Especially Thor. I love how it looks like a cross between Flash Gordon and Guardians of the Galaxy... it is going to be amazing :)

Helena said...

Sadly, there are always contenders for the worst movie ever. I've seen parts of some that are burned into my brain.

I stopped by Chris Votey's website and made a donation. I hope that helps him--we all hit rough patches in life.

Deepa said...

I am not sure If i would see any of these movies. Sorry :P

Click Here to see what Mrs. Dash Says

Denise Covey said...

Enjoy your time away, Alex. Hated Eyes Wide Shut. Hate Tom Cruise's acting too. Thanks for the WEP shout out!

Donna K. Weaver said...

That Birdemic made me think of Sharnado.

I wonder why a Jeremy Renner movie would come out in limited release.

I'm really looking forward to Thor.

Jeremy [Retro] said...

Cannot wait for BLADE RUNNER... and I liked ROTOR, Ha! Also so glad that the TRANSFORMERS finally hit that wall, making bad films should not break billions. Now the score is very good, even the composer steered away from traditional score that they had done in the past.

I am finding I am waiting for more and more films to be on 4K, cause I get the same feeling at home as I do in the theater... some like Star Wars, Wonder Woman and Justice League are in the show experiences...

Fingers-crossed that JL will pay off to be a good [at least]...

Have a great day, my friend...

Jeremy

Sandra Cox said...

Thanks for the heads up on Christopher. I just visited his blog.

John Wiswell said...

Good luck to everyone who enters the August challenge!

H.R. Bennett said...

Point 1) Birdemic is a god damn amazing movie if for no other reason then how much of a travesty it is.

Point 2) I kinda wanna watch ROTOR now.

Point 3) I'll go check out WEP and see just how much of my free time I'm willing to consume. haha

Sherry Ellis said...

Sorry to hear about Christopher! That's not good news.

I can't believe what bad reviews those movies got. Wow!

Five Doctors looks like it might be funny. If I have any time, I'll have to check it out.

C.D. Gallant-King said...

Is ROTOR the inspiration for those cheesy "Kick-Puncher" movies in Community?

I had high hopes for Valerian, but I suspected it was not going to be what I wanted it to be. I still don't understand when studios put ungodly sums of money into movies that just seem destined to fail.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Sandra, go in prepared - it does have a rape scene.

Al, yes it was!

TF, that is an interesting comparison, but you're right!

Helena, that was nice of you.

Denise, you're welcome.

Donna, it makes Sharknado look good.

Jeremy, I'm hoping Justice League knocks it out of the park.

Robert, don't watch it without RiffTrax. You've been warned...

CD, possibly! I know, and the director used to be good.

Sarah Allen said...

Yeah, I heard Valerian was pretty terrible...

Brandon Ax said...

I have seen Birdemic or at least as much as I could stomach of watching it. I just kept saying, why?

You know I am super excited for Justice League and I am so proud of Wonder Woman.

Spiderman wasn't a bad movie and it still ave a few places left to open.

I am bummed The Dark Tower seems to be bad. I am looking forward to It though. Fingers crossed.

Sandra Cox said...

I hope your weekend and August off is filled with wonder and joy.

Theresa Mahoney said...

I'm not much into movies these days. It seems Hollywood has run out of original ideas. I did make time for Wonder Woman, acting like a real fan girl at its release. Nothing else has stuck my fancy as a must see though, so I'll take these last few months of the year to catch up on t.v. shows I'm behind on and hope 2018 brings better movie magic our way.

I took most of the last month off myself, only popping in occasionally and it was glorious. I hope you enjoy your vacation as well!

Anonymous said...

Well Alex, if you can believe it, I still haven't seen Dark Tower. I will, I'm just not as excited as I was because of all the stupid reviews. My oldest saw it and like me is huge fan of the books and said it wasn't that great if you're looking at from that perspective so it took the wind out of my sails. Maybe next week?

Lynda Dietz said...

I'll have to recommend the two worst movies to my sons. They get together every so often for what they call "Ringo and Chill," where they watch a truly awful movie, have a cocktail and maybe pizza, and narrate their own dialogue additions in a Ringo Starr voice. They have a blast, and are always searching for the next bad movie.

I'm looking forward to Bladerunner and Thor, and I'm with you on the LEGO movie. The Ninjago line just did not scream "LEGO" to me, and a moview of it sounds even worse.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Sarah, just avoid it.

Brandon, you have to watch the RiffTrax version.

Thanks, Sandra!

Theresa, sometimes we just need a break.

Elsie, I'm probably going to just skip it...

Lynda, your sons will have a blast with those two. And good, someone else who feels that way about the Lego movies.

Magic Love Crow said...

I don't think I want to see any of those worst movies! LOL! I agree, they should stop making the Transformer films! I can't wait to see Blade Runner 2049! Take Care Alex!

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

What do I think is the worst film ever made? I'd have to say "Plan 9" still, even though you've discovered some really good contenders for that raspberry. In reading about that rich guy's vanity project, I can think of so many other things I'd like to put money toward movie-wise than what that guy ended up doing with his fortune. It's interesting what people value.

Rachna Chhabria said...

Hi Alex, you always do a lot and give the rest of us a severe inferiority complex. I'm not a big movie buff, I prefer to read books. Enjoy your vacation.

M Pax said...

Hmm, after watching MST3K, I think the worst movie ever made was Wizards of the Lost Kingdom and then they made a part 2. Not enough beer to get through those... and Youngary was pretty terrible too. Enjoy your time off.

Sandra Cox said...

The REUNIONS challenge sounds like fun. A thank you to all the hosts.

Alex, again, have fun this month!

Arlee Bird said...

You shouldn't be making fun of "Bird" movies. You might get pecked for that.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out

Catherine Stine said...

Wow, Birdemic looks horrendously, hilariously bad!!! And I will check out Wind River.

mail4rosey said...

I wouldn't mind seeing the live show. The Justice League movie is one I'll be wanting to see when it comes out too.

Rhonda Albom said...

I always thought "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" was the worst movie ever made, but that second one you mentioned here from 2010 sounds like a good competitor for the titles. As for the new movies, Justice League sounds like a winner. Live Dr. Who - I don't even watch it on TV, but my daughter discovered it recently and has spent countless hours in her journey to see them all.

Julie Flanders said...

I've never heard of Birdemic but your description and the image cracked me up. I can't imagine.
Enjoy your weekend away and have a productive rest of the month!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Michael, watch those two films and you just might change your mind. And would you believe there was a Birdemic II?

Rachna, I don't do as much as you think.

Mary, both of those were bad.

Lee, funny!

Rhonda, Killer Tomatoes knew what it was and aimed for cheesy bad. These two really thought they were decent movies.

Thanks, everyone! Enjoying my vacation so far.

Mason T. Matchak said...

Rifftrax or not, I can't sit down and make myself watch a movie I know will be bad. -_- I have enjoyed their takes on movies I actually liked, though I've only seen one or two. And I'm seriously looking forward to both Thor and Star Wars later this year. Bwa ha ha.

Enjoy your time away! Hope the agent/publisher search goes well.

Carrie-Anne said...

I think anything from Mystery Science Theatre 3000 is a strong contender for worst film ever. It's hard to choose just one, since they've roasted so many turkeys.

Susan Kane said...


Enjoy August, hopefully in a cooler place with lots of green plants!

Tamara Narayan said...

I hardly ever get to sit down and enjoy a movie, so I'll be skipping those that stink. ;)

I saw The Circle the other night. While it's not the worst movie I've ever seen, it was dull and not as good as the book. Big surprise. Darkness Falls was a throwaway horror movie I went to long ago that was pretty awful.

klahanie said...

Hi Alex,

Yep, as per usual, I'm beyond fashionably late for the party!

Some movies are so bad that they are actually good. Some movies are so bad, full stop! Blair Witch Project, as far as I'm concerned, has to be one of the worst, over-hyped movies, ever!

The biggest film in the UK, as of now, is Dunkirk. My elderly parents watched it last Saturday in Vancouver and found it most emotive although a bit too loud out of the speakers.

Speaking of Dr. Who, a very good friend of mine has met several of the older Dr. Who's. His house is a Dr. Who shrine with many autographed books by a number of actors who played Dr. Who such as, Tom Baker and John Pertwee.

I'll check out Christopher Votey. I wish him a more positive future.

Enjoy your well-earned break from the weird and wacky world of blogging, Alex.

Gary

Nilanjana Bose said...

Hi Alex,

Congrats on the ISWG events!

I got to watch The Fate of the Furious, Dunkirk, Wonder Woman, the Spiderman film, The Mummy (all good except the last, which was super terrible :) didn't like it at all, the earlier films were better in comparison) over the summer. Guess that's my year's quota of films done. Do want to watch The Last Jedi when it's here though.

Enjoy your break!

Chemist Ken said...

Thanks again for all the hard work. You certainly deserve some time off.

Jen said...

Hi Alex!
I hope you're having a wonderful summer and I hope you're enjoying your August off. Whew! Summer always seems to suck the strength from me and I haven't the energy to do ANYTHING! I can't wait to get back into the swing of online things in September :) It looks like a lot of really cool things are on the horizon! Have a great week!
Cheers,
Jen

Tyrean Martinson said...

Happy Vacation/Holiday!
I think I share your movie tastes! I'm looking forward to the same ones and I feel like the only one of my friends who is not a huge fan of the Lego movies ... ah well.
I'm glad the IWSGPit day went well!

kimlajevardi.com said...

I hope things begin to turn around for Christopher.

Enjoy your break!

JFM said...

Hi Alex! I am visiting here from Sandra Cox's blog...wow! Facinating blog!

Shannon Lawrence said...

I'm looking forward to Thor and Blade Runner. Enjoy your time off.

Nigel G Mitchell said...

I want to see Birdemic. I love bad movies. I hope they're not too hard on "The Five Doctors," it's one of my favorites.

Emily R. King said...

Alex! I just realized I have to approve comments on my website before they post. I just went back through my comments for the past year. I'm so sorry for my late reply to yours. Thanks for being so dedicated and supportive. I truly appreciate it!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Carrie-Anne, yes they have.

Gary, that's cool they've met some of the Doctors.

Nila, I skipped The Mummy since reviews said it was vanilla.

Tyrean, you're not alone when it comes to Lego movies.

Thanks, Jan!

Nigel, they'll probably just have fun with it.

That's all right, Emily. I just had to approve your comment this morning.

Michelle Wallace said...

Hope you're having a good summer break!
Though it can't be much of a break if you're busy writing, and researching agents and publishers... more of a semi-break...

Bish Denham said...

Hope you've had a nice time taking August off. I'm finally back from my vacation and am trying to settle into "the routine."

Blue Grumpster said...

Valerian broke my heart.

J.H. Moncrieff said...

I meant to participate in the first #IWSGPit, but due to a bunch of unforeseen circumstances, didn't make it. Glad to hear it went so well!

I look forward to the next one. Hope you're having a great summer.

When it comes to the IWSG, is it still okay to post positive news about overcoming insecurities, or would you prefer we keep it to insecurities only? I've been trying to provide positive takeaways that other writers can use.

Katherines Corner said...

Hello sweet friend. I always know I can count on you when it comes to movie reviews. You know I love super corny sci fi but the birdemic just got scrubbed from my silly sci fi movies to watch list, thank you for saving me the agony of watching. Very excited about the new star wars, Blade runner and justice league. They are all on our movies to watch list. Wishing you a beautiful day ahead and only good things for you and yours, Katherine

Mina Burrows said...

Hi Alex! Boy do I miss you guys! Hope you are doing well. Me? Good.

One of the worst films I saw in the theater was District 9.

I wanted to see Valerian but it sounds like I should pass. 😉

The Happy Whisk said...

Happy Rest of Your Summer (to you and your honey bunny).

Toi Thomas said...

I'm a hot mess right now. Not sure how I missed this, but I'm glad I checked. I was wondering why I hadn't read any of your blog posts in awhile. Great post, BTW.

Unknown said...

Hope you're enjoying your break, Alex!

Mark said...

Birdemic? Now I have to see it;) I'm definitely waiting on baited breath for Bladerunner though:)

Lidy said...

Thought of giving Valerian a shot but don't know. In the meantime I can't wait for Thor Ragnarok and Justice League movies. Have you seen the new Netflix movie Death Note, the film adaptation on the manga? Never been a Death Note fan, so never read the manga, watched the anime or the J-drama adaptation. Heard a lot of fans were upset about it and wondered what you thought.

Deniz Bevan said...

Ooh, I hope you'll tell us about that show in detail! Love the first five Doctors :-)

I've always wanted to see Plan Nine From Outer Space ever since the Seinfeld mention, and I still haven't seen it!

Loni Townsend said...

WHAT? How did I end up missing this? I've been totally off my game this month.

I will probably go see Ninjago in the theaters with my kids. They love the TV series, and it's the theme we're using for their birthday party this weekend. I am perturbed that they changed all the character backgrounds for the movie though, and I'm also perturbed that they have Jackie Chan voicing Sensei Wu for the movie. Despite my love for Jackie Chan, Sensei Wu is Japanese, not Chinese, but I guess to most people, Asian is Asian.

Totally looking forward to Thor!

Donna K. Weaver said...

I'm looking forward to League.

Melissa Sugar said...

Hi Alex, I'm not sure this is the worst movie ever made, but it is the only movie I can remember ever walking out of before it ended. I was young and I may have walked out simply because I was scared. I don't even remember much about the movie except the main characters being chased in a motor home - that and walking out. But I'd bet a million dollars if anyone knows anything about the movie, it will be you. It was titled Race With The Devil. I don't even know who starred in the movie or what year it came out. I know I was far too young to see such a scary movie.
I'm sorry to hear about Christopher. I've been so caught up in my own family tragedy that I haven't been keeping up with news around the blogging world. I'm gonna pop over to his site now and see what I can do to help. Very kind of you to lead people his way. Hope all is well is your life. Take care.

Leslie S. Rose said...

BIRDEMIC! Is it my birthday? I must find this immediately.

Bish Denham said...

I'm just not sure about a remake of Blade Runner...

Sandra Cox said...

Lots of good movies coming out! Hopefully we'll have an entertaining winter.
Hope you had and Mrs. Alex had a great weekend.

Karen Lynn said...

I saw Dunkirk. I didn't love it, but I didn't regret going, either. It had a very different philosophical and aesthetic bent than a lot of the WWII movies I've seen over the years.