The Punisher

In the early 90s, I was a regular reader of Punisher comics. At the same time, I was not allowed to watch 1989's The Punisher. Even though my parents turned a blind eye to the violent comics I was reading, they held firm when it came to keeping me from seeing R rated movies. Maybe they were just happy I was reading. Who can say for sure? So, until very recently, The Punisher remained a mystery to me. Watching it now as an adult, I was struck by how cheap it looked. This shouldn't have come as a surprise to me given that it was made by New World Pictures, a company started by Roger Corman. Dolph Lundgren's look as the Punisher never quite worked for me either. He looks like a cross between the Terminator, Ghost Rider and Jerry Only from The Misfits. Some of the early sequences in the movie had serious slasher vibes, which I quite enjoyed. But you can tell that they tried to soften the impact of the film's violent nihilism by having the Punisher spend a good chunk of the movie trying to save some kidnapped children. Of the three Punisher films released so far, I would put 1989's The Punisher in the middle. Not the best, not the worst.

Rating: 63%

(Image from Wikipedia)

The Power of Kroll

Tensions are already running high when the Doctor and Romana arrive on the third moon of Delta Magna. The local tribe, referred to as the Swampies, are at war with the crew of a large scale methane refinery. Things are further complicated when the Swampies deity, Kroll, emerges from the depths and begins to consume anything that moves. The Power of Kroll is a decent serial with fairly decent effects. However, the look of the Swampies, actors painted green wearing "tribal" garb and painted cornrow wigs, is ridiculous. There's no real denying it. As far as the plot goes, it isn't anything particularly groundbreaking. We've seen similar, and slightly better, versions of this story in serials like Doctor Who and the Silurians and Terror of the Zygons.

Rating: Oh look, it's coming this way%

Daylight

After a massive explosion, a group of people become trapped inside the Holland Tunnel. With the water levels rising and a rapidly dwindling air supply, it's a race against time to save them. Their only hope, a cab driver named Kit. Daylight is an underrated action/disaster film. The practical effects still look great today. The cast is really good as well, with a number of them giving really standout performances. Is it a realistic movie? No, not at all. But, if you're looking for verisimilitude in a 90s action blockbuster, you might be an idiot.

Rating: 73%

(Image from Wikipedia)

Fun Fact: One of the survivors is played by Danielle Harris, star of Halloween 4, 5, the Producer's Cut of 6 and the Rob Zombie duology.

The 'Burbs

Ray Peterson can't seem to enjoy his vacation. He becomes obsessed with the strange lights and sounds coming from his neighbor's house. Nobody on the block seems to know anything about Ray's neighbors, the Klopeks. On the surface, they seem to be a quiet family who keep to themselves. But, buried just below the surface, something truly strange might be going on. Joe Dante's The 'Burbs is an absurdist comedy with a Twilight Zone edge. In his first role as a father, America's Dad Tom Hanks leads a terrific cast that includes Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, Corey Feldman and Henry Gibson. The 'Burbs has a great sense of scale. The whole movie takes place on one street and yet everything is given a grand sense of significance. The movie's dialogue is snappy and all of the main characters are unique and well defined. The 'Burbs is an excellent showcase for Joe Dante's comedy and horror sensibilities.

Rating: 78%

(Image from Wikipedia)

Fun Fact: A couple years before he played Hans Klopek in The 'Burbs, Courtney Gains played Malachai in the original Children of the Corn.