I apologize for the lateness of this edition of Wonderful LAMB. Let's just say life took over. Last week was kinda crazy. Anywho, let's do this.
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Blog Name: 353 Haiku Movie Review. Posting Name: There's a slew of them, it seems. But the "About Me" section refers to Colleen. Country of Origin: Canada (at least Colleen). LAMB Number:72.
Other: I really can't help doing this:
Eclectic Film Taste Haikus, Podcasts, And Fun Stuff Unique Reviewing
Additional Syllables: The blog will also apparently add a few extra sentences if need be in a section called "Additional Syllables." But otherwise, they seem to stick pretty regularly to the 353 Haiku Review format. I know this is short, but I felt it was fitting for the theme (and I'm not just being lazy... I swear... mostly). They're a really interesting site with a totally unique reviewing method. And they have podcasts. Yup.
Welcome to another edition of It's A Wonderful LAMB! This edition is a very special edition, as we go back in time... in a few different ways. It's an original LAMB with a not-so-original taste in film. And he has a truly wonderful site indeed.
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Blog Name: Invasion of the B-Movies. Posting Name: Jason Soto. Country of Origin: USA. LAMB Number:5.
Other: What is there to say about Jason? Besides being one of the first LAMB members, he's been a long-time participator in all LAMB-related events. He was the winner of the first ever VERSUS challenge, Sirens of the LAMBs, where his entries for Kill Bill's The Bride beat out all the competition. He's recently won Best Theme for his blog in the 2009 LAMMYS. He also wrote a wonderfully funny article about the LAMMY events. In other words, he's LAMB-tastic.
But what about his blog? Well, when it comes to Invasion of the B-Movies, it's not just a blog. Its main page is a website that links to other things, such as his twitter account, a guide to understanding his site, the reservoir of movie reviews, and, of course, the blog itself. The first thing you might notice is the simplicity of the aesthetics. Jason keeps with the theme of B-Movies by having a B(asic) format.
As for the reviews? Like the LAMMY events article, his reviews are often amusing and funny. Beware, though, as the reviews often entail a full retelling of the film. Think of it as a written version of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (which is fitting with the theme). He writes about the occurrences of the film, as well as how ridiculous or painful they are. So these reviews are best read after having actually seen the movie (to help you understand the references he makes in reviewing and to help with the humor). He will also sometimes use captioned pictures to add to the humor.
The reviews themselves aren't all B-Movies. The majority of them are, but some are reviews of bad films in general, such as Gigli or Batman & Robin. But, yes, the majority of the reviews you will find on the site are horror, fantasy, or sci-fi related. And not all of them are negative reviews, so don't go in feeling they will be. B-Movies (or even modern horror) aren't for everyone, but those that can enjoy them, such as Jason, will find positive reviews they can agree with.
What else is there to say about Jason? Well... I could just let him tell you. In dance.
Well, it's been a good while since I've done this. Heck, it's been a while since I've done anything around these parts. In fact, the last time this was done, it was done by Fletch, and the last time I attempted anything (a third Versus event), it blew up in my face (lack of participants). So I'm back with an old reliable, It's A Wonderful LAMB. What is this, you might ask? Well, I take a look at some LAMB favorites, one blog at a time. So let's get to the new posting.
Other: Don't let the blinding red background throw you off ( :P ); Rachel's reviews are pretty darn good. And I'm not just saying that because she and I see perfectly eye-to-eye about 99.9% of the time (okay, so maybe that's a little to do with it). So what started out as Mrs. Thuro's Rants And Raves has evolved into Rachel's Reel Reviews.
The blog itself features a fascinating structure. First, the reviews in and of themselves have one element that I don't often see at many other movie blogs: They tell you whether or not there are spoilers within the review. Honestly, I think that's genius. It doesn't make her posts stick to one way of reviewing. It tells the reader straight up: "Hey... be careful, there are either mild or major spoilers herein." Or "Don't worry... you can read this review without fear of having a ruined experience!"
Another aspect of the blog that I quite enjoy is an entire section dedicated to episode reviews of Mystery Science Theater 3000. And why shouldn't the show get its own section? It's a movie-long television show of comedic genius. These were movies of the month, though that's slowed down a bit as of late.
And speaking of movie of the month, Rachel also worked for us here at the LAMB as one-time coordinator of the LAMB Movie of the Month (another activity that died due to low participation). But now you can catch her helping hands with every new posting of the LAMBScores, collecting the reviews and scores posted at the LAMB forum and put up onto the blog.
But enough about her LAMB involvement. There's still one more thing to talk about for Rachel's Reel Reviews: The scoring system. And what a better way to end the discussion than scoring (perverted minds away)? It's not exactly a basic 1-5 rating system, but it's not too out there to where it's confusing, either. Basically you have a picture of a movie reel (going with the reel theme) and posting however many reels she feels appropriate for the scoring. And all the reviewed movies can be found under specific scoring categories on the blog, as well.
So that's about all I have to say about Rachel's Reel Reviews! Give her a glance (or two), and you won't be sorry!
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, sometime contributor Nick started up this feature where he took a second look at an "old" LAMB that he was a fan of. It was a fine idea, and one that I always wanted to pick up should he ever be unable to. Well, it's high time another site gets some love. I know my position as editor/shepherd of the LAMB puts me in an odd spot in terms of calling someone out (for what would the other 250+ LAMBs think?), but my answer to that is this: join me! If you think there's a LAMB out there that deserves special mention, one that you read regularly but you don't understand why more people don't, become a contributor and put up one of these yourself! For now, it's my turn.
Blog Name:Tractor Facts Posting Name:Fox Country of Origin: USA LAMB Number:66
Other: There are few bloggers I can think of that are more diverse than Fox and his, um, wonderful Tractor Facts site. A look at some of his recent posts shows everything from DVD reviews of I've Love You So Long and 1950's Magnificent Obsession to a photo-analysis of Don Johnson's death in Guilty As Sin to theatrical reviews of He's Just Not That Into You and Wendy & Lucy to an editorial about 3-D porn. Simply put, there seems to be no genre he's not intimately familiar with, no question too important and/or inane to ask, and no picture or marketing piece (posters, etc.) he's not willing to dissect all for our reading pleasure.
And all that really interests me and intimidates me at the same time. There are scads of people out there smarter than me (about film and life in general) - but rare is the person that can school you in the socio-political realm just as easily as they can in the pop culture one. And some times, he combines all of that knowledge with a grain of salt and compares the Pope to Robert Blake circa Lost Highway.
Be warned, though: he's got a strong rebellious streak. I'm pretty sure I've called him as much in the past, but Fox can be quite the contrarian. The Dark Knight? Slumdog? Man on Wire? It's a good bet that it a film is almost universally loved by critics, our man at Tractor Facts is no fan...though he's more than happy to give you a detailed explaination of just why that is, and don't be surprised if you find yourself agreeing with those opinions, or at least questioning your own.
Let's go back in time yet again. A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, sometime contributor Nick started up this feature where he took another look at an "old" LAMB that he enjoyed. It was a fine idea, and one that I always wanted to pick up should he ever be unable to. Well, it's been six months or so, and it's high time another site gets some love. I know my position as editor/shepherd of the LAMB puts me in an odd spot in terms of calling someone out (for what would the other 200 LAMBs think?), but my answer to that is this: join me! If you think there's a LAMB out there that deserves special mention, one that you read regularly but you don't understand why more people don't, become a contributor and put up one of these yourself! Now, it's my turn.
Other: As I started to think about who I wanted to feature here, I perused my Google Reader for the sites that I read often. As I perused those, I started to think about why it is that I read them. What is it that I like about them? Is it something they do that's wildly inventive and/or unique? Are they writers with distinctive voices? Do they just post a lot of pictures of scantily-clad women? I'm diverse - I like sites that do all of these things!
Well, when it came to The Dark of the Matinee, what I saw and liked was, vainly, a bit of myself. Don't deny it - it's human nature for us to identify and align ourselves with those whom we feel kindred towards. Not only does the Hatter write a similarly structured blog to my own, with a balanced mix of reviews, lists, and editorials, but his profile shows (outside of the classic films that I'm averse to) a number of shared favorite films, but on top of that, an eclectic musical taste similar to my own and a love for sports. He could be my Canadian brother from another mother (and father, too!).
If all that weren't enough, he even named his blog after a Franz Ferdinand song (great band) and continues to title most non-review posts using song titles from artists of all spectrums (recent examples include "Hungry Like The Wolf" and "Machinehead"). An excellent personal touch that could keep you busy (guessing the artist and/or listening to the music) for hours all by itself.
The Hatter's just posted his best of for 2008. No surprise...he's got great taste. ;)
So I’ve finally gotten around to the super-mysterious project ‘o DOOM that I’ve been planning for some time now (as Fletch mentioned previously). And it doesn’t involve Nic Cage. Unless, of course, Nic Cage joins the LAMB. What it is, though, is a weekly (hopefully) spotlight on a LAMB I choose at random. It’s similar to the introduction blurb we all get, but with different information. Think of it as somewhat of an update, or a “What are they doing now?” featurette. If anybody has any ideas on how to improve this feature, please don’t hesitate to tell me. I’m all up for suggestions. So on to the first randomly featured LAMB!
Other: The blog has been up and running since March and currently has a total of 31 posts to date. It uses a nice mix of text, pictures, and even video. To Ibetolis, it’s a personal blog on the love of cinema, whether it be through reviews of favorite films or inspirational directors. His biggest running feature at the moment is a somewhat blog-a-thon of the 1000 Greatest Films of all time (God bless him and his sanity). But he has another new feature that details good opening scenes entitled “Now That’s How You Open A Movie!” As the blog is relatively new, there’s not much to discuss at this current moment, but it is very ambitious with its 1000 Greatest Films event, and I wish Ibetolis all the best in this endeavor!
Blog Name: 353 Haiku Movie Review.
