Street Asylum
i feel this movie can be appreciated by fans of the bmovie scifi genre. it takes a bit of patience to watch it, i've seen it about two times. the second time was better. i zoned out and watched it, my friend did not like it and fell asleep. meanwhile i enjoyed this visual feast. its based in your post apoc city underground. the main character is kicked out of his police job. back to his seedy apartment. ironically he claims he'll be going back to nothing. although he still has his place and seems to be getting by. he wants to get out of the city, a sort of ghetto with bleak implications. an amazing line is delivered by a fascist city guard, who bursts into his apt, because they saw him with a known prostitute outside of the legal zone the other day... "is that the normal size of your ----" referring to his privates the society is exploitave and interrogative. i really appreciate the sound track and back alley progression of the film. i like the gritty nature of the film. technically this is not a pleasing film and will not enthrall techno junkies. use of the imagination is required. i feel this adds well to post-apoc completist essences.
Woodyanders
In yet another bleak and depressing depiction of the future (this time as a post-plague, post-World War III, perpetually dark and desolate wasteland run by strict authoritarian "1984"ish Big Brother types), young lovers Bone (a solid and engaging portrayal by the handsome Peter Nelson) and Helen (a winningly fiery'n'feisty turn by the sexy Sherilyn Fenn) are hired by crafty rich guy Jason (a really amusing and entertaining David Carradine) to pull off a few heists. When Jason doesn't live up to his side of the bargain Bone and Helen become wanted on the lam fugitives ala Bonnie and Clyde. Luis Llosa's capable, energetic direction (Llosa went on to helm the trashy Sly Stallone vehicle "The Specialist" and the delightfully hokey giant killer snake hoot "Anaconda"), Daryl Haney's witty, profane script, Rick Conrad's rousing synthesizer score, and fine supporting performances by Michael Shaner as Bone's obnoxious brother Creon, Orlando Sacha as amiable old-timer Alexi and Robert Englund lookalike Don Manor as petty crook J.D. all ensure that "Crime Zone" makes the grade as a lively, exciting and overall above average sci-fi action romp.
Bart
Well, what can I say? I have seen a lot of low budget, poorly produced sci-fi and horror flicks, and I *usually* can find something of value in them, but this movie from 1988 is by far one of the worst. Crime Zone makes Albert Pyun's Cyborg look like a masterpiece. Let's see....where to start.....the lighting, props, costumes and effects are REALLY poor. I mean, people aren't stupid, it's obviously a bb gun Helen carries around through the last half of the film. I think I saw the same gun at Wal*mart last week. I don't even want to discuss the plot let alone the acting. I don't know how David Carradine got mixed up in this film, because the other actors are quite lame. I guess Sherilyn Fenn is OK, but Peter Nelson and Michael Shaner are REALLY lame, I think even I could act better. Lets not forget about the score. My god, it sounds like it was made with a Toys 'R' Us kids Casio keyboard. I gave the movie a 3/10 because some company actually had the balls to release this p.o.s.. Now I know why it hasn't been released on DVD yet. Maybe Criterion should put out a special collector's edition of it! Haha. I think I even liked Troll 2 better, and that is really freakin sad....
kenickie
This video was (literally) collecting dust on the shelf of the store where I work. I dusted it off & took it home to watch, hoping it might be either a) a cheesy and unintentionally hilarious grade z flick or maybe b)an undiscovered sci-fi classic. It certainly wasn't a) and I'm beginning to suspect it might be quite close to being b). Peter Nelson (v.good, and broodingly handsome) and Sherilyn Fenn (also great) had real chemistry as the lovers in Soliel, the repressive 1984-style society, and the action sequences were genuinely thrilling. Pity about the hammy support by Michael Shaner, but it doesn't undermine the rest of the movie. If you like Blade Runner and 1984, give this film a chance.
