A now-disaffected Giselle and family have to work together when a magical accident means Andalasia overlaps with upstate New York. Patchy, padded belated sequel stuffed with duff songs and no real reason to exist. Maya Rudolph has fun as a baddie this time out, and that’s about it.
Here’s the trailer.
1921 London: a debunker of fake mediums is asked to investigate a haunting at a boys’ school. Autumnal and good-looking psychological thriller: it takes a hard left turn late on that requires a huge leap of faith, but there’s plenty in the first hour especially to please subgenre fans. No relation to the 1980 flick of the same name.
Here’s the trailer.
A suburban home is invaded by supernatural entities: an investigation begins. Tonally-awkward mashup of Hooper‘s satiric horror sensibilities and (involved co-writer and producer) Spielberg‘s everyday wonder. There’s charm in the now-period 80s setting and effects work, and a couple of great moments. Two sequels and a remake followed.
Here’s the trailer.
A boy magician quests with a warrior to retrieve a magic ring and avenge his father’s murder. Family-oriented sword and sorcery on a budget: sets, footage, and music recycled from other Corman productions, plus half an eye on wider 80s fantasy tropes. Dayglo and unabashed, mind, so tolerable for the undemanding. A sequel followed in 1989.
Here’s the trailer.
A family inherits a house containing a grimoire: others want the book too. Anaemic cheapskate horror spoof, focusing on classic Universal monsters, but with occasional almost-contemporary reference points like Jaws. There’s a funny running gag about owls, but that’s about it. A sequel somehow followed in 1988.
Here’s the trailer.
An orphaned prince, now a mercenary, battles the usurper who murdered his parents. Okay sword and sorcery flick with some ripe performances, daft ideas, and a commitment to rubbery gore and sweaty flesh throughout. The promised sequel – Tales of an Ancient Empire – emerged in 2010.
Here’s the trailer.
An outlaw warrior helps a princess regain her throne from an evil sorcerer. This self-aware sequel is an improvement from its predecessor, going for swashbuckling laughs and camp in equal measure. No classic, but it’s clear that there is a joke and that the cast and crew are all in on it.
Here’s the trailer.
An outlaw warrior quests to reunite three fabled artefacts also sought by an evil magician. Tatty and at times po-faced sword and sorcery exploitation piece, albeit with intermittent amusing asides and a couple of fun lo-fi John Buechler monster effects. Three sequels followed.
Here’s the trailer.
A marionette boy, if worthy, can become human. Another of Zemeckis’s CG/mocap/animation hi-tech but low-soul classic adaptations, this time a remake of the 1940 Disney classic. A few wrinkles, characters, and new songs are added, but no improvements, with some aspects toned down.
Here’s the trailer.
![Deathstalker [AKA El Cazador de la Muerte] (1983, dir. John Watson [James Sbardellati])](https://255review.files.wordpress.com/2022/10/deatrhstalker-us-poster.jpg?w=461)
255 Review 