Masochist Mars Machinations

Ventured out to Muvico all-digital for the opening day of Iron Man 2 (2010). Really enjoyed the film and didn't have any problems I had read/heard about from the early screenings (pacing issues, flat 2nd act, etc.). Think it's a worthy sequel that serves up more of the same from the first film but doesn't overshadow it. My only quibble is with Mickey Rourke's character as I had a hard believing he could really do all the things he does. Make sense?

Evening viewing included Toshiharu Ikeda's sexploitation flick XX: utsukushiki emono a.k.a. Beautiful Prey (1996). Not really a pink film (too long) it's more on the exploitative side with a fucked up housewife's predilection for S&M and detectives caught up in the mystery surrounding her. Kei Marimura isn't gravure model attractive but possesses plenty of sex appeal to make her seductress work. Not a bad watch from Asian Pulp Cinema.


Catching up on my Franco Nero westerns, I pushed Keoma (1976) up my queue. Enzo Castellari installment in the Django legend is pretty good with a few spectacular shoot-out scenes. Wasn't fully absorbed in this as that damn soundtrack kept taking me out of the film. Didn't care much for the sub-plot w/the pregnant woman but at least this is one of the more unique spaghetti westerns akin to Peckinpah's work. Nero is outstanding.

Capped the night w/another fairly awful Asylum feature Princess of Mars (2009) via NWI. Guess they wanted to beat the major studios to the John Carter of Mars remake w/this clunker but both Traci Lords and Antonio Sabato Jr. look great in this. I like all the make-up designs and props but the story is pretty weak. This is one Asylum flick that actually could've been more good as there is a lot less cheese in this one.

• May New: 16
• May Re-watch: 3
• May Total: 19
• 2010 TOTAL: 274