Stream Warriors: June 3, 2022
Each week, Neon Splatter contributors offer up some viewing options found on streaming (U.S. unless otherwise noted). Movies, TV shows, specials, and more. New and old, from all sorts of genres and nations. Most importantly, we deem them worthy of your time.
Shafi Malik: MOGUL MOWGLI (2020)
What It Is: A British Pakistani rapper is on the cusp of his first world tour, but is struck down by an illness that threatens to derail his big break.
Where It Is: HBO Max
Why You Should Watch It: “Co-written by Riz Ahmed himself, this is an Intimate and powerful examination on the cultural boundaries set for the further generations of immigrants. Come for Ahmed spitting his bonebreaking bars, stay for his unflinching performance!
(P.S. Director Bassam Tariq is helming Marvel’s new Blade movie, so he's one to watch!)”
Jeremy Lowe: BLISS (2019)
What It Is: A brilliant painter facing the worst creative block of her life turns to anything she can to complete her masterpiece, spiraling into a hallucinatory hellscape of drugs, sex and murder in the sleazy underbelly of Los Angeles.
Where It Is: Tubi
Why You Should Watch It: “This movie has sex, murder, and sleaze...basically everything you could want from a genre film. BLISS is a completely tripped out, heavy metal, drug movie. If Penelope Spheeris and Frank Henenlotter had coked out hallucination mind fuck of a Crack baby this would be it! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!”
Khayla McGowan: RED ROCK WEST (1993)
What It Is: When a promised job for Texan Michael fails to materialize in Wyoming, Mike is mistaken by Wayne to be the hitman he hired to kill his unfaithful wife, Suzanne. Mike takes full advantage of the situation, collects the money and runs. During his getaway, things go wrong, and soon get worse when he runs into the real hitman, Lyle.
Where It Is: Peacock
Why You Should Watch It: “Watching this early Nic Cage film makes you appreciate him as more than just the actor who can ratchet a performance to the highest highs, he's impeccably talented with the lows as well. I absolutely loved watching all the talent in this one work at each other slowly towards a finish that can only be described as a beautifully shot crescendo.”
Rob Dean: ALLIGATOR (1980)
What It Is: Ramon the alligator is flushed down the toilet as a baby and grows into a gargantuan monster by eating the corpses of laboratory animals who have undergone dubious hormone experiments, thus providing all the ecological and social subtext that one could possibly wish for, even if one doesn't normally go for films about giant alligators eating people left, right, and center--which is the inevitable and tragic result of Ramon's decision that the outside world looks rather more interesting than the sewers.
Where It Is: Shudder
Why You Should Watch It: “With all due respect to Joe Dante’s PIRANHA, this is the best JAWS wannabe out there. Full of terrific character actors, fun dialogue, kooky plot turns, and genuinely creepy sequences.”
Kiley Fox: ELVIRA’S HAUNTED HILLS (2001)
What It Is: The setting is Carpathia. The year is 1851. When Elvira gets kicked out of an Inn for a slight monetary discrepancy, she is rescued by a local who takes her to stay at the castle in the hills high above the village. The fact that she happens to resemble the count's former "missing" wife opens a can of worms or two.
Where It Is: Tubi
Why You Should Watch It: “It is fabulous parody. Sexy, fun, and feel-good…just like Elvira! These are dark times. I suggest settling down with this one to get some much needed laughs. My sister's and I favorite line is still the bit when the girl coughs up her lungs on Elvira.”
Alexis M. Collazo: I HAD A BLOODY GOOD TIME AT HOUSE HARKER (2016)
What It Is: It's been generations since the Harkers' great-great grandfather killed Count Dracula. Now the Harker brothers and their best friend Ned are a town joke - until a real vampire turns up.
Where It Is: Tubi, Amazon Prime
Why You Should Watch It: “A hilarious addition to the vampire genre that manages to be both original and pays tribute to the OG DRACULA. Additional bonus for parodying Twilight and brutally killing the author.”