Wuchakk
Joined Dec 2004
Welcome to the new profile
Our updates are still in development. While the previous version of the profile is no longer accessible, we're actively working on improvements, and some of the missing features will be returning soon! Stay tuned for their return. In the meantime, the Ratings Analysis is still available on our iOS and Android apps, found on the profile page. To view your Rating Distribution(s) by Year and Genre, please refer to our new Help guide.
Badges6
To learn how to earn badges, go to the badges help page.
Ratings3.3K
Wuchakk's rating
Reviews3.3K
Wuchakk's rating
A single mother (Brooke Adams) and her two teenage daughters (Ione Skye and Fairuza Balk) live in a bleak small town in the desert. They each struggle with the boredom of mundane life and pursue romance.
"Gas Food Lodging" (1992) is part reverent coming-of-age drama, similar to the future "Dreamland," and part aging mother looking for love in the remote American West, à la "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore." Others that come to mind include: "Desert Bloom," "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," "Desert Blue" and "Tumbleweeds."
It's a quality drama with a barren dust bowl milieu that creatively fleshes out the three protagonists, offering interesting insights on life in general and, especially, the pursuit of love and everything that goes with it. Unfortunately, all three females make the mistake of getting intimate on the first date, but I suppose that kind of folly is one of the real-life issues on which the film zeroes-in. It could also be argued that writer/director Allison Anders only had 1 hour and 41 minutes to tell the story and so had to condense time.
Fairuza was 16 during shooting and would turn 17 in a few months. She arguably never looked better. Meanwhile Ione was 20 whereas Brooke turned 42 during the shoot. Blonde Leigh Hamilton has a small but somewhat memorable bit part.
Anyway, I like the way the flick often takes the subtle route in detailing things. It's not necessary to spell everything out when it's all there for the viewer to discover and understand.
It was shot in Deming and Las Cruces, New Mexico, which are located in the southwest side of the state.
GRADE: B.
"Gas Food Lodging" (1992) is part reverent coming-of-age drama, similar to the future "Dreamland," and part aging mother looking for love in the remote American West, à la "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore." Others that come to mind include: "Desert Bloom," "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," "Desert Blue" and "Tumbleweeds."
It's a quality drama with a barren dust bowl milieu that creatively fleshes out the three protagonists, offering interesting insights on life in general and, especially, the pursuit of love and everything that goes with it. Unfortunately, all three females make the mistake of getting intimate on the first date, but I suppose that kind of folly is one of the real-life issues on which the film zeroes-in. It could also be argued that writer/director Allison Anders only had 1 hour and 41 minutes to tell the story and so had to condense time.
Fairuza was 16 during shooting and would turn 17 in a few months. She arguably never looked better. Meanwhile Ione was 20 whereas Brooke turned 42 during the shoot. Blonde Leigh Hamilton has a small but somewhat memorable bit part.
Anyway, I like the way the flick often takes the subtle route in detailing things. It's not necessary to spell everything out when it's all there for the viewer to discover and understand.
It was shot in Deming and Las Cruces, New Mexico, which are located in the southwest side of the state.
GRADE: B.
In the Northeast coastal town of Anchor Bay, a group of 20-somethings make the mistake of breaking into a defunct canning factory at night to make a documentary on the legendary "sailor man" who supposedly haunts the rundown facility.
"Popeye the Slayer Man" was one of three low-budget horror flicks to take advantage of the cartoon character entering the public domain in 2025; the other two are England's "Popeye's Revenge" and Scotland's "Shiver Me Timbers." This is the American rendition and pretty much on par with "Popeye's Revenge" (I haven't seen "Shiver Me Timbers" yet because the trailer and promo pics don't look very interesting).
While this is too pedestrian and predictable, it is entertaining to have Popeye as the antagonist and there's no eye-rolling wokeness to be found. The inclusions of Wimpy, Olive Oyl and Sweet Pea are a plus. In addition, the filmmaking is proficient for low-budget fare; and I like the abandoned factory milieu, even though it makes the proceedings one-dimensional. Meanwhile, the no-name cast is serviceable despite glaring woodenness.
Speaking of which, the female cast is good with Elena Juliano standing out as brunette Olivia. There's also redhead Mabel Thomas as Katie and blonde Marie-Louise Boisnier as Lisa. I suppose "Popeye's Revenge" is slightly better on this front. I shouldn't fail to mention Asian-American Angela Relucio, who has a bit part as Margot Harrigan. She happens to be the vocalist for the modern rock/metal band The Man From Alphabet, which supply the excellent end-credits song "Sailor to Slayer."
Like "Popeye's Revenge," I didn't find the story as compelling as other low-budget slashers, such as "Lurking Woods," "The Lake on Clinton Road" and "Crazy Lake" (all from a decade ago). Nevertheless, if you're in the mood for a modern slasher, this fills the bill in a run-of-the-mill way.
It runs 1 hour, 27 minutes, and was shot in Oneonta in east-central New York, as well as Cooperstown, which is 33 miles north of there.
GRADE: B-/C+
"Popeye the Slayer Man" was one of three low-budget horror flicks to take advantage of the cartoon character entering the public domain in 2025; the other two are England's "Popeye's Revenge" and Scotland's "Shiver Me Timbers." This is the American rendition and pretty much on par with "Popeye's Revenge" (I haven't seen "Shiver Me Timbers" yet because the trailer and promo pics don't look very interesting).
While this is too pedestrian and predictable, it is entertaining to have Popeye as the antagonist and there's no eye-rolling wokeness to be found. The inclusions of Wimpy, Olive Oyl and Sweet Pea are a plus. In addition, the filmmaking is proficient for low-budget fare; and I like the abandoned factory milieu, even though it makes the proceedings one-dimensional. Meanwhile, the no-name cast is serviceable despite glaring woodenness.
Speaking of which, the female cast is good with Elena Juliano standing out as brunette Olivia. There's also redhead Mabel Thomas as Katie and blonde Marie-Louise Boisnier as Lisa. I suppose "Popeye's Revenge" is slightly better on this front. I shouldn't fail to mention Asian-American Angela Relucio, who has a bit part as Margot Harrigan. She happens to be the vocalist for the modern rock/metal band The Man From Alphabet, which supply the excellent end-credits song "Sailor to Slayer."
Like "Popeye's Revenge," I didn't find the story as compelling as other low-budget slashers, such as "Lurking Woods," "The Lake on Clinton Road" and "Crazy Lake" (all from a decade ago). Nevertheless, if you're in the mood for a modern slasher, this fills the bill in a run-of-the-mill way.
It runs 1 hour, 27 minutes, and was shot in Oneonta in east-central New York, as well as Cooperstown, which is 33 miles north of there.
GRADE: B-/C+
An aspiring dancer working as a waitress in Montreal (Pamela Collyer) is talked into a gig with her prostitute friend (Nanette Workman), which leads to a harrowing night at a retired judge's manor. When she and her beau (Jack Langedijk) try to solve the mystery, they are curiously hindered by the arrogant officer on the case (Roland Nincheri).
"Evil Judgment" (1984) is a mystery/thriller with slasher bits that could be categorized as a Canadian giallo. It's a 'B' production with an ambitious story that leaves you scratching your head, but everything makes sense once you put the ambiguous pieces of the puzzle together. Some viewers won't want to work that hard, so beware.
Pamela Collyer as protagonist Janet is almost worth the price of admission. She comes across as a meshing of Agnetha Fältskog (the blonde from ABBA) and Stevie Nicks. Unfortunately, there are boring stretches in the second half.
It runs 1 hour, 33 minutes, and was shot in Montreal.
GRADE: B-
"Evil Judgment" (1984) is a mystery/thriller with slasher bits that could be categorized as a Canadian giallo. It's a 'B' production with an ambitious story that leaves you scratching your head, but everything makes sense once you put the ambiguous pieces of the puzzle together. Some viewers won't want to work that hard, so beware.
Pamela Collyer as protagonist Janet is almost worth the price of admission. She comes across as a meshing of Agnetha Fältskog (the blonde from ABBA) and Stevie Nicks. Unfortunately, there are boring stretches in the second half.
It runs 1 hour, 33 minutes, and was shot in Montreal.
GRADE: B-
