The Zero Theorem absurd & beautiful

The Horror Movie Show, hosted by Jerry & Mark. This week it’s a mixed bag of movies, from the very big to the rather small.

Director Terry Gilliam knows his movie Brazil will be mentioned on his tombstone. But along the way the Monty Python animator & hambone has made a few other great movies, including 12 Monkeys, The Fisher King & The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. His latest, The Zero Theorem, stars Austrian superstar Christoph Waltz, as well as the lovely Mélanie Thierry, hilarious David Thewlis, Matt Damon & Tilda Swinton. While Mark & Jerry are obviously fans, does this latest visual spectacular from Gilliam add up to his other accomplishments?

Transformers: Age of Extinction, money & effects may not be enough to save this loud feature starring an over-the-top Mark Wahlberg. Less lifelike than the oversized robots in this silly story, Wahlberg has done better — as have the oversized robots.

A couple of low-budget but worthwhile flicks are next: Little Monsters (aka 2 Little Monsters) is a chiller based loosely on the true story of a pair of tween boys who stole away & murdered a toddler. Writer-director Jack Thomas Smith‘s Infliction is a found-footage film that is an excellent example of how effective this popular subgenre can be.

Jerry rampages briefly about the newest remake of old chestnut Godzilla. This time the rather large lizard is on the side of goodness & nicety as he battles a mating pair of second-rate monsters. Hoo-boy.

Bobcat Goldthwait, a dude who started in showbiz as a wild & crazy-eyed standup comedian, has morphed into a writer & director. His newest movie, Willow Creek, is reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project. It’s another in the recent spate of Sasquatch stories.

Finally, our hosts lighten the mood with Paul Andrew Williams‘ 2008 movie The Cottage, starring hilarious Reece Shearsmith (The League of Gentlemen) & blue-screen wiz Andy Serkis (Gollum from The Lord of the Rings, among other characters). A movie that begins as a funny crime caper, The Cottage turns into something more along the lines of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. A black British horror-comedy — just the thing for a cold, dark winter evening & a hot toddy. Cheers!