The Cat (1992)

The Cat (UR)

"I'll be back, with hairballs"

Bizarre tale of an outerspace feline and her masters who are looking for a mystic artifact to allow them to return to their home planet but are pursued by a body-snatching lava monster from the depths of space hell bent on tearing them and anything that gets in its way apart.

Strange yet effective mashup of Hong Kong shootemup action movies and alien invasion flicks, the movie is famous for its amazing animatronic Cat vs Dog kung fu action scene that goes where no animal film goes before.  The hokey space princess and her wise patrons are pretty laughable, and the out of nowhere Terminator-like bullet fests prolong the final conflict with the impressive spaghetti-space monster.  Quite a ride for those willing to board, The Cat is certainly unwestern and unique in all ways (exactly what would be expected from the director of the outrageous cult classic "The Life of Ricky Oh").

7.5 Flying Claws vs Slobbering Jaws out of 10 (GREAT)

Bad Lieutenant (1992)

Bad Lieutenant (NC-17) - Review

"How about those New York Mets?"

Harvey Keitel is at his absolute best here as the corrupt NY police Lieutenant who owes the bookies, hooked on drugs and has his fingers in every diseased pie imaginable.  Told during a NY Mets NLCS run, Keitel is betting against his home team as he quickly circles the drain to his final summation.  Along for the downward ride is his favorite crack providing prostitute (played by screenwriter Zoe Lund), and a sexually abused nun who refuses to accept the Lieutenant's help in punishing her attackers that leads to an emotional and religious breakdown which sees Keitel sink faster into his world of drugs and immorality until we literally see all there is of the lieutenant, a desperate crying fully nude man lost in the mire of his own creation.  This movie is sleazy and grimy and on the wild side of authentic, so crazy it probably could be true.  Keitel so far off the leash he'll change your mind about his abilities as an actor, Bad Lieutenant is dangerous and unlikeable and out of left field, just like those Mets.

8 Hells Kitchens out of 10 (GREAT)