REPO MAN — SHOCKTOBER!

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Alex Cox caught lightening in a bottle in 1984 with a snarly little L.A.-set independent movie that became a cult classic thanks to the success of its soundtrack (featuring Iggy Pop).

This kooky time-capsule political satire uses LA's hardcore punk scene for its churning dystopic social milieu that our 18-year-old Otto (Emilio Estevez) traverses while getting sucked into becoming a repo man. 

Reaganomics hangs in the smoggy air like a bad fart.

Harry Dean Stanton plays Bud, Otto's father-figure who schools Otto in the code of the repo man as they scout repos in the less glamorous neighborhoods of LA.

"A repo man spends his life getting into tense situations."
"Repo man is always intense."

Such dialogue seems written in stone, especially when the film's theme-carrier, Miller (Tracey Walter) busts out with philosophical gems like, "The more you drive, the less intelligent you are."

 What did he just say?

Now you've got me thinking.

Otto eats generic food at his parents house. His tweet tweet arf arf folks have given their life savings away to a televangelist. So much for college.

Otto's future looks bleak unless he can repo a certain 1964 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu with a $20,000 reward, and a Neutron bomb-related MacGuffin in the trunk, a nice hat-tip to the plot-driver in the 1955 Cold War thriller "Kiss Me Deadly."

Endlessly watchable, "Repo Man" stands up as an inspired artistic expression amid dark social and political repression.

Here's a great excuse to kick it.

Rated R. 92 mins.

THE FALL GUY — EXTENDED CUT

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It is only until now that an all-out action romance comedy, shamelessly celebrating stunt people and their teams of assistants, has been made.

A lot of stunt people and film crew assistants are cheering over this great movie.

Genius British screenwriter Drew Pearce provides a highly polished script, steeped in the lexicon of movie crew lingo .

 "Holster that."

The wild stunts and over-the-top action sequences serve to accentuate bang-on performances by Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, two of the finest actors in the business.

Ryan Gosling is redeemed for his toolishness regarding everything and anything "Barbie."

Just, Ryan, don't do it again.

Emily Blunt is sensational as always.

Director David Leitch ("Bullet Train"), a stunt performer, stunt coordinator, and actor, shows off his virtuosic skills with splash and fury.

If ever there was a big screen IMAX movie to sit with your pals and eat popcorn, "The Fall Guy" is that precious movie.

The extended cut does go on a bit too long for its own good, but sometimes more is more.

I had so much fun watching this masterfully crafted action/romance picture that I could watch it again anytime if even just for its clever dialogue, and to see Emily Blunt do her thing of course.

Fast, sexy, hilarious, and endlessly entertaining, "The Fall Guy" is a true masterpiece regardless of whether it's the short or long version that you see.

Memo to the Academy, if you want greater viewership then start giving out Oscars for Stunt People.

Rated PG-13. 146 mins.

THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE — SHOCKTOBER!

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Groupthink doesn't live here, critical thought does. This ad-free website is dedicated to Agnès Varda and to Luis Buñuel. Punk heart still beating.

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Arriving in 1973, the same year that "The Exorcist" was released, "The Legend Of Hell House" is a barn-burning horror movie.

Many of the plot and design elements used in this influential genre film went on to be quoted, if not expanded on, by budding young horror directors in love with its artfulness.

The "Hell House" production designers went all out in creating a rich Gothic environment for our four intrepid ghost hunters to converge in the week before Christmas.

Physicist Dr. Lionel Barrett is hired to investigate ghost behavior at Belasco House, the "Mount Everest of haunted houses."

The home's millionaire owner was a sadist engaged in all sort of off-the-rails debauchery.

"Drug addiction, alcoholism, sadism, bestiality, mutilation, murder, vampirism, necrophilia, cannibalism, not to mention a gamut of sexual goodies. Shall I go on?"

The lost soul's of Emeric Belasco's sex-crime victims now want their own sexy-time payback.

The good doctor brings along his wife Ann (Gayle Hunnicutt), and physical mediums Ben Fischer (Roddy McDowall), and Florence Tanner (Pamela Franklin).

Erotic dreams turn into hot reality as the week twists with demonic possession, and more effed up stuff than you can laugh your ass off at.

There's a black cat that does a lot more than just cross paths.

Dark, twisted, and embellished with dated "modern" touches that make it all worthwhile, "The Legend of Hell House" is a minor masterpiece.

Roddy McDowall's not-camp-enough performance redeems him if only somewhat, when McDowall goes full Nic Cage for his big finale monologue.

If only Anthony Perkins had played the role. If only.

"The Legend of Hell House" is a hoot and a half.

A devious electronic music score by Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson adds to the movie's creepy atmosphere.

Rated R. 90 mins.