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SciFiGal
Reviews
My Little Eye (2002)
Better than Blair Witch, Not as good as Series 7
I'll just say that fear factor-wise, it delivers (unlike Blair Witch). The reality feel to the film added to the creepiness and this is definitely one of the best horror films of late.
However, The Contenders: Series 7, while not horror exactly (or is it?) felt more fresh and original. Probably because it felt like a real TV show, while in this film... why is there this creepy score when it is a webcam show? The music was great, but it took some of the realism away. Realism that is pivotal to the audience's emotions.
I still gave it a ten. I wish more DV films tried this hard.
Lethal Force (2001)
One of my all-time favs.
I, too, saw this movie for the first time at Tromadance, where my short film, Safety With Scissors, was playing. I must say, I was blown away at the production value and impressive execution of this modern exploitation flick/satire. Alvin was kind enough to let me have a VHS copy and I've probably seen it about 6 times now. I could watch this movie over and over again and not get sick of it. Being a filmmaker myself adds a whole new dimension to the movie as I am very much an admirer of someone who can make a great film for not a lot of money.
I just recently finished working as DP for a very small DV feature film and one night I played "Lethal Force" for the the cast and crew and they were all laughing like idiots, they couldn't stop. This is definitely a movie people can appreciate and enjoy. The fight scenes were believable and the gunshot wounds were well done. Each character was very unique and memorable and the comedy was on the verge of cheesy, but remained witty and entertaining.
Even if this genre isn't your style, "Lethal Force" is definitely a must-see if you want to see how to make a real movie no matter what the budget.
The Tunnel (2001)
Dreamlike
It's pretty weird.
I saw it while staying at the Tromadance condo in Park City this year. Ramzi played it on the tele. Like the theme of the film itself, I lost track of time and got totally weirded out.
I highly suggest this film and think it's a must see for fans of the experimental genre. Lloyd Kaufman of Toxic Avenger and Terror Firmer fame is an actor in it. I don't care who says this is a serious role I still think Lloyd's hilarious in it.
I gave this film an 8.
Series 7: The Contenders (2001)
Wazooom
This movie is unlike any other. You will not believe your eyes. I couldn't stop myself from truly believing in the reality of these fictional characters.
The director mentions that he re-edited the movie to give it more Fox Sports like editing and lots of loud sound effects in between scenes during the swishpans. I think if not for the fact that these people are killing each other, this movie is very true to the ruthlessness of the reality TV business today.
The director says the movie was not cautionary or moralistic. I agree. I think the movie was great fun though and the way in which the director shot on video and utilized the technology to tell a story was excellent. No film-look filters, or de-interlacing. He found a way to make video work into a 90 minute storyline.
I can't see why anyone would not like this movie except if the suggest violence is too much for them. Series 7 is extremely thought-provoking, very exciting and intensely original. To think this was written in 1995! Ahead of it's time. A must see.
Spy Game (2001)
Well... it LOOKED nice. Wish I could say the same for Robert Redford.
What can I say?
This movie is ALL OVER THE PLACE and never really settles down enough to become GREAT, but it had some pretty expensive tape to sort of magically stick everything together in a comprehendible story. If you just sit and veggy out for awhile, you will ooh and ahh at the perty colors.
Nice cinematography. Not much for composition, but the Vietnam scenes looked very dark and golden, and otherwordly. There was really no point to this movie, but it wasn't torture either. Although the film whisks you away to a hundred lovely locations during Redford's elegaic flashbacks without connecting any great mystery together, you don't really care much about the plotlessness of it all because you just sort of get swept away in it anyway. These guys sure did a good job of making nothing VERY interesting, whether it was with some cool eeeethnic music, really fast/hip/overcranked editing and shots, or some useless slow motion!
It's a good movie to get away from the real world for awhile. The biggest risk the film takes is when Redford briefly ponders the point of free trade. Is all the death and politics worth it for a toaster and other crappy appliances? Gladys was cool! She plays the token black person/sidekick/secretary, AND she's a woman! Alright! We killed 2 birds with one stone, we can now check off females and minorities in our equal opportunity checklist, Mr. Studio Exec!
And boy, look at that CIA! If it was THAT easy to forge government documents, I'm surprised people haven't been using that trick already to get free cable put in their homes! Gee, no, that must be Redford's super-human intelligence pulling another fast one on our hilarious and gullible U.S. government! Hee hee. Ho Ho.
Well, in conclusion.... This movie had a nice look to it. Good use of film speeds and filters, and they sure love setting that clip speed to %200 on the editing machine! Redford's skin might qualify this as a horror movie. Then again, another horror would be travelling all the way to Utah to attend Sundance and immediately be forced to watch "The Legend of Bagger Vance." I'd choose the skin any day. Sorry, Mr. Redford.
Beware, this movie draaaaags.
You'll like this flick if you really enjoy anything Hollywood will continually throw money at until it looks hip and fresh and appears to have a story that was ripped off , BUT changed enough to feign originality. You will also like this movie if, like me, you were bored and someone was taking you to the movies for free and everything else was sold out so it was something to watch and it actually looked nice and flowed well so it was tolerable, but not very memorable.
Then again, it seems from the other reviews here, that the majority of you will probably make up more of the former than the latter. So sure, go ahead and watch it. You'll probably wanna give it a frikken Oscar!
Invisible Mom (1996)
Wowzers this movie sure did suck!
Boy oh boy oh golly gee,
The most interesting thing in the movie was the hilarity of the bluescreen effects used to create Mom's "invisibility." They looked like they were shot on cheap video, and it looks totally unreal, and not even in a good way where its so funny that you end up loving the movie...
I did NOT end up loving this movie. The attempted "steadicam" shots were really pathetic as well. I mean, hey, if they had a low budget flick, that's fine. You can still make a great movie with a low budget. But, a BAD movie and a low budget AND effects. That makes for a bad combination. In this case, such a doomed combo created the craptastic film, "Invisible Mom." If you have kids, and your kids have no taste, perhaps they will stay awake through all of this one.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Nice cinematography, compelling plot and issues, and a memorable movie-going event.
I really liked this movie. I was very impressed. I had worried that Spielberg was going to turn Kubrick's vision into some kid's movie with corny lines. Thank god, there was actually only a handful of them in the whole movie. This was one of those films where I felt like I was transported into another dimension, where I felt fully submerged in the story and the world it existed in. It was very beautiful.
Janusz Kaninski is an excellent cinematographer as always. His love for light has produced some absolutely heavenly scenes filled with haze and grain that he is so good at using to enhance the beauty of film. Sometimes I forget how much richer and alive things look when shot on film as opposed to digital video...
The story was very interesting. It was sometimes disturbing, and I really liked how very different the second half is from the first. Jude Law was a very convincing robot, and Haley Joe Osment was incredibly endearing. He used to annoy me, but his fantastic transition from robot to real boy (in demeanor) verily changed my mind about him.
It did get a little slow during the beginning of the last third of the film (it's a 2 and a half hour film), and sometimes I would wonder if the film was about to end. In a way, I thought this would have been cool because it really would have left the audience feeling weirded out and unfulfilled, hehe. But, the strange twist at the end. Rather, the great leap at the end was very interesting and very cool. I was quite touched by the plot, being a sci fi fan. The questions of robots and artificial intelligence, and a world that produces advanced versions of this was a great setting to introduce ethical issues. This film also gives this strange sense of being a mix of a hundred other stories. There were times I felt I was watching "E.T.", whether from the constant moon theme, or the John Williams music. Besides the obvious, Pinnochio, I also caught strange reminders of "Bladerunner", "The Nightmare Before Christmas", and "TRON" believe it or not!!! Ask anyone whose seen this flick and they will probably relate to you at least three other films other than the ones I just mentioned that they were reminded of by this film.
If you have the patience to overlook the slow part, then watch this movie. The strange plot, moral issues, and beautiful cinematography will sweep you away into a different world, and you leave the theater either feeling good, depressed, or at least a little dazed. I really enjoyed this movie. It's nice to see things that sway from Hollywood formula, especially from Spielberg. It's definitely worth 4 stars.
Semper Fi (2001)
this sucks. marines are not guinea pigs to be displayed as guinea pigs
Every marine should see this movie? This was the same horrific crap that television execs put out every weekend. The real Drill instructors were very realistic of course. But the senior drill instructor was obviously an actor and not a good one at that. This movie was somewhat realistic but that ain't good enough. No movie can break down recruit training to the bare essentials in two hours, unless it was directed by me. The fake cheesy corps values that were portrayed were an insult to all marines. You are Dismissed recruit.
lcpl Luevano (writer/director extraordinaire)
Four Rooms (1995)
Rodriguez is the only 1 who understand short films have to be SHORT!
I gave it an 8 just because "The Misbehavers," written and directed by Robert Rodriguez was so hilarious, entertaining and primarily short and sweet. The other three shorts were too long-winded, although Tarantino's was still a pretty good closer, not to mention funny as hell.
Labyrinth (1986)
Wondrous at 5 yrs.old, Wonderful at 19.
I loved this movie when it came out, and being somewhat of a Bowie and Connelly fan I loved it even more when I saw it all over again about 11 years later.
It was so great to show my little 5 year old cousin the movie on video. She liked it just as much as I had. :)