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pete_polaputt
Reviews
Cursed (2005)
Huh???!!!
Watching this movie makes one wonders 'what the heck happens to Wes Craven?' and more importantly 'did Kevin Williamson actually wrote the screenplay?' I was expecting movie that scare me to some degree, what did I get? A good laugh! I mean, this is like the first B-movie I have seen in years. There were some scenes that got my jump but there're so many scenes that I just can't stop myself from laughing out loud. Plot twist doesn't really help when the movie took turn for worst when the scene that supposed to shock the audience happens to be somewhat laughable. CGI for the werewolf is somewhat similar (as in quality) to An American Werewolf in Paris (1997) (BTW, does any one remember that movie?). There were some of the scenes that seem like carbon-copies from Scream (1996), I mean, yeah, it's the same director, but without those scenes the comparison between the two movies should be less hmmm...what the word here, harsh? Well, not really? I don't even think that the two movies can even be compare in any possible ways. Maybe the poster which look almost identical except the replacement of the hands with the slash marks.
Well, after I shredded the movie into pieces I think I should talk about what I like about the movie. I love to see good actors in bad movies. Jesse Eisenberg who was really good in Roger Dodger (2002) is somewhat overplayed his loser stereotype here. Christina Ricci who finally got a breakthrough in Monster (2003), we will have to wait and see if this movie going to hurt her career. There were also lots of cameos here. Mya, Shannon Elizabeth, and bunch of TV actors and actresses including Portia de Rossi ("Ally McBeal" and "Arrested Development"), Joshua Jackson ("Dawson's Creek"), Michael Rosenbaum ("Smallville"), and Milo Ventimiglia ("Gilmore Girls"). I mean what were they thinking when they signed up for this movie? Were they thinking it was going to be a hit like Scream (1996)? Were they thinking it was a good career move? Well, I don't know about them but I really think someone shines her way through the movie and it was the scene-stealing Judy Greer. I think she's one of the reasons that make this movie worth watching. I wish this movie will help Ms. Greer find a breakthrough role in the future.
This Little Life (2003)
Wonderful!
I just happen to see this film in Bangkok International Film Festival 2004. When I first heard of the film I didn't really know what to think. It is a little known film from a little known director and it's surrounded by other festival favorites. The storyline however was interesting: a family struggling to save a pre-mature baby who is 17 weeks early. This is a very delicate subject to talk about let alone making movie about it. The script was written very well and the director tackled this film with sensitivity. Kate Ashfield delivered a heartbreaking realistic performance as a mother who believes that her tiny baby is developing his own personality. This movie portrays maternal instinct in a unique way that sometimes it can bring you to the verge of tears and sometimes make you smile. Director Sarah Gavron had done a fantastic job in capturing the emotions from both the mother and the father of the baby (although the film was mainly focused on the mother character). The contrast and color scheme of different scenes also help convey the mood of the characters. For me, I think this is a film that will touch everyone's heart. I'll be looking forward to Ms. Gavron next feature film.