Change Your Image
akidwhotells
Reviews
Knock 'Em Dead, Kid (2009)
Good Indy Film has Flavor!
The opening of 'Knock 'Em Dead, Kid' is very odd and ominous. A face fills the screen and then proceeds to berate the viewer and fire (from a job) someone.
This sets the tone for the rest of the film - you never know what you'll get or what will happen. Next, the camera lingers on a sunset but you're not allowed to enjoy it as profane and vulgar dialogue spews forth from the screen.
Enter our gang of sweet, innocent and misunderstood teens - Bret, Willard, and Jim - who seem to be out for a good time but who begin their evening by attacking some other guy, Teddy, due to the fact that he raped a friend of theirs. The tone of this film is tough to pin down-it's at once a reflection of a society and that makes it at times very dark but then you have sunlit days and fun/happy times. It makes the film watchable and keep the viewer on edge - waiting for something to happen.
Once the story is set (Bret wants to go away to school, his friends wanna party, girl trouble, etc.) the film does display some striking visuals.
Written and directed by Chirstopher L. Golon, his film vacillates between cynicism and naîveté, pathos and comedy. The acting overall is good, considering it's a cast of unknowns, the character of Willard is especially good, as is the character of Trish who plays her part as part vamp-part innocent younger.
Since the tone of the film is all over the place (at times), it's hard to predict on what note it will end. But the end is satisfactory for what has come before and this is perceptively ambiguous film-making at its best.
Note: There's also a fantastic score from some up and coming artists!
¡Tintorera! (1977)
Softcore Porn meets Jaws
How idiotic was this film? How is this film even a Jaws rip-off? Jaws had a story, hell, Barracuda had a story - this film has real footage of a meandering Tiger Shark and it's NOT scary.
The best part of this film was Susan George and Fiona Lewis, both looked stunning when they wear nothing.
As for the 'plot' - 2 guys hang out, pick up women, have 3-somes, and hunt sharks - why? Does it matter? And the way these guys act when they pick up women - WOW - you know you're in a movie as this stuff would never work in real life.
If you like beaches, boats, real shark footage, and Susan George pouting, watch it....but if you are expecting a good 'fish' film...steer clear...very clear...
Visions of Violence (2007)
Strange 'Visions'
The film was an odd duck - things like the acting was okay....the structure (plot-?) was a little scattershot but as it went along I understood the whole feel of life. That made this film seem like a film I watched a looooong time ago called 'Kenny & Company.' That film had a real slice of life feel to it and that's how this one felt. I felt I was truly watching 'life' even if at times I thought it might be time for the scene to move a long, pick up the pace, you know? I liked the placement of the music, that was cool. But some of the audio for the audio conversations was hard to decipher. I think it was a good effort, the director seemed to have a good eye for the normal things in life and he really had some impressive shots.
All in all the overall film was just a 5 out of 10 due to the acting - that Randy guy was annoying as was that security guard. It's worth a look and the ending conversation in the car was very funny.