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Reviews
Danika (2005)
Confusing unresolved mess
Danika is a movie that takes the viewer on an agonizing journey, whose end is disappointing at best. We follow the delusional ramblings of an irritating character without purpose. Nothing is at it appears. Nothing is of any importance. Ending means nothing except that the viewer was duped for 70 minutes. You can psychoanalyze the whole movie as much as you want but the end just tells you all the previous scenes you've been trying to make sense of, are senseless and irrelevant. The movie would have made as much or more sense if you watch it backwards. Save yourself the frustration and just pass on this one.
Day of the Woman (1978)
Gritty realistic and disturbing but well done
The formula has been copied for decades but this is still the best woman tortured and raped revenge movie ever made. Female lead was really believable and bared everything inside and out to make this movie. This movie had a low budget but it gives it stark reality. Similar to original Texas chainsaw massacre. You need to watch this knowing it's disturbing... That's the whole point, the violence is suppose to upset you. If it doesn't, do society a favor and find a deserted Island to work out your issues. The main character goes from victim to victor gaining power she never knew she had. For that alone, it's worth seeing at least once.
I Spit on Your Grave (2010)
Terrible remake of a classic.
For starters let's remember the original from the late 70s was done on shoestring budget and was leagues better that this expensive remake. In this go around story is about the same, pretty female writer rents a secluded cabin to write a novel. Four losers and a mentally challenged man terrorize, rape and try to kill her. She revenges herself on all the creeps. The big difference is in this movie she tortures and kills the men in disturbing, sick ways. Any sympathy we may have felt for her is totally gone by the end. We're left with a psycho who appears to enjoy killing too much.
Do yourself a favor and watch the original. It's more realistic, gritty, better acted, believable and satisfying.
La Belle Noiseuse (1991)
Scratches on paper aka Fingernails on chalkboard
If you enjoy the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard have I found the movie for you. For over 3 hours that what you hear. The rest of the time is monotonous dialog. Here's the summation of 4 hours of this movie. Old artist believes he has one masterpiece still in him. Beautiful model suffers through being physically manipulated like she is a contortionist whose bones and muscles can be twisted like silly putty. Artist doesn't care. Someone else will have to tell you if the painting ever happened or if the model ended up in traction. At 2x scan speed still couldn't get through movie. By the way, the model is nude through most of the movie. So it is possible to have a naked sexy woman in a 4 hour movie and make you so bored and depressed that you feel like someone put salt-peter in your cappuccino. Nothing can stay awake in this pretentious movie about nothing important for an hour let alone 4 hours.. If you want to watch 4 hours about nothing, go watch a Seinfeld marathon instead, you'll enjoy it more.
The Awakening (2011)
Classic ghost story with a twist
Well done English manor style ghost story. Interesting characters with good development throughout. The scares are subtle. If you're expecting the typical ghost monster terrorizing everyone then you're going to be disappointed. However, if you enjoy atmospheric English ghost stories that lean more towards psychological trauma and mental states with just a smattering of supernatural, and don't need to have the plot spoon fed to you then you'll really enjoy this movie with excellent performances, story and high production values with a fairly nice twist in the last 20 minutes.