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pwhaughey
Reviews
Bonnie & Clyde vs. Dracula (2008)
Campy fun for a low budget indie movie
If you like B-horror movies, &/or campy horror (Zombieland, or Shawn of the Dead), you'll definitely enjoy this film.
I do not particularly care for horror, campy or otherwise, but am always interested in Indie flicks. So I had the opportunity to see this at a film festival, and am glad I did. It got lots of laughs, and even had some decent special effects.
To briefly summarize: the setting is early 20th century, where the fugitives Bonnie & Clyde meet up with some supernatural forces, including Count Dracula. The film definitely had the feel of a comic book dramatization or graphic novel, perhaps inspired by League of Extraordinary Gentlemen or something like that.
The acting by Tiffany Shepis was brilliant, and the rest of the acting was pretty decent. The doctor's sidekick Annabelle also got lots of laughs.
My only complaint is that a few scenes dragged on, and a few too many lulls in the flow of the film. I think the writer/director might have been trying to cram too much story into the 2 hours. But frankly, I was more impressed with this low budget film than most of the movies in the theater currently, so I can hardly complain.
If you are just looking for Hollywood gore with fast-paced special effects, then look elsewhere. But if you are interested in out-of-the-box storytelling, original scripts, and independent film making with an eccentric flair, Bonnie & Clyde vs. Dracula will not disappoint.
Æon Flux (2005)
Misunderstood, not for everyone.
This is X-Men meets Matrix. Or... this is what the Next Generation movies could have been.
Sor far, this is the best movie I've seen all year - better than Chronicles of Narnia & Harry Potter. In the Sci-Fi world, it's a step up from Minority Report or I-Robot.
My interpretation of the negative reviews: that stuffy old white men who write the reviews (Ebert, etc) don't understand edgy movies. They didn't understand Matrix at first, either.
I didn't know there was a series before I saw the movie. People who say it didn't make sense at first are too used to brainless Hollywood flicks, serving you a formulaic plot on a platter.
This plot was not difficult to understand - the movie asks for your patience the first 30 minutes, as the story unfolds. It's a futuristic mystery, people! Get real - how lazy must you be if you lose interest because everything isn't explained immediately. It's a mildly (and pleasantly) complex story. If you want a Steven Siegal or Schwarzenegger action flick, look elsewhere.
And only the first half of the movie is the "mystery". It takes about an hour for the plot, the characters, and the futuristic setting to unfold. Then the movie evolves into a stunning action flick.
Thing I loved about this movie:
-Srong female characters -Excellent soundtrack -Extremely interesting visually -Extremely creative sci-fi contributions (like the arm-to-leg transplants) -Thoughtful cinematography -A very strong cast -Artistic sets & effects -Creative weapons & futuristic props -A truly unique story - it didn't try to copy anything (which probably confused the Hollywood lemmings out there)
My only complaint - it needed more in spots. Particularly, more character development for other members of the resistance. If you've seen it...I believe they jumped the gun getting to the last "sniper" scene. I wanted them to invest more time developing the animosity between Aeon Flux & the resistance movement.
Nonetheless, I'm hoping for a sequel. And I hope Ms Theron doesn't get depressed about some of the bad reviews. This is *nothing* like Catwoman (as Ebert said). My humble prediction: it will turn into a cult classic.