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Reviews
Desserts (1999)
Seen this before.
I probably would have rated it higher if I had not already seen this exact film on a home video anthology called Escapes with Vincent Price done in 1986...the short called Something Fishy. There were a few minor differences with location and props, you'll know what props I mean if you see the film. Makes you wonder if the director was "inspired" by the previous film or if it was just a coincidence. But then I don't think Escapes was widely seen, either.
And Ewan McGregor's performance was outstanding. ;-)
I saw this on an anthology titled "Spooks and Creeps". Mostly not very good short films in a variety of styles. Not very spooky. Not very creepy.
Laughing Boy (2000)
Proves how important directing is to comedy
Here's a film that could've been more annoying than anything else given the obnoxious nature of the title character. But director Grisaffi knows when to reign things in as well as when to let them run wild. All performances are above average (another sign of good direction), and the story moves at a brisk pace despite the story's stage origins...not an easy feat for those familiar with other stage-to-screen projects. And if nothing else, it's worth a look to see some excellent comic timing via Grisaffi's performance as the title character. An actor that knows how to direct himself is a rare bird indeed.
Perdita Durango (1997)
Bonnie & Clyde on speed
A criminal couple with psychopathic tendencies meet up in Mexico,
then embark on an illegal embryo stealing operation. On the way,
they kidnap a young couple with the intentions of using them for
human sacrifice.
Here's a film that could've been a real wild ride, but the director
(who's proven he's got talent) decides to slam on the brakes way
before the climax, producing a standard action finale with a little
tragedy thrown in. Still, there's some good action sequences
tossed into an interesting variation of the Bonnie & Clyde theme.
The main problem for me was the lead actor. He never seemed to
have a handle on the character. His criminal outbursts never
melded with the more human side he was attempting to display.
Perhaps a stronger actor would've been able to display a more
nuanced character...or maybe it was just the character itself. But I
lean more towards the actor...
I'm a bit surprised how little screen time Rosie Perez had. I
thought she was the female lead, but very little time was given to
her back story or character arc. I sensed there was more we
weren't privy too...perhaps there was some last minute editing?
Finally, the chemistry between her and the lead was lacking.
Again, a chance to give the story more depth was never realized.
What remains is a quaint dark comedy/crime thriller that's a bit
more than a nice time waster.
Tesis (1996)
Mystery-thriller that's both smart and scary
A young woman writing her thesis on violence in the media
stumbles across a snuff film industry in her own college.
This director is one of the best working in the genre today. Here
we've got a perfect example of a film that features a twisted plot
that keeps you guessing who done it up until the last possible
moment. Added to this is a very powerful message (especially in
the final scene) on violence: no matter how much we claim to
abhor violence, we as a species are consistently more than willing
to embrace it.
The cast is very good, especially the actor who plays Chema. He
digs beneath the surface of his film geek character who pretends
to be a violence loving weirdo, but is really just a lonely guy who
wants love like the rest of us.
The best part of the film is the ability of the director to keep the film
fresh all the way through. We're given so many red herrings that I
found myself constantly second guessing who the killer was.
Finally, I found the film able to capture the feel of its gritty subject
without being too lurid. Good job!
Ancient Evil: Scream of the Mummy (2000)
Why, oh, why do I keep renting this type of movie...
A group of archeology students are stalked by a resurrected Aztec
mummy.
Well, just when I thought I wouldn't see a movie as bad as
Crocodile this year along comes this piece of work. What's the
worst part? The acting. Wasn't even up to high school theatre
level. Then there's the plot which has been seen a million times
before (and probably will be a million times hence). There's not
even any sex or decent scares to provide and lowest common
denominator entertainment.
DO NOT RENT THIS MOVIE!!!
The St. Francisville Experiment (2000)
LIARS!!!
A "true story" (ha, ha) done a la documentary style about a group of
amateur ghost hunters who spend a night in a haunted house.
What bothered me most about this film was the utter deception on
part of the producers who claim this is a true story. Not even Blair
Witch did that. Why couldn't it be? Maybe it's because the camera
just happens to capture every scare that comes along. Or maybe
it's the fact that there would be people all over that house trying to
find the ghost...
While the cast is O.K., I could've done without the typical psychic
character who runs around telling everyone to make peace with
the house. And the "ghost", a southern madam who tortured a
bunch of slaves around the civil war, is actually an interesting idea
that belongs in another movie...a fictional one.
All in all, there's nothing here but a blatant rip-off of Blair
Witch...and one with zero creativity.
The Pledge (2001)
Not your typical Murder Mystery
Jack Nicholson stars as a retired detective who pledges to the
mother of a murdered child that he will catch and punish the killer.
Sean Penn's strength as a director seems to grow with every new
film. Although seemingly a stock thriller, Penn takes the time to
delve into the characters, thereby creating a far more realistic film
where the audience gets to truly know the characters. Also, the
script doesn't follow the typical patterns of the genre. There are
several twists that are quite clever, especially the ending. Finally,
the photography by Chris Menges perfectly captures the Nevada
forests and mountains which brings a peaceful effect to the film,
giving the film an ironic feel.
However, Penn still seems to have problems with editing. His
shots tend to linger upon their subject far longer than need be. As
John Cassavetes is a favorite of his, he tends to emulate the idea
of shooting and shooting and shooting...
The only other problem, though not a damaging one, is the casting
of Jack Nicholson. While his performance is quite good, he fails to
grasp the most essential characteristic of the detective...vulnerability. Nicholson's never been the vulnerable
type...he's got too much wicked charm for that. With a more world
weary actor, the film would have had even more impact than it
does.
Despite it's faults, there's enough good acting, and combined with
an involving plot, The Pledge delivers a thriller with more on it's
mind than your typical serial killer flick.
Crocodile (2000)
Watch this and you'll pray for a crocodile attack...
A bunch of kids party in an isolated marsh, only to run afoul of a
giant crocodile.
Wow! Not much to say about this stinking pile! Unoriginal
characters, a stupid plot, and a very unscary monster sink this film
less than an hour in. Other than the performance by the dog (the
highlight being an amazing mid-air leap through the crocodile's
open mouth!), I can't think of a thing I liked. The CGI effects are
amateur, the characters worse than stock (even laughably unreal
in some instances), and capping it off is a sub-plot involving the
infidelity of one of the male characters and his attempt to get his
girlfriend to forgive him which made me think they should've
named this film "Crocodile 90210" instead...
Tobe Hooper, what happened to you!!??
Knockout (2000)
Predictable storyline sinks good idea
It's about time for a female boxing flick, but this one ain't it. Though the acting isn't too bad, the predictable storyline and silly dialogue pretty much ruin this one from the get go. To top it off, the boxing scenes display zero tension. Come on! How hard is it to make a boxing match seem exciting??!!
BlackMale (2000)
For fans of quirky thrillers
A tight little flick with lots of quirky details to keep you entertained. Story, of course, may seem a bit far-fetched, but that's the fun in movies like these. The cast performed their roles well, especially the actor who played the doctor. Very creepy!
Ulisse (1954)
Kirk saves the show
Kirk Douglas saves the film from otherwise becoming too languid. The director may have thought he was directing an "epic", but should've just realized he had another sword and sandle flick on his hands. The scenes which re-tell Ulysses journey are the best parts. Oh, and the end is kick ass as well. But again, without Douglas...