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All reviews - Movies (156) - TV Shows (4) - Books (2)

Refined Horror Gem

Posted : 10 years, 9 months ago on 15 June 2013 10:25 (A review of The Devil's Backbone)

Orphaned and alone, Carlos (Fernando Tielve) is abandoned by his Tudor at a grim gray orphanage, circa 1949. He does not know that his father, a casualty of the Spanish Civil War, is dead, nor does he know the secrets the orphanage holds. Meanwhile, bitter young bully Jaime (Íñigo Garcés) torments him and the spirit of a unforgotten student tries desperately to make contact with him.

"The Devil's Backbone" is an earlier film by Oscar-winning "Pan's Labyrinth" directer Guillermo del Toro, and is said to be his most personal. The film is bleak and intense and keeps you interested throughout, as well as having strong performances from the cast. That said, it didn't really scare me, but I'm not easily scared.

Another strength is the development of the characters. Carlos seems initially to be a quiet, sensitive-slash-wimpy youngster, but he is soon revealed to have a big heart and a strong backbone.

Aspiring cartoonist Jaimie is a bully, but not a typical big stupid one, and his crush on groundskeeper's girlfriend Conchita (Irene Visedo) is actually kinda sweet.

Last but not least I'll mention Doctor Cesaras (Federico Luppi,) who is considered a meek intellectual but stands strong in the face of tragedy, coping with an unfaithful lover and his careful plans blowing up in his face. These characters don't always act in ways you expect them to, and their unpredictability is both refreshing and invigorating.

The villain is not immediately apparent, and may surprise you. The conclusion leaves the viewer breathless and waiting to see if good will triumph and justice will be served, or if we're hurdling towards another downer ending.

This is a horror movie in that we see the horrors of war, of keeping a secret, of seeing the best-laid plans go the waste. We get a truly innovative ghost in a truly innovative ghost story led by characters we care about. And isn't that a rarity in horror? Usually we're just counting the minutes til the bloodbath.

"The Devil's Backbone" is not a jump-out-of-your-seat, shit-your-pants jump-scare extravaganza, but it has it's own subdued charms, as the tension mounts into a beautifully orchestrated finale where Karmic justice finally pays off. It isn't just another dumb horror movie. And that's worth celebrating.


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Once-Controversial Classic

Posted : 10 years, 9 months ago on 15 June 2013 01:42 (A review of Midnight Cowboy)

Slapped with an 'X' rating upon it's release in 1969, "Midnight Cowboy" is neither as shocking or boundary-pushing as is once was. That said, it still holds up as a film and as a character study of men with lives verging on desperation.

None-too-bright Texan Joe Buck (Jon Voight) leaves his small-town home, fancying himself a life as a gigolo, and heads to New York City. After being tricked out of twenty dollars by physically disabled unsavory type Enrico 'Ratso' Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman,) Joe finds himself homeless and quickly running out of prospects.

How Ratso and Joe end up living together in a condemned apartment building. No, they're not gay- Ratso is vehemently homophobic, while impressionable Joe fills the loneliness in his life with random sexual encounters. While Joe is naive beyond belief, Ratso is shady and opportunistic, but by the end you manage to see the good in both of them.

The two lead performances are good, but Dustin Hoffman steals the show as cheap swindler Ratso. It is really his, and to a lesser extent, Voight's movie, so none of the other performers are particularily memorable. I'm not entirely sure why Sylvia Miles got an Oscar Nom, she was fine but in my opinion nothing special.

The character development of the two leads are good, and the friendship element rings true, despite the bumps along the way. Some of the the editing in the flashbacks is a bit confusing. I appreciate the fact that the filmmaker approaches the material in a radical (for it's time) and unconventional way.

Overall, "Midnight Cowboy" is an important movie in the way it deals with controversial issues and the profound grace and sympathy with which it treats it's characters. It should also be commended for refusing to provide a pat, Hollywood ending. This is an important movie and should not be missed.


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Bittersweet But Flawed

Posted : 10 years, 10 months ago on 5 June 2013 02:15 (A review of Summer Storm)

Tobi(Robert Stadlober) is at that age where young adult wonder who they are, what they want, and where, if anywhere, they fit in. Unfortunately, what Tobi want Tobi wants is quite obvious and unattainable- his straight best friend, Achim (Kostja Ullmann,) who seems oblivious to Tobi's affections.

"Summer Storm" is the story of Tobi's coming out, Tobi's boat rowing team championship, and Tobi himself, a fragile young man who hides behind a mask of goofball lovability to avoid confronting the world head-on.

Similarly compelling is the trials of Tobi's girlfriend Anke (Alicja Bachleda,) who tries to understand the deep feelings Tobi has for his best bud. The only subplot that I thought did not work was the attempts of a member of the openly gay opposite team, Queerstrokes (cute, huh?) to seduce an apparently straight homophobe.

I found this to be silly and cartoonish, and to reinforce negative stereotypes about gays (they want to 'convert' you.) I think that the director should have dropped that and concentrated on Tobi, who is, to be a fair, a compelling and likable character.

He can be naïve, he can be a jerk sometimes, but Tobi is well-realized and sympathetic. Robert Stadlober, who is bisexual in real life, gives a sensitive and restrained performance. I also liked his romance with Leo, a Queerstrokes member. Although I initially felt that Tobi was using Leo, I liked the direction their relationship took.

"Summer Storm" is a good if unexceptional drama with mostly realistic characters, humor, and heart. Some aspects ring false (such as the apparently straight Achim masturbating in the shower room with Tobi) but most of it was believable. It is a movie for people who like gay cinema who true-to-life films about growing up.


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Touching & True-to-Life

Posted : 10 years, 10 months ago on 2 June 2013 11:33 (A review of Girlfriend)

I can't believe it! A film with a disabled character who isn't a maudlin stereotype? Will wonders never cease? "Girlfriend," in the spirit of "Sling Blade" or "Treacle Jr.," creates a unique and engaging protagonist with a intellectual impairment. But this time, the actor who plays the lead (Evan Sneider) is also disabled.

Afflicted with Down Syndrome, Evan (Sneider) lives with his mother (Amanda Plummer) in a small town that offers few options. Meanwhile Evan is enamored with old high school crush and single mother Candy (Shannon Woodward,) whose feelings toward Evan and his challenges are ambiguous.

Into this scenario swaggers Candy's white trash ex-boyfriend Russ (Jackson Rathbone, venomously unlikable and liberated from the "Twilight" franchise.) When Evan's mother dies, his attraction to Candy only intensifies, and all three are caught in triangle that will leave none untouched.

One of the reasons I watched this movie was that I heard Amanda Plummer was in it, so it was disappointing to have her die in the first ten minutes. Nevertheless, Evan's mother Celeste is one of the best portrayals and realest characters in this story.

Far from being a typical movie hero mom, Celeste has her good days and her bad, like any other mom. There is one scene where Celeste represses her rage at her and Evan's oppressive employer with a subtle facial twitch which I felt really displayed Amanda Plummer's acting talent.

In fact, the only performance I felt was a little weak is Sneider's himself's. I know, I feel like I'm picking on the disabled kid in the lunchroom, but Sneider was not prepared to take some of the dramatic turns the story took. Nevertheless, his occasional faltering didn't distract me from the story too much.

Evan is a very interesting character in that I got to see him exercise his dark side a little, which is rare in a movie like this. It's always aggravated me the way people desexualize people with disabilities, so seeing Evan experience libido and exhibit desire for a relationship- and yes, sex- was refreshing.

I found the ending a little convoluted. You know that moment when things are resolved only as they do in the movies? Yeah, like that. The final twist was similarly unsatisfying, as I think sex shouldn't be something you give out to compensate for past mistakes. At the same time, though, I was kind of impressed the were daring enough to end it that way.

Overall, "Girlfriend" is a very underrated and intriguing movie about small town relationships and the limitations we all have. This is writer/director Justin Lerner's first feature-length movie, and I hope to see more of him very soon. I recommend this film to anybody who loves independent movies.


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My Favorite Movie

Posted : 10 years, 10 months ago on 2 June 2013 02:31 (A review of The Fall)

"The Fall" is a lush fantasy that combines the elements of period costume drama, surrealist art film, and swashbuckling adventure to dazzling effect. It is gorgeous, yes, but the beauty proves to be more than just visual as it also delivers a beautiful story with touching performances, particularly from one little girl actor, Catinca Untaru, as the emotional center of the film, Alexandria.

The first thread of the story is set in a 1920's Los Angeles hospital, where 5-year-old immigrant Alexandria (Untaru) is being treated from a broken arm she suffered falling from an orange tree. Bored and reduced to throwing oranges at the priest (Grant Swanby) for entertainment, she is intrigued when she meets despondent stuntsman Roy, who is willing to entertain her with stories of adventure and daring-do... for a price (don't worry, this is not the story of a Polanski-wannabe and his child victim, although it does get dark.)

The second thread of the story is the fictional world Roy, played by "Pushing Daisies" TV actor Lee Pace, creates. It is the visually lush story of five men and their journey to kill the despicable Governor Odious (with a name like that, you have a lot of villainy to live up to.) It is a story Roy soon places himself in, and the story that makes young Alexandria realize the depth of Roy's desperation.

Although the story is at times dark, it is never morbid, and the R rating is completely unfair. I watched it with my nine-year-old sister and she enjoyed it, although she probably didn't get the complexities of the script. The beauty of Roy's story is that Alexandria interprets it visually for us.

For instance, one of the heroes, the Indian, has a beautiful squaw woman taken from him by Governor Odious. So naturally, you or I would picture a Native American. But Alexandria, unfamiliar with that definition, pictures the Indian as someone from the Orient, with a turban and colorful garbs.

As has been said before many times, Catinca Untaru is quite extraordinary as Alexandria, delivering a performance so rarely given by a child of her age. Lee Pace does not reach the heights of her talent, but nevertheless impresses as Roy, and although Roy isn't always a very sympathetic character, he is completely believable.

Leo Bill, the lead from a old favorite of mine, "The Living and the Dead," plays a fictional recreation of Charles Darwin, who's best friend is the monkey Wallace, who he carries around in a handbag. He's good too, wearing a coat so outrageous it could have been sent via time capsule by Lady Gaga herself.

If I had to pick a favorite movie of all time it would probably be this. Unfortunately, despite what was no doubt a huge budget and a well-liked character actor ('Roy') to play the lead, "The Fall" hasn't achieved much international acclaim.

Which is too bad, because it's really something special. Director Tarsem creates an astonishing world devoid of special effects (ha-ha-ha! Suck on THAT, "Avatar!") while showing a touching inter generational friendship that never becomes sentimental or maudlin. And ultimately, the outcome is very positive. And I think pre-teens and teens would really like this one.


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Camp, Not For Everyone

Posted : 10 years, 10 months ago on 19 May 2013 10:14 (A review of Dead Alive)

Be forewarned, this is grade-B all the way, so if you are a no-fun fuddy-duddy like my mom or need an Oscar pedigree for every film, you watch, you will probably find this equal parts tedious and repellent. However, for those with a subversive wit and tolerance for bad taste and a ridiculous amount of blood and gore, look no further. This is your movie.

Lionel (Timothy Balme) is just your ordinary Bates-ish momma's boy who is astonished when cute Hispanic shopkeeper Paquita (Diana Peñalver) takes an interest in him. Now this is the 1950's, so whites and minorities were not the best of friends, but Lionel is about to face a lot more than close-mindedness when his domineering mother Vera (Elizabeth Moody) gets herself bitten by a mysterious Sumatran rat-monkey and becomes a flesh-eating zombie.

Instead of killing his mother like most people would do, Lionel lets her fester- much to the misfortune of everyone around him. Meanwhile, sleazy Uncle Les (Ian Watkin) prowls around, trying to steal Lionel's inheritence, and the body count rises.

This is early Peter Jackson, before he became a Hollywood bigwig and brought to life the Hobbits of the shire. Now I'd like to say that "Lord of the Rings" means a lot to me, and that I am a LOTR nerd who owns a life-size replica of Saramaun's staff and can speak elvish. Okay, maybe not. But I'll be damned if I don't prefer "Dead Alive," with all it's bile and guts and mounds of intestines and rotten flesh.

I'll be damned if Frodo and Sam's touching friendship don't make me fall asleep. Maybe it was all my Dad's "Lord of the Rings" marathons (featuring the four-hour extended editions,) but I think I'm just about Shired out. And now that I've turned in my movie fan card and revealed myself as the charlatan and the fraud that I am, I concur.

The acting is... meh. Nobody's going to winning any academy awards, but the actors seem to be having a good time and so are we. There are many memorable scenes (the kung-fu priest being a particular favorite) and there are some creative shots. Gorehounds will find more than enough gore n' guts to satisfy their bloodlust.

"Dead Alive" is the ORIGINAL Rom-Zom-Com, before "Shaun of the Dead," before "Zombieland," before "Warm Bodies," and before the many additions of the genre to come. In 1992 it was considered by many to be the goriest film of all time, and I wonder what progressions have been made, especially in the Japanese horror genre.

People who enjoy 'bad' movies that are actually good movies with a subversive sense of humor will find a lot to like in "Dead Alive," and if you don't like it, shame on you. Go watch "Citizen Kane" or "Gone With the Wind," and stay off our blog, which is way too cool for you. Fin.


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A Well-Done Film

Posted : 10 years, 10 months ago on 7 May 2013 08:35 (A review of Raging Bull)

Well-done in every respect, "Raging Bull" nevertheless made me feel somewhat ambivalent about its content. As a depiction of real life boxer Jake Le Motta (amazingly portrayed by Robert De Niro)'s degeneration from a rage-filled fighter to a fat, unkempt slob of a man, the movie can be forgiven for not giving us a warm and fuzzy reiteration of the events.

However, the characters the film portrays are so hard to care about, that it's hard not to look at it with a mix of disbelief and stoicism. That said, "Raging Bull" as a piece of cinematic history is magnificent. The black-and-white photography, which might peeve some, is a fascinating stylistic approach.

Jake La Motta, not a very nice man, is the kind of sleazy charmer that you've warned your daughters about. After getting together with nubile 15-year-old Vickie (Cathy Morierty, who doesn't look a day younger than twenty-five,) La Motta introduced her some good old-fashioned brutality, smothering her with jealousy while eventually neglecting her needs in the bedroom.

Fighting can be a means to make money, or it can be a way of life. I'm afraid the latter is true for De Niro's Jake, who finds comfort in beating the tar out of his opponents, and sometimes Vickie and his brother Joey (Joe Pesci.)

Jake Le Motta is a hateable character, but eventually you don't feel hate for him as much as pity, as he shambles his way into middle age (De Niro transforms himself into older La Motta, gaining 70 pounds on an eating binge.)

"Raging Bull" is a great movie, yes, but not a favorite of mine, as the darkness in the character's hearts and lives can grow a little tedious, with no one to root for. It's more a character study than sports movie, and one doesn't need to be a boxing fan to get something out of it (heck, even director Martin Scorsese initially turned down the project, not being a fan of the sport.)

Ultimately, La Motta's is so much about his fights inside the ring as his explosive rage out of it. As it is, it is an important piece of history and an impressive film. But damn it, I like "Taxi Driver" better. Sorry, "Bull" enthusiasts.


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Flat-Out Brilliant

Posted : 10 years, 11 months ago on 5 May 2013 11:22 (A review of An American Werewolf in London)

"An American Werewolf in London" is a overlooked classic of horror that provides laughs and scares and remains fresh upon repeat viewings. Sporting amazing make-up effects by Rick Baker, it also contains a werewolf transformation scene which has to this day not been topped.

Goofball American youths Jack and David (Griffin Dunne & David Naughton) are backpacking in England when they are attacked by a werewolf, leaving Jack dead and David barely injured, but infected with lycanthropy that takes hold of him every full moon.

After a stay in a hospital whilst having his wounds treated, David is taken to the flat of a pretty nurse (Jenny Agutter) who has taken a shine to him (if this is starting to sound a little like a "Playboy" pubescent fantasy, read on.)

In between getting hot 'n heavy with his new girlfriend, David is visited by his dead friend Jack (!) who's still a live wire even while returning from the grave in a state of decomposition. Jack, always the optimist, arrives to warn David of his impending doom.

Meanwhile, David suspects he is going crazy and hospital doc Dr. Hirsch (John Woodvine) looks into the circumstances that surround the attack. The dialogue in this is great, and fairly crackles with life and wit.

The use of the werewolf myth is well-conceived and the movie never takes itself too seriously, which is an asset in a movie that involves zombies in porn theaters and curvy nurses.

With all these strengths, isn't it a shame that they didn't pick a better actor to play the lead. Naughton, who was discovered by director John Landis doing a Coke commercial, doesn't exactly impress playing David, the titular werewolf of the title.

It's hard to buy his performance, which awkwardly melds grief, guilt, and frustration. Meanwhile, Griffin Dunne (Jack) and Jenny Agutter (Nurse Price) provide strong support. Nurse's development is questionable, though, as is her decision to pair herself up with a confused and seemingly insane man.

However, "An American Werewolf..." is a strong and funny comedy-horror. The soundtrack, which employs only moon-themed songs, is an asset, as is the script, originally written by John Landis when he was only nineteen years old. Does my screenwritng movie-loving nerdy little heart proud. Watch it.


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Impressive Short Film

Posted : 10 years, 11 months ago on 4 May 2013 08:15 (A review of James)

James (Niall Wright)- lonely, young, miserable, and gay- craves the acceptance of his English teacher, Mr. Sutherland, but Mr. Sutherland's discomfort with James' sexuality may spell disaster for the solitary young man.

I watched this short on youtube, and found it to be a very watchable and moving experience. Niall Wright was very strong in the lead role... where did they find this kid? The script was tightly written and never far-fetched- myriad tragedies befall James, and all of them seemed believable.

James seemed like a smart and sensible boy prone to occasional bad choices, and I immediately liked and empathized with him. I don't think I've ever liked the character in a short film more.

There were some technical troubles which seem unavoidable when making a first film. The color scheme is 'off.' there is a fight scene where the blows aren't well-coordinated, so what was originally intended to be vicious kicks are reduced to gentle toe-taps.

Despite the errors in the filmmaking process, I see no fault with the script. Everyone who is interested in the well-being of children, gay or straight, should watch this movie. Just prepare for a realistic and sad approach, with no pat conclusions.


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Revenge, Tarantino-Style

Posted : 10 years, 11 months ago on 25 April 2013 09:28 (A review of Django Unchained)

"Django Unchained" is a blood-soaked, blackly funny, slavery-era extravaganza of a film, compliments of Quentin Tarantino. It is a movie populated with great actors delivering great dialogue, with some great gore and not one but two epic shoot-outs at the end to top it off.

Django (Jamie Fox) is a slave who was separated from his wife, Broomhilda Von Shaft (Kerry Washington) as punishment when the two tried to run away together from their plantation. Forced to walk shackled to a cart under harsh winter conditions, Django is surprised to encounter eccentric 'dentist' Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz,) who turns out to be a skilled bounty hunter.

King Schultz acquires Django under strange and bloody circumstances, and offers him a proposition- Django will earn his freedom if he helps King to identify three slavers who are wanted dead or alive. Thus begins a blood, unusual adventure as the two seek out outlaws, and ultimately, attempt to save Django's wife from Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio,) a sadistic and insane slaveowner.

Christoph Waltz, who proved his acting chops playing opportunistic SS officer Col. Hans Landa in Tarantino's 2009 film "Inglourious Basterds," shines here as charismatic and mysterious King Schultz, who seems to have his own strange code of ethics.

Jamie Foxx is good and Kerry Washington excels playing a fairly uninteresting character, but the biggest surprise is DiCaprio. Nothing of 90's heartthrob Leo is present as slimy, venomously evil Candie, like "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?," it's a total transformation.

Some people might be disgusted with the introduction of a sixth character- Stephen, a manipulative and subservient slave (Samuel L. Jackson,) but I thought it was brave of Tarantino to introduce a black villain into a slavery-era film and show the shades of gray between race relations of that time.

There were certain parts of the movie I felt were a little excessive, for instance the KKK scene, which I felt dragged a little. The blood, too, could be a little excessive, but Tarantino without blood, where would we be? Simply put, this will be a delight for fans of Quentin Tarantino, but people looking for a gentler, kinder, more sensitive movie will best look elsewhere.

Tarantino delivers as he always does- clever dialogue, creative shots, and gallons of blood. On a side note, although no movie could accurately portray the horrors of slavery, this film gets pretty far out of people's comfort zone, which is more responsible for the controversy then any alleged racism. If you like Tarantino, you will like this strong entry into his cinematic universe.


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