BlackBalloon

This is one of the most frightening films I have ever seen. It stirs up real emotion, particularly the scene of a woman visiting the Capitol to release her anger over her dead son. What she is met with from a fellow pedestrian made me physically shake. Just as moving was footage of injured soldiers who could be heard gurgling through blood on the soundtrack. The audience I saw it with, in a college town, clapped at just the "right" moments. I didn't join in. I was shocked and torn as to how to respond to the one or two claps I heard at images of US military amputees. It's not an easy movie to watch at times and, yet, we are never shown the images that made 9/11 what it was. But we hear the sounds while we are shown a black screen. Artful but not underhanded, Fahrenheit 9/11 will open your eyes to, if not the truth, some very real and frightening possibilities.

Well, after being an mst3k viewer for roughly 7years and about 75 episodes (a little under half the total amount, if this site is to be believed), I figure I'll say something. This is definitely a love-it-or-leave-it-show, and I love(ed)(?) it. After a relative glut of episode-viewing in these seven years (as opposed to being a fan from the beginning, watching episodes as they're first released), I think the weaker points of the show are plainer to me than to most. The show is getting a little old to me and having been weaned on the latter episodes, I'm afraid the older ones are going to hold litle enjoyment for me. But all in all, this is a great show, one of the greatest, especially if you love old/terrible/weird genre movies and have a sense of humor. The sheer range of material referenced in the writing is enough to canonize this show- if not because it's admirable, as an example of the glut of popular information at the turn of the last century, and maybe as an example of what pop culture is capable of.

Very well-acted movie, arty and everything, but do we really need another movie with a "concept" to support an otherwise inexplicable "cool" title. For instance, what the hell was so "gothika" about "Gothika" ?? Sean Penn bores the hell out of me, but Naomi Watts' performance (and sheer appearance) is worth the ticket price alone.

I enjoyed this movie. The antisemetic diatribes are interesting. The acting was great, much better than the overall execution. I love Theresa Russell, period. This movie should be on a triple bill with American History X and Romper Stomper. Call it "Sexy Skinheads."

This film made me think of A Clockwork Orange. Besides the fact that skinheads like both movies, both of their main characters are brainwashed into changing their attitudes or reactions. It is hard to buy both their transformations, because they aren't real, they're provoked by fear. "When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man." Still, Ed Norton has never looked better. Beautifully shot rape scene.

I liked this movie. It was sentimental, but not as much as people are making it out to be. I wondered what real-life conjoined twins would think of this movie, how much of it is what conjoined twins actually do- like being separated by a sheet or curtain while one of them has sex. Kinnear and Damon do fine as the twins, but they do seem a little naive, as though they weren't conjoined until a few months before the movie begins. Kinnear's character as Truman Capote was a hoot. I got the feeling from Cher's performance that they weren't really honest with her on the angle they were taking. Was she parodying herself? If so, she held back. I usually don't like Damon, but he was really good here. I could have done without the stereotypical Asian girlfriend from the Internet, though.

This movie is very tedious. The "word for word" interpretation (even if something, certainly a film adaptation, is verbatim it is stilled interpreted) may have hampered it. Scenes seem to jump into being out of nowhere with little pretext, such as those of Christ hanging out at the temple constantly antagonizing the religous leaders or talking to people in the streets. He comes across as the crazy homeless man who thinks everyone is paying attention to him while they are going about the day's business. The dialogue was very repetitive. Dare I also say, there are more than a few holes in Jesus' "logic." Lots of self-contradictions amidst the "message." Beware: there are also fake beards galore.

I don't know. This film was quite creepy and powerful, in no small part due to the theme of sexual abuse. Did anyone else get the feeling there was something going on between Brendan and Silent Ray and maybe the other brother? The whole "accident" explanation sounds kind of fishy. They were another set of three boys, after all.

"Elf" is a snore and a bore. I fell asleep several times. Will Farrell is rarely funny on his own, if ever. This was painfully evident during his stint on SNL. Trying to carry a movie is no mean feat, and he doesn't succeed. Another one-joke concept half-heartedly fleshed out into a movie (see School of Rock, Cat in the Hat, etc.). Next...

The Haunted Mansion, huh? Making rides into movies, huh? Only Disney, with its famous theme rides, could get away with this. Can you imagine making an entire film set on a generic ferris wheel in a shopping center parking lot? Would have made a good Warhol film.

Oh, yeah, The Haunted Mansion. Special effects- sucky ones at that. Terrence Stamp camps it up even more than in Priscilla. Kids that can't act. Kids swearing. Ghosts swearing. Just because it's haunted, does it have to be antiquated? Just because it's haunted, do the inhabitants have to be English? Re-animated corpses in a PG movie. That's great, Disney. What's next? I fell asleep several times. 1/10.

Does anyone else even remember this show? I was addicted. Along with Max Headroom: 20 Minutes in the Future, it was the epitome of TV futuristic cool in the mid 80s. Every show featured weird stuff that was supposed to be commonplace in the near future (but 2000 sure seemed a long ways off even then, huh?). I'm not sure, but it must have had "cool" graphics and music to get me to be so into it. They probably made everything sound really mysterious and cool. I haven't seen this since the late 80s, I'm sure. I'm surprised to see that it ran as long as this entry says it did. It would be neat to see it rerun on TechTV or something.

Overall, this movie is just depressing. Depressing that it got made, depressing that people contributed energy and money toward it, depressing. It really seems no different from an indie version of, say, Cat in the Hat, where they take a catchy visual premise and try to flesh it out into a film. Well, it didn't work, of course. Funny to see Macaulay all grown up and acting queeny. Seth Green I thought did a much better job and it was probably more of a stretch for him. His character was likable, I didn't buy Alig's magnetism through Culkin's portrayal. I also thought the cut before Culkin and Weineramma's kiss was retarded, especially from gay filmmakers. Marilyn Manson is a humorous relief as Christina, his character rocked and he CAN act. Anyone notice he is doing the exact thing his real life grandfather did, driving a truck in drag (only this time with the clothes on the outside)? Great. Nice moments, but nice moments don't make a good film. Good soundtrack, though. Five out of 10.

I didn't see the point of this film at all. Most of it is set on ships with precious few other locations. If you see it, you will feel the claustrophobia and sense of being trapped that came with being on one of these boats, I assume. Plus, I thought they played up the "naturalist" guy being nerdy, wimpy and fruity just a little too much. Russell Crowe looks gay with long blonde hair.

SPOILERS AHEAD Everyone should see this who enjoys melodramatic, exploitative crap. To think that Halle Berry got bamboozled into starring in this turd after winning an Oscar. Ew, and it has a Limp Bizkit song at the end and she's dating Fred. Anyway, I seriously recommend this movie for the laughs/scares, depending on your mood. Me, I couldn't stop laughing at Halle's wild looks (those eyes, that voice, that frazzled stiff hair and her skinny body) and the previously cute Penelope Cruz's insane rape victim character- always looking bleary and distant... Of course, when it's all over they make the seamless transition to "normal" working girls, just like Sex and The City, Mary Tyler Moore, or Rhoda. But this is more like a scary episode of Lucy or Laverne & Shirley. Unbelievable. Recommended.

There's not much one can say about Kill Bill: Vol. 1 that hasn't already been said. In a way, it's all true. No, it's probably not the most original movie in the world. I have not seen a lot of the movies the film references, so it's new to me. And I really liked it. If Quentin's mission, like he says it is, is to get people to seek out Hong Kong/Asian titles, he definitely succeded in my case. I will check them out. I have only seen a few John Woo flicks and of course all the old Toho stuff. For what it is, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 is extremely well-made, technically, anyway. I think I have yet to read one complaint in that regard, even from the hardcore HK fans who hate it. People either love or hate this movie. I have seen it eight times, so take that for what it's worth. This movie will seem like a no-brainer to the types that love Tarantino only for his dialogue, but quitcher bitchin'. The dialogue is sparse here, but funny and fitting. Loosen up and enjoy a great, violent time at the movies.

Broken may not be incredibly faky compared to many gore films (like, say, Mary Poppins) but check out the body being sawed in half scene... Obviously not real. Now, we all know the people out there who think this is real are idiots, but my point is even appreciating it on an artistic level, it is not that impressive. No masterpiece here, just a buncha sick freaks putting together a film they are understandably ashamed of. The blood-gushing-from-castration scene is incredibly unrealistic...

Don't waste your money or your time looking for this, go see Spy Kids 2 instead.

did not "score" Natural Born Killers, he merely assembled and produced the soundtrack album. He also contributed a new song to that film and soundtrack (as NIN). Trent Reznor solo contributed two instrumentals to the Lost Highway score/soundtrack... And he also played piano in some of the music for World Traveler... But he has yet to score a film a la Billy Corgan for Stigmata.

Broken may not be incredibly faky compared to many gore films (like, say, Mary Poppins) but check out the body being sawed in half scene... Obviously not real. Now, we all know the people out there who think this is real are idiots, but my point is even appreciating it on an artistic level, it is not that impressive. No masterpiece here, just a buncha sick freaks putting together a film they are understandably ashamed of. The blood-gushing-from-castration scene is incredibly unrealistic...

Don't waste your money or your time looking for this, go see Spy Kids 2 instead.

This movie's direction is sharp, the action (and some of the acting) is engaging, and the pace only lets up once- at the beginning of a training sequence. Colin Farrell has helped sell it, but the real star of this movie is Jeremy Renner (who played the title role in Dahmer), Farrell's partner gone bad. Renner's acting is subtle but expressive, worth seeing the movie for and hopefully we'll be seeing this talent much more in the coming years.

Ha! I love the user's comments about this being the first Terminator movie since the "gay '90s" kicked in. It really does seem to fit... See, you have Arnold, who's square-headed, German, muscular and waxed and he plays a robot (or "cybernetic organism", excuse me, Ms. Thang). This is actually the third "him" to star in these movies, as it seems he is merely one of many copies of the same model ("gay clones", anyone?). Arnold appears in the present day world in a time rift the shape of a BALL. JAGGED lightning crackles around it. Arnold is naked. He goes to a roadside club in the desert that is having "Ladies' Night", which just means a gay male stripper is dancing there. The bearded biker bouncer guy at the door sees the naked Arnold and tells him "you'll have to go to the back". Anyway, if you've seen the movie, you know the rest. Okay, the girl Terminator comes to the present and is naked and has Venus De Milo hair which instantly changes moments later (thank god for that liquid metal hair). She walks up to this lady and says, "I like your car". Moments later she is seen in the car, wearing a leather outfit. That lady was wearing a shawl! ? I won't even start on the holes in the logic of this movie, they're too many. The chase scene is impressive, moreso than in Matrix 2. It was difficult to tell what was CGI and what was real. Thinly drawn characters you couldn't care about, stupid dialogue, terrible attempts at humor... Truly a Terminator movie for our time.

Far from being the supposed savior of horror movies, this is an insult to those who love fright films. It is the epitome of everything that is stale, used up and cynical in pop culture today- quotationalism sitting in for originality. I saw scenes and images that evoked film after film- the Evil Dead (Baby licking the knife), the Shining (recessed lights in a running scene), Halloween (victim girl's Jamie Lee hairdo). And of course Texas Chainsaw. But the most startling and disturbing rip-off/"tribute" to me was from the footage of Charles Manson's women that was in the documentary Manson. Sherri Moon is scene brandishing a buck knife and saying "If someone has to be killed, you do it. There's no wrong." That is straight from that film, and it's stupid. To read Rob Zombie saying even if you aren't a fan of him or his music, you'll like this film if you're a horror fan is an insult. This movie is chock full of the kind of "music" he churns out, and is just a movie-length R.Z. video. I liked the cinematography, the costumes and the set design, but the rest... pah.

And as to why I expected more... I got the impression from what Zombie has said that he loves horror movies, and I definitely don't get that from this. I feel jipped. If you really love horror movies, make something horror fans (not Rob Zombie fans) will remember.

This movie is so goofy. The music is by Robert Wyatt, aka Soft Machine. It's a bunch of synth-y noodling and ambient, wannabe Brian Eno-type stuff. Still pretty effective, but says more about the filmmakers intentions than the actual footage being shown. Like the creepy music they play when they want to make someone with a mullet seem sinister.

Julie Christie narrates it, and she sounds really prissy. Other prissy people include the gay pro-animal rights man-on-the-street interviewer, the gay guy he interviews, the mixed Ziggy Stardust, foolish-looking woman, and several Brits. Ray Krock is also featured.

Highlights include the de-beaking of chicks, floors that drain poo, a wasp pestering a weakling chick ("a mother could have helped it"), on-set footage of a McDonald's commercial ("Ronald harvests the hamburgers from the hamburger patch"), guts spilling out of a cow (complete with exploding bladder), radiation experiments on donkeys ("anal ulcers", says Christie), post-nuke pigs, hog-sow "rape", Long Island-y/jewish lady, LSD test on a monkey, and the dramatic last gasp of a white lab rat.

The most unbelievable part to me was the footage of a Japanese experiment sponsored by the Harbin clinic. They attach the head and forelegs of one dog onto the back of another. It's freaky.

This film actually does provide food for thought about the purposes of animal experiments, suggesting that they may pave the way for how humans are teated in the future. The footage with monkeys is by far the most thought-provoking in this light. Frightening and sad at times, but also entertaining.

The one thing I notice looking at many of the comments is that people look for too much "meaning" in this movie. Haven't they ever read an interview with Cronenberg and know that he is completely apolitical? Or seen his early student work and know that he is not exactly long on plausability (for those who complain about that)? This movie is meant to be an experience, however you take it. Do not think about it, let it wash over you and make you mad, make you bored, make you aroused, whatever. Just don't think about it. "Too much brains, not enough guts", like in Cronenberg's Shivers. Adhering to his philosophy of art, Cronenberg is a pure artist, not allowing social concerns or conventions to enter into the equation. He simply puts his vision out there and lets it speak for itself, and when he does speak of his art, he always specifies "I think.." The truth may be different.

Broken may not be incredibly faky compared to many gore films (like, say, Mary Poppins) but check out the body being sawed in half scene... Obviously not real. Now, we all know the people out there who think this is real are idiots, but my point is even appreciating it on an artistic level, it is not that impressive. No masterpiece here, just a buncha sick freaks putting together a film they are understandably ashamed of. The blood-gushing-from-castration scene is incredibly unrealistic...

Don't waste your money or your time looking for this, go see Spy Kids 2 instead.

*SPOILERS* Like a previous comment, I agree that the photos at the end were of the "little things" that Sy spoke of. I thought to myself, "these are the things *Sy* doesn't want to forget." He also says in the narration, "No one ever takes a picture of something they want to forget." So, these little things are what Sy doesn't want to forget. I think it is not only a part of his psychosis and disconnection with reality that he doesn't want to forget the details (since his fantasy life is so out of control) but also that he is still really a child, which another writer mentioned about Sy's reaction to the child's photos. I had forgotten about that, and I'm glad I'm reminded.

My interpretation is that Sy was drawn to the photo business in the first place because there is trauma in his past dealing with photographs... Otherwise, I don't think he would get all weepy at the end talking about such things and I don't think he would be so messed up. Also, I believe that after the film's end, Sy actually DOES become a part of the family and the photograph at the end and the "dream sequence" in the middle of the film are actually flash-forwards... He really does become Uncle Sy because he's brought this family closer than ever... Remember this is the same family that managed to keep its cool even after the mom had discovered dad's unfaithfulness. Sy says, "What the hell is wrong with these people?" They're apathetic, willing to turn a blind eye. And, unfortunately, in my opinion, this even includes the relationship between Sy and the little kid.