lvecrft

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!!!

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.

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.

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!!??

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??!!

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!

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...