cwillis_m Reviews

Silent Rage (1982)

Better than most of the slashers from that time

[9/10 · 6 March 2004]

I remember watching "Silent Rage" along time ago when I was very young, and I could barely sit through the whole film because of the suspense. I would get up and walk into another room, then come back to check out what was going on. It was quite intense for a young kid. I can certainly sit through the whole thing now, without trouble, but the movie is still suspenseful. And, like my one line summary says, this movie creates and maintains suspense better than a lot of the slasher movies that were being made back the the early '80s.

This isn't a well known movie, but it's really one of Norris' best that he's been in. 8/10

White Hunter Black Heart (1990)

A Great character study

[9/10 · 23 January 2004]

"White Hunter, Black Heart" is very much a character driven film. The plot is easy to give a summery of: a movie director named John Wilson (Clint Eastwood) wants to shoot a film in Africa so he can hunt down an elephant.

The very first time I saw this movie, my first impression of Eastwood's performance was that it seem a little odd. I wasn't sure what he was doing there. But as the film went on, I realized that he was lost in his performance. The performance seems to take over at some point. I think it's a great performance from Eastwood, and as a director, it's another strong film from him. With each viewing of this film, I seem to like it even more. My rating: 9/10

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974)

The best caper film!

[10/10 · 23 January 2004]

"Thunderbolt and Lightfoot" is, essentially, a caper movie. But this one blows away all of the cliched caper movies. This is wholly original, funny, and just an all around great movie. At the heart of the film is the friendship between Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges). For me, it's what really makes this film very special, and one of my favorite Eastwood movies. My rating: 10

Mystic River (2003)

Great movie with powerful performances!

[9/10 · 21 November 2003]

After I saw "Mystic River," the movie remained in my thoughts for the rest of the day. It's been a while that a movie has made me think so much after I viewed it. For that reason, I really want to see the movie again. The performances from the whole cast is really great.

From reading some of the other comments, and the message board, I've seen that a lot of the people who haven't liked this movie think that it's very slow. I wouldn't argue with anyone there. It's not fast paced, but I don't believe it's intended to be. I greatly admire Clint Eastwood because he's willing to take the time needed to tell a story. He doesn't look down on his audience; he assumes they have an attention span that will get them through a movie more than ninety minutes long. I'm not saying that the people who didn't like it are wrong, I'm just saying there's another way of looking at it.

If someone was to try to trim the movie up to make it faster and/or shorter in length, what scene could be taken out? As I think about the movie, one scene builds on top of the other. Information on top of more information.

"Mystic River" is one of the best films I've seen this year, and is another great movie from Clint Eastwood. Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon are at their best here.

...No Lies (1973)

A powerful short film

[8/10 · 18 November 2003]

I saw "No Lies..." recently in a film class I'm taking. It is a very powerful film. I won't give any spoilers, since part of what makes this film good is getting to see it without knowing anything about it. It hits the viewer in a very unexpected way. 8/10

Graduation Day (1981)

Routine slasher

[4/10 · 14 November 2003]

"Graduation Day" is a result of the success of "Friday the 13th." Both of those films are about creative, bloody murders, rather than suspense. If you enjoy that type of film, I'd recommend "Graduation Day." If not, I wouldn't. There's nothing new here, just the same old killings.

Even though I've given the film a 4 out of 10, I will say that it's not a repulsive film. It is watchable if your curious about it, just not creative.

Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990)

The Best of the sequels!

[8/10 · 12 November 2003]

First, there was "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," a truly remarkable horror film that has remained one of my favorites. Then, there was "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2." It's an interesting film that is both funny and horrific. With "Leatherface," they got back to the original approach to this subject matter. The humor in this third installment is much more subtle (like the Original TCM), and this movie has a similar feel to it that is like the original (though, certainly not as good as the original).

I guess if you looked at these movies from a realistic standpoint, there would have never been any reason for any sequels after the original, plus the fact that the sequels don't really follow any type of story line. It seems like you just have to take each installment as is. And this one is one of the better ones. My rating: 8/10

Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)

funny

[4/10 · 7 November 2003]

I give this movie a 4 out of 10. It would be my least favorite out of the whole series, which, I'm not a huge fan of the series as a whole (parts 2-6 are all OK, with the only standout being part 3). I really like the original and, in my opinion, the best overall is the seventh film, "Wes Craven's New Nightmare."

But my "one line summary" kind of gives it all away. This movie is funnier than I would ever expect a "Nightmare" film to be. I got a couple of good laughs out of it, so maybe it's not all bad.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

Not bad!

[7/10 · 4 November 2003]

Nightmare 3 is a lot better than I had expected it to be. The plot idea is really quite clever. Nancy's return to help others fight off Freddy in their dreams is probably a better idea than a lot of people would ever give this movie credit for.

I haven't seen all the Nightmare movies yet, but I'm guessing that Part 3 is one of the better sequels in the series, with the exception of the seventh film. I'm one that feels "Wes Craven's New Nightmare" is the best of the series overall. My rating for Nightmare 3: 7/10

Wrong Turn (I) (2003)

A nice throwback to 1970s horror

[8/10 · 30 October 2003]

From watching the commentary on the DVD, it is told that the purpose of this movie was to do a horror movie in the 1970s style. It does a nice job overall. The plot of the movie is influenced by Wes Craven's "The Hills Have Eyes." In Craven's film, a family gets stuck out in the desert and gets attacked by a family of cannibals. In "Wrong Turn," a group of young people (probably a '90s influence) get stuck in the back woods of West Virginia, and get attacked by a family of cannibals.

I love horror movies like "The Hills Have Eyes" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," so "Wrong Turn" was a pleasure to watch. Once the film got started, I was really wrapped up into the suspense. My rating: 8/10

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)

Still better than The Next Generation

[6/10 · 11 July 2003]

I had conflicting feelings as I was watching "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2." There were times when I really thought it might be going somewhere, then there were moments that I thought were stupid or goofy. I believe this movie is meant as a parody of the original TCM. I liked some of the humor in it, particularly the scene where Dennis Hopper goes to the chain saw store. I can't help but think that the movie could have easily been better than what it is, since there is some good material in it. I liked the idea of Stretch getting a murder on tape at the very beginning of the movie, and this putting her in danger. That's a pretty good idea, but there's so many strange moments in it that seem to take away from it.

As it may sound, I'm still trying to sort out my thoughts on this movie. It has it's moments, and it's a masterpiece compared to "TCM: The Next Generation," but falls far, far, far short from the original, but I'll still give it a 6 out of 10.

The In-Laws (1979)

One of my all time favorite comedies!

[10/10 · 19 June 2003]

I'm a big Peter Falk fan, so I watched this movie because he was in it. I was in for quite a surprise. It has quickly become one of my favorite comedies of all. Peter Falk and Alan Arkin are a perfect pair. The great thing about this movie is that it seems to invent itself as it goes along. The movie isn't following any type of formula, it's making itself up as it goes along, or so it seems. Very funny. My rating: 10

New Nightmare (1994)

Wes Craven's Best!

[10/10 · 28 May 2003]

I first saw "Wes Craven's New Nightmare" before I even saw the original "Nightmare on Elm Street." This movie was the reason why I went back and watched the original. The original is good, but overall, I feel that "New Nightmare" is the best movie Wes Craven has made (I will say it's probably better to watch the original one before this), and one of the best horror films I've seen. In this movie, Freddy has had a make over, he's dressed differently (which seems to have bothered some people) and much more menacing than he was in the previous films. The idea of the "real" Freddy coming out and trying to kill the actors from the original is so original and great, it makes the movie a rare recent horror gem. My rating: 10/10

The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

A good, early film from Wes Craven

[9/10 · 23 May 2003]

After just recently seeing "The Last House on the Left," I didn't know quite what to expect from "The Hills Have Eyes." Once again, Craven shows a rawness to the violence in "The Hills Have Eyes," as he did with "Last House." The results are very good. There's some real great shocking moments in this movie. From watching these early films from Wes Craven, I've gained a new respect for him. He really took some chances early in his career and they payed off in my opinion. My rating: 9/10

Cobra (1986)

Cheesy good action movie

[7/10 · 17 May 2003]

"Cobra" borrows some plot points from the far superior "Dirty Harry," not to mention a few cast members as well. Stallone's character is obviously a Harry Callahan type. One thing that makes "Cobra" weak is it's dialogue. It is quite cheesy. But, maybe that's something that makes it kind of fun as well. You know not to take the movie too seriously, just try to have some fun with it. Regardless of the fact that it's a copycat of "Dirty Harry" (which is one of my all time favorite movies), and has some one liners that you want to roll your eyes at, I still like "Cobra." My rating: 7/10

The Funhouse (1981)

A Fun ride.

[9/10 · 16 May 2003]

"The Funhouse" is enjoyable for what it is. Four young people go to a carnival, decide to spend the night, witness a murder, and then have to fight for their lives. There are a couple of good shocks. And I love the opening scene where Tobe Hooper pays a homage to both "Psycho" and "Halloween" at the same time. Great stuff!

Just as a sidenote, even though "The Funhouse" isn't as good as Hooper's classic "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," there does seem to be some similarities. But I suppose you all can watch these movies yourself and see what you think about that. My rating: 8/10

The Last House on the Left (1972)

Grim

[8/10 · 14 May 2003]

Seems like a lot of people either really like this movie, or they really hate it. I just watched it, and I think I liked it pretty well. The music was a little distracting at times.

But this really kept my attention, and it does have some suspense. I love the low budget feel the movie has (of course, I know it was very low budget). What some people don't seem to realize is that something like this took guts to make back in 1972, and Wes Craven obviously has those guts. The movie is disturbing, raw, and yes, very grim. Don't expect a good time with this one, or you'll be disappointed. My rating: 8/10

The Sentinel (1977)

Freaky!

[5/10 · 13 May 2003]

"The Sentinel" is a freakshow, literally. I'm not sure if it's in good taste to have actual deformed people playing demons (or whatever they are). But how much good taste can a movie have when Beverly D'Angelo's character masturbates in front of Cristina Raines' character (I would imagine when Raines looks embarrassed in that scene she probably wasn't acting)?

But aside from all this, "The Sentinel" does include some of the most horrifying scenes I've seen in a movie. It really is creepy. My rating: 5/10

Frogs (1972)

Not good, yet still entertaining

[8/10 · 3 May 2003]

I have a strange affection for "Frogs." I realize that it isn't a great movie, but it's charm lies in it's unintentional humor. Or perhaps it is intentional. I recently watched "Squirm" about flesh eating worms and it's obvious that the movie is tongue-in-cheek. I feel that "Frogs" was probably done in the same way. I'm sure everyone had a good time while making it and it's a good time watching it. This movie made me laugh, and I enjoyed it.

So if you've never seen this movie, and happen to come across it, don't take it seriously. Just try to have some fun with it.

My rating: 8/10

Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000)

Good Sequel

[8/10 · 11 May 2002]

I liked the original "Urban Legend" and I liked this one to. It has some suspense, and pretty much does what it's supposed to do. Another thing that I liked about this was that it didn't bring back the killer from the first film. It showed some originality by setting a "sequel" in a different location and dealing with, mainly, a different cast. My rating for both "Urban Legend" and "Urban Legends: Final Cut": 8/10

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

The Best Romantic-comedy

[10/10 · 6 April 2002]

That states it as simple as I know how. It's a dream cast; James Stewart, Cary Grant, & Katharine Hepburn, in a great and funny movie. And you know what I like most? It's unpredictable. At the beginning of the movie, I could not guess or know how it was going to end, Being able to guess how a movie will end is a major flaw in many movies of this genre. A must see.

Psycho (1998)

A pointless remake

[4/10 · 10 March 2002]

It's just that, a pointless remake. And also a complete waste of money. I have always felt that Alfred Hitchcock probably rolled over in his grave when this movie was released. I read another comment for this movie telling how it is good to see this movie on the big screen because many people will never have the chance to see it on the big screen. I believe the film makers should have just re-released the original movie so then this film would have never had to be made. I would love to see the original back in theaters. In that same comment, they also say that Vince Vaughn is better in the role than Anthony Perkins. I realize this is an opinion, but still, I believe that is impossible. Though Vince Vaughn is a good actor, he really wasn't acting in the role of Norman Bates. He was pretending to be Anthony Perkins. The way he moves and walks are very similar to the way Perkins moved. So Vince Vaughn isn't playing Norman Bates, he's playing Anthony Perkins playing Norman Bates. Most actors, when they play a character that has already been portrayed by someone else, try to make the character their own. But how could that be done when Perkins played the role to perfection, or at least as close to perfection as one can get. My rating: 4/10

Babe: Pig in the City (1998)

Just as imaginative as the first!

[7/10 · 23 February 2002]

"Babe: Pig in the City" is just that. Imaginative. A truly great film. I don't know if I liked it any better than the first, probably not. But both films are worth watching. These movies are not just for children's enjoyment, though I believe they would enjoy them as well. But adults can like these just the same. It's wonderful entertainment.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994)

Not good (to say the least)

[4/10 · 21 February 2002]

I will admit, I wasn't expecting Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre to be all that great in the first place, but I was surprised by how bad it was. The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the greatest slasher movie ever. What was the reason for making this? I honestly thought that Kim Henkel, who co-wrote the original, could have made a some-what decent film. But he missed completely. He didn't even get the same atmosphere of the original. If I were going to make a film with the words "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" in them, I would have made sure the film had the same "look" as the original. My rating: 2/10

The Babysitter (1980 TV Movie)

Strangely interesting

[7/10 · 8 February 2002]

This movie was pretty descent. A few times I wasn't sure where it was going, but it always seemed to keep me interested. It kept pulling me back in. I guess that is a way I could put it. I really like how the movie was photographed. It added to the overall mood of it.