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roldog27
Reviews
The Lonely Ones (2006)
Goes beyond your typical dead teenager movie
Lower-budget production is the only flaw that has me grade this film down to a B+. Starts out w/ many horror clichés: Sorority girls murdered in the 1980's; but no trace ever found. Today, city kids drive up to remote cabin in Northern Arizona forest for good time. This is the same area where the sorority disappeared. There are romantic and sexual tension in the air. They start partying, get drunk, and start to freak each other out w/scary stories. What's next is beyond unpredictable and is why this film stands out above your typical trash. Things turn out to be much more complex than they seem. No this is not a grade A film like Alien, The Grudge, The Dark Hours, Saw, The Exorcist or something. But it's not a C grade or worse film either.
Film Geek (2005)
Only a spoiler if you didn't watch the trailer. Quirky indie drama/comedy.
Somewhat autobiographical tale about a young man w/ an encyclopedic knowledge of international film. This robotic young man's fascination w/ film is shared only by him, as he swiftly spews forth the info on varied popular and esoteric films and directors. He irritates people, though he means no harm. He actually is a "nice" guy. Alas, he loses his job as a clerk at a video store. Now he's faced w/ greater social isolation and the challenge of building a life outside of film alone. This film will appeal to anyone who's ever been on the outside, considered a geek or nerd, or who loves film. The Film Geek (Scotty) is worse off than Napoleon Dynamite because, unlike Napoleon, Scotty doesn't have ANY friends or family. Film is set in Oregon, shot on location, in a documentary type style, but well-produced. Bonus features: interesting notes about the cast and crew in a making of feature, and a hilarious spoof starring Malkasian (who played Scotty). In the spoof (referred to as a short film in the menu), Malkasian shows off his acting skill playing an Italian porn film director who's giving the DVD commentary for one of his films. Funny because such shallow material is treated w/ such seriousness. Worth your time. Trailers for 3 other indie films: most noteworthy: Mongolian Ping Pong (drama about what happens when children in an isolated tribe of Mongolian indigenous people find a ping pong ball), and Agnes & My 4 Brothers (German comedy about a sex-addict)
Ju-on (2002)
STUPID, not SCARY, pointless, repetitively pointless. **Spoilers at end
2/10 stars because the director did effectively create a creepy mood-- and that's all! This film did not scare me. (The Ring and Ringu did) Ju-on is a perfect example of all mood and no story. I saw the trailer for Ju-on and was and still am really scared by the TRAILER; it looked really good. I had quite a surprise as I wasted my time with this film, because by the end there was no point made of all that had occurred. Don't waste yours. Examples of good similar movies: The Eye (Korean); The Ring; Ringu; and for multiple death movies in the spirit of Evil Dead 2, The Hazing. **SPOILERS***SPOILERS***Here's what happens in the movie: this is the entire excuse for a plot: An angry man murders his wife and son in their home, kills himself, and then their ghosts kill people who enter the house. Someone dies, then someone else dies, then someone else dies, more people die, and then the movie ends! Whoopee-- what a waste!
La sirène rouge (2002)
Entertaining Suspense/occasional action
What's to complain about? This was a B rate "action" film. There's an evil evil bad guy (woman) trying to get her prize (daughter) at all costs, while the good guys (guy with a guilty conscience and tough female cop) try to deliver the prize to its rightful owner (the father). This isn't Silence of the Lambs, or North by Northwest. It is chase scenes, gun fights, macho talk, etc.. entertainment like XXX (Vin Diesel), SWAT, or some other entertainment. Jump of your high horse and enjoy yourself! There's nothing here you haven't seen before. However I thought it was well done and entertaining. So what if The Professional with Jean Reno has done this before and better? I like all the movies listed above including Red Siren, and appreciate each for its own merits.
2LDK (2003)
Shows how much a person can get on another's nerves.
This was a well acted, nicely paced story of two opposite roommates, competing for the same part in a movie. The story develops as we hear their thoughts and discover how much they hate each other, despite their politeness to each other. Tensions rise as the poorer, more homely, neat-freak confronts the wealthier, more sexually-experienced, relaxed princess about breaking house "rules." Attacks start out with mind games, to implied verbal slights, to overt insults, and then to ever-escalating physical assaults. This film is wild. It's funny in how much they hate each other, and how far they go, non-stop. If you can't find humor in violence, don't bother watching this. While this film goes deeply into mental, emotional, social conflict-- it is a fight movie. So don't expect Shakespeare! Also not a complex film: only two adept actresses in the same condo the whole movie. This simplicity made me like the film more. Unique. The only thing I could compare this to would be an American film called "Tape" which, while not violent, only involved 3 actors (Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and ?) in one hotel room, brooding over mental-psychological conflicts.
Underground (1995)
well done and strange
This is a story of Blakey and his friend Marko who start off running
guns and supplies to communist rebels in Yugoslavia during Nazi
invasion. They can really be crazy with wild drunken parties with a
brass band literally accompanying them as they walk the streets.
They hide their operation in a huge cellar as the Nazis take over. A
love triangle occurs among Blakey, his mistress, and other
people. Eventually leading to a rotten deception, that the director
unfolds very creatively over the next 15 to 20 years. The basis for
the film is well established in the first half-- which is 90 minutes.
The final 90 minutes was well worth the wait. It was drama at
some points, dark comedy at others. 8 stars from me. (grade A)
The Transporter (2002)
Good "guy movie" that is better than "XXX"
A good B movie with a bad ending and a soundtrack that doesn't
fit. Overall, though I enjoyed it. This is a movie to entertain-- not to
ponder too hard. Cool car chases, especially at the beginning.
Some creative action/fight scenes, especially the one involving
motor oil, and another with a shirt used as a weapon. The end
came to quick and wrapped up too fast for me. Likewise the end
scene was way too corny and C rate. I've been waiting one year for
Transporter to come out on video. Some of the scenes would
have been better to see on big screen.
The Day of the Jackal (1973)
Starts slow, but builds into an intellectual masterpiece
They don't make movies like this anymore. This movie was
recommended to me over its remake "The Jackal". It started out
slow, and odd-- a 1970's movie. It slowly picked up speed and
became an intellectual masterpiece. We get to see a very smart
crook from step one set up his plan to assasinate the president.
We see how he covers his tracks; and how the authorities try to
follow behind. It's PG for (surprise) frontal female and rear male
nudity, implied sexual situations, subdued violence. The director
very nicely leaves murders a lot to our imagination and doesn't
show every detail of deaths or assaults. The real suspense didn't
start for me until half way through the film. It built up more and
more until quite a climax at the very end. What a fine job. Truly an
"A" rate film. (10 stars)
Blue Crush (2002)
Cool
This is not some plotless movie filled with surfing shots. There's actually a real story here. Nice to see a story about surfing, with a hot young woman as the star, more women surfing, with great shots above and underwater of it all. I gave it 7 stars. The only well developed character is the star (Anne-Marie) who sets out to accomplish her goal of winning corporate sponsorship by surfing Pipeline. We get to see her life surfing, working, home, love life. We see her work towards her goal and be distracted along the way by romance, a rebellious little sister, etc.. I'm glad I saw Blue Crush. Anyway, if you like to surf or bodyboard, if you're a man who likes to look at nice-looking women, or a girl/woman who wants to see women do well in a male-dominated sport; then this is the movie for you.
The Ladies Man (2000)
Funny, but only average.
I don't watch Saturday Night Live but I found the commercials for Ladies Man alluring. Where else can you see Julianne Moore and Tiff Amber Thiessen as sex-crazed luney toons? or Will Farrell singing and dancing? This movie was funny; but only average good, not above average. This is the story of a the man-stereotype taken to the extreme: clueless, saying-the-wrong-thing, and always thinkin bout sex. Just don't expect much from this movie but some laughs; and then you can enjoy it. I gave this 5 stars. I thought Undercover Brother was a lot better and funnier.
Chicken Run (2000)
This fan of animation didn't like it at all!
I loved Monsters, Inc. Toy Story 1 and 2, Beauty and the Beast, Lilo & Stitch; but hated this movie. I actually gave up after about an hour. The animation is great; it's neat that the characters are British. I thought it was overdone to make the chicken farm into a prison camp. I did expect this to be a good film. I just didn't enjoy it. The appearance of Mel Gibson's rooster character made Chicken Run more interesting. There were some funny parts. But overall I just didn't care if all the chickens got slaughtered. I seem to be in the minority here though.
The Good Girl (2002)
Aniston rules in this tragically funny drama
First, I love Jennifer Aniston. She delivers a performance completely different from her "Friends" TV show character. She does a great job with a Southern accent here, as she plays a less affluent counterpart to Diane Lane's wealthy character from "Unfaithful." This is a story about Aniston cheating on her pot-smoking, thick-headed husband. It is seemed like a comedy from the advertisements. But it's really a drama. The whole cast is good; but Aniston makes the movie. 8 stars from me.