I am not a follower of the Red Shoe Diaries, so I didn't have expectations in watching this movie. That said, this has to rate as one of the better movies I have seen in recent months. It can best be described, I think, as an erotic film noir. As another reviewer commented, the sex scenes are not gratuitous but integral to the plot, with one or two minor exceptions. The protagonist DJ spins various stories of love, passion, betrayal, & self-discovery, and it soon becomes clear she is central to one of the stories. All of her tales connect in a dramatic flashback scene which drives the entire movie. The movie then flows to a conclusion that is completely unexpected, yet not totally far-fetched. There are plot holes, and parts where the viewer's suspension of disbelief gets stretched pretty thin, but for the most part this is an enjoyable and wild ride. I heartily recommend it.
Reviews
5 Reviews
Femalien
(1996)
I wasn't convinced or interested
9 October 2006
The plot details have been covered well enough, but really it's just a threadbare premise to have as many sex scenes as possible. Fair enough, as this is definitely a movie of the erotic genre. At least it thinks it is. My opinion of the movie can best be summed up by the fact that I kept falling asleep while watching it. The female alien does have a very nice surgically-enhanced body, but half of her reaction scenes put me more in mind of someone trying to pass a kidney stone than being aroused by the display in front of her.
The acting wins zero points, except for Jacqueline Lovell who brings a credible amount of range & believability to her role. And yes, the final scene DOES get extremely high marks. She's the only reason I don't give this movie a one or even zero stars.
The acting wins zero points, except for Jacqueline Lovell who brings a credible amount of range & believability to her role. And yes, the final scene DOES get extremely high marks. She's the only reason I don't give this movie a one or even zero stars.
The Exotic House of Wax
(1997)
Could have been better -- much better.
9 October 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I wish I could give this a better rating, as the premise is intriguing, but there are too many goof-ups in the movie for me to really like it even as a genre film. One thing that I noticed was that some of the actresses play more than one of the wax dummies (i.e., Cleopatra is also one of the lusty French maids). Not a big deal, except that the establishing shots clearly show both displays are present at the same time, and you start wondering how it is the same wax dummy is in both places at once. One of the other "wax dummy" actresses has clear tan lines from a string bikini, and I keep asking myself whether French maids 1) had bikinis, and 2) had time to work on their tans. OK, most viewers probably won't care, but it was distracting.
The script has the hint of potential: with a few more rewrites it could have made a hilarious R-rated comedy. As it is, if you even try to follow the plot there are too many "what the heck? where did that come from?" moments where the screenwriter suddenly got a bright idea. The acting of the leads is so-so, but acceptable: some of the leads have potential for regular work. Jacqueline Lovell makes an offhand reference to another of her roles when referring to her "twin sister" being abducted by aliens. An amusing in-joke if you've seen "Femalien", but it doesn't detract from this movie if you don't catch the reference.
You might want to watch this if you're a fan of one of the featured actors, or want to see a cheesy movie, but otherwise pick something else.
The script has the hint of potential: with a few more rewrites it could have made a hilarious R-rated comedy. As it is, if you even try to follow the plot there are too many "what the heck? where did that come from?" moments where the screenwriter suddenly got a bright idea. The acting of the leads is so-so, but acceptable: some of the leads have potential for regular work. Jacqueline Lovell makes an offhand reference to another of her roles when referring to her "twin sister" being abducted by aliens. An amusing in-joke if you've seen "Femalien", but it doesn't detract from this movie if you don't catch the reference.
You might want to watch this if you're a fan of one of the featured actors, or want to see a cheesy movie, but otherwise pick something else.
Head of the Family
(1996)
Sure it's cheese, but it's fun cheese!
6 July 2006
This is one of those movies where the point is to embrace the campiness. Yes, this is a B-movie; what were you expecting, Shakespeare? Not all of the acting holds up, it is true, but the leads do a fair job of selling their characters, and there is full awareness they are doing parody. To be honest, the plot holds together a lot better than a lot of wide-release horror movies with "name" talent. And yes, if you don't get distracted by her lovely form, Jacqueline Lovell is doing some honest-to-gosh acting here. If anything, the flaw with this movie (despite the premise of the title villain), is that it's not quite bad enough to be truly campy.
The Killer Eye
(1999)
Interesting -- Almost Good, But Not Quite
29 June 2006
The horror genre covers a wide spectrum, from truly scary movies like the original "Nightmare" to the self-aware films like "Scream" or "Urban Legends" to the legion of late-night movies so bad they're good, in a campy sort of way. "Killer Eye" isn't sure whether it's going for campy cool or a more straightforward horror label, and so is a bit uneven. The title eye is straight out of camp status, as are some of the plot setups. On the other hand, some of the actors are actually pretty good, and I would love to see them with a better script. The lead actress in particular brings more depth to the role than one expects in a genre movie. I'd love to see her tackle better material.
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