laracall-1 Reviews

Talk to Me (I) (2022)

Not good.

[4/10 · 16 September 2023]

I really wanted to like this movie; good horror films are so hard to find. Unfortunately, this was not a good horror (or even a good film). It started out shallow and irritating, but hey - I had sunk money into watching (most readers will know what that means), so I stuck with it, hoping that the story would improve as it went on.

Sadly, it was not to be. The annoying, facile leads persisted in their stupidity; the older "authority" figures barely registered as characters, fluctuating between awkward permissive enabling and half-hearted scolding of the protagonists, depending on the severity of the situation.

In short, this is a threadbare, glib rehash of every horror trope from The Monkey's Paw to Hill House, with none of the character development, depth or humanity that defined those masterpieces. It's a cheap knockoff that ultimately culminates in a victim story; no conclusion, no satisfying payoff - just a predictable "twist" that the filmmakers apparently felt justifies the whole contrived mess. It doesn't.

Manhunt (II) (2017–2020)

Intense, brilliantly performed, and riveting.

[10/10 · 2 August 2017]

Intense, brilliantly performed, and riveting account of the hunt for fractured genius Ted Kaczynski, America's most notorious bomber. Highly recommended for those who love gritty, well-crafted drama, as well as anyone with an interest in the darker side of American history.

Paul Bettany's portrayal of the serial killer is pitch-perfect and utterly chilling; not least because, as his motivations and manifesto are revealed, there is no small measure of validity in his perspective (the double tragedy of the Unabomber is both the horror he inflicted on his victims, and the loss to society of an incredible mind that could have contributed so much).

Though Bettany undeniably steals the show, 'Manhunt: Unabomber' boasts a very strong supporting cast, notably the wonderful Brian d'Arcy James, among others. Sam Worthington is sympathetic and convincing as Fitz, the beleaguered FBI agent caught in a battle of wills and wits with a bona fide evil genius. Ultimately, it's the stuff of nightmares (and Emmy awards). The Discovery Channel has just moved up into a new league of television.

A Dennis the Menace Christmas (2007 Video)

WARNING: do not let your younger kids watch this!!!

[1/10 · 15 November 2009]

Raucous, slapstick fare for young children - harmless enough, you might think, but beware! This G-rated holiday movie features the most unforgivable Christmas spoiler of all time: at one point grouchy old Mr. Wilson (played to otherwise amusing effect by erstwhile tough guy Robert Wagner) bellows "there's no such thing as Santa Claus!" at his mischievous but well-meaning little neighbor Dennis.

Given that nobody without young children would ever feel compelled to watch a G-rated, kid-centric and essentially flimsy comedy, one has to wonder what the director hoped to achieve by including such a profoundly disappointing revelation in a movie bound for an audience of little children at Christmas time.

Move over, Mr. Grinch - you've got competition.

The Mist (2007)

Do not waste your time!

[1/10 · 13 September 2009]

'The Mist' starts out well but will leave you literally angry that you were duped into wasting two hours of your life. This movie will leave you disgusted, and not in a good way.

I love horror films, despite the vast majority of them being generally sub-par when pitted against other genres. I will cheerfully forgive cheesy dialogue, tired clichés and wooden acting for the sake of just one good fright. I say all of this to put my review of 'The Mist' in some perspective: if it's even a little scary, I am easily pleased.

The Mist starts out pretty well - it's well acted, if formulaic, creature-feature stuff. The gore 'n' claw special effects are a little silly, but the storyline seems to promise better things to come.

There is nothing better to come. About halfway through the movie the plot devolves into an utterly ridiculous circus centered around the rantings of Marcia Gay Harden's religious lunatic. From there, it really goes downhill fast.

I will not include spoilers; suffice to say that the director suffers a significant lack of character. He sacrifices any redeeming elements of the film to indulge in some hokey, PC political point-scoring, which completely kills the movie. The final scene is as unbelievable as it is irritating - and it is really, really irritating.

To reiterate: 'The Mist' starts out well but will leave you literally angry that you were duped into wasting two hours of your life.

Tapped (I) (2009)

Astonishing documentary - a rare must-see.

[10/10 · 13 September 2009]

I saw this screened at RIFF yesterday and was bowled over by the quality of this documentary. I will freely admit that I had less than little interest in the topic of bottled water when I sat down in the theatre; by the time this documentary had concluded I honestly felt I had learned a life-changing lesson. Yes, it really is that good.

The cinematography is gorgeous. The sleek, concise presentation of fact upon fact kept me riveted - and as the point of a documentary is to inform, 'Tapped' achieved its purpose admirably.

I would recommend this documentary to anyone who has more than a passing interest in their personal health and that of their loved ones; any feeling of social responsibility for the welfare of their fellow Americans; and anybody who has ever been outraged by the casual exploitation of natural resources by morally bankrupt corporate giants.

I'm actually a die-hard capitalist (I've never hugged tree; doubt I ever will) but this documentary made me really angry.

I also recommend 'Tapped' as a learning resource for any aspiring documentarians out there - this is how it should be done: a compelling, well-balanced argument, extraordinary supporting evidence, imaginative presentation and truly beautiful camera-work.

I've never given a documentary 10/10 in my life, but this was the highlight of the Film Festival. Excellent!

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Magnificent silliness.

[10/10 · 24 June 2006]

Absolutely the best of British; Monty Python and the Holy Grail is not only hilarious entertainment, it's an invaluable historical resource - where else could one find an epic encompassing the Black Death, legends of Camelot, the horrors of the newt-proliferating witch craze era and the roots of Anglo-French hostilities?

Add to this cornucopia of historical bounty the oft-overlooked exploits of Brave Sir Robin, and you have the cinematic equivalent of the works of A.J.P. Taylor (whom I believe may actually feature in cameo - watch out for his demise towards the end of the movie).

Fabulous stuff. Akira Kurosawa couldn't have done it any better.