Recent Viewings

[Mr_Vindictive]

Had some time on my hands this weekend, so I got down to business.

A History Of Violence - Like so many other small films, this one didn't play in a theater near me when it was released.  I had to wait until it's inevitable DVD release before viewing it.  I finally got a chance to sit down and enjoy it Friday night.

The story follows Tom Stall, a happily married father of two who runs a small local diner.  One night, the place is held up by a couple of bastards and Tom takes them out quite switfly.  Soon, he's on TV and has become a local hero.  A few days later, a couple of mob leaders show up at the diner and insist that Tom is actually Joey, a hit man from back in Boston.  Things go to hell from there.

This was a fantastic film, and probably number 2 on my list of best films that came out last year.  My wife hasn't really seen any Cronenberg films other than the Dead Zone but she loved this one.  I think I might show her Videodrome next....

10/10



Bruiser - Saw this one a few years ago on video.  I had rented it, and ended up watching it at about 2 in the morning.  I eventually got a hold of it again, and watched it recently.  It's like watching another film.

The film is about Henry, a normal guy who works at a fashion magazine, but his life is going to hell.  His wife is sleeping around on him with his a***ole boss (Peter Stormare), his best friend is cheating money out of him, and his maid is stealing crap from his house.  One day he wakes up without a face and decides to punish those who have done him wrong.

The film, despite it's lack of a budget and generally awful acting, worked quite well for me.  It's not one that I'll recommend to most people, and it's certainly a low point for George Romero, but I was entertained just the same.  Hell, I could never give a bad rating to a film that has Peter Stormare!

7/10


Danny Deckchair - Caught this one today on Showtime.  It's an Australian film about a man who's life is going nowhere.  His wife is cheating on him, and he's pretty much bored with his current situation.  He's also a bit of an independent inventor, creating things that never quite work.  Well, one day he decides that he's going to have a BBQ and while everyone is there, he's going to attach huge helium filled ballons to a deckchair and see if it'll actually work.  After an accident, he's flying away and eventually lands in a small town, where the locals quickly take to him.

Quite a fun film, if a bit silly at times.  Well worth a rental, or even better - catch it on cable one day.  Lighthearted fun.

8/10


Godzilla (1998) - Also caught this on cable today.  I've been able to avoid it for 8 years now, but I watched it on cable for some reason....I wish I hadn't.  The film is absolute crap!  Who designed Godzilla in this one!?  WTF!?  He looks nothing like the real Godzilla, and was actually nice to the humans.  All Godzilla wanted in this film was some damn fish for his little zilla babies.  

And speaking of the baby zillas......this film turned into a Jurrasic Park rip off about half way through.  I could have done without the Velociraptor 'zillas running around Madison Square Garden.  Stay well away from this crap!

1/10


Brain Dead - Caught this one late last night on Showtime as well.  I'm really loving this free preview weekend thing.

The film follows a brain surgeon named Rex Martin (Bill Pullman!).  He's hired by his friend Jim Reston (Bill Paxton!) to do a bit of experimental brain surgery on a man who had done mathmatical equations for Reston's company: Eunice Inc.  The man, John Halsey (Bud Cort!), is a paranoid schitzo.  Rex does the surgery, but then he starts to have the same hallucinations/paranoia as Halsey did.  Is it all a dream?  Which reality is the correct reality, and further more, are Rex and Halsey the same person?

This is one hell of a good film, and was produced by Roger Corman.  It was directed by Adam Simon who eventually went on to direct Carnosaur.  I'm not sure what happened to the guy after directing this, but this is by far a much better film than Carnosaur.

Make sure to keep an eye our for all of the Re-Animator nods.  I'm not quite sure why they are there, but they are fun to point out.

9/10


The Squid And The Whale - Without a doubt, the best film I've seen all weekend.  It also tops my list of best films to come out last year.

The story is about Walt and his younger brother Frank.  Their parents (Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney) are splitting up, and the film focuses on the effects of that on both of the boys.  It's quite possibly the best film about divorice in the history of cinema, IMHO.  It hit especially home for me, as I was about Walt's age when my parents split up.  It's certianly a hard thing to go through, especially when you're between being a teenager and trying to find yourself as an adult.  Although my parents did get back together, nothing that simple happens in this film.  It accurately shows every point of the situation, especially how you can believe that one person is responsible for the split only to have your views change numerous times during the situation.

The film was written and directed by Noah Baumbach, who co-wrote the amazing Wes Anderson film, The Life Aquatic.  He also wrote/directed the often overlooked Eric Stoltz film, Mr. Jealousy.  Overall though, check this one out if you are in the mood for an amazing, if quite a bit off kilter dramaedy about divorice and heartache.

15/10!  

[Mofo Rising]

I hated BRUISER.  Irritated the hell out of me.  Sure the main character is being put upon by a bunch of jerks, but why not?  He's never done anything to deserve otherwise.  You don't have to brutally kill people to "be your own man", just stick up for yourself everyonce in a while.

BRAIN DEAD is quite the little film.  I caught it late night on cable back in the 90's and was quite impressed with it.  Haven't seen it for a couple of years.

I'm with you on A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE.  Quite a departure for David Cronenberg.  Perhaps you should show your wife THE FLY before throwing her into the deep end of the pool that is VIDEODROME.

I added THE SQUID AND THE WHALE to my queue.  I was going to avoid it because I am sick of independent films with terrible titles.  Since you say it's good I'll check it out, but there's still no way in hell I'm watching THE CHUMSCRUBBER.

[daveblackeye15]

It's been eight years since that crap (Godzilla) came out!?

I feel old.

[Mr_Vindictive]

Mofo,

I know what you mean about the indie flicks.  It does seem that every indie flick that comes out has to have a strange title.  I'm staying away from Chumscrubber, Thumbsucker, Junebug, etc.  I only rented Squid And The Whale since it was dir/writ by Noah Baumbach whom I have quite a bit of respect for.

As for Cronenberg, my wife has seen The Fly.  I always forget that is a Cronenberg film for some reason.  I'm debating over showing her Videodrome or possibly Dead Ringers.  Existenz possibly....

[dean]

Well, it all depends on whether you want to go 'creepy gross' Cronenberg or 'deeply psychological' Cronenberg.

I know there's been good suggestions from people to see Spider in the past: that could be a good one.

But yeah, if you're after crazy, creepy and gross, Videodrome is a good one!

[Ash]

Feel free to stay away from JUNEBUG.

I'd read several reviews that praised the hell out of this one.

I was bored out of my skull.

YOU WILL BE BORED!
This is a boring movie.

Yes, Embeth Davidtz and Amy Adam's performances were great.
But when it came to the movie as a whole...it was all I could do to even try to admire it or stay awake.
I don't know...maybe I wasn't in the right mindset at the time to see it.

I give Junebug 2 out of 4 stars.

(hint: see this film with a few females...it's a chick flick in disguise as an indie flick)

[LH-C]

I watched 'King Kong' lastnight. I still don't know what to think. I realize that Jackson was trying to make something different from LOTR, but why remake a movie? He's made original movies in the past.

[Mr_Vindictive]

LH-C

I did pick up Kong this weekend but didn't put up a review since I had done so when I saw it at the theater.

It's not as good as the original, in my opinion, but it's still one hell of a fun movie.

[dean]

LH-C Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I watched 'King Kong' lastnight. I still don't
> know what to think. I realize that Jackson was
> trying to make something different from LOTR, but
> why remake a movie? He's made original movies in
> the past.
>
> LH-C - my photography

Well, as has been said before when people have asked why he remade it; Jackson often talked [and probably still does] about how King Kong was his ultimate film growing up and his inspiration into the world of filmmaking, so I guess it makes perfect sense that he wanted to remake it: he'd probably been thinking of cool ideas for it since he was a kid.

With the success of LOTR he probably thought it was the best time to not only get the budget and backing for what he knew would be a visual effects [and therefore expensive] extravaganza, but that he had enough success to choose his own projects as he saw fit.  In reality: it was the right time for him to embark on his ultimate pet project, after all, he may have had a crappy follow-up to LOTR and wouldn't have been able to achieve the budget he wanted.

And yes, it is a fun movie.

[trekgeezer]

Jackson was developing King Kong when he got approached by New Line to do LOTR, so actually he had to put it off until LOTR was done.  That might be a good thing since he probably got a helluva a lot more money to make it with.

 

[Flangepart]

daveblackeye15 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's been eight years since that crap (Godzilla)
> came out!?
>
> I feel old.

I do too. But on the up side...i can truely say, i've not watched G.I.N.O., and those 8 years have been...cinematicly cpeaking...some of the proudest in my life.