Recent viewings

[Torgo]

TROPIC THUNDER   *** out of ****.
The 1st half was consistently funnier than the 2nd half but when this movie is funny you'll be almost crying you're laughing so hard.

OTIS  ***1/2 out of ****.
Highly original and really turns the whole serial killer/torture porn/capitivity movies on their head with some plot twists that I really didn't think the movie would go with.   

[Psycho Circus]

I still think the scenes in the last 20 mins of this film are some of the best in cinema history.

[Torgo]

JUNO    ***1/2 out of ****

[Jack]

The Monster That Challenged The World - black & white atomic monster movie from the '50s.  I actualy thought the monster was quite cute    Moderately interesting characters, moderately interesting plot.  If you're in the mood for some retro-cheese, this isn't too bad.

[lester1/2jr]

charlies angels season 1 box set-  the one thing you have to know about this series is it jumped the shark when farrah fawcett left.  as usual, the first season is the best despite the corny dialogue and plot holes.

also, there are ALOT of episodes.  25 on 5 dvd's each like 45 minutes long. 

[vrock]

I saw Cannibal Holocaust for the first time yesterday. It wasn't as gross as I expected (except the turtle scene) but it was still very brutal. I actually thought it was probably the best grindhouse movie ever made and one of the most well made horror movies of all time as well as one of the most disturbing. I loved it. 5/5

[ToyMan]

finally saw nothern promises last night. i was really impressed with a history of violence, and i thought it would be interesting to see if the dynamic between cronenberg, as the director, and viggo mortensen, as an actor, had expanded.

it was really quite good, i thought. despite the lack of cronenberg's signature paranormal/metaphysical happenings, everything held together quite well.

i have complicated preferences when it comes to "mob movies", in that i can't stand most of the ones that are made here in america. on the other hand, i really enjoyed lucio fulci's contraband (aka: the naples connection). i guess this one won me over because, while it does carry a lot of the conventions of italian mafia flicks, the eastern european characters seemed fresher.

[Torgo]

CLERKS 2     ***1/2 out of ****

[Psycho Circus]

WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S [1989]

[Torgo]

THE HIDDEN   ***1/2 out of ****

[Rev. Powell]

DON'T LOOK NOW (1973):  In the wake of their daughter's drowning death, a young couple go to Venice to restore a church and meet a blind psychic who says she can see the child. Gothic Venetian locations and an intriguing ending partly redeem this otherwise slow-as-molasses psychological horror/drama. 2/5.

I have to disagree with myself.  My first impression after watching this "classic" was overwhelming boredom, relieved a little bit by the ending.  Later, however, I felt compelled to go back and re-watch some key scenes, which I don't feel the need to do with truly boring movies.  Having had time to think about it--and the movie makes you think about it after it's over--I'll give it a 4/5.  The needlessly slow pacing at the beginning knocks one star off what should have been a classic. Trim 20 minutes or so out of it and it's a masterpiece.

[Psycho Circus]

DON'T LOOK NOW (1973):  In the wake of their daughter's drowning death, a young couple go to Venice to restore a church and meet a blind psychic who says she can see the child. Gothic Venetian locations and an intriguing ending partly redeem this otherwise slow-as-molasses psychological horror/drama. 2/5.

I have to disagree with myself.  My first impression after watching this "classic" was overwhelming boredom, relieved a little bit by the ending.  Later, however, I felt compelled to go back and re-watch some key scenes, which I don't feel the need to do with truly boring movies.  Having had time to think about it--and the movie makes you think about it after it's over--I'll give it a 4/5.  The needlessly slow pacing at the beginning knocks one star off what should have been a classic. Trim 20 minutes or so out of it and it's a masterpiece.

Watched this film not long ago after hearing it was some kind of masterpiece. I do agree, completely. "Don't Look Now" is an excellent film, but some of the scenes are dragged out with nothing much going on. Everything is established to the viewer, but it is all too long and needed trimming for sure. I'd give it 4/5 too Rev.

[Torgo]

THE CRAFT   *** out of ****

[ToyMan]

it's not really a film, but i watched 42nd street forever, volume 3: exploitation explosion last night.

if you haven't seen any of these, they're trailer collections. lots of drive-in, double-feature, softcore type stuff. unlike the others that i've seen, though, this one offered a commentary track! it was pretty awesome to have three movie geeks rambling on, letting me know whether what i was seeing was as good, or bad, as it looked.

[Psycho Circus]

Scent Of A Woman



Lt. Col. Frank Slade: Clear them little bottles off. And when I get off the phone here, call up Hyman and tell him I want it wall to wall with John Daniels.
Charlie Simms: Don't you mean Jack Daniels?
Lt. Col. Frank Slade: He may be Jack to you son, but when you've known him as long as I have... that's a joke.

Brilliant, brilliant film.