Reviews

I always laugh at those that review these types of movies expecting to see a work of creative genius; especially when it seemed like the movie was delayed or shelved for a long period of time before it was actually released.

You know what, it is what it is. And I enjoyed it. While it may not have been any where near as sharp as Clerks, did you really think it would be? I loved the cameos and getting caught up in the Star Wars nostalgia again.

I would have liked to have seen a cameo by Lucas himself though. I was waiting for him to come out at the ranch.

If for no other reason, the scene with Chief was worth watching the whole movie.

This film follows a group of adult industry types for about a year and most of them you ended up feeling sorry for. Even troopers such as Otto seem to be trying really hard to convince us that he is happy while his wife looks increasingly depressed throughout the film. While I was really looking forward to a documentary on the adult film industry, I felt this one did not measure up. In almost every case except for possibly Mark Spiegler, there were no happy endings. Everyone in the business did not truly seem happy with where they were and how their life ended up. Even Belladonna who seemed to love the industry and her role in it near the end of the film relents that she just wants to give it all up and find a beach somewhere. But then who does not no matter what their profession is? Sasha Grey wants us to believe she has herself together, but one has to figure her chances of becoming the next Jenna Jameson are slim to none. This film also pulls the fantasy rug out from under porn as well. Take for example the scene where Otto laments that he is covered in an abundance of lube and spunk. (He explains how the spunk gets in his hair). Talk about too much information. On the plus side, it was cool to see Nina Hartley and Sharon Mitchell again. Both seem to be very successful having moved on from porn.

I think anyone who goes to see this film will not find anything they did not expect. If you appreciate Bill Maher's comedy and his programs you will enjoy this movie. Is he totally one sided? Sure. Is his approach confrontational? You bet. But that is what Bill is about. That is what makes him funny.

As for some people's complaint that he does not go far enough to debunk religion; how could one expect that he would have the time to do so? Rather there tear down the walls of each of the main religions addressed in the film, he simply throws rocks at them attempting to crack the glass ceilings. He wants us to doubt. he wants us not to feel guilty about doubt. He wants us to question whether or not it is healthy for our political leaders to make judgments based solely on religious beliefs.

In that regard, I think the film succeeds.

This movie delivers a couple of really good scares. But the scares are more in line with computer pop ups then chill inducing suspense. You know what I mean, a moment of calm followed by a LOUD NOISE and the shot of one of the Strangers. Therefore, over all it does not leave you feeling the same way you may have felt when you left Halloween or Aliens say. It is not edge of your seat full throttle suspense.

Another issue I had was the way the characters acted. In short, they continue to make really bad decisions. I just hope that if ever I am faced with such a situation, I keep some of my common sense about me and not just run off madly in all directions. Once I had that shotgun, I would have been marching down the road blasting anything that crossed my path. In this movie, the victims do not even wound one of their attackers.

And that brings me my last piece of criticism: the ending is just too nihilistic. By that I mean it is cold. Sure it is creepy and leaves you thinking; sure it is probably more realistic as to what would really happen, but the payoff of watching someone get terrorized in a slasher film is that at some point the hunted becomes the hunter. There is no "payback is a bitch" scene in this film. I do not always want my films to end happy, but in this case, I wanted the bad guys to get their due.

So! Over all, I am glad I went to see it and I enjoyed getting knocked out of my seat from time to time. (I still have the claw marks in my arm from where my wife squeezed through.) However, it would not be on my list of top 10...or even 20.

I wanted to like this movie. I really did. I went in with an open mind. After all, it is not easy to remake a classic. Especially when the original Halloween was perfect. Nonetheless, this movie is a major disappointment. It starts off well enough, and I did enough the background of Michael. However, when it gets to present day, the story line skips through sections and you get the feeling of bad editing. Plus, all the jumping around leads to no character development and a group of teenagers we could care less about. To put in plainly, there is no suspense in this movie. Even though Zombie adds his own touch and scenarios to the story line, he never gives the audience a feeling of dread. Unlike the original, there are no moments of, "run'" "look out behind you" and all the edge of your seat stuff. It's just cut to scene, kids are killed, cut to next scene.

Even the cameos are wasted. Take the Spiderman movies for example. In each one, Bruce Campbell steals the scene he is in. This movie had countless cameos by some of the best in B movies and horror films. For the most part, none of them leave a mark.

At times this movie feels like a remake, at times a sequel, and at times a re-envisioning. Never does it feel like a good movie. definitely not worthy of the title.

Can't Believe it never came to theatres around my City! Can't Believe Blockbuster only has one in stock as a new release!

Scream deconstructed the horror genre and then used the fact that we all new the "rules" to find new ways to scare us. In much the same way, only using a documentary feel, BTM jokes about the "rules" and Clichés. Leslie and his mentor joke that some things are inside secrets of the trade.

The story is well thought out and crafted; a team of documentary film makers are following Leslie as he is about to make is mark on the sleepy town of Glen Echo. The film crew set him up as a peer to Myers, Jason and Freddy. Leslie takes them on a tour of the would be crime scene, fills them in on the "motivation" for his soon to be killing spree, introduces them to his mentor, and even solicits their aid in setting up the events yet to unfold. On the way he explains the process of slashing. He breaks every aspect of it down: from, sabotaging possible weapons, waiting for the sex to start, using bodies as diversions and time management, to having a good "Ahab" and "sole survivor."

For me, these leading up to events were the best part of the film. In In last part, Leslie shows just how much of a manipulator he really is and we find out that the film crew, was part of his plan from the get go. This change works well because it satisfies the question of why the film crew would actually agree to document such a nightmarish evening without trying to stop it.

Nathan Baesel steals the show for sure. A powerful performance.

Great cameos, great references (even little girls skipping in white dresses as on Elm Street).

Make sure you stay for the end credits as well. You know what is coming, but you still can not wait till it does.

I am a little surprised with people who take the view that Rami has destroyed the franchise or that he does not take into consideration what the fans want. I say thank God Rami directed this series in the first place. Imagine if Joel "Batman & Robin Schumacher was at the helm. Rami's camera style is made for Spiderman. And without him, we would not have gotten 3 great cameos by Bruce Campbell.

Still, the movie suffers from a plot line that shoots up and down faster than one of those bobbing bird things. I think if it had continuously escalated until the final confrontation, it would have been much better. For example, how many times did Harry die in the film? First in the alley…alright he made it…then when the grenade went off by his head…alright he made it…then finally in the end. Chances are in part 4 he will rise from the grave once more. The same went for the Sandman. He was a threat…then he was gone…then he was back…then he decided to move to a beach some where and be nice.

If this film was a little tighter, it would have been just as good as the first two.

At the end of the day though, it was still way better than most of the crap released these days. I hope Rami signs on for part 4. Rumor has it that The Lizard and Carnage will make their appearance. I am all about that!

Yes! I said Thriller.

The word of mouth about this flick from the man who made our stomachs turn in Cabin Fever, was that it was all about the gore.

Sure this movie has its gory moments, but really, this movie is a classic thriller. Starting off as your typical buddy buddy road movie, the film takes a horrific turn when members of the group start disappearing. The audience knows what is happening to them of-course as that part has been well advertised. The interesting twist is when Paxton escapes and makes his way out of the torture fun park. This is where the movie takes off and keeps running. The uncomfortableness of the previous torture scenes make the getting away sequences all the more never racking and enjoyable.

Who is not on their seat screaming at Paxton to just get the heck out of there? When he goes back in to save Kana, you can hardly watch.

This movie reminded me in many ways of Mute Witness. Also shot in a bleak Eastern Europe, it starts off as a horror slasher film and before you know it, gets you caught up in a suspense filled thriller.

I have never been a big fan of the just straight out gore movies. Carpenter did not need excessive blood to make Halloween frightening; Craven did not turn the screen red to create masterpieces such as the Hills Have Eyes or Nightmare on Elm Street. Still, somewhere along the way, directors made the equation that blood and gore equaled suspense. Unfortunately, it seldom does.

Hostel is a great movie because it scares the crap out of you and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Eli successfully uses the gore to make you feel uncomfortable; once off balance, he takes you on a roller coaster ride.

The first hour or so of this movie is brilliant. The fast paced dialogue, the trying to figure out who is doing the manipulating, the acting; all good. But the last portion is a mess making the movie almost unwatchable.

Jason Statham is well cast and as always, fun to watch. So are Ray Liotta, Vincent Pastore (Big Pussy from Soprano's) and André Benjamin (Outcast). Actually, I think André is heading in the same direction as Wil Smith. He is that good.

But it is not the acting that tanks this picture, it is the twist at the end: it just does not make any sense. Having a twist is a good thing: when we find out that Roger 'Verbal' Kint is in fact Keyser Soze, it is a great moment in movie history. But what makes it great is that fact that when you re watch the The Usual Suspects, it holds up. Verbal spun a yarn full of truths and conjured up facts from a billboard. But at the end of the day, the movie, his character, and the events that took place, real or imagined, made sense and we could buy in. Guy Ritchie on the other hand throws in a twist that leaves the viewer feeling like they left the theatre for a moment and came back into the wrong picture. Jake is Macha is Zach is Avi? Or is Jake just Zach and Avi? Does Jake exists or is it Macha that does not exist? I know who Keyser Soze is, but who the hell is Jake? Intelligent movies are the best ones. Leaving the audience pondering what happened and having to put the pieces back together makes for an interesting and enjoyable experience. However, Revolver does not provide us with this enjoyment. It simply and abruptly ends with more confusion than questions that one can answer.

The first part of this movie is well worth watching. The second half though will make you feel like you have one arm sliding down a cheese grader.