Prospero's Horrible Reviews

[Prospero]

All right, I'm new here, and something of a lurker. I've read several of the reviewers here, and am pretty impressed, overall.

I've noticed, though, that horror films don't get much time here, so I'm going to post a few reviews of some horror films from another site that I used to be on. (I left due to childish and trollish behavior there that didn't get the proper attention from the site's moderators).

Anyway, my reviews tend to be kind of short, compared to those that I've read here. I usually concentrate on my impressions/likes/dislikes, and don't provide much of a synopsis. I'll start working on writing more complete reviews for the future, but for now, WYSIWYG.

My rating system is the four-star system:
**** - Excellent movie. Highly recommended
***1/2 - Great, but I might have a couple of problems with it. Still highly recommended
*** - Very good. Still recommended, but not the "rush right out and rent this NOW" quality.
**1/2 - Good. Above average. Basically I felt like I wasn't ripped off.
** - Meh. Average. Not horrible, but not something I'd watch again, either.
*1/2 - Dislike it. Generally reserved for bad movies that have at least somethig going for them.
* - Bad stuff. Movies that were a waste of time and/or money.
Zero - Abomination. Avoid at all costs.

I love feedback and discussion. Constructive criticism is always welcome, and comments about the films, whether or not you agree with my assessments, are great. I love the give and take of talking about movies.

So let me pull together some of my horror film reviews and we'll see what happens.

[Nitzer]

Hey and welcome. I see you like horror movies, you got a place in my book. :up:

[Prospero]

http://www.carfax-abbey.com/gallery/films/bsunday5.jpg

Black Sunday (1960)
Directed by Mario Bava.
Stars: Barbara Steele, John Richardson, Andrea Checchi

I had heard this film was great, and indeed it met all those high expectations. It's an Italian film that brings back memories of the Hammer or Universal horror films. Bava is an excellent cinematographer and director, with an amazing facility for using light and shadow to their best effect. He also really knows how to set up some memorable shots and stage some incredible scenes.

The story concerns a witch who was executed (by her brother) with her lover some 200 years before the main story takes place. Now it is the 19th century, and a doctor and his assistant have unwittingly released her from her long sleep (her body was killed, but her spirit still lives, dontcha know). She and her lover rise to wreak vengeance on the descendants of her brother. The plan is for her to take over the body of her young descendant Katya and then to regain her satanic powers. Only Katya's brother and the handsome doctor's assistant now stand in her way.

The movie has atmosphere to spare and is only hampered by the so-so performances of everyone involved (except Barbara Steele, who does very well in her dual role as Katya and the witch).

Highly recommended if you enjoy atmospheric horror.
4.5

[Prospero]

Hey and welcome. I see you like horro movies, you got a place in my book. :up:Thanks! Anyone with Ash for their avatar is okay by me.

[The Taxi Driver]

i see you like horror movies like me. thats cool

[Prospero]

http://movies.go.com/images/photogallery/dawnofthedead/dawn_10.jpg

Dawn Of The Dead (2004)
Directed by Zack Snyder
Stars: Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, Mekhi Pfifer

Dawn is a very good updating of the George Romero classic from 1978. The setup is essentially the same: the Earth is plagued with legions of flesh-eating zombies, and a group of people hole up in a shopping mall to escape them, at least for a while. This time around the zombies are not a bunch of slow-moving stumblebums, but fast-moving badasses who are very hungry.

Zack Snyder's kinetic direction makes this a lot of fun, and pretty damn scary. The problems I had with it were too many extraneous characters, which watered down some of the character development, and their interactions. I could have done very well without the security guards, but the addition of Andy, another refugee on the roof of a neighboring building was inspired and added a lot to the film. The rescue sequence was gut-wrenching. The method of escape from the mall also added a lot more tension and action than the first movie.

The opening and closing sequences were both excellent as well. I was really surprised at how many people got up and left the theater when the credits started to roll. Those suckers missed a lot.

4

http://us.ent4.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/universal_pictures/dawn_of_the_dead/_group_photos/sarah_polley1.jpg

[Garrett]

http://www.carfax-abbey.com/gallery/films/bsunday5.jpg
Black Sunday (1960)


Black Sunday is one of my favorite horror movies. I like Black Sabbath slightly more though.

[Nitzer]

Very nice DOTD2K review. Your reviews are short, simple and highly enjoyable. Most important of all - fun to read. Keep it up. :up:

[Prospero]

Black Sunday is one of my favorite horror movies. I like Black Sabbath slightly more though.I'm pretty much the opposite. I like Black Sabbath a lot, too, but found it to be a bit uneven. Of course, I'm kind of partial to gothic horror movies.

[Prospero]

Very nice DOTD2K review. Your reviews are short, simple and highly enjoyable. Most important of all - fun to read. Keep it up. :up:Thanks! Glad you like 'em. :D

[Prospero]

http://img65.exs.cx/img65/4701/haunting012.jpg

(SPOILERS)
The Haunting (1963)
Directed by Robert Wise
Stars: Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, Russ Tamblyn

The Haunting is my favorite horror movie, bar none. The reason I feel so strongly about it is that it acheives its scares without showing any blood, monsters, or madmen. It's purely through masterfully mounting suspense, unexplained noises, and odd camera angles that it creates the desired effect.

The premise is simple: Four psychic investigators are going to spend some time in Hill House, which has a strong reputation for being not just haunted, but evil.
First is Dr. John Markway, the head of the group. He's smart, charming, and very serious about his work.
Next is Eleanor Vance, who is the film's central character. Eleanor is a mouse. Having cared for her ailing mother for most of her life, and then living with her sister and brother-in law, she has never had a place to call home; a place where she felt like she truly belonged. There are many parallels between her and The Companion, Hill House's last full-time resident.
Theo is the psychic of the group, and her paranormal abilities are well documented. The fact that she is also a lesbian brings an added dimension to the film, and makes for some very interesting character interactions.
Luke is the nephew of Hill House's owner. He is the cynic of the group. Smart and funny, he is very likeable in a rogueish sort of way.

Not long after the group arrives, Things Begin To Happen (of course). Most of what happens seems to have Eleanor as its focus (or is Eleanor, consciously or not, making things happen?).

I like the way the film works on several levels. First, the fact that the house is, indeed haunted, but there is also the psychological aspect: Eleanor has a seemingly fragile psyche, and needs desperately to belong. She not only falls under the spell of the house, but also that of Dr. Markway, who unintentionally leads her on.

The character of Theo, the psychic, is an interesting one as well. I have always wondered how much of the way in which her lesbianism is subtly introduced was the idea of the director to begin with, and how much of it was due to the convention of the times. It's very entertaining to watch Theo come on pretty strongly to Eleanor, only to be rebuffed, and then watch her reaction when Eleanor displays her obvious attraction to Dr. Markway.

Russ Tamblyn is perfect as the devout skeptic who, by the end of the movie, becomes an equally devout believer in the supernatural.

The unusual camera angles and lenses used throughout the movie also lend an air of things not being quite right. In many parts of the film, we're not quite sure how much of Eleanor's disorientation is due to the house, and how much is due to her own imagination gone wild. But there is no doubt that something is in the house: the pounding on the walls and the doors of some unseen force, the whispers and cries in the night, and of course, the great oak door bending inwards as though made of rubber. Yes, something is certainly there.

In the end, Eleanor succumbs, and as she is forced to drive away from the house, unseen hands take control of the steering wheel and force the car into a tree, killing her instantly. Or are they unseen hands? Perhaps it is Eleanor's own tortured mind taking control and refusing to let her leave. After all, in dying she has finally found a place where she belongs.

5

[Prospero]

I just revised my review of The Haunting, and am much happier with it now.

[Prospero]

http://us.ent4.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/universal_pictures/van_helsing/hugh_jackman/vanhelsing4.jpg

Van Helsing (2004) (Mild to moderate spoilers)
Directed by Stephen Sommers
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham

So I took my son to see Van Helsing. Blech.

After about 15 minutes I realized that I should forget about logic and accept the fact that there are going to be some huge plot holes. But I can live with that as long as the movie entertains me.

But the terrible acting and ridiculous dialogue really drove a stake through the heart of this movie for me. Not only was I rolling my eyes, but I literally covered my face at times, it was so bad. Hugh Jackman was okay, and Kevin J. O'Connor was terrific as Igor, but as for the rest: blech. Kate Beckinsale looked hot, but I couldn't get past her fake accent. And necks are not the only things that the vampires in this movie chew: the scenery also took a real beating at their hands.

I find it interesting that stagecoaches catch fire quicker that children's sleepwear, that a syringe exists (just one) that will not only cure lycanthropy, but is also resistant to the effects an otherwise powerful acid, and that a vampire's offspring (???) can only survive while electricity courses through the body of the Frankenstein monster.

On the brighter side, the movie provided some good, if unintentional, laughs. One of the best was at the end where the Frankenstein monster paddles away, Godzilla-style, on what has to be the smallest raft I have ever seen.
1.5

[Prospero]

http://www.thefilmasylum.com/albums/Ginger-Snaps-2/gingersnaps2_b.jpg

Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed(2004)
Directed by Brett Sullivan
Stars: Emily Perkins, Tatiana Maslany, Eric Johnson


I watched Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed the other night, and found it to be even better than the first movie, which was pretty damn good itself.

In this sequel to 2000’s teen werewolf movie Ginger Snaps, we find Bridget, one of the sisters from that tale, ensconced in a hospital psych ward. There she befriends Ghost, a young girl who is in the hospital helping to care for her badly burned grandmother. Ghost is a comic book-devouring outcast who immediately realizes that Bridget is fighting a slow but steady transformation into becoming a werewolf. To slow the process, Bridget needs monk‘s hood, aka wolfsbane, which she injects much like the heroin and cocaine that the other residents are being treated for. The two form an alliance of sorts, with the sullen Bridget slowly opening up to the imaginative Ghost.

What Ghost doesn’t realize, though, is that Bridget is being stalked by a wolf, which is now lurking outside the hospital. The wolf is not seeking Bridget for a meal, but for a mate. The unlikely pair manage a harrowing escape and make their way to Ghost’s home and prepare for the final confrontation.

Ginger Snaps 2 is a character driven horror movie, one of my favorite kinds. There are no amazing transformations (and really, haven’t we seen enough of those?), and there isn’t a great deal of gore. There are a couple of pretty good kills, though, which are effective more for what they don’t show than for what they do.

Okay, so the acting is sometimes sub-par (especially by Tatiana Maslany as Ghost), but the characters, the tension and the unexpected finale all make this a worthwhile view.

3.5

[Prospero]

http://www.mondo-digital.com/biozombie.jpg

Bio-Zombie (1998)
Directed by Wilson Yip
Stars: Jordan Chan, Sam Lee, Angela Tong Ying-Ying

I watched BioZombie last night, and after a pretty rocky start it ended up being a lot of fun. I had serious misgivings for the first half hour or so, since it seemed to have no sympathetic characters. I also had major problems with the subtitles, since theye were clearly written by someone who didn't have a very good grasp of the English language. After I switched back to the dubbed version it got much better.

It's the story of a bunch of Chinese mallrats fighting and trying to escape from a horde of zombies loose in the mall. About halfway through the thought ocurred to me that BioZombie is like Dawn Of The Dead on acid. It has a very high cheese/camp factor, and had me laughing out loud several times. Kind of a strange ending, though.

I recommend it if you're looking for good cheesy fun, and I also recommend that you watch it dubbed in English (probably the first time I've said that about any movie).

3.5

[Prospero]

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Underworld (2003)
Directed by Len Wiseman
Stars: Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Michael Sheen, Shane Brolly

Meh. I've seen better, I've seen worse. I was disappointed that it was mostly just gunplay. Sure, there were some cool creature effects, but it mostly seemed to be about the lycans and the vampires shooting each other. And what's up with the vampires? They're not terribly fast, they cast reflections, they don't seem to be able to see in the dark...sorry, but the werewolves seemed to have it all over the vampires in the special abilities department. As a friend of mine said: "Vampires? There were vampires in that movie? I never would have known if they hadn't told me."

There were several performances I found sadly lacking. Shane Brolly as Kraven was terrible, and Bill Nighy as Viktor didn't impress me all that much. On the other hand, Scott Speedman (Michael), Sophia Miles (Erika), and especially Michael Sheen as Lucien were all quite good, I thought. Kate herself was passable, but when you look like that, hey, who the hell cares? This movie gets an extra half star for Kate Beckinsale's outfit.

Overall, it wasn't a bad way to spend the evening, but I'm glad I didn't pay full price.

2.5

[Prospero]

http://img3.exs.cx/img3/657/freddy_vs_jason_3.jpg

Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
Directed by Ronny Yu
Stars: Robert Englund, Ken Kirzinger, Monica Keena, Jason Ritter

I saw Freddy vs. Jason on DVD twice this week: once alone and once with the wife. Frankly, I just wasn’t all that thrilled with it, but then, I’ve never been a big fan of either series. The script was pretty bad: rotten dialogue and poorly drawn characters (but then why should we bother with good characters when they’re just fodder for F and J?). One of my biggest gripes was that the character of Mark was killed off too quickly. I thought the guy who played him (Brendan Fletcher) was pretty good, and his character was one of the better ones in the movie.

Is it a prerequisite that all females in films like this have boob jobs?

After talking to some fans online, I realized that my disappointment at it not being scary was out of place (see? I told you I didn’t follow the series too much). Maybe I’m just an old fart, but the battle between the two didn’t enthrall me that much after the first couple of minutes. After Freddy's lost his arms and he sprouted a second set, I realized that neither one of them was going to get hurt and it became pretty boring after that.

On the other hand, there was some good stuff to be found:
-the flaming Jason in the corn field was pretty cool
-the pictures of the kids in the "missing" posters at the police station were very creepy
-although Mark’s death came too soon, his death itself was about the best one of the movie: "Freddy’s Back" on his…back.
-some of the little "in" jokes were pretty funny. For instance, on a TV newscast, the call letters of the station were KRGR. Heh. There were a couple of others, but I forget now what they were.

So what can I say? I’m just not a Freddy or Jason kind of guy I guess.

2.5

[nebbit]

Thanks Prossie for the reviews, I am an old :rolleyes: Hammer girl.
may have a look at a few of the movies I haven't seen after reading your reviews, Bio Zombies, I like a little or should i say a lot of cheese, how could I not, being an old hammer girl. :D keep them coming. :yup:

[Prospero]

Thanks Prossie for the reviews, I am an old :rolleyes: Hammer girl.
may have a look at a few of the movies I haven't seen after reading your reviews, Bio Zombies, I like a little or should i say a lot of cheese, how could I not, being an old hammer girl. :D keep them coming. :yup:Thanks! Bio Zombie is a helluva lot of fun, after you get through the first half hour.

I love the old Hammer movies, but haven't seen any in years. I need to give them another look and write some reviews. Have you seen Black Sunday? If you like Hammer, you'll probably love it.

[Nitzer]

Even more great reviews! You should have become a professional movie critic, instead of all those old farts who bash every movie that Nicole Kidman isn't in. I definetely hope you stick around, but only one thing - why such a low rating for FvJ? I thought it was better than that. Guess it's just because I'm a teenager and into cheesy horror. :D

[Prospero]

Even more great reviews! You should have become a professional movie critic, instead of all those old farts who bash every movie that Nicole Kidman isn't in. I definetely hope you stick around, but only one thing - why such a low rating for FvJ? I thought it was better than that. Guess it's just because I'm a teenager and into cheesy horror. :DThanks! My ego can always use the boost. :)
I'm glad the reviews are being read, and some folks like them.

As for FvJ, I am an old fart, and am not a big fan of slasher movies in general. Don't get me wrong; I have no problem with gore. It's just that the whole teen's-in-peril (usually stupid teens in peril) schtick seems kind of boring to me. I liked the first Nightmare On Elm Street a lot just because it was so imaginative, but I didn't really watch any more of the series than that (I think I saw New Nightmare, but I don't remember too much about it). I never got into the Friday The 13th series at all.

So not having a history with Freddy and Jason, I couldn't relish the movie the way some folks did. It is fun in a cheesey sort of way, but just not to my taste.

Oh, in case you were wondering, I love Halloween. Here's the review I wrote. It's very short, and I need to punch it up a little, but it's easy to see how I feel about this film.


http://www.bergen-filmklubb.no/images/Halloween.jpg

Halloween (1978)
Directed by John Carpenter
Stars: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasance, Nancy Keyes, P.J. Soles

I just finished watching Halloween with my son. He's 13 and this was his first time seeing it. Needless to say, he loved it, and I really enjoyed watching it with him; it 's not often you get to see this movie with someone who's never seen it before.

It's been at least five years since the last time I watched it and I had almost forgotten how brilliant this movie is. Once again we're shown how much can be done on a slim budget. The acting is good (especially by Jamie Lee), and the pacing is spot on. Carpenter has a great instinct for how to build suspense: to foreshadow and then keep us waiting for the inevitable. The camerawork is also terrific, with at least a half dozen memorable shots. And Carpenter's music works well with the rest of the movie, helping to set the general mood of dread and foreboding.

In all, a practically flawless film.
5

[AboveTheClouds]

Your interviews are interesting,well done and don't drone.. keep up up the great work

[Terminator734]

your reviews are right on target dude

keep it up

[Prospero]

Aw, shucks, guys.
Thanks for the encouragement.
I've reviewed lots more than just horror movies, and am thinking of adding them to this thread.

We'll see.

[LordSlaytan]

Nice reviews, man.

Any chance of getting Blair Witch (my personal favorite of this genre) and Rosemary's Baby (my second favorite) reviews? I'm interested in what you think about these two.

[Prospero]

http://www.darkhorizons.com/1999/ravenous/raven7.jpg

Ravenous (1999)
Directed by Antonia Bird
Stars: Guy Pearce, Robert Carlyle, Jeffrey Jones, David Arquette

Ravenous sucked me in right from the get-go. The movie spends about 15 minutes on exposition and character introduction, and then gets right to the…if you’ll excuse the expression…meat of the film. The movie takes place during the Spanish-American War, and concerns a Captain John Boyd (Guy Pearce), who is assigned to Fort Spencer, an isolated outpost in the western Sierra Nevada Mountains. He arrives in the dead of winter to find that he one in a company of only eight people inhabiting the fort (it’s the off season, apparently).

Soon after Boyd’s arrival, another visitor arrives at Fort Spencer: a Mr. F.W. Calhoun (Robert Carlyle). He is the last survivor of a party of pioneers who got lost in the mountains, and were forced to take shelter in a cave from a winter storm; a storm that left them snowed in and unable to continue on. He tells a horrific tale that sounds like it was lifted straight from the Donner party: first they ate the oxen, then the horses, then their belts and shoes, and then…. well…one of the party died and… Fearing for his life, Calhoun fled when there were only three of the party left, and made his way to Fort Spencer.

The commander of the Fort, Colonel Hart (Jeffrey Jones) mounts a search party, Boyd among them, to try and rescue the remaining members of Calhoun’s expedition. They eventually find the cave, and Boyd and Private Reich (Neal McDonough) go inside to investigate. Once inside, they find what is left of the pioneer band. And then the real horror begins.

There is so much good stuff in this movie that I hardly know where to begin. The director, Antonia Bird, has a way of making the audience (well, me at least) feel the isolation of these men, and how out of touch they are with the rest of the world; of how truly alone they are. The characters are all well drawn, and one can find sympathy for even the worst of them. The performances are all good, although it seemed like David Arquette’s character didn’t have much to do; just giggle and act stoned most of the time (not much of a stretch). But all in all they seemed like real people to me; people who were in this fix, not just characters spouting lines in a play.

The music was kind of hit and miss. Sometimes the twanging folksy sound seemed out of place with what was happening on the screen, but at other times it hit just the right note, sending shivers down my spine.

This is not a movie for the squeamish. It is a story of cannibalism, of superstition and mystical power. It invokes the spirit of vampires drinking the blood of men and werewolves tearing at human flesh, and the ancient Indian legend of the wendigo

Ravenous is a reminder that not all monsters have fangs or masks or razor-tipped fingers. There are monsters who are handsome, cultured and well spoken, and that’s what makes them all the more horrifying.

4.5

[LordSlaytan]

What I liked most about this film is the choice of casting. Carlyle reminds me of Buscemi in a way. Everybody seems to be drawn to him. Partly because he's extremely talented, and partly because he has a certain charisma that can't quite be defined. Pierce is pretty cool too when he is given a type of role that fits him, which he seems to find more often than not. Also, everybody's favorite pedo is in the cast...how can that be bad?

[SamsoniteDelilah]

The Haunting is my favorite horror movie, bar none. The reason I feel so strongly about it is that it acheives its scares without showing any blood, monsters, or madmen. It's purely through masterfully mounting suspense, unexplained noises, and odd camera angles that it creates the desired effect.
Eggsackley!!! This is probably the most chilling horror flick I've seen. It creeped me out, and I watched it on a Saturday afternoon while eating fajitas.

Great reviews, here Prospero! Looks like you've found a niche. :)
I'm so glad to see you here.

[Prospero]

What I liked most about this film is the choice of casting. Carlyle reminds me of Buscemi in a way. Everybody seems to be drawn to him. Partly because he's extremely talented, and partly because he has a certain charisma that can't quite be defined. Pierce is pretty cool too when he is given a type of role that fits him, which he seems to find more often than not. Also, everybody's favorite pedo is in the cast...how can that be bad?Carlyle was great in this movie. As you say, he was perfectly cast. I hadn't thought of the Buscemi connection, but he does have that same sort of odd charisma. Pearce is good, too. I've pretty much liked him in everything I've seen him in. Even The Time Machine.
I wish I could think of something witty to say about Jeffrey Jones, other than perhaps he was drawn to this part because of the availability of fresh meat.
I know some people really hate this movie, perhaps because it vears off into the mystical/magical partway through, but I thought it worked pretty well.

[Prospero]

Eggsackley!!! This is probably the most chilling horror flick I've seen. It creeped me out, and I watched it on a Saturday afternoon while eating fajitas.

Great reviews, here Prospero! Looks like you've found a niche. :)
I'm so glad to see you here.I never get tired of watching this one. It's a really well crafted movie with some terrific performances.
And thanks for the kind words, Sam. It's only though your recommendation that I'm here, so you only have yourself to thank (or to blame).

[Herod]

I've always felt Ravenous was a wonderful and highly underrated film, especially seeing as most of those who I've reccomended it to have thoroughly enjoyed it.

Surprised, though, that you didn't like the score by Blur (and Gorillaz) frontman Damon Albarn and the delightful Michael Nyman, which I personally consider to be one of the best original scores of contemporary cinema.

I'm glad to see the excellent review.

[Prospero]

http://www.palmpictures.com/newsite/art/videos/theeye/theeye_182x270.jpg

The Eye (2002)
Directed by the Pang brothers
Stars: Angelica Lee, Lawrence Chou

I watched an Asian horror film called The Eye for the second time recently. It's not quite as effective on a second viewing, but I still liked it a lot. It's the story of a woman who is given a cornea transplant, and then starts seeing ghosts of the recently and not-so-recently departed, a la The Sixth Sense. She also starts having vivd nightmares of people and places she has never seen. Needless to say, these images are both troubling and frightening to her. She sets out with her psychotherapist to track down the family of the donor to find out the whole story.

http://www.tiramillas.net/cine/2003/the_eye/01.jpg

Although not as effective as some other Asian horror I've seen, the director still does a good job of communicating the fear and confusion the protagonist is feeling while giving us some pretty good scares. Solid acting by the whole cast (except for Lawrence Chou as the therapist, who seems out of place), add to an emotional, creepy and sometimes frightening film. My only real problem was with the way it ended. What seemed to be the final scene, of the main characters standing around the donor's grave, is followed by another sequence which I don't want to describe in detail, but suffice it to say that it seemed to me that it was a "Hollywood" ending, that ruined the overall mood of the rest of the film. Even so, it's still a movie I would recommend, although it has been panned by some other Asian horror lovers.

3.5

[Prospero]

http://us.ent4.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/twentieth_century_fox/joy_ride/_group_photos/leelee_sobieski5.jpg

Joy Ride (2001)
Directed by John Dahl
Stars: Paul Walker, Steve Zahn, Leelee Sobieski

Joy Ride is a helluva movie. Basically an homage to Stephen Spielberg's 1971 made-for-TV classic Duel, it's the story of three young people being terrorized by a malevolent trucker.

On his way to pick up his girlfriend from college, Lewis Thomas (Paul Walker) stops to bail his loser brother Fuller (Steve Zahn) out of jail. They pass the time by taunting a trucker on their CB radio. Of course the trucker turns out to be a psycho who terrorizes them until they finally think they've appeased him by offering him their abject apologies. But once Lewis and Fuller pick up Lewis' girlfriend (Leelee Sobieski), things start right up again with increased intensity, and the realization that this isn't just any trucker. A sense of the uncanny and possibly the supernatural starts to pervade the film. The tension is cranked up until by the end I was literally gritting my teeth and squirming in my seat.

This movie is smart, well directed, and scary as hell. Highly recommended.

4

[Prospero]

I've always felt Ravenous was a wonderful and highly underrated film, especially seeing as most of those who I've reccomended it to have thoroughly enjoyed it.

Surprised, though, that you didn't like the score by Blur (and Gorillaz) frontman Damon Albarn and the delightful Michael Nyman, which I personally consider to be one of the best original scores of contemporary cinema.

I'm glad to see the excellent review.I wouldn't say that I disliked the entire score. At times it was perfectly suited to the move, but at other times it seemed out of place.

[Prospero]

http://www.horrordvds.com/reviews/a-m/hhe/hhe_shot7s.jpg

The Hills Have Eyes (1977)
Directed by Wes Craven
Stars: Dee Wallace Stone, Robert Houston, Susan Lanier, Martin Speer

This is a movie that I had fond memories of from way back. Sadly, it hasn't held up too well. The subtitle should be Slaughter At The Shallow End Of The Gene Pool.

A family of nitwits gets lost in the desert and are stalked by a family of cannibals. Kind of a Wrong Turn in the desert. With a couple of exceptions, the acting is pretty bad, and the protagonists are mostly irritating and do little to earn our sympathy.

On the plus side, there are a couple of pretty good setpieces, and some of the chase sequences are gripping. It starts off slowly, but definitely picks up in the last twenty minutes or so.

It falls right on the border of :up: /:down:

2.5

[LordSlaytan]

Joy Ride (2001)
***1/2Really??? I saw a little bit of it on cable one night and thought it looked silly...to say the least. Yet, I only saw the cornfield part of it though. I guess I'll be checking this out someday. If I don't like it, you'll pick up the rental fee, right?

RIGHT?!?!?!

[Prospero]

http://movies.go.com/images/photogallery/JeepersCreepers2/jeeperscreepers2_2.jpg

Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003)
Directed by Victor Salva
Stars: Ray Wise, Jonathan Breck, Eric Ninninger

Ever hear the expression "better than a sharp stick in the eye?" This isn't.
It's incredibly repetetive, with characters I couldn't care less about. It doesn't even match up to its questionable predecessor.

It has a cool monster, though, and Ray Wise puts in a good turn as a vengeful father.

Don't see it.

1

[Prospero]

Really??? I saw a little bit of it on cable one night and thought it looked silly...to say the least. Yet, I only saw the cornfield part of it though. I guess I'll be checking this out someday. If I don't like it, you'll pick up the rental fee, right?

RIGHT?!?!?!LOL
But of course! I'll write you a check.

I avoided seeing this for a long time, because it looks like just another of those teens-in-trouble movies that I dislike. After having several people recommend it to me, I finally watched it, and was very pleasantly surprised.

The cornfield scene is pretty derivative, but some of the other stuff is damn creepy. I forgot to mention that the voice of the trucker on the CB adds a lot to the movie. Creeped the hell outa me.

Watch it in the dark.
EDIT: I'd be interested in hearing what you thought of it.

[nebbit]

Really??? I saw a little bit of it on cable one night and thought it looked silly...to say the least. Yet, I only saw the cornfield part of it though. I guess I'll be checking this out someday. If I don't like it, you'll pick up the rental fee, right?

RIGHT?!?!?!

Don't do it :eek: LordyLord, I have seen it and I do not agree with Prossie, I thought it was weak, Duel was 100 times better. :yup:

[Prospero]

Don't do it :eek: LordyLord, I have seen it and I do not agree with Prossie, I thought it was weak, Duel was 100 times better. :yup:I agree that Duel is better (with a script by Richard Matheson and direction by Spielberg how can you go wrong?), but Joy Ride is still very good, IMHO.

[Prospero]

http://www.dvdmaniacs.net/Captures/CapturesE-I/Faceless_Monster/faceless_4.jpg http://www.dvdmaniacs.net/Captures/CapturesE-I/Faceless_Monster/faceless_8.jpg

Nightmare Castle (1965)
Directed by Mario Caiano
Stars: Barbara Steele, Paul Muller

Nightmare Castle is a good, stylish little horror movie. It's the story of a man who murders his wife and her lover, then marries her mentally unbalanced younger sister for her inheritance (the wonderful Barbara Steele plays both parts). He then tries to drive the poor girl mad so that she can be institutionalized, giving him free rein to spend the money. There are some additional twists that I won't reveal here, but which have all the makings of a decent gothic horror movie.

Unfortunately the film is hampered by poor production values, and direction that could certainly be better. My main complaint is that quite often the dubbing is just horrible and really spoils the mood. The editing is very choppy, and having just recently seen a Bava gothic horror, the overall direction of this one doesn't match up.

But even with all those complaints, I liked this movie. Barbara Steele is great in her dual role, and Paul Muller as the sadistic husband does a decent job and provides a suitably menacing villain. No, it's not great, but it's still good enough for me to consider this a successful blind buy.
3

[Prospero]

http://www.dvdmaniacs.net/Captures/CapturesA-D/Blood_and_Black_Lace_German/blood_7.jpg http://www.dvdmaniacs.net/Captures/CapturesA-D/Blood_and_Black_Lace_German/blood_10.jpg

Blood and Black Lace (1964)
Directed by Mario Bava
Stars: Cameron Mitchell. Eva Bartok

Blood And Black Lace: Decent offering from Mario Bava, and far better than Bay Of Blood (Twitch Of The Death Nerve).

It's a decent murder mystery revolving around the deaths of several models at a fashionable designer house. The script, while nothing special, is far more coherent than BOB, and the murders are all different, and in at least one case kind of difficult to watch.

But the real star here is Bava's deft direction. The camerawork is great, and some of the shots he sets up are wonderful, but the use of light and color...wow!

Black Sunday is my favorite of his, partly for the exquisite black and white photography, but here he also shows his mastery of color cinematography. One of the reasons I love some black and white movies is the use of light and shadow. In Blood And Black Lace, Bava also uses light and dark to great effect, along with some brilliant color imagery.

It's too bad that the story is pretty mundane, and the dialogue varies from the bland to the silly. Still, there are some good performances, and it's worth seeing for Bava's camerawork alone.

Suspiria notwithstanding, Argento has yet to show me that he has anything approaching the skill of Bava.
3.5

[AboveTheClouds]

Once again you have outdone yourself..

[Tazz]

:yup:

[Prospero]

Once again you have outdone yourself..Thanks!


erm...that's a good thing, right? ;)

[Prospero]

Thanks for all the comments and encouragement, everyone. It really means a lot to me to know that folks are reading these and liking 'em.

But I know what you guys are thinking: "Doesn't this jackass watch anything but horror?"
As a matter of fact, I do. Since I'm running out of horror reviews in my archive, I'll start posting a few of my mainstream reviews here.

[Prospero]

http://us.ent4.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/new_line_cinema/the_butterfly_effect/_group_photos/ashton_kutcher5.jpg

The Butterfly Effect (2004)
Directed by Eric Bress, J. Mackye Gruber
Stars: Ashton Kutcher, Melora Walters, Amy Smart

Hmmmm. What to say about this?
How about "Good, but not great."
The Butterfly Effect has an interesting premise: a young man (Ashton Kutcher) discovers that he can send himself back in time by concentrating on pictures or narrative from earlier in his life (he keeps a journal), and then can zip back to the present. He tries to make things better for himself and his friends in the present day by going back in time and "fixing" certain things that they had done to screw themselves up; basically he tries to unmake some bad choices. Predictably, everything he tries ends up having consequences that are even worse than what had gone before. In the end, he finds that a personal sacrifice must be made for the greater good.

Since I loathe Punk'd, and generally have little or no respect for Kutcher, I wasn't expecting much from this outing, but I found that Kutcher is surprisingly good in this, as is the rest of the cast. Unfortunately, the script, direction and editing, while workable, are certainly not inspired, although there are some pretty funny bits (the stigmata sequence should go down as a classic).

Be forewarned, however: the director's cut has a ridiculous ending that drops my rating by an entire star, and sends the movie into :down: territory. The theatrical ending is much more satisfying and believable.
3

[Prospero]

http://movies.go.com/images/photogallery/TheMissing/themissing_6.jpg

The Missing (2003)
Directed by Ron Howard
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Tommy Lee Jones, Jenna Boyd

Cate Blanchett's eldest daughter is kidnapped by renegade Apaches, and her estranged father-turned-Indian Tommy Lee Jones must help her track them down, accomapnied by her yougest daughter. That about sums up the plot of this western with pseudo-mystical pretensions.

The first half of the movie is great, mostly due to the fact that Tommy Lee and Cate occupy most of the screen time. Jenna Boyd, who plays Kate's youngest daughter, also puts in an incredible performance.

http://movies.go.com/images/photogallery/TheMissing/themissing_4.jpg

It's a pity the movie started focusing more on the Indians halfway through the film. That's where it really started to lose me; especially when it got into all the mystical mumbo-jumbo, which was handled pretty poorly. Usually I like it when a western focuses on the Native American aspect of things (see Little Big Man or Dances With Wolves for how to do it right), but Ron Howard just didn't seem to have a feel for how to pull it off. Or perhaps the blame should be laid at the feet of writer Ken Kaufman. And as I said before, the mystical portion of the film was hamhanded at best. It just didn't have an air of authenticity. I'm willing to buy into that sort of thing if it's made to be believable, but The Missing just didn't cut it in this department.

On the other hand, the tension between Tommy Lee Jones and Cate Blanchett was great, and these two actors made it believable for me. He abandoned her years ago, has no particular remorse for what he did, and yet he manages to make his character seem somehow sympathetic. Cate is strict, inflexible, and rigid, but through her performance her character is one to be admired for her strength and courage. Of course, by the end of the movie, each of them learns something about the other and changes, each for the better.
3

[projectMayhem]

Nice work Prospero, and I also agree that Joyride was an enjoyable movie. It is in fact the only movie in which I can tolerate Paul Walker.

[Prospero]

Nice work Prospero, and I also agree that Joyride was an enjoyable movie. It is in fact the only movie in which I can tolerate Paul Walker.I agree about Paul Walker. Is he any relation to Keanu Reeves?

[Prospero]

http://www.tvguide.com/movies/dbpix/images/15457a.jpg

The Dresser (1983)
Directed by Peter Yates
Stars: Albert Finney, Tom Courtenay, Zena Walker, Eileen Atkins

The Dresser is not a "big" movie, and doesn't try to make a big splash, but my God, the brilliance of the two leads leaves me just about speechless. Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay are nothing less than amazing in this movie.

The Dresser is the story of Sir, an aging Shakespearean actor (Finney), and his dresser Norman (Courtenay), sort of a valet, putting on a production of King Lear during the blitz of London in World War II. These are two men, each dependent upon the other: Sir is almost helpless without the aid of Norman to cajole, wheedle, and bully him into getting onstage for his 227th performance of Lear. And Norman lives his life vicariously through Sir; without Sir to need him, he is nothing, or thinks he is, anyway.

Finney, only 47 years old, is completely believable as a very old, very sick, petulant, bullying, but brilliant stage actor. He hisses and fumes at his fellow actors even when they're taking their bows! And Courtenay is no less convincing as the mincing dresser, who must sometimes act more as a mother than as a valet to his elderly employer. Employer is really the wrong term to use, though. For although, technically their relationship is that of employer and employee, most of the time Sir and Norman act like nothing so much as an old married couple.

Although it doesn't get talked about these days, it is worth remembering that The Dresser was nominated for five Academy Awards: Best Actor nominations for both Finney and Courtenay, Best Picture, Best Director (Peter Yates), and Best Adapted Screenplay.

I had remembered this as being a good movie, but I wasn't prepared to be as completely mesmerized as I was from beginning to end. This is what great acting is all about.

Highly recommended

5

[AboveTheClouds]

Sounds decent. I will have to pick it up.

[Prospero]

Sounds decent. I will have to pick it up.It's definitely worth a look. You won't regret it.

[AboveTheClouds]

Thank you for the recommendation.

[nebbit]

http://www.tvguide.com/movies/dbpix/images/15457a.jpg

The Dresser (1983)
Directed by Peter Yates
Stars: Albert Finney, Tom Courtenay, Zena Walker, Eileen Atkins
Highly recommended

****

Thanks for the review, i haven't seen this for a while, I have seen it several times and really love it. :cool:

[Prospero]

Thanks for the review, i haven't seen this for a while, I have seen it several times and really love it. :cool:Cool! It's great to run into someone else who's seen it.

I had seen it about twelve years ago, and was glad that it was as good as I had remembered.

[Prospero]

http://www.foreignfilms.com/images/dvd/2110a-6.jpg

Wages Of Fear (1953)
Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot
Stars: Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Peter van Eyk, Antonio Centa

Wages Of Fear is a damn near perfect suspense thriller. The story concerns four men, broke, desperate, and stranded in a small town somewhere in South America (Venezuela, I presume). They are offered a way out of their miserable existence when an oil well catches fire three hundred miles away and the oil company needs four men to drive a load of nitroglycerin to the site to blow out the fire. The trouble is that the three hundred miles they have to drive is some of the most rugged, hostile terrain imaginable.

The tension and suspense is palpable during the driving scenes, but what raises this movie to a whole other level is that it takes the time to familiarize the audience with these men. We feel like we know them, and sympathize with them before the journey starts. The whole cast is great and believable, and it wasn't long before I truly forgot I was watching actors in a fictional film. These men made it real, as did the brilliant direction of Henri-Georges Clouzot.

Clouzot's style is gritty and realistic, with cuts between the trucks and close-ups of their actions (hands on the shift lever, feet on the pedals, etc) serving to heighten the tension. The lack of a musical score also lends a sense of realism and helps to bring home the sense of loneliness and isolation felt by these men.

Highly recommended.

5

[nebbit]

I vaguely remember this movie from way way back, thanks for the review I will keep my out for this one. :yup:

[jrs]

Sweet thread Prospero!!! :cool:

[Prospero]

Sweet thread Prospero!!! :cool:Thanks Marty!
(I mean jrs) :D

Nice avatar, by the way.

[Prospero]

http://www.screenonline.org.uk/files/424798.jpg http://www.screenonline.org.uk/files/636437.jpg

Black Narcissus (1947)
Directed by Michael Powell
Stars: Deborah Kerr, Kathleen Byron, David Farrar, Sabu

I watched Black Narcissus for the first time recently, having heard it is one of the Best Movies Ever. Hm. I dunno. I don't do well with melodrama, and this has it in spades. That being said, it's still a very good film, with plenty of good points.

First and foremost is Jack Cardiff's brilliant cinematography. His use of color and light is simply astounding. This is, IMHO, far and away the best aspect of the film. I may put it back on my Netflix queue for that alone.

The performances are all good, with Deborah Kerr giving a solid performance as Sister Cladagh, the leader of the nuns. The standout performance in my mind, though, came from Kathleen Byron as Sister Ruth, who gradually descends into madness.

The story revolves around a group of Anglican nuns sent from their home in Calcutta to establish a church and school in a remote village in the Himalayas. Ironically, the building they are given by the local ruler ("The General") for their sanctuary was once the residence of his concubines, and now deserted.

The central point of the movie seems to be that these nuns, used to a cloistered existence, find the world, and worldliness, intruding on them as they live in this remote outpost in the Himalayas. Sister Cladagh finds her mind turning to the memories of her life before she entered the service of God, and also finds herself being more and more strongly attracted to Mr. Dean, their laiaison with The General, all-around handyman, and the man Sister Ruth, in her madness, has become obsessed with. And Sister Philippa (I think), the gardener among them, finds herself planting ornamental flowers in the convent garden instead of vegetables, as planned. I wish the movie had explored the reasons for these changes a little more, although perhaps the filmmakers intended that to be ambiguous and leave it up to the audience to consider the whys and wherefores.

As I said, the movie is strong in the melodramatic department, which detracted from my enjoyment and appreciation, but there were some very strong scenes as well, and some things to consider. One of my favorite parts is when Sister Cladagh is troubled by the presence of the local holy man on the convent ground, and wishes to expel him. This is a man who just sits without speaking and apparently without sleeping, day in and day out. Why does the Sister feel so strongly about him? Is it because the local people venrate him rather than the Christian God, or is it because he leads the ascetic existence that she is unable to find? When she makes her feelings about removing him known to Mr. Dean, he simply replies: "What would Jesus have done?" That's the end of the argument.

As I said at the beginning, my first impression of this film was not the best. But as time has passed, I find my thoughts returning to it again and again. This is one of the few movies that has risen in my estimation the more I think about it.

Recommended
4

[The Taxi Driver]

you are really good at writing these reviews. and from what i see you have good taste in horror movies.

[Nitzer]

No kidding, he's only been here a week and look at his rep!

[Prospero]

Thanks, guys!
I appreciate the support and encouragement.

I just finished watching another Asian horror: Dark Water by Hideo Nakata (2nd viewing).
Good stuff. I need to think about it some, then post a review in a few days.

[Prospero]

Nice reviews, man.

Any chance of getting Blair Witch (my personal favorite of this genre) and Rosemary's Baby (my second favorite) reviews? I'm interested in what you think about these two.DOH!
I only just now saw Slay's request for reviews of these two movies.
I'll get on it.
Unfortunately, you won't like what I have to say about Blair Witch, and I need to see Rosemary's Baby again. It's been too long.

[susan]

they are great reviews, thanks for them...what did you think of dark water? be curious to know

[Prospero]

I like Dark Water a lot. Nakata is great at creating an atmosphere of dread (and sadness).

[Prospero]

http://daily.greencine.com/archives/sweet-smell-success.jpg

Sweet Smell Of Success (1957)
Directed by Alexander Mackendrick
Stars: Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison, Martin Milner

I was about to call Sweet Smell Of Success "a film noir classic," but that would be wrong, since the term "classic" implies that a movie is well-known. Nonetheless, this is a terrific example of the genre.

Burt Lancaster plays J.J. Hunsecker, a powerful newspaper columnist who is as vicious and manipulative as he is famous. Tony Curtis is Sidney Falco, a conniving press agent who will do anything to get ahead and to remain in Hunsecker's good graces. The plot revolves around the fact that Hunsecker's younger sister is romantically involved with a jazz musician, and Hunsecker, who has a rather unhealthy affection for his sister, wants Falco to break up the romance. That's all I'll say about the plot, for fear of spoilers. As someone I know has said, though, the final scene is "shattering."

Lancaster and Curtis are both great in this film, which features some of the best performances by either of them. Curtis may have surpassed this performance in The Boston Strangler, but he comes pretty damn close here. He just oozes a feeling of sliminess, and Lancaster...wow...he electrifies every scene that he's in. I've never seen Elmer Gantry, for which he won a Best Actor Oscar, but it's hard to imagine him being any better than he is here.

The movie also looks great, with stunning black and white cinematography by James Wong Howe. Although this is no light romp in the park, I give it my highest recommendation.
5

[nebbit]

Thank's Prossie a great movie. :D

[Prospero]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/photos/2004-01-20/0122bubbamummy-a.jpg

Bubba Ho-Tep (2003)
Directed by Don Coscarelli
Stars: Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis, Ella Joyce, Bob Ivy

Elvis is alive and not so well, living in a nursing home, where everyone thinks he's an old Elvis impersonator. And now a mummy who eats the souls of the living has invaded the home and is feeding off the residents. It's up to The King and another resident, a black man who thinks he's JFK, to stop him.

I know it doesn't sound like it, but this is a great, great movie. If you're looking for horror, though, look elsewhere. Bubba has some horror elements, certainly, but it's mostly a comedy-drama with a ton of heart. Ossie Davis is great as always and Bruce Campbell has never been better. In the past, I've always thought of him as a decent character actor, but in Bubba Ho-Tep, Bruce is Elvis.

But the real star of this movie is the script by Don Coscarelli and Joe R. Lansdale: damn, it's good! Plenty of cool one-liners are sprinkled throughout, but there are also some great quiet moments with Elvis' reminiscences and introspection. He's not just The King, but a King filled with sadness for what he's become and regret for the loss of his wife and daughter. But now he's been given the chance to redeem himself and become the hero he always pretended to be.

Add to this a close to perfect musical score by Brian Tyler, and it adds up to one of the best films I've seen in quite a while.

Highly recommended
4.5

[AboveTheClouds]

Awesome movie, Great Review. Well done.

[Prospero]

http://www.cinefantastico.com/darwatct.jpg

Dark Water
Directed by Hideo Nakata
Stars: Hitoki Kuroki, Rio Kanno

Who would have thought that a yellow raincoat and a red handbag could be so terrifying?

One of the best Asian horror films I've seen, Dark Water is the frightening tale a of a woman going through a divorce who moves into an old apartment with her young daughter Ikuko. From the beginning she is troubled by her surroundings: inside the apartment by a dark, dripping water stain on the ceiling of her bedroom, and outside by visions of a girl in a yellow raincoat, and a girl's red plastic handbag that keeps reappearing no matter how often she tries to get rid of it. The sense of menace and danger to her daughter gradually increases until the film's terrifying climax.

http://www.filmkultura.hu/2002/articles/reviews/images/edinburgh/56edinburgh10.jpg

Throughout the film, director Hideo Nakata creates an atmosphere of fear, dread and infinite sadness. The colors are washed out almost to the point of the film being monochromatic, and Nakata uses sound to great effect; some of the sound effects turn the most ordinary scene into one filled with menace and dread. Water is a feature of nearly every scene, whether it's the seemingly incessant rain, the water dripping from the bedroom ceiling, or the puddles in the building elevator and hallways, and soon it seems that every drop of water holds unspoken danger.

The performances are all strong, especially by Hitoki Kuroki and Rio Kanno as the mother and daughter at the center of the story. But it is the set design and Hideo Nakata's direction that makes this film work. It's not the scariest movie I've ever seen, but it does have a compelling story, and for a case of the shivers and some decent scares, you could do far worse.

4

[SamsoniteDelilah]

I think I go to a different Hollywood than you, as I've seen maybe 5% of the movies you've reviewed. Nice reviews, though! I'mna see Bubba Hotep. Sounds awesome!

[nebbit]

Dark Water
Directed by Hideo Nakata
Stars: Hitoki Kuroki, Rio Kanno
***1/2

Sounds interesting thanks :D

[Prospero]

http://www.1000misspenthours.com/posters/postersa-d/diabolique1955.jpg

Les Diaboliques (1955)
Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot
Stars: Simone Signoret, Vera Clouzot, Paul Meurisse

Another terrific suspense film from Henri-Geoges Clouzot, Les Diaboliques (also known as "Diabolique") is a tense story of murder, suspicion and revenge. The plot revolves around two women, Christina (Vera Clouzot) and Nicole (Simone Signoret) who conspire to murder the brutish man who is Christina's husband and Nicole's lover Michel, played by the delightfully sullen Paul Meurisse. He is the principal of a boarding school for boys who relies on Vera's money to support his excesses, and the two women are both teachers at the school.

Vera has her doubts about committing murder, even though Michel is incredibly abusive. But Nicole convinces her to help drug and then drown Michel. All seems to be going well until Michels body goes missing and the two women turn against each other. The situation is complicated further by the appearance of a retired police inspector who is determined to help Vera find her "missing" husband, despite the poor woman's protests. The tension continues to mount until the hair-raising climax.

This movie is on a par with some of Hitchcock's best work, although Clouzot doesn't mix much humor in with the suspense, as Hitch often did. However, Vera's interaction with the droll inspector does provides some chuckles. Unlike his previous film, The Wages Of Fear, Clouzot doesn't spend a whole lot of time on the set-up of the plot, but gets right to the meat of the matter, and from there Diabolique rolls along very quickly with barely a letup in the action.

I can't believe it took me so long to see this masterpiece.
Highly recommended.
5

[SamsoniteDelilah]

I've been meaning to see this. I saw the remake, and couldn't understand why those women would fight over Chaz Palmentari. Hopefully, this guy is worth all the hoopla. :p

[Prospero]

I've been meaning to see this. I saw the remake, and couldn't understand why those women would fight over Chaz Palmentari. Hopefully, this guy is worth all the hoopla. :pHe didn't do anything for me, but what do I know? ;)

[Prospero]

http://movies.go.com/images/photogallery/Gerry/gerry_2.jpg

Gerry (2003)
Directed by Gus Van Sant
Stars: Matt Damon, Casey Affleck

Gerry is a beautiful looking movie. Harris Savides' cinematography showing the beauty and desolation of the desert is breathtaking.

That being said, Gerry is also an incredibly boring movie. It's the story of two not-so-bright individuals lost in the desert. They walk and walk and walk. And then....get this...they walk some more! About the most interesting thing that happens is one of them gets stuck on top of a big rock and they spend a while trying to figure out how to get him down. The little dialogue there is is inane and uninteresting. Lost in the desert you'd think they'd have something more important to talk about than Wheel of Fortune or a computer game.

I guess this is an experiment in minimalism or something, and director Gus Van Sant is trying to show us the hopelessness of the situation these two nimrods find themselves in. No, scratch that. The situation they have put themselves in. But Van Sant seems to have forgotten that the soul of drama (and comedy, for that matter) is conflict. There is almost no conflict in this movie. The two characters call each other Gerry, and although you might think that their situation might pit them against each other, it doesn't. They have one or two mild arguments, but nothing significant. I know some people might say the conflict is between their hostile environment and themselves, but the desert is just as passive as the Gerries are. It's big and it's hot, and there is no water, but that's it.

Here's an example of one of the sequences in this movie that some folks might find interesting, but I didn't: One of the Gerries is sitting on a rock, looking pretty dejected. The camera does a very slow revolve around him; 360 degrees....verry...sloowly. The the point of view shifts to his surroundings and starts a very slow pan of the surrounding countryside. 360 degrees...verry...slooowly. That's it.

Gerry is a beautiful film, but almost completely uninvolving. I'd rather look at a book of Ansel Adams photographs.
1

[nebbit]

Thanks for the review Prospie won't rush out to see this one http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/aktion/action-smiley-016.gif

[nebbit]

Black Narcissus (1947)
Directed by Michael Powell
Stars: Deborah Kerr, Kathleen Byron, David Farrar, Sabu

I wish the movie had explored the reasons for these changes a little more, although perhaps the filmmakers intended that to be ambiguous and leave it up to the audience to consider the whys and wherefores.


I would have like this issue explored more also, i could never figure this out, maybe it had something to do with the place being the former residence of the concubines :D

Any way i am a fan of Sabu, I know :rolleyes: but he is cute :D
http://www.powell-pressburger.org/Images/47_BN/Sabu.jpg

[Prospero]

I would have like this issue explored more also, i could never figure this out, maybe it had something to do with the place being the former residence of the concubines :D

Any way i am a fan of Sabu, I know :rolleyes: but he is cute :D
http://www.powell-pressburger.org/Images/47_BN/Sabu.jpg

This is only the second movie I've seen him in. I liked him better in The Thief Of Bagdad (of course, he had a bigger role, too).

[Prospero]

Thanks for the review Prospie won't rush out to see this one http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/aktion/action-smiley-016.gif

Some folks love it, but I sure wouldn't recommend it. I actually got this as a blind buy. It wasn't very expensive, but still...:(

[nebbit]

This is only the second movie I've seen him in. I liked him better in The Thief Of Bagdad (of course, he had a bigger role, too).

I have 'Elephant Boy' and 'JungleBook' also in my SADU collection. :D ;)

[Prospero]

what happened to my Shaun of the Dead review?
I know I posted it last night. :(

[Prospero]

Let's try this again.
I've cleaned up the quote a little, since maybe that was the problem.

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/rogue_pictures/shaun_of_the_dead/_group_photos/dylan_moran5.jpg

Shaun Of The Dead (2004)
Directed by Edgar Wright
Stars: Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Nick Frost

Shaun and Ed are two twenty-something slacker roommates. Shaun spends his days working, playing video games, and hanging out at the pub. Ed does pretty much the same thing, except for the working part. Shaun's world takes a turn for the worse when, sensing that their life is going nowhere, his girlfriend Liz breaks up with him. Then things really get bad when zombies start showing up in his neighborhood (and everywhere else).

Soon after realizing that The Dead Are Walking The Earth (nothing gets by these blokes), Shaun and Ed decide to rescue Shaun's mother and father (excuse me, that's step-father), Liz and her two roommates, and find a safe place to hole up, which turns out to be the pub, of course. In the course of this, they have to fend off zombies with everything from cricket bats to record albums. Predictably, things just go from bad to worse for the team.

Shaun Of The Dead is a rare creature: a film that effectively mixes humor and horror. I haven't seen a movie that does it this well since An American Werewolf In London. In the beginning there are lotsa laughs, giving way more and more to the horror elements as the film nears its conclusion. But even when things are at their most horrific this movie will surprise you with some hilarious bits. There are even a few moments that tug on the heartstrings a bit; something I hadn't expected at all.

Most of the performances are good, and the directing, camerawork and editing are all great. The brilliant script is filled with sharp-edged satire (many of the humans in the beginning are very zombie-like to begin with), and jokes aplenty. One of my favorite bits is when Shaun and Ed are fending off a couple of zombies with records from Shaun's collection, choosing only the bad ones to fling at the undead:

Ed: Purple Rain
Shaun: No
Ed: Stone Roses
Shaun: Definitely not.
Ed: Batman soundtrack?
Shaun: Throw it.

...and my favorite line from the whole movie: "Who died and made you king of the f***ing zombies?"

If you have a strong stomach and a good sense of humor, you should see this movie, and soon.

5

[nebbit]

Thanks for a great review, can't wait to see this, it hasn't even started here :(

[Prospero]

http://dvdmg.com/sorcerer.jpg

Sorcerer (1977)
Directed by William Friedkin
Stars: Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Amidou

I first saw this remake of Henri-Georges Clouzot's The Wages Of Fear when it was first released, and instantly fell in love with it. Sad to say, that was before I had seen the original, which is far superior. Not to say that this is a bad movie; far from it.

The plot involves four low lifes on the run (an American gangster (Roy Scheider), an Italian assassin (Francisco Rabal), a Palestinian terrorist (Amidou), and a French embezzler (Bruno Cremer)). They are all hiding out in a small village in Venezuela, which has to be the armpit of the universe. They are offered a way out of their miserable existance when an oil well 200 miles away catches fire and they have to haul the nitroglycerin needed to blow it out. Thus these four men in two trucks embark on a dangerous, harrowing journey towards death or salvation.

This is my third viewing of Sorcerer (the title comes from the word painted on the side of one of the trucks), and my first viewing after seeing The Wages Of Fear. Friedkin does an admirable job, and has some incredible set-pieces (the bridge crossing in particular is gut-wrenchingly tense), and the acting by all the principles is good, although Scheider does go a little over the top from time to time. The set design is also quite good (I especially liked the surreal landscape towards the end of the journey).

The problems come in the script by Walon Green. In the original, Clouzot knew that the character development and the interaction between the men was of the utmost importance, and their histories didn't matter all that much. In Sorcerer, Friedkin and Green opt to show the backstories of each of these men. Maybe they thought that knowing their history would give the audience more empathy with their characters. Since theses guys are all pretty much scumbags (with the possible exception of the French banker), I suspect that it had more to do with the fact that they could show some cool explosions and car chases in the first hour.

Thus we are left with a very stylish movie that has some great action and suspense sequences, but lacks the soul of the original. For those who like action or adventure movies, though, I'd still recommend it.

3.5

[Prospero]

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/paramount_classics/the_virgin_suicides/_group_photos/a_j__cook3.jpg

The Virgin Suicides (1999)
Directed by Sofia Coppola
Stars: Kathleen Turner, James Woods, Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett

I've heard a lot about this film and finally got around to watching it tonight. I have to say that most of the praise I had heard was well deserved. This is a great debut film for Coppola.

Ths Lisbon family is your typical suburban household. There's Mom and Dad and their five daughters, aged 13 through 17. All the girls are beautiful, but beyond the reach of any of the boys at school. After the youngest daughter, Cecelia, commits suicide, and another event that I won't spoil, the girls are kept in virtual isolation by their religiously strict parents. This starts them all on a slow downward spiral of self-destruction.

This movie is a lot funnier than you would think from the synopsis, but there really is a lot of humor throughout. The cinematography is great, with excellent use of light and color, and the performances are all good, especially from Kathleen Turner and James Woods who are both brilliant as the well-meaning but clueless parents. But there's something missing here. Parts were funny, and parts were charming, but I never really cared about any of the girls the way I thought I should. I never came close to shedding a tear in what should have been a heart-wrenching story; and let me tell you, I cry easliy.

The Virgin Suicides is very well done, beautiful, funny, and gives you plenty to think about afterwards, but....I dunno...it seemed a tad shallow. Funny, these are almost the exact same comments I made about Lost In Translation. I guess I just don't get Sofia Coppola. I liked this one much better than LiT, though, and it gets my recommendation (for whatever that's worth).

3.5

[Nitzer]

and let me tell you, I cry easliy.

Ha ha, you wuss.
;)

[nebbit]

The Virgin Suicides is very well done, beautiful, funny, and gives you plenty to think about afterwards, but....I dunno...it seemed a tad shallow. Funny, these are almost the exact same comments I made about Lost In Translation. I guess I just don't get Sofia Coppola. I liked this one much better than LiT, though, and it gets my recommendation (for whatever that's worth).

***1/4


Thanks for the review, I have avoided this movie for a long time as it sounded a bit too much like work, I may have a look at it now :D

[chicagofrog]

Nebbit, whatever you do, don't AVOID Virgin Suicides!!!!!!!!!!! You'd be missing something, (oh merde!, sumthin')

[AboveTheClouds]

Great review Prospy! I love this movie!

[chicagofrog]

man, i'm too dumb! i found an applauding emoticon at:

artnskins.com/emots.php

but don't know how to attach it to this message!...
leaping awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy...

[SamsoniteDelilah]

The Virgin Suicides...This movie is a lot funnier than you would think from the synopsis... The cinematography is great, with excellent use of light and color, and the performances are all good, especially from Kathleen Turner and James Woods who are both brilliant as the well-meaning but clueless parents. But there's something missing here. Parts were funny, and parts were charming, but I never really cared about any of the girls the way I thought I should. I never came close to shedding a tear in what should have been a heart-wrenching story; and let me tell you, I cry easliy.
I was pleasantly suprised by this one. I saw it after loving LiT and getting curious about S Coppola's earlier stuff.

My reaction to it was about the same as yours, but I found the shallowness to be very appropriate. I knew a guy in high school who killed himself, and there's a shallowness that is revealed when someone does something that drastic. No one who knew him thought he'd do such a thing. He had friends, but no one he felt he could turn to at that point. Whether that was an indication of the depth of his friends or his own issue, it was an eye-opener. There also was a really creepy celebritism, immediately after his death. EVERYone talked about it. People who never had 2 words to say to him, had 5 to say about him. Again, I'm not faulting everybody else, just saying there's an irony there, and a strange elevation of a person's life based on the worst of events. I guess Coppola got it half right, if I could recognise the truth in those situations. She just missed an opportunity to inform people about it who haven't gone through it.

I'm in total agreement with the rest of your review, though. Great performances and a sweet/warped view of girls of that age, and life in the 'burbs.

[Prospero]

I was pleasantly suprised by this one. I saw it after loving LiT and getting curious about S Coppola's earlier stuff.

My reaction to it was about the same as yours, but I found the shallowness to be very appropriate. I knew a guy in high school who killed himself, and there's a shallowness that is revealed when someone does something that drastic. No one who knew him thought he'd do such a thing. He had friends, but no one he felt he could turn to at that point. Whether that was an indication of the depth of his friends or his own issue, it was an eye-opener. There also was a really creepy celebritism, immediately after his death. EVERYone talked about it. People who never had 2 words to say to him, had 5 to say about him. Again, I'm not faulting everybody else, just saying there's an irony there, and a strange elevation of a person's life based on the worst of events. I guess Coppola got it half right, if I could recognise the truth in those situations. She just missed an opportunity to inform people about it who haven't gone through it.

I'm in total agreement with the rest of your review, though. Great performances and a sweet/warped view of girls of that age, and life in the 'burbs.I was talking about this with someone on another forum, and she pointed out that we really don't get to know the girls very well, and I think that's part of it. Of course, you can make the arguement of how well do you really know any teenager? :)

Okayyy, since the spoiler tags don't seem to be working, I'll tell you that what follows contains some spoilers (although nothing major).

In discussing it, though, an example came to mind of one of the faults of the film. One of the girls suffers a major betrayal, and it seemed to me that Coppola spent almost no time examining the girl's reaction to that; just what happened afterwards, sort of a cause-and-effect kinda thing. The betrayal happened, and then that caused A, B, and C to happen. This was a major event in the film, and in the life of this young girl, and we are given almost no reaction from her beyond a shot of her mournfully looking out of a taxicab window. If she had spent even five minutes examining how this girl responded, how she felt, it might have lent a little more depth to the movie.

[Escape]

man, i'm too dumb! i found an applauding emoticon at:

artnskins.com/emots.php

but don't know how to attach it to this message!...
leaping awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy...
Right click on the emoticon. Then click on properties. Then copy (ctrl+c)the address URL. Bring it here then paste (ctrl+v) between the img tags. Dont forget the closing img tag such as this one. [/img] ;)

http://www.isprank.com/forums/images/smilies/applaus.gif

[chicagofrog]

ohoh, thanx a looottt! i'll try my best next time even if i'm not sure that's not too much for a frog's brain to capice.:-))

[LordSlaytan]

Come back, Prospero!

[nebbit]

Come back, Prospero!

http://pages.prodigy.net/bestsmileys1/signs/17.gif

[nebbit]

The Virgin Suicides (1999)
Directed by Sofia Coppola
Stars: Kathleen Turner, James Woods, Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett

there's something missing here. Parts were funny, and parts were charming, but I never really cared about any of the girls the way I thought I should. I never came close to shedding a tear in what should have been a heart-wrenching story; and let me tell you, I cry easliy.

I just watched it yesterday, when i had finished I felt something was missing, I didn't feel as if I knew the girls so it was hard to care about them. :yup:

[The Taxi Driver]

I love your Reviews Prospero come back

[Strummer521]

Ed: Purple Rain
Shaun: No
Ed: Stone Roses
Shaun: Definitely not.
Ed: Batman soundtrack?
Shaun: Throw it.

...and my favorite line from the whole movie: "Who died and made you king of the f***ing zombies?"

I'm gona hafta see this again sometime I just realized I missed most of the humor.

[doomlord]

i saw hostel this weekend in the theaters and i can tell you do not even waste a nickel to see this movie its an allaround **** movie with two hours of boobs (not that i dont like boobs but i came to see a horror movie that sent people to the hospital) and walking through amsterdam you get a collective 15 minuts of torture that doesnt show anything it only gives the impression. i would rather see a barney movie.the plot is shakey the acting is terrible and there is alot of repetitive talking that explans what we already know or could be expland throu more torture scenes.:o :o :o :mad: :mad: :mad:

[SamsoniteDelilah]

I miss that Prospero guy, too.
I hope things are well with you, wherever you are, A.

[Richard X]

Nice review for Dawn of the Dead.

[Prospero]

Wow, nearly three years since my last review. It's been a while, but it's good to be back. :)

I'm long out of practice, but I believe I'll give it another shot. A new review will be coming up soon.

[nebbit]

I'm long out of practice, but I believe I'll give it another shot. A new review will be coming up soon.
Goody :)

[Prospero]

http://srbissette.com/uploaded_images/KillBabyKillMelissa-718487.jpg
Kill, Baby...Kill! (1968)
Directed by: Mario Bava
Starring: Giacomo Rossi-Stuart, Erika Blanc

Hammer horror, Italian style? That was my first thought when I started watching Kill, Baby...Kill! It has the look and feel of a Hammer horror movie (not a bad thing in my book), but it soon becomes apparent that this is a cut above most of what that eminent British studio had to offer.

A coroner arrives in a small Italian village to investigate the mysterious death of a woman, only to find the townsfolk living in fear of something of which they refuse to speak. As he and his beautiful assistant investigate further, it soon becomes evident that the reason for their dread centers around the Villa Graps and a mysterious young girl who appears as a harbinger of death. The coroner is a sensible man, refusing to believe in the supernatural, but soon even he must admit that the deaths that plague the town are caused by something not of this world. A curse? A ghost? It will take all his courage and determination to discover the truth.

http://flichtenbloden.canalblog.com/images/operation.jpg
I became a fan of director Mario Bava because of his brilliant cinematography; his camera shots are outstanding and his use of light and dark and color to create a mood are brilliant. Unfortunately, the scripts of some of his films don't live up to the amazing camera work, but this is not the case in Kill, Baby...Kill! The story is strong, and the way Bava lets it slowly develop, gradually revealing bits of information to his hero and the audience heightens the suspense. The performances by the cast are also generally very good, especially by the secondary characters.

On the whole, this ranks as one of my favorite Bava films, right up there with his gothic horror masterpiece Black Sunday. I definitely recommend this one, especially if you're a fan of old horror films. You won't be disappointed.

4.5

[Sinny McGuffins]

Sounds very interesting, Prosp. An so does Mario Bava, who I've yet to come across. Thanks for the review.

Keep it up!

[nebbit]

Thanks Prossy :) I think I would like this as i am an old fan of Hammer Horror :yup:

[Prospero]

Sounds very interesting, Prosp. An so does Mario Bava, who I've yet to come across. Thanks for the review.

Keep it up!

Thanks! I'm not very happy with the review; I was tired and as I said I'm long out of practice. Maybe I'll edit it later, but then again maybe not. :shrug:

Mario Bava and Dario Argento are two names pretty much synonymous with Italian horror movies. Argento is much better known, and has the added advantage of still being alive. Many people prefer Argento; his movies tend to be a bit more complex than Bava's, but for me he lacks Bava's artistic flair. Maybe it's a case of style over sunstance, but I love Bava for his brilliant visuals, both in black and white and in color. Of course, this is only natural since Bava started out as a cinematographer before becoming a film director. Argento comes close in a few instances: Suspiria, Opera, and, to a certain extent, Deep Red, but to me none of them match Bava's touch in movies such as Black Sunday, Black Sabbath, Blood and Black Lace, and, of course Kill, Baby...Kill!

[nebbit]

Thanks! I'm not very happy with the review; I was tired and as I said I'm long out of practice. Maybe I'll edit it later, but then again maybe not. :shrug:
Don't worry about it, :nope: i liked it :yup:

[Prospero]

http://www.cyfraplus.com.pl/misc/base/galeria/dersu_uzala_002.jpg
Dersu Uzala (1975)
Directed by Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Maksim Munzuk, Yuri Solomin

What is this movie about? You could say it's about man and nature. You could also say it's about friendship; what one man will do for another, and what he cannot do.

In the early 1900s, a group of Russian soldiers surveying the taiga in eastern Russia meet a hunter named Dersu Uzala, who becomes their guide. Although they make fun of him at first for his strange ways and manner of speech, they soon come to respect him as an expert tracker and learn from him a little more how to behave towards their fellow man. In particular, Dersu and the commander of the men form a fast friendship, and both regret the time when they must part, for Dersu refuses to return to town with the men.

http://www.miradas.net/2005/n41/estudio/fotos/dersuuzala01.jpg

Several years later the commander ("Capitan", as he is called by Dersu), leading another group of surveyors is reunited with Dersu Uzala. Again Dersu proves his value as a guide, but things change when he kills a tiger and becomes afraid for his life; that the forest spirit will take revenge on him. And sure enough, soon Dersu's eyesight begins to fail; one of the worst fates possible for a hunter. Reluctantly Dersu agrees to return to the city with the Captain, but he is unable to adapt, which leads to the film's tragic but inevitable conclusion.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/73/229938227_936a88979d.jpg?v=0

With Dersu Uzala, Akira Kurosawa has created a quietly powerful film, filled with beauty, and touched with a gentle sadness throughout. Unlike Kurosawa's samurai epics, this film moves at a slower pace, told in a series of vignettes that demonstrate the innate goodness of Dersu Uzala and the effect that one man can have on his companions.

One of the most striking things about this film is the gorgeous cinematography. The beauty of the forest and the desolation of the tundra are given deft treatment by Kurosawa and his cinematographer Fyodor Dobranov. The musical score is sparse, with ambient sounds serving as the backdrop for much of the movie, or, particularly in one moving scene, the sound of the soldiers' singing. The film is slowly, I am tempted to say "organically" paced, with each scene or story unfolding as it should; never rushed or hurried along by an anxious director. It's a movie that clearly required patience to make, and it takes patience to watch. But as always, the payoff for patience can be immensely rewarding.

What is this movie about? Yes, you could say that it is about man and nature, or about the power of friendship and the limits of that power. But in the end this film is about Dersu Uzala. And that is enough.

5

[nebbit]

Sounds like a movie i would like :yup: thanks :)

[Pyro Tramp]

You get this one from 'tik? Nice review though, not heard of this Kurosawa until recently.

[Prospero]

Sounds like a movie i would like :yup: thanks :)

I think you would. :)
You might also want to check out Ikiru, another amazing movie by Kurosawa.

You get this one from 'tik? Nice review though, not heard of this Kurosawa until recently.
'tik? Sorry, I'm a little slow tonight, but at any rate I got it through Netflix. I hadn't heard of it until recently either.

[Prospero]

http://www.pixelsurgeon.com/admin/shared/images/thedescent_large.jpg1122191323
The Descent
Directed by Neil Marshall
Starring: Shauna MacDonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Sakia Mulder, Myanna Buring, and Nora-Jane Noone

One year after her husband and daughter were killed in a car crash, Sarah (Shauna MacDonald) is about to embark on an annual adventure trip with four of her friends, plus newcomer and adrenalin junkie Holly (Nora-Jane Noone). Last year it was white water rafting in Scotland, this year it's spelunking in the Appalachians. All are ready for some fun, companionship and adventure, but none of them is prepared for what awaits them under the mountains, in the dark...

Once underground, the group soon realizes that Juno (Natalie Mendoza) has brought them to an unexplored cave, and before long they are very lost, with the way back blocked by a cave-in. They lose their rope bag, which contained an assortment of vital supplies, and Holly suffers a compound fracture from a careless fall. And then things get really bad.

http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2006/08/04/kbw_DESCENT0804+Z.jpg http://www.cinephilemagazine.com/images/descent1.jpg

It's not giving anything away to tell you that there is Something down there with them, and it ain't friendly. Just what it is you'll have to see for yourself. Who will survive, if anyone? That's a question that is only answered at the very end.

With The Descent, writer/director Neil Marshall has avoided the sophomore slump and successfully topped his terrific debut film Dog Soldiers. The Descent is a harrowing tale of a caving trip gone horribly wrong. Not only is it incredibly violent and bloody, but Marshall uses sound and light, or the lack thereof, to his best advantage. Even before the creatures attack, Marshall build suspense and unease, letting us feel the sense of claustrophobia the women experience in the cave by sometimes using only the light of the helmet lanterns so that all we see are silhouettes and not much else. It doesn't hurt that the entire cast put in top notch performances, making their fear and panic all too believable.

http://cfs2.tistory.com/upload_control/download.blog?fhandle=YmxvZzQ5NjE4QGZzMi50aXN0b3J5LmNvbTovYXR0YWNoLzMvMzQxLmpwZw==

My only possible complaint is that we really don't get to know some of the women very well, but I think that Marshall was wise to sacrifice character development for the sake of moving the story along, and boy does it move along! After the first twenty or thirty minutes, the movie kicks into high gear and never lets up.

If you're looking for a horror flick with some action, adventure, and a fair amount of blood, you could do far worse than The Descent

EDIT: Oh, and the ending on the DVD (the original UK ending, I presume). Is much better than the confusing and unsatisfying finale of the theatrical release in the United States.

5

[Sedai]

I agree he sacrificed some development in this film, but, I do think he developed Juno quite well, giving her complexity usually not found in films like this. Agree?

[Prospero]

I agree he sacrificed some development in this film, but, I do think he developed Juno quite well, giving her complexity usually not found in films like this. Agree?

I agree that Juno, Sarah, and to some extent Holly were all well developed (Juno and Sarah especially). It's just that we didn't get to know much about the three others. But as I said, I can see why he would sacrifice that for the sake of moving the story forward.

[TheUsualSuspect]

Great review of a great film. I loved the lighting and atmosphere.

[Prospero]

http://home.student.uva.nl/jim.petri/tideland.JPG
Tideland (2005)
Directed by Terry Gilliam
Starring: Jodelle Ferland, Janet McTeer, Brendan Fletcher, Jeff Bridges

I'm going out on a limb here and saying that I like Terry Gilliam's Tideland. I say "going out on a limb" because I've read some other reviews and comments and man, there is a lot of hate out there for this movie! Having never read the book, and knowing nothing about it before watching, at least I was able to approach it without any preconceived notions (except for a great amount of good will towards Terry Gilliam).

When Jeliza-Rose's junkie Mom dies, her junkie Dad decides to take her back to live with Jeliza's Grandma. Of course when they get there they find out that Grandma has long since died, and the house is abandoned, except for the squirrels. Soon Daddy has gone off on a very long "vacation," and Jeliza is left to fend for herself; her only companions a collection of doll's heads that she imbues with voices and personalities.

http://www.aullidos.com/imagenes/peliculas/tideland-4.jpg http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/061011/115141__tideland_l.jpg

Soon, though, Jeliza-Rose meets her neighbors, a "witch" named Dell and Dell's man-child brother Dickens. Dell and Dickens help Jeliza deal with Dad and fix up Grandma's house, and soon Jeliza and Dickens become friends, in a relationship that gets more and more uncomfortable as the movie progresses. I mean, it's cute when two children kiss and pretend to be husband and wife, but when one of those children is in the body of an adult? Ewww.

http://www.sensesofcinema.com/images/06/41/tideland.jpg http://www.dailyinfo.co.uk/images/cinema/tideland.jpg

I can understand why some people dislike this movie. Jeliza's situation is terrible, and there are some really awful, gross things that happen during the course of the movie. But the fact that it's told from a child's perspective, with humor and warmth, won me over. As Jeliza-Rose, Jodelle Ferland puts in a great performance, showing how a child can survive some pretty horrible stuff through strength and the power of denial.

This is the kind of strange, quirky movie that makes me love Terry Gilliam. I won't compare it to his brilliant Brazil, but it's certainly closer to that in spirit than it is to his disappointingly mundane The Brothers Grimm. Tideland is strange, gross, very funny at times, but mostly enchanting. Well, for me, anyway.

Not sure whether to recommend it or not, but I liked it.
3.5

[meatwadsprite]

TIDELAND O_O !!!!!! That's the movie that made me hate Gilliam

[nebbit]

Not sure whether to recommend it or not, but I liked it.
3.5
I will give it a look as we both seem to like similar movies :goof: Thanks for the review :)