Reviews by Garrett

I've decided to see how my writing skills are.

Let's get started.

For my first review, I've decided to do something relatively simple. It's one of my favorite movies of the 70's.

COFFY

Director: Jack Hill

Starring: Pam Grier

Constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated.
This is a first review, hopefully they will get better with time.
I was kind of nervous this time around, I'm very anxious to know what you think.

I think you did a great job. Short and sweet. I also like that you picked a film out of the mainstream, yet, a genre and actress most of us should be familiar with. I haven't seen any blaxploitation films (that I can recall), but I'm interested. Maybe Coffy will be my first.

__________________
NEW (as of 1/24/05): Quick Reviews #10

Thanks for your kind comments. It means a lot to me.

They Call Her One Eye (Original Title: "Thriller: A Cruel Picture")
Directed by: Bo Arne Vibenius (aka Alex Fridolinski)
Starring: Christina Lindberg, Heinz Hopf

Thriller is a very grisly film... whether you like it or not, you won't be forgetting it any time soon.

The movie's heroine is a young, mute woman named Frigga (Lindberg). One day Frigga decides to go to town. Unfortunately, she has missed the bus. Thus, she is forced to take a ride with a handsome stranger named Tony (Hopf). Tony gives her a ride and invites her in to his apartment, only to be drugged and rendered unconsciousness. He continues to give her a series of heroin injections. By the time Frigga wakes up she is already addicted. Now, Tony reveals that he plans to use her as a prostitute. Frigga doesn't like the idea of prostitution too much, so she proceeds to attack her first client. As punishment, Tony brutally rams a knife into one of her eyes.

I'm not going to give away too much of the story, but it all leads to Frigga vowing her revenge against Tony. She now has an ample amount of cash from prostitution. With her money she learns the basics of becoming an assasin.



The slow motion violence scenes, while not fast-paced and exciting, seem like a bloody ballet.
You might notice similaritys between Frigga and well know characters such as Travis Bickle and Harry Callahan as she is pumping her various victims full of lead in classic "Make my day, punk" fashion.

It seems that all good movies have a deeper meaning. With this film it seems the writer/director has a negative attitude toward sex. Thus he creates the ultimate example of an abused chick that just ain't gonna take anymore.

This is one of the best exploitation films of the 70's, and is a great example of the genre. I can't say that this movie is for everyone, because it most certainly isn't. If you like girls-with-guns revenge films, or just exploitation films in general then this is definitely for you.

____________________________

After talking to Synapse Films I recieved this message a few days ago:
"We're not dead! The delay (since, really, October) is that we've been
secretly scheming to overtake the world and that takes more time than
we
thought! Hah!

Nah, really... Synapse has been in negotiations with Ryko Distribution
to
handle our label for the next few years and our contracts and
negotiations
took a LOT of our time. Because of this, we really couldn't announce
ANYTHING until the deal was done.

The deal is done now and, starting in June, Ryko will now be handling
Synapse product.

As of right now, here is our release schedule:


THE DELI
June 29, 2004

ENTRAILS OF THE VIRGIN
July 27, 2004

ENTRAILS OF THE BEAUTIFUL WOMAN
July 27,2004

LEMORA: A CHILD'S TALE OF THE SUPERNATURAL
August 31, 2004

THRILLER:A CRUEL PICTURE (UNCENSORED VERSION)
September 28, 2004

Kindest Regards,

Don May, Jr.
Synapse Films, Inc.
www.synapse-films.com"

This will definitely be one to watch out for.

This review took me a lot more time and more effort in general. I hope to God that it shows.

(other posters can be found here)

KILL BILL VOL. 2
2004
Written and Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Perla Haney-Jardine Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen, and Gordon Lui

Simply put Kill Bill Vol. 2 is brilliant. It is possibly Tarantino's best work ever. Kill Bill Vol. 2 made up for the lack of dialogue and depth that was all too common in Kill Bill Vol. 1. I imagine that it would work out just perfect as a full picture. Unfortunately I'm not reviewing the full picture yet, just the second half.

In Kill Bill Vol. 2 The Bride (Thurman) continues her quest for bloody revenge. Only this time, it's not quite so bloody... not to say there is a lack of action, because there certainly is not. In this installment we are given a little more depth and background to the history of The Bride and Bill (Carradine). We also find out just what happened on that faithful day at Two Pines Wedding Chapel years ago. There is also a spectacular showdown between Elle Driver (Hannah) and The Bride. All of this is done with the grace and wit that makes Quentin Tarantino's work all the more lovable.

Each actor is in top shape in this film. David Carradine has redeemed himself as an actor, just as Travolta redeemed himself in Pulp Fiction, and Pam Grier was brought back to life in Jackie Brown. Uma Thurman executes every line with little to no visible flaws , it is clear that she made a hard-working dedication to this film and backed it up with a great performance. At first I wasn't too sure about Daryl Hannah's acting ability, but she pulls off Elle Driver's badass wit and villainy flawlessly. Madsen does an excellent job portraying Budd's humorous nature and naivety. Perla Haney-Jardine also has a notable performance, I hope she goes further in the acting business.

"The Cruel Tutelage of Pai Mei" is one of the most memorable moments in the film. Tarantino has managed to make it all work out yet again. The furry eyebrows and long beard of Pai Mei just add to his character. For a 100+ year old man he still retains an excellent sense of humor as his villainous laugh will tell you.

I read the first draft of the script and thought it was brilliant. Admittedly, I was pretty upset that Quentin took out so many promising moments (such as "Yuki's Revenge"). Yet again, however, he manages to maintain the great film that I was waiting for. Quentin, I'm sorry I ever doubted you.

There are also a few cameos and nifty bits of trivia that put the icing on the cake(ie. Budd's Mr. Majestyk poster and the exotic DeTomaso Mangusta).

If you're wondering whether or not to see this movie, quit wondering and go see it!

Well done.... welcome to the club...

__________________

Thank you

Nice reviews.
I agree.

__________________
Let us go, Through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster shells

From The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S.Eliot

Thank you.

Short and sweet, I love it. Keep up the good work.

__________________
"This is that human freedom, which all boast that they possess, and which consists solely in the fact, that men are conscious of their own desire, but are ignorant of the causes whereby that desire has been determined." -Baruch Spinoza

Thanks a lot!

No Prob Bob!

Ok garrett, first off. . .wonderful reviews. Second, I regarding Kill Bill Vol. 2, I was talking to Charlie on AOL and he said Kill Bill Vol. 1 was MUCH better. Do you agree?

__________________
Remember, remember, the 5th of November
I'm afraid I must bid you adieu.
He woke up one night with a terrible fright
And found he was eating his shoe.

Nice reviews man

I want to see Coffy, as Tarantino mentions it in the 'Making of Kill Bill ' documentary. I'll have to check it out.

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This sounds very interesting! Thanks for the review! I hope I can find this without having to wait until the fall.



I haven't seen this yet, so I'm not going to read your review until I have.

Thanks and, no, I like Kill Bill Vol. 2 better... but they're different in so many ways that I can't really say one is better... I just "prefer" vol. 2.

Sedai - Thanks!

Mark - Thanks, and good luck finding "They Call Her One Eye"

First, I would like to say you've done a wonderful job with your reviews so far. In fact, everyone's that I have read are quite well written. Garrett, I thought your review of Kill Bill Vol. 2 was a very good review and I agreed with most aspects of it. Nevertheless, I was disappointed walking out of the theater. I won't list certain reasons right now due to spoilers for people who haven't seen it yet, but I will say that I disagree with your comment about Vol. 2 not lacking in the action department. I haven't written any reviews for this site yet but I soon will and one thing that I personally like to hear in a review is to whom you would recommend a particular movie. For instance, I would certainly not recommend Kill Bill Vol. 2 to an action seeker. In conclusion I would like to say that I look for all things in movies, not just action, and I was disappointed at first because I expected much more from this movie action-wise. On the other hand, I like Vol. 2 a lot more now than I did on the day that I saw it. If anybody has any questions about my comments please ask me about them, I won't jump up and smite you down with a vengeance just yet.

This has been Mr. Wieners, and I have come to town!!!!!!!!

Charlie Powell

Welcome to the MF!!!

Well, I can understand your dismay at the lack of action... Vol. 1 might have been a bit misleading. As time goes by, and the movie sits in my mind, I realize certain things that were bad or good that I missed the first time around.
Anyway, thanks for the compliments. I will try to remember to add what kind of people would like the movie and what kind of people wouldn't in future reviews.
(I can also definitely understand the disappointment in Bill's demise.)

Welcome to MoFo, Charlie.