Short and Quick ones...

This is my review thread, it'll contain both cinema and DVD reviews. Let me know what you think...

DVD Review: An American Werewolf in London (1981)


Director: John Landis
Screenwriter: John Landis
Starring: David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne

Filled with awe-inspiring special effects, insinuating humor and gruesome horror, An American Werewolf in London is first-class entertainment. David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne) are backpackers from America wandering through a bleak English countryside. The two boys stumble across an unfriendly pub, mockingly named The Slaughtered Lamb, and are warned to “stay on the roads and keep clear of the moors”. But of course, this being a horror film, they inadvertently drift into the moors. Only to be viciously attacked by a werewolf. Those killed by the werewolf are destined to roam the earth as the undead. But those who are bitten and remain alive, ironically, become a werewolf themselves.

This film is one of John Landis’ best, including a moon themed soundtrack and the best transformation scene ever committed to film; this is a must-see for horror fans and bloody good entertainment for everyone else.

DVD Extras: The so-called “behind the scenes” footage doesn’t look behind the scenes that much. We get a glimpse behind the Piccadilly Circus sequence, which involves John Landis performing stunt work, but that’s it. However, the interviews with John Landis and Rick Baker (Special Effects Designer) are enjoyable. Landis talks about how it all got started while Baker talks about his Oscar-winning make-up. There’s a slightly informative but mainly comical commentary from stars David Naughton and Griffin Dunne, which tends to get a little boring. Then, to top it off, you have your usual production notes, storyboards and still galleries. Overall, it’s a pretty good 2-disc set, though it could have been better.

That transformation sequence is amazing. Baker is a genius.
Nice review!

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Review: Cabin in the Woods 8/10

One of my favorites!
Good review, Parky. I hope you'll post more.

Nice review you set it out really well, making it easy to read, plus the tranformation looks pretty cool.

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Concert Tab!! MOFO poetry Been Dreaming Lately?

Good job Parky.

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"Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others."- Groucho Marx

Thanks for the review, I saw this at the movies and I really liked it, i must have another look at it.

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Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
Buddha

thanks for the review...very good...saw this a long time ago...have to look around somewhere and watch it again....good job!!!

Nice review Parky. I also like your comments on th DVD extras.

Thanks for all your feedback guys, I'll try and post another later on today.

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Screenwriter: Ernest Lehman
Starring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason


If you’ve seen this film already, then you don’t need me to tell you how perfect it is, you should already know. I had the pleasure of watching North by Northwest for the first time the other day, and to say that I was impressed is an understatement, I was completely blown away!

Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) is mistaken for a mysterious government agent called George Kaplan, and is forced into a treacherously dangerous spy game. Almost immediately, the film becomes a game of cat and mouse as Roger is chased all the way from New York, to a remarkable climax atop Mount Rushmore. With a stellar cast, distinctive Hitchcockian style, magnificent pace and a witty script crammed with amusing one-liners, North by Northwest is as good as movies get.


DVD Extras: The highlight for the extras is the enlightening, 40 minute documentary. It’s hosted by co-star Eva Marie Saint and includes retrospective interviews and insights. It’s very interesting and very gratifying. But apart from that the extras aren’t that good. There’s a slow commentary from ageing screenwriter, Ernest Lehman, which is more of a narration than commentary. He tends to pause a lot and say things like, “Now I presume I’m talking to an audience, who has seen the picture.” There’s also a music only audio track, which showcases Bernard Herrmann’s wonderful score. It kind of plays like an old silent movie, except that it’s in color and has no subtitles. The rest of the extras just include a production stills gallery, a trailer and a TV spot. But all things considered, this DVD is definitely worth buying.

Thanks Parky for a review of one of my favourite movies, I am glad you liked it, I have lost count of how many times I have watched it

Even though it's not my favorite Hitchcock, North By Northwest is great fun. I just watched it (again) last week!

Director: Brian De Palma
Screenwriter: Brian De Palma
Starring: John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow

Blow Out is an underrated masterpiece. It’s a compelling movie filled with stylish direction and great suspense, it has Brian De Palma slapped all over it. Although it took me two viewings to real appreciate its brilliance, this is a thriller that everyone should see.

John Travolta stars as a sound technician who unintentionally records a political assassination, and gets himself involved in all sorts of dodgy shenanigans. Along with the upscale hooker, Nancy Allen, the two become prime targets in a colossal conspiracy. Blow Out is an enthralling thrill ride that should keep you at the very edge of your seat from start to finish.

DVD Extras: Nothing but a trailer.

Thanks for another review, I haven't seen this one for a long time but I did enjoy it

Directors: Eric Bress & J. Mackye Gruber
Screenwriters: Eric Bress & J. Mackye Gruber
Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart, Melora Walters

The Butterfly Effect is dark and disturbing at times, when it doesn’t really need to be. The film tries to teach us that a nasty upbringing can turn you into a seriously disturbed psycho, but if you save someone’s life you become a church loving Christian. The film tends to go a little over the top to try and put its message through. But the fact is we’re not stupid. So why try to oversell and inevitably overkill your movie? That’s the only question I have for first time directors, Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber.

This is a new direction for Aston Kutcher, and sadly it’s the wrong direction. Kutcher plays one of three Evan Treborn’s, the oldest. When he was younger, he had a lot of blackouts during some of the most crucial parts of his life. Now, he has found an unexplained way to go back in time and re-live those blackouts and possibly change the future. The Butterfly Effect had a decent enough script, but sadly falls flat on its face.

DVD Extras: There’s a pretty good commentary from writers/directors Bress and Gruber, and an educational text commentary. Then there’s four interesting featurettes. The first is all about making the movie, featuring the cast and crew and why they think the film is so wonderful and clever. Then, there’s a tiresome look behind the visual effects, which repeats itself a lot and just bores you for fifteen minutes. Then there’s two featurettes about the Chaos Theory and time-travel. Although they have pretty much nothing to do with the film itself, they’re quite fascinating nonetheless. There are some deleted scenes available with commentary and of course, a trailer. The DVD contains the directors’ cut which was not shown at theatres, so even though the film fails to deliver, the extras certainly don’t. But that's not saying much.

I was also unimpressed with this movie.

If you haven't seen it yet, Saved!, starring Mandy Moore, Jena Malone and MacCauley Culkin is excellent. Even if you don't like it, there's something really sexy about cute little Jena Malone doing a cannonball splash into a pool in slow motion.

Nah, Susan Sarandon's daughter Eva Amurri is the truly sexy one in Saved!. She and Culkin have all the great lines in the flick too.

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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

I didn't find Eva Amurri that attractive, but will agree as to her and Culkin having the best lines... Not a bad flick, but not great either.

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