This is a different movie in that it has a message but not in a totally direct way. This one deals with both suicide and terminal illness and how precious life can be. It may have an odd way of getting this point across but what I liked about this movie was the fact that it did have some positivity even though it had a cult-movie like quality. So often with films that are off the beaten mainstream Hollywood path we are simply given shocking scenes, sex, ultra violence, or general try-hard weirdness. This was a refreshing style of independent filmmaking that I would really like to see more of. Aside from the great story, direction, and look of this film, the performances were all excellent as well. The cast includes David Arquette as the suicidal and obsessive voyeur Terry, Brad Hunt (whose character I loved) as the terminally ill rebel Nick, Kathryn Erbe as Nick's tattoo artist girlfriend, Cathy Moriarty as Nick's ex-stripper relative, and "Brooklyn South"'s Patrick McGaw as Nick's hometown best friend. In addition to all of the above reasons to see this film, it also has a great soundtrack. Unfortunately out of print in Canada, this is one movie that is well worth seeking out.
Stuart Gordon's children's fantasy/adult horror movie has been peering at me from the video store shelves for over ten years. I finally decided to give it a whirl and was pleasantly surprised by it scariness, humour, and cool-for-the-money-they-had effects. Gordon is best known for horror movies such as the classic "Re-Animator" and "From Beyond". I do not know why it took so long for me to see "Dolls" as it was also a precursor to Full Moon Studios' "Puppetmaster" movies. You can see many early versions of some of the characters from those movies if you are at all a fan. If you are a fan of eighties horror, creepy houses, punk rock girls, creepy old couples, killer teddy bears, or if you still have a child inside of you (figuratively speaking: I am not saying that all pregnant moms will enjoy this), rent this one.
I got forced into watching this not really against my will (no one had a gun to my head) and I thought that it sucked. The only decent thing I can say about this is that it had early appearances from Ben Stiller as a college kid and Viggo Mortensen as a bad dude. Otherwise the story basically involves the always creepy, shady, and conceited Andrew McCarthy falling in love with the plastic-yet-wooden-but-has-some-charm-because-she-was-in-John-Hughes-movies Molly Ringwald. This was totally unbelievable because there was absolutely no chemistry between the two leads and I'll bet you that they absolutely hated working together. If you want to have an eighties-nostalgia night, this is not the way to go.
Now here was a big surprise that proves that you cannot judge a movie by its box art. I was expecting a silly comedy about a bunch of inept potheads but what I got was a very well written comedy-drama that brought realism and sympathy to the characters rather than the mindless guffaws that are brought on from Cheech and Chong and the like. Stars Billy Bob Thornton ("Sling Blade"), Ryan Phillippe ("54"), Kelly Lynch ("Drugstore Cowboy"), and Hank Azaria ("Godzilla") carry the story about a group of pot farm employees that must run the company after their boss is killed. They decide to try and get their wages back by selling most of the herb in a major drug deal with either mob leader Ted Danson or local drug kingpin Jon Bon Jovi. Do not be discouraged by the lame sounding storyline as this is one of the best new releases that I have come across in the video store in quite some time. Appearances are made by Judge Reinhold, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Lithgow, and "Brooklyn South"'s Jon Tenney.
It has taken me a long time to see this classic war epic detailing the escape planned by a group of Allied forces from a Nazi war camp during World War II. The group is led by the calm planning of Richard Attenborough and is executed with the help of the cool style of James Garner, the cockiness of Steve McQueen, the expertise of Donald Pleasence, the hands of James Coburn, and the digging skills of Charles Bronson among others. It is fascinating to see this true story and the result of putting a bunch of professional escape artists in the same situation. The planning is so precise that you sometimes forget that they had to make up much of the escape as they went along. It was really great to see all of these actors that I know from "The Rockford Files" and "Jurassic Park" in their younger and cooler days. This flick kept me glued to the TV for two and a half hours and provided enough action and suspense that it still stands up very well today. I guess that is why many agree that this is one of the greatest movies ever made.
Wow, I have seen some great flicks on this update and this is one of the best that almost slipped past me. I did not even know that this existed until a friend pointed it out and suggested that I watch it. This has to be one of the best thrillers I have seen in the last five years. The story is basically another take on the character known as The Jackal, a terrorist who likes to blow things up including innocent women and children. CIA agent Donald Sutherland makes it his mission in life to capture this hideous criminal. With the aid of a fellow agent in Israel (Ben Kingsley), the two of them find an American navy officer (Aidan Quinn) who is a dead ringer for the jackal. They recruit him and put him through a series of endurance tests that will prepare him for the assignment that he must undertake in the movie. The pacing of this film has got to be some of the best I have ever seen and I give this my highest recommendation to anyone who likes action thrillers of any kind. You will love this movie.
This is my second Danny Fendley film and I must say that it was again quite a good very low budget b-movie. Danny stars as Frank, a con who has been released from prison after being the fall guy for bad guy Xavier (Joe Estevez). Frank gets mighty angry at Xavier mighty quickly because he is immediately aware that Xavier is trying to eliminate him from the planet. After rescuing a buxom prisoner from Xavier's pad, Frank encounters a motorcycle gang and tries to get his money and revenge for the remainder of the film. Fairly standard stuff but well directed by Donald Farmer who is definitely learning from each movie and getting better. Danny Fendley is also improving as an actor but apart from the four films that I see advertised in the back pages of Draculina magazine, I don't know if he has done anything recently. There are appearances from Ghetty Chasun ("Gorotica") and Theresa Lynn ("Vampire Vixens From Venus", the speaker orgasm girl from "Private Parts").
I was told that this is between "starter" and "intermediate" foreign and I liked it a lot. I tend to have bad luck with many of the "foreign films" that are in the video store as many of the so-called classics are too loaded with symbolism for my basic and relaxed mind to handle or for that matter want to handle. This one however was really cool due to the black and white photography, the jump cuts that I had never really noticed in movies until I saw this one, the improvisation feel, and the sheer coolness of the lead character played by Jean-Paul Belmondo. There is a mild plot involving Belmondo as a criminal on the run from the law and his love for a beautiful American girl played by Jean Seberg. This is not why you watch the film though as it is not really the plot I was watching but it was more the feeling of hanging out with these two who are so cool to watch and to listen to. Godard would probably hate this review but hey it is positive, honest, and I am not trying to bullshit anyone. If you are not afraid of "foreign" films (if you live in North America) then check this one out.
Angelina Jolie ("Foxfire") shines in this docudrama about one of the world's first supermodels as we see her as a tough New York punk waitress and her transformation to a model that graces every magazine cover to a drugged out sex symbol. We see Gia piss on everyone that cares about her, have a lesbian love affair, and eventually have everything catch up with her. The acting is superb but it is difficult to recommend this to just anyone due to the ample and lengthy lesbian love scenes and sheer downer tone of the entire movie. It is a great character study of someone who had it all who threw it all away. There seems to be too many stories like this one that are true. It is too bad that success has to ruin people so often. Check this one out but be prepared because the acting is very good and it is very emotional. Co-stars include Kylie Travis ("Models, Inc."), Faye Dunaway, and Elizabeth Mitchell who I swear is Elizabeth Kaitan from "Slave Girls From Beyond Infinity".
Old Russ Meyer strikes again with this tale of a guy who is on the lam as the cops think that he killed his wife. He travels across many a mile in the country and has sex with many a woman. In fact, every woman he meets wants to have sex with him and most of them do. This guy is one lucky guy because this is a Russ Meyer movie so naturally the women are beautiful and very voluptuous. If you like his style, this one will not let you down (ha ha) but I love all of his movies. Some of the notable appearances are from Uschi Digard, Haji, Shari Eubank, John Lazar, and Charles Napier who are all Meyer regulars so you have probably seen them all before. This is a fun movie and that's what its all about. Life, I mean.
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