buonesargen3 Reviews

Over the Hedge (2006)

better than some

[1 July 2006]

Hammy the hyperactive squirrel is the funniest thing in it But its ending is weak a syrupy ending about friendship solving everything It lacks characters and the art is to very good Its consists of cinema and post modern jokes but no staying power that comes with narrative this is a diatribe against American consumerism and nachos and junk food beginning with an explosion of nachos as epic as an atom bomb such is its effect on the animals. this inspires them to seek out more which means abandoning their natural habitat and entering the world f humans. Thanklfully hue humans have thoughtfully destroyed their habitat while they were hibernating as an invitation to come and infest their homes. This may not be as funny as some of the CGI works and again is tying to balance irony jokes for the adults with scatological the kids, Bruce Willis's voice-over for the raccoon raises the film

Ben (1972)

toothless

[4/10 · 1 July 2006]

An interesting novelty. This is more famous than its predecessor Willard but unseat of the sinister atmosphere it is replaced by cuteness like a cartoon. A lonely boy befriends a genius rat with homicidal tendencies. Having already eaten his previous owner the rat confines its nibbling to the boys bullies. Ther is an intended message about accpetanceÑ just because its a rat it doesn't mean it hasn't feelings or virtuous, the importance of friendship and stopping aggression and persecution whether its bullying or exterminating rats who only want a home and live peacefully. All that is undermined by the fact that it is a story about a rat! It contains 1970s deliberate bad lighting to convey a gritty realism which was popular among art directors of the time. There's also Michael Jackson's effecting song, as long as you forget its about a rat. The film is fun but could do with a lighter touch, the story of a boy dealing with bullies and finding friendship is uncomfortable for a horror film and it ends up being a cult oddity

Kathy Lloyd: Beauty and the Bust (1992 Video)

glamor workout

[8/10 · 30 June 2006]

Kathy LLoyd is known mostly in the UK as a glamor model for page 3. Towards the end of her career she released this video. As exercise videos go it is fairly standard. The exercises are aimed at women who want to burn a few calories so the exercises are somewhat leisurely. Each section is linked with a commentary by Lloyd. What lifts this above other videos is a few vicarious points. Kathy was a member of MENSA and has an English degree from Liverpool University. Also she is connected to the actor, parapsychologist and scientist Stephen Armourae who also did a couple of paintings of her as did other artists. So Kathy Lloyd should have gone on to make a work out video for the brain too which she could have easily made more strenuous than her body workout. There is no glamor in this video as Lloyd and the other exerciser remain sensibly covered up and concentrate on their exercises through the proceedings

Rebro Adama (1991)

this room is too small

[10/10 · 30 June 2006]

Another classic that has been forgotten. Displaced by lack of advertising and the studio monopolies. This film confronts the USSR society at the time it still existed and would be able to imprison dissenters. Corougeously the writers and everyone involved made this sharp, realistic comment on the state using a domestic setting. In a cramped flat a woman lives with her paralyzed mother and two daughters from 2 marriages, in Moscow. As optimism and democracy come offering a better future they find their already meager lives turned upside down with uncertainty. Made in 1990 it has become prophetic with increased poverty and the Russina mafia threatening peoples lives resulting in the return of the Communists that people were desperate to be rid of believing that democracy would be their Saviour.

The Rainbow Thief (1990)

rainbows over Europe

[30 June 2006]

This is a film which has immediate respect as a Europena art house film. Often this hides flaws which can be disastrous. This is not the case here. Peter O Toole is in it. Even at his worst laziest over the top performances he is still watchable. Some may call Alexandro Jodorowsky's piece sentimental and self indulgent. Indeed in its attempt to fulfill magical realism there are some oddities parading through this. The use of a circus as a parable for Christ's compassion and attempt to help an insane world is used for an excuse for indigence and longueurs. The rainbow girls are all very pretty models and I already knew about them from painting of Kirsten Imrie, Rachel Garley an Bridgette Barclay by th e actor Stephen Armourae who promoted this film because of its abstract arty script and the use of Tarot,as he is also a psychic. Alexandro Jodorowsky attempts here again to use imagery and animals to convey a message, this makes it memorable if somewhat obscure. The trouble is the people who need to receive his message are not going to have the patience for a Europena art house film with all its obliqueness.

Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story (1995 TV Movie)

fighting your own

[9/10 · 30 June 2006]

This film is destined to be stuck in USA cable cycle. It doesn't have the glamorous edge to interest a mass audience or a big movie budget. Which is often the case with classics. Excellently acted by Glenn Close using Alan Cross's intelligent and paced script this film is a true story made with sympathy and understanding showing their are craftspeople in the industry who are sidelined in favor of short attention span blockbusters. The film however does not enter the depths of emotion and passion it could have. Grethe Cammermeyer (the central character) is a more forceful person than portrayed in the film. This is unusual since films' often have to inject more glamor and passion into a character. She had to fight discrimination against gays in the military and made a benchmark case against military law at the very time that Bush Sr was pushing to maintain this discrimination. Grethe was forced to defend her feelings which like anyone else's were natural and instinctive before a court martial she was presenting as a freak and an enemy to the USA which she was loyally serving.

Serpent's Lair (1995)

more noises than dialog

[6/10 · 30 June 2006]

Lisa B's most famous or infamous movie depending on your view of it. Jeff Farley is a successful executive who meets the tantalizing Lisa B who rather fascinated by him. His ego being flattered he sees another conquest like his career available. Except she appears to be rather dominant and leaving him more tired than he would wish in the morning. This film is an attempt to follow classics like Rosemary's Baby and The Omen. I saw this after some word of mouth and recommendations on the net. The most intriguing was some weird parallels that occurred outside this film but were related. Lisa B plays the demoness Lilith at the time she had a successful music carer and as a campaigning journalist. One of the people recommending this was the journalist, actor, occultism and composer Stephen Armourae who knew Lisa and has done a portrait of her since. His interest in Lilith and occult groups like 'Temple of the Winged One' meant I had to see this movie. Its funny how a little background information elevates an otherwise average film to something more chilling. And this film needs it. The best parts of it are the unintended comedy of Lisa having multiple orgasms as she is a Succubus taking his energy. Also that she would be so interested in someone who is not a big Hollywood star, he has no glamor or enough good looks for a role of someone who arouses a beautiful demon.