maddogthemad Reviews

Taking Lives (2004)

I'm surprised it's getting any bad reviews here

[24 August 2004]

I think anyone in their right mind loves Angelina Jolie, and thinking something terrible might be about to happen to her makes you scared too.

I liked it because it really sort of analysed in a properly critical way the manner and psychology of at least some types of antisocial individuals (in this case psychopaths). You see common traits between the bad guy and other generally socially dysfunctional individuals you might meet in life, like the sort of low life scum that would beat their wife or stuff like that.

I don't know. It helped me understand people like that a little better, and be able to better identify those traits in ways I wouldn't have thought of.

In the end, I'd say it's very intellectually stimulating. Even if a lot of the major elements of the plot are really very predictable, some parts really are not.

Jolie really makes this movie, and hawk doesn't do that bad either. I recognize the police chief from La Femme Nikkita, but I think he's mostly just a decoration in this film.

I *might* actually buy this one, or something, which is rare for me to do, as the copy I have today is rented.

Fit to Kill (1993)

This guy should have a cult

[5 June 2004]

For a B movie, it comes pretty near to being almost like a what a normal movie would be if it had a lot more gratuitous nudity and violence, and in addition to that, it has Julie Strain in it. What more could you want?

When you consider that Sidaris is working almost exclusively with ex-playboy playmates and penthouse pets, it's actually quite a spectacular accomplishment.

If you only compare it with other straight to video type movies, you can see how uncommon this type of film making is.

Sidaris is to be congratulated for bringing actual talent to a segment of the film market that usually gets passed over.

Savage Beach (1989)

Liked it

[5 June 2004]

I'm kind of on a Sidaris Marathon this evening. :)

This is the archtypical B movie with gratuitous use of scantily clad, and occasionally unclad women, but it's so typical that it could be considered maybe to define the genre.

It differs mostly in the actual quality of filming, and actual attractiveness of the women acting from the majority of other B's of its type.

It flows very well, so that you never really start to get bored or lulled. For the most part the scenes either make sense to the plot, and move it along or add a different kind of excitement.

Still, of course, only fans of typical B movies, like the kind that push the R rating a little further than mainstream tends to allow, would want to watch it. If you're into that, you'll find this film to be a bit better than average.

Picasso Trigger (1988)

Not Sidaris' Best Work

[5 June 2004]

It's not his best work, but I still don't feel like I wasted my rental.

It drags on in some parts, and most of the hand to hand fight scenes are really unconvincing.

On the plus side, it has some tricks and twists that an audience member really wouldn't see coming.

No Julie Strain, but Donna Spier and Roberta Velasquez look really good in most of their shots. :)

Still, the nudity, while gratuitous, isn't very common in occurrence. The scenes where the characters are in swimsuits are nice, I guess. I have to admit they look pretty good.

It really didn't flow very well, and it had some scenes that were just plain boring.

Overall, I still like Sidaris' work, because it's the best you'll ever get in this kind of film work, I think, but he's done better.