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Reviews
The Estate (2022)
Sent Out to Die
Saw the film listed in my local theater listings and was shocked. It has a nice cast, Toni Collete, Ana Faris, David Duchovny and Kathleen Turner, but saw no marketing what so ever for it. It was sent out to die.
The Pros: Some jokes landed for me. David Duchovny was the MVP, having some of the best material with good delivery. Kathleen Turner had some moments. It gave me some laughs, and made me wonder how it would end.
The Cons: The script has some structural issues, including over reliance on happenstance, and just some weird choices and motivations. Some of the dialogue felt off as well. The camera work, annoying. There were so many shots that looked like they were done with hand held and came across as shaky when there was no need for it.
I was hoping for some hidden gem, but got a curiosity to help start my Regal November period.
Gothika (2003)
One of Dark Castle's best
When I usually think of a 'Dark Castle' film, I think of cool use of sets and effects to create a cool, slightly exaggerated atmosphere, but often feature rather mediocre performances. This film delivered the atmosphere, but what surprised me was the solid acting jobs, granted with this cast to have a crappy film that would mean the director was incompetent.
Halle Berry kept up the terror without seeming to burn out or become tired and the range of emotions displayed by John Carrol Lynch made him quite a treat to watch, he is a very versatile actor. Penelope Cruz was also quite good, showing how quickly she could go from one emotional extreme to the other
But still, it is a 'Dark Castle' film so the real treat was for the eye with their unique style of visual effects, especially a trademark jerky animation that adds to the supernatural quality of their films.
An entertaining evening at home.
The Village (2004)
Builds up great tension
At first one is taken by the simple, innocence that permeates the life in the village. There is happiness in the simplicity of things, and the simple pleasures of life seem more then adequate.
Then there are those foreboding woods, forbidden woods, the tension builds, now there is much fear as well as joy that are found in the inhabitants, fear of the woods and of the unknown.
Filled with solid performances, by William Hurt, Joaquin Phoenix, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Brendan Gleason, including a slightly archaic dialog that adds to the atmosphere of the film.
Filled with great cinematography that expertly builds up scenes that can draw in the audience. A good film to spend the evening with.
Slither (2006)
Night of the Creeps meets Night of the Living Dead
A campy, highly entertaining film that mixes sci-fi and horror with tongue firmly implanted in cheek. Also highly recommended for fans of "Firefly", Nathan Fillion had much of what made his character on Firefly so great.
Though 'swarming' with characters, only a few are developed to any point, but that's okay, it helps the film keep moving along. However, one of my favorite characters is 'the Mayor', he's highly entertaining, in particular a scene almost halfway into the movie when he has a hysterical fit opening with, "Where's the Mr. Pipp?"
The film frequently references Night of the Living Dead with several shots, including wide field shots. Also there are scenes that will eave the viewer thinking of "A Street Car Named Desire".
A fun, and gory film that kept me quite enthused.
Troll 2 (1990)
Drew Carey or Clive Anderson: "Now do a film in the style of 'Second Grade School Play"
My header pretty much sums up my feelings on this film. The director must have been tone deaf among other things, or he was actually trying to make the worse film possible. The delivery of dialogue is almost painful to listen to, the mother especially.
My friends think it's so bad that its funny, I just think this film is utterly vile, and for the most part unwatchable, I rarely have to get-up to get away from a film for purely its technical matters, such as dialogue, lighting and such, but this one is definitely one of them.
The special effects are an utter joke, but some of the more observant may recognize the same goblin costumes from other low budget fantasy films, one of which was based on the myth of Siegfried, but the title escapes me at the moment.
Watch at your own risk, some may laugh at the film's utter lack of merit, others may just cringe and squirm uncomfortably, unable to watch out of a sheer sense of embarrassment.
Dungeons & Dragons (2000)
The Director should have been flogged
I was more curious then truly excited when I heard about this film, though featuring a decent budget and filmed on location in the Czech Republic, most notably the old city section of Prague, I was not expecting a masterpiece. After 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy came out, this film would look even worse.
One of the signs of doom was Shawn Wayans, 'Why Dear God Why' was he in this film, was it a vain attempt to diversify the cast a little, they could have done better, they could have also done worse, if Chris Tucker was in this film my rating would have gone down to a one.
I also think Lee Arenburg to be entertaining, but him as a dwarf with no camera angles to make him look shorter, I can't buy a 5'6 dwarf, even if John Rys-Davies played him.
(warning spoiler!!!)
The plot while featuring elements of a typical D&D setting seemed to lack any of the more subtle conventions which could have added immensely to the film, like random monsters attacking the party or a real dungeon crawl, only one scene came close, the labyrinth under the thieves guild. If just for comic relief they had one 10'x10' room with some orcs and a chest I would have at least had a good laugh. The sequel was much better in that respect.
Thora Birch's delivery is absolutely awful, she must have just phoned this one in, because she is otherwise a fine actress if she has a good director. The only pleasure brought to the screen by the cast was Jeremy Irons, who hammed it up to 'Vincent Price levels', and no hack director was going to question him either, hence me giving this film a 2, if they had some other hack in his part it would be lower.
I recommend this film if you want to shock your friends on movie night, or just get them back for something, or for giving it an MS3K treatment.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
was expecting worse
Not bad for a re-make of course it didn't have quite the impact of the original. It did a decent job building tension and there was a darker atmosphere to the location, made it seem more nightmarish.
Obviously the film had some advantages from a bigger budget, and R. Lee Ermey is definitely worth watching. As for the family, you had an almost twisted take on 'the dirty south', or in this case southwest, people being more bizarre caricatures, but with the darker and more atmospheric setting it works.
Interstingly, it seems to lack the social commentary of the original, but that is very common with remakes these days. Though there is extensive use of rather effective foreshadowing in numerous scenes.
Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God (2005)
A massive improvement from the first
A big improvement over the dreadful theatrical release. A mediocre film, which is a far cry superior to the original, some big improvements, no annoying Wayans Brother, no giant 5'6 dwarf, and a better understanding for the feel of a typical D&D setting. The acting isn't a big improvement but no one gets on your nerves either. D&D players will also enjoy the opening sequence if for just the use of Monster Manuel illustrations, and decent use of CGI to recreate some monsters that actually fit their environment in one scene. Even features an attempt at random encounters.
Not bad to watch on cable or for a cheap rental, if you buy this film for more then 6 bucks you will feel ripped off.
Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
The Worst Coen Bros. film ever, which is actually quite good compared to the rest of Hollywood
I went to see this film knowing it was going to be a romantic comedy, but I also had high hopes because of the team of Joel and Ethan Coen, between the two possibly the finest American filmmakers working today.
The film had some purely Coen Bros. moments, despite the fact they didn't do the script, and I liked the attempt made at doing a screwball comedy. George Clooney seems at times to channel the very essence of Carey Grant in his timing and expression. I just wish Catherine Zeta-Jones could have at least dug up a little Katherine Hepburn. In my opinion she was the weakest part of the film, too distant and cold, I think Angelina Jolie would have had the right mix of sophistication with sensuality that the part needed.
If you had to be forced to watch a romantic comedy there is a lot worse out there then this.
Enemy at the Gates (2001)
Not Bad, take out love story and would have been better
I consider myself something of a WWII buff, and was excited that a major film would be released about 'Stalingrad'. In the opening scenes after Vasili's initial flashbacks they really build sympathy for the plight of the Russian soldier. With the NKVD with orders to shoot anyone retreating, the common soldier's issued only one rifle for every two troops, while the NKVD has the SMG's and MG's with orders to shoot Russian troops caught running back, you wonder how we backed a regime that would do this to their own men. The film made me feel there was potential for CGI in these films, it was not perfect, but it must have been easier then trying to get the real things when it came to planes and tanks. someone commented on the use of T-34/85's which were not available till around, or just after Kursk in '43, well maybe those were the only T-34's they could get, granted there are companies that specialize in making mock-ups of all sorts of vehicles as well.
With the Germans, I thought they could have varied the tanks and armored vehicles a little more, it seemed all the Germans had were Panzer III's and Sdkfz 251 series half tracks. Enough technical crap, I thought the acting was decent, the story alright save for the love triangle. One thing they tried to convey with Koenig was that, despite his aristocratic baring, and almost callous nature to the plight of the common soldier, a common trait of the German Officer Corp, especially the Wehrmacht, I got the notion he did feel he had a score to settle, having lost his son during the first week of the battle, and how he looked out for the kid, giving him warnings and what not. (Warning Spoiler) Having Ed Harris kill the kid was a ploy I think to kill what residual amount of sympathy you might have had for Ed Harris's character. It seems as always Hollywood likes to have situations broken down to purely black and white morality. The film had its problems but was still entertianing, a 6, possibly 7 out of 10. The friendship bewteen Danilov and Vasili was interesting, but relying on a love triangle to build conflict between them was a little cliche.