Reviews

I actually saw this when it was released to movie theaters in my area, with little advertising or promotion. However, I knew that Shannon Tweed was in it, so I was sold. "Liar's Edge" turned out to be a bizarre, well-crafted thriller making great use of it's Niagara Falls/Clifton Hill, Canada, locales. Shannon showed off her dramatic chops here in a role that was quite different for her, a widowed trailer park Mom raising her suicidal teenage son. Playing her son, Nicholas Shields was excellent, displaying handsome teen idol looks but acting talent as well. Future "90210" star and indie movie staple Kathleen Robertson also makes a good impression as a punk girl who takes a liking to Shields. The climax on Clifton Hill and in a shadowy wax museum was also well done, with a haunting musical score by Paul Zaza. If you come upon this movie, by all means, check it out. Mystery/thriller fans will enjoy this a lot, as will Shannon Tweed fans - but in case you're expecting skin from her in this, she stays clothed. It's too bad this didn't receive a wider release, they could've made a great sequel.

I had been anticipating "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer" since the project was announced, and it was well worth the wait. Writer Trey Callaway should be commended for including the requisite gore/scare scenes as well as some surprising plot twists. The only complaint I have is the lame ending, which copies shamelessly from the first film (and this time it isn't a surprise). Still, Jennifer Love Hewitt is in fine form and has good support from Brandy. Mekhi Phifer and Matthew Settle were also good, though they can't compare to the acting chops (and characters) of Part 1's Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe. Freddie Prinze, Jr. is also likable, though his screen time is limited as it was in the predecessor. The murder sequences here are also more jolting and graphic this time around. If you enjoyed the first film, and recent outings like "Urban Legend," you'll definitely consider "I Still Know" a must-see.

Truthfully, I wasn't expecting much going into "Bride of Chucky." To my surprise, I haven't had this much fun at the movies in years. I know it sounds bizarre to praise a horror flick about two killer dolls, but I think even genre fiends will find a lot to like here. The action is fast-paced and the movie is never boring. The special effects make-up is outstanding; Chucky and his bride Tiffany are incredibly lifelike and given great voices by Brad Dourif and Jennifer Tilly. While Katherine Heigl and Nick Stabile are okay as the heroes, Gordon Woolvett is most impressive as their best friend. "Bride of Chucky" puts its predecessors, even the original, to shame. Congratulations to the director, the writer, the cast, and to all involved for bringing a tired horror series roaring back to life with a wicked sense of humor and some shocking death scenes. The only really disturbing thing about seeing "Bride of Chucky" was how many parents brought very young children to see a very adult movie.

Beth (Angela O'Neill) is planning on joining Theta Omega Theta sorority. But the moment she enters the house, she has horrible nightmares and visions of a knife-wielding stalker. While most of the other sorority girls are away for Memorial Day weekend, Beth and three others, Linda (Wendy Martel), Sara (Pamela Ross), and Tracy (Nicole Rio) stick around to plan a get-together with their boyfriends. Through a hypnosis experiment conducted by psychology major Linda, the girls discover that when Beth was a child, she lived in the very same house. She was also the only one to survive when her older brother Bobby (John C. Russell) knifed her family to death. Well, Beth and her new sorority pals find this out too late as Bobby returns (after escaping from an asylum) with a knife. His visit leaves The Theta House stained in blood and the girls screaming in fear. Made by Roger Corman's Concorde Pictures, "Sorority House Massacre" works due to a capable director and a young and attractive cast. The girls' aren't just bimbo victims; as played by O'Neill,Martel, Ross and Rio, they are characters the audience will start to care about just as the terror unfolds. Atmospheric photography also adds a nice menacing touch to the proceedings. This film is a great double bill with 1982's "The Slumber Party Massacre" ("Sorority" director Carol Frank served as a production assistant on "Slumber Party"). However, don't be fooled by the dreadful "Sorority House Massacre 2," an in-name sequel only that uses awful silicone-enhanced actresses, flashbacks and endless T&A scenes to try and tell it's alleged story.

I was pleasantly surprised at how good "Urban Legend" was. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed it even more than I liked "Scream," "Scream 2," and "I Know What You Did Last Summer." I really didn't know what to expect, but I was impressed with every aspect of the movie, especially the cast. Rebecca Gayheart makes a better impression here than she did with her thankless bimbo role in "Scream 2," and Tara Reid does for her character Sasha what Rose McGowan did for Tatum in the original "Scream." Her cat-and-mouse chase scene with the killer was a nail-biter! Of the guys, Jared Leto was a likable hero and Joshua Jackson did a fine job with his prankster role. This movie is a genuine treat, and just in time for October and Halloween!