Reviews

As low-budget B-movies go, this one was a lot better than anticipated.

The story itself isn't groundbreaking (invoking a succubus to take revenge on a cheating boyfriend), we've seen it before in some form or another, but then again the very first episode of Star Wars was about knights saving a princess, so originality is not always necessary.

Ok, so the production values were minimal. Lighting and sound could have used some TLC, the special effects weren't so special, and some of the acting was amateurish. However, Savannah Whitten was impressive in her role of the demon, invigorating the character with joyful abandon.

Without her, the movie doesn't work as a horror-comedy. But she makes the difference, if only because she has the most interesting lines to deliver, and she delivers them well, with rapid-fire precision.

For his first full feature as a director and writer, Lee Esposito shows promise. I haven't seen any of his other stuff, but it would be interesting to see what he could do with an actual budget.

In this instance, a rating of 6 is definitely a positive grade, as opposed to some highly-anticipated movies that can sometimes be a disappointing 7.

I love those movies that are so, SO very bad that they become good, in a twisted sort of way.

Unfortunately, this isn't one of them.

The only reason I gave it a 2 instead of a 1 is because of a few adequately gory special effects. But please, don't let that single almost-quality drive you to waste 90 minutes of your life.

Oh, and if you're expecting to catch some sexploitation-type nudity, well, let's just say there is a little bit of it, but the clothes should have stayed on.

I forgot to mention the acting: it's one of the few movies I ever saw that has absolutely none. The delivery of each line is as laborious as the lines themselves.

Sheesh...

First off, the performance delivered by both leading ladies is first class. Channing as the older, powerful business woman who suffers from all the insecurities of "what might have been", and Stiles as the young anarchist wannabe who ultimately envies her older co-worker... or does she?

The relationship they build over the course of an evening together is nothing if not conflicting: each sees in the other aspects of what they would have wanted to become. As they edge towards intimacy, they also move towards violence and confrontation.

Although the final chapter of the movie is a bit over the top and out of character for both women, the sincerity of the actresses' rendition keeps the movie on track. Both are, in turn, fragile and dominant, without ever becoming caricatures.

I highly recommend the film, if only for the great performances by Channing and Stiles.

There's a strange creature, but the movie is not about that creature. It's an alien being, but the movie isn't science fiction. There's relatively graphic sex, but the movie isn't about sex or porn either. Some aspects are horrific, but it is by no means a horror movie.

What this film is, in the end, is a beautifully shot, slow-paced allegory about our innate longing for meaningful relationships. The acting is as solid as it can get, giving life to characters that are credible, normal, confused, loving, hateful, horny, irate and understanding.

Now that description is probably less alluring than what the poster would lead you to believe, but as long as you let go of whatever expectations you may have about the story, you will find yourself drawn in by its poetic beauty.

A stylish and polished revenge movie, Confessions tells a tale in which no one is innocent, regardless of their age.

The pace, the color palette and the soundtrack - including a Radiohead song at an especially fitting moment - all contribute to this dark and ominous story. As usual with revenge movies, the viewer roots for the victim. But what's twisted in this one is that the victim is an adult while the agressors are kids. It puts the viewer in the uncomfortable position of actually wanting for revenge to be exacted on children!

Takako Matsu is superb in her understated potrayal of a calm, level-headed mother turned monster. Her cool and calculated demeanor makes her character all the more menacing.

All in all, an excellent movie that could only come from Japan.

I have to admit at first, I thought this would be just another chick movie, so I wasn't expecting much. But only a few minutes into the movie I knew it was more than that. Way more.

The rapid fire dialogues between Kendrick and Lively are enough to keep you interested. Both ladies give out solid performances, managing to be clever, funny, credible and sexy all at the same time. Without giving anything away, the story drags on a bit about midway through the feature, when the interaction between the ladies is no longer as sustained as it had been up till then, but the action picks up nicely not long after.

The music and costumes have been picked carefully and contribute to the overall mood of the film.

Overall, a very pleasant surprise.

A harsh, raw and uncompromising look into American poverty and its consequences. Fueled by a striking performance by Beau Knapp, this drama has enough action to keep viewers on the edge of their seat throughout, but it's the emotional toll that poverty takes on this trailer park family that really is the focus of the movie.

Although you are lead to root for some characters more than others, not one of them is all good or all bad. They are all survivors who do not hesitate to move over to the dark side out of necessity. Even the bad guys show glimpses of humanity.

It is a bleak movie about a bleak reality. You will not enjoy it. But it must be seen, if only to understand the motivations of people who can only hope to somehow become middle-class citizens.