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Reviews
Napoléon vu par Abel Gance (1927)
A Stunning Masterpiece!
I have just finished watching the U.S. release of the movie and I love this movie.
I found it just before midnight on Turner Classic Movies. Every sunday these guys show a silent movie at midnight. When I looked at how long it was, I had to record it. I still think it is amazing that back in 1927 there was a four hour movie.
Also, it was WAY ahead of its time. Abel Gantz, the director, pioneered a primitive version of CineRama. He also, had smooth tracking shots, shaky-cam, and great subjective shots.
Other amazing things in this movie he did were his montage shots where he splices in a lot of frames of film at once. He also did very gory battle scenes for that time and how he divided up the screen into nine different ways. But the most amazing thing is all the superimposing done on this film.
Unfortunately, I have to stop talking about this masterpiece of cinema. And to all those people who bitch about the U.S. version, shut up!
It's still a great movie. I give this film a 9 out of 10.
Frailty (2001)
Frailty (**** out of 5)
`Only Demons should fear me. You're not a Demon, are you?'
`Frailty' joins the ranks of good psychological, character-driven horror films like `Session 9', `Ginger Snaps' and `The Others', that have managed to sneak their way past the Hollywood crap in the last few years. It's about time for good fear-films to come out, after far too long of a time of mediocre Scream rip-offs and `modern' slasher flicks. A man (Mathew McConaughey) comes to an FBI official, claiming information about a string of `God's Hand' murders. To him, the man then reveals a story of his childhood leading to the present day killings.
Young brothers, Fenton and Adam Meiks live in relative normalcy, raised in a small town by their kindly father (Paxton), their mother long dead. This peaceful life is shattered, however, when one night dear old dad has a divine `vision', God placing him and his family on a mission to `destroy demons'. The only thing is, these `demons' walk on Earth in human form. The boys hope this was just a bad dream (maybe Dad just had too much to drink before going to bed), but soon he receives more of these messages, giving him a list of names of those that must be `destroyed' and the weapons to do it by. Fenton is torn between his devotion to his father and brother and his repulsion to what he believes is murder. Long-time character actor, Bill Paxton (`Apollo 13', `Near Dark', `A Simple Plan') directs his first film and shows skills he picked-up from working with the likes of Sam Raimi and James Cameron. `Frailty' is very bleak and atmospheric. The killings are not so gruesome as shocking. This makes them scarier. Acting-wise, the movie is also quite good. Mathew McConaughey is actually creepy. His cold, almost monotone delivery hides a human being truly disturbed by the events of his early life. Bill Paxton is great as the father. He does a complex character; devoted to his kids but also lashed into what he believes is his duty to God. There is no `Jason' mentality here; he kills because he feels it is what he must do. Even the child-actors are good. `Frailty' does move at too slow of a pace for some people and the second half is outdone by the first. Self-titled `gore-hounds' might be disappointed at the lack of gratuitous bloodshed. Religious people might also be insulted by the movie's take on God. Granted, `Frailty' is not for everyone, but if you're interested in seeing an intelligent, disturbing horror/suspense film, see this.
Disturbing Behavior (1998)
Decent conspiracy movie
`Kids don't drive drunk in Cradle Bay no more; course they don't laugh or dance neither.' -Newberry
Some movies like `Leon', `Aliens' and `Blade Runner' are seen as very good films in they're initially release, only to become classics when they're `director's cuts' are released. While `Disturbing Behavior' is no-where near these great films, seeing director David Nutter's original intent for the movie makes one enjoy it far more. I recently got a hold of another `cut' of the film by having all the deleted scenes available on the DVD recorded (unprofessionally) back into the movie. You see, MGM decided to cut out a lot of the film (about 20 minutes), probably for fear that too much substance to the story would bore and confuse the MTV-slugs they were planning to distribute it to. They even cut some of the best scenes out. It was never the director's intent to butcher `Disturbing Behavior' in this way and upon theatrical release it quickly flopped. It surprises me what a good film it actually was before the studio screwed with it.
The plot centers on a conspiracy in a little town to conform the teenagers there into well-groomed, well-behaved, charitable little robots. The only problem is that the process of brain-washing kids occasionally sends the `little robots' into violent rages when emotions they are not programed to deal with, like sexual urges, come up.
The added scenes make the movie much better. Characters, like Newberry, are fleshed quite a bit more and we even get a chance to see James Marsden (Steve) and Katie Holmes (Rachel) really act. Before, these characters felt too cold and underdeveloped. The conspiracy itself is more believable because a source of funding for it is shown. The reason why Caldicott and his scientists came to the town of Cradle Bay is also given. The original ending is in my own cut and it gives a far more emotional finale and a more appropriate end to Gavin (Nick Stahl). Still, I have a few complaints about `Disturbing Behavior'. First, a few plot holes still exist, like, how did Steve and Rachel break into a mental institute so easily? The way the `Blue Ribbons' are all killed and the way the conspiracy is crushed are still largely unbelievable. The very talented actress Katherine Isabelle (`Ginger Snaps', `Turning Paige') is underused and that U.V. guy is annoying. Even though it is flawed, the director's cut of Disturbing Behavior is still a good movie. Unfortunately, it has yet to be released by any studio.
Movie: *** out of 4
That Darn Cat (1997)
That Darn Crappy (3.5)
`It's as if this town has the power to suck your brain right out of your head.' -Patti
Patti (Christina Ricci) is a sarcastic teenaged girl, bored with her all-too-average little town. Bored that is until a woman is kidnapped and she finds what she believes to be clues to the poor lady's whereabouts. Now, with the help of her precious cat `D.C.' and an inept FBI agent (Doug E. Doug) she must find her.
That Darn Cat is a bad movie. It is quite foolish and it has humor that often falls quite flat. There are, however, a few buds of talent in it. Doug E. Doug was good in Cool Runnings. His performance as `Senga' was really funny. Here he is wasted as the bumbling FBI agent. He does have a good scene when he imitates the cat, though. Micheal Mckean plays Patti's father. His character must be the most understanding parent to ever live. This poor guy has his expensive cigar crushed, gets arrested for picking up his own cat, and gets bitched-at by his snippy wife and STILL doesn't get angry at his daughter for causing all of his troubles. I wish my old man was like that. The only real good performance is Christina Ricci's. She entertaining as the ever-annoyed Patti, but her occasional very bad dialogue pulls her performance down. You might also recognize Peter Boyle (Young Frankenstein, Everybody Loves Raymond), the old lady from Wings and Cliff from Cheers, in this movie. This is a movie that all these actors would probably like to forget. Even the cat isn't very good... I really can't recommend 1997's That Darn Cat. Some young children (under 8) might enjoy it a bit, but every one else should look elsewhere. If you're looking for a good Christina Ricci movie, I suggest Addams Family Values, The Opposite of Sex or Sleepy Hollow. If a fun family film is what you're after, try Snow Day, instead.
Beetlejuice (1988)
Awesome!
`NICE ****IN' MODEL! --(Honk!)(Honk!)' -Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton)
The Maitlands are young newlyweds, happily getting by in their little New England town, that is, say, until they both get killed in a car accident. Returning as ghosts, they find the afterlife to be a surreal world, where the dead suffer the same problems as in life (just amplified to a crazy extent). Assigned to haunt their old home, the find the job more than troublesome, as the Dietzes, a disturbingly trendy couple from New York and their depressed, gothic daughter, Lydia (Winona Ryder) move in. Unable to scare these people away, and sick of seeing their home renovated (i.e.-`gutted out'), the Maitlands hire a `professional bio-exorcist' by the name of Betelgeuse (played very well by Michael Keaton), to extract them. Cartoonish mayhem ensues. This is Tim Burton's 2nd movie and it is a laugh riot. This is definitely worth seeing
Addams Family Values (1993)
Very Funny Movie and a Worthy Sequel
Addams Family Values (1993)
`Hello, Polly. I'll clean my room.In exchange for you're immortal soul.' -Wednesday (Christina Ricci)
A new baby, Pubert, has been born into the delightfully morbid Addams Family. Finding it too difficult to raise three crazy children alone, Gomez (the late Raul Julia, putting out a great performance) and Morticia hired a nanny. Little do they know, but the seemingly sweet Debbie (Joan Cusack) is actually a multiple-husband killing, ax-murdering seductress. Setting her sights on Uncle Fester for his money, she sends the two older Addams kids to a disgustingly perky summer camp, to pursue her advances without problems. Some of the funniest scenes occur at the camp, as the morbid Wednesday (played memorably by Christina Ricci) and Pugsley contrast and, eventually, wreak havoc on the vilely perky `Chippewa' campers. This is a very funny movie, even more so (in my humble opinion) than the 1991 original. 7/10
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
The best zombie film ever made
Dawn of the Dead
`When there is no more room in hell, the dead will walk the Earth.' -Peter
This is the second movie of George Romero's `Dead' trilogy and it's probably the best zombie movie of all time. It starts off ten years after the end of Night of the Living Dead. Zombies are starting to overrun the world. This is the story of two SWAT members, a helicopter pilot and his wife's attempt to survive. A good, well-balanced plot, above average acting, gory effects and a dark humor make this a very enjoyable film.