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Reviews
Spider Baby or, the Maddest Story Ever Told (1967)
Catch it if you can
I caught this by accident on Sky's new Horror channel.
I don't particularly like black and white horror films from the 1960s, but this one really grabbed me, mainly because one of the girls, Jill Banner, was so sexy and so full-blooded in her acting of the part as a crazed teenager.
There's enough craziness in this film to make it a cult classic, but it's also got pace and a mad inner logic that makes it hold together.
The comments on this film on ImDb are well worth reading to help you make your mind up, but it's certainly worth your attention.
Being John Malkovich (1999)
In Two Minds
I'm in two minds about this film. (Pun intended.)
After the first ten minutes I wanted to switch it off because I couldn't get into it. Puppets? Who cares about puppets? I hate puppets!
And animals too!
However, I stuck with it and I'm kind of glad I did.
Why?
Well, apart from Catherine Keener, who I thought was knockout in every way, the concept was really interesting and as soon as John Malkovich appeared on the screen in the flesh it became riveting.
It's so good to see a major star being prepared to make fun of himself and his status (Charlie Sheen too -- loved the combover!), and I really wanted to know how the story would be resolved.
However, I'm not sure I liked the way it developed. It became an uneasy mix of satire and science fiction, and I think one of those genres would have been better than two.
I also like it when I can identify a theme in an art movie -- this one was presumably about identity and knowing who you are -- but the message got lost in the medium. (But then didn't some producer like Sam Goldwyn say that if you want to send a message, use Western Union?)
So like I say I'm in two minds about it. You need to see it yourself if you want to make up your mind(s).
Pitch Black (2000)
"Alien" but with better characters
I didn't expect much from this but I was pleasantly surprised.
I didn't think the effects were all that brilliant (the aliens were great but never seen in enough detail, unlike in "Alien"), but I liked the characters, especially those played by Radha Mitchell and Vin Diesel.
It started really badly -- in fact, I had to replay the DVD three times to understand the voiceover, but the spaceship crash was spectacular and the realisation of the planet was excellent.
Diesel made the film for me. He is massively calm and he brought some complexity to his character.
The lighting of the film was marvellous and created a sense of a real alien landscape, much better than the Paramount lots in the "Star Trek" movies.
Mitchell was in "Phone Booth" and seems to be getting a lot of parts. I'm booking "xXx" to see Diesel again.
Nemesis (1992)
A "B" movie that might be an "A-"
Great opening sequence, full of action, in unusual settings.
Owes a lot to Blade Runner but is all in sunshine in the open air (LA, Rio, Hawaii.)
Some pretty bad acting but a strong central idea, and some of the actors, notably Deborah Shelton and Merle Kennedy (and a guy who plays a Dutch/German baddy whose name I can't find -- help!) overcome the limitations of the script.
Deborah, by the way, has a full frontal nudity scene and she's really toned -- not bad for someone who was born in the same year as me! Definitely a MILF!
I seem to remember her in "Dallas" but this doesn't appear in her filmography. Is this early onset Alzheimers, or has she deleted this from her history?
The director, Albert Pyun, has some interesting ideas, notably shooting down narrowing perspectives. He's Hawaiian himself, and uses some spectacular locations, but it seems to me that with films in this genre you should start with the Big Outdoors and end up in urban landscapes, otherwise it looks cheap.
I couldn't really recommend this film, but if it ends up in your DVD player, don't eject it!
Rushmore (1998)
Something else
This is a delightful film, even if it doesn't know which way it's going sometimes.
Max is a sort of converse of Tracy Flick in Election: an overachiever who underachieves. This is a much warmer film though.
While loving the film, I admit to having reservations about the ending: does it imply that Max and Miss Cross might have something going after all?
The soundtrack is great, and if watching this doesn't convince you that Bill Murray is one of the best actors we have, I don't know what will.
A special word for Stephen McCole as Buchan -- a real Scots actor playing a Scottish part in an American film? Beam me up, Scotty!
Election (1999)
A little beauty of a a film
Definitely one of my favourite films. The script is sharp, the direction spot on and the performances are excellent, including the minor parts. I especially liked Jessica Campbell (no relation!) as Tammy.
As a teacher, I felt the film caught the feel of a school really well.
The theme of morals and ethics also gave this a depth that is often lacking in mainstream films.
Oh, I forgot to say it was funny -- uncomfortably so -- as well!