A friend rented this movie a few years ago are a party, and a few people ran to the bathroom to puke their guts out. This movie is basically low-budget violence for the sake of low-budget violence, done in an incredibly disturbing and violent way. Unlike other movies that disturb you and are thought-provoking, this just leaves you feeling cheap, dirty, and sick to your stomach. No good story, terrible acting, obviously no budget. This could have not even looked good on paper. If you take pleasure in seeing a man get his forearm stabbed repeatedly by a girl gang, only to have him stick a metal plate into the wound, this is the movie for you.
Reviews
29 Reviews
Silent Night, Deadly Night
(1984)
One of the most laughably awful movies ever made.
29 August 1999
"Silent Night, Deadly Night" is the perfect example of a slasher movie taken one step too far, scary as hell for any kid who still believe in Santa. It is very routine, a psycho in a Santa Claus suit decides to go on a killing spree on Christmas eve, and kills everybody we meet throughout. Cult movie icon Linnea Quigley suffers one of movie history's stupidest deaths, whilst showing some skin, as always. The requisite victims are here, teens somehow left alone in the house on Christmas eve having sex and being brutally murdered. A good present for their parents to find. This movie is the trashiest of trash horror movies, only to be competed with by "Friday the 13th". People who like all blood and guts with no logic will eat this up, others will wonder why enough people saw this movie to stir up a controversy in the first place.
The Acid House
(1998)
A strange, bizarre, and highly entertaining film.
21 August 1999
"The Acid House" is a series of three short stories penned by "Trainspotting" novelist Irvine Welsh, and true to his style, it is inspired by a terribly bad acid trip. Being a huge fan of Irvine Welsh, I had high hopes for this film, but I was also aware that it would most likely not be as good as Trainspotting. It wasn't, but a good movie all the same.
The first story is about a 23 year old soccer player who is booted out by his mates, gets kicked out of his parents house, looses his girlfriend, and looses his job all in the space of a few hours. After all this, he "meets God". The second concerns a very disturbed couple with a newborn baby, and their wacky neighbor who moves into the flat above them. And the third, and best, of them is about a young man who is struck by lightning after taking a hit of acid and his soul is transfered into the body of a newborn baby. Very strange stories, only Irvine Welsh could have done these.
As a movie, it has all the basic ingredients, save for a few dodgy dialogue bits here and there. All the actors involve give their best, and it was a pretty satisfying and mind boggling experience. It isn't as well laid out as "Trainspotting", though, so people expecting a new "Trainspotting" might not get what they expect.
The first story is about a 23 year old soccer player who is booted out by his mates, gets kicked out of his parents house, looses his girlfriend, and looses his job all in the space of a few hours. After all this, he "meets God". The second concerns a very disturbed couple with a newborn baby, and their wacky neighbor who moves into the flat above them. And the third, and best, of them is about a young man who is struck by lightning after taking a hit of acid and his soul is transfered into the body of a newborn baby. Very strange stories, only Irvine Welsh could have done these.
As a movie, it has all the basic ingredients, save for a few dodgy dialogue bits here and there. All the actors involve give their best, and it was a pretty satisfying and mind boggling experience. It isn't as well laid out as "Trainspotting", though, so people expecting a new "Trainspotting" might not get what they expect.
The Thomas Crown Affair
(1999)
Nothing Special.
15 August 1999
"The Thomas Crown Affair", despite appearances from the trailer, is not a James Bond type movie. It is more of a love story that serves more as eye candy to Brosnan fans than anything else. Brosnan plays a tycoon who makes it a hobby to steal fine art. His latest snag, a rare Monet worth over $100 million, makes him the subject of one of cinematic history's most absurd police investigations. A flashy insurance worker (Rene Russo) decided to infiltrate his life and get back the Monet (her incentive is a percentage of it's value). What develops is a semi-fake romance that turns real as time goes on. All through it, Brosnan is well aware of who she works for, what her intentions really are, and the police that are following him.
Entertaining in parts, slow and shallow in others. Brosnan plays a role tailor made for him, as the slick and suave ladykiller, I am wondering if that is the only role he can play well. Russo doesn't turn in one of her better performances, and frankly, Dennis Leary doesn't make himself useful. Whatever suspense there is is confined to the first and last 20 minutes. The time in between is between Brosnan and Russo. There are a few good moments here and there, but as a whole, this movie is very insubstantial and unmoving. Rent "Tomorrow Never Dies" instead.
Entertaining in parts, slow and shallow in others. Brosnan plays a role tailor made for him, as the slick and suave ladykiller, I am wondering if that is the only role he can play well. Russo doesn't turn in one of her better performances, and frankly, Dennis Leary doesn't make himself useful. Whatever suspense there is is confined to the first and last 20 minutes. The time in between is between Brosnan and Russo. There are a few good moments here and there, but as a whole, this movie is very insubstantial and unmoving. Rent "Tomorrow Never Dies" instead.
Day of the Dead
(1985)
The bloodiest of them all
15 August 1999
No one will argue that "Day..." is the weakest movie in George Romero's impressive Living Dead trilogy, but the mood and atmosphere of the first two is not totally lost here. "Day of the Dead" finds a group of military survivalists marooned on an island military bunker, with all the world around them going to hell. The "good guys" are the only woman, her few friends, and a doctor who decides that the only way to survive this zombie crisis is to find ways to control them. He has his subject, "Bub", the one zombie you really feel sorry for. Complicating this is that rest of the men on the base, who are obnoxious, sexist, and totally unwilling to get along with the others. It is an internal war, with their lives hanging in the balance.
If you thought "Dawn of the Dead" was violent, this movie has enough blood to make a surgeon toss his cookies. Tom Savini has obviously spares no expense at making this one of the most realisticly bloody and gory movies of his career. While the blood in "Dawn..." looked more like melted crayons, there is plenty of guts and gristle here. In one scene, the plant a shovel in a zombie's mouth and pop the top of his head off. The camera zooms on his eyes, which are still blinking. Most impressive of all is the makeup, with thousands of zombies made to look actually dead. Repulsive stuff, but a delight for fans of the series. The acting, as usual, is very bottom of the barrel, but it doesn't really matter. Entertainment all around.
If you thought "Dawn of the Dead" was violent, this movie has enough blood to make a surgeon toss his cookies. Tom Savini has obviously spares no expense at making this one of the most realisticly bloody and gory movies of his career. While the blood in "Dawn..." looked more like melted crayons, there is plenty of guts and gristle here. In one scene, the plant a shovel in a zombie's mouth and pop the top of his head off. The camera zooms on his eyes, which are still blinking. Most impressive of all is the makeup, with thousands of zombies made to look actually dead. Repulsive stuff, but a delight for fans of the series. The acting, as usual, is very bottom of the barrel, but it doesn't really matter. Entertainment all around.
The Monster
(1994)
Entertaining, if not incredably goofy little movie.
13 August 1999
"Il Mostro" is a movie tailor made for Roberto Benigni, the Italian version of Jim Carrey, but ten times more talented. It involves a misfit named Loris, who makes his living doing odd jobs for different people and commiting all sorts of minor crimes without being caught or questioned by anybody. The story surrounding "Il Mostro" is a serial sex killer, who has killed 8 women in an extremely brutal fashion. A chance encounter with a woman in a parking garage, and a perfectly innocent mistake, fingers Loris as the prime suspect. The start by tailing him around town with a hidden camera. This is where the comedy peaks. Every situation he gets into, from having a cigarette dropped down his pants to hiding from a shopkeeper he never paid, only incriminates him further, even though we know it is perfectly innocent. The police later assign an undercover (female) agent to infiltrate his life and arouse him to the point where he tries to kill her, basically "to catch him with his hand in the cookie jar".
As far as movies go, this is strictly filler, but the good kind. The dialogue is so terribly written it is comical, which partly what makes "Il Mostro" a treat to watch. The jokes are very funny the first time around, but they loose their luster after each viewing. Roberto Benigni is a great talent, and he has the playing of a misfit down to a fine art. His physical presence and charisma carry "Il Mostro" through, and without him, this movie wouldn't have been half as good. Well worth seeing.
As far as movies go, this is strictly filler, but the good kind. The dialogue is so terribly written it is comical, which partly what makes "Il Mostro" a treat to watch. The jokes are very funny the first time around, but they loose their luster after each viewing. Roberto Benigni is a great talent, and he has the playing of a misfit down to a fine art. His physical presence and charisma carry "Il Mostro" through, and without him, this movie wouldn't have been half as good. Well worth seeing.
The Blair Witch Project
(1999)
A Landmark Horror Film,
8 August 1999
"The Blair Witch Project" is a rare gem, a psychological horror film with no big budget, no big name actors, and no in-your-face special effects, and it is better than almost every summer movie possessing all of the above. The hype might be killing it for some viewers, but it certainly is every bit as scary as people are saying.
Three student film makers set out to make a documentary on a local myth, the so-called "Blair Witch". Their starting point is interviewing people about the myths and legends that surround the supposedly haunted woods near a small town in Maryland. They interview many people who tell stories about the troubled past, with a crazy person (or thing) stalking the woods, child murders, and the fact that the woods are haunted to this day. The film makers treat these tales like myths, nothing to be taken seriously. But as they get deeper into ther filming, they discover something is really out there. Soon, they find themselves lost and running out of food, and patients with each other.
Because the film is shot in a documentary style, every event is a suprise. You are discovering these horrors as the characters are discovering it. But in "The Blair Witch Project", there is no hockey masked killer staking them, no demon roaming around, the horror is all psychological. That is what makes this movie so scary, it feeds off of our own sense of fear. The scenario is our own worst nightmare, being lost in the vast woods with images of wicked witches and ghosts, or possible something worse going through out heads. And as the movie goes on, the sense of sheer hopelessness and fear rubs right off on the audience. By the end of the movie, I was totally unnerved. One thing that should also get special mention is the writing. The screenwriters did a great job of giving the characters a realistic touch. They talk like normal people rather than fabricated cartoon characters all too common in movies these days.
One warning, and this has been stated numerous times, if you are going to see this movie, avoid the first 5 rows. The camera shakes and shifts so much that is causes motion sickness. To add the the horror of the movie, there was a sick feeling growing in the pit of my stomach. Or is that supposed to be part of the experience.
Most people expect that "The Blair Witch Project" to spawn a whole score of cheap knockoffs, and will be used as a reference point for modern horror movies, much like "Halloween" spawned "Friday the 13th" and a never ending list of slasher films. I hope that is not true, because "Blair Witch" is proof that a great movie doesn't need the Hollywood treatment to be quality and successful at the same time. This is how horror movie should be.
Three student film makers set out to make a documentary on a local myth, the so-called "Blair Witch". Their starting point is interviewing people about the myths and legends that surround the supposedly haunted woods near a small town in Maryland. They interview many people who tell stories about the troubled past, with a crazy person (or thing) stalking the woods, child murders, and the fact that the woods are haunted to this day. The film makers treat these tales like myths, nothing to be taken seriously. But as they get deeper into ther filming, they discover something is really out there. Soon, they find themselves lost and running out of food, and patients with each other.
Because the film is shot in a documentary style, every event is a suprise. You are discovering these horrors as the characters are discovering it. But in "The Blair Witch Project", there is no hockey masked killer staking them, no demon roaming around, the horror is all psychological. That is what makes this movie so scary, it feeds off of our own sense of fear. The scenario is our own worst nightmare, being lost in the vast woods with images of wicked witches and ghosts, or possible something worse going through out heads. And as the movie goes on, the sense of sheer hopelessness and fear rubs right off on the audience. By the end of the movie, I was totally unnerved. One thing that should also get special mention is the writing. The screenwriters did a great job of giving the characters a realistic touch. They talk like normal people rather than fabricated cartoon characters all too common in movies these days.
One warning, and this has been stated numerous times, if you are going to see this movie, avoid the first 5 rows. The camera shakes and shifts so much that is causes motion sickness. To add the the horror of the movie, there was a sick feeling growing in the pit of my stomach. Or is that supposed to be part of the experience.
Most people expect that "The Blair Witch Project" to spawn a whole score of cheap knockoffs, and will be used as a reference point for modern horror movies, much like "Halloween" spawned "Friday the 13th" and a never ending list of slasher films. I hope that is not true, because "Blair Witch" is proof that a great movie doesn't need the Hollywood treatment to be quality and successful at the same time. This is how horror movie should be.
The Sixth Sense
(1999)
"Not Every Gift Is A Blessing". How true.
8 August 1999
Warning: Spoilers
WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD
"The Sixth Sense" is a neat little thriller that borderlines drama and a plain, old-fashioned ghost story. It is chilling and effective at certain times, puzzling in others.
Bruce Willis plays Malcolm Crowe, a renown child psychologist who, after an encounter with an ex-patient who he couldn't help, is left mentally scarred and finds the world around him falling apart. He takes on a quiet and alienated young boy named Cole, whom he tries to succeed in reaching him where others have failed. Young Cole is branded a freak by his schoolmates, and everyone believes that his sense of isolation and paranoia is self-imposed, and brought on by his parent's divorce. Willis treats his case in much the same manner at first, but when he admits the truth to him, things start getting really weird. Apparently Cole is gifted in ways few would imagine, he has the ability to see and talk to the spirits dead people. And it is not just the recently dead, he can see deaths that took place many years before. In one scene, his teacher is quizing him on the history of the school, and he casually mentions "They used to hang people here", drawing many puzzled stares from his classmates. When the subtitle on the poster says "Not Every Gift Is A Blessing", they mean just that, this turns Cole into a nervous wreck, and he becomes increasingly paranoid as the film progresses. All he knows is that the ghosts won't leave him alone, and they want something from him. Willis soon becomes a believer, and he tries to help him in whatever way he can, while putting on the back burner everything else, including the relationship with his wife.
I wouldn't dare give away the ending, except to say that it defies all logic. It will leave you asking many questions as you think back to instances earlier in the movie. For the casual moviegoer, it will give you a lot to talk about after the movie is over.
"The Sixth Sense" is flawless in terms of acting. Bruce Willis is very watchable, as always, and he turns in the caring, big-brotherly performance he failed to give in last year's mediocre "Mercury Rising". I have always liked Bruce Willis in whatever he did, even if everything else about the movie was bad. It is a good role for him. Young Haley Joel Osment is superb as Cole, and he plays with a perfect sense of timing and depth. He is incredibly believable in his role, and he has turned in what could quite possibly be the best performance from a child actor I have ever seen.
Overall, this is a good movie. It has the perfect mix of supernatural thriller and drama, with more emphasis on the chemistry between Willis and Osment rather than distracting the audience with special effects for two hours. It is not a prefect movie, but it makes for one of the summer's most satisfying moviegoing experiences. 8/10
"The Sixth Sense" is a neat little thriller that borderlines drama and a plain, old-fashioned ghost story. It is chilling and effective at certain times, puzzling in others.
Bruce Willis plays Malcolm Crowe, a renown child psychologist who, after an encounter with an ex-patient who he couldn't help, is left mentally scarred and finds the world around him falling apart. He takes on a quiet and alienated young boy named Cole, whom he tries to succeed in reaching him where others have failed. Young Cole is branded a freak by his schoolmates, and everyone believes that his sense of isolation and paranoia is self-imposed, and brought on by his parent's divorce. Willis treats his case in much the same manner at first, but when he admits the truth to him, things start getting really weird. Apparently Cole is gifted in ways few would imagine, he has the ability to see and talk to the spirits dead people. And it is not just the recently dead, he can see deaths that took place many years before. In one scene, his teacher is quizing him on the history of the school, and he casually mentions "They used to hang people here", drawing many puzzled stares from his classmates. When the subtitle on the poster says "Not Every Gift Is A Blessing", they mean just that, this turns Cole into a nervous wreck, and he becomes increasingly paranoid as the film progresses. All he knows is that the ghosts won't leave him alone, and they want something from him. Willis soon becomes a believer, and he tries to help him in whatever way he can, while putting on the back burner everything else, including the relationship with his wife.
I wouldn't dare give away the ending, except to say that it defies all logic. It will leave you asking many questions as you think back to instances earlier in the movie. For the casual moviegoer, it will give you a lot to talk about after the movie is over.
"The Sixth Sense" is flawless in terms of acting. Bruce Willis is very watchable, as always, and he turns in the caring, big-brotherly performance he failed to give in last year's mediocre "Mercury Rising". I have always liked Bruce Willis in whatever he did, even if everything else about the movie was bad. It is a good role for him. Young Haley Joel Osment is superb as Cole, and he plays with a perfect sense of timing and depth. He is incredibly believable in his role, and he has turned in what could quite possibly be the best performance from a child actor I have ever seen.
Overall, this is a good movie. It has the perfect mix of supernatural thriller and drama, with more emphasis on the chemistry between Willis and Osment rather than distracting the audience with special effects for two hours. It is not a prefect movie, but it makes for one of the summer's most satisfying moviegoing experiences. 8/10
Deep Blue Sea
(1999)
Jaws meets Alien. Shockingly effective.
2 August 1999
"Deep Blue Sea" is a horror/sci-fi flick that defies logic and reason, but is still entertaining enough for you to feel as if you have gotten you're $8.50 worth.
Scientists in an underwater lab (which must have cost someone a massive fortune) have developed a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease in a protein that exists in the brains of sharks. The sharks, for production value, have been genetically altered in order to produce larger amounts of this protein. Unfortunately, when the test proves successful, the sharks turn on the team. To complicate things further, there is a hurricane preventing any help from coming. Apparently, the genetic engineering has giving the sharks a high inteligence, or as one character remarks, " You've taken God's greatest killing machine and given him will and reason." The premise is typical, a mixing of Jaws and Alien. In a movie like "Deep Blue Sea", the acting and writing is almost inconsequential because rather than focusing on that, you spend the whole movie wondering where the sharks will come from, and when next they will strike. The special effects have done the sharks justice, they move at lightning speed, as if somebody had injected them with speed. But the special effects are obvious at times. Like all blockbusters, it's all about the special effects.
As a horror movie, it does have the occasional scare. But it relies on shock value, the sharks spring out of nowhere, making you jump out of you're seat (I caught myself covering my eyes and ears on occasion). Unlike Jaws, which only showed the shark towards the second half of the movie, they are right in you're face, and they'll make you glad you are in a theatre and not out there with them. In the writing, there are a few suprises here and there, but it scores very low on the originality scale. But it was actually interesting in parts, and despite it's obvious weaknesses as a movie, it was entertaining. It is not a thinking persons movie, and it definitely is not in the running for best movie of the year, but I am not sorry I paid to see it.
Scientists in an underwater lab (which must have cost someone a massive fortune) have developed a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease in a protein that exists in the brains of sharks. The sharks, for production value, have been genetically altered in order to produce larger amounts of this protein. Unfortunately, when the test proves successful, the sharks turn on the team. To complicate things further, there is a hurricane preventing any help from coming. Apparently, the genetic engineering has giving the sharks a high inteligence, or as one character remarks, " You've taken God's greatest killing machine and given him will and reason." The premise is typical, a mixing of Jaws and Alien. In a movie like "Deep Blue Sea", the acting and writing is almost inconsequential because rather than focusing on that, you spend the whole movie wondering where the sharks will come from, and when next they will strike. The special effects have done the sharks justice, they move at lightning speed, as if somebody had injected them with speed. But the special effects are obvious at times. Like all blockbusters, it's all about the special effects.
As a horror movie, it does have the occasional scare. But it relies on shock value, the sharks spring out of nowhere, making you jump out of you're seat (I caught myself covering my eyes and ears on occasion). Unlike Jaws, which only showed the shark towards the second half of the movie, they are right in you're face, and they'll make you glad you are in a theatre and not out there with them. In the writing, there are a few suprises here and there, but it scores very low on the originality scale. But it was actually interesting in parts, and despite it's obvious weaknesses as a movie, it was entertaining. It is not a thinking persons movie, and it definitely is not in the running for best movie of the year, but I am not sorry I paid to see it.
The "Halloween" series shoots itself in the foot, yet again.
2 August 1999
"Terror never rests in peace", unfortunately in the case of this series, it is true. Michael Myers attempts to make up for lost time by slaughtering a fresh bunch of teens, while tracking down the baby of his young niece, whom he has already murdered. Worse yet, they attempt to inject a storyline here. Apparently, Michael Myers has his roots with the druids, contradicting the groundwork laid out by the first two movies. This series has gone straight downhill since part 3, and it has never regained itself. It has become a "Friday the 13th" knockoff, with one noteable exception, the first one was good. Written by a man who is reputed to be a Halloween fanatic, but his overly ambitious attempts to give this movie a story backfire. Part 5 may have seriously damaged the series, but this, the sixth installment, finally killed it.
The Blair Witch Project
(1999)
The best horror movie in ages.
1 August 1999
"The Blair Witch Project" is a horror movie with no big name actors, no special effects, and no big budget. And yet, it is better than any recent horror movie I have seen. The horror is all psychological, relying on our own natural sense of fear.
Shot roughly on a Super 8 portable and a portable video camera, it is about three student film makers who travel into the Maryland woods where it is reputed to be haunted. The small town near the woods has a troubled past, and the locals tell tales of the "Blair Witch", which is a local myth and the subject of a documentary. As they shoot the documentary, they become hopelessly lost, unprepared, and turning on each other as their situation becomes worse. To make matters worse, they discover there really is something in the woods.
Because of the rough nature of the film, it is all the more realistic. You feel like you are out there with them, and the feeling of hopelessness rubs off on the audience. And since you are discovering things as they do, the horror is all the more real. As a movie, it is very unsettling and one that is sure to leave a lasting impression. Skillfully directed, and a premise that puts most horror movies to shame. I can safely say that I have never seen a movie like this one. One of the year's best.
Funny, but in a summer riddled with big budget action movies and garbage horror movies like "Lake Placid" and "The Haunting", a low budget indie film like "The Blair Witch Project" stands out as the best.
Shot roughly on a Super 8 portable and a portable video camera, it is about three student film makers who travel into the Maryland woods where it is reputed to be haunted. The small town near the woods has a troubled past, and the locals tell tales of the "Blair Witch", which is a local myth and the subject of a documentary. As they shoot the documentary, they become hopelessly lost, unprepared, and turning on each other as their situation becomes worse. To make matters worse, they discover there really is something in the woods.
Because of the rough nature of the film, it is all the more realistic. You feel like you are out there with them, and the feeling of hopelessness rubs off on the audience. And since you are discovering things as they do, the horror is all the more real. As a movie, it is very unsettling and one that is sure to leave a lasting impression. Skillfully directed, and a premise that puts most horror movies to shame. I can safely say that I have never seen a movie like this one. One of the year's best.
Funny, but in a summer riddled with big budget action movies and garbage horror movies like "Lake Placid" and "The Haunting", a low budget indie film like "The Blair Witch Project" stands out as the best.
Been there, done that.
1 August 1999
"Halloween" is a cinematic tragedy, a classic horror movie tainted by bad sequils, and this is their way of ending this particular cycle of crime. The premis of it is the only original idea to come out of the series since the first movie 20 years ago. The original survivor of the original "Halloween", Laurie Strode, now an alcoholic school master is once again terrorized by her brother, Michael Myers. As always, there are a bunch of naive kids, fresh meat for Michael.
The acting, writing, and direction of "Halloween H2O" is inconsequential, it is still trash. But looking at what the previous sequils left the writers to work with, I am suprised that they pulled it off half as good as they did. The series needed this movie.
The acting, writing, and direction of "Halloween H2O" is inconsequential, it is still trash. But looking at what the previous sequils left the writers to work with, I am suprised that they pulled it off half as good as they did. The series needed this movie.
The Haunting
(1999)
Pointless remake of a great classic horror movie.
25 July 1999
It serves me right, really. From the director of such "classic" bad movies like "Speed" and "Twister" comes an overlong, pointless, and terribly written and acted remake of the 1963 movie of the same title.
A group of disturbed insomniacs are led to Hill House under false pretenses by a doctor (Liam Neeson) doing a psychological study, only to find that the house is haunted by the spirits of people who died there many years before. If the story sounds unoriginal, that's because it is. Like all remakes, it attempts to modernize the older movie by giving it bigger name actors, better special effects, and a more modern script. And inevitably, it looses all effect the first movie had in the process. While the first "Haunting" was more of a psychological horror movie, this new one is all special effects, a few creepy moments, and nothing else. The acting is terrible, which is a real burn considering the cast (headed by Liam Neeson, who I hope was well paid for this).
If you take away the movies impressive special effects, than all you have is a third rate script rahashed from countless other hunted house movies ten times better than this. Even "House" was better.
A group of disturbed insomniacs are led to Hill House under false pretenses by a doctor (Liam Neeson) doing a psychological study, only to find that the house is haunted by the spirits of people who died there many years before. If the story sounds unoriginal, that's because it is. Like all remakes, it attempts to modernize the older movie by giving it bigger name actors, better special effects, and a more modern script. And inevitably, it looses all effect the first movie had in the process. While the first "Haunting" was more of a psychological horror movie, this new one is all special effects, a few creepy moments, and nothing else. The acting is terrible, which is a real burn considering the cast (headed by Liam Neeson, who I hope was well paid for this).
If you take away the movies impressive special effects, than all you have is a third rate script rahashed from countless other hunted house movies ten times better than this. Even "House" was better.
As entertaining as movies get
4 July 1999
Trey Parker and Matt Stone's brilliant and raunchy animated sitcom has done what few TV knockoffs have achieved, they made it into a good movie. I was skeptical about how good it would be (usually, what works on TV doesn't work on the big screen, take it as a rule), but this was a nice surprise.
The movie starts with Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny sneaking in to see the raunchy, R-rated movie titled, appropriately enough, "Asses of Fire", starring two of their favourite Canadian actors Terrence and Philip (if you've seen even one episode of "South Park", you know what I am talking about). The movie is so vulgar (including a priceless musical number about incest) that the kids pick it up and start repeating the obsceneties in school. This leads them into trouble with the school, and ultimately with their parents, who launch a crusade against Canada, who they blame for warping their children's minds. Not since Michael Moore's "Canadian Bacon" has a movie ripped into Canada so fiendeshly. Canada is the main butt of all jokes here. There are some colorful musical numbers in the movie as well, sung by the cast themselves.
"South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut" is one of the most crude and offensive movies I have ever seen, so needless to say I loved it. The humour is razor-sharp, and the vulgaraties come at you at a mile-a-minute. There are so many four-letter words here, and they have spared nobody from their pot shots. There is no word to obscene, and no blow too low. It is obvious that the two creators have attempted to offend as many people as possible: gays, blacks, jews, women, chinese, germans, everybody. It is the perfect mix of low-brow humor and political satire. It is no secret that the TV show South Park has lost a lot of popularity, this can easily be attributed to that fact that there are no new episodes, and people are getting sick of re-runs.
I don't think there were two minutes in this movie that I went without laughing, both because it was pure comedy, other times because I simply could not believe what I was seeing and hearing. Even fans of the show (like myself) will be shocked, yes, the movie is that raunchy. It is the perfect mix of low-brow humour and political satire. I have never has such a good time at a movie. I'll definitely see it again.
The movie starts with Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny sneaking in to see the raunchy, R-rated movie titled, appropriately enough, "Asses of Fire", starring two of their favourite Canadian actors Terrence and Philip (if you've seen even one episode of "South Park", you know what I am talking about). The movie is so vulgar (including a priceless musical number about incest) that the kids pick it up and start repeating the obsceneties in school. This leads them into trouble with the school, and ultimately with their parents, who launch a crusade against Canada, who they blame for warping their children's minds. Not since Michael Moore's "Canadian Bacon" has a movie ripped into Canada so fiendeshly. Canada is the main butt of all jokes here. There are some colorful musical numbers in the movie as well, sung by the cast themselves.
"South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut" is one of the most crude and offensive movies I have ever seen, so needless to say I loved it. The humour is razor-sharp, and the vulgaraties come at you at a mile-a-minute. There are so many four-letter words here, and they have spared nobody from their pot shots. There is no word to obscene, and no blow too low. It is obvious that the two creators have attempted to offend as many people as possible: gays, blacks, jews, women, chinese, germans, everybody. It is the perfect mix of low-brow humor and political satire. It is no secret that the TV show South Park has lost a lot of popularity, this can easily be attributed to that fact that there are no new episodes, and people are getting sick of re-runs.
I don't think there were two minutes in this movie that I went without laughing, both because it was pure comedy, other times because I simply could not believe what I was seeing and hearing. Even fans of the show (like myself) will be shocked, yes, the movie is that raunchy. It is the perfect mix of low-brow humour and political satire. I have never has such a good time at a movie. I'll definitely see it again.
Crash
(1996)
Crash and burn.
1 July 1999
Having always respected David Cronenberg (for his vision more than his movies), Crash is one of those movies that has a good sense of style, but nothing else to bank on.
The script is horrible, with mostly sexual dialogue that becomes tiresome after the first five minutes. The sex scenes themselves neither excite or repulse, Crash comes across more like a soft core porn film trying to pass itself off as a psychological study. But there is no intellect here. The book by Ballard shows their slow descent into madness, in the movie, they are all messed up to begin with. The characters are like psycho-sexual zombies, mangling their bodies in car wrecks and taking enormous pleasure in doing so. The reason why anyone would take interest in this is a total mystery.
All the actors seem to play the parts in their sleep. James Spader and Holly Hunter, two actors I once held in high regard, do nothing here. "Crash" raised a lot of controversy when it was released, with a reputation that proceeded the movie as a sickening, bizarre, and highly offensive film. The movie was simply a bore. But it is the subject matter more than the film itself. The idea that people would take sexual pleasure in car wrecks is what offended people, but the movie barely scratches the surface.
Some of the visuals and makeup were well done, obviously the work of careful planning. But if the movie was more faithful to the book, and more time spent on a decent script, "Crash" would have been a great movie. But to be sure, this is a movie only David Cronenberg could get away with making.
The script is horrible, with mostly sexual dialogue that becomes tiresome after the first five minutes. The sex scenes themselves neither excite or repulse, Crash comes across more like a soft core porn film trying to pass itself off as a psychological study. But there is no intellect here. The book by Ballard shows their slow descent into madness, in the movie, they are all messed up to begin with. The characters are like psycho-sexual zombies, mangling their bodies in car wrecks and taking enormous pleasure in doing so. The reason why anyone would take interest in this is a total mystery.
All the actors seem to play the parts in their sleep. James Spader and Holly Hunter, two actors I once held in high regard, do nothing here. "Crash" raised a lot of controversy when it was released, with a reputation that proceeded the movie as a sickening, bizarre, and highly offensive film. The movie was simply a bore. But it is the subject matter more than the film itself. The idea that people would take sexual pleasure in car wrecks is what offended people, but the movie barely scratches the surface.
Some of the visuals and makeup were well done, obviously the work of careful planning. But if the movie was more faithful to the book, and more time spent on a decent script, "Crash" would have been a great movie. But to be sure, this is a movie only David Cronenberg could get away with making.
The General's Daughter
(1999)
A tepid suspense film that misses its mark.
27 June 1999
A beefier John Travolta and Madeleine Stowe lead a great cast into what must be one of the most overwrought and pointlessly cruel suspense movies ever made. It has a strong beginning, but soon falls apart, a victim of a shoddy screenwriter, and an overly ambitious director.
Travolta and Stowe are criminal investigators called in after the daughter of General Campbell, Elizabeth, is founded raped and murdered on a military base. The suspect list is a mile long, and they soon find themselves in way over their heads. The movie focuses mostly on the brutal rape of the victim, which makes this movie particularly unpleasant to sit through. There are too many shots of the victim, naked and bruised, tied to the ground with tent pegs. If that is your cup of tea, then you'll love this movie. Others beware.
"The General's Daughter" is technically flawless, obviously the result of a big budget. Travolta is always a good actor, even though here he has been given a terrible script to work with. James Cromwell seems to get better with every performance, and Madeleine Stowe is always a delight. But even they can't save this movie. Too many bad jokes and one liners (even though there is a delicious joke about lawyers), and a few pointless subplots plague the story, and inevitably sink this movie onto the levil of the typical MOR action movie.
Three Words: Wait For Video
Travolta and Stowe are criminal investigators called in after the daughter of General Campbell, Elizabeth, is founded raped and murdered on a military base. The suspect list is a mile long, and they soon find themselves in way over their heads. The movie focuses mostly on the brutal rape of the victim, which makes this movie particularly unpleasant to sit through. There are too many shots of the victim, naked and bruised, tied to the ground with tent pegs. If that is your cup of tea, then you'll love this movie. Others beware.
"The General's Daughter" is technically flawless, obviously the result of a big budget. Travolta is always a good actor, even though here he has been given a terrible script to work with. James Cromwell seems to get better with every performance, and Madeleine Stowe is always a delight. But even they can't save this movie. Too many bad jokes and one liners (even though there is a delicious joke about lawyers), and a few pointless subplots plague the story, and inevitably sink this movie onto the levil of the typical MOR action movie.
Three Words: Wait For Video
In this case, as in most, the hype is bigger than the payoff.
23 May 1999
I think George Lucas himself said it best, "It's just a movie, get a life!", a message aimed at those who have made it their mission in life to see this movie ahead of everybody else.
And sorry as I am to say this, it was not that good. In fact, this movie is arrogantly overrated. This is what the first Star Wars movie would have looked like if it had a bigger budget. While the first Star Wars was a groundbreaking masterpiece, "The Phantom Menace" is simply a retread of all the elements of the previous three movies. While watching it, I felt the strong "Been there, done that" feeling.
There are some good moments, but not nearly enough. The script is surprisingly goofy, with few of the elements that made the first Star Wars so surprising and enjoyable. Even during the best fight scenes I was not thrilled, because it was deja vu, I knew what the outcome would be, and how they reached that outcome is the biggest insult of all. See the movie and you'll know what I mean. Creativity and innovation have no meaning here.
As far as scams go, this has to be the biggest cinematic rip-off of all time. People were lining up to get the new toys at one minute after midnight, and then there were the people camping out to get first tickets. All I hope is that it was worth their effort to get the tickets, because it wasn't worth what little effort I put into getting mine. A crushing disappointment.
And sorry as I am to say this, it was not that good. In fact, this movie is arrogantly overrated. This is what the first Star Wars movie would have looked like if it had a bigger budget. While the first Star Wars was a groundbreaking masterpiece, "The Phantom Menace" is simply a retread of all the elements of the previous three movies. While watching it, I felt the strong "Been there, done that" feeling.
There are some good moments, but not nearly enough. The script is surprisingly goofy, with few of the elements that made the first Star Wars so surprising and enjoyable. Even during the best fight scenes I was not thrilled, because it was deja vu, I knew what the outcome would be, and how they reached that outcome is the biggest insult of all. See the movie and you'll know what I mean. Creativity and innovation have no meaning here.
As far as scams go, this has to be the biggest cinematic rip-off of all time. People were lining up to get the new toys at one minute after midnight, and then there were the people camping out to get first tickets. All I hope is that it was worth their effort to get the tickets, because it wasn't worth what little effort I put into getting mine. A crushing disappointment.
Titanic
(1997)
Possibly the WORST movie of the decade.
23 May 1999
Yeah, you heard right. Titanic, for all it's special effects, obscenely high budget, and no less criminal amount of critic acclaim, is nothing more than a big pile of rubbish. The ship sank, and sucked millions of dollars down with it.
First of all, take away the special effects. What your left with is a third rate script. It attempts to mix a period piece with trendy, all too modern dialogue. I have doubts that "The finger" and the term "Bum a smoke" existed in 1912. You also get the most contrived love story in the history of motion pictures. There is no way Jack would have even been allowed near where Rose was. Also, I doubt that a girl like Rose, raised in a life of luxury and set to marry a billionaire, would be interested in a bum like Jack. The customs at the time would not have permitted it. What I also have a problem with is the cliches that this script banks on. It is always the rich people who are the villains, and the poor little popper is the hero who saves the day. The screenwriter must have no mind of his/her own.
Second, the acting is horrible. Sorry ladies, it's no mystery why Leo wasn't nominated for an Oscar. But Leo can act, he has proven that in the past. But period pieces are not his strength (do I even need to mention "The Man in the Iron Mask"?). Kate Winslet is the typical strong willed female character made to appeal to the feminists watching this movie. They might have had their feathers ruffled by the lines "The real purpose of college is to meet a good man", though. She is good, but one good performance in a sea of bad ones.
James Cameron is not high on my list of favorite directors, and "Titanic" stands as the biggest stroke of his ego. Needless to say, I was disgusted by the "Moment of silence" he made at the Oscars. The only redeeming quality of "Titanic" is watching the ship sink, which fills the second half of this movie's grossly overlong running time. But it is hardly worth it. And the Best Picture Oscar, god! There is only one way I can say this, "LA Confidential" got screwed! As did "Good Will Hunting".
To sum up, I found my 3 hours in the dentist chair last month more enjoyable than this piece of trash. There's a special place in Hollywood Hell for "Titanic".
First of all, take away the special effects. What your left with is a third rate script. It attempts to mix a period piece with trendy, all too modern dialogue. I have doubts that "The finger" and the term "Bum a smoke" existed in 1912. You also get the most contrived love story in the history of motion pictures. There is no way Jack would have even been allowed near where Rose was. Also, I doubt that a girl like Rose, raised in a life of luxury and set to marry a billionaire, would be interested in a bum like Jack. The customs at the time would not have permitted it. What I also have a problem with is the cliches that this script banks on. It is always the rich people who are the villains, and the poor little popper is the hero who saves the day. The screenwriter must have no mind of his/her own.
Second, the acting is horrible. Sorry ladies, it's no mystery why Leo wasn't nominated for an Oscar. But Leo can act, he has proven that in the past. But period pieces are not his strength (do I even need to mention "The Man in the Iron Mask"?). Kate Winslet is the typical strong willed female character made to appeal to the feminists watching this movie. They might have had their feathers ruffled by the lines "The real purpose of college is to meet a good man", though. She is good, but one good performance in a sea of bad ones.
James Cameron is not high on my list of favorite directors, and "Titanic" stands as the biggest stroke of his ego. Needless to say, I was disgusted by the "Moment of silence" he made at the Oscars. The only redeeming quality of "Titanic" is watching the ship sink, which fills the second half of this movie's grossly overlong running time. But it is hardly worth it. And the Best Picture Oscar, god! There is only one way I can say this, "LA Confidential" got screwed! As did "Good Will Hunting".
To sum up, I found my 3 hours in the dentist chair last month more enjoyable than this piece of trash. There's a special place in Hollywood Hell for "Titanic".
Black Mask
(1996)
Three words: Wait for video.
20 May 1999
Poorly dubbed, relentlessly violent, and utterly stupid are words that describe "Black Mask". Jet Li stars as a Bruce Lee (think Kato in "Green Hornet") knockoff who takes on a superhuman underground cult that he was once a part of, all with the help of his renegade cop buddy. "Black Mask" uses every action movie cliche in the book, with a script that is full of the usual unfunny one-liners and perverted sex jokes. But the dubbing is the real joke, the lowest point of which comes with a Chinese gangster fitted with a nice British accent. Everything, even whatever little serious dialogue there is, comes across as a bad joke. This would have worked better as a Jackie Chan farce, or mabey a visual resume for Jet Li, who real overworks himself here.
People who are expecting a brilliant Hong Kong action movie along the lines of John Woo's "Hard Boiled" or "The Killer" will be sadly disappointed. But those who are into blood, guts, and mayhem with the absence of all else will be promptly serviced.
People who are expecting a brilliant Hong Kong action movie along the lines of John Woo's "Hard Boiled" or "The Killer" will be sadly disappointed. But those who are into blood, guts, and mayhem with the absence of all else will be promptly serviced.
Idle Hands
(1999)
A movie that dares to give smart moviegoers the finger.
14 May 1999
This movie is not even worth dignifying with a long review.
This is a movie with no plot, acting, writing, or production value. It is simply about a slacker teen whose hand gets possessed and makes him kill people, among other things. How's that for originality?
But blood & guts fans need look no further, this is the movie for you. Enough blood, guts, sex talk, and sex jokes to make any teenage boy feel at home. It's just a shame it's rated R.
If you have seen the entire trailer, you've seen the entire movie, basically. Do yourself a favour, rent Evil Dead 2 instead
This is a movie with no plot, acting, writing, or production value. It is simply about a slacker teen whose hand gets possessed and makes him kill people, among other things. How's that for originality?
But blood & guts fans need look no further, this is the movie for you. Enough blood, guts, sex talk, and sex jokes to make any teenage boy feel at home. It's just a shame it's rated R.
If you have seen the entire trailer, you've seen the entire movie, basically. Do yourself a favour, rent Evil Dead 2 instead
The Mummy
(1999)
Mindless entertainment, just what the doctor ordered
10 May 1999
"The Mummy" kicks off the summer movie season with a bang, and it is everything you would expect from a Hollywood summer blockbuster: big, loud, expensive, and not a shred of intelligence. Not that that's always bad thing.
"The Mummy" combines the plotlines from the "Indiana Jones" movies with all the typical horror movie cliches. You get five people pitted against the most awsome and supreme power in the universe, and do they stand a chance? Even without seeing the movie you can answer that. In terms of being a horror movie, it delivers a few good scares and some genuinely skin-crawling moments (especially if you are afraid of bugs).
The story starts in ancient Egypt, where the lover of the pharoah's wife is put to an extremely nasty death. Three thousand years later, a group of scholars go out in search of "The Book of the Dead", which is hidden under the lost city dubbed the "City of the Dead". They employ the help of a convict (Brendan Fraser) who has been there before. Big suprise, they have some competition. A group of American treasure hunters (looters, actually) are also looking for the lost city. Well, they find the book and unwittingly bring the dead mummy to life, and he goes out into the world to regenerate and to resurrect his long-dead mistress. If he succeeds, the world is doomed.
This movie is standard action/adventure, the script is weak, the overacting is painfully obvious, and the attempts at humor wash over you after the first 30 minutes. But not that you'd notice, there is enough special effects here to distract anyone from the films technical weaknesses. But I have to admit, it was entertaining. The Mummy's rotting corpse in the glow of the moonlight is enough the scare the hell out of anyone.
It is one of those movies you can only see on the big screen, but it is not a movie I'll be seeing again.
"The Mummy" combines the plotlines from the "Indiana Jones" movies with all the typical horror movie cliches. You get five people pitted against the most awsome and supreme power in the universe, and do they stand a chance? Even without seeing the movie you can answer that. In terms of being a horror movie, it delivers a few good scares and some genuinely skin-crawling moments (especially if you are afraid of bugs).
The story starts in ancient Egypt, where the lover of the pharoah's wife is put to an extremely nasty death. Three thousand years later, a group of scholars go out in search of "The Book of the Dead", which is hidden under the lost city dubbed the "City of the Dead". They employ the help of a convict (Brendan Fraser) who has been there before. Big suprise, they have some competition. A group of American treasure hunters (looters, actually) are also looking for the lost city. Well, they find the book and unwittingly bring the dead mummy to life, and he goes out into the world to regenerate and to resurrect his long-dead mistress. If he succeeds, the world is doomed.
This movie is standard action/adventure, the script is weak, the overacting is painfully obvious, and the attempts at humor wash over you after the first 30 minutes. But not that you'd notice, there is enough special effects here to distract anyone from the films technical weaknesses. But I have to admit, it was entertaining. The Mummy's rotting corpse in the glow of the moonlight is enough the scare the hell out of anyone.
It is one of those movies you can only see on the big screen, but it is not a movie I'll be seeing again.
Urban Legend
(1998)
Oh please! Not another "Scream" knockoff!
27 April 1999
Another movie tries to cash in on the recent success of teen horror/comedies like "Scream" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer". The results were worse than expected. I am ashamed to admit I paid to see it.
The script here is the big flaw. The characters go through the whole movie telling each other these ghost stories, these "urban legends", while somebody acts them out by killing their peers in the fashion mentioned in the stories. There is also a creey teacher (played by Robert Englund, Freddy himself) who teaches a course on Urban Legends, and most of the victims were in his class. That is about as interesting as the film ever gets.
The script is filled with corny, over-the-top dialogue and teen sex jokes ("Word of advice, back away from the volcano before it erupts") sure to make all the 13 year old boys giggle.
The movie then drags on, people die, and those alive accuse all the wrong people until they either get picked off themselves or they discover the real one. Either way, you know how the movie is going to turn out. Because you've seen all this before, and "Urban Legend" offers nothing new. My interest lasted for about 10 minutes, then the movie just fell apart.
The sad thing is that this could have been good.
The script here is the big flaw. The characters go through the whole movie telling each other these ghost stories, these "urban legends", while somebody acts them out by killing their peers in the fashion mentioned in the stories. There is also a creey teacher (played by Robert Englund, Freddy himself) who teaches a course on Urban Legends, and most of the victims were in his class. That is about as interesting as the film ever gets.
The script is filled with corny, over-the-top dialogue and teen sex jokes ("Word of advice, back away from the volcano before it erupts") sure to make all the 13 year old boys giggle.
The movie then drags on, people die, and those alive accuse all the wrong people until they either get picked off themselves or they discover the real one. Either way, you know how the movie is going to turn out. Because you've seen all this before, and "Urban Legend" offers nothing new. My interest lasted for about 10 minutes, then the movie just fell apart.
The sad thing is that this could have been good.
True Crime
(1999)
Two Words: Bloody Awful!
25 April 1999
The idea behind "True Crime" is as routine as it gets: a black man in a southern county is sentenced to death for the murder of a grocery store clerk he claims that he didn't commit. A washed-up, womanizing, alcoholic reporter (with more than a few personal problems) is given the job of interviewing him for the last time. What he finds is that he believes the man's story and launches his own investigation to try to get him off the hook.
Predictably, he runs into troubles along the way, both with his boss and with his wife. From that alone, you can predict how the movie will turn out. After about 10 minutes, I knew where the movie was going. There is no real suspense, no real clever plot twists, nothing to hold my interest. This movie would work better as an Anti-Death Penalty propaganda film.
The acting is mainly where this movie suffers. Clint Eastwood was a terrible choice for this movie. He hasn't really made a good movie in about 10 years, and he has definitely lost his appeal as the tough, headstrong leading man that he was famous for in movies like "Dirty Harry". He is boring, unconvincing, and seems to play the part in his sleep. The only real redeeming quality about this movie is James Woods, who manages to get a few laughs out of the audience. But other than that, just plain old Hollywood garbage.
Predictably, he runs into troubles along the way, both with his boss and with his wife. From that alone, you can predict how the movie will turn out. After about 10 minutes, I knew where the movie was going. There is no real suspense, no real clever plot twists, nothing to hold my interest. This movie would work better as an Anti-Death Penalty propaganda film.
The acting is mainly where this movie suffers. Clint Eastwood was a terrible choice for this movie. He hasn't really made a good movie in about 10 years, and he has definitely lost his appeal as the tough, headstrong leading man that he was famous for in movies like "Dirty Harry". He is boring, unconvincing, and seems to play the part in his sleep. The only real redeeming quality about this movie is James Woods, who manages to get a few laughs out of the audience. But other than that, just plain old Hollywood garbage.
Go
(1999)
A welcome change from the ordinary. Tons of fun.
25 April 1999
From the director of "Swingers" comes a unique little film about the life-altering adventures of three main groups of people over the period of one night.
At the center of the movie is Sarah Polley, a very talented and beautiful young actress who doesn't get top billing, but is definitely what makes this movie worth watching. "Go" is written and directed in a very Tarantino fashion, cutting back and forth between the separate stories of the characters, but at one point, they all come together. While it is done in that fashion, it is thankfully spared the over-baked dialogue and over-the-top profanity that plagues Tarantino's scripts, and it prevents this movie from getting tiresome.
Entertaining, energetic, and different, I think that sums up "Go". It is well acted by all involved (except in some parts where Katie Holmes arrogantly over-acts) and some of the dialogue is classic. The script suffers a bit because of all the plot-shifting and the number of characters introduced in such a small amount of time. But overall, it's just a lot of fun.
At the center of the movie is Sarah Polley, a very talented and beautiful young actress who doesn't get top billing, but is definitely what makes this movie worth watching. "Go" is written and directed in a very Tarantino fashion, cutting back and forth between the separate stories of the characters, but at one point, they all come together. While it is done in that fashion, it is thankfully spared the over-baked dialogue and over-the-top profanity that plagues Tarantino's scripts, and it prevents this movie from getting tiresome.
Entertaining, energetic, and different, I think that sums up "Go". It is well acted by all involved (except in some parts where Katie Holmes arrogantly over-acts) and some of the dialogue is classic. The script suffers a bit because of all the plot-shifting and the number of characters introduced in such a small amount of time. But overall, it's just a lot of fun.
8MM
(1999)
Not as good as "Seven", but it has its moments
25 April 1999
"8MM" is not horrible as a movie, but it is at times horrible to watch.
Nicholas Cage plays a private investigator who is hired by an elderly widow to investigate a film reel that she found in her late husband's safe. What he finds is the most shocking and disturbing thing he has ever seen, and his life is forever changed. It depicts a teenage girl being brutally murdered by a bondage-clad weirdo, and he sets out to find if the film is real. And he is plunged into the seedy world of snuff films, and what he finds can end up costing him everything, including his life.
"8MM" is written by Andrew Kevin Walker, who's previous work was the equally shocking "Seven. You can see the similarities between the two movies. They expose the dark side of human nature and show it in a way that is accessible to everybody. And that is the scariest part. The graphic murders in "8MM" are shocking enough, but the characters you meet later on in the movie are even more shocking and bizarre. You are repelled by the movie in one way, but drawn into into it in another way. "8MM" is not as good as "Seven", but it is not without interest.
Interest doesn't always equal quality. The idea behind the movie is good, but the script is poorly written. Nicholas Cage has given some great performances in the past and present, but this is not among his best. After an hour of "8MM", you become delirious. It just gets thicker and thicker, and you catch yourself asking "When is this movie going to end?".
Nicholas Cage plays a private investigator who is hired by an elderly widow to investigate a film reel that she found in her late husband's safe. What he finds is the most shocking and disturbing thing he has ever seen, and his life is forever changed. It depicts a teenage girl being brutally murdered by a bondage-clad weirdo, and he sets out to find if the film is real. And he is plunged into the seedy world of snuff films, and what he finds can end up costing him everything, including his life.
"8MM" is written by Andrew Kevin Walker, who's previous work was the equally shocking "Seven. You can see the similarities between the two movies. They expose the dark side of human nature and show it in a way that is accessible to everybody. And that is the scariest part. The graphic murders in "8MM" are shocking enough, but the characters you meet later on in the movie are even more shocking and bizarre. You are repelled by the movie in one way, but drawn into into it in another way. "8MM" is not as good as "Seven", but it is not without interest.
Interest doesn't always equal quality. The idea behind the movie is good, but the script is poorly written. Nicholas Cage has given some great performances in the past and present, but this is not among his best. After an hour of "8MM", you become delirious. It just gets thicker and thicker, and you catch yourself asking "When is this movie going to end?".
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