Change Your Image
e_mclachlan
Reviews
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
points for PR
Perhaps it's just me, but I didn't find this film all that frightening. Maybe there is a sort of fundamental difference in how Europeans and North Americans respond to this sort of material, based on our cultural heritage? Personally I grew up reading the original Grimm Brothers (rather crude material for a five-year-old) and Disney always struck me as preposterous and stereotyped. So this was hardly anything new. What was new however, was how it was marketed, - and I congratulate the filmmakers on one terrific PR-job. This one must go down in history, I'm sure. I remember seeing the fake documentary about the fake film on TV - and it was severely scarier than the film itself. I guess that was somehow the point. Anything to draw us in. Who cares what we think once we've bought the ticket. The film itself resembled some sort of psychological study more than anything else. Some have complained about the language, but I doubt I'd be any less foulmouthed if I was in the characters' situations - or even the actors' for that matter. I just might whine a little less, but perhaps it actually adds to the credibility of the film to have American college student behave like crybabies. The film did have some finer points however, like the scene where the camera is finally being turned around at 'Heather' and we see her being tormented (by now, I am sure we have all been ardently awaiting it). If anyone still wants to go see this film, I suggest you leave before the end because it will only annoy you, in some desperate attempt of tying the storyline together. Common now - what storyline? Please. You might as well not have bothered. Never the less; my unreserved congratulations to Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez. Great job, you guys - I hope you made a whole lot of money.
Addicted to Love (1997)
vengeance is brutal fun
This film is a sweet punch in the nose in the else so flat land of comedy these days. A mischievous story told a little differently, with excellent cinematic solutions - film within film - draws your attention in. Griffin Dunne, known as actor and producer, made an interesting directing debut. Broderick, Ryan and Karyo use all the tools provided, and do a good job of it. It is brutal and fun.
Artemisia (1997)
An insult to the truth.
This flick was a blow to me. I guess little girls should aspire to be nothing more than swimsuit models, home makers or mistresses, since that seems to be all they'll ever be portrayed as anyway. It is truly saddening to see an artist's work and life being so unjustly misinterpretated. Inconcievably (or perhaps it should have been expected), Artemisia's entire character and all that she stands for, had been reduced to a standard Hollywood, female character; a pitiful, physically flawless, helpless little creature, displaying none of the character traits that actually got her that place in history which was being mutilated here. Sadder yet, was to see that a great part of the audience was too badly educated in the area to comprehend the incredible gap between the message conveyed in the film, and reality. To portray the artist as someone in love with her real-life rapist, someone whom she in reality accused of raping her even when under torture, just plain pisses me off. If the director had nothing more substantial to say she should have refrained from basing her story on a real person.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
so beautiful it will make your heart bleed
The Burton/Elfman team did it again. This film is a must-see for Halloween, Christmas, and any other time of the year. Not a single point of weakness, this is as good as it gets and tops any expectation. Poetic, humorous, visually stunning, multilayered, a musical masterpiece and so beautiful it will make your heart bleed, this film is rather dark amd tragic however and not entirely suitable for the youngest among us. I don't think it ever was intended to be. A stunning poetic interpretation and a personal favourite.