Change Your Image
overby
Reviews
Bell Witch Haunting (2004)
Extremely disappointing
I wanted to like this movie. I really, really did. I was so excited when I saw the preview, which scared the hell out of me. But when I saw the actual film, I was disappointed. The acting is stilted, and the attempts at comedy are woefully out of place and forced. And I'm sorry, but a boy being chased by a turd in a bedpan is not funny or scary, it's just stupid. I grew up on the Bell Witch legend, so I know quite a bit about it. A lot of facts in the movie are right on target, but this film should have been much better. The entire birthday party scene, for example, lasts about fifteen minutes, adds nothing to the plot or the story, and should have been left on the cutting room floor. A more heavy-handed editor might have been able to get a decent film out of this mess.
Please understand, I'm not in any way, shape or form involved with the other Bell Witch movie, and I'm not trying to "attack" this IMDb listing. I'm just telling it like it is.
Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (1987)
Bizarre, yet fascinating
When I first heard of a Karen Carpenter movie acted out by Barbie dolls, I thought, "Yeah, right." Actually, it's not half-bad, revealing the ugly side of brother Richard and their parents. It's a shame the movie has been only available through the underground, though, as it portrays the heart-breaking effects of anorexia through clinical narration, montage, and pop culture to great effect. The use of dolls is actually ingenious, as we come to see how Karen was manipulated by her family, her record company, and society to conform to unattainable perfection. Although banned by numerous lawsuits, this film is available through alternative resources. If you look hard enough, you can find it.
The Gift of Love: A Christmas Story (1983)
Lucky to have a copy!!
I first saw this film in 1986 and really liked it. After that, I watched every Christmas for it to reappear on TV, but it never did. Then, about 3 years ago, I saw a listing for it in the TV Guide. It was on a local channel really late at night. I taped it, and now I watch it just about every year. I love Angela Lansbury in it, and I love the message of hope. For those of you who can't find the movie anywhere, take heart! It may just appear on your local station one year. You might even consider contacting them and asking them to run it.