Reviews

Being a fan of b-flicks and cultmovies, I was aware of this movie's reputation. So, why not give it a chance? Was I appointed? No, not really ... but was I excited?! Neither! This movie has an original storyline, is shot on a nice location and the special effects are OK (they look sometimes a bit silly, but in movies like this, there's one golden rule: how sillier, how much more fun!) But, in general, this is a rather slow and boring movie. It has some great (and sick) scenes ... but that doesn't cover up for the rest of the movie. This movie constantly repeats itself. I really had the feeling that the director had problems to fill his 90 minutes. So ... is it a waste of time?! No, you'll have fun with it. Just don't expect too much of this 'cultclassic'

PS: Just like Child's Play, this movie is about dolls and puppets ... but that doesn't mean it's suitable for young children. A wise advice to all you babysitters out there!

Although this movie doesn't bore, keeps entertaining and moves on quickly, I can't say I really enjoyed it. I'll explain why! (Of course I'll explain! Why else would I write down a review?!) 1) This movie presents itself as a modern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. Come on, how lame is that. OK, she's dressed in red, the bad guy calls Wolverton (get it, get it? Don't blame me, it's the director with such uninspiring creativity), ... but I wouldn't really call this a modern version of the well known fairytale. Movies like Company Of Wolves and even the japanimation Jin-Roh are, but this one isn't. 2) I'm not really into those nihilistic movies, where everybody seems to be a gangster, hooker, drugs abuser, ... I always have the feeling that the message in these movies is "Be a bad guy, if you want to be cool" 3) Movies like these (those nihilistic movies) portray shocking things (rape, murder, drugs, ...) in a very neutral way. What's up with that?! Do those directors think "I don't want to shock my audience, so let's present it in a neutral way"?! That's pretty dangerous. Movies filled with violence must shock, not seem like everyday normality.

My conclusion: a movie for people who kick on violence and dirty words.

This 80's flick has a reputation of being one of the ultimate examples of camp. Being a camp-lover (Batman: The Movie, Barbarella, etc.) I was really looking forward to see this sci-fi-flick. Well ... to be quite honest, I didn't think it was that campy. Sure the costumes and decors look funny, the performances are rather laughable and the storyline isn't that accurate, but hey, it could've been much worse (and for once, "worse" should be understand as "better") But does that mean I didn't like this movie? Hell no! Flash Gordon is a wonderful picture filled with sci-fi, fantasy, humor, action & adventure, and even some jokes. Not as psychedelic as Barbarella, but much more fantasy and imagination. This movie is really enjoying and shows me (and I hope; you) that there's nothing wrong with dreaming. Plus, if you like the music of Queen, you came to the right place. Flash Gordon, a true hero. Little children should better copy his deeds instead of Robocop and The Terminator in roleplays.

For those who are not familiar with the small country Belgium ... Here's a little explanation. There are two parts in Belgium: a French speaking one and a Dutch speaking one. Benoit Poelvoorde (the main actor and one of the directors of this flick) is world known in the French speaking part but nobody knows him in the Dutch one. So, if you're in Belgium and nobody reacts when you say "I think Poelvoorde is so funny", now you know why! It's a pity that so little people are well known with this fantastic comedian. He is a great actor and this movie really shows his great talent. He is a joy to watch! Now, this movie starts as a dark comedy with satirical jokes, but leaves with a shocking and disturbing mood. Not for everyone, I'm pretty sure. Completely filmed in black and white, great actors, great jokes and with some disturbing scenes, this movie will amuse AND shock you at the same time ... you won't forget this one pretty soon!

Do you like horror? Yes? Good ... well, then I advise you to avoid this one and if you ever see it in the videostore, leave it peacefully on its shelf. Do you like splatter or gore? Avoid it, there's no single gory effect. Unless you consider amateuristic filmed murder scenes as splatter. Do you like horror with some laughs? Avoid it, because there's nothing to laugh about (no, more to cry about!) Do you like decent Amicus or Hammer productions, with charismatic actors like Cushing or Lee? Avoid it, because the story line is sooo boring, almost nothing happens and nobody can act. All the characters are very lame (annoying mother, annoying priest, annoying murderer) and I really had to keep myself awake and sit through this piece of crap. Even that other bad movie "The Beast From The Cellar" is better then this one. Ladies and gentlemen, AVOID this one. A movie that shows you how paint is drying, is much more exciting!

Darkman, my friends, is, unlikely many other movies, NOT based on a comic. If you know Sam Raimi (and shame on you if you don't) you know that the man has a very cartoon-like comical imagination. Not only does he have thousands of comics at home, if you watch his movies, you'll know enough. What about the Evil Dead-trilogy? What about the Spiderman-movies? Yes, even A Simple Plan had some comic-like elements! So ... fasten your seats and expect a very cool movie. Darkman is an original, funny, fantasy-filled action picture.

A tormented hero (played by Neeson) seeks revenge for the pain he must suffer. Pain caused by (cartoon-like) typical criminals! In the meanwhile, he also tries to seek contact again with the woman he loves (played by Frances McDormand) The storyline doesn't look that great?!? Of course not ... but who cares. This movie is funny, has great action sequences, deals with funny characters, has great special effects ... and there's even a cameo by Bruce Campbell. Why sit here in front of your pc, while you can get this movie in your video store? You should be running already

There are 3 kinds of people. The first kind wants to see Cannibal Holocaust because they want to see gore, full frontal nudity and violence. The second type wants to see this flick because it's a cult classic with a social message. The third kind doesn't want to see this movie because they think they'll be disgusted. But they watch it nevertheless and end up vomiting and fainting. (OK, there's also the fourth kind: people who just don't give a damn and will never see this movie) I thought I belonged to the first type but during watching this movie, it became clear to me that this movie is much more than a horrifying movie. Yes, it has a message, yes, it makes you think. There are a lot of sick movies who just please the filthy minds of psycho perverts (movies like Guinea Pig etc.) but please, don't compare CH with that kind of crap. My comments are kind of vague, I know, but I don't want to spoil the fun. Watch it, think about it ... PS: Although this movie's intentions were against American exploitation, I think it's far more then just American television. I think we all can learn a lesson from this flick ...

Shogun Assassin is a very nice movie and a real must for samurai-fans. This movie doesn't take that long .. but it has all in it to make a movie great. There's some eastern mystique, there's "swords & sorcery", there's much blood, yes even some nudity for those who want it ... And it has some decent family values. Father loves his son, son loves his father and together they travel through the ancient Japan. I really liked this movie! That's why I gave it 8 / 10. Now, about the dubbing. I HATE dubbing. Come on people, why would you want to dub a movie?! Tom Cruise speaking French? Jet Li with a low American voice? A movie is unique, please keep it that way. So, I was a bit disappointed when I discovered this Shogun Assassin was dubbed too. But I still liked it, because for those who're into Wu-Tang Clan and especially GZA's Liquid Swords will recognize the many samples. But still ...

Asylum is a movie I highly recommend if you're into stylish horror. This is some good old-fashioned 'laugh and shiver'-movie. This movie combines different short stories. Sounds easy, right? Well, just when you think "Hey, I can do that too", the movie changes and we're getting served a new storyline. Decaptated bodyparts who still move, living dolls, schizophrenic patients, satanic spells, crazy doctors, .. It's all in this flick. Towards the ending, this movie is really getting creepy. But don't you worry, there's still lots to laugh with, too! A nice movie, I tell you! Oh yeah, features Peter Cushing in a small part. And 'chief Dreyfus' from the Pink Panther series, too!

If you check the Internet, if you check the imdb-reviews, if you read reviews ... they'll all say that NEKROmantik is not made for the sensitive people. I'm just a normal guy, as sensitive as every next man. So, I was really curious what this movie's going to be. Was I shocked? Did I faint? Did my pancakes (eaten earlier that evening) came out again? No, not at all. Seeing NEKROmantik was one of the most interesting (movie)experiences in my life. The director shows a great amount of talent in his (sick) mind. This movie isn't made to shock. This movie is made to show you something beautiful. I think necrophelia is a dirty thing, and after this film I still think so... but the director really did a good job by smashing the taboo. He really had the guts to make a movie about it. This movie made me laugh, made me think and yes, it even give me a pleasant feeling ... I hope it does the same with you!

This is a cult movie. Now, what's a cult movie?! It's a movie everybody's heard about but nobody has seen it. Ilsa is one of those. I was very pleased when I had the occasion to watch it, because of its notorious reputation. Was I shocked? Was I amused? Let me tell you; I expected a gory but campy 70's flick ... but instead I was rather bored and disappointed. This movie contains a lot of disturbing scenes but they are shot so chaotic or just plain BAD that they just don't shock (don't get me wrong, I don't need to be shocked, but I expected a little more from a movie with such a reputation) There's a movie where a woman's gangraped. Now, normally such things would shock me to death ... but not in this flick. It's so poorly shot that it doesn't look gory, doesn't look sick nor campy ... just dull. Most disturbing scenes are rather suggestive, not fully shown (which isn't always a bad thing) This movie is just a simple excuse for a lot of nudity (the term 'exploitation movie' is well-deserved) 70 % nudity, 20 % sickness and 10 % violent action. This is a exploitation movie, not a political or social movie. The only reason why this flick features nazis is to give this movie a little unpleasant feeling ... nothing more. Don't take it so serious!

When my mother was in her teens, she used to watch the Batman-series. Many years later, when I was in my teens, she told me she had such nice memories about it. Very absurd, very funny and just plain fun. Yeah, like I was interested! Which 16year old kid would be interested in the interests of his parents?! But ... a few years later I saw this flick, based on the TV-series. Man, I had the greatest time of my life (well, maybe not the greatest, but pretty great!) Being a big fan of the Batman-character (talking about the comics right now) I knew this flick would be miles (yes, you can say; galaxies) away from the original dark and depressed hero. But who cares, this movie is based on the campy TV-series, not on the comics. Friends and foes, this movie is fantastic, and I'll never forgive myself why I DIDN'T recorded it on my very expensive (!) vcr. I've been on a quest to see this movie again. What makes this flick so hilarious? Well, this is a big bunch of camp. Now, a lot of people associate the term "camp" with homosexual flicks, but in my opinion, every movie with a good BAD TASTE, with terrible acting (on purpose! not accidentally) and goofy story lines, is a campy movie. There are a lot of moviemakers (I won't say any names, they're already looking for me in different states) who think they make great movies but end up with a piece of crap *cough Van Helsing couch*. That's not camp! But, in this flick, all the goofy elements are meant to be goofy ... and that's what makes this movie one of the ultimate camp-movies!!!! Do I have to give examples of all the campy elements in this piece of fun?! No! That's why I advice you to go and seek for this hilarious movie!

Being a (great) fan of Rik Mayall's work (especially the Bottom-series), I was rather disappointed with this film. (1)That typical atmosphere that made the TV-series so special, was mostly gone. Eddie and Richie were always unemployed, so how come they have a hotel now? Since when is Eddie's name no longer "Eddie Hitler"? But ... as with most of those "TV-series-brought-to-big-screen" you've got to stop asking yourself these questions (just the same with books brought to film, comics, etc.) (2)What about that typical absurd sort of humour? off course there were some good scenes (the fighting scenes, candle in the eye, sleeping on the motorbike, etc.) but most of the jokes were just predictable, and extremely vulgar. (3)What about the originality? The whole idea of running a bad hotel reminds me a little bit too much of John Cleese's Fawlty Towers. The name-jokes ("Hello Mr Twat") was copied from "Keeping Up Appearances" ("Hello, Mrs Bucket" "It's Bouquet" Anyone?)? Most of the jokes were copied from the original TV-series (the masturbation joke for instance) - now I think it's rather pitiful if you got to copy your own work (also see Mr Bean his movie, which is just a retelling of his best TV-work)! And last AND least; the puking scenes (which off course were a good example of fine bad taste) were copied from Monty Python's Meaning Of Life.

So ... did I like this movie?! It had it's good times, but as a whole it was very very very disappointing ...

There are movies which make you believe there's a god for moviemaking! Miller's Crossing is such a movie! I loved it, I love it and I will always love it! First of all; the Coen bro's are well known for writing excellent stories, Miller's Crossing is a good example Second; the acting in this flick is strong, super strong; John Turturro is excellent, Jon Polito is fantastic and even Steve Buscemi -who is nearly 10 minutes in this movie - shows his talented skills Third; the bro's prove to have an eye for cinema: the visuals, the music, the colors, ... This movie is a masterpiece!

Although I have no problem with stoner-movies, I still have to see the first GOOD one. They are always filled with those stupid clichés; or they hang on to the image of the a-social, apathic pothead who's living in his own mental world or they overrate the pot and make you believe it's some sort of Alice In Wonderland- typo drug. I'm not into judging users or non-users, but this movie is pathetic. 1. The image of the potheads is so lame, a-typical and too American 2. The movie wants to be controversial ("oh wow, a movie about pot, rugged and rough!") but turns out to be oh so politically correct 3. The actors don't know sh*t about acting and the jokes are obviously made for a small amount of people who have NO taste of humour.

This movie is made for those people who have nerely smoked one or two joints, but think they're the roughest potheads in town. Kick the habit and watch some real comedies!

Although there are other Holmes-movies with much better storylines, I think this one is of the best in the series. Some of the movies seem quite dull and boring sometimes, but not this one ... it had a nice atmosphere, some intense moments here and there, and offcourse some jokes. I appreciated it!

This movie is great; I'm a very big Coen-fan and I think this flick is one of their masterpieces. You see that the brothers and the actors had a great time making this movie. The typical 'Coen-actors' (like John Goodman, Jon Polito, John Turturro, Steve Buscemi, ...) all play a role (or at least have a cameo) Even if you're not such obsessed as me, you'll enjoy this piece of fun. Mel Brooks once said that it's not easy to make a good comedy ... and that's why this movie really is a comedy-masterpiece.

But where's Frances McDormand in this excellent flick?

In these days where filmmakers need to recycle older movies and give the audience the feeling that none of them has his own originality, ... there's Battle Royale; a movie with such a gore theme but made with so much style, nice dark humour and an interesting way of storytelling. Call me sick but I couldn't stop laughing with this movie, it's just so good. I've seen it a few times (5 times, I think) and I still enjoy likes it the first view. Hooray!

A very enjoyable movie for young and old; a bit sci-fi, a bit fantasy, a bit action and a joke here and there. This movie isn't a groundbreaking masterpiece, but who cares? If you want to have yourself a very nice evening with a feel-good movie ... this might be the movie for you!

I always feel a bit anxious when I'm going to watch a movie adapted from a book. I mean, I really love Philip K. Dick's work, ... so I was really excited to see what Spielberg (one of the greatest, if you ask me) has done with it. Man, it was terrific. The story of the book was fantastic, but Spielberg made it even better. More action, more suspense, more thriller! Great job, Mr. Spielberg!

This isn't your average fantasy-flick. Terry Gilliam gives us a splendid cocktail of all his inspirations, his idols and them who learned them. It's obvious that he read Kafka and Orwell a lot, and you can see the Kurosawa and Fritz Lang influences, but this movie boasts of influences. Paintings of Dali and Goya are remixed in this movie. And that's what makes this movie so interesting, it isn't only a very weird (but smart) story, it isn't only a nice decor ... but it is also a melting pot of great artists and people who inspire others day by day!