Reviews

The world of dog shows is ripe for the picking, when it comes to mocking your subject and the characters that inhabit it's rings. But that is not really what Christopher Guest has ever done.

I watched this to remind myself what I love about this style of film. The characters develop naturally, by shedding layers of pretense when they "don't know we are watching" and suddenly pulling themselves together in a vain attempt to convince the viewer that we just caught them at a bad moment. It's a brilliant way to show us the lives of people on a mission. When you allow yourself to forget that you are watching a movie, and plunge into the documentation of these people's lives, you experience the sheer joy of being in on the joke, through the eyes of the camera crew. The behind the scenes workers who toil away on big budget films, and get to see the reality behind the surreal world of personas and personalities. Guest takes us deep into the lives of the ordinary person, who is trying to live an extraordinary life. This time, they do it through the dogs they own, or show.

They have dreams, and delusions, but the one thing you feel with Guest, that I appreciate now more than ever, is that he genuinely enjoys the human condition. He likes people. He cares about his audience, and he is in on the joke with us. We are not the butt of the joke, and we are never insulted for loving Dog Shows, Community Theater, or even the Rock Stars in a giant arena. Everybody loves a show, or to be a part of the show. NOT everybody gets to be a big star. To be the winner. To be noticed for what they feel is their unique gift or talent. Rather than exploit that, and "mock" it in a cruel and unfunny fashion, Guest reminds us that within our little circle, and in our own ways, we can all feel like stars. And it nobody has to get hurt in the process. I watched this film, in part, to recover from what I felt was an abysmal failure to make a Mockumentary style film about writers. Authors Anonymous. It fails where Guest shines. There are people acting their hearts out in old citrus warehouses, and others are packing up their RV's to head out to another dog show. These life stories, and their sometimes absurd details, make for hopeful films that salute the human spirit.

The spirit of competition is a theme Guest tackles with grace, and a divine objective "everyone can be a star" sensibility that pays homage to our desire to feel special, and rewards it at times, in the most delightful fashion. The underdog. That is what he brings us time and again, in new forms. This time, with actual dogs in the mix! Mock umentary should mean "mocking the style of the documentary film" Not mocking the people who are the subject of the film Even when the film is about insufferable boobs. We learn enough about them to begin to understand what makes them tick, what holds them together, and what causes them to come unglued. We end up caring.

Dog Shows are silly, but the people are far more complex. Dog shows are filled with pretentious snobs, in "real life" Easy prey. Not so easy to make a movie that works, much less can make us root for these people on any level, but he did it again. And is it ever fun to watch.

A darling movie. I'm a huge fan of Helen Mirren and Russell Brand's chemistry in any setting. To cast Mirren as the long-suffering but devoted caretaker of Brand's Arthur was a clever move, and it pays off in some great scenes between the two. This film was unfairly criticized, in my opinion, for not being "as good as the original." The original is dated, and most of it's appeal is nostalgic. I remember seeing it in theaters and enjoying it far more then, than I do now. I have seen this version of Arthur several times, as it was in heavy rotation for several weeks. I kept returning to it, time and again, with affection. For me, that is the sign of a good film. There is a distinct LACK of discomfort here, whereas the Dudley Moore characterization seems more and more like a portrait of a very sick man, who was most likely going to die of cirrhosis within a few weeks of finding his one true love. I remember finding him depressing, even after my first viewing. I worried about those two, and was not altogether sure they would make it after all.... This movie was slammed way too hard for reasons I have yet to see for myself. I expected not to like it, based on the reviews. I was shocked to find that I liked it from the start, and it just kept getting better. If you like Russell Brand at all, give this film a chance. It might just be a most pleasant surprise for you. I am awfully glad I took the time to screen this movie.

I enjoyed this film. I'm a fan of all of the Rob Zombie films, but this one is a cut above Devil's Rejects, and to me, a total departure. Sheri Moon Zombie does a great job with her role, and the rest of the cast (especially those horrid witches) are first rate. I enjoyed the plot,the pace, and the deeply disturbing visuals. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the dream-like scenes were, for me, reminiscent of the old Coffin Joe movies. The anti church ranting, combined with gruesome, vivid imagery, takes me back to the Jose Mojica Marins film festival, and that was a pleasant journey for me. Not for everyone, I guess.

There's also more than a trace of Rosemary's Baby, which was also a fairly slow, and "trippy" visual movie. Slow and trippy can be really good, when done with style. This film has style, and was anything but boring to me. The scares are there, and this is a much more refined, artistic endeavor than House of a Thousand Corpses or Devil's Rejects. The script and plot hang together, and make for a thoroughly engrossing (and sometimes gross) little horror film on a whole different level. This is without a doubt, my favorite Rob Zombie film. A witch movie with a brain, and some heart. These witches talk trash like nobody's business, and scared me nearly to death while they did it. Nice character development, and enough empathy developed over time to really care about the protagonist's fate.

While I see the points being made in the negative reviews, I didn't mind the pace one bit. It's a trip, but it's one I plan to take again, and probably a third time.

I was astonished by how intrigued I was with the story, and how invested I became in the well-being of the characters. This is a tough film to watch, and is only going to appeal to those who enjoy a good slasher flick. With that said, in spite of the rather derivative material, and a few plot holes, it's wicked good stuff. It's not a film I would watch again. It was hard to take! But it kept me on the edge of my seat, and rooting for the good guys. I was utterly terrified of the bad guy. I have always been willing to suspend disbelief for a chance to escape into an alternate universe for ninety minutes Once you get to the end of the ride, you will be relieved to get out and return to the real world. Unless you live in hell. The villain haunts my nightmares to this day. I'd like to see him on you tube or in an interview, being himself just once. He's that convincing and upsetting. I had to repeat "it's only a movie" at several points in this journey. Sometimes, that's all you really want from a film. To briefly forget that it's not real. I lost my sense of time and place, and felt like I was witnessing a crime.

So while this movie carries no message beyond stranger danger, and may not deviate from the formula, it follows the formula with style, it packs a powerful punch in the gut, it does what we expect from a film like this, and does it better than most. The acting and production values surely set it apart from the others in this genre.

You will be horrified, to be sure. Not for the faint of heart. I gave it six stars for lack of originality (plot). A great effort, a weak plot. Worth at least one trip to the horror section, if you enjoy these "slasher" films.

I loved this film. There was a depth of character, back story for each, a well thought-out plot, good mythology, and a genuine sense of urgency throughout. It keeps you guessing, and is anything but a "formulaic" zombie film. Probably for financial reasons, they did not go crazy on make up, or walker special effects. It was not distracting, like some low budget films can be (white pancake makeup with tan necks showing through), but it was not elaborate either. It seems they spent more money on gruesome but necessary close ups, and kill scenes, making it disturbingly realistic, and gritty. The walkers are largely symbolic, and the constant threat is conveyed by the scenery. The bunkers, the stark military look, that sense of paranoia that extends to the living as well as the walking dead. A great use of tension, with the scenery functioning as a character in its own right. Foreboding, and the sense of constant danger is conveyed nicely. This film is exhausting to watch, in the best possible way. They used their resources wisely. Good actors, good script, great little film for the horror fan. I gave it eight genuine stars, and hope to see its profile rising as more people see and enjoy this shocking, intriguing, anything but boring, and welcome addition to the genre.