September « 2006 « MonkeyThoughts

27Sep/060

Feast

My family and I got together a posse to see this movie during it's limited 2-day release. To refresh, this movie was the final Project Greenlight project. It was actually completed about 2 years ago, but it took some time (and some reshoots) to get it out. The plot is simple and From Dusk to Dawn-esque. A group of people are stuck in a dingy old bar in the middle of nowhere with creatures trying to get inside. I have to say, it was really the humor that saved this movie. It doesn't take itself too seriously and is deliciously campy and gross. What I didn't like so much was the lack of character development and the way the camera is shaky every time there's some action. It makes it hard to focus and SEE what is going on. This movie was featured in the current issue of Fangoria, so I saw the creatures up front. But in the movie? You're not so lucky. But for being what it was at face value- low budget, relatively amateur director/writers- it wasn't too bad. I enjoyed myself. Compared to a lot of shit out there (cough House of the Dead cough) that gets a wide release, this movie is so much better. It wasn't the best horror movie, but it sure the hell wasn't the worst.

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25Sep/060

Rent

Here's my Rent story. Back in the late 90s, when Rent was touring, I REALLY wanted to see it. I'm a theatre nerd. Ex-Theatre Design Major. (You know, before I embraced my geek.) Blah blah blah. Short story is, I didn't get to see it. Ever. And I was a little ticked off about that. Then the movie comes out. And I'm like "Ooh. Like the play, but cheaper and more accessible." But I didn't see it in the theatre. Or when it finally came out on DVD. No, I waited till yesterday. And I will say right now I AM GLAD I DID NOT WASTE A SINGLE FUCKING DIME ON THIS CRAP. Now. There is this whole problem with taking a stage play/musical and adapting it to film. Nine times out of ten, it doesn't work. And I think that may be Rent's problem here. Maybe? Hopefully? (I'm trying to give it a shred of hope.) Here's the thing. I like the story. I think it's a fantastic story. Take the story out of the context of a musical and it would have made a great film. But as a film musical? Bleck. The songs were incredibly too cheesy. After the opening song, and the next song came on, I had too many instances of laughing at inappropriate times. Adam Pascal's voice was toooo much. Actually, every time he sang, my husband (who has a creepy talent of being able to emulate damn near any male singer's voice) would break out into the song Pascal did in School of Rock- which did not help my inability to keep a straight face. I don't know. I hope the actual stage version is better, although that wouldn't help me with the lyric issues. What's funny is I've come across folks who are SO into this film, quoting shit like it's some mantra for life. You can find 'em on the IMDB boards...but take caution...the imdb folks, as I've said before, are angry folk. I give it 1 nana, and only because I like Taye Diggs.

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25Sep/060

The Cave

You'd think after the whole Cavern fiasco, I'd avoid anything with "cave" in the title. This wasn't as bad though. Basic story. There's a cave. And people have to explore/map it. Only, there's some weird ass flying big teeth monsters hanging out there and shit. AHHH! Meh. It just wasn't scary. The monsters didn't have enough screen time. There wasn't enough b & g. It was PG-13. I couldn't care about the characters. There was just nothing. But at least it didn't end with a beastiality-esque rape scene, ala The Cavern. Right? 1 nana, for being a bit better than The Cavern.

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25Sep/060

Heavenly Creatures

I heard good things about this movie. At least, I think I did. But hell if I can remember from where or whom. Anyway, this movie stars Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey in their film debuts as Juliet Hulme and Pauline Rieper, respectively. Juliet and Pauline are two teens with a rather...er..obsessive relationship. I think obsessive is too weak though. "Crazy as fuck" may be more appropriate. Anyway, two girls become crazy friends, one is going to move away, they freak, they kill one of their mothers. That's the jist. I'm a little on the fence about this one. I wouldn't own it, that's for sure. But it was entertaining to watch this whole fantasy/relationship unfold. And I found Kate Winslet a little annoying (and I usually like her in stuff.) or rather,her character annoying. And a little spooky. You know, that may have been the point.

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18Sep/060

I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer

I'll get right to the punch. This movie sucked. And the proposed title for the fourth installment, as offered by my husband- Quit Doing Shit in the Summertime

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3Sep/060

Recent Movies

Give me a few days off, and I'll catch up on some movies. Red Eye Nice thriller. Cillian Murphy is creepy without even trying. Yikes. The Transporter 2 What can I say? I freaking love Jason Statham. I don't care if this movie even had a plot...he was kicking ass like nobody's business. And that car...wooo! What I didn't like was the throwback to 80s villian girls in here- short, boyish blonde hair, heavy makeup, obviously crazy and oversexed. It was like watching Pink..but...this actress was more tolerable. They never did explain why her version of getting dressed involved walking around in her undies. The Constant Gardener I like the whole thriller-mystery aspect of this film. But jeez...it FELT long. The Benchwarmers There are some funny parts, I won't lie. But overall...bleck. Definitely too crude for a family movie (yeah, it's rated PG-13). And poor Jon Heder seems to be a character actor. (In fact, my husband kept referring to this as "The Napoleon Dynamite Baseball movie".) The Cavern Oh dear god. It started out cheesy, got a little creepy, and ended with one of the WORST ENDINGS EVER. I think my husband was right, and we would have been better off renting She's the Man.