RevRuin Reviews

Skinned Deep (2004)

What the...??

[6/10 · 21 March 2004]

Troma + David Lynch + Texas Chainsaw Massacre = Skinned Deep

Aside from the lead, Warwick Davis and the guy who played Brain, the acting is pretty much awful. It looks like it was shot on video. The majority of the budget looks like it went to the special effects, (which were decent.) (Considering the director is a special effects artist, this was no surprise.) The, uh, story was a bare-bones Texas Chainsaw knock-off. The dialogue zig-zagged between hilarious and cringe-worthy.

Overall, though, I enjoyed it. I hope it gets some kind of DVD distribution, because I would probably buy a copy. It's just so goofy and weird that I couldn't help but smile through it.

"NO! NO! NNNOOOO! NO! NNNNNNOOOOOOOO!! NNOOO! NO!!! NOOOOOOOOO!!"

Darna Mana Hai (2003)

Disappointing

[13 February 2004]

As a horror movie fan, I was really looking forward to my first Bollywood horror movie. Sadly, I don't think Darna Mana Hai worked.

The first story, about a couple whose vehicle breaks down on a lonely road was acceptable enough even though the ending was very predictable. The second story, about a crazy hotel owner who detests cigarette smoking had a very good set up, but too much was left to ambiguity in the end. The third story, about a school teacher haunted by his past was probably the most stylish of the stories. It had an acceptable ending, but it needed more of a punch. The story about the apple vendor was just all-around silly. Was it supposed to be funny? The hitchhiker story was probably my favorite of the bunch. It was the only one that I felt really worked. Good set up, good pay-off with a punch. The final story, "Stop!" seemed to bother a lot of people on the IMDb, but I actually thought it worked. I especially liked the ending of the story. Simple, yet effective. The wrap-around story with the kids telling the stories was rather dull and predictable.

I also have to take issue with the director's use of sound effects on the soundtrack. There is one sound-effect that is used quite, quite often. A sort of CCHHHKKK! Sound that started to really get annoying after a while. It was distracting.

I plan to see more Bollywood horror, but I hope they're better than this one.

Wendigo (2001)

Garbage

[2/10 · 14 June 2002]

I suppose if you like endless dialogue that doesn't forward the story and flashy camera effects like the scene transitions in the television show _Angel_, you'll enjoy the film. Me? All I wanted was a nice, tight little story, and it wasn't there. The pacing was practically backward, plot points were buried under a sea of unneeded dialogue, and there was absolutely no sense of dread, or tension, or ANYTHING.

Is it the redneck? Is it the Wendigo? No, it's a cameraman on speed. That's not scary. It doesn't generate a single note of tension or atmosphere unless you're scared by MTV. Like those reviewers before me, I too noticed that by the end the movie invokes derisive laughter from the audience.

Terrible film.

Dark Waters (1993)

FANTASTIC film!

[12 July 2001]

I have to agree with another one of the reviewers - this is a MUST SEE film for horror and nunsploitation fans. I was quite wary about it before seeing it, but by the time it ended I knew I would own it one day. I think the saddest part of the whole thing is the Region 1 DVD has zilch for extras.

Street Trash (1987)

So Wrong, it's Just Plain RIGHT

[17 May 2001]

One day someone said, "I'd like to make a movie featuring a bottle of hooch that makes people melt into multi-colored ooze. I think I'll also add "sub-plots" about insane homeless vets, murder, necrophilia, gang-rape, castration, and police brutality. Oh, and it's a COMEDY."

Anyone who blasts the movie probably had no idea what they were getting into. Yeah, the story - if you want to call it that - is flimsy at best, but the film is punctuated by some inventive effects, some nice camera work, and a hysterical mostly-improvised Doorman character played by James Lorinz.

Summed up, if you like your movies dispicable, reprehensible, obnoxious, offensive, crude, and downright nasty, pick this one up. You won't be disappointed.

Ringu (1998)

Like a Cool Drink of Water

[9/10 · 27 September 2000]

Hey, Hollywood! You should be taking notes! This is, hands down, one of the BEST horror movies I've seen in a long time. Keep in mind that I'm a horror movie fanatic, so they don't scare me. THIS ONE kept me riveted to the screen. The lighting, the pacing, the sounds, the atmosphere, ALL of it hit the bullseye. It actually managed to creep me out quite a bit. WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN MADE WIDELY AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES? It's a pity it hasn't been.

Godzilla 2000 (1999)

SMASH!!!

[7/10 · 5 September 2000]

Godzilla topples buildings. Godzilla trashes the opponent. Godzilla tramples cars. Godzilla smashes bridges, crushes tanks and destroys everything else in his path. THIS is what Godzilla does, and to want anything more is silly. Watch it for these reasons, and for the famous, "SKREEEEONK!" and you will not be disappointed.

Hollow Man (2000)

Clichéd Thriller

[4/10 · 4 August 2000]

I liked the first and second acts, despite some stiff, laughable dialogue. By the time the third act rolls around, though, it turns into a typical 1980s slasher movie. It falls right into those repeated oh-no-who-is-going-to-be-murdered-next and oh-no-he-is-not-quite-dead-yet moments, which killed any tension it might have built by that point. Pretty sad, really, considering the different directions it could have been taken, storywise. Verhoeven certainly doesn't skimp on the eye-candy though.

Tales from the Hood (1995)

Not Great, Not Terrible

[27 December 1999]

It didn't surprise me that Clarence Williams gave the best performance here. He is a man with true range in his acting abilities. I loved every moment he was on the screen, right up to the inevitable end.

To review this film is to break it apart into its different stories. On a whole, I would say it wasn't a fully wasted project. I've seen it twice now, and it really does grow on you.

The first story is the weakest. It's pretty heavy-handed and sloppy. The potential was there, it just seemed like the segment was rushed. No atmosphere is built, the theme was crammed down our throats too early on, and it seemed like they didn't even try to make the living-corpse creepy. Oh, well.

The second one, about a real-life monster, plays on your expectations and then throws in a small curve. I mean, it wasn't fully unpredictable, but then again none of the EC comics, (from which this movie is built), were, either. The ending is pleasantly squishy.

The third is my favorite by far. This one, for me, was the real knuckle-biter. Again, it started in one direction and never strayed, but I had no complaints. Corbin Bernsen played a racist politician so well that I couldn't wait for him to get offed. The dolls were PLENTY creepy, too. If the other segments had been able to tap the nerve this one had, the movie probably would have been better received. I thought the woman in the painting coming to life at the very end to be a bit cheesy, but that was easily forgiven.

The final segment touched on the theme of the film the best. Call me a traditional horror fan, but I was hoping for a more monstrous outcome. Although, the atmosphere in this one was by far the best.

Overall, I would say 5 out of 10 stars.

The Haunting (1999)

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[1/10 · 14 December 1999]

This is the worst movie I have seen in years. Jan De Bont has no grasp of what makes something suspenseful, creepy, or even interesting. It was like a gigantic Scooby-Doo episode. I kept expecting the painting's eyes to begin following them around. What DID happen was even funnier. Jan De Bont, please take up a new line of work. Take Akiva Goldsman with you. This gets 0 stars out of 10.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Excellent!

[8/10 · 19 July 1999]

One of the best horror films I have seen in a good long time. Kudos to the cast and crew. Effective, subtle, and intelligent. I wish everyone who worked on the film the best in the future -- you deserve it.

Black Mask (1996)

Thy name be mindless action. YESSSSS!!

[24 May 1999]

Horrible dubbing. Cheesy overworked plot. Story that's been done and done and done. Implausabilities abound. Plot holes large enough to drive a cliche through. But MAN those fight scenes were incredible! If you go in looking for a serious piece of cinema, you'll leave unhappy. If you can't laugh at how horribly some of the humor flops, you'll be disappointed. If you go in to see Jet Li kicking butt -- something he is incredible at -- you WILL be happy. Scale: 1 to 10. I give it a 7, simply because I said, "WOW!" so many times.

eXistenZ (1999)

Whoo-hoo!

[8/10 · 25 April 1999]

I must stay that I was quite pleased with it. This one isn't as dark as a lot of his prior work -- he was blatantly prodding a bit of fun at himself -- but it's plenty twisted. It started out "freakin' bizarre," and becomes "really freakin' bizarre," as it progresses.

I've seen almost all of Cronenberg's movies and as far as this one being "off the charts" I have no idea what that Boyo2 was watching. eXistenZ is much lighter on the gooey stuff than a lot of Cronenberg's previous works.

I highly recommend it.