Change Your Image
fingerbo
Reviews
Resident Evil (2002)
At Last.An Unironical Horror Movie
Too long we fans of horror have been suffering the slings and arrows of post-`Scream' crappy, irony-laden, pseudo horror fare. `Resident Evil' is a straight up, no nonsense sci-fi/horror actioner that delivers the goods without tongue firmly (or loosely) in cheek. The film starts briskly, setting up the plot and situation. From the moment the toxin is loosed on the interior of the Umbrella Corp HQ, the flick kicks into a steadily building overdrive, tension mounting all the way.
The cast, headlined by Milla Jovovich, is uniformly good, though most of the roles themselves are pretty much generically familiar constructs (tough, gravel voiced CO, hard-as-nails tough chick with chip on shoulder, slightly skittish techno guy; you get the gist). This, however, is not a criticism. In this kind of down-in-the-trenches-type film it works. Though I'm a big George Romero fan, I'm kind of glad the directorial torch ended up being passed to Paul Anderson. Anderson, whose previous films `Soldier', `Event Horizon' (another fine, straight-faced, sci-fi/horror motion picture), and of course, `Mortal Combat', is a deft hand at pacing, building atmos' and showy, edge-of-your-seat cinematic pyrotechnics, and has done a commendable job translating the Capcom computer game to the big screen. Much as I love Romero's work, I think he would have made a more bogged down film. Anderson's is lean, hungry and relentless, but gives ample and obvious props to Romero, which I think is quite suitable. (Note the newspaper at the film's conclusion that boasts the identical headline as the one shown in the opening of Romero's `Day of the Dead'.)
Writing as someone who's played the game (why doesn't that sound as impressive as, `.as someone who's read the book?), I appreciated the film's fealty to its source material; spooky game, spooky movie. Really good ending, too.
Technically, the effects are all top-drawer, as is the set design and cinematography. My only beef is that at times the thrashing soundtrack (which I otherwise enjoyed and found entirely suited to the material) overwhelmed the dialogue track. But maybe that was just a fault of the sound system in the screening room in which I saw it.
All around, `Resident Evil' deserves high marks, and if you've played the game you won't be disappointed.
The Gift (2000)
Well Crafted But...
This is a film that is truly well made. The direction is good, the cinematography is good, the music is good, and acting is very good indeed. But it's soooooooo predictable. There isn't one iota of surprise in this whole movie. And that's a pity. With all the fine ingredients they had in place, a better story would/should have been there, too. The dialogue is naturalistic, but the story is awfully thin.
The Day of the Locust (1975)
Ouch. Powerful and Nauseating. Rewarding but Hard Going.
This is a film that I am not certain how to address, but feel compelled to do so anyway. In the heat of the moment, that moment being only a few after having completed viewing this astonishing small epic. My head is literally reeling, my stomach is in knots and my chest feels corseted with stress. I've watched a lot of horrific, anxious, violent films, but none compared to the sheer, cumulative visceral force of this film, which builds and builds and builds, ending in a crescendo of such sickening force I can barely articulate it. I thought `Midnight Cowboy' was a potent flick, but Schlesinger really outdid himself with this one. The cast is all uniformly excellent, alternately despicable as well as sympathetic (all have their moments where they vie for who is most abject, revolting, debauched, pitiable), but none are lovable. Waldo Salt's script is first-rate. All in all, excellent, but it will be a long time before I want to sit through it again. Rewarding, but damn hard. The human race really is the most fascinating and repulsive of all.
Susan's Plan (1998)
This plan really falls apart
What the hell has happened to John Landis? Not that he was ever a genius behind the camera, but he did make some genuinely entertaining and original films. `Susan's Plan', however, isn't one of them. The reason I watched this was for the cast, which boasts many talented performers, but I felt bad for them by the end, which is a slapdash mess. The film starts off promisingly enough, but much like the titular `
Plan', this movie falls apart by the third act.
One of the rules of this site discourages blowing the ends of movies, and I'll respect that, but be prepared for a weak, very predictable conclusion. This film is also chockablock with dream sequences, which were a forgivable indulgence in `An American Werewolf in London', but in this seemed like a copout filmic device for audience misdirection that mainly seemed included to pad out a very thin script to feature length. It's also got plenty of gratuitous female nudity, which is pleasant to look at, but kind of made me feel bad for the actresses, especially Lara Flynn Boyle. Time for her to get a new agent. In this case I think the actresses were exploited, but hey, it's a Landis movie.
Maybe an adequately diverting watch on cable if you're laid low by the flu or something, but if you're feeling fine, watch a good movie or go out and enjoy your life. Get some fresh air. Ninety minutes could be better spent doing something other than becoming embroiled in `Susan's Plan'.
Last Night (1998)
A Fine Addition to the End of the World Canon
Similar in timbre to "Miracle Mile," but certainly its own entity, "Last Night" (which boasts many faces also found in David Cronenberg's "eXistenZ," including Cronenberg himself) is a fine ensemble piece dealing with the sticky subject of the end of the world. The entire cast is first-rate, Sandra Oh in particular as a wife trying to make her way home to her husband, and Callum Keith Rennie as a guy with an ambitious sexual to-do list. Don McKellar does triple duty as writer, director and star and has done an admirable job in all respects.
Bear one thing in mind: Cinemax lists this film as a comedy. It isn't. Their person in charge of listings has a very unique definition of humor.
Phantoms (1998)
A solid sci-fi horror hybrid
This flick seemed to get lost in the mix when it came out, but having just watched it I think it got the short shrift. As with many of Koontz's stories, the horror in `Phantoms' is based not in theology but biology. Though the science may be more than a trifle dubious, it makes the incredible seem more plausible, and also more inventive. Any clod can bang out a horror yarn and tack the blame for the hoodoo on Satan, witchcraft, or some other paranormal phenomenon, but to at least put some semblance of credibility behind the seemingly inexplicable takes a bit more work and talent.
I don't want to over praise this effort -- it's not the end-all and be-all of horrordom -- but it's a damn sight better than most recent fright fare and deserves some more attention than it got theatrically. The cast is fine (though somehow Rose McGowan is more convincing as a ne'er-do-well than a good girl), and it's always nice to see Peter O'Toole busy on screen. The special effects are also pretty decent. It's entertaining and far more engrossing than I expected it to be.
Chicago Cab (1997)
A fine piece of work
I just finished watching "Chicago Cab" on cable and was moved to post some comments. Though Paul Dillon gets third bill, this is his show.
Better known to most of the world for his hilarious role in the first "Austin Powers" flick, Dillon gets an opportunity to flex his muscles as a fully rounded character actor. Over the course of his very long day (from sun-up to sundown and then some), he picks up a plenitude of fares ranging from sanctimonious (his first fare of the day is a rather smug Born Again couple and their little daughter on their way to church at the very ungodly hour of six in the morning) to the frightening (too many to mention). All are played with conviction by a large number of talented actors ranging from the virtually unknown to very familiar faces in cameos.
One of these well-known faces is Gillian Anderson. It's fun to see her as a foul-mouthed Southside girl; a nice break from her prim, proper Agent Scully persona. Also worthy of mention is Reggie Hayes as Dillon's final fare of the day. The dialogue between the two men is touching and provides a necessary respite from the overall dire (yet entertaining) tone of the film.
I hope Will Kern graces the screen with another effort. This was adapted from his play of the same name and I'd like to see more from him.
As a final note, the video title, "Hellcab," is perhaps misleading. This movie is in no way related to the early CD-ROM game "Hellcab" created by comic artist Pepe Moreno.
Pet Sematary (1989)
Scary? As if
Without being overly prolegomenous, I must state that I am not a Stephen King basher. Some folks lump on King because he's too successful, too prolific, too corny, too whatever. I'm not one of them. But it must be acknowledged from the onset of this informal review that Stephen King is certainly one of the most hit and miss writers out there. When he's in top form he really shines, but when he's having an off period, well, he writes screenplays like "Pet Sematary." Maybe the novel was better.
In this flick we are introduced to Louis and Rachel Creed (Dale Midkiff and Denise Crosby), the east coast's, maybe even the world's stupidest, most irresponsible and neglectful parents/pet owners. Upon their arrival to rural Maine the Creed clan, not two minutes out of the station wagon, lose track of their somewhat creepy baby, Gage (Miko Hughes), who wanders off towards the world's busiest road. This road is constantly occupied by roaring 18-wheelers. Constantly. Just as baby Gage is about to get himself pancaked by one of these big rigs, overly helpful neighbor Jud (Fred Gwynne, brandishing a monstrously heavy Maine accent that would cause even Titus, the Pepperidge Farm spokesman, to balk) sidles over and prevents the little nipper from getting himself splattered. Or should I say postpones.
Anyway, long story short, after their daughter Ellie's pet cat Church gets run over by truck, helpful Jud tells Louis (in confidence) to accompany him to the conveniently located local Indian burial ground (hey, didn't the idiots in `Poltergeist' have one of these literally damned things underfoot also?). Jud tells Louis to bury the cat there. Presto-chango, kitty is back, only now he's all evil and smelly. Really smelly.
Fast forward a little more and before you can say, `whoops, there goes that stupid baby,' bango! There goes that stupid baby (the phrase `go fly a kite' takes on added significance in this sequence). Gage gets clobbered by one of them thar speeding trucks while mom and pop are yet again distracted by something trivial. These two are the most A.D.D.-addled parents ever to traipse across the screen. Well, dopey dad, against Jud's sagacious advice, scurries back over to the burial ground and alakazam! Junior is back. Only he's evil, too. Really evil (his smelliness factor is never gotten into). I won't spoil the rest of the fun (?), but suffice it to say these Indian burial grounds are a real pain in the ass for the unlucky schmucks who mess with them.
All this, plus a flashback or two featuring Rachel's Amanda Plummer-like dead sister Zelda (played by a guy) who croaked of spinal meningitis, some visits to Louis by this Casper the friendly, recently departed college kid ghost and you've got what is at best an unintentionally funny comedy film. It is entertaining in a kind of, `how stupid are you people?' slap-your-head-in-disbelief kind of way. Scary? No. Oddly watchable, yes.
Oh, and there are some Ramones songs, the one that runs during the end credits co-written by Dee-Dee. Now he's scary.