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Reviews
The Last Broadcast (1998)
Great setup, cop out ending
A lot of people have compared this movie to "The Blair Witch Project," but in many ways it is much better. They made a strong documentary, and for anybody who didn't "know better," it becomes eerier and eerier as we delve into the mystery of the Jersey Devil murders.
My only gripe about this is the ending. The film makers take us out of documentary mode, which is completely disappointing. There were several ways they could have chosen to end this and not betray the credibility of the style of film. Remember when some people thought that BWP was real, even after the actors appeared on every award show that year? "The Last Broadcast" could have done the same thing, completely fooling some viewers, and maintaining the mystique of the urban legend it sets up for us. Even the website looks authentic.
By the time I saw the ending, I was let down, as if they copped out and couldn't think of a better, more realistic way of pulling it off. Kind of like Bobby Ewing reappearing after his death on "Dallas" oh so many years ago. (It was all just a horrible dream!)
The Cure (1917)
Pure Chaplin magic
Out of all of Chaplin's short films, this is the one I could watch over and over again. Chaplin is at his absolute best as a reluctant guest at a spa. His daring escape from a massage, and the funniest use I have ever seen of an escalator are the highlights of this gem.