tripperM Reviews

Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)

i don't even know where to start...

[4/10 · 19 October 2017]

It wasn't the predictable bad-guy-from-the-first-movie thing. It wasn't the A-lister-is campy-bad-guy shtick. i love spy-movies. i know what's going to happen and i don't care - i love the action, the swanky spy, the "evil" bad guy, the preposterous plan of world domination.

oh, i know. it was the fact that the Americans were named after liquor instead of-oh, i dunno... STATESMEN!? The kingsmen are not named after tailors. it's not Ralph Lauren and Dolce and Gabbana. they are named after he legendary Knights of the round table. the characters of honour, loyalty, and leadership. the Americans, on the other hand, are named -not after the many many statesmen/women or great cowboys that helped our good country - but for the many types of booze we encounter. what a let down. i was SO stoked to see it and was disappointed how over camped this film was. there is a fine line "reality" in spy movies. no matter how insane - play it straight and it works. as soon as you let the kitsch overrun the camp, it becomes a farce instead of a homage or pastiche. also, Brits don't know how to write Americans without making them look like red-neck idiots. (on the other hand, Americans can't write a British part without making them look snobby - see the Avengers 1998)

Fright Night (2011)

One of the few horror remakes that is actually on par with its original...

[10/10 · 3 September 2016]

If you liked 1985s Fright Night, you're in for a treat. This remake takes notes from the original, loosens the tongue from cheek a bit, and gets the ball rolling quick. Good nods (apples), great acting (Farrell surprised me), and cool FX without overdoing the gore factor. Peter Vincent is still a coward pulled into a realm he doesn't want to believe in, Mom is still clueless, The loner friend is still a prat, and the damsel is still pretty; but all else is new and exciting. For laughs and suspense, this holds up. Somehow there needs to be 10 lines of text, so... I liked seeing Yelchin is something other than Star Trek. I'll be sure to watch Huff now as well. Toni Collette was just about unrecognizable since I saw her in Sixth Sense and Muriel's Wedding, but her acting is still great. Enjoy!

American Horror Story (2011– )

never thought i'd say this about a TV horror anthology...

[10/10 · 30 January 2015]

Murder House - BRILLIANT Asylum - BRILLITAN Coven - BRILLIANT

Jessica Lang - BRILLIANT Sarah Paulson - BRILLIANT Frances Conroy - BRILLIANT Denis O'Hare - BRILLIANT

newcomers Taissa Farmiga - BRILLIANT Jamie Brewer - BRILLIANT Evan Peters - VERY PROMISING

I have seen lots of other anthologies (Friday the 13th,the series; tales from the dark side, Freddy's Nightmares) but NOTHING has ever got my attention like American Horror Story. The camera work alone elevates this particular anthology to excellence, as well as the spectacular choice of cast. This, the epitome of horror anthologies, is the best i have ever seen. Even with the fact that most anthologies were standard TV releases and this one is a Cable/Dish era release (we've come a long way in what we can show on TV). Not only did they have excellent stories - and the season-per-storyline is an excellent format - but as seen above, the actors are top notch and give a sense of quality within the show that other anthologies were missing.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

what were they thinking!!! ***spoilers**

[2/10 · 15 October 2008]

i can't believe i'm doing this. this film sucks! i'm a BIG Lucas fan and Indy fan but, Lucas has GOT to stop making films for the hell of it. he's got enough money to retire on - please do! so many things were wrong with it that even my 13 year old was bored.

first, the editing between Harrison ford and his double was bad. you could tell it wasn't ford. (and we all know but in the other movies, the editing was seamless comparatively) the stunt man would do the fall and you could see ford "pop" up from his mark but the flow was off. secondly, a son gets introduced and he's so nonplussed about it. what the hell? that was placed as a plot mover but all it did was confuse the viewer for a minute. third, the refrigerator scene. not even plausible with suspension of disbelief. fourth, we already have reservations about the Russians. (especially w/ the Georgia thing happening) do we really need to re-start the better dead than red routine? we already have someone to be adverse with let's not add to the list of people who hate us.

finally, the straw - aliens?!?!? seriously?!?!?! ID and the -enter whatever here was always about faith and the spirit. raiders it was the ark of the covenant, the last crusade was the grail, even the Sankara stones were of religious importance in temple (which has been replaced as the worst Indy film ever)

there were a bunch of "nods" to other Indy/Lucas/Spielberg films through out this one but even that didn't entertain me.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006–2007)

why isn't this on!?!?!?!?!?!?

[9/10 · 8 October 2008]

the best thing to be on TV since the west wing and they pull it for the crap laden 30 rock???

when baldwin had his meltdown and the writers came off strike, i thought: "great! finally this'll take off like it should." but no. too "deep", too "intelligent", to close to the mark! i say. i think the only reason this is off the air is political. the back lot money mongers didn't like the idea that studio 60 may be airing too much dirty laundry. TOO BAD! this was brilliant, yeah, it had it's flat moments, but it had SO much better scripting, and dialogue, and cast, and chemistry, and, and, and...

The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)

karate kid for the next gen

[8/10 · 14 September 2008]

This fun moralistic study of honor and integrity is geared toward the mid-teens and their love for all things martial arts. as Martial Arts get it's first big 21st century boost, Jackie Chan and Jet Li farce their own creations and add Asian legends to the mix of flying F/X and great stunt work. the storyline follows the formula, but you don't care - it's Jackie and Jet doing what they do best and in one movie!

don't criticize the lack of luster script too much, the great fight scenes make up for that immensely. the opening credits are a fun homage to the TV version genre as a whole, and the costuming, scenery, characters and "in" jokes are tightly laced in this fun flick.

don't criticize the lack of luster on the script too much, it makes up for it with the great fight scenes. the opening credits are a fun homage to the TV version genre as a whole, and the costuming, scenery, characters and "in" jokes are tightly laced in this fun flick.

Doctor Who (2005–2022)

"Fantastic!"

[10/10 · 22 June 2006]

I watched all of the doctor who episodes that my local PBS station played while growing up.(got introduced to the doctor by way of John Pertwee)as well as "camera copies" of doctor who sent to America by UK fans to their US counterparts. i had a great time w/ the show, but it never seemed to take itself seriously - i mean as seriously as a sci-fi show about a time traveler could be. i went to the CONs, did the costume bit (doctor#5,6 and Tegan were my costume characters), loved it. then it all came to a sudden halt. program politics and lack of interest and funding turned doctor who into a 25year old antique that drifted into the ethos.

when i heard that the sci-fi channel had picked up the new doctor, my first thought was, "cool, now my 11 year old can see what i've been babbling on about all these years, and know what the heck a TARDIS is" (i have several phone boxes and TARDISes of various sizes around the house)i didn't expect the excellent quality of story, character development and f/x. i was to say the least - pleased. Christopher Eccleston is by far the most believable doctor to date.now, now, calm down tom baker fans! don't get me wrong, i loved almost every doctor and his quirks, but Christopher gave something to the doctor that he'd never had before - real word believability. i'm just sad that he decided against another season. i'll try out David Tennant as i would any other doctor, but now the bar has risen...

bad wolf rules!!!!!

2008 update - i love David tennant! his "mod" persona is something that my generation remembers, my son's generation can deal with, and fashion gestapo can relax! he's a little more human than christopher, but not as humas as other former doctors. i miss rose, i dig martha, and what were they thinking with donna noble!?!? it's still the best ride on TV

Cabin Fever (2002)

hilarious - sam raimi would be proud...

[6/10 · 28 December 2004]

i am a BIG fan of horror and "B movies". this was both. i noticed by the comments that a lot o people DID think it was supposed to be an honestly scary horror film. i did too. i went to see it big screen and was a little miffed that i was watching something closer to ed wood than john carpenter - especially after the "return to the 70s" hype. i left disappointed. when it came out on DVD, i rented it again to give it another round and i laughed my a** off. i got it! i got it! this is homage to the severely laughable. nods at wonderful movies like army of darkness, toxic avenger, phantasm, and rabid grannys as well as the honored nods at raimi, king, craven and carpenter. here is horror for the humorist.

Scary Movie 3 (2003)

too bad they didn't finish the "trilogy"...

[19 May 2004]

i wish that the wayans held on for one more gag. that would have been the shiznit!!

don't get me wrong, i like zucker, it's just NOT the same style of humor. zucker is dryer and usually industry oriented jokes are the key. the wayans... well there just the three stooges of the hood - slapstick at it's modern best. i liked S3. it just wasn't what i was expecting. i didn't know when i watched it that zucker was the helmsman. if i knew, i'd be ready to snicker and sneer. i wanted ROFLMAO style humor. the only repeats are the lovely gals that the weinstein's keeps finding. i miss shorty...

Lost in Translation (2003)

sophia coppola has done it again

[8 February 2004]

"genuine film talent runs in the blood. sophia coppola's debut is so perfectly done that it'll be hard for her to top..." that's the first line in my review for VS. well, she did top that with this wonderfully calm moment of "reality". LIT is a quiet and thoughtful piece of work. you feel the abandonment that charlotte feels as the newlywed in a big new world. you want to explore something like this with someone. and bob's obtuse attitude towards life is shaken up when he finds himself needed for more than just a charicature of his former self. i loved it. it's nice to know that even though independent film has now been turned into a hollywood genre, there are really independent ideas still floating around...

Freddy vs. Jason (2003)

no contest is right! this is the top of the cr*p pile for both of these fabulous horror icons

[8 February 2004]

i love horror. i love "B" horror. i know the difference between a "B" horror and a BAD horror film, and this was bad.

here's the thing, horror films usually have a BEST run life span of 3 flicks and they may not even be in a row. for example: halloween, halloween II and H2O is the best trilogy set for michael meyers; NMOES, NMOES 3, and wes craven's new nightmare is the best trilogy for freddy kreuger. i must say that i still never got into the jason flix - the 1st was an awesome nod to 60 phycho-dramas with lot's more blood but, the 2 or 3 that i caught after that were just plain mindless. i try to watch them, i really do. but i find watching ray millan in the attic more stimulating...

i think that the idea of the story was fun and plausible in "horror reality". i think that giving more background on both was cool. but, i think that the (sorry) execution of the film was poorly done. ronny yu is great and he directed bride w/ white hair - i have and enjoy that film a lot! but he was the wrong pick for american horror. we needed wes and victor to get together and flush this minimal script into a WWF kind of stand off. have kevin williamson get a stab at it. of coures, no one and every one wins this bout cuz, if one or the other DID come out on top, there would be no end to the whining...

Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

what the heck?!...

[24 April 2003]

o.k. for those of you who don't know, the halloween "trillogy" goes like this: halloween, halloween II, and H2O. that's it. period.

we all agree that # 3 never existed. and although 4&5 were an interesting "character study" of michael, they didn't really fit in anywhere.

this last attempt at coercing hard earned money out of unsuspecting horror fans (and distraught michael fans going through withdrawls) was just plain rude.

"resurrecting" michael the way that they did, and offing lori the way they did, and the reality-tv scinerio... it was just emberassing! what an awful way to remember one of THE greatest horror legends in modern horror(1960s - 1980s)this was "the real world does horror" - poorly!

The Attic (1980)

i gotta agree with gridoon...

[11 March 2003]

and just about everyone else who posted.

i was bored off my a**!!!

now i'm a MAJOR "b" horror fan and i love thrillers and 60s phycho-thrillers (and this tripe tries to do all three genres) but this was truly awful. now, if I say it's awful... you KNOW it's gotta be bad. i even gave it three (yes three) tries and i still have not finished all the way through - i keep dozing off!

i got this on a double dvd with crawlspace (1986 w/ that wonderful madman klaus kinski!!) and THAT was worth the 7 bucks i paid. sad to say that although ray miland was wonderfully disturbing as the nasty, selfish father, the attic will probably never get played again...

Feardotcom (2002)

he's no roger corman but...

[23 February 2003]

one person did say that william malone was "one of the best horror directors I've seen." (i guess he doesn't get out much ;P) don't get me wrong, i do lke this flik. it's just that he's only done a couple of other "in-the-can" films. i don't think he's grown as a director since 1982's Aberdeen Experiment, he just got better toys. he's more like a modern ed wood than jack hill. i read a lot of the reviews on here and they were mostly bad reviews. that's too bad. too many people expected an A-style new-hollywood horror film.

THIS IS A "B" FLIK! ...and it's great. it's nice to know that there is some great cr*p out there. i dig ray kellogg, roger corman, hammer films, giallo films and the like. if you're into this type of wonderful low-brow cinema then you'll really enjoy this film.

just imagine william castle with to-days f/x at his disposal...

Insomnia (2002)

there is no darkness to hide the guilt...

[9 February 2003]

i was a little apprehensive at first because i had been so impressed with the swedish film of the same name. there have been so many BAD remakes as of late, so i viewed this with no expectations.

i got a great thriller that kept me interested and on edge till the last even though i knew the basic storyline. al pacino, as always, is top notch and martin donovan (trust, nadja) was a surprising although short lived addition to the cast. (i've seen him in hal hartley's films and really like his subtle style) hillary swank (boys don't cry) shines as the young, anxious, and clearminded local cop who helps her "hero" with the investigation at first, but get's put on the ajoining case and succeeds in finding truth and reality in her small town.

Zombie 3 (1988)

decent at best

[9 February 2003]

i am a major "b" film and horror fan and got introduced to "giallo" films with dario argento's deep red. i fell in love with the genere! it's right up my alley. i also started in on other great giallo directors like Lamberto Bava, Bruno Mattei, and Adalberto Albertini. i really dig lucio fulci's early works, but it seems that with this film he just wasn't all there (and after reading other comments about Mattei's editing and directing involvment it's even more clear).

it's choppy and slow at times. the zombies and effects are cool, but the plot's been done before and that's why i think that this is more a Mattei film than a fulci film. (Mattei loved doing zombi films i guess) fulci was more original in his early stories like 7 doors of death - my personal favorite - and house by the cemetary. of course the fact that the horror genere just exploded in the 70's and everyone had their two cents in didn't help in getting original stories out there. zombi 3 was done towards the end of the grand 70's era of horror and it shows.

Thir13en Ghosts (2001)

holy moly!!

[30 December 2002]

very COOL remake of william castle's 13 ghosts. o.k. so i'm a classisist. i really don't care for most remakes. there is usually something missing. well, steve beck MUST know his castle cuz this is the best up-dated and intense re-make i've seen in a while. even house on haunted hill (another wlm castle remake) wasn't as trippy and so... CASTLE!! i can see wlm castle really liking this remake. matthew lillard is one of the few new hollywood actors that i like. he accually ACTS!! i understand that method acting opened a lot of new doors in the 60s, but the 90s school of non-acting is excruciating to watch! (ben affleck is a good example of non-acting) the film is freaky, ironic, freaky, engulfing, freaky, intense, freaky, gory (just enough-not too much)... oh, and did i mention...

it's FREAKY!!!

Intensity (1997 TV Movie)

eh... whatever...

[30 December 2002]

so far i LOVE his books but the only adaptation that i like so far is phantoms and that's mostly cuz peter o'tool is in it. so far, the adaptations are as lame as most stephen king adaptations. t.v. is a very hard medium for really good horror films. stephen king at least gets great mini-series! - i.e. stand, red rose, storm, but even those are psychological and easier to adapt to t.v. the problem with intensity is that it's not. if there was a way that wes craven or john carpenter could do this in film format, there could have been so much more. John C. McGinley is the best actor in the film and i have to give him credit for making a rather boring adaptation much more exciting.

13 Ghosts (1960)

AWSOME IN DVD FORMAT!!!

[30 December 2002]

this is SO COOL!!! i love wlm castle!!! this is the coolest in dvd's just for the sheer kitch factor. the damn thing comes with ghost glasses! (red to see them, blue if you're a scaredy cat) i sat and watched this w/ my 8-yr old and he thought that is was the best thing since bionicles! we watched it several times just to play with it. i got this when it was released (or re-released) on dvd after the thirteen ghosts w/ matthew lillard came out. (see my comments there)this is the best that wlm castle put out besides the tingler -and i don't think they're going to include a seat buzzer in THAT dvd!!

An American Vampire Story (1997)

just when you thought adam west couldn't get any lower...

[20 June 2001]

you know i love "B" films if you've read any of my posts, but THIS was a "T" film. "T" for tripe! i thought it might get better as it went along but it didn't. the cinematography (if you can call it that) was amature, the story line was minimal, and the acting -pardon the pun- SUCKED! big time! i mean it felt like it might even turn into a soft porn flick with the way the lack-of-acting and camera work was done, but not even...

if you want a good "B" vamp film, rent razorblade smile. now that was fun. i only thank god that i work at blockbuster and didn't have to pay for a rental of this really hideous flick.

Billy Elliot (2000)

the best coming of age movie since the hey day of john hughes' films...

[20 May 2001]

i just started college in 1984 and remember the news and videos of the mining strikes at the time. the violence, the brutality, where family values were, where "a man's place" was, what individualty did to a young one's self image and self esteam. bringing down the wall, bringing down barriers, stepping out of the box. god! i remember those awkard days in jr. high and high school so busy trying to find yourself that you loose sight of the person in the mirror...

House on Haunted Hill (1999)

if you LOVE wlm. castle you may be disappointed with this loosely based remake.

[16 April 2001]

i really dig castle, and of corse, vincent price. you just can't go wrong with vincent price for sheer menace... and camp!

the remake has changed a few things. it's set in an insaine assylum instead of a house. (i am sure this is to utilize f/x and freak-scares as much as possible.) the opening credits had this we-really-want-to-be-a-Seven-kind-of-movie feel to it, but when you get in to the actual film about 5 minutes the freaky feeling is gone and it's just another new-hollywood horror film.

there is an association between the guests and the house to tighten the story up more, and the f/x are really groovey.

don't get me wrong, i LIKED the film. it just didn't keep up on the creepyness it promised to have in the opening credits and only hinted at throughout the film. if you want to see a good scary film-see this,if you want to get the creeps-see the original in w/s in a dark room...

Spiders (2000)

here's one for rotten tomatoes or oh, the humanity...

[25 March 2001]

i popped this in without really knowing what i was getting into. well, i'm glad i had no expectations whatsoever. this is a truly awful film. i loved it! yes, i'm one of those freaks that like B films and classic 50's sci-fi flicks, and with spiders i got both. 10 years from now, this'll be at a midnight showing with tarantula. laced with nominal acting, kitchy lines, and "killer tomato" f/x, this little ditty was a laugh a minute. i just hope that the makers of this wonderful schlock were in on the joke.

Solaris (1972)

a once banned russian film comes out in full...

[10/10 · 21 March 2001]

the very first sci-fi film i ever saw was kubrick's awsome 2001. i was 4, my parents went to vegas for new years w/ my 10 year old sister and i and didn't quite know what to do with us in the late hours while they gambled and rang in the new year. at ceaser's palace or sahara (i can't remember which, for a while i thought we lived in both...)there was a cinema, well... a viewing room accually. it held about 50 people and the screen was a standard 50 mm screen. my parents gave my sister the key and told us to go back upstairs after the film. we had no idea what we were getting into or what had started right then and there as a life long love. my sister fell asleep before the first rotation of the space station, and i was mesmerised!

i had not heard about solaris until my teens when there was an announcement that the local art-house theatre (the same one that showed classic films and midnight theatre) was to show the first american showing of the complete version of the "russian 2001". with b/w cut ins from once lost reels, this 2 1/2 hour film would send me back in time. once again i was engrossed. the cinematography was exemplary for it's time and orgin, the story line was deep and intellectual, and the development of character and insight into the psychie of humanism was wonderful. clark told our side of the development of the cold war and it's underlying effects on our american egos, lem showed us the effects it was having on our russian brothers. he showed us not only the instability of russian futurism, but the declining individualism that eventually brought down the wall.

i hear that soderbergh and cameron plan to remake solaris. well, kudos to them if they can do this and still keep the very important russian "flavour" (i don't know what else to call it)that makes this beautiful film what it is - the best damn russian sci-fi EVER.

Gun Shy (2000)

great sublime satire...

[7/10 · 21 February 2001]

what is wrong with this film? absolutely nothing. the story is MORE believable than analyze this to which this has been compared but there is no comparison-they're both great movies in there own right and totally different genres. analyze this is a straight up fantastical farce where gun shy is a dramatic romantic comedy more in the same vein as whole nine yards (but done much better). the soundtrack is excellent (you can't lose with tom waites!)the editing is wonderful(liam's "perception" in the 1st scene is hysterical) and the storyline flows.

charlie and fulvio's developing fiendship shows insight to the harshness of choosing a dangerous perfession and being born into it. either way you look at it, they are just two guys that hate their jobs just like the guys in the group sessions. wheather your a cop, thug, banker, lawyer, or stockbroker; life gets to a point where it all blends into an unfulfilling mess and you feel as if your drowning.

i noticed a lot of negitive reviews and am surprised at that. (like the gay thing-no one in this film is what they seem - get it?) maybe this is too complicated of a movie for everyone to enjoy. maybe hollywood has been putting out too much mission impossible eye candy that thinking about a movie and an underlying concept just shouldn't be expected anymore. this is a funny, sweet, real film. give it a chance.