Kewl_Me Reviews

The Fog (1980)

Scary.

[10/10 · 5 August 1999]

I saw this on television a couple of Halloween's ago, and I was very frightened. John Carpenter does it again. From the very opening where a sailor tells kids the tale of a lost ship around a camp fire, to the dreaded ending, it keeps you locked onto the screen. The music yet again sets the mood (just as it did in Halloween), and is very creepy and sends tingles down your spine. I like how the movie immediately opens with a creepy, atmospheric scene and doesn't bother explaining why these things are happening or how, and THEN the suspense comes. No, this movie opens with suspense, and ends with suspense. And the ending is very dreadful, yet a good ending nonetheless. I like how five sequels didn't follow this, and it just leaves it to your imagination on what else happens after the ending. I recommend this film! ***** out of *****.

Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Thrilling, Surprising, Shocking!

[9/10 · 4 August 1999]

This is definitely the surprise hit of the summer. It has chills, thrills, good scares, good suspense, and a sense of claustrophobia and the feeling of no-turning-back. Yeah, you can't help but think of Jaws when you see this, but simply because both are shark movies. Deep Blue Sea is far different than Jaws, and far more scarier and thrilling. The movie is about a doctor (Saffron Burrows, played very well) who uses sharks to increase their brain size to create a pill to cure Alzheimers. Well, long story short, the sharks (three test sharks in all) escape and wreak revenge on the doctor and her co-workers. Throughout the movie, there are plenty of good and fresh scares, good kill scenes, and great action. Great acting all around. And to not spoil anything, expect the unexpected. There were a few surprising and unexpected scenes that keep the movie fresh and make you stick with it to the end. **** out of *****.

Cruel Intentions (1999)

Very entertaining.

[10/10 · 4 August 1999]

I recently rented this, and I really enjoyed it. Roger Kumble did an exceptional job writing and directing this, and the result was fantastic. This is an excellent modern adaption of the 1782 French novel in which I cannot spell much less pronounce. But out of all the movies that have followed the novel, this one is the absolute best. Great performances all around. Sarah Michelle Gellar (one of my fave actresses) does a great job, as usual. Newcomer Selma Blair is surprisingly good playing the innocent and naive Cecile. Reese Witherspoon is also very good, especially with a character that wasn't that much explored. But I think I give extra props to Ryan Phillippe. He is wickedly funny, yet very cruel and malicious, yet very much in love with Reese's character. You can definitely tell he is having fun with the character, and this may be the best performance he has given in his career yet. Now, some people didn't like the change of the movie toward the end when the beginning was about cruel, cruel teens doing cruel, cruel things to innocent people, and toward the end it changes to a supposed "sappy romantic drama." Well, I wouldn't call it a "sappy romantic drama", but I do like the transition, it plays very well. And the sex scene between Ryan and Reese has got to be one of the most love-filled, caring sex scenes ever displayed on screen. I mean, it is not there to be erotic, or just for the audiences pleasure. Roger Kumble respected that sex scene because it shows the love the two characters suddenly feel for each other. And the end is one of the best, most saddening endings I have seen in a movie yet. I really, truly felt sorry for both Kathryn and Sebastian at the end. Go see this movie the way it is, do not watch it expecting anything. Just watch it as it is, have fun with it. ***** out of *****.

The Rugrats Movie (1998)

Cute.

[10/10 · 3 August 1999]

As a big fan of the Nickelodeon television show, "The Rugrats", I was really itching to see this when I first heard they were making a movie, and I am a teenager, too. I was there opening weekend, and lemme tell ya, you don't have to be a toddler to love animated movies. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. There was very good animation, a good little story, upbeat and catchy songs as well as lyrics, and the action will keep the little ones entertained. ***** out of *****.

Terror Train (1980)

Silly.

[5/10 · 3 August 1999]

I saw this movie recently on television, and, to keep it short and sweet, it wasn't very entertaining. If you want to get the least bit entertainment out of this movie, fast-forward toward the end when the final showdown between Jamie Lee Curtis and the killer. But in the rest of the movie, there is no suspense, no good acting ('cept Jamie Lee), dull and goofy sound effects. But the end is the best part. It has the one thing that the whole movie should have. Suspense. And the particular costume that the killer wears at the end is scary when the side of the mask is bloodied, and you can see the silhouette in the dim light when he is after JLH. That was a pretty creepy part, but unfortunately, the only creepy part. ** out of *****.

High Stakes (1989)

Boring.

[1/10 · 2 August 1999]

That's really the only word that describes this little known flick. About a woman who's in with the mob, in which they threatened to kidnap her daughter, and the woman is also involved with some police officer. Watch out for Sarah Michelle Gellar in the role of the daughter, which is the only good thing about this movie. * out of *****.

Payback (I) (1999)

It's okay. . .

[27 July 1999]

I just recently rented this film, expecting to see slam bang action. Well, I did get the slam bang action. . .only, very little of it and towards the end. I found this movie to be very boring, slow moving, but well-acted. Rent it only for the stellar performances by everyone. ** out of *****.

The Net (I) (1995)

Very good.

[10/10 · 22 July 1999]

Sandra Bullock is one of my favorite actresses, and she does a very good job, as usual. The Net is suspenseful all the way through, and you are literally rooting for Sandra to kick the bad guys' bootwah! And kick some bootwah she does do! It had me on the edge of my seat in the theaters, and I immediately bought it when it came out on video. A very good movie. Wait. . .what's this thing at the bottom right corner of my screen. . .maybe I should click it. . .No! Don't click the thingy at the bottom right corner of the. . .! **** out of *****.

New Nightmare (1994)

Finally, a worthy sequel!

[21 July 1999]

Finally Wes Craven steps in yet again and delivers an excellent sequel. It's really great to see some people from the original return, and it's great to see the story go more for the original than any of the comedy-soaked sequels. Heather Lagenkamp, John Saxon, Wes Craven, and Robert Englund play themselves in the seventh part about the Nightmare movies. In actuality, A Nightmare on Elm Street were just movies that Heather Lagenkamp starred in. She now is happily married with a son, played very well by Miko Hughes. But then some unusual deaths on a movie set, and the death of her husband, leads Heather and her son into a saddened state. Her son, Dylan, is expressing some unusual behavior, saying that his stuffed doll, Rex, protects him from Freddy. But Freddy is only a movie character, or is he? Heahter soon finds out by Wes Craven that since Freddy had died in the latest movie, his soul wants to come out to the real world. Eventually Freddy does succeed in coming to the real world, sending Heather and Dylan on an adventure. But the only thing that I really didn't agree with was that Freddy literally became larger than life. I mean, this isn't a dream anymore, he is in the real world. But the rest of the movie really made up for that. I really recommend this! **** out of *****.

Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)

Don't bother.

[21 July 1999]

I saw this one on television, hoping that it would be at least a little better than part 2 and 3. I was yet again dissatisfied. Here, we meet Freddy's daughter, played pretty well by Lisa Zane. But the movie is lame, it's so not scary. I mean, what's up with Roseanne and Tom Arnold? Obviously, this doesn't take itself too seriously, which is just too bad. Freddy isn't scary to look at, and isn't scary anymore. It really disappoints me when he cracks a joke, but that makes the original all the more classic. The deaths are yet again stupid, and this is yet again so unscary. Please, skip this and go straight for Wes Craven's New Nightmare. ** out of *****.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

Despite Wes's involvement, it's still nothing special.

[21 July 1999]

I don't know if it's just me, or the third Nightmare movie is yet again nothing special. I just saw this today on television, and I found myself being a little annoyed. Yes, I was glad to see Heather Lagenkamp return as Nancy, and John Saxon return as Donald, but they were not enough to save this movie. Patricia Arquette did a good job, as did Laurence Fishburne, but the others were nothing to look at. The story wasn't all that great, neither was the acting of the supporting characters, and the deaths were a little lame. The whole movie is a little lame, and this is probably where we see Freddy losing a little of his scariness and gain more comedy. I felt he was more scarier in the first (his skin seemed to be gooey and dripping from his face, his smile was very sinister, and his teeth would make Austin Powers appreciate his more), and the seventh. I don't know, maybe it's just one of those movies that will grow on you as you watch more and more, but for my first impression of it, I give it ** out of *****.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)

Nothing special.

[21 July 1999]

After I was scared to death by the first Nightmare movie, I rented this with high hopes, even though Wes Craven had no part of it. And let me tell you, it really showed that Wes had no part of it. I was disappointed. The acting isn't anything to look at, the characters are two dimensional, and the FX aren't all that great either. Although there are some suspenseful scenes (one where Lisa is trapped inside the house with Freddy), that is not enough to save this movie. ** out of *****.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Definitely a classic!

[10/10 · 21 July 1999]

A Nightmare on Elm Street was the very first horror movie I ever saw in my life. I was about four years old when I saw a couple of the Nightmare movies, and I only had remembered a few scenes from each of the movies. So, I rented the first one just a couple days ago, and was chilled to the bone. Despite a little bad acting, the movie really worked into scaring me. Heather Lagenkamp is great, and is one of the best horror herions in my book. And Wes Craven does a really good writing and directing job, like usual. Even though throughout the movie there are many jump scare scenes, this movie really is effectively scary. Think about it. Wes Craven has created a monster that attacks in your most vulnerable state: your sleep. That was enough to freak me out. Definitely a classic, especially since most of the sequels sucked (except for part seven). **** out of *****. "What ever you do, don't fall asleep."

Lake Placid (1999)

Cliched, yes. Entertaining, yes.

[6/10 · 19 July 1999]

Okay, so the movie is a little cheesy and cliched, but it is entertaining nonetheless. It is more comedy then horror, and sometimes comedy/horror do not work. But I felt that it worked very well with this movie. It had everyone in the theater laughing out loud. The movie is about, of course, a giant crocodile terrorizing a Maine lake. A game and fish ranger is mutilated (very gory) in the beginning, which then sends for Bridget Fonda's character down to Maine, where she meets the town sheriff (played very well by Brendan Gleeson), and Bill Pullman (also very good, even though it wasn't much of a challenge to play the character). Then, in comes Oliver Platt's character, who seems to have an obsessed death wish swimming with crocodiles. It is explained that he worships crocs as though they were a god. But he is very hilarious in the movie, and I liked his performance a lot. But, the movie is a little cliched. Of course, Bridget Fonda's character (played very well, might I add) falls out of a boat/truck while in danger of the crocodile. Also, the performance by Betty White is worth the price of admission altogether. She has a mouth like the little South Park kids, and is very hilarious. All the characters are played very well, and each have their funny moments which play out well. But the only real problem I have is the ending seemed too abrupt. I give this 6/10. Go see it to have a lot of good laughs, as well as a few suspenseful scares.

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

Very good.

[10/10 · 19 July 1999]

Despite all the bad reviews, I really liked this film. It is on my top ten horror movie list. I thought it was very original and very scary. I don't know how many times I jumped out of my seat in the theater. Okay, the movie is about four teens who have a perfect future ahead of them. Helen Shivers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) wins the Croaker Queen, a local pageant, and the four friends celebrate and drink beer. On the drive home, they hit someone, and not wanting to ruin their perfect futures, they decide to dump the body in the ocean, even though the dead guy is still alive and gives the friends a scare. Cut to a year later, when Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt) goes home for the summer where a note awaits her with the title of the movie written on it. She shows the three other friends, and they soon become paranoid as the fisherman with the huge hook stalks each one of them and gives each a scare.

This movie actually makes you feel for the characters, because we see them in the beginning all bright and happy, awaiting the college life. But then an awful turn sends their lives upside down as a fisherman stalks them with a hook.

Overall, I give this film 9/10.

Halloween II (1981)

A superior sequel. . .

[19 July 1999]

After seeing Halloween, the next time I went to the video store, I made a vow to rent each and every one of the Halloween movies made. So, I started with the sequel. Okay, it is a sequel and stereotypically, a sequel is not better than the original. But still, Halloween II is a very good sequel. It picks up right after the first Halloween, and follows Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) through the hospital as Michael Myers tries to kill her, again. It is very suspenseful and scary and had my heart pounding, but it did have its cheesy moments, but at least the scares are scary enough to make you totally forget about the small cheesy parts. I do recommend this film. 8/10.