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Reviews
Hot Spell (1958)
Dysfunctional Delight
"Hot Spell" is probably Shirley Booth's next to her greatest film, the greatest being "Come Back, Little Sheba. Synopses put aside, the A- List cast shines, along with the story line. It takes you directly to, and into, a dysfunctional family, the Matriarch who desperately tries to keep everything "just fine," the Patriarch who's going through a midlife crisis and "plays around, and the three children with young adult and teen angst the latter defining their personae. Each scene intertwines with the other and tightens up the script marvelously. It's all realistic, poignant and in wonderfully good order. The whole thing actually seems to put you right there as if you were part of the family. You feel their pain. Ironically, Jack Duval's character, played by Anthony Quinn, is both abhorrent and also worthy of compassion at the same time Earl Holliman's, Shirley MacLaine's and Clint Kimbrough's characters are definitely direct descendants of both of their parents. Very believable. The scene with Booth and Eileen Heckart gives just the right and timely comic relief to give the viewer a break before the next dose of drama. There's enough conflict to go around and it keeps you interested. I'd recommend this film to anyone who appreciates serious drama, either on the stage or on the screen. It's too bad it's not being distributed for movie buffs-yet. It's been hibernating for way too long.
The Creepy Doll (2011)
Pretty Good For Starters
I wasn't expecting much out of this movie and I didn't pay much attention to it, but it drew me in, little by little. You may not want to have any dolls in your house afterward after you watch this.
Not bad acting, considering the fact that it was an amateur Indy film. The plot line had me within the first twenty minutes. The drama that unfolded gave me the image of the old horror movie genre. It also made you feel that you were a part of it, with normal characters, a family with normal family dysfunction. The actors have some promise of something bigger for them in the future. I also appreciated the fact that everyone appearing in this film were memorialized in the credits.
Horror fans: Watch this; it has something for you.
Bad Ben (2016)
Good Horror
At first, I thought this was going to be another paranormal activity horror movie; that's all that I encounter anymore in the horror genre.
But this one surprised me. Not only was it believable, it also provided me with that tingle that runs up my spine, something I rarely experience anymore, unless I'm watching a vintage horror movie.
I must say, however, that the one thing that was really dreadful was the interior decoration. (laughing)
I was impressed, especially after feeling somewhat disturbed by what had just happened at the end.
I say "Watch it!" If nothing else, it kills idle time.
The Attic (2007)
This Could Have Been Better
The film held my interest, I'll admit, but right from the beginning, you were left hanging as to what was happening. The so called psychosis of the main character was virtually unexplained from the beginning, the paramedic "ally" appeared all too conveniently and the Wiccan symbols were explained away like they had nothing to do with the plot.
What I did like, however, was that it wasn't the typical slasher film. I also enjoyed the complex nature of the circumstances-if they'd presented them better! I'd seriously consider a remake of this, tweaked, of course.
It's too bad the budget wasn't adequate.
The Thing on the Doorstep (2014)
I'll Make it Quick
What really made me get into this picture was the fact that I had that wonderful tingling working up my spine into my psyche, a quality you don't see in horror movies much anymore. The scenery, the music and the fantasy sequences all made for a fairly well made horror film. The use of not so famous actors made the story line more believable too. Of course there a lot of unexplained circumstances to the point where you didn't know you were dealing with the supernatural or just the ramblings of a not quite all there antagonist, as in Edward. I'm glad I watched this one. There aren't too many out there that I'll give the time to.
House of Good and Evil (2013)
A movie with no answers and no ending
To say I was disappointed is an understatement. Why is it that modern horror films are merely "narratives" that end, leaving you with virtually nothing? This one is right there with the above. It could have been good. The suspense keeps you interested, but nothing happens. No explanations, nothing. Are we introduced to madness, domestic abuse, vivid imagination, nightmares or was I dreaming? Believe me, it could have been that I fell asleep and participated in my own convoluted dream myself. But I'd be accused of inciting boredom if I related any of this stuff to anybody else. Oh, and who would want to start all over in a house with no electricity, phone, and maybe no bathroom; we don't know. And what really lurks behind the blue door? You'll have to supply that too. Don't bother with this one. You'll get angry.
Devils of Darkness (1965)
Grade Z at best.
I'm at a loss as to how the actors were able to go through with this film with straight faces. However, two points of the film have some merit to them. The dance scene in the beginning was fabulous; in fact, it didn't fail to draw you into the movie, despite the bomb effect you are treated to after that. The only real acting that caught my eye was that of Karen, the love interest. She too came in at a time when you were about ready to give the whole thing up. Again, she had the quality of drawing you into the relationship that was being cultivated between the main characters. Other than that, it was more or less of a bad TV movie, guaranteed to give you a few good laughs.
Dimensions (2011)
It Reeled Me In
I came upon this film by accident. I thought I'd chosen something else on Amazon Prime, but I must have clicked this movie by mistake. The music reeled me in first. Then the time frame reeled me in; I love re-creations of the 1920's. After that, the subject matter piqued my interest. For once there was a screenplay that was cleverly written, without robots, blood, gore and violence.(Well, there was a touch.)
The music had a haunting quality that I loved. It was a smattering of classical pieces, especially by Fredrick Chopin, done in modern fashion, interspersed with the Gramophone effect. I then was wondering how they'd pull off the time travel, and that's where it gets interesting: The mechanism consisted of some steam-punk props, electrical gadgets and an old upright piano. The story line was more or less a romantic novel, but it didn't go too overboard. It's a picture that was a bit difficult to understand, yet very clever. Coming from a family whose father figure was an engineer, it made me think, and I'm still thinking about it. No special effects were necessary. I added my own imagination to it, and there you have it, a very entertaining movie-but you had to work your brain for it!
Very refreshing indeed!
Due Date (2010)
If this is considered comedy,
we're in really sad shape. It's certainly not even Pot Metal Globe Award material! For one thing, I couldn't figure out what the point was, and did it really matter? Vapidity does not belong in cinematic art; someone has to have a clear understanding, and all it ended up being was a bunch of gibberish.
I try my best to be as terse as possible, and you at IMDb are virtually making it impossible. Do not consider these "junk words;" I'm merely stating facts,and if you want to block me, you go right ahead! 10 lines of gibberish just to meet your stilted criteria isn't worth very much to me, and your requirements invite EXTREMELY bad writing.
Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl (1919)
This Film Touched My Heart
Silents can be very challenging to watch; you have to use your eyes and your brain, and you'd better be able to read, along with keeping your eyes on the screen at all times. Silents tend to enter your psyche in a different manner than modern sound films do because of this.
This one touched my heart. Lillian Gish was a splendid actress, in the silents and the talkies; she lent an innocence which no one else really could surpass.
The so-called love scenes between Barthelmess and Gish gripped my emotions fairly deeply, both of them displaying that innocence of first love that modern films can't depict today. Blossoms, eye contact, facial expressions-and no sex! What a powerful display of love! The scenery and the costumes were superb; the vibrant colors showed clear through the black and white like nothing I've ever seen since, save for maybe "Flying Down to Rio." It's a beautiful film all around, and anyone who likes silents, or loves good set decoration and costumes should not miss this one. It is a feast for the eyes, as well as the heart.