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Reviews
The Haunting (1999)
No Comparison to the Original, But Fun Nonetheless
The original *Haunting* is arguably the finest haunted-house film ever made, and I had serious doubts as to why anyone would re-make it... and though the re-make lacks the general creepiness & class of the original, it doesn't attempt to *be* the same movie, & is actually quite a bit of fun w/in its own context... Catherine Zeta-Jones is pretty hip, too...
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
Haunting, Eerie, Wildly Seductive
Definitely one of my personal favorites - utterly captivating, enigmatic mood-movie with lush settings of ancient mystery. Easily one of the most unique movies of the 1970s. An unforgettable film that will haunt you long after you see it.
Candyman (1992)
Not so Bad!
Not the greatest film I've ever seen, but the score by Philip Glass is wonderful & the cinematography of Chicago is also terrific!
Desperate Living (1977)
The Most Disgusting Movie I Have Ever Seen
I'm not familiar w/ John Waters' early 'underground' works, but if *Desperate Living* is any indication I've seen more than enough! The lesbian molestation scene between the 400 pound maid & her scrawny lady boss was truly awful-- I can't believe he went there! And the whole sequence following the one woman's sex change was truly the most disgusting thing I've ever seen! And yet, I laughed... the film has got some great lines ("Look, we killed ya husband, and I'm not cha maid anymore, b--ch, I'm ya *sista in crime*!)
Blue Velvet (1986)
An American Masterpiece
Never before has an American director, or any other for that matter, achieved the level of sinister elegance that permeates *Blue Velvet*-- what an unqualified success-- its subtleties & layers are too numerous & complex to discuss here... What a film-- hypnotic, stylish, perverse, brilliant!
Deconstructing Harry (1997)
One of Allen's Weakest Films
Really embarrassing... Easily Woody Allen's most self-indulgent, pompous film-- he's capable of greatness, but this was really terribly disappointing.
Wild at Heart (1990)
David Lynch at His Best
Hyper-stylized, multi-faceted, self-reflexive commentary on American pop culture-- Lynch's aesthetic is undeniable-- wildly hilarious, sexy, disturbing, bizarre, fabulous!
Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)
Eerie, Well-Paced, and... Outrageously Hilarious
Yes, this a stylishly paced, very atmospheric yarn, and yes, it bears repeated viewing quite well, but it's also one of the most over-done, unintentionally hilarious films ever made! Olivia de Havilland's over-the-top facial expressions are matched only by by Bette Davis' beyond-bizarre screeching southern accent, and the plot is outrageously melodramatic ("gothic" would be a vast understatement), complete with batty old southern women, jealous lovers, severed heads, conniving cousins... Yet all this is what makes it a very fun, if tongue-in-cheek film experience... Rent it for laughs, & a few chills along the way!
Cat People (1942)
Very Stylish, Entertaining & Original
This is a very engrossing & suspenseful classic '40s thriller, & like all Val Llewton's films it's terribly atmospheric... Great fun
Invisible Child (1999)
Genuinely Original, Moving
From the title I was expecting some sort of crisis-of-the-week TV drama concerning child molestation or neglect, but INVISIBLE CHILD was nothing of the sort! Remarkably original, sophisticated production concerned with how people create their own private fantasies & how those fantasies sometimes come in conflict with the external world, rather like *HOUSEKEEPING*. My only complaint is that, unlike HOUSEKEEPING, the style is not idiosyncratic & moody enough to complement the content, but other than that, a fine movie!
The Last Days of Disco (1998)
Surprisingly Intelligent but Unengaging
Surprisingly incisive, literate dialogue-- good "period" details-- but the characters just aren't terribly sympathetic, which may be the point, but, well...
Nixon (1995)
Assures Hopkins' position as *the* greatest living actor
Anthony Hopkins is *brilliant*, his incendiary performance carries the film & his intensity is perfectly complemented by Stone's
Housekeeping (1987)
Brilliant, haunting, poetic
*Housekeeping* is easily one of my favorite films-- haunting, poetic & deeply melancholy, the film is very much like the poetry of Mark Strand: principally concerned with longing for something & not knowing what, being restless, etc. Haunting Pacific Northwest scenery! Impeccable performances, moving sountrack.
April Fool's Day (1986)
Very atmospheric, inventive, great fun!
Wonderful atmospheric setting of secluded NW island mansion serves as the perfect backdrop for a well-above-average neo-slasher/murder mystery... Bears repeated viewing very nicely...
Guilty Conscience (1985)
A must for Hopkins fans
Clever, restrained yarn with enough plot twists to please Hitchcock himself! A *must* for Hopkins fans-- the film contains more extended close-ups of his face than any of his other films (I should know, I'm a fanatic)! Tony is IT!!!
Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977)
Nasty, bad, perhaps, but not without relevance
Certainly no masterpiece, but an important & relevant film-- Keaton is always worth watching, & the director does an excellent job of making discos & nightlife seem dreary & meaningless...
Nattvardsgästerna (1963)
Devastating, stunning minimalist cinema
Probably the most successful application of the minimalist aesthetic to film!
Såsom i en spegel (1961)
Possibly Bergman's most powerful film
Perfectly realized, devasting; the cinematography is incredible; one of the most tragically beautiful films I've ever seen