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Reviews
Behind the Green Door (1972)
Outstanding film
I say outstanding film, not outstanding porn film, to describe this film that is not only good for its genre, but great as a film, period. Marilyn Chambers plays Gloria, a young woman who refrains from speaking for the entire duration of the film, but is a complex character through Chambers' brilliant use of facial expressions and body language to express character. The plot deals with Gloria being "kidnapped" from the hotel she's staying at and taken to a seedy sex club, where she is "relished" and is then forced to perform sex acts, where she is "loved as never before". This is by far the most artistic porn film I've ever seen, with an almost ten-minute slow motion "cum" shot that uses different angles and backgrounds to make a quite "trippy" viewing experience. Pro football player Ben Davidson has an amusing non-sex cameo as an intimidating bouncer. Best musical score, cinematography, writing, and acting ever seen in a porn film.
A Mighty Wind (2003)
Not as good as "Best in Show" or "Waiting for Guffman", but still impressive
Christopher Guest's "A Mighty Wind", done in the same documentary-style of his previous films "Waiting for Guffman" and "Best in Show" is not as funny, as well-acted, or as interesting as his previous efforts, but is nevertheless a mostly well-done and realistic portrait of the folk scene. "A Mighty Wind" documents three different groups: The New Main Street Singers, whose members include John Michael Higgins, Jane Lynch, and Parker Posey, and who make a living by performing at amusement parks. The Folksmen, a group from the 60's, whose members are "This is Spinal Tap" alumni Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer (making his first appearance in a Christopher Guest-directed film). Mitch and Mickey (Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara), were known for a song called "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow", which includes one of the most famous kisses in music history). Their group broke up after Mitch had a breakdown and was in and out of mental institutions. All three groups are going to a musical reunion held by the son of a late record producer, who promoted all three bands.
Up into the big show, "A Mighty Wind" is slow-moving, uncomfortable, and a hell of a lot less interesting than his previous efforts. The show, however, is a big wow, as the actors sing very well, and make people who always cringed at folk music (like me) actually get wowed! Besides the music being of quality, it is quite surprising how much emotion can be evoked my fictional musical characters. I can't put this up with "Waiting for Guffman" or "Best in Show", but this is still a lot better than the other mockumentary about the music industry, the overrated "This is Spinal Tap". 8/10
Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
One of the best films of 2002
Paul Thomas Anderson's "Punch-Drunk Love" is a bizarre, interesting, extraordinarily filmed story of a shy businessman named Barry Egan (Adam Sandler) who collects pudding coupons to collect frequent flier miles. One night he calls up a phone sex line, and it ends up being a scam. While faced with four blonde, violent brothers who are there to collect money, Barry also has a romance with a mysterious woman named Lena Leonard (Emily Watson). Although the film has too many inner meanings for the average viewer, the intelligent and observant will very probably find this movie fascinating and brilliant. Sandler controls himself and gives a beautiful, Oscar-worthy performance, as does Watson. Recommended to fans of P.T. Anderson ("Hard Eight, "Boogie Nights", and "Magnolia"), although I'm not sure I can recommend it to Sandler fans. 10/10
P.S.: I just got the DVD yesterday. Please check it out if you're interested in the film. It is awesome!
Best in Show (2000)
Comic genius
As with Christopher Guest's previous film, "Waiting for Guffman", "Best in Show" is blessed with the gift of comedic genius. Filled with mainly the same cast as "Guffman", "Best in Show" tells of the quirky characters who participate in the dog show circuit and of their different dogs. The film basically follows, documentary-style, five different groups of people before one of American's oldest dog shows, during the show, and six months after the show. There is a mismatched couple, the elderly Leslie Ward Cabot (Patrick Cranshaw) and his 30-something trophy wife Sherri Ann (Jennifer Coolidge), who go to the show along with their trainer, Christy Cummings (Jane Lynch), a dominatrix-dressed lesbian. There are two married yuppies, (Michael Hitchcock and Parker Posey), who are obsessed with their dog Beatrice, and treat her as if she is their daughter. There are a middle-aged couple (Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara), who are happily married, but throughout the film, they constantly meet into guys she's been with before, and he has to tortorusly hear all of her sexual activities from the past. There is a gay couple (Michael McKean and John Michael Higgins), who are very proud of their two Shih Tzus, and my personal favorite, Harlan Pepper (Christopher Guest), a rambling Southerner who travels with only his Beagle and a ventriloquest doll named Lil' Buddy. One of the funneist characters, however, is Fred Willard's Buck Laughin, a portrait of comedic genius. Willard's whole role was filmed in about one day, but his improv is perfect as a confused announcer, who knows nothing about dog shows. Although I don't think "Best in Show" is as funny as Guest's "Waiting for Guffman", it is still a comic gem with some great performances, some great one-liners, and a very realistic documentary feel. 9/10
Waiting for Guffman (1996)
One of the funniest movies of all time!
"Waiting for Guffman", a film directed by "This is Spinal Tap" co-writer and lead guitarist Christopher Guest and co-written by Guest and SCTV alumni Eugene Levy (who also have hilarous lead roles) is a comedy in the best sense of the word. Although I think "This is Spinal Tap" is highly overrated, I think this film gets everything right. The humor is subtle, yet approachable at the same time. Christopher Guest plays Corky St. Clair, a "supposedly" heterosexual writer-director-actor of plays, although the believability of him having a wife named Bonnie is highly in question. Corky is from New York, but is now living in the small town of Blaine, Missouri, where they are having their 150'th anniversary. Corky is called on to put on a play to commerate the anniversary, and he recruits some of the eccentric citizens of the town to participate in the production. Some of those citizens include the local dentist, Dr. Allen Pearl (Eugene Levy), Ron and Sheila Albertson (Fred Willard and Catherine O'Hara), who are travel agents, but have never left Blaine, except for one time because of a "medical condition", and Libby Mae Brown (Parker Posey), a girl that works at Diary Queen, who always seems to be sleepwalking.
At first these actors seem very untalented, but throughout the film, we're very convinced that these people honestly try and have a passion for the theatre, and by the end, when we see the real production, the audience can definitely see an improvement. Done very realistically, documentary style (like "Spinal Tap"), "Waiting for Guffman" boasts a cast that also includes Guest regulars Bob Balaban, Michael Hitchcock, and Larry Miller. Guest is truly one of the better directors around today, and although he is not very well-known to the mainstream public, I think he is one of the biggest comedic geniuses working today (both in front of and behind the camera). Eugene Levy, seen in both good and bad movies, is also one of the funniest people in film, as is the improv talented Fred Willard, whose humor is by far the most subtle in the film. Catherine O'Hara and Parker Posey are also great, as always. If you liked "Best in Show" and "A Mighty Wind", you'll surely like "Waiting for Guffman", which I think is the best of the three. I can't say the same for "This is Spinal Tap" because I disliked that, but I love these three. Guest is by far a better director than Rob Reiner, whose biggest problem is he always ends up selling out in his films. Who knows how much better "Spinal Tap" could have been if Christopher Guest would have had directorial control.
Canadian Bacon (1995)
A good satire piece
Michael Moore's non-documentary political satire "Canadian Bacon" is the story of an unpopular president, who hopes to raise his numbers in the polls by declaring a cold war on Canada. An idea that sounds over-the-top is indeed portrayed humorously, but amazingly not too far-fetchedly.
Many top actors appear, such as John Candy (in a role that could have been easily played by Moooe himself) as a New York police officer, Alan Alda (as the president), Rhea Perlman (as Candy's partner), Kevin Pollak (as the presidential aide), and Rip Torn (as a general). Moore himself appears as a protester. Although "Canadian Bacon" isn't nearly as good as any of Moore's documentaries, this film is a good political satire and stays true to his other films. At the end, everything is a little bit disappointing, for the brillance of the first half, but still an entertaining and recommendable film. 7/10
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Overrated
Rob Reiner's "This is Spinal Tap" is perhaps one of the most overrated films I've seen. Despite the talent of Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer, and the apperances of many actors who would appear in the great mockumentaries directed by Guest ("Waiting for Guffman", "Best in Show", and "A Mighty Wind"), this film is a bore most of the way through. Certain moments are of interest, such as when the rock group played by the three actors can't find their way to the stage and when one of the members is showing a stereo with 11 being the highest number. But this mockumentary is horrible when compared to the mockumentaries Christopher Guest would later make. The reason why this film to me is a failure is very simple: Rob Reiner. I haven't seen a film of his yet, where he doesn't sell out to Hollywood. Guest doesn't sell out and his film, and remains at top to the end. I really think this film could have been better if it would have been a Guest-directed film.
Wrong Turn (2003)
Surprisingly Good
"Wrong Turn", a horror thriller of how a group of people wander in the backwoods of West Virginia, and become involved with a group of mountainmen cannibals is surprisingly much better than it sounds. The plot may seem typical, but it's surprisingly well-done. It's suspenseful, interesting throughout, and well-acted. Not a great film by any means, but much better than expected. 8/10
About Schmidt (2002)
One of the most extraordinary films of the year
Alexander Payne's "About Schmidt" is a beautifully acted, marvelously photographed story of a 66-year old Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson), vice president of Woodman of the World, an insurance center in Omaha, Nebraska. After he retires, he faces another crossroad as his wife of many years dies. Then, with only his RV, he decides to rediscover himself along the way to his daughter's wedding. "About Schmidt" is filled with moments of sadness, irony, and the hardships of everyday life in America. "About Schmidt", although mainly a drama, has moments of laughter too. Many funny moments come from Schmidt's repressed life style when put to the test in contemporary society. Alexander Payne (who previously directed another extraordinary film, "Election") has a perfect way of telling a story that's sentimental, but not sappy, funny and sad, and real, but still worth watching. **** out of ****.
Holes (2003)
An amazing film
I was not looking forward to seeing "Holes" too much, but since I got free admission, I figured I'd see it anyway. I expected an annoying children's film, but what I found was an intelligent, intriguing, and magical film, with good performances, a well-written script, and great direction. I have never seen the award-winning book, the film is based on, but the story is very fascinating. It deals with a kid named Stanley Yelnats (Stanley is Yelnats spelled backwards), who is accused of stealing a pair of tennis shoes that belonged to a famous athlete, and in consequence is sentenced to spend time at a detention camp for 18 months, digging one hole a day. The camp is ran by the Warden (Sigourney Weaver), Mr. Sir (Jon Voight), and counselor Mr. Pendanski ( Tim Blake Nelson). The kids at the camp are an array of misfits and troublemakers, with nicknames like Armpit, X-Ray, and Magnet. There is a kid known as "Zero", who only talks to Stanley. One day when "Zero" runs away, Stanley runs after him, and later they find a secret to a curse that was put on Stanley's family over a century ago. Cut in between this story, is the story of 'Kissin' Kate' Barlow (Patricia Arquette), an outlaw, who left a kiss mark on all of her kissing victims. At first, it is unclear what this story has to do with the main plot, but it eventually becomes clear. "Holes" is great family entertainment, although the trailer makes it look like more of a film for younger kids, although I think older kids will appreciate it much more. "Holes" is filled with great acting (Shia LaBeouf as Stanley, especially), a well-written script, great direction (from Andrew Davis), and wonderful production design. I highly recommend "Holes" for the whole family.
Bowling for Columbine (2002)
Every United States citizen needs to see this film
Michael Moore's "Bowling for Columbine" is the ultimate important film for every American to see. It is a fascinating and brilliant documentary about why we have so many deaths due to gun violence. There are no answers to that question in this film, but perhaps it is our jobs as Americans to find the answers ourselves. Michael Moore, using a combination of comedy and tragedy to get his points across, is a very logical human being. He can very simply and truthfully tell us what our own problems are, and the viewer realizes how right he truly is. "Bowling for Columbine" includes very real assassintation footage and disturbing footage from the Columbine shootings. There are too many sad scenes in the film to pick out the saddest, though. Some that come to mind are a montage of footage of assassinated leaders, played to Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World", that ends in scenes from the World Trade Center bombing, a visit to a school where one 6-year old killed another, and of course the Columbine shootings themselves. There are also scenes of humor, such as when Michael Moore talks to the brother of the convicted Oklahoma City bomber and he is completely unfamiliar with Gandhi's non-violent approach. One of the most redeeming scenes in the movie is when Moore brings two students from Columbine, who have bullet wounds from the shooting to K-Mart headquarters and it persuades K-Mart to stop selling bullets at their stores. And there are scenes which make you realizes how much of a-holes some celebrities are,such as when Dick Clark has the door closed on Moore and Charlton Heston says that he didn't know about the Columbine shooting when he had an NRA pro-gun rally ten days after the shootings. And the amount of shootings in our country to other countries is probably one of the most surprising things of the film, considering that gun sales in Canada are just as high as in the States. I highly agree with Michael Moore, but even if you don't, this is still a remarkable film that needs to be seen.....by everybody. 10/10
Ghost Ship (2002)
Horrible film
Ghost Ship is a horrible film. There's nothing interesting in the whole movie, the whole opening scenario that the rest of the movie is based on is preposterous, while there is nothing remarkable about the acting, special effects, or storyline about a crew going down to an old ship and finding that the people really aren't dead, and....well you know the storyline. There is an especially laughable scene where fast rock music is playing during a scene from the past that made me really think that this movie couldn't suck any more. There are so many elements in this film that dont make sense, and there couldn't have been a worse ending. I highly recommend not seeing this movie! 0/10
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
A masterpiece
Wes Anderson's "The Royal Tenenbaums" is a masterpiece of a film. Although "Rushmore" is still my own personal favorite, "The Royal Tenenbaums" deals with a large cast of characters and a combination of comedy and pathos in a way which few other film could. The film starts out with a brilliant montage scored with an instrumental version of "Hey Jude", which tells the family's history. Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) abandons his family, which includes his wife Etheline (Anjelica Huston), who becomes an archeologist; and his three children: Chas, Richie, and "adopted daughter" Margot. Chas grows up to be a businessman played by Ben Stiller, Richie grows up to be a tennis champion played by Luke Wilson, and Margot grows up to be a depressed playwright, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, giving one of her finer performances to date. In the present day, Royal has been staying at a hotel for 20 years and is getting kicked out after now being short of cash. (Danny Glover). Margot is married to a quirky neurologist (Bill Murray)Etheline is proposed to by her accountant . Chas is still trying to get over the death of his wife. Richie, after having a meltdown during a match, travels on a yacht in the middle of the ocean. Royal, who hasn't talked to his wife in quite a while, visits her one day and tells her he's dying. The family becomes reunited and the film tells of a few month period in the life of this family. The acting is excellent, especially Gene Hackman and Luke Wilson. The use of music, as in Anderson's other films is perfect. The script is brilliant. And of course, Wes Anderson's direction is absolutely magnificent. I highly recommend "The Royal Tenenbaums". 10/10