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dctrevil
Reviews
Higher Learning (1995)
Contrived (spoilers, if that's possible in this case!)
The word "contrived" will forever have new meaning for me after this movie. Seriously, every time I hear the word, I think of Higher Learning. Several have beat me to saying what I wanted to say about it, in fact said it better than I could have; but there are some out there who claim that I "missed the point" and that this movie "makes you think". First of all, I clearly saw the (supposed)point...then I saw it get stomped on by the filmmakers. Second, I was already thinking BEFORE I saw this movie, which assumes its entire audience needs a mental makeover. The use of score has never been more annoying. During a few of the skinhead scenes, you hear a low minor chord in the background, as if to repeatedly tell you--"these are the bad guys." Even worse, the rape scene with the Tori Amos song which kept getting louder. Music can obviously be put to brilliant use in film, but in this case more than any other, WE DON'T NEED IT TO TELL US HOW TO FEEL ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING!" Two friends and I burst into laughter at the "unlearn"/American flag ending, which again and further, assumes that I take racism for granted and that I need to be spoonfed a new way of thinking. The only thing that I liked, other than a few laughs, was the presence of Tyra Banks. It was almost depressing to see such a good actor as Omar Epps wasted in this...I mean, I cared a lot more about his character in Scream 2 (which was comparably a better film, but then, so was Amazon Women in the Avacado Jungle of Death)!
Scream Blacula Scream (1973)
A guilty pleasure
I thoroughly disagree with a previous reviewer. This movie is a lot of fun! Anyone who loves Pam Grier as much as I do must see it, even as she is definitely not the "action hero" here. She looks particularly sexy in a sweaty ceremony scene. Unbelievable dialogue highlights this film; like when Blacula makes a new convert and the guy realizes he has no reflection in the mirror and says, "Hey man, I don't mind bein' a vampire and all that sh**, but a man has got to see his face!" I was halfway through this movie before remembering William Marshall (Blacula) from Pee Wee's Playhouse as the Cartoon King ("Let the cartoon...BEGIN!") Anyway, if you've seen this film's title and you're familiar with Pam's early work, you know what you're in for. Have fun with it!