Change Your Image
BrianSF
Reviews
Elephant (2003)
DVD viewing
I waited for this to come out on DVD and it seems that Mr Van Sant and the writer(s) were sleeping when they worked on this project. It appears that the final product is the first draft of the script - - all of the opportunities to do some character exploration were ignored; the camera views are boring and the climactic scenes are hardly climactic. I, also, thought it was gratuitous to put the shower kissing scene in the film. My guess is that Mr. Van Sant may have heard a rumor that the original killer boys were gay companions (I have no idea whether the gay rumor is true or not) and he was merely creating a film replica of that gruesome day. Well, since he wasn't in the shower with them (except in his mind) I don't see any dramatic purpose for including that scene in this film. This movie gets a thumbs down.
Serial Killing 4 Dummys (2004)
Twisted fun
This movie was surpisingly great....a satire on slashers, school, young love, and right livelihood. Casey Noland sets out to be a killer but ends up a hero. He attempts to defy as many of society's conventions as possible but his inner goodness brings him to a place of true redemption and the possibilities of a good and wonderful future. I really enjoyed this film..not expecting very much starting out but it grows on you with each frame. The director and writer (same) has a true wit and seems to have a removed view of society's conventions; allowing her to create this kind of twisted, unconventional but truly fun piece of off kilter reality slash movie.