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Reviews
Vampires (1998)
This film is rank, it smells unto heaven.
James Woods character hates vampires, he hunts them down and kills them. The head vampire, a former priest, kills Woods' vampire killing crew during the midst of their whore-fest. Woods takes a vampire hostage, and eventually kills all of the vampires in a fashion that is more painful to the bored viewer than to his victims.What did society do to John Carpenter that he would make a movie such as vampires. It seems as if the film were made only to draw an R-rating and provide two hours traffic on the screen. If you want to see James Woods walk for two hours, rent this movie. Carpenter attempts to use monotony for suspense and it just doesn't work. Of the film's 107 minutes, at least 90 of those minutes are used to show this study of Woods' slow gait, with a twangy guitar accompaniment. Sometimes other people walk with Woods' but he is usually alone. The guitar, oh, the guitar, Carpenter uses it like a blunt object, over and over to Woods, walking. Seriously the film could have been edited to about 15 minutes without losing so much as an iota of storyline. I hate this film deeply, and with a passion.
Le lac des morts vivants (1981)
Willing suspension of disbelief
Zombie Lake, as it is also titled, may well have one of the shakiest plots ever filmed. It has been said that King Lear can be told as a fairy tale, so too can Zombie Lake be told as the rantings of an idiot. Like poker bidding, it continues to raise the level of foolishness. It makes one curious to the writers basis for the story. Maybe this: 1. There's a lake in France. believeable so far 2. World War II happened, many Nazis died, and some were put in this lake WWII happened - yes; Nazis were killed - yes; Some wound up in a lake - well they had to put them somewhere didn't they; 3. 30 years later, they wake up and leave the lake ;zombies are common enough in film, OK, I buy that; 4. These Nazis walking at a snail's pace, are able to catch and kill the entire town, including an incredibly fit and attractive women's soccer team ;OK Mr. Director, you've lost me now, your monsters move at about six hours per mile and yet can catch 20-year-old girls in great shape. You couldn't have them go after the elderly or people who are perhaps bedridden or without legs, because really, that's really what the Nazis would be best at. Continents move faster than these Nazis. These zombies are relatively slow when compared to other dead people. Yet in your film you show them catching a whole town off guard. Shame on you and a pox on your kin for producing such a film that should truly only be watched as punishment for serious crimes.
Start the Revolution Without Me (1970)
Quiet Slapstick comedy
Start the Revolution Without me is a brilliant comedy that many people just don't have the patience or the attention span for. Many of the jokes are subtle and missed if one is not paying attention to every word. In the film's delivery room scene, a archetypical aristocrat and an overstated filthy peasant ask about the progress of their pregnant wives to which the attendant asks, "Which one's the Duke?" The film thrives on awkward moments and double-entendre. It relies on the viewer to complete much of the humor on their own, and thus is not for the masses which need to be hit on the head with their entertainment. The film does rely heavily on understated sexual themes and much of the humor would be lost on children. Start the Revolution Without Me is a work which fits into the prime of its two stars, Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland. Wilder, coming in the period of masterpieces such as The Producers and Willy Wonka. Sutherland, showing a range, playing characters in the film as different from M.A.S.H's Hawkeye Pierce as can be done. The film is funny if you sit down and watch it, start to finish. It takes time to catch many of its subtleties and double-jokes. It may well be a perfect rainy day comedy.
Casablanca (1942)
Perhaps the Most Powerful scene ever
Casablanca is a film which must be seen in context. It was made in 1942 at the height of the war, and many of the film's actors are actual refugees. As for real heartfelt film emotion, I will take the scene with the dueling anthems of Germany and France against any other. The scene captures the humanity of hope and pride. It is a symbol of the never say die attitude which would help to win the war (which in '42 was very much in question). The scene is among the greatest artistic achievements of the 20th century.