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Reviews
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Wow!...stunning, amazing, powerful.
It is by far the best film I'm seen in a long time. I spend the rest of the evening saying little more than, "Wow" over and over. It's an absolutely amazing film. It's rare that I applaud a particular actor for a stunning performance. Yet, Ellen Burstyn was fantastic. This film makes me think back at the films this year that I've seen and thought they were great. Now, they seem like such lifeless pale shadows. I can't say enough good things about it. See it, but not with your kids...unless they are teenagers, in which case, definitely make sure they watch it. I habitually avoid sad or depressing films. I figure life is sad enough as it so why wallow in it? Oddly, even though this movie is almost nothing happy about it, I recommend it to everyone. It is a powerful film. The music, visual affects, acting, dialogue, and story all come together in a beautiful, stunning, moving, and compelling arrangement that is more than a message, it is ART. 10/10
The Haunted Mansion (2003)
oh the (commercial) horror!
Up front: I didn't like this movie. I expected to not like it based on the reviews I'd read. I liked it even less than I expected upon seeing it. What I liked least: During that movie I kept thinking, "This is set up perfectly for Disney to make a theme ride at Disneyland." I felt like the movie was one big commercial that I PAYED to watch. It wasn't till after the movie that I found out that Disney already has a Haunted Mansion ride. Ugh. However, I laughed at some of the jokes and enjoyed some of the affects, but not much.
Feardotcom (2002)
simple change would have improved it 100%
Bad film. Not even worth renting. It could have been so much better. The main problem is that the plot was sooooo bad that none of the film could hold together. In the film people would view a web site and then die in 48 hours. Why? For no apparent reason! Not even a hint was given for why this was happening! This film is a house that was build without any nails, glue, or even a single stitch of scotch tape! Once the producers let is go for us to view it simply fell apart!
All they had to do is explain that the mad scientist was a psychiatrist that was studying how flashing images induce seizures and he discovered a way to unlock that part of your mind that holds your deepest fears...
See! All of sudden the film holds together and instead of 2/10 it could have been a 4/10.
Shadow Play (1986)
unexpected surprise
I had no expectations when I saw this film. I knew absolutely nothing about it. The theater didn't even have a poster and none of the staff had seen it. The opening scene shows a dark, windswept lighthouse. I thought, "oh no. probably a stupid, low budget, horror film." On the contrary this is an intelligent and thoughtful film. There is poetry read during the film that mirrors much of the action. I judge a film by how long it sticks with me afterward. This film has stayed in my head a very long time.