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Skaiton
Reviews
Silent Hill (2006)
Excellent Film! Avery and Gans Deserve Oscars
First off, this is the first true video game-to-movie adaptation that deserves the term 'film'. Christophe Gans and Roger Avery have crafted an articulate piece of art that is at once disarming, intelligent, and frightening. This film demands repeat viewings if only to fully understand the multi-layered narratives at work throughout the dialogue and action. I've seen this movie twice in a day and, to be completely honest, I was unimpressed upon the first viewing. After several hours of thought I saw the film again and it was a totally different experience. From Dahlia's dialogues early in the film to the melancholic ending reminiscent of the Japanese film 'Kairo' and the Toni Morrison novel 'Beloved', Avery and Gans show that they are not afraid of subverting the audiences's expectations and delivering a startlingly original finale. Many nay-sayers will claim that the film does not follow the continuity of the game (Dahlia as blameless bystander, inclusion of Cristabella, changing the doctrine of the cult) but the game's narrative of Samael and the rebirth of 'God' could be read into the underlying subtext of the film. It is quite possible that 'Dark Alessa/The Reaper' is in fact Samael, or the part of Alessa that, like in the game, embraces the feelings of depression, abandonment, and loss. Special attention should be paid to Jodelle Ferland's performance. Although flat and (dare-I-say) stereotypical within the initial fifteen minutes of the film, she shines with radiant malevolence as Dark Alessa. Radha Mitchell and Lurie Holden are also deserving of praise for bringing a sense of reality to a thoroughly alien landscape. In closing, this is a film that demands a certain amount of thought from the audience. This is a film that exists on many metaphysical layers of meaning which is not quite standard fare for the typical moviegoer. Kudos to the cast and crew, hopefully there will be a sequel in the near future (the story of Christopher going to Silent Hill in search of Rose?).
Katakuri-ke no kôfuku (2001)
Profoundly Moving, Oddly Hypnotic
Takashi Miike's remake of "The Quiet Family" is a humorous, insanely happy
example of Japanese family dynamics. Miike succeeds in crafting a film which pulls the viewer into a true relationship with the characters, from the chronically depressed father, to the perky, squeeky-clean mother, their subtly slutty
daughter and punk son, and finally the crotchety old grandfather. Personally I have never watched a film in which relationships are made so imperceptibly.
The Katakuri family bonds through the film so thoughtfully and naturally that by the end the audience is so enamoured and captivated by their lives it is
impossible not to cheer. Even the con-man Richard Segawa, a character who
could have easily become the antagonist in the film, is a hilarious and ultimately human part of the film's narrative. "Happiness of the Katakuris" comes across as a heartfelt ode to the Japanese tradition of "New Years" movies - i.e. feel-good family entertainment. Quite possibly Miike's greatest film.
Godzilla 1985 (1985)
An Underrated Classic
Godzilla 1984 stands out as one of the best and most politically imbued Godzilla films ever made and deserves more credit for what it accomplished. Godzilla
1984 single-handedly revitalized the Godzilla franchise into the machine it is today and ushered in a new concept for what the monster could be; gone are
the kiddie children and the super-robots, the monster melees and monster
dancing - here is a return to what Godzilla truly is: and unstoppable force of nature. The original Japanese version is far superior to the butchered American cut and their political agenda is far more subtle than the American's tactless editing of the Russian nuclear launch sequence. Fans would do well to view
the original as it retains the history and dignity of the first Godzilla film.
Day of the Dead (1985)
Not All That it Could Have Been...
George A. Romero's final 'zombie trilogy' installment is a fitting end to the series although marred by the ghosts of what could have been. The nihilism of the first film returns in the final version although mitigated by a 'happy ending' for those who cannot handle the characters' situation at the end, they could not have
possibly escaped from the camp yet...gasp! It was all a dream! Romero should have stuck to his guns and retained the fatalistic ending alluded to throughout the film (chopper is out of gas, the mob of zombies waiting for them outside). The plot is firm, the acting is fine in the context of the film as nearly every military officer gives an over-the-top performance that perfectly matches the hypocritical view of 'dumb soldiers' common at the time. The ending is neither here nor
there as the final movie caps off all that Romero's trilogy is, three good horror movies with a dash of social and political criticism that bites just as deeply as a zombie's maw.
Rutland, USA (2002)
The Bottom of the Barrel
"Rutland USA" may not be the single worst movie ever made, but it certainly comes close. Amateur films I can handle, even come to enjoy, but this film was so boring, so witless, so eager to delve into its own paradoxically abysmal plot that I was disgusted from the start. The "acting" (if one can call it that) is suited for a sixth-grade play, the music seemingly composed by a two-year old on an electric guitar, and the plot epitomizes the height of low-grade excretions found in so many made-for-home video fare. The movie is not a total loss, however, as there are still funny scenes and characters that make one laugh even as they grimace at the dialogue and hammy delivery. The Detective is possibly the only palatable element of the entire film, although even his stuttering dodgey abilities cannot save this from the K-Mart bargain bin.
Zombi 2 (1979)
An oldie but a goodie
"Zombie 2" ("We are going to eat you!") is perhaps one of the most watchable of Lucio Fulci's films. While the plot and acting are in no way up to the "high" standards of "The Beyond", "Zombie" still musters enough oblique camera angles and putrid zombie action to appease most Italian horror fans. The dubbing is slightly off at times but can be excused as there is no other film which revels in its excess quite like "Zombie". From eye-piercing to throat lacerations to bashed in skulls, "Zombie delivers what a true Italian zombie film should, blood and gore mingled with a cheap plot, good FX, nudity and a eclectic international cast.