Poochie Reviews

Quiet Fire (1991 Video)

A bad, bad film

[2/10 · 22 September 2000]

"Quiet Fire" has very little going for it except unintended laughs. And there are quiet a few of them. Bad, bad acting, terrible writing and direction. This film has the look of a cheap TV movie. Karen Black (as usual) rises above the rest and actually gives a performance with at least some sort of characterization. It was actually kind of startling when she first appeared on screen because I had been sort of dulled into this state of catatonia by the amateurish acting of the rest of the cast...

The evil, crooked Senate hopeful referred to in the previous comment as a "Ted Turner look-a-like" use the term "kapeesh" a lot - and is referred to as sexy, with "great hair". Judge for yourself. Hmmm....

Certain Fury (1985)

Awful Good

[3/10 · 24 May 2000]

Badly acted, written, and directed, Certain Fury provides a fair amount of unintentional laughs. Tatum is the 'bad' girl, Irene the 'good' girl gone bad. One of the funniest scenes had Tatum spitting in Peter Fonda's face. He responds by slashing her face (in unconvincing close-up) with his nail file. When she falls to the ground screaming, he blurts out to his hench-men, "Get this bleeding bitch off my boat!" If you like 'good bad films' then this one is for you. If you prefer quality...well then you've been warned.

Chicago Cab (1997)

Pointless and DULL

[2/10 · 26 February 2000]

A day in the life of a dimwitted cab driver sometime around Christmas: The cab driver picks up a fare...they have a 'really insightful' interlude...he drops off the fare...he picks up another fare...another interlude...and so it goes on like this for 90 friggin' minutes...none of it convincing (or interesting) for even one minute...SKIP IT!

Men (1997)

Amusing

[7/10 · 10 August 1999]

Amusing and well written up until about the last ten minutes of the film. Without revealing the plot, the Richard Hillman character isn't that believable and he does something pretty stupid toward the end of the story that changes the whole mood of the film. The Dylan Walsh character was just a bit too well scrubbed and attractive to be taken seriously as a hopeless alcoholic. Karen Black is pretty funny as a kooky blind lesbian.

My Neighbor's Daughter (1998)

Lame

[1/10 · 20 February 1999]

Also known as "Angel Blue" (it's released on video under that name-describing it as a "Latin Lolita" !) this was obviously made with the intention of a theatrical release. Instead it was shown on Lifetime Television minus the brief nudity and brief adult language. In any case it's lame even by TV movie standards. At one point Bottoms & Eichhorn go to his 25th high school class re-union and the music playing on the soundtrack is from the '50's (this is the late '90's so wouldn't the music be '70's? Or is music from the '50's the only music the evokes memories of high school?). Karen Black appears for about 4 minutes at the end of the film in extreme close-up as a cynical social worker. With the exception of Black, the acting is either overdone or underdone. Don't bother!

Airport 1975 (1974)

Awfully boring, yet entertaining somehow...

[6/10 · 3 January 1999]

True this movie isn't very good and it's kinda boring...I still get a high enjoyment level out of it for all the unintended laughs - of which there are many. And how can you go wrong with Karen Black in control of a plane filled with these stars? I think this installment of the "Airport" series is the best and funniest. You might need to keep your remote handy though (for fast forwarding, rewinding or freeze-framing...watch Karen wiggle her tongue when they lower Charlton Heston into the plane mid-air!)

Movie Movie (1978)

Fantastic

[10/10 · 2 January 1999]

I know when I saw this film in'78 the first story was in black and white and then the second story in color. It's been showing on cable where it's color straight through. So for you purists out there, you should turn your color down on your TV when you watch the first story with Harry Hamlin if you want to see the film the way it was intended. This movie is a great time. Hilarious and clever!!!

This World, Then the Fireworks (1997)

Uhm...I liked the music and the cosutumes..and Rue Mc Clanahan

[1/10 · 30 December 1998]

I haven't seen a movie this dreadful in a while. I was drawn to it because I like Gina Gershon, but that wasn't enough to keep me interested. Each performance was exceptionally awful except for Rue Mc Clanahan who breathed a breath of life into each brief scene she appeared in. Sheryl Lee should kill whoever made up her face in this film. In fact everyone was photographed so unflatteringly. The opening credits were kinda cool. Then the rest of the film happened. Bleecchh!!!

The Big Hit (1998)

The Big Hit bites!

[1/10 · 27 December 1998]

This movie sucks big time! It's not funny or interesting. I turned it off mid-way and I normally will sit through almost anything. At least we get to see Antonio Sabato, Jr. nude from behind. But he's hardly even in the film. ZZZZZZZZ.

Celebrity (1998)

Ho-Hum

[3/10 · 27 December 1998]

Very familiar territory revisited here...I kept thinking of Laraine Newman in 'Stardust Memories' saying "I've seen it all before. They try to document their private suffering and fob it off as art." It's well made but not very interesting (at all). The scene where Judy Davis is given oral sex lessons from Bebe Neuwirth was particularly un-funny. I normally love Woody Allen films but I could not/would not recommend this one.

Airport 1975 (1974)

Ya gotta love it

[6/10 · 27 December 1998]

I love 70's disaster films. I love movies that are unintentionally funny. I love bad acting and shoddy production values. I love Karen Black. Throw in a lil' Linda Blair, Beverly Garland, Myrna Loy, Helen Reddy, Jerry Stiller, and a host of other "fine" actors and ya got this laugh-fest. Nuff said.

The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966)

uhm...it's really good

[5/10 · 27 December 1998]

Sorta fun and at the same time sorta boring. I find myself inexplicably drawn to it. Nancy Sinatra sings "Geronimo". A somewhat pleasant time filler you can talk through.

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)

Uhm, OK!

[9/10 · 26 December 1998]

This movie caught me totally off-guard as I went into it thinking "well...maybe it'll be alright." But I laughed my ass off. It made me a lifelong fan of Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino. The interpretive dance number is a classic! See it! Hee-larious!

A Christmas Story (1983)

A Christmas favorite

[8/10 · 26 December 1998]

This one has worked its way into our regular Christmas repertoire. Hilarious and sweet...we watched this Christmas Day 1998 again and when Ralphie gets his bb gun at the end it brought a lil' tear to my eye. Peter Billingsly is so great it's a wonder that his resume isn't fuller...

Norma Rae (1979)

Transplendant

[10/10 · 11 December 1998]

You know...looking over Sally's credits...well they're a lil' spotty. She followed up Norma Rae with Beyond The Poseidon Adventure, Smokey & The Bandit 2 & Backroads. But when she's good she totally rocks. I loves me some Sally Field! I cry every time I watch this movie. The end where she says, "I think you like me" just gets me every time.

3 Women (1977)

Oh My

[10/10 · 4 December 1998]

I love this movie. Its plot is impossible to capsulize but it's effen brilliant. Shelley Duvall is amazing. Sissy Spacek too. Wow. Watch this over and over. I'm serious.

Nashville (1975)

Perfect

[10/10 · 4 December 1998]

I LOVE this movie. How can you go wrong with Karen Black, Shelley Duvall & Gwen Welles all in one film????

Zapped Again! (1990 Video)

Dreadful

[1/10 · 29 November 1998]

While watching this on videotape with a friend (after quite a few highballs - you'll need 'em to enjoy this) my friend quipped of the scene with Karen Black "Looks like they told her to just do whatever she wants with the part" - It's pretty painful stuff.

Mirror Mirror (I) (1990)

Karen Black Steals The Show As Usual

[7/10 · 29 November 1998]

Pretty funny little horror movie...better than one might expect. Karen steals it in a variety of different wigs as the wacky mother of Rainbow Harvest who's the new girl in school, tormented by her classmates because she dresses "punk". Kind of a cross between "Carrie" and "Heathers".

Crimes of the Heart (1986)

sweet, without being all warm and glowy

[9/10 · 29 November 1998]

I've seen this film a few times. The first time I thought I'd have a hard time believing the 3 actresses as sisters because they didn't look alike. But as the film got rolling I didn't even think about it...it seemed natural that they were sisters. All 3 leads are great but Tess Harper is hilarious!

Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982)

Excellent - Wonderful - Fabulous

[10/10 · 29 November 1998]

I LOVE THIS MOVIE. Every actor is perfect. Karen Black totally rules, though. There isn't a thing about this film I would change. I watch it over and over and never tire of it. It's like an old friend.

Showgirls (1995)

HEE-LARIOUS

[9/10 · 25 November 1998]

If ever I am in a bad mood this movie can lift me up because it's so damn funny - AWFULLY good. It ranks right up there with some of my favorite bad movies such as "Chained Heat" "The Lonely Lady" or "Big Bad Mama". I own a copy that I lend out to friends all the time. Elizabeth Berkley rocks! I never get tired of watching this film.

Chained Heat (1983)

Damned Funny!!

[7/10 · 25 November 1998]

Another one for the "Unintentionally Funny" file. The boom mike is a co-star, appearing in almost every scene, along with Linda Blair, Sybil Danning, Stella Stevens, Tamara Dobson, Louise Moritz, Edy Williams, Nita Talbot & John Vernon. There are too many hee-larious scene to mention here. If you have not seen this, and enjoy cheap shoddy filmmaking with loads of bad acting and grade Z production values then this one is for you, kids!!! Watch for Linda Blair's rip-away bra!!

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)

Wonderful!

[10/10 · 25 November 1998]

This is one of those films that I can watch over and over and never tire of. One of my favorites. Funny and touching. Ellen Burstyn rocks. So does Alfred Lutter. (What ever happened to him?)

The Day of the Locust (1975)

Amazing!

[10/10 · 7 November 1998]

This film is EXCELLENT! I've seen it many times over and it always fascinates! Karen Black rules! This is one of her best performances!