Change Your Image
gloovins
Reviews
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
This film goes to 11
Truly classic rock 'n roll "mockumentary" on a fake UK band that are on tour supposedly in the fall of 1982 and are followed around by Marti DeBergi (Rob Reiner) to capture some of the most funny, sardonic, wet/dry (all improv-ed thru "scene sketches" by the way) comedy Americans, I think, have ever created regarding British bands. An insiders movie -- like "The Player" by Robert Altman -- if you don't like, er, "get", the music industry (especially its vapid nature of heavy metal in the 1980's) then I STILL think this is funny for all. Anyone always finds at least ONE thing/sketch in this film funny.
And to think this -- with NO SCRIPT! The actors were and are the writers. That's what makes this film. Their sheer ability to improv with great cliché & faux, yes, British accents and all. Blimey! -- spot-on mate! Guest as Nigel Tufnel and Mike McKean and Harry Shearer's chemistry is amazing and graceful to watch. In this authors opinion: Spinal Tap is the American version of Monty Python -- sorta. This is subject to debate, I know...but I digress.
DVD version contains great Rare outtakes too...Bruno Kirby's limo-driver character's "corruption" fm the DVD edition is worth it alone- trust me!!
Definite movie to see...a 10, er, 11 -- if they had it..;)
I Woke Up Early the Day I Died (1998)
An ensemble of-a-train-wreck o' movie...that I liked!!
OK, so I know of this movie because of a friend of mine's in it and I actually visited the set when they were filming, so from a personal stand-point, I was intrigued to finally view this obscure little gem. If you dig at all on info regarding this movie, you'll find it's mired in legal troubles (even over 7 years after being filmed) so, if you are at all like me -- then you'll do whatever it takes to obtain a copy. My source? Ebay. About $15 but I felt ripped because when I got it today in the mail, it was a very rough, grainy copy of a "SCREENER ONLY" release, complete with annoying top mini time-code but alas, I could still enjoy it but not as much as if I had a proper copy, something I suggest you obtain if you want the full impact this film may or may not have on you. From what I have gleaned, it's been released on DVD in Germany & now Spain. With that, good luck & happy searching/bidding...;). The score/sndtrk is worth it alone. Very eclectic and varied (somethinbg rare these days IMHO in film) -- I think that will be my next sndtrk/score to locate, but I digress...
Now, onto the review. The film opens as Billy Zane's character is injecting a nurse in the mental ward he is apparently locked up in. He steals her clothes (even shoes) and quickly moves into a series of holding up a bank/loan shop but after escaping with the loot, well, I guess this is where the "plot" begins -- he inadvertently looses it. After perpetrating several campy over-the-top crimes & dalliances to various A to C-list celebs to locate the money, he finds himself somehow in a cemetery where a funeral -- I think for the dead guy he shoots in the loan office/bank, and -- even with 1950's police cars and cops looking all over for him steadily throughout -- he never gets seen or nabbed. (He sees daily newspapers reporting his "crimes") This I liked, because it gave the thin plot an extension. After all, it's a MOVIE (see: fiction) & director Iris Iliopulos does what I think is everything possible to 1) Bring Wood's vision to fruition and 2) Give it an updated feel, yet have shots of authentic 50's police cars intertwined with, ahh, local L.A..99$ stores -- so well hence my 9 rating. If the period and props were authentic -- I would have given it a 10. Now it wraps it self up kinda weird and I won't spoil it for anyone but let's just say the final ending is somewhat disappointing for it, to me, it had promise, action and comedy -- all up till the end, so...with ALL that said --locate a copy at your own discretion.
Just realize that, as there is no dialouge (except for some narration and singing) this may be up your alley -- maybe not-- but I definitely think it's worth a watch. The actors all do fine performances and it's only the inconsistency in proper period pieces that really made me long for just that correction -- then I would say by all means check this film out for it's not like anything these studios put out these days (or will in the future, too) I am sure.
Lorna (1964)
Lorna, a lonely housewife, is left to stay at home Well, this changes after an escaped con finds her alone in the back woods...
Meyer is at his beginning's of film-making (esp for what was to come) when Lorna came out. An earlier commentator remarked it has a very (since it's shot in B&W) film noir quality to it. I agree but it's more like American film noir say -- for the bold rape scenes are over the top. However, if gritty fiction with this type of scenes depicted you like, this movie may be for you -- it's that '60's camp feel that really doesn't let most viewers take it too seriously, I think. An 8 was fair because anything Meyer does I am partial to because of his unique style, independent spirit and sense of creating something different in a time when people were jailed, or at least critically blasted as "pornographers". Meyer was not this though. He was always more interested in telling a coherent, fast-paced story & filming what was going on above the waist -- but spicing it up with (real) buxom women who mostly held the "power" over men (esp in later Meyer films) was his real signature style that will hold Meyer up as the best B-grade movie maker of all time. KING LEER - R.I.P. in that big bosom in the sky!
White Boy (2002)
A low time drug dealing grifter gets caught up in too much in LA
I saw this movie because I know the lead actor and he is not bad at all. There are real highpoints in his performance, well, he's not the greatest actor of all time but there are similarities to Rebel Without a Cause - father/son conflict here & there you'll see. A previous comment I believe warrants this retort. Johnny? He could care less, he is always working and will continue to. The commenter who said avoid this film was whacked for it is way better than the crap they actually distribute to theaters these days for sure. Well all I can say now is rent this flick, it doesn't fail you, it holds up very well -- but its gritty & realistic so be prepared. Also, don't look upon Whiteboy as a studio movie just because Artisan now owns it. It defines what a low-budget indie is all about. Finally, it was retitled "Menace" AFTER Artisan bought it, yet Green & Lohman are above the title. Artisan was obviously trying to go for a different demo.