Watching Willard is rather like torture. It's not a boring movie, and it's got good production value, but it sucks you into a downward spiral that lacks any sort of catharsis. We are introduced to the character of Willard and come to sympathize with him, as his sick mother and holier-than-thou boss constantly berate and belittle him. But it seems that as soon as Willard has our sympathies, the movie plunges into his descent, and we the viewer are left absolutely helpless, thinking, "No, Willard! Don't do that!" At one point in the movie, I actually had to pause the DVD and take a breather in order to continue. I can't even remember the last time I had to do that. The movie left me feeling anxious, angry, and depressed, but without catharsis. I personally didn't feel it had any underlying value to it, and I didn't gain any fresh insight into life while watching it. However, this isn't to say that the movie is completely worthless. Although it left me with severely negative feelings, the production design was quite good (I enjoyed how everything about Willard himself was anachronistic), the acting was likewise fine, the cinematography was also great, and it DID manage to produce a strong reaction in me, albeit not a positive one. So I just thought i would warn the IMDb community that while this movie itself is not bad, it's not enjoyable. In fact, I would go so far as to call it a masochistic experience. You've been warned.
Reviews
7 Reviews
Donkey Skin
(1970)
gorgeous!!
30 January 2005
To me, Donkey Skin (Peau d'Ane) is like Jean Cocteau reborn into the French New Wave(!). Gorgeous and stylized, it's a fairytale told with the cinematic magic we've come to expect from director Jacques Demy. This is a fairytale that adults will enjoy more than children, as it's full of dark humor. Ms. Deneuve is stunning as always, and the sassy fairy is also wonderful. Surreal and bizarre, Donkey Skin traps you into its world of bold colors, real-life french châteaux, living statues, and loads of fairy magic. But Demy doesn't seem content to let the viewer completely lose him/herself in the world he's created. The movie is full of self-references, something Demy had partly explored earlier with The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, but really let himself have fun with in Donkey Skin. For just when you come to believe the magic, Demy likes to remind you that this is just a movie. With only a smudge of dirt and an animal skin, the beautiful princess (Deneuve) is transformed on screen into the ugliest girl in the entire kingdom, so ugly that whenever she shares the screen with other characters, they all look on in horror. We still see a beautiful woman, under the dirt on her face and the donkey skin on her back, and we are reminded that this is only a movie-world. The helicopter is an amazing touch, and it made the movie for me. I won't say more, see it for yourself! (The reprint is currently making its rounds and is well worth it!)
Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman
(2000 Video)
the title says it all: pure enjoyable cheese
15 December 2000
Yes, it's truly bad direct-to-video cinema(?). And yes, it takes this with pride (as evident by that lovely cover and full title), like much of Troma's oeuvre. Cheesier and lamer than the original, my only complaint about the sequel is that its predecessor had better one-liners (I'm convinced Bruce Campbell would have been perfect for delivering those gems of screenwriting...). If the antifreeze bit in the original made you groan, wait until you see what Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman has in store!
Bless the Child
(2000)
dull, predictable
12 August 2000
It seems we've seen this movie before - part Sixth Sense and part God vs. the Devil flick (the latter being churned out at least twice a year by studios recently)...
What sets it apart? Not much, by my standards. The acting overall is standard fare, but good on the part of the young actress who plays the "child". The cinematography / scenery / art direction is often wonderful in this type of film (Ninth Gate, anyone?), but failed to win me over this time. The plot is so highly predictable and clichéd that my friend and I figured out the ending down to the minute details about 20 minutes from the end. On a good note, there's a darkly humourous scene involving a cop and a car. That's all I'll say...
Watch it if you must, but do yourself a favour and wait until it hits video stores - it's cheaper that way. Note to Ricci fans: don't let the trailers fool you - Christina only has a small role!
What sets it apart? Not much, by my standards. The acting overall is standard fare, but good on the part of the young actress who plays the "child". The cinematography / scenery / art direction is often wonderful in this type of film (Ninth Gate, anyone?), but failed to win me over this time. The plot is so highly predictable and clichéd that my friend and I figured out the ending down to the minute details about 20 minutes from the end. On a good note, there's a darkly humourous scene involving a cop and a car. That's all I'll say...
Watch it if you must, but do yourself a favour and wait until it hits video stores - it's cheaper that way. Note to Ricci fans: don't let the trailers fool you - Christina only has a small role!
The Astronaut's Wife
(1999)
unintentionally comical
13 February 2000
Having heard this was an awful film, I decided to rent it for a few laughs. In that respect, I wasn't disappointed. The plot simply lacks in a comical manner, there are a couple of humourous death scenes, and Theron, seemingly cast for her looks rather than acting ability, is laughable in the most suspenseful moments. Depp, normally a highly skilled actor, is far from the menacing role demanded to keep the suspense running. However, for those who say his acting has gone completely downhill since the mid-'90's, I highly suggest Sleepy Hollow, the breathtaking work of my personal favourite director Tim Burton. The only factors which [unfortunately?] prevent The Astronaut's Wife from becoming a complete laughfest like a campy old horror film are the cinematography and some suspenseful moments in the last few minutes of the film. The former is good, but not as wonderful as in the aforementioned Sleepy Hollow. The latter is broken up by bad acting and disappointment in the end after a large amount of fairly promising build-up. Near the finish, one suspects a profound Sixth Sense-esque revelation. What the viewer gets is an unfrightening, shallow end which leaves no thought-provoking questions in its sheer stupidity. Don't see this movie expecting a suspenseful thriller; if you do see it, watch it without a serious attitude. You may get a few laughs.
Bram Stoker's Dracula
(1992)
more of a tragic romance than a horror flick
13 February 2000
Dracula revels where The Crow went wrong. Both movies try to portray a tragic romance shattered by death. However, The Crow focuses more on killing and action sequences than the star-crossed lovers of the film. Dracula, however, engulfs the viewer in romance even through the film's ending action sequence. The acting is great, although Reeves could use some work on his faux British accent. All in all, this film is a well-done version of a classic gothic romance. I still don't know why this movie is shelved in the "horror" section of my local video store.
Plan 9 from Outer Space
(1957)
a veritable cult classic!
11 February 2000
Plan 9 is a must-see for fans of cheesy old sci-fi films. The plot lacks believability, scenes switch from day to night without warning, and yes, one can even see the string upon which a UFO is hung! The only value to this film is that of comedy; even so, it's a wonderful laugh and a movie I whole-heartedly recommend.
The movie, of course is the most [in]famous work by the great cult director Edward D. Wood Jr. "Grave robbers from outer space" have failed in their first eight plans to take over Earth, and move to plan nine: resurrecting the dead of the planet for doing the dirty work. People begin noticing strange happenings in a California cemetery, and the police are sent to investigate. Strange flying objects are seen overhead. In the meantime, the aliens have managed to revive the corpses of three people for their plan. A suspicious local pilot, the military and the police must uncover the horrific plan of the aliens and stop them before it's too late.
The movie, of course is the most [in]famous work by the great cult director Edward D. Wood Jr. "Grave robbers from outer space" have failed in their first eight plans to take over Earth, and move to plan nine: resurrecting the dead of the planet for doing the dirty work. People begin noticing strange happenings in a California cemetery, and the police are sent to investigate. Strange flying objects are seen overhead. In the meantime, the aliens have managed to revive the corpses of three people for their plan. A suspicious local pilot, the military and the police must uncover the horrific plan of the aliens and stop them before it's too late.
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