psycho-dj Reviews

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

This film proves that musicals are NOT dead!

[10/10 · 8 January 2002]

I expected this movie would be good, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out this movie wasn't just 'good'...it was great...fantastic...absolutely excellent!

Growing up in musical theater, I've always had a great respect for musicals, but I was also aware that in this day and age, musicals don't usually fly with the public like they used to. It seems to have become an era where "reality" entertainment is what people want to see, but this movie shows that the old fashioned musicals and fantasies are still alive and well. This film was obviously done right. It had the traditional musical movie aspects of it, but it also included modern music in its score, which made it appealing to the younger crowd. Like a long "MTV" music video, but without getting away from the charm of such a genre.

Not only were the musical score, the actors and the sets excellent, but it was such a great story. I'm not exactly into the mushy love stories, but I found myself getting lost in the movie...like I was there..and that IMO is the purpose of films and television; to escape our everyday lives for a little while. Obviously this film was successful in doing that.

It's nice to know that in the age of 'reality' TV shows and programming, that a film such as 'Moulin Rouge' still works, and we still have the opportunity to see a movie that we can get lost in.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

The best movie adaptation of a video game ever!

[9/10 · 9 December 2001]

I am a big fan of the Tomb Raider video games, and always thought it would be cool if they made a movie out of it. Then when I heard they were making a movie, I thought the most difficult thing would be to find the right actress to play Lara Croft. For anyone who's played the game would know that those are some difficult shoes to fill, but Oscar winner Angelina Jolie successfully did that. I can't imagine anyone else who could have. As for the film itself, well, I was quite impressed with it from beginning to end. I've never really been an action film fan, because they're usually mindless and overloaded with special effects which bury any possible story there. Tomb Raider, like most other action films, didn't really have much of a storyline, but since I didn't expect it to, I wasn't disappointed. Instead, I was in awe over the successful bringing of the game to life. Unlike many other movie adaptations of video games, Tomb Raider wasn't cartoonish looking or silly. To me it came across as real, but still having the fantasy element. I was impressed with how Jolie pulled off being Croft and not just looking like her. Since Jolie did most of her stunts, it was impressive to see her move and jump and flip and fight like Lara does in the game. I also have a lot of respect for Jolie for taking this role, since a lot of other Oscar winners stay with the stuffy Oscar-worthy roles. I'd also like to add that although many see Lara Croft as the "female Indiana Jones" or the female equivelent to other action heroes, I feel that she is an action hero of her own. She may posess some similar qualities, but she's still unique, and I don't think there's anyone else like her.

The Haunted (1991 TV Movie)

I guess you had to be there.

[6/10 · 8 October 2001]

I was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, PA. I was in high school when this was going on. There was a story in the local papers like everyday. It was so weird. Some believed the Smurls and some, of course, did not. Personally, I believed them for the most part. Why would anyone subject themselves with the kind of ridicule they had to endure? Not to mention my personal experiences with the supernatural (which are stories within themselves). This movie may not be a very good movie (however, I wouldn't say it was bad either), but it was frightening to me, because I was relatively close to the true story. One of my best friends lives in West Pittston, in fact the next street over from where the Smurls once lived. Although I didn't know the Smurls personally, my friend did. She used to be good friends with the oldest daughter and went to high school with her. My friend had told me stories about their house that she remembered from before it became public knowledge. She had been over the house many a time. She claims to have witnessed some strange goings on there, however nothing major. Some strange things even allegedly went on at her house after she was over there. As to how much truth there is to the Smurls' claims, I don't really know. As far as the movie is concerned, it's not great, but not half bad for a TV movie. It was spooky whether or not one was close to the actual events or not. As I've heard many Northeast Pennsylvanians complain about how they mispronounced Wilkes-Barre; that is one thing that makes me squirm probably more than anything else in the film. I realize for people living anywhere else, they would not know..but if your making a film revolving around any city, you'd think the filmmakers would make an effort to get it right. I've heard people from the area pronounce it different ways, but not "Wilkes-Bar"! "Wilkes-BERRY" (most common) or Wilkes-Bear-Ah..even Wilkes-BEAR. It may seem trivial, but it's rather cringeworthy to the natives of the area. And the set they used; they made it look like some 'happy-swell-meadows' neighborhood. It looks nothing like that...it's much more urban. All the houses are close together. I do realize that having room to shoot is a factor in making a movie, but this was way more suburban than it was. There was one night just a few years ago, I drove past the old Smurl house to show some out of area friends. That night after I got home, the lamp in the room I was staying in at my parents house just started flickering out of nowhere. My father checked it out but found nothing wrong with the lamp or the circuit. Qhite bizarre. One thing that sticks in my mind about this movie is the fact that they had the same pattern of sheets that I do!!! Freaky!!!! Overall, this movie was far from a great ghost story flick, but it was spooky, and I may only feel that way, because I was in that area when these things were allegedly happening. That's why I say, "I guess you had to be there".

Inferno (1980)

Another example of how Dario Argento is the true Master of Horror!

[8/10 · 27 September 2001]

I bought the video of this without ever seeing it before. I somehow knew it would be worth it. I was right. I'm a big fan of 'Suspiria', and I'd seen some of Argento's other works...enough to know his work is special...different from the rest of the horror/suspense filmmakers. What can I say? I loved "Inferno"! It may not be the 'best' film ever made, but in it's genre, it ranks up there as far as I'm concerned. As with "Suspiria", it's not your typical slasher gross-out flick. It's interestingly mysterious. The story is not simply laid out for us like many other films. It makes one think. I guess you could say 'a thinking person's horror film'. I think many conclusions can be drawn from it, that's why I could watch it again and again, and always find things I didn't notice before. I also love Argento's style of filmmaking. For example, his usage of the red and blue lights make it more haunting, and his usage of elaborate sets...spooky old looking buildings and such. Being that this is supposed to be somewhat of a sequel to "Suspiria", I've noticed some bizarre similarities; such as the scene in the taxi with the rain (not to mention the same actor playing the cab driver), and if I'm not mistaken, the building in which the character of Sara lives appears to be the same building used in "Suspiria" where the character of Pat goes to see her friend (in the beginning of the movie) and gets killed in quite a cinematic death scene in my opinion. Overall, I'd say that if you're a horror fan who likes substance in films, this one's for you.

Gothic (1986)

Even more intriguing than the story of Frankenstein itself!

[8/10 · 14 October 2000]

I didn't quite understand this film the first time I saw it. It was like a mass of confusion, but after watching it a few more times, I understand why it seemed as such. It can be difficult to tell what's real and what's just a hallucination (or a ghost). Gothic is definitely a thinking person's horror film. These people (Mary Shelley, Lord Byron, etc) were definately ahead of their time and very strange for lack of a better word. I was never a big fan of the story of Frankenstein, despite being a horror movie fan, but this film reeled me in to wanting to know more about Mary Shelley and the bizarre lifestyle of her and her friends. How true to their actual lifestyle this film actually is, I'm not sure, but it makes Mary Shelley's masterpiece make more sense. As for the film "Gothic" itself, words are hard to describe it as it is hard to understand it. But once one does get it, it is far more intriguing than "Frankenstein" in my opinion. With the insanity, freaky images, and the insight into the lives of these famous literary people, I would highly recommend this film to intelligent people who like horror films. It may be far from the best film ever made, but it is excellent for people with a mind. And as I tell people who haven't seen it, 'this movie will make you never want to do drugs again'!

Under the Cherry Moon (1986)

Ridiculously funny!!!

[9/10 · 2 July 2000]

I know a lot of people I talk to didn't like this film, but I thought it was great! Maybe one must be a big admirer of Prince's work to appreciate it or not be bothered by it being in black and white. Personally, I think it was better than 'Purple Rain', which probably was only as successful as it was due to the concert footage. Compare the acting to 'Under the Cherry Moon' and it was awful. In 'Cherry Moon', Prince and Jerome Benton were hilarious together! It was a half decent storyline, but their humor was so ridiculous, it was hilarious! I tend to find the silly stuff funny, and that's partly why I loved this film. It was so silly that it was funny!! Well, I also love Prince and his music. This film was like a modern, comedic twist to classic romance films. The ending was kind of lame, but overall I think the film was great! The film may be in black and white, but yet it's very colorful!

Suspiria (1977)

Mesmerizing from beginning to end!

[10/10 · 24 June 2000]

I've seen many horror films in my life, but none as mesmerizing from beginning to end like Suspiria!! Once the film starts, I can't take my eyes away! It's intense all the way through. I don't want to miss a beat. It's not so much what the film is about, but how it was done. With the freaky music score and visuals, it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Unlike the slasher films where it's all about blood and body count, Suspiria captures the viewer with so much more. Of course, it has its gore, but it's of a different style. You want to squirm, but you want to watch and are intrigued by what is happening and why it's happening. Argento uses little details that make all the difference. I've watched it several times, and each time I discover something I didn't notice before. The only negative thing I'd say about Suspiria is poor dialogue and also the fact that it gives false information about what witchcraft is (obviously due to misconception by the writers). Aside from that, Suspiria is an excellent film!! A truly horrifying horror film!! I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to see a true horror film. One without corny Freddy Krueger-type jokes. A film that's actually scary!!