applehuntr Reviews

The Rules of Attraction (2002)

Brilliant- The Best Film of 2002

[10/10 · 31 March 2003]

"The Rules of Attraction" is a brilliant film from director Roger Avary, it went ignored in theaters and hopefully will find its following on video/DVD.

The film could be classified as a black comedy, it is darkly funny, but the dramatic aspects are what work best, such as a haunting suicide scene or the beginning in which the 3 main characters Lauren, Paul and Sean are introduced. That scene also has elements of comedy in it, but it is at its strongest with Lauren, who after passing out wakes up to find herself being raped, and videotaped. The scene then freezes, and rewinds to tell the story of Paul, and so on. This is a fantastic editing technique, and it really hits home on repeated viewings after knowing the characters motivations.

The acting is excellent, with the stand out being Shannyn Sossamon, if the film had only been more well received then she could of gotten the recognition she deserves for this great performance. James Van Der Beek bought himself a clean slate here, anyone who sees this film instantly forgets about Dawson's Creek and will accept him as a real actor. Ian Somerhalder is solid as the third main character Paul.

The supporting cast is memorable, from a trampy Jessica Biel to a pill popping Swoosie Kurtz, and they keep the film moving at a brisk pace. The film has a few minor flaws, but nothing big enough to take away from this experience.

Roger Avary has created an excellent film, with a score by Tomandandy that is nothing short of genius, that is powerful, hilarious and tragic. A unique masterpiece.

10/10

The Rules of Attraction (2002)

ONE OF THE BEST OF 2002!

[10/10 · 25 October 2002]

2002 has been a slow year for movies, at least for me, and "The Rules Of Attraction" shines with brilliance in this mediocre year.

The Plot: College kids: get drunk, party, screw, get high, screw some more, party some more and don't go to class.

This may not sound like much, but director Roger Avary has injected such life into it that the film flat-out sparkles. The camera work, the music, the acting (Shannyn Sossamon is the stand-out here with a delicate, great performance), EVERYTHING all fits together so nicely it is nothing short of invigorating. The film also, thank God, isn't pretensious or boring. It is a faithful adaptation of the book (right down to the mid-sentence ending) and Avary deserves endless praise for this underrrated, underacheiving (only 2.5 million opening weekend, ouch) film. Viewers have been rather love-it/hate-it with this movie and, again, the film deserves praise for invoking such strong feelings.

A great, funny, depressing, colorful, electrifying film. It is already one of my personal favorites. *****9/10*****

Not Another Teen Movie (2001)

Light, but enjoyable.

[2 January 2002]

'Not Another Teen Movie" is not the worst film of the year (that honor goes to Life As A House, ick.), its not even a bad film. It doesnt pretend to be a masterpiece, it just wants to entertain for an hour and a half and it delivers.

There really isnt a plot, just a mixed bag of good and not-so-good jokes.



THE GOOD: The performances are actually pretty decent, I enjoyed Chyler Leigh and her character. Her paintings cracked me up. The Bitchy Cheerleader and the Bring It On send up was hilarious ("you put the "ism" in "defense mechanism"!) and their cheer, that was great. I liked the cameo of the American Beauty paper bag. Most of the dialogue is witty and fun, and there a lots of nice little touches. (The Anthony Michael Dining Hall)

THE NOT-SO-GOOD: There were a few self-aware moments, and they irratate me greatly. The overweight football player and his concussions were boring. The cheerleader with Tourette's is in bad taste, it came with a few laughs, but it was too mean and I like black humor. The cameos arent funny (Melissa Joan Hart, Sean Patrick Thomas and Molly Ringlwald) they could've been, but they were all about self-awareness.

It's kind of a half and half deal, but the good parts are more prominent, and it was consistently entertaining and fun. So I recommend it.

*** out of ****

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003)

The Best Show On TV, Has Been For Quite Some Time.

[2 January 2002]

"Buffy" is my favorite show on TV, so I decided to finally comment on it. The show is now in it's 6th year, and it's as fresh as ever. The characters are all rich and well-developed and theres something for everyone, drama, humor, horror, sci-fi, you name it. Joss Whedon, the shows creator, is brilliant, every episode is seems new and adventurous. All of the actors are great, and Sarah Michelle Gellar is so underrated, she is more than just beautiful, she can act, VERY well. The rest of the cast just plain ROX.

*************10/10***************

GREAT SHOW! (and the musical episode was genius)

Life as a House (2001)

Awful "American Beauty" rip-off. AVOID.

[1/10 · 21 December 2001]

This movie takes SO MANY of the elements that made "American Beauty" great and tries to pass them off as it's own, with NO success.



Similarities: 1. A depressed middle-aged man will die at the end of the film. (works in "Beauty" because it doesn't feel manipulative or contrived there) 2. He has an confused child ("Life"'s child is so cliched its pathetic "Why can't you both just die and leave me alone!" actual dialogue from "Life". Come on!) 3. The man loses his job (In "Life", he goes on an over-dramatic rampage at work, it's in slow-motion, too. Laughably bad.) 4. He will make amends with life and die happily. (Out of nowhere, Kevin Kline starts to narrate at the end, and gives a Kevin Spacey-like monologue that is completely phony, in which he obviously, compares his life to a house, could the writer not think up a better metaphor?).

There are too many too list, but these are the main ones. All around,(the humor, emotions, etc..) this movie plays it safe, even when it thinks it is being edgy. Everyone has been praising the performances, these are good actors, well, most of them (I didn't take to any on the younger cast, and I'm a teen!), but their talents aren't shown here, everything is so contrived here. I hated this worthless, dull movie.

* out of ****.

(Ignore the good reviews of this film here at IMDB, or anywhere, this is a truly bad film.)

Wicked (1998)

The definition of campy...

[19 November 2001]

"Wicked" is a "thriller" about a 14 year old girl who sees an opportunity when she finds her mom cheating, kill her, but why? Because she has a major crush on her dad. Ick.

This straight to video flick is truly campy, it's overly stylized, lots of hip music (I kinda liked it though, maybe I'll keep an eye out for the sound track), and cheesy acting, although a young Julia Stiles is pretty good, she doesn't seem as uncomfortable as the audience.

If you're in the mood for a few laughs at the expense of a film, "Wicked" is for you. For the rest, there's nothing here.

* 1/2 out of **** for actual movie, *** out of **** for it's camp value.

There is one highlight, though, a juicy line Julia Stiles says to her dad when he wants to get married to a new woman: "I'll tell her about the mole on your left a** cheek!". That gives away whether or not anything happens between her and her dad, but you shouldn't be watching this movie for its plot.

Ghost World (2001)

Definite contender for best film of 2001

[10/10 · 20 August 2001]

Finally, after waiting and waiting for "Ghost World" to come my city, it did, and I was not let down. "Ghost World" is based on the wonderfully weird comic book of the same name, and the movie follows suit. Two girls, with a strong hatred for the mainstream, graduate from high school. Enid (Thora Birch) stays the same after graduating, but Rebceeca (Scarlett Johansson) realizes their ways aren't getting them anywhere, and as Enid sees it, starts going with the flow. Enid finds Seymour (Steve Buscemi) another outcast, and connects with him. Some users are really bashing this film, calling it depressing and boring. Obviously, this wasn't the ending they wanted, and couldn't find a way to relate to the two outcasts. I loved the ending, and find it hard to to understand how people aren't accepting these characters.

"Ghost World" was really refreshing, and I can't wait to see it again.

Serial Mom (1994)

A little guilty pleasure of mine...

[17 July 2001]

It is impossible to not smile at least once through "Serial Mom". If you aren't grinning at Beverly's impression of the innocent birds outside, then you'll definitely be grinning at her deliciously nasty prank phone calls.

"Serial Mom" was directed by John Waters, who is known for his seriously disturbed comedies, which I am pretty sure I wouldn't be a fan of. "Serial Mom" was considered too light for one of his films, but thats a good thing for those of us who aren't interested in shock factor, just wicked satire. (That's not to say that this film is completely void of shocks.) Kathleen Turner's performance as the perfect mother with homicidal tendencies is a comedy classic.

Rent now for some twisted fun.



"The only serial I know anything about is Rice Krispies!"

CBS Schoolbreak Special: What About Your Friends (1995) Season 12, Episode 3

Very well told story about growing up.

[8/10 · 24 June 2001]

"What About Your Friends" is only an hour long, but it gives a realistic view into the lives of three teens in that short time.

This film is about three African American teen girls who are close to graduating from high school. They have been planning for quite some time that they all would go to the same college so their friendship could remain the same. They all get into the college and everything seems to be going great with their senior year, but things start to change and the girls friendship is put in jeopardy.

The situations in the movie are handled nicely, they could have become cliched, but are always well played. The characters are very well developed, mainly Lark Voorhies (Lisa Turtle from Saved By The Bell) character, who is bullied because in her neighborhood it is looked down upon to strive for an education.

"What About Your Friends" obviously hasn't been seen by many, but it should, because it tells a realistic tale and shows the importance of friendship.

Scary Movie (2000)

It's enjoyable. Nothing more. Nothing less.

[14 June 2001]

"Scary Movie" is what it is. The jokes aren't subtle and don't require much thought, but I found myself laughing through a majority of the film.

All of the horror cliches are present (and then some). There's a virgin, the horny males, the whores, the sexuality questioners, the cold hearted b*tch, so on and so on.......... Obviously, they are put into the situations of previous horror (and some other genres) films. "Scary Movie" doesn't claim to be anything more than it is, a cheerfully gross comedy.

WHAT WORKS: Some dead-on parodies of recent horror films. Cheri Oteri as the intrusive reporter is hilarious, there should have been much more of her. Newcomer Anna Farris is perfect for her virgin role in this film, she's cute as hell, innocent, and yet has a wickedly off-beat side that is perfect for a parody. Most jokes here are good for at least a little chuckle.

WHAT DOESN'T: The druggies. They never had a huge role in horror films, so there is no need for them here. Their scenes are annoying and are only there because the writers thought that it would be funny. While the idea of making Dewey from Scream mentally challenged seems a bit humorous, his scenes are just too juvenile to work.

Good for plenty of chuckles, "Scary Movie" is a comedy that should be checked out. (NOTE: If you have not seen the movies "Scary Movie" parodies, you will definitely be lost. If you've seen "Scream", you should be fine).

Dancer in the Dark (2000)

Hypnotic....

[12 May 2001]

"Dancer In The Dark" is considered a love/hate movie, some may find it pretensious and just plain idiotic, and others may see it as a masterpiece, I am one of the latter.

"DITD" centers around Selma, an immigrant working at a factory in the 1960's. She is losing her vision, and knows this curse is hereditary and will be passed on to her son. She saves up money so he will be able to get him an operation. The rest of the story, which gets much, MUCH darker, flows along with the beginning very well but is much different. I am not going to explain the rest, not because it will give away the plot, but because it must be experienced. NOTE: It is very emotional, and the ending could be VERY hard for some viewers to sit through.

Bjork gives an AMAZING performance, always hits the right mark. She also did the music for the film. (I owned the soundtrack before I saw "DITD" and wasn't that impressed with it, but once I saw the film, I appreciate it so much more). The musical sequences are excellent, they come when Selma needs the most reassurance, they put you in a trance. Siobhan Fallon, definitely not in a role you'd expect to see her in, is great as the compassionate prison guard.

I loved "Dancer In The Dark". It is a must-see movie for all film- lovers.

Cutting Class (1989)

Hilarious Trash!

[4 March 2001]

"Cutting Class" is god awful, but it is soooooo funny. You and your friends have a better chance at scoring a laugh with this slasher flick than 90 percent of the films in the comedy section at the video store. The plot(if you can call it that)is about some murderer going around killing students, obviously nothing new. The suspects: Theres only two really, Brian(the former mental patient/creepy kid), and Dwight(the jock/main characters boyfriend). Its quite obvious which one of the two it is, but you dont even care about that stuff, you're watchin' for the laughs. Jill Schoelen is the main girl, Paula, and her Dad is on a hunting trip, and she has the house to herself, its not very safe. The movie stars Brad Pitt!! The rental price alone is worth the laughter you'll get from hearing him say "I'm bigger where it really counts." Jennifer Aniston, his wife, luckily cant throw this movie in his face, shes got Leperchaun under her belt. This film contains no sex, but it does try to spice it up: A cheerleader decides not to wear panties at The Big Game, Paula washes her hair wearin nothing BUT panties, and the principal makes Paula bend over to pick up her new cheerleading uniform so he can check out her rump. The gore is cheap and fake(impalements, axes in the head, hammers in the head), the acting sucks (although this film has some semi-decent names attached:Brad Pitt, Donavon Leitch, Martin Mull), and its SO 1980's. Dont hop to the conclusion that I'm trash for seeing this flick, I saw it on TV. You're not trash for renting this for laughs, you're trash for renting it for scares.



Lower your expectations, rent, and laugh!

Sugar & Spice (2001)

Tons of laughs, teen actors with talent, and a smart script. You get more than you'd expect from "Sugar and Spice".

[10/10 · 24 February 2001]

"Sugar and Spice" was overlooked by audiences because "Save the Last Dance" was still on its money making hot streak. This film is definitely worth checking out for many reasons. The film takes place in Minnesota, and it centers on the girls of the cheerleading team. They are creepily close, even menstrating at the same time. Diane (Marley Shelton) get pregnant by her jock boyfriend (James Marsden) who surprisingly sticks around and stays with her during the pregnancy. Both of their parents do not like this and disown them, causing them to move in to an apartment. Money is short, but Diane has a plan, robbing a bank. The acting here is great, Mena Suvari shines as usual, Rachael Blanchard is very good as the extremely religious one, Marla Sokoloff is a great comedic actress, and Marley Shelton can easily handle her lead role. The movie has tons of laughs, I guess it just rubbed critics the wrong way, they bashed it. This movie is darkly funny, yet sweet. The girls stick together and are always there for each other, in other movies the girls friendship would fall apart and they would go their separate ways. The ending is rather abrupt, but it fits here because of the movie's fast pacing. This movie, while not perfect, will most likely remain one of the funniest movies of 2001. "Sugar and Spice" gets a *****9/10*****

Cherry Falls (1999)

Smart, scary, weird, and Brittany Murphy. What more could you want?

[10/10 · 24 February 2001]

"Cherry Falls" skipped theatrical release in the U.S. and that's a shame. Movie theaters have been severely deprived of decent horror films, "Urban Legends 2" and "Valentine" weren't exactly quality flicks. I just can't imagine how those films seemed theater worthy while "Cherry Falls" is sent straight to video, it deserves so much more. "Cherry Falls" is about a small Virginian town in an uproar over the recent murders of teens . By the "Virgin" carved on their thighs, it's not hard to guess that the killer is targeting the sexually inexperienced. The police are trying to keep that detail a secret from the town's teens because "we are going to have one godd*mned f*** fest on our hands." But the news leaks out and and the teens plan an orgy so they won't be the next victim. "Cherry Falls" is a well made film, it's original and surprisingly suspenseful. While the MPAA's cuts are apparent, it doesn't make much of a difference, the film doesn't need gore to entertain you. It's been compared to "American Pie", the comedy here isn't gross-out slapstick humor, it's more smart and subtle. It's also been compared to "Scream", it does resemble that movie in format, hell, what horror movie hasn't since 1996 when "Scream" was released, but it has an entirely different premise and "Cherry Falls" is more than able to stand on its own. The acting here is top-notch, the stand out is Brittany Murphy, she gives an excellent performance, something that has not been seen in slasher flicks for a long time.

Rent this refreshingly smart and scary film now, give it the attention it deserves. "Cherry Falls" gets a **********9/10**********

Bride of Chucky (1998)

If you want to watch dolls having sex, then this one's for you!

[24 February 2001]

I expected "Bride of Chucky" to be campy fun. It was campy and it was fun, but to an extent. The first half of the film was silly, gory, and witty. The film makers just wanted to have fun with the premise, and it was entertaining. The second half tries too hard to shock you, and it gives up on the one-liners and replaces it with violence, and it comes off as the film makers are actually trying to scare you, and thats where the film goes flat. "Bride of Chucky" is about that a doll obviously named Chucky, he has been dead for quite some time, thats until Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) revives him. He doesn't like her human advantage and he kills her and she becomes a doll. They need to get to Hackensack, New Jersey to get some necklace off Chucky's real body to be turned into humans again. They hitch a ride with a teen couple, Jesse and Jade (Nick Stabile and Kathrine Heigl). The two dolls commit many murders on the road trip and the teens get blamed for it. Once Jesse and Jade find out the two dolls in the backseat can talk and maim, the film takes a downward spiral.

I have only seen the first "Child's Play", and it was a decent film. The 4th installment's campiness looked like a promising rent. Of course this films going to be gory, but there is so much of it here, it gets boring. (SPOILER!) And when Tiffany has that bloody baby at the end before she dies, that was just gross, and the gleeful smile on your face, if you still have one from the first half, quickly turns to one of disgust. Watch the first half for campy fun, and the last half if you're into run-of-the-mill(but more gore)slasher flicks.

"Bride of Chucky" gets a 5/10. (Dolls having sex was not as nearly as funny as it sounds, it's more awkward than hysterical.)

Grosse Pointe (2000–2001)

"Grosse Pointe" rox my sox!

[16 February 2001]

I wrote a review of this show after the series premiere saying it was pretty funny. "Grosse Pointe" has made it's place on my weekly watchin' list. It is absolutely friggin' hilarious. Most of the actors on the show do not have much of a resume, but they are all extremely talented and this show should make their careers take off. The show can successfully mix in drama, something I was hesitant to see, but was surprised. Lindsay Sloane is an excellent actress, and is the stand out. Irene Malloy is also very funny. This show has great dialogue, and is very witty, something I can't get enough of (That's one of the main reasons I watch 'Popular'). It has managed to stay on the air so far, but with a sucky time slot that I can't seem to remember. The WB doesn't seem to realize what a gem it has on its hands, it'll give 'Jack and Jill' a good time slot AND a second chance, even though it does not deserve it in the least. "Grosse Pointe' is up there with "Buffy" and "Popular". Watch now before they cancel this show.

Popular (1999–2001)

The Most Fun You Can Have Watching T.V.

[16 February 2001]

'Popular' is one of the best shows on T.V. While "Friends" is one of my favorite shows, "Popular" is the ultimate comedy. "ER" is the top-rated drama, "Popular" can create drama you actually care about. This show has overcome many obstacles, bad ratings, some bad plot lines (Harrisons leukemia will always be the low-point in this shows running), and some rather unfriendly reviews. This show sports some of the hottest young talent today, Leslie Grossman is the best comedic actress on prime-time, nothing can top Mary Cherry, Sara Rue gives her character depth, and is the most realistic looking teen on T.V., I love Carmen, and Tammy Lynn Michaels plays Nicole (or as Mrs. Glass calls her "Satan's Child") with such priss and wit she is right up there with Megan Mullaly on "Will and Grace". The other actors are top-notch, too. Sometimes the drama dialogue sounds lifted from "Dawson's Creek", but it is usually something you can relate to and care about. Situations are exaggerated for comedic relief, and it almost always works. "Popular" is underappreciated greatness, just waiting for the attention it deserves. Watch now, I can not stress that enough.

Gossip (I) (2000)

Throws it all away with that ending

[6/10 · 24 January 2001]

"Gossip" would have made a fun teen thriller if it could have thought up a way to end itself. "Gossip" is about some rich college students who start up a rumor about how far one guy went with his drunk girlfriend . She has no recollection about what happened, but she begins to believe the rumors that she was raped. A big police investigation follows as well as many twists. Most of the twists you can believe and go on watching the film, but the last big one throws it all away. (spoiler!!! Everything towards the end of the film is a hoax to get someone to confess to all of the recent happenings). That completely ruins the mood, it seems like the screenwriter could not think of anything decent to come up with, so he slaps on this ending. In EIGHTH GRADE, I learned never to end a story with "it was all a dream; or a big practical joke", it's way too easy and gives you an excuse to do anything with the first parts of the film. Rent purely for entertainment, because that's the only level this movie really works on.

Scream 2 (1997)

Worthy follow-up to an excellent film

[9/10 · 1 November 2000]

"Scream 2" was a very good follow up to great "Scream". Many dislike this film and I have no idea why, I'd take this any day over the awful "Scream 3", which has a star rating of 6.3 right now, 'Scream 2" only has a 6.2 rating. How could somebody like "Scream 3"? This sequel was funny, smart, and scary. The ending was not as good as the first one's, but still satisfying. It is fast-paced and well written, and sported some very good acting by the whole cast. If you have not seen any of the Scream movies, go rent 1 & 2, avoid 3. "Scream 2" gets a *****9/10*****

Scream (1996)

One of the Best Horror Movies Ever!

[10/10 · 1 November 2000]

"Scream" reinvented the horror genre by making fun of it. This proved a successful idea when Scream made over $103 million in the box office and spawned two sequels. This movie was very scary, and also very funny. It is one of my favorite movies, entertaining and smart. "Scream 2" is a good sequel, "Scream 3" isn't. You probably have seen this movie, but if you haven't, go rent it now! **********10/10**********

Scream 3 (2000)

Very Disappointing

[5/10 · 24 October 2000]

I walked out of the theater wanting to like "Scream 3", I loved the first two, but I just couldn't bring myself to say it was a satisfying end to the Scream trilogy. Kevin Williamson didn't write this one, he decided to focus on his other project, Teaching Mrs. Tingle (He is probably kicking himself over that right now). The biggest disappointment was that it was not scary at all, no suspense. Sidney, Gale, and Dewey don't even act like the ones we know and love from the first two. Sidney hasn't got any energy, she just mopes around. Gale hasn't learned a damned thing from her first two experiences, she is still a b*tch with no heart. Dewey is just dumb, not funny dumb, just dumb. This movie was a waste of talent, besides Courtney, Neve, and David, it has also got Parker Posey. They all act like they would rather be somewhere else, and after seeing this movie, you can't blame them. ** out of ****

But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)

Very funny movie with a bad rep

[9/10 · 14 October 2000]

I was kind of hesitant to rent this movie, it had received awful reviews from many critics (except for Roger Ebert), but I thought I would get a kick out of it, and I did. The movie is about a girl named Megan(played by one of my favorites, Natasha Lyonne), her family and friends suspect she is gay, she displays many of the characteristics (she likes Melissa Etheridge, she doesn't enjoy kissing her boyfriend, and she has a picture of a bikini-sporting model in her locker). They have an intervention, and then they ship her off to True Directions, a place where gays go to become staight. This movie was funny, sweet, and fun to watch. Critics ranted on and on about how offensive it was, they were taking this movie to seriously. "But I'm A Cheerleader" does have gay stereotypes, and they do get kind of old after awile, but it's all in good fun. The director handles the subject light-heartedly, and expects the audience to do the same. I think that for these reasons, I liked this movie more. It doesn't lower itself to grossout humor, and it's is better than most of the other movies that hit theaters this summer. Don't take this movie too seriously, just rent it for a couple of laughs. I give "But I'm A Cheerleader" a 9/10.

She's All That (1999)

Who the hell came up with this predictable crap?

[1/10 · 14 October 2000]

*SPOILERS* This film has awful acting, especially from Prinze, dumba** dialogue, and the most predictable plot. The film is about Prinze, a high school bigshot. His girlfriend broke up with him, and his friends now have a bet for him, they want him to go to the prom with the most unpopular girl at school, played by Rachael Leigh Cook. *SPOILERS* Of course at the end they fall in love, but not without the speedbumps they must endure to make this piece of crap movie last more than five minutes, she finds out she is a bet, she won't take him back, etc.... This movie even has scene it it that tries to be a PG-13 There's Something About Mary (It involves pubic hair pizza, and several close-ups of it being eaten are shown), as you must have figured out by now, this movie is desperate to keep your attention. This movie can't even do it's revenge scenes right, how hard is that? The screenwriters idea of revenge is painting your tormentors face with colorful make-up while they are passed out. What would you do to your enemy if you two were in a bathroom together, and your enemy are unconscious on the floor? Something a lot more satisfying than giving them a clown-like makeover. And if I never have to see Prinze's "I know I'm cute" smirk ever again, it'll be too soon. What a pathetic movie. Don't just not rent the movie, don't even look at it, turn your head at the video store. Total Crap gets a 1/10

The Cell (2000)

Stunning visuals AND a plot...a must see

[10/10 · 10 October 2000]

The Cell is one of the best movies of 2000. It is creative, suspenseful, and stunning. It is about a child psychologist, played surprisingly well by Jennifer Lopez, who enters the mind of a serial killer. He keeps his victims in a tank that slowly fills with water until the woman drowns. He has been caught, but not before he could capture one last victim and place her in the tank. Lopez must find where this tank is and save the girl. The mind sequences are fascinating, your eyes are glued to the screen while you sit in awe. Yes, the movie is violent, but it's nothing you haven't seen before, the movie gets its reputation from the disturbing images. Some of the images may be something you'd rather not look at, you won't look away, you may want to, but you don't. It's an intense movie that keeps you interested, and doesn't rely on the visuals, those come as sweet extras. The story that goes along with the visuals seems like a totally separate movie from the mind sequences, you want to watch both. Unlike the recent stinker "Hollow Man", you get a movie you are affected by, and know you aren't just really looking at a computer screen. Put this on your "Must See" list, you won't regret it.

Pitch Black (2000)

How can somebody praise this garbage?

[10 October 2000]

The movie opens with some sort of space ship crash landing on a far off planet. Maybe why they were in the ship and what they were doing in space was explained, maybe not, I was too bored to care. The really sad thing was that me and my sister had to entertain ourselves, by imitating the cheap, obviously computer-animated "monsters" on the screen. These monsters can smell blood, this leads to one of the dumbest scenes in the movie, where a young boy turns out to really be a young girl, and she has her period. "I thought everybody would like me better." she whines, or something along the lines of that. *SPOILER* The movie ends with our heroine being suddenly killed by one of the aliens, and Vin Diesel, along with the girl who earnestly needs a maxi pad, fly off in a plane while Diesel says some stupid superhero type line. What a dumb movie, I can't believe there is going to be a sequel.