Digital Cinema

3 - Inferno

2010-10-05T15:44:00.001-07:00

Starring:

Irene Miracle......Rose Elliot

Leigh McCloskey......Mark Elliot

Eleonora Giorgi......Sara

Daria Nicolodi......Elise Stallone Van Adler

Sacha Pitoeff......Kazanian

Written/Directed by:

Dario Argento

Release Date:

1980

Running Time:

107 mins.

The second in Argento's "The Three Mothers" series, Inferno tried too hard to be like its previous entry, Suspiria, and fails. While it's still a decent flick, a lot of it is very confusing and hard to follow, and unlike Suspiria which uses style to move the plot forward, it seems like a lot of Inferno's visual style is just... there. It holds no real relevance to the plot, nor does it advance it

That said, the visuals in Inferno were great, as was the music. From my understanding, a band named Goblin did all the music for the film.

This is not really a sequel to Suspiria, just in the same "world." The plot is that three witches, or "Mothers", who each personify the word "sorrow", invade three cities. Inferno takes place in New York.

The acting was, to be blunt, bad. It made the film seem cheesy and overdone, which obviously didn't add to it whatsoever.

The death scenes were pretty okay. To be honest, I can't even remember a lot of them and I watched it only two days ago...

I do have to say, however, that Ania Pieroni is gorgeous. She's the music student you see staring at Mark near the beginning of the film. Wow.

2. Masters of Horror: Dreams in the Witch House

2010-10-03T15:37:00.000-07:00

Starring:

Ezra Godden......Walter Gilman

Chelah Horsdal......Frances Elwood

Directed by:

Stuart Gordon

Written by:

Stuart Gordan/Dennis Paoli, H.P. Lovecraft

Release Date:

November 4, 2005

Running Time:

60 mins.

I can't really review this because I didn't really understand what I was watching. I really disliked it... it may be the worst Masters of Horror episode I've seen. It was just boring, in my opinion. Nothing of importance really happened... there was barely any story, the acting was weak, and the script was faulty.

Seriously, that's all I have to say. Watch it if you're a fan of Stuart Gordan, I guess, but I wouldn't recommend it for any other reason.

1 - Suspiria

2010-10-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

Starring:

Jessica Harper......Suzy Bannion

Udo Kier......Dr. Frank Mandel

Joan Bennett......Madame Blanc

Stefania Casini......Sarah

Alida Valli......Miss Tanner

Miguel Bose......Mark

Flavio Bucci......Daniel

Written by:

Dario Argento and Daria Nicolodi

Directed by:

Dario Argento

Release Date:

February 1, 1977

Running Time:

92 mins.

98 mins. (unrated)

So I loved this movie. Audiences' reactions are usually divided into two groups for this film, it seems. One side loves it, and the other hates it. I've never really encountered anyone that has been just "...eh..." with it.

Reasons I loved it:

The Music: So I think this now holds the title for "Movie with My Favorite Score." It was so creepy and beautiful at the same time, I couldn't/can't get over it. To borrow an allusion someone else said, "It's like a Disney score to a horror movie... which just makes it even scarier."

The Cinematography: Was gorgeous. Okay, if for no other reason, watch the film for the visuals. The colors are orgasmic, as is the scenery.

The Suspense: I dislike how a lot of modern horror movies lack suspense. It's just one "Jump out and BOO!" scene after another. This movie, while maintaining some sudden scares, relies heavily on suspense. It builds up to the moment where you know something is going to jump out, waits a few seconds, and then has it scare you.

The plot concerns Suzy Bannion, an American ballet student who is to attend a prestigious dance school in Freiburg, Germany. As soon as she arrives, a young woman races out of the school, screaming, into the woods. A gratuitous murder scene takes place, and so begins the terror. Suzy encounters very strange characters at the school, including the strict Madame Blanc and the ill-tempered Olga. The one character that Suzy gets along with is Sarah, her roommate.

Suzy and Sarah become friends, and Sarah informs Suzy of some "secrets." Like almost always, I hate giving away spoilers, because... let's face it. Do you want to watch a movie if you already know exactly what's going to happen? If so: sorry, go to Wikipedia.

The deaths in the movie are interesting and different... examples include a girl falling into a room full of razor wire and struggling to get out, a dog accidently eating its man, and some other cool ones.

Do keep in mind, however, that the movie focuses more on style than it does on story. There isn't much dialogue... I would say there is more instrumental music than there are spoken words, actually. From what I've read, this seems to be a common theme in most of Argento's films. Whatever, I still loved it.

Go into the movie with an open mind, and no real expectations. It is cheesy at moment, and a little over-the-top, but I think that that's just part of its deliciously creepy charm.

Happy October!

2010-10-01T15:42:00.001-07:00

I LOVE October, mainly because I love scary-ness (not real life scariness, I should say). That said, I entered a challenge on livejournal to watch 100 horror movies in the 31 days of October.

That's essentially what this blog will turn into during the month of October. Be warned, if you don't like reading reviews of horror movies, don't visit this blog until November 1. I've thought about creating a separate blog for October, but felt it was just better to leave my reviews here. I may review other genres, but the main focus for October will be horror.

That said, if a movie is numbered, that means it's part of my challenge.

Just a warning. =P

Martyrs

2010-10-01T14:08:00.000-07:00

Starring:

Morjana Alaoui......Anna

Mylene Jampanoi......Lucie

Catherine Begin......Mademoiselle

Written/Directed by:

Pascal Laugier

Release Date:

September 3, 2008

Running time:

100 mins.

This was heralded as one of the goriest horror movies ever made. Two corrections to that title: This wasn't necessarily a horror movie... it was way more of a revenge/action/thriller than pure horror. Only maybe one or two scare factors were used in the movie, if I remember correctly.

Still, this was an excellent film. I watched the unrated version, and I believe this only applies to that version: The director/writer of the movie, Pascal Laugier, introduced the film with an apology. He apologized for making the movie, but also gave the sentiment that he needed to make it. So he did. And I'm glad.

This movie supposedly scarred a lot of people, mentally. It didn't have that same effect on me. I'm not still haunted by the movie. I don't think of it on a daily basis, but I also will probably not forget my viewing experience.

The two lead actresses were really great. Both were able to portray most main emotions very well, and the movie would be completely different if that wasn't the case.

I should mention that the movie is French. Therefore, it has subtitles. I do think it has an English audio track, but I usually prefer to not watch a movie that way, as it's often cheesy and takes away from it.

Like mentioned earlier, I didn't really find the movie scary. I found it scary with the notion that such a place exists, which it (hopefully) doesn't. I feel it is best to go into this movie knowing as little as possible, so I will just say this: Something very, very bad happened to a girl, and her friend is seeking vengeance for it. That's essentially the main plot of the movie.

That said, please do watch this movie, if you have a tame enough stomach. (;

But I'm A Cheerleader

2010-10-01T12:59:00.000-07:00

Starring:

Natasha Lyonne......Megan Bloomfield

Clea DuVall......Graham Eaton

Cathy Moriarty......Mary J. Brown

RuPaul......Mike

Mink Stole......Nancy Bloomfield

Bud Cort......Peter Bloomfield

Directed by:

Jamie Babbit

Written by:

Brian Wayne Peterson and Jamie Babbit

Release Date:

July 7, 2000

Running Time:

85 mins.

Seventeen year old Megan Bloomfield, despite her boyfriend, is accused by her parents and friends of being a closeted lesbian. Suppressing the accusations and trying to convince everyone she is definitely straight because she's sexually active with her boyfriend and is a cheerleader proves fruitless as her friends notice her staring at other girls and realize she only has posters of females in her locker at school.

Megan arrives at True Directions, which is for homosexuals as Alcoholics Anonymous is for alcoholics. With the prompting of the counselor and other campers, Megan admits that she is, in fact, a lesbian, and that she wants to be cured.

There are five steps to go from gay to straight, and everyone at camp must succeed through them in order to graduate as a heterosexual person. These include the campers admitting their homosexuality, rediscovering their gender identity by performing stereotypically gender-associated tasks, finding the root of their homosexuality, demystifying the opposite sex, and simulating heterosexual intercourse.

Everyone seems to want to become straight, including Megan herself. There is one exception, however, in the form of Graham, a girl whom Megan falls in love with.

Trying to find a way out of the camp, Megan and Graham bond together and become friends.

There's more to the story, but I want to leave out as many spoilers as I can.

The acting is great, especially the part played by Natasha Lyonne. I hadn't seen her in much else before this film, but I definitely will try to. Clea DuVall was also great, as was Cathy Moriarty, and Michelle Williams in the few scenes she was in.

I definitely recommend everyone to check out this movie, although be forewarned that it isn't your typical romantic comedy. It satires society's views on homosexuality as if it's a disease, and generally gets its message out pretty clear. Check it out.

Catching Up

2010-09-24T13:58:00.001-07:00

So, I've seen a lot of movies that I really don't want to review, but want to write about. So these are some "briefs" about movies I've watched, but haven't reviewed, since starting this blog:

Drag Me to Hell - I like Sam Raimi, but... this didn't do it for me. I felt bored throughout the entire movie, basically, and only liked Justin Long.

The Last Exorcism - Pretty bad. NOT as awful as Paranormal Activity, but definitely nowhere near the hype. The beginning was good... only one part creeped me out.

Fried Green Tomatoes - Sweet. I enjoyed the movie, but, like Steel Magnolias, these type of films aren't for me. I love Mary-Louise Parker, though.

Going the Distance - This one was alright. Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, and Christina Applegate were great, but I just didn't find the movie that funny. Leighton Meester was also enjoyable in her... one minute of screen time.

Up next for review:

Zombieland

Martyrs

But I'm A Cheerleader

Brokeback Mountain

I Am Sam

2010-09-20T16:39:00.000-07:00

Starring:

Sean Penn......Sam Dawson

Michelle Pfeiffer......Rita Harrison Williams

Dakota Fanning......Lucy Diamond Dawson

Dianne Wiest......Annie Cassell

Written and Directed by:

Jessie Nelson

Release Date:

December 28, 2001

Running Time:

132 mins.

Keep in mind while reading this review that I watched this film about a month ago, so some of my recollections may be a bit blurry.

I'm sure you know the general gist of the movie. An autistic father struggles to win back his young daughter in several court sessions after she is taken from him at her birthday party. Let me just say that the performances were flawless. I haven't seen many of his movies (that will change now), but Sean Penn's performance as the painfully optimistic Sam Dawson was heart-breaking. I was near tears at several parts in the movie, and I don't cry easily.

A young Dakota Fanning, whom I'm a huge fan of, was so great in this. I believe this was her first "big" role, and she excelled, ending up at the same level as the other female lead, the always reliable Michelle Pfeiffer. Speaking of, Pfeiffer plays the seemingly cruel and eccentric characters well, and often.

Also a highlight was Dianne Wiest as Annie Cassell, the much needed, leveled adult. She was sweet and loving, but also stern and mysterious. I really liked her character, although the courtroom scene with her was awfully depressing.

I'm surprised it's taken me this long to watch the film, as I've heard it being raved about from critics to close friends. I'm definitely glad I've watched it and I've now added it to my growing list of "Favorite Movies." This will surely be my pick if I'm ever asked for an emotional drama recommendation.

Ask the Dust

2010-09-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

Starring:

Colin Farrell......Arturo Bandini

Salma Hayek......Camilla Lopez

Donald Sutherland......Hellfrick

Idina Menzel......Vera Rivkin

Justin Kirk......Sammy

Eileen Atkins......Mrs. Hargraves

Based upon the book with the same title by John Fante (which I haven't yet read), this was a period romantic drama set in Long Beach during the Great Depression. Colin Farrell, whose work I haven't seen much of, was actually pretty great in this movie, and really made me believe he was Italian (He isn't, and it's a big part of the movie). Salma Hayek was great, as usual, as the fiery but gorgeous Camilla Lopez. Obviously the two characters fall in love, fighting all the way through their relationship. Camilla doesn't think Arturo wants to be seen in public with her, since she's Mexican and he's Italian.

Racial issues and "class" are, I guess, a semi-big theme in this movie. Arturo and Camilla are both equal wealth wise (he's a struggling writer and she's a waitress), but are seen as polar opposites in terms of their ethical standing. Near the end of the movie when Arturo finally takes Camilla to the movies, a woman sitting next to Camilla got up and moved once Camilla sat down. The way these issues were dealt with, in the movie, were really great.

Okay, so the real reason I watched this is because of Idina Menzel. I love her, and if you know me, you know that. She was great in this movie, and had a bigger part than I thought she would end up having. She plays Vera Rivkin, a young Jewish woman who's hiding a tortured past by pretending to be in a relationship with Arturo (sounds complicated... it is, lol.)

So. Movie good. Go watch. Bye.

Party Monster

2010-09-10T14:33:00.000-07:00

Starring:

Macaulay Culkin......Michael Alig

Seth Green......James Clark/James St. James

Diana Scarwid......Edie

Chloe Sevigny......Gitsie

Marilyn Manson......Christina

Dylan McDermott......Peter Gatien

Mia Kirshner......Natasha

Wilmer Valderrama......DJ Keoki

Natasha Lyonne......Brooke

Wilson Cruz......Angel

I watched this about a month ago so my memory is a little fuzzy about some parts of the movie. So sorry.

I've never really been that big a fan of Macaulay Culkin, but I really like Seth Green so I was pretty excited to watch this. I didn't even really know what this movie was about, other than clubbing, the 90's, New York City, and glam. So, essentially, I was kind of right. Anyway, the performances were great. I watched interviews with the real Michael Alig and Jesse St. James after I watched this film, and Culkin and Green really did a pretty fantastic job with their takes on the two 'real' people.

I had my reservations on Marilyn Manson, but I have to say that he was hilarious as Christina. Ditzy, drunk, and gaudy, he played the fictional character (who I assume was a drag queen?) exceptionally well, especially if it was his first acting gig (was it?). He's supposedly set to play Lewis Carroll in a new movie he's producing soon, so I guess we'll see how his "dramatic turn" goes.

The murder was weird to watch. I loved My So-Called Life, so I liked seeing Wilson Cruz A.K.A. Rickie Vasquez, but that part of the film was so disturbing to me. Especially since Michael Alig apparently talks about it in interviews as if he's... recalling an old, funny memory or something... Creepy.

So, I know the movie got, basically, panned, but I really enjoyed it and will recommend it to everyone, even though it's a bit of an eclectic taste, I suppose.

I Know Who Killed Me

2010-08-25T08:27:00.001-07:00

Starring:

Lindsay Lohan......Aubrey Fleming/Dakota Moss

Julia Ormand......Susan Fleming

Neal McDonough......Daniel Fleming

Brian Geraughty......Jerrod Pointer

Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon......Agent Julie Bascome

Spencer Garrett......Agent Phil Lazarus

Written By:

Jeff Hammond

Directed By:

Chris Siverston

Release Date:

July 27, 2007

Running Time:

105 mins.

The reviews I read for this movie led me to believe I was about to watch the most vile, disgusting piece of trash ever produced. That, however, was not really the case here. The movie was confusing, and not the good kind of confusing, because you don't really get an answer in the end. Something just... happens.

I will say, though, that I'm glad Lindsay Lohan stepped out of her comfort zone (even though she is playing twins again) and did a thriller/mystery. Oh you thought it was a horror movie? It may be advertised as one, but it's not horror.

The basic premise is that Aubrey Fleming, a bright, sophisticated, good-natured college student is taken and abused by a really creepy man that has a thing for the color blue. Since other college students mysteriously vanished and turned up dead, everyone is worried. Flash to bad-tempered, poor stripper, Dakota Moss. There is an uncanny resemblance between Dakota and Aubrey (...), so when Dakota wakes up in a hospital bed, everyone thinks it's Aubrey. Despite Dakota's protests, everybody is under the assumption that Aubrey has just lost her mind. She also lost her leg and arm... Have fun trying to understand what I just typed.

The movie was entertaining, but by no means some sort of masterpiece of the genre.

Three Stars

Valentine's Day

2010-08-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

Starring:

Julia Roberts......Cpt. Kate Hazeltine

Bradley Cooper......Holden Bristow

Jennifer Garner......Julia Fitzpatrick

Ashton Kutcher......Reed Bennett

Jessica Alba......Morley Clarkson

George Lopez......Alphonso Rodriguez

Bryce Robinson......Edison

Patrick Dempsey......Dr. Harrison Copeland

Hector Elizondo......Edgar Paddington

Shirley MacLaine......Estelle Paddington

Emma Roberts......Grace Smart

Carter Jenkins......Alex Franklin

Taylor Lautner......Willy Harrington

Taylor Swift......Felicia Miller

Eric Dane......Sean Jackson

Jessica Biel......Kara Monahan

Jamie Foxx......Kelvin Moore

Queen Latifah......Paula Thomas

Anne Hathaway......Liz Corynn

Topher Grace......Jason Morris

Katherine LeNasa......Pamela Copeland

Kathy Bates......Susan Moralez

Written By:

Katherine Fugate

Directed By:

Garry Marshall

Release Date:

February 12, 2010

Running Time:

124 mins.

Wow, that was a lot of typing. Obviously the general consensus was that this movie sucked. I didn't think it sucked, or was even that bad, but it could have been better. The movie tended to focus on Ashton Kutcher/Jennifer Garner the whole movie, when they were, like, the most boring characters.

I typically dislike Julia Roberts, but I think she was my favorite here. I was expecting something totally different, though, in the end, but the way it turned out was cute. I also loved Anne Hathaway, as usual, and Jessica Alba, Hector Elizondo/Shirley MacLaine, as well. Emma Roberts wasn't that bad, either.

I'm not going to attempt to give you a plot, since it's an ensemble cast, you really have to watch the movie to understand. Sorry. That said, this is going to be a really short review. As you can see. Because it's ending.

Two and a Half Stars

Rachel Getting Married

2010-08-11T17:30:00.000-07:00

Starring:

Anne Hathaway......Kym

Rosemarie DeWitt......Rachel

Bill Irwin......Paul

Debra Winger......Abby

Tunde Adebimpe......Sidney

Mather Zickel......Kieran

Anna Deavre Smith......Carol

Anisa George......Emma

Written By:

Jenny Lumet

Directed By:

Jonathan Demme

Release Date:

October 3, 2008

Running Time:

114 mins.

I wanted to watch this because Anne Hathaway is a great actress and she was nominated for an Oscar for it (Although really, does that mean anything anymore?)

Anne's character, Kym, is the polar opposite of any other character she's played. Kym is... angsty, dark, and a recovering drug addict and an actress. She's released from rehab early so she can attend her sister, Rachel's, wedding. Kym is kind of devastated that Rachel's best friend, Emma, has already been chosen as the maid of honor. Kym throws a tantrum and Rachel lets her sister take Emma's spot. You may have Kym pictured in your mind, but there is so much more to her. When she was a teenager, she was left in the care of her younger brother Ethan, while high, and accidently caused his death by driving with him. And her family blames her. I kind of want to discuss whether or not it's Kym's fault or her family's fault, but I'm not going to go there. I don't really know what that could lead to.

There's some romance, though it's more of a character and family drama than anything else. There's a very long sequence of people at the wedding dancing that goes on for about ten minutes, where barely anyone speaks. I almost had to fast forward because I was falling asleep, but I didn't.

This movie definitely showcases Anne Hathaway's best performance to date. She makes viewers sympathize with Kym, whereas anyone else may make her too dark for anyone to like. Debra Winger and Rosemarie DeWitt also give great performances, and I'll be checking out more of their stuff because of it.

Four and a Half out of Five Stars

The Last House on the Left (2009)

2010-08-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

Cast:

Sara Paxton......Mari Collingwood

Tony Goldwyn......John Collingwood

Monica Potter......Emma Collingwood

Garret Dillahunt......Krug

Riki Lindhome......Sadie

Aaron Paul......Francis

Spencer Treat Clark......Justin

Martha MacIssac......Paige

Writer:

Wes Craven (Original)
Adam Alleca (Screenplay)

Director:

Dennis Illiadis

Release Date:

March 13, 2009

Running Time:

110 mins. (theatrical)

114 mins. (unrated-this is the one I watched)

I've not seen the original The Last House on the Left yet, but I most likely will in the near future as I love Wes Craven.

First of all, I didn't really see this movie as being "horror." There wasn't any time when I was truly scared; to be honest, the film was just gross and made me depressed. Which, in all honesty I think was the point.

Sara Paxton, usually known for her lighter roles, takes a dark turn as a girl beaten, raped, and left for dead in the middle of a lake one night, after watching her friend get murdered.

The three killers and the main killer's son head off to safety at a couple's home. Little do they know that these are the parents of the girl they just supposedly killed. The couple, thinking that their daughter is staying over her friend's house, let them in since it's raining and they're obviously nice people.

Soon, Mari basically crawls onto her porch and rattles the rocking chair until her parents come out to save her.

The rest of the movie consists of "Oh my God we let in our daughter's rapists" to "We're going to kill their asses" to "Oh my God we're in the home of that chick we just left in the lake".

So, that said, it's very disturbing to watch, but definitely a worthwhile viewing, in my opinion. I'm sure the original is better, though.

Three and a half out of Five Stars.

The Runaways

2010-08-02T18:02:00.001-07:00

Dakota Fanning......Cherie Currie

Kristen Stewart......Joan Jett

Michael Shannon......Kim Fowley

Riley Keough......Marie Currie

Stella Maeve......Sandy West

Scout-Taylor Compton......Lita Ford

Alia Shawkat......Robin Robins

Tatum O'Neal......Marie Harmon

Writer:

Cherie Currie (Book)

Floria Sigismondi (Screenplay)

Director:

Floria Sigismondi

Release Date:

April 9, 2010

Running Time:

106 mins.

I absolutely love The Runaways. Cherie Currie is my favorite member and I'm a long-time fan of Joan Jett. That said, I was very, very excited to see this movie. And I was not let down.

In the beginning the film takes on two narratives, one of Cherie and one of Joan. Cherie's begins with her getting her first period on the street and Joan's begins with her in a bar. '

Cherie enters her school's talent show, sporting a Bowie-influenced outfit, hair, and red paint across her face. Flipping off an unimpressed audience, she finally wins them over.

Joan goes to her first guitar lesson and is told that "girls don't play electric guitar." Needles to say, Joan is pissed off. More determined than ever, when she spots her chance in the form of manager Kim Fowley on the side of a club one night, she grabs it and doesn't let go. Teamed up with Sandy West on drums, the two begin to play.

They soon look for a lead-singer who presents herself as Cherie Currie, drinking a Mountain Dew on a bar stool in a club one night. She says she can sing and is told to come to a spot the next day to audition with a Susi Quatro song of her choice. There's then a sequence of Cherie dancing around her room to "Fever."

She gets to the audition location and is told that "we don't play this shit", meaning slow songs. Jett and Fowley write the famous "Cherry Bomb" right there on the spot, Cherie auditions, and the rest is fuckin' rock'n' roll history.

The events portrayed in the film are mostly as they happened in real lfie. The one thing that annoyed me was that of the presence of Robin Robins, the bassist. In real life, it was Jackie Fox, who didn't allow her likeness to be used in the film. Another thing is that The Runaways didn't break up after Cherie quit. In actuality, Jackie quit first and then Cherie, and Joan (now the lead singer), Lita, Sandy, and new bassist Vicki Blue, went on to record two more albums.

The acting is nothing short of fantastic. Dakota Fanning leads the film as the innocent yet startlingly fierce Cherie Currie, while Kristen Stewart attains Jett's trademark "cool" factor. Michael Shannon is also great as creepy manager Kim Fowley. I also want to give a special nod to Stella Maeve who played Sandy West and Scout-Taylor Compton who played Lita Ford. Both really channeled their counterparts and did a great thing with it.

The special features, while kind of sparse, are great. First there's a fantastic audio commentary with Fanning, Stewart, and Joan Jett. While the credits play, they all wonder why Sandy West, who sadly passed away from lung cancer in 2006, didn't have the film dedicated to her. Joan unofficially dedicates it to her on the spot, and it really is touching.

There's two featurettes, one called "Plugged In: The Making of The Runaways" (15 minutes long), which features interviews with Fanning, Stewart, Jett, Cherie Currie, Floria Sigsmondi, Michael Shannon, and more of the crew. The next is simply titled "The Runaways" and is a two minute "add-on" to the former featurette.

I bought the Blu-Ray, and the quality was astounding. The colors, especially black and red, are so deep and your eyes almost get lost in them. It really did an amazing job of looking like the 70's.

I will recommend this film to anyone who's: A fan of Kristen Stewart or Dakota Fanning, a fan of The Runaways, a fan of Joan Jett, a fan of the 70's, a fan of music, and/or a fan of film.

Five out of Five Stars

Source: Blu-Ray Disc

Foxes

2010-08-02T17:36:00.000-07:00

Starring:

Jodie Foster......Jeanie

Cherie Currie......Annie

Marilyn Kagan......Madge

Kandice Stroh......Deirdre

Scott Baio......Brad

Sally Kellerman......Mary

Randy Quaid......Jay

Written By:

Gerald Ayres

Directed By:

Adrian Lyne

Release Date:

February 29, 1980

Running Time:

106 mins.

I rented this because I wanted to see Cherie Currie in her acting debut. She essentially played herself, except toned up a lot, and without a second chance at the end.

The main character Jeanie, played by a teenage Jodie Foster, is a typical high school girl. She's polite, but isn't afraid to be wild. She's part of a group of four best friends that "come of age" in California.

I was a little more underwhelmed by this movie than I thought I would be, and that's most likely because of two reasons:

1). I'm not a girl.

2). I didn't grow up in the 70's.

I feel like this movie is kind of dated... the dialogue, especially although that's understandable considering the specific audience appeal this film was most likely trying to go for. The colors are very earthly. It's not bright; it's brown and green and yellow, which actually adds to the viewing pleasure. You really get inside the relationship of the four girls, and that's great, or else it would be a boring movie.

Each of the four girls has something bad going on in their life: Jeanie lives with her divorced mother and wants to move out and live on her own. Annie is heavily into drugs, alcohol, and sex, and is abused by her father. Madge has very overprotective parents. Deirdre thinks she's above everyone else.

It's very much a teen drama. Parents = the enemy, fun = top priority. And the girls do have a lot of fun, but it eventually comes at a very high cost; one I won't spoil for you.

Obviously Jodie Foster gave the best performance; she can do no wrong! Coming in second, however, was first-timer Cherie Currie. Admitably, I am a huge The Runaways fan, so that probably makes me a little more than biased.

So, that said, I do recommend this movie to all teenagers. It serves as a good PSA for Anti-Drug and Drinking, if nothing else. (Note: I really enjoyed it; I realize that last line comes off as rude lol)

Three and a Half out of Five Stars

Source: Netflix

Normal Adolescent Behavior

2010-07-29T10:46:00.000-07:00

Amber Tamblyn......Wendy Bergman

Ashton Holmes......Sean Mayer

Raviv Ullman......Price

Kelli Garner......Billie

Daryl Sabara......Nathan Bergman

Hilarie Burton......Ryan

Stephen Colletii......Robert

Kelly Lynch......Helen

Julia Garro......Ann

Edward Tournier......Jonah

Written/Directed By:

Beth Schacter

Release Date:

September 1, 2007

Running Time:

95 mins.

I will start this review by saying that when it was released on DVD, the film was promoted as "Havoc 2." Besides being about a group of teenagers, this film bears no resemblance to Havoc (starring Anne Hathaway, Joseph-Gorden Levitt, and Bijou Phillips) at all.

Amber Tamblyn stars as Wendy, a high school girl involved in a group of six people: six best friends who love each other so much, they vow to never be not together. This means once a week, they all sleep with each other, swapping partners every week. No, it's not an orgy, proclaim the characters. It's just a family. =/

Basically, I think this film tried a little too hard to be all "We're rebelling." Rebelling against what, you ask? They're rebelling against non-sexualized women. They're in this group so that both genders get equal amount of attention in a relationship. Okay... I think that that's such an obscure way of dealing with this "problem" (Is it even a problem? I mean it's decision-based...)

Anyway, Amber Tamblyn does give a good performance, as does the whole cast, really. Why Hilarie Burton was labeled as a star, I don't know, considering she's in three scenes.

Recommended, I guess.

Source: Netflix

Rating: Three Stars

Hounddog

2010-07-29T10:31:00.001-07:00

Dakota Fanning......Lewellen

Piper Laurie......Grannie

Robin Wright Penn......Ellen

David Morse......Daddy

Cody Hanford......Buddy

Afemo Omilami......Charles

Written/Directed By:

Deborah Kampmeier

Release Date:

September 19, 2008

Running Time:

102 mins.

I will preface this review by saying that I've always been a fan of Dakota Fanning. She's intelligent, has a good head on her shoulders, and can definitely act. I was skeptical about seeing this because of the rape scene she's involved in, but since it was one of the only movies in her filmography I haven't seen, I decided to watch it.

The story is about a 12 year old girl, Lewellen, who lives with her dad and grandma in the 1950's. Her father loves her, but is an alcoholic and can't provide for her, leaving her strict grandmother to take care of her. Lewellen idolizes Elvis Presley, having all of his recordings and singing his songs throughout the movie, especially Hounddog. Dakota Fanning, as proven in The Runaways, actually has a good voice. I was surprised.

Lewellen is not fond of his dad's girlfriend, Ellen, so she tries to avoid her, until one day she sees her in a car with another man and yells at her.

Lewellen's has two friends: Buddy, a boy her age and Charles, an elderly black man who acts like a mentor to Lewellen.

The rape scene. It was more tame than I thought it was going to be, Thank God, but I still found it disturbing. I'm actually not even going to talk anymore about it.

I can't really say much else without spoiling the movie, so I'll go onto the performances.

I'm gonna go as far as to say that this is Dakota Fanning's best performance in her "child" era. She is able to carry the film by herself while being one of the only child stars in the movie. She is able to portray such deep emotion with just her face, and the aftermath of the rape is truly heartbreaking. Robin Wright Penn is great as always, as is Piper Laurie. The rest of the cast is give or take, in my opinion.

That said, I still recommend this movie, mainly because of Fanning.

Source: Netflix Instant

Rating: Three and a Half Stars

The Good Girl

2010-07-25T18:48:00.000-07:00

Starring:

Jennifer Aniston......Justine Last

Jake Gyllenhaal......Thomas "Holden" Worther

John C. Reilly......Phil Last

John Carroll Lynch......Jack Field

Tim Blake Nelson......Bubba

Zooey Deschanel......Cheryl

Mike White......Corny

Written By:

Mike White

Directed By:

Miguel Arteta

Release Date:

August 7, 2002

Running Time:

93 mins

So Jennifer Aniston, basically known for playing Rachel Green in every role, shows a strong level of diversity and honest talent in the role of Justine, a cynical 30 year old employee at Retail Rodeo, a mixture of Wal-Mart and Dollar General. She puts on a believable Southern accent... most of the cast does a good one, except for Jake Gyllenhaal, who mostly whines, but we'll get to that later.

Justine narrates the film, offering her thoughts, observations, and feelings through a monotone voice all the way until the final scene. She often thinks of how to react in a situation in her head, or narration, and then proceeds to go forth with it in the actual scene with another character. To offer comic relief to this mostly solemn movie is Zooey Deschanel as Cheryl, a young, spicy employee who offers lines like "Fuck you very much" to her customers. As a long-time fan of Deschanel, I was sad she wasn't used that much in the movie. But I digress, the movie was about Jen.

One day Justine notices a new employee reading "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger. He introduces himself as Holden, the name of the main character in said book, and awkwardly converses with Justine. Keep in mind that Gyllenhaal is one of my favorite actors, but like I said before, his voice really irritated me in this film. There was no real trace of a Southern accent... he sounded like a little kid, even more so than he did in the previous year's "Donnie Darko." They become good friends and eventually engage in a secret affair, which causes turmoil in the relationship between Justine and her husband of seven years, Phil, played endearingly by John C. Reilly. Justine is torn between the two men: she is mystified by Holden, but feels comfort with Phil, even if he sits on his ass all day with his best friend Bubba, smoking joints and watching cartoons. Add that to the fact that he is infertile, Justine has a hard decision ahead of her, one that I won't spoil for first time viewers.

So do I recommend "The Good Girl?" Yes, I certainly do. It's a sardonic black comedy/drama with engaging characters and good acting, and I would say Aniston's best movie role to date.

Four out of Five Stars.

Hide and Seek

2010-07-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Cast:

Robert De Niro......David Callaway

Dakota Fanning......Emily Callaway

Famke Janssen......Katherine

Elisabeth Shue......Elizabeth

Amy Irving......Allison Callaway

Melissa Leo......Laura

Written by:

Ari Schlossberg

Directed by:

John Polson

Release Date:

January 28, 2005

Running Time:

101 mins

The film begins with a creepy-ass Dakota Fanning sitting in bed, as her father discovers his wife's body in a bathtub full of her blood. Before we go any further, to emphasize Dakota's creepy nature in the film, her hair has been dyed from its cutesy blonde to dark brown, and her eyes are bigger than ever. Anyway.

The film proceeds, Emily and David, Robert De Niro's character, living together only a few weeks after Allison's gruesome death. David is not sure who to blame it on, but Dakota has an idea or two: her "imaginary friend", Charlie. David thinks she's just being naive, but no... there really is a Charlie. And he wants to kill off every character in the film... except for Dakota, of course. This leads you to your suspicions, which will probably be correct, as the film's ending is pretty damn easy to figure out about half-way through. I won't spoil it, though, just in case a few of my readers (I doubt I have any) are a little slow.

This isn't a typical horror movie... while towards the end, there are quite a few "jump!" sequences, this film relies heavily on playing with your mind, a more psychological aspect rather than buckets of blood and gore.

Even if you're unsatisfied with the ending in the theatrical version, there are four alternate endings located in the "Special Features" on the disc. My personal favorite was the third.

So there. I would recommend this film if you're a fan of either of the two leading actors, De Niro and/or Fanning, or if you like an entertaining, but not necessarily scary, horror flick.

How I watched: DVD

Edgeplay: A Film About the Runaways

2010-07-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

Cast:

Victory Tischler-Blue/Vicki Blue......herself/

Cherie Currie......herself

Lita Ford......herself

Jackie Fox......herself

Sandy West......herself

Kari Krome......herself

Joan Jet......herself (archival material)

Writer/Director:

Victory Tischler-Blue

Release Date:

October 7 2004

Running Time:

110 mins

This movie was, to my knowledge, the first "rockumentary" I've seen; and it was fantastic. Vicki Blue did an amazing thing by creating this, and I only wish Joan Jett would have participated so they all could have been together again. I'll get to why she didn't later in this review.

The film begins on a black screen with, I believe, Cherie screaming at fans in the audience at a concert. Effective beginning, as it draws you in to the film. Kari Krome begins speaking about her short-lives stint with The Runaways, and you then hear from Susi Quatro, Vicki's inspiration. The next guest is both great and awful: Kim Fowley. He's great in the sense that he put those girls together and formed a legendary band, but awful in the sense that... well, we'll get to that.

Jackie Fox is the second Runaway to be interviewed, and she seems the most bitter, which may be true due to the fact that she refused to allow any part of herself to be featured in the 2010 movie The Runaways. However, she and Vicki seem to be very close, due in large part to their fooling around in the bonus scenes after the credits. The story about Jackie quitting the band is intense, and told mostly by Fox and Cherie Currie.

I honestly forget the order of interviewees, but I think Sandy West was next. Her story is the saddest. She is the most angry about the demise of the band, and she wants nothing but to get back together. What makes this heart-breaking is that Sandy passed away in 2006 due to cancer. Near the end of the film, she starts to cry at the thought of The Runaways never touring again, and it really does make you feel awful at what's to come.

Lita Ford was originally spiteful of Vicki Blue because they looked a lot alike. This, however, is no longer the case as they now consider each other "a sister." Blue is actually helping Lita and her family make a reality show.

Next is Cherie Currie, undoubtedly the best-looking of the group. Now a wood-carver, she seems to think back fondly at The Runaways like an adult would at a long-forgotten childhood friend. I'm aware that she and Dakota Fanning spent some time together for the 2010 film, and there's an interview with Cherie on the DVD and Blu-Ray's bonus features, so she seems to still want to be a part of the band's future.

So, Joan Jett. The diva, apparently. Since she wouldn't be in control of how she was portrayed in the documentary, she refused to take any part, and tried to take this film and Vicki down. This seems extremely odd, considering Joan was an executive producer on the 2010 film, and much that was portrayed there was also talked about in Blue's documentary. Either way, all the girls seem to like Joan, as they praise her a lot during the film.

The worst for last: Kim Fowley. Cherie seems to be the most spiteful of him, and she begins talking about him taking them all in a one-bedroom hotel room, and saying that he'll "teach them the real way to fuck." That's the end of that until Jackie Fox is asked and she says that she really doesn't know if there was any sexual abuse, but there was verbal and mental abuse. It was reported that Fowley let Blue license 9 Runaways' songs in the film if he would take that bit out, so she did. Unfortunately, the music couldn't be put in the film anyway. Hmmm...

So I very much recommend that you check this rockumentary out if you're interested in The Runaways. You'll find yourself highly rewarded with what each bandmate has to offer.

Review: On Broadway

2010-07-20T06:56:00.000-07:00

Cast:

Joey McIntyre......Joey McIntyre

Eliza Dushku......Lena Wilson

Mike O'Malley......Father Rollie O'Toole

Sean Lawlor......Martin O'Toole

Lance Greene......Billy O'Toole

Vincent Dowling......Augie Burke

Lucas Caleb Rooney......Neil Quinn

Jill Flint......Kate O'Toole

Writer/Director:

Dave McLaughlin

Release Date:

April 25, 2007

Running Time:

98 mins

I decided to review this film for two reasons:

1). It was the last movie I watched, and

2). It has little reviews on the internet, and this movie NEEDS to be seen.

The setting is Boston, MA and the era is now. The story, however, is timeless.

Jack O'Toole has always been closer to his uncle than his own father, so when his uncle dies, Jack is absolutely devastated. To honor his uncle and let his own feelings out, Jack decides to write a play inspired by his uncle's wake. Quitting his job as a carpenter, Jack takes on the role of director and producer, and his wife, Kate, designs the set. Besides the fact of getting closure about his uncle's death, Jack also hopes to get closer to his estranged father. He, however, wants nothing to do with it. Hiring actors along the way, Jack comes to terms with his uncle's death, and inspires his crew of actors.

The acting in this movie is great. New Kids On the Block member Joey McIntyre, whom I didn't even recognize, carried the film on his back with his emotional performance as Jack. The second best performance would be that of Eliza Dushku, who played Lena Wilson. She was funny, sexy, but also respectful. She begged Jack for the main female role in the play until she got it. Mike O'Malley gave a great, but kind of bored, performance as Father Rollie O'Toole. Will Arnett and Amy Poelher were also in a few brief, but hilarious scenes, probably due to their friendship with writer/director Dave McLaughlin.

This movie has it all: humor, heart, and family. If you like a good movie, please give this one a chance and watch it. It never got a theatrical release, but was screened at many film festivals with great success.

How I Watched It: Netflix

Welcome to Digital Cinema!

2010-04-24T21:01:00.000-07:00

Here at Digital Cinema, we plan to bring to you detailed, expansive review of both Television on DVD/Blu-Ray releases, as well as film releases.

The reviews will include an opinionated overview of the show/movie, review of any special/bonus features, and details on the picture and sound quality. Screencaps and promotional images will also be featured prominently in the reviews.

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