Reviews
The Matrix (1999)
Very good and creative.
While not your normal movie, The Matrix provides a very fascinating look at another futuristic standpoint. The movie provides an excellent cast, a very well structured and creative story, and directing that spans past a standard filmmaking process. I'm not a big fan of action movies in that lack of story to give us more gunshot scenes and explosions kind of way. The Matrix, however, is action, gunshot scenes, and explosions movie in a different kind of way. This is not the normal action movie shootout scenes, no pointless or horrendously oversized explosions, no cheesy lines or bored two-dimensional characters. This movie is truly an excellent idea that didn't suffer cutbacks or cliche events to score a quick profit. One of the things I liked about this movie was the complexity of the story line. This isn't a movie that spoon feeds you the information your brain requires to understand what's going on. You do have to think, and that's one thing I liked about it. The movie starts out fast, and ends with goose bumps. This is a movie that wets your appetite for more and satisfies your cravings until you're completely infatuated by its composure. A excellent movie that will stick with you for some time to come. I can't wait for the sequel.
Cruel Intentions (1999)
Sick and perverted...I like it!
I went to go see this movie at the theater I work at. I knew it was about sex, so it already had a plus with me. I didn't really expect it to be a good film, but I was bored at the time, and decided to check it out. The surprising thing is that its sex aspect is only one reason why I enjoyed this film. The story isn't award winning, but it is very good! I loved the Upper East Side setting, Sebastian's clove cigarettes, and Ronald's surprised face when Cecile showed off her amazing talent at a chelo class. I found this movie cathartic and memorable. One for my collection.
Heathers (1988)
Awesome!
I've added this movie to my list of favorites. Heathers is a very clique yet not cliche look at the teen-age society of acceptance. It deals with suicide in a dark yet very comedic way. Its serious undertones, however, are what drew me to adding this movie to my favorites. Anyone who's attended high school should see this movie. I doubt most will like it (mainly your non-teenage audience) but I can see myself liking this movie well into my adult years. It clarifies some of the tension a lot of teens have and reveals some of the most shocking yet silent problems a lot of teens face. It forces you to look into yourself and find a reason to not drink, or be blatantly tricked into drinking a cup full of Drano. What starts as an accident becomes a plan of teen angst. "F**k me gently with a chainsaw," is a great expression of rage and sex wrapped in a tight blanket of suicide. See this movie. Like it.
HauntedWeen (1991)
Cheesy concoction of stupidity
By far the worst horror movie I have ever seen. It has the potential of a bad Pauly Shore movie with the filmmaking of Ernest Goes to School. The music sounds like something I would hear playing Duke Nukem on the computer. The story is very cheesy and driven by God knows what, the acting is even more cheesy. I though Meateater was bad, but this one defiantly takes the cake. At least Meateater lacked only acting, this movie lacks everything. I understand where the story came from, but is so stupid I can't see why someone actually put it on paper. Let's bash the cinematography shall we. There is no color in this movie. I love the old horror movie film quality (not necessarily vintage type film), but in order to set a mood you must have that quality, whether it's in lighting, filters, gels, etc. This movie lacked all of that and was so bad I could barely sit through the whole thing. That's why I kept my hand on the fast forward button. I have seen bad horror movies, but they are usually bad because of acting, or they have unrealistic situations, or poorly driven story line. I don't know what drives a person to make crap like this, but I really hope the pathetic actors choose to leave this off their resumes.
The Faculty (1998)
A break in the recent cheese.
Due to recent bad horror movies, I was reluctant to see this piece. Being a horror movie fan, however, I don't think I could resist not seeing it.
Some will probably group this horror movie with all of the others into a combobulation of the original frighteners; Halloween for example. But with its writer and director, and the fact that it's not a sequel, I felt it had more potential.
The Faculty is a sci-fi thriller/horror movie. So if you haven't seen it, don't expect Scream, or I Know What You Did Last Summer; however, if you enjoyed those movies, I think you will also enjoy this one.
Aliens are invading the school, and want the students' participation. In this Body Snatchers pla-yoff, everyone is a possible alien, and almost no one can be trusted.
The Faculty offers great directing (although the lighting in the first 25 minutes is very bad). Robert Rodrigez, director of El Meriachi, Desperado, knows what he doing, and some of that award winning style interpretation is evident as you watch the movie. The writing is very key, but doesn't contain some of the more cheesy outtakes, as the story was not conceived by Kevin Williamson, but by two other writers.
All in all, The Faculty is a good movie. It was pleasing to see that horror movies of the 90's do have potential and is a movie I will be seeing again, one that I will have in my DVD collection for sure.
If you are a horror movie fan, don't miss this one; like you would anyway. If you're reluctant because of previous, bad, horror movies just know that this one strays from the cheesy nest and is actually impressing.
SubUrbia (1996)
A very deep comedy!
I'm not big on comparing movies, so in watching this movie I abolished the fact that some of the same people who worked on Dazed and Confused did this movie. Depending upon what you expect of this movie determines what exactly you will think of it impressionably. Suburbia is a comedy, but more so a strong story delivered by great actors. Its moral is one of those undefined feelings that will never truly be diagramed, and then again that's not its point. Suburbia unleashes characters that are filled with life and dimension beyond the threes' parallel. It's a story about not caring, about doing, and becoming. It leaves you with a decision in your own self. Deep for a comedy, but simply an excellent movie!
Beetlejuice (1988)
Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is one my favorite movies for very good reasons. First of all the actors are simply amazing! Keaton delivers an excellent performance, Alec Baldwin and Gena Davis are simply an unforgettable movie couple, Winona Ryder brilliantly comes alive with the dark satire stereotype, and lights up the screen with her witty lines. Catherine O' Hara, Glen Shadix, and Jeffery Jones provide a subtle and humorous conflict that underlies the rest of the film's completeness and subtext which further adheres to its unforgettable mood. The setting puts you in a whole different world for its 93 minutes, and gives you one of the most exciting rides you will ever have! Combine with great cast, acting, and story, Beetlejuice will capture anyone who dares to say it three times!
Day of the Dead (1985)
Very nice zombie movie!
I've begun to watch horror movies not for good story lines, not for interesting scenario situations when thought and cleverness delivers the protagonist to freedom. I've begun to watch horror movies because of gore, and/or exact spooky representations of different servants of Satan. I liked Day of the Dead, not only because of Tom Savini's wonderful effects, but also because of the zombies. The zombies did not immediately scare me, but just putting yourself (mentally) in that situation was killer. The zombies were great, and believe it or not, the movie wasn't really that cheesy. I liked it. Rent it!