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VicDawg
Reviews
A Walk to Remember (2002)
I'm sure it was fine, but.....
...this film seemed to take place in some sort of Babysitter's Club fantasy world, where everyone in the school is fresh out of a Gap commercial. The forced, goofy dialogue is what chased me away running and screaming. I didn't see any of the movie after Mandy's line "On one condition, you must promise you won't fall in love with me." Seriously, she actually has to say that, its in a script that was written by someone and later approved by someone else. NO ONE TALKS THAT WAY! Pure Danielle Steele without all the good stuff.
This movie was a piece of crap.
Written by Franklin Mann (2002)
Unconventional, thought provoking, and observant cinema.
I was lucky enough to catch the world premiere of Written by Franklin Mann at the Cinema Arts Center in Huntington, NY on 1/14/02. Shot with a shoestring budget and (according to the filmmakers) without a script, what you have in Franklin Mann is a confrontational, daring piece of work. L. Marcus Williams gets the most out of his cast, especially Dustin C.C. "Pick up that guitar and talk to me" Manning who gives a fearless performance in the lead. A promising first work and a refreshing brand of storytelling.
8/10
Cheaters (2000)
When there is no "competition," there is no such thing as cheating.
I am not normally one to post a review unless its a movie I hate (check out my review of Titanic), but after reading some ignorant reviews posted by people who have obviously never had to live in the type of environment that these kids had to, I decided to put things into perspective. I, myself, live in an empoverished area full of minorities. Poverty + Minorities = no one giving a rats ass about you. What these kids did was far more important than a simple academic decathlon, what they did was throw a brick through the window of the owner's box.
When you pit the rich against the poor, the rich will always win. There is no competition. And where there is no competition, there is no cheating.
Anyone who believes that this film glorifies dishonesty and deceit is part of the problem.
Operation Splitsville (1998)
Porky's 4: The grade school years.
This movie was damned near unwatchable, but I labored through it just so I could bash it w/a clear conscious. The movie basically shows you how "funny" divorce is. Woo hoo thats a knee slapper. It also shows fifth graders displaying the sexual aptitudes of late-teens. Calling their classmates "hotties" and explaining sex as a seed that comes out of your nuts. They said it, not me. Kids say the darndest things don't they?
Titanic (1997)
Am I the ONLY one who didn't care for this one?
Let me explain by picking this flick apart. Beginning: good, established the "characters" nicely, set a decent pace. It's all downhill from there, folks! Leonardo DiCaprio's performance could only be described as a poor imitation of a twelve year old doing a poor imitation of Clark Gable (he should at least be happy that I said they're names in the same sentence), and Kate Winslet was either too subdued or, well, way too subdued. Don't get me wrong, the beautiful costumes and lavvish sets were awe-inspiring. I do admire James Cameron's attention to detail. I also admire James Cameron's ability to direct an exciting action/adventure film, and therein lies the heart of the problem: this is not an action /adventure film. When the boat was sinking it played more like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Hypothermia than a tragedy of epic proportions, and the fact that the two leads didn't seem scared during the whole ordeal didn't help matters much. To be fair I did, however, enjoy the Band, the old couple in bed, the architect turning back the clock, the captain enduring the oncoming surge. Little things not big enough to save this big picture.
rent the Poseidon Adventure.
Milk Money (1994)
Someone wanna tell me just who this movie is aimed at?
Okay so it is a story about a young kid trying to set his father up with someone because daddy has been lonely. Mommy is gone. So where does this boy and his band of innocents turn? Where else, a hooker! Horribly unbalanced, unentertaining, and downright unwatchable. Featuring Melanie Griffith at her whiniest and most annoying yet. Ed Harris' performance was, to put it kindly, forgettable. Avoid this one.
Judgment Day (1999)
Better than Deep Impact and Armageddon... a lot better
A direct to video blockbuster involving meteors destroying the planet. Thats where the similarities between Not So Deep Impact, Yawnageddon, and this movie end and actual entertainment begins. The movie moves at an impressive pace with some amiable performances by all (except for an offensively lifeless performance by Amis). And the script actually serves up enough twists to keep the noodle somewhat active. It kind of treats your brain like a computer, occasionally nudging the mouse to get rid of the screen-saver. Mario Van-Peebles is in top form as a religious cult leader welcoming the end of the world.
Well worth a rent.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Innovation and creativity in horror? Get the #@*! out of here!
From the very first blurred image of Heather to the shocking final image, I came to the realization that I was witnessing film history. Filmed on a budget less than the cost of a fully-loaded Toyota Corolla, Blair Witch sends chills up even the most Jaded horror film fan's spine. How? By letting your mind do all of the work. Whatever scares you the most is what these poor kids were up against.
"Blair" is the story of three student filmmakers (Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, and Joshua Leonard) who hike into the Black Hills area of the Maryland woods. They plan on filming a documentary about a local witch legend involving children disappearing in the woods and, most of the time, never returning. This, however, doesn't seem to phase our heroes who hike into the creepy forest of Burkittsville. Some things in horror will never change: The Naivete of teens.
Directors Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick create a world of suspense and horror that would impress the master himself (Hitchcock) and the unsettlingly real performances by Donahue, Williams, and Leonard only add to the effect. The Blair Witch Project belongs with such Classics as Night of the Living Dead, The Excorcist, and Nosferatu as one of the greatest horrors of all time.