Kumar Pallana is easy to like. He managed to steal most of the scenes in the early Wes Anderson comedies despite his small roles. His knife wielding servant in The Royal Tananbaums was brilliant. In The Terminal, proved he could flesh out larger roles. It was this admiration for Kumar Pallana that encouraged me to seek out Waiting Room, a short 10 minute film that gave him the chance to play the lead role. The plot of the film is simple: Kumar hurts his back and is forced to wait endlessly with a room of 'wacky' characters to see a doctor. Unfortunately, the 10 minute running time feels about 8 minutes too long. The writing is hackneyed. The characters are all tired old stereotypes. The situations are desperately unnatural. The jokes are lame. In particular, the one about Kumar's undone fly have been told on primary school playgrounds for at least 30 years. Kumar is the best thing in this film. However, even he is disappointing. I'd advise sticking with the Wes Anderson films if your jonesing for Kumar. I give Waiting Room a 2 out of 10.
Reviews
37 Reviews
Waiting Room
(II) (2006)
Who's worse off: The characters forced to wait for hours or the audience forced to watch them?
22 March 2008
Fido
(2006)
It's Like Leave It To Beaver With A Brain-Hungry Butler
27 March 2007
A year or so ago, I was watching the TV news when a story was broadcast about a zombie movie being filmed in my area. Since then I have paid particular attention to this movie called 'Fido' as it finished production and began playing at festivals. Two weeks ago Fido began playing in my local theater. And, just yesterday, I read a newspaper article which stated Fido is not attracting audiences in it's limited release, with the exception of our local theater. In fact, here it is outdrawing all other shows at The Paramount Theater, including 300. Of course, this makes sense as many locals want to see their city on screen or spot themselves roaming around in zombie make-up. And for any other locals who haven't seen Fido yet but are considering it, I can say there are many images on screen, from the school to city park to the forbidden zone, that you will recognize. In fact, they make the Okanagan Valley look beautiful. That's right beautiful scenery in a zombie movie! However, Fido itself is a very good movie. Yes, despite its flaws, it is better then most of the 20 other movies playing in my local market. Fido is best described as an episode of Lassie in which the collie has been replaced by a member of the undead. This is a clever premise. And the movie even goes further by taking advantage of the 1950's emphasize on conformity and playing up the cold-war paranoia which led to McCarthyism. Furthermore, it builds on the notion that zombies can be tamed or trained which George Romero first introduced in Day Of The Dead.
K'Sun Ray plays a small town boy who's mother (Carrie-Ann Moss) longs for a zombie servant so she can be like all the other house wives on her block. However, his dad (Dylan Baker) is against the idea as he once had to kill his own 'zombie father'. Eventually, the family does acquire a zombie named 'Fido' (played by Billy Connolly), and adjusts to life with the undead. Billy Connolly was inspired casting. He is able to convey Fido's confusion, longing, hatred, and loyalty through only his eyes, lumbering body, and grunts. Connolly shows that he can play understated characters better than his outrageously comedic ones. This is his best role since Mrs. Brown.
Fido follows in the footsteps of other recent zomcoms such as Shawn Of The Dead and Zombie Honeymoon. Being someone who appreciates Bruce Campbell and Misty Mundae movies more than Eli Roth and Jigsaw ones, I prefer humor over gore in my horror. However, I understand the criticism of those horror fans who feel there is not enough 'undead carnage' in Fido. Yet, I am sure patient viewers will be rewarded by the films gentle humor.
The movie does break down in it's third act. It's as if the writers were so wrapped up in the cute premise of domesticated zombies in the 1950s, they forgot about the story arc. However, given my interest in horror comedies and my appreciation for seeing the neighborhood on screen, I rate Fido 9 out of 10.
K'Sun Ray plays a small town boy who's mother (Carrie-Ann Moss) longs for a zombie servant so she can be like all the other house wives on her block. However, his dad (Dylan Baker) is against the idea as he once had to kill his own 'zombie father'. Eventually, the family does acquire a zombie named 'Fido' (played by Billy Connolly), and adjusts to life with the undead. Billy Connolly was inspired casting. He is able to convey Fido's confusion, longing, hatred, and loyalty through only his eyes, lumbering body, and grunts. Connolly shows that he can play understated characters better than his outrageously comedic ones. This is his best role since Mrs. Brown.
Fido follows in the footsteps of other recent zomcoms such as Shawn Of The Dead and Zombie Honeymoon. Being someone who appreciates Bruce Campbell and Misty Mundae movies more than Eli Roth and Jigsaw ones, I prefer humor over gore in my horror. However, I understand the criticism of those horror fans who feel there is not enough 'undead carnage' in Fido. Yet, I am sure patient viewers will be rewarded by the films gentle humor.
The movie does break down in it's third act. It's as if the writers were so wrapped up in the cute premise of domesticated zombies in the 1950s, they forgot about the story arc. However, given my interest in horror comedies and my appreciation for seeing the neighborhood on screen, I rate Fido 9 out of 10.
Maestro
(2005)
A wonderfully funny short!
28 January 2007
This short animated film shows a great performer preparing to take to the stage in the last few minutes before the curtain rises. With the help of a mechanical arm, a feathered "Maestro" is groomed and exercises his voice. "The Maestro" was directed by The Hungarian film maker Géza M. Tóth and it competed in over 40 international animation competitions and gained a nomination for an Academy Award. The Maestro is well-animated slowly builds for its five minute run up to one fantastic joke. The animation is solid and the technique of having the camera circle three-hundred-sixty degrees around the characters helps build the suspense towards its funny finale. The sound is well dubbed and matches the tone of the images being presented. Overall, "The Maestro" is a short of great quality.
Disappointing, disappointing, disappointing
19 March 2006
This is a mediocre episode of The Twilight Zone. The story is simple: A couple wins a trip to Las Vegas where the husband becomes a gambling addict. The biggest problem with "The Fever" is just how unlikeable and unsympathetic the characters are. Neither the acting nor the writing help the situation much; the husband is a know-it-all jerk while the wife is mousy and annoying. Without a character to identify with, the viewer cannot share the husbands experience with addiction or the wife's horror at watching her family's saving being gambled away. The gimmick in this episode is that the slot machine can say the husbands name, beckoning him to the machine. Overall, a forgettable episode that I awarded only a mark of 5.7.
Great episode!
19 March 2006
What a wonderful episode! A British fighter pilot passes through a white cloud. When he comes out the other side he has time traveled 42 years into the future. There he discovers that the choices he made in the past have effected hundreds of lives. The fighter pilot must also deal with the culture shock of modern jet fighters and helicopters while trying to prove he is who he says he is. In the end, "The Last Flight" relates a strong message of how one's actions can have unintended effects on lives of people you might never meet. The one lapse in this episode is the action sequences which are somewhat far fetched. Overall a great episode I'll award a mark of 9.3. Certainly one of the best of the season.
Man Fears His Dreams Of Death
17 March 2006
One of the lesser episodes that played during The Twilight Zone's first season. Richard Conte plays a man who has not allowed himself to sleep because he fears his dreams will kill him. The show is utterly ridiculous. The idea of a reoccurring character appearing in a man's dreams with the intent of killing him does have potential. However, this episode does not make the potential killer believable. We need a plausible motive for the killer or at least a psychological issue that the victim might cause such a condition. Furthermore, the guy falls for his killers murderous tricks way to easily. Overall, this is an idea with great potential that was not realized. I voted 4.5.
Entertaining And Funny But Not The Best Of Season 1.
6 February 2006
"Escape Clause" features a hypochondriac making a deal with the devil. The man is guaranteed immortality at the price of his soul. This familiar tale is well told by Rod Serling and crew. Thomas Gomaz is a hoot as the devil. Despite some questionable special effects, especially involving a steaming sticky stamp, Gomaz delivers a memorable performance. David Wayne, as Mr. Bedeker the hypochondriac, delivers a grating performance. However, it suits his character. The problem with this episode is Mr. Bedeker's change of personality after his deal with the devil. It seems to take place to quickly and his spiral into recklessness does not mesh with the character we met at the start of the show. At times, Mr. Bedekers actions and monologues make you feel as if there should be a laugh track. As for the title of this episode, "Escape Clause", it refers to Mr. Bedeker's only way of breaking the deal he signs with the devil; an event he surely never envisioned would come true. A solid, but not wholy convincing outing for The Twilight Zone that is worthy of a 8.0 out of 10.
A classic of the series!
6 February 2006
Warning: Spoilers
"Time Enough" is one of the classic episodes of The Twilight Zone. It is a definite must see. Burgess Meredith is wonderful as the mousy bank teller who only wants more time to read books. When he finds himself alone on the planet due to nuclear war, he finally finds the time for reading he has always longed for. No job, no wife, no distractions. Just he, Shaw, Shakespeare, and Shelly. Meredith is key to this episode. His portrayal of mousy Henry Bemis is sympathetic and memorable. We empathize with him as he trudges through his daily work, withstands his domineering wife, and finally walks through a nuclear waste ground. We also understand his joy when he is able to escape for a few minutes into a book. A wonderful episode I give 10 out of 10.
Compelling Story Of A Man And His Robot
6 February 2006
"The Lonely" tells the futuristic story of a man found guilty of murder. His sentence is to serve 50 years on a small asteroid alone. This episode starts with the convict looking forward to a supply ship arriving with provisions for him. This ship visits every 3 months and provide the convict with a brief break from the tedious boredom of his daily life. The captain of the supply ship feels sorry for the convict and believes his story of self-defense. We are told he often prolongs his stay on the asteroid to visit, play cards, and entertain this prisoner. But, on this visit, the captain leaves the convict with a present: a robot companion. The rest of the episode deals with the prisoners relationship with the robot. This is a well-written episode of "The Twilight Zone". We feel for the prisoner and understand his loneliness as well as the many emotions he feels after meeting the robot. This episode is well worth watching. It earns 9.3 out of 10.
"Mr. Sloan Is Now Home Again".
4 February 2006
'Walking Distance' is another fine episode of "The Twilight Zone". This time a busy business executive, named Martin Sloan, decides to revisit his home town: Homewood. To his surprise, he finds that Homewood has been frozen in time for the past 25 years. He meets his father, mother, and even himself at age 11. However, Mr. Sloan discovers that even traveling through time "you can't go home again". The highlight of this episode is when the father tells Mr. Sloan that he doesn't belong in the past. This conversation feels rushed in a way. However, it still packs an emotional impact and contains the lesson of the episode. Perhaps this wonderful episode would have been better presented as a 1 hour special or 2 parter. Finally, the score for 'Walking Distance' by Bernard Herrmann would be used throughout the series and even the 1983 Twilight Zone movie. I give 'Walking Distance' a 9.6 for 10.
I'm Ready For My Close-Up, Mr. Serling.
4 February 2006
'The 16mm Shrine' is "The Twilight Zone"s take on Sunset Blvd. An aging actress, played by Ida Lupino, sits in a darkened room watching her old films. She longs to be beautiful and famous again; Just as she was in those films. All the while her maid and agent try to help her realize that 20 years have passed and she can't go back. Martin Balsam and Ida Lupino both deserve credit for creating memorable characters in the short amount of time they were given. The theme of revisiting the past was touched upon in the prior episode 'Mr. Denton On Doomsday' and would be dealt with even more extensively upon in the next episode 'Walking Distance'. However, both 'Mr. Denton On Doomsday' and 'Walking Distance' achieved a more satisfying conclusion then 'The 16mm Shrine'. The final plot twist is just unconvincing. Overall, I give it a 6 for 10.
The Twilight Zone Enters The Old West
3 February 2006
"Mr. Denton On Doomsday" is another fascinating episode of 'The Twilight Zone'. This time the story takes place in the old west as a town drunk is given the chance to reclaim his respect by becoming a gunslinger. The story briefly talks about why Al Denton turned to alcohol, but does not develop this theme fully. Furthermore, Denton finds it incredibly easy to stop drinking considering he's been an alcoholic for so long. However, while Denton's personal demons would have made for an interesting story, Rod Sterling decided to create an interesting tale around the magical gun, as well as other tricks, that Denton uses to reclaim his quick-draw skills. Dan Duryea provided a good portrayal of his character and reminded me of William H. Macy. Like so many other Twilight Zone's, this episode features a fine twist at the end that adds just the right mix of tension and uncertainty to the story. Overall, while this is not one of The Twilight Zone's great excursions, it is a good average episode. And an average 'Twilight Zone' is still very much worth watching. I gave it 7.5 out of 10.
A Great Start!
2 February 2006
This first episode of The Twilight Zone exhibits all the traits that would go on to make the show so great. We follow the hero of the episode (a man with amnesia) as he tries to figure out who and where he is. The great twist is that he cannot find anyone else to talk to. He is alone. Slowly, the unnamed man begins to believe he is the last man on earth. Then, events have him change that view, now wondering if he is not alone, but being watched. The final twist to the story is a classic Twilight Zone ending. While this ending may seem somewhat dated, it ties up the story nicely. Overall, another classic episode that mixes curiosity and dread very effectively. I gave it 9.5 out of 10.
A Fine Second Outing!
2 February 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Ed Wynn does a fine job playing an elderly salesman, who must cheat death twice: Once to save his own life and then later to save that of a young girl. This second episode of the series is another strong entry. The greatest strength of the episode is Ed Wynn's performance. Wynn, who worked on Rod Sterling's TV version of Reqeium For A Heavyweight, was a great choice to play the aging pitchman here. He makes his character likable and engaging in the short time he has available to him. Of course, the writing is strong, as it is in most Twilight Zones. This episode is another example of how a 30 minute T.V. program can present engaging, thoughtful short stories to it's viewers. Overall, I rated it 7.5 out of 10.
Gopher Broke
(2004)
Corny Fun!
29 January 2006
Gopher Broke was playing as part of the Sundance Film Festival this year. It is a great 3D animated short about a hungry gopher who tries to 'score' produce from passing-by farm trucks. Of course, his mishaps are what make the show funny. Gopher Broke was nominated for the 2005 animated short film Academy Award.
The animation is well-done and the gags come rapidly throughout the films 4 min. run time. My favorite joke involves a passing by cow. It's always fun to watch a good animated short. And while this may not be a classic like 'What's Opera Doc?', 'Gopher Broke' is a very entertaining toon. Hopefully, we'll see this scheming gopher again soon. Overall, a highly recommended animated short I voted an 8 for.
The animation is well-done and the gags come rapidly throughout the films 4 min. run time. My favorite joke involves a passing by cow. It's always fun to watch a good animated short. And while this may not be a classic like 'What's Opera Doc?', 'Gopher Broke' is a very entertaining toon. Hopefully, we'll see this scheming gopher again soon. Overall, a highly recommended animated short I voted an 8 for.
The World at War
(1973–1974)
Wonderful Documentary
8 November 2005
As so many others have written, this is a wonderful documentary. Here is a list of the 'chapters' for anyone interested: 1: A New Germany: 1933-1939 2: Distant War, September 1939-May 1940 3: France Falls, May-June 1940 4: Alone, May 1940-May 1941 5: Barbarossa, June-December 1941 6: Banzai, Japan, 1931-1942 7: On Our Way, USA, 1939-1942 8: Desert North Africa, 1940-1943 9: Stalingrad, June 1942-February 1943 10: Wolfpack 11: Red Star The Soviet Union, 1941-1943 12: Whirlwind Bombing Germany, September 1939 13: Tough Old Gut 14: Its A Lovely Day, Tomorrow: Burma, 15: Home Fires: Britain 1940-1941 16: Inside The Reich: Germany, 1940-1944 17: Morning: June - August 1944 18: Occupation Holland, 1940-1944 19: Pincers: August 1944- March 1945 20: Genocide: 1941-1945 21: Nemesis, Germany: February-May 1945 22: Japan: 1941-1945 23: Pacific: February 1942-July 1945 24: The Bomb: February-September 1945 25: Reckoning
How to Make Movies
(1918)
Behind The Scenes In Hollywood 1918
25 July 2005
My understanding is that Chalie Chaplin made this film in 1918 to show the First National Picture Corporation when he signed to produce movies with them. Chaplin would cover all costs of making the movies and in return receive $125,000 per picture plus 50% of the revenues.
The loose structure of the film is that a genie has granted Charlie one wish, which he uses to create a film studio. We then follow Charlie as he goes about filming and editing his next picture.
Highlights for me are the rehearsal scene and when Charlie dresses up like the little tramp to do some on location filming at a golf course.
This film truly plays like a "Behind The Scenes" feature from 1918. While all the situations are staged for comic effect. It is still interesting to see the day-to-day behind the scenes activities such as negatives being developed.
The version I watched was Bonus Material on The Chaplin Revue DVD put out by Warner Bros. It had no musical score which really hampered the film. Overall, worth a watch, but far, far from Chaplin's best.
The loose structure of the film is that a genie has granted Charlie one wish, which he uses to create a film studio. We then follow Charlie as he goes about filming and editing his next picture.
Highlights for me are the rehearsal scene and when Charlie dresses up like the little tramp to do some on location filming at a golf course.
This film truly plays like a "Behind The Scenes" feature from 1918. While all the situations are staged for comic effect. It is still interesting to see the day-to-day behind the scenes activities such as negatives being developed.
The version I watched was Bonus Material on The Chaplin Revue DVD put out by Warner Bros. It had no musical score which really hampered the film. Overall, worth a watch, but far, far from Chaplin's best.
21 Up
(1977 TV Movie)
A wonderful film in a great series.
14 May 2005
Warning: Spoilers
What a wonderful series of films! The 'Up' movies are certainly the most interesting documentaries I have seen. Fourteen people from Britain being interviewed every 7 years of their lives on topics as far ranging as education, marriage, politics, and class. I'm not sure what rewards these individuals find in participating in the documentaries, however I find them very generous in sharing themselves so openly with the world.
21 is perhaps the least interesting of the series. That is not much of a slight considering how exemplary the whole series is. Myself, I voted a 9 for this instalment. 21 suffers from the uncertainty and guardedness that many of the participants seem to be feeling at this age. Many are just finishing their schooling. They are unsure of what they should do next. They lack the distance from their education to make a clear judgements about it. Most have not yet entered a long term relationship or had children. Perhaps the director could have used this state of transition better and improved his film slightly. However, these complaints are small.
21 is significant in that all the individuals are still participating in the film. Seven years later, in '28 Up" the first two people will drop out. As well, at the age of 21, the interviewees are more articulate, thoughtful, and independent then at previous ages.
The theme of the documentary continues to be an investigation into 'class mobility'. Personally, I enjoy watching these people, who are much older then myself, grow up. All change, and yet very few stray very far from who they were at the age of 7. The shy 7 year old girl is a quiet 21 year old. The outgoing and direct 7 year old boy is the same at 21.
While all the characters in these films are so very interesting (mostly because of how real they all are), three stand out for me: John - a self-assured upper-class individual who has is very sure of his beliefs despite how harsh they sometimes come across as being. It is a shame he did not participate in several of the following documentaries. He seems to suggest he feels the films do not portray him fairly. This is a fair complaint considering the interviews only occur every 7 years leaving a lot of living off screen. It would be very interesting to see how he changes as he experiences life.
Tony - who is so direct. Tony sets a goal and goes off to achieve it. Of the people being interviewed he often seems to be the most happy because, well, he just chooses to be happy and satisfied with what he has.
Neil - perhaps Neil is the most interesting character. At 7 he seemed so bright and happy. Yet at 21 he is a squatter. Nick's journey, particularly in the next 2 films, is the most interesting. He is the character who stays with you the longest and most clearly.
Overall, 21 is another wonderful film in a great series. It can not be recommended enough!
21 is perhaps the least interesting of the series. That is not much of a slight considering how exemplary the whole series is. Myself, I voted a 9 for this instalment. 21 suffers from the uncertainty and guardedness that many of the participants seem to be feeling at this age. Many are just finishing their schooling. They are unsure of what they should do next. They lack the distance from their education to make a clear judgements about it. Most have not yet entered a long term relationship or had children. Perhaps the director could have used this state of transition better and improved his film slightly. However, these complaints are small.
21 is significant in that all the individuals are still participating in the film. Seven years later, in '28 Up" the first two people will drop out. As well, at the age of 21, the interviewees are more articulate, thoughtful, and independent then at previous ages.
The theme of the documentary continues to be an investigation into 'class mobility'. Personally, I enjoy watching these people, who are much older then myself, grow up. All change, and yet very few stray very far from who they were at the age of 7. The shy 7 year old girl is a quiet 21 year old. The outgoing and direct 7 year old boy is the same at 21.
While all the characters in these films are so very interesting (mostly because of how real they all are), three stand out for me: John - a self-assured upper-class individual who has is very sure of his beliefs despite how harsh they sometimes come across as being. It is a shame he did not participate in several of the following documentaries. He seems to suggest he feels the films do not portray him fairly. This is a fair complaint considering the interviews only occur every 7 years leaving a lot of living off screen. It would be very interesting to see how he changes as he experiences life.
Tony - who is so direct. Tony sets a goal and goes off to achieve it. Of the people being interviewed he often seems to be the most happy because, well, he just chooses to be happy and satisfied with what he has.
Neil - perhaps Neil is the most interesting character. At 7 he seemed so bright and happy. Yet at 21 he is a squatter. Nick's journey, particularly in the next 2 films, is the most interesting. He is the character who stays with you the longest and most clearly.
Overall, 21 is another wonderful film in a great series. It can not be recommended enough!
Christine's Addiction
(1999 Video)
Low Budget, Mindless, Dubbed Fun
1 February 2001
Christine's addiction is a low budget version of those movies that get played on SuperChannel or Cinemax late Friday nights... A really low budget version.
Christine, played by Chrissy Mountjoy, is a woman who has just become engaged to her boyfriend. However, that very night she has a weird dream one night that she catches two lesbians are in her living room. Of course they entice her into joining them in some nocturnal gyrating. During the interesting events the two mysterious visitors bite Chrissy, turning her into a vampire. The mystery that follows, and its not much of a mystery, is if she is now a vampire or not.
Like I said earlier... this movie is very low budget. In fact, there is no dialogue; just cheesy music and a narration by Chrissy Mountjoy that was dubbed over the action.
If you are into this sort of movie, The Erotic Witch Project is much better. Christine's Addiction is not that sexy and the vampires never really make much of an impact. However, this one isn't that bad. If you ever find it you might as well rent it.
Christine, played by Chrissy Mountjoy, is a woman who has just become engaged to her boyfriend. However, that very night she has a weird dream one night that she catches two lesbians are in her living room. Of course they entice her into joining them in some nocturnal gyrating. During the interesting events the two mysterious visitors bite Chrissy, turning her into a vampire. The mystery that follows, and its not much of a mystery, is if she is now a vampire or not.
Like I said earlier... this movie is very low budget. In fact, there is no dialogue; just cheesy music and a narration by Chrissy Mountjoy that was dubbed over the action.
If you are into this sort of movie, The Erotic Witch Project is much better. Christine's Addiction is not that sexy and the vampires never really make much of an impact. However, this one isn't that bad. If you ever find it you might as well rent it.
Cheerleader Ninjas
(2002)
There Are Better Cheerleader Films
29 April 2000
This movie was made for me. Cheerleaders + Ninjas = AWESOME!
This is a totally low budget film. It makes Crawlers seem like Titanic. I'm sure I could have backed it. This movie is so low budget the only way you can get it right now is to order a copy from the director. This is exactly what I did after hearing it featured Cheerleader Ninjas vs. Catholic School Girl Bullies. Sweet!
In the movie The Catholic School P.T.A. decides that the influence of Internet erotica is too much for their little town. After some surfing they decide cheerleaders are behind most of this stuff - after all they are on a lot of the sites out there. Their attack is twofold. Its like something Napoleon would come up with. They get the bully girls in the Catholic School to harass the cheerleaders and hire an Internet guru to blackout all those 'bad girl' Internet sites.
After being pushed around by the bad Catholic School girls the Cheerleaders fight back. They go to a ninja master and learn the art like good grasshoppers. Soon afterwards, they are joined by a band of Computer Geeks fighting to protect the only access to hot women the have: the net. This all leads up to a big show down.
Overall this movie is o.k. I mean the premise is cool. But it is not what I expected. I was thinking it might be like The Cheerleaders, or Amazons, or Christine's Addiction, or Buda. But no. The only busty scene is played for comedy. I'd say there are too many fart jokes too. Considering the fact that this is kinda a big home movie more then a movie, Skeeter will give this one a 4 for 10. Everett Hartsoe puts out similar but better stuff with a similar budget.
This is a totally low budget film. It makes Crawlers seem like Titanic. I'm sure I could have backed it. This movie is so low budget the only way you can get it right now is to order a copy from the director. This is exactly what I did after hearing it featured Cheerleader Ninjas vs. Catholic School Girl Bullies. Sweet!
In the movie The Catholic School P.T.A. decides that the influence of Internet erotica is too much for their little town. After some surfing they decide cheerleaders are behind most of this stuff - after all they are on a lot of the sites out there. Their attack is twofold. Its like something Napoleon would come up with. They get the bully girls in the Catholic School to harass the cheerleaders and hire an Internet guru to blackout all those 'bad girl' Internet sites.
After being pushed around by the bad Catholic School girls the Cheerleaders fight back. They go to a ninja master and learn the art like good grasshoppers. Soon afterwards, they are joined by a band of Computer Geeks fighting to protect the only access to hot women the have: the net. This all leads up to a big show down.
Overall this movie is o.k. I mean the premise is cool. But it is not what I expected. I was thinking it might be like The Cheerleaders, or Amazons, or Christine's Addiction, or Buda. But no. The only busty scene is played for comedy. I'd say there are too many fart jokes too. Considering the fact that this is kinda a big home movie more then a movie, Skeeter will give this one a 4 for 10. Everett Hartsoe puts out similar but better stuff with a similar budget.
Slugs
(1988)
Slug Surprises!
15 November 1999
This movie seems like it would be a load of freshly graded cheese. I mean killer mutant slugs that stalk the sewers of a small town does not sound like a Grade A script. In fact, I had doubts that it could even a funny bad movie could come from this premise. However, I was greatly surprised. This was a funny, well-done movie. It had great special effects, decent acting, and effective direction. Sure it was still goofy, but in a very enjoyable way. This is a movie in the tradition of Tremors, Anaconda, and the old sci-fi mutant monster movies of the 50's. However the gore level is pretty high and it has made me a bit more afraid of my toilet. Overall I thought it was "just too sweet"! I'll give it a 9 1/2 for 10!
Scooby Doo, Where Are You!
(1969–1978)
A Shaggin' Good Time
4 June 1999
According to the video box the four episodes on this tape were picked by "the fans". I have no idea how true this is or who "the fans" are but the episodes are all very good. Of course this means the tape is Scrappy-free.
If you've ever seen Scooby Doo you'll know the villains true identities are either very obvious or totally bizarre. I can't count the number of times I've wondered at the end of an episode: 'How can we guess the killer's identity when they were never in the show? 'Or better yet 'How did Fred & Velma know?'. This is true of at least one episode in this collection. While many may find this annoying I find knowing that Scooby & The Gang will keep me guessing has hooked me into each episode more then an overwhelming number of inferior slasher videos have.
The episodes in this collection include:
A Clue For Scooby Doo: The gang takes on a seaweed covered diver that is protecting something...
Hassle In The Castle: A mystery on the high seas.
Jeepers, It's The Creeper: A Frankenstein bank robbing clone.
The Backstage Rage: Someone's printing their own $20s at the puppet house.
The episodes are all quite good and include those classic Scooby Doo moments, such as Fred (who seems to be questioning his sexual identity) and Daphne (the bimbo?) heading off on their own for some private time, Scooby selling his soul for a lousy Scooby Snack (something has to be in those things 'cause Scoobs an addict?), and those wacky chase scenes.
Also in the tape are a number of shorts from the Cartoon Network that go behind the scenes of Scooby Doo. Some of these are O.K. others are classic! I loved how they dealt with the fact Fred wears a neckerchief.
Anyways, if you like Scooby this is a renter! I'll give it a 9.
If you've ever seen Scooby Doo you'll know the villains true identities are either very obvious or totally bizarre. I can't count the number of times I've wondered at the end of an episode: 'How can we guess the killer's identity when they were never in the show? 'Or better yet 'How did Fred & Velma know?'. This is true of at least one episode in this collection. While many may find this annoying I find knowing that Scooby & The Gang will keep me guessing has hooked me into each episode more then an overwhelming number of inferior slasher videos have.
The episodes in this collection include:
A Clue For Scooby Doo: The gang takes on a seaweed covered diver that is protecting something...
Hassle In The Castle: A mystery on the high seas.
Jeepers, It's The Creeper: A Frankenstein bank robbing clone.
The Backstage Rage: Someone's printing their own $20s at the puppet house.
The episodes are all quite good and include those classic Scooby Doo moments, such as Fred (who seems to be questioning his sexual identity) and Daphne (the bimbo?) heading off on their own for some private time, Scooby selling his soul for a lousy Scooby Snack (something has to be in those things 'cause Scoobs an addict?), and those wacky chase scenes.
Also in the tape are a number of shorts from the Cartoon Network that go behind the scenes of Scooby Doo. Some of these are O.K. others are classic! I loved how they dealt with the fact Fred wears a neckerchief.
Anyways, if you like Scooby this is a renter! I'll give it a 9.
Midnight
(1982)
Sucks - Even For A "Bad" Movie
16 March 1999
Go to your local video store and you will probably find the horror genre is more overrun with "bad" movies then any other section. The reason for this is that more then in any other genre "bad" horror films can still be entertaining. For example, 'Leprechaun', 'Sorority House Massacre', and 'Friday the 13th, Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan' are all bad movies. Yet, each is more or less entertaining enough to sit through for 90 min. But why then are other horror movies, which are also "bad", so hard to watch? In the case of 'Midnight' the reason is that nothing happens. In 'Leprechaun' for example there is a silly story. However, it moves quickly enough and there are sufficient plot twists to keep us laughing at its audacity (fancy word eh?). There is also bad acting - but in a playful overacting sense that is full of speaking and movement. In Midnight' on the other hand, nothing happens. We watch for 2 min as characters sit and stare. We watch for 3 min. as a van drives down a road. We just watch. Never do we laugh at or playfully mock the screen because so little happens. Certainly we are never scared or shocked. For these reasons this movie is a dud - even as "bad" horror movies go.
Now for the story: A girl runs away from home after her stepfather cop tries to rape her. While hitchhiking she is picked up by 2 college students going on spring break freakout. However, they end up being captured by a family of devil worshipers loosely based on Leatherface's kin.
No nudity, extreme violence, action, funny scenes, worthwhile special effects, or Clint Howard. In a word: Boring. If you rent this for the Tom Savini credit you will be disappointed. Skeeter gives it 2 for 10.
Now for the story: A girl runs away from home after her stepfather cop tries to rape her. While hitchhiking she is picked up by 2 college students going on spring break freakout. However, they end up being captured by a family of devil worshipers loosely based on Leatherface's kin.
No nudity, extreme violence, action, funny scenes, worthwhile special effects, or Clint Howard. In a word: Boring. If you rent this for the Tom Savini credit you will be disappointed. Skeeter gives it 2 for 10.
Zombie
(1979)
Zombies Rise Again And Again In Excellent Gross-Out Film
17 January 1999
A staple of the modern horror movie is the shower scene. They are as common as masked villains, dumb horny teenagers, and bad plots. Of course, some showers are better then others. High on my list are those featured in Slumber Party Massacre and Sorority Babes In The Slimeball O-Rama. Occasionally I'm disappointed, as I was with Wild Thing's scrub down, but more often then not they fulfill my expectations. However, Lucio Fulci's Zombie 2 has the best soapy scene since Psycho - the original that is, not the Anne Heche's butt version. If it were only for that I would recommend this film. However, there is much more to keep you from hitting fastforward, including a fight between a shark and a zombie that strangely reminded me of Tyson vs. Holyfield.
This movie definitely does try to capture on Romero's Living Dead trilogy. However it is a good movie. Furthermore, the zombies here are far better looking then those in Romero's best effort Dawn of The Dead. The special effects are very effective - meaning really, really gory. I just wonder why these zombie movies have to be so nihilistic? I mean in almost all of them mankind seems doomed. If you happen across the Anchor Bay widescreen version stay tuned for radio adds and trailers for the film, including the free "barf bag" offer. Skeeter gives it 10 for 10!
This movie definitely does try to capture on Romero's Living Dead trilogy. However it is a good movie. Furthermore, the zombies here are far better looking then those in Romero's best effort Dawn of The Dead. The special effects are very effective - meaning really, really gory. I just wonder why these zombie movies have to be so nihilistic? I mean in almost all of them mankind seems doomed. If you happen across the Anchor Bay widescreen version stay tuned for radio adds and trailers for the film, including the free "barf bag" offer. Skeeter gives it 10 for 10!
Don't Go in the Woods
(1981)
You'll Be In For A Blood-Filled Surprise
12 January 1999
While it doesn't do so in words, the pictures on the video cover for Don't Go In The Woods shout out the warning "This movie is full of gore". The video itself delivers on that promise for sure. The story involves a maniac terrorizing a national park. While we follow 4 campers as they trek through the beautiful splendor that is nature, we also see other cardboard characters hacked up in true B-Movie horror style. Why? To deliver gore. The story is initially frustrating. However around the 30-40 min. mark it actually becomes interesting. Furthermore, the song that plays over the closing credits is fantastic! Skeeter gives it *** out of ****.
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