cynkat Reviews

In a Dark Place (2006)

Everyone connected to this movie should be slapped repeatedly by the ghost of Henry James

[1/10 · 24 September 2009]

I caught this movie at first in the middle, when Anna was looking for the children at the pond. I recognized the scene immediately and when she called the child "Flora", I knew it was a remake of The Innocents, one of my all time favorite movies. So I found when it was on again and recorded it to watch later, what a mistake! Why do people who make remakes feel obliged to include an obligatory lesbian scene? The aura of suspense was completely obliterated by Anna's wacky behavior, supposedly attributed to her childhood abuse. The tension between Anna and the children regarding Jessel and Quint was non-existent - this is at the core of the story. What a waste of film.

Psyche 59 (1964)

Bad, even with the mitigating circumstances...

[3/10 · 21 January 2009]

I am amazed at these comments. I love Pat Neal, which is why I recorded this film, but I could not even get through it. The dialogue is cringe worthy, and the camera work, which I assume is meant to be artistic, is obnoxious. PN is great as usual, but all the characters around her seem like they are in a different movie. Sam Eggar has never impressed me with her acting ability and her super bitch femme fatale persona fell flat. Eric was wooden and the character was uninteresting; it is hard to imagine any woman would find him irresistible... The whole "feel" of the film made me wince. It reminded me of those bad movies from the fifties that tried so hard to be hip, and came out cheesy.

Trial by Fire (1995 TV Movie)

HIgh School kids

[19 November 2008]

This movie brought up such painful memories for me. My high school years were tainted for me by the same kind of false rumors and character assassination as this teacher, only I was a student and did not have anyone to support or defend me. I was subjected to the worst kind of bullying and insulting behavior that can be imagined. I figured the best way to defend myself was to not defend myself at all, to just mind my own business, make good grades, and get the hell our of there as soon as I could. I still don't know what these boys had against me - I didn't even know them, and they were going around telling the worst kind of lies imaginable. Of course, everyone believed them. They didn't stop until I started dating the captain of the wrestling team, first of all because I was "suitably taken", and secondly they were afraid of him. I am all grown up now, but it still hurts. I don't understand why high school boys do this to innocent girls.

The Unborn II (1994)

A Playmate for Chucky! or, Here's Another Reason Not to Have a Baby...

[1/10 · 3 October 2006]

This movie is up there with the all time bad ones. I don't know how the actors got through the dialogue with a straight face. When the cops are questioning the mother after the kidnapping I almost died laughing. "joey is not a normal, healthy baby..." mom says. No kidding! This prop they used for a baby looks like a 90 year old deranged midget. But the ditsy blonde babysitter picks up the baby and hugs it - she must have been smoking something other than cigarettes - and gets her neck ripped out for her trouble. It gets worse from there. This movie has no business being billed as sci-fi OR horror -just horrible. Don't waste your time on this one. I wish I hadn't, except for a few unintentional laughs.

The Morrison Murders: Based on a True Story (1996 TV Movie)

Does anyone know the "true story?"

[8/10 · 5 September 2006]

I thought the movie was good, but I like to read the real story behind the "based on a true story" movies. Does anyone know the names and locations of the real characters the movie is based on? I have done a complete internet search and cannot find any information on this case. All I get is the movie information and the fact that it is based on a "true story." I find it hard to believe that a judge would change his sentence rendered immediately in the courtroom, even after such a heartfelt speech by the brother (gorgeous John Corbett), but overall the story was very gripping. Anyway, if anyone knows the real "real story", I would appreciate you sharing it!

Romasanta (2004)

Not your run of the mill werewolf movie...

[8/10 · 13 August 2006]

I really liked this movie. This is not a B movie, although the title is rather hokey. I like the original title better, but on the other hand it might not have piqued my interest if it hadn't had "werewolf" in the title! It is a horror story and a love story. The acting is above average and the cinematography is absolutely beautiful. The story is somewhat based on a true story about a man tried and imprisoned for 15 murders in 19th century Spain. His defense was that he was in fact, a werewolf and had no control over himself once he transformed. The murders are quite gruesome. The few scenes of animal abuse disturbed me more, but that's just me.

If you love the genre as I do, this movie is worth watching.

Along Came Jones (1945)

Mother of "Paleface"!

[8/10 · 30 April 2005]

The Bob hope/Jane Russell "Paleface" and "Son of Paleface" parodies were obviously based on this film, which made it all the more enjoyable for me. The hapless cowboy mistaken for a killer is not as stupid as the Hope character, of course, who is a "Easterner" dentist. In fact I did not find Melody Jones a "dimwit" at all, just an easy-going cowpoke who gets involved with people out of his element through no fault of his own, and does what he has to do to get himself and his friend out of it. Loretta Young is excellent as the female sharpshooter love interest, and Coop is playing, well, Coop. I recommend watching these three movies consecutively, it makes all of them all the more humorous.

A Haunting in Connecticut (2002 TV Movie)

Scary!

[10/10 · 22 February 2005]

I watched this while alone and regretted it, although I was fascinated. This documentary is very well done and doesn't get "cute", as this genre is wont to do...it is just scary as hell. I am always amazed at these families that STAY in these houses through all this horror (literally!) The basement scenes gave me shivers and I felt bad for the boys when the parents wouldn't believe what was happening to them. Of course, the film would be much more effective if it was commercial free. The ads always are placed at a particularly spooky place in the story -nothing takes you out of a deliciously scary moment like a commercial for Viagra. All in all, however, this is the best recounting of an actual haunting I have seen. This documentary is usually aired with "A Haunting in Georgia", which is also worth viewing.