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Reviews
The Devil You Know: Inside the Mind of Todd McFarlane (2001)
Unintended hilarity?
I think it is unintentional but Todd's hubris shines through exposing what kind of person he is. His constant inane statements are a frequent source of laughter (or tears) and the sudden switch to a baseball documentary is confusing. The fact that the speculator crash that he helped create is barely mentioned in the film leads me to believe that this film was intended as praise for Todd but falls way short of the mark with the subjects help.
Todd McFarland thinks he is great and is excited to tell you how great he thinks he is.
Damning testimony on his character, talent and waning comic book career.
Category 6: Day of Destruction (2004)
2 hours of non-stop mind numbing exposition
This made for TV film is about every cliché you can come up with for a disaster movie. The only problem is it isn't very well done.
My brain is still insulted from the scenes in which Brian Dennehy is supposedly looking at a computer monitor looking for weather pattern data and showing on that monitor are stock footage scenes of weather turmoil ala The Weather Channels commercials. Why would watching local news footage of a washed out side-street give insight to global weather patterns? You got me.
Also interspersed through out the first two hours are some of the worst CGI effects known to man. Watch for the semi truck and the airplane that look like they were rendered on a Commodore 64.
All the foreshadowing in this "movie" is done with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, the dialog is forced and I can't think of a likable character that I want to survive the second half.
The character I hate the most is the stupid wife who's husband is cheating. Maybe if she lifted a finger at anytime during the show instead of being a helpless woman who stands in the the same 10 square feet of the kitchen all day her husband wouldn't be sleeping with the PR rep for a rival energy company. She is so helpless, in fact, I want to put her out of her and my misery. I hope everyone in this "movie" dies in the second half.
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Oh the poor saps that don't get it
The fact that people just don't get the humor or are offended by the portrayal of a geek in this film are the ones that solidify the theme, the entire purpose of the film.
It's marvelous to watch them scratch their heads and say "I don't get it" while you roll on the floor with open mouthed laughter. I actually fell out of my seat twice during this movie and almost choked to death on popcorn.
You are either the person who thinks this film is absurdly funny OR the person being mocked by this film. If you are indignant about having to choose you are the one being mocked.
Chin gei bin (2003)
an even blend of Chinese and European vampire killing action
Like a very expensive Buffy episode peppered with plenty of humor. Lots of wire and stunt kung fu. The Twins Effect goes on the list of classic must see HK films. The vampires have a cool blend of hopping ghost type and the pretty boy European style. If you get the opportunity to see this one in the theatre it is worth a 30 minute drive, otherwise buy the import DVD before someone screws it up by giving it a bad dub.
Hwasango (2001)
Parker Lewis Can't Loose meets Dragonball Z
This film is straight fun from the begining to end. Basically if you like either Parker or the Z, you will dig this flick. This thing is as easy a sell as lemonade on a hot day. I haven't seen many Korean movies but now I have to do some big research to find another gem like this. Volcano High has enough good special effects to blow apart any mid level budget American.
Versus (2000)
Rock out! This movie is a non-stop party
If this is the first movie by Ryuhei Kitamura we are in for a ride when he gets some real bling. If you have never seen a Japanese or HK movie before, go back and start somewhere else, you are in way over your head. This thing has flyin' zombies, vampires, kung fu, big guns, yakuza, swords, splatter, decapitations, disembowlements, some more kung fu, some more zombies, human sacrifice, bullet holes galore and lots of head shots, lots and lots of head shots. None of it is overtly cheesey, except the eat the heart thing. With few minor make-up cheats due to lack of budget this movie rivals the Matrix in cool. The soundtrack alone is worth the price of getting the DVD. I can't wait to see his next film Alive.