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tabaddon
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Reviews
The Boogeyman (1982)
The scariest things...
The scariest things about this ultra-low budget short are the opening titles and jarring score that tries far too hard to mimic Wendy Carlos' 'The Shining' score. It does not succeed.
Even as a student film, it's contrived and poorly executed. Framing is off (and not in an 'artistic' way), direction seems scatterbrained (and not in a 'good horror film' way), and the soundtrack seems out of sync in places (enough to draw attention away from the story). The climactic end scene is anything but, and even confusing.
Steer clear of this slow, tired adaptation - it doesn't represent the story well at all - and read King's original composition. The out-of-print VHS (part of the 'Nightshift Collection') is only worth hunting down if you're a serious collector of Stephen King or amateur/student horror attempts.
The More You Know (1989)
Good ideas
While some of the messages ("smoking kills") have a certain "duh" factor, the obvious isn't always obvious to everyone in this society. Otherwise, we wouldn't have many of the stupid and tragic accidents that we do. Gentle reminders now and then not to share your prescriptions with your kids, not to leave toddlers alone poolside, to monitor your kids' Internet activity, or to simply pay attention to your kids will certainly not be lost on many. Good on NBC for producing these cheap, tiny shorts. They certainly don't hurt anyone or cost anything, and if they keep one person from leaving their kid in a hot car, then they've done their job. (We never hear the near-miss stories, do we?)
Enchanted April (1991)
Gently Enchanting
Enchanted April is one of the truly enchanting films that will lift the spirits from any depth. Since I first saw it in 1993, I've made sure I carve out part of a Sunday afternoon early every April to see it again. With this, I can take a breath and face each coming Summer with fresh romantic hope. I have a few films I treat with similar ritual, but this is such a well-made, true, and beautiful period piece, it never becomes dated. The performances are so natural, I feel as though I'm watching old friends when I shouldn't be. If you can, see Enchanted April with a few close girlfriends. And enjoy.
Shooting Elizabeth (1992)
I can sum it up in one clever sentence...
...Well, I think it's clever, anyway: "'Shooting Elizabeth' is a 28-minute high-speed farce crammed into 92 minutes."
I am a rather devout fan of Goldblum and usually forgive some of the quirkier film choices of the '80s and early '90s ('Vibes', 'The Tall Guy', 'Mr Frost' was good, 'Framed'); and I do usually enjoy Rogers. But this...this is just...even I had to shake my head a little. It has its moments, but they are few and far between.
This may be good for a rainy Sunday afternoon, but you may find yourself wanting to finish the job yourself so you can go on to more interesting fare.
My vote: 3 out of 10 stars.