stevetbc Reviews

Factory Girl (2006)

Utterly incompetent use of film and actors

[1/10 · 6 February 2007]

The filmmakers have done the impossible: taken the story of Edie Sedgwick, Andy Warhol's muse and the object of underground fascination for Forty YEARS and produced a movie so banal, predictable, and downright boring that the they must be applauded for even releasing it. I would be interested to hear if the screenwriters even read the bible for Edie -- George Plimpton's "Edie" -- that's how spectacularly misguided "Factory Girl" is. This movie makes "Swept Away" look like "The Godfather." Sienna Miller gamely resurrects the type of sex scene that thankfully died in 1975, but I guess these incompetetents must have thought it gave the movie a teeny bit of energy. I was embarrassed for everyone. Guy Pearce does a marvelous Warhol impersonation (not quite as good as David Bowie's in "Basquiat"), but wonderfully fascinating. Unfortunately, the numerous re-shoots the producers demanded reduce Andy Warhol -- ANDY WARHOL -- into an almost uninteresting opportunist. Edie of course lands in rehab and, well, I won't give away the ending, but the New York audience I saw it with roared with laughter and grumbled about the time they had wasted sitting in the theater. My lowest rating, period.

Beverly Hills Madam (1986 TV Movie)

B-movie genius

[7/10 · 4 March 2005]

La Dunaway proves what Pauline Kael said about her in 1981 after the release of "Mommie Dearest" : she would never shake Joan Crawford. She's aching to bring out those wire hangers, and the line readings are pure camp Crawford. However, this gift of a performance will live in infamy, as she portrays a brothel madame in Beverly Hills, with hookers like Donna Dixon and Robin Givens in her stable. Feast your eyes on the most incompetent hookers in film history -- one of them actually gives up drugs and alcohol. While the filmmakers seem to attempt to portray the miserable life of a prostitute, I want to hitchhike to Los Angeles and give it a whirl. This brilliant film is succeeds as a painful reminder of the 1980s fashions we have long since left behind -- I Love the 80s indeed. I have to run now, because I'm going to watch it again. Thank you, Miss Dunaway.

Party Monster (2003)

A gay "American Psycho."

[10/10 · 11 September 2003]

I am gay and live in New York, and I must say that I found the first half of this movie to be side-splittingly funny. If I ever see Seth Green again, I will chase him down to street to tell him he deserves an Oscar for this movie. After the laughs die down, prepare to descend into a gay "American Psycho." A great thriller that never takes itself too seriously. Anyone familiar with this scene will buy the DVD and wear it out spotting people and locations -- I know I will. Keep your eyes peeled for Marilyn Manson.