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darebear2001
Reviews
Davy and Stu (2006)
Very sweet and authentic
I have stumbled upon this charming and delightful short film and have come back to watch it over and over again. I enjoy watching movies from other parts of the world and the setting of a Scottish bog with all the scary stories is truly refreshing. The acting by these two young men is admirable and the story is plausible and realistic. The dynamics between these two characters are palpable and gut-wrenching. The internal struggles of Stu and the adoration of Davy plays itself out in ways that one might expect but the journey to the destination is as real as anything. Truly magical and I appreciated the lack of extras or "Hollywood Flash" - definitely not needed in what was certainly a one-act play brought to life on the screen. Bravo. Well done! Now I'm going to go watch it again! Cheers!
Donner Pass (2011)
Not a horrible horror...
*** May contain spoilers! ***
As others have mentioned, I watched "Donner Pass" without knowing that it was a horror movie instead of a documentary. I actually didn't realize until the guy came out of the woods. I too figured I would give it some latitude and see where it went.
I have been a fan of the slasher genre for over 25 years. I'm forgiving of most slights and can be tolerant to occasional lapses.
This movie is not terrible. I thought the acting was adequate for the genre (I've seen worse). I thought the storyline was a little thin given that there would be more people up in a ski resort area than "the next neighbour is miles away" that doesn't make sense logically. I appreciated the twists and turns in the movie including the date-rape-revenge motif.
I have a problem with "snow horror." Maybe it's because we get actual winter in Canada with snow. Snow doesn't make for a good horror setting unless you're willing to use it as an extra character - isolating, unpredictable, cold - and this is where Donner Pass did use it well. But unlike bare ground, dirt, or gravel...snow leaves footprints. You can see when someone has been peeking in the windows - there is evidence! And characters that are blind to that just indicates shoddy writing. Sigh... Use it well or lose it entirely. Just my opinion, mind you.
I agree with other reviewers who criticized the death at the hot tub. It felt forced and telegraphed and rather unrealistic that the guy didn't hear the splashing or the whimpering given that you could hear it from the underwater camera angle. Oh well...
Overall a "not bad" horror film but as one of the characters in the movie said, "being not bad doesn't make you good."
Yossi & Jagger (2002)
What was the point?
I just watched Yossi & Jagger last night with my spouse. We have been watching other more worthy fare during the holidays and when we got to Yossi & Jagger I was expecting something special as foreign films often supply. I was very disappointed. There were too many characters and a contrived dramatic ending where you knew the outcome even before the final scene. There were some funny moments and some tender moments but there were also too many distractions from what should have been the heart of the movie - the romance between Yossi & Jagger. Other commenters have noted that they were only alone for brief moments in the movie and more time was spent digging a hole to dump spoiled food into than their relationship. More time was spent with desperate women on the hunt for man flesh in rather inappropriate ways. All in all, it was a let down. I was never given the opportunity to connect with any of the characters and as such I never cared what happened to them. It simply didn't matter in the end. I would recommend "Bent" or "Breakfast with Scot" or "Maurice" for those interested in the genre.
Chicken Little (2005)
Great Fun For Everyone!
I just got back from seeing Chicken Little what fun! The messages were very family friendly, and the animation was very good. The story was enjoyable and had laughs for every age. I was laughing throughout the movie and the two boys I was with 6 & 5 years old, enjoyed themselves as well. Highly recommended. Very fun and worth it!
Go see it right away and enjoy the infectious laughter from everyone in the audience.
There were a couple of "scary" moments but that was made better later on when you were "tricked" by the filmmakers and I won't give away how...but know that it's still kid-friendly.
The Fog (2005)
Okay but could have been better
I went to see The Fog on opening night. As with previous commenters, I, too, was excited that an updated version was being produced, with new special effects and up-to-date use of technology. And while there were some scary parts, I was left wanting more. I loved the original movie because, unlike other horror movies of the time, there was a real attempt to incorporate a plausible and coherent back story into the plot. That is why it will stand out as one of my favorite horror movies. Attention was made to keep people as real as possible and the situations believable. I found the remake took too many liberties with the story and as such had a number of holes that just never got filled and thus, the "terror" that should have been generated was awash with questions and uncertainty. "Why did *that* happen?" "When did *that* get fixed?" Those sorts of questions plagued the movie and I was then sitting wondering about the answers rather than getting engrossed in the story. Good attempt, but more attention should have been taken in the process. Thanks for reading.