The Seventh Seal (1957)

This is one of the scariest movies I've ever seen, a story which victimizes its human beings because of their mortality and retains a wicked sense of humor while doing it. We're not quite in on the joke because we are the butt of it, and as we watch this entity (simplified here as Death) stalk its prey we realize uncannily that fear is internal, life is dependent and our time on Earth is short and unpredictable. Bergman's brilliant setting recalls a place and time when people could not materialize themselves but instead lived their lives in fear of being erased, and the troupe actors of the film seem simply content compared to the other more dramatic characters bent on chalking life up to its most serious interpretation. The film is comprised of and remembered by its symbols, but the undertones behind the imagery paint much more interesting pictures; when what is most blatant is not on screen, the mind conjures up more personal ideolgy. Brilliant mise-en-scene, poetic dialogue and terrific performances by Poppe, von Sydow and Ekerot are the highlights of the picture's aesthetic treasues, but the film is most special for the way it exercises the imagination.

Die Erpresser aka Acolytes (2008)

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An Australian thriller that starts out with three young teenagers named Mark, James and Chasely who One day in the woods discovers a man burying something in the ground. When the three start snooping around and find out what the man was hiding, they realize they have just stumbled upon a serial killer's hunting ground. Instead of going straight to the police with the evidence they've uncovered, Mark and James decide to blackmail the serial killer into killing the man who committed a horrible crime against the two boys years ago. Needless to say, all does not go as planned.

Quite a slow paced boring thriller with a nice plot.

>>: C


Someone's Watching Me! (1978)

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>>: B-

Pretty good. Not vintage Raimi but yes it plays like a homage to 80s horror, much like Grindhouse did for the 70s. One or two scenes seemed a bit stretched and outlandish (Evil Dead II-ish) when compared to the ending of the plot, but it was to be expected. Characterisation, usually a strong point in Raimi's flicks, was a bit of a let down. Overall, it was enjoyable.

That being said, I would have loved a R-rated version of this one.

Bringing Up Baby (1938)

Fantastic screwball comedy. Insane situations, slapstick, oddball characters...and a leopard to top everything off.

Cary Grant might overdo it a little in this one, but Katherine Hepburn is utterly perfect - especially impressive considering this is one of her very first comedic roles.

There's no question that it's a bit over-the-top, but this is a case where that's not a bad thing by any means. 100-odd minutes of non-stop laughter, and an undeniable classic of it's genre.

Love that flick!

Righteous Kill

De Niro and Pacino carried this film which was just your average run of the mill thriller. No real magic like Heat, decent enough watch but not something I'd buy or probably bother re-watching.

Book Of Blood

Clive Barker spin on the ghost story. I'm not the biggest fan of haunting flicks but this wasn't to bad.

Gran Torino
It was good...I mean I don't think it's the "best movie ever" like some folk seem to regard it as, but entertaining, and solid performances all around.

Return: If you haven't seen The Philadelphia Story, that would be a good follow up here. Also, for what may be Howard Hawks' funniest movie, try Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

For sure. Blows me away every time.

Have you read the book? It's been awhile for me but I thought the film did it justice