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Old 06-17-2023, 03:04 AM
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Tommy Jarvis Tommy Jarvis is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2016
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Donnie Darko 2001 ★★★★½

I love Donnie Darko.

I love the ultra-stoned look Gyllenhaal has over the course of the first half. I want some of the weed he's been smoking.

I love the banter between the Gyllenhaal siblings. And yes, how DOES one s**k a f**k?

I love the baby mice joke. Made me laugh harder than the average comedy from the past twenty years.

I love how pretty much every character in this movie is either a nutcase or an outcast. Making you laugh at them or feel sorry for them, all dependant on your mood at the time. Proving how much in life depends on timing.

I love how Drew Barrymore only gets a small part as the quirky teacher. (“You can sit next to the cutest boy.” I'm from Florida, that way I'll know who to bang.)

I love seeing Katharine Ross as the therapist. A gentle hommage to one of the horror greats.

I love Swayze's skeevy motivational speaker. He just sweats sleaze. Guess what? Kiddie porn. Who woulda thunk it?

And Seth Rogen is in this one? What the hell?

Most of all, I love not understanding this movie. Being mesmerized by the imagery and the film's surreal and sombre mood. In spite of it having strangely sweet moments. Knowing that there is a metaphorical layer in there, yet not getting close to seeing (through) it. Making it all the more intriguing for a rewatch. The uncertainty on wether or not all of this was a dream.

Donnie Darko weirds me out. And I love him for it.

V/H/S: Viral 2014 ★★

V/H/S Viral or how quickly can a franchise nosedive? Part 2 was one of the best found footages ever. This is a non compelling mess with both the surrounding story and the individual stories having little rhyme or reason, if any.

The worst was the parallel dimensions with a lot of inane chatter and the next door neighbours apparently having noisy sex, though for no apparant reason whatsoever. Except maybe for a lame joke.

Speaking of which, somewhere in this movie you also hear a bit of Ode to joy, because... because... because why the fuck not?

The segment about the skaters earned the second star. Predictable, but kind of fun. The only one of these stories deserving of a place in the previous installments.

Dual 2022 ★★★★

The concept intrigued me, but I did not make it when they showed it at the Bifff this year. So it became one of those movies that lurked somewhere in the back of my mind until it hit streaming platforms. And yesterday, a good moment came up to watch it.

Granted, this is more in the realm of science fiction in that it portrays the things are scientifically not yet possible.

The concept is interesting and I can imagine there being a public for it. though the vast majority of people would now waiver it as being “not the same as the real thing”.

I was firstly struck by the emotion in this movie and more the lack thereof. How thin the line can get between calm and cold/callous. At first, I did not think that much of it. Sarah throws up blood and goes to the hospital, but she will not say it's an emergency. As I am typing this review, I am reminded of testimonies on the Paris attacks in November 2015. How severely wounded people on the terraces told the emergency people all sorts of variations on “I'm fine. Go help those people, they need it more”. Then when she hearsshe is terminal, the doctors has “Normally, people cry when they they are dying” The only thing missing is the casually surprised “huh”.

That's pretty much the tone of this movie. The characters do talk about their emotions, but the way say it has a distinct “what of it”-sense to it. Only broken by the moment when Sarah/Sarah double breaks down in tears in the middle of the roundabout.

How much is a matter of the characters not being able of expressing their emotions, putting them under words? How much is social conditioning, the fear of making others uncomfortable?

It's a movie that gets you thinking. And that alone is a merit that deserves praise.

Scary Movie 2000 ★★★

Time for a rewatch of the horror parody franchise. It delivered what one would expect.

While Scream stayed a bit tongue in cheek, Scary Movie goes all out on the adolescent humor. Fart, sex and dick jokes galore. Some of them have become groanworthy, some of them are good for a chuckle.

Some of the parodies are well done and Anna Faris is perfectly cast for this type of goofy fun.

It was dumb, but it did dumb well. Certainly compared to what followed.

The Autopsy 2022 ★★½

Slow starter, but some nice gore towards the end.

Cult of Chucky 2017 ★★★

Up until now the latest entry in the Child's Play-series. That is if you don't count the 2019 reboot. But that's been 3 years as well.

It's an enjoyable entry in the series. For this one, Don Mancini left most of the cheesiness and the onelinerama behind him and focused more on the gritty, scary side of the movie. Proving once again that Chucky is a nasty little fucker. That said, there are still funny moments in there. I guess Chucky-movies will always have a bit of a crack.

I also like how they inserted Andy Barclay back into the movies. He gets a believable position in the story, with his past still haunting his (romantic) present and with Chucky still being a bully, even with the risk of a violent response. Because that's how nasty he is.

The focus, however, is mostly on Fiona Douriff. Returning here as the wheelchair bound Nita. Though that does not stop her from getting it on. What... why... how? Oh, just roll with it (no pun intended).

She is terrified of Chucky and yet, ready to take him on when he arrives. And when he does, the carnage breaks lose. Resulting in a few nicely gory kills. The chuck is back and he does not mess about.

All in all a well made movie with a lot to enjoy. Wether it's the kills, the ending with Jennifer Tilly, the multiple Chucky's or thelaugh off between father and daughter Dourif. It's different, it's a fun new twist and maybe it helped in keeping Brad on board for the future. Making it a win win. Because I don't mind seeing more of these characters. Heck, why not bring back Da Silva from part 3? Or bring back John Waters? The more, the merrier.

Werewolves of the Third Reich 2017 ★

What's not to love about this poor man's Inglorious Basterds?

- the astmatic Hitler?

- the godawful recreation of IB's bar scene

- the Aldo Raynes level accents, especially in German

- Joe Kane channeling Robert Patrick's character from FDTD2

- the hamfisted Dirty Harry hommage. While they leave other low fruit hanging ("sprechen sie talk?")

- the Wrong Turn sequel level make up effects

- the attempt at the all time f bomb record

- the inexplicable mushy soundtrack

- your Hans Landa du jour with occasional Bill Nighy vibes

It's 90 minutes of cornball fun at its worst. And I could not be happier.
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