FanDominion

Get your geek on.
April 5th, 2009

Review: Scab

scab-flRATING: R (Graphic Sex, Nudity, Gore, Violence, Language)
OPENS: Currently playing the art-house circuit and expected on DVD for Halloween 2009.
GENRE: Horror, Gay, Indie

CHILD FRIENDLY: NO
PARENTAL WARNING: This is a film for adults. It has graphic gore, violence, same-sex sexual situations, full frontal nudity . This is ot a film you’d want to watch with any of your family members in the room – let alone children.

This film is not for the faint of heart – or the easily offended. It is full of gore, violence, seedy graphic sex (both heterosexual and homosexual) and language that would make a sailor blush.

But if that kind of stuff doesn’t bother you, Scab offers an original take on the vampire mythos.

Throughout the literary and filmed history of movies, the line between vampirism and sexuality has been blurred – at best. In Scab, the debut film by writer-director Thomas Jason Davis, who explains his own film’s matter-of-fact take on sexuality:

In my twisted little geek-boy fantasy, the lusted-for slut-boy Ajay finally admits that he loves the geek. It’s like Sixteen Candles with cockrings. Say Anything with fangs and lube and a touch more self-loathing.

- Thomas Jason Davis, Director

The Plot

The movie starts with a rather graphic and violent gay one-night stand where Ajay learns “not” doesn’t always mean know at the hangs of a vampire.

We have our initial assessment confirmed in the following scene through his two friends, Teague and Floor, talk – unknowing what happened to Ajay – discussing how their good friend Ajay is a slut who is living an empty life. We also learn that nerdy Teague has an unrequited crush on Ajay and the hunky and straight Floor is a heterosexual version of Ajay who is not above flirting with anyone – men or women – to get advantage of a situation.

Needless to say, the next time we see Ajay, he’s woken up undead and is dealing with his new hunger for neck tartar and loses touch with Teague and Floor, who come over to check in on their friend.

This leads to a road trip to Las Vegas for the three, where their journey brings about some much-needed self discovery – with a body count. This is a vampire movie, after all.

The film crates yet another mythos of what vampirism is and how it spreads. In doing so, it eliminated the already blurred line between vampires and sex.

WATCH THE TRAILER

WARNING: Course language

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9KETJHoKm0]

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Featured, Movies, Reviews | No Comments »

December 18th, 2008

Review of Reviews: Critics hate new ‘Day the Earth Stood Still’

earthstoodstill-flOpens: December 12, 2008
Rating: PG-13 (Violence)
Genre: Science Fiction

What do you get when you re-make a classic landmark of science fiction film history like the 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still?

Better yet, throw in box-office favorite Keanu Reeves as the alien with the warning to humanity and replace the cold war message with one dealing with today’s obsession about environmental catastrophe.

Sound like a good idea?

Well, according to most of the mainstream critics, the result is an unqualified mess that may not appeal to anyone with a mental age over 12. And critics make a special note to point out to fans of the original film to skip this version altogether.

Of the few good comments on this update, critics point to a winning performance by Kathy Bates in a supporting role as a tough-as-nails politician. Also, the use of special effects and computer-generated imagery also got high marks.

But the lowest marks went to the story and script. More than one critic called the dialogue unintentionally laughable.

So, for those in fandom, this version it either destined for cult comedy status – or is headed to the dustbin alongside atrocities such as the remake of Planet of the Apes and the film version of Battlefield Earth.

WATCH THE TRAILER

{for=”San Jose Mercury News” value=”1″}

“… will probably resonate best with the preteens in the crowd, who might not necessarily care about the sluggish direction or the considerable gaps in logic. Everyone else would be much better off staying home and revisiting Armageddon or Deep Impact, which — compared to this movie — are models of intelligence, wit and complexity.” – Christopher Kelly

{/for}
{for=”MSNBC” value=”1″}

“… Klaatu barada stinko. Pointless remake of the sci-fi classic is loaded with unintentional laughs.” – Alonso Duralde

{/for}

{for=”CNN” value=”3″}

“… The original movie is beginning to show its age, but at least it holds up as a story. That’s more than you can say for a preachy, draggy blockbuster that espouses a radical message of Luddite technophobia at the same time as it conspicuously plugs Honda and LG Electronics, and dresses up its half-baked thinking in blinding (but not that brilliant) CGI wizardry.” – Tom Charity

{/for}

{for=”Hollywood Reporter” value=”4″}

“… the best science fiction has always been about innovative ideas and challenging issues. In this regard, the updated The Day the Earth Stood Still falls far short of the original.” – Tom Charity

{/for}

{/rw_score} –>

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Movies, Reviews | No Comments »

September 21st, 2008

Review of Reviews: Ghost Town a popular destination among critics

Opens: September 19, 2008
Rating: PG-13 (Strong language, sexual humor, Drug references)
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy

“He sees dead people … and they annoy him,” or so goes the tag line to the new light fantasy romantic comedy, Ghost Town, starring British comedic sensation Ricky Gervais and American actors Greg Kinnear and Tea Leoni.

By and large the critics either like or love this film – which treads on all-too-familiar terrain of romantic fantasy comedies about the living communicating with the dead.

There is near unanimous praise for Gervais – in his ability to breathe a new life and energy into a concept as familiar in Hollywood as the action movie chase scene.

Also praised are the comedic skills for Leoni, once called the next Lucille Ball, with the ability to elicit a laugh or a grimace in the audience with a tilt of the head – or less.

IN the era of gross-out comedies where subtlety describes the differences in the color of various bodily functions, critics were quick to praise Ghost Town for always choosing the more witty and intelligent option rather than the easy laugh of a gross out shot below the belt.

Of the negative concepts, critics were no impressed with the plot of the film – which is so familiar as to have become a cliche. But, most of them say Gervais’ original take on a familiar theme saved the movies from mediocrity and raised the film to near greatness.

WATCH THE TRAILER

<!– {rw_good}

  • Talented cast
  • Star-making American role for Ricky Gervais
  • Gorgeous cinematography of urban landscapes

{/rw_good} –>

<!– {rw_bad}

  • Not an original concept
  • Choppy plot development

{/rw_bad} –>

<!– {rw_score}

{for="Salt Lake Tribune" value="9"}

"Gervais is lethally funny.” – Kyle Smith

{/for}

{for=”New York Post” value=”9″}

“… a bubbly and delightful comedy.” – Sean P. Means

{/for}

{for=”Vancouver Sun” value=”7″}

“Ghost Town nails some forgotten truisms with a lightness of spirit and a generosity of heart that’s downright moving without being sloppy.” - Katherine Monk

{/for}

{for=”CNN” value=”7″}

“Ghost Town doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it does goose the formula romantic comedy clichés.” – Tom Charity

{/for}

{for=”San Jose Mercury News” value=”7″}

“Striking just the right balance between sarcastic and sweet, Ghost Town breathes new life into supernatural comedy..” – Bob Strauss

{/for}

{for=”Washington Post” value=”8″}

“… heart and intelligence that too often are missing at the multiplex.” – Ann Hornaday

{/for}

{for=”Washington Post” value=”8″}

“…  is both very funny and a bit of a tearjerker….” – Walter Addiego

{/for}

{/rw_score} –>

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Reviews | No Comments »

August 29th, 2008

Review of Reviews: Critics find Babylon A.D. incomprehensible

OPENS: August 29, 2008
Rating: PG-13 (Intense violence, Language)
Genres: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Starring: Vin Diesel, Gerard Depardieu

“Veteran-turned-mercenary Thoorop takes the high-risk job of escorting a woman from Russia to America. Little does he know that she is host to an organism that a cult wants to harvest in order to produce a genetically modified Messiah,” or so say the studio teasers.

“Ugh,” or so say the critics – well those who saw it. The studio refused to have advance screenings for film critics – usually a sign a film is a dud.

The movie’s director, Mathieu Kassovitz agrees. as reported by the Reelz Channel:

 ”I’m very unhappy with the film,” Kassovitz ranted to AMC. “I never had a chance to do one scene the way it was written or the way I wanted it to be. The script wasn’t respected. Bad producers, bad partners, it was a terrible experience.”

Kassovitz, who described parts of the movie as “like a bad episode of 24,” places the blame squarely on the shoulder of studio backer 20th Century Fox. Fox, ironically, also happens to produce TV’s 24.

Look on the bright side, sci-fi fans: Babylon A.D. may not be the second coming of Blade Runner, but it should provide for the best DVD director’s commentary ever.

 Mainstream film critics agree.

WATCH THE TRAILER

<!– {rw_good}

  • Great well-known and loved cast.

{/rw_good} –>

<!– {rw_bad}

  • The movie’s director has trashed the film, saying the studio hacked the heart out of it.
  • Disjointed characters and plot.

{/rw_bad} –>

<!– {rw_score}

{for="FilmCritics.com" value="2"}

"More inert than argon gas and given over to obvious directorial hissy fits, Babylon A.D. is like a bad dream a cyberpunk once had” – Bill Gibron

{/for}

{for=”IGN” value=”2″}

“French director Kassiovitz himself has decried the theatrical cut of Babylon A.D., and watching the film it’s easy to understand why: whole chunks of plot, much less their explanation, have clearly been excised.” – Todd Gilchrist

{/for}

{/for}

{for=”Variety” value=”3″}

“Fans of Pitch Black, hoping Diesel would reprise the stone-faced Richard Riddick role here will be disappointed.” – Jordan Mintzer

{/for}

{/rw_score} –>

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Movies, Reviews, Trailers | No Comments »

August 22nd, 2008

Review of Reviews: Most critics praise Death Race

<!– {rw_text}

What happens when Executive Producer Tom Cruise hires a cast and crew to re-make the schocky 1970s grindhouse drive-in film, Death Race 2000 for a modern audience? Why, 2008′s ultra-violent dytopic sci fi bloodbath, Death Race, of course. And the ciritcs are loving it, believe it or not.

{/rw_text} –>

OPENS: August 22, 2008
RATING: R (Bloody deaths, Extreme profanity, Violence against women)
GENRE: Grindhouse, Car racing, Action, Dystopia, Science Fiction

Sometimes movies are so bad, they are good. And according to mainstream critics – well most of them who are in on the joke – Death Race is one of those films.A loose remake of 1975′s Death Race 2000, in which motorists in a cross-country race get extra points for hitting pedestrians, the 2008 version is a sort of reality-show/Running Man hybrid tailor made to appeal to dystopic science fiction, NASCAR and Prison Break fans.

Among the negative comments from critics on the excessive violence and the way the film treats women – as sexy objects, cold-hearted bitches or other B-movie sexploitation clichés.

Other critics say, “hold on a minute … the film is a spoof of those types of films.” Here, the women are in on the joke and the dark commentary the film has on American society and the way women are still treated by men in general.

Furthermore, the action scenes are praised as outstanding. Death Race knows how to “blow things up real good,” so to speak.

 

 

 

 

 

WATCH THE TRAILER

<!– {rw_good}

  • Great action scenes
  • Quality cast

{/rw_good} –>

<!– {rw_bad}

  • Nature of film’s sexist remarks and acts may offend some
  • R-rated for a reason;  bloody gore is a staple of this film

{/rw_bad} –>

<!– {rw_score}

{for="Globe and Mail" value="7"}

"Yes, Death Race is as brutal as a punch in the face. If you have a hankering for B-movie grime and gore, it can also be a lot of fun.” – Stephen Cole

{/for}

{for=”Winnipeg Sun” value=”6″}

“There’s no pretense here — even the satire [Death Race] is as sophisticated as an Alabama bumper sticker — but if I’m forking over my gas money to see chases, crashes, booby-traps and body counts, I probably wasn’t in the mood for Pride and Prejudice anyway.” – Kevin Williamson

{/for}

{for=”Newsday” value=”6″}

“Filled with weaponized vehicles, pyrotechnics, exploding skulls and some mesmerizingly enormous female breasts – but no sex or love-stuff – “Death Race” seems almost scientifically designed to trigger every boy’s prepubescent pleasure-centers.” – Rafer Guzman

{/for}

{for=”Boston Globe” value=”6″}

“Thanks to its character interplay, the movie doesn’t drag despite taking a good 40 minutes to really rev its engines. And the racing that ensues is as loud, fast, hyper-edited, and pulverizingly destructive as the gladiatorially minded would hope.” – Tom Russo

{/for}

{for=”Kansas City Star” value=”8″}

“And while steel-plated cars bristling with firepower are guaranteed to get adolescent hearts stirring, the movie offers myriad pleasures for adults.” – Jason Heck

{/for}

{for=”San Francisco Chronicle” value=”3″}

“One more reason why Joan Allen is the most underrated actress of her generation: While Meryl Streep and Tilda Swinton are fine, multifaceted talents, neither one could pull off the line “Activate the Death Heads!” or “Release the Dreadnaught!” without looking completely ridiculous.” – Peter Hartlaub

{/for}

{for=”Chicago Tribune” value=”8″}

“It’s one of those vicious larks that just plain hit the spot. It hits the spot, throws ‘er into reverse and hits the spot again, before machine-gunning it and ramming it head-on for the fun of it.” – Michael Phillips

{/for}

{for=”Fresno Bee” value=”7″}

“Briskly paced and art-directed with the look of grim decay that you associate with an obsolete but still cranking oil refinery, the film knows when to pile on the clichés and when to include a few surprising twists.” – Donald Munro

{/for}

{for=”New York Post” value=”8″}

“The car chases and most of the characters are thrillingly executed, with 5,000-horse-power smash-’em-ups shredding the screen.” – Kyle Smith

{/for}

{/rw_score} –>

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Movies, Reviews, Trailers | No Comments »

August 15th, 2008

Review of Reviews: ‘Mirrors’ made for gore fans

<!– {rw_text}

From the director of The Hills Have Eyes. Kiefer Sutherland stars as an ex-cop turned night security guard at a long-closed department store ravaged by fire, discovers that the store’s mirrors harbor a horrific secret that threatens him and his family.

{/rw_text} –>

OPENS: August 15, 2008
RATED: R (Bloody violence, Gore, Blood, Burn wounds)
GENRE: Demons, Horror, Thriller, Asian Horror Remake

Based on the 2003 Korean horror flick, Into the Mirror, the American version, named Mirrors and starring Keifer Sutherland is a pill-popping, booze-swilling supernatural gore fest of the highest caliber. Fans of supernatural gore and slasher films will love this film, according to critics. Others? Not so much.

The 20th Century Fox film studio, in a sure-tell sign that it does not have faith in this movie, did not pre-screen it for critics. This usually means the studio thinks the film is a stinker and doesn’t want critical word-of-mouth to keep folks away from the theatres.

Among the biggest complaints by critics is that Mirrors relies more on shockingly bloody footage rather than suspenseful writing to create fear in the audience. There are scenes of bloody violence, bloody self mutilation and bloody death.

On the positive side. Other critics say this is exactly the type of film that fans of the Hellraiser and early Freddie Kruger movies have been craving – for a bloody good time.

WATCH THE TRAILER

<!– {rw_good}

  • Gore fans get their 2008 summer big budget movie

{/rw_good} –>

<!– {rw_bad}

  • Bloody violence may be a big turn off for non-gore fans
  • Not very scary for a horror film

{/rw_bad} –>

<!– {rw_score}

{for="New York TImes" value="4"}

"Offers several cringe-worthy set pieces and a sneakily nasty ending." – Jeanette Catsoulis

{/for}

{for=”Boston Globe” value=”3″}

“The money scene in Mirrors – the one the gore morons will lap up while the rest of us cringe in appalled disbelief – involves the hero’s sister ripping her own jaw off until it flops obscenely beneath her face, spurting blood everywhere. But wait, there’s more!” – Ty Burr

{/for}

{for=”Orlando Sentinel” value=”3″}

“It’s not laughably bad. It’s just not scary, a generally pointless thriller with motiveless murders at its heart and a most unsatisfactory resolution.” – Roger Moore

{/for}

{for=”Chicago Sun-TImes” value=”3″}

“By the time the mirrors go after the watchman’s young family in the overwrought climax, the movie has gone from being harmlessly silly to inexcusably sadistic.” – Josh Larsen

{/for}

{for=”Buffalo News” value=”7″}

“It’s a hellish version of the British comedy “Are You Being Served?” set ravaged by fire and neglect, complete with charred mannequins but pristine mirrors.” – Joseph Popiolkowski

{/for}

{for=”IGN” value=”5″}

“Mirrors offers nothing new, but that’s not why it can’t be recommended since not every horror film can or should be expected to cover new ground. ” – Jim Vejvoda

{/for}

{/rw_score} –>

Tags: , ,
Posted in Movies, Reviews, Trailers | No Comments »

August 15th, 2008

Review of Reviews: Critics tell fans to avoid Clone Wars

OPENS: AUgust 15, 2008
RATING: PG (Violence, Smoking, Adult Situations)
GENRE: Space Opera, Animation

A new Star Wars cartoon will debut on the Cartoon Network this fall.

Somebody at Lucasfilm got the bright idea to make a 90-minute introduction movie to kick the series off. That’s good.

Somebody (or somebodies) else at Warner Brothers in paring up with Lucasfilm got the bright idea of taking that made-for-TV film and dumping it out in theatres this weekend. That’s not-so-good.

The result? A hybrid computer animated film that is not up to par with what a movie-going audience expects when plopping over $8 to $10 a pop to see a film these days.

Among those panning the film, most noted a boring storyline and painful dialogue that insults fans of the Star Wars saga. Others called it a blatant money grab for George Lucas that insults the legacy of the franchise. Others said this film marks the death of Star Wars as a popular culture touchstone.

But others were not do fast to dismiss this film. As a kid’s film its fast pace and not-too-complicated story is perfect mindless last weekend before back-to-school fun for the pre-teen set.

WATCH THE TRAILER

<!– {rw_good}

  • Squarely aimed for the middle school audience.
  • Good preview of the upcoming TV series.

{/rw_good} –>

<!– {rw_bad}

  • Poor writing
  • Animation is stiff

{/rw_bad} –>

<!– {rw_score}

{for="Newsday" value="1"}

"A money-making spin-off from the Lucas franchise, "Clone Wars" has all the magic and heart of a cereal commercial." – Rafer Guzman

{/for}

{for=”Space.com” value=”6″}

“If you’re looking for some solid action, that’s one thing this film will give you in spades. Just don’t look too closely at the characters themselves, and you’ll do fine.” – Steve Fritz

{/for}

{for=”New York Times” value=”6″}

“The Clone Warshas an uncluttered look and furious pace that make it more or less as satisfying as its wildly overdesigned predecessors.” – Nathan Lee

{/for}

{for=”Chicago Tribune” value=”1″}

“The film’s purpose is clear. It is a full-length teaser for the forthcoming TV series of the same name.” – Michael Phillips

{/for}

{for=”Chicago Sun-Times” value=”3″}

“You know you’re in trouble when the most interesting new character is Jabba the Hutt’s uncle.” – Roger Ebert

{/for}

{for=”San Francisco Chronicle” value=”6″}

“The movie’s tone will probably send original-trilogy loyalists over the edge, the final shove that sends their Hoth Ice Planet action play sets into exile on eBay. Meanwhile, children will thrill at the notion that the latest part of the saga was made especially for them.” – Peter Hartlaub

{/for}

{for=”Los Angeles Daily News” value=”3″}

“Big disaster, this Star Wars cartoon is… The ugly-looking movie is a straightforward, unapologetic cash grab, taking footage intended to be part of Cartoon Network’s upcoming Clone Wars TV series and slapping it together to lure in those few who haven’t already torn up their fan club membership cards in disgust.” – Glenn Whipp

{/for}

{for=”Washington Post” value=”1″}

“Lucas fulfills his lifelong dream of completely dehumanizing his space opera, replacing it with a digitally animated style that is somewhere between cartoons, Christmas specials and panoramic paintings on the side of a van.” – Hank Stuever

{/for}

{/rw_score} –>

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Movies, Reviews, Trailers | 1 Comment »

August 2nd, 2008

Review of Reviews: The Mummy 3 critics all over the map

<!– {rw_text}

Brendan Fraser is back, reprising his role in The Mummy franchise in the new film, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.

{/rw_text} –>

OPENS: August 1, 2008
RATING: PG-13 (Violence)
GENRES: Horror Comedy, Action-Adventure, Fantasy

The heroes of The Mummy franchise returns — well not all of them, Rachel Weiss decided to forego this film, replaced by Maria Bello.

Film reviews are mixed. Many film critics hated The Mummy 3, citing that the film is dumb, violent and doesn’t take tell the audience a new story..

Other critics loved the film for those same reasons. Film Critic Roger Ebert says audiences comprised of fans fo this series will not be disappointed.

Sometimes people want mindless escapist adventure wit great special effects. Here, the film delivers.

Other critics say audiences should follow the example of the lead actress of the first two Mummy films – and skip this one as unneeded and unwatchable.

WATCH THE TRAILER

<!– {rw_good}

  • Great special effects
  • Film made for fans of the series

{/rw_good} –>

<!– {rw_bad}

  • Not much original; the plot is similar to the first film
  • Fraser is only 13 years older than the actor who plays his son, making the father/son dynamic awkward
  • Barrage of violence too scary for very small children. Adolescent boys, on the other hand, will love it.

{/rw_bad} –>

<!– {rw_score}

{for="Wired" value="6"}

"A poor third installment to the Mummy series." – Ken Denmead

{/for}

{for=”Chicago Tribune” value=”3″}

“One Wow cancels out the last Wow, until the Wows start looking more like lowercase wows and soon the wows become merely eh, or worse, a string of low-grade, minimally inventive aggravations that fail even to hit the level of eh. They’re more like bleh.” – Michael Phillips

{/for}

{for=”Christian Science Monitor” value=”3″}

“This third “Mummy” movie takes us on a guided tour of the catacombs of ancient China and the peaks of the Himalayas, with a pit stop in postwar Shanghai. Anyone looking for a terrific summer popcorn movie should not hop on board.” – Peter Rainer

{/for}

{for=”San Jose Mercury News” value=”7″}

“Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is as stupid as it gets, with spear-carrying undead soldiers fighting men with 1946-era guns, yetis coming to the aid of humans and the phoniest-looking movie snow of all time. There’s also a trumped-up father-son schism that Rick and Luke must overcome.” – Betsy Pickle

{/for}

{for=”San Francisco Chronicle” value=”2″}

“The new installment, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, fails despite being given the best possible chance of success.” – Mick LaSalle

{/for}

{for=”Chicago Sun-Times” value=”8″}

“Now why did I like this movie? It was just plain dumb fun, is why. It is absurd and preposterous, and proud of it. ” – Roger Ebert

{/for}

{for=”Chicago Sun-Times” value=”6″}

“The film has its flaws: There’s plenty of lame dialogue, including a stomach-turning exchange in which archaeological terms such as “excavation” are applied to sexually desirable women. And the talents of two exceptional Chinese actors and martial artists, Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh, go underappreciated.” – Christy De Smith

{/for}

{/rw_score} –>

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Movies, Reviews, Trailers | No Comments »

July 31st, 2008

Review of Reviews: Midnight Meat Train a good fright

<!– {rw_text}

A short story form Clive Barker's classic short story collection Books of Blood, the new film The Midnight Meat Train follows photographer Leon Kauffman (Cooper), who is working on his latest collection – documenting the late night life’s loneliness in the normally bustling New York City … until his camera catches evidence of the deadly side of the city’s subway system. Last stop: an abyss of pure evil.

{/rw_text} –>

OPENS: August 1, 2008 (Limited Release)
RATING: R (Gore, Nudity, Sexual Content)
GENRE: Horror; Supernatural Dark Fantasy; Gore

In the making of Midnight Meat Train, writer Clive Barker and director Ryuhei Kitamura set out to make the a film better than Candyman and scarier than Hellraiser.

According to horror critics, both goals were met.

The story is from Clive Barker’s seminal Books of Blood collection. Barker admits that the off-kilter title came to him after he ate a batch of marijuana brownies a couple decades ago.

Originally set to debut during the early summer blockbuster season, instead LionsGate decided on a limited release for the film before shipping it out on DVDs.

Of the positive reviews, director Kitamura’s English language debut is getting kudos for his stylish scenes and camerawork and his ability to maintain the sense of creepy dread that filled the original short story.

Also getting good reviews are actors Bradley Cooper, Vinnie Jones and Brooke Shields.

WATCH THE TRAILER

<!– {rw_good}

  • Called the best Barker film adaptation, ever
  • Top-notch cast and direction

{/rw_good} –>

<!– {rw_bad}

  • Only in Limited Release
  • Graphic scenes of violence, blood and gore will be too disturbing for most except die-hard horror fans.

{/rw_bad} –>

<!– {rw_score}

{for="Fort Worth Business Press" value="8"}

“The Midnight Meat Train, adapted by screenwriter Jeff Buhler from a Books of Blood yarn, turns out to be one hellacious ride — forging deliberately into an abyss that, though naturally of the make-believe variety, nonetheless packs a lingering chill of unease.” – Michael H. Price

{/for}

{for=”Cinematical” value=”8″}

“Easily the best Clive Barker adaptation since the first Hellraiser film.” – Scott Weinberg

{/for}

{for=”JoBlo.com” value=”8″}

“ I thought that film was a blast and a half, and I’m happy to see that for his first American film, Kitamura seems to have been more or less given a free hand. The film positively oozes style.” - Chris Bumbray

{/for}

{/rw_score} –>

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Movies, Reviews, Trailers | No Comments »

July 25th, 2008

Review of Reviews: New X-Files a movie only a fan could love

OPENS: July 25, 2008
Rating: PG-13 (Gore, Violence)
Genre: Science Fiction; Supernatural Dark Fantasy
No Spoilers

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson reprise the roles of Mulder and Scully six years after their long-lived TV series. The X-Files left the air.

This is the second X-Files movie, the first was released while the TV show was still in production and wasn’t necessarily loved by fans or by critics.

The second film, The X-Files: I Want to Believe, isn’t winning over many critics – unless they were die-hard fans of the show who miss seeing their favorite FBI agents verbally spar and chew through scenery. But some mainstream critics who were fans of the show felt disappointed that this new film failed to recapture the spark that made the series so special.

Of the positive reviews, most critics raved about Gillian Anderson – many lamenting that as an actress, Hollywood has been unfair to such a talent with intelligence, smoldering beauty and a screen presence that would have made her one of the biggest stars of the screen had she been born 60 years earlier.

Also receiving kudos are Duchovny and the supporting cast – particularly Amanda Peet as a young FBI agent with the same gusto that Mulder had when he was first introduced to TV viewers 15 years ago.

Of the not-so-kind reviews, most of the mud is being slung at writer-director Chris Carter for not delivering a film as good as it could have been. Some fear that die-hard fans will leave the film disappointed that a weak story overshadowed the stars and damaged the on-screen chemistry between the two leads.

Additionally, some were not pleased that the script skipped on the science fiction and dark fantasy elements that made the TV series its creepy best. Similarly, more than one critic derided the camera work as missing the film noir-type feel that audience have come to expect in an X-Files presentation

WATCH THE TRAILER

<!– {rw_good}

  • Anderson shines
  • Duchovny at his witty, earnest best
  • Great supporting cast

{/rw_good} –>

<!– {rw_bad}

  • Doesn’t live up to its promise
  • Science fiction/supernatural element almost missing

{/rw_bad} –>

<!– {rw_score}

{for="Newsday" value="8"}

"Duchovny and Anderson seem just right, too – she has one of the great faces in movies, and brings an earnest likability to Scully the Doctor. And Mulder is allowed to be Mulder – someone Duchovny can't escape any easier than Mulder can escape the lure of the unknown." – John Anderson

{/for}

{for=”San Jose Mercury-News” value=”7″}

“As smart and obsessed as ever, Mulder and Scully generate a lot of good will that helps “I Want to Believe” plow its way out of numerous narrative snowbanks. ” – Bob Strauss

{/for}

{/for}

{for=”Chicago Tribune” value=”6″}

“Anderson almost makes the new “X-Files” film, subtitled “I Want to Believe,” something to believe in.” – Michael Phillips

{/for}

{for=”Washington Post” value=”7″}

“A taut, well-acted, not very scary, not very hard to figure out serial-killer mystery revolving around two adults with trust issues.” – Michael Steuver

{/for}

{for=”The Boston Globe” value=”5″}

“The movie is less like an episode of The X-Files and more like the trashiest installment ever of Law & Order: SVU. Benson and Stabler have seen some loony stuff but nothing this sick.” – Wesley Morris

{/for}

{for=”Baltimore Sun” value=”6″}

“The X-Files: I Want to Believe resembles those TV-series reunions that bring the cast of a hit together for a not-so-special occasion.” – Michael Sragow

{/for}

{for=”Los Angeles Times” value=”4″}

“Even at its stride, The X-Files was a load of malarkey. But it was thoughtful malarkey and compulsively watchable. One could say the same about the first two-thirds of The X-Files: I Want to Believe before it spins out of control and into a delirious plane of awfulness.” – Jan Stuart

{/for}

{for=”USA Today” value=”5″}

“The film also skimps on plot; don’t expect the clever, intricate twists of the series. It feels like a wan version of the show — one that has lost its otherworldly edge.” – Claudia Puig

{/for}

{/rw_score} –>

Tags: , ,
Posted in Movies, Reviews, Trailers | No Comments »

« Older Entries