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The Night Listener (2006)
A good thriller that blows it all at the end.
"The Night Listener" stars Robin Williams as a radio show host. He forms an over-the-phone friendship with a teenager who is supposedly dying of AIDS. Eventually, he suspects that the teenager does not really exist at all.
This movie surprised me with how, despite some flaws, I was on the edge of my seat for the entire movie. I was constantly expecting something shocking to happen. Even though nothing shocking did happen, that does not matter. It kept me in suspense. I was all set to rate this movie an 8 out of 10. However, then the ending came. What an awful ending! Apparently the makers of this film have a low opinion of the viewing audience. They seem to believe that instead of leaving us in suspense they should wrap everything up in a nice little package. If only they had cut that scene at the end with the real estate agent I would be raving about what a great movie this was. Instead they force-feed all the answers down the viewers throat. I left very disappointed as the ending ruined all the suspense for me. Overall it knocks this movie down to a 6 out of 10.
Predator Island (2005)
A modern B-movie
The kind of B-movies from the 1950's that were schlocky yet so much fun are to what Predator Island pays homage. Filmed in Connecticut, Predator Island is set on an island called with a lighthouse Hell's Beacon which is inhabited by only the couple who tends the lighthouse. In typical 1950's sci-fi fashion after a half dozen young adults crash their boat into the island's rocky shore hideous creatures from outer space invade the island after a meteor hits nearby. The creatures start both inhabiting the bodies of their victims as well as devouring them. Lots of cursing and lame comebacks are the primary form of dialogue in this movie. It is so hokey that you just have to laugh at times. If you are looking for a movie that is stupid, but in a fun way, then this one fits the bill.
Interesting note: I appear in the film as a dead body in the far background of the final scene. During filming they needed about 50 extras, yet around 300 people showed up for the opportunity. They eventually used nearly 200 of them.
Trees 2: The Root of All Evil (2004)
A funny indy B-movie!
This sequel to "Trees" is far better than the original. The addition of some movie professionals has helped improve the product. The plot of this movie picks up where Trees left off. Ranger Cody now has a fear of trees. When killer Christmas trees invade the town of Hazelville no one believes the ranger. Mayhem and chaos ensue. I live in the town where this was filmed, and the sight of killer Christmas trees running down Main Street is absolutely hilarious! The second film in a "treelogy," this is a great movie to watch on a cold, rainy night.
Trees (2000)
A good concept done very poorly
"Trees" is an obviously low-budget ($20,000) production that fails miserably as both a comedy and a horror. The writing provides no substance to any of the characters or situations and the actors fail to add any life to this picture. Some conversations in the movie drone on for minutes for no reason. For most of the movie the dialogue is out of synch with the actors' moving lips. I only watched this because it was filmed in my hometown. Do yourself a favor and skip it. However, do not miss the sequel "The Root of All Evil" which is far superior and vastly entertaining.
21 Grams (2003)
confusing
I usually love weird movies, but this movie isn't weird. It is just confusing. It took me the better part of the first half of the movie just to figure out who the characters were, what with all their appearance changes and the time-shifting. Even after I could identify the characters the non-linear storytelling was out of place in this movie and rather than enhance the suspense it just confused me.
Additionally there are scenes in this movie that border on pornography. The filmmakers stretch these sex scenes out for far too long and they serve no apparent purpose.
Furthermore, none of the characters are sympathetic or likable. In the end I couldn't care less whether any of the characters lived or died.
I went into 21 Grams with high expectations, but this was an extremely disappointing movie. 4/10
Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
Very funny and enjoyable.
I found this film, while short, to have many funny parts. The entire audience was laughing throughout the film. It is not the Coen brothers' best film, but it is still better than the vast majority of films out there. **MINOR SPOILER** The scene where Wheezy Joe met his end was hilarious! I could not stop laughing, and I wasn't the only one. The entire theatre was in hysterics for at least a full minute after that! 8/10
Le dîner de cons (1998)
Funniest movie I've seen in a long time
The Dinner Game is the funniest movie I have seen since There's Something About Mary. However, this movie does not need to use any of the gross-out humor that Mary does. Instead it uses perfect timing, facial expressions, tone of voice, and a wonderfully comic script to elicit plenty of laughs.
It is a good thing this movie has subtitles, because at the movie theater I saw it at the audience was laughing so loudly for so much time that a good portion of the dialogue could not be heard. At the end of the film it got prolonged applause from the crowd which is something rarely done at movies anymore.
I'm sure that some American director will try to adapt this and make an English-language version of it as is done with all French films. However, no remake will be able to compare to this original. If you have any sense of humor you must see this movie!
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Worst movie I have ever seen
I have been reading others' comments about this film and cannot believe they saw the same movie I did. This is the worst movie I have seen in my entire life. It has a plot that clatters and bumps along. The characters are poorly developed. Scenes are added for seemingly no reason and left unexplained. Bruce Willis character apparently is a complete moron. The utter lack of basic screenwriting ability of this film's author is astonishing. This movie is not worth seeing at the cinema or renting on video. If you do have the misfortune to see The Sixth Sense you will be wishing for the two hours of your life you wasted viewing it back. As for the ending, it stinks too. It is contrived and trite.