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ryan_walker
Reviews
A Scanner Darkly (2006)
A beautiful psychedelic nightmare
Now just because Terry Gilliam at one point wanted to attempt this adaptation, don't knock it off as a Fear and Loathing clone. This is not a film about drugs, it is a film about addiction. With obvious parallels to films like Requiem for a Dream and Trainspotting, we find the main character Robert Arctor (Reeves) working undercover for the authorities in the surveillance of his home and drug-addicted roommates. During the course of the investigation, Arctor himself becomes an addict and slave to the drug known simply as "D". The identities of all law enforcement officers are kept secret by use of a special suit which (While being hard on the eyes and stomach while watching the movie) are designed to make interacting with someone in such a suit a forgettable experience. The plot thickens when the investigation turns on Arctor himself and he's forced to monitor himself, as well as dealing with the side effects of his addiction. Blended with beautiful animation and effects once seen in Linklater's previous work Waking Life, this piece is a wonderful commentary on addiction and how easy it is to let habit outweigh humanity.
Deceiver (1997)
another hidden gem
A very nice obscure film that was definitely a delight to find. Tim Roth plays an excellent role of James Wayland, a very wealthy temporal lobe epileptic who (like Van Gogh) has a taste for Absinthe. Lies and deceit being the main theme as suggested by the title, are apparent with the setting of the movie: an interrogation room. Wayland is to be questioned for the murder of a prostitute when his illness becomes apparent. A superb supporting cast delivers believable characters and a well paced plot for this psychological thriller. If you find this gem at a video store, stay away from the Seville DVD release as it is a horrible grainy transfer and you'd be better off with the VHS. I was lucky enough to find a newer special edition in widescreen. recommended to fans of the Absinthe subculture and fan's of sharp swerving plot twists. SHARP CURVES AHEAD. See also "From Hell".
Pirates (2005)
A porn I watched for the story.
This summer I've been working at an adult film store as a clerk and I must say we can't keep this movie on the shelf. People who mention the bad acting must have never seen a porn in their lives. With the weakest (acting) performance given by Jesse Jane, Evan Stone's character was spot on. I recommend this movie to everyone who hasn't seen it, and again to those that have. Having a background in digital animation I was surprised to see how well compositing was done. Great special effects especially considering the target market. The hardest part to get used to was watching the sex scenes accompanied by a full music score. Two thumbs (and a candlestick) way up!