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American Crime Story (2016)
Horrendous writing and awful Kardashian plugging.
I really wanted to like this show. I've read so many good reviews by many well-respected media outlets and I cannot figure out why. This script is so cheesy and just ridiculous. I have a legal background and cannot keep track of the legal blunders....hugely distracting already. Also, why does John Travolta's mouth seem to be almost completely wired shut? Shapiro didn't, and doesn't, talk that way! That's a mannerism that would be more appropriate in an SNL sketch....not in a serious drama. I'm utterly disappointed.
On a final note....please FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, STOP plugging the Kardashian kids every chance you get. They do NOT belong in this storyline anywhere and it makes me want to vomit. Just stop and try to stick to the facts....and get some video footage for John Travolta to study.
The Human Race (2013)
The Human Race - Low budget yet high impact
Film is very low budget and pacing is inconsistent at times. There are several flaws to it but at the end I was left really liking the whole thing. And that counts more than anything to me. It takes quite a unique approach to the genre.
Any film that dares to match a one-legged anti-hero against a deaf couple against an old dude against kids against a pregnant woman against athletes in a head exploding arena, takes a real stand against the common stereo-types of horror movies. And of all types of movies in general.
You can tell there is a real visionary behind this. Now, again, that's not to say this is the perfect movie. It isn't. Some of the deaths are a little too similar and I would have liked to have seen more practical special FX. But what counts to me is the final impact the movie had on me and the fact that I can't quite stop talking about it to people. This is for sure something you want to see if you like not knowing what is coming around the corner. In fact, one of the greatest assets of the movie is that you truly don't know who is going to survive and/or die and when.
I think long-term this will probably garner cult status if people can overlook the fact it wasn't made on a big Hollywood budget. I truly hope there is a sequel as I would love to see what happens after where this one left off. Ultimately highly recommended.
Stitch (2013)
Stitch The Movie - Good Movie
Maybe I watched a different movie, given some of the negative reviews but I thought STITCH rocked. I felt it was one of the most original horror films I've seen in a while.
The story doesn't have anything to do with witchcraft or paranormal or fantasy or sci-fi or the kitchen sink. So other people who say that either didn't watch the whole thing or weren't paying attention. This was the first purely metaphysical horror movie I've seen since Jacob's Ladder.
If you understand just a little of Zen Buddhism or western metaphysical thought, you will get this movie. Think of the themes of THE MATRIX (the world is not what it seems) but without the big sci-fi action environment. Replace said environment with low-budget horror and you sort of get close. And if you don't care about such ideas or themes, the movie still works. It hits all the right horror-thriller notes, with an extra bit of story depth for anyone who looks under the hood.
It does have some low budget effects but so what. I remember the first time my friends forced me to watch the original TERMINATOR on DVD. I almost turned it off in the first two minutes because of the lame plastic-models-on-wires-masquerading-as-flying-vehicles (Hunter- Killers for T fans). But I'm glad I didn't because I was treated to one of my favorite movies of all time, low budget special effects be damned.
Not saying that STITCH is a classic like THE TERMINATOR. Not even close. But it's miles above other horror films in recent memory in terms of story and overall concept. Acting is good and better than average for the genre. Effects and other production values are mostly good with only a few of the aforementioned weak spots.
Overall... Original, thought provoking, scary and packing some emotional punch (especially if you're a parent).
Desires of the Heart (2013)
Desires of the Heart
This film was screened at the 2013 LA Femme Film Festival, where it was well-received by the audience and won Best Foreign Film from the jury. It is the first feature film from twenty-five year old director James Kicklighter, with support in India from Bollywood veteran, co-director Rajesh Rathi. The film exudes a confidence in Kicklighter's direction as he transitioned from a series of acclaimed short films into DESIRES OF THE HEART, the first step in a promising feature film career. At the Q&A, I learned of the many complications of making an international film as a first feature, cultural barriers, etc. As such, the film is an incredible accomplishment.
Strong performances leading man Val Lauren, an up and coming breakout talent, and Alicia Minshew, who successfully makes the transition from soap opera actress to feature film star.
Exotic locations both in India and the U.S. Beautiful screen play with lush cinematography from Tim Gill. It surprises me that the film exists and succeeds with all of the barriers that it takes to make an international crossover film, especially with this film's well-documented collapse numerous times over the past decade, formerly titled THE WOMAN FROM GEORGIA, numerous writers and directors. Accolades for the persistence of writer/producer Solila Parida to get the film made was well worth her effort. A truly beautiful story of love. I truly enjoyed this film and hope that the film is seen by a wide audience around the world, accessible to both Hollywood and Bollywood sensibilities. A must see!
I'm excited to see what Kicklighter tackles next; IMDb indicates an upcoming biopic about Erk Russell.
Conscientia (2011)
Conscientia - Obscure, subliminal thriller
"There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception." I think this movie was too short to truly give the audience an understanding of that intended message. The main character, the scientist, hits the "enter" button and delves into a subliminal state to delve into the unknown. The drawback was that I was a bit confused at the end of the six minutes.
No dialogue yet the acting was very real and dynamic. The cinematography, as usual for this filmmaker, is brilliant. Great color, obscurity and texture; visual FX were incredible. Sound and score was eery yet phenomenal. I think the story needed more developing. Other than that, very enjoyable to watch.
Starters (2012)
Starters - Brilliant , beautiful and superb
"The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it." Very touching and lovely story of a mother's desperation and unconditional love for her child. I've always thought there should be theater venues for some incredible short films and this is one of them. The ominous tone is set immediately through the cinematography, camera angles and music score. The feeling of a mother's desperation to save her suffering child is felt and beautifully captured. The casting was exceptional; the child is so adorable (even as he lay coughing) that you are rooting for him to live. Fantastic acting and direction. This six minute short superbly captures the theme of the value of life as the literal and symbolic transfer of life is depicted at the clinic.
I highly recommend this short film. Superb!
Population Zero (2013)
Population Zero review - Intense and Powerful
Brilliantly and immediately drawn in to the the intense mood of the movie. The filmmakers mastered the suspense and feeling of tension with incredible, dark, post-apocalyptic cinematography and an incredible music score. The lead character is very convincing in his portrayal of a man on the brink of a complete psychological breakdown as images of aliens attack the world. I truly enjoyed the VFX which can sometimes come across as a bit corny and detract from the film. That was not the case here. This 11 minute film is well worth the watch....my only complaint is that it did not break from the intense mood at all. I would like it to be a bit longer and break from the suspense - if even for a minute or so. Otherwise, really enjoyed this short film. Hope to see more.
Recruited (2013)
Recruited-Beautiful tribute, Fantastic and Simple Cinematography
Recruited gets to the heart of the matter very quickly. It opens on a shot of the Old Bridge in Pasadena and quickly widens to the two main characters, brother and sister, Neil and Nikki. Neil has joined the Marine's. He is having the symbolic "good-bye" talk with his younger sister - a tender moment. The next shot at the cemetery reveals Neil's death in the line of duty. Nikki has just graduated from high school and plans to honor her brother by joining the Navy. It is beautiful yet simple. Fantastic cinematography and score. I gave it an 8 because of the acting which was a bit mediocre at times. Overall, endearing short film and beautiful tribute to those who serve and have served in the military.
The Two Pamelas (2016)
The Two Pamelas
The Director, Jeff Hathcock, allowed me to screen "The Two Pamelas." Without giving away the story plot, let me say that it's anybody's guess who the culprit could be in this who done it thriller! Produced in the classic film noir style, the Dutch angles and dark mood of the film is unsurpassed in modern time. The back-story subject matter is both alarming and controversial, which makes the film even more enticing. While it's true some of the younger actors have their moments, the seasoned veterans Miano and Alexander bring a gravitas to the film, which makes the characters believable and the audience sympathetic to their conflicted natures.
The cinematography is amazing. I am hard pressed to find a shot in any scene that isn't both interesting and/or beautiful. I was impressed with how the score fits the film, even though it is more modern and a combination of synthetic and live instruments.
Over all this film brings back memories of iconic classics like "The Third Man" or "Strangers on a Train" or quirky Hitchcock movies mysteries like "Vertigo." This film has that classic film noir feel, yet is color graded to a sepia tone, a brown and white, rather than pure black and white contrast; I was reminded of the David O. Russell film starring George Clooney, "Three Kings" with it's almost sepia color grading to give the viewer the feel of a dessert devoid of color. The production team did a remarkable job keeping true to the genre and even the pacing and pauses for reactions are genre specific. The camera angles make certain characters and scenes more menacing and overly dramatic, even scary, which makes this film more visually pleasing. While the film may not be "fun for the whole family" it certainly serves the needs of a niche market.
Comedian (2013)
Comedian - brilliant cinematography, script and solid acting
Comedian is just what the good doctor ordered—a purely cinematic narrative where even overwhelming, crippling self-doubt can be hysterical. If on the outside you might think Comedian is deep and nuanced entertainment. It's not. But, it is well crafted, cleverly written—a beautifully shot wonderfully put-together little fable about fate, karma, and overcoming fear.
Showing up online after a successful initiation into the festival circuit (the film is screened at Edinburgh Film Festival), it's hard not be won over by Sam Pamphilon's charm. He's just a bloke off the block protagonist. It's the little particulars of the performance that make it so compelling: the way Sam is always slightly fidgety, the way he gazes intently as if hyper-focused. It's pure physical comedy, and it works. After all, much like the supreme-being himself, comedy is all in the details – and leaves the audience desperately clinging to the content of the set and wondering if it went well. Perhaps all is revealed in the sequel.
A special shout out to cinematographer John Groden for really honing in the film's grunge look and to writer Adam Ethan Crow for a brilliant neurotic script. Comedian is a compelling story and solid acting, very well produced which will surely have great success on the film circuit.
A must see!
Sedona (2011)
Sedona - the movie
Incredible and stunning cinematography and fantastic editing. The storyline was captivating from the first second. Frances Fisher's portrayal of an almost neurotic, Type A, advertising executive was spot on and raised the enjoyment level of this movie.
As Tammy (Fisher), a high-powered ad executive driving to Phoenix for a very important meeting. She took a wrong turn and is driving through the Sedona area when a plane makes an emergency landing on the road and basically rear-ends her car. Tammy is not only forced to miss her meeting with one of the most important clients of her career, but is relegated to a 2-3 day visit in this town of "strange" people. As the story progresses, Tammy realizes that the pit stop may have happened for a reason. Tammy dismisses the notion of the vortex effect, but gradually begins to soften when all her setbacks in Sedona bring surprising consequences. The story takes twists and turns suggesting that the vortexes of Sedona play a part in connecting the various scenarios within the film.
The only downside to this movie is the acting of some of the supporting characters....however, I thoroughly enjoyed the film which is available on Hulu. The cinematography itself is worth the watch.
Courage Doesn't Ask (2007)
Courage Doesn't Ask
"Courage Doesn't Ask" (2007) turned out to be a prescient film about the horrors of modern warfare against the changing political backdrop of many who serve.
By and large "Courage" is well acted, well written and well directed and is a straight-up blood-and-guts John Wayne style movie: good guys, bad guys, people dying on both sides. The hero gets his men through a vicious ambush and then himself falls victim to an IED, loosing a leg.
The principal battle scene was shot night-for-night and you will believe it is an actual battle as no detail seems spared, including the helicopter gunship that saves the day.
But the BIG reveal comes at the end in a simple walk-away superimposition: three of the cast members were awarded the Bronze Star for their own military service and were gay serving members of the military at the time.
There is no gay story-line, however, and without the super you would not realize there is another more complex layer than merely what's playing out on the screen. This was made at the end of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" era, which is cleverly reflected in the title.
"Courage Doesn't Ask" showed in 55 mainstream festivals winning awards and audience accolades for first timer Joe Acton. Whether he decides to stay in the genre remains to be seen, but he has the eye and drama for film.
2 Jacks (2012)
Subtle, clever and witty - brilliant!!
A rousing and energetic adaptation of Tolstoy's Two Hussars, Two Jacks succeeds on the level pure spectacle, but provides an unanticipated level of depth and humor as well.
Two Jacks includes an all-star cast headlined by Danny Huston and Sienna Miller. This feature is a fast-paced, glamorous and romantic vision of Tinseltown – old Hollywood glamor meets modern day La La land. The audience is enraptured by the brilliant cinematography through fast camera work and quick edits reminiscent of European cinema.
The story is of legendary film director Jack Hussar (Danny Huston), a notorious gambler and philanderer, returning to Los Angeles to obtain financing for his next film. During the course of one night, Jack charms the stunning Diana (Sienna Miller), makes his way around the party circuit, and narrowly escapes a brush with the law, before playing a high-stakes poker game at dawn. Cut to, years later when Jack Hussar Jr. (Jack Huston) arrives in Hollywood for his directorial debut, an older Diana (Jacqueline Bisset) finds her daughter falling for her former lover's son. Jack Jr is desperate to escape the footsteps and reputation of his father, therein is where the adventure lies. The subtle and witty writing and directing shown cleverly by characters behavior rather than words captures the human spirit that remains constant with time.
A must see!
Rushlights (2013)
Deceit and mistrust mixed with brilliant levels of tense energy!!
WARNING ** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ** Set in Alabama and based upon a true story, Rushlights is captivating, full of intrigue and cleverly written - full of plot twists and surprises. The layers and layers of deceit and mistrust coupled with the incredible chemistry between the two main characters, Sarah (Haley Webb) and Billy (Josh Henderson) make this one of my favorite movies of the year. Fantastic cinematography, storyline and film score, this movie is nothing less than titillating. The story becomes darker as the movie progresses. Beau Bridges is phenomenal as the untrusting Sheriff, who suspects the two main characters of fraud when they come to collect the fortune of the dead Uncle of Sarah. Turns out, Sarah is not really his niece and not entitled to the estate. A must see. Loved it!
Facebook Addiction Disorder (2012)
Fascinating and clever documentary short.
******Warning, Spoiler Alert***** "Facebook Addiction Disorder" is a short and quaint documentary which briefly delves into the social phenomenon and the overwhelming desire to connect online. Described within the film as "heroin for a new generation," social media is shrewdly depicted as enslaving to the point of causing psychological and physical trauma. Most interesting was the great gonzo style of interviewing by the character "Nick Seinfeld." I hope Nick will make more documentaries in the future. A fun side fact is that this documentary was made just before online addiction disorder was added to the DSM V. Fascinating and clever.