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Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Sin City (2005) in Movies
Aug 15, 2017
Slick cinematography, dark tales
This film's graphic novel style cinematography is original, effective and beautiful to behold. The black and white effect with certain colours highlighted reminded me of looking at old style comics. The multiple stories that mesh together are all extremely dark, from serial murders to molestation and exploitation, it's Rated R for a very good reason. And while the Tarantino style gore can be surprisingly easy on the eye especially in black and white, it seemed extreme at times, filmed for the sake of being violent.
Christine Allard (22 KP) rated The Animators in Books
Jan 30, 2018 (Updated Jan 30, 2018)
A story of passion, friendship, obsession, and self-discovery
Give yourself a few hours to dip into the creative world of animation—one you haven’t likely given much thought to in the past.
This novel is rich with character details and development, while holding back as much as the characters hold from themselves.
It’s an unfolding of the creative process, of friendship and love and loyalty, with a shadow of darkness and feminism. It could have become strident, but Whitaker strikes a balance of advancing the story while leaving the reader to draw their conclusions about self-exploration and the exploitation of others.
This novel is rich with character details and development, while holding back as much as the characters hold from themselves.
It’s an unfolding of the creative process, of friendship and love and loyalty, with a shadow of darkness and feminism. It could have become strident, but Whitaker strikes a balance of advancing the story while leaving the reader to draw their conclusions about self-exploration and the exploitation of others.
Lenard (726 KP) rated 3 From Hell (2019) in Movies
Sep 23, 2019
After the deadly shootout in The Devil's Rejects, the Rejects miraculously survive and face trial. All three are given the death penalty or life sentences. Due to SId Haig's health, Captain Spaulding does not a huge part, but his performance is still extremely memorable. Otis Driftwood takes center stage as he regathers his family after a massacre leading to his escape from prison. On the run, Otis, Baby, and Wolfman (don't ask) hide out in a Mexican town because they love killing people for sport. Anyway, director Rob Zombie once again crafts a love letter to 70s exploitation films even if he never intended to make another chapter to the House of 1000 Corpses series.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Q: The Winged Serpent (1982) in Movies
Mar 31, 2019 (Updated Mar 31, 2019)
Hugely likeable, tongue-in-cheek mash-up of monster movie and crime drama. An ancient Aztec dragon-bird-god begins terrorising window-cleaners, construction workers and other people on top of high buildings in New York. Small-time crook (Moriarty) comes across the lair but will only tell heroic detective (Carradine) if the price is right.
The stuff with the monster is grisly good fun, while the more down to earth scenes are lifted hugely by the terrific performance of Moriarty, who seems to think he's appearing in a John Cassavetes film. The special effects are heroically over-ambitious and a subplot about an Aztec cult committing human sacrifices feels like an awkward afterthought, but that just adds to the entertainment value of an unashamed exploitation movie, and a mighty fine one too.
The stuff with the monster is grisly good fun, while the more down to earth scenes are lifted hugely by the terrific performance of Moriarty, who seems to think he's appearing in a John Cassavetes film. The special effects are heroically over-ambitious and a subplot about an Aztec cult committing human sacrifices feels like an awkward afterthought, but that just adds to the entertainment value of an unashamed exploitation movie, and a mighty fine one too.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Prehistoric Women (1967) in Movies
Feb 12, 2018
The Land That The Budget Forgot
Pretty much a one-man show for Hammer supremo Michael Carreras, who writes, directs, and produces, and in the process demonstrates why he should really have stuck to producing. Then again, the whole movie was intended as a cash-saving measure so there's a limit to how much you can complain about the slapdash plotting, absurdly cheap 'monster', or painful non-acting from most of the cast.
Martine Beswick does her best to rise above it all, but this is even less entertaining than it probably sounds; it's not even that interesting as an exploitation movie. Noted actor, director and playwright Steven Berkoff can be spotted hanging around in the background hoping not to be seen and planning on calling his agent.
Martine Beswick does her best to rise above it all, but this is even less entertaining than it probably sounds; it's not even that interesting as an exploitation movie. Noted actor, director and playwright Steven Berkoff can be spotted hanging around in the background hoping not to be seen and planning on calling his agent.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Planet of Dinosaurs (1977) in Movies
May 24, 2019 (Updated May 24, 2019)
A great title goes to waste in this low-budget SF knock-off. Spaceship gets into trouble; the crew are alarmed to realise that the planet they crash-land on is inhabited solely by dinosaurs; the viewer will be alarmed to realise the film is inhabited solely by people who can't act, and the script is cobblers too.
Not even any fun as a dodgy exploitation movie; the chamois-leather bikinis promised by the poster never materialise and we are left with a bunch of dull characters in velour outfits and adult-movie moustaches (the men are even worse) being snippy with each other. The dinosaur animation is actually astonishingly good, certainly the best thing about this movie; whether it's a good enough reason to sit through the rest of it is a question each of us must answer for him or herself.
Not even any fun as a dodgy exploitation movie; the chamois-leather bikinis promised by the poster never materialise and we are left with a bunch of dull characters in velour outfits and adult-movie moustaches (the men are even worse) being snippy with each other. The dinosaur animation is actually astonishingly good, certainly the best thing about this movie; whether it's a good enough reason to sit through the rest of it is a question each of us must answer for him or herself.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Viking Queen (1967) in Movies
Mar 1, 2018 (Updated Mar 2, 2018)
Wildly historically inaccurate, wholly absurd Hammer exploitation movie based on the events of the Iceni revolt led by Boudicca in 1st-century Britain. Roman governor (American) falls unconvincingly for Briton queen (Finnish); their imminent marriage promises to be bad for the business of the local merchants and their corrupt ally, a Roman general (Scottish), so a conflict is provoked, leading to rebellion...
Problems are mostly with the script, which appears to be only vaguely familiar with the concept of historical research, although a lot of the acting and staging is also pretty poor. Some usually reliable actors (Andrew Keir, Patrick Troughton) do the best they can with the material they're given. Probably best viewed as a high-camp piece of unintentional comedy. The widely-circulated story that one of the Roman actors can be seen wearing a wristwatch appears to be apocryphal.
Problems are mostly with the script, which appears to be only vaguely familiar with the concept of historical research, although a lot of the acting and staging is also pretty poor. Some usually reliable actors (Andrew Keir, Patrick Troughton) do the best they can with the material they're given. Probably best viewed as a high-camp piece of unintentional comedy. The widely-circulated story that one of the Roman actors can be seen wearing a wristwatch appears to be apocryphal.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Ex Machina (2015) in Movies
Feb 13, 2018
The Fembot Awakens
Slightly-retro-but-in-a-good-way SF movie from the writer of The Beach and 28 Days Later. Corporate minion is whisked off to the wilderness by wealthy boss to participate in experiments testing the intelligence of a female-looking android he has built; android indeed proves to have a mind of her own.
Wears its influences relatively lightly and looks good; that said, seems more content to play with the issues it raises than actually explore them with any real rigour. Ending is a bit silly, but forgivably so. If, as seems possible, the director wants to make a point about male exploitation of women, it might be better not to do so in a movie where every female actress is required to do a full-frontal nude scene. Smarter than the usual studio SF film, anyway; passes the time entertainingly.
Wears its influences relatively lightly and looks good; that said, seems more content to play with the issues it raises than actually explore them with any real rigour. Ending is a bit silly, but forgivably so. If, as seems possible, the director wants to make a point about male exploitation of women, it might be better not to do so in a movie where every female actress is required to do a full-frontal nude scene. Smarter than the usual studio SF film, anyway; passes the time entertainingly.
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Ace in the Hole (The Big Carnival) (1951) in Movies
Mar 3, 2020
It ran with the tagline “You’ll think about it… You’ll talk about it… You’ll Remember it”, and we have! Considered now as one of the most ahead of its time films ever made, thanks to the Oscar nominated writing of Billy Wilder, and his eye for how real human beings behave. A massive box office flop in 1951, it is now one of the highest rated films of Douglas’ career, still clinging on in the IMDb top 250 films of all time. As down on his luck journalist Chuck Tatum, Douglas growls his way through a performance about ambition, selfishness and media exploitation, as he attempts to rescue a man trapped in a rock fall, whilst seducing his wife and putting the life of the victim secondary to his own needs at every turn. “Not below the belt, but from the gut!” A classic in every sense.
