Suck the blood, sweat, guts, beauty, fun, sadness, and humanity out of everything Herzog does so well and this is what you are left with.
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The Collector 1965
I suppose I understand why this is considered an underrated classic, and I know it was nominated for several awards. Terence Stamp does very well, but I'm not sure about Samantha Eggar - was SHE annoying or was her CHARACTER annoying? I had trouble believing she was smart enough to get in to art school. I enjoyed looking at the beautiful house and sort of wished I could live in that cute little converted dungeon. There were a few good…
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Quigley Down Under 1990
Do you like Tom Selleck? (WHO DOESN'T?)
Do you like facial hair so thick and lustrous it looks as if it was painted on by some mystical brush of immense magical power?
Do you like the beautiful Hollywood version of Australia that looks a bit less menacing and deadly than actual Australia?
Do you like young, diabolical (as usual) Alan Rickman?
Do you like some action, some cheesy drama, some corny jokes?If you answered yes, I suggest you watch…
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Beyond the Black Rainbow 2010
LORD KNOWS I WANTED TO LOVE THIS. This pays homage to quite a few other films but is nowhere near as good as any of them. It was beautiful and creepy, and parts of it I DID love, but I could have seen a 10 or 15 clip taken from any part of the movie, gotten a good sense of it, and moved on with my life. Unfortunately, the last 20 or so minutes are the best part of the…
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Tango & Cash 1989
A delightful romp through the Oxford English Dictionary of Action Movie Cliches. The last frame is worth the entire budget of the movie. Nothing on earth can prepare you for this ride...
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Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai 2011
I loved 13 Assassins. I love samurai movies. I'm not a big Miike fan, but I don't hate him either.
This is a lovely film, with a brilliant beginning and end but a better-than-average-but-not-quite-brilliant middle. Whether it's humor or horror, Miike does most things over the top, and sadness is no exception. What could have been a beautiful and sensitive moment turns a bit melodramatic. I'm not sure Miike knows how to handle real emotions. That being said, the acting… -
Candyman 1992
I only really watched this because I'm a fan of strange electronic film scores, and I am a huge Philip Glass fan (I'm a fucking nerd, alright?). I had pretty low expectations. It was better than I thought it would be, though - my old man thought it was a little boring, but I scare easily, so it was perfect for me. Yes it was silly, but the fun sort of silly. I found it visually appealing with a pretty…
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Prince of Darkness 1987
This film isn't close to John Carpenter's best, but I do love him, and always enjoy losing myself in his world for a couple of hours. There are some great images, creepy scenes, and Donald Pleasence is always fun to watch (though I don't think he got nearly enough screen-time here). Parts of it are silly and it isn't exactly packed with NONSTOP THRILLS!!, but I enjoyed it. As far as Carpenter's work goes, it's average, but compared with most other horror films it's a masterpiece.
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Jackie Brown 1997
Through middle and high school, I worshiped Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs. I wanted to be Sam Jackson or Bruce Willis. I watched Tim Roth and Harvey Keitel in a rapture, wailing to myself, why oh why did I have to be stuck in this awkward female body? Why couldn't I be a sharp-witted gangster? I felt doomed for all eternity...until I saw Jackie Brown. Finally, a smart bad-ass bitch that I could idolize and fawn over. As the years…