(500) Days of Summer (2009)

(500) Days of Summer (2009)

Directed by: Marc Webb
Screenplay by: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber

Genre: Comedy | Drama | Romance
Running Time: 95 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Owned DVD

Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn't.

[IMDb]

Comments: Looking at the film at a glance, it has all the hallmarks of a traditional romantic comedy. But (500) Days of Summer is so much more than that. I can't recall the last time I've been so involved in a film; every time Tom was happy, I was as well (I too had a huge smile on my face when Joseph Gordon-Levitt participates in the musical number after he first sleeps with Summer). Consequently, most of the second half of the film my stomach was in knots and I felt like I was being hit with a hammer. There's comedy throughout the film, and there is hope in parts, but (500) Days of Summer is generally a sad and depressing film. Maybe viewing the film later I will reflect on the experience with less attachment, but currently (500) Days of Summer is going to stick with me for awhile. And I would totally buy a greeting card that said: "Roses are red, violets are blue... fuck you, whore."

Jennifer's Body (2009)

Jennifer's Body (2009)

Directed by: Karyn Kusama
Screenplay by: Diablo Cody

Genre: Comedy | Horror | Thriller
Running Time: 103 Minutes (Extended Cut)
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Viewed: Owned DVD

She's evil... and not just high school evil.

[IMDb]

Comments: I'm not exactly sure why there was so much negativity surrounding Jennifer's Body. It's an extremely entertaining comedy-horror hybrid that never sets out to be anything that it isn't. Sure, it's not Juno, but Diablo Cody's script is solid (as solid as a movie about sacrificing a virgin and demons can be) and her dialogue is as ingenious as ever. There were so many funny lines and quips that I was consistently impressed with her creativity. The only part I found annoying was the voice-over used when the always reliable Adam Brody was singing; it sounds absolutely nothing like him and it was very strange watching him lip sync. Otherwise, Jennifer's Body is a solid piece of entertainment that most should enjoy. Don't take the movie seriously, as it's not meant to be seen that way. Take it for how awesome it is to hear Megan Fox talking about getting it up the ass, for all the side-boob shots, for the great humor, and because it's completely awesome to see Fox and Amanda Seyfried make out, tongue and all.

Paranormal Activity (2007)

Paranormal Activity (2007)

Directed by: Oren Peli
Screenplay by: Oren Peli

Genre: Horror | Mystery | Thriller
Running Time: 86 Minutes (Theatrical Cut)
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned DVD

Don't see it alone.

[IMDb]

Comments: Now that I was able to fully focus on Paranormal Activity, I can't say that I enjoyed it as much as before. Last time I saw it in a crowded theater, and was so ungodly annoyed at the people around me that it took me completely out of the film (my original review is in October 2009, where I rated it at 3.5 out of 5). I still enjoyed it, and I admired what Oren Peli was trying to do. Watching it again, I can now fully review the film. The first half is done fairly well, as certain scenes still gave me the creeps. The actors portrayed their characters rather realistically, which I enjoyed. However, the "scares" in the second half are a bit more outlandish and are not nearly as effective, at least on someone like me. Micah becomes more of an asshole, but it seems apparent that he does this because the script says he has to do something to make the demon pissed. And the multiple endings always annoys me as well, as I wish they would have included the original cut before Paramount or Steven Spielberg got a hold of it. That being said (that's a Curb Your Enthusiasm reference there), Paranormal Activity is still a solid film. I always applaud indie horror efforts (unless they are completely horrible or unoriginal, as many can be) and I'm glad that the movie became as popular as it has. I just wish I could see Oren Peli's original vision, as it would make me appreciate the film more.

Eastbound & Down - Season One (2009)

Eastbound & Down (2009-????)

Created by: Ben Best, Jody Hill, and Danny McBride

Season: One (2009)
Genre: Comedy
Number of Episodes: 6
Episode Running Time: 30 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

Every kid has a great ballplayer they look up to. Kenny Powers is not
  that guy.

[IMDb]

Comments: The first season of Eastbound & Down is a mixed bag. While there's only six episodes, they almost all have a bipolar quality about them. Episodes dramatically shift from gut-busting humor to complete awkwardness to being severely depressing. The series fits right in with co-creator Jody Hill's recent film Observe and Report, as both are depressingly funny. One of the main drawbacks in the early episodes is the complete unlikeability of Kenny Powers. There's really no one to identify with and since Powers is a complete dickhead it's hard to root for him to make it back to the big leagues. Fortunately, in the last few episodes he becomes a bit more likeable (which coincides with the show getting much better), and there's a bit more warmth to Eastbound & Down. The show also has some quality directors, which is impressive (but not surprising given the connections). Among those helming episodes are David Gordon Green (Undertow and Pineapple Express) and Adam McKay (Anchorman and Step Brothers), but overall it still retains the flavor of Jody Hill. One of the most disappointing aspects (for me) has to be the final episode, where Katy Mixon bares the goods, and it's so obviously a body double. Mixon has a great Southern charm and large tracts of land, so that was a major disappointment. Other than that, I'll leave you with the best way to differentiate between a gold credit card and a black one: "Gold might get you Jonas Brothers tickets. Black involves all three of them sucking your dick."

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Screenplay by: Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham, and
  Simon Kinberg

Genre: Action | Adventure | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller
Running Time: 128 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Theater

Nothing escapes him.

[IMDb]

Comments: Well, this is certainly not your father's Sherlock Holmes. The same thing was said earlier this year about Star Trek, but there is a difference here. The reboot of Star Trek was actually good. I'm not saying Sherlock Holmes is a horrible film, but it's a generally muddled motion picture with several flaws. Robert Downey Jr. is fine as Holmes, and he's both charming and funny in the role. However there are several problems, including the convoluted plot, which take away from the film. My biggest complaint is that Sherlock Holmes feels like a Guy Ritchie film rather than a Sherlock Holmes film. To be fair, the trailers present Sherlock Holmes as an action-packed Vin Diesel-fest, and while it certainly has more testosterone than anything Basil Rathbone did, it's not continuous action. And while parts of the film stay true to the Holmes philosophy (the amateur boxing, for example), Sherlock Holmes failed to live up to my expectations (and most likely Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's as well). It's worth a rent, but that's about it.

Curb Your Enthusiasm - Season Seven (2009)

Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-????)

Created by: Larry David

Season: Seven (2009)
Genre: Comedy
Number of Episodes: 10
Episode Running Time: 30 Minutes
Viewed: I plead the fifth.

Deep inside you know you're him.

[IMDb]

Comments: While the seventh season of Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm has yet to be released on DVD, I was treated to watching all ten episodes last night and this morning of this amazingly funny show. I've never seen the show before, and I never was a Seinfeld fan, but I was immediately drawn to Larry's ridiculous character, who says out loud what everyone is thinking. The supporting cast is terrific and often features guest spots from various celebrities (as caricatures of themselves). I am very excited now to explore the last six seasons of this show. In Larry I trust.

Roswell - Season Three (2001-2002)

Roswell (1999-2002)

Created by: Jason Katims

Season: Three (2001-2002)
Genre: Drama | Mystery | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Number of Episodes: 18
Episode Running Time: 60 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

There's truth to every rumor.

[IMDb]

Comments: Well, I've finally made my way through the entire series of Roswell. It's completely disrupted my movie watching schedule, as I knew if I started watching films that I would never get back to the show. Roswell completely underwhelmed me and was generally a disappointment throughout. I did like parts of the first and most of the second season, but the third season was rather horrible. While inconsistency was a main theme through the series, it shines brightly in Season 3. Characters act and do things only to serve the plot for that episode, and then act differently for the next episode. Nothing is thought out. It's a big mess. And you know what, I don't even care enough to keep writing. I'm done with Roswell.

Avatar (2009)

Avatar (2009)

Directed by: James Cameron
Screenplay by: James Cameron

Genre: Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 162 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Theater

[IMDb]

Comments: Well, I can probably say that Avatar is the most visually impressive movie I've ever seen. It's rather amazing how the movie looks; everything is top notch. However, I was disappointed in the actual story of the film. Just about everything in regards to the plot and characters is very run-of-the-mill, and if it wasn't for the outstanding visuals I would have been a bit bored during the first half of the film. The second half was more entertaining, and despite the amazingly predictable finale, I was thoroughly engrossed in the ending. I can't say enough about the movie "experience," however, and I strongly recommend seeing the film in theaters if you have any desire to watch Avatar at all. But beyond the spectacle, there's not much in terms of quality dialogue or story arcs. But, Avatar is definitely something fresh and new in the movie-making world, and I'm sure we'll start to see more grand spectacles in the future. Oh, and Neytiri is the hottest 10-foot-tall computer generated blue alien I've ever seen before. And that's saying something.

Star Trek (2009)

Star Trek (2009)

Directed by: J.J. Abrams
Screenplay by: Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman

Genre: Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
Running Time: 126 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Owned DVD

The future begins.

[IMDb]

Comments: Yeah, I watched it again. Actually, I watched Star Trek with my father as he hadn't seen it before. But it's still an awesome movie. The more comprehensive review is somewhere around on the site.

Roswell - Season Two (2000-2001)

Roswell (1999-2002)

Created by: Jason Katims

Season: Two (2000-2001)
Genre: Drama | Mystery | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Number of Episodes: 21
Episode Running Time: 60 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

There's truth to every rumor.

[IMDb]

Comments: So I finally finished the second season of Roswell. I struggled to get through the season even though it is much better than the first (more on that later). I haven't been watching any movies because I really wanted to finish the season, and it's happened to me in the past where I've just stopped watching shows altogether if I'm not totally immersed. I wanted to get through the season so I could go back to a normal viewing schedule, but as with the end of the first, I've become slightly attached and probably will dive into the third season soon to finish out the series.

Roswell's second season is definitely much more entertaining than the first, but as I mentioned, I struggled to watch more than one episode a day. If I am totally engrossed in a show, I can watch eight or so episodes in a row if I have nothing to do (it's sad but true). But Roswell never fully captured my attention. The episodes are much more serious and compelling, rather than the soap opera-esque storylines from Season One. Sure, there's some lovey-dovey shit, but it's kept in control. There's also some incredibly outlandish storylines along with plots that feel as though they were added last minute. Not many plotlines are thought out in the long term. For example, when the revelation of what happens to Alex occurs in the final episodes (where he actually was and what happened while he was gone), it doesn't match up at all with what happened in prior episodes. When he returns from Sweden, he shows off his photos and has "grown up" much to the delight of Isabel. And then the writers decided Alex never really went to Sweden, and this very manufactured storyline was thrown in for the final episodes of the season. To explain the fact that the writers hadn't thought of this before, the characters "discover" things about Alex that obviously weren't in place when the earlier episodes were written. It's pretty fucking annoying, but still better than Season One.

I think my biggest complaint about Roswell is that there's not that one character that transcends the show. Everyone's fine and dandy, but no one character ever takes over the show and becomes the embodiment of it. There's no Chuck Bass, or Tim Riggins, or a Logan Echolls (+1 if you get that last reference, and a -1 for me for listing Chuck Bass, but it's the truth). The role is set up perfectly for Michael, but he doesn't have the charisma nor does the writing really let him become a tour de force on the show.

While I am glad to finally finish the second season of Roswell so I can feel free to watch films again, I'm probably going to dive into the third season soon. I do want to see the show's ending, but I'm thinking around episode nine I'll wish I hadn't, because I'll feel pressured to watch the second half of the season before moving onto something else. But at least there's no Season Four.

Brothers (2009)

Brothers (2009)

Directed by: Jim Sheridan
Screenplay by: David Benioff

Genre: Drama | Thriller | War
Running Time: 110 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Theater

There are two sides to every family.

[IMDb]

Comments: Well, it's been awhile. I've been watching episodes of Roswell here and there, and I've cleaned off my DVR of all House and Mythbusters episodes, so I haven't been watching movies of late. There are a few cinematic releases that have caught my eye in December, including Brothers, Up In the Air, and Sherlock Holmes, so I jumped at the chance to see Brothers on its release date. Brothers is a remake of Susanne Bier's Brødre, which I now really want to see. The only other film of Bier's I've seen is Things We Lost In the Fire, which has similar plot lines as Brothers, but that's neither here nor there.

Anyway, Brothers is a very good, well-acted, and surprisingly realistic film. I worried originally after watching the trailer, as the police stand-off at the end looked like a giant cop-out that's been used so many times in films: the writers can't think of a realistic solution to the film, so they decide to have someone flip out and get killed. Fortunately, that's not the case. Brothers features a very "adult" script, where nothing is over-romanticized (despite my wish that it was... Jake and Natalie, so dreamy together...). Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman are excellent as they always are, and Tobey Maguire surprised me. I've never been a big fan of his (he was decent in the Spider-Man series, but they could have found someone better), but he was solid throughout Brothers. What surprised me was how excellent he was at the end of the film when he lost his shit. I was amazed at how well he portrayed his character.

Brothers is a good film that's just shy of a great one. Jim Sheridan does a good job considering his last film was 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Trying (to be fair, he's made some excellent films before that, but it's always fun to poke fun of the failures). But I definitely would recommend Brothers to those looking for a drama not made for the Twilight generation.

Once (2006)

Once (2006)

Directed by: John Carney
Screenplay by: John Carney

Genre: Drama | Music | Romance
Running Time: 85 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned DVD

How often do you find the right person?

[IMDb]

Comments: Words may not be adequately able to describe how much I enjoyed this movie. From the amazing music to the sweet and near-perfect storyline, Once is a great film. I'm pretty upset this has been sitting on my shelf for so long. Casting musicians for the leads rather than actors was a wonderful choice, as Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová are both intelligent and charming. The songs are awesome, from "When Your Mind's Made Up" to "Falling Slowly" to my personal favorite, "Say It To Me Now." The scene where Hansard sings "Say It To Me Now" on a street in Ireland is so incredibly moving and powerful, and one of the best scenes in a movie I've seen in a long time. I cannot recommend Once enough. It's pretty close to as good as a movie gets.

EDIT: I've found a link where you can watch Glen performing "Say It To Me Now" from the movie here. The site is completely foreign, but I didn't get any viruses or anything so it should be good. If you're afraid, there's a number of live performances on Youtube, but I think the one from the film is the best.

Roswell - Season One (1999-2000)

Roswell (1999-2002)

Created by: Jason Katims

Season: One (1999-2000)
Genre: Drama | Mystery | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Number of Episodes: 22
Episode Running Time: 60 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

There's truth to every rumor.

[IMDb]

Comments: I've always loved watching a good television show on DVD. I love getting so caught up with the characters and drama so much so that I ignore everything else and just watch that show continuously until I've run out of seasons to watch, at which point I feel like I've lost my family as these characters are now out of my life. Admittedly, I don't always get caught up in the "best" television. For every season Arrested Development and The Office (the British original) that I've watched, there's seasons of The O.C. and Grey's Anatomy that I've been ridiculously addicted to.

Anyway, I've been yearning for a new television show to get into. I do have shows like Carnivale and Battlestar Galactica in my collection that I have yet to watch, but I was looking for something special (read: some stupid teenage drama). And Roswell just seemed to fall into my lap. Wal-Mart put out all 3 seasons for a combined $32 the other week, and I jumped on it, not knowing anything about the show other than it's had a significant following over the years.

Roswell was a little bit too much of what I expected. It had all the teen drama - and then some. The story centers on three teens - and later four - that are aliens. But instead of doing cool alien shit, they generally mope around, argue and whine, and fall in love. There's only a handful of episodes I really enjoyed throughout the season. The rest felt, well, inconsequential compared to the grand scheme of things. However, the episodes that I did enjoy were excellent - so much so that I now plan on immediately watching the second season. How many hyphens did I use in that paragraph?

The show was truly captivating when it focused on the group's hunt to find their identity. The two-parter in the beginning consisting of 285 South and River Dog combined with the final six or so episodes were compelling television. The rest were just... passable. While I am going to start in on Season 2 shortly (as I mentioned), I do have reservations. Be warned, spoilers ahead. At the end of the season we learn the four were created from their past lives; they led their now enslaved planet. The four are expected to regroup and return to save their planet. While I have no issue with this storyline, it's the fact that for the final two seasons of the show, they stay in high school. Seriously? You once ruled an alien civilization and you stay in high school? Perhaps this is explained next season. I guess we'll find out.

The spoilers are over. Roswell's first season is a mixed bag. I don't mind the romance, but it almost solely encompasses the twenty-two episodes. And considering how good some episodes are, the show could have been much better. I'm hoping the writers realized this in the second season. But they probably didn't. Because we have alien leaders taking trigonometry classes. Oops, I think that was a spoiler. Oh well, fuck you.

Star Trek (2009)

Star Trek (2009)

Directed by: J.J. Abrams
Screenplay by: Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman

Genre: Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
Running Time: 126 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Owned DVD

The future begins.

[IMDb]

Comments: This movie is fucking awesome. If there was ever a film that deserved a sequel, Star Trek is it. My original thoughts: I have never seen any of the original Star Trek movies, nor have I ever seen the original television show. My experience in the Star Trek universe is limited to some episodes from Star Trek: The Next Generation and some of the movies that franchise produced. However, all of that was around 10 years ago, at the least. So I guess you could say I'm not a Trekkie. But even with my lack of knowledge about the Starship Enterprise, I found myself totally in awe of the reboot of Star Trek. I can't remember the last time two hours at the theater passed by so quickly without me noticing. Perhaps the best comparison was the quote that you've seen on the Star Trek commercials, where they reference a quote stating the film is this year's Iron Man, which was one of the most entertaining films of 2008. Star Trek is full on excitement and entertainment, and better than Iron Man. Chris Pine, considering he's never been in anything of this magnitude, was amazing as Captain Kirk. You could just feel the "swagger" with which he approached the role. I was initially hesitant with Leonard Nimoy being in the film, as sometimes cameos distract from the film. Nimoy, however, has a much bigger role and was never a distraction. I truly hope J.J. Abrams makes another film, as I would love to see the continuing adventures of the crew. And given the great opening weekend it had, I believe we have not seen the last of Star Trek.

Dead Snow (2009)

Dead Snow (2009)

Directed by: Tommy Wirkola
Screenplay by: Stig Frode Henriksen and Tommy Wirkola

Genre: Action | Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Horror | Thriller
Running Time: 91 Minutes
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Viewed: Rental DVD - Blockbuster

[IMDb]

Comments: I have been really excited about Dead Snow for some time now. There's just something about the phrase "nazi zombies" that really gets me going. My hopes were crushed through the first 45 minutes of the film, however. There was nothing great about Dead Snow. It had the exact same generic setup that thousands of other horror movies have. There were no interesting characters, no memorable dialogue, just a few '80s horror references and endless clichés. Needless to say, I was disappointed. Yet somehow, the film was resurrected in the second half. There was some good zombie violence, and best of all it was genuinely funny. Parts had me laughing out loud, which doesn't often occur when I watch something by myself. It's a shame that the creators couldn't have made the first half of the film better, or we may have had a bona fide cult classic on our hands. I definitely recommend Dead Snow, although it won't be released for sale until February. It's a shame, but I'll definitely be picking it up when it's released.

Also Known As: Død Snø

2012 (2009)

2012 (2009)

Directed by: Roland Emmerich
Screenplay by: Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser

Genre: Action | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 158 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Theater

We were warned.

[IMDb]

Comments: I will openly admit that I love crap like 2012. When I was a younger lad, I can't tell you how many times I watched Armageddon and Independence Day on my trusty 13" TV/VCR combo set (which is now retired, although it may be resurrected if I ever move into a house with a big ass bathroom). I just love these end-of-the-world big budget disaster films, even though they're mostly explosions and destruction. Lately, Roland Emmerich gave us The Day After Tomorrow which was a much weaker film than the previous two I mentioned, but it still was an awesome spectacle to behold (despite the horrific plot). Now we have 2012. It's the kind of movie that if you have any desire to see it, you have to go to the theater because its impact will be greatly diminished at home (well, home theaters have come a long way, but mine hasn't). And I was loving 2012 through the first two hours. It was so over-the-top that I was giggling like a little school girl. Las Vegas? Fucking destroyed. California? Fucking destroyed. The world? Pretty much fucking destroyed. But the finale just annoyed the piss out of me. In a movie full of unnecessary moments, the final "big scene" was so unneeded, and it paled in comparison to the spectacle that was the previous two hours. Without trying to completely spoil the ending (skip this next part to be completely in the dark), certain people die, and no one seems to care, while certain people fuck things up and fix them later, only to be unceremoniously cheered (even though they wouldn't be in that position if said people hadn't fucked things up to begin with). Anyway, 2012 is pretty damn entertaining. It's too bad the ending fucked up what could have been one of the better "ridiculous" disaster films of recent memory. Mr. Willis and Mr. Smith, do not fret. Your positions are safe. For now.

The Girlfriend Experience (2009)

The Girlfriend Experience (2009)

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Screenplay by: David Levien and Brian Koppelman

Genre: Drama
Running Time: 78 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Rental DVD - Blockbuster

See it with someone you ****.

[IMDb]

Comments: I had a hard time deciding if I enjoyed The Girlfriend Experience or I was completely annoyed by it. Some of Soderbergh's shots are breathtaking; others just seem to be horribly self-indulgent. To be fair, I haven't seen a number of Soderbergh's smaller independent features, so I can't really compare. But from what I have seen, his camerawork and uniqueness either works well (Traffic and the Ocean's Eleven series) or becomes distracting to the main point of the film (The Girlfriend Experience and The Limey jump to mind). Sasha Grey's mainstream feature film debut leaves a little to be desired, but then again it's hard to take her seriously after seeing her slapped and choked whilst having the shit vigorously pounded out of her. Her facial expressions were good, but her dialogue delivery was a little... porn star-ish. Anyway, there was some to like in Steven Soderbergh's The Girlfriend Experience. However, parts of the film were so pretentious that it took me out of the "moment" Soderbergh is trying to create. Maybe I'm looking at it the wrong way. Or maybe I'm just not cool enough. I'm never cool enough.

Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Screenplay by: Thornton Wilder, Sally Benson, and Alma Reville

Genre: Crime | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller
Running Time: 108 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Viewed: Owned DVD

A blast of dramatic dynamite exploded right before your eyes!

[IMDb]

Comments: The other night, after finishing the abysmal Black Devil Doll, I wanted to get back into my Hitchcock collection. I initially was going to watch Rear Window, however when reading the description for Saboteur I decided to watch that instead. But, because it was late, I was tired, and I'm generally an idiot, I put the wrong disc in. About twenty minutes into Shadow of a Doubt I realized that this was not Saboteur. I really wasn't interested in watching that film at the time, but I decided to go with it since I was already a good bit in. After finishing it up tonight, I must say I truly enjoyed the film. The story's very well done, and the only issues I had were the way some of the characters acted and spoke (which is because the film is a product of the 1940s, not because of any deficiencies in the script), and the rather abrupt yet satisfying ending. Everything else is remarkably well done. I'm coming to love Hitchcock more and more not only because he made such great films, but because the way he directed them was so ahead of his time. The camerawork and editing is always top-notch. Score another one for the Master of Suspense.

Black Devil Doll (2007)

Black Devil Doll (2007)

Directed by: Jonathan Lewis
Screenplay by: Shawn Lewis and Mitch Mayes

Genre: Horror
Running Time: 73 Minutes
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Viewed: Owned DVD

Who will survive? What will be left of them? Will their virginity be
  intact?

[IMDb]

Comments: When Deep Discount had a big sale of underground horror DVDs, Black Devil Doll captured my attention because it was one of the top sellers. I read about the film, and decided it was going to be amazingly funny and awesome. So I ordered it. And I received it yesterday (finally - quality shipping there, DD), and promptly watched it. It wasn't pretty. Black Devil Doll felt like it was made by a group of sixth graders. The jokes are all so unfunny and amateurish, and the gags mostly fall flat. The writers/director aim to offend everyone, but everything is written so poorly that the film offends me simply because it's awful. There is a ton of nudity; unfortunately it's mostly provided by overweight third-rate strippers (hello implant scars!). There's also an "actress" who looks like she just became a lady a few months ago. The film barely runs an hour long, yet there's a ton of interludes and fancy camerawork to delay the plot/bore the hell out of me. Perhaps if there were a bunch of people watching the film with me, it may have been funnier. However, I doubt it. Black Devil Doll is a shitty film; don't believe all the "next cult classic" hype.

Vertigo (1958)

Vertigo (1958)

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Screenplay by: Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor

Genre: Crime | Film-Noir | Mystery | Romance | Thriller
Running Time: 128 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Viewed: Owned DVD

Alfred Hitchcock engulfs you in a whirlpool of terror and tension!

[IMDb]

Comments: One of my horrible habits is buying all kinds of films and never watching them. I have hundreds and hundreds of unwatched (and often brand new) DVDs lying around. Then I go and rent a pile of DVDs or watch trash like Blood Mania and Horror Hospital and ignore the great films I have. So the other day I decided to start going through and watching the unwatched. This will take me years, but I might as well start sometime. One of my worst oversights is my Alfred Hitchcock collection. I just ordered Warner's Signature Series DVD Collection to go along with Universal's Masterpiece Collection and Mill Creek's shitty but effective Legend Begins set (I bought it for five dollars, and considering it contains 18 of Hitchcock's early films, it's a good deal for now and I won't be pained when getting better versions of the films and dumping this set later), so now I have 40+ Hitchcock films. Most of which, I've never watched. And you can't start in a much better place than Vertigo, which is about as good as it gets. But there's so many more to go. One day I'll get there. One day.