Thursday, February 23, 2012

THE HURRICANE (1999)


Directed By: Norman Jewison
Written By: Armyan Bernstein & Dan Gordon
Based on the book “The 16th Hour”: Rubin “Hurricane” Carter
Based on the book “Lazarus and the Hurricane”: Sam Chaiton & Terry Swifton
Cinematography By: Roger Deakins
Editor: Steven E. Rivlain

CAST: Denzel Washington, Vicellous Reon Shannon, Deborah Kara Unger, Live Schrieber, John Hannah, Dan Hedaya, Clancy Brown, David Paymer, Debbi Morgan, Harris Yulin, Rod Steiger, Badja Djola, Vincent PAstore


THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS (1991)


Written & Directed By: Wes Craven
Cinematography By: Sandi Sissell
Editor: James Coblentz

CAST: Brandon Adams, Wendy Robie, A.J. Langer, Everett McGill, Sean Whalen, Kelly Jo Minter, Ving Rhames, Bill Cobbs, Jeremy Roberts

THE TOY (1982)


Directed By: Richard Donner
Written By: Carol Sobieski
Based On Original Screenplay by: Francis Verber
Cinematography By: Laszlo Kovacs
Editor: Michael A. Stevenson

Cast: Richard Pryor, Jackie Gleason, Scott Schwartz, Ned Beatty


Sunday, February 19, 2012

MONEY TALKS (1997)


Directed By: Brett Ratner
Written By: Joel Cohen & Alec Sokolow
Cinematography By: Russell Carpenter & Robert Primes
Editor: Mark Helfrich

Cast: Chris Tucker, Charlie Sheen, Heather Locklear, Paul Sorovino, Faizon Love, Elise Neal, Damien Chapa, David Warner, Paul Gleason, Michael Wright, Daniel Roebuck, Veronica Cartwright


CHROMESKULL: LAID TO REST 2 (2011)


Directed By: Robert Hall
Written By: Robert Hall & Kevin Borcade
Cinematography By: Amanda Treyz

Cast: Brian Austin Green,Thomas Dekker, Nick Principle, Danielle Harris, Owain Yeoman, Gail O’Grady, Jonathan Schaech


HARLEM NIGHTS (1989)


Written & Directed By: Eddie Murphy
Cinematography By: Woody Omens
Editor: Alan Balsam & George Bowers

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx, Della Reese, Jasmine Guy, Danny Aiello, Arsenio Hall, Lela Rochon, Michael Lerner, Stan Shaw, Robin Harris, Charles Q.Murphy, Miguel A. Nunez Jr., Nona Gaye, Berlinda Tolbert


Saturday, February 18, 2012

THE CANDY SNATCHERS (1973)


Directed By: Guerdon Trueblood
Written By: Bryan Gindoff
Cinematography By: Robert Maxwell
Editor: Richard Greer

Cast: Tiffany Bolling, Ben Piazza, Susan Sennett, Brad David, Jerry Butts,Bonnie Boland


Wednesday, February 8, 2012

YOUR HIGHNESS (2011)


Directed By: David Gordon Green
Written By: Ben Best & Danny McBride
Cinematography By: Tim Orr
Editor: Craig Alpert

Cast: James Franco, Danny McBride, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Charles Dance, Damian Lewis, Toby Jones, Justin Theroux


EYE FOR AN EYE (1996)


Directed By: John Schlesinger
Written By: Amanda Silver & Rick Jaffa
Based On The Novel By: Erica Holzer
Cinematography By: Amir Mokri
Editor: Peter Honess

Cast: Sally Field, Ed Harris, Joe Mantegna, Olivia Burnette, Beverly D’Angelo, Keith David, Philip Baker Hall, Charlayne Woodard


HOLLOW MAN (2000)


Directed By: Paul Verhoeven
Written By: Andrew W. Marlowe
Story By: Gary Scott Thompson & Andrew W. Marlowe
Cinematography By: Jost Vacano
Editor: Mark Goldblatt & Ron Vignone

Cast: Kevin Bacon, Josh Brolin, Elisabeth Shue, Kim Dickens, Rhona Mitra, Greg Grunberg, William Devane, Joey Slotnick


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Scientists discover how to make people invisible, but their test subject becomes an insane killer who stalks them.

This film is a interesting failure. It is a special Effects film that is supposed to be a blockbuster popcorn film. Though most of the film is set in very few closed off locations that have more in common with indie films then big studio releases.
While Paul Verhoeven manages to shoot beautifully, but still bring in a Raunch factor of scenes that are not necessary and feel weird even being in the film. Misplaced even. As reprehensible as they are at times liven up the film in a bad way. For a special effects movie the effects are good but the film is very closed off because most of it and the action takes place in one location, the lab which if you expected tht would be fine but for a big budget blockbuster you expect more. Now these disappointments in the film work for understanding as lead character his slow decent into madness. Stuck in the same place having to see his ex with a new man who is also a close friend. No real contact with the outside world so that once he gets a chance out along with his new ability he takes full advantage of it and lets it corrupt him.

So in a way it’s a interesting psychological thriller or at least tries to add a new dimension to what could have been a basic popcorn premise. Now did he have to be a pervert. I guess that was a choice Playing on all those fantasy teenage desires of boys and what they would do if they had the power. The film could have done away with his molesting of female colleagues and raping a woman which thankfully is not shown but hinted at. That I guess is the audiences decent into his madness. Director Paul Verhoeven is not exactly known for his restraint.

It’s also a strange cast as I guess at the time they all had clout. Now this cast would never get by a studio or would be a good straight to home video/Indie movie cast. The film was originally supposed to star Jennifer Lopez in the Elisabeth Shue role. Once she dropped out that should have been a hint to everyone else.

It was also written By Andrew W. Marlowe who was a hot screenwriter at the time his other scripts AIR FORCE ONE and END OF DAYS Were in production at the same time that this film was made.

I can’t blame Kevin Bacon for taking the role, It’s a lead in a big budget summer film working with a gifted director. He couldn’t have known what the results would be.

You have to hand it to Verhoeven. This is the fourth film that he has made that has ended up spawning a franchise. Though it is his first film that was initially rated R when viewed by the MPAA. Hisother films were initially rated X or NC-17.

This is a film you can wait for on cable. I would advise wait for television, but as raunchy as it is I don’t know when it would be mostly likely to appear. If it did they would have to cut a lot of it and all the stuff they would cut is what is actually interesting about this film.

GRADE: D