Tuesday
Aug312010
Je-gyun Yun's TIDAL WAVE (HAEUNDAE)
As disaster movies go this one is pretty good. We get to know an odd group of people and wonder, of course, which will survive When The Big One Hits.
Dennis McDonald’s MOVIE REVIEWS
This section contains links to my occasional movie & DVD reviews. A complete index is here.
Wednesday
Aug182010
Sylvester Stallone's THE EXPENDABLES
Team of over the hill mercenaries rescue damsel in distress in a tiny corrupt island based military dictatorship. In the process the island is reduced to smoking rubble and piles of corpses.
in 
Action, Fantasy, Ridiculous, Thriller, War
Action, Fantasy, Ridiculous, Thriller, War Friday
Aug132010
Michael Powell's AGE OF CONSENT
In this 1969 film an ageing and bored successful artist leaves New York for a sun-filled respite on a beautiful but sparsely populated Australian island. There he runs into a teenager who serves as his model. In the process his creative juices start flowing again.
Thursday
Aug052010
Na Hong-jin's THE CHASER
Following the success of Silence of the Lambs, movie and TV audiences have been treated to many pale imitations, most of which have failed to excite or provide any serious dramatic interest
Monday
Jul262010
Alexander Sokurov's THE SUN
I have no idea how factually accurate this movie about Emperor Hirohito’s emergence following Japan’s defeat in WWII is. As a movie, though, it is engrossing, thoughtful, and occasionally, visually dazzling.
Thursday
Jul222010
Rob Zombie's THE HAUNTED WORLD OF EL SUPERBEASTO
My biggest complaint about this feature length “adult” cartoon is not about gratuitous sex and violence — that’s Rob Zombie’s whole point — it’s one very simple but unmistakable fact:
Friday
Jul162010
Val Guest's DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE
Val Guest’s businesslike direction and matter-of-fact approach to depicting extraordinary circumstances in a near-documentary style here yield a still-watchable and very entertaining thriller that takes place in London in the early 1960’s.
in Drama, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Thriller
Drama, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Thriller Monday
Jun212010
Robert Brousseau's RACE
This is the “intergalactic pod race” story you get from people who don’t read enough good science fiction.
Wednesday
Jun092010
Val Guest's QUATERMASS 2 (ENEMY FROM SPACE)
This mixture of British horror and sci-fi from 1957 is thoughtful and at the same time scary.
Wednesday
Jun092010
Park Chan Wook's THIRST
Plot summary: * Devout priest volunteers for medical experiment * Becomes lustful vampire as a result * Sex/violence/building-hopping/tragedy/ensue
Tuesday
May112010
Dziga Vertov's THE MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA (Chelovek s kinoapparatom)
This 1929 silent film by Russian director Vertov is a masterpiece of fluid editing and visual storytelling.
Sunday
May092010
Steven Spielberg's CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
“Oh yeah, this is what the credits for an Otto Preminger comedy would look like!”
in Comedy, Crime, Intelligent
Comedy, Crime, Intelligent Sunday
May092010
Jack Arnold's IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE
Back in 1976 I was taking a driving tour of California, my first.
Tuesday
May042010
Terry Gilliam's THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS
“Imaginarium” is an inventive and fun film that becomes more engrossing as it unfolds.
Monday
Apr262010
Peter Jackson's HEAVENLY CREATURES
Once more DVD technology comes through by making available an older film no longer in general theatrical release, this time Peter Jackson’s 1994 HEAVENLY CREATURES.
in Drama, Fantasy, Intelligent, Quirky, Teens
Drama, Fantasy, Intelligent, Quirky, Teens Monday
Apr262010
Peter Jackson's THE LOVELY BONES
In THE LOVELY BONES director Peter Jackson returns to the more intimate blending of emotion and fantasy that characterized earlier films like HEAVENLY CREATURES.
Monday
Mar222010
Ricky Gervais & Matthew Robinson's THE INVENTION OF LYING
What a subversive little film this is. And sweet. And funny. And unexpected.
in Comedy, Fantasy, Intelligent, One of a Kind, Quirky, Romantic, Sweet
Comedy, Fantasy, Intelligent, One of a Kind, Quirky, Romantic, Sweet Thursday
Mar182010
Hayao Miyazaki's PONYO
This is some of Miyazaki’s best work. It’s enchanting, touching, sentimental, funny, and occasionally, simply astonishing. Miyazaki has a gift for capturing the honesty and wonder of childhood yet he does so without sugarcoating or pandering.
in Animated, Fantasy, Japanese, Miyazaki, One of a Kind
Animated, Fantasy, Japanese, Miyazaki, One of a Kind