Topic: Emma's Film Reviews (snowcat)

[snowcat]

Thanks Kathy! Im still waiting for it to come in the post, Im hoping it gets here tomorrow or Wednesday!

:p haha, that's cool Jimmy. I hopy you manage to find a copy of Fritz though, Its a really good film!

[snowcat]

Switchblade Romance (Haute Tension) – 2003
Director – Alexandre Aja
Running Time – 91 minutes
Stars: Cécile de France, Maïwenn Le Besco

The name Switchblade Romance sounds like a graphic horror movie masked with an undertone of un-returned love to backup the story. In naming this film the English translator did a very good job of telling a fairly basic outline of a story, However that does not mean the story is in anyway predictable.

The film starts with college friends Alex and Marie on their way to visit the latter’s parents, in typical road trip fashion the two girls seem to not wear seatbelts, play loud music and change seats whilst the car is moving, all things most people would not dream of doing, but alas this is a horror movie and so expecting these people to behave regularly is ridiculous. Upon arriving at Marie's house Alex is introduced to her father, we also see Marie's dramatically younger brother and hear Marie's mother shout hello as she is already in bed. Marie shows Alex to her room, which is in the attic of the house.  Something I failed to mention earlier was that early on in the film the scene cuts to a man who throws a severed head from a window, as per any horror this is important, right before we see this we see Marie's brother and mother in the garden. I mentioned it non-chronologically as to not give away too much of the story.
Of course going to deep into the plot of any horror film is a bad move, it gives away the end generally, but not this film, it's not that easy to read.

This is not your average horror movie, its deeper, clever almost rare to see a horror film in this vain made in the last decade. This is a film that Wes Craven would be proud of, a film that M Night Shyamalan should be quaking in his boots at. But I just felt there was something missing, maybe it could have been longer, maybe the relationship between Alex and Marie could have been explored more where, how good a friend is Alex to Marie. I also felt Marie's brother needed a little more explanation, he is obviously a lot younger than her and he obviously loves her a lot, but if she was at college how well does he know her? Maybe I'm looking to deeply into what should be a simple horror movie, maybe I should stop dissecting these characters? Pun unintentional there, but I digress.

This film was recommended to me by a friend, I thank her for that recommendation and id recommend Switchblade Romance to both fans of horror and those of psychological thrillers, heck id recommend it to anyone who wants to see a very strange movie. Now whilst I will say I doubt I will watch it again I can also say that it was a good film, it kept me watching and it shocked me, and not in a gross out way. Switchblade Romance is a very interesting movie that is fairly underrated.

[Jimmy]

We sure had a different opinion on this one
This film is so overated and the story is completly unoriginal (to not add rush and boring). Try to watch it again and you will see that the end make no sense at all and is logically impossible. This isn't for nothing if Alexandre Aja only do remake since this film

[snowcat]

Whilst I agree that most of the film makes no sense.... and in fact I actually felt like the ending was probably written after the story was, and somebody didn't really check back on things.  Although I did feel it was brave to put do something that dramatic in.

(click to show/hide)

I was very surprised by the ending, I mean, that scene at the beginning with the severed head made no sense because she was supposedly Schizophrenic... what was it supposed to represent? I thought maybe it was something that happened between the two girls... something that could only be explained if we knew more about there relationship

whilst I though it was quite original, I also felt it was typical to certain directing styles like they purposley made it to resembel an M Night Shyamalan, I think it just needed more development, maybe another script re-write.

[Najemikon]

This is a film that Wes Craven would be proud of...

Not a difficult thing to achieve for Wes. He'd be proud if he directed a Coco-Pops advert! 

Actually though, thank you for the review because I've always been in two minds about this and it does sound interesting. I take Jimmy's point that Aja has only directed remakes since, but hey, I thought his version of The Hills Have Eyes was pretty good. Not as good as the original (officially Wes Craven's only interesting film! ), but still good enough...

[snowcat]

I think this film feels very Crave-esque :p Id recommend watching it im interested in other peoples opinions of it.... It seems to be a Marmite film :p

[Jimmy]

Pete seems to have liked it, but he like almost everything
Too bad our rating system wasn't in place in october 2007 (I wasn't here yet to create it ) since it isn't rated, but it looks by his toughts like a to me.

[addicted2dvd]

Sounds about right. But with that said... I watched that one over 2 years ago now... and I haven't even had the urge to watch it again.

[Achim]

I enjoyed Haute Tension (pardon me for ignoring the stupid English title) for what it was. A cheap quick and dirty blood and guts film. If I remember correctly the ending was indeed tacked on later on. The copy I have might have mentioned that in the special features...

I think if a film like this can have us make enough fun to not recognise those problems on first viewing, then that is quite a feat already I'll admit, I watched it twice and still didn't really care for the faults on second view. I may have to watch it again paying close attention to the logic...

[snowcat]

Lol, I have to say, whilst I liked the way it was made I don't think I will ever watch it again because of the faults, its put me off. In fact the friend that recommended it watched in on television and kept saying she would like to see it again.... I have no idea why 

[venomsinner]

I couldn't get through my first viewing of Haute Tension, I found it tedious. Ill have to try and watch it again.

[Achim]

Lol, I have to say, whilst I liked the way it was made I don't think I will ever watch it again because of the faults

Reading your review I had thought you liked it more than that...

[snowcat]

I think it was made very well, and I think it was quite original which is something I liked about it, but I doubt I will watch it again it just doesn't have any kind of return factor, I don't think id get anything out of another viewing.

[snowcat]

High School Musical – 2006
Director - Kenny Ortega
Running Time – 97 minutes
Stars: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman

When you think Disney films you think of the great stories, nice clean animation and the songs. For most Disney films take them back to their childhood, Disney are known for their timeless classics that to this day still stand strong next to modern day animation. However Disney are also known for their poor live action films. Although maybe it was time to mix there award winning animated film abilities with Live action, I'm not talking about an animation/live action cross over a la Pete's Dragon I mean a Live Action film full of cheesy Disney songs, about winning and finding your true love.

Before I start this review I'll admit musicals are a guilty pleasure of mine, I hate to admit it but I love the cheesy songs and poor acting. Now High School Musical is exactly what it says on the case a musical about a High School.

The story starts as Troy (Zac Efron) meets Gabriella whilst on holiday, the scene cuts to after the holiday where it seems Gabriella has moved to Troy's city and is the new kid at the school.

Troy is captain of the Basketball team and there for it is frowned upon for any members of the team to take part in singing, acting or baking etc. Gabriella is the smart kid, the one who should be shy and reserved not dancing around on stage that should be left to extroverted twins Ryan and Sharpay. Of course when Troy and Gabriella let their latent singing abilities out so do the rest of the school, who also admit to their secret hobbies that if this was a regular High School movie they would be removed from their respective cliques for having.

I have to admit I was surprised by this film, when it was released I jumped on the “It sucks” bandwagon, I did not give it a chance. And to this day I have never prejudged a film in the same way again.  I see this as the new generation version of Grease, I mean at least these kids look 17.

So what did I like about this movie you ask? Well I'll tell you, It was nice, it was corny and unrealistic just what I expect from a Disney film, after all you don't watch Tarzan and expect to see a Ape-man in the zoo with the gorillas. The music was catchy and the characters were your typical stereotypes however those stereotypes had something behind them, they all had hidden talents. The films message is that you should be yourself, a message which is littered throughout every scene in the film.

Ive heard this film called the worst musical, obviously those people have never seen that awful American Idol winner's film, From Justin to Kelly (I believe that's the name)

To anyone who prejudges this film leave your preconceptions at the door and give it a chance. 

[Najemikon]

To anyone who prejudges this film leave your preconceptions at the door and give it a chance.  

Good grief, no.


 


Nothing against your very good review, Emma, but I just find this side of Disney to be soulless. Not to mention I don't like musicals at the best of times.