Topic: KinkyCyborg's Random Reviews 2011

[Tom]

My problem lies with the fact Will Ferrell can't carry a film. As a supporting actor I like him but as a lead, only Anchorman and The Other Guys have been good watches for me.

Have you seen "Stranger Than Fiction"? In my opinion it proves that he can very well carry a movie.

[samuelrichardscott]

I haven't but I'll add it to my Lovefilm queue and when I get past those I really want to see, I'll push it up the queue.

[KinkyCyborg]

While I haven't seen all of his movies yet to date there are only a few so far I've cared for. Old School, Elf, and A Night At The Roxbury were all pretty good. I just find that with most of his movies while to story and surroundings change, his persona is pretty much the same... dense, hyper and random. It's like he went to the Jim Carrey school of acting where they are taught to stick with the formula that they had success with once or twice and then repeat it to death.   

[Najemikon]

Have you seen The Truman Show?

Or Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Carrey is marvellous in both of these as Ferrell is in Stranger Than Fiction as Tom mentioned.

Otherwise both of these men are comedians first, actors second. So it's a moot point that they don't change from film to film, just as a stand up comic Doesn't alter between gigs. You either like them or you don't.

[KinkyCyborg]

I've seen The Truman Show and Spotless Mind (recent review) and I give credit where credit is due for those films. I liked him in The Majestic as well. It's the rest of the cookie cutter performances that I take issue with. Most of them it's a case of you seen one you've seen them all. I haven't watched Stranger Than Fiction yet but I predict I will like it just because it is different. Throw Ferrell into a drama or thriller and see if he has any range, THAT I would be interested to see as I'm interested to see Carrey's The Number 23, still in my unwatched pile.

Otherwise both of these men are comedians first, actors second. So it's a moot point that they don't change from film to film, just as a stand up comic Doesn't alter between gigs.

Exactly. If you watched a comedian stand up on stage giving gig after gig delivering the same jokes over and over again would you keep watching? As it relates to their acting, these guys desperately need new material.

[hal9g]

For me, the problem is that when I watch him in a movie I see Jim Carrey...not the character he is supposed to be portraying.

That's the opposite of the way I define a good/great actor.

[KinkyCyborg]

P.S.



Title:P.S.
Year: 2004
Director: Dylan Kidd
Rating: 14A
Length: 89 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Laura Linney
Topher Grace
Paul Rudd (1969)
Lois Smith
Gabriel Byrne

Plot:
Laura Linney and Topher Grace shine in this bittersweet tale of love lost, and how far we will go to get a second chance. When divorced, thirty-something Columbia University admission's officer Louise Harrington meets one of the school's young applicants; she is floored by his uncanny resemblance to her deceased high school sweetheart. And as the similarities continue to reveal themselves, Harrington is haunted by the notion that he may be her love reincarnated. Faced with what she sees as a last opportunity, Harrington struggles with a past she clings to, and the future that stands before her.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes

My Thoughts:

A nearly 40 year old woman, lonely and lost in her work encounters a young artist who looks, sounds and acts like her high school sweetheart who died in a car accident 20 years before. This leads to a mismatched love affair that is brilliantly played and exciting to watch.

All I can say is WOW! Laura Linney knocked my socks off! I thought her totally incapable of a role like this as she mostly plays ultra serious, often fiercely miserable characters. Here she has achieved a complete unbridled sexual awakening and for the first time on film, for me at least, came across as a hot sexual creature. She shows us intense passion and vulnerability as she envelopes herself in this young man played by Topher Grace who was surprisingly up to the challenge of Linney's performance. Anyone who has ever had a tidal wave of lust, longing and obsession wash over them can't help but feel something for this movie.

Great supporting roles for the trio of Gabriel Byrne, Paul Rudd and Marcia Gay Harden who was fun as a saucy trollop.

The ending leaves you with a gigantic unanswered question that I believe was intentional so as to let the viewer create their own fanciful conclusion.

Highly recommended! 

KC

Rating:

[KinkyCyborg]

Night Of The Living Dead 3D



Title:Night Of The Living Dead 3D
Year: 2006
Director: Jeff Broadstreet
Rating: R
Length: 80 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, Spanish

Stars:
Brianna Brown
Joshua DesRoches
Sid Haig
Greg Travis
Johanna Black

Plot:
In this all new 3-D remake o the popular 1968 horror classic, Barb and her brother Johnny arrive late for the burial of their aunt and walk straight into a nightmare!

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Gallery
Interviews
Outtakes/Bloopers
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

DIE 3D DIE!!! I loathe 3D and it disturbs me greatly that it's so wildly popular at the moment. I hope that it is a fad that dies off quickly but it bothers me that James Cameron is such a booster of it as people tend to listen to him.

I bought this because like most 3D dvd releases the 2D version is always included and that's the version I always watch. As it turns out this disc was only in 3D and they released a standard version separately. I decided to watch it anyway and planned to pick up the 2D version to replace it when I come across it. After watching the film I don't think I'll bother.  

The 3D aside, this sucked royal ass. They couldn't decide if they were going to pay homage to Romero's original classic or try to emulate it. Either way, for a modern remake this was piss poor, amateur garbage. Even horror mainstay Sid Haig couldn't help this. The acting was so terrible from the leads that I started to look to the zombies for a bit of personality. This was also relatively light on gore.

Gee, I always wondered what a debacle would look like in 3D.  

KC

Rating:

[Najemikon]

  Great review!

[KinkyCyborg]

Thanks. Too bad it was for such a terrible movie. 

[RossRoy]

That's usually what happens. Strong emotions bring strong reviews.

[KinkyCyborg]

The Ant Bully




Title:The Ant Bully
Year: 2006
Director: John A. Davis
Rating: PG
Length: 89 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Julia Roberts
Nicolas Cage (1964)
Meryl Streep
Paul Giamatti
Zach Tyler Eisen

Plot:
When you're as small as an ant, the world is big - and adventure is bigger! That's what young Lucas learns after he aims his water pistol at some hapless ants. They retaliate with a secret potion the shrinks "the Destroyer" to their size...and turns an anthill into a mountain of thrills, action and laughs! 'Julia Roberts', 'Nicolas Cage', 'Meryl Streep' and 'Paul Giamotti' head the voice cast of this rollicking, warm-hearted family treat.

Extras:
Scene Access
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Closed Captioned
Seven Animated Shorts

My Thoughts:

Amusing story of a young boy, forever tormented with wedgies and noogies from the neighborhood kids, turns his frustration on an anthill in his front yard. He soon learns humility as he finds himself shrunk down to ant size and sees things from the insect's point of view.

Highly entertaining, plenty of adult humor and some equally hilarious and disgusting moments. Eating the 'honeydew' drops, aka, worm poop, got a loud chuckle out of me, a groan out of my wife and a bevy of giggles from my daughter. 

Always fun to pick out the voice talent and truly a star studded cast in this one. Julia Roberts, Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep and Paul Giamatti were all easy to pick out. I surprised myself by guessing Regina King's voice. Bruce Campbell was an easy spot too and his Fugax character was a scene stealer, easily the funniest in the film. I also picked out Larry Miller and Ricardo Montalban who have distinctive voices but I did miss Lily Tomlin as Mooma, the crazy grandmother.

Plenty of good messages for kids in this one. How not to lash out when you are frustrated, being thoughtful towards others and a sense of community and sharing. I don't know that these messages got through to my 5 year old daughter as after the movie was over she snatched the dvd out of my hand and declared it was now 'hers'.  Fortunately, with the help of the Tickle Monster, I was able to retrieve the movie.

KC

Rating:

[Rogmeister]

I've heard of this movie once or twice but never thought a second about it...never even bothered to check out any reviews.  But I didn't realize (until now) that Julia Roberts did a voice for it.  Julia now rivals Jodie Foster for the title of my favorite current actress so I may have to get this now... 

[Kathy]

"Tickle Monster"... sounds the the star of an animated movie. 

[KinkyCyborg]

Amityville II : The Possession



Title:Amityville II: The Possession
Year: 1982
Director: Damiano Damiani
Rating: R
Length: 105 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1, Pan & Scan 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
James Olson
Burt Young
Rutanya Alda
Jack Magner
Andrew Prine

Plot:
Before the residence at 112 Ocean Avenue became infamous in The Amityville Horror, its supernatural legacy of terror had already begun. Inspired by a true story, this chilling prequel is a bloodcurdling, special effects-laden encounter with all-powerful, all-consuming evil.

Although the Montellis are not exactly the "perfect family," at least they've found the perfect home. And even though a liquid that looks like blood gushes from the kitchen faucet and every window has been nailed shut, it still qualifies as their dream house – until all hell breaks loose! A local priest tries to rid the house of unclean spirits, but what he doesn't yet suspect is that teenage son Sonny Montelli has been possessed, body and soul, by a murderous demon bent on total destruction.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

First of many prequels, sequels and remakes that would follow the '79 original. This doesn't stray too far from the possession/exorcism formula that was bench marked with The Exorcist. This just rehashes the true events of the DeFeo murders, combined with a possession of the eldest son who then mimics those murders with his own family. Of course the friendly neighborhood priest feels obligated to exorcise the demon out of the young man.

So all in all there was nothing too terribly original here but there were a few scenes that were genuinely creepy. The table cloth flying off the dining room table to land covering the crucifix was neatly done and likely a highlight for the film makers of this early 80's production. The make-up of the possessed teenager was also nicely done.

Was surprised to see Burt Young in this as horror movies are rare for him although I wasn't surprised to see him playing an abusive husband and father. Was he really ever meant to play any other role?

More than adequate for a horror fix, just don't expect to have your socks knocked off.

KC

Rating: