Reviews
Queen of the Damned (2002)
An insult to Anne Rice
When the 90+ minutes of this drivel ended, I felt slighted. I felt as if I had been cheated of my matinee $5. As an avid fan of the Vampire Chronicle books by Anne Rice, I wonder how she ever allowed her name to be put on such complete and utter crap.
The absolute plot inconsistencies are completely ridiculous. It is as if the writers took the book, read it, and threw it out the window before beginning the screenplay. I would understand some small omissions in order to condense a long book into a movie, but drastically changing the integral plot points (such as individual vampires' makers, lovers, and friends) is completely inexcusable.
There were only 2 things that I can even imagine complimenting in this movie. First, the soundtrack. With bands like Disturbed, Orgy, and Korn on board, the driving rock of The Vampire Lestat was perfectly set. Second the performance of Stuart Townshend was terrific. As I read the books, I formed a mental picture of Lestat. Tom Cruise wasn't it. Stuart Townshend was. From the patterns of speech to the latent sexuality, to the dark beauty, he was everything Anne Rice described in her hero Lestat. Townshend's acting was the only reason I gave this a 2 instead of a 1.
Twin Falls Idaho (1999)
One of the 5 best movies I've ever seen
I caught the beginning of Twin Falls, Idaho one evening while flipping past the Independent Film Channel. I was immediately hooked by the story. The acting was absolutely riveting, and while the plot may have been slow to develop, and even a bit predictable, there was an intangible quality about it that kept my eyes glued to the screen.
Michele Hicks is brilliant in a difficult role. My heart nearly broke when she was shunned by the Falls brothers. Lesley Ann Warren was excellent as the cliche mother. But the real kudos belong to the Polish brothers, who were responsible for the writing, acting, and directing. I was convinced that the story they told was real when I first saw them. The bond they display on screen is definitely not contrived. I was completely blown away by the tenderness and understanding they shared.
All in all, one of the 5 best movies I have ever seen. It is rare for me to be so completely gripped by a movie as I was when I saw this one. And yet, I just couldn't tear myself away. 10/10
Dogma (1999)
One of the best ever!
This was easily a 10 out of 10! I have been a Christian all of my life, and I was not offended in the least by this movie. I can understand why people are up in arms about the supposed blasphemy and hereticism portrayed, but what this movie does is make you think -- about everything you've always just accepted because you were told to. It is definitely an improvement over the mindless drivel that Hollywood is so apt to release these days. I whole-heartedly recommend this movie to everyone.
Clue (1985)
Best Film Ever
This is the best film I have ever seen (and I should know, I've seen it over 100 times). The witty repartee between the characters, and the subtle political humor thrown in make it side-splittingly funny throughout. And the fact that there are 3 endings make it even better. Choosing the best ending is left as an exercise for the viewer.
Great casting of Tim Curry as Wadsworth, and Madeline Kahn and Mrs. White.
The ultimate compliment I would ever give a movie is that every time I watch it, I find something I'd never noticed before.
Well, guess what happens with Clue?