Steve Martin is at his comedic best as a suburban father whose life falls apart when his beloved daughter announces her engagement to a man he tries his best to disapprove of. Martin Short steals every scene he's in as a flamboyant wedding planner.
Reviews
57 Reviews
My Girl
(1991)
Adorable Coming of Age Story
19 June 2022
Filled with warmth, humor, and genuine tears, My Girl is one of the best coming of age films you'll be likely to see in your lifetime. It features Veda, a precocious young girl about to become a woman, who has an obsession with death due to living in a funeral home and the death of her mother before she got to know her. Anna Chlumsky is charming in the lead role and given great support by Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis as her somewhat distant father and his new girlfriend/employee. Be sure to keep some tissues on hand for the last act of the film. It's a tear jerker.
976-EVIL
(1988)
Entertaining
19 June 2022
976-Evil is a stylish and colorful directorial debut by Robert Englund with a strong concept, but a disjointed script. Stephen Geoffrey's, fresh from Fright Night, plays a high school nerd who uses a horoscope phone line to possess himself with a demon so that he can get revenge on his bullies.
Even in it's uncut form, the film is suspiciously bloodless, but the transformation effects are solid and most of the performances have a fair amount of life and enthusiasm.
Even in it's uncut form, the film is suspiciously bloodless, but the transformation effects are solid and most of the performances have a fair amount of life and enthusiasm.
Trauma
(1993)
Not Argento's Best, but a Good Time
16 February 2022
The new Vinegar Syndrome Blu-Ray of Trauma shows a much more handsome and well made film than we've seen up to this point and it's easy to have a much better appreciation of what Dario Argento was going for. The script is stronger than most of his other works with less odd subplots and meandering moments, but while it's well shot, there's a spark missing. It could be the lack of gore or the less saturated photography. It might even be the American locations that don't feel as classical as the European locales he used in most of his other films. It might not have that spark, but it's still a decent film worth seeing.
Bloody Pit of Horror
(1965)
Goes On Forever
16 February 2022
What starts out as an intriguing concept with a photographer and his models/crew trying to find a striking location for a photo shoot becomes a dull exercise in tedium. The main castle location has some atmosphere and the killer's outfit pulls your eye to it, but then come the silly torture devices with gigantic fake spiders that would make you howl with laughter if the rest of the movie were better paced.
Drop Dead Gorgeous
(1999)
Something to Offend Everyone
1 December 2021
A small town beauty pageant begins to cultivate a high body count as someone kills the contestants one by one in a variety of strange ways.
Shot in a Christopher Guest-style mockumentary format, Drop Dead Gorgeous has more laughs per minute than most comedies can dream of and it also has a colorful cast of characters played with delight by a group of some of the most talented actors ever to hit the screen. It's rare for audiences to see some of these performers playing roles this bizarre. Some of the jokes could be considered tasteless, but no one is sparred from the film's bite.
Shot in a Christopher Guest-style mockumentary format, Drop Dead Gorgeous has more laughs per minute than most comedies can dream of and it also has a colorful cast of characters played with delight by a group of some of the most talented actors ever to hit the screen. It's rare for audiences to see some of these performers playing roles this bizarre. Some of the jokes could be considered tasteless, but no one is sparred from the film's bite.
The Company of Wolves
(1984)
Scary Fairy Tale
1 December 2021
A teenage girl on the cusp of becoming a woman is told several chilling cautionary tales by her world-weary grandmother who warns her that most men are simply beasts in disguise.
The Company of Wolves is about as smart and imaginative a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood that you're likely to come across. Director Jordan appears to be having the time of his life making the visuals as eerie and storybook-like as possible and Lansbury is especially effective as the grandmother.
The Company of Wolves is about as smart and imaginative a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood that you're likely to come across. Director Jordan appears to be having the time of his life making the visuals as eerie and storybook-like as possible and Lansbury is especially effective as the grandmother.
Night of the Dark Full Moon
(1972)
Doesn't Always Add Up
1 December 2021
A string of murders start up around Christmas in a small town after someone decides to sell a house with a dark and creepy past.
Silent Night, Bloody Night is put together and executed in a sometimes haphazard kind of way, using too many voice overs and flashbacks to tell its story, but the story it's trying to tell is an interesting one. It's interesting to note many elements of the slasher subgenre that could have very well gotten their start here such as the killer P. O. V. Shots and the creepy phone calls that have turned up in slasher films from Black Christmas to Prom Night. As low budget and grotty as it is, there are some chills to be had.
Silent Night, Bloody Night is put together and executed in a sometimes haphazard kind of way, using too many voice overs and flashbacks to tell its story, but the story it's trying to tell is an interesting one. It's interesting to note many elements of the slasher subgenre that could have very well gotten their start here such as the killer P. O. V. Shots and the creepy phone calls that have turned up in slasher films from Black Christmas to Prom Night. As low budget and grotty as it is, there are some chills to be had.
The Hunger
(1983)
Gothic and Sexy Vampire Tale
1 December 2021
A pair of vampire lovers drift apart as one of them begins to age at a rapid rate and the other goes looking for another lover to turn and share an eternal life with.
Visually stunning and featuring great turns from Bowie, Deneuve, and Sarandon, The Hunger might not always spell things out plot-wise, but it pulls you in with the strange makeup effects, splashes of gore, and brooding sexuality. It's easily both one of the saddest and most sexually charged vampire films I've seen.
Visually stunning and featuring great turns from Bowie, Deneuve, and Sarandon, The Hunger might not always spell things out plot-wise, but it pulls you in with the strange makeup effects, splashes of gore, and brooding sexuality. It's easily both one of the saddest and most sexually charged vampire films I've seen.
Sisters
(1972)
De Palma In Training
1 December 2021
A reporter witnesses a brutal murder across the street and gets wrapped up in trying to solve the mystery involving a pair of recently separated Siamese twins, their creepy doctor/caretaker, and a mental asylum.
In De Palma's first official thriller, all of his soon-to-be trademarks are accounted for. There's the shocking first murder that's gorier than expected, a bombastic score, split screen shots, and a tongue in cheek sense of gallows humor. It's clear that he has a low budget to work with, but he makes the best of what he has and, after awhile, you forget about it. Kidder is memorable as both of the deranged twins and Salt makes for a charming and plucky heroine.
In De Palma's first official thriller, all of his soon-to-be trademarks are accounted for. There's the shocking first murder that's gorier than expected, a bombastic score, split screen shots, and a tongue in cheek sense of gallows humor. It's clear that he has a low budget to work with, but he makes the best of what he has and, after awhile, you forget about it. Kidder is memorable as both of the deranged twins and Salt makes for a charming and plucky heroine.
To Die For
(1995)
Pitch Perfect Satire
1 December 2021
A self-obsessed local weather girl manipulates three brainless teenagers to help her dispatch of her husband who wants her to be nothing more than a stay at home mother.
In what is arguably Nicole Kidman's greatest performance, she plays the airheaded and relentlessly narcissistic Suzanne who always seems to be plotting and scheming her way through every social interaction to figure out what she can say or do to make things win her favor. Kidman is both scary and very funny in this role and it's a shame she wasn't awarded an Oscar for her hard work.
In what is arguably Nicole Kidman's greatest performance, she plays the airheaded and relentlessly narcissistic Suzanne who always seems to be plotting and scheming her way through every social interaction to figure out what she can say or do to make things win her favor. Kidman is both scary and very funny in this role and it's a shame she wasn't awarded an Oscar for her hard work.
Heathers
(1988)
Lean, Mean, and Funny As Can Be
1 December 2021
A teenager plots to get rid of all the people in her life who annoy her as she and her new boyfriend accidentally kill the leader of the clique she belongs to.
Heathers is as dark as comedies can get. Tackling peer pressure, teenage suicide, homophobia, eating disorders, and a whole laundry list of taboo subjects in a comedy seems like a fool's errand but Daniel Waters' sharp script never punches down and takes on cheesy toxic positivity and clueless adults with just the right amount of venom. Ryder and Slater have excellent chemistry as the Bonnie and Clyde-esque couple and they remain likable even as the body count start to pile up.
Heathers is as dark as comedies can get. Tackling peer pressure, teenage suicide, homophobia, eating disorders, and a whole laundry list of taboo subjects in a comedy seems like a fool's errand but Daniel Waters' sharp script never punches down and takes on cheesy toxic positivity and clueless adults with just the right amount of venom. Ryder and Slater have excellent chemistry as the Bonnie and Clyde-esque couple and they remain likable even as the body count start to pile up.
Queen Bees
(2021)
Charming
1 December 2021
A self-sufficent elderly woman accidentally starts a fire in her home and has to move to a senior care center while they repair the damage. She gets on the bad side of a trio of mean girls and starts a romance with another resident.
An all-star cast of veterans such as Ellen Burstyn, Loretta Devine, Jane Curtin, Ann-Margret, James Caan, and Christopher Lloyd keep the sometimes overly cautious and sweet Queen Bees from being a total wash. It has moments of real tenderness and a few genuine laughs, but stops just short of being something truly memorable.
An all-star cast of veterans such as Ellen Burstyn, Loretta Devine, Jane Curtin, Ann-Margret, James Caan, and Christopher Lloyd keep the sometimes overly cautious and sweet Queen Bees from being a total wash. It has moments of real tenderness and a few genuine laughs, but stops just short of being something truly memorable.
The Craft
(1996)
Teenage Witchcraft for the 90's
1 December 2021
A new student falls in with a trio of outcasts who single her out for her witchcraft abilities and use her as their fourth to form a coven. After using their powers for good, things get out of control and one of them starts using the powers for evil.
Tunney, Campbell, and True are terrific as the teenage witches, but it's really Balk's unhinged turn as Nancy, the power hungry one of the group, that impresses the most and makes the biggest impact. Her wild eyes dart around the entire time, looking for the next person to hurt, pick a fight with, or kill and it's really something to behold.
Tunney, Campbell, and True are terrific as the teenage witches, but it's really Balk's unhinged turn as Nancy, the power hungry one of the group, that impresses the most and makes the biggest impact. Her wild eyes dart around the entire time, looking for the next person to hurt, pick a fight with, or kill and it's really something to behold.
Mommie Dearest
(1981)
Unfairly Maligned
1 December 2021
Faye Dunaway gives one of her bravest and most outlandish performances as screen icon, Joan Crawford, who adopted several children only to abuse them as her film stardom began to dwindle and the roles dried up.
Mostly dismissed as camp, Mommie Dearest has developed an impressive cult following over the years for Dunaway's scenery chewing and the lackluster script which seems more like a collection of vignettes than a story. There are moments of brilliance throughout the muck and at least one can't say it's not a memorable film.
Mostly dismissed as camp, Mommie Dearest has developed an impressive cult following over the years for Dunaway's scenery chewing and the lackluster script which seems more like a collection of vignettes than a story. There are moments of brilliance throughout the muck and at least one can't say it's not a memorable film.
Wildly Fascinating
1 December 2021
After a suburban mother's molestation accusations cause a doctor to kill himself, his widow poses as a nanny to reclaim the family that she thinks is rightfully hers.
Rebecca De Mornany is fantastic in the leading role, blending sweetness, charm, sex appeal, and a barely concealed anger to play her vengeful nanny, creating a memorable villain for the ages. Julianne Moore is equally fun in a smaller role as a realtor who believes this new nanny is too good to be true.
Rebecca De Mornany is fantastic in the leading role, blending sweetness, charm, sex appeal, and a barely concealed anger to play her vengeful nanny, creating a memorable villain for the ages. Julianne Moore is equally fun in a smaller role as a realtor who believes this new nanny is too good to be true.
The Fury
(1978)
De Palma Supernatural Treat
30 November 2021
Kirk Douglas plays a CIA agent who tries to find his gifted son through the telepathic connection he shares with a similar gifted teenage girl as government agents try to find them and use their powers for destruction.
Director Brian De Palma returns to his supernatural Carrie territory and it's a good time. Amy Irving is great as the telepathic teen and John Cassavettes impresses as the evil villain. Some of De Palma's set pieces are wonderful like Irving's telepathic staircase encounter with Andrew Stevens.
Director Brian De Palma returns to his supernatural Carrie territory and it's a good time. Amy Irving is great as the telepathic teen and John Cassavettes impresses as the evil villain. Some of De Palma's set pieces are wonderful like Irving's telepathic staircase encounter with Andrew Stevens.
Single White Female
(1992)
Great Thriller
30 November 2021
Jennifer Jason Leigh moves into Bridget Fonda's spacious New York apartment and begins to try and squeeze her way into her life by taking her clothes, her men, her hairstyle, and soon, her entire identity.
Single White Female might not stray too far for the usual yuppies in peril thriller playbook, but the two central performances and some slick cinematography keep its head above water and turn it into something a bit more memorable than expected.
Single White Female might not stray too far for the usual yuppies in peril thriller playbook, but the two central performances and some slick cinematography keep its head above water and turn it into something a bit more memorable than expected.
Last Night in Soho
(2021)
Entertaining Neo-Giallo
30 November 2021
A wannabe fashion designer goes off to study in London and ends up getting caught up in an elaborate mystery involving a young woman who lived in her apartment in the 60's.
Fans of grisly 70's giallo films will find a lot to love here with its colorfully lit murder mystery and the soundtrack is one of the best and most well-curated in recent memory. Some of the camera moves and choreography are beautiful and will make you wonder how they pulled it off. It also has an excellent final role for Diana Rigg.
Fans of grisly 70's giallo films will find a lot to love here with its colorfully lit murder mystery and the soundtrack is one of the best and most well-curated in recent memory. Some of the camera moves and choreography are beautiful and will make you wonder how they pulled it off. It also has an excellent final role for Diana Rigg.
Eyes of Laura Mars
(1978)
70's NYC Giallo
22 September 2021
Faye Dunaway plays a elite fashion photographer who suddenly develops the psychic ability to see a series of murders while they're taking place and a detective, played Tommy Lee Jones, tries to help her figure out what's going on.
Lots of gaudy 70's fashion with a great soundtrack and a few giallo-esque murder sequences keep this one entertaining even when the story doesn't always make sense.
Lots of gaudy 70's fashion with a great soundtrack and a few giallo-esque murder sequences keep this one entertaining even when the story doesn't always make sense.
Serial Mom
(1994)
Waters' Best
18 September 2021
John Waters has made some of the funniest films in American history and yet Serial Mom might be his finest hour. With a game performance by Kathleen Turner in the title role and a noticeable jump in production values and budget, it might be Waters' most accessible film to date. Those that are fans of his sleazier and raunchier early work will be pleased to know that there's still much of that here. Sure, Turner doesn't do unspeakable things to dog excrement like Divine did, but there are more than enough gross out moments involving body organs on fire pokers and rats crawling up victims.
Double Jeopardy
(1999)
Pure Guilty Pleasure
18 September 2021
Double Jeopardy is the sort of thriller popular in the 90's where you don't want to use too much of your brain for fear of the entire film's premise collapsing. It's a juicy bit of wish fulfillment and a classic "woman's picture" that you could see Bette Davis or Joan Crawford doing back in their heyday. Judd is likeable and Jones does his usual angry old man thing to good effect. It's Greenwood as Judd's deceptive husband who'll make your skin crawl and you won't be able to wait to see him get what's coming to him.
Malignant
(I) (2021)
Stupid But I Was Entertained
18 September 2021
Those expecting something similar to James Wan's other horror films like Insidious or The Conjuring will be surprised at Malignant's cheesy b-movie plotting and style. While always entertaining, it's a little slow going until it picks up the pacing for the finale where Wan throws in everything and a few kitchen sinks.
Sleeping with the Enemy
(1991)
Ridiculous Yet Fun
18 September 2021
Julia Roberts plays a battered wife who fakes her death in order to escape from her abusive husband and runs away to small town where she tries to make a new life for herself until her husband catches on and comes after her.
If you think too hard about the plot, it all falls apart, but director Joseph Rubin keeps things moving so quickly that you don't really think about it much as you're watching it and it ends up being a good time.
If you think too hard about the plot, it all falls apart, but director Joseph Rubin keeps things moving so quickly that you don't really think about it much as you're watching it and it ends up being a good time.
Body Double
(1984)
De Palma Does It Again
18 September 2021
Not as masterful as some of his other films, but entertaining nevertheless, Body Double is typical Brian De Palma. Sexy, lurid, and violent with a sense of humor. Body Double finds an out of work actor housesitting for new friend who becomes infatuated with the woman across the street who he believes is in danger.
Melanie Griffith's turn as a sassy porn star steals the show and supplies most of the film's humor.
Melanie Griffith's turn as a sassy porn star steals the show and supplies most of the film's humor.
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