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Reviews
The Garbage Man (2009)
This isn't garbage!
"Right away, from the first scene, you know your in the hands of a director who takes the art of cinema seriously, even with a shoestring budget, and the distractions of a real life murder of his girlfriend in mid-production. Yes that opening shot could be inspired by Orson Welles' opening of Touch of Evil, and if not, it only shows that Fisher has a true eye for cinema and an understanding of perspective Some may call it "moody" -- often an alternate term for "slow" -- and the ending is a bit obscure,, but when you consider what he was up against (including alleged extortion like threats from a lead actor) this debut by the man who runs American HORRORS is a preview of what would become realized media potential -- sort of like seeing Coppola's early films. There are not (yet) any "later" Hart Fisher films -- at least not full length -- but the future holds much for this true American talent. If you are into horror films and American cultural rarities, I say buy it!"
The Cottage (2012)
Vanishing Plot Points and Lapses of Logic
Family rents "cottage" -- actually a two bedroom, two bath home, fully furnished, with swimming pool, modern appliances and lovely hard wood floors -- to romance writer who has a red pick up truck but no typewriter. He tells the lady from whom he rents the names of his three most recent novels...so, for the rest of the film (somewhere between 80 minutes and 5 torturous days, depending upon perception) I wait for the lady to look up his books on line for some major "reveal." If YOU had a successful author renting from you, wouldn't you look up his books on line? Nope. Okay, David is excellent as the "renter" who is up to plenty of no good but the plot holes are big enough for his pickup truck, and the behavior of the family is the face of suspicion and terror is absurd and senseless. Apparently not only did the writer/renter not have a typewriter or word processor, neither did the screenwriter. Only worth watching for villain's performance.
Junkyard Dog (2010)
Innis Casey and Galadriel Stineman Steal the Show
For the genre, this one is several notches above most. I found the actor portraying JYD, Innis Casey,excellent, especially when he is underplaying. In fact, he is so creepy in his understatement that I'm surprised he wasn't suspect #1. Later in the film this cannibal chews the scenery more than he does his victims, but that may be more directorial than dietary. The young lady playing his frequently sexually violated captive, Galadriel Stineman,is thoroughly convincing, and Ms Fox, as always, knows how to wear ankle high boots and be tough tender warm and compassionate all while wielding a hand gun. You know the bad guy will get it sooner or later, and the women will emerge victorious, but there are thrills and scares far better than in 80% of similar shock fiestas. If you want an entertaining kidnapper/cannibal movie (and who doesn't?) this may be your best bet.
The Perfect Stranger (2005)
Offensive Film insults Jesus and everyone else
In this well intentioned but essentially exclusivistic and mean spirited film, Jesus is not only white, blond and gentile, he is dreadfully ill-informed. Despite being supposedly all-knowing and all-wise, he makes absurd and false statements regarding Islam, for example -- of course, the Christian audience which forms the bulk of its audience won't know the difference, and that makes the film even more offensive. The reliance upon ignorance as a method of establishing exclusivity and superiority for Christianity would make Jesus roll over in his grave (if he had one). The folks with whom I watched this film believed in the Divine mission of Jesus...and even they were offended. When well informed Christians and Jews are both offended by a "christian film," you know something is off-kilter. No doubt this film (which is well made for what it is)seems like a wonderful witnessing tool to those who intend on bringing a distorted message of particularistic salvation to people who are incapable of reading Sacred Texts, thinking outside the prefabricated box, or accepting that perhaps when Jesus said "many sheep I have who are not of this fold" he may have been referring to followers who were not of the Christian faith, but who followed Him nonetheless.