"Dead-Alive"

"Young People Fucking"

This is a film with a ton of potential.

From start to finish we see the sexual encounters of five couples: ex-lovers, plutonic best friends, a first date, a long-time couple, and an impromptu threesome. Each encounter starts with the uncomfortable conversation and works its way through the foreplay and the orgasm to the pillow talk at the end. With its provocative title, and its ambitiously frank attitude toward sex, "Young People Fucking" promises eroticism and insight. How can one not be intrigued?

"Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

Movies are about conflict. Without some sort of situation for the protagonist to struggle through, there is no movie. This is generally apparent in film, in the most literal manner (i.e. Good Guy vs. Bad Guy), yet sometimes this struggle is more subtly woven into the sub-context of the plot. "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" has so much more working for it under the guise of what one would expect to be a run-of-the mill romantic comedy that one is taken off guard when they experience the film's brilliance. This is a Woody Allen film, and while he has been less than consistent since the start of the century, he has shown he is still capable of crafting a genuinely significant film. (Many people view 2005's "Match Point" as his best film).

"Very Bad Things"

What an appropriate title... "Very Bad Things". Nothing else could appropriately sum up my thoughts after watching this movie again. The last time I watched the film was shortly after it was released in 1998, and I had less than fond memories of watching it then. Yet times have changed, and I will admit, in the last 10 years my taste in film has changed. Perhaps not dramatically, but I certainly do enjoy films that I may not have enjoyed at that time.

"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2"

The first sequel to "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" is a drastic departure in terms of both tone and technique. Gone is the minimalist sensibility that made the original so effective; in its place is a much larger production which emphasizes gore and violence over atmosphere and suspense. The original film's relentlessly bleak tone has been replaced with black comedy, anchored by Bill Moseley's portrayal of 'Chop Top', the replacement for the original film's 'Hitchhiker'.

"Teeth"

Vagina Dentata, eh? That's a scary fuckin' thought. Now, I'm sure you're here because you know what "Teeth" is about… but just in case you don't… Vagina Dentata literally translates to ‘Toothed Vagina'. Think about that for a minute… now picture it. Yeah… That's only slightly scary. Anyway, on to the review:

"Stuck"

Do you know who Stuart Gordon is? If you don't, you should by now. Go watch some of Gordon's flicks, and get back to me. And if you do know Gordon's flicks then you need not read this to know that you should be checking out his latest film. Chances are you've known about it for quite some time, and have been waiting for it to come to a theatre or DVD place near you. Maybe you're just reading this to find out how "Stuck" compares to Gordon's other pictures. It seems like slightly foreign territory to him (comedy), but not really too much of a stretch.

"Snakes on a Plane"

A big-budget B-movie is, in itself, a contradiction. A B-movie, by definition, can not have a big budget, and draws the entirety of its entertainment value from a generally under-developed screenplay, less than stellar production values, poor acting and direction, etc. "Snakes on a Plane" falls out of the B-Movie canon, with significantly higher production values, some capable acting and direction, and what can only be described as a deliberately under-developed script. The question is – How successful is a movie that differs so much from the very films it celebrates?

"Snakes on a Plane"

If, at the time you read this, "Snakes on a Plane" becomes a not-so-distant memory, at the time of its release, this film was surrounded by a lot of buzz. It's one of those movies that seemed to have its fan base even before its release, which generally doesn't bode well for overall film quality. David Ellis has, in the past, made good out of bad, however ("Cellular" and "Final Destination 2"), so it isn't so far fetched to believe that he may make it three in a row.

"Slither"

As I sat in the theatre earlier this evening watching "Slither", I was upset by the fact that there were only about ten other people in the theatre. This is only five days after its initial release. With horror films dominating the box office nearly every week they're released, I expected more. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a horror fan first and foremost, but I wish more horror films failed at the box office. Although I am a devout fan of the horror genre, I do have a reason for this, and if you're a horror fan – a true horror fan – you'll agree with me. (You probably see where I'm going with this, don't you?)

"RV"

Barry Sonnenfeld was certainly a stronger cinematographer than he is a director. His directorial efforts are certainly not what most people would consider, well… Particularly good. His best film is the Elmore Leonard adaptation "Get Shorty", however it's a lone triumph in a filmography that includes "Wild, Wild West", "Big Trouble", and now the very rarely humorous "R.V.", a film that only succeeds on Robin Williams undeniable charisma.