Don’t have unprotected sex. Many people say it, a lot of officials warn against it, but not many people practice it. “Girl, Positive” is another PSA from the Lifetime Network that explores a young girl who simply didn’t practice safe sex and suffered the consequences. There are really a lot of factors that could attribute to her contracting HIV, but the writer never pinpoints the actual source; that our character Rachel is just as dumb as a bag of rocks. But “Girl, Positive” in its ways to increase tension and avoid the inevitable revelation, really just treads water until we finally get to the meat and bones of the film.
Author Archives: Felix Vasquez
An Interview with Actress Sarah Hall
Three words come to mind when I think of Sarah Hall: Yow, Yum, and Wow. Now, you endure my girl crazy antics day in and day out, but Sarah Hall isn’t all looks. It’s not a secret the folks at Asylum and I aren’t on the best of terms, and “The Hitchhiker” is one of the primary films from the video label that has managed to draw the line in the sand (long story), but one of the only highlights of the film is the performance, and arguably, the debut of Sarah Hall to B movie fans. Hall is one of the many rotating cast of actors in the Asylum fold that appears in almost every film title.
Hall has the potential to break out from the horror genre, and can kick the film world up its ass. As a person she’s friendly, and outgoing, and knows how to humor folks, and on-screen she’s unique, charismatic, and manages to steal the show quite often. For proof, turn to “The Hitchhiker,” which almost becomes a display for Hall’s rather alarming sex appeal, and she continues her Asylum affairs with the upcoming–ahem–mock buster “Transmorphers.”
We grabbed a hold of Hall and interviewed her, and yes, even flirted a bit, but Hall was kind enough not to put out a restraining order and obliged. Here’s the hap with Hall.
Dead@17 (2007)
Based on the comic book by Josh Howard, Mark Steensland’s adaptation of “Dead@17” is a great short that really registered, even if I’ve never read the comic before. I know, it’s a shocker considering I try to grab every horror comic out there, but “Dead@17” is a series I’ve heard about in passing, but never actively sought it out. And thanks to Steensland, that’s all about to change. Steensland depicts a rather interesting world on film, with a short that signals the start of something much bigger afoot.
Waiting… (2005)
In the end, “Waiting” is yet another “Clerks” rehash, but alas, it’s a rehash that works. And why? Mainly it’s because it manages to cast the talents of folks who can actually handle comedy; Luis Guzman, Ryan Reynolds, Justin Long, Anna Faris, the list goes on. Suffice it to say, the cast is an all-star cavalcade of comedy actors, save for the likes of Andy Milonakis. “Waiting” is also supposedly a film that perfectly captures what it’s like to be a waiter or work in the restaurant industry, and goes behind the more disgusting facts of working in a restaurant, including the restlessness of its workers to keep from going insane. “Waiting” may not be a comedy classic, but for what it is, it made me laugh quite often.
Night at the Museum (2006)
Ben Stiller’s career can almost be paralleled with Eddie Murphy’s. Both started out providing original and edgy comedy, and were almost under-appreciated in their ways. Both finally debuted in film starting off once again providing us with a refreshing look at the comedy genre, and both have completely revamped their image starring in nothing but rehashed really bad movies, that are now leading into family films. It was really only a matter of time for Stiller. The man’s career, beyond “The Ben Stiller Show,” has been mostly abysmal. “Night at the Museum” is not the worst film out there for family entertainment, but damn, it sure is mediocre. There’s barely a single laugh in the entirety, and what chuckles do arise, come from the British nationality.
Street Thief (2006)
In the tradition of films like “Man Bite Dog,” and “Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon,” Malik Bader is a film that constantly has you questioning what’s reality and what’s fantasy. Is this all one big ruse? Are the filmmakers putting us on from minute one? Or is this an actual thief we’re watching? Most of all, does this make the film worth watching if we can never be sure one way or the other? “Street Thief” is one of the many films in the modern era that’s demonstrated the audience’s ability to become voyeurs. As a mass that constantly feel we have to watch people at their worst and most embarrassing, films like “Street Thief” will challenge the audience and keep us guessing.
Dead Silence: Unrated (2007) (DVD)
Thanks to the advent of “The Twilight Zone,” R.L. Stine’s “Goosebumps,” and many other horrific entities, ventriloquist dummies have managed to become a pretty valid specter of fright all of my life. And thankfully, here comes James Wan to further perpetuate the fear of the ventriloquism in all its delights. “Dead Silence” is a film that wasn’t really an easy sell from the first minute. Surely, it starts off eerily enough, but it doesn’t really pick up until the second half. But what it accomplishes are genuine plot twists that only the boys from “Saw” can truly utilize, and man, are there ever plot twists abound, including one that’s a bit over the top, but truly creepy.