Actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead has maintained a steady stream of notable genre work for many years and has shown herself to be a very good actress with enough charisma and enthusiasm to help carry genre gems like “Sky High” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.” On the flipside, Winstead has also garnered a huge fan base (me included) thanks to her model work and her incredible beauty and sex appeal. With “Smashed” Ms. Winstead seems intent to not only show that she’s much more than a pretty face, but proves to her audience that she’s so much more than a passable actress. Her performance in “Smashed” is Oscar worthy.
Category Archives: Movie Reviews
The Fog (1980) (Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]
Director John Carpenter’s “The Fog” prides itself in being steeped in folklore, and takes on many of the classic traits we know as urban legends. Every urban legend has some source of truth to it and harbors a moral for its audience. “The Fog” creates a new urban legend from a horrific act of betrayal and human greed. Hence why the opening of the film begins with an old seaman regaling local citizens of Antonio Bay with the tale of the spirits on the sea.
Only God Forgives (2013)
Director Nicholas Winding Refn completely blew me away with his 2011 crime thriller “Drive.” It was a cerebral and stylish picture about redemption and atoning for our sins. “Only God Forgives” is that perfect film for cinematic enthusiasts looking for the right experimental movie to dip their toes in to. While Nicholas Winding Refn had every reason to follow “Drive” up with something equally mainstream, “Only God Forgives” goes beyond expectations.
Teen Beach Movie (2013)
Deep down, “Teen Beach Movie” feels like a loving and affectionate tribute to Ex-Mouseketeer, the late great Annette Funicello (to which the film is dedicated to). The gorgeous and talented actress spent her early years on the Mickey Mouse Club winning over the hearts of young boys, and then moved in to some of the most pulpy and celebrated surf movies. Those movies like “Beach Blanket Bingo,” and “Muscle Beach Party” featured a lot of music, simple plots, and were a celebration of surfing. With Frankie Avalon, Funicello gained immortality. What’s even more surprising is in many respects, Maia Mitchell resembles Annette Funicello. When she begins puffing her hair with her pigtails, and transforming in to the movie, she’s almost a living embodiment of the lovely young Funicello. The movie was being filmed before Funicello passed away, so perhaps it’s just all one big coincidence. Or perhaps it’s just serendipity.
Saturday Morning Massacre (2013)
Only many, many years later did Hanna Barbera begin presenting the Mystery Machine gang with actual supernatural threats once their audience matured. But even when facing actual zombies, and demons they were never really in actual danger. Director Spencer Parsons completely dodges copyright infringement while cleverly spoofing the iconic cartoon show with his own version of Scooby Doo. This time he offers up a more realistic group of crime solvers in a world where crime is very dangerous, and the police kindly ask them to “fuck off” whenever they solve a case on their own.
Evil Dead: The Musical (2003)
Well if anything, “Evil Dead: The Musical” is creative. It’s not as funny as it thinks it is, but it has a good time with the material Sam Raimi laid down. It’s kind of odd a musical that features the main character cutting off his hand shies away from the tree rape so blatantly. Not that I am anxious to see a woman violated by tree limbs, but I was wondering why they drew the line at some things and not other.
Evil Dead (2013)
I admittedly had little to no faith for the prospects of an “Evil Dead” remake. As many horror fans like myself originally perceived it to be nothing but a cash grab, I expected really nothing but a faint half assed reconditioning much like Platinum Dunes is want to do. Thankfully the 2013 version of “Evil Dead” is not only an excellent horror film, but a rather brilliant character study to boot. It works as a remake, a sequel, and a companion piece. However fans want to think of it, the movie works in that function, thus resolving any aggravation hardcore Sam Raimi buffs will have toward this new version.