If Red State had been the efforts of amateur filmmakers, I’d have chalked it up to being one hell of an try in the horror genre. But knowing Kevin Smith inside and out, I’m inclined to say that Smith seems almost disingenuous in his efforts to create an independent film that may or may not be independent when all is said and done. Smith knows his way around the camera and while I can’t fucking stand a single film from the man, “Red State” is a film that disappointed because the man does nothing with the genre that we haven’t already seen. And he’s working in my genre, the horror genre, so I expected big things from this considerable clunker. Rabid Christian fundamentalists, torture porn, commentary on religion, it’s all on the menu from a god fearing man like Kevin Smith who can never be sure if he’s putting religion to task for corrupting us, or merely just showing that religion has a bad side like it has a good side. “Dogma” was in fact an unbridled celebration of the mythos behind his religion, now “Red State” takes it to task and can never be quite certain what kind of message it’s trying to convey.
Category Archives: Movie Reviews
Creature (2011)
If you’re looking for a good old fashioned horror film with a man in a rubber suit painted to look like one ferocious motherfucking monster, you need look beyond “Creature.” What is “Creature” but a poor man’s “Creature from the Black Lagoon,” a movie about a bunch of tourists, and a backwoods monster in New Orleans who has a hefty appetite for attractive women and muscle bound men. Shocking enough, “Creature” is a theatrical release in 2011, and tells the tale of a bunch of American tourists–a few of whom happen to be Navy Seals (this is important for the second half of the film)–who happen in to the back woods of New Orleans in search of adventure. Little do they know that if you come across Sid Haig on any adventure, you’re bound to find trouble and terror. It’s just common sense. Granted, Haig is an icon of the horror culture, but he should be in the horror rule book as a word of warning to anyone seeking adventure.
Based on Billions of True Stories: The Long, Slow Death of a Twenty-Something
We’ve known Larry Longstreth for a long time as a person and as a filmmaker. It’s no big surprise that we here at Cinema Crazed are big fans of Longstreth and his work in the fan film and internet arena. Longstreth is one of the finest filmmakers working in independent film today and our friendship with him is no bearing on the man as a filmmaker. We discovered Longstreth years ago when he sent us his screener for a short film about a zombie musical and we were instantly hooked on whatever he sent our way.
Attack the Block (2011)
As a product of its environment, “Attack the Block” is not only the definition of an independent film, but one of the finest films of the year. A true testament to the ingenuity capable by filmmakers under a small budget and limited resources, director Joe Cornish’s “Attack the Block” is that rare cinematic adventure that manages to live up to expectations and surpass them at the same time. It’s one of the most pleasant experiences I’ve had at the movies in years mainly because it’s so competently made and well imagined that it doesn’t require the respective movie goer to do much except watch mankind fight some alien monsters in the middle of the UK.
Puppet Master (1989) (DVD)
Even twenty one years after its release, I’m still very enamored with the “Puppet Master” series. Ever since the introduction of individual miniature terrors like Blade, Jester, and Leech Woman, I’ve been in love with the Charles Band Full Moon franchise that teamed the world of cruel human beings against the unforgiving dolls that threatened to bring down any and all menaces to their personal well being; I can still remember being a child trying to get as much from the series as possible from the video stores on my small allowance. “Puppet Master” is one of the more restrained installments of the series that features a slow burn premise about a group of psychics who infiltrate a local hotel to investigate the goings on and mysterious secret of life that has been mastered by puppeteer Andre Toulon.
Zookeeper (2011)
It seems like ever since the death of Chris Farley there almost has to be a slot open for a funny fat man who bumbles and stumbles. Except Farley wasn’t just a fat man, he was much more than obesity. He had actual comic timing and every person since his death to take up the mantle has sine failed to replace him. Take one Kevin James, a man who fails at even holding Farley’s shoes but has sought out to be the current funny fat guy since his introduction in “Everybody Loves Raymond.” And since then he’s failed to hold a candle to the cliché fat guy comedy mold that has garnered him massive success because he is just so utterly one note and uncharismatic.
Conan O'Brien Can't Stop (2011)
During one point in the half concert film half documentary “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop,” the interviewer asks Conan if it’s possible for him to have fun without an audience. And if you watch the movie you’ll see why he looks on in response baffled and without speech. Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop has never been such a literal title as it describes the essence of Conan O’Brien who is a man that is desperate to perform. It’s an all consuming urge within Conan to perform and be on the stage so much to where he puts his family life at jeopardy.