“Maybe there isn’t a design”, the cleaner examines to her audience, but then maybe there is. Maybe there’s a god and this is all a large plan, but maybe there isn’t and this all just random, then what of our existence and how we can leaves traces of ourselves long after we’ve died? “It doesn’t end when we’ve died”, the cleaner declares. Shirley Henderson gives a fascinating performance as “the cleaner” an entity who hovers around everyone in their household and cleans and wipes up after them and could very well be a ghost because she’s just a watcher.
Romasanta: The Werewolf Hunt (2004)
I was intrigued by “Romasanta” because while it is horror, it’s not technically horror, and while it is a werewolf film, it’s not really the conventional werewolf film. Simply put, if you’re expected werewolves, full moons, and a big clan of lycanthropes, well you best turn elsewhere. “Romasanta” is a brutally original horror film about the human mind and the sheer atrocities it is capable of when sick and inflicted. “Romasanta” is a rather unique entry that’s a horror film, a werewolf film, a murder mystery, a period piece, and a crime drama all rolled into one. But one of the appeals of this film was that it was original. Originality it a rarity in film these days, and it’s a shame we don’t get much of it in terms of innovative ideas.
Everwood Series Finale: Foreverwood
It’s been four years, four years on the WB. When “Smallville” premiered, I remember seeing the previews for “Everwood” and thought, “What the hell? I’ll give it a shot.” I never really thought it would become a ritual every week. “Everwood”, a casualty of the upcoming merge of the WB and UPN, is proof positive that television executives have no clue what quality programming is. After a long hiatus, and many time slot changes, the executives decided “It’s ratings were too low” (explain the logic behind that) and cut it down from the fall’s schedule. Which is not to say “Everwood” wasn’t sliding. “Everwood” was an excellent show, but became much too bogged down in melodrama and began lacking the spirit and small town quirkiness the first three seasons had.
The 4400: Season Premiere
Two hour premiere June 11th
Season Premiere on June 18th
The obscure, but apparently popular series returns once again to the USA Network with much anticipated season three on June 11th. I’ve never seen this show, nor have I ever sought it out in spite of its unique plot. But “The 4400” a mix of “Taken”, and utterly shameless elements ripped from “X-Men” rejoins the story once more as the government is seeking to warn America about the potential war about to brew with humans and the 4400, while they incorporate themselves into society with obvious supernatural powers such as telepathy, and underwater breathing.
OutFOXed: Rupert Murdoch’s War Against Journalism (2004)
This documentary has very good intentions. It attempts to expose what Rupert Murdoch is doing with the Fox News Network, which is essentially to create a Republican propaganda machine. If you don’t know that’s what he’s doing, then this movie might wake you up. Or at least get you to look into it a little more.
The problem is, if you don’t know what Fox News is doing, you’re probably a moron. And you’re probably not seeking out intellectual pursuit of such concepts. And you wouldn’t do best to watch this particular video.
The Final Cut (2004)
I’d like to think of “The Final Cut” as “Memento”-lite. It’s a film based on the basic premise of “Memento” and “Minority Report” about a quasi-future society based on a completely boring plot device. After watching this, I thought to myself “That’s why this didn’t experience wide distribution”. Even with Robin Williams playing it low with another conflicted and mellow performance, “The Final Cut” never lives up to anything it promises. I was never sure what in god’s name the writer was even trying to explain to the audience with the rambling concept and story.
X-Men 3: The Last Stand (2006)
My antipathy and scathing skepticism at the fact that FOX would hire hack Brett Ratner to direct one of my favorite comic book franchises of all time hasn’t exactly been a secret for all this time. I hated the fact that Ratner was given resources to potentially destroy my beloved storyline, and I was not looking forward to this. Even with the fact that Ellen Page was cast, I didn’t find anything worth being impressed about with Ratner’s alterations of the series I loved. “X-Men: The Last Stand” is supposedly the “last” film in the X-Men franchise; of course all the fans know its complete bullshit. “The Last Stand” is the final film in the “X-Men” franchise like “The Final Chapter” was in the “Friday the 13th” franchise.