“Thirteen” is the example of creative filmmaking with a great story behind it, and it’s a film that managed to spark a lot of controversy in 2003, but within the controversy, it also sparked a lot of conversation between parents and children, specifically parents and their daughters and prompted parents to take a second look at their children and question their activities a little more thoroughly, which is truly a good thing. It’s not often a good film brings positivity to the world that is actually genuine. These days either a positive film brings about negative reaction or a positive film tries too hard and never gets its point across because it’s mired in cheesiness and self-indulgence.
Ripley's Game (2002)
Acclaimed actor John Malkovich takes on the role this time of Tom Ripley, the chameleon whom now lives in a mansion in Italy with his beautiful wife and lush aristocratic lifestyle. An old acquaintance from the past returns to his life, and asks that he help him knock off enemies. Ripley wants no part of it, but he does have someone in mind who will, with the right persuasion. Ripley is one of the main characters of this story, someone whom we follow throughout the story. He’s a sick, demented character through his humble facade. Ripley twists and turns everything for his own benefit.
Confidence (2003)
“It’s all confidence,” main character Jake Vig declares (Ed Burns), a slick and charming conman who leads an assembled group of conmen into some of the most brilliant cons. Taking a page right out of the classic “The Sting”, a group of professional conmen pull a fast job on a schmuck at a club, but when they discover that the schmuck they duped was about to deliver his money to mob boss Winston King, one of their men is killed and now they must confront King. King, a rather erratic but threatening boss makes a deal with them: if they pull a job on his rival Morgan Price he’ll give them a cut of the money and let them live, now with many uneasy partnerships with a few new conmen, a difficulties with an investigator who is on their tail, they must pull the con and not get arrested. But who is getting conned? And who can be trusted?
Ripper (2001)
Director John Eyres does manage to capture the appropriate mood for a film with a concept such as this. The set pieces range from grim, to bleak, to bright, to sometimes very sleek, plus he manages to take an old tired horror device: a dark and stormy forest and manages to make it a bit tense with some suspense clearly evident to the audience awaiting the identity of the killer. Jack the Ripper, the famous or infamous serial killer has been fodder for horror movies for decades, and as always is the case, every new movie attempts to put a different spin on the serial killer, attempts to turn and twist, and flip the serial killer into a new movie, but alas, there are very few movies that can take the most interesting serial killer of all time and turn him into a good film.
The Necromasters – Dead Baby Suitcase [Digital]
The Necromasters album, “Dead Baby Suitcase” was recently sent to me, and after listening I remembered I’m a rock buff at heart, so I had the help of a hardcore hip hop fan and at the end of listening to the album I realized that we were pretty much on the same level regarding our opinion of what we heard. The Necromasters’ songs have great rhythm and some are even worthy of listening aloud with smooth beats and decent melodies including “Matter of Time” which has a great energy, but in the end, there just was nothing here.
40 Days and 40 Nights (2002)
Matt is a guy who just broke up with his life-long girlfriend Nicole. After two years of a bad break-up he’s finding it difficult to get over her, and after one meaningless sexual encounter after another with women, he feels empty inside. One day he decides to make a vow, no sex or sexual encounters for forty days. But he’s finding it difficult when all the people at his job begin to bet he’ll either break it or pull through tempting him with hot chicks, plus he’s met a beautiful girl (Shannyn Sassimon) that he’s falling in love with. Something’s got to give.
My (Imaginary) Interview with Eli Roth
I often wonder what it would be like if Eli Roth and I actually decided to do an interview together. Sure, it may polarize anyone else from ever wanting to provide an interview for Cinema Crazed, but I’d be happy anyway, because I’d openly ask that ass clown questions that would not only put him on the spot, but make him sweat. Every movie review site has someone they dislike in Hollywood, and Eli Roth is that person for Cinema Crazed. He’s not only a smug asshole, but he’s also an untalented shit for brains whom people assume is great because he splashes blood in their faces.