Cat People (1942)

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

Director Jacques Tourneur’s horror thriller is probably one of the most unique and menacing thrillers about a woman’s inherent ferocity and rage ever made. “Cat People” is filled to the brim with metaphor and symbolism, from the parallels of Simone Simon’s character Irena’s to a black panther stuck in a cage, right down to a kitten confined in a small paper box by Irena’s husband to be Oliver. After surprising her with the pet as a gift, the cat discovers that it hates Irena, and she it. More suitably though, the two aren’t kindly to being tied down and given to domestic masters.

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Cat People (1982): Collector’s Edition [Blu-Ray]

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

When Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneaur conceived “Cat People,” the budget was low for anything truly spectacular, thus allowing them to get creative. Director Paul Schrader definitely has a larger budget and wider scope to deal with, resulting in a fairly forgettable remake. If you can call it a remake, mind you. All the mythology is lost in favor of a hyper sexual retelling that keeps the cat people and removes everything else. “Cat People” definitely fits the nostalgia bill for people who find Nastassja Kinski especially sexy, as Schrader soaks the film in a palette of neon colors and bold bright pastels while Giorgio Moroder’s score blares non-stop.

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We Are What We Are (2013) (DVD)

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

It’s probably a good thing that I didn’t see the original “We Are What We Are” before Jim Mickle’s remake. I typically find time to pick up the original article, but time didn’t allow the convenience, so Jim Mickle’s remake of the Mexican horror film is what I had to base my entire opinion on. And that’s something of an advantage, since on its own it’s a fairly mediocre but interesting tale about cannibalism of the body, and the eternal cannibalism of the family unit.

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Short Term 12 (2013)

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

Brie Larson has remained one of the most subtle and hard working character actors in modern film, sometimes taking seemingly missed turns in great indies (The Spectacular Now), and often blowing people away with supporting performances (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World). In “Short Term 12,” Larson proves she’s capable of being a lead and should often play the leading character in films that can show she’s a performer of beauty and immense vulnerability.

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Carrie (2013)

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

If there’s anything I can say about the remake of “Carrie” is that it’s at least better than the 2002 version. It’s more focused and sleeker. I remember reading on many articles that director Kimberly Pierce was planning to deliver a new and dynamic version of Stephen King’s “Carrie” that differed greatly from Brian DePalma’s iconic horror masterpiece. I’d love to know what happened during the entire development of this film because watching it, all I saw were callbacks to the original DePalma movie. Surely, there’s the addition of the internet and a small riff on cyber bullying but it’s really just a riff on DePalma’s film.

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Harvey (1950)

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

“Harvey” is another one of those non-conformists dramedies that asks what the harms is in being a little different. In a time where normality and conservative thinking were a standard, and psychology was still a new aspect of society, “Harvey” is yet another wonderful tale about a unique individual who changes the lives of everyone around him. That’s all thanks to the small ounce of magic he brings to people that have convinced themselves they’re normal, but really aren’t. While “Harvey” fancies itself as a dramedy, it’s first and foremost a light hearted romp through fantasy and imagination, and will often inspire raucous laughter from viewers.

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Hot Times at Montclair High (1989)

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

If you’re going to try and mimic one of the most successful teen comedies of the eighties, at least have the budget to back it up. “Hot Times at Montclair High” is one of the lamest rip off of “Fast Times” I’ve ever seen. It’s one of those films that takes every chance to copy from the previous film, except it fails to deliver what made the film such a success. Like great writing, engaging characters, comedy, and a truly interesting series of narratives and sub-plots.

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