Watching “Massacrator” is frantic, jarring and violent, and in the end you feel very violated. I had every reason to love Pierre Ayote’s ode to Grindhouse silliness but instead I just couldn’t jibe with what was happening on-screen. Being a simultaneous ode to everything from Grindhouse to science fiction we meet Massacrator, a borg sent in to the present (or future?) to… kill a girl, I think. After decapitating a few poor suckers, he makes his way to a young woman who manages to get away just in time to avoid his super punch.
Tag Archives: M
My Sister's Keeper (2009)
We’re told from the very beginning that young Kate has Leukemia and yes, she’s dying. This presents with it a domino effect on the family, all of whom are still in denial that she’ll be taken away from them so deep in to her childhood. Why? Because she has a sister named Anna who was genetically designed to serve as a matching donor for her. This denial has led to no sense of happiness for everyone. Mom Sara and dad Brian are basically closed off from their emotions as resentment builds, brother Jesse has basically been pushed to the wayside in spite of his reckless habit of staying out at all nights, and most surprising, sister Anna is hazy on her purpose in life and among her family.
March of the Penguins (Limited Edition Giftset) (DVD)
Parents looking to experience the lifespan of a penguins with their kids would do best to realize that Luc Jacquet’s wildlife documentary is anything but a sugar coated film. What it really is is a gut wrenching and very realistic look at the plight of the penguins attempting to survive in the wilderness and what lengths they will go through to ensure the survival of their species in the midst of harsh weather, natural predators and genuinely difficult hurdles known as life and death. What is so special about “March of the Penguins” is that though it is intended for younger viewers it never sugarcoats the cruel reality of nature and how hard these animals have to work to live another day.
Marley & Me (2008)
What director David Frankel accomplishes with “Marley and Me” is what was basically a winning formula with “My Dog Skip,” a dog lovers movie about the life that revolves around man’s best friend, that life long companion who disappears much too early to allow unconditional love. “Marley and Me” is a genuine dog lovers movie, one of many that takes the life of a dog owner and plants it on screen with as much realism as writers Scott Frank and Don Roos would allow. And I think what connected audiences to this is that most of what main characters John and Jennifer go through is what we have been through with man’s best friend at one time or another.
Metal Man (2008)
The very fact that the producers and creators behind “Metal Man” made this film boggles my mind and leaves me stumped. Why they didn’t seek out the folks behind this “Iron Man” rip off is a missed opportunity to inform these companies to vie for original productions and not knock offs. I will give this to them, the people behind “Metal Man” are not the Asylum film studios. This messy amateur production relies on a metal suited hero named Metal Man whose color scheme is a red and yellowed armor that enables super abilities whenever he’s fighting crime.
Midnight Meat Train (2008)
I hate the subways, I’ve always hated the subways; they’re dark, dank, merciless and filled with running machines that you can’t control thus you are immediately trapped if you find yourself on the wrong pod in the middle of the night. What if it stops mid tunnel? Will it go? Will it ever keep running? How far does the rabbit hole go, and what’s in these holes we’ve never explored? That’s the questions posed in “Midnight Meat Train,” Ryuhei Kitamura’s tale of a subway serial killer that have been somewhat of an anomaly in the horror world. It’s one that many have desired to see but few have been able to, and I’m glad to say that it’s well worth the wait many of us are enduring that may go on for another year or so. Who knows when the masses will be able to see it, if at all?
Mamma Mia! (2008)
There’s not a better trio of respective dads than the likes of Stellan Skaarsgard, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth, all of whom are quite entertaining in their hapless roles as men pulled in to a wedding of a girl that may be their long lost daughter. Probably the stand out is Pierce Brosnan who presents a great chemistry off of Meryl Streep as Sam, the man pushed away after a brief fling. These three are never afraid to get goofy in their performances and can handle the singing quite well when they need to. Amanda Seyfried is given a big responsibility to carry the role of Sophie, an idyllic dreamer who hopes to find her father bringing the entire scenario together and shines vocally and charismatically as this young girl who uses her wit to bring together this group of people to bring closure to her biggest question. Seyfried handles the role well and she’s a thrill to watch.