Tonally, “Quench” tends to be scattered and while normally that’d be cause to give this a negative marking Zack Parker’s film balances the mixture of genres, and direction so well that I really enjoyed that the film jumps from mood to mood with pure ease. “Quench” could be described as a horror movie in a way, but it’s very unlike a horror movie when it wants to be. Parker takes the underground sexually unlimited world of “Eyes Wide Shut” and mixes it with a bit of “Martin” along with a coming of age drama and really never stops there.
Tag Archives: Romance
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
After the unfair lambasting of the disgustingly underrated and under appreciated “Hulk” from director Ang Lee, I found myself brutally conflicted on Louis Leterrier’s reboot (Remake? Revision? Restart?), because frankly, it was an apology to fans on a movie that didn’t need one. Lee tried something new, and was punished for it. Sure, Leterrier goes for the obvious, he goes for the simplistic, he shoots for the predictable, but that doesn’t mean “The Incredible Hulk” isn’t an entertaining movie. While I will be faithful to Ang Lee’s vision of the Hulk, Leterrier puts up a good argument for his version, too.
Sidekick (2005) (DVD)
Blake Van de graaf’s superhero opus is a cult film sadly without a cult, and that’s a pure crime of cosmic proportions. While his movie is very critically acclaimed, Van de graaf’s entry just doesn’t get enough love. Or more so, the love I think it warrants. Perhaps it’s just that audiences are burned out on superhero epics, but “Sidekick” really isn’t one of them. Most people will be quick to judge this movie on the cover, a one sheet that makes this look like a superhero comedy about a geek dressing in costumes to fight crime.
Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (2006)
Arbie: I’ll believe in the supernatural when I see it, talking sandwich.
So I sat down at my chair, popped in the movie and sat prepared to watch another shit fest from Troma. I’m somewhat of an anti-Troma pusher, so I was not looking forward to this. And my eventual reactions were a varying degree of disgust, horror, disbelief, and amusement. I laughed. And I laughed a lot. I’d even go so far to say that “Poultrygeist” is quite excellent. It’s something of a demented twist that it took Native American chicken zombies to finally get me to like a Troma movie, and trust me I had no intention of enjoying “Poultrygeist,” so much. But from the ridiculous opening to the horribly catchy musical numbers, Lloyd Kaufman has created a very memorable bit of horror comedy that may just lure more anti-Troma individuals like me.
Vampyros Lesbos (2008)
Matthew Saliba is an interesting gentleman. So far his film works have been heavily mired in giallo and exploitation, while presenting his shorts in a myriad of beautifully rendered photographs that tell more of a story than most short films. And if that’s not the kicker he offers up his own interpretation of a Grindhouse classic: “Vampyros Lesbos.” I’m not a big fan of the grindhouse original, but I was very much open to see what Saliba had to offer. As a photographer and director he can tell a damn strong story. Not to mention there be lesbians and vampire lesbians in this, so I saw this as soon as I received it. “Vampyros Lesbos” is an utterly ambitious interpretation from the outset presenting a demonstration not just in sexuality, but orgasmic storytelling told through a series of photographs that rely more on human expression and soul instead of acting ability.
In Plain Sight
Ah yes, it’s another show on cable about a super woman who is really just a regular person when she’s with her family, or in her personal life. She mothers everyone, talks back to her superiors, and even has a “Moonlighting” relationship with her hunky partner. And on the outside, she’s a professional risking her life as a Witness Protection Officer relocating witnesses who, well, witness something corroborating, and must be relocated. She’s a not so nice person though, and prefers to act on her gut instead of follow procedure (you know how the song goes!), and this gets her into trouble. But I wasn’t too down on “In Plain Sight,” because while it’s better suited for Lifetime, Mary McCormack finally gets a good vehicle that allows us to see what her supporting performances over the years, haven’t.
Jumper (2008)
Doug Liman’s “Jumper” is the type of action fare that you come to see for the dazzling effects and interesting battles, and then… nothing more, after that. The common complaint is that the film doesn’t fully touch on the concept of jumping, and while that’s true, it does indeed explore how this power would be every man’s fantasy. To be able to jump everywhere, to be able to be anywhere you want without restrictions, and to be able to do whatever you want is something “Jumper” pulls off in emphasizing. And the character of David personifies this idea by often working on motives that are never clear. A firm anti-hero, David is that very wealthy young man that everyone worships and wants to be, and he’s turned into someone working for a cause by accident once he gets the psychotic Paladins on his tail.