Black Devil Doll

Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story

really low budget improv mockumentary

blackballed isn't a bad film, it's just not a very good one. rob corddry and a bunch of other really funny people (the human giant guys, rob riggle, ed helms, etc.) made this mockumentary about bobby dukes (corddry), a paintball player who was the best, but due to cheating, was banned for 10 years. now 10 years later, he's back and wants to get back on top. so he assembles a team of ragtag paintballers and they go play in a tournament. there isn't much substance here, and most of the jokes are so slight and not really funny. it's humorous to be sure, and the absurdity of it all carries the film along... but the talent is wasted in this basically plotless improv fest. christopher guest films have done way better with the same kind of limited plot idea.

The Baader Meinhof Complex (Der Baader Meinhof Komplex)

well made, but...

the baader meinhof complex is based on the true story of anarchist rebels andreas baader and ulrike meinhof, and their rise to power in 70's germany, and their international following. the film is very well made, and good. the subject matter however is aggrevating. the filmmakers however seem to idolize these people, and i found them to be completely reprehensible. sure the world was full of shit at the time (still is by the way), and these people stood up against it in their own fucked up way... but what did they actually change? nothing. they were terrorists with giant egos and no true sense of reality. i noticed that several terrorists (RFA fighters) shot at cops, but the instant that they were wrestled to the ground we heard them moan in agony from the pain! wtf? dude just killed a bunch of guys, but we're supposed to feel sorry for them when they're taken down and handcuffed? i think the filmmakers failed to make a strong enough case for these people. they all came off as ignorant idealistic college kids who we should love and respect. i didn't buy it. we were supposed to feel sorry for them when they were jailed in solitary confinement. the people fucking used pipe bombs and stole cars!

like i said though, the film was very well made, especially the special effects. there are some great bullet wounds that are incredibly realistic. the movie also goes very long, around 2.5 hours!

Big Fan

patton oswalt impresses

in big fan, patton oswalt plays (quite convincingly) paul aufierio, a 30 something man whose only real passions in life are the new york football giants, and calling in a local sports radio show to talk smack on the air. along with his friend sal, played by one of my favorites kevin corrigan, they devote all their time to cheering for their favorite football team. paul is a pathetic loser to most, but he doesn't see himself that way. he lives with his mother still, doesn't own a car, and has a shitty job as a parking attendant on staton island. he doesn't want a life like his brother, who is a seedy lawyer that dumped his wife for his mistress. things change drastically for paul when he and sal follow their favorite giants player to a strip club, and he gets his ass kicked by his hero. now he doesn't want to press charges, because this will hurt his team! the film is mostly a drama, even though the material is often humorous. paul is a great character. he is a total loser, we hear people like him on the radio every day, but 'big fan' gives him depth. paul goes so far for his passion on the radio and for the giants that he takes some drastic measures towards the end of the film. the only problems i had with the film were the unresolved conflicts in the story. i really like how true to football fans this movie is. they don't do the typical hollywood bullshit, the filmmakers know their stuff and the details are spot on. overall it is worth a look.

The Brothers Bloom

another stylish con movie

the brothers bloom is similar to any other con artist movie ever made. plenty of cons, people conning eachother, hard to tell who's really conning and who they're conning, etc. to me it gets old fast. this film is rather enjoyable, but overall it's a tired story and i felt like i've seen it many times before. adrian brody (bloom) is in love with rachel weisz (penelope), the woman they're scamming. the story gets repetetive fast, as brody wants the same thing from his brother mark ruffalo (stephen), the mastermind. there are some funny parts, lots of enjoyable moments, but as i said it's been done before. see matchstick men, house of cards, dirty rotten scoundrels, etc.

Bull Durham

not as great as i had heard

i've always heard about how great bull durham was as far as baseball movies go. i just wasn't all that impressed. ron shelton has made some good sports movies, but this is far from his best. tim robbins and kevin costner are good as the 2 male leads, but fucking susan sarandon man. she performs pretty good, but she's not sexy, and her retarded rituals/spirituality involving baseball were just unbelievable. that's part of the point to be sure, but she got very annoying very fast. hollywood can make a decent baseball movie, and this is one of them... but the romance and whatnot are what keep this one from being really good.

Bob Roberts

more disturbing than funny, but very good

tim robbins made one of the most controversial movies in the nineties with 'bob roberts'. i remember when it came out in theaters many people who i knew (including my parents) said they would refuse to see it, and disliked tim from then on. bob roberts the film bashes conservatives its true, but justifiably so, especially for the time this film was made. its a scathing look at the political machine and the making of a superstar candidate who people rally behind, even though his message is very dangerous and hateful. the conservatives blamed so many things on welfare and drugs in the nineties, and this film was really spot on in many respects. tim robbins is amazing as bob, and even though its obvious that we're supposed to hate this man tim doesn't go over the top at all. the film is a mockumentary in which we follow bob roberts, a "self made" millionaire folk singer, through his campaign for u.s. congress and one journalist who tries to take him down. through shady and despicable acts he tries to come out on top.

lots of celebrity cameos including james spader, susan sarandon, jack black, john cusack, bob balaban, helen hunt, and peter gallagher.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

very original horror movie... finally

in a time where the only good original horror films are made in asia, only to be remade by shitty hollywood execs... we get behind the mask. very entertaining comedy/mockumentary/horror film. we get plenty of 'behind the scenes' info on psychotic movie killers like jason, freddy, and chucky. many of the silly horror film cliches are explained in great detail by the main character leslie vernon. he's working on a big massacre while a film crew documents the events. very original and creative plot. my only real complaint for this movie is the lead actress. i wanted to chop her fucking head off. she is so damn ugly and annoying! otherwise, very cool movie. also robert englund is pretty good in a smaller, but pivotal role.

Boy A

Best Film I've Seen All Year!!

Seriously, this is why I go to the movies. This story pulled me in, tugged ay my heart, and left me stunned and in awe. The acting, direction, and writing were all phenomenal. I don't know what to say, except I loved this movie!