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‘Crazy Lips’ is Bizarre but Compelling

Japanese movie, AKA Hakkyousuru kuchibiru. Satomi (Hitomi Miwa) is a young woman whose brother Michio (Kazuma Suzuki) is a fugitive suspect in a murder case. She goes to the Psychic Research Center and enlists the help of wacky psychic Mamiya (Yoshiko Yura) and her assistant Touma. They show up at her house and do aContinue reading “‘Crazy Lips’ is Bizarre but Compelling”

‘Bride of Chucky’ is a Fun and Funny Sequel

The fourth movie in the Child’s Play series. Chucky (Brad Dourif) has been dismembered and stored in a police evidence room, and his sometime lover Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) is coming to get him and bring him back to life. (And yet again try to put him in a human body.) Meanwhile, teenagers Jesse (Nick Stabile)Continue reading “‘Bride of Chucky’ is a Fun and Funny Sequel”

‘The Conqueror Worm’ is About as Raunchy as You’d Expect, Given the Title, but Not Scary

English movie by way of good ol’ American International Pictures. It’s also known as Witchfinder General, but that’s not nearly as entertaining to write about. Vincent Price is Matthew Hopkins, the town Witchfinder in 1645 England. Basically he’s in charge of accusing people of witchcraft and seeing them punished. Too bad he’s also corrupt, andContinue reading “‘The Conqueror Worm’ is About as Raunchy as You’d Expect, Given the Title, but Not Scary”

‘Cello’ is Subtle but Powerful

Korean movie, AKA Chello hongmijoo ilga salinsagan. Mi-ju (Hyun-Ah Sung) is a music professor recovering from a car accident in which her friend Tae-yeon (Da-an Park) was killed. Her life takes a turn for the worse after listening to a cassette tape of Tae-yeon and her playing music. Her family is disintegrating, from her sister-in-law Kyung-ranContinue reading “‘Cello’ is Subtle but Powerful”

‘A Brush with Death’ is More Like a Brush with Mediocrity

Low budget movie, supposedly “based on true events.” Five teenage girls (cheerleaders, natch) head to a relative’s mansion for the weekend, and decide instead to visit the house nearby where a young boy killed his sociopath brother. When one of the girls disappears, the other four have to scramble to avoid the same fate. MaybeContinue reading “‘A Brush with Death’ is More Like a Brush with Mediocrity”

Kasi Lemmons’s ‘The Caveman’s Valentine’ is Gorgeous and Intense

Romulus (Samuel L. Jackson), also known as the Caveman, is a homeless schizophrenic man. In another life he was a brilliant concert pianist, but he now lives in a cave in Central Park. After coming across a dead body, he decides it’s the work of his phantom enemy Steiberson, and vows to solve the case.Continue reading “Kasi Lemmons’s ‘The Caveman’s Valentine’ is Gorgeous and Intense”

‘Case 39’ Isn’t Particularly Original, but Still Quite Enjoyable

Emily (Renée Zellweger) is a social worker who comes into contact with Lilith (Jodelle Ferland), a ten-year-old girl who has been showing signs of neglect. Lilith’s parents clearly dislike her, and Emily eventually catches the two of them shoving Lilith in their oven. Emily gains custody of Lilith, who unfortunately is not as sweet andContinue reading “‘Case 39’ Isn’t Particularly Original, but Still Quite Enjoyable”

1959’s ‘A Bucket of Blood’ Contains Neither Blood nor Buckets but is Still a Good Time

Directed by Roger Corman. Walter (Dick Miller) is a busboy at a beatnik coffeehouse with aspirations of doing something more. After accidentally killing a cat, he turns it into a sculpture and makes a splash (splatter?) in the art world. Unfortunately staying popular involves making more art, and Walter finds himself growing increasingly more vicious.Continue reading “1959’s ‘A Bucket of Blood’ Contains Neither Blood nor Buckets but is Still a Good Time”

‘Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2′ is a Pop Culture Bag o’ Fun (and Creepiness)

The movie picks up a couple of months after the first film left off. Supposedly, it’s a “fictionalized re-enactment of events that occurred after the release of The Blair Witch Project.” (I don’t think anybody bought that true-story stuff this time around, despite the actors once again using their real first names.) The Blair WitchContinue reading “‘Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2′ is a Pop Culture Bag o’ Fun (and Creepiness)”

‘Boogeyman’ (2005) is Safe for the Faint of Heart–and Easy on the Eyes

Tim (Barry Watson) is haunted by his past, figuratively and literally. He’s disturbed by memories like his dad (Charles Mesure) locking him in a closet, but he’s also bothered by the fact that his dad was killed by the boogeyman. (Kids! You never know what’s gonna set em off.) When his mother (Lucy Lawless) dies,Continue reading “‘Boogeyman’ (2005) is Safe for the Faint of Heart–and Easy on the Eyes”