The image on the left is the ‘logo’ of this film, to be seen on posters all over Amsterdam at the moment. It’s only after you’ve seen the film that you’ll start grinning every time you see that poster as only then will you know what it actually stands for. Hilarious.

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While I usually stay, far, far away from romantic tearjerker ‘chick flick’ sort of pictures, every now and then I get talked into seeing them. If the film happens to feature talent which I like both in front of and behind the camera, that’s an added bonus. Still, despite the presense of Mark Ruffalo, there’s enough to gain my interest – despite my personal distaste for 2004′s ’13 Going On 30′ which had a good story but a cop-out ending. The addition of Reese Witherspoon in Just Like Heaven proves that she has romantic comedy-drama down to an art form. How could I resist now? Yet, after watching Just Like Heaven I realized once again why I avoid films like this…
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I didn’t judge this film by its cover, but by its cast. That’s the reason I bought it. Having stumbled upon the title whilst IMDB-ing Imelda Staunton, I thought her participation and that of Pete Postlethwaite and music by Bob Geldof would guarantee a certain level of quality. I hoped that this was perhaps a gem of a film, lost in the vaults, unknown not due to lack of substance or entertainment but because of bad marketing or publicity failures. I was wrong.

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“Oh, yes, there will be blood” comments James, (Tobin Bell) who is known by the infamous Jigsaw Killer, aptly named not by him, but by the press and the police. Well, he’s right…there is quite a bit of blood in the picture. But I’m not sure where most critics of the sequel seem to think it is gorier. I actually thought there was less blood in this follow up to 2004′s surprise horror hit. Most horror fans know the premise of the first film; two men, chained up in a musty, uncleaned underground bathroom attempt to figure out a way of escape while being taunted by a mysterious mastermind. I thought the non linear storytelling was great and the film kept me on the edge of my chair. Yes, there was blood. There also was some implausibility in the true identity of Jigsaw; but it was a good thriller anyway. In the sequel, penned by the first film’s writer and co star Leigh Whannell, and first time director Darren Lynn Bousman, our villian is front and center.
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Despite a handful of awards and accolades from US and Canada film festivals that focus on thrillers and horror films, “The Dark Hours” should have had the hype box all around it from various movie internet sites, but didn’t. Up until yesterday, in fact, I didn’t know the film existed. Twenty times more superior than the imported High Tension in both action and filmmaking execution, Canadaian director Paul Fox has restored my faith in new voices in film…but increased my utter distaste for my own country’s lack of bringing our neighbor’s films to the attention of the audiences.
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This year at the IFFR there was a special subprogram dedicated to the biopic. The festival’s official closing title was George Clooney’s second film as a director: Good Night, and Good Luck. Clooney’s first effort, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind was a somewhat unbalanced , yet vaguely intriguing film. It seems to be a trend, actors who tart as directors seem to shift between styles in order to deliver a film that, for all, is interesting to watch. Very often they forget to tell the story right. That being my main concern with Clooney’s directing debut, Good Night, and Good Luck. is free from artistic mumbo jumbo and is a very realistic take on the hectic relationship between a news reporter and a politician.
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For years now, I have wished up and down that someone would have considered Adrian Paul fot the role of James Bond. Seriously. Alas, it turns out, it wasn’t meant to be. So what has Mr. Paul been doing? A new Highlander film of all things, due out this year or next. In the between time, I picked up one of his direct to video films, called ‘USS Poseidon: Phantom Below”. On one hand, it is well acted, well cast and never boring. On the other, the story suffers from cliches and borrowed plots -and stock shots- from better military techno thrillers. But to my discovery, (and shock) there is something else about the film that I did not know..
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This film is a visual extravaganza : it’s Tim Burton meets Harry Potter with Jim Carrey thrown in (who incidentally met and surpassed my expectations). He is excellent as the evil Count Olaf and his appearance, physical acting and character fit the absurd and eerie yet beautiful art-direction of this film perfectly.

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Things start to draw to an end here, with only the closing film, Good Night, and Good Luck. to go. Last night was ‘Night of Bad Taste’, Mariken and I attended. She was the only one capable of sitting through the final film, a cheap Chinese King Kong rip-off, called The Mighty Peking Man. Before that, the excited audience was able to see all kinds of clips and trailers of everything out there that is considered bad taste, but oh so funny. We got other cheap King Kong remakes, Danish sex films and my personal favorite: Messalina, Messalina! (also known as Caligula II or its German title which is hilarious: Messalina, Kaiserin und Hure). The Night of Bad Taste will also tour around the Neths the following months, so keep you eye on that one. Anyway: I have a whole bunch of small reviews for you today. So let’s get started.
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On a whim, I said to myself ‘well, it looks interesting” and I would not mind seeing a little bit of dramatic movie style motorcycle racing, and it’s also two for Tuesday at my local video outlet. “Supercross: The Movie” did have a brief theatrical run in 2005, and I can see where it didn’t catch on with the public. I do think the film had some nice moments, and had lots of potential. It is a shame that whatever scenes that worked were few and sadly, hardly any of them…were scenes involving the sport.
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