EAGLES
- Hell Freezes Over Many an Eagles
fan was elated when the news broke that they'll not only be doing a reunion show,
but also recording a new album. The quintet including (guitarist) Glenn Frey,
(drummer) Don Henley and (guitarist) Joe Walsh gelled like always and on this
show gave their fans all time favourites like Hotel California, Tequila Sunrise,
Take It Easy, Life In The Fast Lane, In The City, Desperado, Love Will Keep Us
Alive, The Girl From Yesterday, Learn To Be Still, Help Me Through The Night
and newer tracks like Get Over It. What makes these guys so good is that
they maintained their identity with everyone's varied voices singing, besides
the two leads of Frey and Henley. The DVD opens with a little background on the
reunion and ends with a special bonus audio track of Seven Bridges Road
for DTS players. 4 / B - PB
EARTH,
WIND & FIRE - The Collection
These funky disco kings have been at it since the early seventies, releasing a
steady album a year during that decade. From the mid-'80s it tapered down though,
a string of best of's and collections following. Still going strong, SA fans also
got to see them live here mid-2004. This double DVD set includes all their promo
clips, 11 of them including classics like Serpentine Fire, Boogie Wonderland,
September and Let's Groove. Most of these were glitter & glam filled
performance videos with a dozen or more people on stage, Maurice White's receding
afro lookin' snazzy. Some clips include their frequent use of Egyptian imagery
as well as video graphics looking so cheesy today, but was state of the art then.
That's part of the charm, though. Magnetic is an '80s post-apocalyptic
production while more recent '90s videos feature boring padded shoulder jackets
and box haircuts with conscientious issues at hand and not the burning urge to
dance. September's '99 Phats & Small remix is also added, plus 5
live tracks. The second disc is the Live By Request TV show from 1999 where
people phone in to request their favourites - 16 songs played live by the band
with in between chatter. Unfortunately Maurice White wasn't present, but Philp
Baily's voice is tops, still
hitting the notes. Bassist Verdine White still has his long hair as well! Some
great memories will come from hearing these tracks and seeing the vintage videos.
5 / A - PB
EDtv
With Matthew McConnohey, Jenna Elfman, Woody Harrelson, Ellen Degeneres
Directed by Ron Howard Not exactly the same concept as The Truman Show, but
pretty close and just as funny and human. Ed ends up becoming a superstar when
a dwindling TV channel tries to save their skin with an attempt at a 24 hr show
with a regular person constantly followed by their cameras. With initial hick-ups,
it actually takes off and becomes a great hit. In the process, Ed falls for his
stupid-ass brother’s wonderful girl (portrayed by the scrumptious Jenna Elfman)
and a bunch of other serious and funny situations flow from one another, its stem
being Ed’s show. Not a dull moment, even when many expected events float to the
surface. Wonderful bit parts by Martin Landau, Rob Reiner, Elisabeth Hurley and
Dennis Hopper. 4 / A - PB
EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS With David Arquette, Kari Wuhrer, Doug
E. Doug, Scarlett Johansson Directed by Ellory Elkayem There's
nothing wrong with spoofing old giant creature films or adding the comedic slant.
If it's done this atrociously though, why bother raising the millions necessary
to make it if it could've been put to better use elsewhere? This small-town-overrun-by-biohazard-enhanced-spiders
is as crap as crap can be. I was absolutely appalled at the fact that many of
the press members sitting through this drekk found the lame scenarios funny, especially
with the abso-f-ing-lutely irritating pitch shifted human voices given to the
spiders with which to react in a variety of personalized exclamations. You know,
the kind of pathetic "uh-oh" sounds before it gets splattered. Gimme a goddamn
break and do yourself a favour! Walk on by, unless your cinematic requirements
rate zilch on the quality scale. Even Arachnophobic masochists won't be distraught.
1 / C - PB
8
MILE With Eminem, Mekhi Phifer, Brittany Murphy, Kim Basinger Directed
by Curtis Hanson Marshall Mathers (or better known as the world's biggest
rapper Eminem),
makes an admirable big screen debut as Jimmy Smith, Jr., a young underprivileged
city kid nicknamed Bunny Rabbit. He wants to become a rap star, but first have
to overcome many an obstacle. When he breaks up with his girlfriend, he's forced
to live with his mom in a trailer with her idiot boyfriend. Set in Detroit, Jimmy
works a shitty auto factory job. Life with his posse is a day-to-grind, with rival
threats often more than just words. Getting out of their crummy situation is his
main drive (besides his little sister). His ambition and talent freezes up when
it comes to proving his rap skills at the open mike knockout club nights. In a
black dominated field it is intimidating at best. Meeting a new girl and building
up the nerve, Bunny Rabbit seems to be on the verge of a break through. Hanson
(whose previous efforts include LA
Confidential) and his cinematographer
Rodrigo Prieto created a moody urban environment with colourful characters amid
the inner city gloom, believably striving to reach their dreams. Eminem's
theme tune earned him an Oscar, putting him beside such winners as Philadelphia
and Dirty Dancing!
This is a moving drama with great performances and not a Hip-Hop glorification
session. 5 / B - PB
8mm
with Nicolas Cage, Joaquin Phoenix, James Gandolfini Directed by Joel
Schumacher Tense and intensely dark film for mainstream audiences has Cage
investigating a roll of film found in an extremely wealthy man’s safe by his wife
and attorney. It seems to be a snuff film where a masked man gruesomely kills
a young woman. The widow wants him to find out whether it is real and if the girl
is alive. This leads him into an escalating downward smutty spiral of porn shops
and underground scum. The closer he gets to the truth, the more dangerous it gets,
especially when it starts to consume him to the neglect of his wife & baby.
5 / A - PB ELECTION
With Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon Directed by Charmingly
wicked comedy with Broderick as an everyman teacher in a high school who’s life
gets turned around completely. All in the midst of the campaign for for student
council president - the most likely (and totally annoying contender), Tracy Flick,
the over achieving, grating little brat. One wonderful scene after another dishes
up some great comedy with Broderick again faring well as the ordinary loser while
Witherspon equally succeeds in making us despise her with a smile. 4 /
B - PB
ELEPHANT
With John Robinson, Alex Frost, Elias McConnell, Eric Deulen, Nathan Tyson
Directed Gus van Sant With a rich variety of films under his belt like
My
Own Private Idaho
and Drugstore
Cowboy
to the Psycho
remake and Good
Will Hunting,
van Sant takes an intense and ominously edgy look at a normal school day where
a Columbine disaster is brewing. Following a variety of students along their sometimes
eventless activities on this fateful school day (including the perpetrators),
van Sant with his roaming camera and the lack of music, coupled with the inexperienced
actors' natural delivery creates a tense sense of impending doom. Some scenes
are lengthy uneventful walks through hallways, the camera a few feet behind the
subject, but invoke an hallucinogenic mood that is in no way boring. A harrowing
cinematic experience of social commentary without acting preachy. 5 /
B - PB THE
ELEPHANT MAN With John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft, Wendy Hiller,
Freddie Jones Directed by David Lynch The tragic real English case of
John Merrick in the Victorian period is a heartbreaking story of an intelligent
man discriminated against for his extremely deformed appearance. Taken under the
wing of a doctor who saved him from a freak side-show, he restores the man's dignity
and he becomes a society darling - and indirectly a novelty as he was before,
the patrons now merely from the upper class. All the actors deliver incredible
performances. Big Hollywood players like Mel Brooks backed this film and made
a great choice to use David Lynch, whose dark black & white atmosphere from his
debut feature Eraserhead
translated well into the squalor of the new industrial era. 5 / B
- PB THE
END OF THE AFFAIR With Ralph Fiennes, Julianne Moore, Stephen Rea Directed
by Neil Jordan One random, rainy London evening in 1946, Maurice bumps into
Henry, the man with whose wife he had a passionate affair. An author, Maurice
is a man of deep reflection and emotional focus. This chance meeting floods back
memories of the affair and the true feelings of love he and Sarah shared (Henry
not much of a husband, dedicated to his governmental career). The affair ceased
suddenly, seemingly without real reason. Then after two years he meets Henry,
who informs Maurice that he feels Sarah is having an affair and he’s thinking
of getting a private investigator. Maurice volunteers to do it. More so because
his silent jealousy wants to find out even more so than Maurice. He takes it upon
himself, against Henry’s wishes. Throughout, the flashbacks take us through Maurice
and Sarah’s affair of the past, as the PI snoops in the present. More and more
about their relationship unfolds and seen from both their perspectives, the assumed
version and true facts. With a gliding Michael Nyman score, a subdued tone and
a touch of miracle, this romantic, but emotional see-saw leaves one feeling slightly
drained, but perhaps that is because Jordan succeeds in having us pay attention.
PS. Other Jordan movies include A Company Of Wolves, Mona Lisa, The Crying
Game and Interview With The Vampire. 2 / C - PB
ELTON
JOHN - Greatest Hits, One Night Only A nice sizeable set for fans of
Reginald Dwight aka Elton
John. The
double CD features 34 songs across Elton's
huge career: Your Song, Tiny Dancer, Honky Cat, Candle In The Wind, Bennie
And The Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Daniel, Sacrifice, Sad Songs, Don't Let
The Sun Go Down On Me, Don't Go Breaking My Heart, Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest
Word, Nikita, Kiss The Bride, Made In England, Circle Of Life, Believe, Philadelphia
Freedom, The Bitch Is Back, Someone Saved My Life Tonight, Written In The Stars
(with Leann
Rimes), I
Want Love, This Train Don't Stop There Anymore, Blue Eyes… The DVD in
the triple set offer 27 clips like Funeral For A Friend, Candle In The Wind,
Bennie And The Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (with Billy
Joel), Little
Jeannie, Tiny Dancer, Can You Feel The Love Tonight?, Daniel, Rocket Man, Club
At The End Of The Street, Blue Eyes, I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
(with Mary
J. Blige),
I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That, Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word,
Sacrifice, Your Song (with Ronan
Keating),
Sad Songs (Say So Much) with Bryan
Adams, I'm
Still Standing, Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting, The Bitch Is Back, Don't
Let The Sun Go Down On Me, Don't Go Breaking My Heart (with Kiki
Dee). 5 bonus
tunes are included: the videos to I Want Love starring Robert Downey Jr.,
This Train Don't Stop There Anymore starring Justin Timberlake, Original
Sin featuring Mandy Moore & Elizabeth Taylor plus a San-O-Rama Remix
of Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word featuring Blue.
5 / B - PB
EMINEM
- The Anger Management Tour The world's most successful white rapper
Eminem
(aka Marshall Mathers) is a guy who doesn't like to be told what to do, how to
act or what to say (unless its Dr. Dre in the studio!). Rap shows can be quite
boring affairs with a baggie pants crotch grabber prancing around in front with
a DJ in the back. In contrast this tour is a big production with a carnival set
design and several bit-part players. Around 20 songs include Eminem
favourites like Business, White America, When The Music Stops, Purple Pills,
Stan, The Way I Am, Cleanin' Out My Closet, Forgot About Dre, Superman, Sing For
The Moment, and My Dad's Gone Crazy. Guests include his D12
buddies. Extra features include a backstage documentary and an uncut video of
Ass Like That. Besides having to be a rap-fan, it is essential to be an
Eminem
supporter to sit through the whole show. Sometimes the outspoken aspect gets blurred
by that of the bratty, obnoxious elements. 4 / C - PB
ENIGMA With Dougray Scott, Kate Winslet Directed by Peter
Hyams Perhaps this film was made at the wrong time. Combining military intelligence,
espionage and bitter romance, this slow and gray film demands a bit to sit through.
With an emotionally shattered coding expert brought back in to a project during
WWII to help with cracking intricate German coding via the Enigma machine, we're
dragged through his torn psyche of tormented genius and lost love. It is all set
against the backdrop of the race to get the better of the Germans and save the
world. Intense on the one hand and too drawn out on the other, Enigma
may have been a more acceptable or enjoyable film if it came out around the 70s,
or the days of Eye
Of The Needle.
Technically it is not lacking, but it is just the kind of film that drama lovers
who don't mind a lot of talking and lengthy build up to conclusions would enjoy
- or WWII fans & experts. A chubby Winslet delivers a fine performance, but unfortunately
Titanic
will still overshadow her role in this one. 3 / C - PB
ENIGMA
- MCMXC a.D. - The Complete Album DVD In the early '90s this German
phenomenon created a whole new dimension in music by combining pop and dance grooves
with Gregorian chants, ambient- and world music elements to blend it into a stunning
mood-piece, flowing into a sexual / spiritual audio journey, spilling over into
the visual with the intriguing videos. This DVD contains the complete debut album
with its visually compelling imagery - a flowing chapter of tranquility and titillation.
Mastermind Michael
Cretu
with the help of minimal collaborators (including his wife and ex-'80s popstar
Sandra)
have created a provocative album (and many subsequently) which, after more than
ten years is still highly listenable (and watchable - except for Cretu's curly
mullet and failure to remove his specs for the video featuring him, killing the
ethereal mood). The videos get some repetition to expand tracks which didn't get
videos at the time of release, but that doesn't really matter. The disc also contains
a 1/4 hour interview with Cretu and the full versions of the four main tracks.
5 / A - PB
ENOUGH
With Jennifer Lopez, Billy Campbell, Juliette Lewis, Dan Futterman Directed
by Michael Apted For me Lopez lost her appeal somewhere after U-Turn
- perhaps because the world made such a fuss about her once the singing career
skyrocketed. Here she plays an ordinary short order waitress who, within the first
half hour of the film meets & marries Mr Right and has a kid. The guy is in fact
a rat bastard womanizer who gets violent when she confronts him with it. She hits
the road with her daughter, but he pursues them, using his contacts to track her
down. His obsession is likely to turn deadly, so she's left with one last resort.
Do him before he does her - but, legally, as self-defence. The constant relocations
to stay one step ahead of him keeps the pace going. The tough preparation regiment,
like a "battle preparation" is a bit cheesy and annoying, but what can you do?
This film is a great boost for women's rights though, retaining the right to stand
up for oneself… 3 / C - PB ENTRAPMENT
With Sean Connery, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Ving Rhames, Will Patton Directed
by Jon Amiel Multi-million dollar heists are always fun to watch; what with
the preparation scenes, the gadgetry and conflict between partners. Entrapment
has it all, even a generation gapped romantic possibility. Zeta-Jones is an insurance
agent after Connery whose cat-burglar skills, techno-access and cunning are costing
millions. She infiltrates his realm, posing as a partner in crime. They pool their
knowledge and resources to pull off a serious art heist. The elaborate preparation
sequences get a bit silly sometimes, especially the gratuitous scene of Zeta-Jones’s
sliding session to bypass the multitude of laser alarm triggers. The job is actually
in anticipation of a far greater one. The 8 billion dollar figure and only 10
seconds to pull it off over new year 2000 is tense, action packed, almost innovative,
but fun. It all just seems a little artificial, though, and even if you watch
the film (as we did), throwing your own Connery lines in, it’s even more of a
blast than if you took it all seriously. 3 / B - PB
ENVY
With Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Christopher Walken, Rachel Weisz Directed
by Barry Levinson The man who gave us impressive movies like Diner,
Rainman
and Good
Morning, Vietnam
seems to be getting comfortable with the silly comedy formula (since Bandits).
Here at least it is worth watching, greatly due to Black and Stiller being wonderfully
cast in the lead roles. The two working stiffs, buddies and neighbours commute
to the same 3M factory every day. Black has constant hair-brain ideas that Stiller
brushes off. When he comes up with Vapoorize, a spray that makes dog doo
disappear, he becomes a gazillionaire. Instead of moving to a more affluent area,
he maintains his roots and builds a mansion on the same spot, across from his
pal. Stiller turned down an initial offer to get in as a partner before the product
became a runaway success. The sight of the house, the elaborate dinner parties
they get invited to and the complete opposite of his middleclass set-up gnaws
at him. His pissed-off wife only intensifies his anger. To top it all he flips
and loses his job. The envy eats away at him until he gets an idea from a Walken,
an old washout in a bar, while drowning his sorrows… Black is stellar as the regular
guy with more money than he can spend, as is Stiller in jealous-mode. With an
equal dose of straight comedy and slapstick, Envy
is a laugh and great fun for a frivolous evening of no-brain viewing. 4
/ B - PB
EQUILIBRIUM
With Christian Bale, Emily Watson, Sean Bean, Taye Diggs, Angus MacFadyen
Directed by Kurt Wimmer Here you have an amalgamation of several themes
we've seen before. A Clockwork Orange, 1984,
Logan's Run, Minority Report, The Matrix. Future societies
and the attempts to make a better life for all usually leads to fascist means
and the question whether the attempt to attain this Utopia isn't more of an intrusion
into our human rights and free will. It is post-WW3. Here society has been numbed
by the mandatory personal dosing of Prozia II, a drug which numbs the emotions.
Ruled by The Father, he believes that human emotion has been the cause of all
the world's ills, pains and atrocities. Remove the emotion, remove the problem.
Those who refuse to take their "medication" and are open to feel and creatively
express themselves, laugh and cry are "sense offenders". An elite police force,
Grammaton Clerics track these sense offenders down with extremely accurate and
deadly means. When a top Cleric misses a dose, his life starts to change as he
gets second thoughts on the effectiveness of this new "peaceful" order. He goes
on the run, siding with the underground to bring it all down. Equilibrium
finds itself very closely related to its title in that it had me balanced between
enjoying its action sequences and scoffing at its far-fetched premise. The Nazi-ish
insignia, dress and philosophy is pretty obvious but necessary. Once you've seen
the film, the film list mentioned at the beginning will make sense. 3 /
C - PB ERASERHEAD
With Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Jeanne Bates Directed by David Lynch
David Lynch's cult classic first feature from the late '70s is still a work
of black & white brilliance. Set in a nondescript semi-post apocalyptic dystopia,
our unlikely lead, Henry, has to move in with a girlfriend who had their extremely
premature baby. Shacked up in a cramped apartment he starts to flip out and his
lust also ventures to the lady across the hallway. With some great nightmare sequences
and symbolic moments, Eraserhead
is one of those few great visual narratives where dialogue is not all that important.
Apparently born from Lynch's panic when his girlfriend fell pregnant with his
daughter Jennifer (who went on to direct Boxing
Helena),
his neuroses ended up becoming a film of historic visual significance. Lynch's
lighting and sound design obsession is already on display here and the film also
sees many of his recurring actors, themes, and even sound- & set design in his
later work. This particular soundtrack is filled with atmospheric industrial sounds
sometimes mixed with Fats Waller piano tonking. When the subject of Cult Films
comes up, the chance of Eraserhead
not being mentioned is mighty slim. 6 / A - PB ERASURE
- The Tank, The Swan & The Balloon Live! From Depeche
Mode to Yazoo
to Erasure,
Vince Clarke's '80s excursions had him find his home with his partner Andy Bell
who added an angelic pop voice to his electronic music. This double disc includes
the live show plus a behind the scenes documentary. One wouldn't expect much from
a live electro-pop performance, but from the get-go you know you're in for a fabulously
camp, colourful, eccentric pop spectacle with costume changes galore, back-up
singers, drag queens, dancers, the works. The round about 30 songs(!) include
everything from Siren Song, Ship Of Fools, Chorus and Love To Hate You
to their Abba
tribute (Voulez Vous, Take A Chance On Me, S.O.S., Lay All Your Love On Me)
and other faves like Oh, La Mour, Stop!, Who Needs Love Like That, Blue Savannah,
Star, A Little Respect, Home and Sometimes. They also throw in covers
of The Good The Bad & The Ugly and Stand By Your Man (for the Western
section of the show), plus a ruby slippered Over The Rainbow. True fans
will be captivated while lukewarmers will find it ridiculous. 4 / C
- PB
ERASURE
- Live In Cologne The electronic duo of Vince Clarke and Andy Bell
seems to be set on going till the wheelchairs come out. If rockers like the Rolling
Stones
can do it,
why not the Popsters? Without losing their camp airs and flamboyance when it comes
to performance, this time round their tour show transformed the stage into a fantasy
fairytale forest, with costumes including classic Elvis jumpsuits. A bulky two
dozen songs from their two decade career which started in the sensational 80s
Pop era cover all of their hits: Sometimes, Stop!, A Little Respect, Oh L'Amour,
Chorus, Victim Of Love, Breathe, No Doubt, Ship Of Fools, Chains Of Love, Blue
Savannah, Love To Hate You and more. Extra material includes three music videos,
three extra live songs from the Copenhagen performance, as well as interviews
and a short tour documentary. You also get a time-lapse clip of the entire stage
rigging and set-up, as well as the show. Bright and flashy, just what we'd expect
from Erasure.
4 / B - PB
ERIN
BROKOVICH With Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Peter Coyote, Aaron Eckhart
Directed by Steven Soderbergh An interesting commercial choice of film for
Soderbergh who wowed us with his debut of Sex, Lies & Videotape. This true story
takes us into the world of the uneducated, divorced-with-kids title character
that gets a job at a law firm. She happens to stumble onto some clues that lead
to water contamination by an industrial giant that might’ve lead to illness, cancer
and deaths with an overwhelming amount of residents in the area. Her forceful
determination leads to one of the biggest court cases of its kind. But after years
of struggling to get it in front of a judge, her spirit and drive did have an
impact on her home life - not seeing her kids or her boyfriend who plays babysitter.
I’ve never been much of Julia Roberts fan and never found her attractive in any
way. But here they manage to make her look quite sexy in a slutty kind of way,
boobs pushed up to high heaven, short skirts and all - based on the real life
Erin, who apparently wore even shorter skirts(!). Goes to show how face value
and judging character on appearance have little if nothing to do with the person
inside and their capabilities. 4 / C - PB
E.T.
- The Extra-Terrestrial With
Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Dee Wallace, Peter Coyote Directed by Steven
Spielberg While kids of recent years grow up with the likes of Tellytubbies
and Pokémon,
some of us were fortunate enough to grow up with the movies of Star
Wars and this, admittedly one of Spielberg's most
personal films, E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial.
The basic but magical tale of a boy who finds an alien stranded on earth gets
treated with so much emotional depth, humanity, humour and action that even those
who were not fortunate enough to see this film on its original release will still
find it magical. The brilliant performances by the kids, especially Henry Thomas
and a tiny, sweet Drew Barrymore make this film beyond moving and believable -
not to mention the innovative E.T. creature effects innovations of the
time. For this 20th anniversary release (2002), technology allowed Spielberg to
add and alter some details he couldn't back then. While some of us may wish to
remember the film in its originally created form, the alterations and additional
footage does not detract from the film's intrinsic sense of wonder. For example,
cops' & agents' firearms were digitally replaced by walky-talkies! This double
disc features some wonderful extras. There is the look at how E.T. was
created, a piece on John Williams' incredible soundtrack, designs, photography
and marketing, the 20th anniversary reunion with cast interviews, trailers, the
anniversary premiere and even a space exploration portion where E.T. gives
you info on the planets in our solar system. The footage of Thomas' audition is
absolutely jaw-dropping and behind-the-scenes footage show how emotionally the
kids got involved with this creature (basically a puppet), who became their friend,
for real! In stead of a directors' commentary (which would've been great, although
the film speaks for itself), is the addition of the live orchestral soundtrack
John Williams conducted at the 20th anniversary premiere (complete with audience
cheers) - a piece of logistic, artistic, timing and rhythmic brilliance. Winning
4 of its 9 nominated Oscars, E.T. is one of those magical, timeless films
that moves all who allow it to sweep them up in its near flawless narrative and
execution. The chance of another commercial film like this seeing the light in
our digital age is highly unlikely, so take this opportunity to get transported
into a truly amazing cinematic accomplishment. 6 / A - PB
ETERNAL
SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND With Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst,
Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo Directed by Michel Gondry Joel met a girl,
Clementine. Their relationship differences leads to her abruptly going to a company
which erases specific parts of your memory. With Joel no longer a part of her
existence, he decides to go and do the same. But mid-process, while he's asleep
(the technicians systematically erasing her from his memory banks), he changes
his mind within his mind and tries to run from the erasing process as he backtracks
through the memories they had together. At first it seems a little confusing,
but its non-linear structure soon becomes understandable. After all, it was written
by Charlie Kaufman (who gave us Being
John Malkovich
and Adaptation
with another music video director Spike Jonze). Music promo genius Michel Gondry's
stamp is all over this incredible film. This little Frenchman has a visual knack
that is truly inspiring, this project exactly his kind of thing with optical distortions
and logical twists that defy convention. Carrey proves yet again he's more than
just a funny guy. 6 / B - PB EVANESCENCE
- Anywhere But Home With hardly two albums to their name, Wind-Up
decided that an audio disc of the band's live show might as well accompany the
live Evanescence
DVD release (or is that vice versa?). Crowd favourites like Haunted and
My Immortal are executed with precision (like the rest of the 14 strong
album). The hard guitar backing to Amy's lyrical voice (a basic combination which
has pushed them to the forefront) also gets pulled back with the voice and piano
prominent tracks like Breathe No More. With the stamp of the band's departed
original guitarist still in evidence, this has done little to deter the band's
constant climb. Recorded in Paris, the live DVD also features a behind the scenes
documentary (often silly to the extent that hardcore fans who live themselves
into the pain-stricken moods and commercial pop-goth-rock intensity of the songs
may become a touch disillusioned with the fact that they are actually regular
folk who don't sit in dark rooms staring at the floor, driven to lovelorn self-mutilation).
Local Seether
fans will be happy to see the ex-Mr. Welgemoed (Amy's beau) in some of the clips,
as the bands toured together. Some will prefer hearing the music than seeing it,
but at least here you have the choice to enjoy both. The closing track Whisper
is a new studio recording. The band's style is formulaic in both the frequently
ultra simplistic guitar riffs and soaring vocal melodies, but it works, with fans
spanned across the divide, from housewives to metal fans. While the hard-rock-metal-melodic
female voice combination is nothing new, hopefully Evanescence will turn
listeners new to the genre on to groups like Therion,
Nightwish,
Lacuna
Coil,
The
Gathering
and Madder
Mortem
who have been doing this on the fringes for many years. 3 / B - PB
THE
EVIL DEAD With Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Betsy Baker Directed
by Sam Raimi After shooting a Super-8 pilot of this gory classic, Raimi shopped
it around to get financing to shoot a full-length version on a larger format.
Expecting a fun getaway in a log cabin deep in the woods, a group of friends find
a tape recorder and accidentally conjures up an ancient evil when they play it.
A wild, over the top, super funny survival battle ensues as our hero Ash is overrun
by demons, zombies and all kinds of weird spirits taking over his friends and
sweetheart. Great, innovative camerawork, FX and animation that makes more than
just the best of the low budget. A trendsetter and one of the coolest kick-starts
for one of the craziest, funniest and coolest horror franchises of all time.
5 / A - PP …the 2nd opinion… THE
EVIL DEAD With Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss Directed by Sam Raimi
It is rarely that we still get a classic case such as this, where a group
of young aspiring filmmakers head out and shoot their vision against all odds,
only to have it transcend cult status to become a horror benchmark. Never before
The
Evil Dead
has extreme gore and comedy been spliced together in such a successful concoction.
The basic story follows a group of youngsters heading out into the woods to stay
over in a cabin. They discover a book (the Book of the Dead) and a tape recorder
in the basement which, when played, conjured up an ancient evil force hidden in
the woods. One by one they get possessed as the survivors (in particular Ash)
try to get their heads around it all, stay alive and fight this vicious power.
The
Evil Dead
got a lot of flack at its release in the early '80s when the "video nasty" issue
was riding high. With the limited financing they had, the camera work, sound and
FX were absolutely amazing. Makeshift techniques and budget-constrained ingenuity
forced the collaborators to make a creative little film that is still fantastic
to watch twenty years later. In South Africa it was banned and you could only
get your hands on multi-generation pirate copies. This uncut Anchor Bay DVD release
also contains commentary tracks by Sam Raimi and the ever-smooth Bruce Campbell
respectively, entertainment in its own right. You also get a little documentary
with Campbell on fan conventions, plus outtakes. Of course the film got expanded
into a successful trilogy, without sending it into lame-ass territory with different
writers, directors and stars, the same team continuing it brilliant work. Oh yes,
and of course director Sam Raimi eventually went on to direct a little franchise
called Spider-Man
(!). 6 / A - PB EVIL
DEAD 2 With Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks Directed by Sam Raimi
Not many people got to see the original Evil Dead (and still haven’t). With
the wider release of this better financed sequel, a short re-shot, re-cap of the
original is there to clarify what exactly is going on. From there we’re thrown
headlong into an even more crazy, even slapstick horror extravaganza that is as
wacky and gory as it is creative and funny. Ash is still plagued by the “evil”
and fights them with everything he’s got (including a shotgun and a chainsaw attached
to where his hand used to be). Totally amazing. 6 / A - PP …the
2nd opinion… EVIL
DEAD II With Bruce Campbell, Sarah Barry, Ted Raimi Directed by Sam
Raimi Five years after the incredible little shocker The Evil Dead,
more money and a cult following behind it spawned this sequel with the Three
Stooges comedy antics stepped up into overdrive. Raimi's inventive style nurtured
on the first movie, blooms even more in its sequel. The opening is pretty much
a recap of the first film leading up to its cool ending, blasting away from that
same point into a whole new chapter of cinematic psychosis, great special FX and
madcap humour. Here Bruce Campbell proved not only to be a great horror and physical
actor, but also a fantastic comedic one. Strapped with his chainsaw, shotgun and
a host of quotable lines, Campbell became a fully-fledged horror-action-man. The
UK DVD release features a funny commentary by Raimi as well as an FX featurette.
6 / A - PB
(EVIL
DEAD 3) ARMY OF DARKNESS: The Medieval Dead With Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz,
Marcus Gilbert, Ian Abercrombie, Richard Grove Directed by Sam Raimi
At the end of the second Evil
Dead episode
Ash is sucked into a time warp. His new medieval destination is also infested
with undead beasts and demons. With limited technology it is up to him to stop
an army of these deadites. Fighting them as well as possession, you get enough
action and gory moments to keep you busy, Ash even getting some romance on the
side! South African born actress Embeth Davidtz also features! In addition hilarious
moments are obviously in ample supply. The expanse of the story and production
is obviously a far cry from the modest single location original and is a cool
climax to the series. Rabid fans will obviously love another chapter, knowing
these guys won't mess up a classic series. The trilogy was also released in a
cool box set shaped like the skin-covered Book of the Dead. 5 / A
- PB
EVIL
WOMAN With Jason Biggs, Jack Black, Steve Zahn, Amanda Peet, R. Lee Ermey,
Neil Diamond Directed by Dennis Dugan Three buddies have an absolute ball,
partying, watching football, jamming in their Neil Diamond tribute band…But they
absolutely suck at romance - or just plain getting laid. Until one lands a hot
female psychiatrist. She starts to control him totally, even forbidding him to
see his friends or play in the band, burning his Neil records and more. Eventually
his two friends decide to rectify the situation. After many feeble attempts, they
attempt to kidnap her and get their buddy hooked up with "the one that got away"
- his school sweetheart. Jack Black is in top form as the slob pal with good intentions
as the slapstick rides high. Neil Diamond fans will love it (as he pops in as
well), while a dark angle on some of the comedy is hardly enough to be too offensive.
Even Full
Metal Jacket
Gunny Sarge R. Lee Ermey features as a convicted ex-football coach. Fun, occasionally
funny, but fundamentally a "what the hell" slap-dash slice of passing entertainment
for that indecisive "what haven't I seen" moment as you stare at the video shelves.
But, if you liked director Dennis Dugan's Big
Daddy, you'll no doubt get
a kick out of this one. 3 / B - PB
EVITA
With Madonna, Antonia Banderas, Jonathan Price Directed by Alan Parker
Long awaited and anticipated filmed version of the Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd-Webber
show about the opportunistic Argentinian Eva Peron. Growing up discarded and disadvantaged,
her drive to excel left nothing to chance. Eventually she worked her way up to
an important, key man, Peron, whom she vibrantly assisted in having elected. The
film, unfortunately does not sweep the viewer up as to be expected. Drawn out
with loads of mass marching sequences and scenes of Evita rising up as Banderas
narrates ther whole thing. I expected far more, but for lovers of the music and
lyrics, it will be hard to disappoint. One of Parker’s worse. The political content
obviously had Oliver Stone involved in the scripting (at one time lined up to
direct), but his stamp in way shines through. Well executed, but sometimes a bit
too painful to watch. 2 / C - PB
EVOLUTION With
David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Seann William Scott, Julianne Moore (Mis)Directed
by Ivan Reitman I'm gonna keep this short and sweet because the memory is too
painful... What a waste of celluloid! I'm sorry, usually there is SOME redeeming
quality in a movie, in Evolution
there is none. An alien meteor crashes near an Arizon suburb emitting a wierd
goo that in fact is an alien primordial soup. From it springs all creatures weird
and wonderful that evolve at an alarming rate until they become nasty and large
enough to pose a serious threat. Duchovny is flat and flavorless. Orlando Jones
has moments, but they're not good ones... Seann William Scott didn't learn his
lesson from Dude, Where's
my Car? and Julianne Moore's
character has a quirky clumsiness that is just totally unjustified. Weird. The
special CGI effects aren't so amazing anymore... The creatures are ho-hum... The
gags are flat, predicatable and badly delivered... hence the acting from a for-all-intents-and-purposes
"star" cast is as weak and incomplete as a Cadiz take-away coffee. Remember
Bats?
I think this is its match. But at least Bats
tried to be a serious movie. Watch out for a scene where the three "heroes"
head out along an Arizona highway in Duchovny's red Jeep en-route to another disaster-area
singing "Play that Funky Music White Boy" for absolutely NO APPARENT REASON!!!
I'd also suggest walking out before it's all over, but for those of you who find
delight in watching weak movies that are funny because they're bad, do stick around
for the Head & Shoulders mock commercial right at the end. Ugh...
This movie scores high on the CRINGE-O-METER. - Brett Reynolds (USA Flamedrop
guy) ...the
2nd Opinion... EVOLUTION To
say that Ivan Reitman is "the director of Ghostbusters" may be a good
hook, since this is pretty much more of the same - in the sense of more money
to wreak more havoc as earthlings battle a take-over, this time by a fast evolving
alien life-form as opposed to the '80s hit's ghosts & spooks. The FX are extravagant
in many cases (then, why does so much of the alien eco system look so damn plastic?).
But, seeing as Evolution's target audience was probably not even born when Bill
Murray & the gang kicked ghostly ass to Ray Parker Jr.'s hit tune, this lure
is directed at those of us who loved it on its innitial global release - since
not much will keep the current younger audience from heading out to go see it.
If you still hadn't seen Ghostbusters, get yer ass down to the videostore!
The alien invasion picks up momentum pretty quickly after a meteor hits earth,
while an assembled cast is there to include as wide an audience as possible (race,
age, gender). Duchovny is his dry self and Moore tries to hit a new slapstick
form she'd hardly ever done before. Jones is quite a laugh while Scott is in regular
early 20s "loser" shape. They play for laughs as well as the gross out
factor. The FX are cool, the jokes silly and the pace fair. Butt, in
the end, it seems as though the writers created a hole movie around the urge to
poep out the world's biggest ass joke. Evolution
doesn't take itself too seriously and neither should we. 3 / C -
PB
EXISTENZ
With Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Willem Dafoe, Ian Holm Directed
by David Cronenberg Canadian master of the weird & macabre, David Cronenberg
propels us into the world of virtual reality games in an evolutionary way we might
just still experience in our lifetime. At a demonstration of a new highly anticipated
game, the developer (Leigh) goes on the lam with a security guard/PR man at this
event, after a realism assassin attempts to wipe her out. Cronenberg creates an
interesting future with organic game modules plugging into a port in your spine
(like an umbilical chord), mutated amphibians, revolutionary anti-game organizations,
blurring fantasy & reality and (for want of a better term) a Naked Lunch meets
Videodrome atmosphere. Very visual, very absorbing and very Cronenberg. 4
/ B - PB
EXIT
WOUNDS With
Steven Seagal, DMX, Anthony Anderson, Michael Jai White, Isaiah Washington, Tom
Arnold Directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak Seagal
will be Seagal. The carved frown in the forehead, the whispering, thumb breaking
and ass-kicking. But that's what he's there for and if that's what you need, you
attend his flicks. This one has him in the role of an undisciplined cop who plays
by his own rules (big surprize!). Demotion, repremands, rage management classes
and a transfer to a notorious precinct do little to change his passion for upholding
justice at any cost. When he uncovers a serious drug scam involving a wealthy
guy and a cop, things start hotting up. At least a few plot twists are thrown
in as Seagal kicks, whacks and shoots his way to the truth. While some twist are
surprizing, others are way cliche'. Some of the action is well executed while
a dose of humour gets injected into the narrative to ease down the action and
marginal suspense. The humour is also substantiated by casting Anthony Anderson
(in enjoyable but typecast guise) as well as Rozanne ex, Tom Arnold. Rap star
DMX does an OK job while Seagal won't disappoint his fans, even though he may
be getting on in years. 3
/ B - PB
THE
EXORCIST - Director’s Cut With Ellen Burstyn, Max Von Sydow, Linda Blair,
Jason Miller Directed by William Friedkin In 1973 a film was released
that shocked the whole world (except South Africa - being one of the backward
countries believing it might destroy its perfect population’s morals). Not a horror
film, gorefest or mere exercise in blasphemy, The Exorcist was and still is a
masterpiece. Part drama, part struggle of faith and all mesmerizing, writer William
Peter Blatty and director Friedkin take us on a mind-blowing trip of possession
in the modern world. Yes, everyone knows about the queues around the block at
theatres as well as churches and the green projectile vomiting and crude words
of blasphemy coming from the possessed little girl’s oral cavity (still hectic).
But, as a whole it is a touching (and disturbing) drama of a mother’s inability
to protect her child from a force beyond her. After scientific explanation fails,
she has to turn to the clergy to perform an exorcism, herself not at all religious.
Brilliantly made, acted and executed, almost 30 years later it still packs a punch
and a half or two. Some will still leave the theatre feeling severely pummeled.
This director’s cut is not a mere re-release excuse - and even if it was, it doesn’t
matter, since not many of us (in SA) had the privilege of seeing this classic
on the glorious big screen - besides being too young or unborn on top of its banned
status. The additional scenes and sequences do not necessarily enhance or detract
from the film as its original genius is still well in tact. Now if only the censor
board would pull its finger out of its ass and release Scorsese’s brilliant Last
Temptation Of Christ… 6 / A - PB ...2nd opinion... THE
EXORCIST - Director's Cut With Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max Von Sydow,
Jason Miller, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty Wynn, Jack MacGowran Directed by William
Friedkin The all time best good & evil movie gets a make-over with additional
footage and a big screen re-release (and of course video & DVD). An actress’s
daughter starts to act strangely and it escalates to levels of madness and the
unexplained. She is in fact possessed by a demon. Hardly a “horror film” in the
true sense, it is in fact a deep human drama without gratuitous sense of exploitation.
In stead, the revolutionary make-up, extraordinary acting and great story & direction
makes The Exorcist a trend-setter and modern day masterpiece of hair-raising proportions.
Though a lot of this could’ve been spotted on the additional segments of the early
DVD release, this version is still as compelling, shocking, brilliant and talked
about like over a quarter of a century ago. Before the censor board lightened
up in SA, we used to watch a copy from a friend many times over the 80’s. It is
still as incredible now as then. This is one of those films everyone simply has
to see, whether you’re a believer or not. 6 / A - PB THE EXORCIST
- Director's Cut ***** (in Afrikaans) Met Ellen Burstyn, Max Von Sydow, Linda
Blair, Jason Miller Regisseur: William Friedkin Na oor ‘n kwart eeu is hierdie
meesterstuk steeds net so skrikwekkend, skokkend en geniaal soos toe dit die eerste
keer in die middel 70er jare gehore geskok het (hoewel ons publikasieraad toe
gedink het ons is te onvolwasse om dit te hanteer). Die nuwe weergawe is nie verbetering
nie, vul dit net 'n bietjie meer uit. Daar is steeds kerkgroepe wat dink dat hierdie
besonderse en sorgvuldige drama oor ‘n dogtertjie wat deur ‘n demoon besete raak,
mense se geloof in gedrang kan bring en hulle na die donker kant lei - dis absolute
bog, aangesien hierdie rolprent meer mense se geloof sal hervestig as deur enige
witbroodjies wat baie kerklikes bak. 'n Moet-Sien fliek. 6 / A - PB
EXORCIST:
The Beginning With Stellan Skarsgard, Isabella Scorupco, James D'Arcy, Remy
Sweeney, Ben Cross Directed by Renny Harlin
Besides the fact that they shouldn't have bothered, they apparently fired Paul
Schrader from the job - if only they hadn't there may have been a fraction of
redemption to this load of muck. Not scary, not creepy, not faith shaking, nor
entertaining, this prequel takes us to father Merrin's beginnings. He has given
up his priesthood (due to WWII experiences) and turned to archeology. When he
gets called in to investigate a find in Africa, he can't resist. What he finds
is a perfectly preserved catholic church, buried in the desert. After entering,
the evil starts to emanate. For a fan of the original writer-director team's film
(William Peter Blatty & William Friedkin), this will seem like blasphemy. Skarsgard
is not bad in the Merrin role, but everything from mood to FX and even props simply
don't cut it. Harlin should stick to action fare and Hollywood should stop delving
for an extra buck. 2 / C - PB ...2nd
opinion... EXORCIST:
The Beginning A
tedious bore fest, riddled with stereotypes & clichés. Jesus, not to mention the
amateur FX & make-up. Turkey! - Uncle Vinnie
THE
EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE With Jennifer Carpenter, Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson,
Campbell Scott Directed by Scott Derrickson One would think that after
Blatty & Friedkin's The
Exorcist
any attempts at venturing into this territory would be futile in its shadow. But,
this fascinating film is based on true events of a girl Anneliese Michel who was
officially declared as being demonically possessed by the Catholic church. She
died during an exorcism and the priest overseeing it was charged. With obvious
alterations and a shift Stateside it is a well constructed, tense and often damn
scary movie. The parallel tale is told via a court case where the accused priest
stands trial. Besides good vs. evil, it becomes a matter of belief and faith against
science and pragmatic facts. The lawyer of the priest is hardly a believer but
soon things that cannot be ignored start to permeate her realm. The flashbacks
slowly, effectively and shockingly reveal the events leading to the girl's death.
Well acted and directed, this is well worth watching. 5 / B - PB
EXTREME
MACHINES In our frantic technological advancement, the pursuit to outdo ourselves
are sometimes more of a motivational drive than to benefeit the human race and
the uphold the general good. Ever since the penny-farthing, George Stephenson's
steam engine concept, Henry's Model-T Ford and the Wright Brothers's first flight,
we were intrigued beyond belief. And it wasn't just because we could get from
A to B much quicker. The economic factors are an obvious revolution, but an added
need created by the automotive progress was that of the thrill. The thrill of
travelling at high speed, seeing racing cars compete, watching rockets streak
across the sky...It has become a part of our lives. Be it on land, in the sky,
halfway between the two, on or under water, extreme machines are practical, groundbreaking
vehicles of facsination, frightening and invigorating in its power and beauty.
Have a look below at a few more of the automotive videos released by Discovery
Channel and strap
yourself in for one hell of a ride. DIVING DEEP Submarines seem like
a sinking and rising "thing". Until you've watched this video, that is. The complexity
of these pressure defying vessels and the amazing living body they explore seemed
to have been overshadowed by other machines throughout history. A relatively young
developed vehicle as opposed to others, numerous intriguing facts come to light
on the workings of these "tubes". The incredible pressure they withstand and the
role they played in defense changed the face of the ocean forever; not to mention
the amazing finds they've made - Titanic for instance. It even made cinematic
masterpieces like Das Boot possible. This video also includes research subs like
Alvin, military disasters like The Thresher and the internal workings of a nuke
sub, the USS Scranton. We get a glimpse at bizarre underwater life at killer depths
and are enlightened with new developments which include re-breathers. CARRIER
- FORTRESS AT SEA The unbelievable size and magnitude of aircraft carriers
are illustrated here with the Carl Vinson's voyage from San Francisco to the Persian
Gulf. Holding around 5000(!) men, this virtual floating city is a self sufficient
military monster and airstrip for fighter planes, each man's function essential
in making it a smooth operation in this feature length documentary. A number of
the crewmen's functions are explained and includes the fighter pilots and their
planes, one of which happened to crash as it attempted to break the sound barrier
at high sea. An astonishing look at an enormous vessel which will either make
you want to join the navy or stay far away. MURRAY WALKER'S MAGIC MOMENTS
The world's best known F1 commentator takes us through his favourite racing
moments spanning the last 20 years of his 5 decade career. High speed excitement,
thrills and spills make up the world of Grand Prix and you can watch this one
any time in stead of waiting for the occasional Sunday afternoon race on TV.
JEREMY CLARKSON'S MOTORSPORT MAYHEM Most of us watch motor racing to wait
for one thing. The smash. This compilation of great auto havoc eliminates the
long laps and gives you the spectacular disasters you hold out for. The wit of
BBC motorcar fundi, Jeremy Clarkson adds to the costly, disasterous fun. Even
record attempts, wild stunts and punch-ups are included. CRASH IMPACT Volumes
1, 2 and 3 This series treads the same ground as the above mentioned and
covers everything on wheels losing its traction, going belly-up, rolling, spinning,
twirling, exploding or disintegrating. Man and machine coming to a violent halt.
Lovely. The soundtrack was executed by the liks of earky Kiss producer, Bob Kulick.
ROLLERCOASTERS Between heaven and earth there is a place where we seek
thrills, manipulate our adrenalin and scare ourselvs to death. Rollercoasters
were originally developed by the French in the 1800's and only really had a resurgence
in the 70's. Today it is almost like an arms race as amusement parks around the
world try to out-thrill one another with G-forces stopping an inch away from cardiac
arrest. Some of the interviewees include coaster fans, designers and a psychologist,
to get to the bottom of this rush. With societies established to glorify the rollercoaster,
this is one machine developed purely for fun - transport not a factor. In fact,
these rollercoasters don't have engines, but rather rely on forces of gravity,
weight, angle and momentum to scare the living dailights out of us, be you seated,
hanging or standing, loops and corkscrews wonn't go out of fashion soon. The real
thing still surpasses any virtual reality. Nothing like an endorphine fix to start
your day. NIGHTHAWK: Secrets of the Stealth We all know it as the Stealth
Fighter, but to its designers and pilots it is the F-117 Nighthawk. This military
phenomenon, once cloaked in secrecy with the waging Cold War, can now be seen
in its full glory as archive footage and great airial photography show us this
slick, radar dodging marvel of modern aviation. Never before seen footage can
now be enjoyed and is enough to make any aerophile drool. ROCKETS Our
biggest and most powerful machines to date in fact started out as fireworks created
by the Chinese. Since then we've put a man on the moon, littered our orbit with
satellites so we can watch MTV or the Discovery Channel and blown each other to
kingdom come. These useful and destructive machines changed our world forever.
Great facts come to light like the fuel tanks, the incredible weight, new rockets
and their applications, the Challenger disaster and a whole lot more. Highlights
of the space race between the USSR and USA are also added while facts like German
rockets hitting London during WWII are both educational and astonishing. These
jaw dropping objects of beauty, progress and destruction is one of our most amazing
advances which can so easily be the end of us all. 5 / A - PB
EXTREME
OPS With Devon Sawa, Bridget Wilson-Sampras, Rupert Graves, Rufus Sewell
Directed by Christian Duguay Oh, boy. A production company specializing
in risky, extreme sports related ad-shoots get a job to outrun an avalanche for
a digital video camera manufacturer. Assembled is an atrociously annoying bunch
of brats who encounter a gang of international bad-asses up in the snowy mountains.
They use their X-treme sports skills to outwit and thwart their evil intentions
(cripes!). The leader of the militants is a notorious war criminal whose death
was faked in an aircraft crash. Get your butt ready for a CGI yawn. Rufus Sewell
gives the characters some mature balanced focus, but his agent should be smacked
for squeezing him into this joke. Milking a trend while it's hot is an inevitability,
but it doesn't mean it's guaranteed to be of superior quality. 1 / C
- PB
EYE
OF THE BEHOLDER With Ewan McGregor, Ashley Judd, Jason Priestley, Patrick
Bergin, k.d. lang, Genevieve Bujold Directed by Stephan Elliott The director
of Priscilla Queen Of The
Desert hits back with super-stylish,
visually amazing tale of obsession. A secret agent with psychological glitches
(speaking to the daughter he’d never met after his wife ran out on him), falls
disturbingly for a woman he sees during a surveillance job. He follows her around
the States, voyeuristically getting pulled in deeper and deeper, regardless of
her Black Widow-like journey. A stunning film. 4 / B - PB
THE
EYES OF TAMMY FAYE With Tammy Faye, Jim Bakker, Roe Messner, Pat Boone. Narrator:
RuPaul Directed by Fenton Bailey & Randy Barbato Where I always found Tammy
Faye and Jim Bakker a repulsive couple - equally divided between her garish make-up,
his fake smile and their fanatic capitalising on Christianity. But, hey, if you're
sucker enough to be conned by the likes of them, you probably deserve it, or is
a true naïve believer. This digital documentary on the creature known as Tammy
Faye sheds a whole lot of light on what they accomplished. Sure, the speculation
of their money-hungry embezzlement can be questioned. Seeing as the significant
cost involved in their endeavors had to be substantial - they built up the biggest
(and only at the time) 24hr Christian satellite TV network, PTL (Praise The Lord)
and the third most popular location in America, their reborn theme park and worship
complex. But we do get to see a bit of Tammy's personality through the caked mascara,
bad hairdo and fluffy little dogs. She may well be sincere, but there's no way
round her tacky style and instant tear ducts. She'd recorded around 40 albums
and her singing voice is remarkably good (especially compared to that of her speaking
voice). Interesting facts (or deviations) come to the fore like that moralistic
scumbag of a "religious figure", Jerry Falwell (who had a life long war with Hustler's
Larry Flynt) who shockingly intercepted the Tammy & Jim Bakker empire. He basically
high-jacked it under the guise of assisting them in putting a damper on the breaking
of Jim's fling scandal with a Playboy Playmate. We are all sinners, after all?
Jim went to jail and Tammy married a guy who worked with them for years, but also
ended up in jail. Superstar Drag Queen RuPaul narrates the whole dirty holy tale.
With great footage from old TV shows to stock footage, it's an intriguing look
at a very interesting cult figure. 4
/ C - PB
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