Monster Brawl
Plot: Eight of the world’s biggest monsters (Frankenstein, Werewolf, Lady Vampire, Cyclops, Zombie Man, Swamp Gut, Mummy and Witch Bitch) compete in the Monster Brawl tournament. The winner will be crowned the Monster Brawl Champion.
Review: Jesse T. Cook’s intent isn’t on creating a cohesive story. It’s about taking the monsters of yore and having them duke it out in a wrestling ring. It’s a unique mixture of professional wrestling and “Celebrity Deathmatch”. The monsters use grappling holds such as body slams and suplexes, while also dishing out some special maneuvers. The Cyclops, for example, has laser beams that he can shoot from his eye. The others either use their surroundings in hardcore fashion or bring a few goodies from their collection.
The two Middleweight bouts (Cyclops vs. Witch Bitch and Mummy vs. Lady Vampire) don’t build up to anything. They act as the undercard. They’re entertaining, but don’t matter at the end of the day. It’s the two heavyweight bouts (Frankenstein vs. Zombie Man and Werewolf vs. Swamp Gut) that lead to the championship match (which is easily the best one).
To keep things moving along between the fights, we get brief back stories on the monsters. These range from engrossing (Frankenstein, Mummy, Witch Bitch) to clunky (Zombie Man, Lady Vampire, Werewolf). The Zombie Man tale gets a slight boost thanks to the inclusion of Kevin Nash as his manger, but not by much. Also making appearances are Jimmy Hart as the announcer and Herb Dean as the referee.
Calling all of the action is Buzz Chambers (Dave Foley), a raging alcoholic, and Sasquatch Sid Tucker (Art Hindle), the Gorilla Monsoon type veteran. They’re quips are amusing and help carry the lulls between the fights. Since there’s no real story, the film can stumble a bit. It picks itself back up with the fights.
Final Rating: B
The Hunter
Plot: Martin David (Willem Dafoe) is assigned to hunt down the last of the Tasmanian tigers, a species believed to be extinct. He runs into trouble with the locals, including Jack Mindy (Sam Neill), who is setting him up with a living arrangement. He befriends Lucy Armstrong (Frances O’Connor) and her two children, whose father went missing.
Review: “The Hunter” is a slow-moving dramatic thriller. It doesn’t move with a lightning speed that most films in this genre tend to do. Daniel Nettheim takes his time in developing the characters and building the tension. I neer read Julia Leigh’s novel, which this film is based upon, so I don’t know if it’s done the same way there, too. All I do know is that it’s done stupendously here!
Willem Dafoe puts in one of his best performances to date as Martin David, a hunter posing as a scientist on a top secret mission. We soon discover he’s used to being isolated, as he doesn’t interact well with others. He’s extremely nervous and timid around Lucy’s two children. After awhile, he grows comfortable around them. This may sound clichéd, but it’s anything but. It draws comparisons with films similar in plot and tone, but Nettheim’s direction sets it apart.
Nettheim handles the tension brilliantly. When Martin is out hunting, we’re treated to gorgeous cinematography of the landscape. There’s always this sinking feeling that he’s not alone. That someone out there is watching him. Confrontations with the local townsfolk who demand he go back home are the sole reason for this. I won’t spoil anything, but I will state that one gunshot sent shivers up my spine.
Martin David’s mission may be to find a Tasmanian tiger, but it’s clear he’s finding himself. Whether it be with Lucy and her children (who are innocuous, but not irritating) or in quiet confrontations with Jack Mindy. Nettheim lets the characters and story slowly work their magic on us. That was an incredibly wise decision of his! Speeding the pacing up would have only diminished the effect.
Final Rating: A
Undocumented
Plot: Five grad students are filming a documentary on illegal immigration. When they’re captured by radical “patriots”, they’re forced to film their actions. They torture and murder the illegal immigrants to prove a point to others who are crossing the border.
Review: “Undocumented” has a good premise and a few chilling scenes. It also has too many flaws that weigh the film down. For starters, Chris Peckover is indecisive on whether or not this should be a found footage movie. For the middle, he uses the documentary footage as the camera. For the beginning and end, he switches back and forth from found footage to natural filmmaking. It’s not hard to follow, but can be annoying.
After watching the finished project, he should have stuck with traditional filmmaking. The found footage doesn’t add much to the film. Occasionally Peckover uses it successfully to induce scares. The scene where the students attempt to escape is a perfect example. Throughout the rest of the film, it feels like a needless gimmick.
This seeps into my main problem with the film. The radical murderers’ intention on filming everything is ludicrous. Why would they want their exploits on film? It’s as if they’re asking to be caught. Their explanation for it being a warning to other illegal immigrants doesn’t suffice. It’s still footage that can easily take them down. They only use this excuse to play into the found footage style. All they had to do was drop that and have them force the students to assist them in order to stay alive. They do so because they’re Americans and their vendetta isn’t against them.
Alas, such is not the case. We’re stuck with the found footage film that doesn’t use it to it’s fullest advantage. It may pull off a good scene or two, but that’s not nearly enough to make up for the rest of the film. A good premise with a seemingly well-intentioned message crumbles beneath it’s own weight. Such a shame!
Final Rating: C
The Catechism Cataclysm
Plot: Father William (Steve Little) and Robbie Shoemaker (Robert Longstreet) are former classmates meeting up for a canoe trip. They don’t have much in common, but develop an unlikely bond due to William’s worship of Robbie and Robbie’s comfort in finding someone who cares. When their canoe trip turns sour, all hell breaks loose.
Review: I was really enjoying “The Catechism Cataclysm” up until the final twenty minutes. I found it to be funny with two charismatic performances by the two leads. Steve Little’s cheery performance was a joy to watch and Robert Longstreet’s laidback portrayal of Robbie was soothing. I liked how their opposite personalities bounced off of each other.
They share quite a few funny and touching scenes together. The scene in the bathroom is a good example of this. A mixture of toilet humor and jibber jabber devolves into William stating he’s never truly been happy. This isn’t forced. It comes naturally. As do the conversations. Despite being scripted, it feels more like two buddies shooting the shit.
Then, the campfire scene begins. After getting lost, the two are rescued by fellow canoeists. Everything seems normal and par for the course. In a matter of minutes, the film takes the turn for the worst. I won’t spoil anything, except mentioning that the film dramatically switches genres. It’s no longer a lighthearted comedy.
Though this derails the film, it doesn’t ruin it. The first hour is satisfying and the characters are very likable. Todd Rohal directs with a softened pace and lets the chemistry between the two flow naturally. It’s when he decides to switch gears that the film loses it’s appeal. It starts out strong, but grows sour near the end.
Final Rating: B-
Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel
Plot: The career of director/producer Roger Corman is dissected in this documentary. Spanning from his early days as a script reader to becoming the “King of Schlock”, his entire career is put under a microscope. Interviews with former colleagues Martin Scorsese, Jack Nicholson, Ron Howard, Robert De Niro, Joe Dante, Bruce Dern, Peter Fonda, Pam Grier, David Carradine, William Shatner and many more highlight his escapades.
Review: Roger Corman is one of my heroes. He started out with nothing and made a name for himself. You could argue he’s taken nothing and made something out of it. All of his movies were low-budget and all but one made a profit. Nobody else can boast that claim. It’s made even more amazing considering he has well over three hundred films to his name. To this day, he still produces a truckload of them.
He’s a man who bucked the trend and made a name for himself. As the tagline states, “Some men dream of conquering the world. Roger Corman created his own.” When he didn’t like the way Hollywood studios worked, he went out and worked for an independent production. He eventually formed his own company, New World Cinema, and cornered the market on “B” movies. He may not like being referred to as the “King of Schlock”, but I don’t find it as an insult. The world needs “B” movies to diversify the genres. I still stand by my opinion that they’re some of the more entertaining films ever made.
Alex Stapleton had a lot to work with. By using new interviews and archival footage, he’s carved quite a delectable treat for Roger Corman fans. He doesn’t bring too much new information to the table for those already in the know. He’s more concerned with giving a history lesson for new film buffs that aren’t familiar with Roger Corman. He does a fine job of doing that.
The most satisfying segments are the interviews, old and new. Hearing huge names such as Martin Scorsese and Jack Nicholson discussing Roger Corman and his films is unique and otherworldly. The clips from his films are a treat to see, but once again don’t add anything new to those already familiar with the man. Even so, I found myself jotting down a few films I wanted to see.
“Corman’s World” fits right into the documentary scene that “Not Quite Hollywood” and “Machete Maidens Unleashed” reside. Just like those two films, Stapleton’s documentary observes and relishes in the world of sleaze. You could look at this one as the father of those two. Without Roger Corman, those may not have existed.
Final Rating: B+