Matt's Talk

They Live

John Carpenter's tale of a drifter who discovers a conspiracy by aliens who have infiltrated American society in the guise of wealthy yuppies which is the reason for the large gap between the rich and the poor. Roddy Piper stars as the homeless drifter who discovers how to see who's a human and who's not with the help of special sunglasses he finds. They not only reveal the alien's true faces, but all of the subliminal messages in advertising.
A clever satire of the "greed is good" era enriched with good makeup effects, and a memorable, comical fight scene between former pro wrestler "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Keith David a.k.a "Childs" in Carpenter's remake of The Thing.

The Wrestler

An absolutely brilliant film!!!
Mickey Rourke in his brilliant comeback role since "Barfly" as a professional wrestler coming down from his career highs into the rest of the world he knows little of.
Marisa Tomei shines in her role as the stripper who's on a similar path as the "Ram", but never fails to be as beautiful and charming as she could ever be.
I believe Mickey Rourke deserves the Oscar for this masterpiece as well as other people involved with a film that has so much to offer.

Eagle vs. Shark

Brilliant film showcasing the comedic talent of Jermaine Clement in a tale of two socially awkward misfits looking for love in strange ways with the help of video game prowess, burgers, and revenge on high school bullies.
Not only a well executed film; but beautiful cinematography of New Zealand which enhances this mesmerizing tale of a different kind of love story.

Mirrors

A creepy take on what reflections can be, or what could become of them.
Keifer Sutherland stars as a recovering alcoholic taking on the job of a nightwatch guard at a burnt up, all too mysterious department store which contains mirrors that don't reflect upon what you'd like to see or feel.
Another look into the horror that mirrors can create through our imaginations, or the actual truths in which we face in our somewhat reflective existences.

Gran Torino

An absolutely brilliant film superbly directed and acted by Clint Eastwood!
As a disgruntled Korean War veteran, Walt Kowalski(Eastwood) becomes reluctantly involved with the next door Asian family he had previously chosen to despise.
This film is a perfect example of how utterly wrong racism is, and how much of a problem gangs are in this country.
I was glued to the screen. I laughed, and was moved to the brink of tears by Eastwood's brilliant character portrayal and work as a director.
And believe me, it's the same old Clint.

1408

This is quite a creepy film.
A horror novelist(John Cusack) checks into a reputedly haunted hotel, and it's most notoriously haunted room 1408 despite the warnings from the hotel manager portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson.
The use of The Carpenter's song "We've only just begun" adds an eerie touch to the dark mood of the film.

Dawg

A film that seems to be solely a comedy at first, but transcends cheap laughs with some heartfelt moments and insights into what really matters between human beings, and our relationships with one another.
Denis Leary is a fine actor who hasn't received the acclaim he deserves.

River's Edge

A truly remarkable film! Brilliant character portrayals by a top notch cast. Particularly Dennis Hopper's character portrayal of Feck, the homebound criminal ex-biker. So crazy yet so funny! Crispin Glover's portrayal of Lane is outstanding and hilarious as well, and this film is by no means a comedy. It's a rather dark film yet always watchable and entertaining.

The Ruins

Horror looms as a tourist group of friends embark on a remote archaeological dig site with a fellow German tourist in the Mexican jungle; where SOMETHING evil lives amongst it's very ruins.

Vacancy

Creepy film with Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson as a couple forced to stay in a remote hotel for the night after their car breaks down. David(Wilson) puts in tapes sitting on the TV that appear to be low-budget slasher films. Then they realize that the horror is taking place in the very room where thay are residing.
Frank Whaley delivers a sinister portrayal of a crazed motel manager that enjoys his sick, evil "entertainment" from the confines of his dingy office.

Reign Over Me

Adam Sandler portrays a man who loses his family in the September 11 attack on New York City. His immense grief is eased by his college roommate he runs into which may be the one thing that can help him recover from his loss and tremendous devastion from real horror that many need to see and feel to believe.
Adam Sandler is brilliant in this role which is so different than what you normally see him play, and Don Cheadle is brilliant as well.

Reign Over Me

Adam Sandler portrays a man who loses his family in the September 11 attack on New York City. His immense grief is eased by his college roommate he runs into which may be the one thing that can help him recover from his loss and tremendous devastion from real horror that many need to see and feel to believe.
Adam Sandler is brilliant in this role which is so different than what you normally see him play, and Don Cheadle is brilliant as well.

The Strangers

This is one of the creepiest films I've seen in awhile.
It revolves around a troubled young couple terrorized by three masked assailants in their isolated vacation home. The film is rather quiet with intermittent bursts of noise caused by "The Strangers." The time frame is different in this thriller as well which fuels it's element of surprise therefore allowing for optimal suspense.

Bottle Rocket

Luke and Owen Wilson shine in this comical yet mesmerizing film about three friends sharing dreams of the lives they wish they had. One has an epiphany about what he wants in life which he finds in the last place he'd think to look, while the other is fixated on distinguishing himself in the world of crime.

Brilliant score featuring songs by the band Love which is a band that deserves more recognition and appreciation than they've received.

Paths of Glory

Stanley Kubrick's 1957 antiwar masterpiece starring Kirk Douglas as a French Colonel in his battle-worn regiment of World War 1. Under the threat of German artillery in the trenches of warfare, Kubrick's brilliant use of cinematography, music, lighting, etc. result in some of the most effective battle sequences ever filmed.
The camera work in the trenches is gripping, and an utter reminder of how war truly is hell, and how soldiers are thought so little of as a fault of selfish, personal ambitions and self indulgence resulting in senseless executions.
Though the film touches on themes of courage and loyalty in warfare, it's more about the historical realities of World War 1, and military leaders who orchestrate the deaths of thousands from the comforts of their luxurious headquarters.

The Descent

Most of my rating goes to the special effects/makeup crew for their creepy, underground dweller creatures. The film takes awhile to deliver, but it's bleak, dark cinematography of a supposedly unexplored, underground cave sets the mood for what's to come in the dark abyss for six female spelunkers.
I can't say it's a great horror film, but it does have it's moments worth seeing.

Dead Silence

Tale of an old ghost story regarding a mad ventriloquist, and a sleepy town plagued by death. The vaudeville dolls are quite creepy as they are connected to grisley happenings induced by Mary Shaw and her "children".

Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film

Brilliant documentary about the history of slasher films as told by John Carpenter, Wes Craven, makeup artist Tom Savini, and various actors and filmmakers of the horror genre. If you're a horror enthusiast, this is a must see.

Narc

Brilliant film about an undercover narcotics officer who is brought back into a murder case of a fellow policeman.
Jason Patric and Ray Liotta star in this mesmerizing film that has quite a twist.

Fright Night

Brilliant film of the vampire genre. Chris Sarandon's portrayal of Jerry Dandridge is very underrated.
A film I loved as a kid, that I revisited as a DVD gift. It hold's up indeed.
If you've not seen it, do yourself a favor and rent this 1985 gem.