Grindhouse

Grindhouse: A double feature paying tribute to the “B-movie thrillers” of the past, from directors Robert Rodriguez & Quentin Tarantino. I give big thumbs up for the ambition of the project which is comprised of 2 full length movies (each about 1:25 minutes in length), accompanied by faux “coming attractions” before and in between the features. The two films have nothing tying them together plot wise; however some of the same sets, props, and actors are used in both films. Up first is Planet Terror by Rodriguez. The film is a “gore fest” of a zombie movie. The story uses basic zombie movie understanding – everyone is infected with a virus which turns them into man eating zombies. A small group of rebels remain uninfected and need to get to a safe area to produce a cure to the virus. The humor in the movie is spot on, making fun of itself as it goes along. The second feature is Death Proof by Tarantino. I loved this movie. Kurt Russell plays Stuntman Mike, a mad man who likes to kill people in his death proof-(made for a stuntman)-car. The reason I found Death Proof to be a superior film is that not only did it pay tribute to old B-movies, but at the same time you were getting some classic Tarantino cinema!! I did not get that blend from Planet Terror. In fact I was getting bored by the mid-way mark of the first feature. Tarantino had the right mix and it worked. The final car chase was one of the most exhilarating scenes I have seen in a long time. Between the outstanding faux trailers and the extremely fun ride of Death Proof, Grindhouse gets a recommendation from me.
The Breakdown – Planet Terror : * * // Death Proof * * * *

Grindhouse (as a whole): * * * or grade: B

If this movie had parents they would be: Shaun of the Dead & Duel

With a run time of 191 minutes
This film is rated R

Perfect Stranger Review

Perfect Stranger: Halle Berry, Bruce Willis, and Giovanni Ribisi team up for this mind numbing thriller. I left this movie with 1 BIG question…..how do scripts like this get green lit? Berry plays Rowena, a journalist always looking for the big story. When a childhood friend of hers is murdered she jumps onto the case – because in movies like this the star journalist is always better at solving crimes than actual cops. Rowena’s profound investigation finds that her friend was having an affair with the top advertising executive in NYC – Harrison Hill (played by Bruce Willis and a damn good “movie name” if I do say so myself). To get the inside scoop on Harrison Hill, she gets a temp job at his advertising firm. From there the plot thickens as we are given even more reason to think that Hill is our perpetrator. Of course, what would a thriller of this nature be without a twist or two……..or five. The movie does have a couple tense moments, but I would have liked a little more given that the movie is like so many we have already seen. The ending is creative, but it is almost laughable when you put it through the “believability test”. Every once in a while a movie of this nature is done right, with just enough thought put into it to allow us to believe in the irrationality of it all. Unfortunately, Perfect Stranger does not have the smarts to make it all work.

* * or a grade of a C -

If this movie had parents they would be: You’ve Got Mail & Basic Instinct

With a running time of 109 minutes
This film is rated R