vodou Reviews

Six-String Samurai (1998)

brilliant

[10/10 · 18 May 2004]

Possibly the greatest alt-history swordfighting spaghetti-western Elvis-Las-Vegas desert America-good-Russia-bad 50s-rock-n-roll adventure ever made. Vegas is the last bastion of free America after the Russians dropped the bomb and invaded way back in '57 or so. Elvis, the King of Lost Vegas, has died, and so all rock-n-roll king wannabees are on their way to Vegas.

Among them is Buddy, the guitar-slingin' samurai hero of the story. Along the way he has to battle evil bowlers, crazed survivalist families, the underground legions, and Death Himself.

How can you not love it?

Also, the soundtrack, largely performed by the Red Elvises, kicks some serious ass.

The Industry (1998–2002)

The best, that's all

[7 December 2001]

This is my favourite comedy on TV, bar none. The timing and the layering of storylines are beautiful; watching the double- and triple-crosses build is sheer joy. The humour is dry, ironic, sharp as a knife, and it somehow all feels true to life. The fact that the Tragically Hip's "Blow at High Dough" brackets each episode is wonderful. The actors are all amazing. Character-driven and biting, this is what CBC can do when they get everything right.

The only other comedy I've ever enjoyed this much is "Twitch City".

Harry Knuckles and the Treasure of the Aztec Mummy (1999)

Grade Z

[8/10 · 28 June 2000]

It's horrible, absolutely horrible, and it's *supposed* to be. It's a rip-off of every bad Spanish, gangster, B, monster, kung-fu-fighting movie you've ever seen.

It's hilarious, and it'll never, ever be in a video store near you. Too bad.

Being John Malkovich (1999)

There's a door into *my* head, too.

[10/10 · 27 March 2000]

Weird writing, inspired acting, unexpected cameos, and the unspoken realisation that, yes, people really *can* get used to *anything* - this was a great, great film. I'm sure it's packed full of symbolism that I didn't get - I leave symbolism and over-analysis to the English majors. To me, if a film can make me believe, it's a good film. If it can make me believe something utterly absurd then it becomes great.