Change Your Image
CelesteChere
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Snow White: A Tale of Terror (1997)
Snow White and the Huntsman has got NOTHING on this gem of a movie!
I've had Snow White on the brain for a while now, with the coming out of TWO Snow White films and all (both of which were very disappointing btw), I've become nostalgic for this classic tale about a vindictive envious step-mother, a poisoned apple, 7 dwarfs, and a girl with lips red as blood, hair black as a raven, and skin as white as snow.
Fortunately, this under-appreciated movie has almost ALL of those things all wrapped up in one. I'm not gonna giggle and tell you all that this isn't anything like the Disney movie like so many of other reviewers have said---mostly because that's gotten old now and it's stupid to sit their and smugly declare that this is no Disney movie when obviously it's most certainly NOT. This is a more adult and realistic approach on the Snow White tale but still has elements of the supernatural and magic.
"Snow White" is renamed Liliana Hoffman and she actually looks the part of someone with lips red as blood, hair black as ebony, and skin white as snow. The father (played by Sam Neill) has a bigger role in this version (albeit still small) and he's not a king but merely a Nobleman or Lord (whatever), and the 'evil queen' is named Claudia and is really a sympathetic but still rather vain and mentally unstable (played by the always fabulous Sigourney Weaver). The 'Prince Charming' is merely a young doctor who make look like a Prince and even act like one on most occasions, but he's not the one 'Snow White' rides off into the sunset with. The 'dwarves' are reduced to 6 bitter miners and 1 dwarf. The 'magic mirror' is really Claudia's reflection telling her to commit these atrocious things. The movie less childish and more realistic in which Liliana isn't all rainbows and butterflies and the step mother has just reasons to dislike her. The atmosphere, the architecture, the music, the lighting, the camera shots, the scenery, the costumes, ALL of it was just wonderful! What bothered me about this movie would have to be the use of American accents in what is clearly a film set in a European country (Germany I'm guessing?). They never really clarified where this movie takes place, but the American accents are distracting (one of the reviewers on here made a good point on how one of the miners sounds like he's from the Bronx). SMH. I would've preferred they speak in those annoying fake English accents rather than the American ones. I also had a hard time understanding how the miners so quickly changed their minds about Lili, at first they dislike her and mockingly call her 'Princess' and afterwords they mourn her 'death' and then praise her when she's revived. Perhaps if they had shown her saving one or more of them from certain death when Claudia was casting her spells, thus forming an alliance, and perhaps if they showed Lili grow from a privileged snob to an understanding, tolerant, down to earth girl then their change in attitudes towards each other would be more believable. I also think the surviving miners should've been at the final showdown at the Hoffman estate when Lili confronted Claudia, avenged their friends deaths and do something productive to redeem themselves.
All in all, I loved this movie and would recommend it almost anyone. 8/10
Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
"Snow White: A Tale of Terror" did it better...a LOT better...
I was so excited for this movie, and the trailer really sold it as an exciting version of one my favorite fairy tales---but trailers can be deceiving.
This movie was full of too much action and obnoxious CGI effects. Obviously they wanted to draw in a male audience with all the fight scenes (which is understandable since they casted Kristen Stewart of Twilight fame as Snow White, so they had their work cut out for them as most men LOATHE Twilight), so the action and fight scenes are understandable but they over did it. Too many chase scenes, too many fight scenes, just UGH. The scenes spent on Snow White being chased by the Queen's annoying creeper brother and his army could've been used to introduce the dwarfs earlier on and develop relationships between Snow White, the Huntsman, and the dwarfs. Were we really supposed to buy how heart broken Snow White was when the red haired dwarf died? How could she be that sad when she only knew him for like...a day? And what of this relationship with the Huntsman? They spent so much time running and fighting off Ravenna's army that it's hard to believe that the Huntsman has fallen in love with Snow White. They needed more intimate moments, to bond and get to know each other, why did they wait till Snow White was 'dead' to have the Huntsman pour his heart out to her? How stupid.
CGI was good but if they put half as much effort into the story and character development as they did with the CGI then this movie would've been great. That's the problem with Hollywood films like this today---they are too focused on showing off all the CGI crap and forget that they are supposed to be telling a story.
As for the actors, Charlize has moments of being great and then over the top and melodramatic. She has a very intimidating presence and is quite beautiful, almost so much that it's a bit unrealistic that we're meant to believe Kristen Stewart is supposed to be 'fairer' than Charlize. But Charlize has a lot of over the top moments that bugged me. Kristen Stewart, well I've never seen the Twilight movies but I decided to give this girl a chance. Her portrayal both bothered me and satisfied me. KStew is known for being blank and emotionless in a lot of her roles, she rarely smiles or laughs and comes off as far too serious----but that KIND of works for her in this particular role, when you think about the character of Snow White and what she's had to endure at the hands of her wicked step mother, Ravenna. Chris Hemsworth did FANTASTIC as the Huntsman, great actor and really shinned in this movie...when he wasn't battling or fighting someone at least. The Prince was cute, sexy, and was cast well but kind became just third wheel towards the end of the movie.
What I liked about this movie was fantasy creatures, the scenery and location shots, the end credits, and the magic 'mirror' man---BEST version of the magic mirror I've seen so far.
I give this movie a 6/10, it had dark elements to it but too much action. Like I said in the title above, if you want a REAL dark Snow White movie, then go watch Snow White: A Tale of Terror on Netflix, it has it's flaws and is rather dated but it did so much better at telling this story in a way that people looking for a dark, Gothic tale can appreciate.
Halloween (2007)
Zombie 'trashes' a classic!
Rob Zombie truly disgraced the legend of Michael Myers with his disgusting view on how this movie should go. But where to start? Let's start with the fact that it was so cliché of him to do the whole 'my family was bad to me so I'm gonna kill people now' routine. In this movie, Rob decides to make Michael some white trash kid in a white trash family. With a disgusting cripple step dad and a mother (played by, SURPRISE SURPRISE, Zombie's real life wife who can't act!) who is basically a hooker for a living. And a nasty older sister. It was insulting as well to women. Apparently to Zombie women are all wh---. Well in this movie they were. And although this wasn't in the actual movie, there was a rape scene filmed and put in another version of the movie which was beyond disturbing. Is this what Zombie thinks about doing to women? The rape scene wasn't in the theatrical movie and had no relevance to begin with. Every word that came out of someone's mouth had something to do with sex or drugs or masturbation, followed by a cuss word. The swearing in this film is non stop. And apparently Zombie thought only guys would go watch this movie, well girls did to, and let me tell you there were NO attractive men/boys in this movie. NONE! All of them were ugly! So he denied the ladies and gay guys eye candy as well. The story sucked. This movie seemed to care more about how many boobs it could fit into one shot with barrel loads of blood flying EVERYWHERE rather than on the story. Zombie should stick to writing his god awful songs instead of ruining movies. Now this was the view of someone who actually has respect for classics, unlike the teens of this god awful generation who thought this movie was brilliant and think that boobs and lots and lots of blood make the movie. WRONG! The story is what makes the movie. What's even scarier than this trash film (which wasn't scary at all actually.) is the fact that teens of today are trying write scripts on their own, and sadly, if you thought the movies of this generation sucked, get ready because in about 5, 10, or 15 years from now they are going to get even worse because these teens have NO vision. Hollywood has gone down hill. It's official.
Cursed (2005)
There was "Scream" and then there was "Cursed"!
A sketchy ending but over all one of the best horror flicks to hit theaters in the year 2005 next to "Cry Wolf" and "House of Wax". I could only imagine the terror I felt when watching Mya being chased around a parking lot at a charity benefit by a gigantic werewolf! Kevin Williamson has a knack for writing good chase scenes! The movie, like I said, had some what of a weak ending to it but over all, the rest was pure gold! I don't why so many people trash this movie? It was amazing! I applaud this movie and I would have to say see it to believe me! I would have to say I felt sorry for poor Mya! She shouldn't have died off so quickly just because she flirted with guy! UGH! That Joanie! Well like I said, recommend this movie to you all! Go see it, it's truly original other than the other dumb horror movies they've making (NOTE* Paranormal Horror Movies SUCK!)
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
Classic Sarah Michelle Gellar
This movie is the bomb to start off. Especially since it had Sarah Michelle Gellar in it! Her classic chase scene has inspired many more writers, directors, and actors/actress's to have their own chase scenes. Not to mention writer Kevin Williamson (Scream, Writter) made it very original! A bit disappointing though, none that Scream/Dawson's Creek vocabulary dialog is in it. You know? Say for example in Scream where Neve Campbell says "Would you settle for a PG-13 relation ship?" which is in Kevin's own words. But we all know who thank especially, Lois Duncan for professionally writing a witty book that would inspire another young writer to give it a twist! Helen's chase scene, 10-10! You go girl! Jeniffer Love Hewwit's character was very Sidney Presscot! Kevin has a thing for bringing that kind of emotion to a main character! People adore that in a movie, this teen slasher flick has inspired others as well. Sure first it was all Friday the 13th, and Nightmare on Elm Street before but now teen slashers are BIG! We can thank Kevin for that! Sarah Michelle Gellar's chase scene brought many other blonde chase scenes to the big screen! Jeniffer Love Hewitt's character is a step up from Neve Campbell's character in Scream! I Know What you Did Last Summer is the best of them all! You should definitely see it!
Cruel Intentions 2 (2000)
Ugh!
Okay, let me break it down for you guys...IT'S HORRIBLE!
If Roger Kumble did such a fancy job on the first Cruel Intentions then why did he do such a bad job on this. I'm sorry but this movie is stupid, true it may have improved if its series was ever aired but lets be realistic...this movie a crock! A lot of bad acting *NOTE The Shower scene* "Kissing Cousins" ?????? What kind of line is that? "Slipery when wet" ?????????? Can we say DUH-M! This movie had effort, I'll give you that, but it was too stupid! They even tried to make it funny by giving the house servants stupid accents which actually....WASN'T FUNNY! It was pathetic. Not to mention that they made everyone in the this one look Absolutely NOTHING like the original cast. It's as if they made them look different on purpose or something! I like watching it when I'm really really really board which doesn't happen occasionally. For those of you who did like it...Okay, what were you thinking? Could you possibly choose this movie over the other one which had great acting and the fabulous Sarah Michelle Gellar? A movie is gold if it has Sarah Michelle Gellar in it, DUH! But this movie doesn't, no offense Amy Adams. Oh, yeah since when does Sebastain have a heart????? UGH!
King's Quest II: Romancing the Stones (2002)
Fantastic Fantasy Game!
(CONTAINS SPOILERS!)
This game is awesome! I love it! You people out there who want to play it have to! And it's free and download-able at the site of where the people made it, which is called Adventure Game Development. This action/adventure game has everything it's brothers does! Romance, mysteries, magic, myths and legends. With a 3-D animated movie for the intro! It also has connecting's in plot from the other games. Play this game, it's bound to take you for a ride! These people had also made a remake of King's Quest 1: Quest for the crown! Which is just as good as the original. Play that one to! It's completely free and you can download it! And for you Quest for Glory fans, they are also making QFG remake!
Scream 2 (1997)
Wes really out done himself!
The savage murders appear to be piling up just when Sydney Prescott begins to pull the knots in her life loose again and move on. Along with the survivors of the first Scream, David Arrquette, Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, and Jamie Kennedy show an amazing performance in this Hip-thriller and sequle to "Scream" Also with another new hip cast such as Jerry O'Connel, Eleas Neal, Timothy Olyphant, Jada Pinkett, Omar Epps, and last but not least Sarah Michelle Gellar!
The murders take place in a copycat mode of names of the victims from the first "Scream" Such as Maurreen Evans = Maurreen Prescott, Phil Stevens > Steven Orath. and Cici "Casey" Cooper = Casey Becker! The sly killer then goes after the survivors of the first Scream then but plans don't go as they planned...you'll have to see that all for yourself in "Scream 2"