Chencho Y Su Gran Dote (2006)iMDB Rating: 6.6
In the tradition of Nacho Libre, Chencho tells the comic story of a poor boy from a small town in Mexico, who has dreams of marrying the lovely Eloisa.
entretenida
Very funny movie with great actors for the most part.
Chencho played by Richard Villa is promised to be married to Eloisa.
Chencho is a poor, Back country, farm raised not so smart individual who, unknown to Eloisa, has a great inheritance or is an heir- a Dote.. Or one could say, A Great BIG One..which is where the story really takes route. After troubles in Mexico, Eloisa Runs off to U.S.A. and approached to do porn business by Ruben (Louis Mendoza) and Nick (Luis Rojas). The story and script writing are awesome, Written by Perfecto Gonzalez who also plays Cachundino. The acting is solid. Either they are very good actors with great comedy chops or the director just made it happen for them. Maybe both. The film does have its slow moments or weak spots but you wont be disappointed. The only real bad thing I saw in the film is the importance of the opening song. The subtitles help because you can read whats going on in the song, and the song tells the back story which is very important to the movie. If you see it, you'll know what i mean. Hint watch it with the subtitles.
Livelihood (2005)iMDB Rating: 5.5A comedy/drama/horror film. Billy Jump is an 80's rock star. Alexander Keaton is a corporate lackey with a cheating fiancée. Vida is an evil mother in-law who torments Jean, her daughter in-law, incessantly. But Billy Jump is electrocuted by his guitar. Alexander has his head chopped off by a samurai. And Vida is mysteriously poisoned by tapioca pudding. Then the dead randomly start coming back to life. They don't eat brains, but they do want their old lives back. We follow the trials and tribulations of these three as they try to pick up where they left off, to mixed results. Billy Jump is trying to get his band back together for a big comeback, only to find that his old band members aren't quite the same people they used to be. Alexander wants his job back, but has been replaced by a computer, and his fiancée has taken his house and is shacking up with another woman. Exhausted, he is taken in by a goth girl who has a thing for dead guys, and a vendetta against her father, Alex's ...
Amateur Horror Comedy That Surpasses the Professionals
An 80's rock star (Billy Jump, played by Steve Thomas), a corporate lackey (Alexander Keaton, played by Scott Graham), and an evil mother-in-law (Vida, played by Michelle Trout) all die bizarre deaths. But when the dead suddenly start coming back to life, these three zombies find that picking up where they left off isn't as easy as they'd hoped. (Summary modified from IMDb) After reading the summary about an undead rock star, my initial reaction was, "Is this going to be a take on the themes addressed in 'Rock and Roll Frankenstein'?" And that might not have been so bad, but I have better news to report: the two films have almost absolutely nothing in common. This one is more in line with "Spinal Tap" (which gets a direct reference at one point). So, yes Virginia, there is room for more than one film in the undead rock star subgenre of horror. But, let's move on.
There is very little criticism I can give this film. I must say it exceeded my expectations in many ways. The film quality, first of all, is "independent" quality -- but not what you're thinking. In fact, the visuals are comparable to those in "Evil Ed" or other foreign films. I felt less like I was watching amateurs and more like I was watching some underground import. Yes, the acting was that good -- professionally good across the board. The comedic timing was perfect, the characters were three-dimensional and believable. I had been purposely scrutinizing every detail, and still found no flaws. While all actors were good, however, let me give a very special nod to the actress who played Zooey Endicott -- Kara Webb. She had the appeal of a young Ally Sheedy, and seeing more of her would be a blessing for anyone who loves cinema.
The two best aspects of the film were the writing and the music. The writer or writers know comedy. Oh boy, do they know comedy! Let me be perfectly clear: this is the hardest I laughed in a long time. (Particularly during the scene where Billy Jump is given completely ridiculous subtitles.) The one-liners were sharp. The constant references (Scott Baio, for example) were witty, and weaved nonsense into a quilt of laughter (if that makes sense). And where the script really shines is in the parodies. The "Dead and the Breathless"? The spot-on impersonation of Matthew Lesko (the free money guy)? I wish freezombiecash.com was real.
The writing, above all else, was just absurd. A samurai assassin in an urban American office (although this is explained somewhat later on). A return of zombies where no one freaks out and most people are pretty accepting of their risen relatives. As the newscasters say, they are free of the "cannibalism normally associated with zombies". Oh, and there's a limb-beating scene. If I learned one thing growing up a horror fan, it's that limb-beating in the threshold you must cross to get from goodness to greatness.
As for the music, it was crucial to the plot (especially the rock star scenes) and the cast and crew pulled it off. Both the rock songs ("Raise the Dead") and the incidental music blend in smoothly. Most notably I have to finger "Leave the US to the Living". This country song parody could have been from any of the Top 40 country stations in America today. The people behind this film also sent me a compact disc they made (called "Die Humpin"), which really drives home yet again the musical talent and humor of this gang of idiots. Thanking "nachos" and "Thor the God of Thunder" (which are two of my three favorite things -- the third being ninjas) and with songs like "Don't Let Jesus Ruin Your Day", I knew we had a winner. Pick up this disc, too! (Unfortunately, "Leave the US to the Living" is not on here... though I heard rumor you can catch it at live shows.) My one complaint: there is a kungfu showdown of epic proportions at one point later in the film. This fight scene is too short and ends too abruptly. While it's too late to go back and change it now, I wish we had another few minutes of this action. I barely had time to get worked up before it was over. Talk about frustration! I've heard talk that the creators have branched out into other media, particularly comic books. I couldn't be happier. "Livelihood" is not so much one story as a glimpse into three parallel tales of how the living adjust to the dead. If the ideas remain fresh (at least fresher than some of these reanimated corpses) I see no problem with an endless amount of spin-offs and sequels. The film ties up the stories presented, but says nothing of the (presumably) millions of other zombie stories that ought to be told. It's a rare event for me to get excited about a low-budget film, but let me say "Livelihood" is everything it promises and more. Any fan of horror comedies is going to get their fair share of laughs from this one.
The Monster of Phantom Lake (2006)iMDB Rating: 6.7A faithful "re-imagining" of 1950's Cold War era, B-grade, drive-in horror movies, The Monster of Phantom Lake follows proud scientist Professor Jackson, his graduate student, and five swell teenagers as they discover the terrifying effects of "Atomic Waste" in the form of a horribly mutated "shell-shocked" World War II soldier / lake-algae monster!
It's all been done before, and better...
A professor, his grad student/love interest, and a group of partying teens are terrorized by a soldier that was mutated by atomic waste in a local lake. Made for next to nothing, this is done in the style of a 50s B&W B-movie. The acting is intentionally hammy (which wears off its cuteness in, oh, about 3 minutes) and the monster design is intentionally silly. The movie is way overlong--the titular monster doesn't even show up until after an hour! Up until that point, the audience is subjected to endless "Will they/won't they" situations among main characters, goofy scientific speculations, and endless campfire dance sequences. While not a terrible movie, the "old B-movie imitation" thing has been done already (and with significantly more entertaining results) in movies like The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, Psycho Beach Party, and The Day It Came to Earth. The Monster of Phantom Lake, while obviously a labor of love, brings nothing new to the table and is hardly fun to watch. Definitely skippable.
Coma Girl: The State of Grace (2005)iMDB Rating: 7.7Grace Andersen never knew how to feel good, hated to feel bad, so she chose to feel nothing.
Truly Original
A true original. Hilarious and profound in equal measure. This is a simple story, well told. A writer myself, I know how hard this is to attain. The listed budget is a shocker yet, despite the lack of funds, the filmmakers achieved something truly heartfelt and genuine. Why, oh why doesn't the British Film Industry fund these true artists instead of throwing money down the drain on the usual Brit-flick fare? Too often I see talentless schlock with flashy editing used to cover over the drivel of a script and the tragically wooden actors. Not so with Coma Girl! My only criticism is the length: I wanted more. This is a film both my wife and I and also my two kids, 13yrs & 18yrs, love. We have watched it a number of times together. This film is evidence of a fresh new talent on the horizon. Could she be the female Woody Allen? It's about time she came along.
Anthony Kaun Hai? (2006)iMDB Rating: 5.6Small-time crook, Champa Chaudhary alias 'Champ' forges passports, photographs, and deeds in Thailand. He is arrested by the Police, tried and sentenced to six months in jail, and this is where he meets a supposedly dumb and deaf inmate, Raghuvir Sharma, serving a life sentence of stealing diamonds. Champ finds out that Raghuvir is not deaf nor dumb, and offers him a share if he springs him out of prison, to which Champ agrees. As soon as Champ's term is over, he gets discharged and prepares forged release documents for Raghuvir and in this manner gets him legally out of jail. The two then hideout in a house deep in the country, where Raghuvir is re-united with his daughter, Jia. Champ arranges for two fake passports for him and Raghuvir, and get them two new identities, while he is now Anthony Gonzales, Raghuvir and Jia gets Muslim names. Things do not go exactly as planned as Raghuvir gets killed, and Champ a! nd Jia decide to part ways. But when Jia tells Champ she knows where the ...
Well, it's not a thriller, just a case of mistaken identity!
I happened to watch this movie in Dubai, as it released today. The movie in my opinion didn't live up to the expectations generated during the movie. The movie starts off giving you the impression of a thriller. But, unfortunately, it's a slow paced movie and is nothing more than a mere case of mistaken identity. The story starts off well, but the momentum fizzes out as the movie progresses. For those of you looking to see Sanjay Dutt, well his role isn't very big, so don't be disappointed.
The reason I gave the movie a 4 is because Arshad Warsi's acting is top notch and Minissha Lamba looks really nice.
Life in a Metro (2007)iMDB Rating: 7.4The lives of a group of people, who live in Mumbai are told in this tale, which revolves around Rahul - who occupies an apartment owned by his uncle, and lets rich and influential people use it for their personal sexual past-times. An ignored and angry young wife, Shikha falls into the arms of a young man named Akash, who wants to be an actor for Indian movies; then there is Shikha's sister, Shruti, who is having an affair with a man named Monty; and finally there is Shikha's teacher, Shivani, who is romancing Amol. Things get complicated when Rahul finds out that Neha, who is his girlfriend, is using this very apartment to meet with Ranjeet, who is Shikha's husband.
A realistic approach on life in a metro
This is a good blend of lives of different kinds of people staying in a metro and the conditions and situations they come across. The story is interwoven with different characters related to each other and takes care of all kinds of people not to miss any kind of character that is found in a metro. It is sensitive at times but entertaining. The plot is so nicely woven that you would be in touch with each and every character. The songs are also good and situational. Finally the end being really very crucial and the situations that come up treat everybody in a very practical way to manage everything and you wont feel it unrealistic because the directors and the script writers have done their job....
In short, once watchable, worth spending few hours for entertainment. I hope everybody enjoys......
Acredite, um Espírito Baixou em Mim (2006)iMDB Rating: 6.4The ghost of a gay man, Lolo, refuses to follow his natural way to heaven, and stays on Earth. After meeting the man of his dreams, Lolo decides to incorporate in the body of Vicente, the guy's best friend. The only problem is that Vicente is heterosexual, and his relations with his girl friend is affected by the sudden changes in his behavior.
Sei dai tinwong (2006)iMDB Rating: 6.9A mockumentary that trails the popular Hong Kong band Alive.
What happens when you have a bunch of actors attempt to crash the hot Hong Kong music industry as a boy band?
This mockumentary is a very funny look at the music industry today and how anyone, even with little or no talent can become a star. The idea is that four friends and successful actors, only one of which can sing, will form a boy band and climb up the pop charts. "Actual footage" of the band's journey from creation to performance is inter-cut with interviews of real people from the industry. The result is a scathing attack on the music industry everywhere in the world. Clearly success has little to do with talent and much to do with promotion (they get noticed because they stage a downloading scandal). I haven't laughed like this in a long time. Its revelations make this movie required viewing for anyone who wants to go on American Idol or thinks people like Britney Spears and other packaged pop stars are "talented". It should make anyone with half a brain think twice about when they are offered the deal of their dreams.
One of the real treats of this movie is the craft of this film, its not clear whats real and whats not, except in only one or two instances. Real or not the film feels very real, so real that even after viewing it I'm not sure whats made up and what isn't. Frankly I'm going to have to watch this a few more times to see if I can figure out whats what.
Recommended, especially if you think that the Hong Kong film industry is simply turning out the same things over and over again.
Marvelous (2006)iMDB Rating: 5.0fun movie, great costume design
Martha Plimptons performance is real and inspired. her continued theatrical and independent film performance has me returning to see her. In this film she is also supported by a strong cast and a dark yet endearing script as the film takes a satirical and madcap look at one womens mystical gift.
I was able to see this film at the tribecca film festival and I really look forward to more works from this director.
This may seem like a strange comment for a movie that is not intended for costume greatness... but the clothing truly sets the mood and creates an endearing authenticity for each of the characters.
Doing Therapy (2006)iMDB Rating: 6.3"Doing Therapy" is a lighthearted romantic comedy set in modern-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Humorous, silly, and even suspenseful at times, it is a heartwarming tale with the sincerity and simplicity of a black-and-white 1950s melodrama. In the middle of a highly successful film career, Diane Rischard, a famous Hollywood actress, suddenly develops a problem while onstage. She is stricken with frightful, paralyzing panic attacks that begin to affect her job and her personal life. In an effort to help her, her family seeks out the best anxiety specialist in the country -- an offbeat psychologist (Joe Giacobello) working out of a clinic in Pittsburgh. To avoid the media attention, Diane goes to Pittsburgh, and the unlikely couple is stuck together for an entire month in extensive 24-hour-a-day therapy. As they work together to figure out her problem, Diane reveals that she has been harboring a secret -- a man has been stalking her. The psychotic predator soon surfaces, once again ...
A cute story with some feeling
This movie is not laugh-out-loud funny, just cute and kind of strange in a good way. My daughter had suffered with panic attacks since she was little, so my husband and I connected to some of the things in it. It was silly and quirky throughout most, but just beneath the surface there was a dark side and a sort of vulnerability in these characters, which made it seem honest and endearing. The part toward the end where the man finally faces his problems from the past was somewhat moving for me, just for personal reasons. Anybody who has dealt with panic or anxiety will probably like this movie, it was much more than just a cute romance.
Wieners (2008)iMDB Rating: 4.4A road trip comedy about three friends who travel across the country in a Wiener Wagon to beat up a popular daytime talk show therapist.
There were no toppings?...
One question; what happened to the laughs? "Wieners", as a comedy, failed to deliver. From the looks of the cover, it looks like a fairly straight up comedy that resembles something of a mix between a Nation Lampoons and typical teenage comedy. And I do believe that the movie appeals to a younger audience, but still, what happened to the laughs?
For a movie with a name like "Wieners", you would assume there would be more sausages and jokes related to guy's private parts in it, but oddly enough there was almost none of either. The movie had potential to put up a lot of such moments, but just didn't do it.
This is basically just a dull version of a road-trip movie that didn't make it all the way to the goal.
The cast in "Wieners" were fairly good. The movie was carried by Kenan Thompson (playing Wyatt), and he was also the one that sported the most laughs, for some reason. He got help from Zachary Levi (playing Ben) and Fran Kranz (playing Joel). On the list are more interesting names such as Darrell Hammond (playing Dr. Dwayne), Mindy Sterling (playing Mrs. Applebaum) and a super great performance by Blake Clark (playing Mr. Applebaum).
I had expected to be laughing more throughout the movie, so I was disappointed when the movie ended, and I was left with a hot dog that sadly enough was missing mustard, ketchup and the works.
We Can't Go Home Again (2006)iMDB Rating: 5.0Tokyo, at the beginning of the 21st century. The lives of five young people, each of them struggling to find meanings of their existence, start to cross mysteriously with each other, and will experience unexpected turns in their paths.
Skills Like This (2007)iMDB Rating: 6.6Max Solomon faces the awful truth that he will never be a writer. So, in a desperate attempt to find his true calling, he turns to crime. In this inventive comedy, three friends have their lives turned upside down when one of them realizes that larceny might be his best skill.
not as good as its premise
Monty Miranda's "Skills Like This" has more things wrong with it than just its ungrammatical title. In fact, it's about as innocuous as an indie comedy can be without disappearing from the screen entirely.
Set in Denver, the story centers around four buddies with widely divergent personalities who, nevertheless, remain the best of friends; Dave (Gabriel Tigerman), a straight-arrow salesman who hates his job; Tommy (Brian D. Phelan), a wisecracking slacker with an inflated view of his bad-boy toughness; and Max (Spencer Berger), an unsuccessful playwright who finds he has an aptitude for petty thievery and begins to view it as his very own form of artistic expression.
The theme of going outside the law as a means of finding one's identity as an individual is a fairly amusing one at its core, but the movie makers don't really seem to have much of an idea of how to carve an interesting movie out of it. Perhaps, the script by Berger is just a bit too timid, a bit too reluctant to dive head-first into the realm of slashing satire or hard-hitting black comedy to register much of an impact, settling for feel-good, pseudo-Robin Hood pablum instead. That's a shame, seeing as how most of the actors reveal at least some degree of talent that the material gives them little opportunity to show off for the audience.
'n Beetje Verliefd (2006)iMDB Rating: 5.3Thijs is a ripe-age Dutch tomato grower. His adult daughters plan to have him move in a skyscraper-flat, leaving home and professional life, but he takes his adolescent (half-)Moroccon grandson Omar's advice to refuse and keep living. Thijs even lets the cheerful rascal coach his love-life, which lands him on a blind date with Jacky, an energetic Flemish woman, who won't take no for an answer but turns up at his door-step till he consents, and soon drags him into evening life, preparing for a dance contest. Soon after Omar turns up, listless and lazier then ever, runaway from school and home. The obvious reason for the horny hound's hanging head is a girl: Mergal is foxy, Turkish and as smitten as he, but her burly big brother Erhan will only allow a boy to go steady with her who has proven himself his better on the field in the traditional manly sport of oil-wrestling. Now Thijs, in his day a 'dry' wrestler, resolves to return the kid's favor by coaching down-beaten Omar back to life...
a lively tale of a tomato growers late life love and the hilarious consequences
This is a movie which one can sit back and enjoy, providing excellent visuals and fun filled episodes that keep us laughing all the way.
The genius of the director is apparent in the way the story unfolds with clever inputs from he young Omar who acts as a guide to his grandpa in matters that make him hesitate to go ahead, in view of his age and his two daughters disapproving of his need for a new lease of life. The tomatoes add a dimension to many scenes and are a welcome change from usual love stories churned out from Hollywood. Some drama is included in the form of the rebellious grandson but he is lovable and provides enough thread to keep the story together until the end where we await in suspense of what is going to happen. You will not be disappointed if you see the movie which is woven among people of different cultures getting integrated with each other without losing their original identities.
