Movie Review - The Iris Effect (Surreal and Complex)

This movie is based on a script entitled "Brown Moscow", by Yuri Kamenetsky et al. The movie is professionally done but extremely hard to follow. There really needed to be a "Directors Comments" segment on this DVD. The movie is Surreal and Complex: My 4 star rating is based on this genre.

Here is my description of the plot: Sarah laments her missing son Thomas, who ran away years before. She finds a clue of his whereabouts in a catalog of a painting exhibition in Russia, and she goes there. In Russia, a young boy keeps watching her at at distance and she is confused. Eventually we get to the main mystery, where a woman (Katya) is cared for by her husband, who protects her from memories of the death of her past lover (Thomas) for the last 10-years with gentle care, and drugs when she needs them. Katya has occasional episodes where she goes to Thomas' drowning-site and is puzzled.

The movie's mystery is finally revealed, when at this drowning-site, the husband once-and-for-all convinces Katya that Thomas was long dead - and she jumps into the water. Sarah and the boy (revealed as Thomas re-incarnated) are late arriving on the scene. Thomas jumps in and saves her. (In the water his shape shifts to adult form for dramatic effect).

Katya (her hair flowing) and her rescuer are cast in quite striking imagery, floating slowly down into the deep. The movie ends with Katya evidently going her own way (back to caring husband), and Sarah joins with Thomas the boy. He is painting a picture of Katya and Sarah says "You really miss her ... don't feel bad ... maybe you'll be with her next time"

Movie Review - The Woods (Cool Mystery with Surreal Mood Throughout)

An Academy to Die For (or At)! I loved the low key, surreal mood present throughout this movie! Heather (Agnes Bruckner) is required to go to a boarding-school during the 1960's era, by her very proper and upscale mom (Emma Campbell). This is to help reform her after a fire-starting incident involving Heather and an evidently irksome forest close to home. The very proper instructors at this school, behave very mysteriously (they must know something:)

The head mistress who is named Miss. Traverse (Patricia Clarkson), both takes an interest in Heather and seems to know something of her powers. Heather tries to do her time, but then the strange stuff starts happening - one student disappears, another has an accident.

Heather eventually realizes that she has a supernatural power and that destiny has led her here - because these woods really do need a good burning!! The ending is both exciting and re-uniting.

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Movie Review Addendum - Blood and Chocolate: The Meaning of the B and C Metaphor

This movie is an excellent Fantasy Adventure Romance with a happy ending! See my earlier blog review below.

Blood and Chocolate signifies a metaphor for Werewolves and Humans. Aidan represents tasty chocolate (what Vivian wants), whereas Gabriel represents nourishing blood, high in Iron and Protein (what Vivian needs).

The movie's director decided to DIFFER from the book, in that Vivian ultimately chooses Chocolate. (This is THE major irritant to the book vigilantes, who came out to comment in force:)

In the book: Gabriel is the alpha male who is responsible for leading the pack. He loves Vivian but she initially favors Aidan. HERE Vivian eventually concludes that Aidan is fleeting and non-essential - and therefore Blood is better than Chocolate.

In the movie: Vivian says "I have the taste of blood AND chocolate in my mouth". HERE Vivian eventually concludes that Gabriel is just too cold and domineering to be with - and therefore Chocolate is better than Blood. (It seems to be assumed that the audience would be curious and listen to the director's commentary, to divine the meaning of this single utterance).

Movie Review - Venom (Decent Indie Light Horror Adventure)

An Indie style movie in that it stars a group of young actors with lots of energy, who are having fun, making plans (and getting killed-off:) I rated it a Nine within this context.

The mystery theme is cleverly similar to a Nancy Drew story. A group of young friends, with their whole lives ahead of them, discovering and learning about voodoo out of necessity (trying to avoid getting killed-off:).

The spooky theme is very similar to the classic horror style. A Voodoo Zombie out for a hellish romp, controlled by escaped bad dead souls that had been milked/extracted/contained by a good Voodoo priestess.

An entertaining movie where Friends gather at Voodoo temples, get chased thru a real Louisiana Swamp, and often get to die. There's also a hero at the end:)

Movie Review - Dreamland (Satisfying, Warm, Holistic)

A Daughter Rehabs her Dad and Gets a Life. Agnes Bruckner plays Audrey, a self-sacrificing friend and daughter. Audrey dreams of leaving the Dreamland cocoon and experiencing life. Instead of acting on her college and life's desires, she puts herself at the disposal of others (her devastated, widowed father and her chronically ill best friend).

She simply has to nudge her dad out of his comfort zone. Teach him how to live again by dragging him out of the trailer and going places - initially with her. Like many challenges in personal relationships, this is easier said than done.

In the end the father helps himself in order to help his daughter. When he finds her letters of acceptance to the various colleges that she has kept hidden from him, he realizes he MUST step-up, and transform from being Audrey's dependent to being her dad. This is a very satisfying movie with a great cast, music and scenery.

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Movie Review - Blood and Chocolate (Excellent Fantasy Adventure Romance)

A Fantasy Adventure Romance with a happy ending! The opening scene is a soft narration by Vivian [Agnes Bruckner] as an adult, while you view her as a child, making angels in the snow:) You then flash to the present, where you see the very athletic adult Vivian, jogging to her job at the Chocolate boutique.

The European locations were very scenic and the violence was minimal. It is very much an artistic adventure romance. The plot is straightforward, but there is a central moral theme: everyone should have the right to pursue their own dreams and love who they choose - this should even include those who can transform themselves into werewolves!

Vivian is put under pressure as the next-to-be-chosen by the Alpha male werewolf. She decides to be quite uppity and contrary, in wanting the freedom to marry whom she chooses - and live to tell about it! Besides the chosen locale, the European bent can also be seen in their continued fascination for Rave-style Discos. In one scene many young people (perhaps half of them part of the werewolf nation) gather after-hours to socialize, network, drink, and dance to sweat it off.

"Blood and Chocolate" is a very good movie. It demonstrates that you often have to fight for even basic freedoms. Curiously, the movie was somewhat overlooked due to various circumstances: there were plot differences from the book, the European flavor may feel unfamiliar to some, many had horror expectations and simply couldn't tolerate a romance:)

I highly recommend it. A lot of effort was put into the production, and the actors were stellar.