The special effects are awesome in the way only the ’80s can provide (ie: outer space shots being filmed underwater). The movie wasn’t too terribly bad, nor terribly good. Someone compared it to an episode of Star Trek, and I would have to agree. If you’re a fan of Sci-fi, do check it out though. This one isn’t too popular and might be hard to find for most people.

I’ve love to see this pulled off now. The acting was great, story was great. A feminist theater company Depardieu sometimess works for was having troubles coming up with an idea. Someone mentioned rape as a subject. They tried to do a reverse rape on Depardieu, but they liked it heh. Interesting part of the movie.

There’s plenty of nudity in here, as well as Depardieu making out with a 60 year old woman. The ending was a bit dramatic, but I liked it.

One comment on IMDB hit it correctly: Is it another world, or our world gone mad?

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Bye Bye Monkey

James Coco (Performer). Koch Lorber Films 2009, DVD, $8.94

The plot is about a wealthy man who falls in love with this best friend’s love interest, and while at his birthday party, they head back to her house.  This is where all the shenanigans begins. Sort of. The next morning as he is leaving the girl’s house, a woman (from the party) followed him there and offers him a ride home, which he accepts. She goes crazy and crashes the car and from here on out it’s wtf is going on.

It’s a great movie. I saw the Vanilla Sky version before I saw this one, so I knew what was coming, which was too bad because this original is awesome. Oh, and it doesn’t have Tom Cruise in it, but Penélope Cruz is in it! FTW! Kinda cool they brought her back in Vanilla Sky playing the same part.

I’d recommend this movie over Vanilla Sky anyday. It is in Spanish, so subtitles all the way. I’ve seen it around named Permanent Midnight as well, and its original Spanish name, Abre los ojos.

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Open Your Eyes

Hans Burman (Cinematographer). Artisan Entertainment 2001, DVD, $4.35

The movie is suppose to be about invisible aliens that come to earth looking for heroin. How typical for the ’80s huh?

They also kill humans during sex  because they find it similar to the high that heroin gives them.

Alright, already you’re thinking WTF, I know. It’s nuts. Bad, very bad keyboard music from the ’80s. The hair styles, the fashion, the acting. WOW. I didn’t know it could get this bad. Received a 5.6 on IMDB, I’d rate this probably a 2, just for the work and effort of filming something.

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It is about a kid who accidentally gets his father killed and travels to the city to get money for his family by working as a Sleep Dealer.

It seemed like a very low budget indie movie, maybe a little heavy on the special effects which were a little subpar. I think the movie didn’t go deep enough, I think it focused too much on unimportant stuff. The acting was ok, I’m not too familiar with Spanish cinema, but it looks like even they are putting out better stuff than Hollywood.

Overall the movie was decent, if a little slow. I had watched Avatar the same day so I was in a sci-fi mood when I watched it. If you’re a sci-fi cinema geek definitely check it out, otherwise you might not like it.

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Sleep Dealer

Maya Entertainment 2009, DVD, $5.24

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Sleep Dealer [Blu-ray]

Maya Home Ent 2009, Blu-ray, $8.03

Anyway, The Big Empty is about an actor that isn’t having very much luck in the acting business and takes a courier job offer from a neighbor. The job itself is shrouded in secrecy and what not, but he’s getting paid 27 thousand dollars. So he accepts.

He goes to the meeting place and waits. A little comic drama and then the movie gets on with it. I won’t divulge anymore though. You’ll have to watch.

Overall, the movie is decent. It felt like a short movie, probably due to the comedy in it that I enjoyed. If you need a little something to sit back and enjoy with out too much thinking, this’ll do it.

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The Big Empty

Lions Gate 2004, DVD, $0.01

It’s set in the future in a society that seems more truth than fiction, kinda like the movie Idiocracy. The movie is about a government worker who tries to fix a wrongful arrest/killing, but ends up being the one the government goes after. With a bit of comedy and seriousness to the liking I hope we never see, it is entertaining.

Movies like these that depict the future and how we might evolve or devlove are pretty inhteresting to watch.Who knows if we’ll end up with no government like Idiocracy or an incompetent, more paperwork than ever and no questions asked government like in this movie.

Overall, the movie is good. It’s become somewhat of a cult hit. If you like other Terry Gilliam movies, no doubt you’ll like this one. Brazil is also in IMDB’s Top 250 movies at number 245. http://www.imdb.com/chart/top?tt0088846

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Brazil

Universal Studios 2007, DVD, $7.48

Visually, the movie is stunning.

The movie follows a cop on a new assignment, a missing persons assignment. It takes place in France in the year 2054. They have a company called Avalon that is all about beauty and health and living long, think Equilibrium -esque. The missing person is a scientist from the Avalon corporation.

A decent mystery/thriller story, but a little bit predictable. Overall it was a good movie, I can recommend it. It’s in French, so you’ll need subtitles if you don’t speak French.

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Renaissance

Miramax 2007, DVD, $7.05

The movie is about a psychiatrist who (I don’t want to say gets a taste of her own medicine but whatever) has a tumor and begins to experience the effects of it as it gets larger in her brain. Eventually she ends up killing some people, and then the movie is over. I’m going to have to watch it again and maybe think it through.

It seemed like a good movie if you’re in the mood for a psychological thriller. It did seem short, or maybe I just enjoyed it (running time is 1hr 20mins, so not really short).

If you’ve seen the movie, comments would definitely be appreciated.

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The Dark Hours

Freestyle Releasing 2006, DVD, $2.69

Cube is about some people that are put into a maze, if you will, that is filled with traps. They have no idea how they got there, or why they are there.

As they work their way through the rooms, they figure out what might be a way out. As time goes on, their attitudes change and they become more fighting themselves vs. trying to get out.

Cube is a great film and it’s definitely a cult masterpiece. I know they made (at least) two more Cube movies, but I don’t recall how good they were. The original still wins. One of David Hewlett’s (who was in previously mentioned movie Nothing) earlier roles, you can tell he’s gonna do some good acting.

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Cube

Derek Rogers (Cinematographer). Lions Gate 1999, DVD, $7.33