Li'l Duce's Reviews Palace

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The Brig (1964) I first read the play about 30 years ago. Never had the chance to see the movie though, so only now is clear that Kubrick got inspired by this for the first part of FMJ. Still this is maybe better, dispensing with steadycam and funny sergeant. It leaves no room for breathing from start to end. Funny thing, it won first prize at the Venice festival in the "documentary" section: so it could maybe also make the "near-noir" list of CJ . 10\10

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Gone in 60 Seconds (1974) At first I thought jenkins (on whose recommendation I watched the movie) had taken advantage of the Colorado's new laws before they were promulgated. But then the car chase begins and let's render honour to whom gave me the heads up. 9\10

Unfortunately in 1974 there was no web, so they couldn't know about this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT6U57QkUe8

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Vampires (1998) Excellent movie, with lots of suspence, new angles on the legend, a good cast. Even the usual Carpenter's OST does fit. The final result depends probably on having a good novel as a starting point. 8\10

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Ghosts of Mars (2001) Rehashing of everything you have already seen at least a dozen times plotwise. The set looks like the one you could use for a musical clip. Infacts the main villain is made to look like a memeber of the Kiss. I give it 6\10 only because Natasha Henstridge is a real looker and it's a pleasure watching her on the screen anyway.

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Creeepshow (1982) A little uneven but some excellent episodes, like the Leslie Nielsen's and E.G. Marshall's. 8\10

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Creepshow 2 (1987) This gets 8\10 just for "The Raft" episode, a real masterpiece. The other 2 episodes are good ones.

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Halloween (1978) I saw this when released and didn't remember a thing. I like the way Carpeneter dispose of blood maimings and other effects leaving much to imagination (though maybe I'm saying this 30 years after having seen everything as to gory effects on screen). Then there's the added attraction of young JLC's presence: ugly and sexy as usual. 8\10 

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Halloween II (1981) For me it is as good as the first one, of which completes the story. 8\10

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Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) Dull episode of the saga, with nothing to do with the first two. Kind of alien invasion story, with just one good terrific episode: the test room. 4\10

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From Hell (2001) First-rate thriller, marred by Johnny Depp's performance: he's more inept than Di Caprio at playing. Better as a football player for my team:

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Yunost Maksima (1935) A piece of heavy-handed communist propaganda which has little to recommend itself. I don't like the actor playing the main role, always eyes wide opened. The girl, on the contrary, is easy to the eye. 5\10

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Vozvrashcheniye Maksima (1937) More of same.

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Vyborgskaya storona (1939) The final part of Maxim Trilogy is slightly more interesting than the other two because of some depiction of historical events, though in a ridiculously mendacious form. Stalin is depicted as possessing some sense of humor, though of course he wasn't there in the first place. And the movie is overlong anyway. 6\10

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My Bloody Valentine (2009) Passable slasher flick, though a half hour too long. First movie in 3D I saw at home. 6\10

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Les brigades du Tigre (2006) Promising in the first part, then it dilutes what is left to tell and loses momentum. But Diane Kruger is worth watching anyway. Clovis Cornillac is miscast: too small for the part. 6\10