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Reviews
Rachel (2005)
A great first film for Boris CiFuentes
This is a film about a guy who is bad with girls, and many of us can relate to that. And like many sensitive guys who are bad with girls, he longs for his cute roommate Rachel. She's very friendly and not bad on the eyes, and her personality is exactly what Pete wants in life. I won't ruin it, but you can't help but completely relate and feel for this guy.
Boris CiFuentes may be known as a guy who handles lighting and cinematography in the indie scene in New York, but he's very deft as a writer/director. He brings a mature and sensitive approach to the and story, creating life-like characters who jump off the screen. Movie lovers will see themselves in the tale.
The editing is crisp and tight, as Boris leaves nothing up too long. Every cut is deliberate and the pacing is perfect. It's a short film, but it isn't too long, which seems to be a huge problem for short filmmakers. The film is damn near the perfect length for a short.
The actors bring depth and life to Pete and Rachel. Sarah Midlin creates a believable, care- free New York girl, while Richard Zekaria's Pete is human, but ultimately flawed. If Boris had a cast a lesser actor, the audience would be screaming at the scene for Pete to stop whining.
The overall production is excellent, and Jon Fordham's cinematography, done using a DVX100 from Panasonic (it may have been the "A" series) in 24p mode and other settings which add to the look, is wonderful. He captures the images perfectly, adding to Boris' story, but not detracting the viewer from it. Most directors want to shoot their films themselves, or they'll work too close with their director of photography, sacrificing everything for slick camera moves. Boris trusts Jon, and the end result is excellent.
All in all, it's a story that is very New York, but still could take place anywhere. It's a story that reflects how 20-somethings feel, act and react in the modern United States and perhaps the rest of the world. It's not easy to find or "grab" the right person, even if you live with that person. Boris' "Rachel" is a powerful testament to that loneliness.
(Coming soon: "Rachel 2: Die Harder," where Rachel and Pete find themselves in sunny Miami fighting corrupt cops and powerful Columbian drug dealers.)
RoboCop vs. The Terminator (1993)
Awesome!
I played this game on Sega so much in 1993 and 1994, it was sick. Around Christmas 1993, when visiting my father, my best friend and I wrote down a secret code from some magazine, so we wouldn't have to buy it, and continued playing. Great game, along with the first Jurassic Park game.
If you happen to have an old Sega console, see if you can pick up the game on eBay, and just have a blast. I'm sure there are walk-thrus and such on the net. Esp. that code I mentioned!
Also, this is based on the comic of the same title, written by RoboCop 2/3 and Sin City writer, Frank Miller (a legend in the comics field) and drawn by Walter Simonson, another legend. The comic was heavily hyped, after the success of Dark Horse Comics' Aliens vs. Predator in 1991, but was a little bit of a disappointing read. Maybe my expectations were too high.
Zoom Suit (2005)
Awesome little animated short!
Really dug this anime-style cartoon! Not too bad for a first-time effort from director Taddeo. And, as a long time Iron Man the Marvel Comic character, I enjoyed the additional designs by legendary artist Bob Layton! Taddeo introduces a young guy who is made fun of for being a little poor. Kid can't even afford a Halloween costume, so he's taunted constantly.
Meanwhile, a corrupt agent decides to steal an alien armor, only to discover a small problem. His loss is our young hero's gain as a new super guy is born: ZOOM SUIT! I look forward to further animated adventures!
Shattered Glass (2003)
Unbelievable
I find it completely horrifying that people like Glass and Jayson Blair and other "journalists" went to such lengths to help their egos. Neither are truly remorseful; now they're just looking to cash in.
A great, somber, adult film that shows what happened. Superb script, direction, production, acting, etc. Hayden did a great job, but Peter is the real winner here with a sober performance.
As a former tape editor and creative services producer in TV news (7 years total), people who fabricate the news, or skew it in such a way to satisfy political leanings (right, left, center, etc.), personal/ego accomplishments, etc., makes me sick.
And those potential/current/former journalists should watch this movie.
Chasing Amy (1997)
The most honest movie I've ever seen
Since I sometimes suck at elaborating in some situations, I'll just leave it as that: it's the most honest movie I've ever seen. Smith puts his life out for display and even criticism (or ridicule) and he did it unflinchingly. Chasing Amy is why my first film and my next one strive to be honest (but not imitations of Smith).
There are small things that bug me a little, but the truthfulness, performances, direction and more far outweigh those criticisms. Even watching a few minutes of the film still gives me goosebumps. Literally.
Ulee's Gold (1997)
The best film of 1997
This film is so good, I remember driving 33 miles just to watch it. Twice! Fonda should've won the Oscar, not Nicholson (sorry, Jack fans)! It's such a great character study, paced perfectly, well written, well directed. I used the inspiration of this film for my own flick, _Skye Falling (2001) (V)_ (qv) which I feel draws upon the unique qualities of this film's style. Titanic wasn't the best film of 1997, Ulee's Gold is! What Victor Nunez does, pretty much mostly out of the Hollywood system, is provide honest film portraits of human beings. Who doesn't think Ruby in Paradise is Ashley Judd's best film? It certainly is! Nunez has a way of writing and directing many famous (or in Judd's case, soon-to-be-famous) actors to some of their best performances! And, as a Florida filmmaker, I'm delighted to know Nunez continues working his magic in the Sunshine State!
Haunted (2002)
Dark and cool
I only saw a couple of episodes and was VERY disappointed to see it cancelled. Man, that sucked! I hope it comes out on DVD soon; this was probably the only show I wanted to try and see if I could work on an episode, it was THAT cool!
Down with Love (2003)
A surprisingly fun film
I saw this film in the budget theaters last night with a female friend (really, the best way for a guy to see a movie like this). The entire film found the two of us with big smiles on our faces. Two women behind us recited lines with the characters, so it's obviously a really popular movie with some viewers.
Overall, it's a fun, breezy movie that made people happy and didn't insult anyone's intelligence. I give it ***/****.
Home Movies (1999)
The show that seems like it's based on my life
What's amazing about this show, that I discovered on UPN weeks before I made my first film (May 1999), is that it reminds me of me. I wasn't into sports, I had asthma and I made movies as a kid (and adult). It's great, funny, honest and a great pleasure to watch. Moving to Cartoon Network and Adult Swim was genius! And seeing the kids play different characters in the same film took me back to my early filmmaking days using a video camera and making bad horror flicks with one other actor/cameraman (my buddy) and putting on fake mustaches and such. And doing EVERYTHING in camera (no music, titles on paper, editing done in camera as we produce it). Ah, those were the days.
The Bloody Child (1996)
Interesting had it been 10 minutes long.
Backwards-in-time, shots of people just standing or sitting there, a man's face shoved into a dead woman's bloody body, naked women in the woods covered in dirt. It's gotta be an arty movie. And EVERYONE who is ANYONE loves it, according to some things I've read on the Internet. I watched this in my film class and decided I'd rather listen to my iPod and focus on my Audio Book, HEART OF DARKNESS. My professor (and others, apparently) BREATHLESSLY describe it as the greatest "war film" ever. And the most brutal. Uh-huh...Have they even SEEN any war films in the last, say, 30-60 years? And SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and FULL METAL JACKET are some of the MOST brutal I've ever seen.
As a filmmaker, I appreciate filmmaking, and have been known to praise good indie films and bad Hollywood films, and vice-versa. But this movie takes the cake in over-indulgent, self-pleasing, egotistical filmmaking, because the only people who would like it are the filmmakers. It is also one of those "important films" that only people who want to feel important and is a film elitist would like.
I give it an F for quality and effort. But, I appreciate anyone who can actually RAISE the money and go make it. (Or just spend their own money, which is both brave and stupid--I've learned this one the hard way.)