RockyHorrorFan Reviews

Scooby-Doo (2002)

Very, very funny!

[10/10 · 18 June 2002]

Although I am a high school student, I really enjoyed this movie! It was a very faithful rendition of the cartoons. Matthew Lillard, Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Linda Cardellini play the Mystery Inc. perfectly! Lillard is especially good as Shaggy! Rowan Atkinson was also very funny.

If you want a whole bunch of good laughs, and not have your intelligence insulted, go see SCOOBY-DOO!

Pay It Forward (2000)

Beautiful and moving!

[10/10 · 23 January 2002]

I loved this movie!

My mother, my sister, and I wanted to watch a movie together. So when we heard that it would be on HBO in 20 minutes, we all jumped in front of the TV and waited. What a beautiful movie! I don't think there's anything wrong with this film, especially with the acting. I mean... with Helen Hunt, Kevin Spacey, Haley Joel Osment (this kid is AWESOME!!!), Jay Mohr, Jon Bon Jovi, James Cavaziel, and Angie Dickinson, how can you go wrong?!

The script is very touching and well-written. The ending was especially powerful. I'm going to be 20 this summer, and I cried like a baby throughout the last 5 minutes!

Don't listen to what Leonard Maltin says. PAY IT FORWARD is an effective drama that will change the way you look at life and the lives of those around you. It certainly changed mine.

Hannibal (2001)

Deliciously evil and suspenseful!

[10/10 · 30 December 2001]

Movie Title: HANNIBAL (2001)

Cast: Sir Anthony Hopkins (Dr. Hannibal 'The Cannibal' Lecter), Julianne Moore (Clarice M. Starling), Ray Liotta (Paul Krendler), Giancarlo Giannini (Rinaldo Pazzi), Frankie Faison (Barney Matthews), Francesca Neri (Allegra Pazzi), and Gary Oldman (Mason Verger).

My Rating: ***1/2 out of **** (3.5 out of 4)

Synopsis: After living under an alias in Florence, Italy, Dr. Hannibal 'The Cannibal' Lecter decides to hunt down, and reunite with, his old "friend", agent Clarice Starling, whom has recently gotten into deep trouble with the FBI.

My Review: The world's most psychotic gentleman is back in HANNIBAL, the long-awaited sequel to THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS!

Anyone who has ever seen SILENCE... or HANNIBAL knows that no one else can play the sadistic Hannibal Lecter as well as Sir Hopkins. In fact, no one else can even say 'Hello, Clarice..." with such subtle menace or awkward politeness. Sir Hopkins plays Hannibal as the ultimate villain, and has the Academy Award to prove it. Julianne Moore gives a fabulous and heartfelt performance as Clarice. Unfortunately, she has been subjected to many unfair comparisons to the original Starling, Jodie Foster. In my opinion, it wouldn't be right to compare them because they play the role differently. Although Foster was good in the role, Moore did not want to play the role like Foster, nor did she want to. She has her own interpretation. Ray Liotta, Giancarlo Giannini, and an unrecognizable Gary Oldman offer splendid supporting work, each role being just as big and important as the other. Besides Hopkins, the only returning cast member from the original is Frankie Faison, who does a great job as Barney.

I think that the romance between Hannibal and Clarice is very strange, yet touching. They could not be any more different, but they are so perfect for each other. Clarice is very loyal, brave, and smart. Hannibal knows this, which is why he respects and loves her.

Director Ridley Scott has done a magnificent job at capturing the beauty of Florence. He also has many other interesting camera tricks up his sleeve.

Scott, screenwriter David Mamet, author Thomas Harris, the cast, and the rest of the creative/productive staff have all done a flawless job in creating a masterful, scary, and gorgeous film!

Final Destination (2000)

Scary, clever, and original!

[10/10 · 29 December 2001]

Movie Title: FINAL DESTINATION (2001)

Cast: Devon Sawa (Alexander Browning), Ali Larter (Clear Rivers), Kerr Smith (Carter Horton), Kristin Cloke (Ms. Valerie Lewton), Seann William Scott (William Hitchcock), Roger Guenveur (Agent Schreck), Daniel Roebuck (Agent Weine), Chad E. Donella (Tod Waggner), Amanda Detmer (Terry Chaney), and Tony Todd (Daniel Bludworth)

My Rating: *** out of **** (3 out of 4 stars)

Synopsis: His entire high school class is going to Paris, but Alex Browning (played by Devon Sawa) can't seem to shake his fear of flying. Once aboard the plane, he has a violently disruptive premonition which gets him, five of his classmates including Clear Rivers (played by Ali Larter) and Carter Horton (played by Kerr Smith), and a teacher (played by Kristin Cloke) kicked off the plane. As the students watch the plane depart, they witness the horrifying disaster that proves the deadly premonition true. Now having dodged death once, the terror begins as Fate hunts them down one-by-one. Soon the survivors will discover that you can't cheat death and get away with it...

My Review: FINAL DESTINATION is the kind of movie that is so unbelievably suspenseful and intense, that it's hard NOT to shake in your seat. This type of premise for a movie has never been done before, making it officially original.

The death scenes are very clever because they show the audience that there are so many ways that the characters could die in their current situation(s), and that is a very big plus. The acting is very good. As the protagonists, Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, and Kerr Smith all play their roles very honestly and naturally. As the detectives, Daniel Roebuck and Roger Guenveur Smith are very stern and realistic, while at the same time being subtly funny. As the supporting characters, Kristin Cloke, Chad Donella, Seann William Scott, and Amanda Detmer all turn in excellent performances. Tony 'The Candyman' Todd makes a surprising cameo as a sinister mortician, whom I believe to be the Grim Reaper in human form. Although his character seems under-written and useless at first, he is actually very important to the story, which you would know if you have seem the movie. All of the characters bring something unique to the film. In fact, there are no weak links in this cast.

Being a horror movie, it is inevitable that there will be some 'jump scares'. But, the scares for this movie are different because they are unexpected. Usually, you would have creepy yet obvious music playing as the killer jumps out at the heroine, but not in this movie. The composer (Shirley Walker) was very wise not to score the jump scenes, although her score for the rest of the movie is a masterpiece all on its own.

Director James Wong, as well as the cast and the rest of the productive/creative staff have all done a great job in creating a strong, stylish, and surprisingly intelligent horror thriller that is guaranteed to increase the speed of your heartbeat. You won't look at life (or airplanes) the same way again!

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

A classic horror movie!

[10/10 · 27 December 2001]

I absolutely adore this movie! It's very chilling, exciting, well-written, and very well-acted! John Debney's musical score is great! Sarah Michelle Gellar finally proved her talent as an actress in this film, as did the rest of the young cast (featuring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ryan Phillippe, Freddie Prinze Jr., Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, Johnny Galecki, and Anne Heche)! If you're a horror movie buff, then you'll LOVE this movie!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Pure Christmas Magic!

[24 December 2001]

If you don't like this movie, then YOUR heart must be two or three sizes too small.

This movie is very beautiful and perfect for the holidays. Jim Carrey gives a performance that should be praised highly! It is a grand performance and it should be recognized as that. The adorable Taylor Momsen is perfect as Cindy Lou Who: She's very cute, but not to the point where it gets on the audience's nerves. The rest of the stellar cast (including Anthony Hopkins, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, Bill Irwin, Molly Shannon, and Clint Howard) is absolutely awesome!

James Horner's musical score is so warm and heartfelt, and it really adds a lot to the movie. The elaborate production design is something you must see to believe!

If you're in the mood for a hilarious, well-acted, well-written, and drop-dead gorgeous movie to watch with your family on Christmas Eve, then this is the one to pick up!

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Extremely entertaining!

[10/10 · 10 December 2001]

I enjoyed this film very much. It was really well-written and kept my interest throughout the 2 hour running time. The editing and direction were very sharp and the pacing of the story was right on the money. The playfully eerie musical score was pitch-perfect, and added a lot to the fun.

As for the cast, there is only one word for: FLAWLESS! This is an ensemble if I've ever seen one! Each actor brings something special to the movie. Everyone did a great job!

I loved how the whole scheme came into play. It was very interesting to see what lengths the characters had to go through. It was the kind of set-up where if any the 'eleven' messed up in their particular assignments, the whole con would be ruined. Although, it is highly unlikely that anyone could think of a strategy that complex.

In short, if you're looking for a snappy and fun crime comedy, then you'll love OCEAN's ELEVEN. It was an old-fashioned great time at the movies!

My Grade: A-

Cast: George Clooney (Daniel Ocean), Brad Pitt (Rusty Ryan), Andy Garcia (Terrence Benedict), Matt Damon (Linus Caldwell), Carl Reiner (Saul Bloom), Elliott Gould (Ruben Tischkoff), Don Cheadle (Bashir Tarr), Scott Caan (Turk Malloy), Casey Affleck (Virgil Malloy), and Julia Roberts (as Tess Ocean). Among several other actors, Joshua Jackson and Shane West appear as themselves.

Directed by Steve Soderbergh

Written by Ted Griffin

Dude, Where's My Car? (2000)

It's hard to hate a movie that's SUPPOSED to be bad...

[8 December 2001]

I thought this movie was strictly OK. It wasn't as funny as I had hoped. However, the performances by Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott are hilarious! And it has moments that will probably become legendary in the world of teen comedies. Here are some examples:

"And den...???!!!" --- "What's mine say?" "'Sweet'! What's mine say?" "'Dude'! What's mine say?"

All in all, if you have basically nothing else to do, I think you should give this movie a shot. It's not for all tastes, but hey! What movie IS?

My Grade: C+/B-

Heartbreakers (2001)

A Fantastic Movie!

[10/10 · 16 November 2001]

This movie was excellent! Everyone in the stellar cast was great! I was especially pleased with Jennifer Love Hewitt. In this film, she proved that she's a LOT more than a beautiful face. I don't think it's fair that most female moviegoers don't like her because she has cleavage. Well, for all of you that may apply to, why don't you stop criticizing her just because she's talented and beautiful? Get some self-esteem for crying out loud!!!

Although this movie may be a half-hour too long, it is so well-written and engagingly funny, you don't really notice.

My Grade: A-

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)

An Entertaining Sequel!

[12 November 2001]

Although it fails to exceed the suspense of the original, this sequel was very entertaining. It was stylish, to say the least. As far as production design goes, every scene goes to the extreme by adding little touches that make it look perfect. The HUGE ensemble cast is great, the direction is great, the plot is a little far-fetched but still plausible. What's not to like? Rent (or buy) and enjoy!

My Grade: B+

Cast: Jennifer Love Hewitt (Julie James), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Ray Bronson), Brandy Norwood (Karla Wilson), Matthew Settle (Will Benson), Mekhi Phifer (Tyrell Martin), Muse Watson (Benjamin Willis), Jennifer Esposito (Nancy Murphy), Bill Cobbs (Estes), Jeffrey Combs (Mr. Brooks), John Hawkes (Dave), and a cameo by Jack Black.

Legally Blonde (2001)

A delightful and satisfying comedy!

[10/10 · 10 November 2001]

What a light-hearted and refreshing comedy!

Reese Witherspoon deserves an Oscar nomination for her wonderful (with a capital W) performance as Elle Woods, a young blonde from Beverly Hills. Her boyfriend Warner (Matthew Davis) breaks up with her because he feels that she is TOO blonde and 'un-serious' for him. She proves that she is serious by winning a seat at Harvard Law School. And in doing so, she realizes that she has a impeccable knack for counseling! From beginning to end, you have a great movie that is sure to put a smile on your face!

Grade: B+

Cast: Reese Witherspoon (Elle Woods), Matthew Davis (Warner), Luke Wilson (Emmett), Selma Blair (Vivian), Victor Garber (Prof. Callahan), Jennifer Coolidge (Paulette), Ali Larter (Brooke), and Jessica Cauffiel (Margot).

Shrek (2001)

Hilarious!!!

[10/10 · 10 November 2001]

This movie is flat-out funny!

Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow, and Jim Cummings all did terrific jobs in their performances!

However, even though he is the title character, Mike Myers did just an okay job. His Scottish accent reminded me too much of his character, 'Fat Bastard', from AUSTIN POWERS 2. He was pretty good, though.

The animation is eye-popping and the script (along with the fairy-tale-spoof theme) is delightful!

It something that every age can enjoy: it has enough cute eye-candy and lovable characters (especially 'Donkey') for the little kids and it has well-written jokes for the teenage-and-up audiences. My only complaint about the movie was that it had a tad too much profanity. Swearing in a PG-rated, animated comedy (even if it is a tiny bit) is not cool in my book. It just doesn't seem right.

If you like cool special effects and have a good sense of humor, then rent SHREK. You won't be disappointed.

My Grade: A- (***1/2 out of ****)

Cast: Mike Myers (Shrek), Eddie Murphy (Donkey), Cameron Diaz (Princess Fiona), and John Lithgow (Lord Farquaad).

Valentine (2001)

A horror movie with BRAINS!!!

[10/10 · 2 November 2001]

Let me just start by saying that I LOVED this movie! It was so good in just about every way possible. It had clever writing, suspenseful scenes, funny one-liners, hilarious in-jokes, wonderful cinematography, sophisticated direction, talented actors, creepy yet beautiful music, and intelligence! That's something that VERY few horror movies have these days: brains! Go and rent this movie with an open mind! You'll love it!

*** out of ****!

The Glass House (2001)

A great thriller!!!!!

[10/10 · 2 November 2001]

THE GLASS HOUSE is a wonderful and stylishly creepy thriller!

The story concerns Ruby Baker (Leelee Sobieski), a 16 year-old who is orphaned when her parents (Rita Wilson & Michael O'Keefe) are killed in a car crash. Now, her and her 11 year-old brother, Rhett Clark Baker (Trevor Morgan), must go to Malibu and live with their former neighbors, Terry and Erin Glass (Stellan Skarsgård & Diane Lane). Terry and Erin live in a beautiful house made of glass, and live a seemingly flawless life. They spoil Ruby and Rhett with flashy toys, video games, clothes, and more. However, slowly but surely, Ruby notices some odd and suspicious behavior. She speaks to her family's lawyer, Allen Begleiter (Bruce Dern) and finds out that she has a $4 million trust fund, which she inherited when her parents died. Ruby soon realizes that not only are her new guardians after her trust fund, but they are also responsible for the death of her parents.

If you are into beautifully designed movies, with perfect casting, terrific mood-setting music, and wonderful direction, then THE GLASS HOUSE (2001) is for you!

Cast List: Leelee Sobieski (Ruby Baker), Diane Lane (Dr. Erin Madre-Glass), Stellan Skarsgård (Terrence Glass), Bruce Dern (Allen Begleiter), Rita Wilson (Grace Baker), Kathy Baker (Nancy Ryan), and Trevor Morgan (Rhett Clark Baker).

Star Rating; *** out of *** (3/4)

Bride of Chucky (1998)

A terrific blend of comedy and horror!

[31 October 2001]

I thought this movie was very well-done. Katherine Heigl, Brad Dourif, and (especially) Jennifer Tilly did a great job in this! It was a perfect blend between horror and comedy. In fact, I think that this film was supposed to be a dark comedy. That's what it seems like, anyway. If you like 'Child's Play', than you'll LOVE this one! ***/****

PS- Happy Halloween, everyone!

Riding in Cars with Boys (2001)

Beautiful Movie!

[10/10 · 28 October 2001]

RIDING IN CARS WITH BOYS was a very nice movie. I expected an all-out comedy. What I got was a DRAMA with some comedy. I was very pleased, though.

Drew Barrymore gives another excellent performance as Bev D'Onofrio, a young girl whose life takes a drastic turn when she becomes pregnant. The supporting cast (including Adam Garcia, Brittany Murphy, James Woods, and Lorraine Bracco) hit all of the right notes.

Steve Zahn, however, gives the best performance in the movie as Ray Hasek, the forgetful and heroin-addicted teenager who instantly decides to marry Beverly when he finds out that he is the father of her baby. Although he does have many faults, he is a loving father and husband.

In short, if you like good family drama with little cute parts injected here and there, then this is the movie to see! *** out of ****

Joy Ride (2001)

100% Terror-ific!

[10/10 · 13 October 2001]

It must be said that JOY RIDE is one of the most chilling and suspenseful thrillers I've ever seen in my life!

It tells the story of two brothers, Lewis and Fuller Thomas, who are going cross-country to pick up Lewis' high school sweetheart, Venna Wilcox. On their way there, the two brothers decide to play a practical joke, with a CB radio, on a truck driver known only as 'Rusty Nail'. When the joke takes a deadly turn, Lewis, Fuller, and Venna are all relentlessly stalked by the madman who (obviously) took offense to the joke.

Writer and director John Dahl creates a wonderful sense of danger and terror surprisingly well. The talented cast (featuring Paul Walker, Steve Zahn, and Leelee Sobieski) also deserve major kudos. Marco Beltrami (composer for the SCREAM trilogy) impressed me with his dazzlingly eerie score. Everyone else who worked on this film also deserve a LOT of credit!

The one thing that makes JOY RIDE so scary is that you never get to see what 'Rusty Nail' looks like. You only know him by his creepy voice. Scary and suspenseful scenes are aplenty in this movie. There are parts that scare you in a 'BOO!' way and others that scare you in an 'edge-of-your-seat' way. There were 2 or 3 parts where I was so scared that either I was going to have a heart attack or scream at the top of my lungs, right in the middle of the theater. The film also has a delightful amount of humor.

In short, I highly enjoyed this movie and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of suspense.

Valentine (2001)

A Wonderful Horror Movie!

[10/10 · 28 July 2001]

Call me stupid, but I absolutely loved the 2001 horror movie, Valentine. It was so well-made, well-written, well-acted, well-directed, etc! Everything about it was wonderful! There were parts that were relatively routine (Lily's death), very funny (www.Bleed-Me-Dry.com), completely horrifying and creepy (Paige's death), and just plain heartbreaking (the first scene). I think the entire cast did a great job, especially the three leads: David Boreanaz, Denise Richards (both of whom I met, and got autographs from, during the filming of this movie - VERY nice people!), and Marley Shelton.

I am very sick of people calling this movie "another Scream clone". This movie is, in no way, a Scream clone. In fact, this film runs rings around Scream. It actually makes SENSE! Scream was also NOT the only movie to feature a masked killer in it. Excuse me, but it looks like Scream was also a clone too (ahem..., Friday the 13th, Halloween, and many other scary movies also featured masked killers). I also think that the novelty of the cupid-masked killer is brilliant. It's so strange to see a sweet, cupid face doing all of these horrible things. Another novelty (the nose bleeding) makes way for a fantastic ending! The ending gives me chills every time I see it!!!!! So, even if you didn't like it the first time, watch Valentine again and give it another chance!

PS- Keep an eye out for my new website (WWW.LOVE-HURTS.ORG)! Coming soon...

Wild Things (1998)

Great movie, better acting!

[13 July 2001]

I think that this movie is awesome! It may have several plot holes, but the locations, the rest of the story, and the acting make up for it. The acting was my favorite part! Everyone did a great job! Matt Dillon, Kevin Bacon, Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Theresa Russell, Bill Murray, and Robert Wagner all brought something wonderful and fresh to their roles, which basically makes the movie! Rent this one!

What Lies Beneath (2000)

The scariest movie in a long time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[9 July 2001]

This movie totally creeped the heck out of me! Even after the movie, I was shivering! Michelle Pheiffer did such an incredible job as Claire Spencer, and it was nice to see Harrison Ford again. Diana Scarwid was very good as Jody, the loveable and wacky friend of Claire. GO AND SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bedazzled (2000)

Absolutely Hysterical!

[27 June 2001]

I loved this movie sooo much! The two leads (Brendan Fraser and Elizabeth Hurley, both VERY talented people) seem to be having the time of their lives in these wonderful roles! All of Brendan's different characters each make you laugh, in different ways. Liz Hurley was adorable is this one (well, she's ALWAYS adorable!). Everything in this film is 100% perfect. GO AND RENT THIS MOVIE!

Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)

Very Entertaining!

[2 June 2001]

I rented this movie, not knowing exactly what to think. Some said it was good, some said it was bad. I decided to rent the movie anyway, even if I hadn't seen the original. I loved it! It was so chilling, suspenseful, intelligent, and everything! I don't know why a lot of people hate it. In this particular case, it's probably better if you DON'T see the first one before you see the sequel. It might ruin your image of the whole concept. I recommend this film for people who are looking for a movie that will scare and entertain them.

I think that Kim Director and Jeff Donovan did a fantastic job. I believed everything that they said and I really enjoyed their performances.

The Wiz (1978)

ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!

[28 April 2001]

I thought that this movie was incredible when I first saw (about 8 years ago), and I still do! Even if it is almost nothing like the Broadway show, that doesn't matter. The film version of "The Sound of Music" wasn't like the play, either. Or what about "Mame"? See what I mean? Not one movie musical is ever like the live show. It shouldn't matter anyway. It's great for what it is, a fun, rock 'n' rollin' good time! Also, the songs in this musical (especially "No Bad News", "Everybody, Rejoice", and "Ease On Down The Road") have to be some of the best I've ever heard! SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!!

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

THE BEST MUSICAL EVER!!!!

[10/10 · 14 April 2001]

****POSSIBLE SPOILER**** What more can I say? Is there one person in America who doesn't know the Time Warp? How many times have you sang "Hot Patootie" with MeatLoaf? How many times have you ever said "Dammit, Janet!"? How many times have you danced to "Wild and Untamed Thing"? What I'm getting at is that RHPS is simply the greatest musical ever! The music, the performers (as hokey as they might seem), the hilarious story, and everything else about the movie are just unparalleled. How can you disagree that the moment when Tim Curry takes off his cloak during "Sweet Transvestite" is the most electric moment in theatre history? A moment of sexuality, hilarity, self-exploration, etc. How can you deny that this has the best and most exhilarating music in a musical? I rest my case. There is no comparison to any other musical.