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June 9, 2009
Drag Me to Hell (2009)
Should I see it?
You have to ask?



Short Review: Drag me to hell, just don't drag me to this movie.


Is this film is as good as Sam Raimi's Evil Dead films? Nope. Its not even close. Raimi goes back to his schlock horror movie roots with this straight forward horror story about a young woman who gets cursed by a gypsy and is then tormented by a demon on a mission to take her to Hades. There's hints of his humor, moments of his inventiveness, but its clear the youthful spark is missing. This is more of an ode to his earlier films rather than an addition to them. It is too clean and careful where his early films were kinetic.

Another deficieny is the lead. The Evil Dead movies largely succeeded because of the mixture of Raimi and his lead Bruce Campbell. Campbell's genius for camp combined with Raimi's quirky style worked beautifully. Here, Raimi's lead Alison Lohman (Matchstick Men) is too plain to add anything to the proceedings. While she looks the part of a country girl trying to make it in the big city, Lohman seems out of place with the humor. It is as if she wasn't in on the joke. Where Campbell could carry a scene with a well executed smirk, Lohman is doe-eyed and flat.

Looking at this divorced from Raimi's history, it still doesn't mount up to much. The story is simple and strong but Raimi doesn't take it as far enough. Its not scary enough to be a useful horror movie and its not funny enough to be a comedy. Since there's no other purpose for making a movie like this, we've run out of reasons to see it.



Related Reviews:
Horror movies
Scream (1996)
The Shining (1980)


Other Critic's Reviews:
USAToday
Christianity Today






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posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 7:00 PM



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March 23, 2009
Movie Trailer: Drag Me to Hell
I don't know much but I do know that if you're being tormented by a demon and you want it to stop, holding a seance isn't going to do you much good. That's the kind of decision that gets you into trouble, not makes trouble go away.

Oh yeah, and the Mac Guy ain't going to help much either.

Sam Raimi goes back to his schlock horror movie roots. This could be an interesting genre piece or it could just be an aging man trying to get his groove back by rehashing his youthful successes. This seems a little like some middle age rocker doing a show in some rundown bar they played in their teens.

As junk cinema this has some potential. Then again, it will most likely play on the demonic and present a childish theological view. If you want fear, deep horror, present the demonic in a realistic form and in the position of standing against God. That's the real scary stuff, not some creaky voiced actor in a mask jumping out from behind corners.



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Screenwriters: Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead) and Ivan Raimi (Army of Darkness)
Director: Sam Raimi (Spider-Man)
Actors: Alison Lohman (Beowulf), Justin Long (Idiocracy) and David Paymer (Mr. Saturday Night)





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posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 12:00 PM



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December 7, 2008
Movie Trailer: He's Just Not That Into You
Tossing The Cure song in makes it all a bit too precious.

Another movie about how hard it is for beautiful people to find love. How about not acting like a desperate, awkward goof? That should help clear the field.




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Screenwriters: Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein
Director: Ken Kwapis (License to Wed)
Actors: Jennifer Aniston (Derailed), Jennifer Connelly (Dark Water), Scarlett Johansson (Match Point), Drew Barrymore (50 First Dates), Ginnifer Goodwin, Ben Affleck (Hollywoodland), Justin Long (Idiocracy), Kris Kristofferson (The Jacket) and Kevin Connelly (The Notebook)

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posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 3:00 PM



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May 4, 2008
Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
Should I see it?
No.


Short Review: They should change the title to "Hey, You're Bored, May As Well Watch This Until Something Better Comes On"



The original Die Hard is one of the most influential films made in the last few decades (believe it or not) and was a far better movie than most people give it credit for. The sequels have been a mixed bag. Peppered with corny one-liners, inexplicably huge explosions and Hollywood physics, the series is the foundation of a generation stupid action movies. This capstone to the series is not only completely unneeded it is downright unfortunate. Even as cynical, self-mockery it doesn't succeed. This is flat out tedious crud that offers nothing - NOTHING original, interesting or even mildly entertaining.

Facing the fact that after decades of making sequels, remakes and movies based on TV shows and comics, Hollywood is stuck propping up aged actors from better years instead of developing new, refreshing product. This is nothing more than the studio trying to squeeze the final pennies out of a franchise that has already expired and too many of us are too stupid or lazy to ask for anything better. Do your part in slowing the decline of Western Civilization and skip this movie.


Click on Grandpa Willis to see the trailer


Related Reviews:
Bruce Willis movies
Armageddon (1998)
Perfect Stranger (2007)


Other Critic's Reviews:
ReelViews
What I Watched Last Night


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posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 11:33 AM



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February 2, 2008
Movie Trailer: Live Free or Die Hard





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posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 11:38 AM



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