One Fool Over in his Cinephile's Nest: August 2023

Well, hello there, kind folks. If you’re visiting this blog of mine, I presume that you have a certain interest in the cinema. As for me, even since my early childhood, I have had a deep love of everything related to movies and television. As far as I can remember, I have been more at ease in front of a screen than in the yard, outside, playing. It is a great way to travel, though other people’s stories, without having to foot any kind of steep bill. Over the years, I feel that movie-watching has even fuelled my own creativity.

All that being said, I welcome you in my Cinephile’s Nest. I hope you enjoy it here, feel free to come back at any time. Here you will find reviews of current movies and older ones. TV shows also. Some classics that have remained some of my favourites, some that have disappointed me. I will use a very basic star (*) system to grade them from 1 to 5 (5 being sliced bread level). Remember, these are just my tastes. I will try to explain in each review what I liked about these particular movies, without giving spoilers.

Il y aura aussi des critiques en français pour les films francophones, car j'aime également le cinéma dans ma langue maternelle. Avant d'apprendre l'anglais, plus jeune, je louais des tonnes de films traduits en français, surtout ceux de Bud Spencer et Terrence Hill. Ma mère a eu le choc de sa vie lorsqu'un jour, dans la boîte d'un de ces films, Deep Throat avait malencontreusement inséré. Une expérience formatrice pour le jeune cinéphile que je suis.

Bienvenue à tous, amusez-vous bien.

I welcome you all here, enjoy yourself.

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Evil Dead (2013)

Genre: Horror
Directed by: Fede Alvarez
Cast: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci
Time: 92 minutes

In this reimagining of the original Evil Dead film from 1981, five friends get together in an isolated cabin in the woods to help one of them kick a nearly fatal heroin addiction cold turkey. Soon, members of the group are overtaken by an evil spirit after a mysterious book is found in the basement.

I really enjoyed this remake. The acting was quite good for the genre, and the special effects were cool. It was a fun gory piece of entertainment that packs the scares. I enjoyed this one much more than the original.

Rating: ««««

Friday, August 18, 2023

National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Walt Becker
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid, Kal Penn
Time: 93 minutes

Van Wilder is a seven-year senior at Coolidge College, always making sure to do enough not to graduate and to keep on being the life of the party. When his rich father decides to stop financing his pointless studies, Wilder has to find some ingenious ways to keep on paying his tuition. In the meantime, Gwen Pearson, a reporter for the college paper, gets tasked with writing a story on Van Wilder.

This film is full of toilet humor. It is amazingly crass. Some of the stuff misses the mark, but other moments are quite funny, albeit very stupid. Ryan Reynolds manages, with his natural charm on screen, to elevate this material up to fun entertainment level. Sure, this film did not revolutionize anything, but it is cool while it lasts.

Rating: «««