Genre: Action

Year: 1982

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David

Director: John Carpenter

My Review: The Thing - 1982 (Horror, drama, suspense, thriller, sci-fi) One of my favorite movies. Directed by the master of Horror - John Carpenter. Starring Kurt Russel (as R.J. McReady), Wilford Brimley (as Dr. Blair), T.K. Carter (as Nauls), Donald Moffat (as Garry) and others as the crew of an American Antarctic research facility. A mix of scientists and rugged outdoorsmen inhabit the remote and isolated Outpost #31. As the group of Americans are getting ready for a long Antarctic winter their solace is interrupted by the sudden appearance of visitors. Norwegians in an animated state are hunting a lone dog as it attempts to reach the relative safety of the American camp. When the Norwegians bring out the big guns to kill this dog thing get quite interesting. Why would these scientists be so passionate about the destruction of a seemingly innocent dog? As the movie’s title attests, this movie is about a ‘Thing’; a monster trapped in the ice of Antarctica unthawed by the unwitting scientists is now loosed upon an unsuspecting world. Without spoiling the movie too much, you should know that this horror movie is a nail-bitting thriller filled with dramatic acting and chilling horror. Filled with suspense and tension, the human characters are vexed, tested and twisted by the alien creature which stalks the frozen landscape of their remote outpost. The real (not cgi) effects, gore, frenetic music, and monster mayhem in this movie make it very believable, allowing one to suspend disbelief when it comes to the horror that is revealed as the movie starts thrashing your sense of calm in this otherwise boring research setting. The acting was outstanding and this may well be Kurt Russell’s best performance. One of the best parts of this movie are the characters. Here we have a tightly integrated cast of scientists (not teenage kids with no common sense) who must use their intellect to overcome an murderous alien life-form. The movie’s setting, the music, the highly confined spaces surrounded by an inhospitable environment, everything works together to make for a haunting and thrilling horror movie. The ending is absolutely brilliant, I can’t imagine of a better way to end it. A terrifying tale of suspense and alien terror in the frozen landscape of Antarctica. I give this movie (which I own) a high 5 out of 5.

Summary: Scientists in the Antarctic are confronted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of the people that it kills.

Genre: Comedy

Year: 1999

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Rob Schneider, William Forsythe, Eddie Griffin, Arija Bareikis, Oded Fehr

Director: Mike Mitchell

My Review: Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo - 1999 (Comedy, romance) Stupid funny. An American comedy in the tradition of ‘Dumb and Dumber’. In this movie, Rob Schneider plays Deuce Bigalow a less-than-attractive ’pool boy’ who babysits a gigolo’s apartment. In doing so he inadvertently kills the gigolo’s fish and needs to find some cash quick - Naturally, he breaks into Antoine’s black-book in order to pick up some of Antoine’s under-serviced clientele. It’s ridiculous, rude, deprecating, offensive, predictable and juvenile. In other words it’s funny as hell. If you go into the movie thinking you’re going to get some high-brow serious drama you’re deluded - Come on… A movie starring Rob Schneider is named ‘Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo’ what were you thinking? Sit back and relax, get ready for a laugh as Deuce does his man-whoring. Despite the puerile R’ rated shenanigans of Schneider and crew there is a positive, uplifting message to the movie. If you enjoy the Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey style comedies you’ll love this movie. I give this laugh-fest a 4 out of 5.

Summary: A man becomes a male gigolo after being mistaken for one while housesitting a male gigolo's house.

Genre: Comedy, Mystery

Year: 2012

Country: France, USA

Rating:

Starring: Jack Plotnick, Eric Judor, Alexis Dziena, Steve Little, William Fichtner

Director: Quentin Dupieux

My Review: Wrong - 2012 (Comedy, mystery) Written, directed, edited, filmed, composed by Quentin Dupieux (aka Mr. Oizo - the French house DJ: Writer/Director of Rubber, Wrong Cops), this movie features a terrific (if little known) cast. Jack Plotnick (as Dolph Springer), Eric Judor (as Victor), Alexis Dzenia (as Emma), Steve Little (as Detective Ronnie), William Fiechtner (as Master Chang) and others. If you like quirky - and I mean really odd - comedies, then you’ve found the ‘Right’ movie. There might be hidden messages between the dialogue, or it just might be a completely bonkers movie with no real point. Dolph Springer wakes up to discover that his best friend (his dog Paul) is missing. What follows is a Monty Python style mystery, an existential journey into the absurd, a quest for redemption, a preposterous French comedy for American audiences. If you enjoy the ‘Wes Anderson’ or ‘Michel Gondry’ comedies, you’ll love this gem. The film is outstanding in many ways, neurotic, satirical, unpredictable and surreal. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Summary: Dolph Springer wakes up one morning to realize he has lost the love of his life, his dog, Paul. During his quest to get Paul (and his life) back, Dolph radically changes the lives of others: a pizza-delivering nymphomaniac, a jogging-addict neighbor in search of completeness, an opportunistic French-Mexican gardener, and an off-kilter pet detective. In his journey to find Paul, Dolph may lose something even more vital: his mind.