Movie Review: Southland Tales

Southland Tales
Directed by Richard Kelly
Starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Seann William Scott
Rated R

Listen to me, as if I were Cerberus barking with all his heads at the gates of hell. I will tell you where to take it, but don't... don't open the box. -- Dr. G.E. Soberin from Kiss Me Deadly

“A lot o' people don't realize what's really going on. They view life as a bunch o' unconnected incidents 'n things. They don't realize that there's this, like, lattice o' coincidence that lays on top o' everything. -- Miller from Repo Man

I’m here to save you. The world is coming to an end, Donnie. -- Frank from Donnie Darko

Richard Kelly’s Southland Tales wants to be the ultimate Ragnarok And Roll film. Southland Tales wants to be the It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World of Apocalyptic cinema.

The film’s huge ensemble cast and the maddening climax scream out Charles K. Feldman’s 1967 Casino Royale at times. Richard Kelly’s ambition and enthusiasm cannot be denied. Southland Tales was initially going to be a nine-part interactive experience -- it was narrowed down to six parts. There is so much going on that there is the Southland Tales: The Prequel Saga graphic novel that has the first three chapters. The decision to use a graphic novel as a primer for his film was very Lucasian of Kelly. The last three parts make up the feature film, Temptation Waits, Memory Gospel, and Wave of Mutilation...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Movie Review: Fred Claus

Fred Claus
Directed by David Dobkin
Starring Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Kevin Spacey, Rachel Weisz
Rated PG

For a lot of people, Christmas is their favorite time of year. Religious implications aside, and for reasons left to the individual, there is no other span of time in the calendar year as generally well regarded as the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Having said that, it becomes more and more difficult each year to sift through the garbage and enjoy it for what it is, or at least what it was that made you like it in the first place. The season itself starts earlier and earlier each year thanks to the wonders of the obscenely over-commercialized retail arena and political correctness has stifled the spirit of the holiday so much that we feel martyred just for wishing someone a Merry Christmas. This twinge of sadness, this funk, lurked around and stayed with me throughout this movie...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!