PORN THEATRE (2002)

 

Written & Directed By: Jacques Nolot 

Cinematography: Germain Desmoulins

Editor: Sophie Reine

Cast: Vittoria Scognamiglio, Jacques Nolot, Sebastien Vala, Arden Bajraktaraj, Olivier Torres, Lionel Goldstein, Frederic Longbois, Fouad Zeraoui

A tale set in a decaying Parisian porn theatre, where within its dark confines, male patrons--soldiers, transvestites, married men--regularly engage in anonymous sex acts. In the ticket booth of the theatre, a wise Italian woman serves as benevolent gatekeeper, observing--but never judging--the proceedings occurring under her watchful eyes. One day, one of her regulars engages her in a conversation that leads to an unusual friendship, as these two worldly souls share their common experiences.

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The film takes place entirely in a porn theater hence the title focuses on the day-to-day actions mostly of this theater 

This French language film is similar to SERBIS and even GOODBYE DRAGON INN. 

It revolves around a movie theater, its workers, and its audience. We get to see the ins and outs of the theaters, literally as well as the various patrons, most of whom are recurring, who all have their own little side stories that we get into but don’t overtake the narrative.  

The only difference about this film other than the other two is this one has a lot more homosexual sex involved throughout it simulated but it’s basically where men are watching a straight adult feature, but hooking up with one another as well as male prostitutes, cross-dressing, prostitutes, and one another.

Though the film does go for shock and intimacy throughout. 

The film will show interactions and even some sexes, but then become very philosophical about the life experiences of the characters 

As we get to know the audience and the regulars, as well as the staff, which is truly only the projection is the owner who works at the ticket booth 

The interactions are really where the interest of the film comes in. It’s the meat of the story. 

The film displays openness, and honesty though what will throw some off is the lack at times of sexual scruples and probably the action 

Even though they’re watching a movie, where they seek to hide their kinks to only be kind and open to those who are strangers in the dark like them. We are the voyeurs during all of this and spying on them at their most vulnerable

The film at times can be perverse human touching and sad. It is not for the prudish or repressed and especially not for homophobic.

The film offers an interesting dynamic of how the owner hates and treats the homeless who she sees as junkies and lazy, but is nurturing to her audience

The film offers a glimpse of how the customers are treated by the outside world when the cops come in to check that nothing illicit is going on how they are treated and the comments they make to them and about them.

So that this theater is not only a hotspot but its kind of universe or considering it’s not that big maybe just its planet . As is this offers plenty of glimpses, but essentially seems more about representation and an ensemble cast.

A Testament to a location in the souls that inhabited that helped define it

Grade: B 

BOAT TRIP (2003)

 

Directed By: Mort Nathan

Written by: Mort Nathan and William Bigelow

Cinematography: Shawn Maurer

Editor: John Axness

Cast: Cuba Gooding Jr, Horatio Sanz, Roselyn Sanchez, Roger Moore, Vivica A. Fox, Lin Shaye, Maurice Godin, Bob Gunton, Artie Lange, Richard Roundtree

Two straight men mistakenly end up on a "gays only" cruise.

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One can’t imagine what the thought process was behind this film. As it’s suppsed to be a sexual comedy for straight people by seemingly stereotyping and making it seem like a journey into homosexual lifestyles, focusing more on the hedonistic aspects. While also easily being seen as homophonic Maybe inviting the controversy and commentary and hoping that it would sell tickets.

That seems to seek out the message Hey Homosexual’s they are just like us. while throwing in a sitcom were the curve plot about to Street man who gets sent on a singles cruise after one has just had some heartbreak and being sent as revenge on and gay singles cruise That they can’t escape from, and when one falls in love with the few single available woman on the boat, but must play long as she thinks he’s gay and wants to get closer to one another.

This film is purely tasteless but strangely has a talented cast or lease big Name cast, and it seems to want to level the playing field envy open, but with most of its stereotypes, it still feels a bit mean-spirited.

The Movie was filmed in 2001 but wasn’t released till 2003 which kind of tells you the studio releasing a new they had some thing controversial on their hands

Despite all involved, the only reason to truly watch this film is Roselyn Sanchez, who is sexy as hell in this film they should have made her a big screen bombshell As it is one of her all-time sexiest appearances, though she is obviously Icandy, for the mostly straight audience that actually probably watch this film, but people avoided this film, like the plague due to his flight and it’s just such bad taste. I will also and it’s kind of insulting, Crude and stupid.

In its own weird way tries to show that hey gay humor and gays can be just as juvenile, a straight sex, comedies and humor even though the film like most sex comedies deals more and stereotypes, I found this also feels oddly misogynistic for a film that seems to be trying to bring all men together.

You already know somethings up with Cuba Gooding Junior is the star of the film. It all really depends at which part of his career. That you are witnessing his acting during as pretty much after he won the Oscar, other than MEN OF HONOR. it all seems to go downhill from there, except for maybe a handful of rolls here and there.

Grade: F

FEAR STREET: PROM QUEEN (2025)

 

Directed By: Matt Palmer

Written By: Matt Palmer and Donald McLeary

Based on the FEAR STREET Books By: R.L. Stine

Cinematography: Mark Gyori

Editor: Christopher Donaldson

Cast: India Fowler, Fina Strazza, Suzanna Son, Katherine Waterston, Ariana Greenblatt, Lili Taylor, Chris Klein, Ella Rubin, David Iancono, Rebecca Ablack 

Welcome back to Shadyside. In this next installment of the blood-soaked Fear Street franchise, prom season at Shadyside High is underway and the school's wolfpack of It Girls is busy with its usual sweet and vicious campaigns for the crown. But when a gutsy outsider is unexpectedly nominated to the court, and the other girls start mysteriously disappearing, the class of '88 is suddenly in for one hell of a prom night.

What hurts this film is that when it’s compared to the first FEAR STREET set of movies which were a trilogy they were so richly connected and had so much deaths even for their familiar elements they want you over.

Watching this film is a disappointment as everything is lowered especially in quality now. Don’t know if it’s supposed to somehow be connected to the other three films movie take place in the same town or just be part of that franchise a FEAR STREET, but this is very disappointing.

As this film plays more like a basic Netflix, nostalgic, horror film, it doesn’t even need to really be part of the fear Street franchise.

As it makes the same mistakes that those other Netflix films make where they try to get into the decade that it’s setting in this case, the 80s in the fashion in pop culture that the story soon Almost takes a backseat.

It also doesn’t help that all or most of the female main characters looks similar. so that at times it’s really hard to tell them apart other than maybe sometimes when part of their personality or role, Well help the audience Remember who they’re supposed to be, that would least all of the teenage characters look age-appropriate 

If you’ve ever seen a horror found this film is pretty predictable when it comes to its kill scenes, and as always, the murder scenes at times seem to be the only action, or the only noteworthy parts of the film, even though some kills remain off screens, though this film does love the show or have a lingering shots of people getting their packages, cut off and watching bloodsport from it

The film does have a good soundtrack, but it has one of the worst dance battle scenes I’ve ever seen in a film that is supposed to be kind of heroic in its own way.

While watching this film, it’s obviously inspired by other better and popular horror films of its lineage so that it feels familiar and it would be worth it if there was some kind of value or reason behind it all, but this film just feels so desperately to be on trend that things seem the more happen just because.

Making the film feel less than significant. There’s nothing special about it. It’s rather bland wear other than the violence. This could’ve easily been a PG-13 movie. The film barely has any momentum

Now again, I didn’t read the source material, but the film feels undercooked and predictable and then tries to go gonzo and it’s 30 even though by halfway into this movie, you will figure it out pretty much who’s behind the killings no idea and loves to present tired, red herrings throughout like the grizzled old janitor, who is a drunken likes to stare at all the girls.

Then one of the biggest names or teenage stars in your cast, and you give her such a minor role, and she’s almost one of the first people to be eliminated from the movie Ariana Greenblatt no she seem to have the most interesting character.

Then the movie Try to build its main character up so much that it feels like it’s a portrait or a character story without much death and it doesn’t help that I mean she’s already ridiculed around town but yet she has no negative aspects to her character. Nothing risky so like the film she’s kind of boring the only thing that saves The film is that short.

As even when it comes to the original trilogy any of those film separately as a single film is still better than this one.

This might work as a starter horror, film for some, or an introductory for people who are not used to the horror genre, but other than that this is just basic and bland with no sauce or seasoning.

Grade: D+

GRAFTED (2024)

 

Directed By: Sasha Rainbow 

Written By: Sasha Rainbow, Lee Murray, Mia Maramara and Hweiling Ow

Cinematography: Tammy Williams 

Editor: Fauze Hassen 

Cast: Joyena Sun, Jess Hong, Eden Hart, Sepi Toa, Jared Turner, Gideon Smith, Xiao Hu, Mark Mitchinson 

A bright but socially awkward exchange student takes her craving for popularity to horrifying heights.

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This is a revenge tale as well as a science fiction tale with a bit of body Horror thrown in. 

The film Feels cruel yet sensitive as while most of the characters are cruel. Only one of them truly deserves what happens to them.

Not to mention you generally have symoathy for the main character throughout. So much so that even some of the kills that occur. You might find yourself thinking of a defense for her.

Other Then that story wise, it’s pretty basic with an original ending that seems to match the cruelty of the rest of the film.

Leaving it is a kind of tales from the crypt twists. It pulls you in with its underdog tale and stays inventive while giving the various actresses not only more screen time to shine, but allows them to show range.

 A fun ride on a punishing road.

Grade: C+

PUSSYCAKE (2021)

 

Directed By: Pablo Pares

Written By: Maxi Ferzzola

Story By: Pablo Pares, Hernan Saez and Hernan Moyano

Cinematography: Matias Rispau

Editor: Leonardo Vitullo

Cast: Maca Suarez, Aldana Ruberto, Sofia Rossi, Anahi Politi, Flor Moreno, Rodrigo Ferreyra, Amanda Nara, Diego Prinz 

A struggling all-girl rock band kicks off a new tour, hoping to rekindle their popularity. Things are off to a bad start, however, when they show up to their first gig to find the town deserted. After they catch the attention of horrors from beyond our reality, the band realizes that being forgotten by their fans is the least of their problems.

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Don’t let the title fool you as It’s the name of the all female band who make up the leads of this film, but just like the name ItMs

Meant to provoke but is pretty basic. Similarly this film wants you to believe it will be provocative and ends up not really being that but offers an appearance of it.

 An annoying part of horror films is that when strange things happen the characters act like they have never seen a horror film or that the genre doesn’t exist 

Which is why they always think there is some explanation that will solve everything and while no one. Is asking for them to be experts as this is there reality. It would be nice that horror be acknowledged as existing and either mroe questioning or realization that this is 

ore out of the ordinary 

I wanted to like this film as it has plenty of splatter, gore and other disgusting visuals and qualities (not that is what I look for in my horror movies) but the film is disappointing 

As it offers very little to find interest in and comes across as a typical otherworldly zombie film with less action, yet very colorful. That offers plenty of gore and would be considered nasty because of it. 

For all the color and wildness the rock band aspect should add to the film. It stays rather tame and uneventful. Especially when there seems to be a scene to highlight them doing drugs.

Yet there is never really too many scenes that might make any of the characters feel like this might all be some kind of hallucination due to its

Less original than expected. Where you wish there was more action.

Didn’t filmmakers expect to get by on effects and shock? It comes across as very 1999’s or even early 2000’s 

It feels like a better funded foreign Trom studios film only without any real exploitation other than the title. With a little evil dead thrown in, but mainly a science fiction course in horror 102. It tries to offer some original science fiction fantasy elements. Though doesn’t necessarily save it or make the audience garner more interest.

Though while it is obviously B-Movie material with a d grade production other than special effects. This is defitnely the type that would have gone straight to home video in the past. Yet offers none of the guilty pleasures of those productions. 

In the end you really Don’t care too much because you barely know the characters except one who exclusively has flashbacks to what keep her going 

A film that doesn’t really feel like it needed to be made. As you wonder what it really has to offer or what story it has to tell. As it offers nothing different so it just feels like an unoriginal copy. It’s a movie of filler and not even a satisfying popcorn flick 

Grade: D