Hey everyone, and welcome to another week of Indie Scene. I am your host (?) Tony DeFrancisco. Just a few things that I want to mention before I get on the reviews. After the past few days, I’ve realized that I’ve gotten an assload of DVDs. I’m just going to ask for now that no one sends me any review requests. I got about fifteen DVDs here that I have yet to watch as far as screeners go. Also, Indie Scene now has its very own e-mail address. It is IndieScene@FilmArcade.net. You can e-mail me there and ask questions or send screener requests. Now onto the reviews…
“The Murder Game”
2006
*** out of ****
Director: Robert Harari
Cast: Steve Polites, Katie Sirk, Samuel Klein
“The Murder Game” is one of the better horror flicks I’ve gotten to seen. I’m starting to get the clue nowadays that I can always rely on indie horror flicks to entertain me. Unlike studio horror flicks, indie horror films have a charm to them. People like Robert Harari aren’t paid to make these kinds of movies (and if they are, it has to be very little). People like Robert Harari PAY to make these kinds of movies for you. Not everyone is like Michael Bay and Peter Jackson who happen to get more and more money from studios within a blink of the eye whenever they ask for it. Robert Harari, director of “The Murder Game,” deserves a lot of credit for creating a pretty damn fine horror flick. It’s not that original, but it’s not filled with blood and stupid plot twists either (does a movie like “Hostel 2” sound familiar?)
The story of “The Murder Game” is that a few teenagers break into a self-storage warehouse and play a “Murder Game.” In order to decide who the killer is, someone has to have the queen of spades in a card-deck. Once people really start dying, it becomes a game of truth. In “The Murder Game,” there is very little blood. But for the lack of blood, the film gains more scares. Some of the killing is done off-screen, which always gives a little chill. The biggest problem I had was the “running from the dad” subplot. It’s not that it wasn’t a bad subplot, but it just didn’t go there (though I may be wrong – it seems that the screener I received was infected with “disc rot” and the last five minutes was fucked up and wouldn’t play). “The Murder Game,” though, is a pretty damn fine film. You can buy “One Missed Call” on DVD since this Tuesday. Or you could buy “The Murder Game.” I’d op to go with the latter.
“Road to Victory”
2007
** out of ****
Director: Mike Reilly
Cast: Mike Reilly, Julia Anderson, Poppi Reiner
Ever watch a movie that when after it is over, you think that you really like it, but then the more times you watch it, you become mad… then madder… then you suddenly decide, “What the fuck was I thinking?” Yeah, “Road to Victory” was one of those movies. I thought that I watched a great movie. But after I began thinking about it while watching this review. This movie wasn’t great. I realized there was so much wrong with it that I couldn’t even begin to type EVERYTHING here. Or maybe it’s just me. One of my bosses over at MovieBuffs loves the movie. He did point out the problem of Julia Anderson, which I do happen to agree with. But he loved everything else. The problems start from Mike Reilly himself to the script to the problems with too many sex scenes and not enough nudity.
Elliot (Mike Reilly) has everything going for him, but he takes steroids after getting a concussion from playing in a football game. He falls in love with a stripper, (Julia Anderson) but can she live without him performing sexually? This Julia Anderson girl looks nothing like a stripper. Honestly. She looks like a girl with a clean act. Mike Reilly does a great job with acting, but he gives nothing while writing the script. It plays as a movie on the Lifetime Network (for men, of course) with a mix of dark comedy at times. Yeah, I don’t get that mix either. And as far as sex scenes go, this one has far too many. I understand that many sex scenes aren’t rough and aren’t even graphic (some of them don’t even happen because he can’t get a boner) but there is too many of them. There isn’t even nudity, which could definitely help for the film. Also – if she was so in love with Reilly’s character, why would she go cheat on him behind his back? “Road to Victory” could be much better, but as far as crappy dramas go, this is the least crappy that you can get.
“The Last Request”
2006
*** out of ****
Director: John DeBellis
Cast: T.R. Knight, Danny Aiello, Mario Cantone
I can’t tell you the last time I laughed so hard in a film. Probably since “Strange Wilderness.” It feels so great to say that “The Last Request” is easily one of the funniest films I’ve seen this year so far. The entire film plays out as a mix between an episode of “Arrested Development” and complete satire. And hell, this film rolls out so many TV personalities, Oscar nominees, and Emmy nominees – including Danny Aiello, T.R. Knight, Sabrina Lloyd, Mario Cantone, Frank Vincent, Gilbert Gottfried, and Mary Birdsong. It’s a hilarious flick that I’m sure will make you laugh throughout the entire film.
When Papa (Danny Aiello) names his last request to his sons, they are committed to it. One brother dies trying, the other has to leave the seminary to make it come true. What is it? Marry someone, have a son, and assure him that someone will carry out the family name. It has to be a son though, because according to Aiello, there hasn’t been a lady on his side of the family for many years, and that one was a dyke. “The Last Request” has some hilarious bits of dialogue, including ALL scenes whenever Danny Aiello is on there. He is easily the best part of the movie, firing off one-liners and puns like it is his job. There is not much more to say about the film, though nothing else has to be said but “See it” and “Quickly.”
Well, that’s it for this week. Stay tuned next week for ALL films directed by an indie director (no, I won’t give a name). Thank you for stopping by.
“The Murder Game”2006
*** out of ****
Director: Robert Harari
Cast: Steve Polites, Katie Sirk, Samuel Klein
“The Murder Game” is one of the better horror flicks I’ve gotten to seen. I’m starting to get the clue nowadays that I can always rely on indie horror flicks to entertain me. Unlike studio horror flicks, indie horror films have a charm to them. People like Robert Harari aren’t paid to make these kinds of movies (and if they are, it has to be very little). People like Robert Harari PAY to make these kinds of movies for you. Not everyone is like Michael Bay and Peter Jackson who happen to get more and more money from studios within a blink of the eye whenever they ask for it. Robert Harari, director of “The Murder Game,” deserves a lot of credit for creating a pretty damn fine horror flick. It’s not that original, but it’s not filled with blood and stupid plot twists either (does a movie like “Hostel 2” sound familiar?)
The story of “The Murder Game” is that a few teenagers break into a self-storage warehouse and play a “Murder Game.” In order to decide who the killer is, someone has to have the queen of spades in a card-deck. Once people really start dying, it becomes a game of truth. In “The Murder Game,” there is very little blood. But for the lack of blood, the film gains more scares. Some of the killing is done off-screen, which always gives a little chill. The biggest problem I had was the “running from the dad” subplot. It’s not that it wasn’t a bad subplot, but it just didn’t go there (though I may be wrong – it seems that the screener I received was infected with “disc rot” and the last five minutes was fucked up and wouldn’t play). “The Murder Game,” though, is a pretty damn fine film. You can buy “One Missed Call” on DVD since this Tuesday. Or you could buy “The Murder Game.” I’d op to go with the latter.
“Road to Victory”2007
** out of ****
Director: Mike Reilly
Cast: Mike Reilly, Julia Anderson, Poppi Reiner
Ever watch a movie that when after it is over, you think that you really like it, but then the more times you watch it, you become mad… then madder… then you suddenly decide, “What the fuck was I thinking?” Yeah, “Road to Victory” was one of those movies. I thought that I watched a great movie. But after I began thinking about it while watching this review. This movie wasn’t great. I realized there was so much wrong with it that I couldn’t even begin to type EVERYTHING here. Or maybe it’s just me. One of my bosses over at MovieBuffs loves the movie. He did point out the problem of Julia Anderson, which I do happen to agree with. But he loved everything else. The problems start from Mike Reilly himself to the script to the problems with too many sex scenes and not enough nudity.
Elliot (Mike Reilly) has everything going for him, but he takes steroids after getting a concussion from playing in a football game. He falls in love with a stripper, (Julia Anderson) but can she live without him performing sexually? This Julia Anderson girl looks nothing like a stripper. Honestly. She looks like a girl with a clean act. Mike Reilly does a great job with acting, but he gives nothing while writing the script. It plays as a movie on the Lifetime Network (for men, of course) with a mix of dark comedy at times. Yeah, I don’t get that mix either. And as far as sex scenes go, this one has far too many. I understand that many sex scenes aren’t rough and aren’t even graphic (some of them don’t even happen because he can’t get a boner) but there is too many of them. There isn’t even nudity, which could definitely help for the film. Also – if she was so in love with Reilly’s character, why would she go cheat on him behind his back? “Road to Victory” could be much better, but as far as crappy dramas go, this is the least crappy that you can get.
“The Last Request”2006
*** out of ****
Director: John DeBellis
Cast: T.R. Knight, Danny Aiello, Mario Cantone
I can’t tell you the last time I laughed so hard in a film. Probably since “Strange Wilderness.” It feels so great to say that “The Last Request” is easily one of the funniest films I’ve seen this year so far. The entire film plays out as a mix between an episode of “Arrested Development” and complete satire. And hell, this film rolls out so many TV personalities, Oscar nominees, and Emmy nominees – including Danny Aiello, T.R. Knight, Sabrina Lloyd, Mario Cantone, Frank Vincent, Gilbert Gottfried, and Mary Birdsong. It’s a hilarious flick that I’m sure will make you laugh throughout the entire film.
When Papa (Danny Aiello) names his last request to his sons, they are committed to it. One brother dies trying, the other has to leave the seminary to make it come true. What is it? Marry someone, have a son, and assure him that someone will carry out the family name. It has to be a son though, because according to Aiello, there hasn’t been a lady on his side of the family for many years, and that one was a dyke. “The Last Request” has some hilarious bits of dialogue, including ALL scenes whenever Danny Aiello is on there. He is easily the best part of the movie, firing off one-liners and puns like it is his job. There is not much more to say about the film, though nothing else has to be said but “See it” and “Quickly.”
Well, that’s it for this week. Stay tuned next week for ALL films directed by an indie director (no, I won’t give a name). Thank you for stopping by.
I have seen some of The Murder Game.
The company I worked for did the subtitles and captions for it.
I know one of the actresses in it too.
Good people.
The Last Request sounds promising.
Good reviews.