Every Sunday, Gill delves into his archive of over 800 movie reviews and randomly selects three for your enjoyment! Here are this week’s…
Choke
A completely non-politically-correct film that’s pretty damn funny. Sam Rockwell is good as the jaded protagonist, and there are lots of hilarious moments. I have no real complaints about the movie, but it never seemed to strive to be anything other than a rather humorous and sick little tale about a single depraved mind coping with every day life. Unlike, say, Fight Club, Choke never seeks that depravity in its viewers, which is perhaps where it falters.
3.5 out of 5
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Stylish and artsy, this is definitely one of the best Dracula movies ever made. Besides Coppola’s surreal, wild, and visually astounding production design, the quality of this film is cemented by the presence of Anthony Hopkins, Cary Elwes, Richard E. Grant, and the great Gary Oldman in the titular role. No Dracula film made before or after this one has even come close to matching its cool, trippy style.
4 out of 5
Black Swan
Darren Aronofsky’s trippy, scary and completely beautiful ballet film is so infused with anxiety and paranoia that it’s impossible to feel calm while watching it. This is a good thing, however, because the movie is brilliantly constructed, and as the lines between reality and fantasy horror blur with Natalie Portman’s character’s descent into madness, Black Swan becomes exactly what it promises at the outset: a retelling of Swan Lake unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Natalie Portman is great in the leading role, and Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassel also put in terrific performances. But the real star here is the film’s visuals, which are nothing short of incredible.
4.5 out of 5
See you next Sunday for three more thrilling short reviews!