Devil's Diary

Did any reader out there see The Craft? It was a 1996 smash hit, starring Robin Tunney and Neve Campbell. Clearly in the horror genre, the film told the story of four teens who develop the power of witches. Their teen egos and confused minds make them power-hungry and they go on quite a binge!

OK, maybe only Valerie and I, former HS teachers, would find this situation interesting. Thing is, we know teens. They seek empowerment, acceptance, control, at times revenge...and just imagine if they could actually get it!

The Devil's Diary is another film like The Craft. The story is about some girls who play "catty" games with each other and seek vengeance when they become bewitched. One of them discovers a book in a graveyard.

But it's one dangerous book! See, you get to write a wish on the blank pages, but in truth you're communicating with the devil when you do so. And you become somewhat devilish yourself! Hahaha.

For example, the girl in the picture above writes that she wants every boy in school to go crazy over her. So when she appears at school, the boys go wild...fighting each other for her attention and doing whatever she asks. She says to them, "Hey, guys, run around the field twenty times for me." And run they do!

This film is not for everyone. If you like offbeat, horror, cultish, tongue-in-cheek flicks, particularly in the teens-gone-wild (as in mad) genre, you'll enjoy this one.

View at your own risk....

Curdled

You probably recognize William Baldwin in the picture. Like his brother Stephen, he seems to snag all the lesser-known, usually bad-guy roles, while his more dashing brother Alex gets the big movies. He's dancing with an up and coming star, Angela Jones.

What kind of dance are they doing? A very, very, very, very dark one! See, this is a film noir, with NOIR about as dark and weird and creepy as it gets.

The plot, you ask? Never the spoiler, I'll give a few clues. Angela plays a woman who is fascinated by violent crimes. She cuts out every news clipping, follows every story, and imbues herself in the details of every murder of the day. Weird!

Seeking a job, what could be better for this strange lady than joining a maid service that specializes in cleaning up crimes? Sound familiar? It should: The recent film Sunshine Cleaning with Amy Adams sort of ripped off the earlier, little known, film.

Now our very bizarre protagonist is in her element: blood, guts, gore, you name it. She loves to clean it all up...while she tries to figure out whodunnit!

So what does the dance with William Baldwin have to do with all this? For you to discover, dear readers! Get on your Hitchcock/Stephen King hat and revel in the eerie!

Enjoy!

In Time

You don't have to be a sci-fi nut to enjoy this wonderful, creative flick. Check out the duo on the run...they're taking on the establishment in a big way!

Here's the no-spoiler basic idea: folks in the future do not receive salary, because their society's stock in trade is not money. It is time. Yes, time. For example, if you work a good eight hour day, you put your arm under a machine as you exit your work place and get, say, 15 hours added to your life. Whoa...crazy stuff!

Not only that, but people can trade time. So if, for instance, you have two years and five hours of time in your bank, you can swap that time with someone else who has more or less in their bank.

What happens if you run out of time? You die! Haha! Great premise, no?

So along comes the two heroes, played admirably by Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried, who decide to defy that brutal system. Will there be rebellion? Will the two survive? How will they manage "time" so they can continue to live, help their loved ones, and still overcome the social beast?

Think out of the box. Think of what really counts in life. Think....

Grade of A. This is another film that ranks way up there with the most mind-boggling sci-fi.

Hunger Games

Having raved about the book, I was worried about seeing the film. So often films don't live up to the novel. This one did...my, did it ever!

Remember the teen who wowed audiences with her portrait of a desperate kid in search of her father in Winter's Bone? Yeah, that's her above: Jennifer Lawrence. What a find! She's the perfect Katniss, the girl on the run, in Hunger Games. She's pretty in a very plain way...but most of all, she exudes girl power...the most important part of her role. She steals the show, with shaded, subtle reactions to her dilemma: how to stay alive and not lose her humanity in the process.

NO spoiler, as usual, so I will not divulge details. But it's common knowledge that the film is about a bunch of kids who are chosen to fight to the death. It's Lord of the Flies and 1984 in one visual, gripping package.

Yet, as I suggested in my book review, the story offers so many questions: What is the true nature of people? Are we basically violent? Why do we watch boxing and other gladiatorial sports? Does might make right? What about individual freedom? What about survival? So many wonderful issues....

Have I made my point? The movie is as good as the book. One reason: the author of the trilogy, Suzanne Collins, helped guide the flick.

The film gets a grade of A+!

RUN out and see it...then keep running, so you don't get killed by another desperate "tribute"!

Haha.. Enjoy!

Peter's thoughts

David's note: Peter "the Australian" is a good friend of mine. He enjoys movies and has many solid opinions. Here's an email he just wrote on a number of the films we've reviewed. He gave me permission to post his thoughts. Just for the record, Pete's a great guy but he speaks a very strange form of English, which may be the result of residing near kangaroos.

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Agree on The Walking Dead.

Thought The iron Lady was fabulous. She deserved the Oscar.

Loved Game Change.

Thought Drive Angry was just a cheap action flick to help pay Nicolas Cage's bad debts.

Actually a recent flick (released on DVD) that was underrated was called The Devils Double. Story of Uday Saddam's double. Directed by Lee Tamahori (NZ Director) who also made Once Were Warriors (great movie) and a couple of other OK films. Look him up.

Don't forget Zulu and Waterloo.

John Carter was OK if you like Sci-Fi (I do) as was War Horse (a classic movie that sort of reminded me of the old John Wayne flick The Quiet Man).

Did you critique Drive? ... Saw it again last night. Better second time around. Also saw Dragon Tattoo. Really liked it.

Walking Dead (dead as a doornail)

Last night I watched the final episode of season two. What a bummer! See the picture above? With the series killing off all its protagonists, there may well be just one person left to face the zombie apocalypse. What a waste of a potentially outstanding series.

The Hunger Games (BOOK)

OK, this is a film blog, agreed. But the movie The Hunger Games just came out a day ago, and I promise to see it very soon. Since it's based on the book, I am taking slight liberties here in commenting on the novel.

I was woefully ignorant of the book that came out in 2008. Where was i? Immersed in the great Lehmann Brothers fiasco and watching the U.S. of A. nearly go bust financially.

Recently a huge wave of media blitz hit that shook me out of my stupor. Everyone I meet asks, what did you think of the book The Hunger Games? Well, I jolly well ran out to read it, because this former academic can't be left in the literary lurch!

Oh my, what a book! Oh my, what a story! NO spoiler, so I can't say very much. But think Lord of the Flies. Think 1984. Think Brave New World. Think gladiators! Think people's thirst for blood! Think the future...

The author, Suzanne Collins, takes many of the futuristic/apocalyptic works and weaves them into a gripping, believable tale. What a literary masterpiece. Great plotting, outstanding characters, excellent inner voice. Amazing originality.

You'll love the protagonist, a 16 year old female who takes no prisoners (literally!)

Run out and read the book.

Meanwhile, I'll get over to the local theatre so I can make a proper movie review and hopefully deem the film as good as the book.