October 2008

This Week in Independent Film

  • Title: The Haunting of Molly Hartley
  • IMDB: link

New girl Molly Hartley (Haley Bennett) has a few secrets (like say when her soul was sold to the devil and when she turns 18 things will gt seriously messed-up) which will come back to haunt her and her new classmates in this new thriller from Mickey LiddellShannon Marie Woodward, Chace Crawford, Shanna Collins, Jessica Lowndes, and Randy Wayne also star.  Larger trailer available in the Full Diagnosis.

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This Week in Independent Film

  • Title: Splinter
  • IMDB: link

A young couple’s (Paulo Costanzo, Jill Wagner) nature get-away is hijacked by a convict (Shea Whigham) and his girlfriend (Rachel Krebs).  The unlikely foursome become trapped in a gas station and get hunted by a mysterious splinter-shooting monster.  Laurel Whitsett also stars.  Check out the official site.  The film opens in limited release in select cities on Friday.  Larger trailer available in the Full Diagnosis

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High School Musical 3

  • Title: High School Musical 3
  • IMDb: link

“You may be ready to say goodbye to East High, but East High’s not ready to say goodbye to you.”

I missed the first two made-for-TV High School Musical films, but even coming late to the party it didn’t take me long to get the lay of the land.  It’s senior year at East High in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  That means one last musical for the gang, and fears about future college plans and long-distance romance for Troy (Zac Efron) and Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens).

Although the storylines are quite simple. the sets, costumes, and choreography make stand-out performances.  The film, tongue firmly in cheek, makes homage to everything from Busby Berkley to Madonna’s “Material Girl” video.

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Pride and Glory

  • Title: Pride and Glory
  • IMDB: link

Over the top acting, typical story line and a complete lack of moral high ground makes Pride and Glory absolutely painful to watch. You don’t give a shit about any one single character, not a one; the most enduring character is a wife dying of cancer. That’s right, a dying wife and interesting enough women were only window dressing in Pride and Glory. Chics don’t carry guns, they are not in the force and they certainly don’t have a brain, just drones that are completely clueless to the peril and damage their husbands are pressing on the poor elements of society.  Pride and Glory is way too long and exaggerates every stereotype from unlawful cops to the criminal element, way too much in one film.  It’s certainly nothing we haven’t seen before, not a single original thought or character.

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