Coventry
Iscritto in data nov 2002
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On February 18th of 2025, the mighty actor Gene Hackman passed away. I have a tradition to pay tribute to a deceased cinema deity by watching/reviewing one or two of their lesser known (but hopefully worthwhile) movies. For Gene Hackman, however, I want to expand the tribute. He was such an indescribably brilliant and versatile actor. Since he's listed in my top 5 of greatest performers of ALL times, he deserves a full month of homage. Rest in peace, Mr. Hackman, and thanks for the many great movies.
Of all the movies I watched during this tribute month, "Superman" is undoubtedly the one that is the furthest away from my comfort zone! I'm allergic to movies that last two and a half hour, and I strongly dislike comic book/superhero movies. If I really have to watch a comic book franchise, I'd choose Batman, Iron Man, Ant Man, and Whatever Man over Superman. This movie as well, despite being made in my favorite film decade and featuring many of my favorite film people, is a bunch of childish and preposterous nonsense to me.
But hey, it stars Gene Hackman in one of his most iconic villainous roles, as Superman/Clark Kent's nemesis Lex Luthor. Even though Hackman only appears after 45 minutes or so, and even though his role (and especially that of his henchman Otis) feels like a feeble comic relief, he remains the absolute highlight of the film. Luther lives in a private empire underneath the subway of Metropolis - complete with library and swimming pool - and plots an evil scheme to inflict a massive earthquake and destroy the whole West Coast of California, so that he can expensively parcel out the cheaply purchased desert to the East. Awesome plan, Lex! The brilliant actor that he is - or was, alas - Hackman depicts the megalomaniac villain effectively tongue-in-cheek and exaggeratedly flamboyant. I'm probably very biased, but it feels as if Hackman was the only one who didn't take the tale of an extraterrestrial orphan sent to earth for a mission (and not just to score football touchdowns) too serious.
Of all the movies I watched during this tribute month, "Superman" is undoubtedly the one that is the furthest away from my comfort zone! I'm allergic to movies that last two and a half hour, and I strongly dislike comic book/superhero movies. If I really have to watch a comic book franchise, I'd choose Batman, Iron Man, Ant Man, and Whatever Man over Superman. This movie as well, despite being made in my favorite film decade and featuring many of my favorite film people, is a bunch of childish and preposterous nonsense to me.
But hey, it stars Gene Hackman in one of his most iconic villainous roles, as Superman/Clark Kent's nemesis Lex Luthor. Even though Hackman only appears after 45 minutes or so, and even though his role (and especially that of his henchman Otis) feels like a feeble comic relief, he remains the absolute highlight of the film. Luther lives in a private empire underneath the subway of Metropolis - complete with library and swimming pool - and plots an evil scheme to inflict a massive earthquake and destroy the whole West Coast of California, so that he can expensively parcel out the cheaply purchased desert to the East. Awesome plan, Lex! The brilliant actor that he is - or was, alas - Hackman depicts the megalomaniac villain effectively tongue-in-cheek and exaggeratedly flamboyant. I'm probably very biased, but it feels as if Hackman was the only one who didn't take the tale of an extraterrestrial orphan sent to earth for a mission (and not just to score football touchdowns) too serious.
An unbelievably gifted horror prodigy emerged out of nowhere since a few years, and he's not American, South-Korean, French, Japanese, or Spanish! Demián Rugna hails from Argentina and, to put it rather bluntly, doesn't give a damn about the polite and conventional horror norms that acclaimed directors from all the aforementioned countries follow oh-so obediently! Rugna's undeniable talent to color outside the lines and to mercilessly shock the viewer was already abundantly clear in "Terrified" from 2017. That film barely has a story to tell but does contain some of the most gruesome and authentically nightmarish scenes ever filmed. Plot is also still the biggest weakness in "When Evil Lurks", but there is clearly more structure and depth already, and the pure horror elements only became even more shocking and indescribably scary!
Something is rotten in the remote Argentinian countryside, ... and you may take that quite literally! The body of farmer's son Uriel is literally rotting away because it is possessed by an evil demon. The demon waits patiently for its rebirth, but this process gets rudely accelerated when three men take away Uriel's rotting body and dump it somewhere in the middle of nowhere. The evil escapes and spreads incredibly fast via animals and children, and no one is safe anymore. Ironically, the female characters always try to warn against further spreading, but the panicking and instinctively acting men ignore the advice and always make things worse.
I don't want to sound arrogant (or maybe I do..., just a little), but as far as I'm concerned, it's impossible to hate "When Evil Lurks" if you consider yourself to be a true fan of the horror genre. This film, with its hellish atmosphere and repulsive gore, simply slaps you in the face from the start, and you don't recover from the shock (and the palpable pain) until the end credits roll over the screen. Nothing is taboo or sacred in the sick brain of Demián Rugna! No one gets spared, including innocent children, pregnant women, lead characters, or cute animals. No false jump scares, no mercy, no hope for humanity, and certainly no comic reliefs. Only agony, despair, and pure unadulterated horror! See it, if you dare.
Something is rotten in the remote Argentinian countryside, ... and you may take that quite literally! The body of farmer's son Uriel is literally rotting away because it is possessed by an evil demon. The demon waits patiently for its rebirth, but this process gets rudely accelerated when three men take away Uriel's rotting body and dump it somewhere in the middle of nowhere. The evil escapes and spreads incredibly fast via animals and children, and no one is safe anymore. Ironically, the female characters always try to warn against further spreading, but the panicking and instinctively acting men ignore the advice and always make things worse.
I don't want to sound arrogant (or maybe I do..., just a little), but as far as I'm concerned, it's impossible to hate "When Evil Lurks" if you consider yourself to be a true fan of the horror genre. This film, with its hellish atmosphere and repulsive gore, simply slaps you in the face from the start, and you don't recover from the shock (and the palpable pain) until the end credits roll over the screen. Nothing is taboo or sacred in the sick brain of Demián Rugna! No one gets spared, including innocent children, pregnant women, lead characters, or cute animals. No false jump scares, no mercy, no hope for humanity, and certainly no comic reliefs. Only agony, despair, and pure unadulterated horror! See it, if you dare.
On February 18th of 2025, the mighty actor Gene Hackman passed away. I have a tradition to pay tribute to a deceased cinema deity by watching/reviewing one or two of their lesser known (but hopefully worthwhile) movies. For Gene Hackman, however, I want to expand the tribute. He was such an indescribably brilliant and versatile actor. Since he's listed in my top 5 of greatest performers of ALL times, he deserves a full month of homage. Rest in peace, Mr. Hackman, and thanks for the many great movies.
"Enemy of the State" is the type of mainstream blockbuster that I watch but don't review. Too popular, too large, and too over-plotted for my liking. I'm making the exception for the Hackman tribute month, and - even more so - because it's the first time (in three viewings) that I'm looking at it as if it were a belated (and unofficial) sequel to "The Conversation". This 1974 classic, which is arguably director Francis Ford Coppola's and Gene Hackman's most underrated film, warned the world about the increasing threat of electronical surveillance and starred Hackman as the best bugger in the business. Tony Scott and Jerry Bruckheimer give the concept a typical 90s upgrade, meaning a big budget, a perplexing all-star cast, chases & explosions, and witty one-liners. And yes, the script does hint several times that Hackman's characters Harry Caul and Brill are one and the same person.
When amateur CCTV-evidence of a political assassination ends up in the innocent shopping bags of lawyer Robert Dean, his perfect life and everything he worked hard for are taken away from him in less than 24 hours. Dean doesn't even know why numerous of expertly trained NSA-agents are ruining his life, but he nevertheless fights back and seeks contact with the pioneer - but reluctant - NSA wizard Brill.
Undeniably one of the elite action-blockbusters of the 1990s. There is never one dull moment. From the brute elimination of Jason Robards at the beginning until the outrageous Mexican standoff during the climax, Tony Scott and his talented cast & crew serve one exhilarating and nail-bitingly tense sequence after another. It's mainstream, but definitely a must-see.
"Enemy of the State" is the type of mainstream blockbuster that I watch but don't review. Too popular, too large, and too over-plotted for my liking. I'm making the exception for the Hackman tribute month, and - even more so - because it's the first time (in three viewings) that I'm looking at it as if it were a belated (and unofficial) sequel to "The Conversation". This 1974 classic, which is arguably director Francis Ford Coppola's and Gene Hackman's most underrated film, warned the world about the increasing threat of electronical surveillance and starred Hackman as the best bugger in the business. Tony Scott and Jerry Bruckheimer give the concept a typical 90s upgrade, meaning a big budget, a perplexing all-star cast, chases & explosions, and witty one-liners. And yes, the script does hint several times that Hackman's characters Harry Caul and Brill are one and the same person.
When amateur CCTV-evidence of a political assassination ends up in the innocent shopping bags of lawyer Robert Dean, his perfect life and everything he worked hard for are taken away from him in less than 24 hours. Dean doesn't even know why numerous of expertly trained NSA-agents are ruining his life, but he nevertheless fights back and seeks contact with the pioneer - but reluctant - NSA wizard Brill.
Undeniably one of the elite action-blockbusters of the 1990s. There is never one dull moment. From the brute elimination of Jason Robards at the beginning until the outrageous Mexican standoff during the climax, Tony Scott and his talented cast & crew serve one exhilarating and nail-bitingly tense sequence after another. It's mainstream, but definitely a must-see.