This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.
The lack of flies in Curse of the Fly isn't necessarily the problem, but the advertising that sells Fly mayhem to no avail. The movie seems to build up to the expected show-stopping moment of science-gone-wrong until... nothing. Literally, the protagonist fades away and you're left feeling the same about this movie.
Still, there are several sequences worth highlighting: the eerie opening is an effective hook (peaked too soon?); the reveal that Father has been lost in space is horrifying;…
An effective sequel that continues the storyline of the Delambre family, whereby the son follows in the doomed footsteps of his scientifically ambitious father. The fact that the son is destined for Flyville is no surprise, but how he gets there offers enough unexpected thrills. The crime elements of the film are tightly directed and compellingly played; Vincent Price keeps it straight and Brett Halsey as Philippe is a dynamic screen presence.
By the end, however, this drama lurches into…
A family film that succeeds where so many fail, by leaning into the real-world peril of being 1/4 inches tall. Yes, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is goofy in places and downright hilarious in others; however, it's not afraid to take itself seriously when handling themes of wounded marriages, absent fathers, and teenage insecurities. Sure, the movie could have gone further with these themes, but director Joe Johnston knows how to equally balance the comedy and drama. (His later film,…
THE GOOD
Actors take the campy concept seriously; no matter the "silly" situation, they commit to the life-and-death stakes. Satisfying explosions and kill sequences. Themes of machismo and Vietnam?
THE BAD
Direction is blase; lacks the dynamic camera work that could easily make this a gripping thriller (a la DUEL). Cliche convention of people being killed by a slow-moving assailant because they either stumble/trip over everything OR decide to stand still and scream.
THE DOWNRIGHT CAMPY
When the killdozer and…
