Killer Klowns from Outer Space: BEST MOVIE EVER (Okay, not really, but it made me laugh)

    Space is a dangerous place. Clowns are a dangerous people. Put them together and you have quite the recipe for a campy horror cult classic. When alien clowns make contact with planet earth, they instantly begin their reign of terror by cocooning their victims in cotton candy and blasting their prey with guns that fire popcorn. Despite their silly appearance however, these clowns mean business. But when even the police don’t believe the madness, a small group of teenagers may be Earth’s last hope.

     Killer Klowns from Outer Space has become famous over the years for it’s bad special effects, it’s campy comedic essence, and come on, just read the title. The film is centered around a band of alien clowns, all with their own unique attributes and makeup. The creators definitely endowed a sense of creativity, as each clown seemed to resemble it’s own persona, and added to the overall character of the film. For what it is, however, Killer Klowns contains a rather interesting plot. Unlike most campy horrors, I was actually genuinely interested in the fate of these teenagers and their small suburban neighborhood. That being said, the character development was mediocre, the effects were cheesy, and the acting sometimes felt like it was just too much.

     The film is goofy, outrageous, and at times just ridiculous. If you are looking for some deeper meaning, or some sort of powerful insight into life, stay away, but if you are looking for a good laugh, or are really high, watch this film.

Jaws: This one's kind of required

     Jaws is a film about life, love, and a 25 Foot Great White Shark that kills everything it encounters. The plot presents a premise that generally does not entice much more than a summer cheap thriller. A shark terrorizes people trying to have fun on an island. The same idea has produced some of the worst movies of all time.  Steven Spielberg does something with this film, though, that pushes it out in front of the rest. There is character, there is suspense, and there is the driving fear throughout the whole movie that makes the audience not wan’t to be within 100 miles of the ocean. A beautiful soundtrack and ingenious cinematography are the cherry atop this instant classic of a film.

    The story tells of a shark plaguing a small island town. The sheriff seems to be the only man in charge with some sense of intelligence, as he, an oceanographer, and a drunken old fishing captain voyage a dinky old fishing boat (Named Orca ironically) in pursuit of the Great White Shark.

     From the beginning of the film, we see lighting (and it’s absence) begin to paint the terror of a picture. With the sun setting and a girl swimming in the twilight, only the iconic music and the Shark’s POV shot add to the dramatic suspense. Yet we all know what is going to happen to the young girl, we fear for her life all the same. The film also contains masterful cuts, intense camera angles, and presents an overall vibe of helplessness as the audience themselves fears for poor Amity Island. 

Candyman: Hooked me from the start

   Who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it with dew, cover it with chocolate, and brutally murder you if you say his name in the mirror 5 times? The Candyman can. The candyman can because he mixes it with love and shoves a hook, nailed into the stub of his cut-off hand, into the back of your neck. This is a horror film with an attitude. The story follows a graduate student working on a thesis about urban legends. What she discovers, however, will lead her off the edge of insanity. She follows the story of “The Candyman” into the ghetto, and faces her worse nightmares as her fears become reality and ruin her life. 

     This film is truly a work of art.  The acting is great, the characters are believable, and the story is so compelling and powerful that you are immediately drawn into the plot, and kept there throughout the duration of the film. Candyman includes “edge-of-your-seat” suspense, drama, and delightfully doubles as a psychological thriller.

     One of the strongest cinematic aspects of this film has to be its camera work/editing. Every once in a while it will flash to the graffiti of the Candyman’s open mouth, and send shivers down your spine all the way. And every time there is a mirror, the legendary serial killer is lurking somewhere behind. The soundtrack is catchy and provides an excellent vehicle for the epic ride of a film.  And during the climax, in the mound of fire, until everything comes to a screeching halt at the end of the film, you couldn’t ask for a more intense way to end this horror classic.

    

     

(500) Days of Summer: Not another Rom Com

     (500) Days of Summer is a unique taste of genius in a world filled with cookie-cutter styled romantic comedies. The film follows the story of Tom, and his heart throbbing quest to find and hold onto true love. The woman who he believes he is in love with, Summer, is just as mysterious as she is beautiful, and despite the feelings he felt for her, she still did not believe that true love exists. Completely defying the laws of the romantic comedy genre, the couple does not get together in the end and go their separate ways. Summer ends up experiencing the feeling of love for the first time with an unnamed man, and Tom experiences hope in the closing moments as he meets Autumn, a blatant symbol for the “other fish in the sea” idiom.

     I thoroughly enjoyed the non-sequential aspect of the story telling. The film was presented in a manner that gave the audience multiple perspectives, jumping back and forth between a 501-day period of time.  I enjoyed the artistic style during many parts as well. The contrast of blue and orange was very prominent through the film. Summer would always wear blue and would be the only character to do so. (With the exception of the post-sex dancing scene, in which everyone wears it.) The blue feels welcoming at times, providing a sensation of freedom and youth; while at other times gives the audience a cold sense of hopelessness and darkness.

     The film also utilizes a ‘split screen’ method at times, which contrasts the two protagonists, their alternate viewpoints, and ultimately the expectations of Tom with the harsh revelation of reality. Marc Webb brings out the best of a will-written script, and has blessed the audience with a refreshing new taste of the rom-com genre in a piece that hopefully will stand the test of time.