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USA: John Lasseter, 1995

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USA: Wolfgang Reitherman, 1970

Throwaway Disney musical, this one really does feel like it was thought up during a coffee break from one of their more ambitious projects. There is some amusing comic relief, most of it coming from two dogs who like to chase cars, but there really isn't much to write home about in here. The characters are mostly generic, and Phil Harris plays yet another laidback Baloo clone. Also, I know that a lot of people really like the xerox look of the Disney films produced in this period, but on a number of occasions I did feel that the drawings needed way more clean-up. Being able to see all the construction lines just made it look unfinished.

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Italy: Dario Argento, 1977

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USA: Joe Berlinger, 2000

(Watched with commentary by Joe Berlinger)

This underrated sequel is, in my opinion, better than the original in that it goes in completely the opposite direction and doesn't rely on its advertising to make it work. Whereas The Blair Witch Project was a horror film pretending to be a documentary, Book of Shadows is a documentary (on the camera's ability to lie) posing as a horror film. It is let down in a number of ways, not least by poor acting from many of the cast members, plus the fact that the studio butchered the film after Joe Berlinger delivered his final cut, re-ordering scenes, adding gratuitous gore shots and CGI, as well as an annoying heavy metal soundtrack, but I really think people should give this film more of a chance.

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USA/UK/Italy: Kerry Conran, 2004

This film shows a lot of potential, but is let down by three things: (1) bad CGI, (2) flat characterisations, and (3) Jude Law. All three of these problematic elements conspire to create a film that almost doesn't work... and yet there are still so many great elements, from the score, to the surprisingly authentic 1930s look, to the extremely well choreographed action scenes. Sky Captain, when all said and done, is rollicking good fun, and I suspect that if it had had a more likeable and charismatic lead, it would have been superb.

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UK/Canada: Alexander Witt, 2004

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Original title: La Polizia Chiede Aiuto
Italy: Massimo Dallamano, 1974

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Original title: Passi di Danza su una Lama di Rasoio
Italy/Spain: Maurizio Pradeaux, 1972

Middle of the road giallo. This film is so completely average that I can't recommend it one way or the other. It simply does everything "okay", with not a single element standing out in any way. The other Nieves Navarro vehicle, Death Walks at Midnight, while still flawed, is much more fun and makes substantially better use of its leading lady.

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USA: Michael Moore, 2004

Over a year later and this film still hasn't lost its power. Indeed, if anything, it has actually become more harrowing. The film serves as a perfect manual on how to vote, and yet it didn't do a blind bit of good.

As my brother put it, "Seriously, I can't believe you dipshits would vote the guy in not once (debatable) but TWICE in a motherfucking row. It was so easy for you this year! Michael Moore made a Hollywood film explaining the things Bush Jr has done! All you had to do was sit in the dark with your popcorn and soak up the footage."

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USA: Sean S. Cunningham, 1980

A big steaming pile of "meh". This film can't even lay claim to having created the 80s-style slasher sub-genre. Mario Bava did that back in 1971 with Bay of Blood (a.k.a. Twitch of the Death Nerve). There's just not much to recommend with this film - it hasn't reached the ludicrous heights that the "Jason" franchise would later hit, so it's more or less just an hour and a half of tedium.

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