DVD review: Clone Hunter Often, sci-fi and low budget indie productions go together about as well as chocolate and onions. The high budget demands on special effects eventually hamper the entire story. Clone Hunter is indeed [ ... ] |
What to make of the ending to Inception? So far, my favorite film this year is Christopher Nolanís Inception. Not only does it deliver all the action and thrills expected of a big budget summer blockbuster, but it has inspired endl [ ... ] |
DVD Review: The White Ribbon The White Ribbon is a drama starring Christian Freidl, Ulrich Turkl and Burghart Klaussner. Directed by Michael Haneke. |
DVD Review: Shutter Island The film begins on an ominous note. Eerie strings play as the film fades to white. Soon, a ship appears out of the fog. Cut to a gumshoe, looking and speaking as if he has stepped straight out of a [ ... ] |
| DVD Review: Jennifer's Body |
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| Written by Trent Daniel |
| Monday, 01 February 2010 14:16 |
 Shoot, I was hoping Iíd like this one. I am an unapologetic fan of horror films (and sometimes the sleazier the better), yet I admit they are way too often predictable, no matter the subgenre. Jenniferís Body had a chance to be unique. Not only did it star ìbabe of the monthî Megan Fox, it was produced and written by Diablo Cody, fresh off her Oscar winning work for Juno. Thus, I was hoping the film would deliver the scares, yet be sexy and feature a feminist perspective on the proceedings (something rarely found in horror). Sorry, but Jenniferís Body simply doesnít deliver. The plot, in a small northwest town (which looked WAY too much like the setting for Twilight), bffs Needy (Amanda Seyfried), withdrawn and nerdy, and Jennifer (Megan Fox), head cheerleader and school babe, go to a seedy bar to hear a struggling alt-rock band named Low Shoulder. A fire decimates the club and, upon escaping, Needy is left behind while Jennifer is taken away in a van by the band. Turns out the band has decided to sacrifice a virgin to Satan in order to achieve fame (one of the better lines in the movie ìYou know how hard it is for an indie band to make it these days?í). Trouble is, Jennifer lied and is no virgin. The unintended consequence: instead of dying, her body is possessed by a demon that needs to feed on human flesh, preferably boys. Some elements do work in this film. Veteran character actor J.K. Simmons is effective and funny as a teacher trying to cope with the losses at the school. Furthermore, some of Codyís perceptive insights into the ways teens (particularly girls) communicate that made Juno so beloved are found here. Best example: when Needy tells her likeable boyfriend (Johnny Simmons) that Jennifer is evil, he replies, ìI know.î Needyís explanation: "not high school evil, but evil, evil." However, there are more hits than misses here. The movie is too similar in look to Twilight or a Buffy episode. The tone and plot was also too similar to the 80ís cult hit Heathers (a pretentious movie I hated and still do) Also, what I was afraid might happen does happen, by trying to be two films at once (a teen horror film and an observation on high school from a feminist perspective), it pulls itself apart and is neither. It is neither scary nor, save for a few instances, particularly funny. Cody-isms such as ìfreakatardî fall flat. Finally, though it would seem that Jennifer would be a part tailor made for Ms. Fox, she is not very effective. Sure, she is gorgeous, but is not particularly engaging as an actress. I did not buy her characterís friendship with Needy. Plus, beautiful or not, she is so mean and weird acting after her possession that even the horniest teen boy might avoid her. Jenniferís Body had potential, but falls short. It is not scary, not sexy, not funny or as observant as it could have been. Juno herself would have had a surly comment on this one. |
| Last Updated on Monday, 01 February 2010 14:19 |
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