jstreitfeld

"Season of the Witch" (aka "Hungry Wives" aka "Jack's Wife") may be my favorite Romero film. However, it's almost impossible to compare this to his many fantastic and groundbreaking horror films. Though occasionally creepy and suspenseful, this isn't a horror film. It's essentially a sociological and psychological study of housewives in the age of women's lib and a society that was becoming more open about alternative lifestyles. It has a very sophisticated, existential edge to it. It has dramatic moments that remind me a little of John Cassavetes' films. It even has some moments that are almost Fellini-esquire. The acting is quite strong, the directing and editing are masterful (especially in the wonderful dream sequences), and the story is very engaging. It's really a shame that this movie went by virtually unnoticed. Knowing that this is a "lost" film, I was expecting to see something only mildly interesting, certainly nothing this original or fascinating.

The DVD release is loaded with extras. For one thing, it contains a second feature film, Romero's somewhat pedestrian but often entertaining second film, entitled, "There's Always Vanilla." It also has a great documentary on Romero's entire body of work, featuring interviews with Romero and a range of actors, including Ed Harris and Hal Holbrook. There's also a shorter documentary/interview with Romero, where he talks specifically about the two films on this DVD. And, there's another documentary/interview with the star of "Season of the Witch," Jan White. She has a lot of interesting things to say, including some words about the horrible marketing decisions that ultimately led to the film's lack of success. This DVD is obviously a must for fans of Romero. But it should also be given a chance by anyone interested in independent film-making.

I can't recommend this movie enough. If you haven't seen the original "Babe," don't worry. See this one first. The original won't tell you anything you need to know, and it's not nearly as good as this one.

I wasn't interested in the original "Babe." I rented "Pig In The City" because Gene Siskel called it one of the best films of the year. He wasn't kidding. I fell in love with it immediately, and it remains one of my all-time favorite films.

The storytelling is simply extraordinary. The images are breathtaking. More than once my jaw dropped at the colors on the screen. Sure, on the outside this looks like any old kids movie. However, notice who directed it: George Miller, the director of the "Mad Max" movies. As if that weren't enough, it features the incredible cinematography of Andrew Lesnie, the man who shot the Australian classic, "Dark Age," and went on to shoot the "Lord Of The Rings" trilogy with Peter Jackson. Like all of those other films, "Babe: Pig In The City" has a dark edge to it. It's not all about cutesy fun time. It'll make you laugh, no doubt, but don't be surprised if it shakes you up a bit, too. It'll make you think, and it may even make you cry. No matter who you are, young or old, you have to give this movie a chance. The sooner the better!

My expectations for this were pretty high, and I wasn't totally disappointed. This was almost a great movie. It is very well-paced. It begins slowly, introducing the characters in a very casual and subtle manner. The suspense builds slowly. After about twenty minutes or so, when things have started to get just a little tense, the film suddenly grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go till you're gasping for breath. It's that intense.

I love the way this movie pulled me in and didn't make any of the horrors easy to watch. The two female leads and John Jarratt all do a fantastic job. The other male lead doesn't have as meaty of a role, though what he does have he plays well enough. All of the actors help the film maintain a sense of realism that could easily have been lost due to the horrific nature of the material. The director probably deserves a lot of credit for that. Greg McLean must have pushed his actors very hard to get the performances we see on the screen. All in all, "Wolf Creek" is incredibly impressive considering it is McLean's feature debut. It's impressive anyway.

I have only two complaints. The first is that the film doesn't carry through with the intensity. The last ten minutes or so feel very anti-climactic. Second, a couple of scenes towards the end made me lose my suspension of disbelief. I actually balked at the screen at one point. When I left the theater, I felt that I had just experienced a very good film, but that it could've been great. Still, this is unquestionably a solid film. It deserves to be seen, especially if you like horror films that don't let you off the hook easily.