crickwill

I have great news for the world. There's absolutely nothing wrong with Moonfall. It's another one of those pictures that will finally receive its due acclaim and acceptance in any number of years to come. No doubt, far worse movies will be made in the meantime. It's intended audience, critics and the entertainment industry once again crucified another perfectly good film, for reasons probably stemming from pure narcissism. Ironically though, the masses all clammer for escapism and when they're given it, complain that it's not good enough and objectify whatever is in easy reach. It's an escapist movie remember...? Perhaps these intelligenstia would be better off just watching '2001' on a loop. Moonfall's ideas are quite sound, the effects are marvellous, the humour intact, the characters are cardboard cut outs but let's face it, we'll never really be able to gauge human reactions and responses to this sort of thing until the end of the world itself. So be happy with Moonfall, its a great ride alas another that was cheated out of its budgetary costs and appraisal.

Hot on the heels of the myriad of other assorted clone slashers of the 80s and fresh from Canada, Prom Night tries very hard to please and pretty much succeeds, via Disco Movie, Prom Date Movie and Who's Klling The Kids Movie. Murky, overcast and filmed through pantyhose, Prom Night really isn't very good to be honest and at times can't really work out what sort of movie it wants to be, however this just adds to the charm of what we all went in droves to see some 44 years ago. Lee Curtis sheds her moping good girl blues and becomes the free spirited Disco Queen she always was along with the Queen Bee, Confused Virgin, Good Jock, Bad Jock and other stereotypes you just might have seen before in other pictures. The murders were brief and not overly graphic by the time the whole thing came off the cutting room floor making one wonder if somewhere down the track we'll get the director's cut uncut to immediately rush out and spend our money on.

Remember the audacity of the original Hellraiser when released back when, a cold, unrelenting almost pornographic styled shocker that knew not to hold back, spreading it's steely claws out to stunn an unsuspecting audience. This remake is basically the same, except that it's watered down with sweet syrup, coated with jam fondant and soft icing sugar and strewn with fluffy pink marshmallows. An aspiring ex-junkie and one of the most obnoxious characters you're likely to see this year in any movie charges around ineffectively to find her equally obnoxious gay brother after a rather sinister automatic Rubiks Cube starts doing the rounds. Don't get me wrong, horror remake cash grabs are ok but seldomly do their makers know what they're doing or trying to emulate. Lots of squelching and prolonged agony ensues courtesy of the new revamped Cenobites who make rare guest appearances throughout, hissing softly and looking suitably bored. This new Hellraiser, fashionably filmed in murky black Tekno Scope due to its maker's low confidence in their product goes on auto pilot straight from the beginning and eventually dies screaming. A. A. A. C. (avoid at all costs)