Mad Cowgirl

Oh my God! This is one of the worst movies I have ever seen. It is nothing but a continuous string of incoherent flashes of random images. This is a very low point in cinema history.

I gave up on the movie not even halfway through it. I couldn't stand the torture anymore. There was too much dribble and showing things that had nothing much to do with the main story.

And the acting in this movie, non-existent! It was horrendous at best. And the movie comes with stupid dialogue to go along with the lack of portraying any acting.

The cover looked promising, but just goes to prove that looks can be deceiving.

I advice you to stay well clear of this movie unless you like the type of movies that make little sense and just go on an on forever without getting anyway.

You won't see too many movies like this one. In fact, it's so unusual in places that a good brief description is hard. Think Tarantino does Surrealism and you'd be on the right track, at least. As such, it's understandable that this never had a theatrical release, but don't let that dissuade you. This is better than most of what makes it to the big screen... it's just not commercially viable.

Having said that, there are places where it's easy to get lost in this movie, especially toward the rather gory conclusion. There are also quite a few bits that a lot of people are bound to find offensive. There's incest, sex in a public place with a priest, homosexuality, and a couple of what can only be termed severely botched circumcisions. There's also a whole lot of red meat from end to end. You'll certainly never look at steak the same way.

Still, if you like Tarantino's recent stuff, you'll probably like this movie, too. Considering that this is only the second effort from director Gregory Hatanaka, it's a very good sign. I hope to see more of what he can do.

Therese, a young health inspector, breaks off her marriage and indulges herself in a variety of obsessions to take her mind off her loneliness. When she's not inspecting restaurants and butcher shops, she is erotically masticating large amounts of red meat, religiously watching a cheesy Kung-Fu show, engaging in casual sex, or having and affair with her favorite skeezy televangelist. Her compulsions spin out of control and her downward spiral turns lethal when she discovers that her meat-packing brother may have given her meat that may have been infected with mad cow disease.

Whoa. Where to begin with this one?! First off, Sarah Lassez is fantastic in the lead role. She displays incredible range. She's believable when she's breaking down and hilarious when she's imitating her favorite TV Kung Fu heroine. I don't really want to know how much red meat she consumed during the shooting...but let's just say she really knows how to take meat in her mouth. The supporting cast also fares well. Cult favorite James Duvall plays Therese's brother who may or may not have a crush on big sis. Devon Odessa (Sharon from My So Called Life!) is fun as her religious best friend with problems of her own. The film is uniquely shot (think "CrazyBird KatiePerson" but with a bit more talent behind the camera...and in the editing room) and the content is thoroughly repulsive.

As fascinating as it is to watch, some of the messages are muddled. It is obvious director Gregory Hatanaka is trying to draw a parallel between red meat and sex, but it's never really clear why, except to make the viewer feel icky. Perhaps I need to re-read Carol Adams' The Sexual Politics of Meat? There are some other weird situations (for example, her doctor speaks Sinhala and she responds in English) that make the film a bit difficult to get through. Still, it is worth seeing for its performances and originality. I really haven't seen anything like this out there. And if you're thinking about becoming vegetarian but are too, uh, chicken to make the transition, definitely check this one out. It'll make it easier.

This movie gets a 9 from me for the bizarre, unusual concepts portrayed throughout this film. It is one of the most unusual films I have had the opportunity to see. The plot is twisted and very entertaining. The lead actress played the part exceptionally well, and the part itself seemed to be extremely challenging. She had so many difficult scenes that were completely outrageous, and she never hesitated once to perform even the most unusual, frightening, and horrific scenes that most actors would never have the guts/balls to do.

The crowd left the theater, excited, confused, and somewhat horrified. This is a true indie film that I hope people will get the opportunity to see.

In MAD COWGIRL, a kung fu-loving, incestuous, preacher-dating meat inspector named Therese (Sarah Lassez) goes on a long descent into madness, when it clicks in her head that she's TV's "Girl With The Thunderbolt Kick". On a mission to destroy her enemies, bloody horror erupts. Sort of.

In a weird, convoluted way. This could / should have been a classic. Disturbingly, it grinds on forever, going nowhere, causing actual CJD (the human variant of Mad Cow Disease) in the viewer. Watching the entire movie unfold, one can feel the holes developing in the brain. This mind-vaporizing movie is simply too lethal to recommend! Walter Koenig is pretty good as the slimy Pastor Dylan, and could induce a sort of anti-salvation in the viewer. So, split the difference...