gary_dillon
Joined Oct 2000
Welcome to the new profile
Our updates are still in development. While the previous version of the profile is no longer accessible, we're actively working on improvements, and some of the missing features will be returning soon! Stay tuned for their return. In the meantime, the Ratings Analysis is still available on our iOS and Android apps, found on the profile page. To view your Rating Distribution(s) by Year and Genre, please refer to our new Help guide.
Badges2
To learn how to earn badges, go to the badges help page.
Reviews2
gary_dillon's rating
By turns horrific, hilarious, disgusting and absurd Dawn of the Dead is the work of a director truly on top of his game. Given almost total control (something which was to be denied Romero in later years) George Romero gives us his unique and vivid view of a world in absolute turmoil.
Not just a mockery of the hedonistic and empty America of the late 70's Dawn is also a parable or warning if you like of the brittle structure of society and how easily it can be disintegrated. Many have criticised the film for being too over the top and questioned the quality of the acting. This for me is one of the joys of the film, Romero uses gaudy sets and effects and combines this with comic book hero dialogue to lull us into a false sense of security. Then masterfully Romero pulls the rug out from under us and brings the reality of the situation crashing in on our heads.
Dawn stands alone well but really comes into its own as part of the trilogy to which it belongs. One theory of mine is that the Alien trilogy (forgetting the miserable fourth installment) takes a lot from the dead trilogy namely the pace and claustrophobia of the two which book-end the mass hysteria and over the top horror and violence of the middle film.
Undoubtedly one of the great Horror films of modern time. Or perhaps there is something about being the only people left alive and living in a shopping mall that appeals to the kid in all of us. 10/10
Not just a mockery of the hedonistic and empty America of the late 70's Dawn is also a parable or warning if you like of the brittle structure of society and how easily it can be disintegrated. Many have criticised the film for being too over the top and questioned the quality of the acting. This for me is one of the joys of the film, Romero uses gaudy sets and effects and combines this with comic book hero dialogue to lull us into a false sense of security. Then masterfully Romero pulls the rug out from under us and brings the reality of the situation crashing in on our heads.
Dawn stands alone well but really comes into its own as part of the trilogy to which it belongs. One theory of mine is that the Alien trilogy (forgetting the miserable fourth installment) takes a lot from the dead trilogy namely the pace and claustrophobia of the two which book-end the mass hysteria and over the top horror and violence of the middle film.
Undoubtedly one of the great Horror films of modern time. Or perhaps there is something about being the only people left alive and living in a shopping mall that appeals to the kid in all of us. 10/10
It seems for the first time in years the critics and the public agree, American Beauty has garnered critical acclaim and has stormed the box office. The question I ask in hindsight is "why", is American Beauty really that good. In my opinion, no its not, don't get me wrong I do think it is an amazing film and that it has some very pertinent points to make about modern American society. However American Beauty's story has been covered so many times before and even this year Magnolia in my opinion surpassed it.
True, Kevin Spacey was amazing but Annette Bening in my opinion was even better. I found Mena Suvari's character tiresome in the extreme and Thora Birch was just too sullen to gain any respect from me. The theme behind American Beauty is that in life we should always look closer and that even Beautiful things can be ugly and vice versa look closer at American Beauty and I think you will see that the film lacks any real depth.
True, Kevin Spacey was amazing but Annette Bening in my opinion was even better. I found Mena Suvari's character tiresome in the extreme and Thora Birch was just too sullen to gain any respect from me. The theme behind American Beauty is that in life we should always look closer and that even Beautiful things can be ugly and vice versa look closer at American Beauty and I think you will see that the film lacks any real depth.