Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Cursed

(2005) **

Ellie is a hard-working producer on the late late show with Craig Kilborn. She takes care of her younger brother while they still live in their recently deceased parents' home. She is currently having relationship troubles with Pacey, a young LA hipster who is terribly busy with work, opening a nightclub/wax museum (apparently those exist?). ON the drive home one night, Ellie and her younger brother are in a car accident. When they try to help the victim (American Pie's Shannon Elizabeth - fully clothed), she is killed by a wold, while Ellie and her younger brother are bitten.

Weird things start to happen - pentagrams form on their hands, they start hungering for lots of meat, and they're suddenly considered very attractive by others. There's a great scene where Scott Baio is hitting on Christina Ricci.
This film was directed by Wes Craven and includes his penchant for trying to frame his story within a story while reflecting on pop culture's stories in general. If that sounds too confusing, think of what he did with the Scream movies, or Wes Craven's New Nightmare. Same sort of stuff here. Kevin Williamson (writer of scream) wrote this one as well, but rather than making this a legitimately scary movie, they tried to take the story in a campy angle that nullifies any good creepiness that would have made a more effective film.
Some of the fx are good, and the werewolf's final showdown in the wax museum/night club is pretty good, but, overall, this movie was not nearly as good as Craven & Williamson could do.

4 comments:

miko564 said...

"opening a nightclub/wax museum "

WTF? I hate when movies create some ridiculous scenario to try to "fit" the idea in.

Also, Shannon, we've already seen the goods, and you're not a very good actress...come on!

Octopunk said...

I give her a pass on this one because we see her try to crawl when the lower half of her body is missing, but yeah: "starring Shannon Elizabeth" + she doesn't get naked is an official movie foul.

That sight being the only worthy moment in this dud. I'm particularly resentful of whatever market forces dictated that her brother is appealing. And &@#*$ again with the Pacey!

Whirlygirl said...

I watched this one, oh, maybe two weeks ago now, and I didn't think it was that bad. Of course, not terrific, but not as utterly ridiculous as I had expected it to be when I picked this movie up from the library and discovered that Pacey was in it. This was a random ibrary pick that I barely read and knew nothing about. I cringed at the thought of watching another movie this thon with that annoying moron and almost didn't watch it.

You may or may not see a review of this one from me.

Johnny Sweatpants said...

Oh that Scott Baio - always chasing skirt.

Malevolent

 2018  ***1/2 It's 1986 for some reason, and a team of paranormal investigators are making a big name for themselves all over Scotland. ...