Saturday, December 31, 2005
THEATER OF CRUELTY II
I am often amazed at the congruence of successive films in this Best Film Series.
The process is random yet produces patterns or contrasts or whatever.
Today's film
is the second movie in a row to feature mean-ness and cruelty as its main theme.
The film turns the teen-chick-clique genré on its head with Winona Ryder engaging in homicidal social climbing. With the help of her devilish new boyfriend Christian Slater, who is the real perp, she manages to make it to the top over Heathers' dead bodies and a few more.
It is not as realistically mean as Heartbreak Kid because it does not require the suspension of disbelief to get through it. It just plows ahead and depends on bad jokes and morbid plot devices to keep us engaged. I kept going because I am committed to viewing all these films. For better or worse.
They also make the victims so annoying or nasty that you can't get all mournful about it.
And another thing; far more serious. There is a chilling similarity between Slater's looks (trenchcoat) and actions (weapons and dynamite to blow up the school) to presage the Columbine tragedy.
I wonder what they think of that, if they think at all?
I won't think about this one very long. I did think about yesterday's nasty bits all evening.
This time a 2 out of Netflix5 as it did have a sappy happy ending which sort of redeemed all the sick shit on the way. Maybe. It could be a 1 before I have to rate it next week.
