A few years ago, I find myself travelling through South-East Asia, at one point trying to piece together a baffling series of events that resulted in the genocide of a third of Kampuchea, or Cambodia as we now call it.

I read as much as I can, and try to speak to survivors. But the eyes of family members well up with tears. The inexpressible grief is barely contained. Out of respect, I desist.

Some time later, I see this film by internationally acclaimed human rights director, Rithy Panh. He has a better reason for asking  he survived the massacre. His work, unlike my simple desire for knowledge, would provide momentum for confessions and now a war crimes tribunal. At the 'Killing Fields' outside Phnom Penh is a tree against which children had their brains bashed out. In the film, a guard explains how parents would be separated from each other, and from their children, to minimise fuss. The adults were told not to worry: they were going to a new home. They were then blindfolded for 'security reasons' and, ammunition being scarce, hit on the back of the neck with metal bars before being cast into a pit.

Executions followed three levels of torture at S.21, a school building in Phnom Penh converted into a concentration camp (and now a memorial visitors centre). Details are so hideous  humans packed like abattoir carcasses, and systematic torture, that you could be forgiven for suspecting truth has been embroidered. Except for one fact. Meticulous records of every victim were kept. Each non-person, each beating, each flaying of skin, each removal of fingernails, chemical and electrical abuses, rape. Precise details of prisoners chained to iron bars to sleep, crammed together top-to-toe, living sharing a sardine-row with the dead.

Rithy Panh's master stroke brings together S.21 survivors (two of the existing three) and former guards and torturers. He encourages them to talk. To find answers. One of the hardest things, even now, is these perpetrators see themselves also as victims. They joined Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge for what seemed like all the right reasons. Once inducted, they were brainwashed, indoctrinated and trapped. Deviation meant the same fate as those they flayed alive. Most were youths at the time, easily manipulated. But, how can you forgive and move on, when no-one will admit wrong-doing? Even Pol Pot blamed the people he left in charge.

Men joined the Khmer Rouge because their villages were being repeatedly bombed. With their government's approval. The much loved Prince Sihanouk had been ousted in a coup. Lon Nol, an ineffective, U.S.-backed ruler, was forcibly installed in his place. Lon Nol gave America (under Johnson and Nixon) 'permission' for what became the largest bombing campaign in human history. Two and three-quarter million tons of bombs  the revised figure released by the Clinton administration  was more than the total dropped by all the allies in the whole of World War Two (which only came to two million, even including Hiroshima and Nagasaki). Whole areas of the country became pock-marked, aerial chemical deforestation destroyed livelihoods and created famine and disease. Thousands killed, many more permanently displaced. The Khmer Rouge leaders kept their extreme agenda  a form of rural, back-to-basics communism  completely secret until they were installed in power. Then the purges started. Lon Nol supporters were followed to the grave by academics or anyone tainted with 'western' ideas. Anyone opposing Pol Pot, or whose name was elicited under extreme torture. The population was turned out of the cities, dying of starvation. With no-one else to purge, the despots found traitors to execute its own members.

Kampuchea's leading doctor, Swiss born Beat Richner, adamantly told me that without American intervention  which had been aimed ironically at stopping communism in the region  there would have been no Khmer Rouge. No Pol Pot victory. Richner worked in Kampuchea before, during and after Pol Pot, and his coal-face assessment agrees with most historians. But it is controversial: the U.S. military claim that Pol Pot would have won anyway. Ordinary Cambodians are still grieving rather than blaming. Rithy Panh's film exposes horror without finger-pointing. There are no 'lessons to be learnt.' Millions died  estimates say around a third of the population, two to three million. (And this in a country smaller than Great Britain. As a benchmark comparison, Hitler exterminated six million Jews .) While Panh documents the existence of atrocities, he does little to substantiate the bigger picture, which has to be gleaned elsewhere or from casual remarks of the former guards.

Rithy Panh's film, S.21  The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine, has no real ax to grind  in the tradition of best documentary, it simply tries to provide a window. While it is powerful evidence, many viewers might find it emotionally less satisfying than more box-office friendly film by Roland Joffé, The Killing Fields, which (symbolically) suggests the West's responsibility by the journalist who 'uses' his Cambodian friend for his own ends, and also has more of a story. Either way, it is a country that makes me ashamed to be a Westerner. Yet Cambodians have more to worry about than my sense of emotional well-being. Avoiding hunger, or the thousands of landmines that still litter their country. In Joffe's film, an American journalist travels to a Red Cross camp to be reunited with a Cambodian colleague he deserted to his fate. "Do you forgive me?" he asks. The Cambodian answers with a smile, "Nothing to forgive, Sydney, nothing to forgive." Although it won many awards, Panh's movie is rarely shown outside of Cambodia. There you can pick it up for about $3. From one of the many maimed or desperate hawkers that haunt the road outside Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. This place formerly known as Security Prison 21, or 'S.21' for short, still has living ghosts. The film just tells us where they came from.


In this emotional and gripping movie Rithy Panh confronts former killers and the few survivors (among the thousands of inmates) of the slaughtering in the horrible S-21 prison in Phnom Penh during the Red Khmer regime in Kampuchea. The guards show the place were people were clubbed to death, not shot. The sound of gun shots would have created panic among the group of prisoners waiting to be killed. The inmates confess blatantly that under untenable torture they told their interrogators everything those wanted to hear and denounced as traitors even the most innocent of their compatriots. The movie creates a nearly unbearable emotional climate by showing the extreme excesses of a Marxist ideology going mad, killing even intentionally children and babies. A one party State was installed where the top forced a terror regime on the entire population.

This movie is a must see for all those interested in the history and the nature of mankind.


This film had so much potential, but just didn't get it done.

The first, really glaring problem is the opening that has a very incomplete and poorly-explained history of how the Khmer Rouge came to power. I found it confusing, and I know the history. They make the mistake of assuming people already know what happened there.

S21 has such a horrifying history, a place where humanity reached its nadir, but the film really just scratches the surface.

One angle that goes almost completely unexplored is the loss/lack of humanity on both sides. The destruction of the prisoners is well-covered, but the guards are given a mostly one-dimensional role, and their own situation is barely considered, aside from overly long reenactments of how they would conduct themselves toward the prisoners.

Vann Nath, one of the few survivors of S21, talks to the guards who are pretty close-mouthed and unwilling/unable to defend themselves. One should remember that they were largely 12 or 13 year-olds, selected at that age because they could be easily manipulated and indoctrinated, or they did what they did because they feared for their own lives. Seeing a survivor talk to the guards is very interesting, but they also needed someone neutral, as Vann has no patience for their explanations. Vann laments the loss of humanity of the prisoners, but does not consider that it existed on both sides.

Many of the things the guards did would be so anathema to human nature, be so morally repugnant, that I don't think (or like to believe) that most people would do them unless they fear for their lives, or could not really grasp what they were doing.

Granted, many Khmer Rouge knew exactly what was going on, and they condoned torture and murder. If one ever goes to S21 and sees the mug shots on the wall, with men, women, children, even infants looking back at you with heartbreaking fear and hopelessness, you cannot help but hate those who killed them. But, if this film also looked at those who did it and why, it would have been much more effective.

On the whole, it's a very disappointing experience. There's so much to talk about, and more horror than you can really wrap your mind around, but the film doesn't help you appreciate this.


Tony works in a mannequin factory in grimy NYC. He has this strange sexual attraction to the mannequins. One day he brings home a head from one of them. In his spare time he uses binoculars to spy on topless women sunbathing on the tops of buildings. Then he walks into womens apartments (in this universe no one locks their doors), kills them and has sex with their bodies (not shown). There's also a ton of pointless female nudity which has nothing to do with the plot.

There's nothing wrong with showing women dressing and undressing--this is an adult film after all and it has its audience. But when you throw in violence and necrophilia it gets pretty sick. Thankfully the killings themselves aren't that bad--only two are shown and they're just strangulations. That aside the film is painfully dull (I fast forwarded through most of it) and no reason is given for Tony's actions. There's very little dialogue and the guy who plays Tony actually isn't a bad actor. But this is a slow, sick and deadly dull movie. A 1 all the way.


(Some Spoilers) More like a home movie then anything else "The Sex Killer" plot is your run of the mill sex pervert film with nothing to recommended it but a number of pretty girls, who for the most part end up getting strangled, and a look at the grimy streets and red light district of Manhattan circa the mid 1960's.

Tony who works in a mannequin warehouse in the Garment District of New York City is a bit shy with women having trouble making any connection or striking up any relationship with them. We see at the start of the movie Tony going into a camera store and buying a pair of binoculars that he later uses to spy, from the safety of a high-rise buildings rooftop, on young women sunbathing in the nude. Getting all hot and worked up seeing all these busty young women, who seem to be posing for him, from his porch on top f the high-rise Tony get up enough nerve t go down to Times Square and pick up a hooker.

Tony's encounter with the hooker turns out to be a total dud with him not having enough money to have any action with her. All the hooker allows Tony , who only has $10.00 on him, to do is watch her undress and nothing more. It's then that something inside Tony's sick minds snaps and sets him off to stalk down and murder a number of young women, including the hooker whom he picked up, mostly in their apartments that Tony breaks into.

The film "The Sex Killer" runs it's predictable course with Tony getting more and more careless every time he gets away with murdering his victims. Tony in order to satisfy his sick sexual urges also rapes and violates the womens after he murders them having him dubbed by the local newspapers and police as the "New York Necrophilia Rapist/Killer".

Breaking again into a young woman's apartment in order to satisfy his now out of control and inflamed libido Tony ends up getting caught when she escapes from his clutches. Running out of her apartment and into the hallway ,totally nude, the young woman together with a good neighbor, who gave her a robe to cover up, get a hold of a cop outside the building to arrest the murderous pervert. Chasing Tony up on the roof the cop pulls no punches ,as he pulls out his revolver, blasting Tony and causing him to fall some 20 floors to his death below.

Tony for his part was a very sick young man who desperately needed help to control and cure his uncontrollable and dangerous sexual desires. Unfortunately Tony didn't seek help and it was after he crossed that point of no return when he went from watching to murdering the women that turned him on that there was no help that society, other then long stretch behind bars or a cops bullet in his chest, could offer him.


This film is a real snooze, pretty much the empty filler between the more meaty movies on Something Weird's 3-movie DVD set on serial killers. I have seen a few Barry Mahon movies (probably the 'best' of which was "The Beast That Killed Women" and that's not saying much), and the man had no decent casts, no thrilling stories. He had flat-out NO discernible talent. Although his films were well shot, most of them require toothpicks to prop up the IL' eyelids in order to stay awake until the end. Terminally boring, although the film's one redeemable feature is the grimy NYC locations. Buyers of the DVD should just skip this one altogether.


Pissing on someone over a dice game. Putting a snitch in trunk with rats. Funeral speech that will put you to tears. Fat dude talking about doggy style sex with an elderly woman at said funeral. Spitting on small girl outside of Papa John's. Gratuitous body mutilation scene. The Cam'ron Scholarship Fund For Crackheads. Two Latinas pooping out cocaine for 5 minutes. Two Latinas washing the cocaine they just pooped out for three minutes. Murder over spot in line at corner store. Corn throwing. Necessary 5 minute scene at strip club in Atlanta. Selling drugs to teachers and security guards.

And finally... Cam'ron's ass crack.

No homo.

Easily the most entertaining film of 2006.

Just watch it and don't really think about what's going on. It's way better like that.


Not a good movie, but I couldn't stop watching it! There was just a lot of comedy in the fact that everyone was horrible at acting. They need to just stick to rapping! If you enjoy horrible acting and corny exaggeration in a story, then this is the movie for you. Reminded me a lot of the Master P movie "I'm Bout it". I woudld only suggest this film for fans of Cam'Ron and Dip-Set. It is fun to watch your favorite rappers in film, even when its not a good film. It also tells you a little about how they came up, and how they got started. I don't know how much of the story is true, but I like to think it is exaggerated a little.


Its the usual modern gangster plot line: people die, drugs are sold, snitches are dealt with. But its the bizarre and hilarious execution of these gangster film clichés that make this film a classic.

Cam'ron seems to be the next Rudy Ray Moore. This movie is gritty, hilariously weird and endlessly entertaining. Its "Menace to Society" directed by Lloyd Kaufman.

The whole thing really comes off like some amazing "backyard film". The dialogue appears improvised. The special effects are hilariously lacking. But everyone gives inspired and interesting performances while just playing themselves.

Plenty of one-liners: "Fuck your bread, Bebe!"

Great for a drunken movie night with friends who love rap music or weird cinema.


"Killa Season" is a film all about Cam'ron. It has nothing to do with characters , plot or even his album (which the movie is titled after) , instead it is about Cam'ron. Cam'ron is as interesting as a Mutant Ninja Turtle. The ironic part is that a Mutant Ninja Turtle would probably act better than he does in this movie. Cam'ron I guess is supposed to be playing himself , but he's not very good or convincing as himself which is sort of sad. Look at Eminem for example who played a character in "8 Mile" who was based on himself and he was terrific. Also,It's embarrassing when Cam'ron tries to show off his dramatic skills and even more embarrassing when he talks. "Killa Season" is pure garbage.


This is yet another rapper's feeble attempt at creating a semi "autobiographical" film about being a hardened drug dealer who does whatever he wants and gets away with it. The lack of novelty and terrible acting would be forgivable if Cam'ron would have decided what he wanted this movie to argue and edited it appropriately. The entire film seemed as though it was made up as he went along, and was pretty much a dull mishmash of gangster movie conventions and clichés. After mucking about for the first hour, confusing all but those who either have an obsessive love of Cam'ron or this film genre, you find out he has a girlfriend (he didn't really have a love interest for the first half of the film) so he drops his pants and does the "look at my ass while I pretend to have sex" love scene that was reminiscent of DMX's scene in "Belly". In fact, this whole movie was just an overwrought rehash of "Belly", without the more focused screenplay and better cinematic qualities of the F. Gary Gray film. After coasting along for two hours (that seemed more like four), full of conclusive scenes that make you think (hope) that it's over, the movie ends in a ridiculous cliff-hanger. I suppose the sequel will contain the only cliché that wasn't thrown in: the car chase. This was an insipid, amoral film that couldn't seem to decide what story it wanted to tell. Watch Belly, State Property, Get Rich or Die Trying, or any of the hordes of other similarly themed films and you won't have to torture yourself with this debacle.


This is by far the worse movie I have ever seen. Everything about it is bad. The acting, the script you name it. I don't know what you people are smoking but this deserves burned. If you think 50 cent's acting was horrendous then you haven't seen anything yet. Camron acting makes 50 cent's performance in Get Rich or die trying a vintage Al Pacino acting. The supporting cast gives a very very lousy performance as well. I don't know how one of the reviewers in here can give it 10 stars. The plot is just the same old making it big time ala Scarface. It has no originality but if you are in for a good laugh then by god this is your movie right here.


I'm watching this right now, and it's decent. Better than State Property, but not quite as good as belly. If you're into this kind of cheap fun, go for it, but see belly first. Senseless violence and pervasive racism against everybody. and juelz santana. And fly fur coats. It's filmed in Harlem, and there's no shortage of convenience stores, sleazy law officers, and uptown projects. It makes you miss New York. fade-outs and Papa John's and NYPD. The movie's a highly fictionalized biography, and the central event is the murder of his daughter. Michael williams (omar from the wire) shows up. He's a little too good for this movie, but he gives it a little bit of cred. These are all relative comments; keep in mind that this is an extremely low-budget, badly-written, badly-mixed, badly-shot neo-blaxploitation flick. Music is good, too - Cam'ron and Juelz and Al Green. See it.


I would be wasting my time and anyone else's time on sitting here, typing in the details that makes this film a steaming pile. However, the film, like all films, whether it was a straight to video production or a theatrical release, deserves my critique on why this film sucks.

Allow me to start with what worked in this film: the unintentional comedic moments? That's right. Moments and occurrences in the film that was intended on being serious, life altering in the life of Cam'ron, turned out to be hilarious. He was faced with a crisis decision where he had an opportunity to avenge the death of a loved one, but he made the right choice by not sinking deeper into an unredeemable, cesspool of the glorification of young blood being shed and other wrong doings. Instead, he makes a different choice but ruins it still with an uncalled for action (disgusting action rather) that was drop dead uproarious to me. The build up, surfaced by individual close-ups of Cam'ron and his potential, pint-sized victim, made it funnier than it would've been.

On the other hand, everything about this film was pitifully awful.

The writing was the worst. It must've been a script overwhelmed with uneventful moments, no structure, no character arc, no beginning, inappropriate pacing and literally no end. In fact, the film felt longer than it really was.

The directing was pure amateur night at the Apollo, the talent that would get chased off by the sandman. I don't care if a film is low budget, it could still look good with substance in story, character, acting, etc. And the film isn't low budget in my eyes with SAG actors and a big Fresnel lamplight that was used outside for night exteriors, so there's no real excuse for the madness. So, with the proper knowledge of making movies, with zero dollars, it can still look good. The cinematography was way off most of the time with hot areas in the frame that was jarring to me few times. Also, the cameraman/director could benefit from understanding the Five C's of Cinematography (Camera Angles, Continuity, Close-Ups, Cutting, Composition) before calling for the poorly framed close-ups and two shots I was seeing. The editing was inept. The acting really sunk this film to a one star status rather than two stars.

Amongst the entire cast and crew of this steaming pile, there wasn't a single person with some creativity? In this film I saw scenes similar to "Belly" and "Donnie Brasco." Even the DVD cover was reminiscent of his feature film debut, "Paid in Full." I can tell the filmmaker was inspired more by the gangster films he loves out there rather than his own life.

The girl that played his childhood friend was the worse actor in the film. Then his boys were making me sick, with their lame jokes. They made me feel as if I was watching paint dry. Then he (Cam) ruins the end by making it without one. Vomit.

I can go on and on but this film was so bad that it's really not worth my time. I feel as if I sunk a level for even taking the time to rate and comment on it.


MAN I FELT LIKE I WASTED 2 HOURS OF MY LIFE AFTER WATCHING THIS PIECE OF CRAP!! This movie shouldn't even be called a movie, it shouldn't even be on IMDb. I mean this movie has no story, no structure, no characters, no message, no nothing. If I actually took my time to write a detailed review I'd probably end up hanging myself for wasting more time than I already did watching this ridiculous pile of steaming crap that was actually supposed to be a movie. If you plan on watching this movie make sure you schedule an appointment with a psychologist for some therapy cause this movie will depress you for giving it the time you have. They ought to take this movie and stick in the cam'ron's rear end.


This movie was incredibly terrible, it was like they were trying to make the worst movie possible....And they succeeded with flying colors. The acting was pure trash and the killing in the movie was so unnecessary and ridiculous. No one kills that many people for absolutely no reason! Every time I get bored I just put Killa season and skip to the part where he's crying about his niece getting shot and I just laugh for a good 5 minutes, the fake tears and the way his expressions are exaggerated are just too hilarious. In conclusion, you should buy this movie if you want to be a witness to the worst movie on the entire planet, or if you want to laugh at serious scenes that aren't meant to be funny. Other than that the only place this movie belongs is in the garbage, or better yet, in a furnace........lol


This is a great movie. What makes this movie so great is the movies own weakness' plays to it's advantage. Instead of using established actors. Camron the movies director chose to use no names actors and rappers out of his own entourage "The Diplomats". Despite certain drawbacks such as a clichéd story line, amateur acting, and some questionable scenes this movie still shines. Cam'ron steals the show in mostly all the scenes. His emotion as an actor really comes across in this movie even more so than in his debut role in Paid in full, and for those who are familiar with the rapper the way that they tie in real life events with the story line to add credibility and believability keeps the viewer entertained. For those familiar with camron and the diplomats this should be a classic movie filled with enough entertainment that will help u over look the amateur acting, and questionable scenes in the movie


Killa did a hell of a job with this flic. The plot was on point, and you've got to love this kid's swag. It's basically about Cam trying to get his money up by selling weed at first, but his connect, Gordo, gets him to push that white. Typical, right? SCCCHRRREEEECH! A sudden turn of events pop off when Flea's (cam) niece gets popped (shot). Then the film gets grimy! The acting was OK, but don't ask these close-minded Scorsese-addicts. There's more than one way to act....yet you wouldn't be able to tell by these bias responses.......Certainly worth ignoring.

I can't wait for the next flic. The film ends with a cliffhanger, intelligently setting it up for the sequel. NOW.....I now return you to your regularly scheduled 'blind hate.' U MAD? :)


This Movie is disappointing just bad and I mean everything bad.bad plot,Terrible acting,Flat out characters,bad editing everything is bad.

The movie is about Flea(Cam'ron)A everyday person going nowhere in life until he chooses the life of drug dealing to get money and that all I got to say.

Now for the bad parts let me start off with the acting I'll tell You one thing these people do not know how to act everyone is either going over-the-top or just giving a Dead-Pan Performance.the worst acting comes from Cam'ron.For example the scene where his cousin dies he can't even cry or show real emotion.just fake and bad.the only good acting comes from Funkmaster Flex who disses cam'ron in one scene which was the only funny scene that had me laughing and he ain't even an actor.Juelz Santana who plays Bandana is Bad as well who gives a over-the top performance even though his character is so underdeveloped.

Speaking of development there is not one developed character.everyone is flat and Dead-Pan.You don't know nothing from any of the characters so the development is bad.

As for the Plot It's too confusing and lame.The plot just switches from one part to another making you lost.Plus the pacing is long with all these parts about selling drugs and getting money.

Overall Bad movie to stay away from.Really.


This movie is by no means good, but I can't lie and say I didn't stay entertained the entire time. Killa Cam'ron directs, writes, and stars in this movie and bring along dip set heavyweights Juelz Santana and Hell Rell. Cam seams to be trying to follow in the footsteps of 50 Cent's 'Get Rich or Die Trying' film. The movie follows Cam's life as he becomes heavily involved in the drug world. Other than that there is no actual plot. The movie looks incredibly low budget and some may find it hard to watch, but if you can look past the shoddy production and 'acting', you'll stay amused. It also boasts songs from Killa's new album, also titled 'Killa Season'.

I gave it a 10 squarely on entertainment value. Don't expect Scarface.


Higurashi no Naku Koro ni starts off in a quiet, peaceful little village that looks quite ordinary and amiable to anyone.

But, of course, there's always something horribly wrong.

Higurashi was first brought into the world in the form several PC games, with the covers designed to look quite disarming so any person would think that this series was harmless. But once you get into the meat of it, things aren't looking so rosy. You'll be pulled, dragged, and unwillingly shoved into a head-spinning mystery that you wished never surfaced in the first place, fighting for your life against people you trusted, and digging through graves and lies in order to survive.

There are four "question" arcs, consisting of four different viewpoints of the fateful Hinamizawa festival and two "answer" arcs (in the anime), which will reveal what went wrong in two of the question arcs.

What's best of all is the horror, both physical and psychological. If the blood won't get to you, the emotional tension will. With a cast of memorable and lively characters, you won't be able to watch this anime only once.

There are FOUR of them now. Yes, you'll have to deal with four creepy girls instead of one like a normal horror film would. They'll be cute and bouncy for one moment, then murderous and psychotic the next. Full of twists, turns, and unpleasant surprises, after watching this, you won't be able to close an eyelid for some time.

Welcome to Hinamizawa. Enjoy your stay.


WARNING: This show contains a lot of creepy and bloody scenes.

Higurashi no naku koro ni, based off very popular Japanese PC games, is a horror anime about a town named Hinamizawa, formerly known Onigafuchi, or 'Demon's Abyss'. There is a rumored curse, the curse of Lord Oyashiro, making people disappear every year. The story is told in 4 Question arcs and 4 Answer arcs (The last 2 aren't planned to come out in anime form as of yet).

Each question arc shows the story happening in different ways, with different victims each time, and the answer arcs fill in info missing from the question arcs.

The story starts out with Keiichi Maebara, a high school boy who's just moved to Hinamizawa. He soon starts learning about the strange happenings called Lord Oyashiro's curse, and gets very involved.

This show is the first horror anime I've ever actually enjoyed (granted, I haven't seen that many), It's fun trying to figure out what exactly is going on in the town. I don't think Sherlock Holmes could solve this case, for for you anime fans, Shinichi Kudou.


For those who have not watched this show yet, this anime is based on popular digital novel created by and amateur (refered as 'Doujin' in Japan)writer.

Unlike other anime series, this one splits itself into several stories(arcs). Each arc consists of about 2-5 episodes. All episodes tells the story of main characters(some side characters) encountering different/same/similar events in small countryside village called 'Hinamizawa' (This feels like parallel universe setting, after each story ends, good or bad they go back in time and start again but this time something else happens with new characters, and more mysteries are created or answered).

First few episode of each arc are done average to near horrible (Personal Experience: I almost decided to stop watching the series after half way through the first episode,,,thank god I didn't!). It's probably due to the way they made it very 'comedial' and some of the ways characters talk, and also how they look.

However, real excitement usually starts from around mid-second episode. Everything will change dramatically! There are plenty of mystery you can try solve in each story (Later episodes reveals the answers to the mystery, so I recommend watching them in order, it is also hard to solve the mystery with anime version due to lack of details in the story compared to the original novel).

Voice acting is very well done, Mion/Shion Sonozaki are personal favorite characters, but everyone else does good job of making the overall warm/dark feel of the atmosphere!

I highly recommend this animation for people who likes mystery, suspense, violence with interesting plots and twists.

*Added - The same author of this series has released new digital novel called 'Umineko no naku koroni (Umineko - Japanese Gull/Black tailed gull)'. 'Umineko' is not a direct sequel to 'higurashi', but has similarity to higurashi. It has better character settings in term of 'realism' (People are a lot more believable), more serious (less jokes that was less appearing to 'serious story' seekers, and still contains a lot of gore. If you understand Japanese, I highly recommend all mystery loving people to read the novel!


This a series of many different arcs all taking place in Hinamizawa of 1983. With the first episode it kinda make you think this is gonna be your typical cute funny anime. But it's not. It is truly a horror and a thriller anime. Even if you don't like violence I believe most people would still appreciate this anime. In a way it could also fit into the mystery genre.

Surprisingly, the arcs do not get old nor repetitive. Which before watching this anime I was afraid of. After each episode you want to watch more. Overall this is an amazing anime and I would recommend it to anyone. (not children though of course since it is quite violent}.


I said good but this show is amazing...

After watching the first episode most people will discard it as a kids show, personally, I wouldn't let my kids anyway near this show, although I like horror movies and shows it's really rare for me to feel horror myself, this show though, did it like no other.

The story takes place in a small village, around a group of small kids (I wold guess the ages between 8 and 14, but that's all this is), although the village gives you a warm and soothing feeling, it will, by the end of each story, make you feel isolated and suffocating, the children are perky and sweet at the beginning (a little too much, some will say), are really dark and scary at the begging, The show divide to few stories, all around the same time of the year, it runs as a detective story from different angles, slowly gaining more details about the dark past of the village and it's people.

You should watch the whole show, though, if you expect to understand any of it (even twice won't hurt, if you'll like it as much as I do), but only after seeing the sequel "Higurashi no naku koro ni kai" (which is not half as good, and can't really be called "horror") you'll really understand more then a few pieces.

And I'll finish in a few words of warning, this is one of the best Japanese anime shows ever created, but it really ISN'T FOR THE FAINT OF HEARTS, enjoy


I LOVE this anime. It's my second favorite (After One Piece). The girls are all so cute(Especially Rena and Rika *Ni-pah!*). The story's original, and the characters all have wonderful personalities.

However this anime does get very dark at times and may not be suitable for everyone as it DOES contain stuff like murder, child abuse, child torture, beatings, and the story keeps going back which may get on some peoples' nerves. However, aside from all this, it really is a great anime and in my opinion, is a true masterpiece in both story and horror. A must see for any horror fan.

BEWARE THE KILLER LOLIS.


For those who doesn't know about Higurashi. Three points:

(1) Higurashi has 50 episodes in total. Second half (24 episodes) are called "Higurashi no nakukoroni Kai". "Kai" means "Answer to mystery". You won't get answer and you won't understand the whole story until you watch "Kai" part.

(2) Style is somewhat similar to US drama "Lost". You will keep wondering if bizarre phenomenon will be explained by science and logic, or by pure fantasy.

(3) If you don't know about Anime, you may think some part are very childish, silly or weird. There are many "Moe" elements in this anime, which are prevalent in current anime. Maid dress, multiple very young female characters with one central male character, are typical "Moe" elements, and you should just ignore them and they shouldn't distract you from concentrating on the main story. What's new about Higurashi is the combination of "Moe" and horror, not unlike "Elfen Lied" which combined "Moe" and Science fiction. But "Moe" part may be just annoying for those who like serious drama.


I recently watched this anime for the first time and initially wasn't sure what to make of it; I'd heard that is was a horror story but the animation style and opening episodes gave little suggestion of what was to come apart from the short pre-credit sequence in the first episode.

Keiichi has recently moved from the city to the small, traditional village of Hinamizawa and has settled in at the local school where he has befriended a group of girls and joined their "club". This all suggests it is going to be a comedy with him getting into embarrassing situations with the girls, there is some of that but it leads on to murder and mayhem.

The story repeats a few times during the series with slightly different situations leading to different characters taking the lead roll. All the stories however end in murder, often shockingly brutal murder and torture.

We later learn that the repeating stories aren't merely showing how things could be different if different choices are made but time is repeating like a macabre version of "Groundhog Day", except that more than a day is repeated. We later learn that one of the girls is aware of this and is trying to change fate to prevent it from reoccurring, occasionally one or more of the others will remember something too but tends to write it off as a half remembered dream or déjà vu.

The story is fairly gripping and doesn't get boring as events repeat themselves. I found the juxtaposition of cute animated characters and disturbing imagery quite disturbing in a good way.


Simply put...NOT FOR CHILDREN!

A lot of anime is somewhat violent and sometimes disturbing but Higurashi is something else! The violence is untamed and brutal. The story is surrounding a little village that is led by 3 families. It all starts when a young boy Keichii moves to the little village from the city in the month of June 1983. He makes friends with 3 girls, Rena, Mion (and later her twin sister Shion), Satoko and Rika. All seems well until he learns the village has a lot of secrets of murder and unexplained deaths. In a series of different chapters (arcs) the story is repeated all based around each character in turn. Each character goes mad and a lot of the time at least one of the group of friends is murdered brutally by one another. The stories explore murder, suspicion and even aliens!

It's not something i would recommend to everyone but certainly one I'd recommend to those who don't mind a bit of violence!


Gore, gore, gore. While there are some nice creepy atmospheric moments in this tale of a young, somewhat psychic girl trying to figure out the mysterious goings-on at her boarding school, that soon goes out the window in favor of gruesome beheadings, straight-razors to the face, and giant vats of human viscera. I kept looking at the clock praying that time would somehow move faster. By the 45 minute mark, I just couldn't care less how the movie ended and contemplated putting the truck in gear and leaving the drive-in me and my wife were watching this at. I hate to say it, but this ranks right up there with some of the worst movies I've ever seen. Do yourself a favor and skip this one, especially at the theater. Crap. Pure crap. The only redeeming aspects of this film are bad anime scenarios and death by evil curse. For all those espousing low-budget, his-own-art anime felating drivel - sack up, pull your heads out and watch real movies. Morons.


So yes this is a nice harem Anime, oh wait, this is supposed to be a horror? You sure could have fooled me. In terms of horror and suspense Higurashi is a complete and utter failure. Elfen Lied has nothing to fear now, it still probably can top this. Okay seriously I am very disappointed in this series, considering I wanted a good suspense thriller that wasn't based purely on 100% excess and shock-factoring.

Higurashi is a story of several different arcs. Each arc is a different version of the same story. In 1983 a young male transfer student comes to a small town. A town with a deadly secret. Apparently after a traditional summer festival one person will be killed and another will disappear. The story repeats in the same fashion through each arc usually ending in a brutal murder or murders of some one or some people, but something.

As wonderful as the plot sounds it really isn't. The series had immense potential to create a suspenseful masterpiece, but instead it's like watching a filler arc when something finally happens after 6 episodes. Each episode is as long winded and wordy as the next, until something may just happen only for it to be a classic and clichéd horror blunder trick. Oh but don't get me wrong, eventually something does happen, but when it FINALLY does it provides maybe a few minutes of fright but that's it. So yes this series seriously lack suspense, half the time you feel more like you are watching a slice-of-life comedy instead of a thriller.

Until some annoying detective constantly shows up to go over the SAME mystery we heard 5 episodes ago! The series can work up it's suspense and chill level, but fails to keep it long enough for us to get remotely interested. The whole time you are just questioning should I fast-forward or not? Sure I like a talky as much as the next guy maybe even more than the next guy, but excessive dialog simply doesn't usually work well in a thriller. The series tries to build and build but the suspense just keeps falling down again. But there are a few eerie moments, (key word being few) such as the wonderful psychotic laughter from the tiny little ones. (see: http://tinyurl.com/2w5tll) and when it finally does get to the horrifying climax it can give you a few chills, before it abruptly cuts off. Other than that, the series heavily relies on it's dialog and music to give any sense of a creepy atmosphere. And that is all it has going for it.

I can't express how dull of a horror this really was. Die hard horror lovers may want to stick to Elfen Lied, as for general suspense lovers (Like me) you may want to avoid this one. Apparently when cicadas cry, this horror dies.


Disney's "The Hardy Boys": "The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure" (1956) is based on Franklin W. Dixon's (aka Edward Stratemeyer) "The Tower Treasure"- the first of many "Hardy Boys" books. It was the first of two "Hardy Boy" serials produced by Disney for its "Mickey Mouse Club" show; which was broadcast from 5PM-6PM each weekday. The one-hour show was broken into four segments with this sort of serial taking up one of these 15-minute segments. The "Spin and Marty" serials were also used for this purpose.

As in the books, Frank (Tim Considine) and Joe (Tommy Kirk) are the teenage sons of Fenton Hardy (Russ Conway), a private detective. Following in their father's footsteps the two boys are looking for a pirate's treasure supposedly hidden in the Applegate Mansion in their neighborhood. The series has a cool theme song (see below). Despite the song there are no pieces of eight. They were one ounce Spanish silver coins, worth 8 reales, or half of a gold dubloon.

Frank and Joe are assisted by Joe's girlfriend Iola (Carole Ann Campbell) and hindered by their Aunt Gertrude who is looking after them while their father is out of town.

The Applegate mansion is a spooky looking house and when the boys finally meet the owner he confirms that there really is a treasure, given to his grandfather by LaFitte the pirate as repayment for when he burned the Applegate plantation. His grandfather hid the treasure and no one has been able to find it since.

The story has gold doubloons and crooks, and Iola gets a lot of scream queen moments. "Applegate's Treasure" was my personal favorite of all the MMC serials. The only drawback is that it was a rather complex mystery with a lot of misdirection, and having to watch it in a cliffhanger serial format was extremely frustrating. No sooner had they cleared up the suspense from the last episode than something would happen and they would break off- telling you tune in for the next episode. But we were hooked and faithfully tuned in day after day. A lot of family plans were altered during this time so as to not interfere with daily viewing.

Watching it now I was pleasantly surprised by the high quality of the performances by the child actors; especially Campbell and Kirk. The serial is definitely several notches above "Spin & Marty" in what was demanded of the cast, and for the most part they come through.

The DVD has some nice special features including a 2006 interview with Considine and Sands in the Disney Studio where the serial was filmed. Also included is the entire (hour-long) MMC episode in which it premiered. It was a Monday, which was "Fun With Music Day", and Darlene does a lengthy song and dance number with Bobby.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

"Gold dubloons and pieces of eight, handed down to Applegate? From buccaneers who fought for years for gold dubloons and pieces of eight. Handed down in a pirate chest, the gold they sailed for east and west. The treasure bright that made men fight, till none were left to bury the chest. So now the gold and pieces of eight all belong to Applegate. The chest is here but wait...now where are those gold dubloons and pieces of eight?"


We bought this "disney treasure" and took it to our lake house to watch with our children over summer vacation.

We will always remember the summer we watched the Mystery of the Applegate Treasure. We looked forward, each evening, to the next episode. So much fun. It is the end of the summer and they are still singing the theme song. I know it will be a sweet memory for years come. I wish there were more shows like this to experience together as a family. We ALL enjoyed it!

With so much "junk" out there, it was so refreshing to watch something that both our children and ourselves could really enjoy.


SPOILERS

Well, I am back to commenting on silent films. After the atrocity known as the Old Maid Having Her Picture Taken I am happily treated to an experimental English film. After I saw this I imagined how the audience back in 1900 were like after they saw this. They must have been freaking out. Then the Great Train Robbery traumatized the audience more. Okay, back to the film. I guess you could call this suspense of 1900, as a stage coach hits the camera. This was a great silent film, and different.

Here is the "plot" of How It Feels Like To Be Run Over. This is not really how it feels like to be run over, but still. A stage coach slowly appears on screen. It then is very clear on screen. Then it leaves as quickly as it came. Then another stage coach appears on screen. It becomes clear, but then it changes directions and goes towards the camera. The people in it flail their arms wildly, but it is too late. The stage coach hits the camera. The camera goes blank. Then unreadable words appear on screen quickly.

Overall, this is an interesting little silent experimental short. It may be a bit disturbing for audiences back in 1900, but this is not 1900 any more. This also created the infamous thing-hits-camera-and-camera-goes-blank. Well, not really, but this is the first movie ever to do that. The acting was good. You may not be able to see that, but it takes talent to wave your arms. Anyway, this is a surreal silent film that does not really teach you how it is like to get run over.

8/10

Recommended Films: Roundhay Garden Scene, Traffic Crossing Leeds Bridge, and the Great Train Robbery.


This film was most entertaining and well worth watching. The fact that Ron Moody was a principle player is almost a guarantee of a good film. This film concerns the adventures (or misadventures) of Moody who has lost his pet dog. He teams up with a drifter (David Soul) and together they hunt for the lost pooch. Their efforts get them into a series of predicaments one of which gets Soul a beating at the hands of the dogpound attendant ( a big brutal looking man). The beating was not in vain as they find out where the dog is. Another (not as hazardous) situation, has both men being asked to provide entertainment at a large house owned by one of the local bigwigs. Earlier Moody and Soul had strutted their stuff in a downtown bar. Moody the song and dance man and Soul accompanying him with his harmonica. They earned a few dollars ( both men being broke ) and also gained the attention of the son of the the bigwig. He invites them to perform at a party which his father is giving the following evening. They agree but only after substantial financial rewards are promised. They prove to be a resounding success and fortified with food and money continue the search for the dog. Eventually the whereabouts of the dog is located but the new owner is not prepared to give up the dog. Moody, who is also a drifter, is a most persuasive character ( a "skill" he has acquired via his many years on the road) and he has little trouble in tricking the reluctant new owner into parting with the dog. The film ends with Moody and Soul making plans for their future together. See it, I,m sure you will find it very entertaining and a nice departure from so many humdrum offerings.


A film about a likeable tramp that loses his beloved dog to the pound. Another loser befriends him and together they fight for the return Of the tramps dog. The tramp goes to high-class restaurants and dances to get his dog Spot from the pound, passing his hat around at the end. He then has to face the bureaucratic robots (people that run the dog pound) to get his dog. I guess me being a dog lover I loved the film very much. It was acted so well, heart warming and a great film for children to know that they have to care for their pets. Just one thing wrong though. I have searched for this video for years and up to this very day I cannot find it. I have watched many films but Dog Pound Shuffle is one of my favourite movies. Naturally not as exciting as an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie but what I term a very heartwarming story about people who care. Definitely worth viewing


I saw this movie on late night local tv when i was about 12. And ever since have asked people about it but nobody ever heard of it. Literally no one...I began to think maybe i dreamt it.

It was sad and funny and left you with a good feeling about love and friendship. I would highly recommend this to everyone. Don't remember anything that a child shouldn't see in it...the beating was ugly but we see that all the time. So the whole family could watch it.


I found a video of this film recently on E-bay and I must admit I really loved it. The relationship between Ron Moody and David Soul was about two losers, one of which (Ron Moody) lost a dog who turned up at the local pound and needed to use the other guy (David Soul) to get him out of the Pound by working as a double act and begging for money in local Bars. They are seen by a rich guy and is impressed by their act and invites them to a party to show off their act to his guests. Ron Moody, then has the money to free his dog from the Pound. When he turns up at the Pound the dog has been sold to a loving family. Upset and distress, he tell David Soul that he does not want to go into partnership with their double act and David Soul goes on his way! Then Ron Moody decides to go to the Pound to get the address of the new family who bought the dog. Thinking that this will be easy he comes across the attendant who calls the police. David Soul had followed Ron Moody and there is a fight involving the attendant and David Soul and the address is retrieved so they can both find the dog. The dog is then rescued by our two heros ! All I can say it is a very nice gentle film. I hope one day it will be out on DVD as it is one of my favourite films.


I recorded this gem off the "Foremost Movie" late one Sunday night and am surprised this film isn't more popular or available!! After watching so called 'Hollywood North' spring up over the last 20 years or so it's great to see where the true pioneers came from. Dogpound Shuffle was shot entirely in Vancouver sometime in 1973 and has a pre-Starsky and Hutch David Soul along with Ron Moody who apparently made his fame in Vaudeville in England. The story is basically about two down on their luck bums who spend most of the movie trying to raise enough money to get Steps dog, Spot(alternate title) out of the East Vancouver dog pound!! For anyone living in the lower East Side (one of the worst drug problems in the world) it's great to play recognize the location after watching "Rumble in the Bronx" one too many times. But God knows how you're going to do that when you can't find the movie ANYWHERE!! I seem to remember it appearing on e-bay awhile back but why the hell ain't it on DVD??


Bimalda's Do Bigha Zameen is considered a gem in Indian movies. The movie has a slight socialist theme as did most movies of that time. If the younger generation of Chinese, Eastern Europeans and Russians wonder why they saw so many Indian movies this socialist theme, probably is the answer. Do Bigha Zameen won the first ever Filmfare award. The movie got a special mention at the Cannes film festival. The movie is about a farmer Shambhu (Balraj Sahni), who has been hit badly by a famine in Bengal. The real reason of his sorrow is that the Zamindaar (land owner) wants to acquire his land on the pretext that Shambhu had taken some loan from him. Shambhu has to pay back and hence he moves to the city.

The movie paints a very true picture of pre-independence (and early post independence) India. The society is agrarian yet the farmers are poor mainly because of the fact that they have very small land holdings and they are unlettered. The farmers were gullible while the land owner, money lender and the Brahmins were guile. A lot of people moved to the cities either in the anticipation of turning there fortunes or because they could not survive the atrocities of power holders. The movie has a theme that can be found in works of notable Indian authors Munshi Premchand or Sarat Chandra Chaterjee.

The most memorable scene from the movie is when Shambhu pushes himself to his limits pulling a hand pulled rikshaw. The rider on the riksha offers Shambhu more and more money to pull faster because he is chasing (probably) his girlfriend in another rikshaw. Note Shambhu's emotions, his smile in anticipation of getting more. Compare this with the rich class which is not worried the least about the lower class' plight. The lower class is no more then a machine that can be operated by putting in quarters. The rikshaw looses a wheel and Shambhu is injured.

This is the kind of movie that can not be spoilt even if I were to write the entire story down for you. This is art not suspense thriller. You must watch this movie not for the story but the direction and the acting abilities of Balraj Sahni and Nirupa Roy (Shambhu's wife).

In all these hardships Shambhu does not loose his righteousness which is the moral of the movie. Shambhu's son steals money to help his father only to be reproached by his father. Shambhu's morality is the only thing that remains his own till the end.

The movie is notable for Balraj Sahni's performance and since it is another of Bimal Roy's movies you can expect only the best. Personally I recommend any of the Bimal Roy movies. Like other movies by him, art and commercial form of cinema are merged to produce a movie that is still looked upon as a benchmark.

Finally the name of the movie means Two Bigha of Land. Bigha is a unit of measuring land. Bigha varies from state to state. In Bengal where the movie is based 3 Bigha is one Acre. So Shambhu owns only 2.7 sq. kilometres.


This movie is a an Indian classic.... I don't know why so many people here are going on about how unrealistic it is...... I would wonder how many who commented as such have actually been to that part of India and witnessed the poverty there....

The story may well have been copied but the film is no doubt still great. I cant think of many other copies which are actually good. This film does actually touch you with its sadness, and claims of melodramaticness will be gladly tossed aside because we are talking about Indian cinema here...

All in all i think this is definitely a gem in Indian cinema, and fit the bill of an all time classic.


This movie is a must see. It shows poverty with a humanistic approach in 1953 India. I went to Calcutta in 1999 and people still ride on human rickshaws (a person runs barefoot on streets while pulling the rickshaws for few cents). It is a very sad. It is heart breaking. In this movie get to see a common man problems and how he or she deals with it. It shows how corrupted the rich are and using the poor for their own means. This is how a 1/3 of India lives in today hi tech India. This is how people are suffering with all the economic boom India has. This is how people live in today's Independent and Free India. This movie is a must see.


I had heard a lot for this film, which is considered a classic for the Indian cinema. It is true that, in comparison with other Bollywood films of the period, is far better, as it brings a fresh look coming straight from the Italian neo-realist school. But Bimal Roy is a bad imitator. He gives the portrait of the peasants and of their life in Colcatta in a persuasive way, but his story is full of unnecessary melodrama, as all life's misfortunes seem to have conspired in order to fall on Shambhu's head. Additionally, the plot is naive, the (largely) amateur actors do their best but without significant results, and the songs sound very dated. Overall, what remains after the end is a feeling of disappointment. I have rated with 4 out 10.


"Amar te Duele", as well as some recent films from Mexico, introduces international audiences into an inside look of the society south of the border. Director Eduardo Sarinana clearly demonstrates he is an original. In many ways this movie presents the ugly side of discrimination in that country. In a way, the screen play, by Carolina Rivera, capitalizes in a variation of the Romeo and Juliet story, as it presents us with a couple of teen agers in love, each one coming from different worlds.

Ulises, the graffiti artist and comic book writer, is a young man with a lot of talent. His only problem is being poor and coming from the type of family the upper classes of Mexico look down upon because of being 'brown' instead as pure white. Ulises doesn't have anything to be ashamed of; he comes from a loving home where both parents work in their modest business.

Enter the lovely Renata. She is a girl of privilege. We see her and her friends roaming the local mall doing what that type of girl with money and credit cards take for granted. On a dare, she goes to Ulises, who is following her and kisses him, thus setting things in motion for the tragedy that will follow.

Mr. Sarinana is an innovative director. He incorporates some of the popular culture into the film. In a great sequence, we are shown, in split screens and in comic book fashion different aspects of what Ulises has been doing, complete with captions. It is a brilliant departure for traditional Mexican film making. The use of color and black and white is quite remarkable, as it adds another layer to the texture of the finished product.

Unfortunately, the story is doomed from the start. We know how things work and realize there could be no justice, or mercy, for Ulises. For that matter, Renata will not be able to find happiness because in her world, certain things can't be tolerated.

The director gets good performances of his young cast. Luis Fernando Pena and Martha Higareda, as Ulises and Renata, are appealing as the young lovers. Mr. Sarinana also gets great performances of the large ensemble cast.

"Amar te Duele" is worth a look to acquaint yourself with a fine film maker to be reckoned with.


"Amar Te Duele" is one of my favorite films because it happens in the exact zone where I live. In the delegations of "Santa Fe", "Bosques De las Lomas", and "Interlomas" this is really happening. Upper middle class and rich class living meters away from the poor class my example is you see an enormous building and you look to the other side of the street and there are thousands of poor houses and of course they don't mix but they are all breathing the same air and the story is based in what would happen if a girl from the upper class had a boyfriend from the lower class and of course they wouldn't have a problem but everyone surrounding them including family and friends would and what happen in the movie would be really happen so what I like about it is that it could be me, my sister, my friend, anyone because its really amazing that we live in the exact same zone with the exact same places but to difference any other place in the world where it happens including cities like New York, Madrid, London or anywhere else we don't mix and this is the least fiction story that involves my life, my friends, and my family. Thats what I love about it.


Poor (as in no money) Ulises hangs out with his buddies, skates (skateboards), and makes murals using spray paint on available walls. He works with his father selling stuff at an open air market, and attends high school. One day he makes eye contact with Renata, a girl from an upper class family, while at a trendy mall. They follow each other around, and she kisses him. Thus begins this movie. Their unlikely romance blossoms amidst the background of their social differences, and is doomed from the start. The differing social worlds of the two lovers clash in a memorable fight scene outside Renata's private high school. Renata's sister is a closet alcoholic, her ex-boyfriend is bitter and jealous about losing her to Ulises, and is decisive in the film's ending. The Mexico City locales and musical soundtrack are terrific.


A great film, as soon as I saw it it made my top 10, I see almost every mexican film that comes out, and this is close to a masterpiece, the story is a little cliche, but it has a good screenplay, and the photography is just wonderful, and includes camera effects that are new in the mexican film industry; The soundtrack also integrates perfectly to the story, and is reduced to mostly mexican artists. Possibly one of the best films of the year.


This movie includes a little bit of everything you look for in a movie: love, laughter, hate, tragedy. What makes this story so beautiful is the puppy love between the protagonists Renata and Ulises. While watching the movie, you want to scream at the parents and Renata's sister for being so ignorant and stuck up. I do recommend this movie for Romeo and Juliet movie lovers- you know, the whole "we belong with each other no matter what the world says" movie. I think Martha Higadera and Luis Fernando Pena do a realistic job making us believe that they are head over heels in love. I should say that the way they met is also very realistic. I just wish that money wouldn't dictate whom we can and cannot love, ya know? -christian


Sure, how many times have we seen the same old Romeo and Juliet portrayal? Thousands, sure... but art is also found in interpretation. This will evoke some kind of feeling, if it doesn't then I seriously think you weren't able to appreciate it! The soundtrack is amazing, one of the best I've heard on a film so far, the script leaves a lot of room for improvement for my taste, but its somewhat compensated by the artistic risks taken by the director to highlight racial differences, conflict and equality. My only criticism is Ximena's Sariñana's acting (Renata's sister), who is a fabulous singer (proven by the soundtrack), but unfortunately a poor actress. Hats off to the character Ulises and the actor who plays him, since I think his performance was absolutely real, believable, sincere and just superb.


this movie was great i was very touched by how the boy loved this girl so much and he was not willing to give her up and she excepted him for who he was and she did not look at him by how rich he was. she discovered herself by seeing this boy it was a great movie anybody English or Spanish could understand this movie great!!!!!! this movie showed true feeling when she started to look at him she did not take him seriously he thought that she was a young beautiful girl he would draw pictures of her and spray paint he name on walls to show her how much he loved her near the end it got very intament she showed her love to him a lot and was very comfortable


This movie is like the Mexican, updated, upgraded version of Romeo and Juliet; but it is developed in today's world, with normal and very life-like situations The movie does not fall in the extremely, novelistic kind of love, but discribes true, normal-life life; it's just like THIS happens in today's Mexico, there is a HUGE gap between the rich people and the poor people in Mexico; this movie excels in showing this GAP, shows the current rascism that exists and unmasks the really dangerous people.

- I would like to appoint that the name of the movie is "Amar te duele" (love hurts you) and not "Amor que duele "Love that hurts you", please check this one out. "Amar te duele" is a word game, which is in my humble opinion, an extremely

nice addition; besides the normal translation of "Love hurts you", it also means "Loving you hurts" and "To mars it hurts", the last phrase refers to a song (which is in the movie's soundtrack) that begins saying "I will love you from here to Mars". The soundtrack is great featuring excellent latin music exponents.

I will give "Amar te duele" a 10 out of 10, two thumbs up!


An objective review: "Amar Te Duele" makes me really mad. I'm from Mèxico and believe me, these kind of fairy tales NEVER happen here. Never.

Renata is a high class girl with a "cool" and fresh attitude towards everything. She has everything necessary to succeed in Mexican discriminatory society: money, a perfect body, a beautiful face, goes to a private school, etc. Although having a lot of money and friends just like her she supposedly falls in love with a lower class boy with a horrible attitude, criminal background, horrible clothes, and some awful friends. That will never happen here people! If you are like Ulises don't expect to meet a girl like her unless she goes to the same school where you study, or if you meet a girl like her in a private club. Not to mention that Renata is kind of a slut because she has a boyfriend when she starts going out with Ulises.

Suddenly Renata kisses him as part of a bet she had with her friend and sister. Therefore, a love story begins. A love story with pink overtones. Renata and Ulises live a series only seen in movies!

So please, watch only "Amar Te Duele" only as what it is : a fictional romantic comedy.

Martha Higareda delivers a fun, sexy performance. She's really fresh and cute. Super sexy body and a beautiful face. TOo bad her character is too damn clichèd. But she does what she has to do; no wonder why she's a favorite among young people. Too bad that she performed in two gratuitous nudity scenes. Why would she play with her breasts? that scene was OBVIOUSLY intended to go for a male audience who would buy or watch the movie in theaters. Too bad Martha was part of a non-artistic scene and now she isn't considered for her acting skills but for her slutty attitude and physical attributes. I really liked her.

The rest of the cast is also good. A new generation of Mexican talents. Too bad that they pick horrible roles like "Amar Te Duele". Certainly not a terrible movie, but obviously an attempt to storm the box office and spawn a new generation of Mexican romantic comedies that every time look more and more like in the USA.

This does not happen in Mexican society! If you want to watch a movie that is close to Mèxico's reality watch Valentin Trujillo's "El Perro Callejero". Now, that's reality.


So it's a Romeo and Juliet type movie only it has to do with class differences and color In Mexico, there is much racism and hate against dark and poor people but these two young lovers do not care. They fight against all odds to continue their relationship but this all ends in tragedy. Cute guys! Great actors and lots of fun too! Most of the youth in this movie began acting careers as children. I recommend this movie as well as others like Sexo Pudor y Lagrimas, Amores Perros and Ladies Night although this last one is more like a "chick flick" because there are male strippers, a bachelorette party, many guys and lots of fun! The others are great though!

NONA


I watched meanwhile returning from a night out - a bit drunk to be honest-, and found at the beginning amusing it's use of pyrotechnic camera tricks at first, but in a few minutes becomes just plain annoying replacing ideas and emotions with cheap gimmicks, besides the script reeks stupidity and Mexican high-class prejudices ( especially in the central characters.

The seduction process it's just plain nonexistent and boring at best, the actor portraying Ulises has really nothing special in him, he's neither minimally good-looking, buoyant, charismatic or edgy he's just plain "cute" and to be honest that sucks in & out the screen, the same goes for the leading lady., she's pretty, but any person who has been in the mall, depicted in the movie knows that more dashing girls can be found there.

The "romantic" parts have as much emotion as an infomercial, besides the girl would end death, they could have easily break up, and Ulises end up lamenting her abandoning, just by being boring.

The "villains" are all flat images, saying and doing supposedly threatening things, but end up just padding the film.

And as for the director's daughter, who told her she has screen presence?, the only thing she does in the film, in her film career is being an insipidly annoying spoiled girl, the scene in which she vomits summarizes his presence in Mexican cinema very well...


With all the stupid,silly movies I see on cable night after night,I rented a copy of God has a rap sheet,and man was I happy to see a movie that told the truth about things Hollywood is too scared to talk about. Set in a grimy,stinky,holding cell on a hot summer's night- God has a rap sheet tackles touchy subjects like race,religion,sex and politics. (With eight different characters to represent all the different dilemmas discussed) Kamal Ahmed (the former Jerky boy) delivers a powerful debut,considering he wrote,directed and played all the music! I highly recommend this for anyone who supports low-budget,but high concept Independent movies. How or why the Sundance or IFC channel haven't picked this up,only points out their phony,going for the buck,star driven vehicle trash.


Being a huge Jerky Boys fan for many years, I decided to check out Kamal's new movie God Has a Rap Sheet. The result was an unexpectedly thought-provoking evening. Kamal has truly hit his true stride - the sharp dialog, excellent direction and across-the-board great acting performances made this a film to remember. The plot revolves around a group of misfits from all walks of life stuck in a holding cell for one night. John Ford Noonan's portrayal of a bum/God is amazing and the ensemble cast brings a great energy to the movie. Hopefully they'll release a DVD soon so I can check it out again. Look for really big things from Kamal, he knows how to make a great film.


I first saw this film at a theater in New York's East Village and found myself hooked within the first 5 minutes! I just saw it again on DVD and it was even better. Great commentary by the Director and a solid visual transfer - looks awesome! But more importantly, the script is "dead-on!" Solid writing truly brings this gritty, character drama to life. All in all, the film depicts realistic scenarios laced with many humorous parts - all the while featuring "Hell's Kitchen" as the backdrop. A must see for anyone who wants to understand what a strong, entertaining, independent film is supposed to look like. Also... The DVD extras (Commentary & Interview) provide insight as to how painstakingly difficult it was to bring this awesome film to life.


After seeing Kamal Ahmed's "God has a rap sheet" some time ago,I was left with a feeling of being hit over the head by a social studies teacher! The movie takes place on a hot summer's night in a New York city holding cell,where eight different men of all creeds,share the cell with a homeless man who claims to be God. The movie covered every issue that is concerning today's issues like history,race,sex and religion. Some of it seemed slightly heavy handed,but after thinking about it,I realized Ahmed's intention was to challenge one's views about these subjects. In today's world of Independent cinema,this movie to me is what "Independant" is all about- A Writer/Director with a vision,and making it all come together on the big (or should I say small) screen.


First caught this back in 2003, own the DVD now and still impressed by this indie flick. This film has a Mean Streets look and feel to it, and the actors, with the exception of a few weak links, are impressive. Noonan's performance is once to remember, as is Ahmed's directorial debut. The soundtrack, instrumental rock with an edge, is memorable and fits into the desolate scenery of the movie.

While the plot is, for the most part, fresh, a few of the main characters (such as the the Hasidic Jew and the Irish mobster) present more engaging character studies than others (the yuppie professionals).

Overall, well worth watching for anyone who loves early Keitel, early Scorsese NYC-style films and the witty and interesting dialog of a Whit Stillman.


A close friend of mine recommended this movie to me and although it took several days to find it,I finally saw it on NetFlix. Well,let me start by saying I haven't seen so much honesty in a movie since the '70's. What made it special was that it was flawed and uneven,but that's what endeared me even more. Actor John Ford Noonan who played a sort of "God" mouthpiece,should of been singled out by Indie crowd as one of the best performances in years,but to my surprise,many people still have not heard of this film,and when I called the IFC channel to complain (I read one of the viewer's rants on the IFC's refusel to play it) They gave me no reasonable excuse,just a simple "We passed on that title". Curious,to me. But I think there is an obvious discrimination that reeks around this title.


Taken from i can smell your brains .com I Can Smell Your Brains Cinema returned last weekend with a movie that will blow your mind: God Has A Rap Sheet. Generally we feature horror or Sci-Fi films at our film showings, but in the case of God Has A Rap Sheet  the movie is so good we decided to bend the rules.

God - a hell of a guy! Imagine taking eight totally different guys and locking them all up in a holding cell in a New York City jail over night. When I say different I am referring to each of them coming from completely opposite ethnic backgrounds. Combine a working class Muslin, a Hasidic Jew, your typical Italian Mob related underling, an insane Irish Skinhead, a Black aspiring hip hop wannabe, a Puerto Rican hustler, a cheery fella from Great Britain, and an Asian record industry executive together in the slammer and your bound to have some schism. Well, this recipe gets even more out of hand when a bum who was already incarcerated and inhabiting the cell claims to be God.

The nights about to change! John Ford Noonan, the most degenerate looking guy on the planet, totally steals the show when he breaks the news to everyone that he is God. Noonan hasn't had a big career as an actor which is a shame; because when you see him in this you will be thoroughly impressed. I instantly recognized him from his role as "Handsome John Pruitt" the truck driver from Adventures in Babysitting. He is also the brother of actor Tom Noonan (You might remember him best as Ripper from The Last Action Hero), does an amazing job as a crazy old man that just might be God. Sure he stinks, his pajama pants are soiled, and he is missing a few of his front teeth, but who is to say what sort of human God finds interesting enough to inhabit. The guys in the cell begin to bump heads with their opinions on sex, religion, race, and creed. Of course fancy to meet you here!when things begin to heat up God tries to lend some advice and kind heartfelt solutions to their problems, which are obviously laughed off right away.

Similar to the style of Reservoir Dogs and Clerks, where the majority of the film is based on clever dialogs, the film also has that similar feel being generally filmed all in one location. But God has a Rap Sheet is an underground and much overlooked classic. Written and directed Kamal Ahmed of The Jerky Boys, the film is innovative and a fresh outlook on racial profiling as well as your average American's unfortunate typical stereotyping. But don't let Kamal's resume of the Jerky Boys fool you; though this is just Nice gun!as creative as any of his spontaneous phone calls, God has a Rap Sheet is not a slapstick comedy. Sure it has it's elements of humor, but it's the sort of film that may leave you questioning some of your own beliefs.

The end has an awesome surprise guest show up who is none other than the legendary William Smith. He is one of America's last tough guy actors with his past roles in classics such as Any Which Way But Loose, Red Dawn, and Conan's father in Conan The Barbarian.

I really enjoyed this movie and that's why we decided to show God Has A Rap Sheet this month instead of our typical horror themed film. This is my way of saying, "Wow,you all need to see this!" But instead of showing it to everyone that comes over the house, I wanted to do it on the big screen.


I saw this film, yea its not a block buster hit but if you had any type of intelligence you would be able comprehend the depth of this movie. Life is a dark and scary place, if no one has encountered anything horrible in their life Gob bless you but, in order to see how the rest of the world works... watch this film. Every human is born pure but it depends on the path you take. It's not hard to fall off the path and end up in a world of terror, drugs and fear. You should be happy that we have talented directors and actors to portray this terrible way of life rather than experiencing it our selves forever. If you think this film is b.s. then you're living on the high land and soon enough, you'll fall off A hole! From Alex.


Okay,let me start by saying "God has a rap sheet" was a flawed movie in many respects. I can point out several moments when the film took unnecessary turns or took unnecessary liberties with character development,but the honesty that comes from the written word along with the honesty in which the actors portrayed their characters made me absolutely love this movie. In fact,I realized how many things in the movie made me think for a moment (which made me watch it immediately again)and also made me feel what a true herculean effort writer/director Kamal Ahmed put into this almost,under-the-radar indie. After a few days of watching "God has a rap sheet",I wondered why I never caught this on the IFC or Sundance channel so I called both stations to see if they heard of this title and to my puzzlement,both replied "We past on that film." I was totally blown away,considering this movie is EXACTLY what those tired so-called indie cable channels have become. I said that they should reconsider,but both again replied- "Once we past on something,that's kinda it for the movie." Wow.


An honest character study that is fearless in finding humor in certain racial stereotypes. Very well acted especially from the lead; John Ford Noonan, who I've had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with on many different subjects and levels. The direction is solid and specific from Kamal Ahmed who's created a fresh, raw and impressive take on the Independent film medium. Bonz Malone is another powerful character who takes the film to another level. The set and some of the visual choices made in this film are amazing and prove the level of commitment involved from Director, Ahmed and Cinematographer, Tom Agnello. Another great attribute to the film is it's soundtrack by The Sacred Groove Posse which mixes funk and an old seventies type feeling to the story.


This movie was a pleasant surprise! I watched the individual characters and said "I know these people!" They could be my neighbors or colleagues, or even relatives. The writer used the vehicle of stereotyping in a serious, as well as a comical manner. I have not seen this since "All In the Family" on TV in the late 60's. On one level, ideological conflicts (such as the Mid East crisis or the religious conflict in Northern Ireland) were brought to the surface. On another level, the indifference of a given character not involved in a given conflict was exploited for its humorous/serious value. On yet another level, there was humorous stereotyping; no one is spared - everybody gets insulted here! I saw the movie by accident; I cannot wait to buy it!


Men who've answered personal ads in the lonely hearts column featuring poetry are being found naked, face down on their beds. There are cigarette butts with lipstick on them in their ashtrays. Detective Frank Keller (Al Pacino), along with his sidekick Sherman (John Goodman), decide to enter their own ad in the lonely hearts column, and try to match the killer's fingerprints.

A great premise that definitely justifies making yet another police procedural, this Al Pacino vehicle won this reviewer over, which is hard to do these days with cop thrillers - once you see enough they all start to look the same.

But here we've got a great script, with some terrific wisecracking cop lines, great actors, especially Pacino, Goodman and sexy Ellen Barkin - which make for a very enjoyable ride. Sure the score is a little 80's, and Ellen Barkin may look back and regret that hair-do, but otherwise this is a very successful piece of film.

This is largely due to the terrific screen presence of Al Pacino - he's such a firecracker! And the hugely enjoyable chemistry between partners Pacino and John Goodman. They play off each other so well. The dating scenes are particularly fun - personal highlights for me. And, of course, Ellen Barkin exudes sensuality. Its incredible.

The title may sound pulpy and cheap - but its for good cause. We find out in the first few minutes that its the name of the song the killer was playing when the first murder of the film occured. Its also ironic - the crime-ridden world of this film is anything but a sea of love.

7/10. Must-see for Pacino fans and fans of cop thrillers. For everyone else, not essential, but great saturday night fair.


I remember seeing Sea of Love at the theater in 1989 and left saying to myself I had just seen one of the best thrillers made. Sea of Love is just one of those movies that kept me in great suspense and excitement I really felt surprised in the end when the killer was revealed. Since then I have caught Sea of Love about a dozen times on cable and still to this day enjoy the thrilling drama. The story is just great with the legend Al Pacino as Detective Frank Keller who tries to catch and bait a lonely hearts killer. Pacino is helped in his search by Detective Sherman played great by the very funny John Goodman this was one of the better performances from Goodman. Then the search takes a good but yet a bad turn when Pacino (Detective Frank Keller) finds an interesting friend a very sexy and erotic type looking female played marvelously by the attractive Ellen Barkin. I must say that with the stunning performance Ellen gave with this role she should have gotten any work she wanted to in films. I will not say nothing to any of you who haven't seen the film I will let you enjoy the surprise like I did the first time I saw Sea of Love. Sea of Love doesn't get the respect it deserves still it airs on cable but watch this on a dark and rainy night alone or day for that matter and feel the thrills and suspense of this steaming thriller you would see it's one of the best films around I don't see who would or could dislike this so take a swim in the sea of love!


Within a kind of light and shadow there's almost a trademark photography for a film noir movie, and "Sea of Love" is a film that takes place in the shadows

Al Pacino plays Frank Teller, a self-conscious detectivein search of a serial killerdrawn into a torrid sexual relationship with an attractive young woman he met in a super market when all the good citizens of the city are asleep and the people who are walking around are the ones who are leading the most solitary lives

Helen Barkin is just so right for the part You can believe her when you see her dressed in her red leather jacket and tight jeans She's a lady of the night, sexy as hell, and a woman who can take care of herself Between her and Pacino, there were enough attraction that's deep but also there were feelings of vulnerability and suspicion


Great screenplay, acting and settings combine to make a dynamite film. The constant tension between the police investigation and Pacino's love interest keep the suspense going strong, and the chemistry between Barkin and Pacino is fabulous. John Goodman is excellent as always, the sex/death themes add to the tension, and the ending will throw most for a loop... this film delivers. Try it, you'll like it.

8/10


This is one great movie, not only a thriller which it is also. Sometimes a movie will come out so that watching it will be like reading a good book. This is one of few. Excellent script, great acting and directing and photo  and the additional point in introducing Barkin's character far into the film makes for a much more convincing narrative. Both Pacina and Barkin have always been great actors, and here they are at their best, perhaps because of a certain tension between them  one cannot decide if they are friends personally or hate each other, or perhaps they create the ambivalence just because they are superb actors. Anyway, I don't know if this one got any major awards, but it sure should have. Besides Barkin is one hell of a woman, and I supposed that Pacino is one hell of a man.


I've watched it many times and never get tired of it. "Sea of Love" is one of few films where Al Pacino is very sexy, and it is adds to the film's many pleasures. The rest of them are - well constructed story of a New York Homicide cop (Pacino) attracted to a mysterious blond woman with a charming crooked grin (Ellen Barkin - talented, sexy and underrated actress) who may or may not be a serial killer. The chemistry between Pacino and Barkin is powerful and undeniable and the love scenes between them are among the best and most memorable ever filmed. John Goodman is very good as Pacino's partner and friend and yes I love the soundtrack and the title song.


Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin sizzle in this murder-mystery/love-story. For all those guys out there that are forced to watch 'chick flicks' and for the ladies that sit through over violent action thrillers, here is a movie both will enjoy. Pacino has made a career at attracting both men and women in his movies and you will be hard pressed to find a more beautiful woman than Barkin in this movie. John Goodman is a Detective and Pacino's partner reminiscent of another very good Ellen Barkin Love-Thriller 'The Big Easy' with Dennis Quaid. In 'Sea Of Love' the passionate love making combined with several possible endings in classic 'who-done-it?' style, will keep your attention and mood in check. Light candles and break out the wine you won't be sorry.


In Manhattan, Detective Frank Keller (Al Pacino) is an efficient and veteran cop with twenty years on the force, who is lonely and misses his ex-wife Denise. She left him to live with his colleague from the same precinct Gruber (Richard Jenkins). When a killer kills his victim with a shot on the neck and leaves a single playing "Sea of Love", Frank is in charge of the investigation. Detective Sherman, from a district outside Manhattan, joins Frank when a second victim is killed in the same MO. They find that both victims have written poetry in the lonely hearts column of the single magazine "New York Weekly". When there is a third case, Frank convinces his chief to write for the magazine and work undercover investigating the women that reply the advertisement. Frank fall in love for the prime suspect, the manager of a shoe store Helen Cruger (Ellen Barkin), jeopardizing his investigation.

"Sea of Love" is one of the best and most underrated thrillers ever. I do not know how many times I have seen this movie since the release in the movie theaters, then on VHS and now on DVD. The classy story is a film-noir perfectly developed, and shows one of the most erotic love scenes of the cinema history. Al Pacino is simply perfect, showing a perfect chemistry with the sexy Ellen Barkin, who is in the top of her career, and also with John Goodman. The soundtrack is also one of the most beautiful of the cinema, and the CD with eleven songs is fantastic. Samuel L Jackson, in the beginning of career, plays a criminal in the story with a minor participation. My vote is nine.

Title(Brazil): "Vítimas de uma Paixão" ("Victims of a Passion")


Some of my friends thought this is one of those films that is great the first time you see it, but diminishes after that because the heavy suspense questions have been answered. However, Al Pacino, Ellen Barkin and John Goodman are all so entertaining to watch that I've always enjoyed this film no matter how many times I've seen it.

The suspense is what this film is all about, but I am fascinated with these actors, including supporting performances by Michael Rooker and William Hickey. Although her looks are a little hard and her mouth way too profane for my tastes, Barkin never looked better and sexier. That Pacino's character, "Detective Frank Keller" would fall for her is understandable, especially know what part of his anatomy is doing the "talking." However, adultery, once again is excused in this film along with other not-so-moral acts so this isn't a film you want to show to your church group. All three of the leads are very weak, ethically-speaking.

The fact that this film can go on for almost two hours with very little action and still keep you riveted to your seat speaks highly of its entertainment value. Why critics knocked it so much, I don't know. Hey, it's good entertainment. What more do you want?


Al Pacino returns to the big screen after a four year hiatus in "Sea Of Love". His last film prior to this was the ill-fated American War Of Independence disaster "Revolution", but in this one he's back in more familiar territory as a troubled New York cop working on a triple homicide case. The break seems to have done Pacino good  he is absolutely riveting in this film, oozing charisma on the one hand, while sharing a very real sexual chemistry with his co-star Ellen Barkin on the other.

A naked corpse with a bullet in the head turns up in a New York apartment. The victim: James Mackay, a middle-aged guy who had spent his last living months looking for love in the lonely hearts column of a magazine. Two more men are soon found dead, both naked, both shot in the head, and both lonely hearts advertisers. Divorced, hard-drinking New York cop Frank Keller (Al Pacino) investigates the killings along with colleague Sherman Touhey (John Goodman). They figure out pretty quickly that all the victims' lonely hearts ads were presented in poem form; they also believe the clues point to a female killer. The two cops hit upon the idea of placing their own poetic ad in the lonely hearts section of the magazine. Then, they wine and dine the women who respond, hoping that eventually one of them will turn out to be the killer. Things start to get complicated when Keller meets beautiful shoe-store worker Helen (Ellen Barkin). She responds to his ad and, after an initial rebuff, an increasing attraction between them begins to take shape. In next to no time, Keller is in too deep  he finds himself falling in love with a suspect, playing a dangerous game with his own life, so obsessed with the thought that he may have found love after his marital failure that he cannot face the possibility his new lover might be the very murderer he is out to catch.

"Sea Of Love" is quite cleverly written, with scripter Richard Price keeping his cards very close to his chest throughout regarding the killer's identity. This adds genuine tension to the film's sex scenes  as Frank and Helen get all hot and steamy, we in the audience are drawn to the edge of our seat in anticipation. Are we watching a passionate couple falling in love? Or are we watching a foolish cop play straight into the hands of a cunning killer? Pacino registers brilliantly as the tormented hero, while Barkin is thoroughly convincing as the sexpot whose beauty and allure are enough to make a man risk his life for them. Harold Becker directs the film smartly, keeping all the elements moving smoothly and creating a moody urban style which harks back to the film noir heyday of the '40s and '50s. If there is a weakness with "Sea Of Love", it is the way that the romantic/erotic aspects begin to take precedence about halfway through. The first hour shapes up like a mystery thriller  a 'whodunit', for want of a better expression  but the second hour focuses more on the sexual paranoia between Pacino and Barkin. While both halves are undeniably absorbing, the sharp contrast between them results in inevitable unevenness for the film as a whole. Also the score by Trevor Jones sounds like it's come from the "straight-to-video-erotic-thriller" stable, and fails in my opinion to create the intended noirish feel. On the whole, though, "Sea Of Love" is a solid and admirably crafted film, well worth your time.


****SPOILERS**** With the music of a dinky 50's rock & Roll 45 record "Sea of Love" playing on the turntable the police find the body of James Mackey, Brian Paul, laying face down and naked, on his bed with a bullet in the back of his head. Checking out the clues in Mackey's Manhattan apartment Det. Frank Keller, Al Pacino, finds a number of cigarette butts in the ashtray with lipstick on them deducing that the murderer may well have been the woman that Mackey was with that night. A few days later Det. Keller is contacted by a Det.Sherman, John Goodman, From the 112th police precinct in Richmond Hills Queens of a murder in that area that is very similar to the one he's investigating; A man shot dead with a bullet in the back of his head as he lay naked in bed, even the same song "Sea of Love" was still playing on his record player.

It becomes obvious to the police that there's a serial murderer on the lose in New York City and he or she is targeting male swingers. Det. Keller finds a clue when he notices that both of the murder victims had placed ads in a local paper's personal section looking for romance and action with the opposite sex. Keller also notices that of the almost 100 personal ads only three were with rhymes or poems on them and two of those men who put poems on their ads were the two men who were found murdered.

Det. Keller & Sherman check out the third person Raymond Brown, Michael O'Neill, who placed a poem in the paper looking for both love and companionship and their told by Raymond that he never followed up on the responses that he got from the women who got in touch with him. Which was a bit strange to both Det. Keller & Sherman since he spent $300.00 placing the ad, a beautiful poem that he took a lot of time and effort to write, in the paper and even had a secret apartment in the city that he was paying $500.00 a month for? Raymond who was happily married with children told the two detectives that he "Swears on his Children Eyes" that he never had an affair with any of the women who contacted him over the ad that he put in the paper.

Later Raymond is found dead, naked with a bullet in the back of his head, in his secret Manhattan apartment, just like the other two murder victims. So much for Raymond's honesty. Well paced and stylish murder mystery drama with Al Pacino giving one of his best performances as Det. Keller, a deeply depressed and fatalistic man, who's only reason for living is his job as a policeman.

Losing his wife to his partner Det. Gruber, Richard Jenkins, whom she married, and feeling alone and spiritless over it he feels that if he retires from the police department the emptiness that would envelope him will also drive him over the edge. You constantly see Pacino trying to keep himself together despite the pressure brewing inside of him that threatens to tear him apart.

Very good supporting cast with Ellen Barkin, Helen, and John Goodman, Det. Sherman, among others with the movies very fine unsuspected and surprise ending which was very effective because the clues were always there for us to see but were so well hidden that we didn't notice them until the very end.

Good inter-acting with Al Pacino and John Goodman as his new partner from Queens in cracking the case and especially with Ellen Barkin who was the link to the persons murdered in the movie without knowing it as well as her filling the void in Det. Keller's life that was driving him to a mental and emotional breakdown after his wife left him.


As a cop this actor is pathetic but fascinating. A serial killer is at work in New York, using poetic ads in the Village Voice to attract his preys. But in fact he is not the killer really but the real prey of the killer who is the woman, at first they thought, the police, and they are wrong of course. So our cops dress up as bar waiters and poetic lovers and they start dating women in a bar via some nice poems in the Village Voice. Of course in the lot they manage to catch the good one, but in the meantime our cop has fallen in love with her and he is unable to see straight. He is so shocked when he discovers she is connected with the victims that he stops thinking and he wants her to commit one more crime and he frightens her to death and she leaves. It is then someone rings at the door and what a surprise, a colleague of his, a cop,  you go and discover the details. Sordid, bleak, miserable, and that sea of love is just spilled over, a real tsunami. The actor is so good that he makes us believe two things. For one cops have special eyes and anyone can recognize them by the way they look at you or anything. And for two that a cop in love is like a whale out of the sea, dying because he is crushed by his own weight, that of his gun and badge, and crushing everything around himself like the big fat monster he is. One of these actors of the old generation who were, and some of them still are and have taught the trade to a few younger ones, able to impersonate any part, any role, any situation as if they were chameleons. That's rare, my gosh, that's rare but so good when you meet one from time to time. That thriller is "The Experts" plus a good touch of humane and human depth. Let's hope competition and the crisis helps Hollywood to ask their actors to relearn that trade of old and begin again composing their characters from inside and not as if they were some kind of costumes you don over your evening jacket or dress.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, University Paris 12 Créteil, CEGID