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8MM

8MM

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: SNUFF 2 - The Ressurection.
Review: Let me say right off the bat that I sympathize with those of you who gave this one or two stars (though I personally could not give it that low a rating). The movie is severely flawed in a number of areas, this is true. The acting, though very good in some scenes, tends to be a bit staged if not exaggerated in some scenes, but this I would have to attribute to the epicly poor direction of Mr. Schumacher. You can all but hear him pleading with Mr. Cage to "emote!" after the 10th take of Mr. Cages CU of him seeing the snuff for the first time. The film, which had some very good lighting, did not (in spite of what some claim) did not have exceptional, or remarkable cinematography. The direction seemed disjointed, and one got the impression that Mr. Schumacher had refferred constantly to his WWDFD bracelet (what would David Fincher do?). This worked for him in some scenes, (i.e. Cage walking through a house with a skipping record player in the background) but did not in others, (i.e. excessive dialogue based exposition to MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND WHY WHY WHY THESE PEOPLE ARE BAD BAD BAD!!)

Now here comes the important issue, and the main reason why I cant give this a 1 or 2 star rating. The screenplay - the screenplay was written by the no-less-than-brilliant Andrew Kevin Walker, and I highly advise any pending fans of this movie, to go out and read the script to this, to see what could have been. Hence I urge any of you out there who have screamed at the "bad writing" of this movie not inherrently blame "the writer" who had a well publicized falling out with Mr. Schumacher. Certainly the writing is bad in SOME scenes, but anyone who has read the script, or knows Mr. Walker's style will recognize the certain elements tacked in there by ghost writers - (i.e. "If you dance with the devil, you don't change the devil, he changes you." Hahaha!)

In anycase, long story short, this was a potentially fantastic movie, which was through the hollywood system (which Se7en for the most part, managed to luckily survive/escape) dumbed down, over-dramatized, and watered down. It is evident however, that there were some very talented people at work here, trying to make this great. Mr. Cage showed a very ernest enthusiasm for his part, as did many other actors who were a credit to their characters. But alas that is not enough to save a raped script.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Dark, disturbing, sickening.....brilliant!
Review: In case you're not familiar with the plot (a likely story!), a reel of 8mm film is found by a widower in her spouse's safe, in which a girl appears to be brutally murdered. For real. Nicholas Cage is assigned as a private detective to find out if, indeed, it is real. Got it? Shot through with lashings of dark humour (at least where comments about violence in the media are concerned), and a heightened emotional intensity, "8mm" is a frighteningly gripping film. Joel Schumacher has never before been this talented as a director, showing focus, pace, and a great talent with actors. May I remind you that he was responsible for "Flatliners", "Falling Down", and "Batman Forever"? There are great, subtly understated performances from Cage, Gandolfini, Phoenix and Stormare, and an underused Catherine Keener as Cage's wife. Much of the credit, however, must go to "Se7en" writer Andrew Kevin Walker, whose brilliant twist at the end is not only disturbing, but (as with his brilliant end twist in "Se7en"), actually makes perfect emotional sense. While overall, it would have been in far better hands with "Se7en" director Fincher, this, nonetheless is one of the most subversive, dark, and truly gripping action/horror stories in recent times, and a timely reminder of the utter madness of the modern world.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Smut film expose
Review: Joel Schumacher was panned horribly for the goofy "Batman and Robin", so he went to make "8mm", a decidedly more adult and bleaker movie. Nicolas Cage is Tom Wells, a private investigator hired to check out a snuff film, where a young girl seems to be savagly raped and the killed even more horribly. Many people didn't like the movie, and I can't blame them to be honest, but I liked the edgy and gritty subject matter, the seedy side of an already notorious pornography industry. I thought Cage did a good job as a smart man who falls deeper and deeper into the slimy underworld of vice. The end is a little too fronteer justice style for my taste, I would have liked to seen the culprets get arrested. Machine was an interesting charactor.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Dark Journey Into The Underworld Of Society.
Review: I'm sure many viewers may be repulsed, angered, or offended by "8mm." But that really is the point. It's obvious this wasn't meant to be a soft movie. What "8mm" is, is a study, a journey into the dark side of society. Which isn't very pretty, obviously. The screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker (Seven) is intelligent in the way it uses the characters and story to weave a gothic tapestry of the perverse side of the human mind. This ranks among Joel Schumacher's best work (which isn't much since he ruined the Batman franchise). Finally a film from Schumacher that's smart and well done. Of course, Walker should get more credit considering his script helped. He appears to have a knack for society's dark edges, this is also seen in his ingenious screenplay for David Fincher's "Seven," which ranks alongside "The Silence Of The Lambs." "8mm" is a dark study of the evils that lurk in the world's dark corners. Of course it should shock you and anger you and repulse you, what else do you expect from the world of porn? Nicolas Cage gives an intense and powerful performance that ignites the screen. Schumacher's direction is stylish and gothickly intriguing. This serves more as a warning, or mind-opener of what happens behind the curtain.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Honest view of society
Review: Okay, hold on to your hats, this is a wild one. Nicholas Cage plays as a private detective, Tom Welles. Welles is hired by an elderly woman of wealth, to determine the validity of a reel of film she has found in her late husbands safe. Welles, travels from coast to coast to find the subjects on the film.

This is a disturbing film, and delves into the sleazier side of film making. There is scenes of nudity, sado/masochism, and other sick stuff. The critics didn't like this and many other movie reviewers also tore it up. It is a sick work, but a well done one.

If you want to see a happy film buy "You've Got Mail", or some other all the world is good and kind film. Sadly, this film touches close to the mores of our society, and nobody wants to deal with that. Thousands of Children and young adults, are abducted, or run away from home, and end up on the street and into the society shown by this film. This is a brutal honest look, at something we would rather not admit to. REVIEWED 9/5/99 BY JOHN

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: SNUFF SAID
Review: Granted this is certainly not a feel good kind of movie. Nor is its subject matter, which sad to say, does exist in our pristine world, but for some reason, audiences tend to find it repulsive and tend not to look at the film as an artistic endeavor. I think Joel Schumacher's direction is excellent; the one scene where Cage has broken into Machine's house and the record is stuck at the end is as frightening as anything I've seen in recent movies. He also draws excellent performances, not only in his leading cast, but in the supporting roles. Nicolas Cage, not one of my favorite actors, does an outstanding job in a role that is complex and multi-dimensional. His persistence to find who killed Maryanne Mathews is relentless and at times heart-shattering. James Gandolfini is superb and despicable in the role of the smut producer who helmed the snuff film. Peter Stomare as the heartless director Dino Velvet is likewise disgustingly realistic. Joaquin Phoenix provides a complex comic portrait who wants to join up with Cage in his quest. Anthony Heald as the Christian's lawyer is typical bar bull, and Catherine Keener, though stuffy and reserved, makes a good wife to the volatile Cage. However, to me, the most impact comes from the carefully controlled and subtly nuanced performance of Amy Morton as Maryanne's mother. Her desire to hold on to her daughter's reappearance; her loneliness in eating alone ("I'd like to eat once without the TV) and the lustful longing in her scenes with Cage are awesome. Her performance gives the movie its heart, and enables us to see why Cage acts like Charles Bronson at the end.
This could be called a "sick" movie, but we are a "sick" society. Old Mr. Christian did the snuff film because "he could", and Machine killed because he enjoyed it.
Ultimately, a disturbing but unusually good movie. Should have done better at the box office, but don't let its subject matter keep you from watching Amy Morton in an unheralded bit of brilliance.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Cage Was Astounding...
Review: This dark tale of the underworld of pornography,and the weirdos it entales, follows a private detective Tom Welles (Nick Cage) who was hired by the widow of a millionaire, to track down a girl who is in a supposed snuff film. Det. Welles is quickly taken into the depths of thie hellish lifestyle as things begin to unfold, Cage does his most remarkable performance since 1996 in "Face/Off." Cage had long ago shown the entertainment fans that he was a powerful actor but incase they forgot this film quickly reminds. WATCH THIS FILM

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: disturbing
Review: I thought this movie was disturbing because of the film that Cage watches and the places he goes to find out the horrible truth. it has great suspense though and Cage really puts the villians to rest. it deals greatly about underground porn and other sick things

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: WHO SHOWED THIS BEFORE
Review: I have seen this movie only once a long before but when I saw it
I thought WHO ELSE SHOWED THIS PROBLEM IN A MOVIE BEFORE?, maybe it's not a good movie to deserve only good words o congratulations but I liked the way that the role played by Nicolas Cage decided to do something that no one else wanted to, it means find the truth about something real not only in the movie because when this film was in theathers in my country I read a note in a newspaper that 8mm films exists in Brazil for example, and has the same end that the girl in that movie.
It was useful for me to know something unknown until then

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: entertainment
Review: This movie is great.I mean sure it's offensive with all the porn
ographic material,graphic violence,strong languege,and the story
alone.But hey it all works very well together with great acting
by Nicholas Cage,Jacquin Phoenix,James Gandolfini,and Peter Storm
are(Very Creepy),great directing by Joel Schumacher(Falling Down,
A Time To Kill),and great screenwriting from the writer of the
equally offensive and creepy Seven.But if your easily offended,
and if you are bothered by graphic violence,or savage weird or
sadistic behavior seen in movies such as Seven stay away from
this one.But if you wanna be glued to your seat and thouroully
entertained give 8mm a try.


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