Robert Wm. Gomez's

My Movie Journal

As I get older I find myself forgetting if I'd seen a movie or read a book. Since 2005 I have been keeping track of everything I watch, read and sometimes listen too or play.

2007
Movie Rating Review
Feast 6 Limited budget and bad acting. Not as funny as it should have been and not very scary at all.
Kill Baby... Kill! 7 Slow moving ghost story that is just a bit lacking in budget to make it great. I write a bit more on this film here.
Knives of the Avenger 5 A viking tale that's a bit too weak on style and action
The Girl Who Knew Too Much 8 Lighthearted giallo with great B&W photography
The Devil's Backbone 7 Ghost story set in an orphanage during spanish civil war. I would have preferred more ghosts and less reality.
Pan's Labyrinth 9 Dark fantasy amid Franco's spanish civil war. Great effects, story and characters.
Idiocracy 7 Entertaining one-joke movie about a future of stupid people.
Sleepless 6 Not awful, but far from Argento's best. A few inventive shots and Max Von Syndow make it worth a watch.
A Scanner Darkly 6 Mildly intriguing but, beyond the acting, fails on many fronts.
Borat 7 Does not live up to the hype, but has its moments.
Black Sabbath 8 Collection of 3 horror tales. They vary in quality but the last is superb.
Danger: Diabolik 8 Visually stunning comic book adaptation. The plot and character development are a bit lacking though.
Two Mules for Sister Sara 7 The plot is a bit disjointed at times and Shirley McClane is not terribly good , but Clint Eastwood and Morricone hold together... more
I Drink Your Blood 3 Low budget grindhouse production about killer, satanic hippies. Pretty boring. Only the last, zombie-flick inspired 10 minutes... more
The Church 6 Disappointing resolution and shallow characters, but enough interesting imagery and weirdness to moderately recommend.
Buio Omega (Beyond the Darkness) 5 Cheesy Italian horror film about a taxidermist who is infatuated with his dead girlfriend. It's a character study without any... more
The Wicker Man 7 Classic tale of pagan villagers. I was spoiled because I already knew the twist ending, but was enjoyable nonetheless. Almost a... more
Clerks II 8 Funny and a nice sequel. Hindered by Kevin Smith's lack of comic timing as a director (and actor). But the dialog and script... more
Art School Confidential 7 Falls apart when it attempts to become high-minded satire near the end, but the characterizations of art school stereotypes are... more
Slither 6 Silly but entertaining monster movie.
Aragami 5 The companion piece to 2LDK. Not as good, and a bit too talky and not enough fighting.
2006
Movie Rating Review
Inferno 9 I didn't like this movie that much when I first saw it, but it has since grown on me. I write a bit more on it here.
Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion 7 Italian thriller from the early 70s. Beautiful colors and photography and an excellent Morricone score. Not the most... more
Society 6 Brian Yuzna's directorial debut about a rich kid's paranoia regarding his family and the other members of "society." Takes too... more
The Wax Mask 6 Argento/Fulci production. Harkens to the Hammer era gothic horror films. Derivative but enjoyable.
3:10 to Yuma 6 Classic Western. Okay.
For Your Height Only 8 Incredibly bad movie that has to be seen to be believed. Has plenty of dull moments but it more than makes up for it in... more
Death Rides a Horse 6 Mediocre Italian western with a great score by Morricone. Drags on a bit.
Vengeance 7 Italian western starring Richard Harrison. Good end baddie and some stylistically good fights.
Aswang 7 Amateurish production values and acting hinder this fairly effective independent horror film from the Philippines.
Batman Begins 8 The best of the modern Batman movies. Forgoes the theatrics in an attempt to bring the comic into a more realistic world.
Moon Child 6 Mildly entertaining Japanese vampire movie that take a turn for schmaltz about halfway through.
The Hills Have Eyes (2006) 7 Much of the intense "anyone can die at any time" atmosphere of the original are in this remake. More gory but the mutant... more
Marnie 6 Hitchcock thriller that falls flat with a dumb ending and unbelievable plot.
Saw 8 Good thriller with annoying Nike-commercial-esque style and bad acting.
The Warriors 7 Has its moments but doesn't live up to the cult hype.
2LDK 8 Japanese slow burner about roommate strife that builds to the incredible climax.
Six String Samurai 6 Good premise is mired in low budget, poor editing and direction.
Phenomena 8 A nice supernatural thriller from Argento
Dolls 4 Stuart Gordan further assures us that Re-animator was a fluke. Bad acting, bad story, and horrible music. There is an okay... more
War of the Worlds 7 Really enjoyed the effects and apocalyptic imagery. The story and ending are lame.
Rope 8 A good Hitchcock thriller. Essentially a real-time stage play.
The Black Belly of the Tarantula 6 Stylish but overly confusing (too many red heads!) and an unsatisfying ending hinder this giallo.
Cemetery Man 6 Tries to be funny but isn't. Tries to be deep, but isn't. And not scary at all.
Mark of the Devil 7 Interesting and well-acted witch hunt movie. Lots of torture.
Hostel 8 Good, suspenseful and gross.
Frenzy 9 Hitchcock does giallo! Nice character development and twisted humor.
Opera 9 A lame ending and some bad music choices hinder this otherwise great Argento movie.
Manhattan Baby 5 Lots of really nice close-up facial photography, but a dull plot. Only high point is the stuffed bird attack at the very end.
Alucarda 7 Stylish Mexican horror movie. Surreal imagery overshadows the weak plot. Sorta falls apart towards the end of the second act.