Thanks for the memories!

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

There is almost no reason for me to write. Many of you have done the job for me. But I take the misuse and co-option of a "Downtown" NY vibe in this movie as a personal affront. Amos Poe has some kind of Alt -street cred, although now I can't remember for what. Something to do with Debbie Harry. But he (on the basis of this film) is not an artist, not an entertainer, not a good post-modernist, not very smart! As many have pointed out, he knows how to quote from much better things. And he knows how to cast weirdly iconic actors and use interesting East Village locations. But the killing scenes are excessive, the acting scenes are unconvincing. And neither illuminates the other. Jim Jarmusch, forgive me! Any doubts I have had about your genius have been erased by this slop. I understand now (I already liked it a lot) what a massive achievement Ghost Dog is. You have quoted Godard, but added something to our understanding, as Godard did with such as Fuller and Ray. This guy, on the other hand belongs in the Press area of a European Blondie Reunion concert, holding a Poloroid camera. He totally wasted my time with his smarmy, hipper-than-thou bullshit. Lisa Marie is hot though.

"Frogs for Snakes" **1/2 "FFS" is a hard movie to describe. There is this group of actors in NYC. They work together. They know one another. At various times in their lives they "love" one another. And they compete for the same parts in off-off-off Broadway plays. The owner of the theater, where they most often act and compete for parts, is run by Al. Al is a gangster and he employs these actors to make collections for him. To this point in the description of the movie it sounds like a kind of slice-of-life type story. But, "FFS" slips back and forth between the actors, Al and their day-to-day lives and killing one another. If one of them thinks someone might have a leg up on them for a part in a play, they kill rather than compete. And, after a kill the remaining players might slip right back into a dialogue that makes the killing seem like just another day at the office. Entwined in all the dialogue are these really interesting scenes, played out by the characters, from movies and stage plays. My favorite was a tryout where one of the actresses is doing Harry Lime. "FFS" is a cross between "Pulp Fiction" and "Living in Oblivion." I won't go so far as to recommend this movie but I will say I was fascinated by "FFS."

Not even Barbara Hershey could save this farce. If it was supposed to be a comedy it was a total failure. There wasn't a laugh in the entire movies. Bizarre plot. Too much needless and graphic violence. If this movie was supposed to entertain, the blood and gore made certain that it did not. Hershey was badly miscast in this movie. If she was supposed to be a sympathetic character, it never showed and that is too bad because Hershey is an accomplished actress and this movie doesn't help her career. If it had been for Hershey, I would not have even considered watching this movie only to be very disappointed in her role.

Underground director Amos Poe presents this Tarantino-esque gangster movie, which is also a close portrait of a woman trying to break free from her old life. All trimmed with some violence, black humour and loads of quotations from the world of theater and movies. (watched @ the world premier at the Filmfestspiele Berlin)