(2001)
Dir - Bill Paxton
Overall: MEH
The first of two directorial efforts from Bill Paxton, (and his first time behind the lens since Barnes & Barnes' "Fish Heads" music video, arguably the weirdest ever made outside of whatever the hell Cecelia Condit's Possibly in Michigan is), Frailty is conventionally structured yet still disturbing enough to work throughout parts of it. Mathew McConaughey gets his obligatory shirtless scene out of the way early on and then provides the role of solemn expository dialog man while Paxton, Powers Boothe, and child actors Matt O'Leary and Jeremy Sumpter play things just as straight. Behind the lens, Paxton creates a consistent, serious tone, which is impressive considering that the subject matter approaches being too implausible for the viewer to become invested in. That said, it is a bit too clean and pedestrian looking and the atmosphere never rises above that of an adequately made if not all too frightening TV movie. Also, a handful of plot twists within the final fifteen or so minutes come off a bit forced. It is fine work for what it is, but does not take enough exciting chances with the material, at least not enough successfully exciting ones.
(2005)
Dir - Bruce Campbell
Overall: GOOD
Charm goes a long way in Bruce Campbell's non-documentary, full-length debut Man with the Screaming Brain; a Roger Corman B-movie parody that is purposely stupid and would only be half as watchable without its writer/director/star's involvement. Initially distributed by Syfy and shot in Bulgaria to save on what are clearly already minuscule production costs, it takes full advantage of the setting with Stacy Keach and Ted Raimi rocking Russian accents and a plot line that involves Campbell's American businessman literally sharing a brain with a local taxi driver after both are murdered by a jealous gypsy. Mayhem ensues of course with a handful of other ridiculous side-arcs that are happening simultaneously, none of which are taken seriously by anyone on board. This is a plus as the cast sells a series of gags that are groan-worthy on paper, yet Campbell's long career in campy genre fare makes him a logical person to be calling the shots here, even if he has an awkward sense of staging at times. It would no doubt lose its dopey camp appeal if it was a slicker production, so the crude makeup effects, set design, and clumsy execution is not only enduring, but also essential to such a throwback that is in on its own joke.
(2007)
Dir - Mitchell Lichtenstein
Overall: GOOD
This amusing full-length debut from Mitchell Lichtenstein rides a razor-thin line, approaching its sensitive subject matter from a multitude of angles. It can technically be seen as a dark comedy and it both gets very dark and very comedic at various intervals. As a film dealing with teenage sexuality and the vagina dentata folk tale while poking fun at stereotypes associated with Bible-quoting abstinence groups, metalhead rejects, horny high schoolers, and middle class suburbia, it has a lot on its plate to work with. The tone is occasionally awkward, but this is not necessarily unfitting as many of the plot points are just as uncomfortable. Lichtenstein goes for laughs when he can, using the story's inherent absurdity as well as some very graphic set pieces to provide gross-out chuckles while in effect contrast other far more harrowing events that take place. In the lead, Jess Weixler carries the bulk of the film's complex weight and she is routinely fantastic on screen with such a burden. While the story does not adhere to logic per se, things make a whole lot more sense if looked at from a fairytale perspective and the some of its conflicting parts uniquely fit into each other.
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