Review: "Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III" Clocking in at just 82 minutes, "Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III" underwent its very own chainsaw job between the censors and the audiences, just to come by the R rather than an NC-17 rating. With films in general but particularly when the target audience are teens with Jaegermeister in a hip flask and morbid curiosity in abundance, the difference between an R and an NC-17 rating is, frankly, all of it. While this black comedy/splatter film is over almost before it begins, both Viggo Mortensen as Tex and Ken Force as Benny get in memorable performances. Viewers are never sure who the good and bad guys are on this lonely stretch of Texas highway, but the two shiny-faced college students as the ubiquitous horror film marks are howlingly obvious. I wasn't at all sure I'd want to rent this film, but a photo on the video jacket made me laugh out loud and I had to indulge my own morbid curiosity. Those who enjoy gallows humor will most likely enjoy this film. I came away from it wishing there had been a director's cut, as Mortensen has been quoted that the best humor wound up on the cutting room floor. So if you'd laugh out loud at a twisted take on an American Gothic tableau with a cute little blonde girl, a dangerous looking guy with a hook and another dignified looking fellow wearing a ruffled apron soaked with gore, go ahead and rent TCM3. I'll never tell and the video store clerk couldn't possibly care less. Colleen Wallace
Review: "The Prophecy" Let's just take gender out of it for a moment and set the score straight: Hell was created by a lover scorned and while some may argue that all angels are male, or don't have gender, there's not a lot of room for mistaking Lucifer's gender in this film. "The Prophecy" is a film about a war in heaven and Gabriel (a scenery gnashing Christopher Walken) has a diabolical plan to bring about the end of the world as we know it. While Walken, Elias Koteas, Virginia Madsen all grapple heroically with a largely incoherent script, the story is never quite clear until Viggo Mortensen shows up as Lucifer, hissing, crooning and miraculously making sense of it all. A more accurate title for this film would be "The Prophecy: Lucifer explains it all for you." After a stingingly astute opening line: "God? God is love. I don't love you." Mortensen goes on to embody the soul of seduction, persuasion and corruption. Heaven is closed, you see, but Hell's always open and Lucifer wishes to remain the sole proprietor. That's where the fun begins between fallen angels Mortensen and Walken as well as Koteas and Madsen who are dubbed "talking monkeys" by the resentful angels. While he has just three sweet scenes, Mortensen's entrance is like a gift near the end of this not always watchable film. Colleen Wallace Another link to a page on The Prophecy with thumbnail pics.
Review: "Young Guns II"
"Young Guns II" is a fun, popcorn western that is at it's best when it doesn't take itself too seriously. There are a few distinguished performances; one from James Coburn who is nothing short of an institution in this genre and another from Keifer Sutherland whose craft catches up with his acting genes in this film. Lou Diamond Phillips is also excellent and brings a powerful grace to every scene he shares, sometimes against great odds. Viggo Mortensen shows some of the gentleman hard ass brilliance he exhibited in "G.I. Jane" as John W. Poe, the government appointed watchdog to assure Pat Garret brings in Billy the Kid, dead or alive. As Poe, Mortensen has some cold-blooded moments, but balances these with a sense of humor only slightly drier than the desert setting of the film. While it's a sequel and far from flawless, "Young Guns II" is an enjoyable and entertaining rental film.
Colleen Wallace