June 28, 2002
June 28, 2002

No new reviews until tomorrow night, but I wanted to let you know about a screening of EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS I've just returned from. I'm not exactly an insider, but through a film teacher friend I sometimes get into these screenings where studios need good audiences when they show their new titles to critics. Well, I didn't see a single critic show up for tonight's show (where were they, all watching Adam Sandler down the street?) but the audience loved the movie and I thought it was fine. They'll have 800 people spreading positive word of mouth for the next week and I think the movie will do well.

The TARANTULA - like poster wasn't very appealing, and I have to admit that I wouldn't have gone on my own, but EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS was a TREMORS- like oldfashioned creepy crawly scare picture that's lighthearted, good natured, fun, and exciting. It's reasonably intelligent, has pleasant characters we like (including Scarlett Johanssen from GHOST WORLD) and a LOT of spiders of all sizes. The fairly generic beginning launches into a solid middle section where monster movie conventions are nicely twisted - people don't unreasonably stay in denial about the menace, the doofus deputy turns out to be a can-do guy, and people aren't killed based upon their sexual activity or status as villains. The spiders would be easily defeated by gunfire .... if there weren't so blinking many of them.

The action is exciting and there's plenty of fun 'boo!' moments. Most of the comedy works (except for one or two too many SPIDERMAN jokes) and the picture was a crowdpleaser, not too gross and definitely entertaining. People applauded in pleasant surprise at the end. So Savant gives a happy positive nod to the movie.

Early peeks at the Fox SuperSpy DVDs are positive - I've got other obligations to review first, but I'll try to get them out before street date. Thanks! Glenn Erickson Posted by DVD Savant at June 28, 2002 10:33 PM