Alligator, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Freshman Orientation
Alligator
[ 1 star out of 4 ]
I like B-movies because they are able to provide a certain level of entertainment (mostly the good kind of camp) that mainstream, studio-backed movies cannot. Unfortunately, this picture is not of those B-movies I like. It’s not a complete failure because some scenes made me laugh like when the alligator attacked the policeman and the wedding chaos. However, there is no solid story, the pace is as slow as molasses, and the acting is pretty bad. Robert Forster and Robin Riker had some sort of chemistry during their more romantic scenes, but when they actually face the alligator, it seems as though they were on a completely different page. I understand that this has a low budget so I tried not to look down too much on its visual effects such as when the alligator would look a bit cartoonish, but that issue became a bit too distracting as the movie went on. I liked the scenes where Forster would ask Riker or some other scientist about their opinion on why the alligator became gigantic because they were able to come up with not-so-outlandish explanations. That said, I still can’t forgive the fact that the kills were uninspired; the filmmakers tried to summon the tension that was present in excellent horror creature films like “Jaws” but they just couldn’t pull it off. This might be a must-see for B-movie buffs, but I wouldn’t watch this movie again any time soon even if I had nothing to do on a Friday night and it happens to be playing on the Sci-Fi channel.
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
[ 3 stars out of 4 ]
This is another one of those films that solidifies my love for Frances McDormand. She’s a chameleon in every role she plays and she often adds an extra spice that makes her character that much more lovable. But she’s not the only one that shines here. Amy Adams more than held her own, especially during that bar scene when she sings and realizes what she really wants in life. Equally good are fascinating Shirley Henderson (who somewhat reminded me of Megan Mullally not just because of her voice but the way she carried herself) and the romantic Lee Pace. At first I didn’t know whether I was going to like the entire picture because the first twenty minutes were all over the place. There was a lot of energy going on but I was doubtful whether the filmmakers could harness all of it and keep a certain focus at the same time. Eventually, I was proven wrong and the movie found its footing. It got better as it went along and I found myself caring more and more about the characters because some of them really do deserve to be happy. There was a lot of drama in the high society that McDormand jumped into (which was kind of like watching “Gossip Girl” but for adults and more toned down), but she was able to keep her old-fashioned, witty self. This would’ve been a better film if it was consistent from beginning to end, but I am more than happy with it. Scenes such as when the parties were interrupted by impending war was nothing short of engaging. The ending was touching but not too sappy; it is also very smart because it can lead to an interesting discussion about women’s role in society.
Freshman Orientation
[ 3 stars out of 4 ]
This is not a great movie by any means, but I was really amused by it. Just when I thought it was about to take the direction of the horrendous “Camp,” it pulls the rug from under me and actually shows some insight and sensitivity. A lot of people think that this film is really insensitive. Yes, at some parts it is… but I think one of the filmmakers’ aim is to make fun of certain offenses. One obvious way to achieve that is to actually show such offenses. Some actors that stood out for me were Sam Huntington as the guy who pretends to be gay in order to get a girl to like him, Mike Erwin who’s in a quest to find his identity, Heather Matarazzo as the one of the pledges of the sorority, and John Goodman as the bartender on one of the gay bars. All of them made me laugh out loud in some way, whether it’s regarding their circumstances or how they deliver a particular line. Having said all that, this movie had some pretty big flaws. For one, this movie is only about an hour and thirty-five minutes long, but it feels longer than that. The setting doesn’t look like a real college campus at all, while some of the drama are a bit contrived and high school. Plus, I wish they could’ve explored the relationship between Huntington and Erwin. I completely believed that they were good friends so I wish the filmmakers would’ve spent more time with them than showing us “college” parties that doesn’t have anything to do with the bigger picture. Still, I’m giving this one a thumbs up because the allusions made me laugh and the actors are so earnest in their roles. Yes, it could’ve been a deeper movie but it’s pretty above average just the way it is.
