DVD REVIEWS: ‘KILLER OF SHEEP’ AND ‘SUNSHINE’
January 29th, 2008 at 10:27am Will Pfeifer
This week’s column gets down to Earth and heads for the sun, with reviews of the re-released low-budget drama “Killer of Sheep” and the low-box-office sci-fi flick “Sunshine.” Here’s a quick take from each:
“Killer of Sheep” — “It’s rough around the edges — heck, it’s rough all the way through — but that’s what makes it memorable. It feels more like a documentary than a fictional film, with tiny, seemingly meaningless moments adding up to paint a compelling picture of poverty in America.”
“Sunshine” — While it’s frustrating to see such a visionary movie become another “Alien” ripoff, at least “Sunshine” redeems itself in its final moments. Where the movie excels is conveying the sheer majesty of the sun. If it looks this bright from 93 million miles away, imagine what it would look like up close. Sure, your eyes would sizzle in a split-second, but what would you see in that split second? “Sunshine” is at its best when it asks — and sort of answers — that provocative question.”
Want to read both reviews in their entirety? Go here. See either of the films and want to toss in your two cents? That’s what the comment section is for!
Entry Filed under: DVD reviews
3 Comments Add your own
1. elDizzle | January 30th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I watched Sunshine just over a week ago. It felt very much like Solaris in first half of the movie and then it took that turn down Slasherflick Road. I liked it, but I feel it could’ve been a better movie without that turn. Was that the studios doing? Dumb it down, give it a harder edge… meh, but your’re right at least it redeemed itself…somewhat.
2. Julian | January 30th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
I liked Sunshine a lot, particulalry its first half. That, because it was SF done well, which is something we rarely see, or we may see watered down by other genres, e.x. in large Hollywood-style actioners.
Although it was done well, I didn’t care much for the last half (the horror-thriller part) and felt it was unnecessary and detracted from the greatness of the purely-SF first part of the movie. Maybe a parable on how man’s self-destructive nature will keep overshadowing even his best undertakings?
Anyway, I hope we can see more true/pure/intelligent SF films soon.
PS Mr. Pfeifer, I enjoy the hell out of your Catwoman run. I wish you can keep doing it for a long, long time. Good luck with all your projects and best regards.
3. Will Pfeifer | January 31st, 2008 at 8:09 am
That’s what made SUNSHINE so frustrating to me — it had such promise in the beginning, then just wasted it with a “slasherflick” (as elDizzle says) ending. I was hoping for 2001 and instead I got EVENT HORIZON. Disappointing.
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