Lorenzo’s Oil

Tags

1990's, Based on a true story, Drama, George Miller, Lorenzo's Oil, Margo Martindale, Nick Nolte, Peter Ustinov, Susan Sarandon, Zack O'Malley Greenburg

Film Title

Lorenzo’s Oil

Director

George Miller

Starring

• Susan Sarandon as Michaela Odone
• Nick Nolte as Augusto Odone
• Peter Ustinov as Professor Nikolais
• Margo Martindale as Wendy Gimble
• Zack O’Malley Greenburg as Lorenzo Odone

A harrowing but inspiring true story is brought to the screen in the drama Lorenzo’s Oil. Focusing on Augusto and Michaela Odone’s unending determination and eventual success in finding a treatment to stabilize their son’s terminal disease, it gains power and deep emotion from heartfelt direction and most successfully two outstanding performances from Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte.

Lorenzo Odone is a five-year-old boy as the movie opens, full of energy and brightness. He lives initially with his banker father Augusto and mother Michaela in the Comoros. The family then relocates back to the United States and this is when things become very worrying for young Lorenzo. He begins to lose some of his hearing, has convulsions and displays neurological problems. His concerned parents have him evaluated and he is then diagnosed with the rare and complex disease ALD, which is usually fatal within two years and . Reeling from the prognosis, Michaela and Augusto find that no doctor is able to treat the disease because of how rare it is. But instead of sitting back and waiting for the inevitable, Michaela and Augusto begin their search for a treatment. Despite neither of them having any real knowledge in medical or scientific study, they soon bury their heads in research, reviewing records of tests and trying any means necessary to treat their son. Along the way, the couple are met with adversity and skepticism from support groups, doctors and scientists who are all about going through the proper channels and waiting until something is found. Undettered by the fact that nothing is in their favour, the two parents continue their crusade, hanging on by sheer will and faith that they will find something and not be torn apart by everything. Eventually they manage to discover the usage of two types of oil that will break the boundaries of modern medicine and assist in stabilizing young Lorenzo’s condition, that many said couldn’t be treated.

George Miller as director crafts this inspiring film from the true story and keeps it rooted in emotion and faith. I admire the way that Miller successfully didn’t make Lorenzo’s Oil yet another  ‘Disease of the week’ style movie, instead bringing forth the heart and steadfast love that both parents exhibit and are willing to use if it means saving their son from an early death. Employing unusual angles and quick camera shots to place us right in the middle of the harrowing turn of events that befall’s Lorenzo and his family, before making the camera smoothly operated as a tiny glimmer of hope begins to appear when at first it looked as if there was none to find. Despite the fact that the audience knows the outcome of the story, this shouldn’t be held against Lorenzo’s Oil as it really cranks up the tension throughout as the Odone’s bury themselves in anything that can be of help to their boy in a desperate time. If anything knowing that the family succeed only makes the film more inspiring and triumphant as it shows the tenacity of their hopes and research, that many wrote off as in vain but was proven wrong.

A major high point of Lorenzo’s Oil is the cast, in particular Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte as the crusading Odone’s. Both actors pour the hearts and souls into the roles and it really shows. Susan Sarandon is a force of nature as Michaela, who holds firm that her son will survive and won’t listen to anyone else who says otherwise. Part of this is why I found her performance so compelling, she never sugar coats the woman or makes her saintly. She snaps at others who don’t share her faith and can be ruthless in order to get what she wants, but all of that comes from a place of love and the soulful eyes of Susan Sarandon wonderfully portray this. Nick Nolte, sporting an Italian accent that gets easier to listen to as the film progresses, is equally as good as Augusto, who throws himself into research. He is the more rational of the two parents, yet while their attitudes at times of what is best to do clash, they are both united in their goal to save their son and Nolte sensitively displays this. Peter Ustinov is very good as a medical professor who wants to help, but whose hands are tied due to ethics, time and bureaucracy. Margo Martindale is hugely effective as the mother of two children afflicted with the disease and is one of the few people to be of support to the Odone’s. As the young Lorenzo, Zack O’Malley Greenburg shows him in the beginning as a vibrant child who is then struck with the disease that affects him significantly and cruelly.

Truly moving, evocatively performed by the cast and never falling into cloying sentimentality, Lorenzo’s Oil is a stirring account of determination in the face of hopelessness and the fighting spirit of a parent’s love for their child.

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome

Tags

1980's, Action, Adventure, Angelo Rossitto, Bruce Spence, George Miller, George Ogilvie, Helen Buday, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Mel Gibson, Robert Grubb, Tina Turner

Film Title

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome

Directors

George Miller and George Ogilvie

Starring

• Mel Gibson as Max Rockatansky
• Tina Turner as Aunty Entity
• Bruce Spence as Jedediah
• Angelo Rossitto as Master
• Helen Buday as Savannah Nix
• Robert Grubb as Pig Killer

The final part of the original trilogy, before the excellent Fury Road exploded onto cinema screens, Beyond Thunderdome always seems to be the film in the Mad Max canon that gets a mixed reception. While it doesn’t have the ferocity of The Road Warrior or the grim ambiance of Mad Max, it has an outlandish, outrageous and thrilling adventure that is a fun ride throughout. Seriously, Beyond Thunderdome is not as bad as I heard people say it was, people really need to go back and watch this entry in the series to reevaluate their opinion of it.

It is fifteen years since we last saw lone drifter Max. We pick up with him in the Australian desert of the post apocalypse, making his way to nowhere. His ride of camels is hijacked by Jedediah and his young son, a pair of aviator bandits who commandeer his belongings. Max continues to push on until he comes upon Bartertown. The place is a sleazy pace in which anything, including one’s life can be traded if the price is right. The town’s energy comes from the rearing of pigs and their feces which in turn makes methane. Max is brought to the attention of the town’s ruler, the flamboyant Aunty Entity. While this Amazonian runs the place, she does have an uneasy truce with Master Blaster, an amalgam of a clever dwarf connected to a mountain of brute strength. In exchange for Max’s fighting ability and a duel with Blaster in the arena known as Thunderdome so that she can tighten her hold on the town, Aunty will give Max the supplies his needs to be on his way. Agreeing to this, Max takes on Blaster in the weapon covered arena but stops from killing his opponent when he has a change of heart upon seeing who he really is. Enraged, Aunty banishes Max for betraying her and sends him deep into the deserts. After almost dying from exhaustion and dehydration, he is rescued by a tribe of children who bring him to their camp. The tribe, who crash landed on a plane years before, believes that Max is the captain of the plane brought back so that he can lead them to hope. Although he tries to deny this fact and originally has no intention of helping them out, Max soon sees that he must and leads them through the deserts. The only hitch in the plan is that they must cross through Bartertown along the way, where there is sure to be a battle on Max’s hands.

While others may say that Beyond Thunderdome is the most commercial of the three, it doesn’t stop it being enjoyable. George Miller and co-director George Ogilvie do a sterling job of bringing another dimension to the series. Yes there is still the darkness lurking around in the apocalyptic settings, but there is also humour and crazy ideas at play which make it fresh. Miller still brings plenty of action to this film, including a cart chase which ranks as spectacular in my book and the unforgettable duel inside Thunderdome, where Max must utilise his strength while being suspended on wires. Yet the focus here is adventure of mythical properties with Max becoming the unlikely saviour of the tribe and being considered the deity that will bring them hope in this time of danger. Stunning visuals and spectacular set pieces are the order of the day here and they don’t disappoint at all; the biggest highlight being Thunderdome itself which is just a master work of glorious set design. The unusual but highly effective music score works wonders to highlight this idiosyncratic world that Max has found himself in and the sense of danger that always follows him wherever he goes. And not forgetting the two songs provided by Tina Turner, the best being the classic ‘We Don’t Need Another Hero’.

Essaying the role of Max once again, Mel Gibson has clearly grown into the part effectively. Max here is gruff, impatient yet deep down damaged from the pain of the past which seems to drive him in to violence. He may have more dialogue this time around, but Gibson still retains that emotional reticence that made the character of Max so iconic in the first place. Music superstar Tina Turner makes an impression, slinking across the screen like a cunning vixen in chain mail as Aunty Entity. She clearly relishes the flamboyant part and contributes a diva like aura of delicious ruthlessness and fabulous sexuality. Bruce Spence returns to the Mad Max fold only this time as another character, though he is still as deliriously crazy as he was in his other role. Angelo Rossitto is funny as Master, the diminutive leader of Bartertown caught in a power struggle with Aunty. Helen Buday is fearless and strong as Savannah, one of the older members of the tribe that Max comes to the aid of. And then we have Robert Grubb, who is suitably crazed as Pig Killer.

Outlandish and highly enjoyable, Beyond Thunderdome is an underrated third entry to the Mad Max series.

 

 

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior

Tags

1980's, Action, Bruce Spence, Emil Minty, George Miller, Kjell Nilsson, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, Mel Gibson, Michael Preston, Vernon Wells, Virginia Hey

Film Title

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior

Director

George Miller

Starring

• Mel Gibson as Max Rockatansky
• Bruce Spence as The Gyro Captain
• Vernon Wells as Wez
• Michael Preston as Pappagallo
• Emil Minty as The Feral Kid
• Kjell Nilsson as Lord Humungus
• Virginia Hey as The Warrior Woman

After the grimness of the first Mad Max, George Miller stepped it up a gear with this sequel, armed with a bigger budget and a better grip on the story. Surpassing its predecessor in terms of spectacle and action, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is a lightning paced film of futuristic battles and apocalyptic carnage that is not to be missed by anyone.

Supplies of gasoline are dwindling fast in the future and has caused violence and destruction in the wake of its near absence. After the death of his wife and son in the first film, former cop Max wanders the desert wasteland an alienated man in search of gasoline and food. Max has become withdrawn and reticent with only the need to survive keeping him going in the chaos. Max soon encounters a psychopathic gang of punk motorbike riders in his search for survival, coming face to face with the utterly crazed right hand man Wez. It transpires that the gang are led by the muscled man mountain Lord Humungus. His followers regularly pillage what they can from an oil refinery run by the reasonable Pappagallo and his good settlers who are desperate to escape the constant threat of violence and death that hangs over them on a precarious basis. Max is aided by the crazed but very helpful Gyro Captain who helps him into the camp. At first, Max just wants his car which was taken and some fuel so he can continue journeying on in the never-ending desert and has no interest in helping anyone else out. Yet somehow his emotionally scarred barriers are broken down and he begins to help the settlers in their attempts to thwart Humungus and his cronies which leads to one hell of a showdown.

George Miller really shifts gears here and delivers a high-octane thrill ride of pumping action and turbo-sized thrills. Miller really gets a grip on the story and crafts one of great excitement and danger. I admire how he used sparse dialogue in this film, it really adds to the impact of the visuals which in turn do a lot of the storytelling. The Road Warrior is a visual marvel, with the dusty landscape of the deserts and scant resources playing a key part to the post-apocalyptic doom that Max finds himself in. The Road Warrior thankfully doesn’t suffer from the lulls in narrative of the first movie and emerges as a more polished and confident action movie which barely pauses for breath once the glorious action is set into pulse-pounding motion. Fast-paced chases and attacks form the action-packed backbone to The Road Warrior and create a dazzling array of stunts, inventive weapons and fierce battles. I also appreciated the nods to the western genre within The Road Warrior. We have the lone drifter searching what could be seen as a frontier, the battle for supremacy over something precious and the breaking down of the drifter’s emotionally devoid shield. The costume design is simply outstanding, with the leathers of Max’s costume and the punk rock attire, consisting of red Mohawks, shiny chains and chaps setting the standard for cinematic and apocalyptic chic that would be copied in a multitude of futuristic movies. A grand and majestic score provides ample excitement and intense atmosphere as Max joins the villagers in their quest to escape almost certain death. The Road Warrior just captures your interest from the start and doesn’t let go as you join Max on this journey through the wasteland.

Mel Gibson once again stars as Max and cements him as a cinematic hero. Combining the laconic qualities of a man who has lost faith in everything with the capabilities of violence and buried humanity that are awakened, Gibson is nothing short of iconic in this film. It’s safe to say this was the role and film that catapulted Gibson to super stardom and beyond. Bruce Spence exudes mad as hell craziness and strange antics as the Gyro Captain, who goes from being Max’s prisoner briefly to very helpful aid. Vernon Wells gets the crazy costume and psychopathic traits just right as Wez, one of the more vicious members of Lord Humungus’ cronies. Michael Preston brings wise leadership and calm assurance to the role as Pappagallo, who is probably the most sane person in the movie. Emil Minty, though he doesn’t utter a word and communicates in grunts and cries, is suitably helpful as The Feral Kid who is more than adept with survival and comes to look up to Max. Out of all the characters who Max comes into contact with, I believe it is The Feral Kid who brings out his hidden humanity that he has shut away from the world. Bodybuilder Kjell Nilsson uses his considerably muscly and intimidating physical stature to excellent effect as the violent and deep-voiced Lord Humungus. Rounding out the main cast is Virginia Hey, who displays a burning ferocity as The Warrior Woman.

The Road Warrior is just one of those movies were all the elements flow together to create a hell of a ride.

Mad Max

Tags

1970's, Action, George Miller, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Joanne Samuel, Mad Max, Mel Gibson, Steve Bisley, Tim Burns

Film Title

Mad Max

Director

George Miller

Starring

• Mel Gibson as Max Rockatansky
• Joanne Samuel as Jessie Rockatansky
• Hugh Keays-Byrne as Toecutter
• Steve Bisley as Goose
• Tim Burns as Johnny the Boy

A highly influential movie on futuristic action flicks, Mad Max made a name for George Miller and its young star Mel Gibson. Although made on a shoestring budget, it’s a film that reverberates with apocalyptic madness and hell for leather action. It may not have the non-stop craziness and the big budget scope of later films in the series, but Mad Max still retains an electrifying and intense impact to this day.

In the future, the Australian highways and surrounding areas are bleak and violent shadows of their former selves. There is no order in this world as psychopathic motorbike gangs terrorise innocent people, heroes seem to be no more and civilisation is almost non-existent. From what is left of the police force now called MFP, we have Max; a good cop just wanting to retire with his wife Jessie and young son, but who is constantly having to deal with the madness around him in the form of marauding crazed bikers. Max is disillusioned with the barren wasteland and the police force and just wants out of it as soon as he can so he can live what is left of a civilised life. In the rip-roaring opening scenes, Max is involved in a high-speed chase with a deranged biker knows as Nightrider. The pedal to the metal chase ends with Nightrider’s fiery and explosive death. Because of this, many of his psychopathic cohorts, led by the vicious Toecutter, descend upon the surrounding areas, plaguing the innocent people they pass on the way. Angered by the death of one of their own, the gang decide to get even by brutally injuring Max’s best friend and fellow cop Goose. They then take things one step further by killing Jessie and her son. Broken inside by this, Max straps on his leathers and jumps in his high-powered car with revenge and uncontrollable rage the only things driving him on as he hunts down the gang responsible for shattering his life.

Considering the low budget, George Miller in his directorial debut contributes elements of great style and action. He paints a hauntingly grim picture of the future, capturing a dust bowl atmosphere of no hope and insanity breeding everywhere. Mad Max stands as an influential film because of that picture, but also for the stunts and camerawork. The camera glides at a truly unnatural speed around these brutal events, giving them extra moments of shock and awe. Miller certainly has an assured hand when directing the action sequences and gives them a very frenetic quality. Where Mad Max falters is the pacing, which at times can’t balance the seriousness and action. After the high-octane opening, events slow down to focus on exposition. As the first film in the franchise it is understandable to do this, but it does make the narrative lull. Yet when the violence and carnage hits, it becomes a hell of a revenge-riddled ride in the last hour for both Max and the audience. Burning like a turbo booster, the action on display is explosive and brutal. Standout scenes are the opening chase which ends in an inferno and Max giving a crazed biker two choices of escape before the car he is tied to explodes. So even though the pace lulls very much in the middle, it certainly builds up to the unleashing of madness and violence. A perfectly building score helps aid the flat parts of the narrative and chart Max’s descent into revenge from which no one is safe.

A young Mel Gibson is excellent in the role of the eponymous cop; showing us with skill the broken soul of a good man being replaced with intense anger and deep fury as he sets out to destroy those who have torn his life into pieces. It is truly a star-making role for Gibson which would lead him all the way to the top of the crop of actors. Joanne Samuel radiates innocence in the secondary role of Max’s tragic wife. As the leader of the vicious biker gang, Hugh Keays-Byrne is unpredictable and crazy as hell. Steve Bisley makes his mark as the rather unfortunate Goose, while Tim Burns is wildly convincing and deliriously creepy as the warped Johnny the Boy. All the characters are played well, but it’s Gibson’s turn as the good cop who goes vigilante which is the most memorable.

Bristling with innovative ideas and well-mounted foundations, Mad Max is an excellent introduction to the character and the eventual series of films he would populate.

 

Mad Max: Fury Road

Tags

2010's, Abbey Lee, Action, Charlize Theron, Courtney Eaton, George Miller, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Mad Max: Fury Road, Nicholas Hoult, Riley Keough, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Tom Hardy, Zoë Kravitz

Film Title

Mad Max: Fury Road

Director

George Miller

Starring

• Tom Hardy as Max Rockatansky
• Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa
• Nicholas Hoult as Nux
• Hugh Keays-Byrne as Immortan Joe
• Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as The Splendid Angharad
• Riley Keough as Capable
• Zoë Kravitz as Toast
• Abbey Lee as The Dag
• Courtney Eaton as Cheedo the Fragile

When I heard there was going to be another Mad Max movie, I was a little ambivalent as to how it would turn out. Thankfully after hearing the praise for it from almost every critic, I finally watched it and boy did it deliver in spades. Fury Road is one exhilarating spectacle of high-octane action and dystopian craziness. To say I enjoyed this movie, would be a huge understatement.

In the distant future of vast and arid wasteland where resources are scarce and humanity has descended into utter madness, we have Max. A shell of a man, his only instinct is to survive the chaos that surrounds him while dealing with haunting visions of people he was unable to save in the past. We begin with Max being captured by fanatical War Boys, who worship the tyrannical leader Immortan Joe. The grotesque Joe has a complete hold on remaining survivors and keeps them in check by depriving them of water. Max is imprisoned and is forced to be the blood donor to one of the sick War Boys known as Nux, who has been utterly brainwashed by the leader. While attempting to escape, another incident sets in motion dangerous consequences. The driver of Joe’s war rig Imperator Furiosa has had enough of the conditions and escapes with precious cargo Joe’s harem of wives; Angharad, Capable, Toast, The Dag and Cheedo. These girls have been enslaved by the cult leader and used so he can produce an heir. When Joe sees what Furiosa has done, he sends out his armed men on a high-speed chase through the deserts. Max is strapped to the front of one of the trucks and manages to survive the carnage that awaits. Teaming with the fierce Furiosa, he helps her in her quest to reach the land where she was born in hopes of safety and redemption. It won’t be easy with two tons of heavily armed disciples tracing them and attacking, but Max and Furiosa muster their strength to fight back and survive in this time of hopelessness.

Right from the start George Miller brings his expertise to the forefront and bring electrifying life to Fury Road. As the original director of the movies, he has lost none of his touch when it comes to delivering pulse-pounding action and explosive set pieces. From a chase through a violent sandstorm that engulfs everything in its path to the vast arsenal of vehicles and weapons used, he just brings such style to it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a movie with so much action that just leaves your heart pounding and your knuckles white. For a film that runs for two hours, it sure doesn’t feel like it because of the sheer intensity of the movie. The whole visuals are outstanding, with the burnt oranges of the desert and the swirling dust showing us the destruction of humanity and the billowing white worn by the Wives as they flee their imprisonment creating a strikingly angelic impact against this unforgiving land. The sonic elements of this flick deserve so much credit. When watching this, you can hear everything amplified for maximum impact. The gears crunching, the bones breaking and the shrieks of madness, they’re all here and just arrest you from start to finish. And not forgetting the score, which resonates with epic drama and furious action. Mad Max: Fury Road isn’t just a film, it’s a reverberating and action packed event.

Stepping into Mel Gibson’s shoes must have been an extremely daunting task for Tom Hardy. Yet he brings the right strength to the role and nails the laconic demeanor of the character. Hardy has always been a physical actor and here it works excellently as with little dialogue, he conveys the primal need to survive in an extraordinary situation. But I must say that as effective as Hardy was in the role, Charlize Theron was the one who captured my attentions in her portrayal of Imperator Furiosa. Theron creates an intense and extremely determined character of stoic anger, responsibility and bravery. Most of this is conveyed through her eyes, which burn through the screen with steely ferocity. With her buzz cut, oil slicked across her face and a bionic arm, she really is an unforgettable creation and an asset to the movie embodied excellently by Charlize Theron. Nicholas Hoult gives insane and unstable energy to the role of Nux, the brainwashed War Boy who defies Joe and begins to help Max and the others in their attempt to survive. With his rumbling voice and physical presence, Hugh Keays-Byrne makes Immortan Joe a despicable and utterly grotesque villain. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley plays Angharad, Joe’s favourite of his wives who is heavily pregnant and while she isn’t the most competent actress, she brings a definite spark of innocence to the part. Riley Keough and Zoë Kravitz are also good as two of the escaped wives. Abbey Lee stands out the most among the quintet with her large eyes and grim sense of humour undercutting the danger all of them are involved in. Courtney Eaton rounds out the wives as Cheedo, the youngest of the girls.

Brutal, bloody and rip-roaring in the extreme, Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the best experiences I’ve had in the cinema for a long time and one that is impossible to forget.

 

The Witches of Eastwick

Tags

1980's, Cher, Comedy, George Miller, Horror, Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon, The Witches of Eastwick, Veronica Cartwright

Film Title

The witches of Eastwick

Director

George Miller

Cast

• Jack Nicholson as Daryl Van Horne
• Cher as Alexandra Medford
• Susan Sarandon as Jane Spofford
• Michelle Pfeiffer as Sukie Ridgemont
• Veronica Cartwright as Felicia Alden

Battles of the sexes comedies don’t come much darker and sexier than The Witches of Eastwick. Based on John Updike’s novel of the same name, directed by George Miller of Mad Max fame and featuring an absolutely hysterical performance by Jack Nicholson, Eastwick is a wickedly and darkly comic  film that slightly goes overboard with the special effects in the later parts . Regardless of this minor quibble, the film is still a pleasure and joy to watch partly because of Jack Nicholson and the three main woman who dominate the story. The score composed by John Williams adds to the devilish and lively quality of the film.

The film revolves around three single best friends in the boring, uneventful and traditional New England town of Eastwick. Although different in terms of their personalities,each has the distinction of having a man leave them in some form or another. The dynamic trio of women comprises of strong-willed sculptress Alex, shy and matron like cellist and music teacher Jane and sexy writer for the local newspaper Sukie. To relieve their boredom and feelings of loneliness,they meet every Thursday night for drinks and food. The gatherings are spent discussing what they want in a man and wishing for one to arrive in town. Unbeknownst to the trio, they in fact possess powers that can make strange things happen. After one such gathering, the flamboyant and devilish Daryl Van Horne arrives and purchases a prominent old mansion on the outskirts of town. He immediately sends shock waves through the traditional eponymous town with his brazen, over the top and deliberately lecherous behaviour. Thinking they have conjured up the man of their dreams, the women all gradually fall under his seductive spell. After gossip spreads through the town,partly because of local busybody and eccentric Felicia and strange incidents occur, the women realize that Daryl may not be what he at first seems and that they have conjured up a literal devil.

As the witches of the title;Cher, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer are luminous and convincing as the love-starved and bored best friends who accidentally dabble in magic and get their fingers burnt as a result. The trio have a natural chemistry with each other that helps the audience believe in the friendship they share. But the acting honours go to Jack Nicholson who throws himself into the part and makes the film hysterically funny. Whether he is frantically playing the violin in order to seduce the shy Jane or dressed in a velvet robe when trying to make a move on the self-assured Alex, Nicholson is a hoot throughout. Special mention should also go to Veronica Cartwright for her supporting performance as the local gossip and Cassandra like prophet of the town who foresees the danger and debauchery that Daryl will bring to Eastwick.

Despite the sometimes overload of effects, sometimes they work within certain scenes in the movie. The funny scene that takes place in Daryl’s manor,when the girls play tennis and discover the extent of their magical abilities by using telekinesis to move the ball in their favour is well filmed and hilarious. The scene where after the women have cooled their relationship with him, he starts to bring their deepest fears to life is quite unsettling, particularly if you have a deep-seated fear of snakes. Revenge comes when the women devise an equally unsettling plan. Equally horrifying is Daryl’s revenge on Felicia, in which he causes her to continuously vomit cherry pips. If you are easily squeamish this scene may not be for you. One thing is definitely for sure, you will never look at cherries in the same way ever again.

Overall, the film is a horror comedy with elements of drama and fantasy thrown into the eclectic mix. The best way to enjoy the film is to accept it as it is and simply watch the trio of comic performances by  Cher, Sarandon and Pfeiffer and Jack Nicholson in a devilish and extremely memorable portrayal.