Sexy Evil Genius (2013)

Looking to jack off to Katee Sackhoff? Sexy Evil Genius ain't the movie for it.

At a glance:

Shawn Piller's lo-fi black comedy Sexy Evil Genius (2013) was reportedly completed some two years ago and only found VOD and DVD release through Lionsgate Home Entertainment last week, so do align your expectations accordingly. It does boast an interestin lineup of now lesser seen stars though, in Michelle Trachtenberg, Harold Perrineau, William Baldwin and Seth Green. The movie is almost all-indoor and most of the proceedings happen in a downtown L.A. bar where a group of strangers meet, on account of their mutual friend Nikki Franklyn (Katee Sackhoff in the titular role), an unconventionally attractive woman who'd recently done time for murderin her last ex. We get some flashbacks from different characters every now and then, as the night progresses into a full-blown cat-and-mouse mindfuck.

Bad news on the doorstep:

You'd think a movie with these two would set your pants on fire.

Scott Lew's dialogue-driven script can sometimes surprise us with several sharp turns, even makin references to great classics like Double Indemnity (1944), but the guessin game grows tiresome and the material simply couldn't spark much excitement. Despite sufficiently watchable chemistry between the table guests, we aren't allowed much room to invest in them, as all things have to defer to Katee Sackhoff's central character but she doesn't seem to give much energy to the narrative, though this is through no fault of just her own, especially if you read this Collider interview about how bloody hard she worked for the role. You'd think she'd be perfect for this crazed femme fatale role but somethin is amiss with the direction and we're left feelin indifferent about the payoff even before it comes. Perhaps they could've put in stronger sex scenes to perk things up a little, since it's already rated R?

Perennial wonderment:

Although he's got a quite a substantial body of work in various capacities, Seth Green will always be remembered as that wigga with the goggles who screwed the awkward girl in Can't Hardly Wait (1998), won't he? I liked him as the Amish guy in Sex Drive (2008) too but that wigga role will never be topped, I believe.

Reminds me of:

The Perfect Host (2010) with David Hyde Pierce but that was nowhere near borin, which is what many would feel about this little release.

Amacam joker, berapa bintang lu mau kasi?

Not particularly sexy, evil or genius, by most accounts. The DVD has quite a lot of cool extras though, but I wouldn't pay for it if I were you. Go show some love on its official Facebook fan page though.★★
Bonus material:

Goofing around on set.

Seven Psychopaths (2012)

Will Woody Harrelson ever play a sweet, charming, leading man?

Leggy Olga Kurylenko at the TIFF 2011 premiere.

At a glance:

You will finish writin a screenplay if your screenplay is about the difficulty in writin a screenplay. That's the almost meta-movie that came out of Martin McDonagh's mind (In Bruges, 2008) - a bizarre Tarantinoesque tale generously dipped in dark humour, ostensibly less fun than the recent Killer Joe (2012) but more heart than say, Rubber (2010) or Hit And Run (2012). It's the kind of movie you're dyin to like as soon as you see the poster or watch the trailer. Hymen-thin plottin revolves around three central characters - alcoholic scriptwriter Marty (Colin Farrell), his maligned friend Billy (Sam Rockwell) and an peculiar old guy named Hans (Christopher Walken). The latter two run a small time dognapping syndicate and cowboy mobster Charlie (Woody Harrelson) just happens to have a missin shih tzu. Part of the joy of such a movie is watchin the characters enter, so I'll spare you the mazy ensemble minutiae.

Bad news on the doorstep:

One of many memes on the official Seven Psychopaths Facebook page.

All the scenes cut a pretty picture and if viewed on their own separately, look as if they're from the next Pulp Fiction (1994). Variety's Peter Debruge argues that ironically enough, the McDonagh's "apparent lack of any attempt to make a grand artistic statement could easily make this outing his most accessible project to date". It's definitely easy on the eyes with such a handsome cast - I'm one of those who'd pay good money just to see Christopher Walken walk a dog. However, while this juicy project is not short of energy or violence, its charm pivots on your empathy with the characters; and this is purposefully manipulated to reward and frustrate your expectations at every turn. That is to say, the movie wrote itself to the finishin line, to hell with the audience. 
Perennial wonderment:
Talk about gettin even. Never cared for Colin Farrell but here's somethin interestin for you - apparently Mickey Rourke dropped out of this because he had a problem with the director and Woody Harrelson took his role. In the movie, there's a tombstone with Rourke's name on it. Recently, it was reported that Rourke tweeted about how we shouldn't watch the movie because it's unwatchable and a waste of time. Ha!

Reminds me of:

You know how Machete (2010) was the unlikely end product of a fake Tarantino trailer that was picked up on? I got a feelin one of the stories in the caper could do with one of those. It's the one about a Vietnamese priest.

Harry Dean Stanton

I can't remember if I cried:

When Olga Kurylenko appeared for just the duration of which it takes you to say her name. Cheated! In fact, Kurylenko, Abbie Cornish and Gabourey Sidibe probably had just 10 minutes screen time between them.

Most memorable line:

Next to an inspired five minutes of  Sam Rockwell catharsis near the end, the Gandhi joke in the trailer is the best moment of the movie for me. In fact, it's that tone of humour that permeates throughout the movie.

Amacam joker, berapa bintang lu mau kasi?

It's strange that my wife enjoyed it more than me. I guess I wanted it to be a new spin on The Usual Suspects (1995) or somethin like that. Seven Psychopaths (2012) begs you to go crazy with it but I reckon only half of are willin and a further half of that are able.★★1/2
Bonus material:

You know what the annoying thing is?
Not all seven of the actors are the so-called psychopaths! Sheesh.