http://www.smalltowncritic.com COOP COOPER is an independently syndicated film critic with a split personality. His "Southern Side" prints mainstream reviews that appear in various print publications across the mid-south. His "Dark Side" from Los Angeles befouls the site with reviews of horror and grindhouse flicks. Welcome to the site where COOP's two halves (and his contributors) review and debate the latest film/DVD releases... Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:00:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2012/01/24/10-reasons-to-attend-the-2nd-annual-clarksdale-film-fest/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2012/01/24/10-reasons-to-attend-the-2nd-annual-clarksdale-film-fest/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:00:51 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=3169 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2012/01/24/10-reasons-to-attend-the-2nd-annual-clarksdale-film-fest/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/02/15/the-8th-annual-oxford-film-fest-reviewed-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/02/15/the-8th-annual-oxford-film-fest-reviewed-by-coop/#comments Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:22:35 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2949 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/02/15/the-8th-annual-oxford-film-fest-reviewed-by-coop/feed/ 2 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/08/18/micro-reviews-via-twitter-the-best-of-the-feel-good-film-festival-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/08/18/micro-reviews-via-twitter-the-best-of-the-feel-good-film-festival-by-coop/#comments Thu, 19 Aug 2010 02:24:43 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2844 Coop’s most recent MICRO REVIEWS (via Twitter): I got to conduct some great Q & A's for some terrific films at the FEEL GOOD FILM FESTIVAL this past weekend. I met some truly gifted filmmakers and inspirational people. I'd like to thank these special guests for affecting me the most: Cheryl Hines for her big intro, Shirley Jones for classing up the joint with her presence, Marty Ingles for reminding us what this festival is really about, Leeza Gibbons for singling me out with a nice compliment, writer/director Lexi Alexander for the lively discussion, producer/actor Googy Gress for his sincere enthusiasm, the League of S.T.E.A.M. for entertaining us all weekend and motivational speaker/actor Nick Vujicic for the sheer inspiration he gave to us all with his fantastic short film The Butterfly Circus (watch here!). I'd also like to give big high-fives to all of the coordinators and volunteers for making the festival such a fun and engaging experience. I had a great time bonding with you all. Finally a big congratulations to producer/actor Joe Russell and writer/actress Casey Strand from the short film "Strawberries" whose engagement I helped orchestrate during one of the more memorable Q & A's. I wish I had seen them all but of the ones I did see, here are the films that I felt were the best (in no particular order)... ]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/08/18/micro-reviews-via-twitter-the-best-of-the-feel-good-film-festival-by-coop/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/08/02/coop-is-introducing-movies-and-conducting-q-as-at-the-feel-good-film-festival-aug-13-15/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/08/02/coop-is-introducing-movies-and-conducting-q-as-at-the-feel-good-film-festival-aug-13-15/#comments Mon, 02 Aug 2010 23:04:09 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2831 Feel Good Film Festival. I've been asked to introduce some of the features/short films and run the questions & answers session after each. This will be my first year to attend the festival, so I'm excited to get out there and meet the filmmakers, press and organizers involved with the event which will take place at the American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theater in downtown Hollywood. The festival, which apparently has grown significantly since its beginnings, has quite an impressive indie film line up. Come by, check it out and find me on the red carpet!... Here's the official Press release with details on each film being screened...]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/08/02/coop-is-introducing-movies-and-conducting-q-as-at-the-feel-good-film-festival-aug-13-15/feed/ 5 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/06/21/micro-reviews-via-twitter-get-him-to-the-greek-bitch-slap-the-calamari-wrestler-tales-from-the-script-uwe-bolls-rampage/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/06/21/micro-reviews-via-twitter-get-him-to-the-greek-bitch-slap-the-calamari-wrestler-tales-from-the-script-uwe-bolls-rampage/#comments Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:47:37 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2779 Coop’s most recent MICRO REVIEWS (via Twitter): Got some high-rated exploitation (and one documentary) this time around! All of these movies are terrific, especially Uwe Boll's surprisingly powerful RAMPAGE (who would have expected that one?)... RAMPAGE: Uwe Boll knocks one out of the park. Hyperviolent domestic terrorist shocker delivers. Hell freezes over. 4 out of 5 BITCH SLAP: Fun, hyper violent, tongue-in-cheek exploitation about 3 sex bombs killing each other over loot. 3&1/2 out of 5 THE CALAMARI WRESTLER: Japanese wrestler dies and reincarnates in a mansized rubber squid suit. New camp classic. 4 out of 5 TALES FROM THE SCRIPT: A little bitter, but a must-see doc for anyone even remotely interested in screenwriting. 4 out of 5 GET HIM TO THE GREEK: Russell Brand = comedic genius. Best drug freak out scene of all time. Can't stop giggling. 4 out of 5]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/06/21/micro-reviews-via-twitter-get-him-to-the-greek-bitch-slap-the-calamari-wrestler-tales-from-the-script-uwe-bolls-rampage/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/09/05/boondock-saints-ii-all-saints-day-finally-has-a-trailer-i-still-cant-believe-it-actually-got-made-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/09/05/boondock-saints-ii-all-saints-day-finally-has-a-trailer-i-still-cant-believe-it-actually-got-made-by-coop/#comments Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:25:10 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2468 (NOTE: I'm delaying the next installment of HAIR METAL MOVIE MADNESS #11 for another week. Partially due to this week's technical difficulties but also so I can save up some of the good horror ones for the month of October. Plus, this news was too juicy and I had to jump on it ASAP...) My love for Boondock Saints (5 out of 5 stars!) has no bounds. Which is why with a heavy heart I still feel that a sequel should've never been made. Why? Because writer/director Troy Duffy didn't deserve one. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, Saints involve a pair of illegal immigrant Irish twins, the McManus brothers (Sean Patrick Flannery and Norman Reedus) who get in a scrap with some local Russian mobsters in a Boston slum. After killing the mobsters in self defense, the brothers simultaneously get a divine vision instructing them to...]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/09/05/boondock-saints-ii-all-saints-day-finally-has-a-trailer-i-still-cant-believe-it-actually-got-made-by-coop/feed/ 2 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/08/20/is-fear-of-the-mpaa-the-reason-why-most-american-horror-films-like-the-last-house-on-the-left-remake-wimp-out-by-dark-side/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/08/20/is-fear-of-the-mpaa-the-reason-why-most-american-horror-films-like-the-last-house-on-the-left-remake-wimp-out-by-dark-side/#comments Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:04:09 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2417 This Film is Not Yet Rated (3 out of 5 stars) about how how the Motion Picture Association of America has one of the most powerful, secretive and arbitrarily unchecked bureaucratic systems in the U.S. When you can hand down a rating for a movie (G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17) and not have to give a reason, nor reveal who made the decision, you've got an abuse of power there, sir! While I usually don't have too many qualms with their system - because frankly...]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/08/20/is-fear-of-the-mpaa-the-reason-why-most-american-horror-films-like-the-last-house-on-the-left-remake-wimp-out-by-dark-side/feed/ 3 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/05/david-lynch-is-back-and-badder-than-ever-well-not-badder-actually-not-sure-what-i-mean-by-that-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/05/david-lynch-is-back-and-badder-than-ever-well-not-badder-actually-not-sure-what-i-mean-by-that-by-coop/#comments Tue, 05 May 2009 22:51:37 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=1765 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/05/david-lynch-is-back-and-badder-than-ever-well-not-badder-actually-not-sure-what-i-mean-by-that-by-coop/feed/ 4 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/04/28/love-the-beast-eric-banas-love-letter-to-his-car-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/04/28/love-the-beast-eric-banas-love-letter-to-his-car-by-coop/#comments Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:05:32 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=1683 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/04/28/love-the-beast-eric-banas-love-letter-to-his-car-by-coop/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/04/18/the-cross-the-coolest-christian-documentary-ever-trailer-included-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/04/18/the-cross-the-coolest-christian-documentary-ever-trailer-included-by-coop/#comments Sat, 18 Apr 2009 16:11:37 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=1540 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/04/18/the-cross-the-coolest-christian-documentary-ever-trailer-included-by-coop/feed/ 3 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/03/18/dex-romweber-and-the-two-headed-cow%e2%80%a6-definitely-the-most-bizarre-documentary-screeningconcert-i%e2%80%99ve-ever-seen-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/03/18/dex-romweber-and-the-two-headed-cow%e2%80%a6-definitely-the-most-bizarre-documentary-screeningconcert-i%e2%80%99ve-ever-seen-by-coop/#comments Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:29:00 +0000 Coop http://smalltowncritic1.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/dex-romweber-and-the-two-headed-cow%e2%80%a6-definitely-the-most-bizarre-documentary-screeningconcert-i%e2%80%99ve-ever-seen-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/03/18/dex-romweber-and-the-two-headed-cow%e2%80%a6-definitely-the-most-bizarre-documentary-screeningconcert-i%e2%80%99ve-ever-seen-by-coop/feed/ 34 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/02/27/anvil-the-story-of-anvil-2008-12-finally-gets-a-release-date-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/02/27/anvil-the-story-of-anvil-2008-12-finally-gets-a-release-date-by-coop/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2009 21:25:00 +0000 Coop http://smalltowncritic1.wordpress.com/2009/02/27/anvil-the-story-of-anvil-2008-12-finally-gets-a-release-date-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/02/27/anvil-the-story-of-anvil-2008-12-finally-gets-a-release-date-by-coop/feed/ 1 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2008/06/27/anvil-the-story-of-anvil-2008-12-event-review/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2008/06/27/anvil-the-story-of-anvil-2008-12-event-review/#comments Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:32:00 +0000 Coop http://smalltowncritic1.wordpress.com/2008/06/27/anvil-the-story-of-anvil-2008-12-event-review/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2008/06/27/anvil-the-story-of-anvil-2008-12-event-review/feed/ 0