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, 28 Jul 2010 22:01:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/07/27/micro-reviews-via-twitter-the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-pecker-watching-the-detectives-salvage-2006-salvage-2009-2012-apaches/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/07/27/micro-reviews-via-twitter-the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-pecker-watching-the-detectives-salvage-2006-salvage-2009-2012-apaches/#comments Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:15:23 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2802 Coop’s most recent MICRO REVIEWS (via Twitter): Nothing brand new here, but I just can't get the energy up to go see WANTED II... I mean, SALT... THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO: Quirky autistic hacker chick fights crime and has a lot of sex in Sweden. High brow yet boring. 2 out of 5 PECKER: Photog's quick fame ruins lives of loved ones. Semi-autobio of John Waters. Clever allegory for artistic expression. 3&1/2 out of 5 WATCHING THE DETECTIVES: A girl (Lucy Liu) uses wild pranks to woo a nerdy boy (Cillian Murphy). Well-written indie rom-com. 3&1/2 out of 5 SALVAGE (2006): Girl relives her death at the hands of a serial killer over and over. Above par indie horror with a great twist. 3 out of 5 SALVAGE (2009): Mother searches for daughter during invasion by soldiers hunting a murderous mutant. Good tension, lame BBC plot. 2 out of 5 2012: John Cusack tries to save family from the apocalypse. Worst disaster movie ever. Roland Emmerich should take up bowling. 1 out of 5 APACHES: Sinister 1977 British public service film about irresponsible brats dying in farming accidents. Brutal and brilliant. 4 out of 5 Thy Twitter has spoken.]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/07/27/micro-reviews-via-twitter-the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-pecker-watching-the-detectives-salvage-2006-salvage-2009-2012-apaches/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/07/15/micro-reviews-via-twitter-predators-blood-and-bone-the-white-ribbon-the-brood-eclipse/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/07/15/micro-reviews-via-twitter-predators-blood-and-bone-the-white-ribbon-the-brood-eclipse/#comments Thu, 15 Jul 2010 22:23:49 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2785 Coop’s most recent MICRO REVIEWS (via Twitter): All I can think about is how jazzed I am about INCEPTION tomorrow... PREDATORS: Cheesy fun that honors and expands upon the original. Quite satisfying, but does it warrant more sequels? Maybe. 3&1/2 out of 5 BLOOD AND BONE: Michael Jai White plays badass, honorable ex-con fighting in underground circuits. Another Lionheart remake. Bah. 2 out of 3 THE WHITE RIBBON: In a pre-WWI German village, a cruel act reveals an underlying evil. Masterful allegory on the rise of fascism. 5 out of 5 THE BROOD: Shrink invents therapy to manifest rage in flesh of patients. Mediocre Cronenberg film still tops most horror efforts. 3 out of 5 ECLIPSE: Better than the first two due to bigger battles and neat vamp backstories. Romance scenes still terminally cheezy. 3&1/2 out of 5 Thy Twitter has spoken. -Coop ]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/07/15/micro-reviews-via-twitter-predators-blood-and-bone-the-white-ribbon-the-brood-eclipse/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/07/05/micro-reviews-via-twitter-a-team-jonah-hex-macabre-2009-galaxy-of-terror-necromentia-in-america/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/07/05/micro-reviews-via-twitter-a-team-jonah-hex-macabre-2009-galaxy-of-terror-necromentia-in-america/#comments Mon, 05 Jul 2010 18:52:44 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2782 Coop’s most recent MICRO REVIEWS (via Twitter): Yep, I've been slackin'. Maybe it's the weak summer box office releases getting me down. At least I've been watching a lot of low-budget horror... an unapologetic passion of mine. Groovy... IN AMERICA: Fine acting, but ultimately pretentious Oscar-bait about modern Irish immigrants. Includes an AIDS subplot? Ick. 2&1/2 out of 5. NECROMENTIA: Ripoff of HELLRAISER in theme and visuals, but told backwards. Terrific atmosphere and creep factor. Inept story. 2 out of 5 GALAXY OF TERROR: Goofy, gory Corman shocker. Flimsy storyline with some neat H.R. Giger visuals and monsters. Worst ending ever. 2 out of 5 MACABRE: Better than average, ultra-gory killer family story out of Indonesia. Creepiest lead villain in Asian movie history. 3&1/2 out of 5 JONAH HEX: Cool comic book premise gets railroaded into cinematic hell. Everything sucks, especially Jonah's face makeup. 1&1/2 out of 5 A-TEAM: Sloppy... but great actors/characters have undeniable chemistry. Nice action. Better than THE LOSERS. Murdock rules. 3&1/2 out of 5...]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/07/05/micro-reviews-via-twitter-a-team-jonah-hex-macabre-2009-galaxy-of-terror-necromentia-in-america/feed/ 0 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/2009/09/28/sleep-dealer-2009-12-aint-snooze-worthy-in-fact-its-great-sci-fi-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/09/28/sleep-dealer-2009-12-aint-snooze-worthy-in-fact-its-great-sci-fi-by-coop/#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:36:27 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2523 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/09/28/sleep-dealer-2009-12-aint-snooze-worthy-in-fact-its-great-sci-fi-by-coop/feed/ 1 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/08/08/hair-metal-movie-madness-8-gets-silly-with-yor-hunter-from-the-future-by-dark-side/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/08/08/hair-metal-movie-madness-8-gets-silly-with-yor-hunter-from-the-future-by-dark-side/#comments Sat, 08 Aug 2009 16:00:06 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2362 Yor: Hunter from the Future made absolutely no sense and unapologetically oozed cheese from every celluloid frame it projected. Cashing in on the Sword and Sorcery/sci-fi hybrids of the early part of the decade (shared with films like Flash Gordon, Krull and Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn), Yor features American actor Reb (I played Captain American once) Brown running around in a loincloth, bad blond wig and a stone axe across a prehistoric landscape...]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/08/08/hair-metal-movie-madness-8-gets-silly-with-yor-hunter-from-the-future-by-dark-side/feed/ 5 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/07/13/coop-discovers-a-long-lost-tale-from-his-past-new-zealands-sci-fi-epic-under-the-mountain-is-actually-a-remake/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/07/13/coop-discovers-a-long-lost-tale-from-his-past-new-zealands-sci-fi-epic-under-the-mountain-is-actually-a-remake/#comments Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:51:13 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2212 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/07/13/coop-discovers-a-long-lost-tale-from-his-past-new-zealands-sci-fi-epic-under-the-mountain-is-actually-a-remake/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/23/move-over-japan-those-crazy-siamese-are-moving-in-on-your-horror-territory-by-dark-side/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/23/move-over-japan-those-crazy-siamese-are-moving-in-on-your-horror-territory-by-dark-side/#comments Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:15:28 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2103 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/23/move-over-japan-those-crazy-siamese-are-moving-in-on-your-horror-territory-by-dark-side/feed/ 4 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/09/10-movies-designed-to-offend-your-religion-part-1-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/09/10-movies-designed-to-offend-your-religion-part-1-by-coop/#comments Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:00:17 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=1991 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/09/10-movies-designed-to-offend-your-religion-part-1-by-coop/feed/ 36 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/28/fail-dark-side-has-seen-a-bunch-of-movies-and-they-all-suck/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/28/fail-dark-side-has-seen-a-bunch-of-movies-and-they-all-suck/#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 18:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=1932 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/28/fail-dark-side-has-seen-a-bunch-of-movies-and-they-all-suck/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/21/42below-vodka-hires-42-directors-to-create-42-films-each-lasting-42-seconds-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/21/42below-vodka-hires-42-directors-to-create-42-films-each-lasting-42-seconds-by-coop/#comments Thu, 21 May 2009 19:03:51 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=1853 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/21/42below-vodka-hires-42-directors-to-create-42-films-each-lasting-42-seconds-by-coop/feed/ 1 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/13/top-10-greatest-movie-titles-ever-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/13/top-10-greatest-movie-titles-ever-by-coop/#comments Wed, 13 May 2009 16:00:42 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=1809 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/13/top-10-greatest-movie-titles-ever-by-coop/feed/ 30 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/08/end-of-the-line-creepygroovy-flick-from-the-creator-of-laher-review-by-dark-side/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/08/end-of-the-line-creepygroovy-flick-from-the-creator-of-laher-review-by-dark-side/#comments Fri, 08 May 2009 16:00:49 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=1788 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/08/end-of-the-line-creepygroovy-flick-from-the-creator-of-laher-review-by-dark-side/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/06/district-9-trailer-shows-its-definitely-a-remake-of-alien-nation-prove-me-wrong-sez-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/06/district-9-trailer-shows-its-definitely-a-remake-of-alien-nation-prove-me-wrong-sez-coop/#comments Wed, 06 May 2009 22:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=1769 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/06/district-9-trailer-shows-its-definitely-a-remake-of-alien-nation-prove-me-wrong-sez-coop/feed/ 6 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/04/g-g-g-ghosts-ju-on-the-grudge-videogame-looks-scarier-than-the-movies-by-dark-side/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/04/g-g-g-ghosts-ju-on-the-grudge-videogame-looks-scarier-than-the-movies-by-dark-side/#comments Mon, 04 May 2009 22:13:41 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=1749 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/04/g-g-g-ghosts-ju-on-the-grudge-videogame-looks-scarier-than-the-movies-by-dark-side/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/04/23/bleedin-wicked-googly-films-about-35-of-those-other-sports-part-1-of-7-by-jay/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/04/23/bleedin-wicked-googly-films-about-35-of-those-other-sports-part-1-of-7-by-jay/#comments Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:00:01 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=1570 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/04/23/bleedin-wicked-googly-films-about-35-of-those-other-sports-part-1-of-7-by-jay/feed/ 30 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/04/03/swimming-pool-2003-and-under-the-sand-2002-dvd-foreign-film-musings-by-sebastian/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/04/03/swimming-pool-2003-and-under-the-sand-2002-dvd-foreign-film-musings-by-sebastian/#comments Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:53:50 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=421 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/04/03/swimming-pool-2003-and-under-the-sand-2002-dvd-foreign-film-musings-by-sebastian/feed/ 1 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2008/10/17/13-game-of-death-2006-12-dvd-review-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2008/10/17/13-game-of-death-2006-12-dvd-review-by-coop/#comments Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:11:00 +0000 Coop http://smalltowncritic1.wordpress.com/2008/10/17/13-game-of-death-2006-12-dvd-review-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2008/10/17/13-game-of-death-2006-12-dvd-review-by-coop/feed/ 1 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2008/06/11/frontieres-france-2007-dvd-capsule/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2008/06/11/frontieres-france-2007-dvd-capsule/#comments Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:59:00 +0000 Coop http://smalltowncritic1.wordpress.com/2008/06/11/frontieres-france-2007-dvd-capsule/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2008/06/11/frontieres-france-2007-dvd-capsule/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2008/05/29/inside-france-2007-dvd-capsule/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2008/05/29/inside-france-2007-dvd-capsule/#comments Thu, 29 May 2008 00:46:00 +0000 Coop http://smalltowncritic1.wordpress.com/2008/05/29/inside-france-2007-dvd-capsule/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2008/05/29/inside-france-2007-dvd-capsule/feed/ 0