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/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/2010/09/27/micro-reviews-via-twitter-mother-monsters-the-killer-inside-me-intruder-drillbit-taylor-the-town-centurion/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/09/27/micro-reviews-via-twitter-mother-monsters-the-killer-inside-me-intruder-drillbit-taylor-the-town-centurion/#comments Mon, 27 Sep 2010 21:11:12 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2877 Got a slew of them here. MONSTERS is currently available as a $10.oo rent on iTunes and THE KILLER INSIDE ME will be available on DVD/Blu-Ray tomorrow (Sept. 28)... MOTHER - Poor Korean mom turns detective in an attempt to free her alleged murdering, simple-minded son. Powerful cinema. 5 out of 5 stars. MONSTERS - Immigration statement thinly disguised as arthouse sci-fi. Watchable for critics, unsatisfying for mainstream. 3 out of 5 stars THE KILLER INSIDE ME - C. Affleck plays a psycho lawman in 1960's TX. Brilliant, brutal and one of the best of the year. 5 out of 5 stars INTRUDER - Sam Raimi & crew try to survive a slasher attack in a supermarket. Nice camerawork but lame considering the talent. 2 - 5 stars DRILLBIT TAYLOR - Innocuous comedy where 3 nerds hire a homeless buffoon to protect them from a bully. Cute but hollow. 2&1/2 out of 5 stars THE TOWN - A guilt-ridden Boston bank robber falls in love with a former hostage. Affleck remakes HEAT with kick-ass results. 4 out of 5 stars CENTURION - Spec fiction about what may have happened to the 9th Roman Legion. Sloppy pacing/high watchability. Bloody brutal! 3 out of 5 Thy Twitter has spoken... -Coop ]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/09/27/micro-reviews-via-twitter-mother-monsters-the-killer-inside-me-intruder-drillbit-taylor-the-town-centurion/feed/ 1 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/09/20/a-serbian-film-dark-side-returns-to-review-the-most-controversial-horror-movie-of-the-year/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/09/20/a-serbian-film-dark-side-returns-to-review-the-most-controversial-horror-movie-of-the-year/#comments Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:56:25 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2854 Srdjan Todorovic) is a retired Serbian porn star trying to go legit with a Swedish interpreter wife and a 10-ish year-old son. He can't seem to get a break, so he takes the odd skin flick job to help pay the bills. One of his scumbag ex-co-stars gives him a lead on a supposed well-funded filmmaker offering Milos an exorbitant amount of cash to make an arthouse porn film. This crazed filmmaker, named Vukmir Vukmir (Sergej Trifunovic), explains to Milos that the cash agreement will be honored as long as Milos enters the scenes without a script or prior knowledge of what they are about. Milos must then improv his way through the scene. Though uncomfortable with the conditions, Milos cannot turn down the money, so he agrees. The scenes start off mildly disturbing, then escalate to violent and illegal...]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/09/20/a-serbian-film-dark-side-returns-to-review-the-most-controversial-horror-movie-of-the-year/feed/ 1 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/08/06/micro-reviews-via-twitter-turkey-shoot-bookies-restoration-shelter-the-great-raid-i-sell-the-dead/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/08/06/micro-reviews-via-twitter-turkey-shoot-bookies-restoration-shelter-the-great-raid-i-sell-the-dead/#comments Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:59:24 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2837 Coop’s most recent MICRO REVIEWS (via Twitter): Looks like a random video store sampling this time. Sometimes, that's the way I like it... TURKEY SHOOT: Bourgeois sadists hunt Aussie political prisoners. Banned in OZ in the 1980's, but a total exploitation hoot. 3&1/2 out of 5 BOOKIES: 3 college dorks start a gambling operation out of their dorm room and run afoul of the mob. Smug and sloppily written. 2 out of 5 RESTORATION: A disgraced English doctor is forced to marry King Charles II's mistress, resulting in tragedy and redemption. Epic. 4 out of 5 SHELTER: Shrink meets a schizo man who suffers from a demonic curse. Gimmicky yet stylish thriller from the writer of IDENTITY. 3 out of 5 THE GREAT RAID: True story of WWII rescue of POWs from a Japanese camp in Philippines. Inspiring story yet poorly executed film. 2 out of 5 I SELL THE DEAD: Amusingly well-written tale of cockney graverobbers who specialize in capturing vamps, zombies and aliens. 3&1/2 out of 5 Thy Twitter has spoken. -Coop]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/08/06/micro-reviews-via-twitter-turkey-shoot-bookies-restoration-shelter-the-great-raid-i-sell-the-dead/feed/ 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/ 1 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/2009/09/11/cigarette-girl-memphis-indie-movie-premiere-2009-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/09/11/cigarette-girl-memphis-indie-movie-premiere-2009-by-coop/#comments Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:20:23 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2492 Mike McCarthy at Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi a little over two weeks ago and I found myself surprised to realize I’d heard of the guy. I caught his ultra low-budget film “Superstarlet A.D.”years back which was released by shlockmeister/producer Lloyd Kaufman, famous for his “Troma” brand of low budget exploitation flicks. I wasn’t a fan of the film, but I got a clear grasp for McCarthy’s style and obsessions. McCarthy spends his time in Memphis soaking up the hip Midtown scene and planning feature film projects. He fetishizes pin-up girls, rockabilly music and indie film… precisely all the ingredients that make up his latest opus, “Cigarette Girl.”...]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/09/11/cigarette-girl-memphis-indie-movie-premiere-2009-by-coop/feed/ 3 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/09/10/gamer-2009-movie-review-by-coop-surprise-mikey-he-liked-it/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/09/10/gamer-2009-movie-review-by-coop-surprise-mikey-he-liked-it/#comments Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:00:57 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2486 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/09/10/gamer-2009-movie-review-by-coop-surprise-mikey-he-liked-it/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/08/31/it-came-without-warning-1980-watch-one-of-my-favorite-horrorsci-fi-films-online-for-free-by-dark-side/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/08/31/it-came-without-warning-1980-watch-one-of-my-favorite-horrorsci-fi-films-online-for-free-by-dark-side/#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:28:13 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2458 It Came Without Warning aka Without Warning aka Alien Warning aka The Warning aka Alien Encounter aka Alien Shock scared the heck out of me in 1980 with its shocking televised promo spots. The normally tame programming would interrupt to show humans being attacked by frisbee monsters thrown by a giant alien with an over-sized noggin. At 4 (or possibly 5) years old, I was horrified at seeing those images. Years later, I had completely forgotten the name of the...]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/08/31/it-came-without-warning-1980-watch-one-of-my-favorite-horrorsci-fi-films-online-for-free-by-dark-side/feed/ 1 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/08/29/hair-metal-movie-madness-10-reform-school-girls-1986-has-a-rockin-and-controversial-soundtrack-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/08/29/hair-metal-movie-madness-10-reform-school-girls-1986-has-a-rockin-and-controversial-soundtrack-by-coop/#comments Sat, 29 Aug 2009 17:00:10 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2443 Reform School Girls (1986) is not a movie to be taken seriously. At all. I didn't understand that when I first saw it. I thought all R-rated movies were serious and therefore this was serious. I figured reform schools were evil places filled with bad, naked women... something that scared yet intrigued me. Kinda made me feel like "bad girls" new secrets and things that normal people weren't supposed to know about. Mystery and danger. Thus started my obsession of...]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/08/29/hair-metal-movie-madness-10-reform-school-girls-1986-has-a-rockin-and-controversial-soundtrack-by-coop/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/08/19/the-straw-dogs-remake-to-take-place-in-mississippi-this-hacks-me-off-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/08/19/the-straw-dogs-remake-to-take-place-in-mississippi-this-hacks-me-off-by-coop/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:47:45 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2414 The Blind Side which releases on Thanksgiving), the goons who thought it was a good idea to remake Straw Dogs decided it should take place in Mississippi instead of England this time. Cue the inbred, violent, Southern redneck stereotypes...]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/08/19/the-straw-dogs-remake-to-take-place-in-mississippi-this-hacks-me-off-by-coop/feed/ 2 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/22/wacky-fun-thats-the-best-way-to-describe-the-new-inglourious-basterds-trailer-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/22/wacky-fun-thats-the-best-way-to-describe-the-new-inglourious-basterds-trailer-by-coop/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:55:30 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2100 Inglourious Basterds" looks so wild and zany I can easily imagine it being a disaster. But I know Quentin better than that. While always self indulgent it looks like he's gotten the foot-fetishism porn film that was "Death Proof" out of his system and is now back to the same mixture of cheese and coolness that spawned "Kill Bill." The first trailer for "Basterds" did nothing for me because it didn't give me enough flavor for the tone of the film. In this new one, I see...]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/22/wacky-fun-thats-the-best-way-to-describe-the-new-inglourious-basterds-trailer-by-coop/feed/ 4 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/15/action-flick-chick%e2%80%99s-zombie-survival-guide-for-a-small-town/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/15/action-flick-chick%e2%80%99s-zombie-survival-guide-for-a-small-town/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:17:30 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2029 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/15/action-flick-chick%e2%80%99s-zombie-survival-guide-for-a-small-town/feed/ 3 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/02/first-10-minutes-of-the-british-comedy-horror-movie-doghouse-has-me-hooked-by-darkside/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/02/first-10-minutes-of-the-british-comedy-horror-movie-doghouse-has-me-hooked-by-darkside/#comments Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:00:04 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=1949 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/02/first-10-minutes-of-the-british-comedy-horror-movie-doghouse-has-me-hooked-by-darkside/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/01/drag-me-to-hell-2009-movie-review-by-dark-side/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/01/drag-me-to-hell-2009-movie-review-by-dark-side/#comments Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:55:27 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=1944 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/06/01/drag-me-to-hell-2009-movie-review-by-dark-side/feed/ 6 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/ 31 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/06/porkys-revenge-swine-flu-and-the-virus-in-film-by-jay/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/06/porkys-revenge-swine-flu-and-the-virus-in-film-by-jay/#comments Wed, 06 May 2009 17:00:48 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=1753 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/05/06/porkys-revenge-swine-flu-and-the-virus-in-film-by-jay/feed/ 33 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/04/08/10-toughest-movie-heroes-of-all-time-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/04/08/10-toughest-movie-heroes-of-all-time-by-coop/#comments Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:57:27 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=764 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2009/04/08/10-toughest-movie-heroes-of-all-time-by-coop/feed/ 48