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/2012/01/23/more-critically-acclaimed-movies-of-2011/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2012/01/23/more-critically-acclaimed-movies-of-2011/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:33:58 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=3165 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2012/01/23/more-critically-acclaimed-movies-of-2011/feed/ 1 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/12/23/does-straw-dogs-2011-harm-mississippis-reputation/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/12/23/does-straw-dogs-2011-harm-mississippis-reputation/#comments Fri, 23 Dec 2011 10:00:10 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=3157 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/12/23/does-straw-dogs-2011-harm-mississippis-reputation/feed/ 2 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/12/02/martha-marcy-may-marlene-one-of-the-best-movies-of-2011/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/12/02/martha-marcy-may-marlene-one-of-the-best-movies-of-2011/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:50:06 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=3147 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/12/02/martha-marcy-may-marlene-one-of-the-best-movies-of-2011/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/10/31/6-great-movies-for-the-halloween-season/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/10/31/6-great-movies-for-the-halloween-season/#comments Mon, 31 Oct 2011 22:38:24 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=3128 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/10/31/6-great-movies-for-the-halloween-season/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/10/12/best-new-primetime-tv-shows-of-the-2011-season/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/10/12/best-new-primetime-tv-shows-of-the-2011-season/#comments Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:35:47 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=3114 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/10/12/best-new-primetime-tv-shows-of-the-2011-season/feed/ 1 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/09/13/%e2%80%9capollo-18%e2%80%9d-is-direct-to-video-at-best/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/09/13/%e2%80%9capollo-18%e2%80%9d-is-direct-to-video-at-best/#comments Wed, 14 Sep 2011 02:15:36 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=3084 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/09/13/%e2%80%9capollo-18%e2%80%9d-is-direct-to-video-at-best/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/04/12/dvd-reviews-black-swan-and-tron-legacy/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/04/12/dvd-reviews-black-swan-and-tron-legacy/#comments Tue, 12 Apr 2011 22:27:29 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=3013 CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW AT THE CLARKSDALE PRESS REGISTER WEBSITE]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/04/12/dvd-reviews-black-swan-and-tron-legacy/feed/ 2 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/04/04/coop-coopers-sci-fihorror-short-film-the-best-day-has-a-trailer/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/04/04/coop-coopers-sci-fihorror-short-film-the-best-day-has-a-trailer/#comments Tue, 05 Apr 2011 04:30:51 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=3006 Crossroads Film Festival (thanks to all of you who attended), I finally have the opportunity to release the trailer by way of a blog post where it will reach many more viewers... A few details about this sci-fi/horror short:  It was filmed in four days in December 2010 entirely in Clarksdale, Mississippi by myself and a crew of locals.  It stars Anna Carson Tyner as Jenny, Amye Gousset as Mommy, David Dallas as Daddy and Lois Erwin as Miss Vargas.  The film is currently in the final stages of post production. Logline:  Little Jenny wishes nothing more than to reunite with her "sick" mommy and daddy, but poor Jenny will live to regret this wish...  again, and again, and again. CLICK "Read More" below to watch the trailer...]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2011/04/04/coop-coopers-sci-fihorror-short-film-the-best-day-has-a-trailer/feed/ 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/2010/11/07/the-cast-of-sci-fi-short-the-best-day-has-been-chosen/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/11/07/the-cast-of-sci-fi-short-the-best-day-has-been-chosen/#comments Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:04:34 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2903 The Small Town Critic) with a production crew that consists entirely of Clarksdale, Mississippi residents. “The Best Day” is a 15-minute science fiction short about an innocent child in a dire situation. Jenny arrives home from school, excited that newly “resurrected” Mommy has returned, only to find that something is very wrong with her. When Mommy’s memories fully return, so do the tragedies of the past. They were once human, now part of a cruel experiment that repeats over and over… and it is all Daddy’s fault. THE CAST...]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/11/07/the-cast-of-sci-fi-short-the-best-day-has-been-chosen/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/10/18/so-yeah-im-making-this-short-film/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/10/18/so-yeah-im-making-this-short-film/#comments Tue, 19 Oct 2010 04:45:50 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2899 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/10/18/so-yeah-im-making-this-short-film/feed/ 0 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/10/01/hair-metal-movie-madness-presents-ode-to-slashers-music-from-jason-freddy-and-michael-by-dark-side/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/10/01/hair-metal-movie-madness-presents-ode-to-slashers-music-from-jason-freddy-and-michael-by-dark-side/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 06:20:11 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2584 Friday the 13th movie franchise? Yeah, I didn't either until a friend reminded me that it existed. FT13 Part 6 was poised to resurrect (literally) the flailing franchise who already saw the demise of it's main character, Jason, in IV and replaced him with a temporary impostor in V. Nobody liked that, so what was their solution for 6? Death to Arnold Horshack from Welcome Back, Kotter. Just kidding, but not really...]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/10/01/hair-metal-movie-madness-presents-ode-to-slashers-music-from-jason-freddy-and-michael-by-dark-side/feed/ 0 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/2010/09/07/the-rise-of-the-hoaxumentary-are-filmmakers-crossing-the-line-by-coop/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/09/07/the-rise-of-the-hoaxumentary-are-filmmakers-crossing-the-line-by-coop/#comments Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:00:57 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2855 http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/09/07/the-rise-of-the-hoaxumentary-are-filmmakers-crossing-the-line-by-coop/feed/ 2 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/2010/07/23/strange-things-are-afoot-at-the-man-behind-the-door-by-dark-side/ http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/07/23/strange-things-are-afoot-at-the-man-behind-the-door-by-dark-side/#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:13:26 +0000 admin http://www.smalltowncritic.com/?p=2792 crazy from an amateur paranormal researcher, I was giddy. GIDDY, I say. Now Coop ain't tellin' me much about what's in The Box [cue organ music and mad scientist laughter], but he's already found some groovy stuff from this rogue investigator named Wes Cotten. Formerly based out of Memphis, TN, Wes has gone AWOL and left a bunch of his research for his old friend Coop to wade through and do what he wants to with it, including Wes's creepy website THE MAN BEHIND THE DOOR... ]]> http://www.smalltowncritic.com/2010/07/23/strange-things-are-afoot-at-the-man-behind-the-door-by-dark-side/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