alan-dunkel-1 Reviews

The Last Whistle (2019)

My new favorite football movie, saw it in the theater this week. Twice

[10/10 · 2 July 2019]

The Last Whistle is a drama about high school football coach Vic and his championship team but it's more than that. Brad Leland from Friday Night Lights plays coach Vic and Deanne Lauvin who plays the mother of his star player is his nemesis here. Coach in real life, Les Miles and Eric Nelsen round out the top-billed cast but the acting was all really top notch. This film is realistic in showing football here in Texas as well as how tragedy can strike and how people can overcome in the end. Put a tear in my eye and just really enjoyed the film overall, enough to watch it a second time.

Cherokee Creek (2018)

Image Porky's made in the woods, instead of the 80s, with bigfoot crashing the party

[10/10 · 30 June 2019]

A quick review of Cherokee Creek, a Texas horror comedy feature. First off, an example of my type of horror would be The Shining and for comedy Office Space comes to mind and this film is likely targeted at a different audience than those films. I felt it solidly hit it's target though if you read my mini review below, so a good flick for that audience and will give it 10 stars for that audience. I'm personally a big fan of director and actor commentary, which is on the Bluray. Loved the Todd Jenkins and Billy Blair commentary on that and for me it's a big deal to have commentary. I'm sure there is a strong audience out there for Cherokee Creek. Technically it's quite good as well, both picture and sound. Now for a mini review to see if it's for you.

Image Porky's made in the woods, instead of the 80s, with bigfoot crashing the party to produce an illegitimate abomination. That baby's name is Cherokee Creek. Expect raunchy comedy, nudity and lots of gore with all the Porky's style humor and you'll very likely enjoy this movie. The acting, practical effects and look of the film are solid as a bonus. If you're not offended too easily and are game for a bawdy Sasquatch horror comedy give Cherokee Creek a watch. A warning that it goes for shock value from every direction imaginable, with a few that aren't and doesn't hold back.

Silhouette (II) (2019)

The new David Lynch of horror is Mitch Mcleod

[10/10 · 29 January 2019]

Fantasic, weird and creepy film all around. Loved the acting from the leads and supporting. Great story. Tom Zembrod is so good in a comedic role, yet here he is great, truly great, while dead serious. Him and April Dawn Hartman were completely convincing as the distraught couple. Silhouette is a scary and horrific film. She really scared me, wow. A must see for all horror viewers and if you are a Lynch fan Mitch Mcleod is certainly the hot new filmmaker to watch. This movie works even if you aren't into horror if you can stomach the gore. See this movie any way you can

Arc (II) (2016)

Great little southern hipster slice of life.

[10/10 · 17 August 2018]

If you like arthouse movies you'll want to check this one out. It's a unquie slice of life. A love story between southern hipsters. Don't expect an action movie, just relax to a southern pace and enjoy.

Doggie B (2013)

My daughter loves Doggie B and I did too

[10/10 · 13 March 2012]

Doggie B throws a big bone to the Wizard of Oz. My daughter absolutely loved this movie. Take your kid for sure but lots of adults in the audience were really into it and they didn't all have children with them. A great must see family film with San Francisco as a very creative stand- in for the Emerald City. Best tribute to the Wizard of Oz yet. Certainly the first Wizard of Oz for dogs, Toto would be proud. Can understand why it won the audience favorite award out of 70 features at Sonoma and now it is playing at Landmark Opera Plaza here in San Francisco. It will be a cult classic as well as a beloved children's movie all in one, a first. Romanus is a master of cheese, camp and family fun so hope he makes more as I never imagined a G-rated John Waters in the making. Unthinkable!

Brother (I) (2011)

Everybody wants a brother like Dwayne ... to be somewhere else.

[10/10 · 25 February 2012]

Brother is a well written and executed study of two brothers clawing their way toward adulthood while haunted by the ghost of an absent father. Trevor White is especially strong as Dwayne, but all the acting is solid in this tense little thriller. Being from middle America I appreciated the dead on small town feel from the football game with cheerleaders and marching band to the pickup truck and annual ritual camping trip. The mood of boredom and underlying violence is punctuated by glimpses of a more innocent past the brothers perhaps long to return to but can no longer find. I saw Brother at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco as part of an event called Scary Cow Prime Cuts. Brother was my favorite from a very entertaining lineup of shorts.