Pearce’s Film Reviews

224 Films have been rated or reviewed by Pearce.

Videodrome (1983): How does a movie about videotapes and cable TV remain so relevant in 2024? Extraordinary, genuinely visionary, featuring a career–best performance by James Woods. The New Flesh still seems new, even after many imitations (some by Cronenberg himself).
Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989): I think this was the first movie I ever rented from Aro, back in probably 1991. I've rewatched it every couple of years ever since.
A Snake of June (2002): Maybe the best film from one of Japan's noisiest filmmakers, this one actually makes room for real human emotion amidst the chaos.
Femme Fatale (2002): The big twist in this movie either makes or breaks it. I'm in favour. Antonio Banderas' character might be the stupidest guy in a neo noir since Peter Berg in The Last Seduction, though.
Mission: Impossible (1996): Rewatched this shortly before seeing the new one, which turned out great because that refers directly back to this one many times! The plot is nonsense though.
Raising Cain (1992): I always liked this but the recent–ish director's cut, which rearranges the structure, turns this from minor to major De Palma. Frances Sternhagen's big speech is both an acting and camera tour de force with a fantastic punchline.
Untouchables, The (1987): Overrated gangster movie with a bland lead, disappointing villain performance from De Niro, a too–80s style for a period piece and an unusually lacklustre Morricone score. I usually love De Palma but not this time. Mamet's script sucks.
Wise Guys (1986): Oh dear. Bravura visual style doesn't help much when you make a comedy that just isn't funny.
Body Double (1984): Ignore the star rating because if you hate this movie, we can't be friends.
Scarface (1983): Incredible style (the chainsaw scene is justly famous) but as with Peter Jackson's King Kong, this is a fairly close remake that's unnecessarily twice as long as the original.

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Pearce’s Film Reviews