SF and Fantasy Movie Reviews Starting With K
Kiki's Delivery Service (1989 Japan) 
Genres: Ani F Adv Kid
Kiki comes from a family of witches. As is the custom among her people, upon reaching her thirteenth year she must leave home and make her own way in the world. She flies away on her broomstick with her black cat for company. It's a lovely tale of discovery, courage, and friendship. Wonderful therapy too -- you'll walk out a better human being. Miyazaki's work usually has that effect. Not guaranteed to last, though.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)
Genres: Com Hor SF
Watched: 30 min
It's really pretty good as horror movies go, but I didn't finish watching it because it's kind of slow. The Klowns are killers but they have a sense of humor, and evil clown paraphernalia (balloons and popcorn and such). However they don't get on with it quickly enough. Whether you're good or evil, if you're an entertainer you'd better get on with it.
King Kong (2005 New Zealand) NR
Genres: F Act Adv
Watched: trailer
You might think it's in awfully bad taste to remake King Kong yet again, but you'd be wrong. This innovative, deeply meaningful King Kong is a bold departure from the previous dozen.
The original was inspired by the social tensions of the 1930's. Later versions capitalized on the monster's popularity, purely for money's sake. But not this one. It's again deeply symbolic of social tensions.
This time, King Kong is gay. When he reaches for the beautiful island sacrifice (down-under hottie Hugh Jackman) it's at once poignantly hot and ravishingly tragic. The monster symbolizes the gay man's id -- primal and driving as the beat of the savage tom-toms, misunderstood and demonized by the world at large.
Jackman is swept away by passion, despite the logistical difficulties intimated by the phallic image of King Kong climbing the Empire State Building. But when have logistical difficulties stopped a gay lover before? Hetero, "breeder" couples may worry about logistics and consequences but the gay lifestyle is all about gratifying that pounding libido. That Jackman is bowled over by King Kong's size and insensible to his new lover's gross incompatibility with himself is symbolic of the nature of the typical gay relationship.
Incensed with jealousy, Jackman's spurned ex-lover (Karl Urban) leads the famous squadron of helicopters seeking to separate the pair atop the Empire State Building. (He is at this point also in love with King Kong.) The helicopters, of course, symbolize AIDS viruses, in what is sure to be critically acclaimed as one of the most powerful cinematic images of the decade.
Despite all this ravishingly beautiful imagery, I have to give it NR. It's just too damn immoral. It will make all the men gay. I sure as hell don't want that. PLEASE. Guys. Don't see this. Seriously.
Update: A guy I know serendipitously came to a similar conclusion.
Kull the Conqueror (1997)
Genres: Act Adv F
Has Hercules, monsters, evil and good babes, and a cute gay pirate who's sort of funny. He has a throaty voice. Which is funny. It was fun speculating how he got that way. Hercules is up to his old tricks -- killing, social work, and rebuffing sexy women. He doesn't like the pirate either. He is SUCH a freak.
Kwaidan (1965 Japan)
Genres: F Hor
Several pretty and rather laid-back renditions of traditional Japanese horror tales featuring ghosts and demons. I especially liked the story about the beautiful snow demon-woman. She is really cool. It's hardly scary, more serene in its ancient-Japan quaintness. But I don't think the idea ever was to be primarily scary; it's aimed more at fine and lovely details (so it does drag a bit, yes). Also ideas of what is a scary movie have changed quite a bit since 1965.
Please note that all material on this page is Copyright © 2005 by D. Aline Lurie.
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