Manual Movie Reviews

In series 4, the writers of LEXX ill-advisedly abandoned their early commitment to avoiding earth, with REALLY boring results. From the stunning and artistic special effects of the first series to the pedestrian world of TV sitcoms, dufuss politicians, and landscapes at best like Lodi on a bad day, is a long way to plunge. The only good thing to be said is that they at least blow everything up at the end. Series 1 is stupendous, and series 2 and 3 are excellent. Avoid series 4.

Beginning with a comical account of how the USA's government agencies "keep the faith" of the people,(i.e killing off anyone who can be seen as dangerous), Lexx fans are reunited with Prince, the evil ruler of the planet Fire from Season 3. Now an ATF agent, Prince basically controls the presidency (as well as the entire counrty) and characters from seasons 2 and 3 are once again resurrected (remember Brock from Gametown and Prince's stooge Priest?) to start off the fourth season. Highly entertaining and incredibly funny, the show picks up right where it left off.In "Little Blue Planet" Priest becomes the president of the United States, Lexx eats a South American rain forest, and Prince sends three Russian killers, who are obsessed with fingernails, up to the Lexx. In "Texx Lexx" Kai and Xev get separated on Earth, while Stan underestimates Prince and ends up a prisoner of the ATF. Xev is so desperate she's willing to have sex with even the grungiest of old men and Kai runs into a goofy cult. In "P4X" Xev is seuxally exploited by that weird girl from Twilight (Season 2), later is rescued by Kai, and Prince tries to get the key from Stan with a rather interesting result. Stan finally escapes in "Stan Down" with the help of Priest, who wants the presidency for himself and is sick of his wife's complaining. His wife (think Love Grows and, I think, Twilight) finds out the hard way that Prince is not to be reckoned with as Prince, Priest, and the first lady all go for a nice ride on famous little street in Dallas.

From the brash dialog to the annoying characters to the nonsensical narrative to the lackluster editing --- this has got to be one of the most grating films Jess Franco has ever done (and that's saying a lot!). The same characters were in Franco's "Kiss Me Monster", but it's a tossed coin to decide which movie is worse. This one is also known as "Sadisterotica" and is really a chore to sit through.

Don't kid yourself this one is dreadful! But there is something funny about watching a couple of woman running around with a bomb looking for the perfect place to throw it to escape being blown up, while they deliver the most outrageous (stupid) lines which are suppose to be witty. This is one of my favorate, So bad it's funny films.

...or even the experienced, err, Francophile. "Two Undercover Angels" reminds one of a tall soda, appealing at first glance but ultimately filled with empty calories. In this film, two attractive women live together as a detective agency called "Red Lips." The redhead (Jeanine Reynaud of the far superior "Succubus") is the brains of the group and seems almost like a poor man's Jane Fonda. The blonde, whose name I forget, seems airheaded but is a master of disguise. Little information is given of their backgrounds, which might have been helpful. They investigate a series of strange murders involving an art gallery, and director Franco makes a cameo as a toady who angers his employer. A wearwolf-like man known as "Morpho" (a common name in Franco's movies) also shows up. All in all, it's a confused mess, although there is some eye candy to be found, mostly in the Mediterranean setting, the two female leads, and an extended striptease scene set to ultra-groovy '60s mamba music.

For anyone who really knows what merengue is, don't let the title fool you. Seems everytime there is a movie with a latin dance theme it is either a ballroom dance movie or a jazz dance movie (this movie is of the latter category). Rarely do we see the real thing (latin street or club dancing). If a movie with a dance theme fails in plot, we can forgive it if the plot serves as nothing more than an exuse to showcase some great dance numbers. Unfortunately this movie has neither great dancing nor a great plot. There is nothing fresh or interesting about the dancing and the plot is so unrealistic its just plain silly. Why would I want this on DVD when a cheap video will do? A great idea but ultimately a boring disappointment and insult to my intelligence. It was good for some laughs I suppose. Hard to believe the cast of "Like Water For Chocolate" landed in this mess.

I put it only one star because there are no MINUS STARS In that case, I'd put a MINUS FIVE STAR to this kind of movies.

This is an insult to cinema because there is no script just vague slang words, "albures" using and viewing girls as mere sexual objects lacking of any intellectual virtue. An apology to the macho culture.

Indeed, nonsense.