Movie Reviews

Baby Snatcher

Featuring a younger looking David Duchovny, Baby Snatcher is one of those movies that fits into the made-for-tv category. You'd most likely find this kind of film shown late on a Saturday or Sunday night or in one of those afternoon slots. It's based on the true story of a young mother who has her baby stolen by a complete stranger and her trials and tribulations in getting her child back. It's not an amazing piece of cinematic work and the storyline is predictable, with just above par acting. Not to say I didn't enjoy it. It made for good viewing on a Thursday night when there was nothing on telly at all. The story does explore how relationships and how people may be affected in this situation. This is clearly David Duchovny pre-X Files fame. It is nice, though, to see Nancy McKeon on the screen again. Whatever happened to her?

Mysterious Skin

The story revolves around the lives of two young men who were abused by the same man as children. One can't remember much of the event, and believes he was abducted by aliens. The other becomes a male prostitute and regards his abuser as the first man he ever loved. Watching this film was a bit like watching the second half of Boys Don't Cry: a mixture of horror, compassion and a sense that perhaps I shouldn't be watching this at all. The film contains some scenes which really push the boundaries of tasteful cinema, depicting the sexual abuse of these boys. While the scenes are cleverly cut, I still felt uncomfortable. The cast are superb in their roles. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has really shaken off his child star cutesiness for this role. I can completely understand why this film caused a lot of controversy. Despite that, I will recommend it to viewers of a strong disposition. Reading up about the film on wikipedia, it seems that some groups felt that this film was a "how-to" guide for paedophiles. I didn't think so at all. I thought it was difficult to watch in parts, but its focus, for me at least, was on the effects that this abuse had on these young men later in their lives. Not one I would watch again because it is really uncomfortable to sit through and I don't care much for the subject matter.