Rating: Summary: Buscemi is a genius Review: this is one of my favourite movies. however that might be because i am a Buscemi, Dafoe, and furlong. This is a lot like Shawshank Redemption, so if you liked that, you will love this. great movie.
Rating: Summary: Nothing Special Review: This movie was o.k I guess after all, I have definitely seen worse. However, I really didn't feel like this was a real enough depiction of a prison drama. I thought it was too watered down. Come on, everybody knows that prison is no playground like they tried to make it seem. And, there certainly is no veteran inmate waiting there to take you up under his wing like Willem Dafoe did Edward Furlong. Prison is a lot more brutal than they showed me in this movie. Willem Dafoe is the only reason I took the time out to entertain the thought of watching this movie (nothing against Edward Furlong). I couldn't even recognize Mickey Rourke, and Tom Arnold was pathetic. At some points in this movie I actually wondered were they intentionally making a mockery out of prison films in general because it just seemed so false. To top it off, towards the middle to the end I kinda got bored with it to be honest.
Rating: Summary: Whois is this LadyLestat reviewer Review: This was a very good flick. What are you looking for out of a movie? The meaning of life perhaps. Heck all I want is 90-120 minutes of good entertainment.
Being an ex-convict myself I thought it was fairly well written. Prison is rarely what you see on film my friend. Yes it can be brutal and that was displayed in this film fairly realistically however for a long time convict doing time IS MOST DEFINATELY A GAME.
A game of survival of the mind and body. William Dafoe's little gang was pretty well depicted. The mockery made here of other prison films is simply because unlike this one, most are a joke.
As for amazons editorial stating that the convict is obviously attracted to the youngster and that "sexual tension" runs throughout the movie, that writer clearly didn't pay any attention to the movie and I'd bet a dollar perhaps didn't watch it at all.
My bottom line,
Film was pretty damn realistic, very well written and acted. The characters were good to know and unlike most ridiculous prison movies which focus only on the violent side, this one actually shows people for who they were.
Well worth the time to watch. Enjoy
Rating: Summary: An sharp Prison Drama about Innocence and Redemption. Review: When a 21 year old College Student (Edward Furlong in a fine role) has been sent to Prison for Marijuana. He befriend with a respected Convict (Willem Dafoe), how shows him a different life of Prison. But when the young man has problem with a Rapist (Tom Arnold in a change of pace role), while the young man is planning to Escape.Directed by actor:Steve Buscemi (also in a small role) in his second directed film. This film has a provocative screenplay by Edward Bunker (He has a small role in the film, he also wrote the novel of this film and he also Co-Produced) and John Steppling. This film has a strong supporting cast including:Danny Trejo, John Heard, Seymour Cassell, Mark Boone Junior and Mickey Rourke as a Drug Queen. DVD`s has an clean anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) transfer and an well done Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD Extras are:An running commentary track by Real-Life Ex-Convict:Danny Trejo and Novelist:Edward Bunker. An strong unique film. Grade:A-.
Rating: Summary: Not worth the time... Review: Willem Dafoe and Mickey Rourke are what made me rent Animal Factory. I've always admired Dafoe as an actor and his roles are generally well-acted. Animal Factory is not a good example of what a prison drama can be. The storyline is basic, but utimately leads nowhere. Dafoe does an admirable job as Earl, the man with all the juice on the inside. Earl has everyone in his hip pocket, including guards and inmates. He basically calls the shots in the yard as well. Edward Furlong plays Ron Decker, a spoiled rich kid who gets busted for possessing 200,000 dollars worth of marijuana. The judge and the court system look to make an example of Decker, so he's sent to the animal factory. Soon he makes good friends with Earl and finds protection behind the prison's walls. Mickey Rourke plays Furlong's cell-mate, I forget his name but he's a drag queen and pretty damn funny and scary at the same time. Rourke is only in Animal Factory for about ten minutes. I haven't read the novel Animal Factory, but I can't imagine that it could be anymore trite or boring than this film. Steve Buscemi is obviously still learning to direct, the ending of the film feels like it was written in five minutes...way too obvious. Seriously, don't waste your time or money on this, it's cable fare at best.
Rating: Summary: Good performances (with the exception of you-know-who) Review: Yet another prison movie with a very basic "plot": Eddie Furlong is jailed on marijuana charges and is taken under the wing of fellow inmate Willem Dafoe (in another excellent performance) as his protege. The movie is directed by actor Steve Buscemi; who also has a cameo. ANIMAL FACTORY is based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Buscemi's RESERVOIR DOGS costar Eddie Bunker. As with almost all prison movies the objective is to escape from the place. One famous sequence from Peckinpah's THE GETAWAY is even ripped off at the movie's climax- and undermines what is otherwise a first class prison flick. Yet another seemingly tacked-on ending. There were a couple of inspired scenes which appealed to my warped sensibilities: Dafoe and Furlong having a conversation via toilet during their placement in solitary confinement; and the tasteful scene where Dafoe slits his wrists, sprays blood all over himself and eats his own doodoo. Nice. Tom Arnold also stands out as a hillbilly who wants to get chummy with Eddie, and scariest of all, Mickey Rourke "as you've never seen him before" as Jan The Transexual. It would be better for most film fans if we never see him again, and yup, Mickster gets to say his favourite compound word. His mother must be very proud of him.
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