As Good As It Gets

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

"The Sentinel" is a film of two halves, the first one drawn out, boring and filled to the brim with sequences connected in no way to the actual plot and the second one somewhat more entertaining, but still silly and very, very confused. I say confused because the film's mythology and the villain's plot are very vague and badly explained, and while films like "The Exorcist" or more recently "The Blair Witch Project" use this to their terrifying advantage in "The Sentinel" it looks just very amateurish. In fact, the script feels like it is a cut up version of a first-year film school student's first draft of a Gothic horror film. At least half of this film are pointless scenes dedicated to celebrity cameos. Eli Wallach and Christopher Walken (pre-fame) are heavy-handedly shoehorned into the plot as two police detectives bothering Chris Sarandon and then disappear without a trace after about three scenes in which Wallach wisecracks. Martin Balsam shows up for 2 minutes, is given several absentminded jokes to do (which he does surprisingly badly), translates some Latin then disappears. Still, the most audacious one of all is the impressive waste of Jose Ferrer (in a role even smaller than his turn in the immeasurably more entertaining "The Swarm") as a priest who mumbles something to another priest and then disappears, a real Oscar worthy mumble it was. When the film is on plot it ranges from mind-numbingly boring scenes in which Cristina Raines complains of headaches to blatant homophobia. John Carradine is painfully wasted here as a priest who spends the entire film staring out of a window, but at least he has some plot significance. The film finally stumbles upon its climax seemingly through sheer plot convenience we finally get some genuinely creepy imagery (the priest's pink fluffy hat aside) but all it comes down to is Catholic propaganda and the sad realization you've just wasted 90 minutes of your life. The film does have its strengths but they're so few and far apart that they don't really matter. There are two excellent spooky scenes in the film (the aforementioned climax and a really creepy scene in the middle of the film) and one person who almost makes watching this film excusable. Burgess Meredith gives one of his best performances (of many) in this film and unlike everyone around him who are obviously phoning their performances in (everyone that is other than Cristina Raines who really, really tries but is a sadly bad actress), Burgess Meredith gives it his all and pulls of a performance worthy of a real classic horror film, unfortunately, it is in a confused, schlocky, badly written one.P.S. Jeff Goldblum and Jerry Orbach show up playing almost the same character and both of them could be cut out of the film without any grief. In fact, if you were to cut out all the fat from the film you would get a really bad episode of "Tales from the Crypt". Now isn't that a turn-on.P.S.2 The film has without a doubt the best director's commentary ever recorded. Listen to that, skip the film.

Super fun film - very creepy. I quite enjoyed again after years of "no see". The Sentinel or The Messenger in this one is our John Carradine - you won't see him very much in this film because it builds the suspense toward the ending. I think back in 1977 the ending (to actually see Carradine fully) would have come as a surprise to theater goers - these days with internet you can see photos of Carradine as The Sentinel so it will come as no surprise as it would have back in the 70s.The film is full of a great cast - big names in this one and not just John Carradine. Cristina Raines, Ava Gardner, Burgess Meredith, Christopher Walken, Beverly D'Angelo, Jeff Goldblum and more! If you like films like The Amityville Horror, Burnt Offerings, The Legacy or The Changeling then you might like The Sentinel - it's a good film for a late night movie.8.5/10

Considering the cast -- Chris Sarandon, Martin Balsam, John Carradine, José Ferrer, Ava Gardner, Arthur Kennedy, Burgess Meredith, Eli Wallach, and early appearances by Christopher Walken, Jeff Goldblum, and even -- briefly -- Tom Berenger -- this should be a true classic horror film. But, not quite. But why? First, the film gets off to a very slow start. Yes, the "stage" needs to be set, but it sorta drags.Second, Cristina Raines beautiful enough to be a model? Nope...unless the only criteria is being skinny. Christina Raines an actress? Nope again. Terrible.Third, some of dialogue is...well, let's just say not very scintillating...and at times inane.Fourth, it's not supposed to be funny or predictable...but in many places it is one or the other or both. There were times I almost laughed out loud.The question is -- who's to blame. I'd say director Michael Winner. Bet you can't name one of his films off the top of your head. Strictly B material (at best) unless you love Charles Bronson.As far as the acting, Chris Sarandon hadn't quite learned to act yet. He was getting there, but this was only his third film, and it shows.Martin Balsam isn't in the film long enough to critique...nor was John Carradine, José Ferrer, Ava Gardner (at least we can say she was still quite beautiful), Eli Wallach, Christopher Walken, Jeff Goldblum (was that actually his voice, or a voice dubbed in?), or Tom Berenger.Arthur Kennedy as a priest had a somewhat decent role here, and he was certainly a veteran.Probably the best performance is that of Burgess Meredith. There was always something special about Burgess Meredith, and he makes a somewhat minor role into a delicious attraction all its own.There is one thing I will give the film some credit for: it appears to be that some of the "freaks" at the end of the film were really sadly bizarre abnormal people. Kudos for making that real, un-kudos for exploiting people's misfortune.The odd thing is, I actually remember this film from back in the 1970s, and had hoped it would come out on Blu Ray (it's a decent transfer). I just didn't remember how bad it was. I ended up throwing the disc away after one viewing; at least I got a spare Blu Ray container for my purchase.

Michael Winner's post-Death Wish output is often lambasted for being sensationalist and exploitative trash; for me, that's precisely why his films prove so enjoyable. The Sentinel, Winner's 1977 supernatural shocker, is no exception: it's a schlocky slice of religious themed horror that takes its cues from superior horror hits Rosemary's Baby (1968), The Exorcist (1973) and The Omen (1976), delivering wonderfully eccentric characters, sexual perversity, graphic gore and, in the film's jaw-dropping finale, a whole crowd of real-life freaks and disabled extras as the denizens of hell. It's easy to see how some might be offended, and it's not hard to understand why many would dismiss it as tawdry garbage, but I found it hugely entertaining.Cristina Raines stars as emotionally fragile model Alison Parker, who moves into an apartment where her new neighbours' bizarre behaviour begins to concern her, leading her to confront her landlord, who informs her that, apart from the blind priest on the top floor, she is the only tenant! It eventually transpires that the building is a doorway to hell, the other tenants are demons, and that Alison is destined to become a 'sentinel', whose job it is to guard the hellish portal.It's derivative stuff, for sure, but Winner's whacked out script keeps matters interesting: if anything, the film has got to be worth a go for the unforgettable scene where Alison meets her freaky lesbian 'neighbours' (one of whom gives herself an orgasm in front of her uncomfortable guest), and the truly bizarre birthday bash thrown for a pet cat (he looks so cute in his party hat). The Sentinel also benefits from a remarkable line-up of talent, the incredible cast including established performers Burgess Meredith, Eli Wallach, John Carradine, Ava Gardner, Martin Balsam, as well as up and coming stars Tom Berenger, Jeff Goldblum, Beverly D'Angelo and Richard Dreyfuss, while the excellent make-up effects are by none other than industry legend Dick Smith.7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.