(2012-04-27 05:46:55)

4.5 Stars

This review is from: Elektra Luxx (DVD) A quirky little movie about a former porn star, Carla, trying to live a normal life while teaching a class at the learning annex. Her day takes a weird twist. Overall, I really enjoyed this flick. Couple of spots where the flow died. It got resuscitated each time. Supporting cast was delight. How their paths cross. Who's doing what & why. If it hadn't died those 2 spots, it would have been 5 stars.I hate giving the synopsis of the movie when you can find it everywhere. I dont like to give plot points away or how each actor/actress plays their roles. All I can say is I hope you found this as enjoyable as I did.Content, for a movie about a porn star, there is only 2 bare asses shown. Deleted scene shows 2 more & some boobies. Little bit of cussing.

Jizdenky

(2012-04-26 19:37:03)

When A Pornstar Retires

Sebastian Gutierrez's dialogue oriented 'Elektra Luxx' is somewhatbetter than his next film 'Girl Walks Into A Bar', at least in terms ofwriting, especially where dialogue is concerned. It's wittier, fresherand funnier and fits well with the situations. 'Elektra Luxx' also hasa film-noire style feel to it. The story of the title characterjuxtaposes with two others: one about Luxx's 'diehard' and desperatefanboy blogger Bert who's trying to move on with life post Luxx's filmcareer (she quit) and another involving Luxx's former costar Holly. Ithought the latter story, though well acted in by Adrianne Palicki andEmannuelle Chriqui, barely contributed to the film and perhaps itshould have been left out as it only slows down the pace. The overallpacing is also uneven. At times the lighting feels excessive. The scoreis well utilized and pleasant to the ears. Carla Gugino is terrific inthe title role and she is well-supported by Adrianne Palicki, JosephGordon-Levitt, Kathleen Quinlan and Marley Shelton. There's also aninteresting cameo by one of the finest actresses.To sum it up, 'Elektra Luxx' is refreshing. It has a novel premise andGutierrez steers away from clichГѓВ©s. Some good editing was required totighten it up a little.

(2012-04-22 21:37:20)

Bad Bad Black Sheep Have You Any Acting Ability?

Blahhhhhh what a crummy movie. Porn star get pregnant and retires. Yeah, that's what happens. So who's gonna watch this? Guys looking to see nudity, right? This is no chick flick, no way - it doesn't go that way. It tries to be something but it's nothing in the end. Dang it not getting to see her get pregnant - hey that would be sweet, it would have worked. No it's talk talk talk talk. No nakedness, or very little. Nothing that is all that enjoyable either. Yeah, so if you want to see that Entourage Californication chick naked, it isn't here - Carla Gugino. Go see Jaded, there she is - you'll be happy, so will mr. (Jaded). Nothing but shrinkage over here. Darn, this stinker looks like they took a bunch of porn stars and asked them to be in a non porn movie - this is far from a porno, but is billed like a porno. Except, wait a minute, these aren't porn stars, they're real actors. I mean even Julianna Moore (the hotest of the hot that should have taken off her clothes, oh would I like that) shows up and reads her lines. No, what the heck, everybody is reading their lines. Yeah, they talk about sexy stuff - Elektra Luxx leads a meeting group to talk about how to better please your man and talks kind of dirty in a school teacher way. That started out cool. But darn it, nothing that got my buddy excited in this thing. She just kept going, shrinkage, shrinkage - all the wrong way. Even when there was a possible hard moment, nope it was ruined with some rotten shrinkage move. What the heck was the director thinking with this bomb? It plays like a joke, but it isn't. I know, this guy had a big old hit with Nervous Breakdown women - that was decent. This just sucks. I hated Elektra's stinky blonde wig by the time this was over. I really wanted to just grab it and pull it off her head, well then pull it someplace else. Nope, bad movie. Well unless you like being talked to. But even that got interrupted with garbage. No, even if you are into that kind of thing, you won't like this. Nothing good here. Nakedness would have rescued it.

slake09

(2012-04-22 09:59:16)

Not a comedy, not a drama, not a good movie

Elektra Luxx tells the story of a porn star's personal life, but failsas both a comedy and a drama. You can see the potential for laughs orserious drama, but the movie never gets there. There isn't much in theway of nudity, so the potential for exploitation is also missed.The jokes fall flat, and the characters aren't particularly likable.The plot itself is fragmented, jumping all over the place without muchexposition. The first few reviews here are glowingly positive, whichmakes me think the reviewers are somehow connected to the film. Don'tbe fooled by the name actors in the cast: this movie is a turkey.If you're in the market for a drama about a porn star's personal life,you would be better served checking out The Girlfriend Experience.The acting in Elektra Luxx was OK, nothing great, but not particularlybad either. It's mostly the script and direction that are lacking. Thejokes probably sounded a lot better on paper than they do when theactors speak them; the plot probably looked better on the storyboardthan it does on film.You won't laugh, you won't be thrilled, you won't marvel at the drama.You will just wish you had watched something else.

MovieManMenzel

(2012-04-20 10:55:38)

"Elektra Luxx" is a fun and enjoyable film with great performances all around.

On March 14th in Austin, TX, I headed into the World Premiere of"Elektra Luxx" at the Paramount Theater and boy was I in for a treat. Iwas so pumped just being at SXSW but sitting a few seats away from mewere Malin Akerman, Carla Gugino, Emma Bell, Emmanuelle Chriqui, anddirector/writer Sebastian Gutierrez. About an hour into the film, theworst thing that could ever happen to a director happened...the moviescreen went blank during the world premiere. Within a few minutes,Sebastian Gutierrez appeared on stage doing a one man show entertainingthe audience to the highest level possible. After about 20 mins, thecast came on stage to help fill the time. This is when my brilliant assdecided to ask the most awkward question to ask a filmmaker period, letalone during a chaotic screening. I began to ask "how do you make asequel to a film that no one saw the original of?" After that sentencecame out of my mouth, I actually felt really bad for asking it becauseI didn't realize how harsh it sounded but luckily for me SebastianGutierrez decided to answer it honestly and poke fun at me a bit in theprocess. The guy is awesome. I have met a ton of directors andcelebrities and he ranks up there as the coolest guy I met in showbiz.He just seemed like the kind of guy who really valued his fans and Itruly admire the man now. But as the 45 minute mark drew near, JanetPierson let everyone know we would not be able to see the ending of"Elektra Luxx" tonight as the projector could not be fixed.About two weeks ago, I was browsing online and came across the Gen ArtFilm Festival and to my surprise "Elektra Luxx" was playing at thefestival. I knew I had to get tickets and surely enough just a few dayslater I did. So finally on Friday April 9, 2010...I entered the theatertook my seat right across from Mr. Gutierrez again and shortly the filmbegan..."Elektra Luxx" is the sequel to the film, "Women in Trouble." For themost part, this film focuses around the life of "Elektra Luxx (playedby the beautiful and very talented Carla Gugino) and her retirementfrom the porn industry. In the film, Elektra is trying to just live anormal life by teaching a class called "How to have sex like a pornstar." Shortly into the film, her past comes back to haunt her as shegets a surprise visit from Cora (Marley Shelton) who has someinformation about her husband. The film only continues to get moreinteresting as it goes along.. A lot of laughs and some dramedy filledmoments ensue..."Elektra Luxx" has a cast of some of the most beautiful women inshowbiz and surprisingly all of them are great actresses as well. CarlaGugino's lead role as Elektra is not only fun but a very goodperformance. Her character isn't as simple as you may think and Guginoplays the role with such passion that you just enjoy every moment sheis on screen. Marley Shelton plays Cora and is very good even thoughshe has very limited screen time. Emmanuelle Chriqui is always pleasureto watch as Bambi. Her role of playing the all business & no fun girlperfectly offsets her partner in crime Holly Rocket played by AdriannePalicki. Holly Rocket is is my favorite character in the film as wellas the funniest. She seems dumb on the surface but if you actually payattention to her character, she really isn't and that's what I loveabout it. Joseph Gordon Levitt is great in the film as Burt Rodriguez.Levitt steals the show every moment he is on screen. Malin Akerman'scharacter Trixie isn't in the film all that much but for what littlescreen time she has, her character looks like it's going to show somepromise in the next film. Overall, everyone does an amazing job eventhe host of people I haven't listed but these are the main ones.Sebastian Gutierrez pulled a "Woody Allen" so to speak and directed,wrote, and produced the film. He is truly great at doing all of thosethings. I guess having done a lot of writing for "Mainstream Hollywood"it is nice to see him create something more independent. After havingseen two different Q&A sessions with Sebastian, I would have to saythat he is one of my most driven and passionate directors in the biz.He loves film and he loves his cast and it truly shows. One thing Ihave to mention is that everyone in the cast pointed out was thatSebastian treats everyone like family and that shows. These films"Women in Trouble" and "Elektra Luxx," are his babies and while somemay not appreciate them for what they are, I really enjoy the filmsthus far and can't wait to see the final chapter "Women in Ecstasy"next year. Great Job Sebastian! I applaud you and support your work. Iwould love to be in or work on one of your films one day.Bottom Line: "Elektra Luxx" isn't for everyone and with that being saidyou have to have a good appreciation for fun independent films in orderto appreciate the film. Horny guys seeing this film hoping to see a lotof sex will surely be disappointed. This movie is very much a characterdriven film that tells a lot of interesting stories. There are a lot oflaughs to be had but also quite a few heartfelt moments thrown in aswell. "Elektra Luxx" is a movie that is definitely geared towards amature and smart audience. It has a beautiful and talented cast and Ihighly recommend it.MovieManMenzel's final rating for "Elektra Luxx" is a 9/10.

Matthew Stechel

(2012-04-19 17:49:00)

Incredibly Quick Dialog And Wonderful Dialog Gives This Sequel A Real Kick

Amazingly Strong Semi Sequel to 2009's Women In Trouble,improving onthat one with its dialog alone. Elektra Luxx starts out strong rightout of the gate plunging first into a wonderfully noirish plotproviding so much fantastic dialog that it becomes a pleasure to listento. The dialog IS the reason to seek this one out however you canbecause it is that good. There are so many fantastic one liners, andconversational two handers throughout. There are exchanges of dialogflying at you in all directions throughout that you end up just tryingto absorb everything that was just said just so you can process itall-- reminding me a bit of "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" in that sense. Thisdialog not only provides the movie its spark--it made me want to hangaround the theater for the 40 odd minutes after the end creditsfinished rolling to catch the next showing. I can only think of ahandful of films that I've seen in theaters that have made me want todo that but i just had to hear this movie again pronto. Movie has threelargely separate plot lines, but the characters do all know each otheras they were all featured in the director's previous film "Women InTrouble." The main plot line involves now pregnant ex porn star ElektraLuxx--played by the dependably wry and endearing Carla Gugino-- whofinds herself thrown into a plot line involving unpublished songswritten about her by her dead lover from "Women In Trouble" as theyoung woman who was with him (when he died--and blames herself by theway) promises to give her those very songs which Luxx would like mostlyfor sentimental reasons in exchange for the tiny little favor in whichLuxx seduces her fiancГѓВ©e. Lets just leave it at that because i can'treally say what happens next but i will say that the film's not reallyplot driven as much as it is character driven, which would normally bea turn-off but when the characters are spouting as terrific dialog asthey are here, there's a lot of pleasure to be had just from sittingback and listening to them talk their talk.Elektra's plot line ends up alternating screen time with two other plotlines--one involving Joseph Gordon Levitt as Luxx's ultimate fan boyblogger trying to get a hold on his own life post Luxx's career, andone involving Electra's ex-porn star colleague also trying to get ahold on her own love life post Luxx's career. I should put in a strongword for former Friday Night Lights' actress Adrianne Palicki here whoreally holds the screen with star power as the big-hearted and adorablydim ex porn star herself. Palicki not only holds her own in her plotline but she delivers the lines with such perfect delivery and spot ontiming that i do believe she could be not just a big movie star but areally first rate comedic actress as well. (we really need more ofthose right now too, way more then romantic leads or dramaticactresses.) Gordon Levitt doesn't fare quite as well here--he's finebut his character doesn't really have as much to do plot-wise--andhonestly isn't as fully developed as the other two female charactersare. (is he just an obsessive pervert stuck in his life or is he thisdignified romantic? the two traits don't really gel.) The two otherplot lines never exactly intersect with Elektra's (altho they do bothknow Elektra) but they are all thematically related. They're all tryingto cope with and are scared of the changes in their lives to put itbroadly. The film is really at heart more of an old fashioned melodramathen anything else--the end credits list a special thank you to PedroAlmodovar and that's exactly who's influence can be felt in just aboutevery single thing i can think of here. (the wistfulness of itscharacters, its comedic dialog, its intimate heart to heart scenes, itscandy color decor, the film's use of music, or even in the film'scracker jack pacing.) Almodovar is such a singular combination that noone's ever really tried to copy him before because it would be just toodifficult to balance without really careful handling butwriter/director Sebastian Gutierrez does such a terrific job balancingeverything here that i sincerely look forward to seeing him spin othertales involving other sets of quirky yet sentimental and wisecharacters in the future. Say something not set in the porn world forexample. If Gutierrez keeps up this level of production--he willhopefully be able to sustain a long term career doing these kinds ofmovies. Hell at the very least he should be able to provide regularwork for muse Carla Gugino who in addition to delivering a knockoutperformance here will make you care for whether or not she'll emergefrom her situation OK. She very very much deserves more big screenexposure other than the 3 movies Mr. Gutierrez together now countingwomen in trouble, and 1999's Judas Kiss-(itself a neat and twisty neonoir) has ably provided for her.Do yourself a favor--if you like movies with fast dialog that you loveto listen to check this one out--even if you're put off by the subjectmatter of an ex porn star restarting her life--you will find someterrific crackerjack dialog here. I can't imagine this one not having avery healthy shelf life on cable and DVD.I also have the high hope thatafter the third one comes out a CD of Robyn Hitchcock's music from all3 of the films will be made available because the three songs from himthat get played are all very catchy. There's Some Great Work Here--WellWorth Checking Out.

threecrows

(2012-04-17 01:16:55)

Incredibly Sweet!

Wow. What a sweet movie. This is a really original comedy that takes alook at the kinds of people (a porn star, a sex blogger, a call girl)that other movies might look down upon or simply make fun of andinstead it crafts a very surprising manifesto for becoming betterpeople. More like episodes than a proper narrative, the movie centerson Carla Gugino (Karen Sisco herself) as she tries to make a living inthe straight world after leaving her porn past behind. It should benoted that there is nothing pornographic in the movie, nor is it asatire on the porn industry itself, it's more... well, it's hard toexplain. It's more a character study of a confident but confusedbeautiful woman that you root for despite her job. Joseph Gordon Levittis very funny as the blogger obsessed with her and Emmanuelle Chriquiis luminous as the all business call girl who finds out her best friend(Wonder Woman herself) wants to be more than friends. This is one ofthose movies that grow by word of mouth and it is a very pleasantsurprise. Great, GREAT funny lines in it. Can't wait to see the thirdone.

(2012-04-16 12:46:19)

Tries to do too much...but still very funny and thoughtful.

Sebastian Gutierrez's ELEKTRA LUXX doesn't quite know what it wants to be. It's a comedy, there's no doubt--there are some absolutely hilarious moments. It's also an inspirational piece, and a character study, and a romance, and a study of aging and womanhood. In these latter areas, it stumbles a bit, never reaching its full stride.The film revolves around retired porn star Elektra Luxx (Carla Gugino). She's pregnant now and teaching a sex class for housewives, living a relatively quiet life. One day, a woman (Marley Shelton) approaches her with a proposition: cheat with her boyfriend. Shenanigans ensue, and Elektra slowly finds her place in life. The film is framed/narrated/hosted by a porn blogger (Joseph Gordon-Levitt).The cast is solid. Carla Gugino is phenomenal, carrying the entire weight of the film on her shoulders. Gordon-Levitt is hilarious, as is Timothy Olyphant as perhaps the one guy whom Elektra can love. Olyphant and Gugino's scenes are the funniest in the film; too bad he's only in it for the blink of an eye. The supporting roles are also solid (a grossly underused Kathleen Quinnan being the standout), and there is a funny/creepy/thoughtful cameo from an uncredited great actress (no spoilers). Perhaps the most surprising thing is that the film manages to be sexy without being at all exploitative; a true wonder these days. On the other hand, the script is a bit haphazard; there are too many subplots that meander too far from Elektra's story. And Gordon-Levitt's character is inconsequential; the actor himself is hilarious, but his "skits" (for that's what they amount to) add nothing to the story as a whole. The overall effect is a film that tries to do too much. It's still absolutely funny in spots (again, kudos to Olyphant), and gives Gugino a chance to prove just how good she is. But as a whole, ELEKTRA LUXX feels more like a collection of "parts" that never truly congeal.

pefisher-894-294829

(2012-04-15 13:31:23)

Good looking Cast, Slick Production

Great quality on Blu-rayRather strange story-line though, certainly not a "Hot" movie, eventhough cover mentions "A Very Hot Cast" Good acting in general from thecast.Storyline seems to jump around here and there, but not bad for the endresult.The version previewed was the Germany released Myriad Pictures inGerman and English.Following the credits, immediately follows a preview, also in reallygood Blu-ray quality, titled "Even Reverse Cowgirls Get The Blues" Icannot find any info re this other movie which looks a good laugh?Anyone have info?There is another title around "Even Cowgirls Get The Blues" but that'san earlier movie.

(2012-04-15 05:24:38)

Elektra Luxx

This review is from: Elektra Luxx (DVD) This is a really good movie it not a chick flick but a good comedy about a porn star trying to make it outside of porn.

Brent Trafton

(2012-04-10 19:02:42)

Almodovar in America

I would bet that Sebastian Gutierrez, the writer and director of"Elektra Luxx" is a big fan of the acclaimed Spanish director PedroAlmodovar. "Elektra Luxx" is kind of like an American version of aAlmodvar film. It is full of funny, quirky and sexy characters.I don't typically like most mainstream comedies but I really liked thisfilm so that might say more about me than it does about this film. Iwas laughing out loud throughout the whole thing. The humor doesn'tseemed forced like mainstream comedy. It is the characters that make itfunny.There is not much of a plot but I enjoyed the time I spent with thesecharacters. My only complaint is that I had to watch it on DVD becausethe BlueRay is not available yet. Hopefully it comes out soon.Make sure to watch to the ends of the credits. There is a trailer forthe final Elekta Luxx film at the end that you will not want to miss."Elektra Luxx" is not a movie for everyone. In fact, it is not a moviefor most people. If you like eclectic, quirky, sexy films, you shouldgive it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Tony Heck

(2012-04-10 10:25:06)

A very moving and somewhat funny movie about a porn star trying to change her life. Not what I expected its better. I say B+

"What kind of person are you?" Retiring pregnant porn star Elektra Luxx(Gugino) fills her days by teaching a sexology class. After beingapproached by a stranger with a tie to her dead ex-boyfriend her daystarts to get weird. If you have seen the previews to this then youthink you know what the movie is about. You would be wrong. From what Isaw I expected a very funny comedy. While this movie does have it'sfunny moments, at its core it actually a very moving story. A woman whois trying to figure out where her life is is the one everyone seems togo to for advice, help or anything she can provide. Being that themovie is about a porn star there are a few pretty raunchy scenes anddialog, but no where near what you would have expected. There is a shota a male and female butt and that is the extent of the nudity. Theacting and characters are very entertaining that it makes you want towatch and see everyone get what they want. This is not at all what Iexpected, it was better. Overall a very touching, and somewhat funnystory about finding out and being comfortable with who you are. I giveit a B+.Would I watch it again? - I think I actually would.*Also try - Finding Bliss

iumma

(2012-04-10 12:40:05)

Like a Skinimax flick without the payoff

I had the unfortunate displeasure of viewing this movie tonight, and myshock and awe at how bad it is cannot really be put into words. I gotpulled in by the cover, shame on me. Gugino is a feast for the eyes forsure, and seeing Chriqui make out with another chick was a nicesurprise, but those two niceities cant save this deplorable piece oftrash. As with an earlier reviewer, I rarely give a movie one star, asI can usually find SOMETHING redeeming about the experience: that wasnot the case here. It gives off the stink of one of those late nightsoft-core skin flicks, but without the skin! What the hell wasGordon-Levitt thinking reprising this role? He is lucky he didn't screwup his chances landing the role in Inception. I wasn't even aware thiswas a sequel until I read some of the other reviews. Anyway, there isnothing else to say, this is pure garbage. I should receive some typeof reward for making it all the way through...

jotix100

(2012-04-10 01:49:50)

Bert Rodriguez's blog

An amateur blogger, Bert Rodriguez, introduces us to famous porn starElektra Luxx, now retired from the sensational days of her stardom. Herfilms are described in vivid details from the comforts of Rodriguez'sliving room where he is recording his piece about the luminous starwhile one hears in the background his mother's voice asking him to takeout the trash.Elektra, who finds herself pregnant from a boyfriend who died on thelavatory of a jetliner, has reinvented herself into a teacher forrepressed women who has no clue as how to behave in bed. The singer hasleft a lot of songs which even Elektra did not know about. Elektra issurprised by one of her students, that turns out to be a professionalwriter who wants to write her memoirs, a sort of guide into thepleasures of sex.There are about three narratives running into the plot, all of whichcome together toward the end. This is not a film for everyone.Sebastian Gutierrez expanded his previous "Women in Trouble" with anemphasis on the character of Elektra. The comedy is witty as it tacklesits subject with an eye toward fun. Mr. Gutierrez even includes a scenewhere the Virgin Mary has a tete-a-tete with Elektra while she ishaving a bath!Carla Gugino makes the most of her character; she really is an optimistin a field where one could not think it possible. The excellent JosephGordon-Levitt is perhaps the director's alter ego, Bert Rodriguez, ayoung man in awe of the pleasures he has received from watching all ofMs. Luxx's films. Most of the cast has worked with the director before.Among the supporting casts there are good performances by MarleyShelton, Emmanuelle Chiriki, Adrienne Palicki, Timothy Olyphant,Kathleen Quinlan, Malin Ackerman, and a great cameo by Julianne Mooreas the Virgin Mary.Mr. Gutierrez keeps things moving at a quick pace, which benefits theenjoyment of the film. The creator of "Elektra Luxx" shows anirreverent streak for the material he wrote and directed.

fung0

(2012-04-03 03:29:40)

Masterpiece

I saw Women in Trouble with no expectations and was blown away. I sawElektra Luxx with high expectations and was not disappointed. There'ssimply no way to describe either film, except to say they're bothfunny, touching, thought-provoking, surprising, and, of course,extremely sexy.I particularly love Gutierrez' knack for creating conversations thatnever go where you'd expect, with participants talking at crosspurposes, or simply flying off on wild tangents. (What do you get for$10? A yogurt... and a pony!) But it's always done without compromisingthe characters; always organic, never contrived.I also got a huge charge out of the opening credits, which do the 1960spop-art thing better than 9 out of 10 recent James Bond films. And I'mtotally enraptured by Gutierrez' use of Robyn Hitchcock for music.Women in Trouble made me a lifelong Hitchcock fan, and it's great tohear Elektra Luxx again making use of his talents.The story in this newer film is perhaps a little less focused than inthe first one, but it's not a big deal. When every moment of thejourney is a delight, who cares where you end up?

Terry Roehrig II

(2012-04-02 17:03:23)

Expected SO much more and got even LESS than I deserved.

Adult film star finds out she's pregnant? Imagine all of the comedicsituations, hilarious dialog and just how much havoc this could causeon set and with future co-stars! Now, forget about it. All of it. Thisisn't what you're thinking about. At all. This is more of a deep lookat life dramedy. You wouldn't think so from the previews and the posterand the synopsis.... but it is. They tricked us. Boy, did they evertrick us.Apparently, this is a sequel. I had no idea going in to watch thismovie (can you believe it -- there was something I didn't know). Thefirst film was called Women in Trouble -- written and directed by thesame guy and had a lot of the same cast, I guess. Why they would wantto come back for a sequel is beyond me (the guy is blackmailing them orsomething?) -- this movie was a chore to sit through. Sure, it had afew chuckles.... but nothing more.The first thing that annoyed me straight away was the acting.... I'veseen Marley Shelton and Carla Gugino in other stuff and they were fine.Not here, though. It took all of my willpower to not shut this film offafter the bar scene.... it was terrible, no doubt about it. Forceddialog, aside.... the lighting was so horrible I felt as if it was shoton somebody's Insta-Matic they got for Christmas.Another thing that threw me off was the fact that I was watching threeseparate movies: Elektra Luxx (Gugino) and her day after learning she'spregnant, Bert Rodriguez (Gordon-Levitt) and his porn blog aboutElektra in his mom's basement and Holly (Palicki) and Bambi (Chriqui)and their Mexican vacation tryst. The movie was so all over the mapit's ridiculous. Between weird cut-scenes (Elektra singing, Hollygetting a lap dance, etc), uneven stories and basically no story tospeak of whatsoever, this movie isn't at all what it's advertised tobe. More reviews at www.soveryterry.com Final Grade: D+

madbandit20002000

(2012-04-02 20:30:12)

A Gonzo Comedy Sequel With a Heart. . .and Boobies.

Being a fan of "Women In Trouble", the first chapter of the "Women"trilogy by filmmaker Sebastian Guitterez ("Rise: Blood Hunter",co-wrote "Snakes On A Plane"), I looked forward to see the follow-up,"Elektra Luxx". Why? It's just nice to see an indie sequel, and Isurvived the "Transformers" saga.The story reintroduces the title character from "WIT", played by thelovely Carla Gugino ("Watchmen", "Frank Miller's Sin City", "SuckerPunch" and Mr. Guitterez's old lady). Retired from the adult filmindustry to her being knocked up by a now-late rock star, Elektra makesa living as (what else) a seduction teacher for the ladies at acommunity center.Things seem easygoing, until shaky flight stewardess Cora (MarleyShelton, another "WIT" alum, "Grindhouse"), the reason of said rockstar's passing (they had Mile High sex), appears with a forgivenessplea, a plethora of songs about the ex-skin flick starlet, penned bythe rock star, and a proposition to seduce her fiancГѓВ©e. However, hunkyshamus Dell (Emmy-nominee Timothy Olyphant of "Deadwood" and"Justified"), hunting for the songs, gets mistaken for the real fiancГѓВ©e(Vincent Kartheiser), putting Elektra in a self-reflective funk.There are two sidebar plots here. Elektra's old porn compeer, dim-bulbHolly Rocket (Adrianne Palicki of "Friday Night Lights: The Series")deals with her growing sexual feelings for her gal pal, harlot BambiLindberg (spunky Emmanuelle Chriqui of "Entourage" and "Thundercats2.0"). Sex blogger/fanboy Bert Rodriguez (a daffy Joseph Gordon-Levittof "Inception") bemoans over the retirement of his favorite skin filmthespian (is there such a thing?) while clueless of the feelingstowards him from drug store clerk Trixie (sunny Malin Akerman of"Watchmen" and "Wanderlust"). Isn't love grand? Like "WIT", "Luxx" is a Skinamax film meets a Lifetime film meets aKevin Smith film. It's doesn't have the right to good with its sexualfrankness (never be trapped in an elevator with a naked guy, ladies!)and minuscule production values, but it does, due to Mr. Guitterez'sgonzo, breezy and inventive script and direction and the actors he has.Echoing Rita Hayworth without Production Code rules, Ms. Gugino's soinventive here (she even plays an incarcerated twin sister with alisp), it's bizarre she's not an A-list thespian. Ms. Palicki twiststhe dumb beauty stereotype to hilarious and thoughtful heights tocombat Ms. Chriqui's to the letter practicality. It's weird and funny,as Rodriguez, who still lives his mom, that Mr. Levitt would elevate anexploitative medium to an art form while Mr. Olyphant, like in "Catch &Release", is a stud with a soul. Ms. Akerman will probably get moreroom to breathe in the upcoming third chapter "Women In Ecstasy". Whoknew drug store clerks can be so damn cute? Other cast members add to the proceedings: Kathleen Quinlain("Breakdown", "Apollo 13") is a Jackie Collins-like scribe; IsabellaGuitterez (the filmmaker's niece) reprises her old soul kid role from"WIT"; Amy Rosoff is Bert's spitfire sister who wants to be an Internetpin-up girl; Justin Kirk is the naked schmuck in the elevator (!) andOscar nominee Julianne Moore ("The Big Lebowski") has an uncreditedpart as the Virgin Mary (!). If you get the DVD, you'll notice Eric Stoltz ("Pulp Fiction", "ModernLove") gets a "Back to the Future" treatment in the deleted scenessection as he plays the hubby of one of Elektra's students. The fauxtrailer of Elektra's last film (Sergio Leone meets Russ Meyer) is ahoot as it follows the end credits scroll.It's not Oscar material, but "Luxx" has enough heart to be better thanan average sexploitation romp.

luckysoul-1

(2012-04-02 00:26:22)

Best TV Season Ever

I was fortunate enough to see this movie at a special screening lastnight and had no idea what to expect. The poster and tagline made itseem like a raunchy romantic comedy aimed at women or young men. What Isaw instead was one of the smartest, most heartfelt and profoundcomedies I've seen in years. But it's not for everyone. ELEKTRA LUXX is striking first and foremost for its jigsaw-likestructure. This is a movie that doesn't beg you to like it, it simplystarts telling its multi-character tale and lets you decide whether tocome along for the ride or not. Its filled with so many witty detailsand so much great dialogue and genuinely touching moments, that itfeels more like a strange condensations of an entire season of yourfavorite television show expertly cut under 2 hours. The centralquestion in the movie is delivered by Julianne Moore (excellent as theVirgin Mary, the only entity that listens to our protagonist, aseveryone else simply asks things of her, and it is: What is you heartworth? This question resonates with all the characters in the story,who initially seem like stereotypes (the dumb blonde, the blogger inhis basement, etc) until we see that each one is really an innocent(another important line, this time from Mr. Gordon Levitt: "He's aninnocent. the world already has enough grownups) looking for a romanticconnection in person in a world of internet fetishism and voyeurism andisolation. At the heart of the tangled (but easy to unravel) jigsaw puzzle isCarla Gugino as the title character. Let it be said that few moviesI've seen allow a performer to show a more dazzling display of actingabilities and Miss Gugino tackles every hurdle in her way with thegrace of the greatest (singing and dancing? No problem. Playing twinsin the same scene, one with a lisp? No problem? Being funny? Noproblem? Being heartbreakingly sad? Done.) That she is also the sexiestgreat actress working helps, even if the blond wig is a littledistracting at times. Even here, however, the little movie (the budgetis clearly non-existent) triumphs. The wigs, props, flashback devicesand artifice surrounding the real themes of the movie: gender politics,identity, self-discovery, only seem to bring these into sharper focus.At one point one woman tells another one that she is in love with herand the other woman responds that they are not even gay and woman #1explains that it has nothing to do with gay or straight, that it'ssimply love and so everything will figure itself out. That the momentdoes not feel like soapbox preaching is a testament to the writing(exceptionally smart) and the entire movie thrives on this kind ofoptimism. Optimism for a less cynical world in which "fallen" women canget advice from the Virgin Mary, find redemption and re-inventthemselves as "a person of substance". See it and tell all your openminded friends to check it out.

Alexandra Karla

(2012-03-24 19:41:34)

?

I don't get this movie. It's like ..nothing. Made my day worse. Some of the actors were definitely not that disappointing but still.. wtf?

(2012-03-24 02:35:08)

Too-quirky Pedro Almodovar wannabe

Some of the most beautiful and talented actresses in Hollywood are featured herein, the acting is good, but the screenplay drags it down. "EL" can't seem to settle on a tone. It tries to be a zany comedy (it's more amusing than funny), a drama, a satire (of porn movies?), a sexy romance,...it juggles all these in a somewhat unengaging, clumsy manner. There are (too) many characters and many silly situations (events that would only happen in porn movies or cheesy sitcoms) that I guess are supposed to be seen as "quirky." Much of the dialogue is stilted and lame, as in, real-people-don't-talk-this-way lame. Carla Cugino's character does a "Cabaret"-like song-and-dance bit that comes out of nowhere and while it's kinda cute-sexy, Carla G doesn't really sing well and it adds nothing to the movie overall. It's worth seeing if you're a Gugino fan, but this is a mediocre movie, basically Pedro Almodovar Lite (and while I like some of his films, I think he's a tad overrated). Watch an old Woody Allen movie instead ("Love and Death," "Play It Again, Sam").