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Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category

Film Crave – Knuckle Draggers: Even I Can Relate

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

3/4 stars

I’m usually not the person to go to for romantic comedies as I haven’t found many I like. However, the reason this ranks higher than most is it takes a common theme yet makes it completely relatable to even someone as rom/com adverse as I am.

Despite the L.A. setting, the characters are all believable. The main problem I have with most of these films is that I can never imagine myself in that kind of situation – Knuckle Draggers, however, seems like something that could be happening right now, if not to me, then to someone I could imagine. I mean, the guys do… READ MORE

Rogue Cinema’s review of Knuckle Draggers

Friday, July 3rd, 2009

You know, it’s refreshing when a film actually tells it like it is, and I can’t remember seeing one that more clearly defined the truth about relationships between men and women than Knuckle Draggers.  To start, here’s a quick description of the film from IMDB, written by the film’s writer and director, Alex Ranarivelo…

“Knuckle Draggers” takes a realistic, but comic look at how the behaviors of men and women have evolved very little since the caveman times. When Ethan, the needy nice guy, is dumped by his fiancee, he asks his misogynist older brother Kyle to help him win her back. Kyle tries to teach Ethan how to act like “a real man” and to never put a woman on a pedestal. Repulsed by his brother’s harsh views on how to treat women, Ethan ignores his advice and ventures out into the dating world, where he slowly realizes that everything Kyle says seems to be true.

That description gets to the core of the film, but it doesn’t tell you everything.  There’s actually a … READ MORE

Popcorn Junkies Knuckle Draggers movie review

Monday, June 29th, 2009

Scott of Popcorn Junkies reviews Knuckle Draggers…

I get requests for publicity all the time, which is a hilarious concept to me at least, but I always find it amusing to read the e-mails. Most of them are grammatically abhorrent, amongst other things, and anyone who doesn’t take the time to actually use my name (as in “Hi Scott”) doesn’t deserve the *ahem* privilege of being pimped. So imagine my surprise when the star of a film, and one of its producers, sends me a nice letter asking for help promoting his film.

Paul J. Alessi, who co-stars in Knuckle Draggers as well as being one of the producers, wrote a nice letter and had the distinction of being friends with my boss Murtz Jaffer. For Murtz I have done a lot of things over the years at InsidePulse so helping out one of his buddies is something I think I’m contractually obligated to do. We did some nice stuff for… READ MORE

Festival Movie Review – ‘Knuckle Draggers’ – Get The Big Picture

Monday, June 29th, 2009

As long as there have been movies, there have been movies about relationships. One of the very first films to play for an paying audience was The Kiss, which was a 47-second smooch made in 1896. It was quite controversial at the time.

Obviously, the form handles love in broader terms now, with romantic comedies and dramas of every stripe, and even the majority of action films have some love interest.

It does make the world go ’round, they say.

Working outside the mainstream, the adult romantic comedy Knuckle Draggers examines men and women, but mostly men. In particular, how men work in and out of relationships, how they deal with women, and how their attitudes can be shaped by their male friends.

Ethan (Ross McCall) has just been dumped. His beautiful girfriend (Jennifer Alden) is tired of waiting for the life she wants, even though Ethan is working towards a dream she should have long since understood. He’s devastated but his brother Kyle (Paul J. Alessi) sees this as an opportunity to … READ MORE

Movie Room Reviews – Knuckle Draggers Movie Review

Sunday, June 28th, 2009

knuckledraggers-mrrKnuckle Draggers is an independent movie from Producer/Actor Paul J. Alessi and Director Alex Ranarivelo that made its world premiere film debut on April 26th, 2009, at a sold out Newport Beach Film Festival. The movie won two “Rising Star” awards at the DelRay Beach Film Festival, including Outstanding Feature by a New Filmmaker/Producer and Best Close-up in a Feature Film. Tonight (June 27th), the movie showed at the ReelHeART Film Festival as an official closing night film. Theatrical release and home video release dates are yet to be determined

With a diverse and talented ensemble cast, Knuckle Draggers presents the same conventional plot about the differences between the two genders. Men are simple creatures that have not evolved much beyond caveman times. They still just want sex and lots of it. Women on the other hand, need to commuicate, and need security. Relationships are easy, if you just understand one thing… READ MORE

With an undertone that makes it relatable and compelling…

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009

Disclaimer:  This review is about a movie that is a little off the beaten path for Screen Rant.  If you know me, you know I like explosive TV and movies with a lot of carnage.  I was invited to screen this indie movie and after watching it, I politely annoyed asked Vic if I could publish my review of the movie here.  Let’s get on with it, shall we?

Quick Take:
Despite having a standard plot that we may have seen before, Knuckle Draggers comes at us with an undertone that makes it relatable and compelling… READ MORE (and see exclusive photos and news!!)

(Interview by Bruce Simmons, Editorial Writer: ScreenRant.com | Owner / Editor: CinemaStatic.org)

tribute.ca Knuckle Draggers Movie Review

Friday, May 29th, 2009

Current Tribute rating: 5.00 Current rating: 5.00

Ethan (Ross McCall), an all around nice guy, gets dumped because he wasn’t able to provide his fianc—e with the plush, stable life her friends were living. Desperate to get her back, he seeks help from his older brother Kyle (Paul J. Alessi), a tough talking sexist who seems to have a way with the ladies.

Kyle gives Ethan a crash course on women and dating much to the disgust of some of Ethan’s female friends. Just when it seems Kyle’s misogynistic theories are about to prove themselves to be true, things take an unexpected turn and force Ethan, Kyle and their friends to reassess their views on relationships.

Source: http://www.tribute.ca/movies/Knuckle+Draggers/19742

“Knuckle Draggers” – Some Things Never Change

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009
Knuckle Draggers

Knuckle Draggers

On May 21, my husband Randy and I went to the screening of “Knuckle Draggers” at the Delray Beach Film Festival. Randy’s longtime friend, Paul Alessi is one of the main stars and producer of the film, and when we were invited to the screening we jumped at the chance

I’m not one to ever write reviews for movies (good or bad), but when artistry such as this film comes along, I felt compelled to share my thoughts.

In three words, I LOVED IT. My reasons? I… READ MORE

Knuckle Draggers – A relationship roller coaster ride …

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

Knuckle Draggers is the perfect film to watch with a group of people. The ensemble cast presents a range of characters where a connection can be made with one or more of the situations presented. The story is a relationship roller coaster ride with funny highs and dramatic lows.

The opening credits begin with a … READ MORE

Knuckle Draggers review by CultFilmz

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

Knuckle Draggers (2009, USA) C-89m. *** D: Alex Ranarivelo. Starring Ross McCall, Paul J. Alessi, Amie Barsky, Omar Gooding, Danielle Nicolet, Jennifer Alden. Refreshing indie movie offers a look at thirty-ish director McCall, whose girlfriend leaves him because of lack of success. His brother then takes up the task of introducing him into being the way women want him to be, though it seems … READ MORE (see right hand side of main page for review link)