Movie Review Thread

[Mitch Henessey]

Limitless (2011) 3/10- I actually had some hopes for this film, but Limitless is kind of underwhelming. The acting isn’t bad, but this film just has such a generic feel to it, because EVERYTHING is so damn predictable. This film also has plenty of dull and boring moments, where everything just drags along. As far as the “Super Pill” stuff goes, they did go overboard with the magic drug here. They treated the pill like Popeye’s spinach in this film. Every time one of the good guys gets into a jam during this film, the Super Pill is always there to save the day. It does become ridiculous after a while. Also, why in the fuck was Robert De Niro in this??? His character was boring and bland. De Niro’s character didn’t require that much effort as far as acting goes, so seeing this cinema legend be apart of this film did bother me.

Battle: Los Angeles (2011) 7/10- Some of the critics really need to take the sticks out of their asses. They did go a little overboard with the cliché moments here, but Battle LA was still a very entertaining film. The action scenes were great here. They were thrilling, fast paced, and the final showdown had me on the edge of my seat. Battle LA takes you on a ride through the soldier’s point of view, and I tend to enjoy these alien invasion films a lot more, because seeing the invasion through the soldier’s eyes gives the film more of a raw feel. The acting is solid here, and I do think Aaron Eckhart did a nice job with the lead role.

Take Me Home Tonight (2011) 8/10- Yeah, the love story here is pretty predictable, and this film does have some cheesy moments, but I still LOVED this film. The 80’s nostalgia in this film is great, the acting is pretty solid, and this one has a nice set of entertaining characters. I will always hate Topher Grace as Venom, but he did a nice job with the lead role here, as he played the nerdy and confused main character. Grace’s character was a young man who was lost. He was trying to find his way in the world, and he had one of those characters who you could really root for. Again, the love story here is predictable, because I’m sure we’ve all seen “the nerdy guy chases the hot girl” story plenty of times, but it’s done well in this film, and it can be touching at times. Although, Dan Fogler can be really fucking annoying during this film.

The Adjustment Bureau (2011) 7/10- There was a good amount of suspense here, and the mystery of The Adjustment Bureau is intriguing. The romance story between Emily Blunt and Matt Damon is done well, and these two were awesome on screen together. The acting here is solid, and I really did enjoy Blunt’s character. She was so witty and charming. Blunt’s character just flowed so well, and I do think she did a marvelous job here. The Adjustment Bureau was a fun film, and the thrills really pick up towards the end of this one.

Drive Angry (2011) 5/10- Ugh, I actually enjoyed this. I can’t stand anything Nicholas Cage usually does these days, but he was okay in this film. Although, William Fichtner was amazing as The Accountant. He was witty and he did have a sense of humor, but Fichtner’s character also had this menacing presence. The Accountant was a very smooth character, and Fichtner executed it to perfection. This film actually managed to keep me interested the entire time. Drive Angry is full action, violence, and this film does have some nice action scenes. Although, there was a good amount of nudity, sex, and vulgarity here, and all of this did kind of surprise me. I knew this film would edgy and raunchy, but I didn’t expect it to go so over the top.

Unknown (2011) 6/10- This was a solid thriller film. The story wasn’t anything special, but this film was very mysterious, and there were a good amount of twist and turns that managed to keep me interested throughout the entire film. The acting was decent enough here, and Liam Neeson did do a good job with the lead role.

The Sunset Limited (2011) 8/10- This rating might be a little bit high, but I really enjoyed this film. Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson are the ONLY people who you will see in this entire film. I was very intrigued by the debate these two had throughout the entire film. It was a fierce debate between the man of faith and the non believer. I also wanted to see if Jackson’s character could stop Jones from making a big mistake. A lot of people might hate this movie, because there are only two people in this film, and this entire movie revolves around two men having a debate about religion, but these type of arguments always manage to fascinate me, and I think this film did a nice job of telling both sides of the story.

The Roommate (2011) 1/10- Shit. The majority of the acting here was terrible, and this film was very bland and boring. Leighton Meester was the only person worth watching in this film. She wasn’t bad as the psychotic roommate, but everything else about this film was just so disappointing. There are hardly any spooky moments in this film, the VERY predictable story just drags along throughout the film, and things don’t pick up until the very end of this movie. Yes, Minka Kelly and Leighton Meester are gorgeous women, but sitting through this film gave me a headache.

The Rite (2011) 2/10- The Rite managed to piss me off so much. I wasn’t expecting a classic here, but I thought I was going to watch a nice exorcism film. Well, I was very wrong. Anthony Hopkins gave a solid performance here, and the rest of the acting was decent enough, but I just didn’t feel the spooky and scary moments in this film. The Rite really didn’t take it self too seriously, because there were too many comical moments in this film, and there weren’t enough spook moments here. An exorcism film should be scary and chilling, but I couldn’t stop laughing while watching this. The Rite just comes off as another generic Hollywood mainstream horror movie, and this one is high up on my list of disappointments for 2011 so far.

Confessions Of A Superhero (2007) 9/10- This documentary takes a look at the lives of people who make a living by dressing up as superheroes(Superman, Wonder Woman, The Hulk, Batman). They make their money from taking photographs with people who walk on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, and they have dreams of making it big in Hollywood. This documentary was very raw and emotional. These regular people would rather struggle by making very little money, as they parade around as fictional heroes, but these people didn’t seem to care about the money. They just wanted to be happy, and their dreams of getting the big break in Hollywood kept their hopes alive.

The Jacket (2005) 8/10- I was hooked from beginning to end as I watched this film. The Jacket is filled with a nice amount of twists and turns, the story here is pretty unique, and the acting was superb. Adrien Brody Keira Knightley really impressed me here, and Daniel Craig did a nice job also. I thought this film would be terrible, but The Jacket was pretty entertaining, and I’m glad I took a chance on it.

Scott Pilgrim VS The World (2010) 8/10- I love this movie, and this is one of these films I can never grow tired of watching. I know a lot of people hate Michael Cera, but I tend to enjoy his films. Scott Pilgrim is filled with laughs, and the stunning visuals in this film are very cool to watch, and they actually go well with what’s going on in the movie. There’s also a nice little love story here. Scott Pilgrim VS The World is a fun ride, and I always enjoy watching this one.

Evil Dead 2 (1987) 10/10- Good God Sam Raimi is one sick fuck! But I can’t deny how much I loved this movie. Evil Dead II managed to bring so many emotions out of me. I laughed, I was disturbed, I was in shock at times, and there were plenty of scary moments in this film. This film has tons of blood and gore, and I was very entertained as I watched this film. This film never has a dull moment, because Evil Dead II starts with a bang, and the thrills and tense moments never stop in this movie.

Predator 2 (1990) 1/10- I’ve always hated this film. Over the years, I’ve tried to get into this Predator film, but I just can’t. The first film was great, but this sequel was so horrible and disappointing. The Predator in the 1987 film had to go to great lengths to take down the soldiers, but the Predator in the second film has trouble killing a ******** DEA agent (Gary Busey) and a regular cop (Danny Glover)? It just doesn’t make sense, and I’ve never been able to overlook this. The Predator is supposed to be challenged by warriors. Watching this bad ass alien run around Los Angles reminds me of the T-Rex running around the city in Jurassic Park: The Lost World. It’s just ridiculous. The acting isn’t bad here, but after all of these years, I just can’t buy into the story.

Surrogates (2009) 4/10- Meh. This film isn’t horrible, but it isn’t anything special either. The acting is okay, and Bruce Willis is a decent enough lead man here, but the story here is so predictable and dull. I expected a little bit more from this movie, but Surrogates really didn’t wow me in any way.

The Final Destination (2009) 1/10- You know something, when I first watched this film in 3D at theaters, I could tolerate it, because the 3D effects we’re very cool. But when you take away the eye popping 3D visuals, you can truly see how terrible this is. The acting is bad, and we’re in the fourth film in the series, so the whole “we have to avoid certain death!” storyline gets kind of old. Nothing really changes as far as the story goes. They follow the same EXCAT pattern they use in the other films as far as the story goes, and the creative kills really didn’t wow me this time around. A film series that revolves around people being killed in bizarre ways can become really old after a while, and I did have that feeling while watching this one again.

Starsky & Hutch (2004) 6/10- This wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. There were a good amount laughs in this one, and they did a really nice job of capturing the 70’s era here. The story isn’t that great in this one, but this movie did make me laugh a lot. Also, Snoop Dogg didn’t annoy me as much I thought he would, and the rest of the cast was pretty solid here.

Blade 2 (2002) 8/10- I enjoyed this Blade film more than the first one. Blade II has a lot more action, and the plan to capture the Daywalker becomes even more complex. We get to see a new breed of vampires in this film, and the fight scenes are fun to watch here. Blade II is probably my favorite Blade film, because I’m not too crazy about the first one, and I hated Trinity.

Maximum Overdrive (1986) 7/10- A lot of the critics like to bash Stephen King for his directing in this film, but I seriously don’t think he did a bad job. His style was kind of plain and ordinary, but I didn’t think he did a horrendous job here. Anyway, Maximum Overdrive is a VERY campy horror movie that you really can’t take too seriously, so if you don’t want to see a film where people are trying to survive an attack from trucks and other possessed machines, then you should avoid this one. The humor here is pretty good, and there are some creative kills, but some of the characters in this film were so annoying. I was actually waiting for certain people to be killed off. Also, if you're a fan of AC/DC, then you'll probably enjoy the music here, because they are the ones who did the soundtrack for this film.

Zombie Honeymoon (2004) 7/10- If you’re looking for tons of blood, gore, and carnage, then this film isn’t for you. Sure, there is some blood and gore here, but they don’t go too extreme with the violent stuff in this one. I enjoyed this film because Zombie Honeymoon puts an interesting twist on zombie films. When someone becomes infected in a zombie film, the reaction from the other characters is usually “FUCK IT! We have to kill them no matter what!” That’s not the case in this film. In Zombie Honeymoon, the main characters are married, and the husband becomes infected during the couple’s honeymoon. The husband slowly transforms into a flesh eating zombie, but his wife won’t pull the trigger when it comes to killing him, and she has to make a tough decision at the end of this film. We also get to see the relationship struggles between these two, and I think this adds a very interesting dynamic to the film. Zombie Honeymoon isn’t your typical zombie flick, but it is unique, and I really enjoyed this one.

The Mad (2007) 6/10- This film doesn’t take it self seriously, and there are a good amount of laughs in this one. There is a good amount of blood and gore here, and the violence is pretty gruesome. Billy Zane was very entertaining as the lead man. He was funny and witty, but his character does come off as a douche bag at times. Still, The Mad is a solid zombie flick.

Taxi Driver (1976) 10/10- I really need to watch this film more often! This is one of those “must see” films. Robert De Niro is just brilliant here. He does such a great job of playing this disturbed man, and his character’s transformation in this film is so unreal. I enjoy watching his descent into madness, because De Niro manages to pull it off so well. He starts out as a quiet and disturbed man, but he eventually turns into this gun-toting psychopath. The acting is superb in this film, and Taxi Dirver has such a raw and gritty feel to it. This is one those films that can stand the test of time, and this one of the many reasons why Martin Scorsese is my favorite director.

Adaptation (2002) 10/10- Outstanding. I usually bash Nicholas Cage, but he was great here. Meryl Streep also did a fine job in this film. Chris Cooper was also awesome. Adaptation is a very unique comedy, and this one is very well written, but Charlie Kaufman wrote the screenplay, so that doesn’t surprise me at all. The acting is superb in this film, and I really have the urge to add this one to my DVD collection. I just wish we could’ve seen more of Brian Cox’s character, because this scene was priceless……

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]JHVqxD8PNq8[/YOUTUBE]

Alien (1979) 9/10- Aliens will always be my favorite film in this series, but I still enjoy this film. This film is mysterious, and the tension throughout this entire film is unreal, and the nail biting moments become even more intense towards the end. This film has a good amount of spook moments, and I think Alien is a very memorable horror/science fiction film. Sigourney Weaver does a nice job with the lead role, and the rest of the cast is decent enough.

Chloe (2009) 6/10- The acting here is pretty damn good. Liam Neeson and Julian Moore did a fine job, and I did enjoy Amanda Seyfried as Chloe here. She was seductive, creepy, and psychotic. This character had a lot of depth, and Seyfried was very convincing. The story is pretty weak, but there is a nice little twist towards the end, and Chloe is filled with a nice set of interesting characters.

Hostel (2005) 8/10- The violence and gore in this one is pretty intense. Hostel starts out as this fun adventure, as you watch a group of college kids have a good time in Europe, but things quickly take a turn for the worst, and this one of the reasons why I always enjoy this film. Everything starts out so cheery, but the mood of this film becomes so dark and creepy as time goes on. The deaths in this film are sick, and the acting is decent enough. The suspense really picks up towards the very end of this film, but I do think the ending is kind of lame. Still, I always enjoy Hostel, because this is one gruesome and creepy horror flick.

Hostel 2 (2007) 8/10- You know something, I want to complain about this film, but I just can’t. This film kind of bothers me, because they pretty much stuck to the exact same formula that is used in Hostel Part One. They even end the movie with same revenge style ending that is used in the first film! In Hostel II, the victims are women, and they do tweek the story a little bit, but there were times where I felt like I was watching the same film again. I was expecting something completely different, but this film was done well. We learn more about the underworld of the bad guys in this film, and we also learn more about the motivations of the people who kill the innocent victims in this film. Also, the blood, gore, and violence is a lot more intense in this film. Some of the kills in Hostel II are really repulsive.

Desperation (2006) 6/10- The acting is okay here. Tom Skerritt shines here, and I do think he had the most entertaining character. But Ron Perlman’s character annoyed the fuck out of me. He was so obnoxious, as he played this demented Sheriff. The story here is pretty solid. It’s mysterious, and the twists keep coming as the mystery unfolds. Although, things do become kind of tacky and corny towards the very end. Desperation isn’t great, but there are some nice spook moments in this one, and this film does have a chilling feel at times.

Laid To Rest (2009) 7/10- This was a fun little slasher film. The kills in this film are so gruesome and creative. There’s a good amount of suspense in this film, and the mysterious story is intriguing throughout the entire film. The acting is decent enough, and I actually enjoyed Chrome Skull as the bad guy here. He was menacing and creepy. The twist at the end was pretty sweet, and I am happy I took a chance on this film.

Jason X (2002) 0/10- Awful. Just awful. I tried to give this one another chance, because I haven’t seen this film in a couple of years. Well, I watched Jason X again, and I still hated it. The acting is fucking terrible in this film, and I couldn’t wait for the majority of the characters to be killed off in this film, because they were so annoying. The production values were also shit here. There were times where I felt like I was watching a TV movie. Jason in outer space might sound like a fun idea, but I thought the story was horrible. Don’t expect anything great from Jason being in the future, because we don’t see Super Jason until the very end of the film, so for the bulk of the film we’re stuck with the usual “Jason slowly hunts and kills everyone” storyline. The only difference is Jason’s victims are aboard a spaceship this time. I tend to enjoy campy style slasher films, but this one was a colossal train wreck.

Road Kill (2010) 1/10- The acting is okay here, but everything else about this film is really shitty. I know this a horror film, and in a horror film, you’re going to have characters who make your usual dumb mistake(leaving a group or pair, opening locked doors, entering rooms you know you shouldn’t enter, trusting people you know you shouldn’t trust, etc.) but the stupidity in this film is just unbelievable. This was another film where I was rooting for EVERY character to die. The story here is such a mess, there aren’t any real spook moments, and we never get a real and thorough explanation about the evil truck.

Mystery Men (1999) 7/10- Yeah, this film is very over the top, and it’s not meant to be taken seriously, but I still loved Mystery Men. The humor here is great, every character is unique and funny in their own way, and the acting is pretty solid. This film managed to entertain me, and there were times where I couldn’t stop laughing. If you’re into superheroes, then there’s a chance you’ll love this one.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

Here are the last four films I watched:

Chungking Express (1994): Man, every time the credits roll for this one, a huge smile comes across my face and, if it weren't for my associating it with the worst kind of self-pity, I'd also hug myself. Along with Almost Famous and Monsoon Wedding, this film affirms my belief that life is worth loving and that the handful of perfect moments it gives you makes the constant shit most of us wade in worth trudging through. Quentin Tarantino once said that this Chungking Express made him cry because he was so happy to "love a movie this much." I don't cry tears of joy, but I completely understand how he feels. 10/10

F (2009): Faceless hoodlums terrorize a sheepish teacher after hours at an English high school (or whatever they call them over there...sixth form or something like that). Unfortunately, the shittiest ending in film history turns what was at first a thought-provoking and taut thriller into a forgettable slasher. There literally is NO ending...it just stops, and not in the good Rules of Attraction or The Sopranos series finale kind of way. 4/10

Island of the Damned (1976): Friends of mine have raved about this film for years, and I just got around to watching it. About a Spanish island where inexplicably possessed kids have murdered all of the adults, Stephen King more than likely ripped Island of the Damned off when he wrote Children of the Corn. Anyway, although the film as a whole is only so-so, the creepy score and a couple of truly terrifying moments make it a must see for any true horror fan...kind of ashamed I've only now gotten around to watching it. 6/10

Sella Turcica (2010): Have I already reviewed this one? Anyway, my main man Fred Vogel has fully matured with this one. The August Underground series proved that Vogel was an SFX genius, but I'm glad to say that he's now just as equally impressive as an independent horror filmmaker. The only other film I can think of that's similar in plot to Sella Turcica is Bob Clark's Deathdream. Although some consider Deathdream a horror classic, I think Sella Turcica shames that outing in virtually every conceivable aspect. The acting's solid, the make up's amazing, the atmosphere's as dreadful and disconcerting as humanly possible, and the climax is one of the best fucking things I've seen in quite some time. I'd love to see Vogel get a big break. 8/10

 

[Attitude]

I would like to contribute a couple too.

Lord of the Rings:The Return of the King: If Lord of the Rings had a Wrestlemania this would be it. This movie was simply great. It had great action scenes and had some really great emotions throughout too. Sam pretty much owned in this movie (more towards the end). He took out Sheila the Spider all by himself, defeated a group of orc by himself, carried Frodo most of the way up the mountian to destroy the ring, and at the end of the movie gets the girl. Just simply awesome. I could write all day about this one. 10/10.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Anybody who is a Harry Potter fan and read the books will probably bash me for this one. I liked the movie tremendously. I think this has to be one of the best Potter films in the series due to great acting in it. All the movies leave out parts of the book but this one probably is the worst offender of leaving out parts of the book. I read the book first too but still thought the movie was great and thought they did a great job portraying the book. That is my opinion however. 10/10.

Tuck Everlastin: Before Twilight there was Tuck Everlasting. Basically a family the "Tuck's" drank water out of this fountain(blanking on the term so just called it fountain) of water. They ended up living forever. They begin getting tracked by a guy who wants to use this fountain for himself and the town. The Tuck's run into Winnie Foster who's family owns the woods the they live in. So they kidnap her and keep her until they know they can trust her. The guy tracking them hooks up with the Fosters to find Winnie and well you guys can watch the movie on your own. I give it a 10/10

My first time on here. I might be generous with my ratings, however I do enjoy these movies alot.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

I've seen a lot more since my last post but I absolutely hated them. So I thought I'd drop the pessimism (except in one case) and give you mini-reviews of the four films I've recently seen:

The Loved Ones (2009): There are so, so many things wrong with this film but I can't deny director Sean Byrne's potential. Without the end credits, this flick, about a disturbed high school student who, along with her dad, kidnaps and tortures the boy who (politely) rejected her offer to go to an end-of-year high school dance, clocks in at about 78 minutes. Unfortunately, about 30 of those minutes are spent on a side narrative that really has no point besides to non-too-cleverly tie in to what we saw in the film's prologue. All that being said, the acting and special effects are great and I have no doubt in my mind that Sean Byrne's the next Greg McLean (hopefully he doesn't disappoint us). 6/10

Red, White, and Blue (2010): A nasty little indie revenge drama set in the seedier parts of Austin, Texas. This is one of those films that, the less you know, the better your viewing experience will be. I am thus not going to spoil this one for you. 6/10

Somos Lo Que Hay (2010): Man, oh, man...critical hype always makes me way too generous with films that don't deserve it. I saw this film at the beginning of the year in at a private screening and thought it was one of the best horror films I'd seen in years (in case you're wondering, it's about a poor family of cannibals in Mexico City whose patriarch dies and who must decide how to get a victim for their next ritual). Well, I saw it again this past week and I can't stress enough how disappointed I both this film and myself. Although extremely stylish, Somos Lo Que Hay has a great build-up that it horribly fails to deliver on. Furthermore, for a film about cannibals, it's rather low in the gore department. I am well aware that gore isn't necessary to for horror film to be great, but it sure as hell is necessary for a horror film with such a lurid subject matter. 4/10

Dream Home (2010): The most bad-ass horror film I've seen since Inside and one that's bound to put Hong Kong back on the horror relevance map. About an honest, hard-working woman who resorts to a killing spree in a posh apartment complex to get the kind of flat she's aspired for decades to get, Dream Home has everything you could want in a horror film: great story, credible acting, social commentary that's more subtle than aggressive, and enough gore to make the most hardened of us squirm. This one comes highly recommended from yours truly. 8/10

 

[Dave]

Primal
Anthropology has never been so dangerous​

Yes, another Ozploitation movie that I am reviewing. This one, however, is very different from the other reviews I have posted. For one thing, it is because this movie is so vastly different from the others. This movie, in case you don't know is about 6 friends who travel to see ancient rock paintings in Australia until one of the friend recedes to state of primal behaviour, attacking her friends and generally causing death and mutilation.

Note, this may contain spoilers.

Here is the thing about this movie, it makes no God damn sense. I know that it is only a movie and the suspension of reality is integral in getting into the film but this one just lost me, to be honest. Not only was the plot ludicrously unbelievable, the acting was pretty poor in all honesty. But first thing is first, let's look at the plot lines. Mel, the openly ****tish member of the group decides to go skinny dipping whilst out camping in what may be the freakiest camp site ever. Upon coming out of the water, she realises that leeches are all over her body. After having a brief tussle with them, she seems to be dine. That is until she starts developing a fever and losing her teeth. Upon waking the next morning, Mel is seen to be chewing on a dead rabbit and then proceeds to chew on the throats of her friend. The fun is too much to bare for alpha-male Dace who goes into the water to hide... Now, call me crazy but if someone went into the water and turned into a flesh-eating cannibal, the last thing I would be doing is going into the same body of water. That being said, it makes more sense under the plot. To me though, there was just too many inconsistencies in the plot that left me scratching my head. For instance, why is Dace dead after eating one of his friends? Just silly.

Another problem with this movie is that it really lacks direction. One such example of this is when they are trying to capture the beastly Mel. It takes a good 15 minutes out of the movie as they set up a trap and attempt to lure her in. Within 30 seconds, Mel had chewed and clawed her way out of the trap and was gorging on the throat of one of her friends. It really bothered me that they would give so much time to something that really was never going to work. The other problem with this is that the people involved had no plan with what to do with the beast once it was captured. Great, because she has just escaped and you are actually less able to deal with her than before. That just bigged the Hell out of me..

The acting was probably one of the saving graces of the movie and I can't really fault it at all. I am not saying that any of the actors should be considered for an Oscar but in relation to the movie, it definitely wasn't bad. The characters were gripping and fit the horror bill pretty routinely. One of the characters was so fucking annoying though, I wanted to smash his fucking bespectacled face in. That being said, there were times when I appreciated the acting and times when I wasn't too fussed.

Perhaps the worst thing about this movie was it's failure to grab my attention on numerous occasions. I have been watching movies for a long time and this was one of the first ones that actually made me want to stop watching, somewhat like Sucker Punch. Although this one didn't seem like a trial, I did feel as though I could have been spending my time watching better movies and just having a better time. It's a shame that this could not follow up on the successes of The Loved Ones and Lake Mungo in my estimations. That being said, it definitely isn't a bad movie. It just wasn't up my street.

1/5

 

[Burnout]

Burnouts Source Code review:

Source Code is a fictional thriller movie. The movie was directed by Duncan Jones. The main stars in the movie are Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga and Jeffery Wright.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays the lead character in the movie, starring as Captain Colter Stevens, who is a helicopter pilot who was working in Afghanistan. Unknowingly, he is participating in an experimental procedure, dubbed the Source Code. In this procedure, a person takes over another person’s body in the last 8 minutes of that person’s life to try and prevent the disaster, which already had happened, but Source Code, manipulates time to get another chance at preventing and alternating the incident. In this movie, Gyllenhaall, takes up the body of a teacher Sean Fentress. The movie is based around a train, and a bomb on the train. This was Source Codes mission for Colter, guided by Captain Colleen Goodwin, played by Vera Farmiga and Dr. Rutledge, the Source Code developer, to find the bomb and the bomber and save the people. He can use many attempts to try and solve the situation, but with each attempt, time was running astray.

The movie was good with some great acting performances. However, it’s extremely detailed and deep plot at times is a bit confusing. After I had seen the movie, it took me five minutes to process the end, wondering how, after his life machine being turned off, was he still living in a alternate universe. Eventually the mind processes it, but if there was a low point to the movie, it would be the confusing ending. I like these kinds of time manipulation things, and this was a good one, and even though I had thoughts that I’d see the same thing over and over, they kept it fresh and interesting and had my eyes focused the whole time
Rating: 3/5 .

 

[.]

Two film reviews for me. All based off of stories by horror writer(Famous for works such as Candyman and Hellraiser) Clive Barker in his books of blood series of short stories whos writings I am a fan of.

Spoilers Ahead!​

Dread(2009): A horror film starring Jackson Rathbourne(Also known as one of the ZOMG GUYS FROM TWILIGHT!!!) and Shaun Evans based on the short story by Clive Barker. Th film is about three college students: Stephen, Quaid and Cheryl who decide that as a part of their video documentary class they will investigate differant kinds of fears. Slowly this investigation progresses into a dark area by Quaid who is using this investigation as a means of exploring his morbid fascinations.

The great thing about this film is that it deals with something everybody has: a phobia. The way people's Dread affects them is portrayed in a very good but disgusting manner. In the film Quaid himself has a fascination with all peoples fears and has a disturbing personality evident from the dreams that haunt him due to when he was a child his parents were murdered in front of him by an axe wielding maniac. Quaid forces others to come to face their fears in incredibly morbid ways as a means of avoiding coming to terms with his Thanatophobia. For example, Cheryl has Carnophobia. This is a result of that when she was a child she was raped by her father and what had always stuck out in her mind was the stench of meat coming from him from working at the meat factory. Quaid forces Cheryl to come to terms with her dread by locking her in a room with a bucket of water and a large piece of beef. There are also a group of flies in the warm room with her which help act in the crux of her dilemma: The longer she waits the worse it gets. After 6 days in the room she eats the piece of beef(Which now has maggots climbing out of it) savagely. Another great example is when Quaid kidnaps up another college boy named Joshua. Joshua was once deaf and one day his hearing returned to him and since then he has been afraid of going deaf again. Quaid shoots Josh across his ears making him deaf again. This film offers a great insight into fears and how they originate. The ending of the film is not good and very bleak but enjoyable and does everything that a horror film should and that's be relistic. It's true to the short story it's based on I found it to be a very enjoyable horror film.

Overall rating: 9/10

Books of Blood(2008) A drama-mystery-horror film starring Sophie Ward, Jonas Armstrong and even a small role from Doug Bradley(who played Pinhead in the hellraiser films). The film is about a paranormal professor(Mary Florescu) who visits a house that is apparently haunted with a camera man(Reg) and one of her students(Simon) who she develops a close bond with. The film begins on a dramtic scene which shows a young girl(Who had previously lived in that house) being violently hurled against the ceiling, raped and beaten in her bed while her parents stand outside screaming her name. Shortly before the authorities break in, an unseen force rips her face off and inscribes on the doorway "Do not mock us." As the film develops Mary appears to be becoming bonded with these spirits while the spirits appear to treat Simon as their link to the outside world. They carve messages into him to communicate with Mary who they see as the "key". A good film and true to the text like Dread. The cinematic equivalent of a page-turner, worthy of more than a mere skim for those who like their horror on the dark side of macabre. Certian points of this film annoyed me but other than that it's a great film.

Overall rating: 8.5/10

I'll try to post a third one on Midnight Meat Train later tonight If I can.

 

[Dave]

The Hunt For Gollum
A prequel​

As part of the on-going Movie Live Discussion going on in the Live Discussion forum, we have just got done watching this movie that is a precursor to the Peter Jackson trilogy of the Lord Of The Rings. Based on the appendixes of the trilogy of books, this movie was “created by fans for fans” on a shoestring budget of just $5000. But regardless of the amount of money you put into a movie, what matters is the writing and how you manage to transfer the potential into your efforts and how well they transfer to the Big Screen.

Note – This May Contain Spoilers

The acting in this 40 minute short was pretty shaky at times but I didn't expect anything better form it. I think it helped that I went into this movie expecting very little and was actually pleasantly surprised. However, the acting was perhaps the weakest element of this movie. To say that it was “bad” is wrong because there were some flashed of brilliance in this movie. That being said, there was times during the movie that the original accent of the lead would shine through and it took me out of the experience for a while. They did manage to do a very good job considering that no one got paid for this movie. The acting is sublime compared to some other films I have seen with a better budget.

The characterisation of this movie is based on the characters created by writing legend JRR Tolkien and so it comes as no surprise that they were spot on. They tried to keep the characters as close to the Peter Jackson characters as possible and managed it for the most part. Aragorn was very well done and the Orcs looked damn good in their costumes. Add to that mix the fact that they were portrayed very well by the cast and you have a good strength of this movie. It is worth saying that the person who played Gollum was pretty damn near to the money and obviously took a lot of influence from Andy Serkis in this role.

What I thought was incredible, was how good the sets looked and how fluently the film moved from one to the other. There are times when you will look at it and see right through the facade but for the most part, this was really well done. The sets were really detailed and looked damn good. The CGI for Gollum was done perfectly and really added a lot to the movie.

Really, I thought that this movie was pretty good. It wasn't the best movie you will ever see but considering that they made it on a tiny budget for no=profit, it is pretty satisfying. Yes, perhaps the writing was all done for them going in but they were the ones who had to make it happen and they did that with some ease.

3.5/5

 

[carroll23morgan]

I have seen Scream 4 recently. I liked it very much. The whole thing is completely farcical, predictable and cliched to the max, without a whiff of hiding these facts either, but its still not clever in anyway, so if you wanna be zapped back to the 90's then feel free to watch.

 

[Nate DaMac]

So I suppose I'm going to try my hand at this. Just a little note before I start, critical success or anyone's opinion for that matter means jack shit to me. I enjoy what I enjoy and I really don't care if I get shit on for it. I'm just saying this because I'm certain that several people will hate the movies I enjoy, which is fine, I'm just making it clear that my opinion doesn't necessarily reflect those of the masses.

I'll just basically be reviewing movies that are fresh in my mind. I don't get to the theaters much and I'm way behind on some of the newer films. Here we go.

127 Hours-Now this movie has garnered a lot of positive feedback, and I would have to agree. I don't understand how I could be so enthralled with a movie that stays in one location and relies heavily on first person emotion and flashback/hallucinations, but somehow James Franco pulled me in. His performance was amazing, easily the best of his career thus far. The ending was... well I don't want to give it away, but it was hard to sit through.
4.5/5

The Green Hornet-This is the last movie I went and saw in theaters and it was my first 3D film as well, but boy I would have been pissed if I paid full price to see this in 3D. Luckily, a casino in my area had 1/2 Saturdays so I only paid about $7.50 and for that amount, this movie was pretty fun. I just felt like the 3D effects were pretty meh and were likely just inserted to hike up prices. They didn't really do a whole lot with them. Hell, the preview for the new Pirates Of The Caribbean flick had more interesting 3D effects than the movie. But other than that, I dug the hell out of this. It was weird hearing Rogen using PG-13 jokes but he still managed to make me laugh. The fight scenes were also pretty sweet. Not much else to say on this one.
3/5

BasEketball-I loved this movie so much when I was younger. My parents hated it, saying it was too childish and now that I'm older, I see what they were saying. You could see the jokes coming from 6 miles away and the only saving grace was Matt & Trey's delivery of sub par material. I can take solace in the fact that they didn't have anything to do with the writing, they were signed just for their acting ability. Still, a lot of funny shit in this movie.
2.5/5

 

[Douglas]

black swan-4/5
the movie was thrilling but the story line was slow.
I think it could have been better.


Leather jacket

 

[Dave]

Sin City
A City Of Sin... Obviously​

this movie came highly recommended to me from JGlass, I believe. When I was reading the “Must See” lists from others, I noticed this movie title and I must admit, a faint aroma of familiarity came over me. Obviously, when this movie was released, it was a big deal. I have no idea why I never went to see it or watched it after it came out on DVD but I have remedied that now and without furthering jabbering from me, let's get on with this review.

Note – This will contain spoilers

From the very start of this movie, your attention will be grabbed and you will be sucked into this film without even knowing it. I was 30 minutes through the movie, at the edge of my seat, before I even realised that I had gone so far in without reaching for some Doritos. Straight from the offing, this film will dragged, kicking and screaming, into an increasingly wonderful plot. And therein is the main strength of this film, the plot. The plot is enticing, satisfying and amazingly gripping. There were times during this movie that I would not take my eyes off of the screen in case I missed something that was going to shape the rest of the flick. Here's the thing about Sin City, the more you watch it, the more invested you get in the fate's of our heroes. And that brings me nicely onto our heroes...

The casting in this movie is wonderfully intelligent. I must say that special props go to Mickey Rourke, who continually seems to amaze me by how convincing he is every movie I see him in. Whether it is The Wrestler, Iron Man 2 or this one, he always seems to give this role 110% and I am now only noticing that. His portrayal of Marv is exceptional and is half of the reason that I loved this movie so much, His character was brash, brazen and thoroughly enjoyable. However, not all of the credit must go to Mickey Rourke. Bruce Willis and Clive Owen also played magnificent parts in this movie. I am by no means a fan of Clive Owen and I have only ever been entertained by one of his movies but he just seems to fit into this movie with expert precision. Bruce Willis really surprised me too. I have not seen a movie of his that I legitimately enjoyed since Die Hard and I had low expectations for him in this one. That being said, he absolutely blew those expectations out of the water and then gave me the finger for ever doubting him. There are so many great actors in this movie, you wont be able to keep up with them but they are all worth a watch.

I guess I should talk about the style of this movie. I have not seen a movie shot like this when I have been watching a movie and certainly not to this standard. The black and white tone adds something different to this movie. It is an aspect that you can never really put your finger on but one that you appreciate too. The special effects just look much more dynamic thanks to the way it is shot. I really liked this way of filming and it really lent itself to the movie, adding a sense of surreal danger to the film. It was very appreciated on my part.

All in all, I could not have asked for more form this film. I must thank JGlass for recommending it to everyone and I will be listening to him more often. So much so, that American History X is next up on the list of movies to watch. This movie has set such a high standard for movies though, I reckon I should wait awhile before I watch anything else...

5/5

 

[Dave]

American History X
A Tale Of Two Edwards​

“Have you ever watched a movie and felt as though a bomb has just been dropped on you?”

That was the now infamous quote that JGlass said to me over MSN whilst I typed up my review of Sin City, another movie that he recommended to me. If you look up the way, you will see it there for everyone to read. However, this quote sums up this movie up brilliantly well. Lord knows why I didn't watch this movie sooner. Considering it has been universally well-received for well over a decade now, one would have thought I would have found time out of my schedule to watch this movie. However, I never did and I guess that is to my chagrin. American History X tells the story of a young Neo-Nazi and his impressionable brother. After shooting two men as they broke into his car in the dead of night, Derek (Edward Norton) is scheduled to 3 years in prison for his actions. Coming off of the deep end, his younger brother (Edward Furlong) begins to traverse the same route that he did. Upon release, it becomes clear that Derek is a changed man.

Note, the following may contain spoilers.

As I lay in bed watching this movie from start to finish, there was one feeling that swept over me like a cold breeze and that was satisfaction. After watching quite possibly one of the best movies ever in Sin City, I was unsure if American History X was going to be able to live up to the lofty standard that Sin City had established. Needless to say, I was completely wrong. American History X is a wonderfully played 0out story that will enlighten, enthral and uplift you throughout. Not only does it deal with the gritty sub-cultured in many places, it deals with issues much closer to home and that is why I appreciate this movie. Looking further into it though, the reasons to love this epic are many.

Firstly, the acting is utterly sublime. From top to bottom, the movie had everything going for it. Needless to say, Edward Norton is absolutely phenomenal in this movie and really managed to get me engrossed throughout. In my opinion, Edward Norton may be the finest actor of out generation and he doesn't get nearly enough credit for that. His portrayal of Derek in this movie was absolutely spot on. It is funny how quickly he moves from being at one end of the social and political spectrum to the other. What's more impressive is how easily he manages to pull this off without putting his performance in any danger of being ridiculous. The acting felt brilliantly natural and that is something that comes along with the allure of Edward Norton. I honestly think that he was born to play this role. Looking over some of the actors in Hollywood, I doubt anyone else would have been able to play this role quite so well. Congratulations should also go to Edward Furlong for such a scintillating performance. He was a credit to the movie and his performance balances out Norton's throughout.

As for the plot of the movie, I thought it was wonderfully written. Upon reading the synopsis for this movie, I must admit that a pigeon-hole began to form in my mind. However, any preconceptions I had about this movie were completely blasted by how far this movie deviated from what I expected of it. I had no idea it would be this gritty or as compelling. Yet, it somehow manages to pull you in right from the very beginning and keeps you hooked on the events until the end credits. The plot is astoundingly profound and the twist at the end will leave you reeling, take that from me.

Honestly, this might be one of the finest movies I have ever seen and it blows Sin City out of the water. For everything that Sin City gave me, American History X takes it and goes further. American History X was a thought-provoking, gloriously gripping movie that will live long in my memory. Although I have come late to the party, I fully appreciate this movie and everything in it. I highly recommend this movie and live in the hope that you will take some time to watch it.

5/5

 

[Burnout]

Burnouts Movie Review No.2: Back to the future.

Well, I was a back to the future virgin, so I decided it was about time I watched the movie.

Synopsis: Potential spoilers.
Back to the future is a time travel Science fictional/Comedy. It is based around Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, who is teenager living with parents George McFly(Crispin Glover) and Lorraine McFly(Lea Thompson) and is dating one Jennifer Parker(Claudia Wells, and a mad scientist Doc Brown who is played by Christopher Lloyd. In the movie, Doc Brown develops a time machine, dubbed the DeLorean time machine. He informs Marty about this, as Marty and Doc have a close bond. Things go pear shaped as Marty ends up time travelling back to 1985. The DeLorean though has no fuel to get back though, and Marty is stuck for the time being. He comes across a teen version of his father, and while following him, disaster strikes as he upsets the real outcome of the situation he was in. He has potentially changed the proper happenings of time, and has to try desperately to repair the time damage he has done, before everything is too late.

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed the movie. I should have watched this sooner, as I missed out on a really fun movie. There was great acting all round, and they blended so many genres of film into one, fiction, thriller, comedy, fantasy and love off the top of my head, a real complete package. I like time manipulating movies, and this was the best one I’ve seen. It’s a great movie, which had me enticed from start to finish, very enjoyable.

Rating: 5/5.

 

[Dave]

Fast Five
A movie about cars and money, clearly.​

So, having nothing else to do with my holiday today, I decided that it would make a lot of sense to go and see Fast Five at the cinema with some of my friends. I only just go back at the time of writing this and think it is only fair that you guys get to know what I thought of this movie.

Fast Five tells the story of Dominic Toretto and Brian O'Conner as they attempt their most daring mission yet. Upon rescuing Dom from spending the rest of his days in prison, Brian and Mia travel to Rio to meet up with the rescued brother. Soon, a plot unfolds to take down the boss of the criminal underbelly of Rio with a cunning plan to rob him of all of his money. You know... The usual.

Note, the following may contain spoilers.

The first thing I always look at when I do a review is the plot. Usually, with the movies I have been watching, I am pretty flattering of plots that manage to keep me entertained. This one, however, doesn't have the strength of the other movies I have been watching. It certainly doesn't have the power of Black Swan or the dignity of The King's Speech. Still, this is an increasingly daring plot that really pays off when it comes to the conclusion. However, there was times when I was left scratching my head as to what a certain part had to do with the story. I think that, at 2 hours, the movie was a little long and could have done with being shortened slightly. They did try to fit a lot into this movie and it worked for the most part. During the movie though, there were times that I just wish it would progress the story. Still, you win some and you lose some. This movie, for all intents and purposes, was pretty solid in terms of plot. It was executed poorly in some places but it worked out in the end.

The acting in this is not brilliant but certainly gets the job done. I think I may have just summed this movie and franchise up in one sentence right there. No, it isn't the classy movie that would win an Academy Award but it just keeps grinding out movies that people flock to see. The acting in this one is probably the strongest since the original movie but that's still not saying much. I have never really liked Vin Diesel in these movies but he does come out of this one looking a little better in my estimations. As you can imagine, there is a lot of help from the supporting cast in this ensemble movie and that is a strength of the movie. It is worth noting that The Rock was awesome in this movie and I really enjoyed his performance. His character was exhilaratingly interesting and I really appreciated his performance within the boundaries of the movie. I honestly thought that he added something new to the movie that it was missing in the last couple of movies. Paul Walker is his usual self in this movie and he knocks out a solid performance along with the rest of the cast. Pretty good but not likely to win any Oscars come award season.

Personally, I think that this one ranks up along side the first one. Maybe it is better in some respects but there is just as many flaws with it. Like I said, I thought the pacing was a little off at times and they didn't give a lot of time to the secondary characters. The villain of the movie was given no time to show how devious he was and that bugged me. Still, this movie will do phenomenally well at the box office both in the US and abroad. It is already number one in the US and the UK will likely sit there next week too. Definitely worth a watch if you like the series. Other than that, this is a toss up. It is not bad but it is not brilliant either.

3/5

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

A Few Good Men: This movie was a lot less boring than I thought it would be. Growing up, I heard my parents say, "Oh, it's nothing but a bunch of court cases and talking in this movie," so I was never interested in seeing it. Well, I'm 21 now, and have long since realized that my parents are, uh... well, let's just say they're not happy with a movie unless it has at least 9 explosions in it.

But I digress. This movie kept me compelled the entire way through, right up until the famous "You can't handle the truth!" climax at the very end. Some weird pacing, but I don't mind so much. 8.5/10

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1: I've been extremely excited for this movie since maybe Harry Potter 3 came out, and I've been going into every single one of these movies with overly high expectations, as I am a huge fan of the books. Harry Potter 4, 5, and 6 simply didn't do it for me, and I was severely unhappy with them. But this one was split up into two parts. They surely must capture everything the book had to offer.

And they certainly did, along with upping the emotion, acting, and threw on an absolutely wonderful soundtrack to boot. It was the first time in a long time I've left the theater during ANY movie with nothing to complain about. 9.5/10

Hanna: Walking into this movie, I thought it would be something like Salt with a little girl, judging by the trailer. But what I got was an extremely wonkily-paced "thriller" with a shotty, nonsensical plot, characters I could never relate to in a million years, and some of the most awkward dialogue I've ever heard in a movie. Huge parts of the plot went unexplained completely, leaving me wondering why I'd given money to the studio who made it. 3/10

Scream 4: While I was looking forward to this movie, I still went in with low expectations, thinking that it would try way too hard to be a comedy (as Scream 3 did) while forgetting everything that made the Scream franchise enjoyable. With that in mind, I basically sat through a reboot-flick spoof that kept me entertained the entire time, as well as forcing me to care about characters I never cared about in the other movies. Seriously, Dewey became an enjoyable character for me. Anyway, the comedy was great and extremely well placed (as in, not right in the middle of tense scenes), and the story was extremely well done. I identity of the killer came way out of left field, and it was rather far-fetched, but you could easily stretch it to a story point that makes sense. Overall, great film that I certainly plan to add to my DVD collection. 8.5/10

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

Face/Off: It was a pretty damn decent movie, considering I was expecting it to be a completely unbelievable spectacle of unrealistic science and physics-defying explosions and stunts. Basically, Michael Bay, in the '90s. But John Woo gives it some legitimacy, particularly in the direction. There was one particular scene where the two men are looking at a two-way mirror, so they see their reflections, even though they've traded identities. It was possibly one of the most clever scenes in a movie I've seen in a long time. But I can't give it too much praise. I seriously did skip an entire half hour of this movie, and the plot didn't advance a minute. It was seriously non-stop stunts in between showing the two guys who have traded identities in various situations. However, I would recommend it. 6.5/10

Paul: I was extremely excited to see this movie. I loved every single Simon Pegg/Nick Frost ever made, and I figured this would be more of the same. I'm not even kidding, I could watch a straight 5 hours of back-to-back Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in various situations. However, this movie fell short on the comedy, and I don't understand why. I think it had a lot to do with Seth Rogen (playing the title character alien), whose jokes A) don't mesh well with Pegg/Frost's particular brand of comedy, and B) severely overpower everything else in the movie. It was WAY too much Seth Rogen, not NEARLY enough Pegg/Frost, and because of this, the movie falls entirely too short. But that's not to say the movie wasn't still enjoyable. I don't dislike Seth Rogen, but it should have balanced out. The plot was fun, the comedy was fun, the characters were fun -- special shoutout to Sigourney Weaver -- and I would recommend it to any stoned guy looking around Blockbuster for a movie to watch. 6.5/10

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

Source Code: I didn't originally have any desire to see this movie. The trailer looked extra "meh," and it just seemed like part of the first wave of summer explosion-fests. Plus, I knew going in that time travel would be used as a plot device, and I have yet to see a single medium of literature that uses it right. But holy shit, did Source Code use it right... at least up until the last couple of minutes of the movie (thou shall not spoil). The movie has me on edge, with a compelling storyline, compelling characters, compelling everything. It was near perfect, until something happened that got me so mad, it forced me to knock off two points off the top; something that sucked me right out of the movie's continuity. But again, no spoilers. See this movie (it's seriously worth it), and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. 8/10

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING WILL CONTAIN SOME MINOR SPOILERS!

Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
Story by: J. Michael Straczynski and Mark Protosevich
Scripted by: Ashley Miller & Zack Stentz and Don Payne
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddlestone, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård, Kat Dennings, Idris Elba, Gregg Clarke, Colm Feore​

Okay so I went into Thor with somewhat decent expectations. I knew they were taking the J. Michael Straczynski (JMS) run on the Thor comic recently and adapting it here, and it was a truly terrific run, so hopefully it would translate well onto screen.

There are really two stories playing out at once here, both of which centre around Thor. Number one is the story on Asgard where Thor is next in line to the throne. His father, Odin, is a brave warrior who brought peace to Asgard. After Thor almost totally ends that peace, he is banished by Odin to Earth. It's here we introduce story number two. Story two sees Jane Foster, a scientist, discover Thor and take care of him. While this is occurring, Mjolnir, the key to Thor's power, is taken by SHIELD and studied (tying into the post-credits scene from Iron Man 2).

The idea of a duel storyline was something I thought was going to hinder this project, but it actually doesn't turn out to be too bad at all. In fact it allows the film to cover both Thor the God and Thor the Man in equal balance. It also allows a strong supporting cast a chance to shine with Portman, Skarsgård and Dennings providing good, modern, foils for Thor. Colm Feore is also on form as the king of the Frost Giants; Laufey. Hopkins provides a grand performance that the Odin character needs while Gregg Clarke is solid as usual. Elba is also pretty damn solid.

Then we come to the two lead males: Hemsworth & Hiddlestone. Both are relatively unknown with Hemsworth known as Kirk Sr. in the latest Star Trek film and Hiddlestone as Branagh's sidekick in Wallander. This is there first real big screen shot, though neither fully seizes the opportunity. In Hiddlestone's case it's poor writing that holds back. The script writers seem to not fully understand Loki as a character and turning him into a damaged goods character totally overshadows his sinister and diabolical nature. For Hemsworth it’s a case of not using the tools he's provided with. He's got something but he isn't able to fully showcase it due to staying far to much in the comedic side of Thor. There are dramatic opportunities for him but he's doesn't really use them.

Overall Thor is a very fun affair and is enjoyable all round. It's got good acting, solid direction and a half decent plot/script. It could've been better but it was better than expected. I look forward to Captain America more now than ever and The Avengers too. Also, stick around post credits for the biggest hint at what's to come in The Avengers yet:

7/10​

 

[Nate DaMac]

Due Date- I'm not a fan of Robert Downey Jr. and I think Zack Galifianakis has become severely over-rated since The Hangover so I wasn't exactly jumping for joy to see this. So maybe it's because I was going in with low expectations, but despite my doubts I actually found this movie very enjoyable. The plot was as silly as I expected it to be which it is in pretty much any comedy that Zack G is in, but the part that surprised me was Downey. He made me laugh out loud quite a few time, especially when he spit in the dog's face. The only real downfall to me was Jamie Foxx. I really don't like Jamie Foxx.
4/5

Family Guy: It's A Trap- Yeah... This sucked. I loved Blue Harvest and Something Something Something Dark Side had it's moments as well, but this was an absolute shitfest. No laughs, nothing witty, absolutely no redeeming qualities at all. But hey, to their credit, they let you know right off the bat that they were completely burnt out on it and Fox wanted this to come out before they'd let MacFarlane do his movie. Still, this sucked.
0.5/5

 

[Arkham Noir]

127 Hours: I might be a bit late with this film but I saw it this afternoon and wanted to share my thoughts on it.

I really liked the way this movie played out. Filming a movie where about 85% of it takes place with the main character stuck in one spot is a difficult endeavor, but it was done very well in this film. I knew the story of Aron Ralston going into it, and I couldn't imagine what went on in his head that lead him to perform such a desperate act to save his life. By the end of the movie though, I was mentally with him and understood that there was absolutly no choice but to, well, I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it or doesn't know the story. I also commend James Franco for his performance as Aron. The part where he plays out a morning talk show I found to be the one scene that really drove the whole performence home for me. Him slowly losing his mind as he becomes dehydrated is done well with other things such as flash backs and him hallucinating, but I felt that some of them were a tad too exaggerated and melo-dramatic a times, but him interviewing other versions of himself about how he made some stupid decisions and should have told someone where he was going is very well done.

Overall, I highly recommend this film. Although I suggest that if you are squeamish you skip out on the few minutes following when he takes out his knife.

 

[Mac Attack]

Green Hornet

I saw this movie for the first time last night and I absolutely loved it. From the interesting and corny plot to the interesting battle scens to all the comedy bits of it. I think it is a movie that has everything going for it and I could eaily see them making a sequel to it. I highly reccomend this movie because of all the great bits of it. I think that if you are ever in the mood for a comdic action movie then this is a movie that you must watch as it has everything you are lokking for. The mix between serious and funny absolutely makes this movie.

 

[Dave]

Little Fockers
A small amount of fock​

Let's be frank here, this series of movies has not been the same since the first movie and I had a feeling that this one was just going to be a let down. However, it has given me a lot to talk about. This movie centres around the same two characters as the last two movies. This time, we are looking at a frail Jack as he struggles against the impending heart failure that a man may go through during his twilight years. Greg gets himself into situations that could be construed as other things when people are around and that leads to some more confrontation between he and Jack. But without further ado, let's get on with this movie review.

Note: This may contain spoilers!

When it comes to the plot, this movie just works off of the same formula that the past two instalments have and that is what annoyed me about this movie. Yes, they are in different situations this time but it is the same formula. Greg gets himself involved with a hot drugs rep and tells lies to his wife to avoid the ire of his father in law. So yeah, you could be excused for mistaking that plot premise for any other one of the movies. Then again, I always subscribe to the idea that if it isn't broken, don't try and fix it. The problem with that is that they don't even try to make it stand out on it's own. The same characters and themes run through this movie as if they were just remaking the second one and that isn't really acceptable. Still, as may think, it does have a good pay-off towards the end of the movie and although it has been done before, you still get the same feeling you did at the end of the first and second one when everything turns out for the best. All I wanted was a little originality from this movie.

The characters in this movie and the casting was pretty good. The same characters form the first two are prevalent here again and I suppose that is a strength of this movie. All of the cast know who they are playing and are comfortable in those roles. Robert De Nero and Ben Stiller are pretty good in their third instalment as Jack and Greg. However, it is Owen Wilson that steals the show this time around. His humour and characterisations is second to none and was one of the highlights of this movie. The casting was good if a little safe and I think it did it's job. Nothing too flashy but it was a workable movie.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie, it would be wrong of me to say that I didn't. However, I was just looking for more form it. A little more in regards to originality and a little more in regards to ideas. However, it played by the same rules that the first two have played by and it would have been nice to see it deviate from that path, if only for a little while. The ending pays off the entire movie well and is the best part of the movie as all of the ties of the movie come together. This is more of the same from this series and if you are going into it expecting miracles, then you are going to be sorely disappointed. Still, a decent enough movie that could have done a lot worse.

3/5

 

[Dave]

[REC]
Think Blair Witch Meets 28 Days Later​

On the good advice of one of my most trusted film-watching friends, I watched this movie with high hopes. She, like me, is a huge horror movie fan and when I told her that I hadn't seen REC, she told me that we could no longer be friends until I did. So, being that she is probably the only person who watches as many horror movies as I do, I didn't want to lose that friendship for too long. So last night, I popped in the DVD that I swiftly purchased form work and went to work on this bad boy. REC centres around a documenter/journalist who is interviewing and living the life of a fire-fighter on her fictional TV show “While You're Asleep”. Things pick up when Angela and the fire crew she is trailing are called to a disturbance when an old lady cannot get out of her house. The plot thickens when investigations begin to the mysterious screaming coming from her apartment.

Note – The following will contain spoilers.

The plot of this movie is incredible. It is really what I look for in a movie. I should say, first of all, that I really enjoy movies that use shaky camera shots. For me, it just adds another dimension to the film and adds a sense of reality that you don't get with other film. The plot really lends itself to this sort of shot too. Cloverfield and The Blair Witch Project are probably the closest things I can relate this movie too and since I absolutely loved both of them, then you can see why I went wild over this one. REC is probably the movie that did it best. It is very like Cloverfield in the way that is uses the camera to advance the plot. The plot itself is wonderful and is deeply disturbing in the same breath. The ever-present danger that is hidden in the plot is given away at the right times and really paid off towards the end. The mystery and intrigue that has been burned into my mind will continue as I look to watch REC 2 and see where the movie picks up. I hear that is a direct sequel to the original and picks up right after the first one. The plot is what will keep you coming back to this movie as you delve deeper into the intrigue of this film.

The cast is not one that I am familiar with. It is only recently that I have started watching movies that come from other parts of the world, discounting America. The Ozploitation movies I subjected myself to left me in my hopes of the cast being amazing and I was right. The film is pretty chaotic at times but the cast seems perfect for the roles. The main character, played by Manuela Velasco, is a great fit for the movie and really stars in this film. Her performance is brilliant she sells every twist and turn with the same fiery attitude that makes this movie what it is. I cannot find a fault here.

Really, I had high hopes for REC and it still managed to blow all of my expectations for it out of the water. I am sure that if you watch it, then you will love it. Any horror fan should see this movie because it is scintillating. Whether you like the Blair Witch Project of Cloverfield is actually irrelevant because this movie will have you hooked form the very first moment. There is a sever lack of fucking around in this film and everything that has a place in the movie deserves to be there. There is enough scares in the movie that you wont get bored and the plot alone is enough to have you interested. Also, at only 1 hour and 10 minutes, you can knock this one if a minimal amount of time.

5/5

 

[Dave]

Hard Candy
Your Uppance will come.​

Last night, whilst watching a couple of movie trailers online, I happened across Hard Candy. Now, I would be lying if I told you that I hadn't already heard of this movie. Maybe it was because of Ellen Page being involved but more likely because there was a huge stir about this movie when it was released. People were banging on about it like there was no tomorrow and examining the themes and social commentary that it brought forth. For me though, it just seemed a little too heavy back then and I put off watching it. Today though, I made it my mission to watch a movie that would give me a lot to talk about. Hard Candy seemed like the ideal choice and with some trepidation, I waded into a movie that I was sure was going to entertain me greatly. Hard Candy centres around a girl named Haley who meets up with Jeff, a paedophile that she has been talking to for some time on the internet. Pretty soon though, things take a major twists and not everything is as it seems, perhaps to the detriment of everyone involved.

Note – The following may contain spoilers.

The first thing I always talk about is the plot and it has to be the first thing I talk about when it comes to this movie. Like I had suspected before I watched the film, I soon found that the plot was so strong that it really takes a lot to look past how meaty it really is. It also really lends itself to having a great leading lady and a great supporting actor. The plot, whilst being gripping, really left me annoyed at times. The problem with it, is that it seems to be really repetitive. There are times when you think that Jeff is going to have his revenge on his “victim” but within minutes, we are placed back into the same predicament as we were only moments ago. For me, I would have liked a little more originality in the way of advancing the plot but it was merely a minor gripe in an otherwise great plot.

The cast is very minimal for this movie. There is 5 named actors for this movie. It really is very minimalistic in terms of how many characters we are introduced to. I guess this meant that Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson needed to bring their A game, right? Right. Both of them were absolutely astonishing and the plot really had me rooting for the “victim” as she took her revenge on an evil man that had subjected plenty of children to abuse and worse. Ellen Page was remarkable in this movie and it is no wonder that she received numerous awards for her role in this film. Her portrayal of Haley had me head over heels and the way she carried herself throughout the movie was a joy to behold. That is not to take away from Patrick Wilson though. For me, he delivered a much more emotional performance and I really appreciated the way that it balanced out the cold and calculating nature of Ellen Page's character. It really is as close to perfection, from a casting stand point, as you are ever likely to get.

I did have a couple of gripes with this movie and one of them was the plot holes that seemed to be prevalent. For example, how is a 14 year old girl supposed to be able to hoist a fully grown man onto an elevated position whilst he is passed out? That just annoyed me, especially when you consider that she has little to no muscle mass. Another gripe I had was the eventual end. It really is different to any other movie I have seen and I suppose that is a nice twist. However, I was kind of put off by how cunning and cold Haley was at the end of the film. For me, it just put her in the same shoes as the people she was plotting against. I'm not sure I liked the ending.

Still, this is a solid movie that I am not sure how to place. I think it is important to note that I found myself getting bored during some of the movie but it was more to do with the pacing than the actual story. If you like slow-paced thrillers that centre around people getting what is coming to them, then look no further than Hard Candy.

2.5/5