|
Children of the Corn 4: The Gathering - Unrated
|
|
|
October 10, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Jeepers Creepers 2 - R
|
|
Although not as good as the original, Jeepers Creepers 2 still managed to be one of the best sequels to come out in what seems to be an eternity. So the plot is based around a group of high school students on their way home from a game, traveling in the middle of nowhere they get a flat tire, the decide to keep going in hopes that they will still be able to make it home only to have another glitch of bad luck were they get yet another flat tire. Stuck in the middle of nowhere in a broke down school bus, the students are plagued by the "Creeper" who's on a mission to kill and eat everyone he can before the night is over. Ok so the plot is different from the original, which here lately is odd seeing as all sequels replicate their predecessors. But with this one they give a very new very original spin to the stuck in the middle of nowhere with no way to leave sub genre we have going. Acting, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with the acting that we get in this one. I was expecting stereo-typical performances, but instead you get believable, realistic acting. Even though some of the characters are completely unbelievable and your wishing that they would just die already, it still gives you some sort of character depth. As for gore I would have liked to see a bit more but what you do get is not half bad, a couple decapitations, stick through the head, and a bit more but not much. This is yet another aspect that surprised me in this movie, rather than go in the typical monster movie form and fill the screen with a ton of gore and very little suspense, director Victor Salva decided to do the opposite and do very little gore and a lot of suspense, and it worked very well. My biggest pet peeve with sequels is when we get a different director than the original. You can always see the difference no matter how big of a fan they were of the original. So I was super happy verging on ecstatic when I heard that Victor Salva the same man who directed the original was returning to do the sequel, and let me tell you he delivered. The directing was impeccable especially giving that 90% of the movie takes place in a bus. You'll also notice that this film contains a lot more action than the original did. As I said I am a huge fan of the original and found it to be one of the best most original films to come out in a long time, but I don't want to see the same thing in the sequel and Salva did a wonderful job at making sure that fans got a movie true to the original yet new and exciting. Soundtrack, major score. You get an eerie intense soundtrack that went with the film perfectly. Although you have probably heard it all before trust me it's just what the film needed. Bottom line, Jeepers Creepers 2 is an intense suspense filled sequel that delivers in almost every aspect, with a great plot, great acting, and wonderful directing I say check this one out, sure not to disappoint.
|
August 30, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
The Haunting in Connecticut - PG-13
|
|
After watching The Haunting in Connecticut I was extremely surprised at how many people thought that it was an "ok" movie. The plot is based around a family who moves to Connecticut so that their cancer ridden son can be closer to the hospital. Not long after they arrive (seriously like two minutes after they step foot in the house) they start to experience a serious paranormal haunting. Now it's up to Max to figure out the mystery of the house and the prior owners before they destroy his family. Ok this is the first time that a horror film has been able to double as a drama, and I have to say with the every five minute mention of cancer there were just a few dramatic aspects. Other than that there were a few similarities between this one and the Amityville Horror, while this is way better in my opinion than 2005's Amityville Sham, you still will catch some similarities. The plot isn't new and inventive by any means it's a very stereo-typical ghost/haunting movie plot. Acting, this is the highest point in the movie, actor Kyle Gallner was wonderful, most of the movie lies on the shoulders of him and Virginia Madsen because they were the only ones who got real roles, and they played them very well. Gallner plays a haunted cancer patient so perfect you would have suspected that he was an actual haunted cancer patient. As for the rest of the cast nothing memorable all the other characters were just fillers needed to hold the plot. Gore, this is not a film that relies on gore by any means. You get very little, some wicked body carving, eyelids being cut off, CGI plasma coming out of someone's mouth, and some very dead cadavers. Like I said this one relies a lot more on character depth and suspense to build the plot. Soundtrack, a very nice score, the movie could have easily had a flat lifeless soundtrack but thanks to Adam Swica we get a very intense moody score that does nothing but add to the film. This film is a far cry from perfection but in comparison to all of the remakes that we have seen this year I welcome something even remotely new with open arms. Director Peter Cornwell showed off a very good eye in this one, giving us some very good visuals and an over all nicely made movie. One of the only problems that I had with the film was that there were a few dull moments were although they were reveling the plot you still found yourself to be a bit bored. Bottom line, while the Haunting in Connecticut didn't succeed in making me jump I still found it to be rather enjoyable. With good acting, a reasonably good plot, and it not being a remake, I say check this one out.
|
August 30, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Midnight Movie - R
|
|
Going into Midnight Movie I'm not going to lie, I expected it to be a low grade unoriginal slasher flick that wouldn't be anything more than an ok way to kill a couple of hours, but to my surprise Midnight Movie turned out to be a fun original movie that surpassed all of my expectations in a big way. Ok so the plot is based around an old movie theater that is having a midnight horror movie showing, of a movie that is presumed to be cursed. As the legend goes the director and star of the movie actually killed all of the people staring in his movie, and now whenever it's played the killer will return taking the members of the audience and putting them in the movie. So the plot might sound a bit done, I was really surprised at how original this really was. Acting, you don't get terrific performances but name one slasher movie without Jamie Lee Curtis were you do. For the most part you get enjoyable performances, although they might not all be completely believable I still found them to be rather good. Gore, this one has the gore; you get a throat being slashed, lots of guts and stabbings, fingers being ripped off, an impalement, and a bit more, some great stuff. Directing, after watching this movie I liked it so much that I decided to Google director Jack Messitt to see what some of his previous films were, only to find out that this was his directorial debut. This movie looks completely professional and not at all like a director first film, so I am most excited to see what Messitt brings us in the future. Like I said the movie looks like it could have been a big screen horror flick, the visuals are stunning, and the angles that were used were absolutely brilliant. As all movies Midnight Movie did have a couple of flaws. It takes a while to get going, the first twenty minutes or so are a bit dull and lead you to believe that you are going to be stuck spending the next 85 minutes watching rubbish, but thankfully that did not happen, and even with a slow start the film still manages to keep audiences intrigued. Another thing was that there were a few questions left unanswered. This is one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to movies, although the questions are not huge the film still would have felt more complete if they were answered. As for the soundtrack, I loved the music in this one, at some points you get some fun heavy metal and at others you get great suspenseful mood music that fits the tone perfectly. And although some might find him unoriginal, I actually enjoyed the killer in this film; don't get me wrong here I don't think he's the next Freddy Kruger or could go down as one of the best, but he was still unique and fun to watch. Bottom line, Midnight movie was one of the best slasher films to come out in the last couple of years. With a fun vibe, that doesn't take the film to horror-comedy territory just makes it more enjoyable, good acting, some great ore, and some of the best directing I've seen in a while I say do yourself a favor and check out the can't miss slasher flick of the year.
|
August 11, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
The Cottage - Unrated
|
|
I went into The Cottage expecting a fairly good horror comedy, but what I got was a very bad want to be horror comedy. So the plot is based around two brothers who have kidnapped this girl and taken her to a cottage in the woods, soon after everything starts to go wrong the woman is a foul mouthed wretched person, and their accomplice is a moron who doesn't know what he is doing, the ransom turned out to be tissues, there are two Korean hit men after them, and a deformed farmer has come to the decision that he wants their heads on a platter. Ok I knew going into this that it was a horror comedy, but to be honest it wasn't funny. The jokes are lame, the actors were too good to be funny, and the killer was so silly that it took the funny right out of him and into ridiculous. Actually the only thing that was truly funny about this movie was the soundtrack, you get some of the most idiotic music I have ever heard, that doesn't go with the story line and doesn't fit in right at all. Another thing that made this movie un-enjoyable was the starting time. I swear it took forever to get to any point and for the first 10 minutes there was no talking, I actually thought it was going to be a silent movie. As for acting, you get much better acting than this film deserves or needs for that matter. You get Andy Sekis as David the older brother who isn't exactly mean but not exactly nice either, as well as Reece Shearsmith playing the dorky little brother with a severe case of mottephobia. A really nice cast that could do a lot better than this. Gore, while the film does deliver when it comes to gore, it took so long to get to any gore that by the time it got there you really didn't care anymore. So you get a shovel through the head, a slit throat, a foot cut in half, broken nose, a machete through the stomach, pick axe through the les, and some guts. All and all not bad but still was just too late in the game to matter. I'm not really sure if you could call The Cottage a horror-comedy for there really wasn't any comedy. At best this is a mediocre slasher flick, that doesn't know exactly what it wants to be. Bottom line I found The Cottage to be boring, unoriginal, unsure, and all and all a bad movie. I say skip this generic played out want to be horror comedy, it's just not worth the time or money.
|
August 7, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Darkness - PG-13
|
|
I went into Darkness expecting the stereo-typical ghost story, but I have to say this movie was anything but typical. So the film is based around this family who move into a new house, as soon as they get there bad things start to happen, their father gets a sickness back after years of treatment, and Paul the youngest child starts waking up with bruises on his body. Now it's up to Regina to convince her family that there is something wrong with the house before they are all overcome by the darkness. Like I said I was expecting something that has been done a million times, but to my surprise we get an original movie. Acting, while in most ghost stories the bulk of the movie lies on the shoulders of the actors in this one it really didn't. You don't get bad performances from the cast parse' but they definitely could have been better. We get Anna paquin as the lead role, playing Regina, and while she did a good job I still found the performance to be a bit mediocre. One performance that was anything but mediocre was Stephan Enquist as Paul. He delivered in every aspect. Gore, I wasn't disappointed really in this department because I am a fan of a good bloodless supernatural movie that relies more on CGI and suspense, but I was told that this movie was a bloodbath. Maybe to a middle school girl this would come off as a bloody movie, but as a girl who has seen some of the goriest movies ever made this one was actually bloodless. You get a bloody hand, some creepy faces, and that's about it. Soundtrack, total score, you get strings and very chilling piano music, that worked well when combined with the directing, giving off a suspense building vibe. Speaking of suspense this movie has it. It has been a long time since a movie has actually been able to keep me on the edge of my seat, but this one did it. I jumped so many times that I felt as if I was watching my first horror film all over again. The one thing that I did have a problem with was the cuts that were made. Ok, all that I have to say is if your going to make a movie, make it the way you want the viewers to see it, don't cut it up and bring down the rating and then later decide to release the full version and mark it unrated. That's exactly what Dimension films did, instead of releasing the whole film which was originally given an R rating, they decided to make some cuts and give it a PG-13 rating so that they could have a bigger release. So a bigger release for a worse movie, well doesn't that make all the sense in the world. But enough of my whining about the inevitable way the movie industry works and back to the movie, which as I was saying succeeded in being a truly scary ghost story. The plot usually has to be balanced with a lot of other things to make a movie work but this one the plot was just so good that really I think you could have had any second rate actress on screen and as long as you had this script and Balagureo' behind the camera you would have an A rate film. Bottom line, Darkness has to be one of the most original creepiest ghost stories to come out in a long while, I say if you haven't already go out and get this movie, definitely worth a check.
|
August 6, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Final Destination 3 - R
|
|
I've read a lot of reviews, and heard a lot of people talking about how this franchise keeps getting better with every movie, and I simply have to disagree. Don't get me wrong Final Destination was a good movie, it just couldn't really compare to its predecessors which in my opinion, were a lot better. Ok, so like the previous films Final Destination 3 brings back a bunch of kids being chased by death. First we get a plane accident form the first film, the second one gave us a free-way pile up, and this one gives us a roller coaster accident, that was prevented by a premonition. But does death just give up? No, first rule in the death handbook, always get your mark. So the kids are chased by death, forced to find the clues that could save their lives. So it sounds a lot like the first two films right? That's because it is. That's one of the only problems that I had with the film, there wasn't really anything new. Starting with acting, you get a solid cast, the actors for the most part seemed to know what they were doing, but as for the characters that they were playing, that is different. None of the characters were likeable or relatable at all, giving you an "I don't give a damn" attitude about the film since you didn't really care who lived or who died. Gore, this is one of the best parts of the movie, you get really cool, really inventive death scenes. Ok, now I don't want to ruin it for you, but I will tell you this you get a lot of gore and some very "hot" scenes. I was thinking about how these movies have stayed so big, I mean they don't have a memorable killer, the plot doesn't change, there's no huge twist at the end of them, and here's what I think it is. The original was released it the height of the teen slasher film rage, the second one didn't go completely slasher film on us, because it was released after the slasher height, and the third one is coming out when gore movies are at their peak, so the filmmakers put a lot more blood in this one, and the fourth one is coming out in 3D at the height of the, get this 3D movie. So these movies are not new or getting better as the series goes on they are just trying to make you think that they are. Bottom Line, either way you turn it even if it's all an illusion, Final Destination was a good movie, with good acting, and really good gore, fans of the series will definitely be happy with the final outcome, and those who aren't fans of the series probably will not like this one because it is just like the first two. But as an overall movie I say check this one out.
|
August 6, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Trailer Park of Terror - R
|
|
Trailer Park of Terror is one of the most outrageously fun horror comedies that I have seen since Dead Alive. So the plot is based around Norma, a woman who is destined to spend an eternity in a Trailer Park overrun by evil hillbilly zombies and she is the queen, because years prior she made a deal after her boyfriend was murdered to get her revenge on everyone in the park as long as the spent her present life and after life there. Now current day a group of troubled youth and a not so faithful priest end up in the trailer park after there bus crashes. Little do they know Norma has a lot more in store for them than just a place to stay. Ok now anyone who is a fan of the comics will absolutely love this movie, it is completely reminiscent of the books. Now I am a huge fan of the Tales from the Crypt series and this reminded me of them a lot, just don't confuse this with some of the other cheap zombie flicks we've seen lately case in point, Zombie Strippers, and Feast. This movie all though yes, is a little bit up there on the cheese factor still is an enjoyable movie with an actual plot, the only difference is this one doesn't try and hide what it is, it put's it all out there making a wonderful love it or hate it movie. Starting with acting, I have to say I was expecting second rate cheap actors in this one, but to my surprise we get a solid cast. Including Nichole Hiltz as Norma, she gave a surprisingly believable performance that I rather enjoyed. Gore, this movie had some of the most inventive creative death scenes that I have ever seen. We get impalements, body's being cut in half, decapitations, bloody gunshots, spikes through the stomach, someone being skinned alive, someone being deep fried, arm sawed off, guts, and quite a bit more, I was very happy with the amount of blood in this one. Now like I said this movie is a full on horror comedy, but it's not stupid. The comedy in this one is real and you will laugh. As for directing, I have to give Goldmann his props this film could have been made to look very cheap very easily but with sharp film angels it looked rather expensive. Bottom line, Trailer Park of terror is a fun comic book to movie adaptation that I enjoyed completely. You get really good acting, fantastic gore, an all original plot, and some fun comedy. If you are looking for a hardcore horror flick skip this one, but if you were a fan of the comic books, and Tales from the Crypt check this one out sure not to disappoint.
|
August 3, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Valentine - R
|
|
Although it might be predictable and a bit cheesy Valentine still manages to be an enjoyable slasher flick. Ok, so the plot is based around a group of girls who each turned down a middle school nerd. Years later that same nerd comes back dead set on getting revenge on the girls who turned him down. So the plot is pretty standard for a slasher flick. Nothing new, and very unoriginal, but I have to say that's what I was expecting and what I wanted when going into this film. I love a good slasher/ who done it movie, and this was it. What surprised me about this was how many people didn't like this movie. To be honest I just don't see why. This reminded me of classic slasher movies like My Bloody Valentine and mainstream slasher movies like I Know What You Did Last Summer and Urban Legend, all rolled into one. Acting, I was very surprised with what a line up they had for this one, you get the wonderful David Boreanaz as Adam a not so recovering alcoholic, who had a mysterious side and he played the role very well, although he did get some unfortunate dialogue. As for the female actors you get Denise Richards playing her usual eye candy character, and all though I'm pretty sure that's the only reason why she was there, she still did a reasonably good job. Much better than a lot of the second rate acting we've been seeing lately. Also there's a small part played by Katherine Heigl. What I find funny is that out of all the people they cast in this film only a couple of them were real actors, and one of those people was Heigl, and she got one of the smallest roles in the film, and played that role better than all of the other actors. As for gore, we get arrows through the stomach, a man being beaten to death with an iron, an axe in the back, a slashed throat, a very cool drilling/ electrocution scene, some gun shots, a decapitated head, and a very nice glass through neck scene. All and all I was very happy with the amount of gore. Soundtrack, nice score with this one, you get atmospheric music that fit's well. So obviously I really enjoyed this movie, and to be frank it is very much underrated. Bottom line, Valentine is one of the best slasher films to come out in a long while, with a slick style, cool killings, a nice cast ensemble, and an unoriginal plot that works. It's not nearly as bad as everyone wants it to; actually it's not that bad at all. I say lighten up and check this one out.
|
August 2, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
The Unborn - PG-13
|
|
I have been waiting a long time to finally see the Unborn, and had very high expectations for the movie, and while it was not all that I expected it to be, The Unborn still proved to be a genuine enjoyable horror flick. Ok so the plot is based around Casey, a girl who after many strange events finds out that she is being haunted by her unborn twin brother who died in the womb. It's up to her to find out the mystery behind her brother and her mother's suicide before it's too late. Like I said I had very high expectations for this film, and there were a few things that let me down. But as a whole it proved to be a very good supernatural flick. Gore, while many might say they were disappointed in this department I have to say I was actually pleasantly surmised. You get some stabbings, some very cool CGI and disturbing imagery, mild blood. I wasn't expecting there to be a lot of hard core gore in this one since it is a PG-13 supernatural horror movie. Rather than a lot of blood shed, you get some very disturbing CGI and very cool special effects that definitely made up for the lack of gore. Acting, could have been better while I did enjoy the lead performance from Odette Yustman, the supporting roles was when the film lost me. Meagan Good was just dreadful, but I think it was impossible for her to be anything but dreadful. She was given some of the worst dialogue I have ever heard. I am guessing to make the lead actress shine more, but I don't know. As for the rest of the cast not wretched, but not good either. Soundtrack, this was one of the worst movie soundtracks I have ever heard. Witch is really sad because if it had a better one I think it could have made the film. You get nothing most of the time and the rest you get poor music that they probably got from some depressed teens I-Pod. Directing, director David Goyer definitely relied on those "Boo" moments to make this one work, but he found a way to make it work. Although the plot does lack a touch bit of originality, still it's one of the best movies I've seen in a while that has not been a remake. Really it's been far too long since we've gotten some original stuff. Bottom line, I found the Unborn to be a good supernatural ghost flick that should be watched, combining good acting, some nice scares, and wonderful CGI, I say check this one out.
|
August 2, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Friday the 13th - R
|
|
I have to say I was expecting more with the remake or reboot of Friday the 13th. The plot is one of the problems I had with the film. Ok, so it is based around a group of kids that go to a cabin in the woods to party, only to be hunted down by the famous hokey mask wearing madman Jason Voorhees. Yes I know it sounds like every other Friday the 13th movie, except for the one that it is trying to imitate. The original Friday the 13th was based off of a mother's revenge, and other than a bit at the end Jason was just mentioned, until the sequel when he came back as the sole killer, trying to make mother happy by killing partying counselors. So in my opinion this movie was a sequel. As a remake this sucked bad, but as a add into the franchise was actually rather enjoyable. Acting, this is not were the enjoyment factor comes in. Wretched, all around wretched no one new what they were doing, and to make matters worse there really were no likeable characters , honestly you didn't care if they all just dropped dead, and at some points I was wishing that they would. The only performance that was truly good was Derek Mears, who plays the infamous Jason Voorhees. He did a great job and had the role down pact, this will also be the first film were Jason runs. Yes I said runs. Throughout all of the sequels the slow walker has always been able to get to his victims without even trying, but here you see him chase, and I have to say it was a nice change that just added to the kills. Gore, you get it all in this one, a screwdriver in the neck, a girl burned alive, a ton of machete kills, axe in the back, arrow in the head, impaling, tons of stabbings, and a fire poker through the eye, and get this there's more! Directing, I was really happy with Nispel's take on this. Although I did notice quite a few similarities between this one and his TCM remake in 03, I still liked the atmosphere that he gave off, some great tension shots, and a majority of the movie was shot at night, and he didn't let the darkness take over so props dude. PS, stop with the remaking of classics how about trying something original for once? Soundtrack, total score, I loved the mood music that was given very reminiscent of the original movies. Except for the ki ki ki ha ha ha, I mean that's Friday the 13th's thing and they really held back on it. You'll notice that in this one Jason comes off more as a hunter, with traps and other stuff I'm not going to ruin, and it was another nice change. Showing you a different side to the Voorhees. I love that the fact that this stayed true to the franchise in the sense that this was an all around slasher flick, no doubt. You get all the elements that make a slasher flick good, the iconic killer, gore by the tons, and a lot of T and A. One thing that I would have changed is the poster, I mean come on. They made an enjoyable slasher flick here, and although it was a remake, they found ways to make it unique, and all that you guys can come up with for the poster, is the hokey mask, I mean really? Bottom Line, I found Friday the 13th to be rather enjoyable and although it did not fulfill all of my expectations, it was still a good flick. True to the slasher sub-genre Friday the 13th has gore, hot chicks and guys, and a new twist on one of the most iconic killers ever. Far better than a lot of remakes I've seen lately I say check this one out.
|
August 2, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Mirrors - R
|
|
I don't care what you've heard, Mirrors is one of the best remakes to have come out in a long time. So the plot is based around Ben, a man who takes a security job watching an old store that burned down 15 years earlier. While there he begins to notice something strange is going on with the mirrors. Soon he realizes that in order to keep his family and himself alive, he'll have to solve the mystery of the mirrors. Ok, now I wasn't a huge fan of the original Korean film, so I went into this one with low expectations. Even though Alexandre Aja was behind the camera, and I have to say I was shocked at how good this movie was. The original had a similar plot except with the original, it wasn't sure what it wanted to be a supernatural ghost story, a crime drama, or a hard core horror film, and it just didn't mix well. But some how Aja found a way to include all of these elements, and make it work and be an enjoyable watch. Acting, you have to give it up to Sutherland in this one; the man knew what he was doing. He owned the film, even in the parts were the story line drifted off, he managed to keep it together and deliver a believable performance that I was quite impressed with. Now the rest of the cast is a different story you get reasonable performances from the rest of the lead cast, but nothing compared to Sutherland. As for the younger actors that we see in the film, I had a few issues. Boyce, who plays Michael, just did not have that creepy horror movie kid face, and I found it impossible to be at all creeped out by him. Gore, this movie breaks the mold when it comes to gore less supernatural flicks. You get a jaw being ripped off, slashed throat, some guts, a burning woman, and some more, all and all I am very happy with the gore. Now some might argue that supernatural ghost stories are just not meant to be bloody, but I completely disagree. If you can find away to tag team gore, and a suspenseful story, why the hell shouldn't you go for it? Soundtrack, the soundtrack that was given for this film fit perfectly you get chilling mood music that adds to the movie in all the right ways. I think most people who watch this film aren't going to compare it to its predecessor "Into the Mirror" but to Alexandres previous films. Now is this movie called High Tension 2? No, it is called Mirrors and frankly I'm glad that he chose to do a movie like this, it keeps viewers from getting bored with his work. I loved his directing in this one you get beautiful visuals and some very wicked mirror scenes. Bottom Line, Mirrors is one of the best remakes to come out lately, and in my opinion is even better than the original. Combining a suspenseful plot, a ton of gore, great acting, and a wonderful director I say grow up and check this one out.
|
August 2, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Dead in Three Days (In 3 Tagen bist du tot) - Unrated
|
|
Dead in three days was not what I thought it was going to be at all. I read reviews saying that it was a better version of I know what you Did Last Summer and that it was a great who-done-it mystery movie but personally I didn't see it. While yes the first five minutes had some similarities with "I Know What You Did Last Summer" the film as a whole was not even on the same playing field. So the plot is based around five friends who each receive this text message that tells them they will die in 3 days. They take it as a prank and decide to ignore the message, until one of them goes missing and then is found drowned. It's up to the remaining friends to figure out the mystery behind the mysterious message and figure out who is after them and why before it's too late. The plot needed some work I knew what was going to happen basically the whole time, they had one fantastic chance to surprise you and give you something that you were not expecting and threw it out the window. (After you watch the movie you'll know what I mean). And the ending, they were trying to make it this big noteworthy ending but failed miserably. Also there were some very slow moments that were very easy to look away from. The acting was pretty good a few of the lead characters gave pretty solid performances. I just wish that Sabrina Reiter would have taken out her lip piercing for just one scene it was driving me nuts. The gore was nothing new but you do get a few good shots of a throat being slashed, a metal rod through the abdomen, and a pretty wicked decapitation/drowning scene other than that its just mild blood splatter. I did not like the soundtrack that they used at all when the movie required moody music they gave you teen pop with lyrics I honestly don't know what they were thinking. I also would have done something different with the poster, both the original poster from Austria and the American poster sucked. Bottom line the makers of Dead in Three Days had plenty of chances to make a memorable slasher movie but flooded them all. Leaving us with a mediocre slasher flick with no real plot. I say it's worth a check if you have nothing better to do but don't expect anything new.
|
August 2, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Lake Dead - R
|
|
I was naive in what I was expecting with the second After Dark Horrorfest, see I thought it would be just as good as the original maybe even better, but instead we get stuck with movies like this. Ok, so the movie is based around two sisters who find out that their grandfather has died and left them a motel/ camping site. They decide to go check the place out with a group of friends, only to discover that there is a very specific reason why they never were told about their grandparents. I'm not sure really were to start with this movie there was just so much bad. Taking after many before it, Lake Dead is a want to be Wrong Turn. Combing red neck families, cannibalism, and insist to make something not disturbing, not funny, not enjoyable, just stupid. Gore, you get one memorable metal bar through the foot scene, a bloody headshot, some fingers being torn off, and a little bit of blood spatter, I was expecting a lot more. Acting, I don't actually think that you can call this acting. I mean really all these people did was drink, screw, and run around screaming like idiots, which I'm sure wasn't a new task for them. All and all, wretched just wretched. Soundtrack, to be honest I don't even remember there being one. Either there actually wasn't or it was just that bad, either way nothing good here. Here's what gets me about this movie, I really think the makers set out to make a good movie, and actually might have been pleased with the finally outcome. And this is just my opinion here, but with that kind of poor judgment there is no wonder why this movie was as bad as it was. The only thing that was remotely enjoyable about this was the visuals; it was not bad to look at. Needless to say, you will be watching a bunch of mind numbing nonsense, but it will be nice looking mind numbing nonsense. Bottom line, no matter who you got behind the camera or who you put in front of it lake Dead was destined to suck, because it just has a bad plot. There is no character intrigue no background story, no nothing, and any which way you turn it that is all this movie will ever be, nothing. I say skip it.
|
August 2, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
The Gravedancers - R
|
|
The Gravedancers was one of the best movies in the original Afterdark horrorfest line up hands down. What I really loved about this was how original it was. I can safely say that I have never seen a movie like this. So the plot is based around a group of old college friends who reunite after the death of one of their friends. After a few drinks they decide to visit the cemetery that their friend is buried at. There they find this creepy letter that basically tells them to dance on graves; well they dance on the wrong graves and are haunted by evil ghosts. Now it might sound a little out there and maybe even a bit silly but trust me the way that it is executed is anything but. The acting was actually pretty good other than one sad performance from Dominic Purcell, but forget about that and you have a pretty solid lead cast. Gore, there isn't a lot of actual "gore" you get one slit throat and other than that you get a lot of blood. But they don't take it to a stupid level. That's another thing that I really liked about this movie, it had so many chances to be just another typical stupid ghost story but didn't overcome to any of them. It also gave off a really creepy atmosphere that is always key in any good ghost story. And finally the soundtrack I have no complaints you get a very suspenseful soundtrack that blended well with the whole film. And the creepy piano music that they had was just perfect. Bottom line The Gravedancers was definitely one of the best in the original After Dark lineup. You get an all original plot, good acting, and an all around great movie. I say check this one out.
|
July 31, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Dead Alive (Braindead) - R
|
|
I just don't know where to start with a film like Dead Alive. Let me say just one thing gore, gore, gore it gives a whole new title to gore films and this was made back in 1991, and let me tell you many people have tried but no one has been able to come close in making a movie as remotely bloody and gory as Dead Alive. Ok so the plot is based around a monkey that has some kind of virus that spreads to this woman, and to everyone that she comes in contact with, turning them into zombies that are falling apart. Starting with the acting, remember this is a horror comedy so all of the performances were over the top. But somehow in this it works. The film starts out slow, very, very slow and is very boring but I am telling you hold out because you will not be disappointed and once you get there it does not stop for one second. In this one aspect it reminded me of the Exorcist. While yes it took a while to get to the point and the wait was dull after it was there it was just unstoppable. Gore, I don't know where to start flying limbs, decapitations, holes in the head, exploding people, heads being split in half, and just pools of blood trust me if you are thirsty for gore this will quench your thirst. Another thing that I just loved was the poster it is quirky yet interesting and gives you a fair representation of the film is going to be. And the soundtrack just perfect. Perfect music at the perfect times and at the perfect pace. Bottom Line many say this is bad its good but I say this is better than good. It is damn good and then some. Do whatever it is you have to do just get this movie!
|
July 30, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Dying Breed - R
|
|
So much potential. This film could have been great; it was just executed all wrong. The plot is based around 4 friends who travel to the Tasmanian Wilderness to find a supposedly extinct tiger. Only the town folk don't seem too happy to have them there. So now they are forced to fight for there lives or meet the "Pieman". That's right I said the Pieman. Ok so like I said this film was just bubbling over with potential. I liked the plot and was hoping that it would not take the same rout that so many hillbilly cannibal movies had taken before. But to my disappointment it did no such thing falling into the category typical hillbilly cannibal horror film. Acting, you get really good actors in this one I had no complaints. Now the characters were a different story. I don't think I liked one character in this movie. Gore, I really thought this was going to give me a lot more raw gory violence than it did. You get a leg and head caught in a bear trap, some dead animals, some limbs, a gory body, an axe through the back, and some teeth being pulled, that's it, definitely disappointing. One thing that I did like was the atmosphere it was creepy and intense. Soundtrack, was there one? If so I didn't notice it. Bottom Line, this is one of the shortest reviews I have ever written, letting you know just how little there really was to this movie. Dying Breed had so many chances to do something new and original but failed at all of them. Filled with plot holes, and pointless dialogue Dying Breed proved to be nothing but a disappointment. If you are in the mood for a typical redneck hillbilly horror film then check this out. But if you want something new skip this.
|
July 30, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
One Missed Call - PG-13
|
|
I am not one of those people who are totally against Hollywood movies, I mean just because a movie goes big at the box office doesn't make it a bad flick or not a "true" horror film. But while I like a good Hollywood made horror movie I think it's more than safe to say that this movie is not Hollywood, not horror, and just plain not good. One Missed Call is a remake of a Japanese horror film called One Missed Call coincidently, that is a rip off of another Japanese horror film, I mean really? So the plot is pretty simple a group of friends start getting these phone messages were they hear themselves die. Well like all good horror movie heroines the lead character Beth has to solve the mystery behind the strange phone calls before she's the next victim. Now I'm not going to lie, I like the whole killer technology sub genre in the making. So I do find the plot rather creepy and probably could have enjoyed the movie, but sadly the synopsis was the only good thing about this movie, and combine that with bad acting, gore, effects, directing, soundtrack, ending, and point, it just couldn't hold the film. Acting, these kids couldn't act to save their soul. I mean the makers of the film must have spent literally two cents on actors, and that would be over paying them. Gore, this movie went in the rout of many, many remakes and did the PG-13 thing. Now I loved the Ring, so I am a fan of PG-13 horror flicks that don't need gore to keep the viewer intrigued, but this movie was not one of those films. While yes gore alone wouldn't have been enough to save this wretched excuse for a film, it still would have been a bit nice. Anyway all you get in this one is CGI that a high school student could do better, a bloodless impalement, and some implied gore. Directing, Vallette couldn't win for loosing with this one. I mean honestly I think this movie was doomed. The original was directed by the brilliant Takashi Mikke who has given us classics like OldBoy, and Audition, and even he couldn't make it work. Cheap scares is what this is all about, Vallette counted on cheap make you jump moments that might have worked if there was any tension, but there wasn't so basically he came off looking like a fool. Soundtrack, Ugh ok the cell phone jingle or whatever you call it might be creepy the first two maybe three times you hear it, but after that it becomes so annoying, with that ice cream truck song that makes you want to slit your wrists. Other than that no so bad, but nothing really note worthy or new. That's one major thing that you will hate about this movie there is nothing new. Everything that you see has been done a million times by directors who new what they were doing. Also I know it's not actually a part of the movie, but what about that poster. Really can it get any more cheap and tacky than that? What's really crazy is I think the people who made it thought they were being new and inventive. Well while that is probably true here's some news, sometimes new and inventive isn't always a good thing. Another thing is how forgettable this movie is. I had to watch it again before writing a review just to remember half of it. Bottom Line, all that the second remake of One Missed Call is, is a mess of people who don't know what they are doing and a sad excuse for a horror movie. This one is just not worth the time, I say skip it.
|
July 20, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
28 Weeks Later... - R
|
|
Once in a blue moon a film comes along that happens to be better than the original, and I have to say that 28 Weeks Later is one of those movies. Ok so the plot is based 28 Weeks, after a deadly virus took over the world. Everything seems to be getting normal, and the infection appears to be contained. The U.S. Army is getting ready to start re-populating the states, but it wouldn't be a good horror flick if every thing went as planned would it? In a turn of events the infection begins to spread again, and it's a fight for survival for those left alive. Now I wasn't a huge fan of the original film, 28 Days Later. I might be in a minority here, but it just didn't work for me. So I went into the sequel not expecting much at all. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised. Acting, you get wonderful performances from the entire cast. This movie is a solid horror film with no comedic aspects at all, so the performances had to be pretty gritty, and the whole cast managed to play their parts perfectly. Yet still remain likeable characters. Gore, bloodbath, total bloodbath. You get nonstop gore in this one, including, very bloody shootings, decapitations, dismemberments, eye gauging, and one really cool scene straight out of the original Dawn of the Dead involving lot's of zombies and one mean helicopter. All and all I was very pleased with the amount of blood shed. Soundtrack, nice moody music. Like I said this movie is a dramatic horror film. Don't get me wrong here, it is fun to watch, but it has its moments and the soundtrack really fit that. I just can't get over how good this movie was. From the opening scene that took a lot of guts to the final shot, you get non stop action. The films leading characters are children, which was also a pleasant surprise. It gave the movie a different spin compared to other zombie flicks. And just when your about to say, "They've done everything they can with the zombie genre" something like this comes out that gives you new hope. Bottom Line, unlike its predecessor 28 Weeks Later delivers action, gore, suspense, believable performances, twists and turns, and an all original plot. If you haven't gotten the hint, it's a bad-ass flick. I say if you haven't already get up and check this one out.
|
July 18, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Geoul sokeuro (Into the Mirror) - Unrated
|
|
Into the Mirror definitely did not live up to my expectations. Ok so the plot is based around a ex cop who takes a job at a old warehouse that is re-opening after being closed for 15 years due to a fire. Two days before the big opening all of the staff mysteriously turn up dead, it looks like a mass suicide. The weird thing is that everyone was killed with the opposite hand they usually use. This makes the ex cop wonder is the old warehouse is haunted, and forces him to solve the mystery before he's next. The main problem that I had with this movie was that it didn't know what it wanted to be. A majority of the time it was striving to be this police crime- thriller and the other half it was trying to be this supernatural ghost story, and the two just didn't mix well. Acting, I was pleasantly surprised here you get a solid cast that delivers believable performances. But to be honest while some might find a lot of the characters relatable or likeable, I didn't. This definitely made it harder to appreciate the acting. Gore, I have to say there was a lot more gore than I expected there to be. You get a slit throat, a person split in half, some gory gunshot wounds, and a few mirror stabbings. Soundtrack, this one was a huge let down I was expecting really good eerie ghost music that just built the atmosphere and added tension, but no. Actually the soundtrack is very forgettable, with nothing special at all. Directing, the director in this one made it clear just what kind of movies we would see from him in the future. There were a few time he resorted to using cheap scare tactics that didn't really work and just came off unoriginal and dull. But we did get some cool mirror shots that were a bit creative. Also the visuals were fantastic. Say what you will about South Korean horror flicks, love them or hate them, they are still beautiful to watch. Another thing that this movie failed in doing was building any suspense or tension, while I was intrigued for the majority of the film I wasn't on edge, which needless to say is a necessity when it comes to a good ghost flick. Also the plot was original, although yes movies that revolve around mirrors have been done before; there are still a lot of places that you could have taken the movie. And while it wasn't completely unoriginal it was very predictable. Bottom line, Into the Mirror is not one of the better South Korean horror films to come out lately. It didn't really know what it was, failed to built and tension of suspense, and had a predictable plot. But it was meant with good acting, some nice gore, and great visuals. While I wouldn't totally write this one off, but I also wouldn't recommend it. I say take a risk and check this one out, but be warned there is no guarantee.
|
July 12, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Captivity - R
|
|
Yet another film I was looking forward to that turned out to be nothing but a cheap imitation of Saw. Ok, so the plot is based around this supermodel Jennifer that gets kidnapped by a crazy killer, and wakes up in a basement there she meets Gary, in the next room or cell and they are forced to play the killers games in order to escape. I am so sick of torture movies that try to imitate films like Hostel, and Saw. The torture scenes that they did have were un-original and totally predictable. I mean honestly did you really expect them to kill off the main character? Acting, the majority of the film is put on the shoulders of Elisha Cuthbert who plays Jennifer and Daniel Gillies who plays Gary. Gillies had a solid performance, obviously it could have been better, but given what he had to work with I think he deserves quite a bit of credit. As for Cuthbert I just wasn't buying it, her performance was unbelievable and at some points even humorous to watch. Now maybe it wasn't her and was just the script, either way it sucked. Gore, this was the one place that I thought it would be a given that they would have something. But no, nothing at all, you get minor blood spatter and yep that's just about it. Soundtrack, it was actually rather good. You get very good atmosphere mood music. But it was too good actually this film didn't need that solid of a soundtrack it just overdid the movie. Directing, as I was with the rest of the film I was disappointed. I personally found no moments with any tension, nothing memorable, and nothing that made me even ask myself who was behind the camera. One of the worst aspects about this film is how forgettable it is. I really mean it, within a couple of weeks after watching the film you'll have to ask yourself "was that the one I watched"? It wasn't bad enough to remember but not good enough to either. Also this one was a huge copy cat, I mean really did they honestly think no one would catch the similarities between this one and Saw? Also the posters for this were just plain bad. Bottom line, all that Captivity is, is an unoriginal, boring, forgettable film with absolutely no gore. This one offers nothing new, all though not the worst I've ever seen it still didn't work. Maybe if you have nothing better to do and aliens came down and stole all the rest of your DVD's but other than that I say skip it.
|
July 11, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Steel Trap - R
|
|
One of the most recent movies to be released from the Dimension Extreme Company is, Steel Trap. A film based around a group of people who go to a party one the top floor of an abandoned high rise apartment (Sounds fun right?) A select group of people at the party receive invites to another party on the floors below. Thinking that it's just some fun joke, the group decides to check it out. Soon they realize that they are trapped on one floor of the building with no way out, and a killer who insists on making them play his games. Ok now I personally loved this plot, it had limitless possibilities, but sadly the filmmakers chose to go in the most predictable direction and give you nothing new. This was really upsetting because I have been waiting quite some time to see this movie and had very high expectations, and this movie just did not meet any of them. Starting with acting, ha ok now I honestly don't know if you can even call this acting. It was just dreadful no one new what they were doing, and to make matters worse none of the characters were likeable, they all had very obnoxious characters that just made you cringe. And they all were so stupid! I mean honestly if you walk into a party that's center piece is a rotting pigs head there is something wrong right? Well just to give you an idea of how stupid these people were, they didn't think twice about it. Gore, I would have liked to see more in this department. You get lips sown shut, a slit throat and an axe in the head, guts, a hanging, and a heart being ripped out nothing more nothing less. Soundtrack, very, very weak, I hardly even remember one. One thing that really upset me with movie was how misleading it was. The tagline for the film is "Surviving each floor is the name of the game". This led me to believe that since they are in an abandoned building every floor would be a new challenge, were some new sick game would be or something to that extent. And in reality they were only on three floors. Directing, mediocre to say the least it wasn't really memorable at all. Ok now I know that it sounds like I hated this movie, but I didn't. It's just I had very high expectations for the movie and it didn't reach them. The film is a reasonable slasher flick. You get the typical cookie cutter characters, some decent death scenes, and some nice visuals. It was just really forgettable, and added nothing to the genre. For example, the killer, all in black with a cheap mask. Like we haven't seen that a million and two times before. Also the ending, it was just bad. But I'll give them this I didn't predict it. I honesty did not expect them to have that bad of an ending. Bottom line Steel Trap was a forgettable disappointment, but was not totally bad and might be worth a check if you have nothing better to do. But be warned with this one there is a very high chance that it will not live up to your expectations, so go in with your guard up.
|
July 10, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Martyrs - R
|
|
Martyrs, is one of those movies that you walk out of, not sure what you thought of it. The French have brought us quite a few horror flicks here lately, that have combined gore (lot's and lots of gore) and surprisingly good plots, and Martyrs is no exception. Ok the plot I'm not going to lie is going to be very hard to describe without giving away any details. So the film starts with a girl who we soon come to know as Lucie running down a street, drenched in blood. We find out that she was beaten and tortured. Then we see her make friends with Anna, at the local nut house. Flash forward 15 years and you get Lucie brutally killing the family who supposedly held her captive 15 years prior. She calls Anna to help her, and soon after that things just go on a downward spiral that you could have never predicted. Including creepy ass girls, demented sociopaths, and then you finally learn the true meaning of Martyrs. I know the plot seems vague, but that's just because it's so detailed and graphic that I couldn't go into much more detail without ruining everything. I'm not sure were to start with this movie. There was a lot to love. For example the originality, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I have never seen anything like this before. But there is also a bit that some might not love including some of the more graphic and disturbing scenes. Now I am not one of those people, I thought that they really added to the film in all the rights ways, but I'm not going to lie they are hard to swallow and not for the faint of heart. Moving onto gore, there's so much that it would be impossible to list it all. You get, very bloody gunshot wounds, some bloody self mutilation, a chick cutting her arm off, someone being skinned alive, medal being removed from the skull, stabbings, a sliced throat, some gruesome beatings, and a woman getting her skull smashed in, and that's just a taste. Acting, some of the best acting I've ever seen. Now I watched Frontiers earlier this year and afterwards didn't think that you could get much better acting, but this tops it in so many ways. And you won't think about it as your watching it, the acting is so good that as your watching the film you can't even tell anyone's really acting. Soundtrack, intense, heavy music, that blended extremely well with this one, a good score. Directing, Augier successfully created intense, tension filled moments in every scene. And the way it was shot gives it this highly disturbing poetic look that works wonders. I am ecstatic to see what we get next from Augier. Ok so throughout the first half of this film you will develop many questions about what is going on. They are all answered during the second half of the film. Now this is were the film turns from outrageous, outgoing, brutal violence, to disturbing graphic depictions of torture. The transition that they made was quick and sleek but very noticeable. All of your questions will be answered, but not with what you were expecting and it is somewhat unbelievable. Bottom line, Martyrs is a hard core horror movie that leaves no room for questions. You get one of the most frighteningly original plots to come out in a long time, an unimaginable amount of gore, and acting that puts everything you've seen since the Texas Chainsaw Massacre to rest. Even with a slightly unbelievable sub plot Martyrs still proves to be one of the best most entertaining horror films I've seen in a long time. Do yourself a favor and check this one out.
|
July 2, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
La Terza Madre (Mother of Tears: The Third Mother) - Unrated
|
|
Perhaps one of the biggest disappointments since Romero's Diary of the Dead, Mother of Tears the Third Mother is nothing but a mediocre movie and a rotten end to what would have gone down as one of the best movie trilogy's ever. Ok so the plot is based around Sarah, a girl who works in a museum, one day she opens a package, and unleashes a dark spirit. Soon like a plague terror and violence start to spread over Rome like some sort of virus. Then Sarah finds herself being hunted down by witches from all over the world, who want nothing but her head on a platter. Now Sarah must use her psychic powers to conquer the Mother of Tears before it's too late. I'm not even sure were to start with this one. I would definitely see this one as a love it or hate it movie, with no in between. I am unfortunately one of the people who saw nothing good in this one just a bunch of disappointment. I am a huge fan of Argento's work, especially the Three Mothers movies. Suspiria, and Inferno were absolutely brilliant, and it's sad that this movie will be pared next to those in this trilogy. Ok so acting, I wasn't impressed at all. Asia Argento wasn't so bad at least not considering what she was given. But she was hardly enough to hold up the rest of the cast. Proving 1 good actor means nothing if you have 3 dozen bad ones. Gore, the only place that this movie did not let me down was with the gore. You get, evisceration, slit throats, someone being strangled with their innards, eye gougings, a pole through the vagina and out the mouth, some cannibalism, a head bashed in, mouth ripped open, an impalement, and a bit more. All and all if you were to cut the movie down to the 15 minutes that it would take to watch all the gore scenes, you would be very happy, but if you have to sit through the other 75 minutes or so, not so much. Soundtrack, nothing, nada, zip, I remember no music in this film. Directing, Ugh I think the only thing worse than getting older is not only having people able to see it in your face, but your work as well. Argento has to be one of the most brilliant minds in horror cinema, and to watch this rubbish and know that it was made by him is an awful feeling. The two previous movies (Suspiria, and Inferno) had a way of being classy, original movies yet at the same time were graphic, and disturbing. This one was none of those things; there were boobs and lesbians, taking out anything classy. A cheesy predictable plot that lacked any originality. Some graphic gore that was nothing reminiscent of the original?s in the sense that there was no creative thought, and the only thing disturbing about this one was knowing who was behind the camera. Bottom Line, Mother of Tears was an utter disappointment and will leave fans of the original films with their jaws dropped. (Not in a good way) I say forget this movie was ever made and don't look back.
|
July 1, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Stay Alive - PG-13
|
|
I don't care how many reviews you read saying this movie sucked, I have to say I rather enjoyed it. So the plot is based around a group of friends who inherit an underground video game after one of them dies. After they play the game one by one the friends start to die the same way their characters died in the game, can they uncover the mystery of the game, or will it be too late? Now I know the plot might sound a bit played out, but I found it surprisingly original. Acting, reasonable you get a solid lead cast, that needs to work on their emotional delivery a bit, but nothing too wretched. I think that the best was done with what was given. Gore, could have been better. You get a nails through the body, shears through the stomach, some flashes of blood, a hanging, impalement, someone being run over by a horse drawn carriage, and a few good shots of a killing in a video game. All and all not bad, but could have been so much better, this movie had all of the makings for a solid hardcore R rating, but was butchered for a PG-13, bad move, very bad move. Soundtrack, I liked a lot of the music on this one, but it failed at creating any kind of suspense or tension, Except for the wicked video game controller vibration sounds. Directing, sadly Bell chose to go resort to cheap scares a bit in the film. But you do get some cool shots of the video game. But even though this one might be generated more in the teenager direction it still kept the audience intrigued. You wondered what was going to happen to these characters and what was going to come next. Bottom line, Stay alive might have had quite a few flaws but still managed to keep its audience engrossed with the film. It has to be said that slasher movies were not meant to have a PG-13 rating, but somehow this one found ways to make it work. With reasonable acting, a semi-original plot, and some nice gore shots, I say check this one out. But be warned this is a love it or hate it movie with no guarantee.
|
June 30, 2009
|
|
|
N/A
|
1060 ratings
326 reviews
