grindhouse74 Reviews

The Troll (2013)

A beautiful and original short about a troll..

[10/10 · 29 September 2013]

Wow this has to be one of the best short movies i've ever seen, it has such a dream like quality, and it captures beautifully the loneliness of a troll that lives under a bridge in L.A, and how he falls in love with a woman who jumps of his bridge, it works well as a tender love story. The movie is well shot, so it has a cinematic quality to it other than some other cheap video shorts that litter YouTube, i hope to see more work of this talented director.I even hope he makes a full length feature on this wonderful short. The 2 main actors played there parts perfectly and i was touched by there performance. The Troll is well worth checking out..

The Bunny Game (2011)

Extreme yeah....Any good?? Not really

[4/10 · 6 July 2012]

OK a little spoiler ahead, this is the plot to The Bunny Game, are you ready?? First off there is a drug addict prostitute who gets high and gets abused from her clients, she then comes across this psychotic truck driver who takes her without her will and proceeds to torture her for the duration of the film...Thats it THE END....Now a film like Murder Set Pieces has more character development and plot than this degrading little film, however thats pretty much what you people really want to see?? Right?? So if your interested in watching a poor helpless woman being tortured, humiliated and terrorised for what seems like eternity then you will no doubt enjoy this...But if your looking for a decent movie that is still extreme and equally brutal with a better plot and much better direction, then check out Martyrs or A Serbian Film, at least there is a story to be found instead of this..However i must say the black and white photography was well done, and the use off aggressive editing was rammed right in your face...Because the BBFC banned this in the U.K i have no doubt that some of you are curious to see what all the fuss was about, but most of you will also be disappointed, you will come away thinking what was the point in that??

The Raid: Redemption (2011)

So you think your hard enough??

[10/10 · 21 May 2012]

If you like action films, you need to check out The Raid, this has to be one of the most adrenaline pumped up rock concert of a movie, the fights are some of the best you will ever see EVER, bone crunching, bloody and brutal and i have to say clever as well...Now some of the criticisms this film has received is that it's to violent and thin on plot, screw them i feel the plot is just fine for this type of action film, remember this is a film that relies on action and boy does it deliver.. The acting is great, the direction is solid, and Mad Dog is one of the best henchmen in cinema history..This is a lean mean fighting machine of a movie, well done Gareth Evens for making this action masterpiece

Neds (2010)

Fantastic coming of age drama....Raw, Funny and Brutal..

[10/10 · 22 January 2011]

Director Peter Mullan has achieved with N.E.D.S exactly what Shane Meadows achieved with This Is England, he has captured a raw coming of age drama that is honest and accurate in every way imaginable.. The film is set in Glasgow in the early 70's and it deals with the struggles of youth growing up at a time when knife culture was rife and the threat of violence lingers in the air..We follow young teenager John McGill and his low-life friends in and around Glasgow, as we follow his time at school where at the start he is a model student, however his notorious brother who is a member of a gang and who is well known amongst the other NEDS, casts a shadow over Conors life as he is soon sucked into the gang life himself, now this may seem like a cliché but trust me there are a few good surprises that rises this film above all the other British films made over the past 10 years...

Now this is the real kicker, i live in Paisley that is right next door to Glasgow and the heavy Scottish accent (Glaswegian) that is used throughout the film is a real joy to listen to, there was so many times i was laughing my ass off at how funny this film can be, but there are some harrowing moments as well, i have no idea how this film will translate over seas?? I assume they may need some subtitles over in America for the audience to understand what the youths are talking about. This is a great movie that will touch your heart for anyone that has been raised in tough neighbourhoods around the world..Great performances from the entire cast, solid direction from Peter Mullan, and a good story that needed to be told especially in Scotland, if you get the chance check it out, you'll be glad you did...

A Serbian Film (2010)

Cinema at its most Extreme......I dare you to see this...

[7/10 · 10 April 2010]

So you think you have seen it all???? Think again, i reckon i have just witnessed the most disturbing extreme movie ever, and you know what, for the first time i have no idea whether to give this film a good review or a bad review, its not a film that you can enjoy, although it was very well made and preformed by the actors, so in a visual and technical term it was impressive.. The premise for this little shocker is simple, a semi-retired porn star is lured back to his profession to do this once in a lifetime shoot so he can make lots of money and secure his family, but he has no idea what the shoot will contain, so we the viewer have a birds eye view in the dark and very murky journey he goes through, as the porn shoot becomes more extreme he begins to realise what he's got himself into and the director has a shocking surprise for his lead actor in what he wants him to do, not to spoil anything (its a taboo busting subject) but lets just say that if you put Cannibal holocaust, Irreversible, Emanuel In America, and Martyrs in a blender, throw a baby in the mix and you have an idea what your letting yourself in for.....I know some people will be very upset watching this film and some people will demand that this film be banned, there are some scenes of extreme sexual violence that will anger some of the mainstream crowd, i just hope that the censors will leave this film the way the director intended.. Be cautious when you see this movie, if it gets a proper release this film will get mixed reviews, it will be sure to divide people apart and thats the beauty of this controversial film, love it or hate it, you will never forget it. I must admit i was relieved that the police never came barging in and arrested me and everyone at the preview...

Kick-Ass (2010)

A movie that truly Kicks-Ass

[10/10 · 26 March 2010]

Just back from Kick-Ass and all i can say is WOW what a blast, this has to be one of the best superhero movies ever made, dare i say it "its up there with The Dark Knight". The basic premise is simple, what we have is a geek that dreams of being a superhero, then one day he finally builds up the courage to go out there and fight crime, however he is very rusty around the edge's because he has no real training and therefor gets his Ass-Kicked from time to time, but the kid has heart.. He then comes across too other superhero's (Big Dady & Hit Girl) but they are the real deal, and they have been trained well especially Hit Girl. So what follows are these crime busting hero's who are out to get the bad guys and when the action hits, it hits hard. Not only does it work as a great action film it also works as a great comedy, and one of the cool things about the movie is that we really do care about the characters and what they go through. The overall look of the film is very slick, the violence in some parts are brutal but fun, and some of the set pieces towards the end are just OTT, but it all merges perfectly in the confinements of this beautiful comic book world.. This comes highly recommended, hope they bring out a sequel...

The Book of Eli (2010)

The Road Warrior + Zatoichi = The Book Of Eli...

[8/10 · 16 January 2010]

Apocolyptic movies are coming back in a big way over the past couple of years from I Am Legend, 2012, The Road and now The Book Of Eli and what a great apocalyptic movie Eli is, Denzel Washington knows how to pick a good script, the man rarely puts a foot wrong, and with a chance to work with The Hughes Brothers who have been absent for some time now, The Brothers are back with there best film so far... So what we have is Eli with the last Bible on earth and he's travelling to a place where civilisation can start again and also to bring back some order to a world that has been ravaged by some type of global war (its hinted that it could be some type of religious war?) we also have Gary Oldmans character (on bad guy duty again) who wants the book as well for his own personal gain and agenda.. The look of the film works really well, the colours have been drained and it really captures the world in a complete mess with the help of some really cool FX.. The film delivers on the action stakes as well with some very well choreographed brutal fights and inventive shootouts. And Denzels Eli is a cross between Mad Max in the Road Warrior and Zatoichi, we have this lone warrior on a mission from God and no one is going to stand in his way..This is one of the best Apocolyptic movies out there, so if you get the chance, check it out..

Daybreakers (2009)

Fun, Scary, Bloody, And Action Packed

[8/10 · 8 January 2010]

Over the past 25 years there have been some good fun vampire movies made like Near Dark, Innocent Blood, From Dusk Till Dawn, and 30 Days Of Night to name but a few and yes there have been some real stinkers like Vampire in Brooklyn, but Daybreakers thankfully fits in the the good fun category.. The concept for the film is a good one, the majority of the population is filled with vampires and only about 5% are humans that are farmed for blood, however there is a huge problem, the blood is running out. So we follow a small band of survivors that have kind of found a cure and they need the help of a moral vampire played by Ethan Hawke, so thats the backbone of the story, but without giving to much away what we really have is an effective action horror that delivers in some inventive bloody set pieces, some of the kills do look like its from a zombie movie but hey...the bloodier the better and the Spierig brothers (directors) know there stuff.

My only complain is that the film did not feel like it ended properly, but over all it is a great popcorn vampire flick. It is way better than the chick flick Twilight saga, so if your looking for something that has grit, edge, decent make up effects and some satisfying brutal moments then Daybreakers is bloody and effective...

Run! Bitch Run! (2009)

A big big let down

[3/10 · 26 December 2009]

Let me first tell you that i love exploitation movies and over the past 10 years some directors have tried to capture the spirit of the nasty exploitation movies of the 70's, the one that captured that spirit was Rob Zombie's "The Devils Rejects" it was well directed, edited, and at least the actors gave a damn about there performance, now a lot of Grindhouse movies in the 70's was badly acted but thats no excuse now, the big problem with Run Bitch Run is the student like direction there is no flair with the direction, it's just plain flat and the editing is very bad, don't get me wrong i really wanted to love this movie (the trailer looked fun) but it was bad, and not even in a good way.. I know there were working in a very low budget but it looks like the film-makers did not even try, it was just lazy work..

Now the story is pretty much the same as I Spit On Your Grave, just a standard rape and revenge that you have seen many times, but what really sucked about the movie was the violence, it was not brutal or disturbing enough, now let me tell you, forget about some of the good reviews that this movie has been getting, it's all lies lies lies, what you really want to see is some hard hitting bloody violence some sleazy sex and this does not deliver..The only good thing about the film is the nudity...Trust me, the trailer is much much better than the whole movie...in other words avoid...

The Tournament (2009)

It will pass the time nicely

[7/10 · 17 October 2009]

There has been so much trash released over the past couple of years, however The Tournament is one of those fun trashy movies that hits the action spot very nicely, what we have is a game that takes place every 7 years and 30 top assassins play out for the top prize, and yes they have to kill each other to win 10 million, a bug has been placed inside them so they can track each other down and a bunch of rich folk place there bets in who will win.. Well thats pretty much the plot.. So what now follows is a Battle Royal kill fest, and boy do we have some brutal and bloody kills, the film makers were smart to even through in some nudity...and hey presto we have another trashy exploitation movie, but this one kinda rocks, it will remind you of other movies you have seen...like Battle Royal, The Running Man, and even Gamer, so don't expect anything original but there are some nice set pieces, blood gets splattered all over the place and oh... did i even mention that there is some nudity?

Gamer (2009)

Best action sci-fi for 2009...

[10/10 · 19 September 2009]

Gamer is a high concept pumped up action sci-fi from the team that brought us Crank 1 and 2, well what can i say about this movie except WOW, what a blast. Gerard Butler plays our main hero in a brutal game set up by a power hungry billionaire, the hero is controlled by a teenager and if he wins 30 games our hero will be released as he is a convict. This is a game were real people get killed, but whats great about the film is its visual style and technically the film is awesome, the action is fast and brutal, the whole thing is just right in your face which some movie snobs won't like but i loved..I reckon this is the best action film for 2009....i know some people wont like the excess of this movie but to hell with them, if you like you're action hardcore look no further..

Rambo (2008)

Rambo is back to reclaim his action crown.

[8/10 · 24 February 2008]

After watching this film i felt compelled to ad my own comment, i never thought i would review a Rambo film, but this was such a hugely enjoyable action adventure that i truly feel that Sylvester Stallone has made his best action film so far, sure Stallone has made some crappy movies over the years, but he has truly resurrected a true 80's action icon. Rambo is hard as nails, a true warrior. The story couldn't be more simple, a bunch of aid workers head up river (Apocolypse Now style) into the very hostile Burma, John Rambo takes them there, when he leaves he receives news that the aid workers have been captured and taken prisoner. Rambo leads a band of mercenaries to the rescue, and this is were the film goes on to overdrive, for all the violent crimes that the baddies do, Rambo is like the angel of death, and he is there to kick there asses and what an ass kicking he gives. For a mainstream movie its probably the most violent and bloody display of awesome carnage you'll see, bodies get ripped apart from gun fire, people get blown up, throats get ripped out, and Rambo makes very good use of his iconic knife. This movie is pumped up to the max, go see it now.

Enchanted (2007)

A Fun Magical Film For All

[8/10 · 24 December 2007]

The only reason i saw this film is because i have an unlimited Cineworld card, you know, pay a certain amount each month and watch as many movies as you like, anyway i decided to check out Enchanted for the run up to Christmas and what i found was a great uplifting family film that brought me back to my childhood and the Disney films i used to watch. From the cartoon world to the real world is real fun and magical to watch, the songs and dance numbers are perfect for this type of movie and Amy Adams gives one of the best comic performance in along time. Its got a good message for kids, "get to know someone properly before you marry them", a mistake that adults keep making on a daily basis. One of the best Disney films in ages.

Irreversible (2002)

This ain't no date movie!

[8/10 · 24 December 2007]

A lot has been said about this controversial film, some people where shocked and offended, others did not know what to make of it. The bottom line is that it is an experimental film, it uses a basic plot of revenge told backwards, and if you can manage to watch it twice (which i did) it works. It's a raw brutal and challenging film to watch, some people will be put of by the very ugly rape scene, i think that scene upset a lot of viewers, and if people get upset by an extreme act of violence then they will dismiss the movie as trash,(don't listen to them) its a thought provoking film that will shake you to the core, and will linger in your mind, and thats what makes it a stand out from the other so called controversial films. The direction and performances are fine, although you may get a little dizzy with some of the camera work at the start of the movie, its all part of the chaos in which the main characters go through, a true descent of the depravity of human nature in which a random act of violence can change peoples lives and there behaviour forever. If your looking for something with a dark edge and if you can handle extreme cinema then look no further, a difficult film to watch YES but well worth the journey.

Planet Terror (2007)

Trashy, Sleazy, Bloody , Great Fun.

[8/10 · 10 November 2007]

The other half of the Grindhouse experience "Planet Terror", Robert Rodriguez's zombie riot of a film, and what a blast it is. When a experimental bio-weapon turns your average Joe Blogs into crazy zombies, all hell is let loose and a group of survivors decide to arm them self's and fight back. The movie kicks of with a fantastic sleazy dance by the main heroine Cherry Darling (the sexy Rose Mcgowan), this sets the tone for the whole movie, with the film print deliberately scratched and the occasional bad edits and even a missing reel its all part off the trashy fun. Note: some viewers might not like the way the film was shot, this is no MTV slick, shiny production, this is pure exploitation, this is GRINDHOUSE, so get with it.

As you would expect from Robert Rodriguez he stages the blood and carnage with glee, its his most outrages movie yet, when the zombies get shot left right and centre the blood spurts out in an OTT manner, there's plenty of sick effects to keep all you gore hounds happy, and its a good companion piece to Tarantino's "Death Proof". Its a shame that the movie tanked at the box office, but it does deserve a 2nd chance. Never has so much trash been so much fun.

Sin City (2005)

A Modern Day Classic

[10/10 · 7 November 2007]

The great thing about Sin City is that it looks and feels like a comic, the guys are either tough, corrupt, hard-boiled or all round psycho's, the dames are all sex on legs, they are either abused, prostitutes, strippers and some are out for revenge, not much character depth there, but who cares? When you've got so much fun on display, some OTT violence, black humour,sex, nudity, oh did i mention the dames are HOT, and the movie looks so cool . Robert Rodrigues and Frank Miller have created an inventive, original, groundbreaking film. In a sleazy City of unlikely and reluctant heroes trying to do the right thing in a City that refuses to care, there is so much fun to be had as you watch there wild stories. Mickey Rourke,s Marv is one of the best screen characters, a hugely enjoyable movie event!

Apocalypto (2006)

A Great Rumble In The Jungle

[10/10 · 7 November 2007]

In the past Mel Gibson has done some entertaining films from his Mad Max and Lethal Weapon franchise to Payback and The Patriot, but as a director he has excelled from films like Braveheart to The Pasion Of The Christ And now Apocalypto and what a great movie it is.

In the twilight of the Mayan culture, Jaguar Paw and some of his village natives is captured and taken to the mysterious Mayan city, where he faces a disturbing and untimely end. Driven by the love of his family, he makes a frantic escape through the jungle to be reunited with his family and to save his life, while he is being pursued by his brutal captors, this is were the film kicks up a gear.

What Mel Gibson has done, is transport the viewer back to that time and era, and created a thrill ride of intense action and some brutal set pieces. When it comes to the chase and some expected violent confrontations, Mel Gibson knows exactly what he's doing, as he has shown with Braveheart and The Pasion Of The Christ, he does not hold back. The decision to use the native language of "Yucatec Maya" is brave, but it works. A solid film that works on so many levels, worth checking out, you'll be glad you did.

30 Days of Night (2007)

A well made stylish vampire flick

[10/10 · 3 November 2007]

The main premise is simple once a year during the winter the sun disappears for 30 days in a remote isolated town in Alaska, and when the sun goes down the vampires come out and they are hellbent on causing chaos. But what you really have is a survival film, how are the townsfolk going to last for 30 days with such vicious vampires lurking just about everywhere?

Well director David Slade who made Hard Candy lays on the suspense and action with visual flair, so when the vampires do attack, a small group of survivors fight back, so for this type of movie to work, you have to have some inventive kills to keep the blood flowing and the adrenaline pumping, and you do get some nasty bloody kills to keep the horror fans happy. Neck's get ripped out, heads get cut off, vampires get shot left right and centre and even a kid vampire gets a gruesome demise, its all here in it's full bloody glory, the make up effects are very good. A special mention must go to Danny Huston as the head vampire, he embodies real menace and a genuine threat to the main players.

Well as vampire films go, you can put this up there with Near Dark, From Dusk Till Dawn and Interview With The Vampire. A solid horror survival action film that goes straight for the jugular!

Rise of the Footsoldier (2007)

Exceptonally violent British crime film

[8/10 · 27 October 2007]

After watching Rise Of The Footsoldier i knew it was a great British gangster film, at first you think its going to be along the lines of Green Street, ID or The Football Factory but its much more and much better than that. The film follows Carlton Leech a football hooligan and all round street thug, after he has been hired as a doorman because he can handle himself in violent situations, he naturally works his way up to more criminal dealings, well you can guess the rest. With a few encounters with some very brutal people mostly his friends, the film gives you an insight into British crime like no other. Director Julian Gilbey who made his mark with the impressive Rollin With The Nines has created a powerhouse of a movie, he lays on the violence thick and fast that borders on exploitation which may put off some viewers, so if you have a problem with brutality stay away, if not check it out. It does not reach the heights of Goodfellas(but what does?), so if your looking for something hardcore, this film pulls no punches.

District B13 (2004)

A tight French action film

[7/10 · 9 July 2007]

The great thing about this film is its short sweet running time, it kicks right into gear from the word go and never lets up. For his first feature film Pierre Morel has crafted an enjoyable action romp that utilises parkour (you know jumping of buildings and over rails) and martial arts to great affect, the plot which is a little silly involving a nuclear bomb that is about to go of in District 13 and our hero cop must go in with the aid of an inmate who is out to rescue his sexy little sister from the scumbag drug dealer who kidnapped her, so what follows is some well choreographed fight scenes in the Ong-Bak tradition but not quite as brutal, some nifty shoot-outs and as you would expect from the mind of Luc Besson the film looks very slick, MTV slick but don't let that put you off, the whole film works and its one of the best French action films in some time, check it out and then tell your mates.

Strange Days (1995)

An ultra stylish wonderful movie

[9/10 · 2 July 2007]

You know on its general release Strange Days did not exactly set the box office alight which is a shame because it was one of the best films released back in 1995. Written by James Cameron And directed by Kathryn Biglow who also made her mark with Near Dark and Point Break,the film set in the last days of 1999, former vice cop Lenny Nero(Ralph Fiennes)prowls a chaotic Los Angeles dealing in illegal clips taken from the brains of people equipped with some special device hidden under a hairpiece, but when he comes across a snuff clip all hell breaks loose. The film deals with many themes police corruption, racial tension, a city thats ready to explode, and its all thrown together with high energy by Kathryn Biglow, the film is supper slick with its tight action, sleazy characters and cool soundtrack, but what really stands out is its pure sensation and visual flair, if you thought Blade Runner looks cool you should check this out, an underrated gem of a movie that has aged quite well.

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

You have to see this before you die!

[10/10 · 13 October 2006]

OK the version i'm giving a review of is the uncut Japanese version, which is better than the original theatrical cut, the anime sequence is slightly longer & a bit more violent but the main difference is that when The Bride takes on the crazy 88 at the House Of The Blue Leaves its all left in colour with more limbs chopped off, the whole sequence is pure movie heaven just like the film itself, its certainly Tarantinos best looking film thanks to director of photography Robert Richardson, vol-1 has a unique fantasy feel while vol-2 looks like a western in the tradition of Sergio Leone's, Once Apon A Time In The West comes to mind, no doubt Tarantino pay's homage to that, amongst many other films. When you watch both vol's back to back the way it should be seen, it is a beautiful ultra-violent revenge epic, you are truly transported into Tarantino's movie world. A special mention must go to Uma Thurman she holds the screen magnificently, no matter how many films she does in the future Kill Bill will remain her best performance.

Trainspotting (1996)

One of the best British films!

[10/10 · 13 October 2006]

I first saw this film at the Glasgow Odean & it blew me away, director Danny Boyle has taken Irvine Welsh novel about lowlifes, junkies & one dangerous psycho & has turned it into a wild inventive & extremely funny film. Ewan MacGregor turns in a career best as the lead Renton (or as Begbie calls him rent-boy). For such a low budget film it has so much energy, visual flair & great ideas, a film that has got vomit, excrement, sex(with a minor) violence & a dead baby & let's not forget "the worst toilet in Scotland" with all those elements the film does NOT glamorise drugs it just shows it as it is, & it lets the characters get on with it. I just hope if they ever make Porno- Irvine Welsh follow up to Trainspotting that the original cast & director jump on board.

Goodfellas (1990)

The best film ever, YES it's that good!

[10/10 · 13 October 2006]

I will try to keep this short & sweet, cos so much praise has been put on this film & rightfully so, it's not just the best gangster film ever made its probably the best film ever made period. Scorsese has created a ground breaking visceral experience, everything is flawless the pace,the use of music, the performances (Joe Pesci is the standout),editing, the film looks & feels great, the dialogue is colourful, the violence is brutal & you laugh when your supposed to. The film opens with the song Rags to Riches by Tony Bennett & closes with Sid Vicious version of My Way, you realise that's what Scorsese has done, made it his way. Even on a bad day he has few peers, & when so many crime films come & go, Goodfellas will still be talked about many years from now. Thanx Marty!

Near Dark (1987)

A cool vampire flick

[8/10 · 13 October 2006]

You know when this film came out it was over shadowed by another vampire flick called The Lost Boys, that was for the MTV generation, but Near Dark is a far Superior film & it has dated quite well compared to the latter. What you have are these vampires who travel from town to town looking for pray (although the word vampire is never used in the film) they come across like outlaw gypsies, the whole film has a western feel to it, Kathrene Bigelow along with cinematographer Adam Greenberg has created a dark moody, modern day vampire road movie. The bar room brawl remains a classic, it shows how cold calculating & vicious they are, Bill Paxton steals the show, while Adrian Pasdar & Jenny Wright make a solid couple. The best vampire film of the 1980's!