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Evidence (2012)
It's not what you're expecting. Stay tuned for the 2nd half. Very entertaining addition to the found footage sub-genre.
It's been a while since I've wrote a review but its time to give props where props are due. Evidence is a film that could just be like any other found footage movie. For nearly half the movie you feel that you've seen this all before but I have to say that the acting and script are interesting enough to keep you going and it's worth the wait anyway.
The guy behind the camera, Ryan is making a documentary 'in the woods' and asks his friends to come along for the ride. While camping they start to hear weird screaming noises and want to leave but Ryan doesn't want them to leave as he cares more about making his masterpiece then the safety of his friends. You get to know through one of Brett's stories that Ryan is pretty cold when he wants to be. After lots of panic and more eerie screeching the pace completely shifts and the movie hits top gear. Suddenly you realise that this is much more than just a mythological creature or demon and instead it becomes more of a government/military experiment gone wrong. It did remind me of Resident Evil (RES) a little but it was much more convincing than the CGI riddled RES movies.
For the estimated budget this is a very entertaining addition to this sub-genre. The camera is extremely shaky in the 2nd half but I guess that was the director's way of keeping it as convincing as possible. It is a bit far-fetched and the creatures do kinda look like humans in gorilla costumes but let's not get picky here. Sometimes logic just needs to go out the window and you have to enjoy a movie for what it is. This is a Horror movie and not a well-constructed Thriller.
Entertaining things to see in Evidence: infected humans, alien bugs, furry alien gorillas and an unexpected head blown clean off. I'm a big advocate for indie movies and highly appreciate when one is done well, especially when using such a small budget. Stay tuned in for the credits as long as you can deal with flashing images as you get some clips there too. I wanted more and that's always a good sign.
If you like this I recommend Rec (not Quarantine) and Grave Encounters.
Cyrius
Mr. Nobody (2009)
Mr. Nobody - A Review from Cyrius
When I heard about Mr. Nobody, read the synopsis and read a few reviews on IMDb I was intrigued and hoped the hype was for real. It was a relatively unknown film in the UK when I first watched it and since then I still think about it and felt like it was an injustice to not write my own review.
Mr. Nobody is like a beautiful dream that you wish you could conjure up in your own sub-conscious mind. If you know about String Theory then you may start to understand why the film shows multiple possible realities through the life of one man from birth till death. Switching from each possible reality based upon split second decisions, you are transported into what is, what was and what could have been, but for this one man (played by Jared Leto) all is incredibly real as he has been given the gift of somehow knowing each life scenario in his own conscious mind.
If it sounds confusing, well it is at times, but the best movie-making usually leaves you on the edge of your seat waiting for the ending to do one of two things, blow your mind with a crazy twist or make your own conclusions. Mr. Nobody does the latter, and I encourage you to think about everything you have experienced while watching this movie and then go to the discussion boards to read some interesting opinions on what the ending means.
For me this movie encapsulates 'true love', our search for 'the one', and the beauty of unconditional love. The ending is a metaphor of all of these ideas of love and also draws on the idea of fate. As you may have experienced in your own lives, some things seem like they are just meant to be.
Mr. Nobody is an original and artistic piece of filmmaking. A thought-provoking film full of emotion and inspiration, and I honestly encourage you to watch it.
I give it 8 out of 10 but it probably deserves more.
Cyrius
True Blood (2008)
A potential vampire cult classic that will be remembered for a long time
While waiting for Dexter and Lost to start their next seasons there has not been much to really catch my attention and engross me episode after episode but then True Blood comes along. From the title sequences to the music at the end of every episode True Blood has so many good qualities. It brings a very over-used genre of horror into the deep south of the US and packs it with originality. Sure there is at least one sex scene every episode and sure it uses Anna Paquin as a pin-up girl with her new blonde locks and toned body, but it is much more than horror/porn. True Blood has suspense, humour, thick southern accents and blood and gore to keep the hardcore gore fans tuned in. There are also so many interesting characters and journeys beyond the main relationship that grows between Sookie and Vampire Bill.
I am currently in the middle of the 2nd season and it is getting better every episode. A good TV show always knows how to make to want to see more and leaves you with a cliff hanger to make sure you tune in next week. The same applies to TV shows like Dexter and even though it nearly lost me (no pun intended), Lost did the same. True Blood has the potential to have a cult following and could change the vampire movies/TV shows are created in the future because it picks up on the passion of old vampire tales and adds to it a very realistic twist that fits with today's equal opportunity policies and politically correct ideals to make sure that everybody is treated the same in society. True Blood deserves recognition and I hope it keeps getting ratings and doesn't lose its intended path because of any writer's strikes or executive decisions. 10 out of 10 and I don't give them lightly.
Cyrius
Last of the Living (2009)
A valiant effort on a over-used concept that I still love
One of the voters said this is the love child of Flight of the Conchords and Sean of the Dead and I have to agree with that comparison. Last of the Living is a humorous take on the zombie genre with a New Zealand twist. It tells the story or 3 guys in the middle of an apocalypse surrounded by the living dead. The 3 friends move from mansion to mansion and kick back watching TV and playing video games. The banter between the guys is quite funny because it is the kinda dialogue that most male friends would use, for example, talking about chicks, talking about each others mums and thinking about what movie to watch next. Its only when they meet a female survivor that purpose comes into their lives and they try and save the world. It does rip off scenes from 28 Days Later, Day of the Dead and many others but I get the feeling that was the point. The film isn't something original, but what it does have is great camera work, cool fights, and good music. I am looking forward to seeing what the director and writer comes up with next. It kept me interested from start to finish which is more than most films and the acting was above par even though it is a horror/comedy. If you like zombie films and TV shows like Flight of the Conchords then you will enjoy this I'm sure. 6 out of 10 and I was close to giving it a 7.
Casino Royale (2006)
The best Bond film. Poker, action and a love story.
This is my first 10 for a film I only saw months ago. I have always liked Bond films but I was just getting bored of seeing the same thing, and not feeling like Bond himself had evolved as a character. Funnily enough, the film that stands as a prequel to all others is the one where we see character development and emotion. For once we get to see into Bond's way of thinking and why in later film's he is such a player and doesn't ever seem to settle down with a nice lady. Daniel Craig impressed me way beyond my expectations. I wasn't expecting him to have the charisma of Sean Connery but not only does he show that but he also opens the dimensions of Bond to another level. We see the rebellious side of Bond much more in this film and there is also such a contrast of extremes (the softer side and the darker, more sinister side). The opening action sequence is fantastic with the free runner and it is scenes like this that make the action much more interesting. Other Bond films rely on gadgets way too much and this film works so well without them. The poker scenes are brilliant and show Bond's competitive side and his vulnerability as Poker is essentially a game of luck as you can't always rely on tells as your opponent can be exceptionally good at bluffing, or pretending to bluff (a double-bluff). The love story pulled me in, which was a surprise. The relationship that grows between Daniel Craig and Eva Green's characters is absorbing and realistic and it makes the climax of the film have such a bigger impact. Overall, this film blew me away and deserves a place in the top 250 above films like Kill Bill Vol. 2, which is nowhere near as good as this film. I have seen Quantum of Solace recently too and Casino Royale blows it out the water. I believe it is the definitive Bond film and I hope that what comes after Quantum of Solace has the heart and depth of Casino Royale, as Quantum of Solace was made purely to show off the action sequences, which were good, but it lacked in meaning, logic and emotion.
Alien Raiders (2008)
Silly name but I loved it. For once a good independent horror flick.
I really love it when an independent film is made well. I'm all for the underdog rising above the corporate giants with their millions and billions. A film doesn't always need expensive special effects (yes sometimes they do blow u away, but the use of CGI is getting ridiculous now), and a worthy script with good actors and some creative low budget FX can be enough to keep you entertained....if you haven't been brainwashed yet that is. Getting to my point, Alien Raiders delivers because you don't expect it too (I think they chose the name because of that reason). The name sucks, the beginning with the dodgy camcording makes you think 'is this what it's gonna be like', and then wallop you become absorbed in this little gem. It may be because I love alien movies, and people's interpretations on the whole alien invasion, including what they look like and what power they possess. Yes the film is pretty much all in a supermarket and yes the protectors of the universe do some really stupid things, but we're all human. You have to look at Alien Raiders for what it is and appreciate how well it was delivered for it's small budget. The actors did a great job, they we're very convincing, and the raiders we're relentless throughout which was great. If they think you're an alien well you're in big trouble, coz they don't like aliens not one bit. The twist was mildly obvious but still it could only be one of the 5 or 6 hostages so what do you expect. Those that have been hating on this are not fans of indie flicks obviously, and probably watch Die Hard 4.0 (which I loved by the way) and think that if a car doesn't take out a helicopter then it ain't worth watching. I've seen many bad indie horror flicks and thats why this gets positive comments from me. It stands out from the crowd and except for the supermarket setting has no similarities, and is not a copy of 'The Mist' (which again I loved). Give it a go...if you don't like it....well tough I did.
The Last Man (2008)
OK for the small budget used to make it, but could have been so much better.
I watched the Last Man expecting a present day adaptation on a Mary Shelley novel but on a small budget and thats what i got. I also expected decent independent actors, passable special effects, decent direction and freaks that actually look like freaks.....this however I did not get. The Last Man has its good points, which are that I could get all the way through it without turning off and for the small budget spent you can see the potential that the director has with the right mentor. The problem with the Last Man is that the bad outweighs the good. The camera is shaky in the action scenes, the CGI is appalling (would have been better without it), the echoed overlayed voices are amateur, the action scenes (fights and gun battles) are about as exciting as watching paint dry, and the acting is mediocre at best. I'm not a hater at all, I'm just being brutally honest. No actually I'm being fair giving it a 4 out of 10. It was watchable but never exciting, and that is a shame because a film like this had so much potential. I love apocalyptic films and this one did have good writing (yes a positive comment). The script was interesting, especially the use of Sun Tzu's Art of War, and the message that we are all monsters, especially when we judge those that are different is one of truth that needs to be told. It is this alone that made me keep watching. Another good thing is that watching this has made me want to read the novel so I can picture in my imagination what this film could have been with a bigger budget, better actors, and better editing and camera-work. I would still like it to be independent but a film of this scale needs some cash to work with. Please someone out there give it another shot and this time make it with heart, you know like your Mum does with the cooking. That way I know it will be good.
The Art of Pain (2008)
Some of my favourite elements - Martial Arts, Cinemas, Comic Books and Zombies. Overall not too bad.
The Art of Pain was an interesting film. The story goes like this. Bad boy wants to impress his sensei and get his black belt. Sensei wants him to achieve something significant for him to receive the belt. Bad boy gets a job at the local cinema and meets girl. Bad boy figures out a way of achieving something great in life by tormenting her artistic boyfriend and becoming his muse. I don't want to spoil the rest of the film so I'll stop there in terms of content, but within the film are some funny moments (look out for the scene where the main girl is at the theatre practising in her role as a prostitute). It has some cool martial arts scenes, a vision of zombies taking over the cinema, and some good small roles like the projectionist, lloyd Kaufman as the director of the zombie film, and the sensei who is hilarious. The main problem with the film is it has no focus and ends kind of unexpectedly. The climax kind of sucks. It has potential as an independent movie and I would like to see what the directors come up with next, and the actors were decent enough. Hopefully in their next movie it sticks with one genre and stays strong throughout, instead of trying to put too much in and losing credibility as a great independent film. It is definitely worth the watch for its originality, but don't expect an independent masterpiece.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Amazing, fascinating, and absorbing story
I'm gonna keep this short as I don't write long messages but I see myself as a good critic when it comes to movies, and I must say that I could not keep my eyes away from the screen. With a running time of over 2hrs 30 mins a film needs to be something special to keep me entertained for that long and I was not disappointed. Brad Pitt was on top form and the direction of the movie was fantastic. The premise of someone born with the physicality of a dieing old man and growing younger over time was dealt with in such a beautiful way that you don't want it to finish, and emotions are triggered at several points in the movie. When you get the chance don't watch anything else, watch this. You will not regret it....trust me.