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drloomis311
Reviews
From Hell (2001)
Probably my favorite performance from Johnny Depp,
I just watched this movie a little bit ago and I think I was able to confirm this as my favorite Johnny Depp film. He's always been hit and miss for me. I tend to like him in his more serious roles(Secret Window,Sleepy Hollow,From Hell) and I do have a fondness for Edward Scissorhands. But you can't pay me to try and sit through Benny and Joon or Cry Baby.
Mr. Depp really hit the spot for me on this one. I believed in his character who albeit in a constant depressive state, or just plain jacked on opium, he was on his game in his hunt for the legendary Jack the Ripper.
But he also had a good supporting cast,however, Ill omit Heather Graham. I don't know, I just didn't think she brought much to the movie and quite frankly I just thought she was just the whore with the most lines. But one of the final scenes took it home just based on sheer acting as Johnny Depp finally confronted who he believed was the madman.
The scares are there people and so is the gore so if you want a fine-tuned re-telling of the most famous serial killer known, plus being led by a veteran who can do it all, then go grab the nachos and watch From Hell.
Ghost Ship (2002)
Satisfying
You know, being a horror movie fan for 20 years now, I'm starting to see something in which I believe can put a dent in the horror movie industry. That is a so-called true horror movie fan.
You're right. Who am I to judge whether someone is a horror flick fan or not? That's not my point. My point is some horror fans can get pretty darn picky about a horror movie. As far as they are concerned, if one small thing is wrong, or doesn't carry "true horror taste", then forget it. It isn't a horror movie and its a disgrace before "true" horror films. Then they dutifully trash the movie for everything it stands for in hopes of deterring would be viewers. I guarantee I can list my all time favorite horror films and then proceed to find something wrong with each one of them.
I invite you too gander some of my other reviews. I also guarantee that some of the movies I review will make you roll your eyes before you even read what I have to say. Read with your open mind(if you have one).
Ghost Ship gets a fairly good review from me. I've seen better of course. But this one was entertaining. I thought the female lead carried the movie quite well. I've seen better performances, but she was sufficable. Some of the death scenes lacked originality, but that wasn't necessary. The movie kept you wondering why everything was happening the way it was. It had a strong story in which I thought the movie could have been a little longer in order to develop the story more, but it still got it's point across. This movie will not blow you away, but it isn't a waste of time, trust me.
Halloween: Resurrection (2002)
Watchable, but nowhere near what it was hyped up to be.
Michael Myers is back. Being a huge fan of the Halloween series I couldn't wait to see this one. I liked it because, hey it was another installment, but overall, I was disappointed. I'll tell ya, you like Myers going around building up the body count then you'll enjoy it for what it is. There are some genuinely funny moments with Busta Rhymes and it was good to see Jamie Lee Curtis reprise her role as Laurie. I'll tell you what disappointed me the most, the ending. I feel that every good horror movie has to have a good ending. In case you didn't know, director Rick Rosenthal delayed the movie for almost a whole year because he wanted to re-shoot the ending. He said that once filming was complete and went into post-production, and idea for a better ending hit him and it was so good that he had to call back cast and crew to redo it. Upon writing this, all I can say is, what the hell was he thinking? Ive seen this ending in so many other movies, there was nothing original about it. Major let down. I have seen Halloween 6:The Curse of Michael Myers and Ive also seen the unreleased Producer's cut of the movie and Im one of the true believers of the fact that it was better than what was released. I have a gut feeling that Mr. Rosenthal should have kept his original ending for it probably would have made for a better movie.
Wishmaster (1997)
Excellent movie! Highly Recommended for horror flick buffs.
This movie showcases film vet Andrew Divoff's starring talent and if baffles me why people don't pick him to star in flicks more often. Very multi-talented and serious about whatever role he assumes. I once corresponded with the legendary Angus Scrimm of the Phantasm saga and he had nothing but good things to say about Andrew. The movie is genuinely scary as you watch the sinister Djinn deceive his victims into wishing for what they believe will be something they have only dreamed about, only to have their dreams altered as he tweaks the actual meaning of what they want into a nightmarish reality. Very strong supporting cast, mind(and reality) boggling special effects make this movie a staple for any horror fan. I also exclusively recommend this to horror buffs to see how many cameos they can pick out of the movie. An excellent treat indeed.
Return of the Living Dead III (1993)
Don't watch if you are a fan of the first two.
Ok, I rank this one low because it tried too hard to be different from the others and failed. I mean, I understand if you want to try different elements to keep it fresh(for lack of a better word) but come on. There wasnt much of a threat posed in the plot. In the first two, you had a whole graveyard of zombies wreaking havoc. In this one, you have some guy's ex-girlfriend and then a few mutations. This movie had a more serious tone than its predecessors, but it failed to be scarier. And I'm sorry, although the female lead was a fairly attractive gal(to start), there is nothing sexy about watching her suck someone's brains out. Maybe a sexy vampiress going in for the kill can work now and then, but not this gal. I hear they are finally working on a fourth one and I look forward to it. It's wishful thinking but I hope that, not only do they go back to what worked in the first two, I hope they bring back James Karen and Thom Matthews. That would be a nice treat for us old-schoolers.
The Rift (1990)
Pick this movie up, you won't regret.
I thought this was a fairly scary movie mainly because there was a lot to it that had you guessing. It was based on this virus or whatever and it spawned all of these different kinds of creatures and really messes up victims in countless different ways. I've seen alot of negative feedback, but I thought it was entertaining and on another positive note, I thought R. Lee Ermey was good in it as well. Pick it up.
Return of the Living Dead: Part II (1988)
Excellent sequel done in the same fashion as the first.
Let's just put it this way. If you liked the first, I don't see any reason why you wouldn't find the second one entertaining. It has a little more comedy but still keeps its horror label in my opinion. I would liken it to Chud 2 but with more gore and violence. I highly recommend it if you are a sucker for a good 80's horror flick and not someone who demands a powerful movie that withstands the test of time.
Wishmaster 3: Beyond the Gates of Hell (2001)
Give it a chance,,,
First off, I am an Andrew Divoff fan and I totally admire his performances as the Djinn in the first two Wishmasters. That being said, I would expect alot out of the new sequels to see if they can come anywhere close to their predecessors. After viewing Wishmaster 3, I say this, give it a chance. Even if it is just for the sake of watching John Novak's version of the Djinn. Now no one could ever represent the creature like Divoff has, but Novak wasn't half bad. After reading other reviews about how cheesy he was in monster form, I would have to pretty much agree. Thankfully, he spends most of his time as Nathaniel Demerest and I honestly thought he puts up a decent performance. This movie has its eye-rolling moments but overall it wasnt a waste of a rental.
The Pit and the Pendulum (1991)
Excellent Movie
Good flick from back in the days when Full Moon Entertainment was serious about making them. Not much of a known cast, however they all put out excellent performances, especially Lance Henriksen who is one of my favorites. Well told story. I strongly recommend this one for Lance Henriksen fans, or someone who wants to see what Full Moon was able to do in their heyday.
C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chud (1989)
NOT Absolute Rubbish
In watching Chud 2, you have to stick somewhere in the back of your head that it was made in the 80's when acting wasn't as important. It also helps to have watched the first one in order to recieve the scary aura that is presented(and yes, it is present) throughout the movie. Yes, the movie has it's faults but I see it pointless to explore them. You have to be reminded what horror movies where hot around that time such as the Nightmares and the Friday's. Realize that, and then you'll understand why not much had to be accomplished in order to come up with a satisfactory horror flick. If, you've lived the 80's like I have then you should be satisfied by watching Chud 2. It wont rate high, but it's watchable. Basically, understand the time period and you may look beyond the not so impressive acting, lame character's and actually enjoy the movie for what it is.