skybrick736 Reviews

Halloween (I) (2018)

Halloween (2018)

[8/10 · 31 October 2018]

As a Halloween fanatic, its bitter-sweet to have a sequel that doesn't follow the original franchise. However, it's easier to come to terms that this is a strikingly new era for horror movies and that the last movie in the series was the poorly executed Halloween: Resurrection came out in 2002. The ability to sign on Jamie Lee Curtis was the pivotal move that would make the new film reputable and have the ability to continue a new story and future films. The major plus was the collaboration with John Carpenter to help pitch in with the film's score and soundtrack. The music was absolutely amazing from start to finish and mixed in with the scenes perfectly, especially when Michael meets the new heroine Allison at the gate for the first time. What also stuck out with David Gordon Green's adaptation of Halloween II is the amount of homage he plays back for the entire franchise with certain scenes, dialogue and props. It was quite remarkable and borderline ridiculous how many call backs, it seemed like it was almost every other scene. Similarly, to most of the Halloween films there is a clear separation between the first half of movie and the second half. The first half of the film was kind of choppy in places but it did provide with a great intro and some decent supporting role characters to move the story in the right place. The second half is exquisite excellency all the way around that includes, script, acting, dialogue and the full force of Michael Myers's brutality. Any fan of the franchise will likely enjoy this film, although it does bring up some saddening nostalgia about how great Carpenter's original Halloween films are.

A Quiet Place (2018)

A Quiet Place (9/10)

[9/10 · 13 May 2018]

A Quiet Place is an astonishing accomplishment from a first-time director, John Krasinski, who is most known for a role in a comedy tv show. This kind of versatility in Hollywood is rare and more people like Krasinski are needed to really resurrect the film franchise. A Quiet Place proves that original content can still crush in the box office, not just the standard, shallow Superhero films that get pumped out. In fact, A Quiet Place is continuing this trend of horror films achieving immense success in the 2017-2018 era, a prospect that remains extremely exciting. The film itself does a fantastic job in setting a bleak mood and feeling of isolation for the world we know today. This feeling of isolation is felt in one way by the great cinematography, which include an abandoned town, forest and farm, all incredible sights on the big screen. The pace of the film is skillfully worked, having a decent amount of quicker cuts and edits to start and then prolonging scenes during the intense ending. Very well done film, a must watch!

The Walking Dead (2010–2022)

The Walking Dead: Season 1 (10/10)

[10/10 · 12 May 2018]

The Walking Dead in its first season could not be touched. When it came down to it, the first season had a collection of complex characters, thought provoking dialogue, captivating storylines, great cinematography, and downright scary looking zombies. Its hard to pin-point one thing that is extraordinary about Season 1 since there are so many aspects to talk about. First off, the scenes in downtown Atlanta were incredibly visual and the scenes that took place in more rural areas were very scenic. The undead in the first season had great makeup and special effects too, the zombies had defined faces that really make them feel they were once human. If I had to pick one thing that was great about the first season, its has to be the cast... Andrew Lincoln and Jon Bernthal make great, bad ass lead actors that also have the ability to project a range of emotions. Laurie Holden is also radiant in this season and the surrounding cast of Jeffrey DeMunn, Steven Yeun, Irone Singleton, and Norman Reedus all showcase a great character that can be easily become a fan-favorite to any. Frank Darabont hit a grand slam with the Walking Dead and its fairly easily to see why the shows popularity boomed right away.

Cabin Fever (2016)

Cabin Fever (3/10)

[3/10 · 12 May 2018]

Upon first viewing the Cabin Fever remake, I legitimately thought that I was playing Eli Roth's original when clicking play on Netflix. It's been so many years from first viewing the original that it took nearly 30 minutes for me to realize that the film I was watching was a recycled, useless remake. Who in the world would pretty much follows Roth's script to a tee when the story wasn't even groundbreaking to begin with? These are the type of projects that lack vision, emit no feeling or fright, and they waste a bunch of space for potential original horror content in this great genre. Unlike the original that had some scenes that were extremely whacky, this version didn't take a shot at one ballsy scene. The film felt like a total hack recreation but some super fans. Aside from hating the movie, there are a few positive aspects of the film being Gage Golightly and Nadine Crocker. Without those actresses' stunning screen presence and quality performances this would have been a total catastrophe to watch. I never felt so stupid watching a movie A.) not knowing the film was the remake and B.) the storyline rotted my brain.

Friday the 13th: Part 3 (1982)

Friday the 13th Part 3 (5/10)

[5/10 · 12 May 2018]

Steve Miner continues to direct the Friday the 13th franchise and follows up with a box office hit Part II, which greatly surpassed his previous sequel Part II. Friday the 13th Part III sticks with the continuity of the first two films but also has to add the long unneeded setup that highlights the ending of the last film. Within ten to fifteen minutes of watching the new characters and hearing the dialogue, its obvious that the route the writers took was a more comic, campier style that wasn't present in Part II. The biggest problem however with Part III is the characters, the biker gang was really shoehorned for little reason but to die and there are a handful of annoying characters, especially David Katims's role. Friday the 13th Part III has some entertainment value to it, but when it boils down the quality there are definitely better options out there.

The Invitation (I) (2015)

The Invitation (6/10)

[6/10 · 12 May 2018]

Look no further than The Invitation if you're looking for a suspenseful, brain teaser, just don't expect anything spectacular. The Invitation's storyline wanders in different directions and with some ambiguous dialogue and overuse of flashbacks, the movie makes for a tangled plot leaving the viewer frequently guessing on the next scenes. The writers did a decent job at deception, throwing curve balls on what may happen with the ending. Also, more importantly the writers created just enough foreshadowing throughout the film that one could possibly guess how the film ends. The Invitation is a reputable choice on Netflix, gives the viewers a chance to watch some up incoming actors and actresses as well as a couple of thrills.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (7/10)

[7/10 · 12 May 2018]

At the time of reviewing The Exorcism of Emily Rose in 2017 its really curious to see what exorcism movies have become the past decade. Excluding a couple of handful of 1990's religion-driven horror movies, there weren't any shocking exorcism scenes like there was in The Exorcist. The possession sub-genre changed when The Exorcism of Emily Rose, along with a couple of Exorcist prequels, hit theatres and really spurred a flurry of possession related movies. The film is also a trendsetter by the fact this it used jump-scares at unexpected moments, which has become a very popular ploy for filmmakers. Jennifer Carpenter being twisted up like a pretzel was still unsettling to watch even after all these years. Carpenter as Emily Rose did a terrific job playing the distressed young woman helpless to the demos possessing her. Veteran actor Tom Wilkinson plays Father Moore, a unique role for him, but he also succeeds in making the film better as well as the main lead Laura Linney who did put together a solid performance as the ambitious, tough as nails lawyer. The film did slow down in some of the court scenes and there are some eye-rolling pieces of dialogue and plot-points but the problems were sporadic. The Exorcism of Emily Rose is an enjoyable movie, still creepy in parts, and its really a shame that more critics didn't get around to seeing how suspenseful and interesting the film was.

Silent Hill (2006)

Silent Hill (7/10)

[7/10 · 12 May 2018]

Hardly, does a video-game adaptation turned into a feature length film ever sound like a plausibly successful quality project. Silent Hill breaks that boundary by acquiring three well-established actors in Radha Mitchell, Sean Bean and Laurie Holden. Radha by herself delivered an outstanding performance as Rose Da Silva, a role she doesn't get near the amount of credit to which she deserves. Her believability on screen and glowing presence, just totally carried the film, I really couldn't say enough. Another aspect of the film that was endearing is it seemed the story stayed true to itself as if it was in the video game. The faceless creatures were downright terrifying, and Pyramid Head was certainly intimidating. Barring some unnecessarily dragged out scenes and confusing dialogue towards the end, the film Silent Hill is a good sleeper film that delivered a solid story and enjoyable time watching.

Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)

Friday the 13th Part 2 (5/10)

[5/10 · 12 May 2018]

In all fairness to the original Friday the 13th, the enormous success of the franchise really started with the sequel Ft13th Part II. Icon Jason Vorhees makes his first appearance in the sequel and obviously from here on out, Jason goes down into slasher lore as one of the great horror movie characters. Part II is a great film to kick back and collect some 80's nostalgia. However, the film lacks quality writing, has a long-winded recap, a shoddy ode to a Texas Chainsaw Massacre character, and death sequences that are at times poorly executed. Also, Amy Steel, similarly to Adrienne King, didn't showcase a strong screen presence and is not as memorable as other "final girls" in slasher flicks. Aside from its problems, Friday the 13th Part II is an enjoyable film and is followed by a band of horror fans that are a lot more optimistic about the film than I as a viewer.

The Midnight Meat Train (2008)

The Midnight Meat Train (8/10)

[8/10 · 28 January 2018]

What a great straightforward, original concept of a murderous butcher picking off his victims late at night in New York City's subway system. Keeping it simple can get the job done and it is reflected in The Midnight Meat Train. The film does hold true to its disturbing title name too, with gruesome scenes and relentless action on top. Vinnie Jones makes a superb looking serial killer with his naturally badass look and clinched face. We can also see the extreme talent in Bradley Cooper who skyrocketed to stardom shortly after this movie with his comedic character in The Hangover. There are questionable decisions made by characters and some glaring plot holes that were hard to overlook but it didn't stop from making The Midnight Meat Train enjoyable, definitely a solid flick.

Children of the Corn (1984)

Children of the Corn 7/10

[7/10 · 28 January 2018]

Stephen King's short story Children of the Corn is wickedly disturbing, the idea of a small town being overrun by a cult of children, worshiping an ungodly entity is quite spooky. Credit to George Goldsmith and Fritz Kiersch for pulling of the chilling King concepts and atmosphere. The editing and sound was uniquely done, using odd shots, grittier images and fast paced filming techniques. Also, the filmmakers delivered on portraying the children as gruesome, evil figures. Both the young actors, John Franklin and Courtney Gains worked perfectly together as the film's arch villains, Isaac and Malachai. There roles were equally sinister, and their lines delivered to each were enthralling. The lead roles of Peter Horton and Linda Hamilton were also a team that had good chemistry on screen. A couple downfalls with the film include situational scenes cliché in horror and a subpar ending. Children of the Corn is underrated 80's horror flick that shouldn't be skipped by the genre's viewers.

Life (I) (2017)

Life (7/10)

[7/10 · 28 January 2018]

The outer space setting for a horror/sci-fi film was a common theme in 2017, notably Alien Covenant and Life. Seeing the influence, the original Alien had on Life is as plain as day. This aspect knocks down Life's originality pegs somewhat and leaves the story-line very predictable especially at the very end. However, Life has a couple film aspects that were great to see on screen. First, this was truly an all-star cast lifted by Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds and Rebecca Ferguson. Second, the monster's CGI was excellent, and its own origins and development are interesting to the story. As a whole, the storyline and editing where managed with precision and made the movie very fluid and go by fast. It'll be exciting what to see Daniel Espinosa has for the future after his first big budget film he successfully managed. Although Life didn't manage to be on the same level as Alien, the film is still strong and worth viewing.

Friday the 13th (1980)

Friday the 13th (6/10)

[6/10 · 28 January 2018]

When it comes to name recognition of a horror film and franchise, Friday the 13th is probably near the top and to many is considered the first film is considered a masterpiece in the slasher genre. The original also really stands out as its own movie compared to all of its predecessor's due tone and the ending reveal. Aside from some great scenes and an excellent suspenseful finish, the writing produced some cheesy lines and unlikeable characters from top to bottom. Adrienne King's scream queen character, Alice, was never captivating on screen with delivery and appearance. Friday the 13th is an above average film that struck gold at the right time with its promiscuous message and kicking off the popular slasher genre.

Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)

Hellbound: Hellraiser II

[4/10 · 21 December 2017]

Hellbound has absolutely one thing going for it and that is simply continuity. Bringing back two of the main characters from Hellraiser ultimately made the film more intriguing to see how these characters were going to progress or have their fate sealed. Aside from bringing back central characters, notably Kristy (Ashley Laurence), and the cenobites, there is little in terms of appeal to the start of the Hellraiser franchise. The CGI is horrendous throughout, the dialogue is insufferable and there can't be enough said about that horrible cliché ending. Just two films through, the Hellraiser franchise obviously requires a certain taste for the torture side of horror, which can be shallow and dull.

Vampires (1998)

Vampires 6/10

[6/10 · 21 December 2017]

John Carpenter always had a way of cashing in with the most simplistic of horror movie title, for example Halloween, The Fog, The Thing. The fall off in his directing career maybe could be pointed to his first film about vampires, notably called Vampires. The bloodsucking creatures in the southwest desert scenery really made the film seem like it derived from the film "From Dusk Til Dawn", which came out a couple years prior. With a lack of originality in the story, there was also a problem of having a dull supporting cast around James Woods. Needless to say the film was able to hold my interest throughout the film and James Woods did pull off his dialogue really well but it is a disappointing film considering pass successes.

Trick 'r Treat (2007)

Trick 'r Treat 7/10

[7/10 · 21 December 2017]

Praised by many horror fans right from the get go, the horror anthology Trick 'r Treat became a cult classic. There's no doubt the film rolled out an entertaining and original set of stories, characters and scares. Sam, the iconic small bag headed serial killer was a marvelously designed villain that likely attracted the huge confluence of fans. The timeline of events was also shot with great precision, having to balance the perfect amount of time to creating multiple fluid story but also having to keep the viewer interested in the people and plot. It would have been better with a better cast but its hard to pick apart a fun show such as Trick 'r Treat. A must watch for those who call themselves horror fans around Halloween.

The Blackcoat's Daughter (I) (2015)

The Blackcoats Daughter

[8/10 · 21 December 2017]

The Blackcoats Daughter is a long awaited film that originally went by the name of "February" until its release. It's particularly odd how the film didn't make more noise with a wider release since it has all the ingredients to be a successful movie. It has young hip female actresses in Emma Roberts, Kiernan Shipka and Lucy Boyton who all played their roles really well and also demonic movies are still very popular among the masses. What the film brought to my attention is the chilling feeling of isolation in a cold climate. The setting of dead winter in rural Connecticut is an icy enough feeling but the dreadful mood by the actors and the dark lighting and atmosphere really portrayed the cold hopeless tone. It's a shame The Blackcoats Daughter went so far under the radar because it turned out to be a very solid flick that has the potential for reviewing.

It (I) (2017)

It (9/10)

[9/10 · 21 October 2017]

A basic common fear among many people on the level of spiders and tall heights is creepy clowns. Stephen King's second adaptation of It, really illuminated that fact by becoming one of the top five highest grossing films in 2017. It became one of the most successful horror, let alone R rated movies of all time. Whether it's the concept of creepy clowns, the climate of what people feel in 2017's society, or the fandom of Finn Wolfhard, it is unbelievably hard to fathom that an old Stephen King horror adaptation would kill the box office this hard. However, the simplest answers are usually the right answers, It, really is that great of a movie.

The film's strength lies within its young cast that really played their roles to a tee, bouncing lines off each other naturally. The character's stories are also key, building great character development in the first half of the film really made the viewers attached to their hero's when they came face to face with Pennywise. The Pennywise makeup was top-notch and introduced beautifully with a classic scene right in the beginning. The only gripe of It would be that too much CGI was used for some of Pennywise's scenes. Most importantly, the film's lasting message, that conquering fears gives people will power, was so strong it was really inspiring in a way. The second adaptation of It, shocked everyone, scared everyone and will be remembered as being one of the best horror films of this decade.

The Green Inferno (2013)

The Green Inferno 5/10

[5/10 · 21 October 2017]

After the mainstream's short-term interest in the torture horror phase, there are very few writers and directors who are trying to keep that sub-genre relevant. Eli Roth is one of those brave folks who are still taking stabs at his beloved sub-genre with the ability to produce a film for a wide release. Roth's The Green Inferno had a lot of people talking but never did take off with good reviews or a cult following. I'll give Roth credit that cannibal movies and scenes are really disturbing for some reason, way worse than when a zombie feeds. However, unsettling gore sequences aren't going to create tone or a creepy atmosphere. More had to be done with character development, finesse dialogue and finer editing. The Green Inferno had none of these attributes and included an unrealistic storyline, laughable poor acting and a lack of mystery. The Green Inferno has its moment's midway through the film but falls totally flat where it should be at its most dynamic.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

The Blair Witch Project (7/10)

[7/10 · 21 October 2017]

Sometimes a great creepy horror movie, doesn't need crazy special effects or well calculated jump scares, sometimes all it takes is simple story and creepy atmosphere. The Blair Witch Project is possibly the most brilliantly marketed film of all time. The public was attracted to the ambiguity of the film trailer and website, as well as the insisting notion that the events occurred were in fact real. The film also revolutionized how many horror films slash their budget by going to hand-held cameras. It's never an ideal way of film-making,some movies can pull off a shaky camera, some can't, however the Blair Witch Project absolutely does. The big bug-ab-boo is the acting and dialogue are extremely monotonous. Characters are also unlikable at times. The Blair Witch Project is a wickedly creepy, bare-bones film with a dark, soulless ending that will stick with the viewer.

Demons (1985)

Demons 8/10

[8/10 · 21 October 2017]

Great Italian horror doesn't have always have to be a slow-burning giallo, which relies on storytelling and drawing out scenes to build the film's intensity. No, proof of that is Exhibit A, the film Demons. Lamberto Bava's Demons is one of the corkiest but thrilling movies to watch out there. The film is chock full with gore, which looks truly disgusting on screen. The most remarkable aspect of the film is the demons' makeup effects that are painfully ugly to look at, and pretty frightening too. There is also a good line up of characters all having your traditional silly one-liners in a film that has no ambition to take itself seriously. Highly recommend this high-octane action, demon fest to anyone that is looking for a fun, gross flick.

Alien: Covenant (2017)

Alien: Covenant (7/10)

[7/10 · 21 October 2017]

The contrast between Prometheus and Alien are very distinct in terms of the story, tone, characters, just about everything by Ridley Scott was done different. Although unsettling bleak feeling of Alien probably can never be recreated by Scott, his work on the Alien franchise is all that I am interested in seeing at this point. Thus, Alien: Covenant was pretty anticipated, seeing how the new story begins to bridge together Scott's two other films.

Covenant starts off with a couple remarkable scenes involving a Fassbender flashback towards Prometheus and a chaotic scene of deep space turbulence. The imagery of the space scenes are still on the level of what one would expect to be in a Star Wars film. Covenant did a good job in adopting old concepts and keeping them fresh with different takes. The brutality is also there with intensity and gore not being an issue. Where the film falls flat though is the cast around Fassbender, there's just no other way around poorly delivered dialogue and forgettable characters. In the film's conclusion, there is also a big problem with predictability as the ending can be seen coming from a mile away. Covenant is a solid addition the franchise but in no ways does it knock the ball out into space.

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Rosemary's Baby 7/10

[7/10 · 21 October 2017]

Try this, compare Rosemary's Baby to all the horror movies that came out in 1968 and does anything hold a candle to this film's production, cinematography, flawless editing and high level acting? Speaking only to Roman Polanski's film-making, it's really a shame that there isn't many risk takers to produce a good written horror film like him. Mia Farrow does a terrific job in portraying a normal outgoing city-dweller who turns into a paranoid, helpless mess. It's in the details of Farrow's reactions and elegant line delivery that really make some scenes chilling. Rosemary's Baby however, does fall short in really memorable moments and an impactful ending. There's no doubting it's a superbly made film, but there is blandness as the film draws out longer, longer. A little over-hyped possibly, but still a must see film.

Prom Night (1980)

Prom Night 7/10

[7/10 · 21 October 2017]

One of the first dominoes to fall in a long line of slasher movies was the hit slasher, Prom Night. The film takes a typical approach when it comes to a slasher's timeline, starts off with a murder, exit frame, que "x" number of years to present time and build the tension to the final scenes. The premise of Prom Night and many of the slasher is taken right from Halloween's playbook. However, the lack of creative in the script is made up in other areas of the film. Jamie Lee Curtis performance is a stellar reminder when she is the top Scream Queen, it was a complete transformation from past characters while maintaining a likable, believable character. The surrounding cast were all unique characters too and didn't bring down the movie with poor performances. It's a slow burn up to the ending but it is eventually worth it, with a pretty good payoff that some may not expect coming.

Misery (1990)

Misery (8/10)

[8/10 · 4 June 2017]

In one of Stephen King's more practical stories, Misery, a reputable versatile Hollywood director, Rob Reiner took the reins on what his known to be one of the higher regarded King adaptations. Misery has a very thin cast and relies on the screen presence and dialogue of Kathy Bates and James Caan to execute a quality movie. Bates especially, to pull off the compelling, outright switch of extreme personalities changes is a difficult feat that was accomplished superbly. Another part of the film's approach is to focus on precise details of scenes, character actions, mannerisms, props, setting and authenticity. At times some scenes and dialogue almost seem excessive in length, slowing down the film. Seriously, the plot of his Misery books gets in the intensity of the film. However, the film has some great payoffs with a few scenes, one being extraordinarily memorable. Misery is an excellent film that requires patience, empathy and respect to its context in time.