andyprendy1 Reviews

In the Flesh (2013–2014)

The Talking Dead

[1/10 · 13 March 2014]

Imagine if you will, a dreadful Sunday night BBC kitchen sink drama about a depressed Yorkshire family trundling haplessly along to a drearily tragic conclusion over three pointless and soul-destroying episodes. Imagine that same drama is struck by a bolt of magical s##t-lightning and is somehow spot-welded into the fevered imagination of a novice screenwriter just off a dramatic writing course who has just watched The Walking Dead and eaten lots of cheese just before bedtime. This is the crap that would result from this unfortunate and sorry incident. Avoid it at all costs.

Meanwhile, I'm off to write a sporting biopic crossed with elements of the movie Cloverfield.

Meeting Evil (2012)

Oh my dear lord.....

[2/10 · 1 July 2013]

With an intriguing plot description and starring the always watchable Samuel L Jackson, I sat down to watch Meeting Evil with a degree of optimism. Unfortunately this was soon washed away as the film rapidly revealed itself as an oddly toned and faintly ridiculous attempt at a psychological thriller. The not very likable Luke Wilson sleepwalks through his role as a down-on-his luck Real Estate worker with a barely explained but apparently complicated family life. Enter into the mix a scenery-chewing performance from Sam L Jackson who at least seems to enjoy himself which is a damn sight more than I did. Borrowing elements from Changing Lanes and The Hitcher the film flops from scene to scene in what is neither a thriller nor the dark comedy that it could and maybe should have been.

The Ward (2010)

A Step Back-Ward

[2/10 · 30 May 2011]

Oh dear, I rented this film with high hopes of a return to form from John Carpenter - the director who brought us Halloween (the 1978 version not the turgid Rob Zombie re-hash) and The Thing (1980). Unfortunately, whilst being nowhere near as excruciating as 2001's Ghosts of Mars and the frankly ridiculous bilge that was Escape From LA, his latest offering 'The Ward' still falls considerably short of the benchmark of his earlier films. The film borrows heavily from other genre thrillers such as Shutter Island and Identity whilst failing to capture the creepy, dread-laden atmosphere that made these films a relative success at the box office. At times 'The Ward' is reminiscent of an unusually long live-action episode of Scooby Doo (albeit one with a little more blood, no dog and less snacks.....) The acting and script leave a lot to be desired and there is an over-reliance on cheap 'jump' scares in place of genuine frights. For some reason the film appears to have been released in the UK way before it's debut in American theatres which makes me wonder if the producer is struggling to find a distributor on it's home turf.

Better luck next time Mr Carpenter.

Hoboken Hollow (2006)

Awesomely Dire!

[1/10 · 18 April 2006]

Tagline should be - "Watching this movie....IS TORTURE"

Supposedly based on real life events on a Southern State ranch, the premise of this move has all the ingredients for a cult classic - murder, torture, cruelty, survival....... However the film seems to have been written and directed by someone who has never seen a movie before. The dialogue, editing and continuity of the film are all laughable. What on earth were Messrs Connery/Madsen/Hopper and Howell all thinking of ? Sure, none of these actors are A-Listers and have appeared in their fair share of turkeys but to stoop this low, I can only imagine the money must have been good or the Producer was one hell of a salesman. The movie even features a voice over sequence for much of Jason Connery's scenes that defies all logic. Dennis Hopper must have contributed about 25 minutes worth of his time for his particular paycheck, and the less said about Michael Madsens performance (or even a reason for his characters presence) the better.

If you see this in your local video store I recommend that unless you are a student of truly poor movie making, you walk on by and select any random film and you will have spent your money more wisely than hiring this garbage.

An absolute turkey.

PS If you enjoyed this movie, you may also enjoy watching paint dry.

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Worthy Re-make

[8/10 · 1 January 2005]

I approached this film with much trepidation. Although not an avid fan of Romero's original, I found the premise of the film fascinating.......the end of the world as we know it? a mysterious virus/plague/evil that reanimated the dead and turned them into vicious cannibals? Wow! in the right hands the story has all the ingredients for a great movie. I thought the remake was great. From the unusually sharp script to the believable acting of most of the characters ( the female lead in particular ). The use of Johnny Cash's "When The Man Comes Around" for the opening titles is one of the most inspired choices I have ever heard from an opening sequence. The film has many memorable moments, particularly chilling was the scene where the White House/Government spokesman answered terror stricken reporters questions about the reanimation of the dead with the heartbreakingly honest reply ......."We don't know." A sequel from the same director would be most welcome. I thoroughly recommend this movie, just don't turn off too many lights when watching....................