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Vacancy (2007)
Snuff
Vacancy is a very solid home (motel) invasion thriller. It gets pretty intense and does not waste much time in doing so. There is very little fat to the film, it gives you exactly what you came for. It's for fans of the genre. The acting is on point, Luke Wilson & Kate Beckinsale give solid and believable performances. It's not a perfect film but it does fall in the upper echelon of home invasion flicks. If you are a fan of the genre and have somehow missed this little gem from 2007, then do yourself a favour and check it out.
Berkshire County (2014)
You Know What It Is
Not much to be said here. The ratings as usual (for horror) are way too low on this home invasion flick. This is your standard genre flick, babysitter gets interrupted by home invaders and so on. There is a little bit of backstory so that we can relate to the protagonist and root for her, and it is a good one in my opinion. Is this groundbreaking? Not even remotely close, no. Is it entertaining and true to the genre, sure. All in all, stay away if you are not a fan of standard home invasion flicks and are turned off by lower budget movies. If you are a fan of the genre and have already seen everything out there, feel free to give this a go.
+1 (2013)
+1 Gem
This is a pretty unique little sci fi/horror gem that somehow went right under my radar. It's an incredibly fun film that has elements of sci-fi, a little bit of horror, some comedy, beautiful women, bewbs, and an interesting plot that turns a little bit dark in hindsight. The concept in itself perhaps is not super unique, but the way it is executed is very much so, in a very fun setting. This movie is a really good time if you are after any of the elements I mentioned above...
On a side note, people really need to take two minutes to make sure whether the films they are about to watch are up to their taste or not. It's not that difficult. So many angry film reviewers totally dumb-founded acting as if they had NO clue what they were getting into. It's common to be tricked by a trailer or a review here and there, but not at the rates many of these films are being reviewed. This is just a general statement on the current status of IMDb. Removing the msg boards has only made this worse....but that's neither here or there.
This is a super fun and unique little sci fi/horror gem and I'd definitely recommend it.
Elevator (2012)
Deja Vu
Very similar movie to 'Devil' which came out a year prior to this one. It's essentially the same movie minus the supernatural element. This is part of on an ongoing trend I've noticed annually dating back to the mid nineties at least. We get near identical films released within the same year. For example ( 'Blood Fest' - 2018 / 'Hell Fest' - 2018 / 'Haunt' - 2019 ), all with very similar concepts with the difference being that the latter two I mentioned are far superior than the first one. If you do some research you will notice this trend dating back to the mid nineties at least and has been the case every year since...
This film consists of mostly despicable characters (intended), and one or two not so despicable characters who get stuck in an elevator due to the arrogance and carelessness of one particular crooked multi-millionaire specifically. They must learn to get passed their prejudices and learn to cooperate with one another to resolve the issue. It is as straight forward as it gets but that doesn't mean it might not be worth your time. What you is what you get so if you go in with limited expectations, you can definitely get some entertainment from this. Not ground breaking by any stretch of the imagination but I enjoyed it.
Hotel Noir (2012)
Mood
This film is clearly targeting a niche audience and will not be everyone's cup of tea. But I got exactly what I wanted from it. It's a simple enough plot, elements of dark humour, soothing music, beautiful women and all around text book neo noir. It's aesthetically pleasing to look at and was an overall relaxing watch. I watch all types of films and there are times where it's nice to just shut the brain off and play something in the background as I work around the house. This is one of those films where I'm sure I'll watch more than once. But again as I stated, it is not for everyone, perhaps not for most.
There are some pretty funny moments, some touching moments and it's a well told story overall. It is what it is. It's not trying to be anything it's not. It also consist of a fairly strong cast with a lot of familiar faces. Stay away if you have a short attention span and get bored easily or if you're coming in with altered expectations. It is exactly as advertised. For film noir fans specifically, I'd definitely recommend.
Stuck Between Stations (2011)
Simple Yet Effective
Stuck Between Stations is a simple yet effective film that is definitely a mood. It takes place over the span of one night where we follow a soldier who is at home but getting ready to be deployed again. He runs into a high school acquaintance at a bar who he used to be attracted to and a little bit obsessed with, and the rest of the film is us following them through their night. The film moves at a steady pace and has a soothing quality about it. It's an extremely easy watch. During the night they encounter old friends of theirs. The soldiers friends bring up issues with his life decisions and the morality of being a tool for the military industrial complex and corporations while committing atrocities abroad, yet everyone is cordial and things are friendly during these discussions. It eventually becomes evident that the soldier is suffering from early signs of PTSD and begins to question his life decisions by the end of the film. He does everything he can to avoid the topic in detail, until he eventually opens up about his feelings. All that being said, this is just the backdrop to an otherwise light-hearted movie. Conversations are had over past traumas and just life in general. It invokes some sense of nostalgia in that it gets you to think about your own life choices and goals and what not, but not in a heavy handed way at all. It is a very sweet film and has a feel good quality about it that is reminiscent to films such as 'The Sunrise-Sunset-Midnight' trilogy. If you are easily "bored" and not a fan of methodically paced and simple films, then this won't be for you. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this and would recommend it.
You're Next (2011)
Inside Job
This is a great horror/home invasion film. I have seen a few films from the director and I'll be honest I'm not a big fan of his work. That being said he has two particular films that stand out by far and which I love, 'The Guest' and this one.
This one hits all the marks for genre fans. Interesting story, brutal and violent, high tension and a bit creepy at times with a score that is very fitting for the film. This falls into the upper echelon of the home invasion/horror films. It brings some unique elements and is highly entertaining. As with most films of this type, it is aimed at it's particular audience and it absolutely fills that void. 'You're Next' is an excellent horror film and one I've watched on more than one occasion... Do recommend.
The Neighbor (2016)
Good For Fans Of The Genre
Specifically for genre fans. From the director of The Collector & it's sequel which I really enjoyed, this has a similar tone. I would consider The Collector to be the stronger effort, but this is still consistent of his work. Somewhat run of the mill and predictable but still done very well and highly entertaining. It's dark and gritty enough and has a good amount of tension. Questionable decision making at times by some characters which is par for the course but nothing drastic to affect the film in any way. Overall if you are a fan of the horror/home invasion genre, I feel this is a nice addition to the list and delivers what it's supposed to... I fully enjoyed it.
Mom and Dad (2017)
Fun Film With More Depth Than It Lets On
I loved this movie. It's no-where near perfect and it has a very similar concept to The Signal (2007) & many other films since but it is without a doubt a fun watch and actually has quite a lot more depth than it lets on. Some of the issues the film highlights are quite on the nose where as others are a little more subtle, but it works on multiple levels in my opinion. It's a great dark-comedy to boot...
It's riddled with erratic & mostly unlikable characters and uses erratic camera work which sets a frantic & off beat pace. It puts the emphasis on the most irritating characteristics and behavioural patterns especially and in particular the family setting. If you're happily single like myself but ever needed some reassurance as to why it's best to avoid marriage and kids and just live your life, this film will fill that void. It does a good job of highlighting the feelings of resentment, regret, sexual frustrations and overall fatigue that could arise in an unhappy marriage, especially one involving kids. The first half is probably the stronger half but it's a fun watch regardless and worth your time if you know what you're getting into. Nicolas Cage fits this role perfectly by the way because it is an awkward and quirky movie and he can let loose and be his weird self without it detracting from the film. These are the type of niche roles he should be playing.
Mandy (2018)
Edibles May Enhance Viewing Experience
If you've decided to watch this film, you should already know what you're getting into prior to going in. What you see is what you get. This is a fantastic film and possibly a masterpiece if you're into the genre. It's dark, gritty, grim, psychedelic, ominous & atmospheric. It has a grindhouse feel to it, with a dream like filter that adds to the overall mood of the film. Colour tones are used to set the vibe and it does a fantastic job. The fluctuating faces and pupils add a haunting tone. There are segments of animation that weave in and out very smoothly. Excellent transitions all around. Technically it is a beautiful film. It is essentially a drug fuelled revenge film that is meant to be an uncomfortable watch...
This is one of three Nicolas Cage movies I've seen recently where I actually feel he fits perfectly into. Nicolas Cage has always been a joke but as I stated in my reviews for the other 2 films ( Color Out Of Space, Mom & Dad ), I feel he may have found his niche in the twilight of his career. There is very little dialogue in the film and VERY little dialogue from Nicolas Cage in general. These are the type of roles he belongs in. He is an awkward and weird individual and is made for off beat and awkward films such as this. Overall a pleasant surprise..
This is a great film if you are into the genre and is a psychedelic trip. Some edibles or perhaps some mushrooms can definitely enhance the experience. Or just keep it simple and smoke a joint in advance. You can't go wrong.. I'm sure I'll come back to this film time and time again. As I stated it feels like a masterpiece to me within it's boundaries.
Color Out of Space (2019)
Nice Addition To The Lovecraftian Horror Genre
This film lives up to it's title and poster. Nice camera filter, vivid colours, very atmospheric, with a very ominous and somewhat off beat tone. The story is not original per say, we've seen variations of this before but this one still pulls it off very well and adds it's own twists. It's great cosmic horror and highly entertaining. People complaining about the second half most likely wanted some "answers" because people seem to lack imagination and creativity and refuse open-ended or somewhat vague endings. I was perfectly fine with the second half and actually prefer not having everything spoon-fed to me. Overall a nice addition to the cosmic horror genre.
Nicolas Cage is his usual weird self and fits perfectly in this film. As a matter of fact, I have seen a string of Nicolas Cage films from the past 3 years which I have fully enjoyed. Mom & Dad, Mandy, and now this one. Nicolas Cage has always been nothing but a joke to me. I've never been a fan. I've seen people say that he is in the twilight of his career and has been taking ridiculous roles and what not, but if you ask me, I'd say he's just NOW found his niche. These are the type of awkward films he belongs in. It works well.
Final Space: The Toro Regatta (2019)
Disappointing...
This is not the same show as season 1. I absolutely fell in love with the first season. It was methodical, well crafted, clever, had depth and was even emotional. I compared the first season of this show with the very best of Futurama. A perfect balance of humour, sci-fi, drama etc. The animation and score were also absolutely on point in the first season and was alluring...
This episode felt like what happens to a show that has been running for 8+ seasons. The animation looked MUCH lazier, the score was almost non existent, the pacing was god awful, the humour was very forced and the new characters had very little appeal and appeared extremely lazy. It feels like a complete different show. As I stated the first season had a theme to it. The continuity and fluidity felt different. Now it just feels and looks like a run of the mill show. Forced zingers and one-liners, the pacing is way too rapid and non engaging, the animation looks sloppy and the show seems to have already turned into a caricature of itself. Usually it takes many seasons for a show to dip in quality to this extent. Very strange and disappointing as far as I'm concerned. I had hopes for this series. At least the first season stands on it's own and can be viewed by itself.
Game of Thrones: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2019)
A slow burn...
Man, my expectations had been lowered to such levels from seasons 6 & 7 that I'm very caught off by this current season. This is as good as I had hoped for knowing that we are fully off George Martins script. Sure the dialogue is not as witty, but there were some amazing character interactions. The mood is grim, the atmosphere is gloomy and the overall vibe is pretty dark (David Nutter). Just the way it should be. This is going so much better than I anticipated. This season is without a doubt the best season dating back to season 5. Not perfect, but as good as you could expect without book material.
Game of Thrones: Winterfell (2019)
Well... What a pleasant f*%g surprise!
Okay, let me just say this. I have been consistently talking down the entirety of the past two seasons. I literally hate just about all of season 6 and I can't even bring myself to take season 7 seriously let alone watch it ever again. I figured season 7 had ruined the show for me irreversibly. A big part of that was the writing but also the noticeable absence of some of the shows best directors through the first five seasons, one being David Nutter. My favourite season is season 1, but I generally consider the first 5 seasons as the golden era of the series with the last two seasons being utter disappointments for a variety of reasons. They just felt like a different show. This season opener (is obviously off book), yet it had shades of season 1 to it. The characters were all behaving true to character, the pacing was even, the plot was coherent, the dialogue was coherent and the overall vibe was extremely gritty (something that was completely lacking in the previous two seasons). The characters are showing emotion again and behaving accordingly.
Without spoiling anything I just want to reassure anyone who has soured on the TV show that this was a strong opener and felt like Game Of Thrones again. Thank you David Nutter for giving me my favourite episode dating back to season 5 x10. I've always said that the first 5 seasons are near flawless and seasons 6 and especially 7 are a completely different show and pretty much trash. If this season opener was a sign of things to come this season, they might just be able to turn this story around and give us one of the better seasons to date (especially off book). Still too soon to say, but I loved everything about this episode as it took me back to season 1. Fingers crossed for the final five....
Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)
Entertaining...
I am not too big on the DC/Marvel Universes nor am I really fond of the 'super-hero' genre although I do dabble from time to time if I'm in the mood...
I found Gotham Knight to be rather a refreshing take on Batman and it kept my attention despite everything I mentioned above. It's a 6 story anthology collection, with each one varying in animation style and overall approach (although) loosely intertwined. I fully found them all to be engaging with the exception of the 3rd installment which I found to be the weakest link of the 6. I really appreciated the varying animation styles and the overall dark(ish) tone which I always find a positive, especially in dealing with these (DC/Marvel) universes which are generally too sugar-coated for my taste.
So all in all I could imagine perhaps some hardcore fans not enjoying it too much (I'm not sure), but I fully enjoyed it and found it it a rather refreshing and interesting approach to a genre that has really beaten a dead horse.
Free Fire (2016)
Not very engaging...
I attempted to watch this movie at least 5 or 6 times and kept turning it off at about the 10-15 minute mark each time before finally finding myself bored enough to sit through it...
I watch all types of films and rarely do I find myself unable to focus or remain engaged. This one managed to do just that. I simply could not get myself into it no matter how hard I tried. There were some mildly humorous scenes peppered through-out but the majority of the movie is just one scene of someone shooting a gun cut to another scene of a person shooting a gun into another scene of a person shooting a gun and so on....some random dialogue sprinkled through-out which I simply did not give a s*%# about at that point any-how. Cut back to random people shooting random bullets into random areas of the ware-house that we remain in for the entirety of the film. I'm perfectly fine with the single setting, but you have to give me a lot more than profile shots of random individuals shooting guns. Otherwise I might find myself fiddling with random objects around me and my mind starting to wander.
"Pew pew..pow pow...pew...pew..."
Perhaps one of the least engaging movies I've seen in recent memory, (nothing like Reservoir Dogs as a previous review mentioned) which is kind of strange because reading the synopsis and some of the reviews I figured otherwise. Quite a strong cast too, but over-all an extremely under-whelming and forgettable experience. Not my cup of tea.
The Midnight Meat Train (2008)
The entire premise is one gaping plot hole...
What the f*@#?! I am a horror/thriller/slasher junkie. One would think this movie would be right up my alley, except...
THIS FILM MAKES NO F#@%*&g SENSE! As I stated, I've seen it all. I watch any and every horror film I can get my hands on. I don't dislike this movie due to the level of gore or how 'gross' it was like all the reviews prior to mine. That's what I wanted to see. The only problem is that the gore was cartoonish and the CGI was even more so. Some of the worst I've ever seen. Top that off with a gaping plot hole the size of a crater and you're left with 2 hours of frustration...
This setting/city felt more unrealistic than Batman and Gotham City. So there are numerous gruesome murders taking place that everyone is aware of, yet everyone continues to stroll around nonchalantly and catch the train alone in the wee hours of the morning as if they live in some utopian society? Does the subway system date back to World War 1? And here lies the biggest plot hole of them all.... Where the f#%& is the security system? The CAMERAS? So it is pointed out to us that they DO have an intensive security system in the station (the cops don't use the footage for clues?) when Bradley Cooper points and uses them for protection during a scene, yet that's where the technology stops? The subway itself is ancient?! No camera's on the trains? Even after the murders no cameras have been installed? No cops strolling the stations and trains extensively? What?! My brain hurts...
The movie sort of saves face near the end during it's 'reveal' to tie most loose ends but too little too late. You can't not make sense for 95% of the movie and then say 'ta da' during the last 5 minutes and make it right. Also, is it the conductor who cleans the trains up or the aliens before dawn? Since no one seems to notice much. And last but not least...is the film not called the MIDNIGHT meat train? Soooooo..... why is it usually way past midnight that the events take place? Literally NOTHING about this movie has any validity to it.
The only reason I'm giving it 2 stars is because it is greatly atmospheric (which I loved) and the score is pretty solid through-out. Otherwise, if you are going to attempt at making a film, try making some f#$%*&g sense at the very least.
(Bonus rant: Bradley Cooper, Jake Gyllenhall and Mathew McCONaughey are god-awful and can-not act for s&$#. All 3 of them are extremely one dimensional and have that stupid Jerry Seinfeld look on their face regardless of the role they are in. Almost as if they type-cast themselves by ignoring their roles completely. 3 of the most extremely overrated actors by a light-year and they appear to be in every other movie. Really annoying.) - End
Game of Thrones: Eastwatch (2017)
This game has shifted from chess to tic-tac-toe...
It feels the amazing world built in the first 5 seasons has been handed over to a couple of teenage fans to shuffle around...We have had 2 decent episodes out of 5 so far, with 2 to go. This math simply does not add up...
I used to be so excited and proud to recommend this series to anyone and everyone with a brain. Now I feel embarrassed to admit I still watch it myself. This has gone from an intricate and highly intelligent story into the most mundane and predictable nonsense. The fan theories floating around are more developed and thought out than the actual direction the plot of the show is taking...
The p*ss poor writing, directing and editing of the last 2 seasons have affected the cast of great actors as well into performing forced dialogues and scenarios. The show has lost it's heart. Everything feels so flat, there are no more logical twists or schemes. Characters just show up from place A to place B and read their lines in the most monotone way possible then proceed to move from point B back to point A to repeat their forced dialogues. Motives make no sense anymore and every scenario is so predictable that fans essentially guess major plot points weeks ahead, and in very unfamiliar GoT fashion, the show runners seem to oblige the silliest of the theories. This episode felt like a combination of "Star Trek: Next Generation" cross "Lost".
The problem lies in the fact that this series started out attracting intelligent viewers globally due to its complexity and multi-layered story line that resonated in reality and felt extremely grounded. It has now turned (Seasons 6 & 7) into your average run of the mill TV series riddled in plot armour and predictability and therefor appeals to teenagers and children and has essentially sold out it's core fan base. This in turn has us stuck in a predicament where we are too invested to turn our backs on the series, therefore we end up lying to ourselves that this series is still what it once was... It's not. It hurts me to say it as I've tried to lie to myself and get myself to take Seasons 6 and 7 seriously and ignore the shortcomings, but my brain simply will not allow it. Therefore I feel somewhat betrayed and my intelligence insulted week after week and this show has me feeling stupid for still watching it.
Peter Baelish (the man who started the war of the 5 kings), has turned into a cartoon villain from Darkwing Duck, which therefore trickles down to every other major character being completely dumb-ed down as well. I will be watching the series until the end as I have committed 7 + years of my life to this world now, but I don't think I will continue to lie to myself to save my feelings any longer.... Season 6 had 2 great episodes, and season 7 has had 2 as well. That is 4 episodes out of the last 15 that have been GoT standards. Whereas Seasons 1 through 5 were near flawless in my book. The series died with Jon Snow as far as I'm concerned and I will gladly re-watch the first 5 seasons over and over again, and fill in the rest for myself I suppose...So f#*%@$g disappointing.
Kristy (2014)
Very average...
Kristy is an entertaining yet flawed horror film. It feels very formulaic in it's approach and set-up. The score is tolerable, nothing impressive but it's not irritating either. There is some good suspense through-out the film beginning around the half hour mark.
The problems stem from the few ridiculous scenes that could have been avoided all-together (ie. Jump from the roof, no injuries / boyfriend being completely oblivious of his surroundings prior to death / no emotion what-so-ever even though many close people have just died etc).
We also have the usual clichés that need to be put to rest within the genre for good (ie. Don't turn any lights on / yell "HELLO?" towards the danger / continue to wander into darkness and danger completely unprepared when you have many other options etc).
The ending felt contrived and cliché as well. The overall plot was cliché as a matter of fact. We have seen it all before. Nothing innovative or impressive. If you are a genre junkie like myself and have seen everything, but seeking something you haven't seen before then you may as well. It's far from the best of it's kind, but not the worst either. Otherwise I would pass...
Colonia (2015)
Colonia
This is yet another propaganda piece from a mainstream movie that has an interesting enough premise to get a pass. I can be aware of the BS and still find redeeming qualities or enjoy a movie, the two are not mutually exclusive.
The dialogue is rather contrived and pretentious, the 'politics' are very on the nose and predictable in that they are over the top, cliché and essentially just propaganda scratching at the surface of issues (first 25 minutes are dreadful), with exaggerated accents, cringey dialogue and ridiculous background acting. At about the half-hour mark, the film is saved due to the delightful emergence of Michael Nyqvist who gives a great performance as usual.
The directing is sloppy at best, the editing is sloppy and every situation feels forced, contrived and/or unnecessary. I'll give one example in regards to a sloppy scenario to clarify my point, but know that these details are riddled and ignored through-out the entirety of the film...
Lena decides to be clever and sneak her way out and peep in on one of the late night sessions. She has taken initiative and carefully worked her way into this situation. Yet, when peeking into the window, instead of continuing to be clever and remaining hidden (consistency), she starts practically leaning into the clearly lit up and visible window, and of course is spotted. It is now AFTER the fact she has been spotted, that she now tries to be clever again and run and hide. That whole scenario could have been avoided by simply being a little cautious. It's blatant inconsistent behavior to move the plot along and is an insult to the viewer. It really is. These very common details are in my opinion what can make or break a decent idea/film.
All in all it is an unoriginal premise that IS interesting enough to keep you watching once you've started, has SOME redeeming qualities in that it gives some exposure into the cult-like religious world consisting of pedophilia and dominance and psychological torture etc. It is also shot well enough regardless of the poor editing and pacing. And Michael Nyqvist always manages to steal the show imo... But it is a typical propaganda piece in that there are a lot of fabrications in the movie (which is fiction), yet begins and ends on a "serious" political note with a clear angle leaving the viewer with a slanted impression of said nation. Hollywood loves to blur the lines because they underestimate the viewer...
One final note, just some food for thought. Isn't it odd or a 'coincidence' that no subject is taboo in film making, and no nationality or religion or topic is off limits when it comes to film making in Hollywood except for 'that one'. You and I know the one. The one tribe/cult that has limitless amounts of films depicting them as 'victims', yet not ONE SINGLE FILM exposing their corruption politically, religiously, socially etc. (Don't believe me? Google it. Find me ONE major film that exposes their tribe in any shape or form. You won't find one.) Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and every other religion, nation or culture or subject is fair game to be criticized, but don't you dare make a film exposing said tribe on ANY matter otherwise you immediately fall into a 'negative'. An "anti...." so to speak. Funny thing that is huh? But I digress ... this film is a pass. Wasted potential if anything.
Aliens (1986)
Unpopular opinion...
Words cannot describe just how much I hate this piece of s*%t "sequel" to one of the greatest films of all time. This film breaks every single one of my personal cardinal rules for what makes a great film, so I'll begin my rant...
Right from the get-go it is evident that James Cameron's intent is on taking the subtleties and ATMOSPHERE of the first film (2 things that made the original so amazing) and turn it on it's head. Every single cliché you can possibly muster up is used in this filth...sorry, I meant 'film'. Melodramatic and extremely over the top dialogue, scenarios and acting all rolled in one.
So within the first 15 minutes (with zero build up or development) Ripley is back, & has a DEEP understanding of the Aliens miraculously (as if her situation in the original has turned her into an expert on these Aliens all of a sudden.) They also now have boat loads of crews on the planet with the ship & have colonized it. Of course the people on site consist of all kinds of jokers and utter morons and...um, children?! OK, I guess because "families"...or whatever. Moving along... There is absolutely no suspense or build up in any way shape or form, like the original brilliantly had. Now they are seemingly surrounded by HUNDREDS of Aliens and the stupidity begins to overlap one another. Over the top performances by EVERYONE, absolutely cringe worthy dialogue and 'humor' and wise-cracks...
In one scene a crowd is standing and staring at an object barrelling towards them with plenty of time to move yet they all stand and stare, until good old Ripley notified everyone to "RUUUUUN". Because apparently seeing the object coming towards them wasn't enough to garner a reaction, but our Alien expert hero telling them not to get hit by on-coming traffic seemed to do the trick. In another scene during a 'gun fight' with the Aliens, one super duper bad-ass commando doesn't just shoot an Alien in the face, he manages to have just enough time to stick the barrel in the Aliens face, have the Alien not react for a few seconds so the totally bad-ass commando looking dude could say "EAT THIS", before he pulled the trigger. Super duper gnarly. Rock on bro's...kick-ass..USA USA...
Then we have the old "innocent child" caught up in the midst of this Alien war trick. "Oh what-ever will they do? I hope this object...I mean child placed in this film to supposedly tug on my heart strings makes it out of all this alive. Oh that poor poor innocent child, she doesn't deserve this. Welp!!" I'm on the edge of my seat at this point. Oh James Cameron you genius you. SOMEONE PLEEEASE think of the CHILDREN. Someone MUST save the girl, first and foremost. That is the mission now for our hero...... *eyes roll a full 360 in my head at this point*. The little girls screaming got so irritating I wanted nothing more than her to die. There...I said it.
Why are the Aliens so stationary and dumb in this film? Why are there so many of them all of a sudden? They just keep bee-lining towards bullets and getting swatted around like flies. Just utter non-sense all around with this over-long piece of s*%t sequel. The music/score is atrocious with cliché symphonies that you hear in every sh*%ty Spielberg or Michael Bay film (to this very day unfortunately) where-as the original had a very unique, dark and mysterious overall score that only added to the amazing atmospheric scenes.
This sequel is everything I hate about Hollywood. Everything I hate about big Blockbuster films...as we are currently experiencing today with super-hero films for example. Just boring repetitive dumbed down utter trash being passed as 'great cinema'. There are too many negatives I can point out about this film, but I think I've made my point. The original Alien, Ridley Scott's Alien is one of the greatest films of all time, Aliens is in my opinion, one of the worst & most boring films I have ever seen. It absolutely blows.
Baskin (2015)
'Hellraiser' 'Descent's into 'Eyes Wide Shut'!?
Holy mother of the cosmos what the f*** was that? I went into this not knowing anything other than it was a Turkish horror with a low score on IMDb and no expectations and I was put through the grinder in the most pleasant way possible. This is a truly terrifying ride. I was drawn in from the opening act, there was no warm up period at all. It sets the tone and is pretty creepy, couple tense scenes gave me goose-bumps. The acting is great and seems very organic. There was literally no scene from anyone where the acting felt unnatural or forced which is a rare treat especially in the horror genre.
In the pits of hell with the goblin looking fellow, it becomes uncomfortably dark and it is fantastic. I was watching it alone in the dark with a candle in the distance, when I got up to go pee I had to turn the bathroom light on, which normally I wouldn't do. I'm a grown ass man. When the goblin is dropping Darwinian science in the midst of sacrifices, everything he says oddly resonated and left a feeling of despair in my stomach. Had me questioning my own mortality and my inevitable fait. Man dying is gonna suck. I just want to curl up in bed with a bag of candies and watch some comedy for a couple hours. Very unexpected and amazing movie in my opinion. I found it to be multi-layered and oddly thought provoking in a very sinister way.
What the hell is a 5.7 rating about? If you watch a horror movie willingly and aren't expecting or HOPING for something disturbing, provoking and or traumatizing, then you might be confused. Stick to what works for you and quit messing up the scoring system. If you are seeking quality horror in it's purest form, then check this out.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The Gang Tends Bar (2017)
I don't understand...
Season 12 alone in my opinion has been the strongest season dating back to Season 8 or 7. For the past 3 weeks I find myself saying THIS is the best episode of the season. I am going to have to disagree strongly with the reviewer from below. I'm not sure what show it was that you thought you were originally in love with, but I feel that barring Season 10 which felt a touch off this show has only been getting better. Even the slightly off season is leaps and bounds ahead of any other comedy on TV. Each episode has been quality for the past two seasons and Gang Tends Bar immediately fell into my favourite episode list( as did the prior 2 episodes), instant classics. As far as laughter is concerned, this episode (season) has brought it. I mean sure I have a bias, but for good reason. I genuinely don't think there has ever been a bad episode of Sunny. I cherish each and every episode and feel they serve their purpose. I genuinely enjoy the show, if I didn't I simply would not watch...
...I feel disgruntled fans have a tendency to be disgruntled at some point one way or another, and a sitcom still relevant on it's 12th season, there's bound to be varying opinions at some point. A lot (people included) can change in 12 years...perhaps this show is not the show for you any longer, and that's okay. But just let it go gracefully and be thankful for what it was that you appreciated about it in the first place. If this show was truly slipping in any way, I would openly criticize personally, but for me that just is not the case.
I'm certain in hindsight when people go through all the seasons of Sunny once the show has expired, opinions will change. These guys are light years ahead of anyone else comically and have been for 12 years as far as I'm concerned.. Nothing else makes me literally laugh out loud (by myself) like Sunny does.
Triangle (2009)
Triangle goes full circle.. then the circle goes figure-8.
I absolutely love this film for a variety of reasons. But first I'll start off with the few critiques I can try and rally up just so I'm being objective.. This idea is not necessarily original by any means (Groundhog Day Effect), it's been done before from a variety of angles and for the most part, I'm not tired of the concept as long as it's done well.. There's a film called Timecrimes that came out in 2007 that probably comes the closest.
Triangle in my opinion is the stuff nightmares are made of. There is a wide spectrum as to what most people consider 'horror'. For myself, I find often that films labelled as 'thrillers' can easily fall into the horror category as well. I am a HUGE horror buff as I watch almost anything with a decent enough rating, but more-so a film buff in general so it doesn't really matter, but it is interesting how films are perceived & worth mentioning.
This film is incredibly dark, grim and atmospheric and leaves a sense of anxiety and claustrophobia which is quite gripping. It has a mild 'dream like' filter to boot which really added a gloss of confusion and despair in this instance. As the story unfolds you find yourself feeling you've figured out the plot enough to know where it's headed before the halfway point of the movie, then having that only turn out to be about half correct. Although it is constantly revealing itself to you it still leaves you on the edge of your seat and keeps its mystery. All the while the setting becomes more and more grim as the possible reality of the situation begins to unfold.
**SPOILER** -- This film could have ended the minute she Threw herself off the ship and would have been fine, but the sequence of rapid twists and events that followed really went above and beyond to give this a dark, empty, yet incredibly satisfying ending. It leaves nothing hanging as it is all revealed before your eyes, yet somehow still wonderfully left to interpretation all the while bending and twisting our feeble little minds. For me personally, there were many elements of this movie (just in the last 15 minutes alone) that really hit home with me. This sense of doing circles, the helplessness and confusion, and the coming to grips & embracing the darkness rather than getting caught up in the chaos is a reoccurring theme in my dreams with eerily similar settings at times. This film brought that to life to some degree and I appreciate it for that.
This movie just goes to show, that even while rehashing an older idea with a smaller budget, one can make an amazing film if the effort and skill is there. I remember seeing this when it initially came out on DVD and I loved it. Got a hold of the blueray rip yesterday and I honestly did not remember how the film ended what-so-ever. I was caught off guard and I have to say I even liked the film more 8 years after first viewing it. This one is a mind-bender for sure...and very slept on.
10/10 'Would bang again'
The Ward (2010)
Mediocrity from Mr.Carpenter...
If I had not known this was a John Carpenter film going into it, there would be no way for me to have ever guessed that he had anything to do with it. I don't know what John is doing these days with these uninspired films he keeps pumping out. He is starting to resemble Kevin Smith in that sense. Admittedly I have not seen very many of Carpenters recent films and this effort didn't exactly sway me either. To this day his best films in my opinion are 'They Live' & 'The Thing'. I've always thought 'Halloween' to be way overrated, even though I am a huge horror film buff. This might be blasphemy to some but that is my opinion...
..the film is very average run of the mill horror. Nothing you haven't seen before...as a matter of fact, the so called 'twist' has been done to death...over and over again. It has become cliché as far as I'm concerned.
That being said, being the horror movie buff that I am, I still somewhat enjoyed it, it didn't bore me and the lead actress Amber Heard is incredibly sexy and not the worst actor I've seen.
It's hard for me to rate this film, it is rather uninspired for a Carpenter film, but it's entertaining enough and not the worst horror flick I've come across. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone in particular unless they are scraping the bottom of the barrel to find a horror film they haven't seen. Basically myself...