28/01/2012: Surveillance [2008]

"You probably read the end of a book first, don't you? "
"Yeah. "
"That is no way to live."

Surveillance is a film by Jennifer Lynch the daughter of David Lynch. This being so, her father has set the bar extremely high, having given us Mulholland Dr., Eraserhead, Twin Peaks and Lost Highway. However the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and Jennifer Lynch proves it with Surveillance.

It is not hard to see the similarities and inspirations of her father in Surveillance, however, unlike the oddities and insanities David Lynch provided Surveillance is much more traditionally structured film.
It possess Lynchian qualities in it's characters, dialogue and twistedness, which all in all make up most of the movie. The movie centers on a pair of FBI agents who come to a small middle of nowhere police station to investigate a pair of murderers terrorizing the coutryside. The agent set up their camera's and together with the local police interview the three witnesses from the latest crime scene.

Of course all of them have differing stories as they cover up for themselves and their actions. However the movie plays out the accident as it goes showing you what really happened and giving you the pieces to put the puzzle together. Unfortunately I figured out the puzzle pretty early on, but this didn't subtract at all from my enjoyment of the movie. It is truly the characters, and their actions and interactions that make this movie great. The witnesses make up only part of the cast, with the local cops, FBI agents and the murderers all presenting just as much and just as interesting characters.

I think that the dynamic of the murderers is my favourite and I rather enjoy the ending of the movie. The setting of Saskatchewan's prairies (where you can watch your dog run away for days) is a stark contrast to the brutality of the movie and the cramped interview rooms. The cast is an interesting mix of a few comedians, giving a great dark comedy but also some stellar and serious performances. I don't want to ruin much, but if your looking for a great violent and bloody murder mystery, or are a fan of David Lynch I recommend checking this out.

Trying to think of some kinda rating system/symbol. More original than just star. Any ideas leave a comment.

Links:
Surveillance IMDB
Surveillance Netflix

27/01/2012: Diary of the Dead [2007]

So I always thought that like most amazing horror series directors, George A. Romero had created the first couple films in his Dead series and then the rest had been made by others. While the Day of the Dead remake I reviewed earlier wasn't and clearly shows this, I was surprised to find out that for the last 40 years Romero has been responsible for all of the films in the Dead series. Always a part of the movie, whether directing or writing, Romero is why the series is simply amazing, and sets the standard in zombies and in horror. All the others out there should take note, Romero is a groundbreaking director and continues after 40 years to set the standard in the genre he reinvented in 1968.

Albeit now I must say that Diary of the Dead is one of the weaker in the series, but not without it's advantages. One of the best and most revolutionary things about Romero's series is its reinvention of the zombie movie. Romero took the camera from the horror of zombies and recentered it on mankind and are actions during an apocalypse. While yes zombies provided him the tools to bring about this apocalypse and the instrument to cause horror, his films are about how mankind reacts.

Diary of the Dead, is set at the outbreak of the zombie apocalypse, right from the first incidents and focuses on how a group of film school students deal with it. Unfortunately the whole movie within a movie thing is what I feel takes away from the grand visions of Romero previous movies it does add a new level of fear. Only being able to see where the camera is pointed, whether it be held in a fixed position or handheld only gives you part of the story. Don't mistake Diary of the Dead as your found footage movie however, that is not it's angle at all nor does it fall into that category.

The resounding metaphor or meaning or whatever the narrator tries to instill throughout the movie is about how things seen through a lens don't appear real, and how we can lose track of reality. On top of that the movie shows how well we communicated during the apocalypse, or rather the lack of. With the government and news station airing edited incomplete information while the internet fills with uploaded video's of what is really happening with little information.

Of course beyond this Diary of the Dead is a zombie horror movie, and in that element it succeeds well. the zombies are well done, the blood starts flying and the fight for your life begins.The movie documents the standard ideas of what would happen. ordinary people forced to kill their loved ones, those who can't handle the world, and those that can. The opportunists who gather supplies and hoard for themselves, the military quickly running rampant with the power they have and families destroyed or searching for each other.

Diary of the Dead also tells us the short story of one deaf Amish farmer, with a fondness for dynamite. I won't elaborate on him further and allow you to meet him for yourself.

Overall Diary of the Dead is one of the weaker movies in the series. The acting is nothing special, nor is the story really unique, and the movie within a movie is not my favourite style. However the movie is complete with the blood and gore of a zombie movie, and should no doubt please Romero's fans.

Links:
Diary of the Dead IMDB
Diary of the Dead Netflix

28/01/2012: Layer Cake [2004]

Layer Cake is a British crime thriller coming from some of the minds behind Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. Those two movies being some of the best crime movies ever, Layer Cake had a high set bar to live up to. However, based on a novel of the same name Layer Cake is a slightly different kind of beast.

Lock Stock and Snatch were undoubtedly very comedic in the criminals escapades as they navigated the criminal underworld. Layer Cake however takes a much more serious approach, although still featuring the comedic criminal types, just not as the main characters. Gone are the subtitles that introduce each character and keep who's who straight. So while just like the criminal underworld Layer Cake introduces is to a "Layer Cake" full of criminals and gangs and bosses, and it becomes a little confusing to keep the characters straight.

However with Daniel Craig at the wheel, Layer Cake still gives us a good set of characters and a well woven, if slightly hard to keep track of storyline, with the British crime world written all over it. There are a couple of subplots that don't quite make sense. This is usual for a book to movie adaptation however. I speak mainly of the whole Tammy subplot, who while providing some sexy eye candy doesn't really seem to fit, and you only discover her purpose in the ending which is a little disappointing but abnormal for the movie. I can't even remember the other subplot, I just remember wondering why it was there.

Layer Cakes setting, acting, and story all hold up strong. While not living up to the comedic side that make Lock Stock and Snatch so great, it does capture the elements of the British criminal underworld that those two did. It is comparable as well to Rock N' Rolla in some ways. Overall if you enjoyed any of those three movies, or are looking for a more serious version of those you will enjoy Layer Cake. Just expect to have to follow closely and you may not understand it all the first time. As one who can never remember names I got a little lost, but it does help when the main character doesn't have a name and is listed as xxxx.

Apparently the title was originally spelled with numbers.

Links:
Layer Cake IMDB
Layer Cake Netflix
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels IMDB

22/01/2012: The Minus Man [1999]

So I think this is the first time I have ever seen Owen Wilson in a movie that is not a comedy and playing a serious character. The Minus Man stars Owen Wilson as a serial killer.

Now you're thinking, Ok, so instead of a comedian Wilson is a brutal murderer. However The Minus Man is nothing of the sort. It is a rather a deep and interesting psychological thriller and somewhat of a character study. Vann (Wilson) is the character you feel for and want to understand, not some monster you wait to get caught. This movie is all about the interaction between the character. Not about police chases or murders.

Wilson give us a great performance along with a great cast, to tell a story that your not sure how it will turn out. The Minus Man is not everyone's movie, you need to be in the mood to watch it. It is not an action filled and violent movie about a serial killer but instead a psychological character study about Vann and why he is the way he is. He is portrayed very well, and the movie shows how he interacts with the world having no emotions.

I would recommend this if you are a psychology student or a fan of slow burn serial killer studies. That is really a small group I would think. The movie is not un-enjoyable and is very well done, it is just not something everyone would watch.

Links:
The Minus Man IMDB
The Minus Man Netflix

22/01/2012: Wizard of Gore [2007]

So the titles a little confusing. I mean is it missing a The? IMDB calls it The Wizard of Gore but the posters clearly state it sans The. Oh well, on with the meaning behind the title. Wizard of Gore (god that reads awkward) is about a newspaper journalist who witnesses a stage magicians performance and well let's just say it We're not in Kansas anymore off-Broadway. The magician, Montag the Magnificent, is pretty far off his rocker and his show is quite the same. Starting with a couple disgusting acts, Montag proceeds to pick random women from the audience, who in some kinda trance strip down and make no sound while Montag butchers and murders them in rather disturbing ways.

However Montag is an illusionist and when the audience begins running in fear he reveals his trick and the women are fine. Soon after however, these women are not fine and show up dead as killed on stage. Edmund the reporter/journalist/magazine whatever, begins to investigate these deaths and soon things spiral out of control as you question what is real and who is sane.

I won't detail the plot further, but if your a fan of strange unexplainable mysteries you should be pleased, just don't expect to many clues to totally explain everything. Wizard of Gore is in fact a remake of a 1970's movie of the same name. However the Magicians performance is about where things stop. Edmund and the mystery are original and the movie is apparently an improvement story wise over the original if  the deaths are a little less elaborate.

The movie however doesn't shy away from the gore and nudity of the horror genre, and creates quite the atmosphere. Edmund lives in a strange early 18th century style of suits and room furnishing, living in a world of an underground culture, along with it's usual dark and neon colours, drugs, prostitutes, tattoos and piercing that come with the territory. This is a good look and helps set the tone for the films, which also feature strange camera angles, troubled dream flashes and of course a magicians showmanship.

While a remake this movie falls more in the shadow of The Illusionist and The Prestige. I personally loved those two movies, and was recommended Wizard of Gore when I asked if anyone new of any similar movies.

While it doesn't truly measure up in that department it does fit as their equivalent in the horror genre. So if your looking for something similar to The Prestige check this out if you like horror. Also if you haven't seen those two, watch them! And if you can recommend me anything similar to any of these three movie tell me in the comments below, I would love to find something like them.

So according to this poster it is The Wizard of Gore, all to confusing when you're not sure of the title.

Links:
Wizard of Gore IMDB
Wizard of Gore Netllix
The Prestige IMDB

22/01/2015: The Score [2001]

I always like a good heist movie and when it stars Robert De Niro and one of my favourite Edward Norton you know it should be good. There is not a lot to The Score in terms of plot however. As usual a couple of high end criminal plot an intricate theft that will make them millions and you wait for one to turn on the other.

The heist however is quite elaborate, and is done at the right pace and with the right amount of tension and flaws to make it exciting. The safe cracking method is the one in fact which inspired the 59th episode of Mythbuster, who after various test determined that the method was plausible. The movie also contains a lot of the steps before the actual attempt, including acquiring the materials required and creating the plan.

Overall the actual heist and planing are the highlights of the movie with the plot twists being predictable and a little disappointing. The cast however holds up, with De Niro playing his usual style role it would seem. Edward Norton also plays a vaguely similar role as in Primal Fear, not in terms of character but in versatility and quality.

The setting of the movie is well done, with some of it occurring in the actual customs house. The movie is a lot less high tech than modern heist movies but is quite advanced for its time. If you are looking for a good solid heist movie The Score will satisfy but don't expect to much else on top of that. I am looking towards seeing Robert De Niro and Edward Norton team up with Mila Jovocich in another crime movie released in 2010 called Stone.

Links:
The Score IMDB
The Score Netflix
Stone IMDB

21/01/2012: Vampires [2010]

This is not John Carpenter's Vampires, this is a completely different kind of movie directed by Vincent Lannoo. This movie is a faux-documentary about a family of vampires, living in Belgium. A Belgian movie, the actors all speak french although subtitles are available.

What sets Vampires apart from other faux-documentary style movies is that it takes itself completely seriously. The cast makes no jokes as they play out their roles and it feels like you are watching an unscripted reality T.V. show. When it comes to the vampire aspect, Vampires creates it's own mythology, based on the standard but includes large aspects of a "vampire society" including laws, food sources, cooking, sex, and above all family matters. As a documentary, the family interacts with the film crew explaining things as they go about their daily lives.

The characters are good fun, including the family composing of the stoic Father, the batty mother, a partying trouble-making son and a daughter who wants to be human and die. The movie follows the events of the family, living quite well of in a Belgium community. As well there are their neighbors, a pair of vampires living in the cellar with problems of their own, as well as family friends, the local community leader, and of course The Meat.

The movie is filled with dry-humor and satire and if you don't like it from the beginning you won't like it as it continues. The movie is a very-slow burn, and don't expect any murderous bloodbath of a climax. While the movie doesn't shy away from a little blood or murder it doesn't revel in their brutality, eating someone is just the norm.

My favourite part is of course the families journey to Quebec, even featuring a glimpse of a La Belle Province (best hotdogs in the world). The Quebecois even clearly speak their type of french in contrast to the Belgians with the vampires complaining about it. As well the vampire society there is clearly a Canadian one, they have a democracy, don't eat people at random, murder anyone, and work everyday jobs. The Quebec vamps are just part of Canada's cultural mosiac.

Overall like I said this movie is really like it or hate it. It's all about the dialogue, the humour and the documentary, don't expect stunning action sequences or visuals.

Links:
Vampires IMDB
Vampires Netflix

21/01/2012: Gattaca [1997]

I had only heard of this movies once before I discovered it on Netflix and that had only been its name. After watching it I find it amazing I had never heard of it before. I have always found it strange that, with all the books in the world, high school english class still makes everyone read 1984 and A Brave New World and such Utopian/dystopian novels. But if those are the chosen novels why would you not mention or show a movie such as Gattaca?

By now I hope you have realized that Gattaca is another greatly written movie about a Utopian/Dystopian society "somewhere in the near future" where there is no racism, sexism, and whatever other ism's you can think of. Instead society has taken discrimination down to a science. With one drop of blood they can determine all of your potential. At birth they know when you will die, what chances you have of contracting heart disease, going blind etc. However with this advance in genetics, comes the ability to genetically engineer your child. Pick gender and colours, along with a standard removal of depression, alcoholism, and diseases you get the best of you. These engineered people become the worlds elite, while those known as degenerates or in-valids live a life of poverty, struggling to find jobs and never attaining their dreams.

Gattaca of course being what it is, follows the story of Vincent, an In-valid with dreams of going into space and working for Gattaca (NASA really). Being with a 99% chance of developing a heart condition, Vincent has no chance to get in himself regardless of how hard he works or how much he studies.

However in a world where DNA scans occur so frequently there comes a new kind of identity theft. Vincent meets Jerome, a man with the perfect genetic makeup. Athletic, smart and with no chance of dying from disease. Jerome however has become paraplegic in a car accident and with no possibilities ahead agree to give Vincent his identity.

What follows this is a great story I won't ruin for you and an impressively under-appreciated movie. The cast includes well known Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman and Jude Law who all give great performances. The visuals and setting paint a great picture of the future, as usual mixing elements of science with the art of the past.

I must say even if you've never heard of Gattaca, there is no reason you shouldn't have. This movie is right up there with the rest of the Utopian/Dystopian films and benefits from being written for the screen and not a novel.

This poster is a concept poster but I didn't like any of the official ones.

Link:
Gattaca IMDB
Gattaca Netflix

20/01/2012: Doghouse [2009]

I always found that the United Kingdom produces the cream of the crop when it comes to horror comedies.It has already given us the well known Shaun of the Dead as well as the lesser known gem Lesbian Vampire Killers. Doghouse mixes the best of both these movies, combining the zombies with the tiny remote village.

19/01/2012: Hellraiser: Bloodline [1996]

Bloodline is the fourth installment in the Hellraiser series create by Clive Barker. As with most horror movie icons, the quality of the series tends to take a bit of a stumble around the fourth one. A Nightmare on Elm Street for example, while Friday the 13th stumbled on the 5th. Bloodline, simply upon reading it's premise you would expect this to be the series downfall.

No horror villain has successfully created a space spin-off, most notable is Jason X, one of the few black sheep in the Friday the 13th franchise. Don't get me wrong space horror are great (Event horizon, Pandorum) however Bloodline was lined up to be quite the bad movie.

However Hellraiser 4 was smart enough to realize the flaws of space, and instead spent 2/3rds of the movie in the past. The movie has about three different time-streams and follows the Merchant bloodline.What little there is of the space plot, is limited and well done. The ~modern segment is pretty much a standard Hellraiser movie, but with a bit of a twist ending to it.

The third part, the part set somewhere around the late 1700's early 1800's I think, is my favourite segment. It mixes in a Hellraiser story set in the Victorian era, whilst explaining a little more of the Hellraiser mythology. Although I think it creates a few holes in the timeline, the story and history of the lament cube is expectedly bloody and hell raising. (See the pun there?)

The fourth movie, like the third gives Pinhead a new army of Cenobites, who are interesting and unique in the Clive Barker way. Angelique is introduced as a princess of hell and plays more of a roll than Pinhead but present and interesting character who's background isn't ever explained. (as most of the cenobites aren't) The cast is forgettable however as are the multitude of character. The movie contains the standard amount of blood and gore as the previous one, but less is shown on screen directly than the first two.

Hellraiser: Bloodline is a solid installment in the franchise and was the last to have a theatrical release. I've heard its all downhill from here, but for a franchise to have the first 4 entries be solid movies Hellraiser is commendable.

Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116514/

05/01/2012: Hobo With A Shotgun [2011]

You and me are goin' on a car-ride to hell... and you're riding shotgun!

This quote pretty much sums up Hobo With A Shotgun. A Grindhouse  trailer turned into a movie the Hobo takes you on one bloody, twisted and graphic sunday night drive into hell. Grindhouse trailers featured in Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantinos' Grindhouse double feature Planet Terror and Death Proof. The original Hobo trailer was picked as a contest winner to be featured in certain viewings of Grindhouse specifically in Canada.
Machete [2010] was actually the first of these trailers to be made into a full movie, with Hobo With A Shotgun the second.

Hobo's storyline is written into the title, a hobo tired of the brutal crime rampant city decides do become a vigilante and proceeds to clean up the town with a shotgun. While the Hobo does not take up arms immediately the violence begins fast and bloody and doesn't slow down nor falter in its creativity. The movie is truly an done in the fashion of the films Grindhouse was a homage to and while not the film for everyone it will satisfy fans of the genre.

The movie even has the unique camera visuals expected, with the shifted colours and high saturation complimenting the movies blood and guts. The plotline is interesting, although I'm not sure who the hell The Plague were. Abbey made for an entertaining sidekick, especially all geared up, whilst the violent crime family fit the bill nicely.

Overall this movie is what it set out to be and you'll will either like it or not. Check out the trailer to get a sense (I'll link the original below). The movie is a throwback to the old days of exploitation and ultra-violence movies and would easily have been shown in a grindhouse theatre. Personally I'm hoping for Werewolf women of the S.S. to be the next grindhouse trailer to go full feature.

Remember:
When life gives you razor blades, you make a baseball bat... with razor blades

Links:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1640459/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LlazPgxKrA (Hobo With A Shotgun original trailer)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0Iw6O_1EJI&feature=related (Werewolf Women of the S.S.)

14/01/2012: An American Werewolf In Paris [1997]

An American Werewolf In London, is a great 80's classic horror movie, and one of the rare werewolf movie gems. Almost two decades later this sequel was released, and well here's what I thought.

First, it really isn't a sequel, I didn't even know that Serafine was supposed to be the daughter of the original American werewolf. Perhaps it is hinted somewhere, but she shares no family name, nor references the previous movie. All in all this movie almost feels like a remake mashed with Eurotrip or some such comedy.

The werewolf curse and how it works stay true to the London mythos (i.e. the undead victims remain), but increases the world with the usual cure and an underground werewolf cult with a conspiracy. So, the simplicity of the London is clearly gone here. Ontop of those horror elements derived from the first movie, the black comedy of the first one has been turned to up and into a slightly different type. These American tourists and some of the comedy feel like they are taken out of Eurotrip, and is built on stereotypes. Mix this with some of the black humor of the first and the film is quite funny.

The cast is alright but leans more toward the Eurotrip side of cinema. The disappointment of the movie is definitely the werewolves themselves. AWIL has always been known for its amazing transformation scene and effects, while sadly, AWIP falls to the age of CGI and disappoints in this category.

However, while we did not get such a classic as An American Werewolf in London, with this sequel it is a decent movie, with a good mix of comedy and horror to make it entertaining even today.

Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118604/

13/01/2012: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo [2011]

So I finally got out to see TGWTDT in theater last night, surprisingly it's still playing for the 3rd? week in a row now. Now first off, I went in there having seen the Swedish trilogy, so I already new what the basic plot was.

The biggest difference in the movies is the feel to them. The original, is extremely story driven, with the actual visuals of a good quality, but nothing spectacular. I found the original had the bonus of being in it's intended language, with actors who I didn't know as 007, who I only knew as the characters, and who did a great job.
The remake is clearly a high budget American production, The visual level is a step up, with the camera angles, cuts/edits/shifts, and overall visuals clearly of a higher quality then the original. However it has the problem of a well know cast, I find, if I know the actors well, I can sometimes only see them as that. I spent the whole movie comparing, and trying not to see Bond.

The opening sequence of the movie is quite a CGI marvel, but the symbolism in it can only be recognized by those who new what they were watching. I think that was one of the problems with the remake, although having seen the original trilogy I didn't experience this. I thought however that the story was less explained in the remake, especially the clues, which are the heart of the mystery. The Swedish one does a great job of showing you the clues and letting you piece them together along with Mikael. The remake I found did a little of the work for you or otherwise didn't always show enough, in a couple glimpses of the clue to allow you to piece it together.

I'm not sure if anyone is aware of the movies raw brutality when they go to see it, not having read the book or seen the original. The remake, didn't tone anything down from the original, still keeping the grueling rape scenes and violent imagery. I know that almost everyone around me physically jumped when Mikael almost gets shot (I knew it was coming) which was good. Also the entire audience laughed when Lisbeth appears on screen with her Fuck you you fucking fuck shirt. They also laughed when Lisbeth asked Mikael permission to kill the killer, which I wasn't sure was really what was intended there.

The biggest controversy (might be a bit strong of a word) over the remake was whether Rooney Mara would do as good a job as Noomi Rapace. While Mara does a great job, and some say does a better job, I still prefer Noomi Rapace's version of Lisbeth to Mara's.

Overall, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a very high quality movie that matched the original but both have their merits, the real test will be when the entire trilogy is remade and we can compare again. Currently I like the Swedish version the best, it is better in storytelling and mystery, while the remake has the advantage of a Hollywood budget, and distinguishes itself that way. If you like the originals I recommend you watch this and if you've only seen the remake I highly recommend the original to help with the at least two year wait for the next two remakes.

Since when could they have bare breasts on movie posters?

Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1568346/

05/01/2012: Infestation [2009]

If I turn don't kill me!

Infestation is really the Shaun of the Dead of giant bug movies. It has all of the required elements:

1. Giant Bugs
2. Slacker, going nowhere main character with parent issues
3. That one crazy lady who you just want to die
4. No real explanation as to why the hell there is giant bugs
5. The one girl who survives who the main character will incessantly hit on
6. The extremely muscular hulk of a man who is as friendly as a teddy bear
7. The gang of raiders who are already murdering people after 3 hours
8. The group of aggressive idiots who are just fodder for early on
9. The ending where the main characters problems are all solved
10. The world is saved.

So yah, Infestation covers all of those bases, and while it's budget is only so big, the special effects give us nostalgia for those old giant bug movies, and match the horror comedies style. While none of the actors are as big as Shawn of the Dead's, they aren't horrible. The storyline is slightly cheesy, and of course has the accompanying Swiss holes, it is still satisfying in the comedy and horror genres.

The poster portrays the movie well, although a tennis racket is never used, Brooke Nevin will never wear that, and it includes a horrible global warming pun. Overall this movie is good fun for fans of the horror/comedy or either genre, if not making anyone's favourites lists too fast.

Also there is definitely something with the ending, some people claims there is an extra clip or something, it wasn't in my version, but there was a hint towards something like a sequel.

Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1020543/

05/01/2012: The King's Speech [2011]

Have been rather busy lately, and am also pretty much out of movies at the moment. Going to the movies friday hopefully, and will also be picking some more up soon. In the meantime here come a couple of summaries for a few flicks I caught last week.

The King's Speech... I'd heard a lot of people talking about how good this was, but they never really told me exactly what it was. What it is a massive character study of King George the VI, and his st..st...stammer. Okay that was cruel, played extremely well by Colin Firth, Bertie is a good character who you feel for in all manner of ways, as you watch his story unfold as the man who never expected to be king suddenly is, all the while feeling unworthy due to his speech problems.

The supporting cast was also good, especially Geoffrey Rush, who play the Kings speech therapist. The story is extremely historical, with many real speeches taking place and filled with real life characters. The setting is good as far as I can tell, I'm no historian. As for the accuracy of the story, well I know nothing of its validity either.


Overall The King's Speech is a great historical story, and I'm sure for some, a moving movie. For other it's a slow paced character study. While I fall a little more towards the latter I don't regret watching it, I just won't be re-watching it.

Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1504320/

08/01/2012: X-Men First Class [2011]

This is my second time watching this movie, which I deemed the 2nd best of 2011. The movie is still as great the second time, although it was better on the big screen. The X-Men movie series has been a little rough in general, with most people agreeing that the first 2 are superior, although I personally like Origins Wolverine a lot.

X-Men First Class however is my favourite of the X-Men  movies so far, and I can't wait for a sequel.

07/01/2012: Crazy On the Outside [2010]

After three years in prison things get a little crazy on the outside for Tim Allen when he gets paroled. See how I used the title there to describe the movie, eh? Ironically one of the most obvious flaws of this movie is that Zelda (yah his last name is honestly Zelda) is in fact on parole, but he sees a probation officer, and the movie says he's on probation. So other than the movies backwards understanding of the justice system it's alright.

Crazy On the Outside is not a groundbreaking step forward in the history of cinema. But if you understand that it can be a fun time. The cast is well put together, Tim Allen is the right comedian for this setting and Sigourney Weaver plays his crazy sister very well. The rest of the cast is recognizable as well, providing their bits of humor.

The problem with this movie is it contains a lot of sub-plots, all types of different threads, which somehow the movie manages to weave together in a sensible way. It does however feel a little rushed. All the threads however are quite funny, although the removal of some may perhaps improve the flow. You've got the whole start a painting business, get back together with Christy, don't become a criminal, explain to your grandmother, and fall in love. There even a few smaller plots thrown in underneath.

All in all, these plots are all quite entertaining and none is really weaker than the other, it's just the jumble of all them that feels a bit squashed. However, as a comedy Crazy On the Outside is well done and worth watching just don't expect to much from it.

Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1196134/

05/01/2012: Atom Age Vampire (Seddok, l'erede di Satana) 1960

When man discovered they could split the atom, the atom age was born. Scientists quickly harnessed it deadly potential in the atom bomb. Prof. Alberto Levin however saw the atom as a tool which could be used to heal the disfigured. However, while he is eventually successful he has i the process turned himself into a monster, an atom age vampire.

This is where I question the title. I believe the movie is a Dr. Frankenstein and Mr. Hyde type story, complete with a drunken, green thumb of an Egor. There is really no vampires in the movie, Prof. Levin is more of a Dr. Frankenstein, who turns himself into a monster while searching for love. The monster becomes his Mr. Hyde, first transforming via a potion and then overtaking him. The plotline does infact play out strongly along these classic lines, perhaps taking the Dr. Van Helsing from Dracula.

The movie is originally Italian, although the english version is fine, although apparently is not accurately translated. This movie is nothing truly original, but the black and white still hold up. It's interesting to see that, without the ability to just CGI in a bunch of things to look at how much dialogue there is. The acting is not bad, and the special effects are well done for its time. A good movie if you like the classic italian horror genre, or just want a laugh.

Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054285/

04/01/2012: Van Diemen's Land [2009]

Van Diemen's Land is an independent Australian film which was self-financed. The movie is about Alexander Pearce, Australia's most famous convict, who in the early 1800's was sentenced to the Macquarie Harbour Penal Settlement in Van Diemen's land (Tasmania).

Spoilers
Pearce's fame, and the plot of this movie stems from his escape along with 7 other prisoners, and their trek across the hostile, and endless wilderness that was, and still is Tasmania. The group struggles, and as they become hungrier dark ideas begin, and soon cannibalism begins amongst the group of convicts.

The movie is slow, and doesn't pick up much. It is good if you're interested in the story and want something historical, but if you just want a horror movie with the same idea and inspiration try Dying Breed.

Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1361843/

04/01/2012: The Collector [2009]

Watched The Collector this morning, good horror movie but disappointing ending. Ever since Carrie used the hole shock twist ending that was unpredictable then, is now the norm now. While the ending was depressing, I was however glad to hear that, as usual, there is a sequel, which is almost finished being made.

The Collector was written by the guy who wrote Saw 4,5, and 6, and clearly his love of traps has carried on. The traps are one of the highlights of the movie, although the ability to put them up that fast would suggest a team of men, not one psychopath. There's not much to say about this movie though, it's unique concept is the idea of a thief who robs a house where another serial killer has already started his games. The movie focuses on the thief's survival of the events and what choices he makes.

I found that the actual, slightly hinted at collecting gimic was almost unnecessary, however it is meant to pan out more in the sequel I hope. Altogether this movie is the start of a new psychopathic killer in the horror genre, and does not shy away from the brutality and violence, whilst not going beyond what it needs.

Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0844479/

03/01/2012: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol [2011]

Blue means Glue.

Mission Impossible has now become a series to rival 007. While it will never surpass the original Bond films, Ghost Protocol is better than the latest two Daniel Craig films I am disappointed to say. I'm disappointed as a Bond lover, but am thrilled by the amazingness that was the fourth installment in Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible franchise.

This movies budget is extravagant, about $145, 000, 000 which still doesn't  explain why Ving Rhames got payed $7.7 million for a 4 minute cameo. But the budget allows this movie to splurge, with locations in Russia, Dubai, and the U.S..  Also able to rake in a great cast, which is an interesting mix. Tom Cruise still stars, but throw in Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner (who is in there to take over the franchise after Cruise), and even Michael Nyqvist who I just saw in the Swedish Girl W/ Dragon Tattoo trilogy.

MI is of course a spy movie,  with its own set of unique spy gadgets, insane stunts, and evil conspiracies. Tom Cruise does his own stunts, which is surprising, but just goes to show being a movie star hasn't gone to his head. MI:4 is definitely an action movie, with thrilling shootouts and fist fights mixed with intricate plans and some high tech technology.

The gadgets are cutting edge, and while not as fun as most of Bonds weapons are very interesting to see in use. I keep comparing this to 007, but I must state that I'm talking the movies of the last decade, which have taken on a new form compared to the old classics.

I could keep going on about Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, but the bottom line is that this is a movie worth going to the theaters for. You really can't be disappointed.

Red means Dead.

Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1229238/

03/01/2012: Beastly [2011]

You may wonder, why the hell did I watch this?
1. Neil Patrick Harris
2. It was simply on the T.V.

Warning contains some profanity.

So I guess this was some kinda re-imagining and modernization of the whole Beauty and the Best story. I was just kinda like. Sure he's got tattoos and scars, but what the fuck is with the metal vine in his forehead? You seriously couldn't remove that?  However that guy was a pretty big douche, and a better ending woulda been to keep him ugly.

As for reason #1, NPH was a pretty cool character, he actually wore opaque contacts so he was blind when they were filming.

Another cool thing, was apparently Mary-Kate Olson was the witch, I didn't notice, glad to see her child acting career really went somewhere.

Overall, watch this movie if your a teenage girl.

Link:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1152398/

02/01/2012: The Apocalypse Watch [1997]

The Apocalypse Watch is based on a Robert Ludlum novel of the same, which is why I picked up this DVD.  Made for T.V. this movie runs 2 hours and 54 minutes, something movies just don't seem to do anymore. The movie is low budget but it's held together by the strong writing of Robert Ludlum's novel.

The movie is a spy thriller with a very intricate neo-nazi conspiracy for what other than Global Domination. It is not a cheesy as it sounds, and with Ludlum's novels as a basis, the conspiracy is massive but not unbelievable. My disappointment however with this movie is that it cuts out a lot of the novel, specifically the ending which was one hell of a reveal.

My enjoyment of this movie was probably due to the greatness of the novel that inspired it. When it comes to the spy genre James Bond will always be at the top, with this movie stuck in the shadows. Ludlums novels do get a proper movie treatment with the Bourne series. I really can't suggest this movie to Ludlum fans with the expectation this adaptation is faithful to the book, but it still captures much of the conspiracy and ideas of Ludlum's book.

Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120027/

02/01/2012: Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers [1988]

The cult classic Sleepaway Camp had one of the most memorable and shocking endings ever, leaving us with one image burned into our eyes. Sleepaway Camp II brings Angela back to camp, after years in a mental ward, as a camp counselor.Of course this is the last place the transvestite serial killer should be.

The movie is short but takes no time. With all of the mystery removed in the first movie, Angela dives right in bringing the body count to 4 in the first half hour. It seemed to me that the movie had definitely toned down the blood and gore of the first movie. However they had become much more creative with the killings as Angela, burns, stabs, strangles, and drowns in an outhouse.

It is also noteworthy to say that those horror fans who keep hoping for a Freddy Vs. Jason Vs. Myers, can find it here, in what was one of my favourite scenes of the movie.

Overall it seems campers are divided on the series. Most who like the original don't like the sequels and vice-versa. However Sleepaway Camp II checks all the boxes of a slasher movie and doesn't disappoint.

Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096118/

01/01/2012: The Debt [2011]

I've started out this year with a number of phenomenal films over the last couple days. Tonight I finally got to watch The Debt which had enticed me since the first trailer. However the trailer gave me a slightly wrong impression, as I went in thinking that the 1997 plot would be the focus and not the actual mission from 1965. I was pleasantly surprised however to find that a large amount of the movie details the actual mission to capture the "Surgeon of Birkenau".

First off I'm a big fan of World War/Cold War spy stories especially those pertaining to Nazi war criminals. (Robert Ludlum novels)  I should say I had no idea as towards the actual plot before I started, so to find out that it first included all aforementioned aspects as well as the fact that it was not some U.S. spy agency gained it a lot of points. it's nice to see the Mossad as the protagonists. The intelligence agency of Israel the Mossad have strong reasons for their mission. While the film is not directly based on a true story, it is inspired by another film Ha-Hov.

My favourite part of this film was the flashback to the events of the actual mission, but like a good thriller those events only amplify what is occurring in the present. The ending is probably divisive and your opinion of it could go either way, it is not however a bad ending.

As such The Debt is another great movie which should peak the interest of anyone who enjoys a historical (fictional) thrillers, or just anyone who enjoys a good movie.

Not sure if I like the international title, The Rachel Singer Affair, I don't feel she was really the sole protagonist but whatever.

Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1226753/

01/01/2012: Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth [1992]

This is the third installment in the Hellraiser saga, which drops our heroine of the past two movies Kirsty but maintains true to the story established by the previous two. This is a good way to carry on a saga, freshen it up with new characters, whilst maintaining the horrific villain people know.

The movie surprisingly seems tamer than the previous two, featuring only a couple seconds of skinless humans, much less exploding bodies, less sex, no nudity and even less gore. A strange turn in the Hellraiser series of which these things had been the basis of. The movie also features a new band of Cenobites to accompany Pinhead who just aren't on par with the last trio.

However this can be forgiven as, when watching Hellraiser and knowing the series only steadily crashes down I wasn't expecting much. If your looking for a movie of this sort you should still be satisfied. My favourite scenes are by far the female cop, blandly and expressionlessly stating " Shit gasoline" and Joey. when the priest explains demons aren't real asking " then what the fuck is that?"

While it seems Hellraiser III has toned it down a little, it keeps itself watchable for a fan of the series by staying true to the last two movies.

Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104409/

01/01/2012: Monsters [2010]

Monsters is a movie that had every opportunity to go horribly wrong and fall into a large category of mediocre monster movies. Monsters however did everything right making it an amazing film that easily rears it tentacled head above the rest.

The trick to Monsters is to go in knowing what it is. This is not an action packed alien invasion along the lines of Battle L.A. or District 9. The opening scene give you a bad indication that it may infact be that kinda movie, but in fact it goes in another direction. First of all I just saw on IMDB that the movie was only in fact 94 minutes long. I thought it was over 2 hours and at no point was I bored. The first hour could almost be a movie without monsters.

To me the first hour felt like one of those kinda documentary films where a pair of Americans travel through the third world. This third world is simply created by a quarantine zone created due to an alien invasion. Like a good monster movie, Monsters makes no attempt to truly explain the monsters (I still don't understand the gas masks) but that's the way it should be.

However the journey is the heart of this movie, and it is well done, making you think, feel and even shrink in fear. The film scared me the most however as I felt the end approaching, this is where, even though everything had gone right so far, one horrible ending could ruin the film and was highly likely. However the movie gave me an ending I liked and more.

Beyond the story of this movie, the special effects, filming locations and cast where all excellent. The special effects are particularly important in a Monster movie, and with the iffy handycam footage at the opening scene I was again scared. That is dropped right there however and what follows is a lot of hard work put into the setting, signs, fences, destruction fill the world and bring it to life. The CGI creatures are also done perfectly, revealing enough but maintaining the perfect amount of secrecy.

Clearly I can go on and on about this movie, but all I can say is if you're looking for something fantastic but not action packed, even if you don't like monster movies this is an amazing monster movie that breaks free of the genre norms. I find it disappointing the horrible movies such as Skyline, and Cloverfield get such great publicity and release while this one was hidden in a few theatres.





Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1470827/