20/10/2012: Killer Joe [2011]

I just finished watching Killer Joe, a film that has been dividing audiences as it made it's quiet way around festivals and a limited release, being praised by some and disgusting others. However I don't think William Friedkin gives a damn whether you like it and I think Tom Bonnington put it best when he said Killer Joe "not only disregards Hollywood’s current blandness but shoves its greasy, poultry goodness down the throats of an audience not ready to consume this neo‐noir masterpiece. Yet."

15/09/2012: Thriller: A Cruel Picture (They Call Her One Eye) [1974]

Well, it warns you right in the title and this Swedish exploitation film is merciless in it's cruelty, and as it also states, has no limits to evil as we watch the disturbing story of Frigga unfold. This was the first half of my Saturday night double feature, after which I had to watch Star Wars for a much happier change of pace, but even that however will probably never erase some of the images Thriller burned into my retinas. Thriller is one rape and revenge story you won't forget, and as underground as it might be, it's influences are still visible in the mainstream today.

28/09/2012: Looper [2012]

Looper was steadily holding my mild interest for a while now, until it premiered at TIFF and the reviews started rolling in. The ratings held very strong, and the reviews raved and so I decided I would see Looper opening night, already worried the movie wouldn't live up to my expectations. However, Looper met them in everyway, and has probably just snatched itself a place in my top movies of the year. So, how did Looper successfully close the loop?

27/08/2012: V/H/S [2012]

V/H/S is a horror anthology that has been hyped about by Bloody Disgusting for months now, claiming to be both the rejuvenation of the horror anthology and the found footage genres. Now, these are some pretty bold claims, but word from both the horror and movie community has been generally positive towards it, and I was rather excited to see if V/H/S deliver on it's promises.

25/08/2012: Kill Bill: Vol. 1 [2003]

The Quentin Tarantino Blogathon rages on, with this month's movie being Kill Bill: Vol. 1. Once again, Tarantino chose another genre of movies to inspire him, this time drawing from the martial arts movies of the 70's, with a revenge story straight out of one. The Bride, after awakening from a coma realizes the baby she carried is gone, killed when Bill and and the four other members of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad tried to gun her down at her wedding rehearsal. The Bride then sets out to seek revenge and Kill Bill.

05/08/2012: Death Proof [2007]

I think it is clear that I am a huge Quintin Tarantino fan, and with last night’s viewing of Death Proof I can now safely say that I have seen all of his work. I’m a little ahead of the Tarantino Blogathon, as Death Proof doesn’t come up for a while, but I thought it was about time I watched the second half of the Grindhouse double feature. While Death Proof may not be the most fascinating and masterfully crafted story Tarantino has ever made, it once again cements his status as a man who knows a lot about movies, in this homage to the Grindhouse B-movies of the 60’s and 70’s.

15/07/2012: [REC] ² [2009]

I finally watched [REC] just the other night, and I was of course cautious of the sequel. Quarantine’s sequel had been a huge flop, as many horror sequels have a tendency to do.  [REC]² however is how a sequel should be made, keeping the ideas that made the first one great and elaborating on some of it’s mysteries. While I can understand that some people might not have liked the new concepts and explanations introduced in this sequel, I for one can’t wait for [REC] ³: Genesis.

03/02/2012: Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior [1981]

So I wasn’t overjoyed after watching Mad Max, but regardless I was still drawn to watch the sequel. There is something about Mad Max’s cult popularity that lead me to believe that Mad Max must be some hidden cult gem. So, after going almost 6 days without watching a movie, the first one I chose to check out was The Road Warrior.

24/06/2012: Mad Max [1979]

Mad Max: The Road Warrior. The beginning of the rise to fame of Mel Gibson, like many an actor he got his start in a cult classic. However, I'm going to honestly say I just don't "get it." That's not to say I didn't like it per say, but I have a strong feeling it is not Mad Max that everyone is a fan of, but its sequel, The Road Warrior.

29/07/2012: Jackie Brown [1997]

I keep cutting it close on the Tarantino Blogathon, but once again I buckled down and watched Jackie Brown. Jackie Brown is probably the most different of Quentin Tarantino’s films but as always it is shear gold, with an interesting story, great cast and just a taste of violence. It doesn’t scream Tarantino as much as some of his other works, but there is definitely no mistaking his influence and style, no matter how subtle it might be.

22/06/2012: Thunderball [1965]

Thunderball is James Bonds fourth cinematic outing, and considering they were at that point rolling out yearly, it is impressive that the quality continues to if anything, only increase. While it may not be my favourite, Thunderball is one of the most enjoyed and is very well done. Bond has been fully formed as the character Connery portrayed him as, the charming, witty and deadly secret agent serving on her majesty’s secret service.

16/06/12: Lost Highway [1997]

 Once again David Lynch is able to create the strangest of stories in the first 10 minutes, with the dial cranked all the way up. Then suddenly he is able go beyond the dial and create such an inexplicably weird movie that is undoubtedly surrounded by hundreds of theories with everyone frantically piecing together the story in any way that makes sense. That is why I love David Lynch and why you should expect some spoilers ahead. But even with those, Lost Highway will turn you around enough times you still won’t know what happened.

11/07/2012: Savages [2012]

Oliver Stone returns with Savages, and like everyone I was curious to see whether this would be his next big thing or another flop. He sets us up for a tale of two entrepreneur drug dealers against the Mexican cartel, promising us violence, drugs, and sex. I must say, he delivers that and more, although he does have a few weakness. The ending however may be my favourite part, and continues to show why Oliver Stone is such a bold filmmaker.

10/06/2012: Basic Instinct [1992]

After watching Sharon Stone's outstanding performance in Total Recall I decided to check out Basic Instinct again. I'm not sure if I've seen it before, Michael Douglas crime movies seem to kinda muddle together. I do know that I have seen Basic Instinct 2, although I can't even remember who is in that one. Either way, Basic Instinct is one of the best crime thrillers there are.

09/06/2012: From Russia With Love [1963]

I continued on with my James Bond.... jeez I really need to find a name for this. Anyway, this afternoon I watch the second James Bond movie, From Russia With Love, which I think, is quite possibly my favourite. While I will be able to better determine that when I finish them all, as it stands now, it is currently my favourite, and makes for one hell of an impressive sequel, in comparison with Bonds first outing.

03/06/2012: Dr. No [1962]

Bond, James Bond. I have been watching James Bond movies ever since I was a kid. I’ve seen ever one of them at least 3 times. James Bond was the movie I could put on, anytime, whether it be my Saturday night, or Sunday morning movie, or just something to throw on in the background while working. Unfortunately it had been nearly a year since I had seen a Bond movie, as I had never actually acquired any complete set myself. Fortunately I finally have, and with Skyfall quickly approaching, I thought it was time to watch them all from the beginning again.

22/05/2012: Kill List [2011]

I had been hearing good things about Kill List, and after watching it I tend to agree. But Kill List is a movie I am not even going to try to review spoiler free. So first go and watch this movie, and when you finish come back and we can discuss what the hell just happened and you without a doubt will.

26/05/2012: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy [2011]

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a movie that was hyped about for quite a long time and yet, in the end never came to a theatre near me. I was a little disappointed, and only now have I finally had the chance to see it. For those of you who don't enjoy slow-burn mystery thrillers, stay away, the rest of you, jump on in.

24/05/2012: Anonymous [2011]

So Anonymous blipped onto my radar sometime last Christmas with a visually appealing trailer, although the subject matter didn't exactly draw me in. But then after a couple more glimpses, it disappeared and I thought it fell off the radar. Then, to my surprise, I saw it was showing on the movie network. Many times that can be for the best, although Anonymous definitely didn't deserve to fall completely off the timeline in the first place.

25/04/2012: Lola Rennt (Run Lola Run) [1998]

Last night I decided to get a little foreign with my movies and so, I started off with one of the best pieces of German cinema, Lola Rennt. Lola, has 20 minutes to get 100,000 Deutschmarks in order to stop her boyfriend from robbing a supermarket. While as impossible as this might seem, Lola will be damned if she doesn't try her hardest and save her boyfriend.