Success!! GP survived 8 unending hours of pure horror yesterday, in preparation for this most phantasmic of holidays. Below are 10 mini-reviews (in no particular order), cooked up for your viewing pleasure. Hold on to your pointy hats.....!
1. 2001 Maniacs (2005)- Dir. by Tim Sullivan. Star. Robert Englund.
2001 Maniacs is the tale of a crew of three college boys off to Daytona Beach for Spring Break. Instead, an unexpected detour takes them to a place called Pleasant Valley. While it's not as far South as Florida, the place is certainly "deep South". Englund plays the town mayor, who sports a Confederate Flag eye patch and a hokey twang. The townsfolk are amazingly generous, but more than a little bit creepy. Excitement for the big feast abounds, but fewer and fewer outsiders seem to be likely to make it to the event...alive anyway. Aside from the fact that the title may have just as well have been 2001 Boob Shots, 2001 Maniacs was highly amusing. The movie shares many intentional similarities to Cabin Fever. So, if you enjoyed watching that one, you'll love this movie. This movie doesn't take itself seriously for a second and that's part of what makes it so much fun. I still don't think Englund would have a career if it wasn't for Freddy Kreuger.
3 stars. trailer
2. Halloween (2007) - Dir. by Rob Zombie. Star. Malcolm McDowell
So many people have told me that they were disappointed with Rob Zombie's remake of Halloween that I was prepared to be disappointed. After finally seeing the film, I would consider it less of a "remake" than an "homage". Zombie has always made it abundantly clear, even prior to his directorial debut, that he is a fan of the genre. He pays a great deal of respect to the original work. The first half of the movie is the background story of how Michael Myers came to be the psychopathic killer he is known as. The second half is a rehash (or an update) of the events in the original film. I found myself completely satisfied with the Rob Zombie version. It shed much light into the main character while respecting John Carpenter's vision.
4 stars. trailer
3. Vampire Diary (2007) - Dir. by Mark James & Phil O'Shea. Star. Anna Walton
Vampire Diary is a film out of the UK. It begins as the story of documentary filmmaker, Holly, who is busy following a group of so-called "vampires" about. This group of club-kids are truly nothing more than pretenders, dancing around in black eyeliner and latex. It's while she's filming them, however, that she meets a mysterious woman named Vicki. Vicki is a completely different breed. The second part of this story covers the somewhat tragic lesbian relationship between Holly and Vicki. Vampire Diary has a very amateur feel that gives the film a gritty edge and a distinctly UK underground flavor. It has a tendency to drag a bit in the middle and it is certainly not typical of vampire movies. The best part is really watching Anna Walton.
2 1/2 stars. trailer
4. The Happening (2008) - Dir. by M. Night Shyamalan. Star. Mark Wahlberg
The latest from M. Night Shyamalan seems to have gotten just as bad of a rap as The Village did. Call me biased, but I don't think this director has yet to make a "bad" movie. In The Happening, a mysterious event has spread throughout the East Coast, causing people to commit suicide en masse. School Science teacher Elliot Moore, his wife and their friend learn that the airborn toxin is wafting to Philadelphia and decide to join the exodus out of town. I thought the storyline for The Happening was an inspired one; very original. There were some extremely disturbing scenes, most memorable of them being at the construction site. However, the movie suffers from one major flaw. It's name is Mark Wahlberg. While I appreciate the man's acting for the most part, he was awful in The Happening. A cardboard cutout of the actor would have done just as well and had to have been paid far less.
3 stars. trailer
5. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) - Dir. by Tim Burton. Star. Johnny Depp
When I heard that Burton was going to give the classic story of Sweeney Todd his special treatment, I was ecstatic. When I learned that it was going to be a musical, I was less enthusiastic. When I actually heard Depp and Bonham Carter sing, I was nauseated. The costume and sets in this movie are the most gloriously theatrical since Pee Wee's Big Adventure. There is good deal of blood spraying and gushing about, but it all looks (intentionally, I suspect) rather fake. The plot is truly deserving of the "classic" badge of honor, by the way, and would seem to lend itself well to a director who dabbles in the dark and delightful. Wonderfully stylistic, as Burton tends to be, but marred significantly by the lead actors' serious lack of any vocal skill whatsoever.
2 stars. trailer
6. Invasion (2007) - Dir. Oliver Hirschbiegel. Star. Nicole Kidman
This story has had many incarnations, from the original, black and white, 1956 version to the 1993 stingray creature version. It hasn't gotten any less creepy. My personal favorite was the 1978 Donal Sutherland version. Regardless, the concept that those around us might all someday turn against us is inherently sinister. Kidman and Daniel Craig struggle through this latest version, trying to remain unturned. The story is basically the same as in past renditions. The two stars are convincing and do their roles proud. I think Invasion is now my second favorite telling of the Body Snatchers story.
3 stars. trailer
7. Quaranine (2008) - Dir. John Erick Dowdle. Star. Jennifer Carpenter
Initial trailers for this film had me saying, "That looks like the dumbest movie ever." But, since it was the only horror film playing at my neighborhood theater on the dark and stormy night that I insisted on driving that extra mile down the highway, I ended up seeing Quarantine anyway. It just goes to show how deceiving trailers can be. The entire film is shot through a hand-held videocam, exactly like Blair Witch was. So, until the 20 minutes that it takes to get used to the unsteady picture passes, you may be a little motion sick. While it is, on the one hand, sometimes frustrating to have the audience's vision restricted to the perspective of one character in the film, on the other, the restriction heightens the sensation that someone may be creeping up behind. The story is interesting and takes advantage of paranoia as its main scare tactic. A pleasant surprise and the only one of these 10 films that actually frightened me at all.
3 stars. trailer
8. The Reaping (2007) - Dir. Stephen Hopkins. Star. Hillary Swank
The Reaping centers around a college professor, who travels the world in order to disprove so-called miracles. Because of her reputation, the town of Haven sends a school teacher to meet her and request her aid with one of their own mysteries. It seems that the town's entire river has turned to blood. It seems also, that if Katherine doesn't agree to help, a young girl's life may be in danger. As she sets about applying her scientific methods to explain the phenomenon, the town is visited by a series of biblical plagues and it becomes harder for Katherine to deny a supernatural cause. The Reaping was not disappointing, mainly because I didn't think it would be any good in the first place. The "twist" ending is trite and predictable. The acting is mediocre. One thing I was grateful for was the absence of focus on the apparently tempting topic of a black man in the South.
3 stars. trailer
9. Shiver (2008) a.k.a. Eskalofrio - Dir. Isidro Ortiz. Star. Julio Valverde
Shiver comes to America from the same people who brought us The Devil's Backbone and Pan's Labyrinth. It's the tale of a young man with an allergy to sunlight and his single mother. To avoid the bullying and health issues of living in the city, the pair move to a town in a shady valley. When villagers begin to die, their blood sucked from their bodies, guess who's the main suspect? I detest the American name for this film, but that's just about the only thing I found objectionable about it.
3 1/2 stars. trailer
10. The Number 23 - Dir. Joel Schumacher. Star. Jim Carrey
While I am not a fan of Carrey's brand of comedy, I do enjoy him in dramatic roles. In The Number 23, he plays a dog catcher who is, while bored at work, happily married with a son. On his birthday, his wife gives him a small-press paperback that cause him to correlate everything to the number 23. Save yourself the trouble and rent Pi instead.
2 1/2 stars. trailer
Movie Reviews With Flavor!
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Halloween Picks
The 31st has rolled around again and it's my favorite time of year. So, without further ado, I present 10 of my favorite scary movies for your Halloween pleasure (in no particular order).
1. 28 Days Later - the first zombie film to convert me to zombie fandom. Tired of slow, boring zombies? Well, suffer no more! The undead in 28 Days Later are hyper speed and completely insane!! This is why I wake up every morning, praying for zombie apocolypse.
2. Dead Alive - directed by Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings fame. This movie was made before he was as well known as he is now, and still making quality horror. If possible, get the unrated version. Looking for gore galore? Well, this film has it in endulgent excess with a healthy dose of humor poured in. If you strike out and get the rated version, you're missing the animated intestines.
3. Rosemary's Baby - sure, it's a little tame compared to today's standards; there's no gore and little violence. However, it's a classic, creepy tale that any pregnant woman would shudder at. Even if you're not PG, it's a well-made thriller.
4. Evil Dead - no horror movie list is complete without this title. If you see such a list, it wasn't written by a true horror fanatic. Sure it's campy and low budget and it's basically a one-man Bruce Campbell show, but it's funny as hell.
5. Tale of Two Sisters - this is a Korean film, so be prepared for subtitles. The camera angles are really what make the movie frightening. The first time I viewed this one, I was paralyzed until it ended. Very, very terrifying!!
6. The Eye - another subtitled movie, this time from China. It's about a blind woman who gets an eye transplant and can see the dead. Mostly psychological scares, but very eerie.
7. The Shining - from one of the best directors in history; Stanley Kubric. Need I say more? It also has little to do with the author of the book by the same name. For some reason, it's the weird bear costume scene that scares me the most.
8. Halloween - the first one. Legendary to be sure. I cannot vouch for the rest of the series, but the initial film is solid.
9. Night of the Living Dead - another classic. The entire movie is filmed in black and white and it's of the slow zombie variety, but a good foundation in horror films starts with this one.
10. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (original version) - This movie is hands down, the most terrifying movie I have ever seen. Seriously scared the crap out of me! If you've ever driven through the rural parts of Texas, or any other small town roadside stop, you might know that fear. The really frightening thing about this film is that, in most horror films, the woman runs outside in her neglige and high heeled slippers to check out strange noises. In TCM, the lead character does everything I would have done and still finds herself in a nightmare.
**Bonus Pick** High Tension - a French horror film. Yes, there ar subtitles, but not many at all. The movie is mostly action and - indeed - tension. See it, see it, see it. High Tension knocked Fight Club out of it's number one status as my favorite movie of all time. It's since been replaced by Grindhouse, but that's another review for another time.
I hope you enjoy my Halloween suggestions and have yourself a ghoulish holiday!
1. 28 Days Later - the first zombie film to convert me to zombie fandom. Tired of slow, boring zombies? Well, suffer no more! The undead in 28 Days Later are hyper speed and completely insane!! This is why I wake up every morning, praying for zombie apocolypse.
2. Dead Alive - directed by Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings fame. This movie was made before he was as well known as he is now, and still making quality horror. If possible, get the unrated version. Looking for gore galore? Well, this film has it in endulgent excess with a healthy dose of humor poured in. If you strike out and get the rated version, you're missing the animated intestines.
3. Rosemary's Baby - sure, it's a little tame compared to today's standards; there's no gore and little violence. However, it's a classic, creepy tale that any pregnant woman would shudder at. Even if you're not PG, it's a well-made thriller.
4. Evil Dead - no horror movie list is complete without this title. If you see such a list, it wasn't written by a true horror fanatic. Sure it's campy and low budget and it's basically a one-man Bruce Campbell show, but it's funny as hell.
5. Tale of Two Sisters - this is a Korean film, so be prepared for subtitles. The camera angles are really what make the movie frightening. The first time I viewed this one, I was paralyzed until it ended. Very, very terrifying!!
6. The Eye - another subtitled movie, this time from China. It's about a blind woman who gets an eye transplant and can see the dead. Mostly psychological scares, but very eerie.
7. The Shining - from one of the best directors in history; Stanley Kubric. Need I say more? It also has little to do with the author of the book by the same name. For some reason, it's the weird bear costume scene that scares me the most.
8. Halloween - the first one. Legendary to be sure. I cannot vouch for the rest of the series, but the initial film is solid.
9. Night of the Living Dead - another classic. The entire movie is filmed in black and white and it's of the slow zombie variety, but a good foundation in horror films starts with this one.
10. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (original version) - This movie is hands down, the most terrifying movie I have ever seen. Seriously scared the crap out of me! If you've ever driven through the rural parts of Texas, or any other small town roadside stop, you might know that fear. The really frightening thing about this film is that, in most horror films, the woman runs outside in her neglige and high heeled slippers to check out strange noises. In TCM, the lead character does everything I would have done and still finds herself in a nightmare.
**Bonus Pick** High Tension - a French horror film. Yes, there ar subtitles, but not many at all. The movie is mostly action and - indeed - tension. See it, see it, see it. High Tension knocked Fight Club out of it's number one status as my favorite movie of all time. It's since been replaced by Grindhouse, but that's another review for another time.
I hope you enjoy my Halloween suggestions and have yourself a ghoulish holiday!
Monday, August 13, 2007
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
2006 Movie List
I know it's about a month and a half late at this point, but I wanted to post my list of the movies I watched in 2006. Although not all of these films were new releases in 2006, they are all movies that I viewed for the first time last year. I keep a log every year along with ratings, venue and who my company was. This list will give some indication of just how much time I spend in front of the screen. It does not include, however, movies that I'd seen previously and was rewatching. I may have even neglected to record a few. Eventually, I hope to review most if not all of the films below.
Fantastic Four 3 stars
Underworld: Evolution 4 stars
Infection 2 stars
The Interpreter 2 stars
Dark Water 2½ stars
Wedding Crashers 1 star
V for Vandetta 3½ stars
SLC Punk! 3 stars
Crash 3 stars
Boondock Saints 4 stars
Capote 3 stars
Down By Law 5 stars
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly 4 stars
Broken Flowers 5 stars
The Omen 3 stars
Over The Hedge 3 stars
Kingpin 1 star
Hostel 1 star
Not Another Date Movie 1 star
Superman Returns 2 stars (reviewed)
Syriana ?
Pirates of the Caribbean 4 stars (reviewed)
Ultraviolet 1 star
UnDead 4 stars (reviewed)
A Scanner Darkly 3 ½ stars
Lady In The Water 5 stars (reviewed)
Munich 4 stars (reviewed)
The Matador 3 ½ stars (reviewed)
Master & Commander 3 ½ stars (reviewed)
Seabiscuit 4 stars (reviewed)
The New World 1 stars (reviewed)
Final Destination 3 2 stars (reviewed)
Evolution 3 stars
The Mothman Prophecies 4 stars
Silent Hill 4 stars (reviewed)
Crank 1 stars (reviewed)
Brick 5 stars
Man On Fire 3 stars
Wicker Man 2 stars
Bubble 3 stars
The Departed 5 stars
Harry Potter: The Prisoner of Askaban 4 stars
Benny & Joon 3 stars
Meet Joe Black 3 stars
The Bourne Identity 4 stars
The Bourne Supremecy 4 stars
The Brothers Grimm 2 stars
I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead 2 ½ stars (reviewed)
History of Violence 3 stars
Night At The Museum 2 stars
Harry Potter: The Goblet of Fire 3 stars
Lucky Number Sleven 5 stars
X-Men III 3 ½ stars
Mission Impossible III 2 ½ stars
Brokeback Mountain 4 stars
The Sentinel 3 stars
Going through this list in retrospect, I don't think I'd give some of these films the same rating as I did before. Syriana has a question mark next to it because I couldn't decide if it was really good or not. I felt that there was something I wasn't grasping about the film and didn't think it was fair to rate it.
Fantastic Four 3 stars
Underworld: Evolution 4 stars
Infection 2 stars
The Interpreter 2 stars
Dark Water 2½ stars
Wedding Crashers 1 star
V for Vandetta 3½ stars
SLC Punk! 3 stars
Crash 3 stars
Boondock Saints 4 stars
Capote 3 stars
Down By Law 5 stars
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly 4 stars
Broken Flowers 5 stars
The Omen 3 stars
Over The Hedge 3 stars
Kingpin 1 star
Hostel 1 star
Not Another Date Movie 1 star
Superman Returns 2 stars (reviewed)
Syriana ?
Pirates of the Caribbean 4 stars (reviewed)
Ultraviolet 1 star
UnDead 4 stars (reviewed)
A Scanner Darkly 3 ½ stars
Lady In The Water 5 stars (reviewed)
Munich 4 stars (reviewed)
The Matador 3 ½ stars (reviewed)
Master & Commander 3 ½ stars (reviewed)
Seabiscuit 4 stars (reviewed)
The New World 1 stars (reviewed)
Final Destination 3 2 stars (reviewed)
Evolution 3 stars
The Mothman Prophecies 4 stars
Silent Hill 4 stars (reviewed)
Crank 1 stars (reviewed)
Brick 5 stars
Man On Fire 3 stars
Wicker Man 2 stars
Bubble 3 stars
The Departed 5 stars
Harry Potter: The Prisoner of Askaban 4 stars
Benny & Joon 3 stars
Meet Joe Black 3 stars
The Bourne Identity 4 stars
The Bourne Supremecy 4 stars
The Brothers Grimm 2 stars
I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead 2 ½ stars (reviewed)
History of Violence 3 stars
Night At The Museum 2 stars
Harry Potter: The Goblet of Fire 3 stars
Lucky Number Sleven 5 stars
X-Men III 3 ½ stars
Mission Impossible III 2 ½ stars
Brokeback Mountain 4 stars
The Sentinel 3 stars
Going through this list in retrospect, I don't think I'd give some of these films the same rating as I did before. Syriana has a question mark next to it because I couldn't decide if it was really good or not. I felt that there was something I wasn't grasping about the film and didn't think it was fair to rate it.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
The Q List
There are currently no reviews of movies that begin with the letter Q. In the meantime, here is a list of interesting words that begin with Q:
quadragesimal
quadrillion
quadroon
quahog
quant
quadragesimal
quadrillion
quadroon
quahog
quant
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