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jurassicmarc
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Reviews
Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 (2011)
Inventive kills, but the movies a mess. (very minor spoilers)
I will start by saying I loved Laid To Rest it was a great late night B-movie slasher with a great pace and even better inventive deaths akin to that of Hatchet. However as with Hatchet 2 it would seem the promise seen in the first movie has fallen by the wayside. The opening scenes with what appears to be government agents or some clandestine organisation coming to the rescue was a good idea but the execution was terribly amateurish the shaky cam just didn't work and what the hell was it with the acting of the minion in the glasses it was as if he was reading his line of a dummy card. Being a low budget slasher movie I gave it the benefit of the doubt but it didn't get any better. There appeared to be no plot no motivation for this organisation, I get that Chromeskull is one sick puppy but what the hell were these people doing helping him It was never explained. The police made one ridiculous move after another and one of the lead characters literally just disappears what the hell happened to him? The ending was abrupt and seemed as though it had been decided on the day it was shot.
I will praise the SFX they were top notch and its nice to see practical effect instead of CGI but that alone doesn't make a satisfying movie.
I'm sad to say I was very disappointed, would I watch a Part 3 possibly but they need to work on a story next time around.
Attack the Block (2011)
The Goonies with asbo's.
Attack the Block to me proves that the British film industry is not only still alive and kicking but that it can create a movie that is above all fun. I will admit in the opening 15 minutes I wasn't sure I was going to like the 'gang' such as they were as they commit a pretty horrible crime at the beginning of the film. Not that I feel its always necessary to empathise with the films protagonist but regardless by the end of the movie I was pretty much sympathetic to their plight. The director says the film is influenced by the likes of Stand By Me or Gremlins, hes nailed it here the kids all seem very authentic as did Corey Feldman and co. did to me growing up in the 80's and in this respect not only do i think that teens will identify with it but older audiences can respect that Cornish is showing these teen warts and all. Thats not to say this is a film with deep monologue's about poverty and education but more its putting the fantastic against a complete opposite a very real very mundane life in a council tower block. The movies fast and at 88mins I was left wishing for more which is good in my opinion as Im very likely to watch again. The direction is tight but not over flashy the last third slow mo scene was very well done, the story itself pretty much starts with a bang and keeps on going. The setting looks very real and aside from the creatures bringing in some much needed to spice to the cold location Nick Frost is on hand to bring in some comic relief. Frost is a dab hand at this kind of character and does it with good effect here along with his middle class pot head customer/friend. The main gang themselves are authentic some times funny sometimes mean but always believable. A lot of my laughs came from pre-teen gang member wannabes 'Props' and 'Mayhem'. I don't want to add any spoilers so Ill end by saying that if you want to be entertained this week at the cinema go see Attack the Block.
Into the Wild (2007)
Well shot and well acted.......but overlong and its principle character was a fool.
Where do I start with this movie. Firstly I was overwhelmed by the praise this movie got on release. I went into it knowing little about Mc Candless and when the movie had finished I wasn't sure why I should know or want to know who he was. I cant understand how this man is an inspiration for anyone, he was clearly a selfish person who cared for nothing other than his way. There was nothing really to like about him he started off coming across as a spoilt teenager and continued to be that way throughout the duration of the film. We get some very good acting from all involved its just a shame that its all wasted telling the story of a person who really made no contribution to anyone or anything. That said the cinematography was amazing and the music was pretty good at times although I expected a little more from Vedder if im honest. Sean Penn is a pretty good director but I think maybe i just couldn't connect with the subject matter. I found the experience, frustrating and dull peppered with some nice images, but on the whole its 2hrs I would like back.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
Do yourself a favour see it a on the big screen
Saw the movie yesterday and it was well worth the trip to the cinema even with todays steadily rising ticket prices. In my opinion it was a much better movie than the first instalment. Whereas the first movie got a bit flat in places Revenge of the Fallen hurtles along at the typical breakneck speed one expects from Micheal Bay and never lets up however this time to me the story seems a lot more cohesive and the characters after setup in the first movie are able to live a bit more. Shia LeBouef and Megan Fox work as the leads and the comedy relief from Sam's parents works well and isn't overused. The other supporting cast are solid various recognisable faces from TV (24's Agent Pearce) as well as Josh Duhamal and Tyrese Gibbson reprise their roles and John Turturro was excellent as always i thing Agent Simmons is my favourite character in the whole movie. Now the robots as with the first movie the Autobot and Deception design is awesome and the fight scenes are frantic my only criticism is at certain times so much is going on at once it becomes a bit of challenge to keep up with the action. (Nerd note: it was great to see that Frank Welker is back voicing Decepticons once again even if its Soundwave and not Megatron) The set pieces are vintage Bay and Ill be honest some of the fight sequences are literally jaw dropping. In a nutshell the perfect summer blockbuster and way more satisfying than Terminator Salvation.
Role Models (2008)
A comedy that delivers.
Off the back of some recent 'star studded' comedy let downs like Tropic Thunder or Pineapple Express comes what I believe to be the comedy to beat in 2009. The storyline is so formulaic that you would almost groan if someone explained it too you but the actors, writing and overall characterisation lift this movie to be much more rewarding. The dialogue is razor sharp especially from Paul Rudd who is on excellent form (as both actor and co writer) why he is not a bigger star is frankly criminal. He works excellently alongside Sean William Scott who is at his best here dare I say it as good as his turns in the America Pie movies (of which for me he was always the star).
Its when working with there younger counter parts that the movie really elevates itself from just another laugh at the dysfunctional slackers flick. Christopher Mintz- Plasse has to be commended here especially rather than just playing 'Mclovin' again he creates in Augie a much more rounded character and I found it hard not to be routing for him in his Fantasy battles. Bobb'e J Thompson is so adorably obnoxious that his scenes with William Scott are a joy to watch. I've always liked William Scott and its nice to see him finally lay to rest the ghost of 'Stifler'. All in all if you want to laugh your ass off at a great comedy with a gifted cast then Role Models is for you I for one will be seeing it again.
Pineapple Express (2008)
OK but by no means Great
I was so looking forward to this movie but unfortunately it descends into a huge mess midway through and I was actually quite relieved when the credits rolled. Friday, Up In Smoke, How High, Half Baked are all much better 'stoner' comedies hell even 'Dude wheres my car' was more fun than this.
Franco steals the show and Im afraid Rogen whom I really like usually is a little underwhelming in this, I preferred him in Zack and Miri, although thats not surprising as it was a much better comedy than this oh well cant win all the time I suppose
This is the second 'big' comedy of the year that has been a bit of a disappointment, I was surprised that I found 'The Zohan' much more enjoyable than this or Tropic Thunder, but I suppose as a wise man once said 'dont believe the hype'.
Transporter 3 (2008)
A Lame duck put out its misery by a terrible female lead!!!!
First things first The Transporter was a great little action movie over the top sure but very enjoyable. Then came Transporter 2 where basic physics and decent cohesive story lines were thrown out the window and one ended up with a movie that felt like watching someone else playing a computer game. Now comes Transporter 3 - right off the bat it would appear the new director has tried to tone down the cartoonish action of the second movie, thats not to say the action is believable but it has been reigned in some. Lets get to the car chases I have to admit that this was one of the movies biggest let downs. the cars chasing each other in footage that is quite obviously sped up (60's Bond style) this just looks cheap, whether or not this was a design aspect by the director I don't know but it didn't work. The cast Robert Knepper is adequately evil as the bad guy, Jason Statham struts his stuff and is likable as usual. The French detective character again is a good addition to the cast which is then dealt a blow that even Sean Penn could act his way out of, the love interest. Who the hell cast this woman her ability to make every line of the script sound phony is incredible she really could be up for worst performance in a major studio movie this year. So about 1hr into the movie Im afraid I transported myself out of the cinema and went home the drive back being more interesting than what I had just witnessed in my local cinema.
I Am Legend (2007)
Honestly a really really good movie.
Will Smith proves yet again why he is one of the most popular actors working in Hollywood today, his role as Robert Nevile is brilliantly played, he hits every emotion spot on and when the character loses his grip Smith never goes to far, no overacting here the man is just plain likable throughout. His co-star for the main length of the movie is a German Shepherd called Samantha the work between canine and human actor is so well handled scenes later on in the movie are heartbreaking! My only real gripe was the use of Cgi on the zombie characters but to be honest they are menacing enough and the film is really about Robert Neville and although important in terms of plot the real emphasis is on Neville and his search for mankind's redemption as well as his own sanity. That aside the movie looks amazing the deserted/overgrown streets really bring home the desolate existence Neville is leading, haunted on a daily basis by the remnants of a once vibrant city.
I have also read reviews calling this yet another remake and how it wont be as good as Omega man etc etc.I Am Legend is not just another cash in remake the screenwriters and various producers have been trying to make this movie for quite a few years now. It is of course 'based on' Richard Mathesons book of the same name, 'based on' being the key words. The movie also has as many differences as it does similarities to the book it is based on but don't let that put you off if your a fan of the book its a terrific movie. Just because a film isn't 100% faithful to a book doesn't mean its a bad film just a different interpretation, look at The Shining for example Kubrick almost rewrote that and i was still in my opinion as good as the book. I am Legend is a disturbing, moving and exciting piece of movie making if only all blockbuster had this much heart!
Until Death (2007)
Jean Claude Van Dammes best role.
I must start by saying this is by far the best DTV action movie I've seen for along time, i know thats not saying much the out put from Mr's Snipes, Van Damme and Segal have been really bad of late. Until Death however is a very different beast indeed more a cop drama than an action movie this sees Mr Van Damme moving into uncharted acting territory and he succeeds and impressively so.
This is not a perfect film, there are some bits of wooden acting and stilted action on the whole though this film work. First off Van Damme plays the role of a wretched drug addicted cop expertly, the man has seriously pulled up a gear in the acting stakes, I was genuinely surprised at how he portrayed Anthony Stowes decline and redemption, never over playing it he mumblers and curses his way through the first half of the movie. Post coma we see him go from bumbling recovery through to as close to redemption as he can get. The only main let down is the actress playing his wife who at time misfires the delivery which is a shame as the scenes are quite important in terms of Anthonys motivations. That said this is really Van Dammes movie almost a showcase of his new improved acting chops. The music must also be mentioned quite low key for most of the movie but the brooding parts worked well. Stephen Rae is a bit wasted here but again, its all really about one mans demons.....again Mr Van Damme. Van Damme fans will love it Im sure but hopefully some others may take a chance on the Muscles from Brussels and end up genuinely surprised.
Pulse (2006)
The challenge is to keep yours high enough to stay awake during the movie!!!!
The movie started off OK with some good scares (the bath scene) but by 30 minutes in the film made no real sense no continuity in the hauntings and deaths of the protagonists all of whom were forgettable. Sub par acting throughout Christina Milian should stick to singing and looking good cause shes good at both but acting isn't her bag at all. By an hour into the film people were disappearing into ash or dying via suicide left right and centre, let me point out by the hour stage my eyelids were heavy and i eventually let sleep take over, my housemates assured me there was little point watching the remaining 20 or so minutes as it was more of the same.
All in all poor and who ever is quoted as saying 'the most scary film of the year' on the box cover is either A. a liar or 2. a five year old girl.
Heartstopper (2006)
Good gore, and thats about it!!!!!
Robert Englund - Good Over the top gore - good And thats about it you'll probably only have seen this if your a horror fan and if you are i'd wait till its on TV the two above mentioned is a bout all the positive to be said for this lame rerun of Shocker. Outcast female lead, terribly unscary killer, clunky dialogue and about the worst ending you could imagine....tornado please!!!!
Nothing interesting happens in the first quarter of the movie then gorehounds get a good solid 10 minutes of splatter and gore then the story powers on to its conclusion with about as much intelligence as a lobotomised sheep and a plot thats about as interesting as watching your fingernails grow.
All in all a pointless experience.
2001 Maniacs (2005)
B movie with all the boxes ticked!!!
Produced by Eli Roth and co. this is a worth companion to Hostel and Cabin Fever if you dug these flicks then you will probably know what to expect from this flick...plus genre god Robert (Freddy) Englund
It's not gonna win any awards for originality, but it did have all the B-movie requirements, evil sexy women, gore, naked women, torture, dark humour, sex, and more violence and outrageous over the top hammy acting.
A popcorn horror movie with great production values and a vicious streak of black humour.
I was entertained!
The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)
Side Splitting and engaging comedy!!!!
Age of Aquarius bloody brilliant....
Just seen the 2hrs unrated version of the movie and i'm glad to see the general opinion of this film is positive. Yes the movie was crude and probably offensive to some, but one thing the film had was both heart and great characters, incredibly likable and superbly played by the cast. There were times when the film slowed for a few minutes but in the end i think it gave the film a full fleshed out feel and you genuinely wanted Andy to defeat his problem (whilst having quite a few chuckles at his expense.
The ending scenes had my whole house roaring with laughter!!!
Der Untergang (2004)
Accomplished and compelling film making.
Not the most uplifting of movies but certainly one of the best movies made about WW2 if not one of the best war movies i have seen.
As with this equally engrossing 'Das Experiment' the director places the viewer directly into the situation. Using natural lighting and muted colours in the bunker (where the majority of the film is played out)a somber and realistic mood is set, add to this the large amount of hand-held camera work and dark and chaotic battle scene one feels as though he/she is actually standing alongside the actors.
The actors are another strong point of the movie Gantz as Hitler is superb, the loud ranting outbursts one expects from seeing documentary footage of the man are there but where Gantz' real triumph lies is that he portrays the character in a very naturalistic manner one almost forgets the stereotypical view of Hitler. The Nazies were shown in a more balanced light than cinema is used to, sympathetic sides were shown in regards to their attitudes to the plight of the German people and one Nazi Professor/Officer is portrayed in the film as an almost admirable character.
Despite the balanced approach many horrors are in store for the viewer the hanging of 'so called' traitors in the streets images of child solders killed and the horrific final minutes of the Goebels children ensure that this movie will haunt you after its closing scene.
As with all movies I'm sure some details are not 100% correct but then neither are the all the school text books like 'Schindlers List' or 'The Killing Fields' this is not easy viewing it is however a excellent film and a good dramatic history lesson.
Monster Man (2003)
Nice job!!!
This one surprised me more than a little i expected another nod to 70-80's back woods slasher movie instead i got quick paced smutty humour provided by a nerd and his overweight extrovert friend, incredibly well done gore scenes, and a monster truck!!! Considering the small principle cast i found the two leads did an excellent job (hey this is no Shakespeare)the polar opposites of the friends characters made the buddy movie aspect amusing throughout. The Yoda speech during the sex scene was a nice touch and saved the 'love' scene from being to mushy. Directing wise the move look great, the washed out tone during the road scenes and sections of quick cutting added to pace and mood nicely without detracting from the movies humours elements and vice versa. The monster truck looked great and the prosthetics on the family were great as was the gore effects. Yes overall this movie borrowed from other efforts Duel, Texas Chainsaw Massacres and the like (comparisons to Jeepers Creepers i can see especially the road scenes but this was much more fun and Creepers borrowed heavily itself)however this managed to create its own appeal and was a enjoyable throughout be it making you jump, making you laugh and in some scenes making you feel sick (in a good way)!!!!!
Bill Hicks: Revelations (1993)
The man was a genius!!!
Bill Hicks was the best comic of his generation and when i read from todays top comics (Bill Bailley for instance) dropping his name as an influence it makes me confident that Bills legacy will continue.
The only problem i have with this performance is that i'm always hit with a tinge of sadness in his closing words.
Quite ironically Bill is one of 'the good guys'he speaks about he himself one of those who stops to tell us not to live in fear that life is just a ride and cruelly as with the other truth-sayers that came before nature robbed us of him!!!
RIP Bill