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Reviews
Predators (2010)
Taut action thriller that compliments the series!
First of all, I give it a strong 8.5/10. "Predators" has everything an action film fan could ask for: Gore, thrilling shoot-outs, plenty of explosions and loud noises and some great hand-to-hand combat sequences that are well choreographed. Adrian Brody does a fine job of playing the mysterious "tough guy" and all of the other characters (save for the bizarre casting of Topher Grace) did as was expected of them. The film has a very 80's feel to it with pacing, character development and even comedic timing, which was a nice, nostalgic tribute to the original film(s). I was also pleased with Antel's decision to not over-doing it with the Predators themselves, keeping them mysterious and menacing as they stalk their prey throughout the movie. The inclusion of new species was great, especially the tracking "dogs," which held a very nice design. The scene with them was one of the best, save for the ending. And as for the ending; it's spot-on perfect. The final battle is filled with oozing blood and plenty of tense moments (although rather cliché) and feels perfect for a Predator film. The "Berzerker" dubbed Predator is a spectacle to look at, because we get that shock and disgust that we had when we first saw the alien in the original film. This thing is wickedly designed and even though we only get a few shots of it's actual, awful, face, it will stick with you. As a fan of the other two, I was very pleased with this film and can't wait to see what's in store for the future. Go see it!
Trick 'r Treat (2007)
Wonderful fun!
One of the best horror films to come out in the last decade in my opinion, for it is unique in the sense that the film makers were obviously enjoying what they were doing while making it. The four separate stories that intertwine throughout the night kept the pace of the movie up and all of the acting was great, even by the pre-teens in the "School Bus" scene. This movie is destined to become a cult-classic and I'm positive I will be watching it every Halloween from now on. The dark humor mixed with some very neat shock moments only added to the campy horror that we all love from time to time. It's a shame this film wasn't given a theatrical release, for I'm certain it would've done quite well. I only hope when it hits shelves Oct. 6th that people won't cast it aside simply for being a direct-to-DVD release. Highly recommend this great little horror gem!
Taken (2008)
Liam Neeson is one bad motha...shut yo mouth!
Okay, I put a 10 out of 10 as my rating, more like a 9.5 out of 10, but whatever. I've watched many, many action movies and usually when I find one rated PG-13, I'm always wishing it was R because of the material that's left out. Most of the time it feels PG-13 and you can't believe anything's real in a feeling like that. But this movie really pushed the boundaries of a PG-13 rating with the violence and let me tell you, I'm glad it did! I know violence doesn't make a movie better, but in this case, it really adds to the intensity of Liam Neeson's character, which is Dirty Harry mixed with John McClain and a little dash of Jason Statham in Transporter mode. It's a very taut thriller with an interesting setting and story line, filled with outlandish (yet effective and very cool) fight/shootout sequences that only Luc Besson of The Professional fame could bring to the screen. I highly recommend this film to anyone wanting a good revenge thriller with an aging man who can still kick some serious butt!
The Ruins (2008)
Great flick for the horror fan!
I really enjoyed this film because it was finally a little something different. It was a first rate horror movie that really didn't have to show much horror to still make the audience feel uneasy. Anyone who read the book (which I loved by the way) would agree that the carnivorous fauna that covers the ruins and engulfs anyone foolish enough to touch it, was a major part of the story. However, the movie didn't play on the plants as much as it did the characters and the thoughts of being lost, isolated, quarantined. I am glad the antagonist was not shown too much so it was always a treat to see the nasty vines when they made an appearance. The young actors all did a fine job and the gore level was great, not too much, but very realistic and stomach turning when it was shown. I really liked this movie, the pace was great and the build up to the actual plot was fantastic, keeping you wondering what was going to happen. I highly recommend this film to anyone who loves a good old fashioned American horror flick!
Cloverfield (2008)
Excellent Monster Movie
Aside from the very drab first twenty minutes or so (though they bear a striking resemblance to most home videos you would see coming from twenty-somethings...) this movie was very, very well done. The suspense level once things get rolling (literally, the Statue of Liberty's head comes flying down the street) is top notch. I found myself white-knuckled for long periods of time, wanting to see the monster, but not wanting to at the same time because I knew what it was capable of. As for the monster, it was very cool, great design, and HUGE! The special effects for such a smaller budgeted film are awesome and Phil Tippet's studio did a great job on the big monster, along with the mites or whatever they were, that were attached to it. The acting is spotty, but for an unknown cast, pretty well done. The best part about the movie though, is unlike the Blair Witch crap, you actually feel like you are running with the characters and it makes the experience that much more intense. Great movie, great CGI and a fun theater experience. I recommend it to anyone who wants to see America's Godzilla (which by the way, Cloverfield's beast would destroy Godzilla if they ever had to fight!). 9/10 for doing what it was supposed to do: create a fun movie experience.
American Gangster (2007)
Ridley Scott does it again!
A wonderful movie with superb acting by Washington and Crowe. I keep hearing people talking about the lack of violence and action in the movie, but it was actually a refreshing thing to see. "Scarface" was a good movie, no doubt, but all of the language and blood detracted from the actual story at times. This film was wonderfully written and didn't need violence to give it a very dark atmosphere . It is about corruption and how easily people can fall into it. Frank Lucas was such an intriguing character in this movie and every time he spoke I was drawn into what he had to say. Look for Cuba Gooding Jr. to have a small role in this movie as well, he's great as the very showy club owner. I really enjoyed "American Gangster" a lot and I suggest everyone who likes Martin Scorsese pictures to go see it.
Mr. Brooks (2007)
Good Psychological Thriller
I give this movie an 8 out of 10 purely for the performance of William Hurt. He proves time and time again that he is so far ahead of so many actors each time he speaks on film. You can easily tell how much fun he was having delivering his lines when they made this movie. Kevin Costner was very good in this movie too, though Demi Moore really was miss-cast in my opinion. She just didn't have me believing she was actually a cop. The movie is basically a film about a successful business man (Costner) and his alter ego (Hurt) who takes part in the act of "Sport Killing." He truly wants to stop his sick passion for killing people, but he just can't get over how much he gets off on it. When a photographer (played by Dane Cooke, who is surprisingly great in this role) catches Brooks in the act, he comes to him and tells him he wants in on the next kill. This is a well written movie with plenty of little twists and turns and a few fairly intense moments. I enjoyed it, though it did have some misses, particularly with Moore's character and one coincidence in particular that was just too...Hollywood for me.
The Hunt (2006)
Surprisingly good film all around
I went into the video store and saw this title, looked at the intriguing cover and decided to give it a try. I like to give indie films a fair chance and this one looked like it may be good or terrible. I was surprised. The film was put together like a documentary, which really gives an eerie feeling throughout. The acting was pretty good, a little corny at times with certain lines, but all in all decent. The story was creepy in the sense that three hunters (one of whom is only an 8 year old boy) are in the woods, trapped, and alone, with an unknown presence hunting them. As a hunter myself, I appreciated the knowledge that went into filming this movie to show hunting as a moral sport, not a blood sport like many assume. The CGI effects were also surprisingly well done and the music was great. All in all a good film for horror buffs with a great twist of an ending. 7 out of 10 stars.
Primeval (2007)
A great "B" movie for monster fans!
First of all, I would like to start off by sending a message to everyone that is crying and moaning because the movie trailers were "misleading" and that they wanted to see a slasher flick: you have the Internet at your fingertips so USE IT! Anyone can look up the movie and do a little research (oh sorry, that might mean you have to actually read something...) and find out a little about a movie before seeing it. Another thing: people keep complaining that Gustave the crocodile is called a "serial killer". Uh...duh! He has reportedly eaten over 300 people. Is that not what a serial killer does? Kills numerous people? Okay, on to the film itself. I went into this movie knowing the story and knowing what to expect. I thought the acting was pretty good, with a few cheesy lines here and there, but hey, what good horror flick doesn't have a few? The cinematography was beautiful in this film and I was pleasantly surprised by that. As for the story, I felt it was pretty good, with some very funny lines by Orlando Jones and some tense moments involving Gustave and Warlords. The special effects weren't bad either. Granted Gustave at times looked very CG at times (especially at night and in the water), however it wasn't show much, so that made up for it. Other times he looked great (ie the part where he finally shows up in the day time). The blood in the water was very good, but other times it was a little too digital when it sprayed everywhere. My one big complaint was at the end when the movie did what every horror film does: the lady has to save the little dog that you thought was eaten and almost gets eaten herself. It was so predictable and it sort of ticked me off that the writers felt they had to add that part in there to add suspense. All in all, Primeval does what it was exactly meant to do: provide a good, popcorn munching time at the theater! I would see it again.
Open Season (2006)
Hollywood does it again...
Thinking this would be a creative, well-written and original story, I trudged to the theater to view this film, even though I had great skepticism. Why did I do that? This film was nothing different than Finding Nemo, The Wild, A Sharks Tale, Toy Story, etc. Same thing, over and over again. When will something new finally come out? And I am so disappointed with the message it sends. I just love how the Libs in show business like to make hunting and hunters the "bad guys". They depict hunters as "Shaw" in the film, a poaching creep who shoots just to kill, not for sport and for the true ethics of the sport. When will someone do their homework and see that hunting is the best for of conservation out there; keeping "Boog" and "Elliot" from being smashed by cars and starving to death because of over population. This film makes the younger generation fearful of hunters and I was disgusted.