brokensilent Reviews

Ghost Whisperer (2005–2010)

Got sucked in for the ghost stories but that's about it.

[4/10 · 17 August 2010]

I started watching this because despite a general dislike of Jennifer Love Hewitt, I'm a sucker for ghost stories. And at first, again despite Jennifer's character, that was fun enough. Most of the characters were likable. Then came the really fun part, they started removing the perks of watching the show. First, her best friend dies who provided such a light hearted much needed comedic relief. Then she was replaced with a character almost as annoying as Melinda Gordon (Jennifer). They brought in other likable characters to help lighten the mood but apparently there's only so much they can do with a show like this before they turn to a "jumping the shark" moment. Melinda's husband dies and refuses to move on, hops into another body, which starts the most boring lackluster attempt at reviving his soul's memories... well, let's just say there was a lot of eye rolling and yawning during Melinda's and Jim's scenes. The only reason I continue to watch what I have recorded is because I like the ghost stories and Jamie Kennedy. Oh, and I don't know what the obsession is with close ups of Jennifer tearing up but every single episode, we have to see her tearing up as she's moving someone on or having a Jim breakdown. Enough, we get it's sad and touching but it would be ever so much more if it weren't being choked down our throats by a mediocre actress. Gag. Anyways, if you can muscle your way past Jennifer's acting, the stories save for the Jim's death aspect have been pretty entertaining.

Grizzly Park (2008)

Don't usually do this but...

[1/10 · 5 April 2010]

This movie bored me so bad that I didn't finish it. I have a quirk, where for the most part, I have to finish a movie, even if I can't stand it but this movie was actually bad enough to make me turn it off. It was on television and I thought it sounded fun.

The serial killer story had potential to be interesting but for some reason, they nixed that in one of the first few deaths. It didn't even make sense for them to have the serial story, as it provided no substance to the story and didn't carry anywhere. So, right off, I was disappointed with that tale. That meant from thereon out, a movie that claimed a group of teenagers were going to face a serial killer and bears, was really only about nature killings. Which, don't get me wrong, nature killings can be entertaining to watch too but this movie failed in that area too.

Every character except for Ranger Bob was poorly written. The acting was about as good as you could expect considering the characters were horrible. They had no and I mean NO redeeming qualities at all. And there was the reason why I shut it off. I didn't even care enough about their bad qualities to enjoy seeing them die. They were just a bunch of soulless evil little twits who didn't seem like teenagers I've ever met (yes, I've met soulless but these guys seemed old), and I just wanted a big rock to fall down and smash them all. So, after two died, and I realized the film really wasn't going anywhere entertaining, I turned it off.

The idea behind the film was interesting and perhaps with better writers and directing, it could have been something worth watching. But the carryout of the idea fell far too short to even be worth finishing. Shudder, will skip this movie next time I see it on TV.

Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball (2010 Video)

An OK film but falls way short of the first one.

[5/10 · 27 January 2010]

I LOVED the first one. Was incredibly tickled when Santa stuck it in my stocking so when my husband got this for me for our anniversary, well... I was dying to watch it. Compared to the first, horrible. On it's own, mediocre. I felt like I was watching something inspired by the filming style of Natural Born Killers, but not in a good way. It's like they went "ooooh, I like that" but didn't really think of how it fit to the movie. The Tremors weren't on the same level of crazy as they were in the first. Honestly, their characters felt like a rip off of Devil's Rejects. None of the characters are really developed and I didn't find myself excited in the least to see what was going to happen with the assassins. It is crammed with action and is fun for blowups and interesting murders but it's not enough to save the film. I will probably watch it again but not really recommend it to anyone.

Sorority Row (2009)

Actually much better than I expected

[8/10 · 19 September 2009]

I'm a lover of horror films, particularly slashers, and what I love about them is generally is how fun and stupid they are along with the gore. As of late, I've been disappointed by most of the movies that have promised good old bloody fun and creative deaths. They've been lacking. This movie was expected to be the same but it pleasantly surprised me. The deaths were fun, making me giggle with delight from the first death until the end. The cast did spectacularly well considering it's a slasher, they were believable and portrayed each character as I would expect them to be. Some of the lines were cheesy but they were fun cheesy. We figured out who the killer was but that's cause we've seen way too many movies. If you go into this expecting something dark and frightening... well, you're going to be disappointed. It's not that kind of movie. However, if you go in with the expectation that this is going to be a fun movie with lots of blood and boobs, you'll have fun. Will be owning this one when it comes out.

Powder Blue (2009)

Painful to watch

[3/10 · 29 May 2009]

Upon watching ten minutes of this movie, I told my husband it made me think of Crash where they were a bunch of different stories that were each dark but somehow intertwined. I was correct in that assumption but I liked Crash so much better. This movie droned on and on with you cocking your head in bewilderment. Jessica Biel, although not my favorite actress, has been spectacular in some of her rolls. This was not it. She seemed forced and awkward throughout the entire thing. I didn't buy her as broken mother or miserable dancer. And what was up with the suicide storyline? Having someone else pull the trigger does not make it any less of a suicide. The story-lines each seemed weak and hardly believable. I lost interest within the first ten minutes but due to a slight quirk I have, I had to watch it till the end. Next time I want to watch a tangled mess with a deeper meaning, I'll watch Crash. I will not watch this one again.

The Graves (2009)

Was surprised, better than I expected.

[4 May 2009]

I went to see this with my mom because first off, it takes place in our own home state and secondly, we've associated with a couple of people making the movie. When it first began, I wasn't impressed. The girls recording each other was making me nauseous and wary of the quality of film. It was only the for a little bit, thank goodness. Once we got through that rocky start, it was a fantastic movie with lines from the killers that'll have you snorting in laughter, believable and lovable heroines, a mad preacher who's voice still gives me goosebumps (in a good way), and a location that made me giggle cause I've seen it :P. When the source of all the trouble was finally revealed, I thought it was kind of silly but the very ending of the movie wrapped it up in such an entertaining package that it became kind of cool. I loved this movie and both my mother and I will be owning it when it comes out on DVD. Well worth seeing at least once if you're a blood and gore horror movie fan. Plus, it's got Bill Mosley in it and well, who plays a psychotic killer better than him?

The Orphanage (2007)

I hated this movie...

[9/10 · 12 February 2009]

Okay, so maybe not, but I have to say, there's something terribly wrong when you rent what should be a spooky horror movie and find yourself bawling hysterically, not with fear but with genuine sympathy and despair. I'd seen Pan's Labyrinth and found it to be beautiful and scary enough that I was trying to wake up my sleeping husband so I didn't feel so alone in my bedroom. So, when I saw there was another movie out by the same guy, I had to see it plus, I'm a sucker for a good horror movie. It blew me away. With a genuine creepy atmosphere, this movie had me sitting on the edge of my bed but that wasn't what won me over. The actors were well cast, each one portraying their character so that you ached and shivered with them. The storyline was perhaps a bit unoriginal but let's face it, in this day and age, what storyline is original, and the actual script was well done. I found myself cursing at Laura when she didn't figure out what the hell was going on from the beginning, if she'd been paying attention, it would have been painfully obvious but being a mother myself, I don't know if I'd have my wits around me enough to pick up on the clues. Then ending had me sobbing, seriously, and swearing that I was not going to watch another movie that gave me chills but left me in tears. Evil movies. This is a fantastic movie and if I had the patience to read subtitles every time I watched it, I would own it.

Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)

Dark, twisted, and just a pleasure I didn't expect

[10/10 · 21 December 2008]

When I went to see this, I'd only see two previews for it on the internet. I was intrigued by the dark music and the images. I was in for a treat. I LOVED the music, Anthony Head was perhaps one of my favorite singers in this movie. His voice was strong and he portrayed his character flawlessly. I also thoroughly enjoyed Terrance Zdunich, his voice was fun and he gave just enough creepy on the screen and you just gotta love his smile. The music was strong, fun, and dark, and was hands down my favorite aspect of this movie. All the characters were each enjoyable in their own right, the actors and actresses portraying them brought them all to life very well. You felt for Nathan Wallace over his dark secrets, strove for freedom with Shilo, and wanted Rotti to get his just rewards. Paris Hilton made a fun Amber Sweet who's final embarrassment will make you laugh out loud. This movie is dark, funny, twisted, and not a mainstream pleasure. It makes me think of Blade Runner, 5th Element, Nightmare Before Christmas, and a number of other bizarre, futuristic, and dark movies. I can hardly wait until I finally get my copy of the soundtrack and in January, I will be owning the movie and then sharing it with everyone I know. One of my favorite movies ever but if you're close-minded or expecting a Saw replica, this probably isn't for you.

Barbie and the Diamond Castle (2008 Video)

A fun Barbie movie... yeah I admitted it.

[8/10 · 1 October 2008]

For being a Barbie movie, I enjoyed watching this with my girls far more than I expected. I liked the characters quite a bit, especially the twins. The storyline was fun and as usual, the good lesson. The graphics weren't bad, the music though a tad bit shrill at times with the singing, isn't bad either though beware, they're catchy enough tunes that they get stuck in your head... like a commercial jingle. I find myself humming "Connected" and then laughing at the fact that I'm humming my daughter's movie song. My three year old is entranced with the movie, she loves the puppies. So far, out of the barbie movies I have been bullied with big blue eyes and sweet smiles into watching, this one is my favorite.

The Sickhouse (2008)

Pleasantly Surprised

[7/10 · 28 August 2008]

I rented this movie because I just like watching horror movies and this looked like it could be fun. I was expecting the usual spook tale, you know the kind that keeps you entertained while you're watching but you forget about before you've even returned it. This definitely exceeded my expectations. With the opening credits, I knew it was an artistically done film which is always appeals to me but sometimes, are so so out there, that they're just too bizarre to have fun with. This wasn't one of those. If you're paying attention, which you have to do, this film will be very enjoyable. For being a horror film, it actually had relatively little gore. The worse scene is the bathroom which had me squirming for more reasons than the blood. The filmography was interesting though at times, a bit distracting from the actual film. The storyline wasn't what I expected either, I figured it was the spirit of a ghoulish man who was knocking off one character after another in creative fashions. But it's not that, it's so much more. The writing was well done, you believe the characters and what they say, they grow on you and when they meet their demise you feel bad for most of them. The only one that didn't grow on me was the main character but I usually have very little sympathy for the people that start all the havoc so it was nothing against her acting or character. This is a story filled with possession, deadly curiosity, time manipulation, betrayal, creepy bird costumes, and an ending that is far from predictable. Be sure to pay attention to the little details in this movie and don't take anything for granted. Thoroughly enjoyed this film and was very surprised at how different this was from what I expected.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)

Sadly disappointed

[4/10 · 6 August 2008]

Well, loving the first two, I went into this with high expectations. Perhaps a bit too high but nonetheless, this movie didn't even strike close. Maria Bello just could not take the place of Rachel Weisz. Her acting was sadly flat and it was difficult to care for her character anymore. She took a super cute, spunky Evie and turned her into just another woman. The storyline was as transparent as they come, anyone who didn't see the plot twist regarding Alex's love interest wasn't paying very much attention. All I could think as I watched the film was that they made this movie simply to cash in on the martial arts craze that is going on right now and failed miserably to create either an entertaining martial arts movie or an adventure film. The computer graphics were too much. Rather than being entertained, I found myself rolling my eyes, especially at the end of the movie when they finally lay the emperor to rest. I loved the first one, liked the second one, and didn't care about this last one. There were a few funny moments but they were so eclipsed by the eye rolling and yawns that I found it's one of those films not worth seeing in the theater. Hopefully they stop at this one but since this came across as one of those films purely made to cash in on the success of the original, I doubt they'll be able to help themselves.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Beautiful, chilling, and haunting... not words I usually use for a Batman Movie

[10/10 · 22 July 2008]

I won't deny, I went to see this today with expectations of it being a great movie. The Batman series has generally been great and this one promised to be so with a fabulous cast. My expectations were blown away, this was an incredible movie. Hands down, my favorite Batman movie and within my top ten favorites of all times. Heath Ledger gave me chills as Joker, I never even thought about that I was watching him, I was merely watching Joker as never seen before. He's the ultimate in villains and will leave you thinking about the pencil trick for a while to come ;). The rest of the cast did excellent too though Joker really did steal the scenes. He's memorizing and terrifying all in one. The movie itself was unreal it was so intense. You had no idea what the next turn was and it had you on the edge of your seat in anticipation. The stunts pulled were incredible and just the whole thing had me reeling. It was far better than I had expected and not just because Heath portrayed an amazing Joker. The whole package was well worth seeing in the theater and I will be adding this to my collection as soon as it comes out. Perhaps even snagging a few as Christmas presents for the family because this movie should be seen by all.

The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)

A Beautiful, Twisted Film

[9/10 · 11 June 2008]

I didn't know what my husband had rented save that we like both of the actresses playing the sisters. I was very impressed. Normally, we both have a hard time just sitting and watching movies, we have to do something else while watching. However this movie had us both sitting still the entire time to make sure we didn't miss a detail. It was dark, twisted, and left you feeling for almost every character, well, female character. The costumes were beautiful but not overdone, the script wasn't too bad and I wasn't really bored at any point. I wasn't a big fan of the actor that played the king, nothing necessarily against him, he just didn't have the presence that the two sisters did. However, the two sisters were awesome, each was so intense in their own way and really made the movie. Loved this movie, want it to join our library.

The Eye (2008)

Mediocre film, great for if you don't question anything.

[6/10 · 7 June 2008]

This was one of those movies that wasn't great but it wasn't bad either. It's just not one I'll remember in a week or so or one that will make it's way to my library. I was waiting for some shocking twist, something that you didn't see coming... I'm still waiting. You knew how it was going to end from the beginning and that was such a disappointment. There were many holes in the story that bothered me to the point of where it disturbed my capability to just sit back and enjoy the story. The characters weren't very well developed though the actors themselves did a great job. And on top of all of that, they had a preview for the sequel on the rental... I've never seen that before and I have to say, I was unimpressed. After seeing the first one, I'm content with not seeing the second. Like I said, this wasn't bad but it wasn't really necessarily good either, it's just there.

Cloverfield (2008)

Godzilla meets Blair Witch and continues to bore some more

[2/10 · 27 May 2008]

I was so excited to see this movie, it looked so cool. It wasn't. It was seriously Godzilla meets Blair Witch with unbelievable characters (didn't care if they lived or died), the monsters were hardly explored enough to give us reason to care about them, and the script was incredibly lame. I was looking forward to everyone's deaths just so that the movie would end. I guess some of the cgi was impressive but it got lost in the plot holes and ever continuing torture. This movie probably wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't had my hopes up so much by the hype it received. If you want to see Godzilla turns into a Bug, rent Cloverfield, otherwise, go see something worthwhile.

The Cook (I) (2008)

An Enjoyable Low Budget Film

[8/10 · 26 May 2008]

You have to watch this in the right mind set. If you're looking for a horror movie full of frights, unsettling scenes, terrified victims, and nightmares in the weeks to come after viewing.... well, this isn't it. However, if you're looking for a horror comedy that will have you giggling, watch this one. The cook was hilarious, going from all friendly to his passionate killing very smoothly and entertainingly so. The deaths weren't creative but they were certainly a tasty addition. My husband rented this for the "boobs" promised but while certainly creative (and unbelievable), they didn't live up to either of our hopes or expectations. This is a great horror comedy that is at the same moment, a soft core porn that seems as if it's trying to not be a soft core porn, meaning more a tease of a promise than the actual tease. I'm thinking this one may have to join our collection for when we're bored and want a good laugh.

The Ruins (2008)

See the movie first then read the book or else be very disappointed.

[6/10 · 25 May 2008]

As a movie on it's own, it wasn't bad but not great either. Based off the book, it blew the big one. They took the strongest characters from the book and turned them into the weakest and the weakest into the strongest. Plus, it has a happy ending, one of them gets away!!! No one lives in the book, I was thrilled to be seeing something with a dark ending that wasn't all Hollywood happy. Boy, was I disappointed. Also, I didn't understand why they killed Demetri in the method that they did since he's actually the one in Matthias's (sp) position. Once again, the strongest into the weakest. Matthias was an incredibly strong, intelligent young man who you thought might have a chance of surviving and instead they made him into the broken doll. Eric was the one who went crazy and Matthias actually dies at his hand and Stacey kills him because of the damage he's done to himself. ARGH!? Why were these events any harder to stay true to then what they did in the movie?! Oh yeah, I know why, happy ending and the chance to make a sequel.

I didn't like the movie in the aspect that it didn't give the vines the intelligence that they had in the book. You kind of gather that they're a thinking entity but not really. Plus, the movie doesn't show how vicious these vines are.

I could go on and on ripping apart the movie based off the book because the book was a fantastic and chilling read. It left you distrusting plants and thinking that excavation sites that are "off the beaten path" are worth avoiding. The movie had it's good moments but it was nowhere near as disturbing as the book. So, I recommend for the full experience, read the book but do so after viewing the movie.

The Fun Park (2007 Video)

What a boring horror movie

[2/10 · 29 April 2008]

All I could think as I watched this is that someone watched Chainsaw Massacre and Saw too much and thought that they could do something similar. It was a horrible failure. I was yawning and rolling my eyes through the whole thing. There were no exciting creative deaths, it was the same thing over and over again, predictable how it was going to end, and the actual ending blew. What kind of movie lets the boring characters live through the whole thing? There should have been a Bobo attack!!! The fimography was annoying, especially during the main character's grieving scene, the storyline drug you slowly to the end and, just completely lacked suspense or any twists. I guess the positive part of this movie was when it ended, it was such a relief that it was finally over.

Arthur and the Invisibles (2006)

Watch it again... and again... and again...

[7/10 · 27 April 2008]

We rented this movie as one that we could watch with my three year old and I can't tell you how many times she's requested to watch it again in the few days that we've had the movie. It's very cute, the animated parts quite entertaining. I found the script to be very bizarrely written. The kid doesn't talk like any other kid I've met of that age, it's as if some thirty year old is speaking through him but that happens when an adult tries to write a child's perspective. There are a few plot holes that made me arch my eyebrow but besides that, it was very enjoyable. It's one of those fungus movies where my initial reaction was "it's okay but not one I would care to own". Now, after being conned into watching it multiple times, I wouldn't the least bit annoyed if it joined our collection.

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)

Very disappointed

[4/10 · 23 April 2008]

I'm actually one of the rare few who enjoyed the first Alien Vs. Predator movie so I went into this one with an open mind, excited at another epic battle between a slobbering nasty beast and a really wicked hunter. I was very disappointed. The storyline sucks massively, it's boring and seems to drag on forever. They slam so many characters at you that you don't care if they live or die. You don't develop an attachment to anyone and their dialogue is very bland. It's not because of bad acting, it's simply because of bad writing. There were very few creative killings which is something I always delight in. Instead, it was basically the same death over and over and over yet again. There was one seriously funny one but that was cause the girl was a bimbo. I was bored, unimpressed with the battles between the Alien and Predator, and hoping that they aren't going to make another one but we all know that someone will think it's a good idea.

Juno (2007)

Pleasantly Surprised

[9/10 · 23 April 2008]

Granted, the surface message of the movie may seem a little encouraging to young girls who want to get pregnant but that's only to those who aren't paying attention to the depth of the movie. What many of the reviewers who are grading this as a happy perky movie that is a false representation of real life are missing are the tears that Juno sheds in the end. It's clear to me that she's hurting and despite the happy feeling of the movie, she obviously suffers for her decision throughout the entire pregnancy from not only the trials of being pregnant but from the social standpoint as well. Not every young pregnancy ends up in an abortion or parental misery as so many seem to believe. There are actually kids with supportive parents out there and plans to take care of the child once it's born. It's nice to actually see a movie that focuses on the life of one such teenager versus the usual portrayals. What I really enjoyed were all of the jokes and such about her pregnancy because having kids myself, they hit home. I loved all of the characters, they were believable and warm, all of the actors and actresses did very well bringing them to life on the screen. I felt that the script was believable as well, even making me think of people that I knew. What I didn't like was the music. Egads, the opening song almost forced a twitch out of me and we didn't find out if there was anything special in the credits because I wanted the music off as soon as possible. Besides that, I really enjoyed this movie and will be adding it to my collection.

BloodRayne (2005)

In love with the game, ashamed of the movie

[1/10 · 21 April 2008]

As a loyal fan of the BloodRayne series, I love those games, they've got me through many a boring hour, I was thrilled when I heard it was coming to the big screen. Having seen some other excellent video game to big screen movies, I was expecting a lot. My expectations were destroyed far too quickly for my taste. I'll admit, I've watched this movie more than once. Why? you may ask yourself. Well, simply because I get bored and like to watch bad vampire flicks occasionally. The only reason I have this movie is my sister in law bought in and appalled at how terrible it was, passed it on to me for my vampire collection. The acting was poorly done, the storyline was laughable, the gore is so terrible, it's that laughable fun stupid spraying stuff, and the ending was incredibly predictable. I hope like crazy that someone else with the power to redo this film sees how terrible it was done and recreates it, but on a level that's worth paying money for. This is one of those movies that makes one hesitant to see a video game to the big screen conversion for fear of how it's going to destroy something great. Shudder.

Secret of the Cave (2006)

All I Want to say is ...UGH

[1/10 · 21 April 2008]

I rented this as a substitute for another family movie I wanted to see but it was out and I thought this might be a reasonable replacement. Five minutes into the movie and I knew that I was wrong. It starts out with a kid's parents just abandoning him without any intelligent explanation to either the child or us as the audience. My husband's reaction, "Great, a badly written storyline with even worse acting". And it only got stinkier, so to speak. The plot had as many holes as swiss cheese, was written poorly and though the main character was almost believable, he didn't quite come across as the lost soul that this movie obviously wants to make him. Not only was it poorly done movie but it was a trick, it's a preachy movie that made me roll my eyes. By the time I was done watching it, I had to call my husband to let him know that the movie only got worse. I had to call him because after twenty minutes or so, we were all bored and quit watching it the first time. I can't stand not watching a movie all the way through so I wasted more time and rewashed the film. If you're looking for a cheesy religious movie that comes across as being on the level of the old renditions of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" and is meant to bedazzle you with scenery and nothing else, this is it. Enjoy. Personally, when I want to get my religious kicks, I'll watch something with a little or perhaps just any substance and watch anything else. No one in my family, not even my children, enjoyed this movie but I guess that's the way some "moving" movies are.

The Number 23 (2007)

Watching A Train Wreck

[4/10 · 3 March 2008]

I had to see this movie because I wanted to see how Jim Carrey did in a serious film. He wasn't bad but this was a poor choice for a breakout film. The movie's storyline was laughable and not believable. The idea of twenty three made me snicker because they had to twist and manipulate nonstop to try to make the connections. If you ignore every number but 2 and 3, guess what, you get 23 and that's what this movie plays on. The perfect picture is painted with only parts of the details and it gets on your nerves after a while (like after the first five minutes of the 23 storyline). My husband and I were rolling our eyes through the entire film and had to watch it until the end, because it was like watching a train wreck, you know it's going to be a hideous ending that you'd rather avert your eyes from but you've got to watch anyways. I will take my hat off to Jim Carrey, I actually bought him as the lead character, I just hope that he chooses better movies in the future to display his serious acting capabilities.