sdwilson79 Reviews

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Excellent! Best British film in ages!

[9/10 · 10 April 2004]

An absolutely excellent film! I've never seen 'Spaced' and didn't really think it'd be my kind of humour but the trailer interested me. Not only the best British film i've seen in ages, THE best film I've seen in ages. At last a homegrown film that isn't full of the sickening schmaltz of the likes of 'Love Actually', or the ridiculous toff characters that no one can really relate to. It is a film about real people acting like real people. Funny, gripping and reaching amazing levels of emotional involvement. The closing siege in The Winchester is compelling and better than anything you'll see in the Hollywood pap that is supposedly better.

Not sure how it will travel beyond Britain. Deserves to be a huge hit but the American market will no doubt overlook it or might not 'get' it. An excellent film! It has inspired me to go and check out 'Spaced' and I hope there is more to come from this team. If not a sequel a prequel about the characters daily lives would be of equal appeal although probably less dramatic!

The Escapist (2002)

Good, worth a look if there's nothing good at Blockbuster

[8/10 · 12 March 2004]

With this being a film I'd never heard of and seemingly being low-budget and British I was expecting it to be pretty poor but it was actually a decent hour and a half. Jonny Lee Miller and Andy Serkis are both good in their roles, Serkis particularly playing psycho Ricky Barnes a little too convincingly. The story is pretty basic but manages to keep you interested in the progression throughout. Better than a lot of mainstream big budget fare and certainly better than the TV special standard I was expecting. Good choice at Blockbuster if there is nothing else that stands out.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

Better than the original!

[9/10 · 1 November 2003]

While the original is a unique and disturbing film this is a more mainstream effort but is still horrifying and at times nerve-shredding. A great performance from R Lee Emery and the young unknown cast. The best US horror film since Scream.