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Anna 2 (2019)
Low budget, a lot of fun, very watchable.
I really enjoyed this gem. The characters are all likeable and there is a lot of humour, at times campy. The settings are very low budget, but filmed well. There are actually a few intense horror scenes/scenarios, and the monster effects were awesome! Definitely recommend.
7eventy 5ive (2007)
Ignore the haters - this is a must see slasher!
This is a very good film. High production values; good direction. There are really good scares and lots of tension. Plus there is a lot of gore throughout.
It has a violent montage in the opening credits which seems a bit gonzo -- but it does grab your attention and works for the plot. It's odd, most reviewers are claiming this film is just a "Scream" rip-off. Not at all. It does have a twist that is almost identical to a famous 1981 slasher, but it is well updated and put to good use.
Another oddity: reviewers are claiming the film has a bad script and/or bad acting. I don't get it. This film is well cast and the acting is really on the mark. As for the script -- it made perfect sense to me. No holes in it at all.
One last note -- this film isn't a throw-back to the 80s. The film feels up to date. Gay characters aren't just there for comedic relief. The black characters are real, interesting and sympathetic. I think the film avoids clichés while still working within the constraints of the genre.
I will definitely watch this film again.
Mimesis (2011)
A Total Gem. Give these people money to make more films.
This film is very well titled. It positions itself using well crafted elements from NotLD, but the real homage is to our modern zombie zeitgeist.
The plot is fresh and well developed. The film is never boring, as it never gets 'stuck' in the homage to NotLD. It becomes its own movie, and does so quite smoothly. By the mid-way point of the film, you are no longer waiting for NotLD to just 'play itself out' on screen.
The characters are wonderful. The protagonists superficially reflect those from the original film, yet we know these people more from our current experiences with the zombie craze in popular culture.
Overall, the production quality of this film is very good. There are a few questionable shots - with speedy cinematography or editing that really didn't fit the scene - but the other 99.9% of the visuals are clear and effective. The $500K production budget was put to good use.
I gotta say - I really loved this film. Somebody give these folks some money to make more films, because they did a great job.
Beautiful Creatures (2013)
Expensive and bad - "The Last Airbender" bad.
Beautiful Creatures is an expensive film. Nice costumes and sets. Plentiful and well done special effects. The film is expensive enough that you wonder how it ends up being so dull and lifeless. For those who have seen The Last Airbender, this film was bad in the same way.
There are some good things in this film; For example, every scene with Emma Thompson is quite entertaining. And the young lead actress did a good job.
However, there is no chemistry between the young leads, and for a story relying so much on romance, I found myself wondering how this happened.
The film was stupid in other ways, but it wouldn't have been a big deal if the film had been a little more entertaining.
Oh, well. I hope some others find this comment useful.
Triangle (2009)
Wonderful Thriller... Unsettling, Shocking and Memorable
This is a wonderful gem of a film. There's no spoilers in this review, as that would take away from the experience.
I will say, however, that this film is not going to be for everyone. The pleasure in this film is in the details -- details in plotting, and in the subtleties of Melissa George's performance.
The film is very solid in it's own right, but Ms. George gives a performance that makes the film truly unsettling to watch, and makes some its revelations deeply shocking.
This is a memorable film, and I look forward to seeing more from this director.
Jennifer's Body (2009)
Ignore the haters, this is a very good film.
Sometimes you see a film after reading the press reviews, and you wonder: "What film did these people see?"
This is one of those films.
The film is well put together - good cinematography, direction and editing. Very good casting choices all around, with the two leads working very well together. And the visual effects are inspired and refreshingly restrained.
But I almost didn't go see the film. Why? Bad reviews. Reviews that in retrospect seem mean spirited and ridiculously off the mark.
For starters, Megan Fox is awesome in this. Actress awesome, not just boobs awesome. I didn't like her in Transformers 2. But she gets to act in this film, and she does a great job. I'm singling this out because most reviews are trash-talking her (why they are doing so is anybody's guess).
Next up, Diablo Cody's script. I read a lot of critical commentary on this script. Guess what? This script is funny, clever and has a lot to say. This script is all-caps SMART and makes me want to see the film again.
This is the kind of film I don't mind spending $15 to see. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'll go see it again and then buy the DVD.
Sorority Row (2009)
Smart, Funny, Scary and Gross
This film is a fantastic contribution to the slasher cannon.
It's a little like IKWYDLS, but with smarter characters, better dialogue and a satisfying, entertaining take on 'the killer'.
The film sets up quickly, and moves at a brisk pace. As well, the dialogue is clever and engaging, and is used to good affect by the cast to set up their characters. (I read a NYT review that slagged the set up and characters -- what film did that reviewer see? Not the same one I saw).
This film is definitely rated R for a reason -- there's lots of gore. Still, it's all handled really well by the film makers. There's not a hint of 'torture-porn' in this film -- even though the murders are super gross and nasty, it has the hallmarks of 80s slashers, where the characters are 'dispatched' and the film doesn't dwell on their pain or suffering. You can watch this film without needing a trip to your therapist.
All in all, this is a fun film. Another reviewer said this was the best horror they had seen in 2009, and I'd say I have to agree. This is a solid movie, and I'll be looking for more from these filmmakers.
Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005)
This is the sissy's version of the film
This film was lame.
Poor cinematography, poor direction, bad script and editing. It has a strong cast who are all wasted -- and the proof of this in watching Renny Harlan's version, which has most of the same cast.
Renny Harlan's film is superior in every way. I recommend watching both, however, to see what a difference a good director can make.
You may read that this film and 'Exorcist: The Beginning' are essentially the same film, and that they share the same footage. They don't share much, really, aside from the sets and a few key set-up and transition shots. They tell a very different story, and each has a completely different tone. Harlan's is quite epic in scope, and quite scary, while this film stays local to the small cast and has the feel of a PG-13 drama.
Terminator Salvation (2009)
This is Sam Worthington's movie
This is an enjoyable movie. Go see it -- give them your 15 bucks so that they make more big blockbusters. Seriously, it's very entertaining.
This film is very well done: the ensemble cast does a great job, and the action, tone and pacing are flawless.
Be forewarned, however. Some of the dialogue made me wince, and the plot was weak in ways it really shouldn't have been. Anyone who saw Star Trek the week before will probably be disappointed at how juvenile the dialogue is in such a serious movie.
Of course, This is Sam Worthington's movie. I want to see him in everything now.
As far as terminator movies go, this is a good entry. I liked The first three, and this was a satisfying installment.
7/10.
Inseminoid (1981)
Really bad T'n'A for angry men
Wow. This is an unforgivably bad film.
In short: a dozen Knots Landing types (lots of make up, big hair and tight-but-ill-fitting pants) are inexplicably playing doctor deep inside a mine whilst their preggers-via-alien-in-vitro friend emasculates the whole bunch with her alien pre-partem craziness. Oh, and they're all really, really stupid and whiny.
OK. So that's not really the plot. This is: a bunch of folks encounter an alien on some barren planet. The alien impregnates one of the crew, and the whole film is everyone trying to survive her increasingly nasty behaviour.
The film is low budget, and what budget they had, they didn't use effectively. Every environment was recognizable for what it was: a mine tunnel (alien surface), the back of a delivery truck in shadows (the weapons storage facility). You get the idea. They didn't even really use props to give you something to look at. Oh yeah - and the alien is barely in the film - they clearly couldn't afford to show one as more than a static prop. So the crazy pregnant lady is the only baddie in this film.
I guess we were supposed be looking at the hot 80s T'n'A (and there's a fair amount of it). But all the soft-core doesn't really work when you simultaneously have to watch the lead live through an accelerated pregnancy, complete with hysterical crying and distressing emotional craziness.
My guess is that the director was re-enacting an old break up or his parent's divorce. That's what comes across in this this film: a woman scorned. This film was 10 years of toxic marriages distilled down to 90 minutes, with lots of tight pants and touching.
Seriously: one star out of ten.
Death of a Ghost Hunter (2007)
Haven't been this creeped out in a while.
Here's the story: A woman has brutally killed her family at home. The guy that just inherited the house is a little spooked by all the ghost stories, and wants it checked out. So he hires Carter Simms, a sort of ghost documentarian, to spend a few days in the house and gather evidence.
Sounds pretty ho-hum, huh? It isn't. This film gave me the willies. It's relatively low-budget - shot on video, and the first little bit of the film makes you think 'how can this be any good?' But trust me, this film had me seeing things in the shadows at the end of the hall before it was half over. NOT a film to watch alone at night in the suburbs. There's lots of 'little bits' of gore, and some absolutely unnerving ghost stuff. (I've got goosebumps just thinking about it).
This is a very well crafted film. As I said earlier, it's not big budget, but clearly everyone involved is VERY good at what they do. Good direction, cinematography and editing. The makeup and effects were top notch. Of special note, the lead actress (Patti Tindall) was excellent and super watchable. I hope we see more of her in the future. The rest of the cast were good as well, but the lead really gave the film depth and weight that made it that much more terrifying to watch.
Dead Mary (2007)
A gem. Great cast, good direction, and a smart script.
I was pleasantly satisfied by this little gem of a film.
The plot is standard horror stuff: a group of friends meets up at the lake for the long weekend, play a little game called 'dead mary', and end up getting more than they bargained for.
The script is good, and the cast really works it -- they are so convincing as a group of late 20-something friends that we are totally involved by the time things start to get nasty.
This film is equal parts smart and creepy thriller and r-rated gore horror. You won't soon forget the first scene where they all first encounter the results of Mary's wrath.
Added to this are good production values and well-placed, first-rate special effects for the horror stuff.
Definitely one of the best horror films of 2007.
Decoys (2004)
Pleasantly Surprised -- A Veritable Gem
This is a thoroughly enjoyable film. I read a crummy review before going, and was truly surprised that it had been panned -- everything about this film is very well done.
The story: Some sorority girls are not what they seem, and the campus boys may be getting more than they bargain for. Essentially, the story is a fun take on men trying to figure out women. Beautiful aliens aside, it paints a believable picture of how young men probably see the dating game.
This production is very well put together. It has great scares when you *aren't* expecting them. Bang-on laughs -- enough to rival the best Joss Whedon writing. (If you don't think Joss can write, then YOU aren't funny). As well, the cast has great chemistry, no small feat considering they must have been freezing their butts off while they filmed. In fact, all the acting is great. All this, and the soundtrack was enjoyable, too.
I hope these folks make more movies, 'cause I definitely got my 11 bucks worth.