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Reviews
Ca$h Cab (2005)
Fun. Simply Fun. Doesn't get much better than this.
If you're tired of all those game shows where contestants need to hold their breath, eat disgusting food or walk on a tight-rope suspended across two skyscrapers - look no further. This game show is incredibly entertaining for a premise that doesn't leave the taxi cab. Almost all contestants put a positive, amusing and all around good-natured spin onto things. The host himself is very funny and even if someone gets a question wrong or loses completely, it doesn't feel like a real loss. The trivia is actually really interesting, and you'll often find yourself saying to the screen, "it's _____!" Maybe it's just me. Oh well. Consider it evident on how much this show pumps you up.
In short, this game show is the first in a long time that's brought a genuine smile to my face. If you're flipping through channels and come across this, it's worth a try.
Sunset Tan (2007)
The absolute worst.
Finally, the day has come where there's a reality show with a worthless tanning salon as the key element. There is no way this show could come off as anything but laughable. The people working at this salon offer nothing to society, maybe skin cancer if anything. The majority of reality shows nowadays are worthless, but this has absolutely zero substance. This has truly scraped the bottom of the barrels, if it deserves to be mentioned with barrels at all.
What's next, a reality show about an abortion clinic? At least that would offer some legitimate drama.
I gave this one star because its premise is so absurd I had to laugh.
The Descent (2005)
Executes suspension, tension and primal fear very effectively
I never got to see this in theaters, but I'm sure if I had, the audience would've been very into it. It's a sort of movie that not only demands, but is able to get an honest knee-jerk reaction from viewers.
It grabs hold of you as soon as the six unfortunate women enter the dark hole that is the entrance of the cave. For the first half of the movie itself, a buildup of suspense and tension grips you fiercely. Even before the creature/action scenes commence, you can't keep your eyes off the screen. The feelings of claustrophobia and the darkness are well executed. Once the creatures start to appear, it's all over. There's no way you can miss even a second of what's going on. The music in the background adds perfectly to what's happening, being thundering and pulse-pounding one moment, low key yet still ominous the next. The usage of color and lighting makes the atmosphere even more compelling, with the setting and actresses bathed in bright red, green, and blue light. There's no peeling your eyes from the screen until the very end.
My only issue (however small it is) is that I usually find extremely minimal usage of creatures is more effective. You find with a movie like Signs, that when you see too much, it starts losing its edge. Though that may be, the creatures were realistic and not too out there for this kind of movie, and I suppose the number of creature sightings in the film can't be helped. Overall, I was thoroughly pleased and spooked by the end. Well recommended.
The 100 Scariest Movie Moments (2004)
I always love watching it
I've seen the entire 100-movie countdown 5 or 6 times now. Even so, I love it every time. Every time through it feels like a new countdown. Because of this special, I've now seen many more horror films. I admit they got some interesting people to do interviews with, like the Coors Light twins...maybe they were only added to do the 'come play with us' line from The Shining. Regardless, I enjoyed the interviews between clips; they added some needed humor and insight.
Though this list isn't a perfect rank of the scariest movie moments, it still knows which are scarier than others. Maybe they should've called it "Scariest movie moments" and left it at that, without it being a countdown. Then everyone can be happy.
Shark Attack 3: Megalodon (2002)
I was reduced to staring at the screen, open-mouthed in awe
Unfortunately, it wasn't a good kind of awe. The entire movie stank like last year's meatloaf, only you add a shark into the mix.
It was the pre-sex/sex scene that was the funniest point in the movie for me. But it was topped over 10 fold by the time the sharks attacked the cruise ship. The gargantuan sharks rammed into the boat, not even tipping it over in the slightest. But everyone was jumping into the water. The shark swallowed an entire boat of 5-6 people in one gulp. Wouldn't the propeller rip its stomach apart? And then the guy who jumped STRAIGHT into a shark's wide open mouth. What the hell was up with that?! At that point I was speechless, staring in wonder with my mouth hanging open.
I give it an extra star because it was just so darned funny. Maybe you'll get some laughs out of it, too.
Yu-Gi-Oh! (2000)
Truly funny show
But it's not really funny for the right reasons. You know, unintentionally funny. Maybe the original, Japanese version is better. I'm still not interested in this series enough to bother seeing it. Regardless of guns, blood, swear words, etc, the whole thing isn't my cup of tea.
The hair. How could you NOT mention the hair?! Brilliant, multi-colored, big-ass, chunky, razor-sharp looking hair. Yugi could probably open up a casino inside of his hair, it's that large. Even by anime standards, that is just crazy. That is one of the things I always laugh at. Honda/Tristan's...obelisk-type, pointy conehead-like hair is always a pleasure too. The serious dialogue just comes off as funny, especially because it's dubbed.
Yugi: Oh noes, this guy I'm dueling is using (insert some powerful card)
Yugi's friends: Yugi! You can do it! We believe in you! Kick his butt!
Guy dueling Yugi: Silly boy, don't you see it's impossible to beat me?! My (insert card) card will crush your (insert Yugi's current beast)!
Yugi: What do I do...? Oh. I'll use the heart of the cards! (transforms into Yami, proceeds to beat the pants off the other guy)
Guy Dueling Yugi: Oh em gee, wtf. How could I be beaten?!
Yugi: You didn't trust the heart of the cards, you evildoer! (thus, another happy ending)
I like how Yugi's friends shout his name and act all worried like he's going to be injured or something. Papercut?
So, all in all, I'd recommend this series to people who enjoy laughing, a lot. The serious parts are hardly serious. The dialogue is choppy and juvenile. The hair could swallow you whole. Happy watching!
Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County (2004)
To me, it's just for fun
I watched Laguna Beach Season 1, and 2. My brother (yes, my brother) who is 2 and 1/2 years old than me, got me into it. We'd watch it together. And I never believed it was actual reality, and it doesn't take a genius to see that either. 100% *real* reality shows just don't seem to exist. So, it centers around perfectly tanned, manicured, rich, popular kids who don't have REAL problems other than petty relationships and parties. Taking small issues like these and blowing them out of proportion. Nonetheless, it's still fun to watch! A true guilty pleasure. I don't take shame in saying I watched this, but I'm certainly not a 'fan'. And honestly, I only really liked Lo's presence 'cause she was pretty funny, intentional or not.
Season 3 has just started, but I doubt it will be as fun to watch. Most likely it'll be even more unreal than the first 2 seasons. Already we know there's 2 girls at war over the same Justin Timberlake lookalike. Snore.
Zoey 101 (2005)
A pretty mediocre show
First off, I'd have to agree with everyone who said Jamie Lynn Spears got this role because of who she is, not real talent.
Though it's mediocre, every few weeks I do end up watching an episode or two (since Nick sometimes plays like, all day Zoey marathons). Its cheesiness makes me chuckle from time to time, just because of the sheer lameness. You know, a show where the acting, plot lines, and dialogue sound like a 5th grade play.
Yes, it's unrealistic. I've never known anyone like Zoey, who gets the best grades, is pretty (enough), popular, caring, and the majority of boys want to 'make out' with her. Please. If that's not ringing the Phoniness alarm, the fact that they go to some ultra-fab boarding school with a sushi bar, literally hundreds of laptops to throw around, extremely well furnished rooms and giant TV's will. All of the kids wear clothes from brilliant designers that I know I've never seen on my own classmates. Also, it irks me that kids that young are worried about weight, relationships and high fashion. It seems like they're in 8th grade, and if they want to reach out to teens, those issues seem trivial in the lives of real 8th graders. At least I wasn't like that in 8th grade. All of that aside, there ARE parts of the show that are somewhat enjoyable. Chase's crush on Zoey is cute, and sometimes poignant. I liked Dana, but then she left and they replaced her with this 'actress' who is kind of a bitch. She isn't as fun to watch as the last actress on the show.
Despite its numerous (and major) flaws, it's passable and I can tolerate it for a small chunk of time. I give it a 5 out of 10.
The Grudge (2004)
Creepy enough...and mediocre scares
I saw The Grudge a little while after its debut in 2004. It was the perfect setting to be scared - a 9 'o clock showing and a nearly-empty theater. The entire day before I went to see it I felt excited, I had this butterfly sensation in my stomach. I was glad a friend was coming with me, so I'm not alone and even more afraid. Even though she spent most of the movie with her jacket wrapped around her with her head buried in it. Too bad for her, she missed most of the good scenes. But to be truthful, by the time I came out of the theater I was left with a feeling that I'd been cheated.
It's said a curse will be bestowed upon a certain place if someone dies there in the "grip of a powerful rage." And boy does someone die in a pretty powerful rage. Some really minor spoilers coming up. That's basically the plot of the movie. Sarah Michelle Gellar is in Tokyo, Japan and has to tend to a sickly old woman living in a creepy old house. Soon after does she start experiencing supernatural encounters. Now, I was a bit confused by this, but I'll try to sort it out: a young woman is killed by her husband for being infatuated with another man. Years later, another young lady named Yoko hears old noises coming from the attic, and goes to investigate. And is brutally murdered. Hmmm. I hope I got it right.
I won't dig deeper into the plot, since I most likely got a few facts wrong as it is, since I saw the film the summer of last year and I tend to forget these things quickly. Anyways, this flick certainly had its fair share of creepy - and sometimes scream worthy - scenes. Be prepared for some spoilers that might ruin the movie for you if you haven't seen it yet. I found the following scenes pretty scary: in the beginning, when Yoko is investigating the attic, and suddenly we see...a thing, a woman I believe. Cut to a scene where all we can see is Yoko's legs flailing as she's being attacked. Whoo. Well, one thing this movie does well is take our common views on everyday life and reverse them. Like the scene when the woman is in her apartment, hiding in fear in her bed with the covers pulled up to her neck, and suddenly something starts traveling up the length of the bed. When the covers are lifted we see a pleasant shot of Yoko's gray and dead-like face, with large empty eyes. It plays well on our view that we're safe in our room, in the safety of our warm covers on our bed.
As for the ending, I'd say it was pretty mediocre. S.M.G. realizes her boyfriend has went to the cursed house and is in serious risk of dying, and needs to get him the hell outta there. I think the way the woman makes her way down the stairs is a bit too repetitive with The Ring. Isn't that the way Samara crawled out of the TV? Well I thought the ending was a bit too fast paced and in your face. Too in your face to the point where we aren't scared. I'd give this movie 7/10 stars, because I got some good chills from it but in the long run there are many other horror movies worth watching.