Scream Bloody Entertainment

As you may have heard by now, I finally got my top-20-of-2009 list done, which I worked quite hard on. It took more time to write all those little short reviews than I thought it would, so I didn't really have much time for movies. I did watch a few good ones though, and that's about all I needed. I don't know if you noticed or not, but I didn't really include horror flicks into my top 20 list (and there we go again... I just can't stop talking about it), but that's only because I decided to save them for my top-horror-movies-of-the-year list, which I'll be posting soon enough. I'm glad I did that, because that way I got to have more space for a couple of more movies that I wanted into my top 20. But enough of that - here's what I watched last week:

22.03.10

Grace (2009) - 3/10
I’m not one to quit movies before they end, but Grace really made me reconsider that. This is literally one of the most boring movies I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t matter if it was scary, gory, or anything else a horror movie should be – first thing filmmakers need to realize is that a movie needs to be entertaining. And Grace certainly wasn’t. The whole thing with the “vampire” baby and the maternity was quite disturbing, I admit. I’ve read that it’s more disturbing for males than it is for females, and I can pretty much concur. The last scene was deeply gross, and most of the gory scenes were quite gory indeed, but the film ultimately fails. The script is average at most, and some of the dialogue that comes out of the characters’ mouths was stunningly… stupid. The story was far from interesting, and taking it all in a slow pace wasn’t very smart. I say you stay away from this movie, unless you’re a devoted fan of horror flicks and new ideas (even if new isn’t necessarily good), in which case you should give it a go, just so as to see for yourself how mind numbingly boring it really is. Good luck if you do.

25.03.10

Fight Club (1999) - 10/10
Yeah… I can’t believe me it took me ten freaking years to actually decide to watch this movie. Everyone said how awesome it is and such, but for some reason I wasn’t attracted to the flick. I’m guessing it had something to do with the misleading title, and since I never read the book or even heard of it, I always assumed it was some flick about dudes fighting in some competition. I was so naïve that I didn’t even bother to take a look at some info just to see if it’s possibly not about something else. I’m really glad I finally got around to rent it, because to put it quite frankly, it is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. I still don’t know how this flick does it, though I’m guessing it’s a genius combination of fast-paced storytelling, appropriate length, top-notch acting and flawless scripting. I was so happy that this movie worked so well, that I was literally smiling throughout most of the movie, gazing in awe at the surreal beauty that took place right before my very own eyes. To reveal anything about the plot of Fight Club would be one of the most immoral acts committed against humanity. If you didn’t get to see this movie yet, don’t be a fool like I was, and go watch it as soon as possible.

26.03.10

Donnie Brasco (1997) - 6/10
Donnie Brasco was a relatively good movie, but I expected much more from it. The cast had huge potential, especially with actors like Al Pacino and Johnny Depp as the leading men and Anne Heche and Michael Madsen in supporting roles. The directing and cinematography were pretty bad, from what I could tell, and the script was rather shallow. The movie remained half-interesting throughout and some scenes were quite unnecessary. Johnny Depp and Al Pacino both delivered excellent performances, but their characters were underdeveloped and weak. To my surprise, I didn’t like Michael Madsen as much as I thought I would – he seemed to be doing a pretty average job, but that may be due to the tasteless script, and his character receiver far less screentime than it would have deserved, since he played a rather important part throughout the movie. If you want to see Madsen at the top of his game, check out Reservoir Dogs and leave this one alone. There some good stuff in this movie, though; for example Al Pacino’s final scene is simply heartbreaking and flawlessly performed. You may want to give this one a go if you’re into gangster flicks or crime films, but don’t fall for the fact that it’s so highly rated – you may end up being disappointed.

27.03.10

Shutter Island (2010) - 8/10
It took me one hell of a time to go see Martin Scorsese’s new film, Shutter Island, but now that I finally see it I can proudly say that I wasn’t disappointed. The movie didn’t exactly go in the direction I was hoping for, but I don’t regret that. Before I begin getting into more deeper stuff, I have to say that Shutter Island is worth seeing especially due to the visuals and the cinematography, which is way beyond awesome – words cannot describe how fitting the atmosphere that this film summons forth. First off, Leonardo DiCaprio did one heck of a job and I’ll be damned if he doesn’t even get nominated for this performance. I’m not sure what to say about the film’s genre… it’s a thriller in pure blood, but some scenes are quite disturbing and there are several jump-scenes to make this movie a horror film as well. Don’t go in expecting a thriller, thinking that Martin Scorsese couldn’t possibly make a horror film – I did that and I was surprised to see how terrifying this was. I’m sure you all have heard that there is a twist, but don’t expect too much of it. It’s far less than you may think, and Scorsese decided to incorporate it more into the story and giving a thorough and logical explanation, rather than going with the highway and deciding to shock the audience. As a matter of fact, I’m glad he decided to do it this way, because it works far much better in contrast with the ending, which dare I say is one of the best in film history. I’ve honestly never seen an ending so powerful that leaves so much to interpretation. The final line spoken in the movie simply turns the whole thing into a tragedy, an excellent drama which is played out slowly, but after you hear that last line, you realize just how amazing this film really is. This is Martin Scorsese at the top of his game, folks. Shutter Island may not be his best movie, but it certainly did not disappoint.

“The rush of battle is a potent and often lethal addiction, for war is a drug.” - Chris Hedges

The war in Iraq is starting to become an attractive subject in popular culture. More and more TV shows and movies have started to portray this unfortunate conflict, but not many of them have managed to capture the essence and tragedy present in reality. This is where The Hurt Locker steps into the picture: despite its surprising lack of popularity, it is one of the most critically acclaimed movies of 2009.

The Hurt Locker, directed by Kathryn Bigelow (who was married to James Cameron) and written by Mark Boal, is a war thriller/drama that deals mainly with the psychological consequences of the war in Iraq. Few films have actually dared to meddle with this subject, most of them relying only on action to feed the viewer’s hunger. The Hurt Locker is different – it’s not just a war movie, it’s much more than that.

The plot is centered around a bomb squad led by Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner) who maybe likes his job a little bit too much. Most of the movie we’ll be following him and the rest of the team all over Iraq while they’re doing their job.


The movie opens with a quote from the book War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning: “The rush of battle is a potent and often lethal addiction, for war is a drug.” You may not get it at first (I though it was rather cheesy in the beginning), but by the end of the movie you’ll realize just how perfectly this quote really fits – it has a deeper meaning, much like the film itself.

While the acting isn’t anything special, there is one particular performance that shines: Anthony Mackie as Sergeant JT Sanborn, one of the members of the bomb squad. He plays his part really well and contributes with a lot of emotion to crucial scenes. Another performance that I really enjoyed was that of Jeremy Renner, who plays Staff Sergeant James, the main character in The Hurt Locker. He does really well with his role, but I felt like he overacted at times.


It doesn’t seem fair to call Jeremy Renner’s character the protagonist, since the rest of the team members get pretty much the same amount of screen time. These 3 soldiers (SSgt. James, Sgt. Sanborn and Specialist Owen Eldridge, the latter one not having mentioned before) are the heart and soul of this movie and thanks to a brilliant script they are surprisingly complex individuals, especially for a war movie.

I’m glad I saw The Hurt Locker – it’s far much more than just a war movie. I’d pretty much recommend this movie to everyone, even though it’s a rather melancholic experience. If you want to see something new, daring and thought-provoking then The Hurt Locker is more than just a good choice. Enjoy it!

The year 2009 came and went, and thus another decade said its sweet goodbye. Plenty of movies have come our way, and I, for one, am generally satisfied with how things played out in the past year. It's time to take a look at my favourite films of the year!


20. I Love You, Man
19. Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
18. Black Dynamite
17. A Serious Man
16. Adventureland
15. Star Trek
14. (500) Days of Summer
13. The Messenger
12. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
11. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Now let's take a look at the top 10 of 2009!





Moon marks a fine directorial debut for Duncan Jones – one that any filmmaker would be honoured to have. Astronaut Sam Bell (played by Sam Rockwell) works on the Moon collecting resources for a mining company alongside his robotic assistant GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey), but the loneliness is beginning to get to him as he is nearing the end of his three-year contract. Moon is a truly unique film and it belongs to a different breed of sci-fi flicks, as it focuses on the individual in space rather than space itself. The small budget didn’t stop this movie from looking as beautiful as possible, and Moon brings forth a series of stunning and breathtaking shots.



George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a travelling businessman whose job is firing people for companies unwilling to do it themselves, who is assigned to show a newcomer (played by Anna Kendrick) in his line of work how things are done. Vera Farmiga stars as Ryan’s love interest, a woman who shares his interest of travelling by plane. Soon Ryan will realize that his philosophy isn’t exactly what he thought it would be, and his life may be just the illusion of a true purpose. In Up in the Air, Jason Reitman creates a story that can connect with everyone and will the audience taking a look at their own lives, wondering whether they are satisfied with it or not.



The adaptation to the beloved comic books has finally made its way to the big screen. Some were disappointed, others loved it. Regardless, Watchmen stands among the best superhero flicks to come out in the last couple of years, and its epic running time is guaranteed to please even the most hardcore audience. Benefitting from Zack Snyder’s uncompromising direction and top-notch cinematography, Watchmen is indeed an exquisite work.



Up tells the heartbreaking, yet upbeat story of an elderly widower who goes on a final adventure in memory of his late wife. Pixar has released a lot of great movies over the years, but Up is probably one of their very best animation films up to date. There are a lot of factors that make this flick so good, such as the tear-jerking first minutes, the light-hearted, simple humour and the haunting score. It doesn’t matter if you like animations or not, it doesn’t matter how old you are – Up will connect with you in a way you could have never imagined.



Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee play a father and a son struggling for survival in a post-apocalyptic world devoid of all hope and full of danger. Based on the award-winning book of the same name, The Road is a grim tale that portrays the end of humanity darker and more depressing than most films of the genre. The movie is filled with several remarkable scenes that will invoke panic, fear and anxiety into the viewer’s heart, a feat that many similar movies have neglected or failed to accomplish.



A large alien spacecraft lands in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the early eighties and the aliens aboard the ship are enclosed inside a camp called District 9. Nearly thirty years later, the government decides to relocate the aliens to a new camp, and Wikus van de Merwe is assigned to leading the relocation. Soon things take a bad turn for Wikus after he is exposed to a mysterious substance, after which he gradually mutates into an alien. District 9 explores the relationship between humans and the unknown, while deliberately experimenting with themes of racism and xenophobia. Neill Blomkamp makes his feature film debut a memorable one, and delivers one of the most interesting sci-fi movies of the decade.



The Hurt Locker follows an elite Army bomb squad throughout Iraq as they struggle to defuse bombs in various life-threatening situations. Jeremy Renner plays Staff Sergeant William James, the leader of the EOD squad, and along with Anthony Mackie as Sergeant J. T. Sanborn and Brian Geraghty as Specialist Owen Eldridge, makes up for one hell of a team on the big screen. Kathryn Bigelow’s direction and Mark Boal’s top-notch script turn this war movie into one of the best of its genre.



Coraline is a stubborn young girl who is being ignored by her parents and not taken seriously by adults in general, but she soon discovers a secret passageway to another world which seems to be the utopian replica of her former life. Dakota Fanning’s voice is fits perfectly for Coraline’s headstrong personality, and her character is one of the most intriguing ones in animation movies yet. Coraline is an excellent movie, and its stop-motion animation works well. The world conjured in Coraline is as creepy and imaginative as it can get, and the adventures that we are taken along in are unforgettable.



It is the year 2154 and Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington) is sent to Pandora to take part in the Avatar Program, an operation intended to improve relationship with the planet’s inhabitants, the Na’vi, by growing Na’vi-human hybrid bodies operated by trained humans. Jake soon encounters Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), a female Na’vi who rescues him from the clutches of a wild animal, and they start developing a love relationship. Revered filmmaker James Cameron leads this groundbreaking film that turns the 3D feature into a fully-developed and significant aspect of a movie. Avatar may not offer the best story-wise, but witnessing this film in 3D may be one of the most memorable experiences in a movie buff’s life.



...and the winner is...



With Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino delivers what may be one of the best of his work since Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs back in the nineties. After tackling genres such as gangster films, martial arts flicks and exploitation movies, he takes us on a journey through war movies and spaghetti westerns, while changing history for World War II – a feat only he could attempt at. A group of Jewish-American soldiers known as “The Basterds” venture in Nazi occupied France with one single purpose: killin’ Nazis. This movie features an amazing cast comprised of actors from various different countries, with headliners Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Diane Kruger and Eli Roth leading the film. Several languages are spoken throughout the movie, including English, German, French and Italian, which take Tarantino’s famous dialogue to a whole new level. The cinematography is excellent, and the screenplay written by Quentin Tarantino may quite possibly be the best of the decade. There’s not a single reason for anyone not to see this movie, so if you didn’t get to see it yet, I strongly suggest you correct that mistake and watch it.

And there you have it. So what do you think? What were your favourite movies of the year? Let me know!

I've had quite a busy week this time, especially because I was working on my top 20 movies of 2009 list. Who would've thought that it would be so hard to decide which movie to place at what number? I think it took me more than an hour deciding between two movies. That's over now, and as you may have already heard, I've finished my top 20 list - I actually already posted numbers 20 to 11, and soon I'll follow with the top 10, so keep your eyes open! Alright, let's get to the movie part: like I mentioned before, I had a busy week so I didn't get to see many movies, but I'll make up for that during the Easter holidays, which shall be arriving next week. I can hardly wait!

15.03.10

Scent of a Woman (1992) - 8/10
Al Pacino plays in Scent of a Woman one of his most challenging roles in his career, and nails the part perfectly. No other actor would have played the part better than him, and his performance was simply one of the most amazing I’ve seen in my life. I can’t stress enough how awesome Al Pacino was in this one, but I’ll try to talk a bit about the movie as well. The script was great and Pacino’s character (there we go again) was as intriguing and intimidating as Joe Pesci in Goodfellas or Samuel Jackson in Pulp Fiction. Chris O’Donnell delivered an impressive performance as well, even though it could never compete with Pacino’s tour de force. I was a little turned off by the cheesy ending, but the movie was amazing nonetheless. A must-see for every fan of Al Pacino.

16.03.10

Dead Snow (2009) - 7/10
What’s more awesome than a bunch of Nazi zombies chasing a couple of clueless victims through the snowy mountains of Norway? Yum! And who could forget the various references to some classic horror movies? This horror flick was simply awesome – there were some well-done jump scenes and tons of humour during the film. I totally recommend this to anyone who loves horror movies.





20.03.10

Gladiator (2000) - 9/10
I remember seeing parts of this one when I was younger, but my parents didn’t let me watch it with them because it was too “gory.” I finally decided to rent it and watch it the way I always wanted to. I can safely say that it’s one of the best films of the past decade, and Russell Crowe outdid himself in this one. Kudos to Ridley Scott for directing such an epic picture, it really is an astonishing movie.

The Stepfather (2009) - 4/10
I’m not exactly sure why I watched this one… I knew how it was all gonna play out even before I started watching. I did notice that the directing was quite good and the movie is far from being cheap, but in the end it’s just another horror movie with the same clichés and situations I’ve seen before. The only positive thing about The Stepfather is Amber Heard (her acting was average at best, but that’s not the point), who was half-naked most of the movie. It’s sad to see filmmakers use something like nudity and hot chicks to make more money, but I guess that’s the only way movies like this one would ever make any money. Too bad – it had some potential.

Another year is upon us and we've had a couple of great movies come our way in 2009. There were a lot of exciting things one shouldn't miss, from Quentin Tarantino changing World War II to James Cameron revolutionizing the way future movies will be made. We've seen superheroes kick ass, aliens fight for their rights in Africa, an old man going on a final adventure in memory of his late wife and a troubled father struggling to keep his son alive in a dark post-apocalyptic world. We've seen food raining from the sky, a pregnant teenager trying to escape the clutches of her abusive mother and Aurors battling Death Eaters in an epic battle of magic and sorcery. Ah yes, 2009 was indeed a great year and a satisfying end to the decade. There's many movies to check out from last year, but here are some flicks you definitely shouldn't miss.

Noteworthy films - here are some flicks that have been a pleasant surprise for me and I really enjoyed them: 17 Again, An Education, Bandslam, The White Ribbon, The Blind Side, The Informant!, Two Lovers, Whip It, X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Honorable mentions (these didn't get into the top 20, but they're definitely the next movies on the list): Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, Brothers, Crazy Heart, Ice Age: Dawn of Dinosaurs, Knowing, Sherlock Holmes, The Brothers Bloom, The Hangover, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans.



Paul Rudd plays Peter, a soon-to-be-married fellow who goes on a series of man-dates in order to find a best man for his wedding (he seems to have lacked male friends all of his life). Jason Segel makes his way into the picture as the “dude” who instantly bonds with Peter due to his blunt and amiable personality. This lovely flick is not only a great comedy with a bunch of priceless laughs every now and then, but it is also a prime example of the bromance genre, which will hopefully become more popular in the future. Watch this one for the laughs and the incomparable chemistry between Paul Rudd and Jason Segel.

A grim and troublesome urban life led by an overweight teenager turns towards a ray of hope after she enrolls into an alternative school. Claireece “Precious” Jones is pregnant with her second child and is constantly abused by her mother, but she finds solace in the arms of a teacher and a social worker. Director Lee Daniels fearlessly directs this excruciating tale of hate, violence and salvation, together with Gabourey Sidibe as Precious and Mo’Nique as her abusive and malevolent mother. This movie is honest and pure towards its intentions, but it may be too much for some to endure. Excellent performance by both Sidibe and Mo’Nique.

Black Dynamite pays tribute to the classic blaxploitation movies of the seventies, but it is also a solid enough flick to hold its own place amongst the best of the genre. The movie follows the “adventures” of former CIA agent Black Dynamite as he opens several cans of whoop ass on the people responsible for his brother’s death. It is one of those rare movies where you get to smile from start to finish at the marvellous picture that unfolds before your eyes. You’ve got it all in this flick: from the ripped hero kicking ass and taking names to the intentional bad acting and ridiculous fights – all of that covered with a dose of funky music that completes the atmosphere perfectly. Black Dynamite is fun, funny and pretty damn awesome.

The Coen brothers delight us yet again with another one of their works as they bring a serious movie to life. Larry Gopnik (played by Michael Stuhlbarg) is a Jewish college professor whose life is turned upside down after a series of sudden incidents in this unusual black comedy drama. Joel and Ethan Coen direct this one with the same elegance we’ve witnessed in every other one of their movies and they manage to turn an apparently dull subject into something that can connect with everyone. Only they can find magnificence in such common things and for that they are the best at their craft. A Serious Man may not be for everyone, but the ones familiar with the Coen brothers’ work will immediately recognize this gem of a movie.

Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart star in this wonderful coming-of-age flick directed by the director of Superbad, Greg Mottola. The teenage years never looked as sweet, beautiful and pure as depicted in Adventureland, which takes us back to the eighties where James Brennan (Eisenberg) is a college graduate who takes a summer job at a local amusement park. This flick is not only fun, but it is also smart and free of the clichés that have plagued other movies of the genre.

J. J. Abrams directs this reboot of the original series with a fresh new cast and a ton of breathtaking special effects. Star Trek takes place in an alternate reality where a Romulan ship led by the vengeful Nero travels back into the past and kills George Kirk, which ultimately leads to a whole new timeline where James, Spock and the rest of the crew meet under different circumstances. Abrams successfully revives the franchise through a beautiful looking film, which provides enough fun, entertainment and action to connect with any audience, no matter how unfamiliar with the subject matter.

Joseph Gorgon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel star in this brilliant little flick centred around the curious relationship between a woman who doesn’t believe in true love and a young man who may have just found it. Marc Webb directs his feature length debut with a rare ability to evoke feelings of love, heartbreak and innocence – a remarkable feat. Unlike many other romance flicks, this one can easily relate with the audience, especially due to the uncommon chemistry between the lead actors and the perfectly fitting soundtrack. This is not a love story – it’s much more than that.

An American soldier returns home from Iraq only to find himself assigned to the rather dull job of being a messenger delivering news to the families of the ones lost in the war, but he soon discovers that this task is more difficult than he expected. Ben Foster delivers another one impressive performance and Woody Harrelson plays his role with noteworthy proficiency, and their performances alone are worth watching this film for.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was one of the most exciting and absorbing books of the series, and so is the movie adaptation. A new year at Hogwarts awaits Harry and his friends, and things soon begin to take an interesting turn after Harry discovers an old book belonging to someone known as the Half-Blood Prince. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is not only an excellent adaptation, but it also carefully descends towards a darker atmosphere, which marks the transition to the last episode of the series.

This cheerful animation works well thanks to a remarkable sense of creativity, a ton of funny one-liners and some fast-paced action that keeps the film from ever approaching a state of boredom. Aspiring inventor Flint Lockwood finds himself to be the catalyst of an odd event after one of his experiments goes wrong and food starts raining from the sky. Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Andy Samberg and many more lend their voice in this wondrous flick that’ll keep you entertained and laughing during its whole length.


That's about it for now. So what do you think? Do you agree, do you disagree? Which are your favourite movies? Do let me know, I love talking about movies with you guys! The top 10 shall be posted soon (maybe even tomorrow). I know it's hard to wait, so I'll give you a hint for the number 10 movie on the list: it takes place on the Moon. First one to guess correctly gets a cookie!

Another week has passed and I'm getting more and more addicted to movies (as if that could even be possible). It seems as though I can't survive a day without watching a movie... and that's a good thing! I finally managed to catch up with a few movies of 2009 and now I'm preparing my list of best movies of 09, which I shall post during the following days. I really hope you will get to check it out, because I really worked hard on that one. Every movie will come with a special description about the plot and what makes the film so good. I don't know how many movies to add in the top... 20 seems like enough. I'll probably also be adding some honourable mentions, but more on that after it's finished. Now let's check out the films I watched last week!

08.03.10

Jennifer's Body (2009) - 5/10
This flick was surprisingly enjoyable. Sure, it was still pretty average and clichéd, but it was far from horrible. I was kind of prepared for the worst after the things I've heard about it and seeing that Megan Fox was playing the main character I realized that it couldn't be a very good movie. While I was not entirely wrong, it turned out to be much better than I could have ever hoped for. The acting was quite mediocre, but the script was brilliant at times, which made it all the more entertaining. And who wouldn't appreciate that kissing scene? Oooh...

09.03.10

The Box (2009) - 3/10
I'm not sure what this movie wanted to be, but I can easily tell you what it actually was: an idea. It doesn't matter if that idea was good or bad - that's not the point. The whole problem was that the "idea" was underdeveloped, or undeveloped, as a matter of fact. Nothing really made sense in the film, but I kept on watching hoping that I would find some closure at the end. But no, it seems as though writer and director Richard Kelly decided not to explain a single thing, which led to the movie leaving behind a couple of unforgivable plotholes. Very disappointing movie, especially considering that it was written and directed by by the same person who gave us Donnie Darko. The Box is not only a big let-down, but also a horrible flick. Avoid.

11.03.10

The Messenger (2009) - 7/10
It only took me a couple of minutes to realize that this movie was gonna be great. Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster proved yet again that they are remarkable actors. The script was great and the directing was good as well. The film kind of reminded me of Up in the Air with the whole veteran-takes-on-apprentice-and-shows-him-the-ropes theme, but it certainly didn't lack originality.

13.03.10

Black Dynamite (2009) - 7/10
Holy hell! Where did this movie come from? It seems as though the gods decided to award humanity with one of the loveliest gifts one could possible receive: a blaxploitation masterpiece straight from the seventies, complete with the bad acting, the cheesy dialogue and the ridiculous music that these films were so (in)famous for. This is the reason why I love the films so much - every once in a while I stumble upon such a remarkable piece of filmmaking and my heart simply goes wild. If you're a fan of exploitation films and of the cheesiness that the seventies were so full of, then you mustn't miss this.

Crazy Heart (2009) - 7/10
This is obviously The Wrestler of 2009, but this flick is more than just a cheap copy. It's original, it's got heart and it features top-notch acting. Jeff Bridges delivers a truly flawless performance, which is quite possibly the best I've witnessed in the last couple of years. Maggie Gyllenhaal was quite impressive herself, but this film was obviously centered around Bridges' performance, and rightly so. It may not be as good as The Wrestler, but Jeff Bridges was as excellent as Mickey Rourker, if not even better.

Coraline (2009) - 8/10
I certainly didn't expect Coraline to be so impressive. The visuals in the film are simply enchanting and Dakota Fanning was the perfect voice for her character. It was around 1 AM when I started to watch the movie and I'll never forget the feeling of creepiness that got ahold of me for the next hour. It was definitely not a scary flick, but it was incredibly eerie and creepy the whole time. This movie was succeeded in all important parts: it managed to keep me entertained the whole time, it painted a picture so dark and creepy that no other animation film could possibly achieve and the story was quite interesting. And that's why Coraline is my favourite animation movie of 2009.

14.03.10

The White Ribbon (2009) - 6/10
I was quite disappointed with this one. The White Ribbon was not as impressive as everyone made it out to be, and lacks a great deal of entertainment which would be required to even keep the audience interested. I understand the message this movie sent, and I appreciate it, but the film left me rather unsatisfied and let down. Kudos for the cinematography, though - really impressive.

The Road (2009) - 8/10
I was waiting for a movie like this one for quite some time now. The Road captures the grim picture of the post-apocalyptic world like no other before, and it portrays the end of the world just like I imagined it to be. I was looking for a movie to do that for quite some time now, but I never really found one until now. Viggo Mortensen delivered quite an impressive performance and every other actor did good as well. I have finally found my favourite movie revolving around the end of the world, and for that I am very thankful. Check it out if you haven't already.

“That is not dead which can eternal lie and with strange aeons even death may die.” - H.P. Lovecraft

When was the last time you saw a movie that scared you? I’m not talking about the cheap jump scenes and the fancy gore horror movies use today – these only work for a few seconds, after which you realize how pathetic these tricks actually are. I’m talking about movies that truly shape the meaning of horror: movies that will disturb you and keep you watching over your shoulder every few minutes while you’re in the dark; movies that will make you check your doors, the windows and even your closet before you go to sleep. Such movies are really rare to find and one can usually count them on the fingers. Yet once in a while you stumble across a new and promising horror movie and you hear the kid inside of you begging you not to watch it, but you just can’t back away…

You don’t have to be a fan of horror movies or show more than usual interest in films to have heard of Paranormal Activity. Believe it or not, this low-budget flick (and I mean really low-budget… like hardcore) was one of the biggest box office hits in 2009. Some say that it’s one of the scariest movies of all time. Hell, it even spooked Steven Spielberg out, who seemed to be convinced that his copy of the movie was haunted.


Written and directed by Oren Peli, Paranormal Activity tells the story (loosely based on real events) of Katie and Micah, a couple living in suburban San Diego, California. Katie claims that she has been haunted by a ghost-like presence ever since she was young. Micah buys a video camera, hoping to capture some sort of paranormal activity on film. He decides to place the camera on a tripod in the bedroom during the night. Soon things start to become weird and unpleasantly eerie: objects start moving by themselves, strange sounds of footsteps and thuds can be heard and even some moving shadows can be seen. Every night seems to get worse. I’m not gonna say anything else - I wouldn’t want to spoil your fun (“fun” may not be the appropriate term).

Unlike most horror movies, Paranormal Activity does not feel dumb. Thanks to the two lead actors Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat, but also due to the fact that the script is way above average, the characters never seem to be taking any wrong or stupid decisions – this is the first time in a movie where I felt like I would’ve done exactly the same thing, instead of complaining about some random blonde chick. Both lead actors delivered amazing performances (where the hell did Oren Peli find them?) that never seemed to be overdone and were very well balanced.


As mentioned before, Paranormal Activity is filmed with a home camera, much like The Blair Witch Project, which is probably the most similar movie it can be compared to. Both Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project are low-budget horror movies that have reached worldwide success after their release. Many will complain about Paranormal Activity because of this, but the movie is far from being a rip-off: it’s actually pretty original, and while ghosts and paranormal events may not be quite a new subject, the way this film approaches the situation is really unique. You may feel a little turned off by the cheap look and amateurish way the movie was filmed in (I know I was, at first). I kind of disliked that idea as well, but after a few minutes into the movie I started to feel quite comfortable with the whole concept of “amateur footage.” By the end I actually realized that Paranormal Activity wouldn’t have been as effective had it been filmed in any other way.

It’s been over a week since I’ve seen Paranormal Activity (I usually take my time with reviews), but even as I’m writing this review I feel the fear and paranoia coming back. I’m not sure about you, but I can definitely not think of many movies that had such a huge impact on me. I’ve seriously been checking my closet every time I enter my room. It all depends on the way you watch this movie, though: you can’t expect to be scared if you’re watching Paranormal Activity in the morning while drinking beer with your buddies (that may be a little far-stretched, but you get my drift). Paranormal Activity is definitely the most powerful horror movie to come out in the last couple of years, and if watched under the right circumstances may quite possibly be the scariest film you’ve ever seen.

“Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war that we know about peace, more about killing that we know about living.” – Omar N. Bradley

A film adaptation of Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore’s comic book Watchmen has been in discussion ever since 20th Century Fox acquired the rights to making one back in 1986. The project went through a lot of changes during the years, ranging from the script being rewritten several times to the whole thing getting transferred to Warner Bros. due to a turnaround. Various directors and actors were assigned to the movie but many of the dropped out after realizing that the project wasn’t going anywhere. Most of the issues that arose and put the production on hold were mainly due to the high budget that was required to actually film the adaptation and the fact that the movie would have to be incredibly long for the story to even begin to make sense to the general public. It was also suggested that a miniseries should be filmed instead of an actual movie, but that idea didn’t go too far either.

Warner Bros. approached Zack Snyder in 2005 to direct the adaptation of Watchmen after being impressed with his work on 300. From that moment on Snyder was on board for the project and four years later, in 2009, a film adaptation of Watchmen would finally make its way to the big screen. Many people doubted that Snyder’s movie will remain loyal to the comic books, mostly because of the insane amount of details and the overall length of the story was impossible to reproduce with decent enough accuracy. That may have been true under any other circumstances, yet Zack Snyder not only managed to give the fans what they wanted, but he also created a movie good enough to appeal to the general audience as well.


Coming at a length of around three hours (more or less so depending on which version you’re watching), Watchmen is one hell of a movie. The best part about it is that it’s twice as long as an average film and still as entertaining as it can possibly get. Time flies by pretty quickly when you’re watching the movie, but the feeling of immensity remains intact. Watchmen may be orientated towards a target audience, but the writers were smart enough to make the story accessible enough to the ones unfamiliar with the comic books as well. I didn’t have the slightest idea what Watchmen was about (although I kind of expected to see superheroes flying around in rubber suits) and I still understood the plot perfectly well, so you shouldn’t encounter any problems with that.

The events in Watchmen take place in an alternate reality during the height of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. This alternate world is a grim depiction of a dystopia where violence is as common as any other thing and a nuclear war threatening to wipe out humanity is knocking at the door. Superheroes that were once praised and admired for their efforts in fighting crime and aiding their country are now despised, forsaken and cast out by society. This is not your typical superhero story – the heroes and villains are more characterized by shades of grey rather than the usual black and white attributed to the good and bad guys. The barrier between light and dark is almost inexistent and one could even confuse the superheroes with villains at times.


The film’s introductory credits have quite a creative look and they appear on the screen as a series of carefully designed letters coloured by an intense yellow just like the title of the movie. They are place on seemingly random parts of the screen during which we are given a brief overview of the origin of superheroes and, more importantly, the first league of these masked crime fighters known as the Minutemen. This small introduction is more relevant than just informing us of the cast and crew of the movie – it takes us through a series of slow-motion segments depicting important events that lead to the actual story which takes place during the middle eighties. The moody tune of The Times They Are a-Changin’ by Bob Dylan is played in the background and his voice coupled with the soothing rhythm of the acoustic guitar relates to the plot much more than one would think.

Watchmen begins with the murder of one Edward Blake, a government agent who turns out to be the Comedian, a retired superhero and former member of the Crimebusters, who were a group of vigilantes before disbanding in the late seventies after the government forbade “costumed adventuring.” Rorschach, one of the last Crimebusters to remain active, discovers Blake’s true identity following some “investigations” of his own. He believes that someone plans on eliminating the superheroes (the Comedian was not the first one to get killed) and proceeds to warn his former teammates, specifically Nite Owl, Dr. Manhattan and Silk Spectre. Little do any of them know that they are about to uncover a threat bigger than anyone could imagine.


The look of Watchmen paints a dark picture and certain elements of the noir genre appear throughout the movie and strongly influence the sinister and gloomy night-time in the city during which most of the film takes place. The moral values and the duality between the heroic and malevolent deeds of the central characters further accentuate this feeling. Perhaps the character most focused on in the film would be Dr. Manhattan. Previously known as Jon Osterman, he found himself possessing near god-like powers ranging from superhuman strength and telekinesis to teleportation after a nuclear physics experiment goes wrong. His evolution is more exemplified than that of any other main character and Zack Snyder takes his time in showing us how he came to be so emotionless and indifferent towards the human race from the ambitious and optimistic young scientist he once was. Even though Dr. Manhattan has the most interesting powers and appearance, he fails to become really interesting and remains a neutral character during the whole movie.

Rorschach is by far the most intriguing character in the movie and his development is quite impressive. We are given a swift look into his past through a series of flashbacks, much like the ones involving Dr. Manhattan. Rorschach has an extremely severe moral attitude and views the world as having a clear borderline between good and evil, and therefore he seeks to destroy evil by all means necessary. He often uses violence and intimidation to get what he wants and doesn’t mind eliminating anyone who stands in his way, which is another example of his antisocial personality and his habit of alienating himself from society. Rorschach is a fine portrait of the antihero and even though his actions are a mix of right and wrong like every other character in the film, he remains interesting and his time on the screen is gripping and fascinating.


Most of the actors deliver fairly good performances, but it is Billy Crudup, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Jackie Earle Haley that stand out from the crowd. Morgan’s charisma and appearance works perfectly well with his character, the Comedian, and that can be easily seen. Billy Crudup played his part as Dr. Manhattan quite well, and even though his character keeps a straight face throughout the majority of the film, Crudup delivers a marvellous display of emotion every time he gets the chance. Jackie Earle Haley is as equally impressive as the other two, and he shows the audience that he is the perfect man to play the part of Rorschach. He delivers his lines with unprecedented accuracy and his devotion to his character is fascinating. Other notable actors include Patrick Wilson as the second Nite Owl and Malin Akerman as Laurie Jupiter (or Silk Spectre II, if you will). Patrick Wilson failed to impress me, but this may have something to do with his character, which lacks development – it seems as though the writer didn’t care as much for this one. Malin Akerman’s performance was pretty average, but she did well enough so as not to interrupt or disturb the overall progress of the story. Matthew Goode appears in the movie as well, playing superhero Ozymandias, a former member of the Crimebusters and considered the smartest man on Earth.

It is not certain whether Zack Snyder managed to satisfy the fans or attract newcomers to the movie. Some praise the movie, others criticise it harshly for failing to deliver the promised goods. I am unable to compare it to the comic book as I have not been familiar with it when I watched the movie, but taking a look just at the film I can easily say that it succeeded in keeping me glued to the screen for no less than three whole hours, a feat which few movies have ever obtained. Watchmen is not only an excellent superhero movie, but it also tackles sensitive issues and lets us take a deeper look into the minds of heroes and villains while altogether maintaining an interesting image and an engaging, entertaining plot.