Scream Bloody Entertainment

“What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight – it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

Ever since the release of the 1987 movie, the Predator franchise has become a popular and well-known staple in action movies. Unlike the Alien franchise, which it has teamed up with in the Aliens vs. Predator series of films, Predator movies are known more for their entertainment value and cheesiness factor rather than groundbreaking pieces of work, much like Alien and Aliens were. It is safe to say that the crossover between these two franchises has not brought any of them too much good, thus coming to the conclusion that we didn’t get a solid Predator flick in 20 years. This makes 2010 a year worthy of a good celebration for the fans, since it marks the return of the franchise through the new Predators.

Produced by none other than Robert Rodriguez and directed by promising newcomer Nimród Antal (whose previous films include horror/thriller Vacancy and the 2009 crime thriller Armored), Predators seems to have started on the right foot and by the looks of it even has the potential to finally redeem the franchise. Easier said than done, though, since no one really makes cheesy flicks anymore and most sequels, reboots and remakes that have come our way in the last couple of years have been nothing more than a way to cash in some easy money.


It’s quite obvious that the title of the movie is a reference to Aliens (and it’s also nice to imagine that Predators may turn out to be to Predator what Aliens was to Alien), but it may hold a second meaning. The film is basically centred around a group of mercenaries and criminals who wake up in an unfamiliar jungle only to find out that they’re actually on another planet and are being hunted by an alien race for sport. This group of characters is a rather unique one since all of them come from different parts of the globe and have nothing to do with each other. In other words, it seems that each of them have been chosen due to their military skills and fighting abilities. Basically, they are the Earth’s predators. Hence the double meaning of the title.

It’s pretty obvious for everyone what direction this movie will take from the very first minutes, but anyone familiar with the franchise will know what to expect from this flick. The best thing about Predators is how easily it brings back that 80s stealthy atmosphere that Predator was all about and will make its target audience feel right at home. Most of this is achieved through the movie’s easygoing nature and the recurring cheesy elements that you’ll encounter along the way, but the film’s score is also a big part of why it works so well in relation to the original. The score is a fairly simplistic one, but its raw power and primitive sound works quite well with the movie and it nostalgically hints towards the original.


The cast of Predators is comprised of lots of proficient actors and most of them are very appropriate for the roles that they’re playing. The lead actors would probably be Adrien Brody and Alice Braga, but the rest of the cast also get a good amount of screen time as well. Brody does a surprisingly good job as the American soldier turned mercenary badass Royce and he brings a lot of edge and confidence to the role. I can’t say that Alice Braga has impressed me in other movies she acting in, but she handles her role as the hard-boiled female sniper Isabelle quite well. Other actors include Topher Grace, Walton Goggins, Danny Trejo and even Laurence Fishburne in a quick appearance.

Predators doesn’t wait a second to get into the action. The movie literally starts with Adrien Brody waking up in free fall and finds himself parachuting into the jungle. Soon enough he stumbles upon other “survivors” and the movie already starts kicking in full force. Most of the beginning act just focuses on this group exploring the surroundings and finding more and more clues about their whereabouts and why exactly they have been brought here. It takes some time to actually see a Predator on screen and there aren’t exactly as many as the trailer suggested, but this time there are different types of Predators, even though the difference between them isn’t too substantial.


It may not turn out to be what everyone expects, but Predators has a lot of good stuff going for it. First off, there are a few very memorable fight scenes that sort of pay off the lack of many Predators that the trailer pointed at. The pacing of the movie is also impressive and it prevents the movie from dragging on, which except for one misplaced scene it really doesn’t. I can’t say that I appreciated the twist since it felt very unnecessary and weak, but fortunately it didn’t ruin the movie as much as you’d expect. As for the ending, it was a pretty good way to close up the events that happened during the film and also briefly hinted at a possible sequel (which I frankly don’t mind at all).

To sum it up, Predators is far from a perfect action flick, but one has to remember that none of the films in the franchise really are. I thought Antal did a great job directing this movie and the actors delivered pretty good performances, which really helps a lot in this type of movies. There’s cheesiness to be had, yes, but it’s done in a very professional way and doesn’t feel forced in. As a fan of the original movie and one who loves these types of campy experiences, I have to say that Predators was a pretty satisfying sequel and it’s definitely one of the better movies to hit cinemas this year.

Life is the symptom. Death is the cure.

the plot
Anna leads a normal life, but after a car accident she wakes up in a funeral home only to find the funeral director preparing her body for her funeral. Is she really dead or does the funeral director intend on burying her alive?

the good
- interesting premise
- the movie sends out some deep messages
- Christina Ricci is naked half of the movie
- Justin Long finally gets to play a (somewhat) different character than usual
- Liam Neeson's acting
- the kid and his story

the bad
- nothing you haven't seen before
- turns into a predictable cliche-fest by the end
- unengaging plot
- shallow characters
- confusing ending
- runs out of ideas in the first ten minutes
- Liam Neeson's acting

the ugly
- some dead people here and there
- Christina Ricci looking like a corpse
- stitching up wounds
- Justin Long beating up children

things I learned from watching this movie
- taking a job as a funeral director may score you some hot "booty"
- some people can actually be convinced that they're dead
- a couple of injections and anyone can easily fake a death
- Justin Long isn't afraid of beating up children
- Christina Ricci has great pair of boobies

summary
After.Life had some good stuff going for it and it's safe to say that it had lots of potential, but most of that is wasted on a weak script, a cliche story that we've already seen executed in exactly the same way and a bunch of uninspiring performances. There are mostly no scares to be had with this one and there's minimal gore as well. Too bad it turned out the way it did, because it really could have been something.

horror meter: 2 dead stars (out of 5)

Not a lot to say about last week, except that time flies by so quickly when you're not paying attention. I wasn't really paying attention...

Monday

Solomon Kane (2010) - 6/10
I gotta say that Solomon Kane was a pretty good movie. We’re kind of short of fantasy flicks these days, so I kinda take what I can get, but that is not why I appreciate Solomon Kane. The movie itself sufferes from quite a few flaws and some are critical to its overall enjoyment, but it has enough good in it to make up for all that. First of all, the visuals are very impressive, especially considering its somewhat modest budget. The costumes and filming locations fit very well into the movie and its overall design is very neat and likeable. The other good thing about this movie is lead actor James Purefoy, who does a really good job at bringing his character to life and he also has a good screen presence. There are lots of things to complain about in Solomon Kane, but the movie was entertaining and felt fresh enough to leave that all aside and recommend it to everyone who enjoys a fantasy flick, especially one with a Lord of the Rings feel to it.

Tuesday

Dead Space: Downfall (2008) - 6/10
I didn’t expect much from this film, especially since it went straight to DVD and didn’t become as popular as expected even with a very successful game as its source. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this one and even though it didn’t go farther than I expected, it managed to deliver a good experience with its limited amount of resources. The design and animation are pretty weak, but the movie itself is very entertaining and really goes all the way in terms of gore and horror elements. Hell, even the script is weak, but I still enjoyed it. The good thing is that it delivers lots of action and horror, and the gore fits its style very well. Plus, it explains a few things about the game, which you’ll really appreciate if you’re a fan. Easily avoidable if you’re not familiar with the franchise, though.

Audition (2000) - 7/10
I can definitely see why Audition has become so popular among horror fans, but I can also see its flaws quite well. First I wanna say that this movie has one of the best and most gruesome climaxes from the last ten or so years, which really makes the movie worth watching. Aside from that, I have to say that the movie plays out in a rather slow manner (which is not to say that it is a boring movie, just that it may not be exactly what you expect from it) and there are only a couple of scenes which indicate to its horror side apart from the ending. To sum it all up: it’s definitely worth a watch if you’re a fan of the genre, enjoy Asian horror or just want something extreme to watch. Not many others will understand it or be able to appreciate it, though.

Funny Games (2008) - 7/10
Funny Games has to be one of the strangest films I have seen in quite a while. Its premise doesn’t seem so unusual, but the movie just gets stranger and stranger as it goes along. Basically this movie takes several movie cliches and throws them out the window, leaving the viewer completely disoriented and surprised. That’s not a bad thing, though, not in the case of this movie. I feel that Michael Haneke was desperately trying to prove a point and succeeded. The result is a movie like nothing I’ve ever seen before and it’s definitely worth a watch, probably even several ones in order to fully understand this film. What I have seen was the American remake, but since it’s pretty much redone shot-for-shot after the original, I don’t think matters too much which version you watch. That being said, I truly recommend this if you love movies; it will definitely give you something to talk about.

Wednesday

Good Will Hunting (1997) - 8/10
This is definitely one of those movies that is well deserving of all the praise that everyone gives it. First and foremost, the screenplay of Good Will Hunting is one of the best and brilliant ones I’ve ever seen for a movie and that script alone takes this movie half the way. The other half is made up by stellar, top-notch performances from pretty much the whole cast, especially Robin Williams. Furthermore, Good Will Hunting is also an inspiring and motivational movie and is a must-see for high school and college students all the way to professors and beyond. There’s also a lot of fun to be had with this movie, and putting aside a couple of sad, yet beautiful moments, the film itself has a lively aura to it, for the most part. I truly love this movie and I can’t see why anybody else wouldn’t.

Thursday

Slumdog Millionaire (2008) - 8/10
Few directors ever achieve what Danny Boyle has in Slumdog Millionaire. This amazing, heartbreaking movie tells a truly beautiful story through a top-notch screenplay and solid acting all the way. The film absorbs you in like you wouldn’t believe it, and even though it’s quite an intense experience, it feels refreshing as a whole. Not many modern movies manage to deliver everything Slumdog Millionaire did, especially in terms of originality and quality. There’s so much to mention about this movie, but it is enough to say that is such an inspiring, brilliant film that it would be a real shame to miss it.


Friday

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006) - 7/10
I love anime movies and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is yet another reason why this genre simply shines of originality and brilliance. The way this film portrayed time travel felt refreshing and pleasant. There are lots of things to admire about this anime flick, but there are also some flaws that I just can’t get past. As much as I love anime and as much as I enjoyed this movie, I can’t help but feel cheated about the way it ended. For lack of a better word, I felt that ending was rather childishly executed and really put the rest of the movie in a different light. Nevertheless, it remains a great anime movie and I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone who’s a fan of the genre.

Saturday

The Devil's Advocate (1997) - 6/10
The Devil’s Advocate was quite an interesting film, and even though it was pretty well made and delivered some really solid performances, I can’t help but feel nothing really special for it. The core of the story is rather simple and it’s just exhausting to watch how the film stuffs all these things so that it feels more complex. As much as I love Al Pacino’s acting, I just felt that he didn’t really belong in this movie (even though he was awesome as the Devil himself) and seemed that he couldn’t really show off his talent. Keanu Reeves was surprisingly good and I thoroughly enjoyed his performance. The rest of the cast didn’t shine too much, not even Charlize Theron. I wish the movie wouldn’t have been as lengthy and that it played out in a more fluid manner, but it was still an interesting watch. Plus, who knew Keanu Reeves could act?

Sunday

Summer Wars (2009) - 6/10
Woah… I really wasn’t prepared for a movie like Summer Wars, but I don’t think you can foresee a film like this one. It took like half the movie for me to even begin to comprehend where the whole thing was going, and that’s because Summer Wars has one of the weirdest story development I’ve ever seen. It seems like a normal flick at first, but then it starts mixing these elements that would never go together if one thought about it. The result is one odd experience, albeit a pleasant one as well. As much as this film tried to deliver something new and original, there were still some cliches present, especially regarding the feel-good ending. Nevertheless, I had a lot of fun with this one and definitely recommend it for a watch.

The virus has struck so quickly that there wasn't any time left to fight back. One by one they fell to the powers of the virus as the epidemic kept growing larger and larger. I too have finally fallen prey to this epidemic of mass murder that is being committed by a virtual army of unidentified assassins. The first known host of this virus is Andre Dumas over at The Horror Digest. This disease only seems to affect horror bloggers for the most part, but who knows how much it will spread in the future.

So without further ado, I give onto you my list of the rightfully called "Willy Inducing Moments." Enjoy and don't let the boogeyman get you!

WARNING! May contain spoilers for certain movies.

• Donnie Darko (2001) - Donnie meets Frank the Bunny

I gotta tell you, I really didn’t know much about the movie when I watched Donnie Darko. It was a time when I would just randomly watch any movie with a high enough rating on IMDb, and this was one of them. I got a weird vibe about this film right from the start, but it was when I heard that distorted voice saying “Wake up.” that I realized that this movie will not be an easy ride. But that was only the beginning, though, because when I first saw Frank the Bunny I seriously started to freak out. God I love this movie!

• Psycho (1960) - inside the house

Pyscho is a true classic in both the horror and thriller genre, and rightfully so. The film’s atmosphere coupled with its mysterious plot make for a great experience. We can all recall that iconic shower scene, but the scene that scared me the most was detective Arbogast’s death. Arbogast questions Norman about Marion’s stay at his motel, but decides to take matters into his own hands after Norman refuses to let him question his mother. Bad decision, mate. Don’t you know never to go into creepy-looking houses? Terror was just waiting to strike as Arbogast made his way upstairs, where he met the “mother,” along with his unavoidable doom.

• Martyrs (2008) - the "creature"

Martyrs is definitely one of the most fucked up, brutal, disturbing and unrelenting horror movie that I have seen in my entire life, though some may not agree. Here’s one scene that I’m sure everyone can agree with me on: Lucie being chased around the house by that ghoulish creature or whatever the fuck it was. Words cannot explain how much that scene terrified me, especially after enduring Lucie’s inhuman rampage towards that family. Disturbing, to say the least.

• Mulholland Dr. (2000) - the horrible figure behind the diner

Okay… this scene… was so… freakin’… terrifying. Man, I can’t explain it. You know, I heard Mulholland Dr. was a bizarre flick, but I really didn’t expect it to be that fucking weird. I sure as hell didn’t expect a scene where the most horrible looking figure you can possibly imagine pops out of nowhere and scares the living shit out of me, either. You gotta give it to David Lynch, though; that guy’s is a genius. This has since become one of my favourite flicks ever, and for good reason.

• The Exorcist (1973) - the Spiderwalk

The thing that scares me the most about people possessed by demons is that they move their body in an unnatural way and sometimes bending their bodies in disturbing positions. The epitome of this is obviously the so-called “spiderwalk” scene from The Exorcist. That scene is the definition of creepy, really. I can never forget the sounds her footsteps make as her body quickly descends down the stairs in the odd manner that it did.

• Paranormal Activity (2009) - dragged out of bed

Few movies have scared me as much as Paranormal Activity did, but the movie also boosts a couple of scenes that really seal the deal and take you way beyond your comfortable level of being scared. The scene that sealed the deal for me was when Katie got dragged out of bed one night by a seemingly invisible force. There’s lots of things that make that scene so effective, including the way Katie was so helplessly dragged down the hall, her terrified screams that hit me like a punch or the bite marks that she discovers on her back the next morning. I seriously had to pause after that scene just so I could try to calm myself down.

• Sin City (2005) - He made me watch!

Sin City was all kinds of fucked-up, but there are some scenes from that movie that you just can’t forget once you’ve seen them. This particular scene I like to refer to as the “He made me watch!” scene, for obvious reasons. Long story cut short: Marv is on the hunt for Goldie’s killer, but finds out that her killer is actually one tough son of a bitch who likes to eat hookers for dinner. Lucille’s monologue as she explains this to Marv is downright disturbing, but the cherry on top is when she shows Marv her left arm, which is missing the hand. Elijah Wood really did a great job bringing his character to life and looking as disturbing as he did.

• The Shining (1980) - twins in the hallway

Of course no list of scary moments wouldn’t be complete without mentioning The Shining. The scene that scared me the most in Stanley Kubrick’s horror masterpiece was when little Danny encounters the twin sisters in the hallway. Kids scare the hell out of me sometimes, and I’m sure I’m not alone on this one. When Danny just stopped and stared at them, I knew nothing good could come out of it. The way the twin sisters keep repeating “For ever, and ever, and ever.” was downright creepy. Once you see this scene, it’s quite obvious it’ll never really get out of your head.

• The Others (2001) - Are you mad? I am your daughter!

I had a feeling something bad was going to happen once I saw Anne’s drawing with the creepy old woman, but not even my crazy imagination could have made up something as terrifying as the scene that was about to follow. So Grace (the mom) enters Anne’s room, but instead of her daughter there’s someone else dressed like her right there. The image of her skinny, old and long hand sticking out is burned into my brain to this day. I will never forget that scene and I truly believe that it is one of the scariest moments in supernatural horror to this day. Grace proceeds to ask the old woman: “Where’s my daughter?” to which the old woman replies “Are you mad? I am your daughter!” Yeeeesh…

• The Blair Witch Project (1999) - facing the corner

Nothing really happens for the most part of The Blair Witch Project, but the ending alone makes everything so worth it. So Josh is gone and both Heather and Michael are starting to lose it and the random voices coming from all over the woods are getting louder and louder. It was obvious that Heather and Michael were as good as dead the moment they entered that creepy abandoned house. Michael soon disappears and Heather goes down in the basement where she finds him facing the corner of the room and soon the camera drops to the ground and everything goes silent. Talk about sleeping that night, huh?

That's all, folks! Oh, you want more, do you? Well, you can check out more lists over HERE and you can also take a look at Andre Dumas' list HERE. On a side note, I'll probably be posting more Willy Inducing Moments in the future since I really don't believe I have seen enough movies to call this list my definite top 10.

Anyways, I hope you had some fun reading. I'll be going to bed now and try to get some sleep, though after recalling all these scary moments I doubt I'll be getting any. See you next time!

In October of 1994, three student film makers disappeared in the woods near Burkittesville, Maryland. One year later, their footage was found.

Three film students take a trip into the woods to shoot a documentary about a supposed witch that lives there, but things soon start to go out of control and they find themselves facing their worst nightmare.

- lets your imagination run wild
- comes off as very realistic due to the fact that the actors had to improvise
- random sounds have never been this creepy and effective
- almost nothing happens during the whole movie, and yet it's surprisingly intense and scary
- unbelievably scary and powerful climax

- the cheap quality can turn some viewers away
- takes a little bit of time to get into it
- only effective when viewed under certain circumstances

- evil voodoo dolls made of sticks!
- evil sticks made of voodoo dolls!
- wait... what?
- teeth and blood
- disturbing sounds
- people sitting in corners, facing walls

- climbing trees to get a better viewpoint is so out of date
- cigars can brighten everyone's day!
- dry leafs are yummy

The Blair Witch Project is one of those rare low budget movies that have the power to influence and radically change an entire genre. This movie alone proved that it doesn't take money to be able to deliver a good, effective horror flick and that leaving things to the imagination can be more powerful than anything put to screen. The Blair Witch Project is a must not only for fans of the genre, but for anyone looking for a good scare. And oh what a scare this one is.

horror meter: 4 hiking stars (out of 5)

Ah yes! It's all over, and only one team can stand tall after a match as intense as that one. Spain has done it, they have defeated Netherlands with a goal scored in the very last minutes of the added extra time. What a wonderful end to it all. Unfortunately for Netherlands, this is the third time they have lost a World Cup final, but I'm sure they'll break through soon enough.

Arjen Robben may have proved to be both Netherlands' savior and their doom during this World Cup. He missed two of Netherlands' biggest opportunities at scoring a goal during the final match, but I really don't blame him. There are lots of things you have to take into consideration, ranging from the pressure of scoring in a World Cup final all the way to how Robben wasn't exactly in top form during the entire World Cup. Plus, you've got none other than Iker Casillas as Spain's goalkeeper, and he's had a really good run so far.

Both teams played unbelievably well, probably even fittingly delivered their best performance of the 2010 World Cup, but it was obvious that Spain were the ones on top. They were the more daring team and fought as hard as they could to obtain the win. The goal didn't come until the 116th minute mark, though, when Andres Iniesta managed to deliver a perfect shot into Stekelenburg's net. It's also worth noting that Netherlands' John Heitinga was sent off the pitch after receiving a second yellow card for pulling back Iniesta on the edge of the box.


If you're wondering what was written on Iniesta's shirt, it was: "Dani Jarque siempre con nosotros," which in English translates to "Dani Jarque: always with us." Pretty emotional stuff. Dani Jarque was a Spanish player who died at the age of 26 last year, shortly after being named captain of Spain. Jarque never really got to play for the national team, but his death remains in Spain's memory.

On a side note, Germany beat Uruguay in a spectacular match to secure their 3rd place in the 2010 World Cup.

All in all, the 2010 FIFA World Cup was lots of fun and most of the teams played really damn well, as a matter of fact. We've had lots of memorable moments and the controversy wasn't missed either. I think Netherlands and Spain put on an excellent World Cup final and I really can't remember the last time I was so entertained by a 0:0 game. See you again in four years, huh?

Oh man, my day feels so long now that the FIFA World Cup is over, but that just means I have more time to fill it with movies and other entertaining stuff I can find. Don’t worry, I won’t run out of ideas…

Monday

Scream (1996) - 8/10
It took me a while to actually watch this one, but I’m glad I finally did, because now it’s one of my favourite horror flicks ever. Wes Craven is a genius, he really is. I loved how the movie makes fun of all these cliches that have been used way too much in the horror genre, and there’s a lot of irony in the movie. I love that little twist there at the end; the movie was a lot of fun from start to finish. The opening scene was just brutal and it was very gripping. Overall, Scream is an awesome horror flick, but you need some experience with the horror genre to completely enjoy all the references (because there are lots of them). And there I was thinking I knew everything about slasher flicks…

Wednesday

Night of the Living Dead (1968) - 7/10
So this is how it all started, huh? You only need one watch to understand how much Night of the Living Dead has influenced and shaped the zombie genre and I guess we all need to thank George Romero for that. The movie itself has aged, unfortunately, but it remains a very interesting experience, even if not a particularly thrilling one. More than anything, this movie makes you wonder what you would do if you were ever put in that situation, and it’s actually quite fascinating to observe how the characters struggle to cope with a zombie attack. I also loved the TV and radio bits, which made the whole film seem even more realistic. Definitely worth the watch if you love zombie flicks.

Friday

Date Night (2010) - 5/10
I don’t know about you, but I’m really starting to loathe the whole comedy genre of films. I swear, every single comedy flick plays out the same freakin’ way with the same cliches over and over again, just with different jokes. If I wanted to only hear jokes, I would have watched some stand-up comedy instead. Date Night had some funny moments, but not near enough to make it worth the hour and a half that I spent watching it. Tina Fey and Steve Carell both did a pretty good job and I love these two actors, but they weren’t enough to make this movie worthwhile. It was entertaining, I’ll give it that, but I’ve seen way to many comedies that play out the same way and have the same plot, just dressed in a different suit.

Saturday

The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2010) - 5/10
Woah, talk about disgusting idea… The Human Centipede sure left me with a slight feeling of distress and the movie was quite interesting, even if mediocre. The movie isn’t as graphic as you would think, though, and there are only a few scenes that show actual gore. Nevertheless, it’s still effective and it lets your imagination go wild. The acting is pretty horrible, especially from the two lead actresses, but it doesn’t bother that much especially since they don’t do a lot of talking (if you know what I mean). The guy who played the villain must have a really hard time not creeping everybody out in real life, because he fit the role perfectly. Anyways, I’m looking forward to the sequel and I’m very curious how it’s gonna compare to this one.

No gods or kings. Only man.

BioShock

Released 2007
Genre: First Person Shooter (FPS)
Developed by Irrational Games
Published by 2K Games
Designed by Paul Hellquist
Written by Ken Levine

Roger Ebert says games are not art. Well, here's a game that single-handedly proves he couldn't be more wrong.

BioShock, described as the "spiritual successor" of the System Shock series, is a first person shooter with some elements of survival horror and action/adventure. The game takes place in 1960, when Jack (that's you) stumbles upon a lighthouse in the middle of the ocean after the airplane he was on crashes in the Atlantic. Inside the lighthouse he discovers bathysphere and boards it, which ultimately takes him down to the underwater city of Rapture, where the rest of the action will take place.

It took me quite a while to actually acknowledge this game. Being a good boy who keeps in touch with the gaming world (but never really plays too many games), I've heard about this game the moment it came out, but I wasn't really interested in playing it. You see, I'm not big on first person shooters, and most of the time I put into games usually goes to role-playing games, the only game genre which my naive little head deems worthy of wasting time on. Fortunately for me, Steam offered BioShock for a 5 dollar limited sale not too long ago, and seeing as I'm quite a fan of everything horror and heard that the game had some scary elements to it, I decided to finally go for it and check it out. Looking back at it now, I'm really glad I did.


You wouldn't believe the originality and authenticity of Rapture. The thought of an underwater city feels rather far-fetched, but the world of BioShock looks so real beautiful that it's hard not to get sucked into it from the very few seconds. There's so much attention to detail that you just can't help but stand in awe at how amazing and cared for this world is. Not to mention the eye-dropping design and the authentic 50s feel - simply gorgeous.

Rapture was built by Andrew Ryan in the late 40s to early 50s, and its goal was to create a capitalistic utopia where citizens would be free of the burdens of that era. Andrew Ryan wanted to create his own world, free of all people who he considered to be "parasites," but his dream did not last too long. Not too long before the beginning of the 60s, Rapture fell prey to a tragic catastrophe due to a civil war that killed most of the sane population, leaving behind only the zombie-like Splicers.

The thing that ultimately led to Rapture's downfall was ADAM, a type of drug that manipulates cells and offers extraordinary abilities, yet with sometimes terrible side effects. The main enemies encountered during the game, Splicers, are a result of ADAM's abuse, and the normal citizens that once populated this great city are now nothing more than hostile zombies addicted to ADAM.


Little Sister, Big Daddy

By far the most interesting element of BioShock are the Little Sisters and Big Daddies. Little Sisters are genetically altered and mentally conditioned young girls who reclaim ADAM from the bodies scattered around Rapture. Here's where the Big Daddies come in: their sole purpose is to protect the Little Sisters and escort them around Rapture. Most Little Sisters are accompanied by a Big Daddy, and anyone who dares get close to them will have to deal with their guardians.

It's amazing how unique and original these characters are and how well they are integrated into the game. The simple look of the Big Daddies and their huge diving suits is incredibly effective and it'll be a horrifying experience to deal with them for the first few times, because yes, you will have to fight them. You see, in order to advance in the game you need ADAM and you can only get it from the Little Sisters. There are two paths you can take during the course of the game: you can either harvest the Little Sisters, gaining a good amount of ADAM, but killing them in the process, or you can save them. The amount of ADAM you get from saving them is smaller than the one you get from harvesting them - that's the catch.

The encounters with the Little Sisters and their Big Daddies throughout the game are probably the most memorable ones, and the way these marvellous characters look and act is just a delight to witness. The creepiness, yet simultaneous innocence of the Little Sisters will keep you on the edge; their glowing eyes and unnerving voice are horrifying.

Not to mention the Big Daddies - their sheer appearance is simply terrifying. Add to that the heavy footsteps that can be heard from miles away and their whale-like sounds they let off are haunting, to say the least.

Dealing with a Little Sister and a Big Daddy can be a rather traumatizing experience. It is truly sad to see the Big Daddy falling to his death, like a deer mother failing to rescue her child. More painful than that are the cries of the Little Sister as she stands beside her Big Daddy, begging him to get up and protect her. Let me quote some lines here:

"No, Mr. Bubbles! (sobs) Please!"

"Mr. Bubbles! Why aren't you moving?!"

"Get up, Mr. Bubbles! Get up!"

It's also a lot of fun observing the Little Sisters as they travel around Rapture, looking for corpses to gather more and more ADAM. Their relationship with the Big Daddies are a marvel to behold, and you'll often find yourself following them around just so you can understand more of their intriguing nature. Here's some of the interesting lines you'll be able to hear during your journey:

"Mmm, I’m ready for dream time, Mr. B."

"I can see the angels dancing in the sky."

"Hop hop Mr. B, there's no time to waste."

It's amusing to see how the Little Sisters keep referring to the Big Daddies as Mr. Bubbles, as if they were some fantastical creatures from some fairytale. On another note, though, it is rather sad how these young girls have been mentally conditioned to fit their task: they see the dead bodies as angels and believe they're doing good by collecting the ADAM from of them.

"It wasn't impossible to build Rapture at the bottom of the sea, it was impossible to build it anywhere else."

You wouldn't believe the amount of creepy moments, gore and jump scenes you'll come across during the game. I gotta say, though, the first couple of levels are the scariest ones, but that's probably because you're not strong enough to be confident that you can survive your next encounter with an enemy.

I suggest playing BioShock only in the dark, especially if you want to be able to fully absorb its atmosphere. It's not as bad playing it during the day as you would expect, but I strongly recommend you play the first few levels during the night and alone, if possible. I'll never forget swimming towards that mysterious lighthouse in the middle of the ocean or seeing Rapture in all its beauty for the very first time.

I must say that I was simply terrified during the first few minutes of the game. It's really hard to take it all in at first and just realizing how scary and lonely the world around you looks. Not to mention the various moments where you'll see the shadows of Splicers on the walls beside you or hearing them talk to themselves in an extremely creepy manner right nearby or even simply turning around and suddenly standing face to face with one of them. Man, those were some good scares.


I can't say too much about the story without spoiling it for you, so I'll just say that it really the plot is really top-notch and well-written. The only problem I had with it was the ending (or the endings, rather, since there's more than one possible outcome), which wasn't as exciting as I had expected. Not to worry, though, the rest of the game more than makes up for that.

The characters you'll encounter during the game are quite the interesting bunch. No more one-dimensional shallow beings who just tell you what to do and where to go, these people actually have personality and you can easily connect with them.

One of your target enemies is Andrew Ryan, obviously. He is a man who truly believes that he can make a better world and sees his views of the world as the only ones who are right. He is a flawed character, indeed, but you can't help but agree with him on certain points and throughout the game you'll realize that it wasn't entirely his fault that Rapture collapsed.

There's also room to mention Brigid Tenenbaum, a scientist who helped develop ADAM and also the creator of the Little Sisters. As you get to know more and more about her, you begin to realize how much she hates herself for the sins she has committed and seeks atonement through protecting the Little Sisters and looking after them.

I could mention a lot of other characters, including Atlas, the one helping you out and offering you guidance as you explore the dangerous city, or even Sander Cohen, some artist gone nutso who'll deliver lots of memorable and somewhat funny moments during your encounter with him, but I'll let you discover the rest of this unique world.


It's hard to get bored in BioShock. There's always something for you to do and every fight is a bit of a challenge and usually a lot of fun. There are enough weapons, abilities and whatnot waiting to be discovered that will probably keep you in a constant state of learning to use this or that.

There's also a lot of "hacking" that you'll be doing during the game. Basically, through hacking you get control of gun turrets, cameras or bots and you'll also use hacking to open locks. Hacking can be a lot of fun, since it's done through a mini game. This mini game is actually pretty inventive and it's surprisingly well-balanced, meaning that you'll never find it too easy, but neither will it ever get hard enough to become a burden. I found this little mini game to be quite entertaining and I can't say that I ever got frustrated over it, unlike most mini games you find in other games.

I could ramble on and on about BioShock. There are so many things to talk about, so much stuff to admire in this game. I'll simply state that BioShock is an awesome game, way better than I could have ever expected. It's also an amazingly thrilling and creepy experience, and I have to say that the first few hours I spent in this game were incredibly scary. Man, some of those moments I'll never forget. It doesn't matter how much time you spend on gaming, BioShock will make you feel at home right from the start, and if you're into the whole horror mumbo-jumbo like I am, you'll enjoy every second spent in this fantastic game.

She always gets a part

the plot
A man in search of a new relationship takes help from a friend who sets up a misleading audition in order to find him a new wife, but the woman he chooses isn't what she appears to be.

the good
- interesting premise
- the bag
- quite disturbing
- masterful climax

the bad
- can be a slow ride
- the dream sequence
- not as gory as people make it out to be
- Asami's confusing background story

the ugly
- eating vomit
- torture by needles
- amputation by wire saw
- falling down the stairs

things I learned from watching this movie
- asian porn will never be the same again
- if you keep discovering shady stuff revolving around your new lover, you should probably reconsider the relationship
- going for younger ones is never a good idea

summary
It may not be the most entertaining movie, but Audition certainly has a lot to offer, especially through its extreme climax. Takashi Miike carefully crafts a story filled with mystery and creepy moments, and then relentlessly blows it all up in one of the most memorable final minutes in recent horror cinema. Definitely one for the fans of the genre.

horror meter: 4 deep stars (out of 5)

Yarr! Why's the rum gone? I'll give away one cookie to the first one who knows where that line is from! I'll give you a hint: it stars Johnny Depp and it's about some pirates in the Caribbean. That's all I'm gonna say, though... you're on your own now!

That was slightly off-topic, so let me get to the point! Wait... is it considered off-topic if I haven't even started a topic yet? Hmm, by that logic what I'm going to say next will be off-topic since the topic was already set. Okay, be right back, I'm gonna go google off-topic real quick.

Hey, I'm back! Yep, it's been a while. So yeah, I wanted to talk about how far this blog has come since I started it! Actually, I don't know how you measure progress with these kinds of things, BUT! I did post no less than 100 posts (actually, it's 99 posts right now, but it'll be 100 once you read this), which should mean something. See what I did there with that BUT! thingy? Pretty cool, huh?

On a side note, this post will also introduce a new category I'll hopefully be writing about on this blog in the future. I shall call this new category 'random ramblings.' In this category of posts, I shall be rambling about random things. I love playing Captain Obvious, it's so much fun.

So anyways, I hope you realize that I intend to keep you as entertained as possible throughout this post, thus I shall be including some pics and videos along the way, which will hopefully keep you occupied and giggling.


Moving on! 100th post... oh man...  it's been like 6 months since I started the blog. Okay, reason why I started it: I was kinda getting into the whole reviewing movies thingy and posted a couple of reviews on my Rotten Tomatoes page, but soon felt the need to establish my own website where I can customize stuff and shit like that. Everyone loves shoving their opinions on others, eh? But seriously, it really is kinda satisfying to put your thoughts on paper like that....

Let's talk a bit about future projects, as I like to call them. I'm gonna be posting an addicted to horror episode about Audition soon, which I saw the other day. Great climax on that one, I must say. Should be up by tomorrow. I'll also be posting my thoughts on the 2010 World Cup final soon enough. Oh yeah, I shouldn't forget mentioning that I'll soon be finishing up BioShock (yes, the game) and I'll probably be writing some stuff about it. Man, what a freaky game!

In other news, I really need to visit the theaters soon... so many movies to see. I mean, it's summer goddammit, time for cliche summer blockbusters and awesome sleeper hits! Right? Too bad there's no theater in my city. Yep, I'm serious. I think I mentioned this before, but didn't really get too much into it. Okay, let me explain: the city I live in is pretty big and there even used to be a theater here, but no one ever went there. Hell, I barely went there myself. I keep wondering whether it was still around if I had visited it more often... how naive of me.

That was pretty sad, don't you agree? Okay, cheer up time!



Ah yes, works every time.

Okay, enough for today. It's around 6 AM here and I haven't slept all night, so I'll probably go hit the sheets soon. Oh yeah, I said "hit the sheets." Pretty cool of me, huh? Alright, I'm off now, see ya next time.

By the way, don't click here.