Scream Bloody Entertainment

Beware those you love the most.

When a married couple is given the chance to have their recently deceased daughter brought back to life for three days, they immediately take up the offer with little regard to its cost and the consequences that might arise.

- some half-decent plot twists
- impressive score
- Timothy Spall

- laughable dialogue
- inept cinematography
- weak acting for the most part
- shallow, underdeveloped characters
- ridiculous scenes
- lacks good thrills
- unengaging and horribly written storyline
- cheap-looking gore
- utterly fails to be even remotely scary
- zero emotional power

- high violence and gore
- low nudity and sexual themes
- very low profanity

- it's not a very good idea to let your child handle the rabid dog feeding
- don't mess with the cows
- maybe it's best not to have sex with your wife in your daughter's room, while she's there sleeping
- trying to overpower a little girl is useless, it's best to just stand there and let her kill you
- if you only have three more days to spend with your daughter, spend that time by letting her roam around freely with no supervision whatsoever
- you'd think that after the first hundred times their child gets lost, the parents would know better, but no

Wake Wood is a horror film about a mysterious village, secret pagan rituals and a couple trying to cope with the recent loss of their only child. One would think that such a premise would make for at least an interesting film, if not a particularly good one, but Wake Wood somehow finds a way to make its storyline both boring and incredibly dull, and in order to fully understand just how awful this movie is, it should be noted that the story is about the best thing about it. Visually, Wake Wood looks surprisingly bad, marked by downright amateurish cinematography and editing, but it's also a terribly written film, often making for truly laughable lines of dialogue and a plot that quickly becomes ridiculous after the first few minutes in. Ultimately, Wake Wood is so bad that not even the great Timothy Spall can do anything about its quality, and that's definitely saying something.

horror meter: 1 wooden star (out of 5)

a film by Jang Cheol-soo

Taking a break from Seoul and her stressful job, a woman goes on a vacation to a small island where she spent her childhood, but she soon learns that things aren't what they used to be when she was little.

- memorable killer
- powerful character study
- top-notch cinematography
- gorgeous filming locations
- makes for a dark social commentary
- solid performances all-around
- moving score
- amazing and thought-provoking conclusion
- beautifully tragic and memorable as a whole

- one-dimensional antagonists
- slightly overlong climax
- too unsubtle in some places

- high violence and gore
- high nudity and sexual themes
- moderate profanity

- yelling at work and slapping your co-workers is the fastest way to a cozy island vacation
- chewing on bozo leaves will turn you into a bozo
- bean paste fixes just about anything
- if you plan on going on a killing spree, farms provide plenty of tools you can choose from
- cops will let people get assaulted in police stations

Perhaps one of the most profound South Korean horror films in the last couple of years, Bedevilled is a raw and brutally honest picture, backed by a dark social commentary and and a heartbreaking tale of revenge and tragedy. Featuring powerful performances from the entire cast, beautiful cinematography and soothing scenery, Bedevilled is an outstanding mix of drama and full-fledged slasher horror, with a slow-moving but thoroughly enjoyable first half and a savage and bloodstained second. A brilliant piece of South Korean filmmaking, Bedevilled is not to be missed.

horror meter: 4 sickled stars (out of 5)

You can only defeat it when you believe.

A skeptical seminary student is sent to Rome to take a course on exorcism.

- portrays theological life in a fresh way
- Anthony Hopkins' powerful, unnerving performance
- impressive cinematography
- quite entertaining

- feels too much like religious propaganda
- weak dialogue
- cliched third act
- the forced romance
- not as thrilling as one would hope
- relies on cheap jump scares
- excessive use of CGI and make-up

- low violence and gore
- low nudity and sexual themes
- low profanity

- the exorcism can wait when you've got a phone call
- suddenly speaking a foreign language and knowing personal stuff about other people isn't enough proof for demonic possession
- it's okay to a leave suicidal and demonically possessed pregnant girl unattended and alone in a hospital room
- demons like to do unspeakably evil deeds such as possessing frogs and mules
- there's only one priest in the entire Vatican that can successfully perform an exorcism, but he's away on vacation, obviously
- if unbelievers make you stronger, maybe it's best not to give them reasons to believe

Despite its promising look and the impressive cast, The Rite doesn't really move past its premise, resulting in a tediously mediocre fare of exorcism and wanna-be horror. There's an abundace of cliches prevailing throughout the film, particularly durings its third act, and even though the plot starts off as if it wants to send out a message, it ultimately seems to forget about its initial goal and concludes with a Hollywodesque climax and a plain finale, failing to live up to its intriguing premise. However, The Rite does star Anthony Hopkins, who delivers quite a powerful performance and helps the movie in some spots, though in the end its not enough to make the experience worth the while.

horror meter: 2 doubting stars (out of 5)

In a cut-throat property market, she'd kill for a harbour view.

A woman goes to great lengths in order to secure the purchase of her dream home.

- finally a slasher done right
- interesting, well written story
- carries a thought-provoking message
- solid performance by lead actress Josie Ho
- fantastic use of gore
- creative kills
- the flashbacks keep things exciting
- beautiful cinematography

- gratuitous violence
- plot too vague in some places
- could have used a better conclusion

- very high violence and gore
- high nudity and sexual themes
- moderate profanity

- no one ever checks on the security guy
- the best way to get a new home is to go on a killing spree
- people can survive for quite a long time with their intestines cut out
- some really would kill for a view of the sea

Dream Home is part fine drama backed by social commentary, part relentless splatterfest like you wouldn't expect. How this film manages to blend these two seemingly unrelated genres together is quite puzzling, but it undoubtedly succeeds, delivering not only a well-written final product, but also one that is thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable. Unlike many slasher flicks, Dream Home actually has a memorable and well-developed antagonist, and the kills are also really inventive and wonderfully diverse. To cut it short (no pun intended), Dream Home is one of the most fun gorefests since the French bloodbath known as Inside a few years back.

horror meter: 4 telemarketing stars (out of 5)

Two very interesting films are featured this week, both of which are targeted at a specific audience and are homages to different film genres of the past. Check them out below.

Wednesday

Amer (2010) - 6/10
I can’t really remember where I first heard of Amer or how I even stumbled upon it, because it was and still is fairly under the radar, but ever since I laid my eyes on it, I wanted to check it out as soon as possible. Hearing that it’s supposedly a modern homage to giallo films, I was very curious to see what kind of style the movie would convey. Now that I finally got to see Amer, I have to say first and foremost that even though I did expect some weirdness going into it, I never imagined it would be such a strange and unique experience. There’s little to no dialogue in the film, and most of the character development is done through imagery and sound, which helps communicate the characters’ emotions on-screen. Amer is marked by outstanding cinematography, an amazing and truly original style which adopts a memorable colour palette to ‘paint’ the images we see, and, last but not least, incredible sound design and editing. As a whole, Amer is a beautiful nightmare (and I mean that in a good way), but it seriously lacks in the narrative department, unfortunately. It may have a plot, but it’s far from comprehensive and most of the things are either ambiguous, leaving it up to the audience to decide what’s going on, or completely random. Some may find that a good thing, others a bad one. It ended up somewhere in between for me, which ultimately prevented Amer from becoming a favourite of mine. Nevertheless, it remains a very interesting art film and I urge those who think that it’ll be their cup of tea to check it out.

Friday

Hobo with a Shotgun (2011) - 6/10
Last year’s Machete was quite a fun ride for me, so I was really hoping that other fake trailers from the Grindhouse feature film would turn into full-length movies. Thankfully, Hobo with a Shotgun recently saw release and I’ve been dying to see it ever since. It soon went to video on demand and I wasted no time in checking it out. Ultimately, Hobo with a Shotgun ended up being an enjoyable film, though I did find it slightly underwhelming and was hoping for a more interesting storyline. There’s plenty of gore to be had here and the violence goes far beyond that of Robert Rodriguez’s Machete, but unlike the aforementioned movie, this one isn’t as strong on a narrative level. The plot is fairly simplistic and it’s filled with one-dimensional characters (aside from the protagonist) and lackluster pacing. However, Rutger Hauer is amazing in the leading role, delivering a fine performance as a likeable hobo struggling in a world of crime. Hobo with a Shotgun does deserve credit for fully embracing the grindhouse genre and delivering pure exploitation, much like its gimmick implied, but that doesn’t excuse its mediocre and dull story.

You can't hide in the dark.

A woman investigates the mysterious death of her twin sister while struggling with her deteriorating eye condition.

- Belén Rueda's leading performance
- gorgeous cinematography
- captivating score
- some genuinely creepy moments
- intriguing antagonist

- cheesy ending
- enough plot holes to drive a truck through
- fails to justify its overlong running time
- the story lacks focus and is often all over the place

- basement hanging
- death by bath electrocution
- another basement hanging
- kitchen knife through the face
- frozen dead body
- suicide by neck slitting

- some people find it easy to be invisible
- blind people can smell when someone's in the room with them
- avoid placing lights right above your bathtub
- making people go blind is the fastest way to love

Los ojos de Julia is a chilling and thoroughly intriguing Spanish horror movie, though its plot leaves a lot to be desired. While the acting is really good (particularly that of leading actress Belén Rueda) and the movie boasts some really impressive cinematography and captivating score, it fails when it comes to its storyline, which isn't very well fleshed out, often feeling as if it doesn't really know what direction it wants to take. Overall, Los ojos de Julia is an atmospheric horror thriller and it's a lot better than what we usually get to see these days, but if you decide to give it a watch, be prepared for a lackluster story.

horror meter: 3 eyeless stars (out of 5)

New decade. New rules.

When Sidney Prescott returns to her hometown of Woodsboro in order to promote her new book, a new Ghostface murderer starts going on a killing spree.

- the opening
- thoroughly entertaining
- filled with clever meta humour and horror movie references
- solid acting all around
- heightened level of gore
- fitting and effective score
- well-written script

- too many new characters
- loses focus at times
- the killer's motive is superficial and unconvincing
- little to no surprises this time around

- high violence and gore
- very low nudity and sexual themes
- moderate profanity

- Gale Weathers still got it
- being gay isn't as beneficial as some make it out to be
- jealousy is not to be taken lightly
- Woodsboro never seems to run out of fresh Ghostface killers
- fuck Bruce Willis

It's been quite a while since Wes Craven last made a film worthy of his revered status among horror culture, but with Scream 4, his latest addition into the horror genre, he is truly back in the game. Continuing from where the previous film in the Scream series left off, Scream 4 packs a great story, plenty of humour, particularly that of the meta and self-referential kind, and enough kills and thrills to please everyone. The trio comprised of Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette is back and better than ever, and joining the original cast are a bunch of new faces, mostly belonging to a new generation of actors, though, unlike in other modern horror films, they're actually given the chance to show off their acting chops here. All in all, Scream 4 marks a return to full power for Wes Craven, and if you enjoyed the Scream series up to this point, this one will be sure to please. It's one of my favourite scary movies in recent memory, that's for sure.

horror meter: 4 stabbed stars (out of 5)

She was running from her life, now she's running for it.

A group of teenagers hitch a ride from a truck driver, but little do they know that they are about to fall prey to a gang of bloodthirsty predators.

- promising start
- suspenseful at times
- decent acting

- one-dimensional characters
- tries too hard to be different
- filled with a lot of empty scenes
- often feels boring instead of thrilling
- lacks originality
- weak camera work during most action scenes
- ends on a cliffhanger

- vampire-like monsters
- human leftovers
- decapitated head
- knife through the eye
- neck bite
- set ablaze
- bludgeoned to death
- drinking blood
- transformation

- no one likes it in Famfield
- something always happens when two girls are about to make out
- hobos are prone to ambush helpless hot chicks

Prowl is one of the type of modern horror films that tries so hard to be different, but ultimately ends up being just a mediocre effort with barely a few notable moments. As usual, the teenage characters, complete with stereotypes and all that, fail to be anything more than one-dimensional, giving the viewer little to care about and making the thrills less exciting. The plot is mildly interesting at most, providing a storyline that is too simple and not inventive enough to convey anything close to memorable. To sum it up, Prowl simply doesn't cut it, and there's little to no reason why it may be worth a shot.

horror meter: 2 prowling stars (out of 5)

Been trying to catch up with some horror movies that I didn’t get the chance to see during the last year, but man, there are quite a few left. I think my 2010 horror list will be delayed a little, though I can assure that it will come, eventually.

Wednesday

Collateral (2004) - 7/10
I first saw Collateral a couple of years ago and, even though I can’t recall much of it now, I do remember finding it to be a very entertaining and well-done action film. Recently, I had the opportunity to revisit it, and after a second viewing, I have to say that my opinion hasn’t changed much. I’m not as big of a fan of Michael Mann as some are, finding many of his films underwhelming, including the recent Public Enemies which I completely disliked, but no one can deny his skill in creating great action, especially in Collateral, a film that definitely counts among my favourite pictures of his. The story isn’t particularly complex, nor does it call upon subtlety when constructing its narrative too often, but it’s very well-written and amazingly acted by the two leads, Jamie Foxx and especially Tom Cruise. What makes this film so fascinating is the relationship between the two main characters, marked by the noteworthy chemistry between Foxx and Cruise and their impressive performances. Say what you will about Tom Cruise, but here he managed to create one of the most intriguing and captivating characters in recent cinema history, and I believe he deserves everyone’s respect for that. To sum it up, check out Collateral if you haven’t already—I can guarantee you’ll be entertained, at the very least.

Thursday

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010) - 6/10
I had seen Rare Exports a couple of weeks ago, but I wasn’t in the right frame of mind at the time, not paying attention entirely to the film and also feeling a little underwhelmed by what I was seeing, considering how much praise this Finnish holiday horror movie got. Recently, I gave it another go, and I have to say that as much as I wanted to like it, not much changed this time around. The film deserves some recognition for trying something new and giving Christmas a new twist, but it that doesn’t keep it from failing to impress as a whole due to its slow pacing and an utterly disappointing third act. I do believe that if Rare Exports had focused more on the horror aspect of the story rather than spending time trying to develop a bunch of characters that still ended up feeling shallow, it would have made for a much more enjoyable experience. As it stands now, it’s an interesting and somewhat original horror film that makes for a good holiday pick, but it lacks enough cinematic power and decisiveness for it to provide the audience with a memorable ride.

Friday

7 Days (2010) - 5/10
I’ve been getting really tired of the torture porn genre recently and it seems as though little to no movies of this category are worth the while. However, I was hoping that 7 Days, a new French horror slash revenge thriller, would revitalize the genre for me. Unfortunately, this film only went on to further affirm my gripes with torture porn, proving to be an uninventive ride that is as disgusting as it is boring. Surprisingly enough, things start off pretty well, with the film carefully constructing a tragic tale that was captivating and engaging at first, but then, as the movie went along and focused more and more on the torture, things lost focus and the whole thing turned into a complete drag that lacked the power to push its narrative further. It’s a shame really, because 7 Days featured some really impressive cinematography and a promising premise, but it just didn’t deliver. Avoid this one, except if you’re really into torture porn. Even then, consider some alternatives first.

Jackass 3 (2010) - 6/10
I’m not as big of a fan of Jackass as others are, having only watched a couple of episodes of the MTV series and the second movie. However, I do find the stuff as funny as every other bloke, so I just couldn’t say no when I had the chance to check out Jackass 3. It turned out to be quite a hilarious ride, thoroughly entertaining and filled with some really creative stunts. I did not get to see it in 3D, unfortunately, though I imagine it must have been a blast to watch. The opening and closing scenes were surprisingly impressive and worked well in providing a solid introduction and closing to the film. As enjoyable as Jackass 3 was, I can’t help but feel that it wasn’t as crazy or extreme as its predecessor, having only a few set pieces that really competed with the ones from the past. Furthermore, I also thought the crew wasn’t as excited or in the zone this time around, obviously getting a little bit worn out by the things they have to get themselves through. While it may not have been as outrageous as Jackass 2, which holds the crown for me, Jackass 3 remains brainless entertainment at its best and it certainly deserves a shot if you’re in the mood for some good laughs.

Saturday

Confessions (2010) - 7/10
Confessions has got to be one of the weirdest films I’ve seen in a while, boasting a truly unconventional narrative style and a depressing, often extremely cynical tone that is present throughout the entire running time. The storyline, while indeed quite complex, is a little underwhelming at times and it almost never plays to one’s expectations, instead always going for something the viewer couldn’t have possibly thought of. In that sense, Confessions is quite a unique film, marked by excellent cinematography and fluid pacing, giving it a head start before the plot even fell into place. There’s quite an expansive cast in this one, portraying a heck of a load of characters, which also tends to lead to some confusion earlier in the film since it’s hard to keep up with so many names and people. Some viewers are bound to be put off by the highly cynical and cruel story, but those who can get past that will surely find this film impressive, especially some of its most memorable scenes, which most definitely evoke some really powerful emotions.

Sunday

Let Me In (2010) - 8/10
I remember when I first heard that an American remake of one of the greatest vampire films of the last ten years was in the works, barely a few years after the original’s release. It made me angry and it really seemed as though things were getting a little out of hand (more so than previously, to be more accurate) with all these remakes. Even though I found both Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloe Moretz impressive in the past, they still weren’t enough to justify the production of this film, so I decided to skip it until it hit disc shelves. However, after reading up on some rave reviews, I ended up really looking forward to the day when Let Me In was going to get a disc release. Well, I finally got to see it and I have to say that it’s almost up there with Let the Right One In, to be quite honest with you. There are little differences between the original and the remake, though among the few count the darker tone present in Let Me In and its more constricted storyline. Even though this one focuses more on the relationship between the two main characters, I still think that the one in the Swedish version is much more convincing, perhaps due to the fact that the performances of the leading actors are better in the original, especially that of Lina Leandersson, when compared to Chloe Moretz. That doesn’t mean Chloe Moretz didn’t do a good job, because she certainly did, but her performance simply doesn’t hold a candle to that of Lina’s, which was truly outstanding at the time. I still don’t think the existence of Let Me In is justified, but since it’s already here, you may as well want to check it out, especially if you haven’t seen the original and would prefer an American version rather than a foreign one. Even for the ones that have already seen Let the Right One In, the more sinister atmosphere present in this one should make it a worthwhile ride.

Delivering justice, one shell at a time...

After arriving in a town ruled by violence and corruption, a homeless wanderer decides to pick up a shotgun and take the law into his own hands.

- Rutger Hauer
- captures the grindhouse feeling perfectly
- plenty amounts of gore
- the soundtrack
- unconventional plot and ballsy conclusion

- the rest of the cast remains mediocre at best
- drags during certain parts
- shallow characters
- some plotlines are left unattended

- public decapitation
- chest scars
- eating glass
- gunned down
- schoolbus inferno
- saw-induced neck wound
- genital shot
- several hospital hangings
- cut off hand
- exposed bone stab
- shot in the head

- Hope Town, not a very appropriate name actually
- going to the police always ends up being a bad idea
- prostitutes and teachers are pretty much the same thing, apparently
- you can't beat a wife like you can beat a whore
- remember to keep your giant octopus pets in check

Hobo with a Shotgun is a genuine grindhouse feature, but much like the films it pays tribute to, it fails to deliver anything particularly great. Rutger Hauer is really great in the leading role and there's plenty of gore to go around, perhaps even more than some are expecting, but as a whole Hobo with a Shotgun simply isn't as good as it could have been. It wastes a lot of time constructing a comprehensible plot, but ultimately ends up with shallow characters and a tasteless storyline. Nevertheless, Hobo with a Shotgun is still a fairly entertaining grindhouse piece that will please those who know what they're getting themselves into.

horror meter: 3 homeless stars (out of 5)

A film by Hélène Cattet & Bruno Forzani.

A woman's erotic development is explored through three different moments in her life.

- unique visual style
- unconventional narrative
- sound editing and design
- open for interpretation
- powerful character study achieved without the use of dialogue
- the first segment is truly outstanding

- drags during the second half
- the final segment is not as effective as its predecessors
- some of it makes no sense, no matter how you spin it
- not for everyone

- creepy woman in black
- dead grandpa
- killer on the loose
- knife cuts

- some people like having broken glass under their bed
- motorcycle gangs are made up of horny bastards (surprise!)
- taxi rides can be pretty awesome

Amer may be one of the strangest horror films in recent years, making for a dreamlike experience devoid of dialogue and filled with hauntingly beautiful visuals. Its style, reminiscent of 70s giallo films, fits the mood and tone of the storyline perfectly, and the mesmerizing mix of sounds that adorn each scene are yet another plus. However, Amer falls a little short in the narrative department, failing to create a coherent whole, thus providing little closure in the end. In addition, the film drags quite a bit during its second half, almost as if the filmmakers ran out of ideas. Nevertheless, Amer remains a thoroughly intriguing ride for those able to appreciate (and put themselves through) more artistic and experimental pictures. There's not much to be had here for everyone else, though.

horror meter: 3 carnal stars (out of 5)

I didn’t get to see more than one movie this time around, as I was busy finishing up my ‘top films of the year’ list, but I can assure that I’ll be back in full swing next week. Until then, feast your eyes on one of my favourite films of the past decade.

Thursday

Children of Men (2006) - 9/10
I first saw Children of Men a few years ago back when it was playing in theatres, and the film left quite an impression on me, even though I wasn’t in the right frame of mind at the time. Recently, I revisited the movie and I have to say that I admired it even more this time, fully appreciating what an extraordinary achievement it is on a filmmaking level, but also how realistically the events in the film are portrayed and play out. What makes Children of Men so impressive are the various long shots throughout the film, making for an incredibly visceral and powerful experience with help of the amazing cinematography which gives the movie a gritty and bleak look. The storyline is also quite engaging, beautifully painting a depressing image of the future world and the impending human apocalypse. The cast of the film, with Clive Owen in the leading role, delivers consistently solid performances all around, making Children of Men a fittingly well-acted movie. Not much can be said to describe just what an outstanding film director Alfonso Cuarón has delivered, as it’s one of those pictures that must be personally experienced—perhaps even more than once—in order to comprehend its power.

Justice is Blind. So is Vengeance.

A grieving father decides to take revenge on the man who raped and murdered his daughter by kidnapping and torturing him for seven days.

- beautiful cinematography
- unflinchingly brutal at times
- solid performance from the lead actor
- well-done storyline
- compelling and thought-provoking
- bold, unexpected ending

- becomes tedious during certain parts
- torture scenes are not as powerful as expected
- excessive, gratuitous gore
- falls short in terms of character development

- bloodied corpse of a young girl
- broken knee by sledgehammer
- blackened knee wound
- dead deer
- iron chain beating
- surgery
- heavily wounded body

- being a doctor has its benefits
- torture can get pretty boring sometimes

7 Days had all the right ingredients for a powerful revenge piece, but it ultimately falls into the dull genre of torture porn. The film starts off really well, introducing its tragic storyline impressively with help of solid cinematography and refined editing. However, 7 Days seems to run out of ideas rather quickly and the second half of its running time feels like a complete drag, in the end preventing it from becoming anything more than an average torture-heavy horror ride.

horror meter: 3 weekly stars (out of 5)

This Christmas everyone will believe in Santa Claus.

The Christmas of a local group of reindeer herders is disturbed after excavations on a nearby mountain uncover a terrible secret that should have remained buried forever.

- daring and original
- the story plays out in quite an unconventional manner
- portrays Santa Claus in a very different way than most other holiday films
- cleverly executed subtle humour
- carefully constructed storyline

- anticlimactic conclusion
- falls short in execution
- tends to drag at times
- weak performances from the child actors

- creepy Santa Claus books
- a lot of dead reindeer
- bloodstained trap
- sinister dolls
- frightening old Santa elves
- pickaxe headshot

- Santa Claus is not the kind person everyone makes him out to be
- people can survive on a healthy diet of gingerbread cookies
- if you almost get killed by a bear trap assume that your son is behind it
- everyone can pilot a helicopter
- Santa elves sell for 85 thousand bucks easily

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale is an ambitious holiday horror film that puts an interesting twist on the conventional Santa Claus story, but it's not enough to secure its success. While the storyline does take unpredictable turns and is quite unique overall, it definitely lacks during certain parts and its anticlimactic finale makes for a deeply unsatisftying conclusion. Nevertheless, Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale deserves to be appreciated for the effort and its ideas, and even though it doesn't fully deliver in terms of execution, it still makes for a fascinating little joy ride, especially during Christmas season.

horror meter: 3 gingerbread stars (out of 5)

By the time you read this, I’ll have already posted my list with the 40 best films of 2010, so check that out if you’re interested. I will also be posting my ‘favourite horror movies of the year’ list during this week or the next week, along with another list containing my favourite anime series of the year. So yeah, stay tuned if that sounds like something you might want to check out. For now, onto last week’s viewings (or was it the week before that?).

Monday

Middle Men (2010) - 5/10
I first heard about Middle Men back in 2009, but I wasn’t too interested in the film at the time and I soon forgot about it pretty quickly. Recently, though, I’ve been catching up with some movies and decided to give Middle Men a go, even though I didn’t have much hope for it to turn out great. Ultimately, Middle Men was not a bad film, but not a very good one either. It has an interesting story and the movie is relatively entertaining all the way, but it lacks style and originality, instead going for that typical Martin Scorsese feeling found in films such as Goodfellas or Casino. Luke Wilson was quite good in the leading role and he was definitely one of the better things in the film, but the rest of the cast failed to impress (maybe except for James Caan, but he didn’t have much to work with), and I particularly disliked Giovanni Ribisi’s performance, which felt unnatural and marked by occasional overacting. But like I said before, the story is well-done and even the script has some moments where it really shines, so Middle Men should prove to be a decent ride and it certainly won’t make you feel like you wasted your time with it.

Friday

Rango (2011) - 8/10
The recent years of animated cinema have been dominated by Pixar and Disney, making it hard for an animated feature outside these two studios to gain credibility and to gather a crowd. I actually wasn’t very interested in Rango at first, but the overwhelming positive feedback it received shortly after its release prompted me to go give it a shot. Looking back at it, I’m glad I took everyone’s advice and went to see it, because Rango is without a doubt an amazing film and certainly the best movie of the first couple of months in 2011. As an animated feature, some would think that this film’s target audience is children, but Rango is not a ride for kids, not by any stretch. However, it is a beautiful ride, marked by impressive animation and style, and also one that explores the genre of western. That alone makes Rango one of the most unique animated films in the last couple of years; its unconventional look and ambitious storyline giving it that certain something which will make even the harshest of critics love it. To cut a long story short, Rango deserves to be seen, more so by older audiences than by children, and I can guarantee you that it’s a highly enjoyable and thoroughly unique ride.

The Adjustment Bureau (2011) - 5/10
The Adjustment Bureau did not turn out to be a particularly good movie, but its ambitious storyline makes it quite a noteworthy release. It mostly fails because it does not strike a decent balance between its romantic and its sci-fi elements. As a romance, it may have succeeded, mainly because of the impressive chemistry between the leads, Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, but when mixed with the science fiction side of the film and especially the tendency towards the action genre it simply lacks enough time to deliver a much needed amount of character development and plot progress. Things start off great, and for most of the first half of the film’s running time, you would think that The Adjustment Bureau is a great movie. However, the plot falls apart during the second half, especially after taking a more action-oriented approach and ending the film with one of the cheesiest and most unsatisfying conclusions possible. Nevertheless, The Adjustment Bureau deserves to be appreciated for its intention to bring something new and original to the table. One thing’s for sure: we need more films like this one, regardless whether they turn out to be good or not.

Saturday

In a Better World (2010) - 7/10
I really didn’t know what to make of In a Better World at first, but I decided to give it a shot nonetheless due to the universal praise that it’s been getting. In the end, it did turn out to be a great movie, certainly one of the best foreign language films of the year, backed by a beautiful, inspiring story and powerful performances from its cast. I loved the constant change of location and the way it focused on different storylines while keeping a steady pace and not losing balance. The cinematography was amazing, much like the film’s score, but what impressed me the most was the acting, especially that of the main cast, including noteworthy performances from the young lead actors William Jøhnk Nielsen and Markus Rygaard. In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed In a Better World and would recommend this film to everyone as I’m sure audiences of all ages would benefit from it greatly.

Sunday

Season of the Witch (2011) - 4/10
We all need some good ol’ ‘cagesploitation’ from time to time, and what better way to celebrate this glorious event than to check out one of Nicolas Cage’s latest films, entitled Season of the Witch. If you have previously heard of this movie, it must have surely been something bad, because that’s what everyone’s been saying about it since its release, and as much as I wanted to like it, I unfortunately ended up thinking little of it. Season of the Witch starts off in pretty awesome manner: we get Nic Cage and his buddy Ron Pearlman fighting as crusaders in the medieval holy wars. Not only awesome, but also memorable, providing plenty of badass lines from both Cage and Pearlman and making for a heck of an entertaining show for about ten minutes or so. If only the rest of the film were just as good. Sadly, it really isn’t. The plot works well for the most part and even though the middle segment of the movie isn’t exactly great, it’s not bad either. However, everything falls apart during the final ten or twenty minutes. The storyline goes down the drain in mere moments, taking one of the most disappointing turns I have seen in a movie recently, and just goes on to bombard the viewer with as much cheap-looking CGI as possible. A shame, really. In the end, though, Season of the Witch was still an enjoyable film and it definitely contains enough cagesploitation in order to fulfill your needs for one session.

True Grit (2010) - 9/10
I have waited a long time to see the Coen brothers’ newest film, True Grit, and it’s been painful having to listen to everyone rave about it without having the chance to see it for myself since I missed it while it was still in theatres. Recently, I finally got the chance to check out True Grit and I have to say that the film completely lived up to my expectations, if not even surpassed them. This incredible western benefits from a powerful story told with help of the Coen brothers’ first-rate writing skills, delivering one of the best screenplays of the year, but it is also marked by outstanding performances from its cast, with Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and even the rest playing their parts to perfection. Hailee Steinfeld, in particular, stood out from this near-flawless crowd by delivering one of the greatest breakthrough performances I have seen in recent years. I don’t know how the Coen brothers managed to find her or how they even got that performance out of her, but kudos to both them and Steinfeld for what they have achieved in True Grit. I’d love to talk some more about the film, but in all honesty, I already wrote a review for it, so check that out if you wanna hear some more.

Innocence dies. Abby doesn't.

Bullied at school and neglected by his parents, a lonely boy forms a strong relationship with a young girl who just moved in the next-door apartment, but he has yet to learn that his new friend is in fact a vampire.

- solid acting from the entire cast
- gorgeous cinematography
- powerful score
- darker in tone than the original
- improves on some of the first film's weaker points
- focuses more on the relationship between the two children
- blends horror, drama and romance perfectly

- feels a little rushed during certain points
- Chloe Moretz's performance pales in comparison to Lina Leandersson's
- the relationship between the main characters feels less convincing this time around
- unncessary remake

- pools of blood
- fatal jump from the tenth floor
- strangled to death
- blood harvesting
- violent neck biting
- death by neck breaking
- bloodstained vampire face
- car crash
- self-induced acid burns
- disfigured face
- frozen dead body
- bloody neck wound
- death by bursting into flames
- heavy bleeding
- feeding on blood
- severed head
- several dead bodies
- bloody feet

- blood harvesting immediately equals satanic rituals
- avoid little girls calling out for help
- hiding in the back seat of a car doesn't always work
- vampires like puzzles

Let Me In may be the most unnecessary American remake in recent years, with the Swedish original Let the Right One In having been released merely two years ago, but it is also one of the most well-done. While it plays out much like its predecessor, director Matt Reeves manages to make some significant tweaks to the story, summoning a darker tone and providing more focus on the relationship between the main characters. The acting is also solid, and even though Chloe Moretz delivers a very decent performance, it holds no water to that of Lina Leandersson in the origina. Ultimately, Let Me In remains an unnecessary remake, but the beautiful cinematography, haunting score and well-constructed storyline make it a fine alternative to one of the greatest horror films of the last ten years in cinema.

horror meter: 4 vampiric stars (out of 5)