Scream Bloody Entertainment

There are some very good reasons to be afraid...of the dark.

A teenager discovers that the next-door neighbour who recently moved in is a vampire.

- entertaining and well-paced
- genuinely frightening
- outstanding climax
- impressive make-up and special effects
- Chris Sarandon shines as the villain
- beautifully atmospheric
- cunningly humourful

- a few confusing plot points
- some scenes feel a little stretched out

- moderate violence and gore
- moderate scares and frightening scenes
- low nudity and sexual themes
- low profanity

- some teenagers have to choose between a vampire and his girlfriend
- television actors make the best vampire killers
- getting turned into a vampire will instantly make you an evil person
- vampires can turn into wolves
- faith can go on and off for some people

Few movies know how to utilise a promising premise as well as Fright Night does, delivering entirely on its early potential with an engaging plot that never diminishes in focus or pacing, slowly building up tension and concluding with a memorable climax. Chris Sarandon's mesmerising performance as the threatening vampire living next door to the protagonist is arguably the film's main attraction, though the special effects and make-up design are just as impressive, and the captivating atmosphere prevailing throughout the movie isn't far behind either. In short, Fright Night is horror cinema at its finest.

horror meter: 4 coffined stars (out of 5)

Quite a diverse collection of films this week, wouldn’t you say?

Tuesday

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) - 3/10
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is without a doubt one of the most hated films in recent years, and even though I really loved the first movie, I never got around to seeing this one until recently. Considering what everyone’s been saying about it, I was prepared for something bad, but I never actually expected the film to turn out to be as terrible as it did. In short, some things you may have heard about the movie may seem like exaggerations and I’m sure some of them are, but you’d be surprised just how much of the negativity surrounding the film is actually true. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen suffers from too many flaws to recount, but some of the most important ones include the film’s excessively long running time, lack of intelligence and the absolutely abysmal writing that, more than anything else, brings the entire movie down. The special effects are quite impressive, that much is true, but that matters little when faced with the myriad of problems that keep popping up throughout the movie. There’s the muddled storyline, the unnecessary amount of characters, some of which are downright offensive, the cheesy dialogue, the confusing editing, and much, much more. If you’ve been avoiding Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen up to this point, I say there’s absolutely no reason not to continue doing so in the future.

Friday

Juno (2007) - 8/10
I’m glad I revisited Juno again, because it left a stronger impression on me the second time around. Few indie flicks possess the cinematic power and originality that this one does, and that’s what makes it such a memorable film. It’s not every day that you see a film production in which the directing, writing, acting, and pretty much everything else complement each other as perfectly as they do in Juno. I believe that Diablo Cody makes the most contribution here with an outstanding screenplay, but director Jason Reitman and the amazing cast of actors aren’t far behind either. Ellen Page delivers both a solid performance in the leading role and an important one as well, as the movie would definitely not have been the same without her. Other actors such as Jason Bateman, J.K. Simmons, Allison Janney, and many more are also solid in the roles, making Juno a near flawless picture acting-wise. The movie also features an excellent soundtrack comprised of many songs that are not only fitting to the storyline’s upbeat tone, but are also highly memorable by themselves.

The Warrior's Way (2010) - 4/10
I’ve had quite an on and off relationship with The Warrior’s Way. At first, I was very much looking forward to its release thanks to the trailer and the film’s promising look. However, my excitement diminished considerably when the movie finally hit theaters, with mixed to negative reviews coming in from all directions. I eventually decided that The Warrior’s Way wasn’t worth checking out after all, so I went ahead and moved on, forgetting about it fairly quickly. I recently discovered the film again and, considering that I didn’t have much to do at that time, I ultimately gave it a go just to see if it’s any good. In the end, the film turned out to be just as weak as everyone made it out to be, though there were some worthwhile moments to be had here and there. Let’s start with the good – the opening sequence detailing the main character’s past was quite impressive, so there’s that. There was also Kate Bosworth’s energetic performance that really stood out and saved a couple of scenes that would have been terribly dull otherwise. Bosworth really seemed to enjoy working on the film, and that’s always a plus in terms of viewer satisfaction. Danny Huston also did a fairly good job, with his depiction of a nasty and despicable antagonist hitting all the right marks. The rest of the cast did not deliver, unfortunately. I’m sure Dong-gun Jang is a good actor and I’d love to check some of his work in the South Korean film industry, but in this movie he just seemed to struggle a little too much with his English, something that ultimately prevented him from shining in the leading role. I was very disappointed to see that Geoffrey Rush wasn’t given enough screen time or character development to show off what an amazing actor he is, but alas, he wasn’t the only one in that situation. Some of the special effects also looked relatively cheap, delivering an underwhelming visual experience. I also found most action scenes weak and not very well choreographed, with most fight scenes involving the main character playing out too similarly, with him barely making an effort to dispose of his enemies. I’m stretching this out quite a bit, so I’ll just conclude by saying that The Warrior’s Way does not present many redeeming qualities, making it not worth checking out in the long run.

Saturday

Limitless (2011) - 7/10
I actually had the chance to check out Limitless during the time that it was still showing in theatres, but decided to skip it due to the fact that it looked like a run-of-the-mill action movie to me. It was only some time later when I read up on the film’s premise and glanced over a couple of more reviews that ultimately pushed me to give it a watch when it hit disc shelves. I’m glad that I eventually saw Limitless, because it turned out to be quite a good film. It’s definitely not your average mindless action flick – it’s relatively ambitious as a whole and, more importantly, there’s a specific visual flair about it that sets it apart from the rest of the genre films that are similar in nature. As far as the plot goes, the storyline was interesting and engaging, the dialogue was well-written and the finale wasn’t as conventional as one would expect. Bradley Cooper is definitely on his way to becoming the next big thing in terms of leading men, and this movie only went on to further exemplify his undeniable screen presence and solid acting skills. I was kind of hoping for more from Robert De Niro’s part, but much like most of his roles in recent years, his character’s limitations did not give him the opportunity to shine. Getting back to the actual film, Limitless is solid cinema entertainment, so you really can’t go wrong with it.

The Tunnel (2011) - 5/10
I heard a lot of good things being said about this little independent horror movie, so I went ahead and gave it a go recently. Unfortunately, while it did deliver some genuinely creepy moments here and there, it ultimately turned out to be nothing more than just another one of those found footage films with a little bit of mockumentary thrown into the mix. The Tunnel can be surprisingly atmospheric at times, and there are some memorable scenes throughout, but it’s just not enough to make it stand out from the crowd. What really brings the film down is the excessive amount of exposition – it takes almost half (if I remember correctly) of its overall running time before the movie finally gets going, and until that point it all feels like too much of a drag for the viewer to care or maintain interest in the story. The acting is also quite weak, which coupled with the underwhelming dialogue makes for some really cringe-worthy moments, particularly towards the end when the film desperately tries to get the viewer to care about the main characters. All in all, The Tunnel isn’t a ride worth taking for most, though fans of the progressively increasing found footage genre may find it worth their while.

Sunday

Insidious (2011) - 8/10
I’ve been dying to see Insidious ever since it came out and the surprisingly generous reviews started coming in. Considering the poor state that horror filmmaking is in right now, having an above average flick come along is quite a reason to celebrate, and Insidious definitely stood out from the very beginning. Sadly, as fate often likes to play games, the film never ended up showing at any theatre near me, so I had to wait for it to be released on Blu-ray slash DVD. Recently, the waiting ended, and I finally got the chance to see Insidious. As it turned out, I actually ended up watching the film twice in one week, which should give you a general idea towards how I felt about it. It is without a doubt one of the most effective horror movies in recent years – I’d love to say that it’s one of the scariest films I’ve ever seen, but then again, some would say otherwise. Nevertheless, it’s quite an intense ride and the movie packs as many jump scares as two or three highly horror flicks, though compared to other movies, most scares here work very well. While some may see the third act of film as sort of a weak point, I was rather impressed by how creative and inventive it became at that point, further setting it apart from most other similar movies. Lovers of horror films and especially of supernatural fares will surely enjoy Insidious, that’s for sure. Waste no time checking it out.

Rejoice, my friends, for Scream Bloody Entertainment has just received the ‘Liebster Blog’ award!


A big thanks goes out to Maynard Morrissey over at Maynard Morrissey's HORROR MOVIE DIARY for humbly bestowing Scream Bloody Entertainment with this special award.

So what exactly is this so-called ‘Liebster Blog’ award? Well, being fluent in German, I can tell you that ‘liebster’ means ‘favourite’ or ‘dearest’ in English, closely relating to the fact that the award is handed out by its initial recipient to five other blogs he or she considers to be worthy of it, provided the ones chosen have less than two hundred followers.

The rules are as follows:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
5. And most of all - have bloggity-blog fun!

After taking a look at these rules and the fact that the blogs featured shouldn’t have a particularly large audience, it becomes clear that the ‘Liebster Blog’ award is aimed towards spotlighting some of the lesser known blogs. Once again, my gratitude to Maynard Morrissey for granting Scream Bloody Entertainment with this honour.

Let us now proceed to my choices. Here are five blogs with less than two hundred followers, all of them deserving of a lot more attention than they receive.

• Cool Awesome Movies
  ...for admirable writing skills, the ability to always deliver entertaining content, and the feature of unconventional and lesser known films.


• the jaded viewer
  ...for his sense of humour, unique reviewing structure, and those annual top horror movie lists that I’ve come to look forward to every year.


• Never Mind Pop Film
  ...for keeping film news entertaining, staying in touch with us mere mortals, and that awesome blog design.


• The Sick House
  ...for his undying love of everything horror, awesome post titles, and those well versed top 10 lists.


• Darkmatters
  ...for the interesting rating system, video game reviews, and knowing how important babes are to the overall enjoyment of a film.

Trying to reach the limits of evil... but evil has no limits.

A woman receives a strange phone call from her believed to be dead daughter, luring her into the world of a diabolical cult.

- somewhat creepy
- interesting premise
- decent acting
- the opening scene

- gets worse as it progresses
- confusing storyline
- fails to deliver any scares or thrills
- awful conclusion
- mind-numbingly tedious pacing
- underwhelming production value
- weak jump scare attempts

- moderate violence and gore
- low scares and frightening scenes
- moderate nudity and sexual themes
- moderate profanity

- a woman and an ex-policeman can be given access to talk with a convicted and deranged criminal
- pythons have different sized nipples
- some diabolical cults are made up of some of the most harmless looking people
- you can find anything on the internet nowadays

Starting off in full force with quite a disturbing opening scene, The Nameless seems to go in the right direction at first, but ultimately ends up taking a path marked by uninteresting plot points and a tedious pace. With the storyline slowly decending into a confusing mess, the scares coming off as cheap and uneffective, and the final twist delivering the killing blow, The Nameless turns out to be nothing more than a waste of time.

horror meter: 2 evil stars (out of 5)

Not a lot of films this time around, though certainly a step up from the previous episode. This was the week when my high school graduation exams took place, so I guess I could go with that as an excuse. I believe next week will be a tad better in terms of the amount of movies featured, but for now this will have to do.

Wednesday

X-Men: First Class (2011) - 7/10
What got me excited about X-Men: First Class more than anything was the film’s awesome trailer, which made me want to check out the movie as soon as it would be released. Having seen it, I can safely say that it’s a great film and certainly one of the best of the year so far, but it’s also a surprisingly flawed one. I was first and foremost impressed with the top-notch cinematography and directing, and the well-constructed storyline. What really stood out during the film were the performances by James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender as well as the chemistry between them. X-Men: First Class may look like an origin story, but it’s really about the dynamic relationship between Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr (or Magneto, if you will). In that respect, it works like a charm, and I thought the film made for a very interesting character study and certainly one we don’t see too often—or at all—in comic book adaptations. Despite its strengths, however, the film also causes a couple of missteps, especially when it comes to a few of the other mutant characters, which end up not being particularly interesting. Also, a few actors deliver underwhelming performances, with January Jones taking the crown when it comes to wooden acting. I’ve seen her in Unknown earlier this year and she didn’t do a very good job there either, but I’m hoping there’ll be some sort of redemption for her in the near future. In conclusion, if you’ve followed the X-Men series of films up to this point, this one’s a must.

Friday

The Illusionist (2006) - 7/10
The first time I saw The Illusionist was around the same period of time that I also saw The Prestige, another film revolving around magic; an occurence which I later found out was due to the fact that both films were released in the same year. I do believe to have seen The Illusionist before The Prestige, but despite dealing with the same subject matter, I found both movies just as fascinating, though now that I have gotten the chance to rewatch both of them, it’s become clear to me that The Prestige is by far the better film, much of which is due to Christopher Nolan writing and directing it (with help from his brother Jonathan on the script). But enough about The Prestige, let me get into The Illusionist. The film boasts quite an interesting premise, and Edward Norton is great in the leading role (though I’m still not sure what sort of accent he employed in this role), capturing the mysterious aura surrounding his character quite well. The storyline is engaging from start to finish, though I did find myself a little let down by the twist at the end, especially considering that cheesy sequence used to ‘explain’ it to the audience. Paul Giamatti and Rufus Sewell also delivered solid performances, and, as expected when put among such great actors, Jessica Biel turned out to be the weakest link, though looking back at it, she did do well enough so as not to be a distraction, so that’s something. All in all, The Illusionist is a very good film deserving of a viewing, particularly if you’re interested in the portrayal of magic in movies. However, if you’re looking for a film similar in nature but offering a more complex experience, check out The Prestige.

Generals and Master Samurais

Year: 2010
Number of episodes: 12 (aprox. 25 min per episode)
Genre: Action, Comedy, Ecchi, Supernatural

Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls is the kind of anime show that seems to have everything going the right way before it even starts airing. A storyline revolving around samurais? Check. Edgy visuals that make the anime stand out from the rest? Check. Fan service? Double check. All the ingredients to make a great anime series are present, which makes it all the more perplexing that Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls turned out to be a complete failure of a show.

Let’s start at the beginning. Taking place in Great Japan in an alternate timeline where the samurai tradition has been kept alive through modern age, the show starts off with the arrival of protagonist Muneakira Yagyuu at a samurai academy, where he accidentally stumbles upon Yukimura Sanada and her bodyguard Matabei Gotou as the two undress, encounters childhood friend and princess of the Tokugawa clan Sen Tokugawa, meets the quirky Jubei who he seems to share a special connection with, and otherwise gets to know a good deal of other female students. However, no one seems to be aware of the fact that Great Japan is standing before a grave threat; one that shares a long history with the country.


It’s hard to get a good sense of what Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls is about during the first episodes, because when it comes to story progression, the series is all over the place. Taking a look at the first half of the show’s episodes, close to nothing happens that is relevant to the plot. It seems as though the anime forgot that it actually has a story to tell, concentrating too much on trying to deliver as much entertainment value as possible, but ultimately failing in that respect as well, with many jokes simply falling flat and the amount of humour ending up to be rather insufficient overall.

The second half of the series isn’t much better either. Whereas the earlier episodes seemed to go nowhere, the final ones feel extremely rushed. Characters are introduced on the go, the antagonistic threat literally appears out of the blue, and the plot suddenly rises in scale with no explanation whatsoever. In addition, despite having so much time on its hands to allot for character development (early on the episodes are basically just various interactions between characters put together to reach the twenty minute mark), most characters end up feeling rather underdeveloped, with protagonists such as Jubei and Muneakira turning out to be nothing more than cardboard cut-outs of anime stereotypes as the show concludes.



The only thing preventing Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls from being a complete waste of time is the visual department, where the series clearly stands out. Boasting an unconventional look, the show features a stunning art style comprised of detailed—albeit not particularly original—character design, backgrounds in wash painting style, and ink drops marking scene transitions and censorship, in case you’re watching the censored version. The animation is also relatively well-done, though for an anime revolving around samurai warriors, the amount of fight and action scenes is surprisingly sparse.

Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls also lacks in scope. Aside from a number of scenes that I can count on the fingers of one hand, only the characters relevant the plot are shown, making the anime unbelievably disconnected from the world the story takes place in and causing the experience of watching the show to feel like a far-off and underwhelming venture. There’s a lot more to complain about, but the things mentioned earlier should give you a general idea of what to expect and—more importantly—what not to expect from Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls going in.

“Movies can and do have tremendous influence in shaping young lives in the realm of entertainment towards the ideals and objectives of normal adulthood.” – Walt Disney

Much like everything else in this world, the industry of film is constantly experiencing change, with big-budget productions becoming more and more indistinguishable from each other as the art side of filmmaking is slowly getting taken over by the marketing side. Going into a contemporary major studio release, one learns not to expect substantial character development or a particularly intricate storyline on account of the fact it’s become a habit for such cinematic elements to be given up in favour of greater entertainment value achieved through means of fast-paced action and special effects ridden visual flair.

Of course, such changes in large-scale filmmaking do not give off an entirely negative influence, as we have seen directors such as Christopher Nolan and James Cameron deliver some truly breathtaking cinematic experiences with films built mostly within Hollywood’s rigid parameters. Nevertheless, there comes a point in time when too much of the same thing starts to become a tiresome exercise for the viewer, and along with this occurrence usually arises the desire to return to a time in cinema when filmmakers were given more freedom of creativity, and, as a consequence, movies were able to express the kind of passion and novelty that seems to be mostly lost nowadays.


Backed up by producer Steven Spielberg, director J.J. Abrams (who last acted as director on the 2009 universally praised Star Trek) looks to rekindle such a time with his latest directorial effort, Super 8. Bearing a title as secretive as its main plotline, Super 8 is a bold homage to the Spielberg directed sci-fi and adventure films of the 70s and 80s, featuring everything from a mysterious creature and kids running around town playing detective to lens flares and a fittingly evocative score.

Taking place during the late 70s in a small American town, the film begins with a bittersweet introduction of our 13-year-old protagonist, the grieving Joe Lamb (played by Joel Courtney). Having recently experienced the loss of his mother and becoming more disconnected with his sorrowful father, a deputy at the local police station, Joe finds solace within his group of more or less same-aged friends, with whom he goes around shooting a low-budged zombie film. Acting as the make-up artist, Joe makes sure the living dead look as presentable as possible, while his slightly tubby best friend Charles (portrayed by a truly scene-stealing Riley Griffiths) goes about directing as if he was the next Orson Welles.


With help from the 14-year-old Alice Dainard, who agrees to play the role of the love interest in the ambitious film project as well as illegally providing means of transport through her father’s muscle car, the kids manage to sneak out at night and head over to a nearby train station in order to film a scene for the movie. One thing leads to another and Joe and the rest end up witnessing a catastrophic train crash, all the while the audience gets to witness one of the most spectacular railroad disaster sequences in the history of cinema.

Following the alarming accident, the U.S. Air Force swiftly arrives at the scene, doing its best to keep whatever cargo that train was carrying hidden from public view. However, as strange events start happening around town and eerie sounds begin to cover the stillness in the dead of night, the kids begin to realise that an escaped creature is lurking nearby. As a whole, Super 8 seems to be dividing its focus between two notions:  the Spielbergian themes of childhood adventure and mystery, and the monster slash disaster genre. The former dominates the first part of the movie while the latter gradually takes over as the storyline progresses.


Based on an original screenplay written by J.J. Abrams, Super 8 shines in terms of dialogue, delivering witty remarks and memorable lines along the way and mixing in just the right amount of humour to make plot all the more enjoyable without disrupting its fluidity. The interactions between the teen characters are surprisingly convincing and stand out especially when compared to many other modern age films that seem to fall in a state of complete oblivion when it comes to underage communication. Despite the solid dialogue and credible characters, Abrams seems to be stuck during the third act, concluding an otherwise exceptional motion picture with a messy climax that completely goes against the film’s initial principles.

The same alien monster element that seemed to have worked so well for the J.J. Abrams produced ‘Cloverfield’ is basically the sole purpose behind Super 8 not reaching its full potential. Perhaps I am alone on this matter, but everything about the extra-terrestrial creature felt wrong to me. It failed to emit originality through its appearance, the CGI looked terrible, and whatever emotional bond and moral message Abrams was trying to arouse through it fell completely flat with the inclusion of scenes depicting the creature feeding on human flesh and unsympathetically throwing people around and ripping them to shreds.


The cast of Super 8 shines. Joel Courtney delivers a breakthrough performance in the leading role, demonstrating a good capability of carrying the film by displaying an impressive range of emotions. Elle Fanning is also striking in her role, and a few scenes give her the opportunity to really show off her theatrical skills and have viewers torn between which one of the Fanning sisters shows more promise in terms of the next big thing in Hollywood. Another noteworthy performance is that of Riley Griffiths as Joe’s best pal and would-be director, whose line delivery and charisma steals the show, despite this role being his very first in a feature film.

The adult actors also do a fairly good job, though it becomes clear as early as five minutes in that the youngsters take the spotlight this time around. Giving his teen cast the opportunity to make an impression on the audience is perhaps J.J. Abrams’ greatest accomplishment in Super 8, and even though it’s far from his only one, the misfires he causes along the way ultimately prove themselves too crucial to be ignored. That being said, Super 8 remains a good film and—more importantly—a very memorable one at that. It gets closer to the ‘good old days’ than any other recent motion picture has, but in the end, it doesn’t quite get there. Nostalgic viewers should greatly appreciate it regardless.

This episode of the Weekly Updates is quite a special one, as it is the very first week that I did not get to watch any movies since I first started the whole thing. The reason behind my unavailability was that this particular week was the last one before my high school graduation exams started and as such I was mostly busy studying during the entire period, more so because I did not study enough during the previous weeks.


In order not to deliver a completely useless article, I felt that this was a good time to let my precious readers know what I have prepared for the following weeks. Besides posting a couple of more reviews of 2011 films, I think that I’ll be finally able to catch up with posting a few lists, including the ones about the best horror movies and anime series of the past year. I’ve also got some other projects lined up, but I’m afraid I can’t promise anything this early on. Also, I may be posting a couple more video game articles if everything goes according to plan.

So yeah, that’s about it. The Weekly Updates will be back with the next episode in their usual form. Until next time!

The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins

We worry about the future. It is in our human nature to give some thought to the days that yet lie before us, awaiting their turn to act upon our state, be it by bringing change in form of sadness or happiness, or simply by maintaining the current equilibrium. Ask any pessimist to give you a prediction of what the near future may hold for us and he probably won’t come up with a dystopia as grim as the one Suzanne Collins takes us along with in her young-adult novel, the fittingly titled The Hunger Games.

A nation known as Panem has taken the stead of North America after war has taken its toll on the once prosperous country. The government has also changed for the worse, becoming a ruthlessly totalitarian force and dividing Panem into districts, all of which are controlled from a city known as the Capitol, where all the privileged citizens reside. In order to illustrate its authoritarian power and keep everyone in line, the government organises an annual event known as the titular Hunger Games, where one boy and one girl from each district are chosen to fight to the death.

Our protagonist is Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl living in the impoverished District 12. When her younger sister Primrose is chosen to compete in the upcoming Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to take her place, knowing that for participants of the destitute District 12, the Games usually mean certain death.

As bleak as this futuristic dystopia may seem, for the most part it avoids going into overwhelmingly dark places for a young-adult novel, making it a far more readable journey than what first appearances may suggest, though underage deaths still occur throughout. Collins certainly has a knack for bringing her writings to life, in case of The Hunger Games delivering well-developed characters that express real human qualities and emotions, locations that seem to take form in one’s mind, and events that never seem particularly far-fetched, even with the book’s futuristic subject matter.

One effective approach used by Collins in immersing the reader into her novel is the inclusion of a few clever terms used to describe various things unique to the world of The Hunger Games. The children chosen to take part in the Hunger Games are referred to as ‘tributes,’ the yearly event where Hunger Games participants are selected at random is known as ‘the reaping,’ and district citizens can opt for a supply of grain and oil called ‘tesserae’ in exchange for having their name added a couple of more times to the reaping.

Despite Collins’ skillful world-building, her writing style is relatively simplistic. Employing a first-person narrative through the eyes of Katniss, the author mostly concerns herself with describing the surroundings and giving us some insight into the main character’s thoughts. There’s little to complain about since Collins uses effective and to-the-point descriptions that never become tedious, and Katniss’s development using indirect characterisation also comes across as very refined, but one does end up wishing the novel delivered a somewhat greater sense of complexity during certain parts.

The driving force of The Hunger Games, aside from its striking image of a dystopian future and the concept of the Hunger Games themselves, is without a doubt Katniss, the novel’s protagonist. Having been left fatherless from a young age, she was forced to learn how to provide for her family. Using the bow left to her by her father, she made a necessary habit of wandering into the woods surrounding District 12 to illegally hunt for game and gather edible plants. Katniss’s hardened demeanor and her proficiency in huntsmanship, particularly her expertise in using bow and arrow, make her a formidable leading character and certainly a female protagonist that stands out from the crowd.

As necessary as it has proven itself to be in contemporary young-adult literature, the inclusion of romance in The Hunger Games mainly turns out to be a double-edged sword. Basically, Collins manages to shake things up and generate some further tension during the deadly Hunger Games tournament by having Peeta Mellark, the boy chosen along with Katniss to represent District 12 during the Games, express an unrequited love for the unsuspecting protagonist, but the romantic situations that ensue as a consequence end up taking away from the novel’s bleak atmosphere as well as distracting from the already perfectly engaging subject matter.

With The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins may not have written a flawless or particularly brilliant work of fiction, but her novel remains an interesting piece with themes revolving around survival, the power of authority, helplessness, and the struggle for independence, delivering a thoroughly enthralling reading experience. For better or worse, the cliffhanger with which the book concludes will definitely leave its audience begging for more.

I visited the theatre a couple of times, checking out two sequels that I was looking forward to, and while I did enjoy both of them, they unfortunately did not manage to rise up to the bar set by their predecessors. In addition, I also saw a German film that I will definitely not forget for a very long time. More info on everything below.

Monday

The Hangover Part II (2011) - 5/10
I cannot say that I did not enjoy The Hangover Part II, nor can I say that I was overly bothered by the copy-pasted plot from the first movie, as some refer to it, but deep down I knew that it simply did not achieve the level of comedy that made the original such a big hit. The cast is all there, but no one seemed to be as impressive as they were back in 2009. Except for maybe Ed Helms—he’s undoubtedly a very talented actor and his outburst turned out to be some of the film’s highlights. On the other hand, Zach Galifianakis was definitely not as fun to watch this time around, his character becoming more of a nuisance rather than the leading comic relief in this movie. I also found that some of the film’s jokes fell completely flat, especially those involving the running gag revolving around the monkey or Mike Tyson’s cameo appearance, which set in motion an incredibly awkward scene devoid of any humour. However, I have to say that The Hangover Part II is more shocking than I recall the first one to be, delivering some really memorable moments along with a series of outrageous and downright hilarious photographs that roll after the movie’s conclusion. Go ahead and check this one out if you enjoyed The Hangover and want more of the same thing (because that’s precisely what this sequel is), but do not expect a product as original as the first one since there is no such thing to be had here.

Wednesday

Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) - 7/10
Having recently seen Kung Fu Panda, which I completely enjoyed, I was really looking forward to its newly arrived sequel, but I have to say that even though most people found it to be more than a worthy successor, I was a little let down by the film as a whole. Don’t get me wrong, the movie looks great. As a matter of fact, it’s probably the best 3D experience I’ve had in a very long time (perhaps as far back as James Cameron’s Avatar), and the voice acting is just as impressive as it was in the original a couple of years ago, but I just didn’t find Kung Fu Panda 2 to be as grand and expansive in scale as the first movie was. For me, it just seemed like the entire hero’s journey was gone and replaced by a whole lot of action scenes and a barely interesting storyline. The flashbacks were a great addition, but for some reason, I just wasn’t as enthralled with Po’s past as everyone else seemed to be. In addition, the jokes seemed more like a hit-and-miss this time around, indeed delivering a few laugh-out-loud moments along the way, but ultimately failing to achieve the comedic level of the original film. Having said all that, Kung Fu Panda 2 still remains a solid addition to the animated film genre, delivering top-notch visuals, an excellent score and first-rate voice acting. And considering what everyone else is saying about it, you’ll probably enjoy it more than I did.

Thursday

Das Experiment (2001) - 8/10
I stumbled upon this highly lauded German film a while ago, and after reading its premise and a couple of very positive reviews, I wasted no time and checked it out as soon as possible. It did turn out to be just as good as everyone made it out to be, even going as far as to exceed my expectations altogether. Das Experiment is very unique in nature, setting up a deeply intriguing plot that never gets predictable and always keeps the viewer on the edge. The film also features all-around solid acting from its cast, with actors Moritz Bleibtreu, Christian Berkel, Justus von Dohnanyi and Oliver Stokowski delivering some truly outstanding performances. It’s remarkable how the movie manages to build up tension, starting from the feeling of unease that prevails as early on as during the very first minutes and concluding in a spectacular no-holds-barred finale that really leaves you breathless. To sum it up, Das Experiment is one of the best German films I’ve ever seen and a true study of the human psychology. It’s not an easy watch, but it does make for an incredibly engaging and thrilling experience.

“The exercise of power is determined by thousands of interactions between the world of the powerful and that of the powerless, all the more so because these worlds are never divided by a sharp line: everyone has a small part of himself in both.” – Vaclav Havel

Together with Captain America: The First Avenger arrives the conclusion of the superhero films leading up to Marvel’s greatest cinematic sensation, the upcoming The Avengers that will feature an all-star cast of characters including Iron Man, Hulk, Thor and Captain America himself, with all of these comic book heroes having already received feature films of their own. As a fan of comic books, superheroes, or simply just someone who enjoys these types of movies, it’s hard not to be excited about The Avengers and look forward to how it’s all going to turn out.

In terms of the films building up to The Avengers, it’s safe to say that Marvel Studios haven’t delivered any overly underwhelming productions up to this point, though their movies have not managed to receive universal critical acclaim either (except for maybe the first Iron Man, which seems to stand out from the crowd in most people’s books). The character of Captain America is arguably Marvel’s most ‘American’ superhero, and as such may not be particularly popular outside of the United States considering its propagandistic nature, but as far as the hero’s journey is concerned, Captain America’s roots are more genuine and prominent than those of most other comic book heroes.


As a character born during and due to the days of World War II, most of the film takes place in the 40s, depicting Steve Rogers’ road to becoming Captain America and his rise as the nation’s greatest war hero. After being declared unfit to join the military ranks and aid his country in the war due to various health and physical shortcomings, the awfully skinny Steve Rogers is given another chance to enlist by the scientist Abraham Erskine, who believes that he has found the perfect subject for an experiment that could provide soldiers with advanced human powers. However, after Rogers undergoes a successful operation that makes him taller, muscular and enhances some of his abilities, the research facility is ambushed by an assassin that manages to kill Erskine, leaving the super-soldier formula lost.

The assassin reveals himself to be a member of Hydra, a secret organisation led by Nazi officer Johann Schmidt, who has obtained a mysterious artifact capable of producing advanced weaponry that could make his plans for world domination come into being, and only Captain America has the power to stop him. Compared to Iron Man 2 and the recent Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger is far more a film of its own rather than a build-up to The Avengers. While scenes relating to the S.H.I.E.L.D. agency and its agenda are not excluded from the movie, they are far less prevailing this time around, making Captain America: The First Avenger a more rounded experience as a whole.


The plot does not present many surprises along the way and it’s just as formulaic as Marvel’s other recent films, but the movie does benefit from quite an impressive script that, in addition to providing a well-constructed narrative, makes sure every line of dialogue hits the right marks without feeling either cheesy or forced while also delivering a couple of witty and memorable one-liners along the way. The film also excels from a visual standpoint, painting a credible image of the 40s thanks to outstanding costume and set design, and top-notch cinematography.

There were some doubts regarding Chris Evans being cast as Captain America prior to the film’s release, most of which had to do with the actor’s comedic and light-hearted demeanor that he employed in many of his other roles. Fortunately, Evans delivers an incredibly convincing portrayal of the unassuming Steve Rogers, capturing the character’s grounded and noble attributes in a performance that will surely make him the face of Captain America for years to come, just as it happened with Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and, more recently, Chris Hemsworth as Thor.


Another impressive performance is that of Hugo Weaving as the film’s main antagonist, Johann Schmidt. Weaving is given many opportunities to shine and develop his character throughout the movie and he undoubtedly makes the most out of them every time he’s on screen. Actress Hayley Atwell also stands out playing Captain America’s love interest with a feminine charm and unconventional look that sets her apart from most leading actresses of modern day. The cast is rounded off by actors such as Tommy Lee Jones, Sebastian Stan and Dominic Cooper, making Captain America: The First Avenger a film devoid of any weak links acting-wise.

So does Captain America: The First Avenger achieve something that hasn’t been done before? No, not really. Then again, there’s little experimenting to be had in a film of this calibre and subject matter. On the other hand, the superhero formula here is more polished than it’s been in quite some time, delivering an experience that is thoroughly engaging, fittingly compelling, and ultimately as gratifying as it should be. After all is said and done, Captain America: The First Avenger gets a place among the best of Marvel’s comic book adaptations, with the film taking the number one spot being more an issue of personal opinion rather than cinematic quality. Certain is only that Captain America: The First Avenger is a summer blockbuster in all its might and glory, which should be more than enough for most of us.

The most dangerous thing is to be alive.

An orphaned teenager is taken under the wing of a mysterious vampire hunter after an epidemic has swept through all of America, all but destroying civilisation and turning infected people into vampires.

- thoroughly entertaining
- interesting blend between the vampire and the post-apocalyptic genre
- some noteworthy performances
- the gore and special effects are mostly good
- solid cinematography
- fine score
- fitting conclusion

- nothing that hasn't been done before
- ridden with cliches typical of the genre
- unnecessary voice-over narration

- high violence and gore
- moderate scares and frightening scenes
- moderate nudity and sexual themes
- moderate profanity

- religion always finds a way to screw things up
- throwing vampires out of helicopters is the newest in military warfare
- some dead people look incredibly alive
- don't leave evil men to the vampires, they only get more evil and powerful

Stake Land delivers a grim and unrelenting take on the vampire genre by successfully integrating it within a post-apocalyptic story to create a highly potent and refreshing mix of horror. Backed by solid performances from Kelly McGillis, Michael Cerveris and especially Nick Damici, surprisingly high production values, and a well-constructed narrative, it's easy to forgive the film's derivative nature and small missteps and appreciate it for being a refreshing and effective horror ride in times when such things are few and far between.

horror meter: 4 cold-blooded stars (out of 5)

The Birthing House
by Christopher Ransom

Christopher Ransom’s debut novel, a haunted house story entitled The Birthing House, will definitely draw in many readers with its promising premise and old-school horror atmosphere, but beyond first appearances lies a book plagued by a muddled plot, weak writing and the lack of enough chills.

The Birthing House puts an interesting spin on the haunted house subgenre of horror, presenting a story revolving around an old Victorian house where life and birth become powers of the supernatural. Adopting a third-person limited narrative, the novel focuses on protagonist Conrad Harrison and the strange events that come to pass after he moves with his wife to a 19th century birthing house located in a small Wisconsin town.

The book begins in an intriguing fashion, setting things up right from the very first sentence: ‘Conrad Harrison found the last home he would ever know by driving the wrong way out of Chicago with a ghost in his car.’ At the same time, however, these introductive few words also foreshadow future gaps in the plot. Without spoiling anything, it’s safe to say that the aforementioned ghost that accompanies Conrad on his way to his new home is never mentioned again throughout the novel and we are left only to speculate as to what purpose it actually served. Unfortunately, it becomes quite obvious after reading through the entire book that there was absolutely no purpose to the ‘ghost’ in Conrad’s car other than it serving as a cheap representation of the supernatural motif, much like those jump scares in run-of-the-mill horror films that are lack the creativity to generate scares through other means.

This example may seem fairly odd at first, but I have brought it up because it’s basically a paradigm for many other plot points in Christopher Ransom’s inconsistent ghost story. He seems to summon ghostly appearances and supernatural events at command, but because he never gets around to tying most of them to the story, they end up acting as loose ends. As a result, The Birthing House may make for an entertaining read, but as the book nears its end, one naturally begins to expect some sort of twist that will tie everything together. Nothing of the sort comes along, though, and the final revelation that Ransom employs as a means of concluding his novel is rather half-baked and ultimately unsatisfying.

Unfortunately, the inconsistencies present in the story are far from being the only faults within the novel. Christopher Ransom also stumbles in terms of writing style, assuming an often erratic tone as he tries to inject what ultimately feels like gratuitous swearing and a chaotic use of italics into his book. There’s also that incident involving Conrad browsing through the MySpace page of his next door neighbors’ teen daughter, a laughable attempt at giving the novel a more up-to-date feel that completely backfires, making one realise just how clunky Ransom’s writing is.

On a small positive note, Christopher Ransom does blend elements of erotica and horror in a very effective and distinct manner, and even though the author’s repeated indulgences in depicting sex may seem superfluous to some, they do end up making the novel a more interesting read. All in all, though, not much of the readership is going to come out of The Birthing House content, but in terms of readability it’s not going to hurt anyone either. Kind of what a standard debut novel should be, if you ask me.

It really took a while for me to finish up this number of the Weekly Updates, for as you can see below it’s been quite a crowded week. Plus, I’ve been overseas for almost two weeks, so there’s that. The next few numbers will go smoother, that’s for sure.

Monday

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) - 9/10
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is undoubtedly Walt Disney’s most recent jewel, a film that singlehandedly makes up for the misfires the company has made in recent years. Few summer blockbusters end up being remembered over the years, but I have no doubt that this movie will still hold a place among the greats for decades and decades to come. What makes Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl such an outstanding experience is its ability to convey that swashbuckling adventure atmosphere last seen in the Indiana Jones series of films. As Captain Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp creates a fantastic and truly memorable character that steals the spotlight every time he’s on screen and makes every scene he’s taking part in a delight to watch. Gore Verbisnki also deserves a high amount of praise for his excellent directing and the way he constructed the plot, knowing which elements to focus on by having a clear sense of what the audience expects from a film of this magnitude. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and it certainly won’t be the last, since this picture holds a special place in my moviegoer’s heart and I’m sure such is the case with many other viewers as well.

Stay (2005) - 6/10
Stay is, if nothing else, a mesmerising cinematic experience. As a psychological thriller slash drama, it’s not original in any way and all the techniques used in the film have been done before and mostly much better. However, the movie just has a unique aura about it and it certainly manages to convey the atmosphere that it was going for, particularly during its second half, when things start tending towards the surreal and the twist is built up. I wasn’t particularly taken with Marc Forster’s directing as it seemed to me that it was often unstable, making certain scenes less effective than others. Neither did the cast impress, which came as a surprise to me as I usually enjoy Ewan McGregor’s and Naomi Watts’ performances, but they just seemed to be lacking in this film. Ryan Gosling was somewhat better in that respect, but he didn’t stand out too much either. The finale of Stay is what makes it a worthwhile watch, as the movie concludes in a very emotional and gripping manner, making the build up to it relatively worth it. I’d recommend Stay to those looking for a psychological film marked by a sense of surrealism somewhat similar to David Lynch’s works, but for everyone else it is perhaps wiser to skip it in order to avoid a potentially confusing and unsatisfying ride.

Tuesday

Stir of Echoes (1999) - 7/10
I was surprised at how obscure Stir of Echoes actually is, having never even heard of it until recently. Sure, it may have been overshadowed by The Sixth Sense in 1999, but that still doesn’t explain why no one talks about it at all, especially considering that it’s actually quite a good horror thriller. The jump scares are perfectly sparse and executed very well, the premise is relatively intriguing and the first half of the film is truly outstanding, even though it does go a little downhill after that. I was especially impressed by Kevin Bacon’s performance, who really carried the film from start to finish as the leading character. On the other hand, Stir of Echoes is far from a flawless movie, and its faults increase significantly during the second part of the film, when it becomes apparent that the story will not deliver entirely on its very promising premise. The climax is particularly underwhelming and it also does not integrate too well with the ghost story motif, as I felt that ending things with newfound antagonists did not serve the plot well. Despite its notable flaws, Stir of Echoes remains a deeply atmospheric thriller and an intense and chilling ride.

Wednesday

Downfall (2004) - 10/10
I’ve been looking to get more acquainted with German cinema, so I decided that the critically acclaimed Downfall would be a good place to start. I had heard plenty of good things about the film, but I was most definitely not prepared for the masterful and heart-wrenching experience it turned out to be. Downfall is, without a doubt, one of the best acted films I have ever seen, boasting an ensemble cast of some the most talented German actors on top of which stands Bruno Ganz as Adolf Hitler with literally one of the greatest performances in cinema history. Critics have called Downfall one of the best movies ever made, and I can’t help but feel the same way about it. The sense of realism one gets while watching this film is simply astounding and once you get pulled in it simply doesn’t let go until the very end, delivering a deeply engaging and emotional journey. The film also excels in everything from sound design and editing to writing, costume design and set design. To put it simply, it is without a doubt a near flawless motion picture, a quality shared by few other movies. There’s so much more I could say about Downfall, all of it being praise, but I’ll just finish here by saying that if you love films and are not particularly weak of heart (because certain parts of the film are relatively difficult to watch), there’s just no excuse for not seeing this movie.

Thursday

Memento (2000) - 9/10
You can’t properly judge a film like Memento in only one sitting simply because its complex narrative style and perplexing plot cannot be fully grasped straight away, requiring time and a little more attention to the overall experience than the usual cinematic fare. However, Memento is undoubtedly one of the greatest thrillers from the past twenty years and certainly an outstanding achievement in independent filmmaking. I often say that the script of a film can make or break it, and this movie is a perfect example of what the power of screenwriting can achieve. Memento delivers an incredibly intriguing plot that moves forward (or backwards, I should say) in a fascinating manner, delivering just the right amount of clues and hints along the way until finally concluding with a truly unpredictable twist and a flawless ending. Guy Pearce was great in the leading role, slipping in the role of the amnesia-ridden protagonist and effectively carrying the movie forward. Memento also excels in terms of cinematography and film editing, making for a cinematic experience that is thoroughly well-constructed and easy to follow. There’s not much else to say about the film that hasn’t been said already dozens of times, so I’ll just finish up by whole-heartedly recommending it to anyone who’s looking for a great and original film to watch.

The Silent House (2011) - 7/10
The only thing that may drive The Silent House out of obscurity for some people is that it’s supposedly been filmed in one long continuous shot, though that’s debatable and ultimately unverifiable. However, what really got me excited for this film was the trailer, which made it look like quite an intense and atmospheric horror ride, and as a matter of fact, it actually turned out to live up to my expectations. Right from the start, I have to mention that regardless of whether the movie was shot continuously or not, its lack of cutting scenes serves it incredibly well, keeping it an effective exercise in atmosphere from start to finish. Acting-wise, The Silent House doesn’t do much, with the leading actress delivering some obviously weak moments, but overall, there’s not much to complain about as the film is mostly focused on other departments. There’s little to no actual plot in the movie, and any substantial information regarding the events that are happening inside the ‘haunted house’ comes towards the end. Unfortunately, there’s also a twist to be had during the climax, and I say unfortunately because it’s probably one of the worst plot reveals I’ve seen in a very long time. However, there’s a post-credits scene (or during the credits, I really can’t remember) that somewhat makes up for the film’s badly implemented twist, so be sure to stick around for that if you decide to give this one a go. And in case you’re looking for a haunted house horror flick, I’d say you probably should.

Friday

Paul (2011) - 5/10
Who doesn’t love the duo made up of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, especially considering that they have starred in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, two of the best British comedies of the 2000s. As such, I was really looking forward to Paul, their latest film, but I was also somewhat skeptical as to what they would be able to pull off without director Edgar Wright on board. In the end, Paul didn’t do it for me and I was ultimately let down by the film. There’s comedy to be found here, sure, but too much of it falls flat. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got nothing against sex jokes and obscene humour, but here it just felt a little excessive and unnecessary. The writing is pretty underwhelming, delivering a somewhat standard plot where the main characters just travel from place to place and team up or come in conflict with other characters. I wasn’t a fan of the finale, either, as it felt too cheesy and cringe-worthy for me, especially since this type of feel-good ending has been done to death already. It was nice to see Jason Bateman and Kristen Wiig in the film, though their talent was ultimately underplayed. As for Seth Rogen, he may have done a good job voicing the alien Paul, but to me his voice didn’t seem appropriate for the character. All in all, Paul turned out to be quite a disappointment in my eyes, but I guess it works as a decent comedy fare.

Saturday

Kung Fu Panda (2008) - 8/10
I’m not sure why I never got around to seeing Kung Fu Panda up until now, but I am glad I finally gave it a go, because it turned out to be an instant favourite of mine. We’ve seen plenty of outstanding animated films in recent years, and I do believe that this film is right up there with the very best. Kung Fu Panda simply conjures such a perfect atmosphere that it’s hard not to be completely engaged by it, especially considering the film’s excellent animation style and CGI. I was also impressed by the writing, as the movie boasts a well-constructed plot and the dialogue feels believable and convincing, delivering plenty of memorable quotes throughout. The voice acting was top-notch, but that’s to be expected from a cast made up of first-rate actors such as Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane and Jackie Chan. Jack Black was great in the leading role, and this clearly was his show in terms of humour. Fans of animated films should give Kung Fu Panda a go if they haven’t done so already, as it will most definitely not let anyone down.

A Fistful of Dollars (1964) - 7/10
I’ve been meaning to check out A Fistful of Dollars ever since I saw The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, a film which I consider to be among the best motion pictures ever made, if not the very best. I finally got the chance to see A Fistful of Dollars recently, and while it did deliver old school western just like I expected it to, I ultimately found it to be significantly subpar to The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. That’s not to say that this one wasn’t a good film, because it most definitely was, but it does present a few flaws along the way. I found that an important fault of the movie was found within its plot, which didn’t feel very well fleshed out and definitely seemed to drag during certain parts. On the other hand, Clint Eastwood delivered his usual top-notch performance as the badass ‘Man with No Name,’ a puzzling and well thought out character that boasts enough anti-hero qualities to make him one of the greatest show stealers in cinema history. The final showdown in A Fistful of Dollars is a thing of beauty and without a doubt an excellent example of typical western climax battles. Fans of spaghetti westerns should give this one a go, especially those having watched The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and looking for more of the same thing, even if it doesn’t quite reach that film’s level of greatness.

Full Metal Jacket (1987) - 8/10
It took me an inexcusable amount of time to get around watching Stanley Kubrick’s universally revered Vietnam War film Full Metal Jacket, but as my very own motto goes, better late than never, eh? Needless to say, Full Metal Jacket is a top-notch picture and without a doubt one of the best directed films I’ve ever seen, but as a whole, it seemed slightly overrated to me, though that’s probably just due to the fact that I went into it with truly colossal expectations. I loved how Kubrick basically split the movie in two very different parts that ultimately complement each other perfectly, with the first half of the movie carefully setting things up for the horrifying effects of war that come to happen during the latter half. I was also impressed by the choice of music, with some really memorable and very fitting tracks popping up throughout the film. It really makes you understand what a powerful director Stanley Kubrick when realising just how he can turn a movie focusing on the basic act of war into such a deep and thought-provoking experience. As outstanding as it was, Full Metal Jacket is just one of the many films that Kubrick will always be remembered for in the history of cinema, and that’s saying a lot about what kind of a director he was.

Sunday

Running Scared (2006) - 5/10
I was about fourteen or fifteen when I first saw Running Scared, an age that I now realise was terribly inappropriate for this film’s content, which features far too much swearing and a few truly disturbing scenes, including one involving pedophilia. After checking it out again recently, I have to say that the movie didn’t change much in terms of controversy, but I did find it lesser in quality than during my first viewing all these years ago. The plot was well put together, and the film was solid acting-wise as well, with Paul Walker and Vera Farmiga delivering pretty enjoyable performances, but there were other departments where Running Scared didn’t do as well, ultimately delivering only a decent action thriller. First off, there’s all the style that director Wayne Kramer tried to incorporate into the film, but it ended up backfiring by making the experience all the more muddled and unfocused. Then there’s the overly excessive explicit language that often feels gratuitous and unneeded. Last but not least, there’s the feel-good ending, which may feel like a satisfactory conclusion to the story for some, but it clearly feels out of place in comparison to the rest of the film’s dark and violent subject matter. That being said, though, Running Scared does shine in terms of plot construction, and it’s relatively unconventional storyline may make the movie worthwhile for some.