Scream Bloody Entertainment

This episode really took me a long time to finish, but when all was said and done, it was well worth it. Not only is there a broad selection of films to be had in this one, but I also dived into quite a few different eras in one single week, so it should make for a fun read.

Monday

The Big Sleep (1946) - 8/10
I continue down the road of self-discovery through a visit to the classic Hollywood era, with my stop being The Big Sleep this time around. Knowing next to nothing about it beforehand – except for maybe all the praise it has received over the decades – I went in hoping for the best and expecting some old school noir. And in the end, old school noir is exactly what I got from the movie, with The Big Sleep proving to be a quintessential piece of noir filmmaking. Humphrey Bogart shines in the leading role, performing his part perfectly and with the kind of charisma that seems to be long gone these days, and Lauren Bacall is both mesmerising and vividly expressive as the love interest. The two also complement each other brilliantly with the type of chemistry that is undoubtedly very rare to come across. On the other hand, though, The Big Sleep is far from an easily comprehensible ride, presenting a deeply confusing plot with too many names and faces that need remembering for the whole picture to even begin to make sense. Perhaps on some level, though, its terribly jumbled storyline is part of what makes The Big Sleep such a memorable and captivating cinematic ride.

Wednesday

Strangers on a Train (1951) - 8/10
Last week’s viewing got me in the mood for more Alfred Hitchcock films, so I went ahead and decided to go with Strangers on a Train next due to its intriguing premise. In a way, the movie did not exactly turn out to be what I expected, but it was an excellent film nonetheless. There are some really iconic scenes to be had in this one, and Robert Walker’s antagonistic performance is very impressive and delightfully engaging. Strangers on a Train is also one of the best examples of Hitchcock’s ability to build suspense, starting things off fairly simple and concluding with a climax which is hard not to be fully enthralled by. I also loved the small touches that Hitchcock added to this film, such as the entire amusement park sequence or the scene where Bruno has a chat with two ladies about how to pull off the perfect murder. There are plenty of memorable moments to be had in Strangers on a Train, and as such it is both an excellent motion picture and one that won’t be forgotten soon.

Super (2011) - 4/10
Despite not being quite taken with the wave of real life superhero films that has followed with the success of Kick-Ass last year, I was still relatively excited to see what Super had in store, particularly because it seemed to have a very interesting and unusual cast comprised of actors such as Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, and Kevin Bacon. Unfortunately, though, I enjoyed very little of this movie and thought even less of it as a whole. Director James Gunn, whose previous film Slither I found to be very impressive, definitely seemed to have something specific in mind for Super, but I felt like the execution was ultimately greatly underwhelming and disappointing. He was obviously going for a very indie vibe with this one, injecting some random out-of-the-blue and unexpectedly surreal moments along the way and somewhat intentionally giving the film a cheap look in places, but in spite of succeeding in some respects, Super ends up feeling like a complete mess both in plot construction, character development, and – more than anything – tone. There are some interesting scenes here and there, and there’s a particular moment that springs to mind that I found to be surprisingly effective and unexpectedly shocking (those who have seen the movie will know which part I’m talking about), yet when all was said and done, Super simply left me with a bad taste in my mouth and wishing I had spent my time doing something else, a feeling which few films have managed to bring out in me.

Your Highness (2011) - 2/10
I can’t say that I really looked forward to Your Highness, as I have read some reviews beforehand and figured that the medieval age and American crude humour would not particularly mix well together, no matter how both were executed. Ultimately, I actually ended up liking the film even less than I expected – or in this case, hating it more than I expected would be more appropriate, and I do believe that my slight bias towards it had little to do with the outcome. There’s surprisingly little to like in Your Highness, and rarely do any worthwhile moments present themselves throughout its course, mostly coming off as a tasteless exercise both in comedy and in period filmmaking. The sets and costumes are bland and uninteresting, the acting is greatly underwhelming considering the big names starring in it (though I have to applaud Danny McBride for his wonderfully pessimistic and enjoyable performance) and the plot is downright horrendous. There have no doubt been plenty of rubbish screenplays for big budget Hollywood productions before, but it’s rare to come across one so awful that it destroys the entire film. Suffice it to say that the storyline is utterly clichéd and formulaic to the core, the jokes are rather sparse and rarely do they hit the right notes, more often coming off as bad in taste, and the dialogue also leaves a lot to be desired. As for the cast, James Franco was merely decent in the leading role (his terrible British accent did not help, be it intentional or not), and as mentioned before McBride was the most noteworthy out of the lot. It was pretty sad to see actors as talented as Zooey Deschanel, Natalie Portman, and Justin Theroux wasted in such one-dimensional and even somewhat demeaning roles. Perhaps I am being too negative here, and perhaps seeing the film again under the influence may make it more appealing (as it does to other things, as we all know), but fact to the matter is that Your Highness is a regrettable piece of garbage, but a piece of garbage nonetheless. I recommend a good amount of alcohol if you still decide to get on with it, though.

Thursday

Stake Land (2011) - 7/10
Going into Stake Land I realised how much I missed post-apocalyptic films, with this year being not as kind to the genre as the previous few years have been. Fortunately, this movie embraced the genre quite impressively while also putting somewhat of a new twist on it, making the film feel refreshing and interesting. The plot is relatively average and filled with clichés of the genre (such as religious cults ruling the world or the survivors being picked off one by one), but the movie makes up for that with solid acting (especially from Nick Damici and Kelly McGillis), beautiful cinematography, and well-paced scenes. The vampires looked fairly impressive in terms of both make-up design and special effects, and the gore was also pretty well-done. I also enjoyed the score, which seemed to fit in well most of the time. All in all, Stake Land may not be exactly ground-breaking, but it’s a solid post-apocalyptic genre exercise that is both entertaining and thoroughly well-done. For more info about the film check out my ‘addicted to horror’ feature on it from back in August.

Saturday

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) - 7/10
I had high hopes for Captain America: The First Avenger, even though I wasn’t exactly sure how well a movie about Captain America would work, seeing as how ‘propagandistic’ a superhero like him may appear to certain viewers. After seeing it, though, I have to tip my hat off to director Joe Johnston, the writers, and everyone else involved in the shaping of the character in this film for pulling it off so impressively, managing to make Captain America: The First Avenger as accessible to foreign audiences as it is to American viewers while also keeping a sense of patriotism about it that is also present in the comic books. As it turned out, I ended up liking this film even more than I did Thor earlier this year, and it definitely stands among my favourite Marvel comic book adaptations. Chris Evans fully embraces the role of Captain America, delivering a fitting and surprisingly proficient performance, and the rest of the cast is also solid, with noteworthy performances coming from Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Tommy Lee Jones, Sebastian Stan, and many more. My only real complaint with Captain America: The First Avenger is the relatively scarce amount of action scenes, with many of them only taking up a few minutes of the film’s running time, but aside from that this movie is solid entertainment. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Sunday

...And Justice for All (1979) - 7/10
When it comes to Al Pacino monologues, the one in …And Justice for All definitely ranks among his greatest ever. I was already familiar with that particular scene going into this film, having seen parts of it here and there and heard some lines taken right out of it, but I was nevertheless greatly looking forward to this movie, hoping that there would be more to it than that single famous sequence. In a way, …And Justice for All did turn out to have more to offer, but in another sense I also ended up feeling slightly disappointed with the overall result. Don’t get me wrong, this is a solid film that showcases Al Pacino’s scene-stealing acting chops, and it also has quite an impressive storyline to it, but truth is that the movie has not aged well at all, and furthermore there are a couple of moments that are quite poorly executed. Take for example the helicopter ride, which is not only excessively long and ultimately pointless, but it also has Al Pacino behaving like a madman (and not at his greatest, I should say) and delivering some pretty cringe-worthy acting, to say the least. I blame that scene more on the director than on him, though, seeing as how obvious it is that it was both misplaced and lacked purpose. Moving on, as I said before the film has a powerful storyline, boasting some deeply emotional moments and providing a few surprises along the way. When all is said and done, …And Justice for All is well worth seeing, especially if you’re a fan of Al Pacino (you sure are in for a treat towards the end of the film), but those not particularly fond of older films may want to stay away from this one, as it sure hasn’t aged well.

Casablanca (1942) - 10/10
Seeing as how I got this whole classic Hollywood momentum going, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to finally check out arguably the most well-known and loved film of that era, Casablanca. Obviously, my expectations were at the highest possible level, and I also can’t deny that I went into the movie with a slight sense of cynicism, wondering what everyone found in it that was so great. All of my doubts vanished from the film’s very first minutes, though, and Casablanca ultimately turned out to fulfil all of my expectations and then some. I was surprised and kind of stunned that this movie managed to captivate me with a power that even most films of today don’t possess, and I was literally glued to the screen the whole time. The plot is superbly executed, very well-paced and delivers an uplifting finale unlike anything the genre of romance ever had to offer. The cast is outstanding all around, with Humphrey Bogart’s performance representing the embodiment of the definitive leading male, and Ingrid Bergman being fittingly stunning in the love interest role. The finale of the movie really sealed the deal for me, and you only realise the unbelievable power of some of the film’s most memorable quotes once they are put into context. In terms of cinematic achievement, Casablanca is without a doubt one of the best there have ever been and one of the best there ever will be. Seeing it at least once in a lifetime is the minimum requirement, I say.

It runs in the family.

A family is terrorised by paranormal events after two young sisters befriend an invisible entity inside their house.

- effective and novel scares
- surprisingly comedic at times
- impressive use of surroundings
- unexpected twist
- evokes a sinister atmosphere
- solid sound design and editing
- well-paced and thoroughly entertaining

- mediocre acting
- clunky opening minutes
- could have used a slightly longer running time
- relies too much on cheap jump scares

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

- people owned HD video camers back in the 80s
- demons can be quite crafty at times
- Bloody Mary isn't a very fun game
- an imaginary friend named Toby isn't as friendly as one may think

With the original Paranormal Activity having kick-started a new wave of the found footage subgenre of horror a few years back, the series of films that followed in its wake has now become a standard Halloween fare, and, to some extent, rightfully so. While Paranormal Activity 3 doesn't exactly bring anything new to the table, it's definitely a step up from its predecessor, orbiting surprisingly close to the first one in terms of scares and thrills. It does rely a lot more on jump scares than the previous entries in the series, yes, but that doesn't make the experience any less enthralling. There's also an increased attention given to the actual story this time around, with the finale delivering quite an unexpected twist. To cut to the chase, those who enjoyed the previous two films in the series will most likely be quite pleased with Paranormal Activity 3.

horror meter: 4 imaginary stars (out of 5)

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear” – Ambrose Redmoon

This year hasn’t been too kind on indie productions up to this point, delivering only a few noteworthy efforts along the way and staying mostly out of sight, but even in a year such as this one, a gem inevitably makes itself known and goes on to conquer the hearts and minds of those longing for its advent. Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, who made quite a name for himself in the independent circuit with the Pusher trilogy and the recent two movies Bronson and Valhalla Rising, Drive is without a doubt his biggest film to date, starring a cast of numerous well-known Hollywood actors. The film itself, though, is far from a mainstream exercise, deviating almost entirely from the genre of street racing which seems to have been indicated through the trailers and the way it’s been marketed.

Ryan Gosling stars in the leading role as a nameless driver who works as a stunt performer by day and a wheelman by night. He spends most of his time in solitude, until one day befriending a woman next door by the name of Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her son. As the bond between them grows deeper, the Driver agrees to help Irene’s recently out-of-jail husband perform a heist in order to protect the family from a group of mobsters. However, the job takes an unexpected turn and the Driver soon finds himself on the run.


On the surface, Drive may appear to be relatively formulaic, but nothing could be farther away from the truth, which becomes quite apparent as early on as the very first minutes of the film. Drive is, in fact, more of a reproof of the genre it appears to hint towards – a wolf in sheep’s clothing, in some ways. One of the earliest scenes follows the Driver on a getaway job during night-time. The police catch wind of the act, but the outcome is much different than viewers have come to expect in this day and age no explosions come to pass, our protagonist doesn’t escape by sheer luck or in the nick of time, and there are no adrenaline-fueled car chases taking place, though the tension built is just as effective, if not even more so.

Another thing – Drive is not a fast-paced film. This may sound negative to some, but its use is justified (in case it needed justifying) within the larger picture. There’s a reason why the poster uses an 80s style pink font for the title: Drive is unconventional in most of its aspects, featuring long continuous camera shots, minimal cutting, a storyline that is not atypical in and of itself, but which provides countless moments where it temporarily goes against the tide, and, last but not least, a wonderfully evocative retro soundtrack. It is, indeed, a no-holds-barred art house exercise.


Where Drive fails to provide in terms of car chases and action, it more than makes up for with violence, delivering more gore and pints of blood than some horror movies aspire to. As the plot thickens, the Driver is faced with a few literal do-or-dies, and director Refn does not shy away from exhibiting the outcomes of most of these situations. One could describe the violence in the film as gratuitous, and that statement may not be entirely wrong, but truth to the matter is that it does serve a purpose, and it ultimately does end up giving the plot the gravitas needed to make an impact on the viewer that would have otherwise been difficult to achieve.

The Driver resembles a few iconic cinema characters both through his mannerisms and his purpose within the story at hand. His quiet and calculated persona hints towards Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name, yet like Travis Bickle in Scorsese’s 70s classic Taxi Driver, he is the lone wolf, the outsider forced to relentless actions by circumstance and the events surrounding him. Ryan Gosling is undoubtedly a talented and charismatic actor as he has shown in his past roles, and his performance here only goes further to reinforce his already praiseworthy status in the industry. The Driver remains mostly devoid of feelings throughout the film, but Gosling manages to subtly inject emotion in his expressionless character, and that by itself is a remarkable feat.


The rest of the cast shines as well. Ron Pearlman and Albert Brooks play two ruthless mobsters that stir up much unneeded trouble for our protagonist, while Bryan Cranston takes the role of his dependable companion and mentor. Carey Mulligan stars as Irene, the sweet girl next door and eventual love interest. Oscar Isaac and Christina Hendricks make an appearance as well, rounding up a highly impressive group of players. The acting is solid, with Brooks and Cranston delivers perhaps the most noteworthy performances.

One could argue that great films can be divided in two distinct categories those that revolve around an original idea – be it one that comes in form of a narrative, visual quality, filmmaking technique, or otherwise – and those that build their foundation on a familiar concept (or formula, if you will) and successfully deliver a noteworthy final product. Drive does not stand out through its narrative structure, and neither do any innovative tendencies it might have propel it in the spotlight; instead, the film takes a well-known formula and spins it completely around, adding both style and substance during the process. As such, it falls within the latter category – and yes, it’s definitely one for the books.

Fear God

Three unsuspecting teenagers looking to get laid are captured by a cult of religious fanatics who plan on making an example of them.

- high shock value
- unconventional and fresh
- some really impressive camera work
- John Goodman and Michael Parks
- brilliant finale
- the sermon scene

- lack of a protagonist
- plagued by cliches of the genre
- zero character development
- the sudden shift in tone halfway through

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

- trying to get laid through the internet never works out well
- religion and assault rifles go hand in hand
- sirens are awesome
- God actually disapproves of a lot of things

One would expect religious fanaticism, shock value and fast-paced gun action to be an unstable mix, but for the most part, Red State pulls it off pretty well. Proving to be quite a departure from Kevin Smith's usual fare, this film makes for a thoroughly interesting and unconventional ride, despite stumbling about at certain points. On a technical level, Red State shines, delivering solid cinematography and editing, excellent camera work, and some really inspired directing from Smith's part. Unfortunately, the film is also filled with cliches of the horror genre, and some parts of it are far better than others, ultimately making for a terribly bipolar experience. While Red State may not rank among Kevin Smith's best work, it's definitely his most mature and ambitious film to date.

horror meter: 3 fundamentalist stars (out of 5)

I’m having quite a hard time getting up to date with the Weekly Updates, having somewhat naively hoped to catch up with time before summer ended, but here I am, middle of autumn, with less progress made than I would have feared a couple of months back. Ah well, I’m still holding on to that blind hope of mine – maybe it’ll turn to something one of these days.

Thursday

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) - 6/10
Having recently seen the train wreck that is Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, I was prepared for the worst going into Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Surprisingly enough, though, the film turned out to be quite an enjoyable ride, delivering a visual spectacle like few other movies I’ve seen on the big screen. As with the previous films in the series, the script was weak, the dialogue was cheesy and uninspired, and the storyline is filled with the kind of odd and confusing moments that Michael Bay has come to deliver for years now. Still, even in the writing department, Dark of the Moon is an obvious improvement over its predecessor. There’s not much worth mentioning about this film acting-wise, though I will say that I was quite surprised to see actors such as John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, and Alan Tudyk in the movie, but unfortunately their talent was mostly wasted on one-dimensional characters. Nevertheless, Transformers: Dark of the Moon is entertaining from start to finish, even with its admittedly overlong running time. As for the visuals, I honestly believe I haven’t seen a 3D film this dazzling in cinemas since James Cameron’s Avatar, and that really is saying something. So yes, if you get the chance to see Dark of the Moon in 3D, let nothing stop you. Too bad there’s not much else to be had aside from top-notch CGI.

Saturday

Take Me Home Tonight (2011) - 5/10
Despite thoroughly enjoying Take Me Home Tonight, I can’t say that it excels at anything, delivering a mostly forgettable experience and not managing to shine as an exercise in cinematic comedy. The story is relatively simple, taking an approach seen in many other teenage comedies. The dialogue impresses from time to time, but the script is underwhelming as a whole, introducing unnecessary subplots and creating rather uninspired situations. Surprisingly enough, though, there aren’t many failed attempts at humour to be had here, with most jokes and gag hitting the mark from start to finish, despite being quite restricted in number. The film also nails the 80s feel and style well enough, boasting a solid look and a good soundtrack. Topher Grace works well in the leading role, displaying a good sense of comedic timing while also proving to be suitable for the role of the underdog protagonist. Teresa Palmer is convincing as the love interesting, looking as stunning as ever and sharing a good amount of chemistry with co-star Grace. Anna Faris plays the straight role this time around, but her character isn’t given much to work with, unfortunately. Dan Fogler manages to stand out in a couple of scenes, but his character’s writing got a little too ridiculous at times. Demetri Martin delivered some scene-stealing moments in the small role that he had. Overall, I’d say Take Me Home Tonight is worth a shot for its distinct 80s atmosphere and a couple of good laughs, but don’t go in expecting more because it doesn’t do much in terms of advancing the genre.

Sunday

Shadow of a Doubt (1943) - 8/10
Having decided to catch up with couple of films from the classic Hollywood era, I felt that Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt would be a good place to start my journey with. As with pretty much every other Alfred Hitchock directed movie, Shadow of a Doubt is thoroughly suspenseful and engaging, starting from an intriguing premise and building towards a dark and fitting finale. There are some really great performances to be had in this one, with Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotten standing on top and perfectly contrasting each other’s characters thanks to some incredible chemistry between the two. The storyline is well-written, with a few unnecessary diversions along the way, but these are rather insignificant as a whole. Shadow of a Doubt is perhaps most known for its dinner scene, where Joseph Cotten delivers a memorable and terrifying monologue as Uncle Charlie. Having recently got the chance to see this film on a cinema screen, I have to say that the effect of that scene varies quite a lot depending on how big of a screen you watch it on. Seeing it on my computer for the first time, the monologue was masterfully delivered, but it seemed to lack in terms of power. After witnessing it again on the big screen, though, it truly sent shivers down my spine. To cut to the chase, I highly advise you see Shadow of a Doubt on the largest screen possible (preferably at the cinema, but let’s face it – there’s little opportunity for that), though regardless of which way you view it, it ultimately remains a powerful and thought-provoking psychological exercise that showcases some of Hitchcock’s most effective tricks and techniques.