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Weekly Updates #83 (22.08.2011 - 28.08.2011)

2012-02-12T05:38:00.000+02:00

Not a particularly productive week, this one, but hey, it was the summer. Yes, I count that as a valid excuse. Moving on, though, I’d say the two films that I did get to watch this time around both defied expectations in one way or another. Read on for more.

Monday

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) - 7/10
I really didn’t know what to make of The Lincoln Lawyer going into it. The trailers made it look like a potentially good, but likely forgettable experience, and it’s been a long time since Matthew McConaughey last turned in a notable performance (no thanks to all the romantic comedies he’s starred in recently). I eventually ended up checking the film out after reading up on some positive reviews and receiving it as a recommendation from people, and I’m glad I did, because The Lincoln Lawyer actually turned out to be a really great courtroom thriller. The directing is solid, the screenplay is all around well-written, and Matthew McConaughey hasn’t been this good since Frailty, which was about ten years ago. Not only that, but the movie also boasts a remarkable supporting cast, with William H. Macy and Marisa Tomei as frontrunners. I was a bit divided on Ryan Phillippe as the antagonist, but he pulled it off well enough. There’s really not much else to say about The Lincoln Lawyer, so I’ll just conclude with recommending it, just as it was recommended to me in the past. It’s an entertaining film if I’ve ever seen one.

Thursday

Fast Five (2011) - 6/10
I think we can all agree that The Fast and the Furious series of films aren’t exactly the be-all, end-all of modern filmmaking, but I’ve always had a soft spot for them. I don’t really know why – perhaps it’s the recurring characters that give you a sense of familiarity, perhaps the amount of entertainment that these movies provide – but I’ve been drawn to this series since I saw the first movie, and things haven’t changed much since. Of course, it doesn’t take a genius to realise that 2 Fast 2 Furious and Tokyo Drift were some real stinkers, but I do think that the films in-between the two are rather decent. They’re not great pieces of filmmaking, but I don’t believe that dismissing them as poor is appropriate. That being said, I found the latest instalment in the series, Fast Five, no doubt to be a good film – possibly the best one yet. I was glad to see that the movie stuck with the original cast of characters (we know how well it worked out when they tried to start from scratch with Tokyo Drift) as it definitely added more gravitas to the plot. Action films like The Fast and the Furious series don’t really have time to develop their characters, with most of them having one-dimensional or stereotypical types, so keeping the same characters throughout a franchise helps develop them over time. Such is also the case with this series, and I truly believe that with Fast Five these characters have finally been set free of the ‘throwaway’ status. As for the new characters, such as Luke Hobbs (played by Dwayne Johnson) and Elena Neves, they really seem to find their place in the story in this film. All of what I said above reverts back to the writing, and it’s fair to say that Fast Five is a very well-written action film; it has a smooth opening, a solid third act, and things actually tie in together nicely in the end. Plus, it also delivers some pretty memorable action scenes, and even though the vault heist is rather implausible and tough to suspend belief for, it’s undoubtedly well-done and constructed from a filmmaking standpoint. All in all, if things go well, I wouldn’t mind another couple of entries into the franchise as long as it knows to stick with its guns and as long as Justin Lin is directing. He may have screwed up with Tokyo Drift, but he’s undoubtedly learned a lot since then and I say he’s become a filmmaker worth keeping an eye on in the future.

[ATH] The Woman (2011)

2012-02-08T01:01:00.000+02:00

Not every monster lives in the wild.

addicted to horror

The Woman (2011)

the plot

The lives of a family are turned upside down when the husband decides to bring home and 'domesticate' a violent woman who seems to have lived in the wild all her life.

the good

- utterly shocking and heart-rending
- thought-provoking on many levels
- well constructed story with a few impressive twists and turns along the way
- leads to a heart-stopping finale
- generates dread and terror without the use of cheap tricks
- introduces one of the most terrifying characters in recent horror cinema history
- outstanding performance by Pollyanna McIntosh
- pulls no punches in its depiction of the subject matter

the bad

- feels self-indulgent at times
- the soundtrack does not blend well with the film
- some scenes feel out of place

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- living in the woods can actually work out pretty well for some people
- skipping gym class automatically means you're pregnant
- teachers should avoid visiting their pupils' homes at all costs

summary

Unlike most contemporary horror films, Lucky McKee's The Woman has no trouble generating terror and dread throughout its running time, and it does so without the use of jump scares as well. Tackling controversial issues such as domestic violence, gender inequality and the abuse of power, this film is as shocking as it is thought-provoking, and its courage to venture into some of the darkest corners of the human mind is truly commendable. In the role of ‘the Woman,’ Pollyanna McIntosh’s captivating performance helps turn the titular character into one of the most iconic ones in recent horror cinema history. In short, The Woman makes for one of the most unnerving and disturbing rides at the cinema while also providing an important social commentary which sets it apart from most horror movies of today. The words ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’ have never rung truer before.

horror meter: 5 fatherly stars (out of 5)

Re(tro)view: Say Anything...

2012-02-05T22:45:00.000+02:00

Say Anything...
Cameron Crowe, 1989
reviewed by Sergiu Gustus
Sunday, February 5th, 2012

First of all, let me start by saying that I’m a big Cameron Crowe fan. He manages to capture human emotions in a way that makes it very easy for the viewer to relate to. His particular trade marks include the use of great pop/rock music and the promotion of the outcast, or ‘the uncool,’ as in Almost Famous. Crowe has a talented flair for portraying the agonizing emotions that are part of approaching adulthood. With movies such as Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous, Vanilla Sky, one can say that Cameron Crowe has established himself as a respected and well-known director.

His directorial debut was in 1989 with the coming-of-age movie Say Anything…. Starring John Cusack and Ione Skye, this Generation X motion picture became an instant classic and is widely regarded as one of the best modern romance movies.

The story is pretty basic: Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) an average student falls for the valedictorian Diane Court (Ione Skye) and they both end up spending the summer after graduating high-school together. The story takes place in post-grunge Seattle, a time when love was still in its most innocent stages. Without giving too much away I’ll make this as short as possible. The entire cast, from the two leads to even the brief cameo appearance of Joane Cusack makes the job so much easier for the audience to relate to virtually every scene in the film. Lloyd is an aspiring kick-boxer lost in his struggle to find a meaning for his future while Diane just won a prestigious fellowship to Reed University in England and will be going there at the end of summer. Although she is lovable and intelligent, she can’t seem to manage well at a social level. Intrigued by high-school misfit Lloyd’s boldness to ask her out on a date, she accepts, and their relationship flourishes after seeing each other on a regular basis. I’ll stop here, because giving away more details about the story would ruin your viewing experience. I will however encourage you to keep a sharp eye throughout the movie, as you will recognize actors such as Jeremy Piven, Eric Stoltz and a brief cameo of Pearl Jam’s rhythm guitarist Stone Gossard.

The film really begins to shine in the important moments of Lloyd’s and Diane’s relationship; that’s when you see how different this movie is from the average Hollywood tear-jerking ‘chick flick.’ The script is also top-notch, ranging from subtle jokes and remarks to plenty of memorable quotes. Cameron has a way of turning a simple scene into something beautiful and iconic. You’ll know which one I’m talking about once you see it.

Needless to say, the soundtrack plays a huge role in Say Anything..., as with most of Crowe’s films. His choice of songs never disappoints; from teen party rock songs to the most heartbreaking howls of guitar solos, it’s all there. My only complaint about this movie is the way it aged – it does feel a little outdated.

To fully understand Say Anything… you must take a deeper look into the roots of the film’s main theme: love. What is love? Is it a desire to share one’s deepest secrets and feelings? Is it a longing to depend on someone and not be alone? Better yet, another question: how far are you willing to go for love? – You may or may not find some of these answers in this movie, but all in all it will act as a reminder about falling in love for the first time, without all the hurt and misbelief that usually comes with it.

Anyway, enough rambling; this is a perfect date movie that’s well worth renting and enjoying.

Rating: 4/5

Weekly Updates #82 (15.08.2011 - 21.08.2011)

2012-01-31T23:25:00.001+02:00

This episode of the Weekly Updates marks the first of the year 2012, which is kind of odd considering that it’s from back in August. I know I said I would catch up with these posts, but all I’ve done in the last few months is only distance myself further from getting up to date with it. It seems that this will be an even harder task than I anticipated at first. Oh well, all I can do at the moment is to keep at it and hope that things will work out in the end. That said, it’s worth noting that this week’s list holds quite a diverse set of films, and even though it’s only three of them, I think they all deserve a read through (but not necessarily a watch through as well).

Tuesday

Los sin nombre (1999) - 3/10
I stumbled upon Los sin nombre while searching for some obscure and lesser known Spanish horror films in hopes of discovering a gem. When I first laid my eyes on Los sin nombre it really seemed to have the potential of turning into something special, but unfortunately things went entirely in the other direction when I finally got around to seeing it. The first couple of minutes are actually quite promising, with a brutal and surprisingly disturbing opening scene. Sadly, the rest of the movie is nothing more than a downhill ride. The plot drags on and on, and the story is laid out in a way that is neither interesting nor engaging. I often found my mind wander away to matters other than the film itself, and that is never a good sign. I’m still not sure what the point of the entire story of the movie was, but all I know is that it was a complete and utter mess. At first it’s not that bad, because even though it’s boring and tedious, it is also relatively bearable – towards the end, though, things got really bad, and the finale of the film is absolutely abysmal, introducing a plot twist that made little sense and had no reason to even be there. So yes, stay away from Los sin nombre, because it’s definitely not the Spanish horror gem it may appear at first glance.

Thursday

Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1976) - 6/10
If there was ever a movie featured on this list that did not need an introduction, Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom would be it; you’ve either heard of this movie or have been fortunate enough not to. The reason I decided to check Salo out, much like virtually everybody else, is because I was intrigued by it – few films, if any, can match its infamous status in the history of cinema, and that certainly says something. Due to the highly controversial and offensive material present in the film I figured that you haven’t really seen everything until you’ve seen Salo. Unfortunately – or fortunately, rather – I came to find that that wasn’t entirely the case, as Salo did not live up to my expectations. Sure, it’s controversial, and sure, few movies have managed to get away with as much as Salo did, but when all was said and done, I couldn’t help but feel that all this film tried to do was deliver as much shock value as possible. There are some interesting undertones and motifs to it, particularly regarding the dangers associated with governmental power and political corruption, but these remain in the background and are ultimately not prominent enough to make the experience worthwhile. What I was bothered the most with in Salo was not the material itself, but rather the forced, near-desperate way through which this material was communicated on-screen. In my opinion, the film tried far too hard to be controversial and disturbing – so much so that at certain points I was on the brink of laughter more than anything else. The worst parts were the story time scenes, where the old prostitute (or prostitutes, I can’t remember) would go through a series of supposedly disturbing sexual stories. Incest, pedophilia, coprophilia – it was all there, but it became rather tedious after the first few times because the stories would just repeat themselves and there was absolutely nothing to take away from them since it was so blindingly obvious that they were merely put into the film to elicit disgust and controversy while also further ‘shocking’ the viewer. Anyway, I’ve already said enough about this film, so I’ll just stop here. I guess how I would describe Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom would be as interesting, but ultimately not a particularly good piece of cinema. Take that as you will.

Sunday

Fright Night (1985) - 7/10
I’ve been meaning to watch Fright Night for quite some time. At one point I even got through the first fifteen minutes or so of it, but had to stop watching due to something intervening. However, I was so impressed by what I saw – even though it wasn’t much – that I vowed to give it another shot later on. Needless to say, it’s been sitting on my to-watch list ever since and would probably still be there if an incoming remake wouldn’t have prompted me to give the original another go in preparation for its release. So how did Fright Night turn out? Well, the rest of the film played out just as well as its promising first minutes. I haven’t seen many horror flicks that understand how to tap into the comedy element while also maintaining the thrills and scares vital to the genre, but Fright Night is most certainly one of them. It knows not to take itself too seriously, but when it sets its mind on delivering good old horror, it definitely does so. There are many memorable scenes and lines of dialogue to be had here, and plenty of classic 80s cheese to go around. Another thing worth mentioning is the make-up and special effects, which are surprisingly impressive here, delivering a few truly chilling moments, particularly one towards the end of the film (you’ll know which one I’m talking about once you see it). All in all, I had great fun with Fright Night, will probably revisit it again, and heartily recommend it to anyone who knows what they’re getting into.

[ATH] The Thing (2011)

2012-01-15T04:52:00.000+02:00

It's not human. Yet.

addicted to horror

The Thing (2011)

the plot

An American paleontologist is recruited by a Norwegian research team in the Antarctic in order to investigate a recently uncovered alien spacecraft.

the good

- some genuinely unsettling moments
- impressive cinematography
- Mary Elizabeth Winstead

the bad

- reveals the creature early on
- imitates the original a bit too much
- the CGI is terrible at times
- weak climax
- poor acting from a few of the actors
- lazy writing in a couple of parts
- fails to generate any real scares

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- don't question Dr. Halvorson's decisions
- after making one of the most important discoveries in the history of mankind, people just want to get drunk and party
- leaving a frozen and potentially dangerous alien creature unguarded is a bad idea
- if you see someone racing past you yelling 'Run!', you'd best do what you're told
- flossing can get you in trouble
- there's an abundance of flamethrowers lying around in Antarctic research camps
- Norwegian scientists and sniper rifles are a bad combo

summary

The Thing attempts to revitalise John Carpenter's 1982 cult classic of the same name, boasting an impressive cast of actors, up-to-date special effects, and a relatively interesting story concept. In the end, though, this prequel ends up feeling (and playing) rather like a remake more than anything else, a bit too cautiously following in the steps of its predecessor without bringing anything new to the table. Despite Mary Elizabeth Winstead's solid performance as the leading lady, the characters here are far less interesting than in the Carpenter flick, and the CGI far too often comes off as cheap and unimpressive, proving that it takes more than looks in order to succeed in cinema. The Thing knows how to imitate quite well, but unlike the featured antagonistic alien creature, it does so without much effect.

horror meter: 2 flamethrowing stars (out of 5)

13 Horror Films: The 2010 Edition

2011-12-31T23:09:00.000+02:00

Foreword
The 13 Horror Films feature has become a well-known and beloved tradition here on Scream Bloody Entertainment, and through the years it has evolved into an event that is thoroughly anticipated and enjoyed by both its writer and readers. I therefore urge you all to rejoice, for with the conclusion of 2010 yet another year of delicious cinematic horror madness has come to an end, and the list of the thirteen best horror films of the year has just landed, as punctual and well-timed as always.

Just kidding. Right now it’s the 31st of December 2011, so that means that this list is – more or less – one year late. One year. It sure as hell tops last year’s release, which I posted nearly half a year late. Well, you know what they say, better late than never, right? That said, I hope this list proves to be an enjoyable read and maybe it will manage to bring to your attention one or two movies that you may have missed last year. See you all next year!

Hopefully.

Honorable mentions and other noteworthy releases:

Splice
Directed by the promising Vincenzo Natali, who more than ten years ago delivered the highly original and acclaimed sci-fi slash horror slash thriller slash whatever-else-people-want-to-classify-it-as Cube, Splice is a film that sure has a good amount of flaws, but its unsettling moments and thought-provoking thematic prevent it from being a mere dismissable effort. A shame it tanked at the box office, but that shouldn't be a reason to overlook it. ('addiced to horror' article here)
I Spit on Your Grave
The gimmicky R-rated remake of the controversial 70s horror film doesn't improve much on its original, but I Spit on Your Grave proves that it doesn't shy away from violence and gore, delivering a rape scene as disturbing as few others in recent times followed by a series suprisingly brutal deaths. Those with a weak stomach should tread lightly, or rather not tread at all. ('addicted to horror' article here)
The Last Exorcism
The Last Exorcism doesn't break any new ground when it comes to the found footage genre, and many complaints have been heard regarding its ending, but the fact remains that this film can be surprisingly disturbing and ultimately quite frightening, landing it a spot among those horror movies that aren't exactly great, but which still manage to make your skin crawl. ('addicted to horror' article here)
Paranormal Activity 2
The sequel to what many regard as 'one of the scariest horror films ever' doesn't quite live up to its predecessor's reputation, but it nevertheless delivers a few good scares and thrills along the way, and the departure from the original in following an entire family instead of a couple is fresh and appreciated. Those who wet their pants watching the first one will likely need a change of clothes this time around as well. ('addicted to horror' article)
Altitude
Not exactly a good film on any account, Altitude only stands out from the rest of the throwaway low-budget efforts due to its impressive visual style and the Lovecraftian tone that keeps popping up along the way. Of course, exploiting the fear of flying as much as possible helps as well, and almost makes one forget about the wreck of a twist at the end. ('addicted to horror' article here)

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13. Julia's Eyes (also known as Los ojos de Julia)

rated 3 out of 5

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. (addicted to horror)

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12. Amer

rated 3 out of 5

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. (addicted to horror)

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11. Daybreakers

rated 4 out of 5

Daybreakers offers a refreshing break from the vampire movie craze that has been going on for the past couple of years and it brings the evil, scary vampires back to the screen. It's also a lot of fun and the cast is decent, apart from a few misplaced roles (see Willem Dafoe). There's a lot of jump scares which make the movie feel cheap at times, but they are easily overlooked due to the fine design and creative ideas put into the film. It may not be the next vampire classic, but it's nonetheless a great vampire flick in period filled with countless bad ones. (addicted to horror)

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10. Suck

rated 4 out of 5

Suck is one of those films that you would never expect to deliver much more than your usual horror fare, but somehow, it manages to creep behind you and surprise you when you least expect it. Featuring various cameo appearances from real life rock stars such as Alice Cooper, Moby and Iggy Pop, this one seemingly ordinary vampire flick is a lot more than meets the eye. On a visual level, Suck looks great and the production value, apart from a couple of cheap gory moments (which could have been totally intentional, mind you), is outstanding. The story is so-so, but there lots of memorable moments and simply hilarious scenes that turn Suck into a worthwhile experience. Plus, you gotta hand it to Rob Stefaniuk for directing, writing, acting and even co-writing some of the songs for the movie. (addicted to horror)

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9. The Crazies

rated 4 out of 5

The Crazies is one of those rare horror remakes that actually work and some may argue it even surpasses the original. Timothy Olyphant and Radha Mitchell do a good job as the two lead actors and the rest of the cast is good enough to keep this movie together. The story is rather interesting and the fast pacing makes up for an intense atmosphere and suspenseful scenes. The Crazies may not offer anything new, but it's as entertaining and fun as it can get. Definitely worth a watch. (addicted to horror)

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8. Piranha

rated 4 out of 5

Piranha is the perfect example of how a movie can be so right when everything in it is so wrong. If you would have asked anyone how this film would fare before it got released, chances are no one would have given you a positive answer, yet here we are with one of the most entertaining and hilarious films of the year. Piranha is another great success for director Alexandre Aja, but it is an even bigger success for modern horror movies and 3D films as well. If you're looking for fun, lots of laughs and insane amounts of gore and nudity, look no further than Piranha. This film had all the right ingredients for it to turn into a disaster, yet it went in the whole other direction and managed to exceed all expectations. (addicted to horror)

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7. A Serbian Film (also known as Srpski film)

rated 4 out of 5

A Serbian Film is definitely one of the most extreme horror films in recent years, but unlike many other of its type, it has excellent production quality and a coherent plot going for it. The film may seem awfully gratuitous at times and it often feels like it's doing certain things just to see how far it can go, but that doesn't diminish its shock value. Most certainly not for the faint of heart, A Serbian Film is a disturbing tale of violence, pornography, death and pretty much every disgusting thing you can think of. It's gruesome, it's horrific, it's shocking. (addicted to horror)

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6. Devil

rated 4 out of 5

After his last couple of films, it seems as though anything with M. Night Shyamalan's name written on it is bound to fail, but Devil proves to be a surprisingly good horror thriller with an interesting premise and a really solid twist. It does have a couple of weaker points and there sure are some plotholes here and there, but the film is very effective and makes for a highly intense ride. Ultimately, Devil overcomes the whole M. Night Shyamalan hate and turns out to be a very well done horror film. (addicted to horror)

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5. The Loved Ones

rated 4 out of 5

There is no doubt that The Loved Ones is one of the best horror films to come out of Australia in quite a while. It's an entertaining film with an interesting plot and some really good acting from its cast, but it's also directed and shot in very good quality, which makes it all the more enjoyable. The only unfortunate thing is that the film didn't become too popular, but fans of the genre will definitely treasure this indie gem. (addicted to horror)

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4. Dream Home (also known as Wai dor lei ah yut ho)

rated 4 out of 5

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. (addicted to horror)

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3. Tucker & Dale vs Evil

rated 4 out of 5

Tucker & Dale vs Evil is no doubt one of the most pleasant surprises of the year, delivering the most hilarious horror trip since the celebrated Shaun of the Dead a few years back. Thoroughly engaging and backed by a well-written plot, this little indie film puts a new twist on the slasher genre, twisting things around and making for plenty of laugh out loud moments while at it. Lead actors Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk are outstanding in their roles, and the characters of Tucker and Dale will surely become cult favourites in the future. If you're looking for a killer comedy, look no further than Tucker & Dale vs Evil. (addicted to horror)

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2. Let Me In

rated 4 out of 5

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. (addicted to horror)

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1. Bedevilled (also known as Kim Bok-nam salinsageonui jeonmal)

rated 4 out of 5

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. (addicted to horror)

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Weekly Updates #81 (08.08.2011 - 14.08.2011)

2011-12-31T06:23:00.000+02:00

So remember that time when I said I would catch up with the Weekly Updates? Yeah... that didn’t really work out so well, huh? I’m not making any promises this time around, but I’ll try to get this feature back on its feet as soon as possible. That said, let’s get down to business.

Tuesday

Red Planet (2000) - 5/10
I remember seeing Red Planet quite a few years ago, at a point in time when I had a small thing for science fiction films going, specifically those that took place in outer space. I could only vaguely recall bits and moments from Red Planet, though, so when I stumbled upon it recently I decided to give it another go to refresh my memory. While I do remember being fairly fascinated with the movie back in the day, seeing it for the second time around made me realise that it’s not a very good film. It still managed to evoke a somewhat commendable sci-fi atmosphere, and I believe it nailed the feeling of being alone in space rather well, but as far as storyline and plot progression go, Red Planet falls in the run-of-the-mill category of this type of genre films. I didn’t have any problems with the cast of the film, though no noteworthy performances were to be had here; Carrie-Anne Moss stood out in a couple of scenes, but that’s about it. Red Planet is ultimately a forgettable (and therefore skippable) experience which brings nothing new to the table, but for those who indulge in outer space films of this type, I’d say it’s still worth a look. Also, I recommend checking out Sunshine, the Danny Boyle directed sci-fi thriller, which shares a similar tone to Red Planet.

Thursday

Super 8 (2011) - 7/10
From the mysterious first news of its production to the secretive marketing surrounding it, it’s safe to say that Super 8 was one of my most anticipated films of the year, and I found myself eagerly awaiting its arrival to a theatre near me so that I may satisfy my curiosity. When I finally got the chance to check it out, I was already aware of what most critics were saying about it – it was good, and it was, more than anything, a tribute to Spielberg’s classic adventure kid films. After seeing it, I mostly agreed with the consensus, and I found it to be an uplifting and greatly satisfying experience; and yet I couldn’t help but meditate over all its flaws, because even though J.J. Abrams really nailed the 80s feel and the Spielbergian tone, there was something about the movie which made me refuse to rank it among the films it so dearly paid tribute to. Don’t get me wrong, Super 8 is a great film, and I highly recommend it to absolutely anyone in the mood for some good times at the movies – it’s brilliantly filmed, very well directed, and for the most part, very well acted as well (kudos to the kid actors, they were really impressive) – but Abrams also injected a bit too much of what plagues modern day cinema of this type: too much CGI for the monster, not enough emotional impact so as to provide a driving force so desperately needed in the final act, and all in all, unlike in E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (to make an apt comparison), not enough sympathy – if any – is felt for the alien outsider in the film to make us cheer when things work out in the end. But I’m beginning to ramble, so if you’re looking for a more detailed perspective on Super 8, I suggest you check out my review of it from a couple of months back.

A Guest Post: Rise of the Dead

2011-12-25T19:18:00.000+02:00

Foreword

If you’ve visited Scream Bloody Entertainment in the last couple of months you may have noticed a more than significant decline in content. The reason I’ve been unable to keep as active a presence on my blog as I once did is related to my moving to university and all the time-consuming tasks that came with it. Aside from academic related occupations I was also forced to deal with various other duties mostly associated with moving and settling into a new place of residence. Because of this, and thanks to a few other inconvenient circumstances, my presence on the blog has been reduced to the point where I was publishing a mere one post per month (see November, or rather don’t).

In spite of appearances, though, I would like to point out that I have no intention of shutting down Scream Bloody Entertainment. Writing has and always will be a great pleasure of mine, and it also helps me learn and develop everything from language to the critical eye – skills which I now need more than ever during my years of higher education.

But enough of excuses and promises; suffice to say, I plan on restoring this blog to its former glory. And what better way to start off than with a guest post, eh? I know, I know, letting someone else do the work for me may not be the most promising way to kick things off, but it’s a start nonetheless.

Isabella Woods, the author of the article you’re about to read, has contacted me with an offer to write for Scream Bloody Entertainment back in November, and I – as always – have more than taken my time to respond to her. To cut a long story short, it’s about time this article finally makes it to the blog, and for that reason I won’t take up any more time with my ramblings.

The Rise of the Dead: the Increased Popularity of Horror in Games

A lot of people believe before Resident Evil arrived on the Playstation in 1996 all computer and video games were cutesy platformers involving blue hedgehogs and Italian plumbers. The horror genre, however, has long been a mainstay of the video game industry. While the Playstation’s graphics engine made the cut scenes from Resident Evil particularly awe-inspiring, and the combination of suspense and puzzle solving was groundbreaking at the time, horror gaming goes back a lot further than the events at Racoon City.

Back in the Day

The 1980s was a golden year for horror. With a VHS in every home, it was a decade of the video nasty. Previous X-rated cinema release such as Dawn of the Dead, Evil Dead and The Haunting, were now available to watch in the comfort of a lounge chair at home, where viewers could relive the gory moments time and time again by rewinding and pausing. Sadly, video games were a pale imitation to the realistic graphics and fast-paced game play of the modern Xbox or Playstation 3. The only console available was the Atari 2600 (so called because that was its memory - in bytes). But while Pac Man and Space Invaders will always be remembered as some of the first commercially successful video games, Atari also ventured into the world of horror, with their 1982 Haunted House. Of course, the block graphics that depicted a pair of floating eyeballs and rather unconvincing ghosts hardly had the scare factor, but with the horror-inspired game cover and basic idea of using horror as a basis for a video game, Haunted House set the ball rolling for future efforts.

Europe had the edge on the video game market in the early 1980’s, and the ZX Spectrum, the first choice for most European game’s enthusiasts, had its fair share of horror titles. Zombie Zombie, released in 1984 took all the basic elements from George Romero’s classic trilogy and allowed gamers to feel the suspense of a city populated by the undead. However, it wasn’t until the PC became a favored gaming platform did the horror genre really flourish.

Rise of the Undead

Mindscape’s, 1986 DOS release, Uninvited, provided the basic elements of survival horror that sparked such games as Resident Evil and Silent Hill. A point and click game, Uninvited involved a player regaining consciousness after a car crash who was forced to enter a mysterious mansion to find his missing brother, only to be faced with a plethora of puzzles and zombie enemies (sound familiar?). While virtually unheard of today, Uninvited is probably the most influential horror game ever, because without it, it is doubtful Resident Evil, Silent Hill or Alone in the Dark would have arrived when they did.

Another major milestone in horror games was Doom. Doom not only took the first person shooter and made it a mainstay of modern gaming (although Castle Wolfenstein got there a lot earlier) it had two things that changed horror genre forever - gore and suspense. Any gamer who loaded the DOS version of Doom onto their PC were not only struck by the sheer joy of chainsawing a demon in half, but the trepidation and suspense the game created too. Doom was the first game that truly introduced fear into the game playing experience. No game before it had ever pulled off the feat of making your heart thump and sweat drip from your forehead as an army of demonic beasts surprised you and chased you back out of a room.

Horror is Alive

Of course, horror games have gone from strength-to-strength ever since. The Resident Evil franchise, Silent Hill and Alone in the Dark all went that one-step further, presenting more horror, more suspense and more gore than previous games. Recently, the Left for Dead series added a competitive multiplayer option, combining the best of horror, suspense and action. L4D also took horror graphics to a completely new level, with unrivalled cinematic quality.

The future of horror gaming is certainly not stuck in conventions. Unlike other genres of game, such as the first person shooter, where new titles introduce little other than improved graphics, modern horror games are continually introducing new elements to ramp up the suspense and game play. Microsoft Game Studios’ use of black and white tones, atmospheric lighting and limited sound in Limbo, made the experience of playing the game more akin to watching a film. While, Friction Games’ Amnesia - The Dark Descent, introduced the novel ideal of keeping a character sane by avoiding unsettling events; this created a new level of suspense to the game play. Horror is one of the most innovative and compelling genres of video game at the moment and continues to surprise, innovate and unsettle - long live the undead.

Isabella Woods is a professional freelance writer and researcher, also known by her pseudonym Olivia Lennox. In relation to her apparent doppelganger in Scotland, she claims to be the real Isabella Woods, but that is up for debate.

[ATH] The Awakening (2011)

2011-12-03T05:04:00.001+02:00

Sometimes dead does not mean gone.

addicted to horror

The Awakening (2011)

the plot

A faux supernatural specialist reluctantly takes on a job at a private boarding school where the ghost of a child has apparently been sighted.

the good

- intriguing premise
- beautiful filming locations
- Rebecca Hall's laudable leading performance
- some intense moments

the bad

- plot holes galore
- becomes progressively confusing
- some scenes are completely out of place and unnecessary
- relies too much on cheap jump scares
- leaves a lot of plot points unconcluded
- weak and contrived twist
- unsatisfying finale

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- people actually like believing in ghosts
- you can't hunt what doesn't exist
- people pretending to be ghosts leave footprings
- apples rolling down a set of stairs are creepy

summary

Despite exhibiting good intentions by going back to the roots of horror with its Victorian setting and atmosphere driven tension, The Awakening lacks the staying power due a storyline that becomes more and more incoherent as it moves along and which ultimately leaves plot holes big enough to drive a truck through. It does attempt to build suspense using different methods (with varying degrees of success), but in the end, too much reliance is put on cheap jump scares that have already been done to death in recent genre exercises. Rebecca Hall shines in the leading role and the rest of the cast is solid as well, but acting alone is not enough to save The Awakening from the muddled and confusing mess that it is.

horror meter: 2 pretend stars (out of 5)

[ATH] The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

2011-11-18T21:36:00.001+02:00

You must become Caligari.

addicted to horror

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

the plot

A German village is terrorised by a series of murders that seem to be connected with the recent arrival of a man by the name of Dr. Caligari.

the good

- classic Expressionist cinema at its finest
- visually unique and astounding
- unnerving atmosphere
- outstanding set and costume design
- Werner Krauss's captivating performance
- well-integrated twist
- boasts an original and memorable look

the bad

- acting feels slightly over the top
- the storyline could have used a little polishing in some places

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- don't piss off Dr. Caligari
- sleepwalking is a dangerous habit
- dummies can be terribly deceiving

summary

As a landmark of both Expressionist cinema and the genre of horror, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is an uncontested classic, boasting a remarkably original visual look, superb set design, and a striking performance by Werner Krauss in the role of the antagonist. There are a few shortcomings, particularly in the storytelling department, but most, if not all, pale in comparison to what the film ultimately achieves. While its scare factor is mostly lost on today's audience, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari remains to this day as atmospheric and unnerving as it was on its date of release, almost a hundred years ago.

horror meter: 5 somnambulistic stars (out of 5)

Weekly Updates #80 (01.08.2011 - 07.08.2011)

2011-10-24T20:05:00.000+03:00

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.

[ATH] Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)

2011-10-22T05:48:00.000+03:00

It runs in the family.

addicted to horror

Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)

the plot

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

the good

- 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

the bad

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

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- 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

summary

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)

[review] Drive (2011)

2011-10-17T03:04:00.001+03:00

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

Drive (2011)

8/10

review written by Andrei Sipos on the 17th of October 2011

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.

[ATH] Red State (2011)

2011-10-10T03:30:00.000+03:00

Fear God

addicted to horror

Red State (2011)

the plot

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

the good

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

the bad

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

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- 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

summary

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)

Weekly Updates #79 (25.07.2011 - 31.07.2011)

2011-10-04T00:01:00.001+03:00

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.

[ATH] Psycho (1960)

2011-09-26T02:47:00.000+03:00

A new and altogether different screen excitement!!!

addicted to horror

Psycho (1960)

the plot

A young woman on the run stops at a motel to spend the night, but as the night unfolds she learns more and more about the motel proprietor and his dangerous obsession with his mother.

the good

- top-notch dialogue
- beautifully dark atmosphere
- well-written storyline
- some really outstanding and unexpected twists
- excellent performances from the cast
- memorable scenes and lines of dialogue
- brilliant directing
- unerving and disturbing finale
- haunting score

the bad

- a few plot points could have used some polishing
- slightly too much exposition

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- if a police officer is being suspicious of you, act suspiciously
- no one comes to the Bates Motel anymore
- maybe it's a good idea to lock your door before taking a shower
- Norman Bates takes mother issues to a whole new level
- not harming a fly will totally prove your innocence

summary

When it comes to genre-defining movies, it really doesn't get much better than Alfred Hithcock's well-known and rightfully loved Psycho. Everything from the unnerving score and the dark atmosphere to the shocking scenes and memorable moments makes Psycho an undeniable classic and a horror thriller like few others before and after it. Add in Anthony Perkins' outstanding performance, the all-around well-written script and Hitchcock's brilliant directing and you've got an arguably flawless achievement in filmmaking.

horror meter: 5 motherly stars (out of 5)

[anime] Kiss x Sis

2011-09-23T19:41:00.002+03:00

Kei-chan. Keita.

Kiss x Sis

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

Fact is wherever there’s anime, there’s almost always some sort of fan service to be had as well. Ecchi series have been around for quite some time now and with every new show there also seems to be a continuous rise in the explicit material that is allowed to be shown on television, much to the delight of many otakus out there. One such show that pushes the boundaries is Kiss x Sis, an ecchi anime that attempts to blend perversion and comedy while also throwing some incest in the mix. Oh joy.

Kiss x Sis focuses on male protagonist Suminoe Keita and the shenanigans pulled on him by his two older twin sisters – or stepsisters, to be more accurate. The story takes place during Keita’s last year in middle school as he struggles with his final exams while also trying to resist (‘deal with’ would be the more accurate term, actually) his sisters’ often perverted advances towards him. Obscene things happen, comedy ensues, and so on and so forth.

Most episodes adopt a casual pace and narrative typical of many other ecchi anime – not much happens plot-wise for the most part. Of course, there are some episodes that are an exception to the rule, though unfortunately in this case that’s not a good thing. Kiss x Sis does well in the ecchi and comedy departments, delivering some truly borderline hentai moments and successfully mixing in humour whenever the need arises. Surprisingly enough, the episodes that focus more on this aspect and disregard plot development are the ones that are the most enjoyable out of the lot.

Ako and Riko, the mischievous twin sisters.

Poor Keita.

As mentioned earlier, things don’t work too well when the anime goes for a more plot-oriented episode. Keita’s preparation for his upcoming exams makes for a useful plot point at first, delivering some good laughs as the sisters go about their usual sneaky ways in trying to intervene with Keita’s study hours both to support him and—perhaps more importantly—to get closer to him. Unfortunately, as the series progresses, a continually increasing focus is given to the more dramatic side of the story, which does not work at all simply because there’s no character development there to support it and also due to the fact that there’s a lack of compatibility between the comedy slash ecchi side and the serious side of the show.

There are moments when Kiss x Sis finds greatness and in turn delivers solid entertainment filled with humour and fan service that at times will leave you wondering just how far this anime is willing to go in that respect, but ultimately the series is brought down by its unnecessary need to inject drama into the whole affair. Those looking for ecchi and some entertainment will certainly not go wrong with Kiss x Sis, but then again, there are plenty other shows out there that offer more in pretty much every department.

Totally legal.

Weekly Updates #78 (18.07.2011 - 24.07.2011)

2011-09-20T03:38:00.000+03:00

I was vacationing abroad during the week featured in this episode, so unfortunately there was not much movie viewing done. Next episode should prove to be more fruitful when it comes to the amount of films watched, but until then, this is all I’ve got.

Tuesday

Election (1999) - 8/10
Going into Election, I was hoping for a good comedy, but I never expected the film to turn out to be as good as it did, ending up ranking among my favourite movies of the genre. I believe that what really makes this film such an effective genre exercise are the well-rounded characters paired with some great performances from the cast. Matthew Broderick is truly at the top of his game in this one, delivering his lines perfectly with genius comedic timing. Reese Witherspoon and Chris Klein also shine in their roles, making the most out of every opportunity they are given. The script is also quite impressive and works well as a whole, providing no significant faults whatsoever. A lot of credit goes the directing and editing department as well, with director Alexander Payne managing to squeeze as much humour as possible out of every scene. I don’t have much else to say about this movie – I definitely recommend it to anyone who’s looking for an enjoyable comedy that’s sure to deliver laughs without opting for immature or dumb humour. This is the first time I’ve seen Election, but it certainly won’t be the last as I already look forward to revisiting it again.

[ATH] Planet Terror (2007)

2011-09-19T02:58:00.000+03:00

Humanity's last hope... rests on a high power machine gun

addicted to horror

Planet Terror (2007)

the plot

A rag-tag team of people fight for survival after a deadly virus is released in the nearby area.

the good

- nails the grindhouse style and then some more
- thoroughly entertaining and highly enjoyable
- awesome soundtrack
- cheesy in a good way
- solid gore and make-up design
- well-paced and impressively put together
- some really memorable scenes

the bad

- weak dialogue
- a few underwhelming moments
- too many characters

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- a lot can be done with a numb hand
- stripping and go-go dancing are not the same thing
- not all men approve of lesbians
- losing a leg isn't such a bad thing after all
- never stick your head out of cover
- El Wray never misses

summary

Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror is a fun and thoroughly enjoyable throwback to old exploitation films, boasting an outstanding visual style, impressive special effects and sound design, and plenty of memorable scenes and lines of dialogue. The whole thing is also accompanied by a great soundtrack and enough humourous moments to satisfy viewers. Then again, the dialogue often comes off as weak, irrelevant of whether that's done intentionally or not, and the amount of characters could have been trimmed down a little as well, but ultimately, Planet Terror delivers where it matters and that makes it a ride well worth taking.

horror meter: 4 go-go stars (out of 5)

[review] Midnight in Paris (2011)

2011-09-09T04:55:00.000+03:00

“America is my country and Paris is my hometown.” – Gertrude Stein

Midnight in Paris (2011)

8/10

review written by Andrei Sipos on the 9th of September 2011

In spite of being known as more of a grounded filmmaker, Woody Allen brings fantasy into play in his newest directorial effort, the magical Midnight in Paris. Much like Manhattan or the more recent Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Midnight in Paris is both a love story and a love letter dedicated to a particular urban setting; that being Paris this time around, of course. A filmmaker that treats the surroundings he places a story in with as much respect as he does the story itself isn’t an everyday find, and that is perhaps why Allen’s works are as captivating as they are, and this film is certainly not an exception.

The past and the present collide in Midnight in Paris as an American tourist bumps into the famous dead during the Parisian night life. Owen Wilson plays Gil, a Hollywood screenwriter who is on vacation in Paris along with his fiancée and her parents. Contrary to his future wife and soon-to-be parents in law, Gil has little regard for material possession and instead of roaming the shops of Paris spends his days exploring the city and its vast culture, which in turn provides him with the inspiration needed to complete his first novel.

An aimless midnight walk around the streets of Paris transports Gil to the twenties—his very own Golden Age—as he is picked up by an antique car while resting at the steps of a church. He gets to meet his literary heroes, Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Gertrude Stein, among others. As usual, Woody Allen channels his persona through the protagonist, making the interactions between Gil and the characters he meets all the more intriguing and credible.

Few movies, if any, have managed to capture the beauty and character of Paris as well as Midnight in Paris has, painting a vivid and memorable image of the French capital as the fascinated Gil wanders its streets both during the day and especially during the night. As a matter of fact, the film opens up with a series of shots depicting various places around the city while a lovely and fittingly evocative tune is played in the background – there’s excellent cinematography at play here.

Technically speaking, Midnight in Paris is a time travel movie. Every night as the clock strikes twelve Gil is somehow sent back to the past. Woody Allen doesn’t bother detailing the causes and particularities of this ‘supernatural happening,’ and that’s quite all right. Time manipulation is not used as a gimmick in the film, but rather as a plot device—a well-crafted one at that—and nothing else.

There’s a charming aura of humour surrounding Midnight in Paris. Gil’s adventures are as funny as they are peculiar, and there are plenty of memorable moments to be had throughout the variety of situations that arise. The Ernest Hemingway character in particular delivered some pretty amusing lines and noteworthy quotes – credit goes to Corey Stoll for his outstanding performance in the role. Not all attempts at humour hit the mark, but most missteps are easily forgivable when looking at the big picture.

There are some really impressive performances to be had among the all-star cast of the movie. As mentioned earlier, Corey Stoll really shines, but Kathy Bates as Gertrude Stein, Michael Sheen as a pseudo-intellectual friend of Gil’s fiancée, and Tom Hiddleston and Alison Pill as the Fitzgerald couple aren’t far behind either. Owen Wilson works well in the leading role, though despite his fitting portrayal of the Woody Allen character, he’s not much different from his usual self. Other notable actors include Rachel McAdams as Gil’s soon-to-be wife, Marion Cotillard as a sensational 20s mistress and part love interest, and Adrien Brody as the rhinoceros-obsessed Salvador Dalí.

In a nutshell, Midnight in Paris is a magical picture, a whimsical journey, an interesting piece of both romance and romanticism, and, last but not least, a beautiful ode to the city of Paris. There are many faces to this film, but all of them have something to say and most do it very well. They say home is where the heart is, and amongst the dim streetlights of night-time Paris Woody Allen has certainly rekindled his heart.

Weekly Updates #77 (11.07.2011 - 17.07.2011)

2011-09-08T04:09:00.000+03:00

I’ll be heading off overseas to university at the end of this week, and heck knows what awaits me at the other end of the road, so I’m really not sure how active I’ll be able to be on the blog during the following weeks. Nevertheless, I’m hoping things will work out one way or another.

Friday

Bad Teacher (2011) - 5/10
As much as I enjoyed Bad Teacher, I couldn’t help but feel like it was just another comedy that, despite having its moments here and there, ultimately ends up being rather forgettable as a whole. The plot is relatively interesting and there’s definitely some laughter to be had, but overall, it just wasn’t enough to make for a memorable experience. I was however quite impressed by Cameron Diaz’s performance and it was really refreshing to see her play something other than the ‘dumb blonde’ role. The rest of the cast did a fairly good job as well, with Lucy Punch, Jason Segel and Phyllis Smith being among the more notable ones. I’ve been looking forward to more of Justin Timberlake acting after his winning performance in last year’s The Social Network, but he did not get the chance to do much here, with his most noteworthy moment being a deeply awkward sex scene which I still fail to grasp the purpose of. All in all, there’s not much to take away from Bad Teacher, but for what it’s worth, it’s a decent comedy to pass the time with if there’s nothing else to do.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) - 8/10
Once Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 hit the theatres, I wasted no time and went to check it out as fast as I could. Ever since seeing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, I’ve been really looking forward to the second part, more so because the first one didn’t deliver much of a satisfying conclusion and left me wanting more. Fortunately, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 delivered the perfect closure I wanted from this franchise, and it definitely felt like an excellent, no holds barred film. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint really gave their best in this one, and so did the rest of the cast – there were no weak links in terms of acting. The movie also looked great, boasting top-notch visual effects and cinematography. Speaking of visuals, the 3D was actually really well done, but it ultimately didn’t bring much to the table and the film would have been just as effective without it. Plot-wise, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 felt to me like the most fluid and well-written one out of the entire series of films, which is quite a feat considering that everything had to be tied together and no plot points needed be left out. It is indeed sad to see the Harry Potter series of films come to an end, but I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better finale and I’m sure most other fans will be just as pleased with this movie.

Sunday

A Good Year (2006) - 7/10
Few movies are as charming and enjoyable as A Good Year, a lovely blend of romance, comedy and drama that seems to hit all the right marks. This film is quite a departure from Ridley Scott’s usual work, but the same first-rate quality filmmaking marking the rest of his movies can be found here as well. Russell Crowe was solid in the leading role, and the rest of the cast delivered good performances as well. The plot was thoroughly interesting and there’s a really distinct atmosphere that the movie manages to evoke, painting a vivid image of rural France in contrast with a busy and crowded urban London. The romance subplot really blended in well within the rest of the storyline and Ridley Scott impressively managed to maintain a good balance between all elements of the plot. To sum it up, I really enjoyed A Good Year and, despite being far from Ridley Scott’s best work, it’s a movie well worth checking out.

Stuck in LIMBO

2011-09-04T17:59:00.000+03:00

When it comes to the video game industry, one doesn’t need to look too far to come across an inventive and ambitious indie project, though a true gem such as Limbo isn’t an everyday find either.

Putting you in the shoes of a nameless young boy stuck in a desolate world painted with a grim palette of black and white, Limbo has you wandering through forests all the way to mechanical landscapes, solving puzzles and escaping dangers as you go along. There’s no music accompanying you throughout your adventure – sound is only generated by the uneasy ambiance, the young protagonist’s prying footsteps and your occasional mishaps which mostly end up being fatal.

Speaking of fatality, there’s a lot of dying involved in Limbo. Every new puzzle is built around the concept of trial and error, with many of them taking on the mask of unpredictability and dangers only revealing themselves when it’s already too late, forcing you to restart the checkpoint and try again until you realise what to do and how to avoid certain death. The inevitable death sequences that result are both brutal and spectacular. At certain points you’ll feel like jumping down that cliff or getting close to that spider just to see what might happen.

Spiders. Limbo may turn out to be a nightmare as much for an arachnophobe as it is for its helpless protagonist. There’s a particularly memorable segment involving you trying to avoid the deadly clutches—or should I say those icky icky legs that can make a person curl up in a corner and cry—of a relatively gigantic spider. It’s not pretty, and neither is your little hero’s demise at the hands of it if you make a wrong move.

When it comes to visuals, gameplay, and atmosphere, Limbo really shines. However, there are a few moments where the puzzles become a tad frustrating, particularly towards the end, and there’s also a lack of change in the environment at that point that diminishes the experience, if only a bit. There’s no doubt that the chapters taking place in the forest are a little more inventive and overall enjoyable than those set in a more mechanical environment, which debuts in the latter half of the game.

Such flaws, however, pale in comparison to what the rest of the game has to offer, and Limbo definitely deserves praise for its creativity and originality. There’s nothing quite like it out there at the moment, which in itself is an achievement worth noting.

* Limbo is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC

[ATH] Fright Night (1985)

2011-08-25T16:00:00.001+03:00

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

addicted to horror

Fright Night (1985)

the plot

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

the good

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

the bad

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

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- 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

summary

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)

Weekly Updates #76 (04.07.2011 - 10.07.2011)

2011-08-24T23:16:00.001+03:00

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.

Award Time: The Liebster Blog Award

2011-08-22T19:41:00.000+03:00

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:

Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
Copy and paste the award on your blog.
Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
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.

[ATH] The Nameless (1999)

2011-08-19T04:23:00.001+03:00

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

addicted to horror

The Nameless (1999)

the plot

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

the good

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

the bad

- 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

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- 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

summary

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)

Weekly Updates #75 (27.06.2011 - 03.07.2011)

2011-08-18T19:36:00.000+03:00

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.

[anime] Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls

2011-08-16T01:38:00.001+03:00

Generals and Master Samurais

Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls

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.

Jubei Yagyu in Master Samurai form.

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.

Kanetsugu Naoe never ceases to be annoying.

The mysterious Gisen has something up her sleeve.

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.

The colourful cast of characters.

[review] Super 8 (2011)

2011-08-14T14:06:00.000+03:00

“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

Super 8 (2011)

7/10

review written by Andrei Sipos on the 14th of August 2011

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.

Weekly Updates #74 (20.06.2011 - 26.06.2011)

2011-08-13T23:31:00.000+03:00

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)

2011-08-12T06:31:00.000+03:00

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.

Weekly Updates #73 (13.06.2011 - 19.06.2011)

2011-08-08T19:36:00.001+03:00

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.

[review] Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

2011-08-07T18:50:00.000+03:00

“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

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

7/10

review written by Andrei Sipos on the 7th of August 2011

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.

[ATH] Stake Land (2011)

2011-08-06T03:48:00.000+03:00

The most dangerous thing is to be alive.

addicted to horror

Stake Land (2011)

the plot

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.

the good

- 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

the bad

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

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- 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

summary

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)

2011-08-04T06:40:00.000+03:00

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.

Weekly Updates #72 (06.06.2011 - 12.06.2011)

2011-08-02T01:08:00.001+03:00

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.

Fight Club (by Chuck Palahniuk)

2011-07-30T02:03:00.001+03:00

Fight Club
by Chuck Palahniuk

Few authors know how to breed chaos through words, but such matters are a cakewalk for Chuck Palahniuk, whose debut novel Fight Club is the epitome of modern disorder. Furthermore, even fewer authors incorporate a writing style as original and recognisable as Palahniuk’s, who clearly stands out from the crowd as early as with his very first published work.

Fight Club is a tale of modern anarchy and social detachment as experienced through the eyes of a man suffering from insomnia. In his struggle to achieve peace of mind, he starts attending support groups under false pretenses and befriends the mysterious Tyler Durden, together with whom he establishes an underground fighting club as a method of psychotherapy. Soon enough, though, things begin to spur out of control as Tyler’s plans become more and more zealous and destructive in nature.

The novel is relatively short in length, which aided by Palahniuk’s fast-paced writing style makes for a thoroughly engaging read that never ends up treading on dull territory. Narrated from a first-person point of view by the unnamed protagonist, the plot is smartly written and impressively put together, leading up to a truly outstanding twist that leaves absolutely no shortcomings in execution.

Even though Fight Club is quite a unique literary experience, it may turn a few readers off with its dark and at times potentially offensive subject matter. Chuck Palahniuk spares no expense as he spins a web of nihilism that is marked by an often harsh social commentary, which will undoubtedly not sit well with some of the audience. Nevertheless, Fight Club remains an untainted exercise in extremism, mystery and even some very impressive subtle humour.

The book is easy to burn through in one sitting, and even recommended, as the plot unfolds better and the twist is more efficient with all details kept close to mind. Palahniuk uses short paragraphs and intertwining topics, habitually going off-course when opportunity presents itself and when the moment feels right. With Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk creates a terrifying image of contemporary America, painting society in all its nihilistic delight and turning anarchy into one of the greatest weapons of our time.

[ATH] Insidious (2011)

2011-07-13T20:36:00.000+03:00

It's not the house that's haunted.

addicted to horror

Insidious (2011)

the plot

A married couple seek help from a team of paranormal investigators after their son falls into an medically unexplainable coma.

the good

- non-stop barrage of scares and thrills
- unconventional storyline
- very creative and experimental as a whole
- bone-chilling score
- brilliant directing
- impressive camera work
- solid performances from the cast
- powerful and effective jump scares
- genuinely frightening

the bad

- sloppy third act
- underwhelming conclusion
- the 'demon' looks rather ridiculous

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- alarms are definitely not designed for paranormal encounters
- ghosts and music go well together
- Jigsaw has already made his way into the education system
- finding bloody handprints on your son's bed sheets is no reason to panic
- gas masks are a must in every serious ghost hunter's arsenal
- apparently, Darth Maul is still alive and is doing quite well actually

summary

Insidious starts off with a bang and never really lets go until the very end, delivering a non-stop barrage of scares and thrills that are only further intensified by its bone-chilling score. Made on a surprisingly low budget, the film summons effective jump scares at pure will, but it also knows how to build tension and make use of its surroundings. James Wan directs this movie with the same outstanding precision for horror filmmaking seen in his previous works, and Leigh Whannell's script is rock solid, something rarely seen in horror films these days. Insidious ultimately takes jump scares to a whole new level and delivers one of the most frightening cinematic experiences in recent years. Those looking to get spooked need not look further.

horror meter: 5 reddish stars (out of 5)

[ATH] The Tunnel (2011)

2011-07-11T23:54:00.000+03:00

The light runs out.

addicted to horror

The Tunnel (2011)

the plot

A journalist and her crew head for Sydney's abandoned underground tunnels to investigate an apparent government cover-up.

the good

- some genuinely creepy moments
- eerie surroundings
- good use of night vision
- effective sound design

the bad

- too much exposition
- fairly few noteworthy scenes
- weak acting
- the excessive amount of in-between interviews ruin the atmosphere
- underwhelming conclusion
- does not live up to its premise

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- cameramen should really consider getting some spare batteries
- beer bottles are great for rituals
- security guars will appear out of nowhere in abandoned tunnels
- don't bother asking the people around you which train station you're at

summary

The Tunnel is yet another entry in the found footage subgenre of horror, and while it does deliver some chilling moments, it's ultimately far too basic in execution for its own good. Amongst the film's most significant faults lie the excessive amount of exposition, which ends up plaguing half of the movie's running time, the relatively weak acting from its cast and, last but not least, the constant interviews that come up in-between ever scene and ruin the atmosphere to some degree. On the other hand, The Tunnel is quite effective in its use of sound design and leaving things to the imagination, ultimately making it a decent enough ride for those who enjoy these types of mockumentaries.

horror meter: 3 homeless stars (out of 5)

Weekly Updates #71 (30.05.2011 - 05.06.2011)

2011-07-10T22:19:00.000+03:00

Not much to say this week. As a matter of fact, nothing at all.

Monday

Something Borrowed (2011) - 3/10
Let’s get something out of the way: I only went to see Something Borrowed because there was nothing else playing at the theatre and I was in the mood for a movie. I had heard people saying that the film was terribly mediocre, but I did not expect for it to turn out as bad as it did. Not only is the entire storyline deeply uninspired and dull, but the rest of the movie is also mediocre at best, making it a mostly boring ride. I have not read the book upon which Something Borrowed is based, so I do not know how faithful of an adaptation this is, but as far as the film itself goes, it mostly plays out like an average rom-com, but what brings it below average are the surprisingly dislikable main characters and the ‘situation’ they find themselves in, particularly because all of the problems present in their lives could quickly be solved from their part. The only good thing in the entire movie is John Krasinski, who brings his usual flair in his portrayal of the only truly likable character in the story, but not even he can save the film from the waste of time that it is. To sum it up, avoid Something Borrowed by all means, regardless of whether you read the book it’s based on or not.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) - 5/10
I’m a big fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean series of films, with the first entry in the series holding quite a special place in my moviegoer heart. Even though the third film left me a little disappointed and I felt that there was absolutely no need for a fourth movie, I was still looking forward to Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and hoped for the best. Unfortunately, the movie turned out to be quite a letdown, ranking well below the rest of the films in the franchise. Most of the problems in the film arose from its muddled plot and the weak attempts at humour that often misfire. Its storyline tends to overcomplicate things for no apparent reason, spawning unnecessary side plot points and introducing characters that have little to no relation to the main story. Johnny Depp remains solid in the scene-stealing role of Captain Jack Sparrow, but his character is close to being a caricature of himself in this film, and as for Penelope Cruz and Ian McShane, their talents or wasted on a couple of underdeveloped and uninteresting chracters. It’s a shame the franchise has gotten to such a low point, but it is what it is. Fans could give this one a go, though, if only for old time’s sake.

Wednesday

Red Riding Hood (2011) - 3/10
Red Riding Hood starts strong, but ends up being a complete mess of a film, with a storyline that tends to be completely ridiculous at times, weak directing from Catherine Hardwicke’s part, and a too modernised look and appearance. The acting mostly ranges from mediocre to downright bad, with one exception being the always impressive Gary Oldman (who I have no idea how he ended up in this film in the first place). By the end, Red Riding Hood completely destroys all the promise that its intriguing premise set up and delivers a final product that is neither entertaining nor enjoyable, except maybe for the audience of hormonal teenage girls that it’s clearly targeted at. It also concludes with one of the worst possible twists: one that tries way too hard to be unpredictable and therefore loses any sort of logic or relation to the actual plot. The days of Thirteen and Lords of Dogtown are truly gone for director Catherine Hardwicke, but perhaps one day she will realise the myriad of faults present in her more recent works and go on to correct herself. Here’s to hoping that day comes sooner, rather than later.

Sunday

Priest (2011) - 6/10
When I first heard of Priest and saw its trailer, I was really looking forward to it because it looked quite solid and it definitely seemed to hint at solid popcorn entertainment. Once the overwhelmingly negative reviews came flooding it, though, I was a bit discouraged from giving the film a go, but decided to check it out anyway and see how it fares for myself. In the end, Priest turned out to be quite an enjoyable action slash horror slash sci-fi flick, and even though it definitely has its problems, I was entertained the whole time watching it. As a whole, the movie fails to evolve past the standard popcorn fare mostly due to its mediocre script, the large amount of cliches plaguing storyline and the lack of any real character development. However, Priest does boast some sleek visuals and quite an interesting post-apocalyptic look, which paired with a bunch of surprisingly well-done action scenes make for a very enjoyable ride. Despite a decent enough performance, Paul Bettany fails to stand out in the leading role, and Karl Urban's talent is also wasted on a one-dimensional villain with not enough screen time, but that matters little since most of the film is focused on bringing out its action and horror elements. It does incorporate a somewhat noteworthy blend of action, horror, sci-fi and western, ultimately delivering a fun hour and a half at the movies that is well worth the price of admission if you know what you're going in for.

Nightmare House 2 - A Single Player Mod

2011-07-07T01:05:00.000+03:00

Same as it always was, isn’t it?
The mind just keeps sending you back again.
It’s interesting how you can find comfort in any familiar situation.
Even in a familiar nightmare.
Wake up, it’s time for the real nightmare to begin.

When taking a look at the progress of modern gaming, it is quite astounding just how much Valve Corporation has contributed to the industry over the years. Not only have they developed several iconic franchises, but the flexibility offered by their Source engine has made way for countless modifications through which independent and aspiring game developers have gotten the chance to show their prowess.

In terms of horror, there’s one mod that really stands out from the crowd, and it’s called Nightmare House 2. Developed by We Create Stuff, this Source engine based modification requires Half Life 2: Episode 2 to run, but it also comes with really impressive graphics and immersive gameplay as a consequence. In a session of extreme tension and way too many out-of-the-seat jump scares to recount, I have gone through the entire game and made it back in one piece—albeit a little more paranoid and shaken than before—only to report my findings to the world.

The Prologue

Even before taking off, Nightmare House 2 offers plenty of bangs in form of a prologue, which you have the option of playing before getting into the actual game. This short chapter takes about thirty minutes to an hour to complete and it gives you a taste—if you will—of things to come.

Waking up in the middle of the night and in a creepy forest, with a car that is conveniently broken down, the prologue will have you explore the outskirts and the inside of what seems to look like an abandoned mansion. The appropriately forbidding score sets up the game’s atmosphere right from the get go and also lets you know that you’re in for a rough ride, to say the least. During the prologue, you’ll get the chance to familiarise yourself with the haunting ghost of a woman that seems to be bent on turning your life into living hell. Yes, you’ll be fighting bloody monsters and disfigured abominations here and there, but what’s really going to make your life miserable is the dead girl. There’s no actual story to be had within the prologue, though there are some hints at the ghastly woman’s past here and there. The chapter couldn’t have ended on a better note than it did, delivering a clever scare while perfectly setting up the mood for the rest of the game.

Considering its short length and the non-stop barrage of thrills present, I strongly recommend giving the prologue a go before moving on with the actual game.

A Single Player Mod for Half Life 2: Episode 2

Nightmare House 2 is divided into seven chapters (excluding the prologue), each taking about twenty or thirty minutes to complete. There’s a good balance in terms of what every chapter has to offer, and there’s a clear progress when it comes to difficulty and building tension. While the first few chapters focus more on scares and atmosphere, the latter ones are more action-oriented.

Taking place in the ironically named Never Lose Hope Hospital, Nightmare House 2 has you start off in padded cell that is mysteriously left open and from which you must make your way through the apparently abandoned hospital and gather clues as to what happened and how you ended up there in the first place.

The various scares are definitely the highlight of the mod. Nightmare House 2 is surprisingly inventive when it comes to thrills, always managing to catch you off-guard when you least expect it or when you think you’ve seen it all already. There’s a wide array of scare tactics implemented into Nightmare House 2, and everything from things jumping out of the corner, stalking you from behind, or otherwise making your life a living hell are there. In addition, there are a few truly memorable moments in form of hallucinations that appear from time to time through the game.

The dread infused atmosphere of Nightmare House 2 is incredibly effective and relentless, much of which is due to its outstanding sound elements. The dark corridors of Never Lose Hope Hospital are ten times more potent with ghastly whispers and sounds of footsteps coming out of nowhere. Nightmare House 2 excels when it comes to using the surroundings to create fear and tension, which are only further helped by the appropriately distressing environmental sounds to make your stay at Never Lose Hoppe Hospital a deeply frightening one.

You can’t leave. She won’t let you.

It is truly remarkable how Nightmare House 2 manages to keep you at the edge of your seat throughout its entire length. Not one second spent in the game is anywhere near boring, and at the same time things never become dull. Few scares are actually repetitive and you’ll rarely, if ever, find yourself in the same situation more than once. In addition, Nightmare House 2 is also innovative when it comes to level design and what each chapter has to offer. As such, the chapters in the game bear little resemblance to each other, with not only the surroundings seeing a change, but the gameplay as well.

To illustrate, there are a few moments in Nightmare House 2 that come to mind. There’s one part during the play-through where you’ll come across a bunch of lifeless mannequins that seem to follow you around, always ending up right behind you when you turn around. Also, during the more action-oriented parts of the game, you’ll team up with a group of SWAT officers that have just arrived in Never Lose Hope Hospital in order to investigate the mysterious happenings. Such variations in gameplay help Nightmare House 2 maintain a constantly refreshing influence on the player.

Scared to death. Standard story. Does it matter?

Nightmare House 2 comes close to the perfect gaming experience, but it does end up being a little underwhelming in one department. The writing, while understandably second-rate for a game mod, pales in comparison to the rest of the game’s qualities. The plot is nothing more than a typical horror adventure, and the storyline is simply too vague in the long run and it often makes no sense. This is especially obvious during the part where you meet up with the SWAT members. At one point, they send you, a mere civilian, through the ventilation system to open a locked door from the other side. Later one, when you encounter another locked door, one of them shoots it open with a shotgun, which is fine, but it really makes you wonder why he didn’t do that earlier on.

The ending, along with the final ‘boss fight,’ leaves a little to be desired. The final battle simply doesn’t fit into the rest of Nightmare House 2 and it’s obvious that it lent a few elements from other games. As for the game’s conclusion, suffice it to say that it doesn’t give a good enough explanation regarding the events that have happened at Never Lose Hope Hospital and a few plot points remain undisclosed. However, one must take into account that horror games rarely focus on story, which kind of make the faults present in Nightmare House 2 easily forgivable and ultimately understandable.

Horror in all its beauty

All writing flaws aside, Nightmare House 2 is not only an outstanding mod, but also a full-fledged horror adventure that succeeds where many video games have failed: it delivers thoroughly effective thrills and creates an atmosphere so prevailing that it allows players to fully immerse themselves into the game. Nightmare House 2 is without a doubt one of the most intense video game experiences one can come across, and is therefore a must for those in possession of the Half Life 2: Episode 2 and looking for some good scares. It will most definitely deliver.

Weekly Updates #70 (23.05.2011 - 29.05.2011)

2011-07-04T01:10:00.000+03:00

I’d say I got this one out pretty quickly, wouldn’t you?

Wednesday

Fargo (1996) - 8/10
For many people, Fargo ranks among best films of the Coen brothers, and I have to say that it’s no different for me, either. This film, as unassuming as it is, represents the perfect mix of drama, crime, and dark humour one could ever hope to achieve. The plot is thoroughly engaging and remains interesting throughout the film’s running time, often making way to plenty of memorable scenes or lines of dialogue. Acting-wise, Fargo definitely stands out, with solid performances from Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, and, last but not least, William H. Macy, whose flawless portrayal as a bumbling, agitated car salesman is simply a delight to watch. In Fargo, every scene is meaningful to the whole picture, and the dialogue is well written all around, making the varying exchanges between characters interesting. The Coen brothers are obviously at their best here, beautifully putting together a film that is unlike any other of its genre and that undeniably stands and will stand out from the crowd. However, it needs to be said that, perhaps more so than most other Coen brothers directed movies, Fargo is somewhat of an acquired taste, which will undoubtedly leave some viewers indifferent or distant towards it. I can assure you, however, that if that’s the case, repeat viewings will most definitely shed light upon this masterpiece.

Saturday

Seconds Apart (2011) - 5/10
You’ve got to give it to After Dark Films, because even though most of their productions end up ranging from mediocre to mildly decent, almost each and every one of the movies deliver a highly intriguing premise. Such is also the case with Seconds Apart, which tells the story of two twin brothers who possess supernatural powers. I felt like this film got off to a pretty terrible start, with an introductory scene that is as confusing as it is weakly filmed. However, the movie definitely gets better after its initial debut, presenting an interesting storyline wrapped around a murder mystery and containing elements of both supernatural and slasher horror. The twin brothers, portrayed impressively and in an appropriately cold and distant manner by actors Edmund and Gary Entin, are quite puzzling characters and are therefore interesting to watch, and Detective Lampkin, played by Orlando Jones, also makes for somewhat of a curious character, even though he ends up having somewhat of an unpleasant demeanor in the big picture. Unfortunately, Seconds Apart becomes a tedious exercise in unengaging mystery during its second half, significantly reducing the overall experience. The film’s ending is both confused and confusing, failing to deliver a satisfying conclusion to its unconventional story by not knowing how to bring things to an end. Overall, Seconds Apart ends up being a relatively enjoyable experience, but not one that ranks much higher than the rest of the After Dark Films productions.

[review] Red Riding Hood (2011)

2011-07-02T17:35:00.000+03:00

“All love shifts and changes. I don't know if you can be wholeheartedly in love all the time.” – Julie Andrews

Red Riding Hood (2011)

3/10

review written by Andrei Sipos on the 2nd of July 2011

Perhaps most well-known for directing Twilight, the teenage hit movie that is now used in direct relation with her name, director Catherine Hardwicke takes her newest love story back to the Middle Ages and wraps it around a popular fairy tale involving a hooded young girl and a big bad wolf. Entitled Red Riding Hood, a title not nearly as appropriate as one may think, it stars Amanda Seyfried as the main attraction, and, by the looks of the trailer and the way the film is promoted, it seems to be trying to put a new spin on the genre of teenage romance, Hollywood’s most newfound gold mine.

Red Riding Hood starts off with a few gorgeous shots of forest landscape and scenery, an intro highly reminiscent of Catherine Hardwicke’s previous directorial effort Twilight, which opens in a very similar fashion. Unfortunately, that’s not the only thing Hardwicke borrows from the teen vampire love fest, eventually ending up irreversibly damaging this film with her constant rehashes and tiresome invocations used in the hope of injecting some of the ingredients from the Twilight series’ recipe for success into a modernized fairy tale.

Amanda Seyfried plays Valerie, a young girl living in a medieval village haunted by a wolf-like beast. Very much in love with one of the village’s woodcutters whom she’s been close to since childhood, but arranged by her family to marry the son of a wealthy blacksmith, Valerie struggles in the affairs of love while at the same time trying to cope with her sister’s demise at the hands of the dreaded werewolf that’s been plaguing her village. Things get even worse when a fanatic witch hunter (played by the magnificent Gary Oldman) arrives in the village and is resolute on slaying the murderous beast, no matter the cost.

The similarities between Red Riding Hood and Twilight are immediately noticeable, from the indecisive girl caught in a love triangle with two regular heartthrobs, the recurring theme of the forbidden fruit symbolised by the presence of a dangerous being, the girl’s fragile status among the society she belongs to, all the way to the stylised look of the film and the ‘enhanced’ appearance of its characters. While a few of these lent attributes could prove to be beneficial in some way or another, most just end up negatively influencing the movie and leading it down a drain hole.

Story-wise, Red Riding Hood starts off relatively well, introducing us to Valerie and the rest of the villagers and setting things up for a promising storyline. However, as the film progresses, it becomes more and more clear that things aren’t going to go nearly as well as expected. The constant bombardment of expository dialogue, deviations from the main plotline and all the characters supplied with far too much make-up and hair gel serve as a reminder of how hard Catherine Hardwicke is trying to make her film look at its best instead of focusing on more important things. To make matters worse, once the soundtrack composed of contemporary alternative rock songs kicks in, it becomes quite obvious that Red Riding Hood has lost all hope for redemption.

The cast of the film is comprised of a lot of talented actors such as Gary Oldman, Virginia Madsen or Julie Christie, whose involvement in this mess still puzzle me to no end, but there’s simply no decent material for them to work with, ultimately ending up just letting their talent go to waste (except maybe for Gary Oldman, who somehow manages to shine during certain scenes). Amanda Seyfried is decent enough in the leading role, displaying a good amount of potential, but the only thing that needs to be said about her is that she needs to start picking her roles more carefully, because she’s been ending up partaking in a lot of mediocre efforts lately.

The rest of the cast varies from half-decent to surprisingly bad, with a good example of the latter one being Shiloh Fernandez, who plays one of Valerie’s love interests. Everything from the way he delivers his lines to his inappropriate mannerisms and the failure to display emotions different from unintentional anger or pure apathy make him one of the film’s weakest links. Another weak point of the film is that not only does it barely hold true to the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood, but it also completely alters it to fit as a teenage love romp rather than as a fantastical piece.

By the end, Red Riding Hood completely destroys all the promise that its premise set up and delivers a final product that is neither entertaining nor enjoyable, except maybe for the audience of hormonal teenage girls that it’s clearly targeted at. It also concludes with one of the worst possible twists: one that tries way too hard to be unpredictable and therefore loses any sort of logic or relation to the actual plot. The days of Thirteen and Lords of Dogtown are truly gone for director Catherine Hardwicke, but perhaps one day she will realise the myriad of faults present in her more recent works and go on to correct herself. Here’s to hoping that day comes sooner, rather than later.

Weekly Updates #69 (16.05.2011 - 22.05.2011)

2011-07-01T19:43:00.000+03:00

I have returned after a truly long absence from my blog and especially the Weekly Updates, which I have terribly neglected over the last month or so. I realise that I have more than a month of catching up to do, but I assure you that I’ll be as swift in recuperating as possible. I hereby mark the first step to recovery.

Wednesday

Bridesmaids (2011) - 7/10
Like many others, I did not think much of Bridesmaids when I first heard about the movie, especially since the posters, stills and even the trailers made it look like the average female-oriented comedy. However, ever since its release the film has received universally positive feedback and hailed as one of the best comedies of the year up to this point, so naturally I changed my mind and gave it a go as soon as possible. All in all, Bridesmaids really turned out to be an entertaining and above-average comedy that is enjoyable by both genders in equal amount, but I couldn’t help but feel a little underwhelmed by it all after the praise that it’s gotten. Certainly, there were a few highly memorable comedy setpieces and the humour (usually) works quite well, but I kind of expected more from the movie overall. There were scenes where the comedy was almost missing and others where some of the jokes simply did not work. On top of that, there’s the overly clichéd conclusion the film came to that left me on somewhat of a disappointed note. Nevertheless, the times when Bridesmaids does work are definitely noteworthy and thoroughly hilarious, more or less making up for some of its weaker points. And, of course, Kristen Wiig was great in the leading role and I was also impressed with Melissa McCarthy and Rose Byrne. To sum it up, go see Bridesmaids because it is a solid comedy film, but don’t let yourself get carried away by all the stellar reviews it’s been getting.

Thor (2011) - 6/10
Thor is definitely not the be-all, end-all of superhero movies, and it also doesn’t rank as high as the Iron Man film series, but for what it’s worth, it’s a solid summer popcorn ride. The plot shares plenty of similarities with every other superhero origin story, focusing mostly on the character development of the protagonist, but there are a few surprisingly well-done moments that ultimately keep the storyline from falling prey to mediocrity. Thanks to director Kenneth Branagh and his refined ways, there are a few noteworthy Shakespearean elements to be found among the storyline, such as the thoroughly interesting father-son relationship between Loki and his father Odin. Thor also boasts quite an unconventional look, depicting the main character’s homeland Asgard in quite an intriguing way, but the visuals don’t always work in favour of the movie. For example, some of the major action setpieces failed to entice my interest, leaving me very lukewarm towards them. Also, the film isn’t as big in scale as one would expect, with most of the movie taking place either in Asgard or in a small town in New Mexico. On the other hand, Thor impresses acting-wise, with the spotlight landing on main actor Chris Hemsworth, who brings Thor to life with help of his charm and charisma, the always outstanding Anthony Hopkins, and, last but definitely not least, Tom Hiddleston with a very notable performance in the role of the antagonist Loki. Like I mentioned earlier, Thor does not rank among the best superhero films, but if you’re looking for a fun popcorn flick to watch this summer, it’s certainly worth your time.

Saturday

Drive Angry (2011) - 4/10
I cannot say that I had any sort of expectations of Drive Angry going into it, but I certainly did not foresee it turning out to be as bad as it did. All I wanted was some good ol’ ‘Cagesploitation’ and some mild entertainment out of it, but unfortunately the film ended up fulfilling only the latter part of my hopes (to some degree). Right from the start, it’s quite obvious that the story has absolutely no aspirations whatsoever: it’s all over the place and rarely does it make sense to a satisfactory degree. As for Nicolas Cage, he’s clearly not at his best during this one, failing to provide anything notable in the leading role and ending up being completely overshadowed by fellow actor William Fichtner more and more as the film progresses. Speaking of William Fichtner, his performance is the only noteworthy thing in the entire movie, depicting a thoroughly intriguing and puzzling anti-hero possessing supernatural powers. As for Amber Heard, not even her remarkable looks managed to conceal her terrible attempt at a Southern accent and her lack of on-screen prominence. In addition to all the marks that Drive Angry misses, it also boasts incredibly cheap and awful visuals, which only furthers the film’s descent into pure incompetence. Did I mention how bad the script was? Suffice it to say, there’s unintentional laughter to be had among the muddled dialogue and braindead plot elements.

[ATH] Stir of Echoes (1999)

2011-06-27T19:45:00.000+03:00

In every mind there is a door that has never been opened.

addicted to horror

Stir of Echoes (1999)

the plot

A casual session of hypnotism gives a man the ability to perceive the world of the afterlife, which he uses in order to investigate the ghostly spirit that is haunting his home.

the good

- well-constructed plot
- genuinely frightening
- effective jump scares
- solid acting all-around
- very well-written
- eerie moments keep things interesting
- Kevin Bacon's impressive performance
- great build-up

the bad

- weak second half
- underwhelming reveal
- half-decent conclusion
- a few mild plot holes

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- ghosts have the strangest ways of asking for help
- mad and loud behaviour will definitely not raise any question in the neighbourhood
- x-ray vision is the new term for psychic abilities

summary

Stir of Echoes is a surprisingly atmospheric and chilling horror thriller that never really got the recognition it deserved at the time of its release, but that doesn't make it any less great. Featuring an incredibly tense build-up thanks to the well-written plot, the effective jump scares and Kevin Bacon's notable performance, the film makes for quite an intense ride, but its final reveal and the cheesy conclusion leave a little to be desired. However, Stir of Echoes remains the type of solid thriller that is hard to come by.

horror meter: 4 hypnotised stars (out of 5)

[ATH] The Silent House (2011)

2011-06-11T16:39:00.000+03:00

Real Fear In Real Time

addicted to horror

The Silent House (2011)

the plot

A young woman and her father settle down in an old cottage for a few days while on the job to renew it for an upcoming sale, but strange things start happening around the house during their stay.

the good

- hauntingly chilling score
- non-stop tension and suspense
- the continuous filming dismisses tediousness
- all around effective scares and thrills
- atmospheric and engaging
- the post-credits scene

the bad

- weak acting in places
- plot details are too vague
- borrows from other films of the genre
- awful and unneeded twist
- character actions are often cliche

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- silent houses aren't nearly as silent as one would think
- maybe it's not such a good idea to spend the night in that creepy cottage
- children's toys are dreadful things
- don't deny a woman her baby

summary

The Silent House is an atmospheric horror film that is more intense and effective than any other in recent memory. Having been supposedly filmed in one long continuous shot, it delivers an engaging experience that never really stops building tension, much of which is due to its lack of cuts and pauses in filming and the incredibly chilling score. However, the film does falter in terms of storytelling, providing too vague of a plot and a downright awful twist towards the end. Despite its shortcomings in the narrative department, The Silent House succeeds when it comes to scares, thrills, and pure atmosphere, which in the end is exactly what a horror movie should be about in the first place.

horror meter: 4 noisy stars (out of 5)

Weekly Updates #68 (09.05.2011 - 15.05.2011)

2011-06-09T23:31:00.000+03:00

I’ve got my final high school exams coming up in a few weeks, so I’m not sure how much time I’ll be able to dedicate to the blog during this following period of time. I’ll do my best to maintain a notable presence, though.

Wednesday

The Prestige (2006) - 9/10
I first saw The Prestige back when it hit DVD shelves, and I remember the film’s intricate plot and final reveal leaving me in total awe at the time. My recent escalating obsession with director Christopher Nolan’s work, which all started with last year’s viewing of the masterful Inception, has led me to revisit The Prestige. I’m glad I got the chance to re-watch this film, because it’s one of my favourites of the year 2006, and without a doubt one of the greatest movies revolving around magic ever conceived. It is quite a magical experience in all aspects, a picture marked by outstanding cinematography and visual style, top-notch acting from the cast and a storyline beautifully constructed and put together. It is amazing how many twists and turns Nolan was able to incorporate in the plot without making it feel too heavy-handed or excessive. They seem to come at just about the right amount of intervals, hitting the viewer exactly at the required time. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale were terrific in the leading roles, often supported by the always wonderful Michael Caine. The Prestige is a film of utmost excellence and I advise everyone to check it out.

Friday

Dark Water (2002) - 6/10
I was really looking forward to checking out the original Dark Water as I still remember seeing the American remake when I was younger and being genuinely frightened by it. Since I expected the Japanese version would be significantly better, I was sure to be in for a good ride. Unfortunately, I ended up being really let down by Dark Water, and it definitely did not compare to most other well-known Asian horror films, turning out to be nothing more than a mediocre experience with some notable moments here and there. Hailed as one of the Japanese horror greats, Dark Water may leave some viewers underwhelmed. It definitely boasts a chilling atmosphere and some frightening moments, but overall, it's far from the great horror ride that some make it out to be. Some of the film's biggest problems arise from the tediously slow pace, the sparse amount of thrills and the excessive amount of character focus. However, the movie does end on quite an impressive note, delivering a heartbreaking and thought-provoking conclusion to its story. All in all, Dark Water is certainly not a waste of time, but it’s not a particularly good horror film either.

[review] Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

2011-06-06T01:13:00.000+03:00

“You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.” – George Burns

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

5/10

review written by Andrei Sipos on the 6th of June 2011

With the original Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy having come to an end, it seems that Walt Disney is not yet ready to let go of the rum, thus making way for a fourth instalment in the franchise. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is its name, both its title and plot inspired by Tim Powers’ 1987 fantasy novel of the same name. However, there are a few noteworthy changes in this newest episode that sets it apart from all the other films in the series. First of all, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, the lovebirds that served as the main characters in the concluded trilogy are now gone. The newly established storyline also has little to do with the one in the other films of the series, spare for a few recurring characters.

With the previous instalments’ lead actors Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley out of the picture, it is now up to Johnny Depp as the beloved Jack Sparrow to carry Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides as the film’s protagonist. Things start off with a few introductory action sequences constituting the recently detained Jack Sparrow’s intricate escape from the hands of authority, followed by a fair bit of exposition and yet another brief cameo appearance from Keith Richards, as per the preceding chapter’s originating custom. After all is said and done, we have our beloved Captain Jack teaming up—much against his will—with the feisty Angelica, a former flame of his, and her apparent father, the notorious pirate Blackbeard, to set sail in search for the legendary Fountain of Youth.

However, on the chase for the waters said to restore youth are also the British Navy, led by a Captain Barbossa newly gone straight, and the nosy Spaniards. This is where Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides commits a great fault: its plot is too complex for its own good, often deviating from the mean line of course and ending up dividing its time in order to develop several small subplots. That may have worked well had the movie been smart about it, but in this case it just seems to complicate matters for the sake of complicating matters, which doesn’t really make any sense because the films of this franchise have never been about elaborate plotlines, except maybe for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, and it didn’t serve that one well, either.

Of course, in order to benefit from the Fountain’s powers, one must perform a ritual involving two silver chalices, a mermaid’s tear, and whatever else can be found to extend the film’s running time to a respectable amount when in comparison with the rest of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Director Rob Marshall (famous for Memoirs of a Geisha and the musicals Chicago and Nine), on board with the series for the first time, may or may not be among the ones to blame for some of the film’s shortcomings. Certain is, though, that the departure of Gore Verbinski, director of the series’ previous instalments, has left a void that Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides failed to cover completely.

What makes Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides walk the plank, though? The script is arguably the greatest contributing factor in that respect, turning out to be inexcusably weak for a film of this calibre. The plot is muddled and unnecessarily convoluted, the characters fail to make an impression comparable to that of the earlier movies, the humour is often forced—nearing excess—and seldom does it invoke any real laughs, and the journey is ultimately less greater in scope than the anterior adventures.

The Pirates of the Caribbean films have never taken things too seriously, always opting for a more easy-going attitude that is characteristic of many other Walt Disney productions, but Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides has definitely taken things a little too far. It’s less serious than the other films in the series—if that were even possible—and the amount of gravity around the story has also been reduced by a few notches. Much of this is due to the lack of any real protagonist and a grossly decreased number of ‘good guys.’ The character of Jack Sparrow, who has served as the series’ main attraction ever since its inception, doesn’t really work in the main role mostly because his intentions never tend towards being of an intentionally good nature—thus limiting his capabilities in the role of the protagonist—and also because he is the one providing comic relief in most scenes.

The deficiency of chiefly positive characters is also a significant reason why the film fails to be as engaging as it should. During most of the battles and action scenes, there really isn’t anyone to root for (except maybe Jack Sparrow, but he rarely faces any sort danger whatsoever), what with most of the characters acting either as villains, anti-heroes or being of the more self-centred variety. This creates a large gap in the story and ultimately impairs Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides when it comes to its cinematic power.

By this point, claims of Johnny Depp’s act getting old will certainly arise. The truth is that his performance as the crafty and eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow is as good here as it ever was. The problem lies with the character itself, who, paired with the lazy writing plaguing this sequel and the sudden evolution from scene-stealing side character to full-fledged protagonist, is slowly (but surely, if things go on like this)nearing a point where he’s turned into a caricature of himself. Same goes for Barbossa (played wonderfully by Geoffrey Rush yet again), minus Jack’s character change.

The two biggest additions to the cast are Penelope Cruz and Ian McShane playing Angelica and Blackbeard respectively. Angelica serves as an obvious romantic interest for Jack Sparrow, though their relationship doesn’t really advance beyond a few suggestive looks and a couple of heated lines of dialogue. Penelope Cruz seemed to done a decent enough job, though there was never room for any real development from her part, seeing as how Angelica stood in the shadow of her father for the most part of the film. Ian McShane’s performance was subtle and menacing, though his character not so much. As a villain, Blackbeard is neither as immoral as Barbossa, nor does he pose as much of a threat as Davy Jones did. He mostly just lurks around, committing a few petty acts of evil here and there, but not nearly enough to justify his stance as the main antagonist in the film.

For a $200 million budget movie (more or less) taking place on some of the most exotic places on Earth and dealing with swashbuckling tales of piracy and adventure, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides offers surprisingly few eye-popping moments, and the 3D doesn’t help much either. In terms of filmmaking, it seems as though the process has become quite tedious on all fronts: there’s less piracy to be had in this one, the action scenes aren’t as exciting anymore and the characters aren’t as magical as they once were. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides may be disguised by high production values, but beneath the surface it’s undoubtedly a waste of talent and effort. Some will be fooled, others not so much. As a sequel and supposed first piece of a new trilogy, it’s also a fine example of not knowing when to stop.

[ATH] Priest (2011)

2011-06-04T17:44:00.000+03:00

The war is eternal. His mission is just the beginning.

addicted to horror

Priest (2011)

the plot

In a future world ravaged by the war between humans and vampires, a warrior priest disobeys the code of conduct in order to hunt down the vampires who kidnapped his niece.

the good

- remarkable futuristic look
- entertaining all the way
- interesting blend between horror, sci-fi and western
- awesome action scenes
- noteworthy score
- the animated intro
- doesn't take itself too seriously

the bad

- dubious acting
- cheesy dialogue
- cliche-ridden to the core
- Karl Urban's talent is underplayed
- annoying side characters

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- religion can be pretty badass
- being infected turns you into a goth
- why use guns when you have awesome crucifix-like knives and sharp crosses
- in the post-apocalypse, Asians become Christian priests
- vampires have successfully mastered the 'zerg rush' technique

summary

As a whole, Priest fails to evolve past the standard popcorn fare mostly due to its mediocre script, the large amount of cliches plaguing storyline and the lack of any real character development. However, the film does boast some sleek visuals and quite an interesting post-apocalyptic look, which paired with a bunch of surprisingly well-done action scenes make for a very enjoyable ride. Despite a decent enough performance, Paul Bettany fails to stand out in the leading role, and Karl Urban's talent is also wasted on a one-dimensional villain with not enough screen time, but that matters little since most of the film is focused on bringing out its action and horror elements. It does incorporate a somewhat noteworthy blend of action, horror, sci-fi and western, ultimately delivering a fun hour and a half at the movies that is well worth the price of admission if you know what you're going in for.

horror meter: 3 clerical stars (out of 5)

Weekly Updates #67 (02.05.2011 - 08.05.2011)

2011-06-03T15:31:00.000+03:00

I’m really late on these last episodes of the Weekly Updates at the moment, but I’m trying to get back on track as quickly as possible, trust me. For now, check out these three films that I hold real close to my heart.

Wednesday

Gone Baby Gone (2007) - 8/10
Ever since its release a few years ago, I kept seeing bits and pieces of Gone Baby Gone on television every now and then, which kind of made me understand the film to some degree before actually seeing it in its entirety. After watching Ben Affleck’s second directorial effort, entitled The Town, I really wanted to check out Gone Baby Gone as fast as possible, considering how impressed I was with his directing skills. All in all, Gone Baby Gone did not disappoint one bit, and I’m still not sure which of these two films I enjoyed more. I’ve got nothing against Ben Affleck taking up the leading role in his movies, though I have to say that I found his absence and Casey Affleck taking up the part a nice change of pace. The performances were all-around terrific in this Boston-based thriller, especially those of Michelle Monaghan, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman and Amy Ryan. The plot was well-constructed and thoroughly engaging, and I loved the thought-provoking conclusion that the film came to. I highly recommend both Gone Baby Gone and The Town to those who have not seen these Ben Affleck directed movies yet, as they are definitely worth checking out.

Thursday

Tucker & Dale vs Evil (2010) - 7/10
Tucker & Dale vs Evil is without a doubt the most pleasant surprise of the year in terms of low budget horror. I have no idea how I stumbled upon this wondrous gem, but it turned out to be one of the most fun, entertaining and downright hilarious horror flicks I’ve seen in quite a while. Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk star in the leading roles as a bunch of clueless hillbillies who find themselves attacked by a group of teenagers due to a terribly funny misunderstanding. Tucker & Dale vs Evil puts a new spin on slasher horror and adds a wonderfully enjoyable sense of humour to the mix, ultimately creating a movie that manages to retain all the elements of an old school horror ride while also remaining smart and genuinely funny. The storyline is well put together and, even though it commits a few blunders here and there, it’s all in all quite impressive. Lead actors Labine and Tudyk are fantastic in their roles, delivering fittingly humourous and goofy performances. The rest of the cast isn’t as noteworthy, though, but everyone does a decent enough job so as not to distract from the film. It’s too bad Tucker & Dale vs Evil didn’t get the amount of buzz it deserved, but if you can somehow get your hands on this obscure little gem, by all means do so.

Friday

Identity (2003) - 8/10
Identity was one of the first films that really scared me when I was younger, and the film ended up staying with me to some degree ever since. I recently came across it and felt like a re-watch would be a good idea, considering that I had forgotten much about the film over the years. Thankfully, Identity turned out to be just as good as I remembered it to be, and a second viewing definitely freshened my outlook on the film quite a lot. The cast of the movie is quite remarkable, with actors such as John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, John Hawkes and Alfred Molina delivering solid performances. I know that the storyline can be quite flawed at times, which will undoubtedly turn a few viewers off with its indecisive nature and the presence of plot holes, but I honestly love the plot just the way it is. Maybe that’s because the film left a mark on me when I was younger, but I really did not mind the couple of mistakes the script made along the way at all. The twist ending, of course, is probably one of the most memorable moments in Identity, and even though some may end up predicting it correctly, I think that it’s executed in a very impressive manner. Overall, Identity is a great and thoroughly entertaining thriller and I fully recommend it, as it’s sure to make for a chilling good time.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

2011-06-01T14:38:00.000+03:00

Refined storytelling, outstanding character development and a perfect blend between drama, adventure and clever comedy are but a few of the qualities that make Avatar: The Last Airbender one of the greatest animated series of all time.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is widely regarded as the best thing that ever happened to the American kids’ television network Nickelodeon, and also as one of the most notable animated shows to come out of the States in television history. There are a myriad of things that helped this show draw the amount of viewers that it did, and it’s highly probable that you may have heard a thing or two about the series by now—especially considering the recent M. Night Shyamalan directed live-action adaptation of the first season—but if you’re still unsure on whether you should find out what all the fuss is about or not, I suggest you stick around and read what I have to say about Nickelodeon’s powerhouse.

If you were hoping for a different take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, or even an essay leaning towards a more negative side, I’m afraid you’re not going to get that here. The honest truth is that Avatar: The Last Airbender is just about as good as everyone makes it out to be. Of course, it is not exactly perfect either, and there are definitely a few episodes that lack the scope, storytelling and emotional power of others, but there’s little to complain about when taking into account the big picture and what the series has to offer in return.

The writing is without a doubt Avatar: The Last Airbender’s strongest suit, with co-creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko managing to create a fantastical world that is rich in detail and design and filled with well-shaped, interesting characters. By the final few episodes of the last season, you’ll have established an intimate and deep connection with each of the main characters, which ultimately is the greatest contributing factor in making the show as engaging as it is.

The art and animation is solid and consistent, providing the series with a fitting look, giving each of the characters distinctive look and a unique appearance, and making the action scenes prevailing throughout the show thrilling and thoroughly entertaining. Speaking of action scenes, there are plenty to be had in Avatar: The Last Airbender, and it is often astonishing how different and inventive each of the battles are.

Throughout its three seasons, Avatar: The Last Airbender changes a little in terms of storytelling, with its simplistic and straightforward episode layout during the first season becoming more and more storyline driven towards the end of the second season and forward. In other words, the show tends to focus more on standalone episodes at first, but it later progresses towards interconnected content later on. As someone who is not a big fan of series built around standalone episodes, I wasn’t too excited about this show in the beginning, but I definitely became more and more engaged in it as it went along, ultimately arriving at a point where my body was aching for the next episode.

There’s not much I can say about Avatar: The Last Airbender that hasn’t been said already and I’m sure you’ll find plenty of other reviews filled with compliments and kind words about this amazing show. I couldn’t recommend it more, and I’m sure that every viewer will find something to like here, regardless of age. Avatar: The Last Airbender is a kid’s show, no doubt, but I can guarantee that older audiences will be just as engaged in it and invested in the characters. Therefore, I suggest you check out Avatar: The Last Airbender, no matter who you are. What’s that, you saw it already Watch it again, for cryin’ out loud!

Also, if you’re planning on seeing the live-action adaptation known as The Last Airbender, I beg you to read my review first, which will hopefully change your mind. Find it here.

[ATH] Seconds Apart (2011)

2011-05-30T21:15:00.000+03:00

Death comes in twos.

addicted to horror

Seconds Apart (2011)

the plot

A recently widowed detective conducts an investigation on an apparent mass suicide involving a group of high school students, with two mysterious twin brothers being the prime suspects on the case.

the good

- intriguing premise
- good performances
- well-written dialogue
- unpredictable twist
- fittingly bleak atmosphere

the bad

- weak storyline
- plot is often incoherent
- lacks closure
- tries to mix too many genres together
- tends to lose direction towards the end

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- Russian roulette can actually be quite a fun time waster
- bubblegum jokes aren't as funny the second time around
- police detectives can harass you for no reason
- be extra careful with your girlfriend if you happen to have an evil twin brother

summary

Seconds Apart starts off on the right foot, boasting an intriguing premise and plenty of potential throughout its running time. Much like most recent After Dark films, however, it ends up fulfilling little of what it first promised, making for a somewhat interesting ride that unfortunately achieves surprisingly little over the course of an hour and a half. Edmund and Gary Entin, the lead actors playing the twin brothers, portray their characters in a fittingly detached and cold manner, and Orlando Jones also delivers quite a solid performance as a troubled detective. On the other hand, the plot is relatively weak, remaining all in all too vague as a whole and omitting a much needed conclusion to the storyline. Avid followers of the After Dark series of films will know that Seconds Apart could have done a lot worse, but that ultimately does not make the film worth a watch to average filmgoers.

horror meter: 3 matching stars (out of 5)

Weekly Updates #66 (25.04.2011 - 01.05.2011)

2011-05-22T18:03:00.000+03:00

The summer movie season has officially begun, and I’m already looking forward to many upcoming releases, particularly the superhero films that will be hitting theatres in the next couple of months. Last year’s summer wasn’t a very kind one in terms of cinematic power, only managing to deliver a few notable pictures. Here’s to hoping this one will play out in a different fashion.

Monday

The Troll Hunter (2010) - 5/10
The Troll Hunter is not a bad film, and I’m sure some viewers will find it to be a very interesting ride, but for me personally, this was the most boring movie that I had to sit through for quite a long time now. One would think that a mockumentary done shaky cam style about trolls would prove to be an exciting experience, but The Troll Hunter is almost barren in its subject matter, seeming to focus more on road trips and mountain exploring than on the actual encounters with trolls. The story isn’t particularly interesting or engaging, and it fails to deliver a decent amount of memorable moments. My biggest problem with the film is its terribly slow-moving pace and its failure to hold my attention for an extended amount of time. The Troll Hunter manages to somehow make the hunting of trolls into something dull and simply not engaging, which ultimately secures its downfall for me. All in all, I wouldn’t recommend this one to anybody, but considering the glowing reviews it got, you may want to ignore my opinion and check it out anyway—maybe you’ll find something in there that I didn’t.

Tuesday

Monsters (2010) - 7/10
I was a bit hesitant to check out Monsters at first, mainly because I have heard some significant aspects of it being talked negatively about around the world of critics. However, I also heard that in terms of low budget movies, it’s one for the books, which ultimately led me to give the film a go. As it turns out, it really is quite an achievement when it comes to delivering the best possible product without spending much. For a half a million dollar budget, Monsters looks great. Actually, Monsters looks great nonetheless, and I dare say its visuals are several times stronger than those of several grossly more expensive movies. What I liked most about Monsters was the way the film managed to succeed both as a love story and as an ‘alien invasion’ science fiction ride. Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able, the two lead actors, do a decent job in their roles, though there was definitely room for improvement. The film also suffers from a pretty underwhelming script, often giving way to inconsistent or weak dialogue and a few drawbacks in terms of plot development. All that aside, though, Monsters is a damn good sci-fi film that deserves to be remembered.

Wake Wood (2011) - 2/10
I wasn’t too keen on seeing Wake Wood, though I did want to give it a shot due to the significant amount of praise that it’s been getting from some noteworthy critics. Unfortunately, Wake Wood was miles away from the movie that everyone made it out to be. Further, I actually believe that this film is the worst I have seen in the recent months, turning out to be a painstakingly slow ride that achieves absolutely nothing beyond setting up an interesting premise. I’m not one to complain about a film’s budget and I often enjoy incredibly cheap films, provided that they’re done right, but Wake Wood is just awful in terms of production quality. The gore, the sound design and editing, and especially the cinematography are just plain bad. It’s hard to believe that professional camera work can actually be this terrible, but there’s no doubt that this film suffered greatly in that aspect. Story wise, Wake Wood isn’t all that bad, but it’s also far from good, delivering some truly laughable dialogue during certain scenes. The acting doesn’t help, either, and everyone except for Timothy Spall (god knows why he got involved in this movie) is mediocre at best. I really have no idea why Wake Wood is getting such positive feedback; I guess it’s just one of those things I don’t ‘get.’ I wish I could tell you to avoid this one, but considering the praise that it’s getting, maybe I’d be stopping you from having a great ride. And on that note, I suggest that, if you really are interested, go check out Wake Wood and see for yourself just how awful of a film it is.

Wednesday

The Jacket (2005) - 7/10
The Jacket used to be my own little favourite movie that no one ever heard about. I remember seeing it for the first time on television a few years back and I was highly impressed by its unique plot and the grittiness present throughout the film. I imagine it’s not much of an obscure picture, but I never really met anybody that actually saw the film, making it quite a hidden gem for me. From what I can tell from the reviews and feedback is that The Jacket didn’t seem to impress many viewers, and I’m guessing that’s because its storyline is not particularly well fleshed out. However, this film tells a very interesting and unique story, and although it may present some plot holes or minor inconsistencies at certain points, it’s definitely a ride worth taking. I loved the mix of time travel, romance and drama, and I also thought the way the film managed to blend all these genres together was pretty great. Adrien Brody was terrific in the leading role (I always seem to enjoy his performances) and the supporting cast was also very good, particularly Keira Knightley, who adopted quite an interesting American accent, and especially Daniel Craig, whose acting was so outstanding that he was nearly unrecognizable in the role. Also, there’s a highly emotional and inspiring monologue during the final minutes of the film, which I thought was just brilliant. For all of the reasons listed above, I recommend you go check out The Jacket, because it’s a very interesting ride and provides solid entertainment, despite being surprisingly depressing at times.

[review] Thor (2011)

2011-05-20T22:26:00.001+03:00

“All experience is an arch wherethrough gleams that untravelled world whose margin fades for ever and for ever when I move.” – Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Thor (2011)

6/10

review written by Andrei Sipos on the 20th of May 2011

Anyone even mildly interested in comic books or superheroes must have heard of the upcoming The Avengers movie by now. This highly anticipated superhero film will see a once-in-a-lifetime gathering of several superheroes belonging to the Marvel universe—all played by big name actors, of course—and there’s no doubt that it’s going to be the biggest movie of next year, when it’s released. In order to prepare for its release and create greater anticipation and awareness of the film, Marvel Studios are planning to release an individual movie for pretty much every character of the all-star team, with Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2 having already seen the light of day from 2008 through to 2010, and two more films, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger, hitting theatres this year.

With the recent release of Thor, we are finally getting to see a live-action portrayal of the beloved comic book superhero, played here by Chris Hemsworth. The film mostly takes place in two locations: one is Asgard, Thor’s homeland, and the other one is Earth, or, more accurately, a small town in New Mexico. As the firstborn son of Odin, king of Asgard, Thor is eagerly awaiting his ascendancy to the throne, much to his younger brother Loki’s envy. However, his arrogance and his blind desire for battle get the best of him when he tries to prove his worthiness to his father by taking a trip to the realm of Jotunheim and starting a ‘brawl’ with the Frost Giants, the Asgardians’ once greatest enemies. This reawakens a long lost feud between the two parties, resulting in Odin punishing his stubborn son for his foolish ways by stripping him of his powers and banishing him to Earth, along with his mighty hammer Mjolnir.

It is on Earth where the now powerless Thor meets a group of researchers made up of Jane Austen (portrayed by Natalie Portman), her assistant Darcy Lewis, and Dr. Erik Selvig, who eventually end up helping him reclaim the Mjolnir hammer. However, Thor is unable to wield his once mighty weapon as he is now deemed unworthy of its power. Meanwhile, things aren’t looking good in Asgard, as king Odin falls into a stress-induced coma and the mischievous Loki finally spots an opportunity to claim the royal throne for himself. As you can see, Thor boasts quite an entangled plotline, and although the story isn’t as complicated when experienced for oneself, it still moves away from the basic superhero scheme, even if only a little.

As expected from a movie of this calibre, the cast of Thor is made up of high profile actors, with Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgård and Idris Elba being only a few of the big names. Chris Hemsworth charismatically leads the way in the role of Thor, and his portrayal of the god of thunder is quite fitting, providing a striking balance between the character’s initial arrogance and pride and his eventual change of heart which turns him into a hero worthy of his status. Anthony Hopkins, who could have used a little more screen time here and there, delivers his usual best as the humble and wise Odin, the king of Asgard and father to Thor and Loki. He has little to work with most of the time, but when given the opportunity, Hopkins truly impresses. The scene where Thor is forsaken by his father is sure to have an emotional impact on many viewers.

The most notable performance comes from Tom Hiddleston playing Thor’s two-faced younger brother Loki, the film’s main villain. Not your typical ‘bad guy,’ Loki is arguably the most intriguing character in the film, and the Shakespearean bond between his father and Thor help make some scenes a refreshing change of pace and a much needed break from all the CGI-heavy action occurring in-between. Hiddleston manages to turn Loki into well-shaped villain, but also a character the audience can surprisingly often sympathise with and ultimately understand. On the other side of the pole is Jane Austen, played by a vibrant Natalie Portman, who never seems to evolve past the role of Thor’s romantic interest. Sure, Portman is nice to look at, but the character she portrays rarely sees any sort of development during the course of the film, making last year’s Academy Award winning actress an unfortunate waste of talent.

Horrible 3D conversion aside, Thor looks pretty damn good on a visual level. The look and design of Asgard and its inhabitants may take a while to get used to, but few will not be moved by this fantastical realm’s bright spark of colours. Thor’s brief trip to frozen wasteland of Jotunheim is also quite noteworthy, providing an interesting change of style from Asgard’s vivid imagery and also a worthy battleground for one of the film’s biggest action setpieces. The same cannot be said about the Frozen Giants however, who aside from their intimidating leader Laufey (befittingly played by Colm Feore), are too CGI-ridden for their own good.

The mark left by the upcoming The Avengers in Thor is significantly more prominent than in Marvel’s previous cinematic ventures, even when taking Iron Man 2 into consideration. The mysterious government organisation known as S.H.I.E.L.D. is of considerable importance in the outcome of this film, and the nosy ‘men in black’ receive a good amount of screen time along the way, particularly recurring special agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg). Jeremy Renner also has a brief cameo appearance as master archer and future Avengers team member Hawkeye, though he doesn’t get the chance to do much besides uttering a few lines and dexterously pointing his bow in a few places.

The biggest problem with Thor is that it tries to do too many things in a very limited amount of time. It tries to introduce us to the world of Asgard, it tries to develop the main character from cocky brute to humble hero in a believable way, it tries to incorporate the romantic aspect between Thor and Jane Austen, and it also tries to deliver a satisfying amount of action along the way. Some things end up working quite well, but in the end, most of them just end up feeling like a half-assed job. However, there’s an undeniable charm surrounding this otherwise standard comic book adaptation, much of which seems to stem from leading man Chris Hemsworth’s surprisingly potent screen presence. To sum it up, Thor is by no means a tour de force of the superhero genre, but for what it’s worth, it’s as fun of a popcorn ride as ever and a great way to start off the summer movie season.

[ATH] Dark Water (2002)

2011-05-15T16:09:00.000+03:00

From the creators of Japan's acclaimed RINGU, inspiration for the hit phenomenon THE RING.

addicted to horror

Dark Water (2002)

the plot

In the midst of a harsh custody dispute, a woman and her daughter move to a run-down apartment building, but they soon discover that their new home holds hidden secrets.

the good

- atmospheric and sinister
- realistic dialogue
- some really chilling scenes
- powerful climax
- heartbreaking ending
- doesn't rely on jump scares

the bad

- visually bland and dull
- too much character development
- too little action
- the plot is too vague
- some of the music doesn't fit

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- Hello Kitty backpacks are dreadful things
- no one cares about the flooding in apartment buildings
- admitting that you have psychological problems won't help your child dispute case
- people never really check on water tanks anymore

summary

Hailed as one of the Japanese horror greats, Dark Water may leave some viewers underwhelmed. It definitely boasts a chilling atmosphere and some frightening moments, but overall, it's far from the great horror ride that some make it out to be. Some of the film's biggest problems arise from the tediously slow pace, the sparse amount of thrills and the excessive amount of character focus. However, Dark Water does end on quite an impressive note, delivering a heartbreaking and thought-provoking conclusion to its story.

horror meter: 3 watery stars (out of 5)

Weekly Updates #65 (18.04.2011 - 24.04.2011)

2011-05-10T21:23:00.000+03:00

I finally finished up with some remaining anime series of 2010, so you’ll be seeing my list soon. Also, the ‘top horror films of the year’ list isn’t too far, either. Stay tuned.

Tuesday

Total Recall (1990) - 7/10
I remember parts from Total Recall back from when I was a kid, and even though I had forgotten most of the film up to this point, some scenes stay with me even today. I had recently stumbled upon Total Recall in a completely random manner, and I felt like I needed to check it out again just to freshen my memory of it and also to get a good time out of it if the film withstood the test of time. Fortunately, Total Recall turned out to be a lot of fun, even today, and even though most of the seriousness and action prevailing throughout the movie now turned into cheesiness and pure Arnold Schwarzenegger exploitation, it still was a hell of a ride. Of course, the film is filled with countless clichés and typical action movie situations that have become tedious nowadays, that’s easy to look past considering that Total Recall was made back in the early 90s. I was surprised at just how well-constructed the storyline was, providing plenty of quite unpredictable twists and turns along the way. Arnold Schwarzenegger was great in the leading role, and even though his acting misfires and becomes rather campy and funny at times, he definitely has the screen presence to carry an action movie like this one. I highly recommend Total Recall if you haven’t seen it already, because it’s a perfect blend of action and sci-fi, making for an entertaining watch backed by a well-crafted plot.

Wednesday

Dream Home (2010) - 7/10
Not many have heard of Dream Home, but this film is without a doubt a true hidden gem of slasher and splatter horror. It tells quite an interesting story revolving around a woman and her struggle to secure the home of her dreams. There’s a dark social commentary present in the film, but where Dream Home really shines is when it comes to the kills, thrills and gore. There are truly massive amounts of blood present, and it does feel excessive at times, but what makes this film so great is the way it embraces the genre of splatter and its effective portrayal of the killings and the gory scenes. The killer is very memorable, and unlike many other slashers, quite fragile, making the experience more realistic and also a lot more shocking. Lead actress Josie Ho is noteworthy in the leading role, delivering a fine performance and successfully portraying quite a complicated character. The ending of the movie is also really good, delivering a satisfying conclusion to this fantastic gorefest and providing a fitting finale to a thrilling ride. I had a blast watching Dream Home, and I’m sure many other horror buffs will appreciate this little gem of a horror film. Check it out if you get the chance.

The Rite (2011) - 4/10
The Rite was a film that received a lot of buzz during the beginning of this year, mainly because it dealt with religion and exorcisms, which isn’t a subject that has been exploited much in recent years, and also because it starred Anthony Hopkins in a leading role. However, The Rite received surprisingly little feedback after its release and people mostly dismissed it as a mediocre entry into the supernatural horror genre, seemingly quickly forgetting about its existence. I did not get the chance to check the film out when it hit theatres, but I did get to watch it recently, after it got a disc release. I have to say, I wasn’t looking forward to The Rite too much, but there was nothing better for me to do or watch at the time, so I just went for it. Surprisingly enough, it started off pretty well and I definitely enjoyed most of its first half, even though it didn’t deliver anything interesting besides Hopkins’ excellent performance, which was expected. I liked the whole idea of having the protagonist adopting atheistic views and being the one to doubt the events that were happening in the movie, though that took a whole different turn during the second half of the film, when I realized that they were just using this approach to inject some religious propaganda into the story. Speaking of the second part of The Rite, it was downright horrible, calling on almost every Hollywood cliché in the book in order to convey a ridiculously typical third act that in the end completely ruined the movie for me. However, I will say that The Rite may be worth a watch for those who enjoy Anthony Hopkins and his roles, because he does do quite a tremendous job in this one.

Friday

Panic Room (2002) - 7/10
Believe it or not, I never saw Panic Room, despite being quite a David Fincher enthusiast. I remember catching glimpses of it years and years ago when my parents rented it on DVD, but I was barely aware of Fincher and his work at the time, so I never really checked it out. Recently, I was browsing through some films, hoping to get a good and entertaining one to watch, and I came across Panic Room and said ‘eh, why not?’ I’m really glad I choose this film, because it really fit with the mood I was in at the time, and even though it’s neither a spectacular movie nor one of David Fincher’s greatest works, it’s definitely solid entertainment at its best. The plot was very interesting, backed by a brilliant sense of pacing, delivering thrills and building up more and more tension as it went along. Jodie Foster was solid in the leading role, much like the rest of the cast, including Forest Whitaker and Kristen Stewart. However, the one who impressed me the most was Jared Leto in a brief, but effective supporting role. He nailed his character to perfection, and even though I may be a bit biased since I always found Leto’s performances quite impressive, I’m sure many will agree with me on this movie. The cinematography and camera work is also worth noting in Panic Room, making for a few outstanding sequences and shots that will definitely draw your attention and help the story become more intense and engaging. Overall, a solid thriller with a few clichés here and there, but in the end, David Fincher has definitely left his mark here.

Sunday

Bedevilled (2010) - 8/10
I was taking a look at some new horror releases a few months back and I remember stumbling upon the trailer for Bedevilled, an interesting but rather obscure South Korean film that was nowhere to be found at the time. However, Bedevilled reentered my radar recently, when I finally managed to get a hold of a copy and give it a watch. While the film didn’t turn out to be at all like I had expected, it’s an excellent movie with a very odd mix of horror and drama. For most of its first half, Bedevilled only explores its story and develops the characters, mainly focusing on the drama side of the film. The second half, on the other hand, is a straight out slasher with plenty of kills and a significant amount of tension. Secondary lead actress (I really don’t know how else to describe it) Seo Young-hee delivered quite a powerful performance in her role, portraying her character in such a way that she’s easy to sympathize with, but can also convey unease when needed. All in all, I found Bedevilled to be an outstanding film that manages to blend drama and horror in a very interesting way together, but it also delivers a sorrowful story filled with several deeply emotional moments.

[ATH] Tucker & Dale vs Evil (2010)

2011-05-08T02:53:00.000+03:00

This year spring break is cut short!

addicted to horror

Tucker & Dale vs Evil (2010)

the plot

Two harmless hillbillies on a vacation in their newly purchased mountain cabin are attacked by a group of teenagers after a big misunderstanding ensues.

the good

- outstanding performances from the two lead actors
- boasts plenty of laugh out loud moments
- thoroughly engaging and entertaining
- impressive cinematography and camera work
- well-written story with a few twists and turns
- lots of creative kills
- solid special effects
- highly memorable main characters

the bad

- the feel-good ending
- could have been a little more clever in some places
- not all jokes work

the ugly

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

things I learned from watching this movie

- bringing weed to a road trip makes you an instant genius
- scythes and creepy laughter definitely do not help when trying to approach girls
- if you have a recurring dream about sucking a dick, you're gay
- don't postpone fixing a potentially deadly trap
- when in doubt, use camomile tea

summary

Tucker & Dale vs Evil is no doubt one of the most pleasant surprises of the year, delivering the most hilarious horror trip since the celebrated Shaun of the Dead a few years back. Thoroughly engaging and backed by a well-written plot, this little indie film puts a new twist on the slasher genre, twisting things around and making for plenty of laugh out loud moments while at it. Lead actors Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk are outstanding in their roles, and the characters of Tucker and Dale will surely become cult favourites in the future. If you're looking for a killer comedy, look no further than Tucker & Dale vs Evil.

horror meter: 4 redneck stars (out of 5)