Search

Search only in certain items:

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2005)
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2005)
2005 | Comedy, Romance, Thriller
8
7.9 (11 Ratings)
Movie Rating
In the early to mid-2000s, Robert Downey Jr wasn’t one of the highest paid actors in the world. He was busy attempting to rebuild his career after five years of constant struggles with various drugs, being in and out of rehab, and even spent at least a year and a half incarcerated. With all of the films Downey did in that period, including Gothika, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, A Scanner Darkly, Zodiac, and Charlie Bartlett, perhaps none are as memorable as Shane Black’s directorial debut and neo-noir black comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

Harry Lockhart (Downey) is a thief that finds himself in a peculiar situation. After almost being apprehended by the police while breaking into a toy store, Harry stumbles into an audition and impresses everyone when his reading cuts a little too deep and is strangely accurate to Harry’s current situation. Now seen as some sort of acting prodigy, Harry finds himself in Los Angeles awaiting his screen test. He’s introduced to Gay Perry (Val Kilmer), a gay detective that’s hired to bestow his detective wisdom on Harry for his new on-screen role.

But before character development can truly begin, Harry is re-introduced to Harmony (Michelle Monaghan); a childhood friend and the girl-next-door-type who Harry considers to be the one that got away. However, Harry’s newfound luck is short-lived. While tagging along with Perry during one of his cases, the two of them witness two men in ski masks drive a car off a cliff and into a lake. They discover a woman with a broken neck in the trunk and the realization dawns on them that this is bigger than either of them could have ever imagined. With multiple cases suddenly being connected to one another and clues coming together to form bigger pieces of the puzzle, maybe Harry, Perry, and Harmony meeting each other is fate and not just a coincidence.

While Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a noir film on the surface, it also has that buddy cop dynamic that Shane Black perfected with the likes of the Lethal Weapon films and The Nice Guys. The film has elements of mystery, comedy, action, and thriller genres for an overall experience that is entertaining on a variety of levels. Harry guides you as the narrator throughout the majority of the film and there are some intriguing storytelling techniques utilized to help get Harry’s perspective across. There’s a sequence where Harry realizes he’s forgotten to tell the audience an important piece of information and the film reel acts like it’s about to run off track before it pauses showing what looks like the film paused between two frames of a film reel. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang has a few elements like this that capitalizes on Harry’s quirks while he narrates that gives the film and the story a refreshing ambience.

This is Robert Downey Jr’s favorite film of his entire filmography and it’s difficult to argue with that. At a time when Downey was trying to rebound, stay sober, and prove that he was still a talented actor, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang benefits from all of his strengths. As Harry, Downey portrays nearly every emotion imaginable and this performance reminds you why he has always been held in such high regard. Unlike Iron Man 3 which seems to depreciate in repeat viewings, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang holds up extremely well for a film that is 10+ years old and should be considered as one of Shane Black’s strongest films in general and to date.

The one downside was the way the film was released theatrically. The film didn’t expand to more theaters after its opening weekend and underperformed at the box office, but did well overseas and was a big hit once it was released on DVD. The Gay Perry character is considered to be the first openly gay character to headline a major motion picture in Hollywood and Val Kilmer is in top form in the role. The chemistry he has with Robert Downey Jr is overwhelmingly entertaining while Perry’s agitation with Harry’s incompetence as a detective is hilariously brought to light by Kilmer’s memorable performance.

John Ottman’s score is the unseen cast member of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang that helps cement the noir vibe the film is aiming for. The jazz-infused compositions invoke a sense of mystery and intrigue in the viewer that sets the tone of the film perfectly. For proof of this, look no further than the film’s opening credits which simultaneously feel like an homage to other noir films while also offering something completely new.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang isn’t as overlooked as it used to be, but it still doesn’t seem to have the reputation it deserves. The film is entertaining on so many levels and the performances from the cast are exceptional. The music is superb and the story constantly captivates; Shane Black couldn’t have dreamed of a better directorial debut.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, and Vudu for $2.99 and iTunes for $3.99. The film is also free on Amazon Prime if you have Cinemax with Prime Video Channels. It is currently available on DVD for $8.49, Blu-ray for $16.99, and Multi-Format Blu-ray for $14.42 on Amazon. On eBay, the DVD is currently running $4.66 pre-owned and $4.50 brand new with free shipping and a brand new Blu-ray is $15.98 with free shipping.
  
Truth or Dare (2013)
Truth or Dare (2013)
2013 | Horror
Plot (3 more)
Awesome Special Effects
A great indie horror film
Ryan Kiser rocks!!!
Gory, disturbing and a helluva good time
I waited five years to see this movie, and it was totally worth it.
Jessica Cameron co-wrote and directed a worth wile addition to the horror genre.
It's hard to believe this was her first stab at directing. Pardon the pun folks, but stab is exactly what happens in this movie.
I had never heard of Ryan Kiser before this film, but he portrays an obsessed fan with psychotic gusto only equivalent to that of veteran horror actors.
Cameron, Dorff and the rest of the cast envelop them selves in their characters so much, and the camera work is so simple that it makes the disgusting game of Truth or Dare seem realistic and unstaged.
After reading the reviews for this splatterfest I can see how some people who are not horror hounds would be repulsed by this movie.
Myself, I brought an open mind and honestly didn't expect what I saw. But as a horror fanatic and self proclaimed horror movie GOD, I am in love with the concept of this film.
It brought obsession to a new height. It makes the viewer see that people can become so enthralled in other people's lives, that they can become obsessed with what they view.
Jessica Cameron deserves the spoils she received for her debut movie.
In this writers opinion this movie is the beginning of an amazing career for her as both a writer and director.
Big Studios take notice. This indie Queen is coming at you all with her nails out. I hope this is the first of many movie from her disturbed mind.
Buy this film people... Support the horror underground. You won't be disappointed.
Here's a link to the Amazon page where you can purchase this movie. Support indie film people...
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B01N963DXN/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503580613&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=truth+or+dare&dpPl=1&dpID=51tSWEEbQ7L&ref=plSrch
  
Black Heart Loa
Black Heart Loa
Adrian Phoenix | 2011 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A rolicking fun ride through Louisiana
Black Heart Loa is actually the second in Phoenix’s Hoodoo series, the first being Black Dust Mambo. Even without reading the first one, Black Heart Loa is easy to follow, and the events of Black Dust Mambo are easily understood, without really having them rehashed to the reader. Part of that, I expect, is because Black Heart Loa is dealing with the fallout of the events of Black Dust Mambo, so things get explained in a natural progression in the book.

BHL was a rolicking fun ride through the swamps of Louisiana. I can’t speak for the accuracy of how the hoodoo belief system is represented, but most religious beliefs in urban fantasy get a vigorous twisting from the author, as miracles and magic become real in the fictional world. So I’m not terribly worried about the accuracy, as long as they’re not portrayed solely in a good or bad light. And in BHL there are both good and bad practitioners of hoodoo, illustrating the point that it’s not the religion that is inherently good or bad, but the person practicing it. So that moral quandary aside, I really, REALLY enjoyed this book. Kallie is a fun, ass-kicking, smart-talking protagonist, though I found myself wanting to know more about her best friend, a mambo-in-training.

I especially want to know more about a character who was introduced late in the book, but the ending of the book implies more books to come, and more focus on the character I’m intrigued by, so I’ll have to see if I can dig up more of this series. Amazon says this book is 2 of 2 in the series, but it was published in 2011 and I don't see any more in the series, which is sad. Goodreads mentions a third book, Black Moon Mojo, but I can't find any news about a release date.

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
  
TB
The Boats of the 'Glen Carrig'
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Prior to selecting The Boats of the ‘Glen Carrig’ as my next read on Serial Reader, I was unaware that William Hope Hodgson was a source of inspiration for Lovecraft. In fact, as I devoured the novel, I remember remarking to myself how much it felt like something Lovecraft would write – and no wonder!

The Boats of the ‘Glen Carrig’ is written in first-person point of view and feels largely epistolary in form (though it is actually a travelogue). There is no dialogue and readers only know what Winterstraw writes. The story follows a marooned ship and its crew first as they encounter an odd island and then as they end up stranded in what appears as a Hell on Earth – or in this case, the sea. There, they discover another ship entangled in seaweed for seven years (yeah, I don’t get that either, but hey who’s judging?).

Oddly enough, despite the myriad oddities that those aboard the Glen Carrig encounter, it is the second ship they find that truly bewilders me and crosses me as unbelievable. I’m all for the time of creatures this group encounters, but I cannot fathom how it is possible that so many individuals survived on ship that was, for the most part, dead in the water. I kept waiting and waiting for something to go wrong, for something truly disturbing to happen in regards to the other boat and well… there was nothing.

Even though I feel disappointed by the outcome of things with the other ship, overall I found The Boats of the ‘Glen Carrig’ a fun read. For fans of H. P. Lovecraft, it is a must-read. The Wildside Press publication of this book, as well as several other public domain publications, are available on Amazon, free of charge. An audio version can be found on Librivox, an organization comprised of volunteers that come together to record audiobooks of titles that are in the Public Domain.
  
A Single Source
A Single Source
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Veteran BBC reporter William Carver is in Cairo, bang in the middle of the Arab Spring. 'The only story in the world' according to his editor. But it isn't.
There's another story, more significant and potentially more dangerous, and if no one else is willing to tell it, then Carver will - whatever the consequences.
A Single Source tells two stories, which over a few tumultuous months come together to prove inextricably linked. There are the dramatic, world-changing events as protests spread across North Africa and the Middle East, led by a new generation of tech-savvy youngsters challenging the corrupt old order. And then there are two Eritrean brothers, desperate enough to risk everything to make their way across the continent to a better life in Europe.
The world is watching, but its attention span is increasingly short. Carver knows the story is a complex one and, in the age of Facebook, Twitter and rolling news, difficult stories are getting harder to tell. If everyone is a reporter, then who do you believe?

I have to say this book was a complete departure from the types of books I've been reading recently.
A Single Source is set in 2011 in a time that came to be known as the Arab Spring. Carver and his producer Patrick are in Cairo’s Tahrir Square to report on the January 25th uprising. There are three strands to the story the one set in Egypt, another revolving around the foreign office and the third set in Eritrea. Gradually these three strands are woven together..
A slow starter which I found very difficult to get into maybe because this is not my usual type of reading material.
This book is well written and descriptive and the author has done a lot of work and research.
Unfortunately just not my cup of tea but do recommend if political thrillers is what you like.

Many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to review this book.

Review copied to Amazon UK but link not available yet.
  
The Sick House
The Sick House
Jeff Strand | 2018 | Horror
8
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Gory fun with fun dialogue
The Sick House was a delight to read. I had just finished the first novel of Richard Fox’s Terra Nova series, so I was searching for a horror novel to flip to when I came across a friend’s review of this on Goodreads. Her review, along with the fact that it was on Kindle Unlimited, meant that it was an instant grab for me with little thought required. Especially because I’ve previously read Strand’s The Haunted Forest tour and loved it.

My favorite part of The Sick House was without a doubt the family’s dialogue and relationships. The bonds between them felt so real and the quips were exactly the type of thing you’re liable to hear at my house. It made me instantly get attached to all of the characters, and that carried me easily through the book. On the flip side, though, I didn’t like that Gina was also very mouthy. I felt like it would have made the family feel a bit more special if Strand had restrained the banter to just them.

I did like Gina, though. She reminded me very much of the character Gina Silvers from the Amazon series Just Add Magic. (Yes, that’s a kid show, but if you’ve ever watched Just Add Magic, you could totally see her pulling the stunts that happen in The Sick House.) I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil any of it for readers.

A family that I can root for, a house that’s got a serious ‘something’s fishy’ vibe, and the grossness that ensues almost as soon as they move in makes for a lovely read. Well, lovely in an aspect that horror fans will understand at least. Jeff Strand has a talent for descriptions that set the scene perfectly without going into unneeded oodles of detail. It also has perfect pacing, tons of violence, and reads so quickly and easily that it’s an afternoon treat.

Highly recommend horror fans check out The Sick House. Great, fun read.
  
Megashark vs Crocasaurus (2010)
Megashark vs Crocasaurus (2010)
2010 | Action, Adventure, Comedy
5
4.3 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Decent concept (0 more)
Poor execution (0 more)
Is this B Monster Movie worth the watch?
Megashark vs Crocasaurus has a decent concept behind it as far as B Monster Movies go. 2 ancient giant animals somehow survived, hidden away, only to wake up for what is hopefully an epic clash. But does it deliver?
The acting amd writing is about what you'd expect from a movie like this. It's passable most of the time, but sometimes, not so much. That being said, top notch acting amd writing is not why anyone watches movies like this.
The movies biggest downfall is it's monsters. They look absolutely terrible and have inconsistent size from scene to scene. Let me break each one down.
The Megashark: this may be the least intetesting "giant monster" I've seen brought to screen, and unfortunately, itbis the star of the franchise (yes there is more than one Megashark movie). Terrible CGI aside, it's kills were extremely underwhelming, mostly resorting to flopping out of the water, to smash ships with it's tail as it hurtles over them, causing little CGI explosions. As an example of the inconsistent size, when it's fin sticks out of the water upon approaching a ship, it is about the size of the whole shark when it is seen flopping out of the water.
The Crocasaurus: This one is marginally more interesting with a wider range of terribly animated kills and the ability to be on both land and water.
The Clash: This was a laughably bad "battle between the two monsters. Most of it consisted of them forming a circle, both with the others tail it it's mouth, as the military poured missiles into them.
Overall, it's not at all a good movie, but I'm pretty sure that's intentional to a point. It has its moments where it reaches levels of fun for fans of the genre. If you catch it on TV ir maybe a streaming service (it's on Amazon Prime now), it might be worth a watch, but I don't recommend spending money on it.
  
    PromoDescuentos: ofertas

    PromoDescuentos: ofertas

    Shopping and Lifestyle

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    ¡Ya está lista la nueva app de Promodescuentos! Descubre una nueva (y mejor) forma de enterarte de...