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365Flicks (235 KP) rated The Ice-Cream truck (2017) in Movies
Nov 20, 2019
Going into the Ice Cream Truck I have to admit I had some lofty expectations for the movie. When I read this movie was directed by the grand-daughter of one Elmore Leonard (if you have to ask, leave the room). Now yes, I know I shouldn’t let that factor into how I choose my viewing but its a good place to start.
Ice Cream Truck didn’t disappoint me, I mean sure yeah if you watch the trailer and expect to be watching some gore filled serial killer horror (Which from the trailer you could well expect that) then you may be a little disappointed. However stick with this flick because what you actually get is a well placed slow burning psychological thriller that waits till the last 10-15 minutes to ratchet up the action. Oh and there is a few pretty neat deaths. At first I felt fairly disjointed with the flick, people where dying and no one in the neighborhood seemed to give a shit or even know, but Director Megan Freels Johnston is taking her time and building towards something, all the while having Deanna Russo deliver an incredibly layered performance in a movie that is only a sharp 90 minutes.
So the movie sees Deanna Russo (Being Human, Gossip Girl) as Mary, Mary has had to relocate to some suburban neighborhood after her husband being offered a new job. She makes her way to the new house a few days before the rest of the family and meets all the local neighborhood stereotypes on offer including the Step-ford wives, the Local Hunky yard cleaner and the Ice Cream Man. She is about to find that they have moved to a suburban hell hole.
The Ice Cream Truck also stars Dana Gaier (Despicable Me 3), John Redlinger (Thirst, Banshee), Emil Johnsen (Isolerad), Hilary Barraford (Go For Sisters), Jeff Daniel Phillips (31), and Lisa Ann Walter (War of the Worlds).
Im not going to say this is the worlds best movie but its a definite recommend. Was I expecting something else? Yes. Did I like what was presented? Yes. Johnston has given us a well constructed thriller. The only place it really falls apart is that… Well the kills are pretty easy, I personally like some cat and mouse. However Emil Johnson as the Ice Cream Man is creepy as shit. Deanna Russo is great in the lead so no complaints on that front and we got a cheeky little twist that made me go… HUH.
Not the strongest recommend I have given but you should give this flick a go and like I say at only 90 minutes your in and out before you know it. Personally I think you will get a kick from this movie.
Ice Cream Truck didn’t disappoint me, I mean sure yeah if you watch the trailer and expect to be watching some gore filled serial killer horror (Which from the trailer you could well expect that) then you may be a little disappointed. However stick with this flick because what you actually get is a well placed slow burning psychological thriller that waits till the last 10-15 minutes to ratchet up the action. Oh and there is a few pretty neat deaths. At first I felt fairly disjointed with the flick, people where dying and no one in the neighborhood seemed to give a shit or even know, but Director Megan Freels Johnston is taking her time and building towards something, all the while having Deanna Russo deliver an incredibly layered performance in a movie that is only a sharp 90 minutes.
So the movie sees Deanna Russo (Being Human, Gossip Girl) as Mary, Mary has had to relocate to some suburban neighborhood after her husband being offered a new job. She makes her way to the new house a few days before the rest of the family and meets all the local neighborhood stereotypes on offer including the Step-ford wives, the Local Hunky yard cleaner and the Ice Cream Man. She is about to find that they have moved to a suburban hell hole.
The Ice Cream Truck also stars Dana Gaier (Despicable Me 3), John Redlinger (Thirst, Banshee), Emil Johnsen (Isolerad), Hilary Barraford (Go For Sisters), Jeff Daniel Phillips (31), and Lisa Ann Walter (War of the Worlds).
Im not going to say this is the worlds best movie but its a definite recommend. Was I expecting something else? Yes. Did I like what was presented? Yes. Johnston has given us a well constructed thriller. The only place it really falls apart is that… Well the kills are pretty easy, I personally like some cat and mouse. However Emil Johnson as the Ice Cream Man is creepy as shit. Deanna Russo is great in the lead so no complaints on that front and we got a cheeky little twist that made me go… HUH.
Not the strongest recommend I have given but you should give this flick a go and like I say at only 90 minutes your in and out before you know it. Personally I think you will get a kick from this movie.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Underworld: Evolution (2006) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
The battle between the Death Dealers (Vampires) and Lychans (Werewolves) continues in Underworld Evolution, the sequel to the smash “Underworld” that detailed the battles between the two horror mainstays. The sequel picks up shortly after the film and deals with Selene (Kate Beckinsale), and Michael (Scott Speedman), on the run after Selene was forced to turn on the Vampires following events at the conclusion of the previous film.
Of course being a Vampire traveling with a Vampire/Werewolves hybrid is not an easy thing, especially when Selene can only move around at night and must seek refuge from daylight. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn that the war between Lychans and Death Dealers began centuries ago, when two brothers each heading one faction of the conflict were drawn to a decisive battle. The losing Lychan brother, William, is imprisoned for all ages in a specially designed tomb, thanks to his brother Marcus’s insistence that he would only help capture him, if he were to remain alive.
Since William is capable of utter destruction, his location is a closely guarded secret for centuries that is until Marcus re-emerges and seeks to locate Selene. Marcus upon emerging from hibernation learns what Selene has done, and is convinced she has betrayed her own kind, unaware of the real reasons behind her actions. In short order, Marcus, Selene, and Michael play a deadly game of cat and mouse with each trying to unlock the mystery of Williams’s location. Marcus wants to exploit the power of William while Selene to protect the world from the evil that William and his followers would represent.
Along the way, there are plenty of battles, odd characters, and romance to keep most viewers entertained, which leads up to an action packed finale, that for me was the high point of the film. The plot has its share of holes but also deals with a series of complexities as it attempts to take the topics of bloodlines, centuries of history, and mythos in a tight 100 minute package. The two leads work well with one another though their do not have the most dynamic chemistry ever seen on screen. For this type of film, it does work as one does not come to a monster film expecting great acting, story, or characterization.
What Underworld Evolution has going for it, are good effects, a few good action moments and a plot, that at times tricky for the casual viewer to follow, more than surpasses the average storyline for the genre. The tight pacing of the film by Director Len Wiseman keeps the film moving a clip that was much brisker than the original and allowed the film to get to the highlights quickly and not be weighed down by fluff.
The finale as I mentioned was the highlight for me, as the buildup to that point was at times, slow, and had me wishing for more. That being said, the final 15 minutes of the film more than saved it, and got more than a few cheers from the audience at my press screening.
While it would be easy to find faults with the film, the important thing to remember is the spirit and intention of the film. They were not out to make classic cinema, they were out to make a fun and entertaining monster film, blemishes and all. In that, Underworld Evolution succeeds.
Of course being a Vampire traveling with a Vampire/Werewolves hybrid is not an easy thing, especially when Selene can only move around at night and must seek refuge from daylight. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn that the war between Lychans and Death Dealers began centuries ago, when two brothers each heading one faction of the conflict were drawn to a decisive battle. The losing Lychan brother, William, is imprisoned for all ages in a specially designed tomb, thanks to his brother Marcus’s insistence that he would only help capture him, if he were to remain alive.
Since William is capable of utter destruction, his location is a closely guarded secret for centuries that is until Marcus re-emerges and seeks to locate Selene. Marcus upon emerging from hibernation learns what Selene has done, and is convinced she has betrayed her own kind, unaware of the real reasons behind her actions. In short order, Marcus, Selene, and Michael play a deadly game of cat and mouse with each trying to unlock the mystery of Williams’s location. Marcus wants to exploit the power of William while Selene to protect the world from the evil that William and his followers would represent.
Along the way, there are plenty of battles, odd characters, and romance to keep most viewers entertained, which leads up to an action packed finale, that for me was the high point of the film. The plot has its share of holes but also deals with a series of complexities as it attempts to take the topics of bloodlines, centuries of history, and mythos in a tight 100 minute package. The two leads work well with one another though their do not have the most dynamic chemistry ever seen on screen. For this type of film, it does work as one does not come to a monster film expecting great acting, story, or characterization.
What Underworld Evolution has going for it, are good effects, a few good action moments and a plot, that at times tricky for the casual viewer to follow, more than surpasses the average storyline for the genre. The tight pacing of the film by Director Len Wiseman keeps the film moving a clip that was much brisker than the original and allowed the film to get to the highlights quickly and not be weighed down by fluff.
The finale as I mentioned was the highlight for me, as the buildup to that point was at times, slow, and had me wishing for more. That being said, the final 15 minutes of the film more than saved it, and got more than a few cheers from the audience at my press screening.
While it would be easy to find faults with the film, the important thing to remember is the spirit and intention of the film. They were not out to make classic cinema, they were out to make a fun and entertaining monster film, blemishes and all. In that, Underworld Evolution succeeds.
Keep Her Safe
8.0
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In the blink of an eye, she's gone. Maggie’s daughter Penny is her whole world… and she’d do...
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Hostage (2005) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
Chief of Police Jeff Talley (Bruce Willis) is a man filled with turmoil. A former S.W.A.T. officer and top hostage negotiator for the Los Angeles Police Department, Talley now toils away in a quite California town where crime is light and very infrequent. The change in locales was made necessary for Jeff in the aftermath of a hostage negotiation where things did not go accordingly leaving Jeff with more questions than answers.
As if this is not bad enough, Talley is having difficulties with his wife Jane (Serena Scott Thomas), and his daughter Amanda (Rumer Willis), who is not happy with their relocation to the quiet locale or the strain that is amongst her parents as it is clear that they still love each other very much.
The quiet town is disrupted when a robbery of a successful locale business man goes horribly wrong and ends up with a dead police officer and three hostages being held in a high tech, high security home.
Jeff responds to the incident and soon finds himself dealing with the three young men who are clearly in over their head and very dangerous due to the instability of the situation. Jeff decides to call in the Sheriff’s office as he believe his police force is not suited for this sort of situation and essentially decides to wash his hands of the situation and go home.
While driving home, Jeff is carjacked by a group of individuals who show Jeff that they have taken his wife and daughter hostage and instruct him not to let anyone in or out of the house where the hostage crisis is taking place. Jeff is also instructed to not deviate in any way from his instructions under pain of immediate death for his wife and daughter. His only communication with his new handlers will be via a cell phone, and he is to resume control of the negotiations.
It is learned that there is something in the house that the people holding Jeff’s family need and are willing to resort to very extreme measure to get it.
It is at this point that the very, very gripping and entertaining setup to the film begins to slide, as the second half of the film does not come close to matching the quality of the opening segments.
There are some very good cat and mouse moments as the men in the house start to argue amongst themselves, and interact with the family inside the house. The supporting performances are solid especially those of Jennifer (Michelle Horn), who plays the daughter held captive by the trio and the eerie performance of Ben Foster as the twisted Hostage taker Mars.
Sadly the film decides to turn to a series of brutal images and sequences rather than continue to develop the characters and work the story. The characters often embark on some inane courses of action and do things that not only contradict what we know about their characters but also fly into the lapse of logic as people in their situations would never do. I would love to expand on this by referencing a segment of the film but in the interest of not spoiling the film, I will explain it as when characters are told not to do something, why would they repeatedly do it, and then continue to do so without any consequences?
It is the continued lack of common sense and the and the very over the top and lazy finale to the film that sinks what could have and should have been a much better movie as the film is clearly sunk by the awful final 40 minutes of the show. Willis does a solid job with his role but the last act of the script let him down as even a star of his magnitude and talents cant make up for the films numerous shortcomings.
As if this is not bad enough, Talley is having difficulties with his wife Jane (Serena Scott Thomas), and his daughter Amanda (Rumer Willis), who is not happy with their relocation to the quiet locale or the strain that is amongst her parents as it is clear that they still love each other very much.
The quiet town is disrupted when a robbery of a successful locale business man goes horribly wrong and ends up with a dead police officer and three hostages being held in a high tech, high security home.
Jeff responds to the incident and soon finds himself dealing with the three young men who are clearly in over their head and very dangerous due to the instability of the situation. Jeff decides to call in the Sheriff’s office as he believe his police force is not suited for this sort of situation and essentially decides to wash his hands of the situation and go home.
While driving home, Jeff is carjacked by a group of individuals who show Jeff that they have taken his wife and daughter hostage and instruct him not to let anyone in or out of the house where the hostage crisis is taking place. Jeff is also instructed to not deviate in any way from his instructions under pain of immediate death for his wife and daughter. His only communication with his new handlers will be via a cell phone, and he is to resume control of the negotiations.
It is learned that there is something in the house that the people holding Jeff’s family need and are willing to resort to very extreme measure to get it.
It is at this point that the very, very gripping and entertaining setup to the film begins to slide, as the second half of the film does not come close to matching the quality of the opening segments.
There are some very good cat and mouse moments as the men in the house start to argue amongst themselves, and interact with the family inside the house. The supporting performances are solid especially those of Jennifer (Michelle Horn), who plays the daughter held captive by the trio and the eerie performance of Ben Foster as the twisted Hostage taker Mars.
Sadly the film decides to turn to a series of brutal images and sequences rather than continue to develop the characters and work the story. The characters often embark on some inane courses of action and do things that not only contradict what we know about their characters but also fly into the lapse of logic as people in their situations would never do. I would love to expand on this by referencing a segment of the film but in the interest of not spoiling the film, I will explain it as when characters are told not to do something, why would they repeatedly do it, and then continue to do so without any consequences?
It is the continued lack of common sense and the and the very over the top and lazy finale to the film that sinks what could have and should have been a much better movie as the film is clearly sunk by the awful final 40 minutes of the show. Willis does a solid job with his role but the last act of the script let him down as even a star of his magnitude and talents cant make up for the films numerous shortcomings.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated An Anonymous Girl in Books
Jan 25, 2019
An Anonymous Girl
Review can also be found on www.diaryofdifference.com
If someone offered you $500 to answer a few personal questions and stay anonymous, would you do it?
The makeup artist, Jessica Farris goes into a client’s house to do her job. Just the usual. And then she hears her teenage client mentioning the survey that gives you huge amounts of money for a few anonymous questions. When the teenager says she won’t be able to attend, and she is too lazy to let them know, Jessica decided to use this chance and go instead.
But what happens when after a few simple questions a woman starts telling her deepest secrets? And the money will increase, but so will the difficulty of the tasks she needs to do.
”It’s easy to judge other people’s choices.”
I was hyped about this book before I even started to read it. I read the synopsis, and it intrigued me from the very first moment. Of all the mysteries and thrillers, I have enjoyed the psychological the most. Something about how a twisted mind works triggers my pleasure senses. It’s creepy, but I wish you all get that feeling for a genre.
Right after the first chapter of the book I was satisfied, and happy. This book was all I needed right then, and it just kept getting better and better.
We get to meet Jessica and see how she thinks, follow her as she answers question after question, revealing secret after a secret. With each question, and each task, and each secret being revealed, the book kept becoming darker and darker, better and better.
It reminded me of the Harry Potter series, with the content getting darker after time. If you remember the first Harry Potter book, it is Children’s fiction, but the significantly darker compared to the first. Same happens with the movies as well.
I loved the questions that were asked on the survey – they are really meant to make you think through and try and give your answers.
Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?
Have you ever deeply hurt someone you care about?
The relationship between the people in this book is twisted. It’s all about playing games. It’s all about the cat and mouse chase. As much as I loved it, it also annoyed me at times, as I wanted it to stop.
The twists, cliff hangers and unexpected moments were brilliant. Pure skill, I tell you that. I haven’t been so surprised, excited, thrilled at the same time by any book I’ve recently read.
And with such twisted moments, and thrills throughout the book, and chapters ending leaving you breathless, you would expect the most thrilling ending.
I did. I expected it.
And I was very disappointed. It ended… rather bland. Like a Sunday Roast without gravy.
”We all have reasons for our actions. Even if we hide the reason from those who think they know us best. Even if the reasons are so deeply buried we can’t recognise them ourselves.”
I have a hard time judging this book now, as it was all hype and thrill, until it stopped dead. Maybe the authors wanted to ensure that we experiences exactly this feeling – I am not sure. Maybe for such a twisted book, calmness is all it needs to end with. I’ll leave this judgement up to you, as you experience the book and its ending on your own.
At this time, I feel like giving it 4 stars, as the ending was the only things that bothered me. This book is still a gem, and deserves to be read by people that enjoy psychological thrillers.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for giving me a free copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review
If someone offered you $500 to answer a few personal questions and stay anonymous, would you do it?
The makeup artist, Jessica Farris goes into a client’s house to do her job. Just the usual. And then she hears her teenage client mentioning the survey that gives you huge amounts of money for a few anonymous questions. When the teenager says she won’t be able to attend, and she is too lazy to let them know, Jessica decided to use this chance and go instead.
But what happens when after a few simple questions a woman starts telling her deepest secrets? And the money will increase, but so will the difficulty of the tasks she needs to do.
”It’s easy to judge other people’s choices.”
I was hyped about this book before I even started to read it. I read the synopsis, and it intrigued me from the very first moment. Of all the mysteries and thrillers, I have enjoyed the psychological the most. Something about how a twisted mind works triggers my pleasure senses. It’s creepy, but I wish you all get that feeling for a genre.
Right after the first chapter of the book I was satisfied, and happy. This book was all I needed right then, and it just kept getting better and better.
We get to meet Jessica and see how she thinks, follow her as she answers question after question, revealing secret after a secret. With each question, and each task, and each secret being revealed, the book kept becoming darker and darker, better and better.
It reminded me of the Harry Potter series, with the content getting darker after time. If you remember the first Harry Potter book, it is Children’s fiction, but the significantly darker compared to the first. Same happens with the movies as well.
I loved the questions that were asked on the survey – they are really meant to make you think through and try and give your answers.
Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?
Have you ever deeply hurt someone you care about?
The relationship between the people in this book is twisted. It’s all about playing games. It’s all about the cat and mouse chase. As much as I loved it, it also annoyed me at times, as I wanted it to stop.
The twists, cliff hangers and unexpected moments were brilliant. Pure skill, I tell you that. I haven’t been so surprised, excited, thrilled at the same time by any book I’ve recently read.
And with such twisted moments, and thrills throughout the book, and chapters ending leaving you breathless, you would expect the most thrilling ending.
I did. I expected it.
And I was very disappointed. It ended… rather bland. Like a Sunday Roast without gravy.
”We all have reasons for our actions. Even if we hide the reason from those who think they know us best. Even if the reasons are so deeply buried we can’t recognise them ourselves.”
I have a hard time judging this book now, as it was all hype and thrill, until it stopped dead. Maybe the authors wanted to ensure that we experiences exactly this feeling – I am not sure. Maybe for such a twisted book, calmness is all it needs to end with. I’ll leave this judgement up to you, as you experience the book and its ending on your own.
At this time, I feel like giving it 4 stars, as the ending was the only things that bothered me. This book is still a gem, and deserves to be read by people that enjoy psychological thrillers.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for giving me a free copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
As average as you can get
The lacklustre box-office performance of Jack Reacher in 2012 seemed to scupper plans for the film to become the first in a new Tom Cruise-led action franchise to rival the likes of Mission Impossible and its mixed critical response only added to its woes.
Fast forward four years and we’ve got the sequel that no-one was really asking for. But is Jack Reacher: Never Go Back the improvement that was so sorely needed and could it act as a catalyst to turn this popular novel series into a proper film franchise?
Investigator Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) springs into action after the arrest of Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders), an Army major accused of treason. Suspecting foul play, Jack embarks on a mission to prove that the head of his old unit is innocent. After crossing paths with the law, Reacher must now go on the lam to uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy that involves the death of U.S. soldiers.
Director Edward Zwick (Blood Diamond, The Last Samurai) shoots the action realistically but even a commanding turn from Tom Cruise can’t save a bland script, so-so special effects and a plot so unoriginal, it would be easy to swap out Cruise for Liam Neeson and call it Taken 4. Or Matt Damon and label it Bourne 6? You get where I’m going with this, right?
It’s all been done so many times before and there are no twists and turns or anything remotely unusual to give the film a USP. Instead, the scriptwriters, of which there are three here, force our two central characters into a game of cat and mouse so lazy, the bad guys show up literally minutes after our heroes, with no explanation whatsoever of how they came to be in the vicinity.
Surely it wouldn’t have been difficult to add some extra exposition into the script. Cyborg baddies with GPS tracking systems implanted into their brains perhaps? I’ll save that idea for another day.
Nevertheless, the action is confidently choreographed with a Halloween parade finale being utilised rather well and Cruise plays the titular role well, despite being 54 this year. However, the supporting cast are drowned out by some horrendous dialogue and a story that doesn’t really know what to do with anyone apart from Jack Reacher himself.
And that really is about it. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is the most satisfactory film of the year by some margin. It’s not terrible by any means and it certainly isn’t fantastic, but it makes for a passable trip to the cinema, though one that you’ll probably have forgotten about by the time you get to your front door. It’s just that middle of the road.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/10/21/as-average-as-you-can-get-jack-reacher-never-go-back-review/
Fast forward four years and we’ve got the sequel that no-one was really asking for. But is Jack Reacher: Never Go Back the improvement that was so sorely needed and could it act as a catalyst to turn this popular novel series into a proper film franchise?
Investigator Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) springs into action after the arrest of Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders), an Army major accused of treason. Suspecting foul play, Jack embarks on a mission to prove that the head of his old unit is innocent. After crossing paths with the law, Reacher must now go on the lam to uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy that involves the death of U.S. soldiers.
Director Edward Zwick (Blood Diamond, The Last Samurai) shoots the action realistically but even a commanding turn from Tom Cruise can’t save a bland script, so-so special effects and a plot so unoriginal, it would be easy to swap out Cruise for Liam Neeson and call it Taken 4. Or Matt Damon and label it Bourne 6? You get where I’m going with this, right?
It’s all been done so many times before and there are no twists and turns or anything remotely unusual to give the film a USP. Instead, the scriptwriters, of which there are three here, force our two central characters into a game of cat and mouse so lazy, the bad guys show up literally minutes after our heroes, with no explanation whatsoever of how they came to be in the vicinity.
Surely it wouldn’t have been difficult to add some extra exposition into the script. Cyborg baddies with GPS tracking systems implanted into their brains perhaps? I’ll save that idea for another day.
Nevertheless, the action is confidently choreographed with a Halloween parade finale being utilised rather well and Cruise plays the titular role well, despite being 54 this year. However, the supporting cast are drowned out by some horrendous dialogue and a story that doesn’t really know what to do with anyone apart from Jack Reacher himself.
And that really is about it. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is the most satisfactory film of the year by some margin. It’s not terrible by any means and it certainly isn’t fantastic, but it makes for a passable trip to the cinema, though one that you’ll probably have forgotten about by the time you get to your front door. It’s just that middle of the road.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/10/21/as-average-as-you-can-get-jack-reacher-never-go-back-review/
Mike Wilder (20 KP) rated Rage (2009) in Movies
May 30, 2018
If you get the option to see this film you really should take the chance.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I started out making a blog for movie reviews a short while ago for the purpose of making reviews for fans. However, I didn't expect to be sent films to review so soon. I was put in touch with film maker Chris Witherspoon, he is promoting an independent film that he wrote, produced, directed and starred in called Rage. He sent me a copy and asked if I would review it for him. Happily I accepted. This is what being a film critic and reviewer is all about. Then I started to think, an independent film? There are a lot of them around and a lot of them are made by people that believe they possess the talent and ability to make a film, but in reality they fall far short of the mark. To get a good and unbiased opinion of the film I only watched the trailer for it, I left all the promotional material I received alone. The film arrived and with a fair amount of trepidation I put it on.
The film is about Dennis, a struggling writer with a loving wife Crystal (Audrey Walker) and a mistress Dana (Anna Lodej). Heading out one day he encounters a figure on a motorcycle in a car park. Pushing the encounter to one side he meets up with Dana. During the meeting he tells her that he loves his wife and breaks off the affair. She doesn't take it all that well. Once back in his car he encounters the biker again and this time the biker scratches his car and rides off. This leads to a game of cat and mouse, where at first Dennis hunts the biker down but the confrontations escalate and Dennis is soon in fear for his life. He now believes that the biker is a former boyfriend of his now ex-lover out for revenge. The biker arrives at Dennis's home and things turn deadly.
I went into this with a very open mind. I knew this was an independent film and I didn't expect too much from it. I find this is the best way to view new films. The film started off well with good introductions to the main characters but by the time the second encounter with the biker happened I found myself drawn in to the film. I forgot all about reviewing the film and got engrossed into the story. The film finished and not for a single moment did I feel bored. The pacing of the film is great, the story progresses well and the characters are well written and acted. The biker is menacing and all the more so because you don't really know his motives. The direction is professional and makes good use of lighting and colouring. The effects are very well utilised during the films climax. But the best thing about the movie was the way the story kept you guessing. I thought I had the plot figured out about 5 different times but each time I was wrong. That's what makes a good thriller/horror. There is one particular scene that was emotionally hard to watch but its place in the film drives the story and the terror forward to a new level.
You can see with this film that Chris Witherspoon is a very talented film maker. I wish him luck and hope this film has the desired effect and someone takes a chance on his abilities. I would love to see what he could to with a studio backing him. After all Spielberg started out with a movie called Duel about a truck pursuing and terrorising someone.
If you get the chance to see this film you really should take the chance. If you do you will see the start of hopefully a very successful film maker.
The film is about Dennis, a struggling writer with a loving wife Crystal (Audrey Walker) and a mistress Dana (Anna Lodej). Heading out one day he encounters a figure on a motorcycle in a car park. Pushing the encounter to one side he meets up with Dana. During the meeting he tells her that he loves his wife and breaks off the affair. She doesn't take it all that well. Once back in his car he encounters the biker again and this time the biker scratches his car and rides off. This leads to a game of cat and mouse, where at first Dennis hunts the biker down but the confrontations escalate and Dennis is soon in fear for his life. He now believes that the biker is a former boyfriend of his now ex-lover out for revenge. The biker arrives at Dennis's home and things turn deadly.
I went into this with a very open mind. I knew this was an independent film and I didn't expect too much from it. I find this is the best way to view new films. The film started off well with good introductions to the main characters but by the time the second encounter with the biker happened I found myself drawn in to the film. I forgot all about reviewing the film and got engrossed into the story. The film finished and not for a single moment did I feel bored. The pacing of the film is great, the story progresses well and the characters are well written and acted. The biker is menacing and all the more so because you don't really know his motives. The direction is professional and makes good use of lighting and colouring. The effects are very well utilised during the films climax. But the best thing about the movie was the way the story kept you guessing. I thought I had the plot figured out about 5 different times but each time I was wrong. That's what makes a good thriller/horror. There is one particular scene that was emotionally hard to watch but its place in the film drives the story and the terror forward to a new level.
You can see with this film that Chris Witherspoon is a very talented film maker. I wish him luck and hope this film has the desired effect and someone takes a chance on his abilities. I would love to see what he could to with a studio backing him. After all Spielberg started out with a movie called Duel about a truck pursuing and terrorising someone.
If you get the chance to see this film you really should take the chance. If you do you will see the start of hopefully a very successful film maker.
KalJ95 (25 KP) rated Resident Evil 3 (Remake) in Video Games
Apr 10, 2020
Nemesis. Oh, Nemesis. (1 more)
An action focused plot works more for Jill's experience in Racoon City.
Unbelievably short campaign. (2 more)
Cut corners for both the narrative and Nemesis.
Feels like downloadable content for RE2.
Nemesis of their own making.
RE3 is an enigma. After last years remake for RE2, I think the bar was set very high for RE3 to be on par, if not even better due to the introduction of the ultimate weapon in Nemesis. And although the action is amped up significantly, the horror is still here in buckets. So, this is another Resident Evil classic, revamped from the ground up, a classic for the current generation, right?
No, not in the slightest.
RE3 feels rushed, as if Capcom listened to fans begging for their next slice of nostalgia, and wanted to capitalise on the success of RE2. While RE2 felt like a continuous flow of Leon/Claire's story, RE3 feels like segments, all separated within cutscenes. This is more evident when you keep flitting between Jill and Carlos, both of whom don't have as much charisma or emotional weight as Claire or Leon. The opening is a blast of adrenaline and bullets, all contained within the beautifully burning remains of Racoon City. There is just enough exploration, puzzles and zombies to keep you satisfied. That is until Nemesis enters the game. As soon as the indestructible behemoth appears for a second time, the cat and mouse chase begins. Reminiscent of Mr X but on steroids, he simply never lets up, constantly on your back, looking to kill Jill whatever it takes. It's utterly relentless, thrilling, heart-pounding. This section was everything I expected RE3 to be.
Then everything collapsed under sections of nothing more than point and shoot. I know, this is RE, but the fear feels drained from the experience. Nemesis himself becomes a background character, simply added to the story just for boss battles. His pursuit of Jill doesn't feel spontaneous, but scripted, exactly the opposite of Mr X. The realisation of how disappointed I felt towards RE3 was when I discovered sections of the game were simply reused from RE2. The creativity that went into RE2 was so meticulous, crafted and positioned for the players experience. When I entered the Police Station with Carlos, a mass onslaught of zombies gathered in one section, only meant for me to rain bullets upon them. And this is the issue with the entire experience. Its nothing more than a five hour storm of sections of shooting monsters.
I do hate this game though. RE3 is fun, and anything remotely like last years experience I will play and enjoy. The story of Jill's residency in Racoon City being turned upside down over the space of a few days is excellent, and the new sections are all well fleshed out and great to explore, especially Racoon City and the Hospital. Its extremely short, and for a full retail price I think its absolutely scandalous, but there's so much replay value here.
If I had to end the review here, I want to end it on a message solely centred at Capcom. Why, in the name of God did you focus your time on the multiplayer mode, Resistance, rather than properly making RE3 a full experience? The past tells you Resident Evil doesn't work well mixed with multiplayer. For as much fun I had within my four hours and thirty two minute playthrough, this game is nothing more than DLC for RE2. And that hurts.
No, not in the slightest.
RE3 feels rushed, as if Capcom listened to fans begging for their next slice of nostalgia, and wanted to capitalise on the success of RE2. While RE2 felt like a continuous flow of Leon/Claire's story, RE3 feels like segments, all separated within cutscenes. This is more evident when you keep flitting between Jill and Carlos, both of whom don't have as much charisma or emotional weight as Claire or Leon. The opening is a blast of adrenaline and bullets, all contained within the beautifully burning remains of Racoon City. There is just enough exploration, puzzles and zombies to keep you satisfied. That is until Nemesis enters the game. As soon as the indestructible behemoth appears for a second time, the cat and mouse chase begins. Reminiscent of Mr X but on steroids, he simply never lets up, constantly on your back, looking to kill Jill whatever it takes. It's utterly relentless, thrilling, heart-pounding. This section was everything I expected RE3 to be.
Then everything collapsed under sections of nothing more than point and shoot. I know, this is RE, but the fear feels drained from the experience. Nemesis himself becomes a background character, simply added to the story just for boss battles. His pursuit of Jill doesn't feel spontaneous, but scripted, exactly the opposite of Mr X. The realisation of how disappointed I felt towards RE3 was when I discovered sections of the game were simply reused from RE2. The creativity that went into RE2 was so meticulous, crafted and positioned for the players experience. When I entered the Police Station with Carlos, a mass onslaught of zombies gathered in one section, only meant for me to rain bullets upon them. And this is the issue with the entire experience. Its nothing more than a five hour storm of sections of shooting monsters.
I do hate this game though. RE3 is fun, and anything remotely like last years experience I will play and enjoy. The story of Jill's residency in Racoon City being turned upside down over the space of a few days is excellent, and the new sections are all well fleshed out and great to explore, especially Racoon City and the Hospital. Its extremely short, and for a full retail price I think its absolutely scandalous, but there's so much replay value here.
If I had to end the review here, I want to end it on a message solely centred at Capcom. Why, in the name of God did you focus your time on the multiplayer mode, Resistance, rather than properly making RE3 a full experience? The past tells you Resident Evil doesn't work well mixed with multiplayer. For as much fun I had within my four hours and thirty two minute playthrough, this game is nothing more than DLC for RE2. And that hurts.
Fiete Hide and Seek
Book and Games
App
Every child loves playing hide and seek. In this kids app sailor Fiete has hidden. Can you find him?...
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated The Purge (2013) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
Ethan Hawke is no stranger to the horror genre, in 2009 he starred in the Australian vampire flick Daybreakers, a film which promised so much, and delivered relatively little. Now he teams up with director James DeMonaco in a horror film that promises to be anything but ordinary; The Purge, but can it live up to its exciting trailer?
The Purge plays out like a poor-man’s Hunger Games. In the year 2020, America is prospering, crime is at an all-time low and unemployment is at 1%. The reason? Once a year, for twelve hours, all crime is legal and people across US can commit any atrocities they wish.
Ethan Hawke plays James Sandin, a security salesman who has capitalised on the public’s fear of being ‘purged’ by selling hi-tech safety equipment to the rich to ensure they stay safe. Lena Headey plays his wife Mary and his two children, Charlie and Zoe are played by Max Burkholder and Adelaide Kane respectively. In a moment of madness after the commencement of the annual purge, a ‘target’ (Edwin Hodge) is let into their home causing all hell to break loose.
Borrowing heavily from other ‘home invasion’ horror films such as When a Stranger Calls and The Strangers, The Purge really ‘gets going’ about two-thirds in when an army of killers swoop on Ethan Hawke’s impressive property looking for their ‘target.’ The family have one hour to reply before they all become ‘targets.’
Unfortunately, an exciting and unique premise is completely lost in a film that is riddled with many horror clichés, some of them blatantly obvious, (woman opening fridge door, door closes and harmless child shocks woman), some not so obvious. This is a terrible shame as the idea of all crime being legal is ridiculously exciting, but after about 40 minutes, we are locked in the Sandin’s home as they play cat and mouse with an array of forgettable serial killers and the original story is lost.
Another problem is the acting. Competent is the only word to describe it; Ethan Hawke is good in his role and his stern demeanour which has earned him so many acting jobs in the past is in full force here, but you can’t help feeling he was a budgetary decision rather than being who the producers actually wanted. Lena Headey seems to phone in a rather wooden performance, whilst the two kids do marginally better. By far the stand-out here is Rhys Wakefield, credited only as ‘Polite Stranger’ who is excellent and terrifying as equal measure; his facial expressions are enough to make you wince.
Overall, The Purge is an exciting film that delivers some unique thrills and spills mixed in with the usual horror clichés. Unfortunately, it doesn’t deliver on its unique and exciting starting point and delves into a generic slasher film around 45 minutes in. A stand-out performance from one of the cast isn’t enough to lift the acting above mediocre and the Sandin family are as characters, frightfully dull. It’s definitely worth a watch, but don’t let the trailer fool you; it’s not as unique as you might expect.
The new review system breaks down the film into categories allowing you, as the readers to see just where I have awarded points to the film. It is still in a testing stage, so if there are any categories you think could improve it, please let me know.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2013/05/31/the-purge-review-2013/
The Purge plays out like a poor-man’s Hunger Games. In the year 2020, America is prospering, crime is at an all-time low and unemployment is at 1%. The reason? Once a year, for twelve hours, all crime is legal and people across US can commit any atrocities they wish.
Ethan Hawke plays James Sandin, a security salesman who has capitalised on the public’s fear of being ‘purged’ by selling hi-tech safety equipment to the rich to ensure they stay safe. Lena Headey plays his wife Mary and his two children, Charlie and Zoe are played by Max Burkholder and Adelaide Kane respectively. In a moment of madness after the commencement of the annual purge, a ‘target’ (Edwin Hodge) is let into their home causing all hell to break loose.
Borrowing heavily from other ‘home invasion’ horror films such as When a Stranger Calls and The Strangers, The Purge really ‘gets going’ about two-thirds in when an army of killers swoop on Ethan Hawke’s impressive property looking for their ‘target.’ The family have one hour to reply before they all become ‘targets.’
Unfortunately, an exciting and unique premise is completely lost in a film that is riddled with many horror clichés, some of them blatantly obvious, (woman opening fridge door, door closes and harmless child shocks woman), some not so obvious. This is a terrible shame as the idea of all crime being legal is ridiculously exciting, but after about 40 minutes, we are locked in the Sandin’s home as they play cat and mouse with an array of forgettable serial killers and the original story is lost.
Another problem is the acting. Competent is the only word to describe it; Ethan Hawke is good in his role and his stern demeanour which has earned him so many acting jobs in the past is in full force here, but you can’t help feeling he was a budgetary decision rather than being who the producers actually wanted. Lena Headey seems to phone in a rather wooden performance, whilst the two kids do marginally better. By far the stand-out here is Rhys Wakefield, credited only as ‘Polite Stranger’ who is excellent and terrifying as equal measure; his facial expressions are enough to make you wince.
Overall, The Purge is an exciting film that delivers some unique thrills and spills mixed in with the usual horror clichés. Unfortunately, it doesn’t deliver on its unique and exciting starting point and delves into a generic slasher film around 45 minutes in. A stand-out performance from one of the cast isn’t enough to lift the acting above mediocre and the Sandin family are as characters, frightfully dull. It’s definitely worth a watch, but don’t let the trailer fool you; it’s not as unique as you might expect.
The new review system breaks down the film into categories allowing you, as the readers to see just where I have awarded points to the film. It is still in a testing stage, so if there are any categories you think could improve it, please let me know.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2013/05/31/the-purge-review-2013/