Search
Search results
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Halloween (2018) in Movies
May 13, 2019
I got chills
#halloween? while at times extremely #silly is a very enjoyable & fitting tribute to the #johncarpenter original. I must confess I hadn't seen the #original Halloween until a few weeks ago (its 4k release) & found it to be incredibly tense, dripping in dread, unnerving & extremely #creepy with an awesome soundtrack. #Halloween2018 manages to lovingly recreate everything people love about the first one but doesn't manage to do it quite as well. While I did enjoy this film a heck of a lot it does have a lot of problems - first of all the first half fails to create a chilling atmosphere & any tension for that matter, there's just far to many silly jokes/bad humour & the pacing is far to fast with scenes rushing by quicker than a #michaelbay movie. This leaves no time for dread, tension or the #chills the creepy lingering shots the first film brought us & I really hoped it would slow down at some point & thankfully it does. Approaching the second half things take a real turn & the movie really starts to have #fun feeling less like a tv movie & more like a #horror film, there are some great stationary camera shots, cool cinematography moments, great imagery, messy deaths & some really suspenseful stalking scenes with genuinely scary reveals/brutal attacks. Soundtrack wise it also switches it up a bit while still feeling #nostalgic too & there's an amazing garden scene where it really heightens the fear & dread. Themes of #depression & how it can make us feel cast out/alone & how our mental burdens can be passed down & effect our our children are handled well while metaphors for fighting our demons together as a family also feel refreshing & current. Overall its opening 10 minutes are brilliant then the film makes some really bad choices but recovers itself well enough to make it a film that's so worth seeing at the cinema. A big #nostalgia trip done right & with all its flaws looking at the film now as a whole I think it works well & is a great #love letter to #80s #slasher films & to #terminator2 haha. #odeon #odeonlimitless #jamieleecurtis #michaelmyers #killer #gore #horror #scary #retro #fridayfeeling #filmbuff #filmcritic #mask #frightnight
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The Secret of Marrowbone (2018) in Movies
May 14, 2019
Keep a secret
#marrowbone #marrowbonemovie is enchanting, tense & bleak psychological drama with a slow pace that ensures you feel the emotion its packed full of. To start with I feel this #film has been marketed completely wrong, its not a horror movie & more of a drama with slight horror elements (these being mainly psychological). This isnt a bad thing at all but for those of you expecting the like of #thenun you may want to avoid this one. Its also a tough movie to review for me as while i loved acts 1 & 2 so incredibly much that once the twist his in act 3 I felt a tad let down & cheated. Thats not saying act 3 is bad it just felt sub par to the rest of the film, rushed, tacked on & far too hand holding for my liking. Shot really creative & with a #gorgeous eye for cinematography at first marrowbone feels almost dreamlike with a sence of mysterious #fairytale edge to it. This doesnt last long however as what follows is an anxiety riddled downward spiral of a tale about the destruction of a family as it slowly falls apart because of its abusive past. Symbolism & metaphors are cleverly inserted everywhere from broken mirrors representing the cracks in family & a stain on the ceiling representing guilt that keeps seeping in. Watching as this #family gradually falls apart is upsetting & uncomfortable with themes of mental instability, deceit, abuse, loss & jealousy really hitting home constantly. Music is awesome too as well as the use of silence yo great pin sharp tension & dread. #anyataylorjoy steals the show here as always not only with her acting but with her beauty too. Over all its a great little film that could of been fantastic if it wasnt for its messy end chapter but its still a very well made deep, smart & well acted piece of work that id encourage film #fans to see at least once. Think #Split meets #itcomesatnight. #odeon #odeonlimitless #screamunseen #drama #horror #jumpy #scary #witch #metalillness #thesecretofmarrowbone #filmbuff #filmcritic #review #haunted #love #murder #gore #blood #mondaymotivation
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Hereditary (2018) in Movies
May 14, 2019
Its all in the family
#Hereditary is a strange/uncomfortable visual bombardment & for a directorial debut its almost stunningly perfect too.For those of you looking for jump scares, a scary #nun or a haunted doll you may want to avoid Hereditary as this is a different kind of horror film & its all the better for it. Sitting comfortably in between #thewitch & #itcomesatnight this is a multi layered film about loss, grieving, mental heath & loneliness & how they slowly bring about the destruction of a #family. Shot flawlessly the film sinks its teeth into your nerves instantly with #beautiful slow camera pans & rotations mixed with eerie lingering shots & overlapping scene fades. It really is a work of #art visually & every location feels like a character its self. Sound design is perfect too with great use of silence to build dread/tension, a fantastic & beautifuly somber score & great use of clicking, chopping, cracking & snapping sounds that constantly keep you feeling #anxious & on edge. Acting is also flawless with #ToniCollette absolutely knocking it out of the park as Annie a character Toni plays so well you cant help but get lost in the intricacy of her personality. While containing horror elements Hereditary plays out more along the lines of a #psychological drama with a plot so multi layered, intricate & intelligent multiple viewings will be necessary to fully understand all of what its truly about & what it really has to say (that's not to say its an easy watch however, at times the film created a tension & atmosphere so unpleasant & unnerving this accompanied by some startling & #dark imagery I found myself feeling very uncomfortable at times). My only gripe stopping it being a 10 is the strange comedy surrounding some scenes which I found immersion breaking (this may be intentional but for me it didnt work). Hereditary really is something special/unique & although not for everyone its certainly destined to win an award or become a #cultclassic. With a fresh take on its subject matter & truly #disturbing imagery this is a must for film #fans. #odeon #odeonlimitless #horror #scary #gore #terror #anxiety #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealth #filmcritic #filmbuff #filmreview
Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated Painless in Books
Jul 2, 2018
Very Cool Book!
Excuse me for a second, while I go barf. OMG this book. Holy heck the gruesome descriptions of blood and gore and guts was SO RAD. I found myself cringing and fidgeting and yes, even feeling a bit nauseous in some spots - but totally in a GOOD WAY! Painless was exactly what I wanted in a super-unique, creepy, shocking horror-thriller.
Greg Owens is in pain. A LOT of pain. He fell off a ladder on a construction job, injuring his back, and his entire life has gone to shit. He lost his wife, his kid, he can't work, he's addicted to pills. He's desperate, and can't find anything that will help him get relief, so he can return to construction, or any job he doesn't need "Pills to pay the Bills" in order to to work. His addiction is keeping him from his little girl and he's resorted to getting pills illegally from dealers, just to make it though the day.
Dr. Dante Menta is running an exclusive clinical trial. He's been working on a pain relief technique for years, and promises a complete cure of all physical pain. Sign me up, right? We meet all the patients involved in the trial who have arrived before Greg. There are even animal patients. Some of them are seeking relief from back pain, or car accident injuries, others from auto-immune things like Lupus - and even chronic migraine headaches.
The patients are taken in one by one to get the procedure and at first, it's exactly as promised and the results are impressive! But soon, shit starts hitting the fan. Patients are starting to act really strange, obsessive, destructive. Things start to go horribly, horribly wrong. And it's incredible awesome to watch!
I thought this story was really different and the premise was immediately intriguing - it was a quick read, but written really well, and explores a dark side of both how people deal with pain management and also Dr. Mentas obsession with his life's work to find a cure. I would love to see this translated to a horror movie, and I'd be first in line to buy a ticket!
Greg Owens is in pain. A LOT of pain. He fell off a ladder on a construction job, injuring his back, and his entire life has gone to shit. He lost his wife, his kid, he can't work, he's addicted to pills. He's desperate, and can't find anything that will help him get relief, so he can return to construction, or any job he doesn't need "Pills to pay the Bills" in order to to work. His addiction is keeping him from his little girl and he's resorted to getting pills illegally from dealers, just to make it though the day.
Dr. Dante Menta is running an exclusive clinical trial. He's been working on a pain relief technique for years, and promises a complete cure of all physical pain. Sign me up, right? We meet all the patients involved in the trial who have arrived before Greg. There are even animal patients. Some of them are seeking relief from back pain, or car accident injuries, others from auto-immune things like Lupus - and even chronic migraine headaches.
The patients are taken in one by one to get the procedure and at first, it's exactly as promised and the results are impressive! But soon, shit starts hitting the fan. Patients are starting to act really strange, obsessive, destructive. Things start to go horribly, horribly wrong. And it's incredible awesome to watch!
I thought this story was really different and the premise was immediately intriguing - it was a quick read, but written really well, and explores a dark side of both how people deal with pain management and also Dr. Mentas obsession with his life's work to find a cure. I would love to see this translated to a horror movie, and I'd be first in line to buy a ticket!
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Hellboy (2019) in Movies
Dec 31, 2019
Why?!
I know the original Hellboy films didn’t do well critically, but they got a fairly decent fan following and I personally loved them, so I really didn’t see why they wanted to remake it. And after watching this disaster, I definitely cannot understand why they bothered to remake it!
I’ll start with the good bits, which won’t take long as David Harbour and Ian McShane are pretty much the only decent things about this film. Ian McShane seems to be playing his usual charismatic, crazy old man character (very reminiscent of Mr Wednesday) and I’m not complaining, as this is exactly what I love about him and he’s a rather good less nice version of Professor Broom. And David Harbour is a good Hellboy and gets the very few laughs there is in this, although I think he’s very let down and not able to shine properly because of the dodgy script and just general terribleness of this film. There’s also a decent rock soundtrack accompanying the fight scenes and a fairly fun amount of gore.
And now the bad. There’s far too much cgi in this and it isn’t always good, and they should’ve toned this down a lot. The plot and progression of the entire story is just bizarre, it was just downright ridiculous. They seem to have decided to try and fit in a strange assortment of folk tales and historic legends, like the Pendle Hill witches and King Arthur, and this is alongside the already crazy (but just about believable) origin of Hellboy himself and the Nazis. Even the bad guys in this are cheesy and not particularly threatening - Milla Jovovich with a horrendous English accent and a pig creature with a Scouse accent?! I know Stephen Graham is from Liverpool but that accent on that particular character was possible the most bizarre and frustrating thing I’ve ever seen. And also despite the main lead up being slightly different, the end result to Hellboy personally is exactly the same as the original. Why not try and come up with something completely different to avoid yet more negative comparisons to the original?
This is one film that should never have seen the light of day.
I’ll start with the good bits, which won’t take long as David Harbour and Ian McShane are pretty much the only decent things about this film. Ian McShane seems to be playing his usual charismatic, crazy old man character (very reminiscent of Mr Wednesday) and I’m not complaining, as this is exactly what I love about him and he’s a rather good less nice version of Professor Broom. And David Harbour is a good Hellboy and gets the very few laughs there is in this, although I think he’s very let down and not able to shine properly because of the dodgy script and just general terribleness of this film. There’s also a decent rock soundtrack accompanying the fight scenes and a fairly fun amount of gore.
And now the bad. There’s far too much cgi in this and it isn’t always good, and they should’ve toned this down a lot. The plot and progression of the entire story is just bizarre, it was just downright ridiculous. They seem to have decided to try and fit in a strange assortment of folk tales and historic legends, like the Pendle Hill witches and King Arthur, and this is alongside the already crazy (but just about believable) origin of Hellboy himself and the Nazis. Even the bad guys in this are cheesy and not particularly threatening - Milla Jovovich with a horrendous English accent and a pig creature with a Scouse accent?! I know Stephen Graham is from Liverpool but that accent on that particular character was possible the most bizarre and frustrating thing I’ve ever seen. And also despite the main lead up being slightly different, the end result to Hellboy personally is exactly the same as the original. Why not try and come up with something completely different to avoid yet more negative comparisons to the original?
This is one film that should never have seen the light of day.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Lights Out (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Growing up, we all had a fear of the dark. Years later, many of us still carry this phobia. It prevents us from going into certain parts of our homes or places we are familiar with unless we have the assistance of light in some form. The darkness symbolizes and encapsulates the unknown. What is it that is hiding in the darkness? Why is it that we cannot trust it? Is there really something lurking in the shadows or is it all in our minds?
In Lights Out audiences bear witness to this fear and are confronted with how this fear becomes a reality for one family. Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) is trying to make a life of her own after becoming estranged from her family. When her brother begins to experience the same problems at home that had plagued her as a child, she is brought back into the center of chaos. All of the fears return and she must save her family from a dark spirit that has attached itself to her mother before it consumes them all.
The film itself offers the ability for audiences to explore some of their earliest fears which had them leaving a light on or plugging in a night light in their rooms in order to feel safe. The film is inventive in its approach and storytelling, but I felt as though there was more to be offered with respect to the villain and relationships between the characters. Greater depth about their backstories would have allowed audiences to feel more invested in the characters and even more interested in the outcome.
For those that are looking forward to a movie that will have them jumping out of their seats, this film delivers. Many of those moments are not as predictable in many other films of the horror genre, nor does it rely on gore in order to shock audiences. Through the direction of David Sandberg, the tension is allowed to build and help carry the story to its culmination. I am looking forward to more adaptations of universal fears and phobias on screen. Lights Out does not disappoint in being a fright-filled popcorn movie.
In Lights Out audiences bear witness to this fear and are confronted with how this fear becomes a reality for one family. Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) is trying to make a life of her own after becoming estranged from her family. When her brother begins to experience the same problems at home that had plagued her as a child, she is brought back into the center of chaos. All of the fears return and she must save her family from a dark spirit that has attached itself to her mother before it consumes them all.
The film itself offers the ability for audiences to explore some of their earliest fears which had them leaving a light on or plugging in a night light in their rooms in order to feel safe. The film is inventive in its approach and storytelling, but I felt as though there was more to be offered with respect to the villain and relationships between the characters. Greater depth about their backstories would have allowed audiences to feel more invested in the characters and even more interested in the outcome.
For those that are looking forward to a movie that will have them jumping out of their seats, this film delivers. Many of those moments are not as predictable in many other films of the horror genre, nor does it rely on gore in order to shock audiences. Through the direction of David Sandberg, the tension is allowed to build and help carry the story to its culmination. I am looking forward to more adaptations of universal fears and phobias on screen. Lights Out does not disappoint in being a fright-filled popcorn movie.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Some of us at one time or another have considered contacting a loved one who has passed away or making contact with the “other side” through séances, Ouija boards, or even the recent trend “Charlie, Charlie.” We don’t consider the ramifications of our decisions and what the outcome could be. With the third installment of the Insidious franchise we bear witness to this possibility for one young lady. Quinn Brenner is suffering from the recent loss of her mother and desperately wants to contact her. In her attempts to contact the departed, she reaches out to Elise Rainier, a medium who reluctantly assists her, yet warns her of the dangers in pursuing this endeavor. Unfortunately for Quinn, the warning comes too late as her attempts to reach out to her mother have opened up the opportunity to be contacted by other spirits. As a result, Quinn finds herself being pursued by a dark entity whose only purpose is obtaining her soul. With the help of Elise and Quinn’s father, it becomes a fight to rescue her soul from the clutches of this dark and mysterious figure.
The film’s story and plot are very simple to follow and with it being a prequel has a few connections to the other movies within the Insidious franchise. Viewers of the other two films will catch on to some of the references and allusions to the previous movies. With this being said, it makes for a good stand-alone film and does not require its audience to watch the other films in order to understand the issues and follow along with the story. There are more than enough suspenseful moments in the film and it will keep audiences at the edge of their seats waiting to see what awaits them in each scene. Despite its PG-13 rating, it does a great job in finding a balance with the suspense and gore. There are a multitude of misdirections applied and creative moves to frighten the viewers which will have audiences looking over their shoulders as they walk back to their cars from the theater, questioning every sound that they hear, and keeping all of the lights on in their homes for safe measure.
4/5
The film’s story and plot are very simple to follow and with it being a prequel has a few connections to the other movies within the Insidious franchise. Viewers of the other two films will catch on to some of the references and allusions to the previous movies. With this being said, it makes for a good stand-alone film and does not require its audience to watch the other films in order to understand the issues and follow along with the story. There are more than enough suspenseful moments in the film and it will keep audiences at the edge of their seats waiting to see what awaits them in each scene. Despite its PG-13 rating, it does a great job in finding a balance with the suspense and gore. There are a multitude of misdirections applied and creative moves to frighten the viewers which will have audiences looking over their shoulders as they walk back to their cars from the theater, questioning every sound that they hear, and keeping all of the lights on in their homes for safe measure.
4/5
Queer Saint: The Cultured Life of Peter Watson
Adrian Clark and Jeremy Dronfield
Book
When Peter Watson was murdered in his bath by a jealous boyfriend in 1956, the art world lost one of...
BookwormLea (3034 KP) rated The Hunger Games in Books
Jun 17, 2020 (Updated Jun 17, 2020)
My favourite series.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I've read this book probably about 7 times.... I adore this series. The world that Collins has created is fantastically unique. As horrible as it seems, I would have loved to experience it in real life. It's such a rollercoaster of emotions and I really didn't want it to end. I'm so glad this is a trilogy. And I'm only writing this now because I reread the series in preparation for the newly released Prequel book, A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
In a dystopian future, the city of Panem is split into 12 Districts and a beautiful Capitol. Ran by the horror that is President Snow. Katniss Everdeen is our heroine from the mining District 12. In a tournament known as the Hunger Games, 2 contestants from each district, one male and one female, are chosen at random to compete to the death in an arena. This book is set during the 74th annual Hunger Games. It is also the first year Katniss' younger sister Primrose, can be entered. Unlucky as she is, her name is drawn. Katniss heroically (or stupidly) volunteers asks tribute. The first tribute for District 12. She is to train with neighbour Peeta, the bakers son. Their trainer is District 12s only past winner, Haymitch. A rude, drunk, cynical man who isn't much good for anything. They are brought to the Capitol, which is home to the wealthiest of Panem, and are literally paraded through the city dressed in garments that represent their District. Thank you Cinna, their personal stylist, for the fabulous flaming costumes!
After an extensive training sessions, they begin the games. Watched by every citizen in Panem, bet on and laughed at. The wealthy citizens can become sponsors and send the tributes things to help, but only if you are worth it.
As you imagine, blood, gore and death. In the final moments, we find Peeta and Katniss still alive, along with District 1 (the favourite) Cato. Eventually, they leave the arena, despite only one person having supposed to win. Brought out to be celebrated for not dying. To move into the Victor's Village in District 12 with their families.
In a dystopian future, the city of Panem is split into 12 Districts and a beautiful Capitol. Ran by the horror that is President Snow. Katniss Everdeen is our heroine from the mining District 12. In a tournament known as the Hunger Games, 2 contestants from each district, one male and one female, are chosen at random to compete to the death in an arena. This book is set during the 74th annual Hunger Games. It is also the first year Katniss' younger sister Primrose, can be entered. Unlucky as she is, her name is drawn. Katniss heroically (or stupidly) volunteers asks tribute. The first tribute for District 12. She is to train with neighbour Peeta, the bakers son. Their trainer is District 12s only past winner, Haymitch. A rude, drunk, cynical man who isn't much good for anything. They are brought to the Capitol, which is home to the wealthiest of Panem, and are literally paraded through the city dressed in garments that represent their District. Thank you Cinna, their personal stylist, for the fabulous flaming costumes!
After an extensive training sessions, they begin the games. Watched by every citizen in Panem, bet on and laughed at. The wealthy citizens can become sponsors and send the tributes things to help, but only if you are worth it.
As you imagine, blood, gore and death. In the final moments, we find Peeta and Katniss still alive, along with District 1 (the favourite) Cato. Eventually, they leave the arena, despite only one person having supposed to win. Brought out to be celebrated for not dying. To move into the Victor's Village in District 12 with their families.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
Prepare For War
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum is a 2019 neo-noir action film directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad, Shay Hatten, Chris Collins, and Marc Abrams. The movie is based on a story by Derek Kolstad and produced by Thunder Road Pictures, 87Eleven Productions and distributed by Summit Entertainment. It stars Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane and Marc Dacascos.
After an unsanctioned killing at the New York City Continental, John Wick is now a marked man on the run. He is declared "excommunicado" and a $14 million dollar bounty placed on his head. Meanwhile, an adjudicator with the "High Table" meets with both Winston (Ian McShane), manager of the Continental, and the King of the Bowery (Laurence Fishburne), leader of a group of vagrant assassins. The adjudicator gives an ultimatum to both, give up their offices in seven days or face the consequences for aiding John Wick.
This movie does not disappoint. I cannot stress that enough. It's an adrenaline ride from beginning to end. The action scenes are just masterfully choreographed and the special effects make each kill more brutal than the last. It feels like they raised the bar with the violence and gore in this one. The introduction of Halle Berry's character and her dogs were a welcome addition and made this film unique when compared to the previous two. Also the adjudicator was a really good character and i liked the way she played into the plot throughout the whole movie. Marc Dacascos was probably my favorite character in this movie. I liked his character's personality a lot and how his faction had a big part in the film. He was actually pretty funny in certain scenes and i liked it, but I can see how some people would be critical of the lightheartedness in such a grim movie. If it wasn't for some villains giving John a chance when they shouldn't, and the fact that the 3rd act couldn't hold up with the first two, I couldn't find a lot to complain about in this film. It was freaking awesome. I give it a 8/10 and I give it my "must see seal of approval".
After an unsanctioned killing at the New York City Continental, John Wick is now a marked man on the run. He is declared "excommunicado" and a $14 million dollar bounty placed on his head. Meanwhile, an adjudicator with the "High Table" meets with both Winston (Ian McShane), manager of the Continental, and the King of the Bowery (Laurence Fishburne), leader of a group of vagrant assassins. The adjudicator gives an ultimatum to both, give up their offices in seven days or face the consequences for aiding John Wick.
This movie does not disappoint. I cannot stress that enough. It's an adrenaline ride from beginning to end. The action scenes are just masterfully choreographed and the special effects make each kill more brutal than the last. It feels like they raised the bar with the violence and gore in this one. The introduction of Halle Berry's character and her dogs were a welcome addition and made this film unique when compared to the previous two. Also the adjudicator was a really good character and i liked the way she played into the plot throughout the whole movie. Marc Dacascos was probably my favorite character in this movie. I liked his character's personality a lot and how his faction had a big part in the film. He was actually pretty funny in certain scenes and i liked it, but I can see how some people would be critical of the lightheartedness in such a grim movie. If it wasn't for some villains giving John a chance when they shouldn't, and the fact that the 3rd act couldn't hold up with the first two, I couldn't find a lot to complain about in this film. It was freaking awesome. I give it a 8/10 and I give it my "must see seal of approval".