Search
Search results
Darren (1599 KP) rated One Cut of the Dead (Kamera o Tomeru na!) (2017) in Movies
Sep 13, 2019
Characters – Director Higurashi is the man trying to make this movie work, he is getting tired of his performers not showing enough fear, he pushes them to the limits with real zombies, which soon give him his perfect picture. Chinatsu is the star of the movie being made, she struggles to show the fear to start with, until she finds herself in a real zombie film. Nao is the production assistant that teaches the actors about the rumours about the area and joins in the fight against the real zombies. Ko is the lead actor in the film being made, he is meant to be the reluctant hero when the zombie attack.
Performances – This is a movie that has performances that do give the actors a lot to do, with a lot of different angles to be seen, everything is wonderful from the cast, that truly makes sense by the end of the film.
Story – The story here follows the production of the low budget zombie movie until things take a turn, from fiction to reality. This is a story that is a breath of fresh air, because it goes in a direction you won’t see coming and does seem like something we needed for the zombie genre of film. The story does however start by feeling like something we have seen before, until we go in the different direction. We do get some wall breaking moments which adds everything to this story, which will make it one of the most original and smart ideas you will ever see.
Comedy/Horror – The comedy in the film comes from most of the second half of the film, which will be constant laughs, the horror in the film does seem like a routine zombie movie, until things change, it doesn’t get as scary as it could, but then it doesn’t need to be.
Settings – The film uses the settings perfectly to add to the film, we get to see so much from the abandoned warehouse setting, which only grows in the later parts of the film.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are everything you need for a low budget production, it is used to create and add extra comedy to the film too.
Scene of the Movie – The third act.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – There really isn’t one.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the most original and ingenious by turning everything you think you know, leaving you laughing with pure enjoyment of the events of the film.
Overall: Ingenious Zombie Movie.
One Cut for the Dead will get a one-night event in the US on the 17th September.
Performances – This is a movie that has performances that do give the actors a lot to do, with a lot of different angles to be seen, everything is wonderful from the cast, that truly makes sense by the end of the film.
Story – The story here follows the production of the low budget zombie movie until things take a turn, from fiction to reality. This is a story that is a breath of fresh air, because it goes in a direction you won’t see coming and does seem like something we needed for the zombie genre of film. The story does however start by feeling like something we have seen before, until we go in the different direction. We do get some wall breaking moments which adds everything to this story, which will make it one of the most original and smart ideas you will ever see.
Comedy/Horror – The comedy in the film comes from most of the second half of the film, which will be constant laughs, the horror in the film does seem like a routine zombie movie, until things change, it doesn’t get as scary as it could, but then it doesn’t need to be.
Settings – The film uses the settings perfectly to add to the film, we get to see so much from the abandoned warehouse setting, which only grows in the later parts of the film.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are everything you need for a low budget production, it is used to create and add extra comedy to the film too.
Scene of the Movie – The third act.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – There really isn’t one.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the most original and ingenious by turning everything you think you know, leaving you laughing with pure enjoyment of the events of the film.
Overall: Ingenious Zombie Movie.
One Cut for the Dead will get a one-night event in the US on the 17th September.
Ronyell (38 KP) rated Hocus Pocus (1993) in Movies
Aug 4, 2020
Three Crazy Witches Who Can Sing!
Wow! I'm actually surprised that I enjoyed this movie as much as I did! When I first heard about this movie, I was a bit intrigued about what this movie was all about. So, when I finally watched this movie, I was completely hooked! I liked the fact that the movie tackled the subject of sibling relationships and how important it is to care about your siblings, no matter how annoying they can be. This was best shown between the Sanderson Sisters, Thackery and his little sister Emily and Max and his little sister Dani. The Sanderson Sisters are like the negative side of the sibling relationship as Winifred abuses her younger sisters Mary and Sarah and wouldn't think of protecting them. Thackery and Emily are on the more positive side of the sibling relationship as Thackery truly cares about his sister Emily, although he failed to save her. And then we have Max and Dani who are in the middle as they argue with each other a lot, but they would do anything to protect each other. I also loved the way that the movie had a nice balance between horror and comedy as I laughed out loud during the Sanderson Sisters' crazy antics and yet, I was a bit scared for the children being threatened with death throughout this film. Especially during the scene where Emily, a little girl , ends up dying at the beginning of the movie. I especially loved the actors' performances in this film, with the Sanderson Sisters being the best part of the film. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy did a fantastic job at portraying the Sanderson Sisters as they were so hilarious and entertaining to watch! I also enjoyed Thora Birch's performance as Dani as she made Dani quite snarky yet energetic at the same time.
The only issues that I had with this film was that I felt that the protagonists were a bit too flat and I wished that they had explained the backstories of some of the characters. Even though Max and Allison were interesting characters, they weren't as entertaining as the Sanderson Sisters and the only protagonists that were pretty entertaining were Dani and Binx the Cat. Also, I would like to know how the Sanderson Sisters became witches in the first place (although it was implied that the Devil gave them their powers).
Overall, "Hocus Pocus" is a fantastic film that both children and adults will enjoy! It balances horror and humor very well and it has some of the best performances from Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy!
The only issues that I had with this film was that I felt that the protagonists were a bit too flat and I wished that they had explained the backstories of some of the characters. Even though Max and Allison were interesting characters, they weren't as entertaining as the Sanderson Sisters and the only protagonists that were pretty entertaining were Dani and Binx the Cat. Also, I would like to know how the Sanderson Sisters became witches in the first place (although it was implied that the Devil gave them their powers).
Overall, "Hocus Pocus" is a fantastic film that both children and adults will enjoy! It balances horror and humor very well and it has some of the best performances from Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy!
Kim Pook (101 KP) rated Before I Wake (2016) in Movies
Nov 20, 2020
After losing their son. A young couple, Mark and Jessie, decide to Foster a young boy named Cody. Cody had been to a few Foster homes but they all proved problematic, one family even disappeared, leaving Cody by himself.
When we meet Cody properly, he appears to be very well mannered and even takes his shoes off before entering the couples home.
The couple soon discover that Cody has a box of stimulants to keep him awake at night, which he says is to keep the canker man from eating him. The couple brush it off thinking it's a typical child's over-active imagination.
When Cody finally goes to sleep, strange things start to happen in the house. A load of butterflies appear in the living room and their son appears in the house, he doesn't speak but just stands there smiling and they are able to touch him, strangely he disappears when Cody wakes up. It doesn't take the couple long to work out that as Cody sleeps, he is able to make their son appear using videos and photos as references, essentially his dreams become reality. What they don't realise is the evil darkness that comes with it, and it isn't long before it starts attacking Cody whilst he's awake, due to him being sleep deprived. Eventually Jessie searches for ways to help him.
I put this movie off for so long as I didn't expect to like it. It turned out I actually really enjoyed it. It moved at a nice pace and I found it interesting right from the beginning which doesn't tend to happen in horror movies. Mind you I say horror movies but this is more of a fantasy drama with a small element of horror. The acting from everyone is spot on and the horror element of it good, it had a couple of jump scares but they're not over the top. Visuals are good for the most part, but I felt the butterflies looked really false.
I would definitely recommend this movie if you haven't seen it already.
When we meet Cody properly, he appears to be very well mannered and even takes his shoes off before entering the couples home.
The couple soon discover that Cody has a box of stimulants to keep him awake at night, which he says is to keep the canker man from eating him. The couple brush it off thinking it's a typical child's over-active imagination.
When Cody finally goes to sleep, strange things start to happen in the house. A load of butterflies appear in the living room and their son appears in the house, he doesn't speak but just stands there smiling and they are able to touch him, strangely he disappears when Cody wakes up. It doesn't take the couple long to work out that as Cody sleeps, he is able to make their son appear using videos and photos as references, essentially his dreams become reality. What they don't realise is the evil darkness that comes with it, and it isn't long before it starts attacking Cody whilst he's awake, due to him being sleep deprived. Eventually Jessie searches for ways to help him.
I put this movie off for so long as I didn't expect to like it. It turned out I actually really enjoyed it. It moved at a nice pace and I found it interesting right from the beginning which doesn't tend to happen in horror movies. Mind you I say horror movies but this is more of a fantasy drama with a small element of horror. The acting from everyone is spot on and the horror element of it good, it had a couple of jump scares but they're not over the top. Visuals are good for the most part, but I felt the butterflies looked really false.
I would definitely recommend this movie if you haven't seen it already.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Ready or Not (2019) in Movies
Sep 2, 2019 (Updated Sep 2, 2019)
F*cking rich people
Ready Or Not is a delightful mash up of blood soaked horror and devilish comedy that intertwines well making this film an absolute blast. When Ready or not's certificate came up everyone was shocked it was 18 rated (I found kind of sad as to me it symbolised how there is 100% still a big market for the more violent and mature horror film yet these days they sadly seem few and far between. I proud to say this does not disappoint and delivers on gore, grossness and tons of unnecessary yet hilariously fitting cursing. Made by people with clear love for the genre this movie echoes what made 80s horror movies so fun. Its goofy, silly, humorous, cool, violent, over the top, cheesy and stylish with it all working well together as well as being extremely serious and tense when it needs to be too. A great mix of movies like your next, the purge, cabin in the woods and even evil dead this movie doesnt hesitate getting straight to the good stuff moving at a constant brisk pace. Although predictable at times it ride with the horror cliches mixing them up just enough for them to feel modern and refreshingly satisfying. Anti rich themes take front and centre and the film isnt shy of mocking wealthy people constantly questioning their morals, beliefs, way of life, ignorance, naivety, lack of empathy and ability to think they can do as they please. In fact you might say the most horrific parts of the film are just how stupid, desensitized, gullible, careless and void of empathy these people have become which adds a nice real world connection. Theres also some visually impressive/creative scenes that really stand out as they are flawlessly combine with music too. Great tension is also present here and a it has a good eending that keeps you on your toes guessing. Not perfect by any means but go into it with a mind set that you can just sit back and enjoy a well made film that's only interested in you having a good time and you will leave entertained.
Scott Tostik (389 KP) rated You're Next (2013) in Movies
Oct 11, 2017
One fucked up family gathering... Hey, who invited the sheep??
Contains spoilers, click to show
When I sing the praises of a movie in it's entirety, people who read my reviews know I think it's amazing.
First things first, let me get the blowing the writer put of the way... Simon Barrett is a God amongst horror writers. He brings you to the edge, makes you think you know what's going on and then drives a stake through you beliefs like Van Helsing...
Your typical home invasion movie turns into a sinister and diabolical insurance scam that deflates the typical nature of this formerly typical plotline... I know, I'm saying typical alot...fuckin bite me.
Adam Wingard is an absolutely kick-ass director who I personally have watched grow in the genre, and who I have come to trust when it comes to picking a film out... Regardless of what people say, had Death Note not been a successful anime series before he took the helm of the movie, it would've been glorified as a work or horror/fantasy art.
Take your (that word again) typical upper class family, stick them in a deserted home for a family get together. Add another horror director, Ti West, and Wingard and Barrett's favorite actors... Joe Swanberg, A.J. Bowen and Amy Seimetz... Dash in some Australian hottie, Sharni Vinson. And add one of the most amazing Scream Queens to ever grace the screen, Barbara Crampton. And chuck in some relative nobodies for fodder and you have the ingredients for a wild ride.
You're Next appeals to me because home invasions happen. It has a reality to it that can be matched by 2008's The Strangers and a more recent addition, Hush.
This movie delivers on all fronts.
The Killers are a band of ex Marines who are contracted but an unlikely source to carry out the deaths of rich mom and dad.
The children in the family are the height of dysfunctional, thus proving money can't buy you sanity.
And the twist in this movie proves that secrets can be hidden well in a script if the proper distractions are in place.
One thing I'd like to add before I end this is the masks work by the Killers are straight creepy. Whoever thought to put them in those is genius. And they made for some great marketing posters and internet spots.
Simple flat white masks that have not scared me to death since I was a child and seen the iconic Michael Myers for the first time.
Barrett and Wingard make movies that are more reality based and that scare the bejesus out of you.
Check out A Horrible Way to Die if you don't believe me. It will not disappoint.
First things first, let me get the blowing the writer put of the way... Simon Barrett is a God amongst horror writers. He brings you to the edge, makes you think you know what's going on and then drives a stake through you beliefs like Van Helsing...
Your typical home invasion movie turns into a sinister and diabolical insurance scam that deflates the typical nature of this formerly typical plotline... I know, I'm saying typical alot...fuckin bite me.
Adam Wingard is an absolutely kick-ass director who I personally have watched grow in the genre, and who I have come to trust when it comes to picking a film out... Regardless of what people say, had Death Note not been a successful anime series before he took the helm of the movie, it would've been glorified as a work or horror/fantasy art.
Take your (that word again) typical upper class family, stick them in a deserted home for a family get together. Add another horror director, Ti West, and Wingard and Barrett's favorite actors... Joe Swanberg, A.J. Bowen and Amy Seimetz... Dash in some Australian hottie, Sharni Vinson. And add one of the most amazing Scream Queens to ever grace the screen, Barbara Crampton. And chuck in some relative nobodies for fodder and you have the ingredients for a wild ride.
You're Next appeals to me because home invasions happen. It has a reality to it that can be matched by 2008's The Strangers and a more recent addition, Hush.
This movie delivers on all fronts.
The Killers are a band of ex Marines who are contracted but an unlikely source to carry out the deaths of rich mom and dad.
The children in the family are the height of dysfunctional, thus proving money can't buy you sanity.
And the twist in this movie proves that secrets can be hidden well in a script if the proper distractions are in place.
One thing I'd like to add before I end this is the masks work by the Killers are straight creepy. Whoever thought to put them in those is genius. And they made for some great marketing posters and internet spots.
Simple flat white masks that have not scared me to death since I was a child and seen the iconic Michael Myers for the first time.
Barrett and Wingard make movies that are more reality based and that scare the bejesus out of you.
Check out A Horrible Way to Die if you don't believe me. It will not disappoint.
Jimmy Fallon recommended American Movie (1999) in Movies (curated)
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Brightburn (2019) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Super Nasty
Brightburn is a short film that moves at a blistering pace but its the calm moments where the movie truly shines. Brightburn successfully turns the entire superhero genre on its head going almost full horror movie on us & while it does fall into the trap of using to many horror cliches its a really interesting, fun & stand out movie. If I were to compare it I'd say its a mix of A Quiet Place, Midnight Special & The Children leaning towards the horror side of things more than anything else but there are sprinkles of Scifi & obviously dabs of Superhero here & there. Visually its such a looker the screen often painted fully in deep inky blackness with the only thing breaking it up being the warm glow of natural light coming from a lamp or street light. This not only helps create great atmosphere but heightens tension by limiting the viewers vision perfectly. There are neat swaps between camera techniques too eg from an almost raw found footage style to a really cool slightly obstructed first person scene. Action doesnt disapoint & the film makes the viewer wait for its violence & big pay offs making it more impactful when it finally hits. Acting is great & Elizabeth Banks clearly steals the show here. Theres a running comparison of Brandon to predatory animals such as a wasp, jellyfish or Wolf & I found the creepiest elements of the film were the slower paced scenes where we see him discover, adapt & learn how to evolve into a more successful killing machine (ie studying human anatomy) & also the impact of his actions begin to tear up his happy home & constantly disappoint his loving parents. Theres a big metaphore about adoption & the difficulties it can bring for both the new parents & the child (especially when the child hits the age where questions need to be answered) & at one point I wondered if that was really the overall message the film was actually trying to relay because this scene was so full of realistic emotion. Brightburn at times can be very predictable & show its budget constrains too but as a first film I really did dig its format & would definitely like to see a sequel or two to it for sure.
Karla Bergado (17 KP) rated In the Tall Grass (2019) in Movies
Nov 6, 2019
In the Tall Grass Review: Is the Stephen King horror worth a watch? (Spoilers ahead)
Contains spoilers, click to show
Netflix has really been stepping up their game with the number of horror shows being released this year.
What makes it better is the addition of a film adaptation of a Stephen King novella to satiate
fanatics’ hunger.
Except the question lies in whether I felt full watching this movie.
The story begins with a brother and sister duo on a long journey to San Diego. Sweltering heat and pregnancy do not mix well, alongside the long-winding roads of America until they stop by a field of tall grass. What can go wrong by stopping in the middle of nowhere that’s giving out a Children of the Corn vibe?
The siblings find themselves going through the tall grass after hearing cries from a very distressed child, only to find themselves stuck in a never-ending cycle where there is seemingly no way out and only a rock statue that apparently lets you see things you will never imagine of seeing.
The concept had a potential to give viewers something more and unexpected. But that’s the thing.
It didn’t.
The first half of the movie set the scene of being trapped in a maze of grass, but then the second
half was pretty much the same, with only a couple of weird occult-like elements thrown in to fuel the dying flame. Not only this, but the viewer is left to piece the puzzles together, only to find out that they don’t match. You are left to question the purpose of the rock, the baby and Patrick Wilson’s seemingly possessed character.
If you enjoy watching a slow paced, psychological horror movie and the feeling of being confused, then you can go check this film out.
There is something captivating about this adaptation that keeps you hooked until the end but bear in mind, it requires you to have an open mind and low expectations.
Needless to say, you might as well go and have read of the book, which was also co-written by Joe Hill,the king of horror’s son.
What makes it better is the addition of a film adaptation of a Stephen King novella to satiate
fanatics’ hunger.
Except the question lies in whether I felt full watching this movie.
The story begins with a brother and sister duo on a long journey to San Diego. Sweltering heat and pregnancy do not mix well, alongside the long-winding roads of America until they stop by a field of tall grass. What can go wrong by stopping in the middle of nowhere that’s giving out a Children of the Corn vibe?
The siblings find themselves going through the tall grass after hearing cries from a very distressed child, only to find themselves stuck in a never-ending cycle where there is seemingly no way out and only a rock statue that apparently lets you see things you will never imagine of seeing.
The concept had a potential to give viewers something more and unexpected. But that’s the thing.
It didn’t.
The first half of the movie set the scene of being trapped in a maze of grass, but then the second
half was pretty much the same, with only a couple of weird occult-like elements thrown in to fuel the dying flame. Not only this, but the viewer is left to piece the puzzles together, only to find out that they don’t match. You are left to question the purpose of the rock, the baby and Patrick Wilson’s seemingly possessed character.
If you enjoy watching a slow paced, psychological horror movie and the feeling of being confused, then you can go check this film out.
There is something captivating about this adaptation that keeps you hooked until the end but bear in mind, it requires you to have an open mind and low expectations.
Needless to say, you might as well go and have read of the book, which was also co-written by Joe Hill,the king of horror’s son.
p3anut (62 KP) rated Pet Sematary (2019) in Movies
Apr 11, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
I'm 33 and I saw the original pet semetary when I was about 10 on some cable channel like nbc or abc. Back in the 90's, tv was heavily edited. Even then it scared the shit out of me!
The 2019 just didn't give me that same vibe. Yes, I'm older and don't scare as easy. But I also get creeped out pretty easily when a movie does something right. And this movie didn't do to much right to chill me to my core.
Now that's not to say this movie was bad or awful in anyway. The pacing was very good. The twist that they showed us in the trailers was great and added to the later plot device. And even having Gage running towards the road as the truck came barreling towards Ellie made me think they were about to lose two kids. Hell even Lithgow was pretty stellar in his role. But this movie just tried too hard to top the original.
The wife's back story about Zelda should have stopped after she told what had happened to Zelda. They drug it out by giving her some PTSD bullshit that I didn't feel really fit into the story.
The guy that gets hit by a car (victor) and warns Louis about the dangers that are about to unfold was rushed and not as fleshed out as the character in the 90's film. And I don't mean to compare this to that film because it is it's own thing, but they could have tried to humanize him a little more that just a device plot.
Ellie being self aware that she had died and turning evil because of it was fucking creepy. And Everytime this girl had screen time you felt like she was back from the dead and completely changed. The scene where Ellie terrorizes Jud was pretty close to the original but with some twists and I thought that made it more enjoyable. especially since these characters seemed to think situations out better than typical horror movies.
The last twist was fantastic and I'm not going to spoil it. I didn't care for the ending. I thought it was very bleak and bland. And really didn't lead to what was going to happen now as a whole, not just Gage potentially dying.
Overall I really enjoyed the movie for what it was, a fun popcorn horror flick.
Have you seen it? What did you think of the movie?
The 2019 just didn't give me that same vibe. Yes, I'm older and don't scare as easy. But I also get creeped out pretty easily when a movie does something right. And this movie didn't do to much right to chill me to my core.
Now that's not to say this movie was bad or awful in anyway. The pacing was very good. The twist that they showed us in the trailers was great and added to the later plot device. And even having Gage running towards the road as the truck came barreling towards Ellie made me think they were about to lose two kids. Hell even Lithgow was pretty stellar in his role. But this movie just tried too hard to top the original.
The wife's back story about Zelda should have stopped after she told what had happened to Zelda. They drug it out by giving her some PTSD bullshit that I didn't feel really fit into the story.
The guy that gets hit by a car (victor) and warns Louis about the dangers that are about to unfold was rushed and not as fleshed out as the character in the 90's film. And I don't mean to compare this to that film because it is it's own thing, but they could have tried to humanize him a little more that just a device plot.
Ellie being self aware that she had died and turning evil because of it was fucking creepy. And Everytime this girl had screen time you felt like she was back from the dead and completely changed. The scene where Ellie terrorizes Jud was pretty close to the original but with some twists and I thought that made it more enjoyable. especially since these characters seemed to think situations out better than typical horror movies.
The last twist was fantastic and I'm not going to spoil it. I didn't care for the ending. I thought it was very bleak and bland. And really didn't lead to what was going to happen now as a whole, not just Gage potentially dying.
Overall I really enjoyed the movie for what it was, a fun popcorn horror flick.
Have you seen it? What did you think of the movie?
Dean (6926 KP) rated The House of the Dead: Overkill in Video Games
Feb 24, 2019
Great graphics (2 more)
Variety of levels and enemies
Very funny!
A bloody good shooter!
An excellent light gun game for the Wii. One of the best I've played on any console and definitely the most fun. The best House of the Dead game for me, this was the first game that really sold the light gun gaming on the Wii.
The graphics are very good, it's quite a big game compared to other gun games. Some levels could take a good 15-20 minutes to complete. The music is groovy, there are plenty of guns to use. There is plenty of replay value with mini-games, various achievements to go for.
The thing that stands out the most is the humour. The whole feel is a tongue in cheek '70's grindhouse, Horror B Movie vibe. It works, the voice acting is good and it will probably make you laugh.
Overall it is a little easy on the normal levels but it's so enjoyable. If you like Horror films and light gun games you'll love this.
The graphics are very good, it's quite a big game compared to other gun games. Some levels could take a good 15-20 minutes to complete. The music is groovy, there are plenty of guns to use. There is plenty of replay value with mini-games, various achievements to go for.
The thing that stands out the most is the humour. The whole feel is a tongue in cheek '70's grindhouse, Horror B Movie vibe. It works, the voice acting is good and it will probably make you laugh.
Overall it is a little easy on the normal levels but it's so enjoyable. If you like Horror films and light gun games you'll love this.