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House of Wax (2005)
House of Wax (2005)
2005 | Horror, Mystery
Sure, House of Wax is uninhibited silliness, trashy, and so painfully mid 00s, but I think it's a fair comment to say it's an underrated movie, from an era of horror that I'm not personally too fond of.
It's full of constant nu-metal needle drops, awful dialogue, and very on-the-nose visual moments (looking at you, villain slicing through a conjoined-twin wax sculpture) but to its credit, it has an ambitious premise that's pulled off well, some solid and imaginative gory moments, and a pretty creepy boogeyman, and all this combined makes for a film that deserves more than just "is that the one with Paris Hilton in it?"

Give House of Wax another chance. It's dumb, but fun.
  
Paper Towns
Paper Towns
John Green | 2013 | Children
9
7.8 (36 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fun (2 more)
Has a dectetive style
Short chapters
Disappointing end (0 more)
Detective style
Ok I love John Green as I've said for his other books I've reviewed but I can't help but say I was disappointed with the ending of this, it was totally not what I was expecting and not as dramatic as I thought. However, the book is very fun to read and it really gets you thinking. Margo is a very clever girl with an imaginative mind who just can't stop in one place. Q is a sucker for love and falls into a bit of a predicament. Qs determination is frustrating for his friends but friends stick together like they should. Overall a good read and would recommend it. I'm now going to watch the film.
  
Rick and Morty  - Season 1
Rick and Morty - Season 1
2013 | Animation, Sci-Fi
Simple Yet Great Animation (2 more)
Creative and Completely Imaginative
Hilarious
Humorous And Absolutely Wonderful
This is not for the faint of heart, this dark humor takes everything to a whole new level, I have never seen something that I've taken to so quickly and loved so much. The humor is darker than dark and hilarious all the same. If you dont take to it from the very first episode then maybe it's not the show for you and maybe we can't be friends. This show holds no boundaries or limits on the lengths they will take to make you laugh. It's absolutely beautiful and you will never find another show like it. Highly recommended to anyone who can appreciate the very real and dark humor this show has to offer.
  
Big Hero 6 (2014)
Big Hero 6 (2014)
2014 | Animation, Family
Slightly oddball product of Disney's acquisition of Marvel - this started life as a comic book featuring characters from the X-Men - ends up as a typically witty and accomplished animation. Youthful genius has to form super-team to stop a supervillain from misusing one of his inventions.

Now, obviously if you're a purist, you can find things to complain about here - no mutant powers, no Silver Samurai, the whole thing is set in a science-fantasy future - but for everyone else this is an engaging, well-told story that comes close to matching The Incredibles when it comes to evoking the thrill and invention of classic superhero stories. Witty and imaginative; looks gorgeous; thoroughly enjoyable (though you have to wait until after the credits for the obligatory Stan Lee cameo).
  
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)
1943 | Classics, Drama
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Classic drama from Powell and Pressburger. The life of a British army officer throughout the first part of the 20th century is explored, particularly his friendship with his German counterpart and the women he loves (all played by Deborah Kerr).

Typically inventive and imaginative stuff from the Archers, with bold and witty transitions across time and space, moving depictions of romance and friendship, and an understanding that you can deal with serious topics while remaining playful and creative. Terrific performances and direction: acknowledged as an influence by Scorsese and (less predictably) Tarantino. Churchill tried to have the production of the film halted, feeling it was unpatriotic, but as well as being one of the greatest British movies of all time, it is also one of the finest films about what it means to be British.
  
Hellraiser (1987)
Hellraiser (1987)
1987 | Horror
A wonderfully imaginative and creepy Mythos (1 more)
Doug Bradley becomes a horror icon
The Special Effects are a little dated (1 more)
Sometimes seems confused about what sort of film it is...
We have such Cenobites to show you...
Hellraiser is arguably the finest in the series, creating horror icons in Pinhead, Kirsty, Frank and Julia, whilst giving the viewer some of the most extreme horror scenes ever seen.

The mythos of Clive Barker's Hellraiser series is fascinating, and hints at underworlds, other dimensions, hell and all sorts of demonic entities, and although this first entry is mostly set in an indistinct U.S town, the feeling that hell is just under the surface haunts the movie.

What follows is a tale of morality, lust, love and judgement as our characters seek to fulfill their heart's desires, all whilst trying to make sense of the dark forces that seek to envelope their new home.

Our Heroine, Kirtsy, is played by Ashley Laurence, who has more than a dash of Ripley about her at times, as she snarls and fights the forces of evil, showing more courage than most of us watching the film I am sure.

Pinhead (as he was dubbed by fans) is a fairly minor role in the film, and yet Doug Bradley's ominous delivery lingers long on the memory, giving us lines that echo long after the film has finished.

All in all, Hellraiser is a flawed, but imaginative horror tale, that threatens the viewer with a fantastically demonic realm filled with violence, gore and underdogs, and a plot that is easy to follow, but still feels new.

Sadly, like the Cenobites, the following movies would often fall prey to their mantra of pain & pleasure, but certainly this and the immediate sequel should be considered must-see for fans of physical effects and slow burning horror.
  
Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
2009 | Drama, Fantasy
9
6.8 (31 Ratings)
Movie Rating
A film adaptation of Maurice Sandak’s beloved childhood tale of the same name, “Where the Wild Things Are” brings to life the worlds of Max a very imaginative child coming to grips with the emotional changes in his life. From his mom’s new boyfriend to his sister’s move into the teen years, Max is feeling very alone and runs away to a place where his needs are the first priority. In his world, Max is crowned king and he begins to deal with the issues of his real life through interaction and play with a variety of wildly imaginative monsters.

Taking a short children’s book and turning it into a compelling full-length film was the job of screenplay writers, David Eggers and Spike Jonzes, who also directed the picture. Among the film’s producers was Sandak and it shows. The film is seamlessly consistent with the original book while providing new and exciting content.

The roles are strongly cast from the lead of Max played by the up and coming Max Records, to that of the monster Carol voiced by James Gandolfini. The visual fantasy presented combines real and digital elements smoothly enough to accurately depict Max’s imagination while remaining realistic to the point of believability. Additionally, the fun yet abstract soundtrack manages to highlight the ups and downs of childhood exploration.

Seeming more like a masterpiece from Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki than an American created live action children’s film, the detailed crafting and imaginatively honest perspective created by “Where the Wild Things Are” takes viewers back into their youth. A delight that is enjoyable, heartfelt and true to the spirit of the book, “Where the Wild Things Are”, is a must see film for any child inside or out.
  
Promise Not to Tell
Promise Not to Tell
Jayne Ann Krentz | 2018 | Romance, Thriller
8
8.2 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book is either a romance wrapped up in a mystery or a mystery within a romance. It's hard to decide which even though the formula seems to offer the same end result. This is the second in a series and it is pretty much exactly the same as the first, even down to the damaged yet strong female client who falls in love with the rugged and brave private investigator, the monumental yet nonchalant declaration of love and the hurried nuptials. The characters and situations are interchangeable and, while it makes for an entertaining read, the mind starts to wander once you can figure out what's coming next because you've read it before. The characters however are likable and while the "issues" are not very imaginative, the author does manage to make us care about them and their lives.
  
Hellraiser (1987)
Hellraiser (1987)
1987 | Horror
Amazingly this now has 9 sequels, the 2nd and 3rd were passable but the original is the only one really worth bothering with. Clive Barker’s film is a highly original dark and twisted nightmare. I didn’t find it outright scary but it succeeds with its grim sense of foreboding and memorably horrible images that linger in your head long after the film has finished. I thought the iconic Pinhead character and the other cenobites were actually a bit under used (about 5 minutes total screen time) and could have really terrified the audience if we had seen a bit more of them . The acting can be a little ropey at times as well but if you can overlook that some satisfyingly old school gore effects and imaginative storytelling make this a fine slice of 80’s horror.
  
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018)
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018)
2018 | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Terry Gilliam emerges victorious from his epic battle to the death with Miguel Cervantes' famous novel. Not quite the movie he famously never finished making with Johnny Depp, nearly twenty years ago, but a subtly different tale of a film director finding himself entangled in different versions of the Quixote story and, perhaps, looking for redemption.

After a slow and rambling start the film eventually becomes a charming, funny, and occasionally thrilling and moving adaptation (sort of) of the book - if it's picaresque and episodic, that's the nature of Quixote. The knowing wit and intelligence of the novel survive too. Strong performances, visually very impressive - the fact the film exists at all is remarkable, let alone that it's this good. Very reminiscent of Gilliam's movies from the 1980s: hugely imaginative, narratively chaotic, very individual, and equally easy to like.