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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Twisted (2004) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
For newly promoted Homicide Detective Jessica Shepard (Ashley Judd), life is about to take an unexpected twist that will leave the most private aspects of her life on display and her very sanity questioned.
Sheppard has just been promoted to the San Francisco Homicide unit after bringing in suspected serial killer Edmund Cutler (Leland Orser). Sheppard ignored protocol and almost became a victim herself so there are those in the department who resent her promotion and credit it to her gender and the fact that she is sponsored by a high ranking official named John Mills (Samuel L. Jackson) who has raised her since Shepard’s parents were killed years earlier.
Sheppard is soon called in to investigate a body floating in the bay, and is shocked to discover the victim is a man she picked up in a bar previously. When a second body is discovered also with a connection to Shepard, her partner Mike Delmarco (Andy Garcia), thinks that Jessica may have an obsessive stalker following her.
Jessica is soon a suspect in the killings and the fact that she is blacking out at night is causing Jessica to suspect that she may be responsible for the killings.
What should be a tense thriller never emerges as the film plods along never allowing any tension to build. There are attempts to plant a few red-herrings as the film draws to the conclusion but the identity of the killer is so obvious that all that is missing is a neon sign proclaiming the obvious. To further add to the failure of the film, I was able to see events coming far in advance including the events of the final confrontation.
Judd and Garcia do the best they can with the material but Jackson is woefully underused in a story that seems better suited for a movie of the week. It is a shame that an interesting premise such as this is wasted, as “Twisted” is a whodunit that will leave you saying who cares.
Sheppard has just been promoted to the San Francisco Homicide unit after bringing in suspected serial killer Edmund Cutler (Leland Orser). Sheppard ignored protocol and almost became a victim herself so there are those in the department who resent her promotion and credit it to her gender and the fact that she is sponsored by a high ranking official named John Mills (Samuel L. Jackson) who has raised her since Shepard’s parents were killed years earlier.
Sheppard is soon called in to investigate a body floating in the bay, and is shocked to discover the victim is a man she picked up in a bar previously. When a second body is discovered also with a connection to Shepard, her partner Mike Delmarco (Andy Garcia), thinks that Jessica may have an obsessive stalker following her.
Jessica is soon a suspect in the killings and the fact that she is blacking out at night is causing Jessica to suspect that she may be responsible for the killings.
What should be a tense thriller never emerges as the film plods along never allowing any tension to build. There are attempts to plant a few red-herrings as the film draws to the conclusion but the identity of the killer is so obvious that all that is missing is a neon sign proclaiming the obvious. To further add to the failure of the film, I was able to see events coming far in advance including the events of the final confrontation.
Judd and Garcia do the best they can with the material but Jackson is woefully underused in a story that seems better suited for a movie of the week. It is a shame that an interesting premise such as this is wasted, as “Twisted” is a whodunit that will leave you saying who cares.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Ripe for Vengeance in Books
Jul 21, 2019
Corporate Volunteer Event Leads to Murder
Some of Denver Finn’s friends are coming to town, and Megan Sawyer is excited to see a different side of her boyfriend. They don’t make a good first impression, however, when their dinner together is filled with not so hidden tension. These friends are in town as part of a corporate charity weekend to mentor kids at a nearby school for troubled teens, but that event goes wrong when one of the adults is murdered. The police are looking at a teen as the likely killer, but Megan doesn’t think the teen did it. Can she find the real killer?
This series always has strong characters, and this book is no different. We get to know everyone involved in this case well, and as events unfold, their reactions and the impact on their live help pull us into the story. Those looking for a twist a minute might find the pace a little slow, but I found the book compelling since I was so drawn to the characters. Not to say that this book doesn’t have some good twists and an ending that surprised me. We do get to see the series regulars and those introduced in previous books, but they are in supporting roles, so they don’t take over from the characters important to this case. There is a little foul language, and the more serious tone helps put this on the traditional side of the spectrum for me. Just make sure that your mood matches the book, and you’ll be fine. This isn’t to say that it is all serious; we get a fun sub-plot involving a pig and plenty of cuteness from the animals on Megan’s farm to help lighten things. Plan to set aside quite a bit of time when you open this book because you won’t want to stop reading.
This series always has strong characters, and this book is no different. We get to know everyone involved in this case well, and as events unfold, their reactions and the impact on their live help pull us into the story. Those looking for a twist a minute might find the pace a little slow, but I found the book compelling since I was so drawn to the characters. Not to say that this book doesn’t have some good twists and an ending that surprised me. We do get to see the series regulars and those introduced in previous books, but they are in supporting roles, so they don’t take over from the characters important to this case. There is a little foul language, and the more serious tone helps put this on the traditional side of the spectrum for me. Just make sure that your mood matches the book, and you’ll be fine. This isn’t to say that it is all serious; we get a fun sub-plot involving a pig and plenty of cuteness from the animals on Megan’s farm to help lighten things. Plan to set aside quite a bit of time when you open this book because you won’t want to stop reading.
Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt (Full)
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6.0
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Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated B: The Beginning in TV
Jul 5, 2020
Killer B - 6/10
B: The Beginning is an anime series produced by Production I.G. and directed by Kazuto Nakazawa and Yoshiki Yamakawa. Nakazawa designed the characters and served as key animation supervisor. Both Nakazawa and Yamakawa wrote scripts and Yoshihiro Ike composed the music.
In the fictional European archipelago nation of Cremona, Keith Flick, a brilliant ex detective, returns to the force from years of isolation. He is assisting the local police, the R.I.S. (Royal Investigation Service), with an investigation involving a series of killings by a man they have named "Killer B". Meanwhile a mysterious criminal organization (Market Maker) with a hidden agenda steals a prototype weapon and has the authorities overwhelmed going on a rampage. Koku, a seemingly normal young man, has supernatural powers and knowledge the organization exists, He is going after them with a singular purpose, to find someone he lost long ago and nothing will stop him.
This anime was very hard to follow. I liked the whole two intertwining storylines and eventually they intersect and things do make sense, i just wished it was better thought out or planned. The concept had me intrigued and the animation is really quite a visual treat. The action is also top notch right along with the animation. I really liked it, but like i said it's pretty hard to follow. If you are looking for an anime with good action and a plot that will have you thinking this would be it. It does have it's flaws though, like the storytelling isn't that great and there is a lot of dialogue exposition (characters just info dumping) but towards the end it all comes together. If you make it that far. I wouldn't give it my seal of approval but if your bored and haven't seen it, it'll definitely keep you entertained. I give it a 6/10.
In the fictional European archipelago nation of Cremona, Keith Flick, a brilliant ex detective, returns to the force from years of isolation. He is assisting the local police, the R.I.S. (Royal Investigation Service), with an investigation involving a series of killings by a man they have named "Killer B". Meanwhile a mysterious criminal organization (Market Maker) with a hidden agenda steals a prototype weapon and has the authorities overwhelmed going on a rampage. Koku, a seemingly normal young man, has supernatural powers and knowledge the organization exists, He is going after them with a singular purpose, to find someone he lost long ago and nothing will stop him.
This anime was very hard to follow. I liked the whole two intertwining storylines and eventually they intersect and things do make sense, i just wished it was better thought out or planned. The concept had me intrigued and the animation is really quite a visual treat. The action is also top notch right along with the animation. I really liked it, but like i said it's pretty hard to follow. If you are looking for an anime with good action and a plot that will have you thinking this would be it. It does have it's flaws though, like the storytelling isn't that great and there is a lot of dialogue exposition (characters just info dumping) but towards the end it all comes together. If you make it that far. I wouldn't give it my seal of approval but if your bored and haven't seen it, it'll definitely keep you entertained. I give it a 6/10.
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Willy's Wonderland (2021) in Movies
Apr 15, 2021
Contains spoilers, click to show
I feel I should start this with something like 'I watched this so you don't have to' but that wouldn't be true. I watched this because I love 'So bad they're good' movies, so how could I not watch ' Nicolas Cage vs possessed animatronics in a family restaurant'.
So lets start with the obvious, Yes this is a 'Five nights at Freddy's' clone but that's never hidden, the poster, the trailer and even the films name tells you that.
Next, is it good? Hell yes. There are a lot of people out there who will say NO but that's the point. Willy's Wonderland is a modern 80's B movie and it's down there with the likes of 'Killer Klowns from Outer space' and "the Attack of the killer tomato's' or maybe something from Troma.
The animatronic costumes are creepy, their back story has been done before (but that's the point) and a lot of things make little sense, the restaurant seems to big, especially if you take the size of the air vents into consideration.
Then there's the Janitor, played by Nicolas Cage, who doesn't speak, has an alarm set so he knows when to have his next energy drink and who easily kicks the butt of the animatronics. That's it, there is no back story, almost no motivation and almost no reason for him being there. And we don't need it.
Willy's Wonderland is full of slasher and horror tropes. We have teens having sex and getting killed, we have Satanic cults, blood and creepy animatronics and almost nothing new. Except Nicolas Cage makes it his own. His performance is heading up to 'Mandy' levels but not quite as intense.
So, if you want to see a terrifying, serious horror then this isn't for you but, if you want to see Nicolas Cage beat up and animatronic ostrich then rip out it's spine ala Predator then this is the film for you (not really a spoiler, it's mostly in the trailer.)
So lets start with the obvious, Yes this is a 'Five nights at Freddy's' clone but that's never hidden, the poster, the trailer and even the films name tells you that.
Next, is it good? Hell yes. There are a lot of people out there who will say NO but that's the point. Willy's Wonderland is a modern 80's B movie and it's down there with the likes of 'Killer Klowns from Outer space' and "the Attack of the killer tomato's' or maybe something from Troma.
The animatronic costumes are creepy, their back story has been done before (but that's the point) and a lot of things make little sense, the restaurant seems to big, especially if you take the size of the air vents into consideration.
Then there's the Janitor, played by Nicolas Cage, who doesn't speak, has an alarm set so he knows when to have his next energy drink and who easily kicks the butt of the animatronics. That's it, there is no back story, almost no motivation and almost no reason for him being there. And we don't need it.
Willy's Wonderland is full of slasher and horror tropes. We have teens having sex and getting killed, we have Satanic cults, blood and creepy animatronics and almost nothing new. Except Nicolas Cage makes it his own. His performance is heading up to 'Mandy' levels but not quite as intense.
So, if you want to see a terrifying, serious horror then this isn't for you but, if you want to see Nicolas Cage beat up and animatronic ostrich then rip out it's spine ala Predator then this is the film for you (not really a spoiler, it's mostly in the trailer.)
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Love Me to Death in Books
Sep 24, 2020 (Updated Jan 26, 2021)
There are two main characters in this book, and the book is told from their perspectives. Mr Anderson is a loner, living in a house that everyone is calling a “freak house”, all he wants is his own family, and he is ready to kill for it. Jacob is a teenager, that has lost his mother and is bullied by his stepmother. Jacob has only one friend- Maggie, but after her cousin sister is murdered, he is about to lose her as well. The characters in this book were not my favourite ones, and I found it difficult to connect with them. I liked Mr Anderson’s parts in this novel, I found his thoughts very amusing and very disturbed. The man has a very damaged personality, that is pretty dark and scary. Jacob’s parts in this book were very repetitive and dull, and I found myself skimming the text on many occasions.
The narrative of this book didn’t really have to offer anything. Yes, it discusses important topics, such as bullying, mental illness, loneliness, child abuse etc. But the way it was incorporated just didn’t work for me. The plot kind of plodded along, without any interesting twists or turns, and I didn’t feel any suspense whatsoever. I kept reading in hope of something major to happen, but it never did. 😦
The writing style wasn’t to my liking as well, I feel the book was expanded with the repetitive thoughts about Maggie. The setting of the book felt dark and gloomy, as well as the characters. The chapters have a medium length but Jacob’s parts really dragged to me. The book has some gory details regarding murders, and creepy thoughts of a killer as well. I liked the ending of the book, it did leave me satisfied with the outcome.
So, to conclude, this book was not my cup of tea. I loved the killer, his strangeness and his thoughts, but other than that the characters and the plot felt bleak and boring.
The narrative of this book didn’t really have to offer anything. Yes, it discusses important topics, such as bullying, mental illness, loneliness, child abuse etc. But the way it was incorporated just didn’t work for me. The plot kind of plodded along, without any interesting twists or turns, and I didn’t feel any suspense whatsoever. I kept reading in hope of something major to happen, but it never did. 😦
The writing style wasn’t to my liking as well, I feel the book was expanded with the repetitive thoughts about Maggie. The setting of the book felt dark and gloomy, as well as the characters. The chapters have a medium length but Jacob’s parts really dragged to me. The book has some gory details regarding murders, and creepy thoughts of a killer as well. I liked the ending of the book, it did leave me satisfied with the outcome.
So, to conclude, this book was not my cup of tea. I loved the killer, his strangeness and his thoughts, but other than that the characters and the plot felt bleak and boring.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Aquaslash (2019) in Movies
Dec 2, 2020
The premise of Aquaslash is painfully simple, but immediately appeals to anyone that has even a passing interest in slasher flicks - A mystery assailant inserts giant blades into a water slide tunnel, at a busy water park. That's it. That's the film.
Well, unfortunately that's not all of it...
The film opens with a standard but interest-peaking POV scene from the killer, chopping up a couple of horny teenagers at the aformentioned water park, before we get a title card. And then (the unfortunate part) we get a whole hour of goofy teen drama - remember the tsunami of sex comedies that released in the wake of American Pie? Imagine one of the shittier ones, but with no funny bits, and that's the kind of stuff we're getting here.
The script is occasionally humourous, but mostly flat and the acting from everyone involved is a little wonky (except the token jaded old dude, that guy is great)
It's not the most boring thing I've ever sat through, but it's damn close, as countless red herrings are thrown at the audience. The eventual killer reveal by the way, manages to be predictable, and somehow make no sense whatsoever. It's weird.
Thank the lord then for the last 15 minutes, that is just ridiculous and gory enough to make it all worth the slog. When everything eventually kicks off, it's actually pretty entertaining. The gore is all practically done, looks half decent, and the execution is pretty fresh. It's just a shame that the set up is such a drag - If there was more of this then Aquaslash would be miles better.
Honestly, it might be worth just fast forwarding to the good bit with this one, but if you do insist on watching the whole thing, it's not the absolute worst thing ever, and it mercifully clocks in at 75 minutes, which makes the whole ordeal that little more bearable.
Well, unfortunately that's not all of it...
The film opens with a standard but interest-peaking POV scene from the killer, chopping up a couple of horny teenagers at the aformentioned water park, before we get a title card. And then (the unfortunate part) we get a whole hour of goofy teen drama - remember the tsunami of sex comedies that released in the wake of American Pie? Imagine one of the shittier ones, but with no funny bits, and that's the kind of stuff we're getting here.
The script is occasionally humourous, but mostly flat and the acting from everyone involved is a little wonky (except the token jaded old dude, that guy is great)
It's not the most boring thing I've ever sat through, but it's damn close, as countless red herrings are thrown at the audience. The eventual killer reveal by the way, manages to be predictable, and somehow make no sense whatsoever. It's weird.
Thank the lord then for the last 15 minutes, that is just ridiculous and gory enough to make it all worth the slog. When everything eventually kicks off, it's actually pretty entertaining. The gore is all practically done, looks half decent, and the execution is pretty fresh. It's just a shame that the set up is such a drag - If there was more of this then Aquaslash would be miles better.
Honestly, it might be worth just fast forwarding to the good bit with this one, but if you do insist on watching the whole thing, it's not the absolute worst thing ever, and it mercifully clocks in at 75 minutes, which makes the whole ordeal that little more bearable.
Slayaway Camp
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“A killer puzzle! 5/5 stars” - Touch Arcade Become Skullface, a psycho slasher bent on...