Search
Search results
Darren (1599 KP) rated Freaks Of Nature (2015) in Movies
Nov 29, 2019
Verdict: Silly Sci-Fi Horror Comedy
Story: Freaks of Nature starts as we head to Dillford, where humans, vampires and zombies leave side by side, we follow three high school students, Dag (Braun) who doesn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps, Petra (Davis) that has been crushing a vampire, hoping to get turned into one herself and Ned (Fadem) a school geek that is destiny for better things, but is tired of his parents dreams in his brother, deciding he wants to become a vampire.
When aliens arrive in the town, the vampires and zombies go on a feeding craze, where Dag, Petra and Ned, must stand together in an attempt to survive the alien invasion even if they are different species now, they must put these difference behind them to survive.
Thoughts on Freaks of Nature
Characters – Dag comes from a normal family that sees him being in the middle of the high school hierarchy, he gets picked on by the jocks and just wants to be something more, waiting for the day he can be with his dream girl. Petra is dreaming of a vampire party, which sees her getting turned into one, looking for a chance to learn about her new blood lust. She hasn’t always fitted in, which has never bothered her. Ned is the smartest kid in school, his parents are more interested in their jock son, which sees them ignoring him more often than not, making him want to become dumber like the zombies. We do meet a host of other characters that are different a mix of humans, vampires and zombies each with their own stigma.
Performances – Nicholas Braun, Mackenzie Davis and Josh Fadem in the leading roles do bring out the colourful side of their characters even if they fit the generic types for a high school movie. We do have some big name comic actors that get their moments to shine too.
Story – The story here follows three high school kids growing up in a world of humans, vampires and zombies when aliens visit causing chaos as the three unlikely friends must come together to save themselves and the town. This is meant to be more of a parody, more than a serious story, which for the most part is fine, it plays out like a zombie survival story when the outbreak just starts, finding a hiding place before figuring out what to do, while trying to deal with high school problems the three are facing. It isn’t as clever of a story as it thinks, which does leave parts of it feeling flat by the end.
Comedy/Horror/Sci-Fi – The comedy is meant to be more parody, which tries to poke fun at the invasion genre, while the horror is meant to be about the creatures in horror, rather than being scary in anyway, with the aliens being the sci-fi side of the film, which is the biggest threat, but not focused on enough.
Settings – The film is set in a small town which does bring the characters together through the problems they will be facing, how certain stories around town bring them together.
Scene of the Movie – Opening attack.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Doesn’t get enough laughs for a comedy.
Final Thoughts – This is a comedy that just doesn’t get enough laughs and ends up feeling flat by the end of the film.
Overall: Flat Comedy.
Story: Freaks of Nature starts as we head to Dillford, where humans, vampires and zombies leave side by side, we follow three high school students, Dag (Braun) who doesn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps, Petra (Davis) that has been crushing a vampire, hoping to get turned into one herself and Ned (Fadem) a school geek that is destiny for better things, but is tired of his parents dreams in his brother, deciding he wants to become a vampire.
When aliens arrive in the town, the vampires and zombies go on a feeding craze, where Dag, Petra and Ned, must stand together in an attempt to survive the alien invasion even if they are different species now, they must put these difference behind them to survive.
Thoughts on Freaks of Nature
Characters – Dag comes from a normal family that sees him being in the middle of the high school hierarchy, he gets picked on by the jocks and just wants to be something more, waiting for the day he can be with his dream girl. Petra is dreaming of a vampire party, which sees her getting turned into one, looking for a chance to learn about her new blood lust. She hasn’t always fitted in, which has never bothered her. Ned is the smartest kid in school, his parents are more interested in their jock son, which sees them ignoring him more often than not, making him want to become dumber like the zombies. We do meet a host of other characters that are different a mix of humans, vampires and zombies each with their own stigma.
Performances – Nicholas Braun, Mackenzie Davis and Josh Fadem in the leading roles do bring out the colourful side of their characters even if they fit the generic types for a high school movie. We do have some big name comic actors that get their moments to shine too.
Story – The story here follows three high school kids growing up in a world of humans, vampires and zombies when aliens visit causing chaos as the three unlikely friends must come together to save themselves and the town. This is meant to be more of a parody, more than a serious story, which for the most part is fine, it plays out like a zombie survival story when the outbreak just starts, finding a hiding place before figuring out what to do, while trying to deal with high school problems the three are facing. It isn’t as clever of a story as it thinks, which does leave parts of it feeling flat by the end.
Comedy/Horror/Sci-Fi – The comedy is meant to be more parody, which tries to poke fun at the invasion genre, while the horror is meant to be about the creatures in horror, rather than being scary in anyway, with the aliens being the sci-fi side of the film, which is the biggest threat, but not focused on enough.
Settings – The film is set in a small town which does bring the characters together through the problems they will be facing, how certain stories around town bring them together.
Scene of the Movie – Opening attack.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Doesn’t get enough laughs for a comedy.
Final Thoughts – This is a comedy that just doesn’t get enough laughs and ends up feeling flat by the end of the film.
Overall: Flat Comedy.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated The Banana Splits Movie (2019) in Movies
Jan 4, 2021
The Banana Splits Movie, a horror-fied reimagining of the late 60s/early 70s Hanna-Barbera tv show, knows exactly what it's trying to be. It's silly and tongue in cheek, but toes the line pretty well in pretty much every aspect, not going overboard in either direction, and ultimately delivers a good time for anyone who enjoys a cheesy slasher.
The premise is deliciously simple - a family attend a taping of the titular Banana Splits show, their youngest sons favourite, and end up fighting for survival alongside fellow audience members and backstage crew, when the famous child friendly animatronic stars of the show go haywire and embark on a killing spree. I'm certain it's been said before, but imagine Five Nights at Freddy's crossed over with Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and you're pretty much there.
It's got a decent amount of gore (mostly done practically which is always a thumbs up), some imaginative kills and set pieces, and a good cast - the nice characters are likeable, the assholes are suitably unlikable (and die horribly of course) - it plays it's safe in that regard, but there's also some half decent character development in place, so I can't grumble too much.
The writing isn't great, and the pacing is a little iffy, could have done with maybe being a little shorter, but honestly, if you go into this fully on board with the premise, then you're almost guaranteed to have a fun and bloody time. Good luck getting that theme song out of your head...
The premise is deliciously simple - a family attend a taping of the titular Banana Splits show, their youngest sons favourite, and end up fighting for survival alongside fellow audience members and backstage crew, when the famous child friendly animatronic stars of the show go haywire and embark on a killing spree. I'm certain it's been said before, but imagine Five Nights at Freddy's crossed over with Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and you're pretty much there.
It's got a decent amount of gore (mostly done practically which is always a thumbs up), some imaginative kills and set pieces, and a good cast - the nice characters are likeable, the assholes are suitably unlikable (and die horribly of course) - it plays it's safe in that regard, but there's also some half decent character development in place, so I can't grumble too much.
The writing isn't great, and the pacing is a little iffy, could have done with maybe being a little shorter, but honestly, if you go into this fully on board with the premise, then you're almost guaranteed to have a fun and bloody time. Good luck getting that theme song out of your head...
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Saw (2004) in Movies
Jul 4, 2021
Now *this* is more like it. Cruel, grimy, and goofy in just about equal measure - I sorely underrated this deservedly revolutionary gem the first time I saw it. Uses aspects which are unfairly maligned by other horror/thriller filmmakers who claim to be 'above' them much to its advantage; you're going to sit there and tell me that sped-up series of 360 shots around the reverse bear trap wasn't totally fucking awesome? Elements like that tap so deeply into that primal survival instinct which few other films of the genre even dare to explore, let alone as well as this does. The acting gets a lot of shit but tbh Cary Elwes and - in particular - Leigh Whannell are stellar as these two clashing personalities that effortlessly carry the entire movie on their backs. The decision to play up these performances akin to a WWE episode (even confining them to a stage-like arena for weaponized melodrama) adds even further to its untouched singularity. Could you imagine the direction of Wan with the gore of the sequels? Goddamn what an A1 product that would be. Just a concoction of ideas that work beautifully together: from the memorable aesthetic to its dastardly smart premise it's about as engrossing as can be. The twist is still just as riveting as it was back then if only because of the sheer commitment to delve into such gonzo levels of outlandishness. The fact that 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘭 turned this one's iconically atmospheric music into a cringe 21 Savage song tells you all you need to know about it.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Aftershock (2013) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Aftershock starts as Gringo (Roth), Ariel (Levy) and Pollo (Martinez) travelling around Chile, they party over all night where they meet three girls Monica (Osvart), Irina (Yarovenko) and Kylie (Izzo). Going for one last party the six new friends find themselves in the middle of an earthquake, one seriously injured and an impending tsunami heading towards them.
The friends must race against time in a country none of them call home to make it out alive but the natural disaster isn’t the only threat when the prison is damaged leading to the prisoners being released upon the streets.
Aftershock gives us something very different because we get a disaster movie which comes off realistic and sudden which is a big plus but it doesn’t stop there by giving us a survival horror when the group have to survive from prisoners. It would be fair to say there is a negative with the building up to the disaster but this does help give us small character development. When we deal with the aftershock of the earthquake we have to deal with non-stop action throughout. This was a real surprise because I thought there would have been more hype about the film.
Actor Review
Eli Roth: Gringo is the single father on the trip, he is friends with Ariel which shows that he isn’t the closet with Pollo. He is using this holiday as a chance to get over the recently divorce but when the quake hits he finds himself having to pull Pollo out of his daze. Eli does well but it becomes clear he really should be behind the camera.
Andrea Osvart: Monica is the stricter older sister to Kylie who tries her best to keep her sister safe on their adventure but she has a secret from the rest which is very important for the aftershock side of the story. Andrea is good in this leading role being the sensible one during the situation.monica
Nicolas Martinez: Pollo is the Spanish talking member of the group, he has gotten by because the money his family has. He finds himself having to step up after the quake to do the things normal men wouldn’t. his final moments are slightly stupid but otherwise a good character. Nicolas is good in this role as the man who needs to step up.
Natasha Yarovenko: Irina is one of the girls who is very similar to Gringo being a single parent and also a success. She starts off thinking she is more but soon becomes the strongest one during the situation. Natasha is good in this role and the sympathy between her and Gringo’s character comes through strong.
Lorenza Izzo: Kylie is the younger party animal of the two sisters, she just wants to have fun on her trip but with her old sister trying to protect her she finds herself being held back until the quake hits and she wants her sister to help her. Lorenza is good in this bratty like character which put her on the map for a future horror scream queen.
Support Cast: Aftershock has the basic supporting cast that all help with the survival side of the story.
Director Review: Nicolas Lopez – Nicolas gives us a film that keeps pulling us in once the earthquake hits.
Action: Aftershock use the action for the destruction side of the story which helps us with mother nature side of the story.
Horror: Aftershock comes from the human side of the story as we see just how twisted they can become in a situation our characters find themselves in.
Thriller: Aftershock keeps us on edge from start to finish.
Settings: Aftershock uses Chile for the settings which works for a different location and shows our characters lost during a disaster.
Special Effects: Aftershock has good effects to create what happens to the characters in the disaster.
Suggestion: Aftershock is one to watch especially is you like disaster movies. (Watch)
Best Part: Earthquake.
Worst Part: Slightly too much before the quake.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Budget: $2 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 29 Minutes
Tagline: The only thing more terrifying than Mother Nature is human nature.
Overall: Surprisingly intense film that blends two great genres.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/08/19/movie-reviews-101-midnight-horror-aftershock-2012/
The friends must race against time in a country none of them call home to make it out alive but the natural disaster isn’t the only threat when the prison is damaged leading to the prisoners being released upon the streets.
Aftershock gives us something very different because we get a disaster movie which comes off realistic and sudden which is a big plus but it doesn’t stop there by giving us a survival horror when the group have to survive from prisoners. It would be fair to say there is a negative with the building up to the disaster but this does help give us small character development. When we deal with the aftershock of the earthquake we have to deal with non-stop action throughout. This was a real surprise because I thought there would have been more hype about the film.
Actor Review
Eli Roth: Gringo is the single father on the trip, he is friends with Ariel which shows that he isn’t the closet with Pollo. He is using this holiday as a chance to get over the recently divorce but when the quake hits he finds himself having to pull Pollo out of his daze. Eli does well but it becomes clear he really should be behind the camera.
Andrea Osvart: Monica is the stricter older sister to Kylie who tries her best to keep her sister safe on their adventure but she has a secret from the rest which is very important for the aftershock side of the story. Andrea is good in this leading role being the sensible one during the situation.monica
Nicolas Martinez: Pollo is the Spanish talking member of the group, he has gotten by because the money his family has. He finds himself having to step up after the quake to do the things normal men wouldn’t. his final moments are slightly stupid but otherwise a good character. Nicolas is good in this role as the man who needs to step up.
Natasha Yarovenko: Irina is one of the girls who is very similar to Gringo being a single parent and also a success. She starts off thinking she is more but soon becomes the strongest one during the situation. Natasha is good in this role and the sympathy between her and Gringo’s character comes through strong.
Lorenza Izzo: Kylie is the younger party animal of the two sisters, she just wants to have fun on her trip but with her old sister trying to protect her she finds herself being held back until the quake hits and she wants her sister to help her. Lorenza is good in this bratty like character which put her on the map for a future horror scream queen.
Support Cast: Aftershock has the basic supporting cast that all help with the survival side of the story.
Director Review: Nicolas Lopez – Nicolas gives us a film that keeps pulling us in once the earthquake hits.
Action: Aftershock use the action for the destruction side of the story which helps us with mother nature side of the story.
Horror: Aftershock comes from the human side of the story as we see just how twisted they can become in a situation our characters find themselves in.
Thriller: Aftershock keeps us on edge from start to finish.
Settings: Aftershock uses Chile for the settings which works for a different location and shows our characters lost during a disaster.
Special Effects: Aftershock has good effects to create what happens to the characters in the disaster.
Suggestion: Aftershock is one to watch especially is you like disaster movies. (Watch)
Best Part: Earthquake.
Worst Part: Slightly too much before the quake.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Budget: $2 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 29 Minutes
Tagline: The only thing more terrifying than Mother Nature is human nature.
Overall: Surprisingly intense film that blends two great genres.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/08/19/movie-reviews-101-midnight-horror-aftershock-2012/
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Two Rings: A Story of Love and War in Books
Jan 15, 2018
I have been interested in the history of WWII for some time, particularly by the Holocaust. I don't know where the interest began. It has nothing to do with my family. My dad was an infant & my mother not even born. As far as I know no one in my family fought it the war. I think more than anything it is the horror of the situation & that people were able to survive despite the atrocities they faced. Ones I can not even begin to imagine.
This memoir tells the story of Millie Werber & her experiences as a Jew in Poland during the war. I found myself amazed that a young woman could go through what she went through & live to tell the tale. I felt like I was holding my breath as I read. It sounds silly being as it is a memoir & I knew she had written it, but I found myself begging for her to be okay, wanting to know what happened next.
It was a surreal read. This book is incredibly well written. It reads like a top notch thriller, one you long to see made into a box office smash. Yet at the same time you know that it is all real...that the person recounting these "stories" actually lived through them. That in itself makes the ending unbelieveable.
I would reccommend this book to anyone interested in that particular time in history. But also to anyone who enjoys an amazing story of survival where one is least expected to occur. This is one of my favorite books ever. READ IT!!!!!!
This memoir tells the story of Millie Werber & her experiences as a Jew in Poland during the war. I found myself amazed that a young woman could go through what she went through & live to tell the tale. I felt like I was holding my breath as I read. It sounds silly being as it is a memoir & I knew she had written it, but I found myself begging for her to be okay, wanting to know what happened next.
It was a surreal read. This book is incredibly well written. It reads like a top notch thriller, one you long to see made into a box office smash. Yet at the same time you know that it is all real...that the person recounting these "stories" actually lived through them. That in itself makes the ending unbelieveable.
I would reccommend this book to anyone interested in that particular time in history. But also to anyone who enjoys an amazing story of survival where one is least expected to occur. This is one of my favorite books ever. READ IT!!!!!!
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated the PlayStation version of Resident Evil in Video Games
Jun 27, 2020 (Updated Jun 27, 2020)
The Atmosphere (2 more)
The Horror
The depending on what you need or think that's important.
The Infested Mansion
Resident Evil- like Silent Hill, the atmosphere of a the horror genre is excellent. Resident Evil ask you the question, if you and your team got stranded and the only place to go is a old creepy manison and survive it, can you do it?. The answer for me, no! But for Chris and Jill their have to, no other choice. Thats what i love about Resident Evil, is the atmosphere of the manison, the creepest, the mystery, the suspense, the thrills and the creatures that live inside of it.
The plot: Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, are members of an elite task force known as S.T.A.R.S., as they investigate the outskirts of Raccoon City following the disappearance of their team members. They soon become trapped in a mansion infested with zombies and other monsters. The player, having selected to play as Chris or Jill at the start of the game, must explore the mansion to uncover its secrets.
Gameplay: The player's character is a member of a special law enforcement task force who is trapped in a mansion populated by dangerous mutated creatures. The objective of the game is to uncover the mystery of the mansion and ultimately escape alive.
To fulfill the game's objective, the player uncovers various documents that provide exposition about the game's narrative, as well as clues that help them solve various puzzles within the mansion. Key items are also available that give the player access to other items or new areas. The player can arm their character with weapons to defend themselves from enemies, although the ammunition available for each firearm is limited and the player must learn to conserve the ammunition they have for situations where they will really need it
The carrying capacity of the player is limited depending on the character and items that the player does not wish to carry at the moment can be stored into an item box to be retrieved for later use. To save their progress, the player must pick up an ink ribbon and use it on any of the typewriters scattered through key locations in the game. However, the supply of ink ribbons the player can acquire is limited much like the player's ammo and healing supplies. Players will encounter and fight various infected creatures as flesh-eating zombies, undead dogs, giant spiders, and other monsters.
Resident Evil was very well received critically and commercially, and is often credited for defining the survival horror genre. Beyond video games, Resident Evil has been credited with re-popularising zombies in mainstream popular culture from the late 1990s onwards (along with The House of the Dead), leading to a renewed interest in zombie films during the 2000s. Resident Evil has since been hailed as one of the most influential and greatest video games of all time. Its success has spawned a multimedia franchise including video games, films, comics, novels, and other merchandise. The game has received dedicated ports to the Sega Saturn, Windows, and Nintendo DS. In 2002, a remake of the same name was released for the GameCube featuring updated graphics, sound, and changes to the gameplay and story. A high-definition remaster of the GameCube game was released in 2015 for modern platforms.
Resident Evil- is one of my favorite survivor horror games of all time and one of my favorite games of all times. Its intense, thrilling, suspenseful and overall scary. Resident Evil is a must to play, if you haven't already. Will you survivie the manison or not!
The plot: Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, are members of an elite task force known as S.T.A.R.S., as they investigate the outskirts of Raccoon City following the disappearance of their team members. They soon become trapped in a mansion infested with zombies and other monsters. The player, having selected to play as Chris or Jill at the start of the game, must explore the mansion to uncover its secrets.
Gameplay: The player's character is a member of a special law enforcement task force who is trapped in a mansion populated by dangerous mutated creatures. The objective of the game is to uncover the mystery of the mansion and ultimately escape alive.
To fulfill the game's objective, the player uncovers various documents that provide exposition about the game's narrative, as well as clues that help them solve various puzzles within the mansion. Key items are also available that give the player access to other items or new areas. The player can arm their character with weapons to defend themselves from enemies, although the ammunition available for each firearm is limited and the player must learn to conserve the ammunition they have for situations where they will really need it
The carrying capacity of the player is limited depending on the character and items that the player does not wish to carry at the moment can be stored into an item box to be retrieved for later use. To save their progress, the player must pick up an ink ribbon and use it on any of the typewriters scattered through key locations in the game. However, the supply of ink ribbons the player can acquire is limited much like the player's ammo and healing supplies. Players will encounter and fight various infected creatures as flesh-eating zombies, undead dogs, giant spiders, and other monsters.
Resident Evil was very well received critically and commercially, and is often credited for defining the survival horror genre. Beyond video games, Resident Evil has been credited with re-popularising zombies in mainstream popular culture from the late 1990s onwards (along with The House of the Dead), leading to a renewed interest in zombie films during the 2000s. Resident Evil has since been hailed as one of the most influential and greatest video games of all time. Its success has spawned a multimedia franchise including video games, films, comics, novels, and other merchandise. The game has received dedicated ports to the Sega Saturn, Windows, and Nintendo DS. In 2002, a remake of the same name was released for the GameCube featuring updated graphics, sound, and changes to the gameplay and story. A high-definition remaster of the GameCube game was released in 2015 for modern platforms.
Resident Evil- is one of my favorite survivor horror games of all time and one of my favorite games of all times. Its intense, thrilling, suspenseful and overall scary. Resident Evil is a must to play, if you haven't already. Will you survivie the manison or not!
Darren (1599 KP) rated AVP - Alien Vs. Predator (2004) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: AVP: Alien vs. Predator starts by taking us around the world fron Antarctica to space to Nebraska to Nepal where we meet the mountain climbing expert Alexa Woods (Lathan) onto Mexico where we meet the archaeologist Sebastian (Bova) who both get a visit from Maxwell Stafford (Salmon) who represents Charles Bishop Weyland (Henriksen).
Weyland has discovered an ancient pyramid buried under the ice of Bouvetoya Island in Antarctica and has built a team including Alexa, Sebastian, Miller (Bremner), Mark (Flanagan), Joe (Rye) and Adele (Boulaye) to mention a few. To travel to the island to enter into the pyramid for what could well be a massive discovery for whoever finds it.
What starts out as a simple exhibition turns into a nightmare when above ground the men get attacked by Predators but inside the pyramid they must battle aliens in a battle for survival stuck in the middle of these iconic villains.
Thoughts on AVP: Alien vs. Predator
Characters/Performance – Alexa Woods is the expert climber hired to lead the team into the pyramid using her experience on climb ice surfaces, she reluctantly agrees knowing she is the only available person to do the job safely. Sebastian is the archaeologist that is an expert on many ancient cultures. Weyland is the man funding and seeking technology inside the pyramid. The rest of the characters get a proper introduction only to be killed off in about a ten-minute sequence.
Performance was Lathan is good and the highlight of the human characters with everyone else just coming off fine not getting the time to make an impact.
Story – When you look at this story you are left thinking this is Alien on Earth, just without any suspense, horror or interesting stuff going on. This sounds harsh because this is an easy watch and people are going to be happy to watch aliens and predators fight, the problem I have was the introducing us to countless humans only to be disposable for these villains. Certain elements of the story telling do work though, looking at the idea of ancient civilizations worshiping the predators in exchange for the pyramids I did like.
Action/Horror/Sci-Fi – The action is all what you would come to expect, large body counts and alien or predator kills we have seen before. The horror is almost gone which disappoints with the sci-fi edge working on the level it needs to only.
Settings – After taking us around the world in the opening sequences we do settle down nicely for the setting inside the pyramid under the ice with little escape.
Special Effects – We have good effects when we keep things small scale but bad effects when things get to the large scale.
Final Thoughts – This is just fine nothing more, it is an easy watch and brings together icons of film, but this just isn’t as fun as Freddy v Jason.
Overall: Easy to watch all actioner horrorless movie.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/11/18/franchise-weekend-avp-alien-vs-predator-2004/
Weyland has discovered an ancient pyramid buried under the ice of Bouvetoya Island in Antarctica and has built a team including Alexa, Sebastian, Miller (Bremner), Mark (Flanagan), Joe (Rye) and Adele (Boulaye) to mention a few. To travel to the island to enter into the pyramid for what could well be a massive discovery for whoever finds it.
What starts out as a simple exhibition turns into a nightmare when above ground the men get attacked by Predators but inside the pyramid they must battle aliens in a battle for survival stuck in the middle of these iconic villains.
Thoughts on AVP: Alien vs. Predator
Characters/Performance – Alexa Woods is the expert climber hired to lead the team into the pyramid using her experience on climb ice surfaces, she reluctantly agrees knowing she is the only available person to do the job safely. Sebastian is the archaeologist that is an expert on many ancient cultures. Weyland is the man funding and seeking technology inside the pyramid. The rest of the characters get a proper introduction only to be killed off in about a ten-minute sequence.
Performance was Lathan is good and the highlight of the human characters with everyone else just coming off fine not getting the time to make an impact.
Story – When you look at this story you are left thinking this is Alien on Earth, just without any suspense, horror or interesting stuff going on. This sounds harsh because this is an easy watch and people are going to be happy to watch aliens and predators fight, the problem I have was the introducing us to countless humans only to be disposable for these villains. Certain elements of the story telling do work though, looking at the idea of ancient civilizations worshiping the predators in exchange for the pyramids I did like.
Action/Horror/Sci-Fi – The action is all what you would come to expect, large body counts and alien or predator kills we have seen before. The horror is almost gone which disappoints with the sci-fi edge working on the level it needs to only.
Settings – After taking us around the world in the opening sequences we do settle down nicely for the setting inside the pyramid under the ice with little escape.
Special Effects – We have good effects when we keep things small scale but bad effects when things get to the large scale.
Final Thoughts – This is just fine nothing more, it is an easy watch and brings together icons of film, but this just isn’t as fun as Freddy v Jason.
Overall: Easy to watch all actioner horrorless movie.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/11/18/franchise-weekend-avp-alien-vs-predator-2004/
Darren (1599 KP) rated 28 Days Later (2002) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Verdict: Modern Zombie Gem
Story: 28 Days Later starts by showing a group of activists breaking into a laboratory where chimps are forced to watch some of the most gruesome sites in human history. This was designed to create pure rage and when the chimps are released an epidemic starts. 28 Days Later (title drop) we meet Jim (Murphy) who wakes up in a hospital, alone he searches looking for help but the hospital, streets and everywhere is empty. Wonder around the empty London Jim finds a church filled with infected that chase him before getting save by Mark (Huntley) and Selena (Harris) who also fill in the blanks of what happened.
Jim finds out the harsh reality of the world now but meeting Frank (Gleeson) and his daughter Hannah (Burns) gives them a chance to go to a radio signal left by the military. The group soon find the military holding up in a mansion lead by Major Henry West (Eccleston) but not everything is as it seems.
28 Days Later brings the modern infected zombie film to life in one of the best story ideas we have seen. It is good to see a story that the infection can only be spread rather than you turn when you die which is big change to all we have seen. The journey itself is been there seen that but what we get is a revenge film with infected around once we meet the military. This shows us that the enemy could come from all direction and our characters are never going to be safe in the world now. This is easily one of the best zombie based films in recent years. (9/10)
REPORT THIS AD
Actor Review
Cillian Murphy: Jim waking up alone in a hospital he wonders the empty city before being found by other survivors, with a group he heads to the military safe zone where he ends up having to fight to save the rest of his group from not only infected but the soldiers. Cillian gives a great performance and this put him on the map for bigger roles. (9/10)
jim
Naomie Harris: Selena the nonsense survivor who takes no prisoners which we see from the moment her fellow survivor gets infected. Naomie gives a good performance showing that she was always going to be in bigger films. (8/10)
Brendan Gleeson: Frank caring father who has waited for support before taking his daughter to a radio signal he has been hearing. This character may only be a supporting character but his final moments are one of the most memorable turns in this genre history. Brendan does a good job in what is just a supporting performance. (8/10)
Christopher Eccleston: Major Henry West who is running the military unit that has been calling for the survivors but his motives are not what they seem. Christopher gives a good performance in the role. (7/10)
Support Cast: 28 Days Later doesn’t have the biggest supporting cast we have a couple of other survivors as well as the soldiers in the military unit. They all help as they show us what the characters are capable off.
Director Review: Danny Boyle – Danny does a great job directing this zombie classic that is easily one of the best in the genre. (9/10)
Horror: 28 Days Later uses plenty of horror elements with survival horror shinning through. (10/10)
Music: 28 Days Later uses brilliant scores to build the tension up through the scenes. (9/10)
Settings: 28 Days Later uses the settings really well to show how empty busy places could be when the world comes to an end. (9/10)
Special Effects: 28 Days Later uses great special effects with the infected creation. (9/10)
Suggestion: 28 Days Later is one to watch for every horror fan out there. (Horror Fans Watch)
Best Part: Suspense building.
Worst Part: Nothing
Action Scene Of The Film: Jim breaks into the mansion
REPORT THIS AD
Kill Of The Film: Frank
Scariest Scene: Jim’s returns home
Believability: No (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: Has one sequel with talks of another always around.
Post Credits Scene: There is the alternative ending
Oscar Chances: No
Box Office: $82 Million
Budget: $8 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 53 Minutes
Tagline: His fear began when he woke up alone. His terror began when he realised he wasn’t.
Trivia: The scene where Jim and Selena celebrate with Frank and Hannah was shot on September 11, 2001. Danny Boyle said it felt extremely strange to shoot a celebratory scene on that particular day.
Overall: Brilliant Infected Film
https://moviesreview101.com/2015/03/14/28-days-later-2002/
Story: 28 Days Later starts by showing a group of activists breaking into a laboratory where chimps are forced to watch some of the most gruesome sites in human history. This was designed to create pure rage and when the chimps are released an epidemic starts. 28 Days Later (title drop) we meet Jim (Murphy) who wakes up in a hospital, alone he searches looking for help but the hospital, streets and everywhere is empty. Wonder around the empty London Jim finds a church filled with infected that chase him before getting save by Mark (Huntley) and Selena (Harris) who also fill in the blanks of what happened.
Jim finds out the harsh reality of the world now but meeting Frank (Gleeson) and his daughter Hannah (Burns) gives them a chance to go to a radio signal left by the military. The group soon find the military holding up in a mansion lead by Major Henry West (Eccleston) but not everything is as it seems.
28 Days Later brings the modern infected zombie film to life in one of the best story ideas we have seen. It is good to see a story that the infection can only be spread rather than you turn when you die which is big change to all we have seen. The journey itself is been there seen that but what we get is a revenge film with infected around once we meet the military. This shows us that the enemy could come from all direction and our characters are never going to be safe in the world now. This is easily one of the best zombie based films in recent years. (9/10)
REPORT THIS AD
Actor Review
Cillian Murphy: Jim waking up alone in a hospital he wonders the empty city before being found by other survivors, with a group he heads to the military safe zone where he ends up having to fight to save the rest of his group from not only infected but the soldiers. Cillian gives a great performance and this put him on the map for bigger roles. (9/10)
jim
Naomie Harris: Selena the nonsense survivor who takes no prisoners which we see from the moment her fellow survivor gets infected. Naomie gives a good performance showing that she was always going to be in bigger films. (8/10)
Brendan Gleeson: Frank caring father who has waited for support before taking his daughter to a radio signal he has been hearing. This character may only be a supporting character but his final moments are one of the most memorable turns in this genre history. Brendan does a good job in what is just a supporting performance. (8/10)
Christopher Eccleston: Major Henry West who is running the military unit that has been calling for the survivors but his motives are not what they seem. Christopher gives a good performance in the role. (7/10)
Support Cast: 28 Days Later doesn’t have the biggest supporting cast we have a couple of other survivors as well as the soldiers in the military unit. They all help as they show us what the characters are capable off.
Director Review: Danny Boyle – Danny does a great job directing this zombie classic that is easily one of the best in the genre. (9/10)
Horror: 28 Days Later uses plenty of horror elements with survival horror shinning through. (10/10)
Music: 28 Days Later uses brilliant scores to build the tension up through the scenes. (9/10)
Settings: 28 Days Later uses the settings really well to show how empty busy places could be when the world comes to an end. (9/10)
Special Effects: 28 Days Later uses great special effects with the infected creation. (9/10)
Suggestion: 28 Days Later is one to watch for every horror fan out there. (Horror Fans Watch)
Best Part: Suspense building.
Worst Part: Nothing
Action Scene Of The Film: Jim breaks into the mansion
REPORT THIS AD
Kill Of The Film: Frank
Scariest Scene: Jim’s returns home
Believability: No (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: Has one sequel with talks of another always around.
Post Credits Scene: There is the alternative ending
Oscar Chances: No
Box Office: $82 Million
Budget: $8 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 53 Minutes
Tagline: His fear began when he woke up alone. His terror began when he realised he wasn’t.
Trivia: The scene where Jim and Selena celebrate with Frank and Hannah was shot on September 11, 2001. Danny Boyle said it felt extremely strange to shoot a celebratory scene on that particular day.
Overall: Brilliant Infected Film
https://moviesreview101.com/2015/03/14/28-days-later-2002/
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Fungoid in Books
May 16, 2018
Actual rating: 4.5 Stars
Post-apocalyptic stories are, by far, among my favorites to read, perhaps because it's a hypothetical possibility that could still occur in our future. From zombies to biological warfare, many stories offer a new perspective on the end of the world and William Meikle's Fungoid is no different.
Fungoid takes place in Canada and encompasses a wide range of characters and their interactions with one another and other individuals after the apocalypse falls upon the world in the form of a fungal outbreak, only in this case, the fungal epidemic appears to have a mind of its own as it voraciously consumes humanity. Those who manage to survive are left to fend for themselves as they search for a way to overcome their fates when all odds are against them.
Sometimes, a wide range of characters works. Other times, it doesn't. In this case, it does, when says a lot for Meikle's talent as a writer: his characters are well-developed and each possess their own distinct personalities. None of these characters are perfect: they have their own flaws and faults, and, in the true nature of horror, they aren't all good. The portrayal of a villainous character's decline from normality to the ultimate evil is often skipped over in favor of shining the spotlight on the heroes of a story. Meikle's unfortunate villain is spared no detail, and as a reader I was glad to find myself not only bewildered and frustrated by this character, but also found myself feeling sadness and sympathy for them.
The story is extremely fast paced, leaving little room for breathing as you flip through the pages. Given that the book is actually fairly short, it serves as a perfect read for a rainy afternoon inside. There's no shortage of action which is a necessity in a world where many people simply do not have the time to divulge to reading a thick, slower paced book. Meikle's writing is filled with twists and turns, where his characters are given a plausible route of escape or survival, only to find themselves forced to overcome obstacles that threaten to end their very lives.
Fungoid is a definite, must-read for fans of the horror genre, especially if you're looking for a new way of approaching the end of the world.
I would like to thank DarkFuse, William Meikle, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Post-apocalyptic stories are, by far, among my favorites to read, perhaps because it's a hypothetical possibility that could still occur in our future. From zombies to biological warfare, many stories offer a new perspective on the end of the world and William Meikle's Fungoid is no different.
Fungoid takes place in Canada and encompasses a wide range of characters and their interactions with one another and other individuals after the apocalypse falls upon the world in the form of a fungal outbreak, only in this case, the fungal epidemic appears to have a mind of its own as it voraciously consumes humanity. Those who manage to survive are left to fend for themselves as they search for a way to overcome their fates when all odds are against them.
Sometimes, a wide range of characters works. Other times, it doesn't. In this case, it does, when says a lot for Meikle's talent as a writer: his characters are well-developed and each possess their own distinct personalities. None of these characters are perfect: they have their own flaws and faults, and, in the true nature of horror, they aren't all good. The portrayal of a villainous character's decline from normality to the ultimate evil is often skipped over in favor of shining the spotlight on the heroes of a story. Meikle's unfortunate villain is spared no detail, and as a reader I was glad to find myself not only bewildered and frustrated by this character, but also found myself feeling sadness and sympathy for them.
The story is extremely fast paced, leaving little room for breathing as you flip through the pages. Given that the book is actually fairly short, it serves as a perfect read for a rainy afternoon inside. There's no shortage of action which is a necessity in a world where many people simply do not have the time to divulge to reading a thick, slower paced book. Meikle's writing is filled with twists and turns, where his characters are given a plausible route of escape or survival, only to find themselves forced to overcome obstacles that threaten to end their very lives.
Fungoid is a definite, must-read for fans of the horror genre, especially if you're looking for a new way of approaching the end of the world.
I would like to thank DarkFuse, William Meikle, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Last Year: The Nightmare in Video Games
Feb 8, 2019
Nostalgic Horror
The survival horror genre has been growing in recent years with more and more titles being released to a growing and receptive gaming audience. The goal for these games is usually simple; survive. The typical set up has four or more players working with one another to accomplish various tasks and elude a dangerous killer who is often randomly selected amongst the players at the start of each match.
The latest game in this genre is entitled Last Year: The Nightmare and it sets players as stereotypical high school students as they attempt to survive against a killer.
Players will be able to select not only their persona but also a class such as Assault or Medic which will help the group survive the challenges ahead. Players will have to accomplish various tasks such as finding fuel for a Stair Car and locating computer disks as they attempt to open an exit which will allow players a time window to escape to safety.
Players will also have to find raw material along the way which can be used to construct and upgrade items such as a football helmet, weapons, and other tools needed for survival.
This is not a run and shoot scenario as weapons can involve a camera flash to temporarily blind your enemy, a mine to give them an explosive welcome, a shotgun, and a pipe with barbed wire and nails.
Playing in locales such as a gym, Bell tower, and a Library, there is plenty of area in which to cover which allows the killer plenty of places to strike. Players can quick travel through vents but may also take advantage of being able to barricade various locales which will slow down the killer but also restrict access for fellow players.
The killers come in three varieties, an axe murderer, a strangler, and a slow-moving but dangerous bulk that will smash, strangle, and throw, any players that get close enough to his range.
The game is available only via Discord currently and has had quite a few bugs to contend with during our numerous play tests most notably with launching and map loading. However when the game does load properly aside from some occasional lag; the gameplay has been solid and enjoyable and the in game chat has certainly led to some enjoyable conversations as we strategize.
The game’s graphics are solid but nothing spectacular and the same can be said for the audio and music. The maps are enjoyable but a little basic and I certainly hope that more of them will be released in the future. I also would like to see more options for the killers and might even be fun to allow more than one into a map to increase the challenge.
The killers are an intriguing mix as taking down players within ask is pretty much what you might expect but being able to last so a player with a chain and strangle them is an interesting new wrinkle. Once players are killed they can be revived after a certain amount of time as players will have to free them from a closet in which they are trapped. The same goes for the killers as once taken down; they will respond after a certain amount of time which also allows players to use a different killer.
Despite the issues; the game is enjoyable but depending on your tolerances some may find it becomes a little old and repetitious after a few games. I have not seen any major differences between playing any of the characters as the Jock seemed to perform exactly as the Nerd without any discernible advantage.
In the end the game is an enjoyable but fleeting diversion as after successfully completing a few rounds; it isn’t compelling enough to keep players engaged for long periods of time and to draw them back again and again.
3 stars out of 5
The latest game in this genre is entitled Last Year: The Nightmare and it sets players as stereotypical high school students as they attempt to survive against a killer.
Players will be able to select not only their persona but also a class such as Assault or Medic which will help the group survive the challenges ahead. Players will have to accomplish various tasks such as finding fuel for a Stair Car and locating computer disks as they attempt to open an exit which will allow players a time window to escape to safety.
Players will also have to find raw material along the way which can be used to construct and upgrade items such as a football helmet, weapons, and other tools needed for survival.
This is not a run and shoot scenario as weapons can involve a camera flash to temporarily blind your enemy, a mine to give them an explosive welcome, a shotgun, and a pipe with barbed wire and nails.
Playing in locales such as a gym, Bell tower, and a Library, there is plenty of area in which to cover which allows the killer plenty of places to strike. Players can quick travel through vents but may also take advantage of being able to barricade various locales which will slow down the killer but also restrict access for fellow players.
The killers come in three varieties, an axe murderer, a strangler, and a slow-moving but dangerous bulk that will smash, strangle, and throw, any players that get close enough to his range.
The game is available only via Discord currently and has had quite a few bugs to contend with during our numerous play tests most notably with launching and map loading. However when the game does load properly aside from some occasional lag; the gameplay has been solid and enjoyable and the in game chat has certainly led to some enjoyable conversations as we strategize.
The game’s graphics are solid but nothing spectacular and the same can be said for the audio and music. The maps are enjoyable but a little basic and I certainly hope that more of them will be released in the future. I also would like to see more options for the killers and might even be fun to allow more than one into a map to increase the challenge.
The killers are an intriguing mix as taking down players within ask is pretty much what you might expect but being able to last so a player with a chain and strangle them is an interesting new wrinkle. Once players are killed they can be revived after a certain amount of time as players will have to free them from a closet in which they are trapped. The same goes for the killers as once taken down; they will respond after a certain amount of time which also allows players to use a different killer.
Despite the issues; the game is enjoyable but depending on your tolerances some may find it becomes a little old and repetitious after a few games. I have not seen any major differences between playing any of the characters as the Jock seemed to perform exactly as the Nerd without any discernible advantage.
In the end the game is an enjoyable but fleeting diversion as after successfully completing a few rounds; it isn’t compelling enough to keep players engaged for long periods of time and to draw them back again and again.
3 stars out of 5