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Darren (1599 KP) rated 1920 London (2016) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: 1920 London starts as we meet the Prince Veer (Karwel) and Princess Shivangi (Chopra) living in London, they soon become the latest victim of an evil spirit which takes over Veer’s body, Shivangi must go into her past to find her former lover Jai Singh Gujjar (Joshi) a man that was left banished because of their affair, who has an ability to tackle unwanted spirits.
With the past being placed in the past, Jai comes to figure out how to save Veer and giving Shivangi a peaceful life, only the evil spirit isn’t going to let that happen.
Thoughts on 1920 London
Characters – Shivangi the princess who has just gotten married, she sees her husband become possessed, which forces her to return to her family for help, with her ex-lover being the only one that could save her husband. Jai Singh is the exorcist that was once the lover of Shivangi, but not being from the royal family means he was once banished for their love. Now he must help her fight an evil spirit, he speciality. Veer is the husband that gets stricken down by the evil spirit that has taken over his body.
Performances – We focus mostly on just the two stars of the movie, Meera Chopra and Sharman Joshi who are both great through the film dealing with the horror, the personal status they are facing and love they both feel.
Story – The story here follows a possession, this is a story I have seen many times, but the different is, I have only ever seen Christian or Jewish religions deal with the spirits, this time we get to see how Hindus treat unwanted spirits. The story does follow the traditional scares, but then here is a twist in the story which explains the possession, one about honour, love and revenge, which does make the story feel fresher, I learnt that this is part of a series of film, but I am confident there isn’t a connection between the previous ones. Most of this is by the books and that is al we want from a horror film.
Horror/Mystery – There are good scare moments in this film, nothing overly original, but they will give the jumps required, the mystery comes from just what the motivation of the evil spirit is to be doing the possessing.
Settings – The film takes the action to London, which I guess is new to the franchise, this is fine even though we spend most of the time in the mansions with no landmarks in the background, with the landmark scenes including the bridges only.
Special Effects – The effects are used well to create the horror moments, like most films the practical is good, but the CGI comes off weak.
Scene of the Movie – The final battle.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – While I understand this is a Bollywood film, the songs lose moments of tension in the film.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror that works for the exorcism genre well, it shows how a different religion reads evil spirits and does battle against them, which is interesting to see and does give us good moments of horror.
Overall: Good horror.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/07/27/abc-film-challenge-world-cinema-1920-london-2016/
With the past being placed in the past, Jai comes to figure out how to save Veer and giving Shivangi a peaceful life, only the evil spirit isn’t going to let that happen.
Thoughts on 1920 London
Characters – Shivangi the princess who has just gotten married, she sees her husband become possessed, which forces her to return to her family for help, with her ex-lover being the only one that could save her husband. Jai Singh is the exorcist that was once the lover of Shivangi, but not being from the royal family means he was once banished for their love. Now he must help her fight an evil spirit, he speciality. Veer is the husband that gets stricken down by the evil spirit that has taken over his body.
Performances – We focus mostly on just the two stars of the movie, Meera Chopra and Sharman Joshi who are both great through the film dealing with the horror, the personal status they are facing and love they both feel.
Story – The story here follows a possession, this is a story I have seen many times, but the different is, I have only ever seen Christian or Jewish religions deal with the spirits, this time we get to see how Hindus treat unwanted spirits. The story does follow the traditional scares, but then here is a twist in the story which explains the possession, one about honour, love and revenge, which does make the story feel fresher, I learnt that this is part of a series of film, but I am confident there isn’t a connection between the previous ones. Most of this is by the books and that is al we want from a horror film.
Horror/Mystery – There are good scare moments in this film, nothing overly original, but they will give the jumps required, the mystery comes from just what the motivation of the evil spirit is to be doing the possessing.
Settings – The film takes the action to London, which I guess is new to the franchise, this is fine even though we spend most of the time in the mansions with no landmarks in the background, with the landmark scenes including the bridges only.
Special Effects – The effects are used well to create the horror moments, like most films the practical is good, but the CGI comes off weak.
Scene of the Movie – The final battle.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – While I understand this is a Bollywood film, the songs lose moments of tension in the film.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror that works for the exorcism genre well, it shows how a different religion reads evil spirits and does battle against them, which is interesting to see and does give us good moments of horror.
Overall: Good horror.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/07/27/abc-film-challenge-world-cinema-1920-london-2016/
Darren (1599 KP) rated Aftermath 2017 (2017) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Aftermath starts as construction worker Roman (Schwarzenegger) is looking forward to the arrival of his wife and pregnant daughter from Kiev for Christmas. Making himself extra smart with flowers at hand he arrives at the airport to find the flight delayed but there is no good news, the plane was involved in a tragic accident killing both his wife and daughter.
On the other side of the story flight controller Jake Bonaos (McNairy) leaves his wife and son to arrive at work that very same day, on a night shift where he finds the himself distracted trying to fix a phoneline as two planes collided mid-air, the same flights that had Roman’s family on.
Both men’s lives are completely shattered, Roman broken, alone and spending days and nights at the cemetery. While Jake is branded a murderer by the public finding it impossible to function or being the husband and father he needs to be.
With the airline company waving money in Roman’s face to stop them being sued and Jake on the verge of suicide brings us to one year later where both are still living in the tragedy but both are attempting to move on.
Thoughts on Aftermath
Characters/Performance – Roman is a hard-working construction worker, he has work long hours to make sure his family can move to live with him in America, when he loses them his life is shattered but all he wants is an apologise not the airlines money. Jake is a flight controller who makes an honest mistake that cost the lives of everyone on the flights, his life is ruined, he loses his family, his job and must change his name and start again, living the rest of his life with regret.
Performance wise, Schwarzenegger is brilliant in this role where is he no action hero, he is an everyday man that loses everything, this is by far one of his best acting performances of his career. Scoot McNairy is also fantastic in this role showing just how capable of an actor he is.
Story – The story is based on a real incident that followed a mid-air collision but turned into an American story for it to unfold in. This story is very powerful because you are now left to wonder just what would happen if you were in either of these men’s shoes. The story also isn’t just a revenge film it follows these two men trying to rebuild their lives after what happened and mostly just wanting a human response from somebody involved.
Thriller – From the moment this film starts you are left to wonder from the edge of your seat to where this film will go.
Settings – The settings used through the film focus on making both our main characters feel like everyday people whose lives have been ruined by the events which is all you need from the film.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the best and most intense slow burning stories you will see this year. The performances are fantastic as well as being one of the most interesting stories out there.
Overall: One of the most powerful stories you will see this year.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/04/10/aftermath-2017/
On the other side of the story flight controller Jake Bonaos (McNairy) leaves his wife and son to arrive at work that very same day, on a night shift where he finds the himself distracted trying to fix a phoneline as two planes collided mid-air, the same flights that had Roman’s family on.
Both men’s lives are completely shattered, Roman broken, alone and spending days and nights at the cemetery. While Jake is branded a murderer by the public finding it impossible to function or being the husband and father he needs to be.
With the airline company waving money in Roman’s face to stop them being sued and Jake on the verge of suicide brings us to one year later where both are still living in the tragedy but both are attempting to move on.
Thoughts on Aftermath
Characters/Performance – Roman is a hard-working construction worker, he has work long hours to make sure his family can move to live with him in America, when he loses them his life is shattered but all he wants is an apologise not the airlines money. Jake is a flight controller who makes an honest mistake that cost the lives of everyone on the flights, his life is ruined, he loses his family, his job and must change his name and start again, living the rest of his life with regret.
Performance wise, Schwarzenegger is brilliant in this role where is he no action hero, he is an everyday man that loses everything, this is by far one of his best acting performances of his career. Scoot McNairy is also fantastic in this role showing just how capable of an actor he is.
Story – The story is based on a real incident that followed a mid-air collision but turned into an American story for it to unfold in. This story is very powerful because you are now left to wonder just what would happen if you were in either of these men’s shoes. The story also isn’t just a revenge film it follows these two men trying to rebuild their lives after what happened and mostly just wanting a human response from somebody involved.
Thriller – From the moment this film starts you are left to wonder from the edge of your seat to where this film will go.
Settings – The settings used through the film focus on making both our main characters feel like everyday people whose lives have been ruined by the events which is all you need from the film.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the best and most intense slow burning stories you will see this year. The performances are fantastic as well as being one of the most interesting stories out there.
Overall: One of the most powerful stories you will see this year.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/04/10/aftermath-2017/
Darren (1599 KP) rated Alex Cross (2012) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Alex Cross starts with homicide detective Alex Cross (Perry) and his team Thomas (Burns) and Monica (Nichols) needing to show their skills when a new hired killer nicknamed Picasso (Fox) uses his torture and pain techniques while eliminating people.
When the team learns of the targets they must work with who they think is the main target Giles Mercier (Reno), but this has made his team the newest targets for Picasso, who makes the killings personal.
Thoughts on Alex Cross
Characters – Dr Alex Cross is a homicide detective, we have seen this character before, but this time we meet a younger version of him, before he becomes the FBI agent we know. Alex has a family and is on the way to making his big career decision, when Picasso comes into his life, Alex will need to balance his skills and rage to stop him. Picasso is a hired gun, he is one of the very best in the world, he enjoys the pain he gives and receives, he makes his mission personal and drives Alex to limits he has never been pushed before. Thomas is the partner of Alex, he is shorter tempered, but loyal to Alex. Giles Mercier seems to be the main target of Picasso mission, he is the rich man that gets what he wants.
Performances – Tyler Perry was considered a strange choice for the leading role in this movie, known mostly for comedy and taking over from Morgan Freeman, he just doesn’t reach his levels, but is good through the film. it is Matthew Fox that shines the most as the cold calculated killer that enjoys the pain. The commitment Fox showed to this role needs to be praised because of the physical change he put his body through makes him an unlikely looking threat. Edward Burn is good as the partner while not being anything special and Jean Reno will always be good in the role he takes.
Story – To step into another Alex Cross story is always going to be interesting, picking up before he became an FBI agent helps us understand what drove him to be the determined man we know. Making the story personal for Cross shows how he can balance the law and revenge in his attempts to solve the crime. The story might not reach the level of intensity is could have for a personal story, it does everything we need for an entertaining crime mystery thriller.
Action/Crime/Mystery – The action involved in the film is good, even if moments of the effects used are weak. The crime is an interesting one to watch unfold, but it takes away from the mystery because we are always on the same level of the cops, we are not feed anything to solve.
Settings – Detroit makes for a good setting, it always feels like it is a place known for the crime rates.
Scene of the Movie – Picasso introduction fight.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The Rocket effects.
Final Thoughts – This is an easy to watch crime thriller, it does everything it needs to do and is carried by a wonderful villain performance from Fox.
Overall: Crime fans watch.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/07/15/matthew-fox-weekend-alex-cross-2012/
When the team learns of the targets they must work with who they think is the main target Giles Mercier (Reno), but this has made his team the newest targets for Picasso, who makes the killings personal.
Thoughts on Alex Cross
Characters – Dr Alex Cross is a homicide detective, we have seen this character before, but this time we meet a younger version of him, before he becomes the FBI agent we know. Alex has a family and is on the way to making his big career decision, when Picasso comes into his life, Alex will need to balance his skills and rage to stop him. Picasso is a hired gun, he is one of the very best in the world, he enjoys the pain he gives and receives, he makes his mission personal and drives Alex to limits he has never been pushed before. Thomas is the partner of Alex, he is shorter tempered, but loyal to Alex. Giles Mercier seems to be the main target of Picasso mission, he is the rich man that gets what he wants.
Performances – Tyler Perry was considered a strange choice for the leading role in this movie, known mostly for comedy and taking over from Morgan Freeman, he just doesn’t reach his levels, but is good through the film. it is Matthew Fox that shines the most as the cold calculated killer that enjoys the pain. The commitment Fox showed to this role needs to be praised because of the physical change he put his body through makes him an unlikely looking threat. Edward Burn is good as the partner while not being anything special and Jean Reno will always be good in the role he takes.
Story – To step into another Alex Cross story is always going to be interesting, picking up before he became an FBI agent helps us understand what drove him to be the determined man we know. Making the story personal for Cross shows how he can balance the law and revenge in his attempts to solve the crime. The story might not reach the level of intensity is could have for a personal story, it does everything we need for an entertaining crime mystery thriller.
Action/Crime/Mystery – The action involved in the film is good, even if moments of the effects used are weak. The crime is an interesting one to watch unfold, but it takes away from the mystery because we are always on the same level of the cops, we are not feed anything to solve.
Settings – Detroit makes for a good setting, it always feels like it is a place known for the crime rates.
Scene of the Movie – Picasso introduction fight.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The Rocket effects.
Final Thoughts – This is an easy to watch crime thriller, it does everything it needs to do and is carried by a wonderful villain performance from Fox.
Overall: Crime fans watch.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/07/15/matthew-fox-weekend-alex-cross-2012/
Kayleigh (12 KP) rated George's Marvellous Medicine in Books
Jan 2, 2019
This was always my favourite Roald Dahl book, and I’ve re-remembered why now! It’s deliciously naughty, and everybody can imagine gleefully mixing up a concoction to make a disliked person yell “Oweeeee!”
A couple of years ago, I was an au pair in France for three children: a boy aged 9 and two girls, aged 5 years and 9 months old, respectively. I remember I had a little bit of trouble getting the children to settle down and listen to me reading a book, and alas, with the girls, I wasn’t actually successful. They were really intelligent kids, speaking French and German, with English as their third language. With the boy though – I’ll call him L, as I haven’t asked permission to use his name – he ended up loving this book. While there were some words I thought it necessary to replace so that he’d understand, he got really into it, and every day was asking me to read him another chapter.
It’s all slightly cheeky, and very funny. There have certainly been people over the years I’d love to make a magical medicine for, and I remember L getting more and more excited as he firstly wondered what was going to happen to Grandma, and then was fascinated by all the effects the medicine had.
There’s a real childish logic to how George goes about concocting his marvellous medicine, which I know appeals to many kids. She’s got rotten teeth, so he’ll put toothpaste in, and if that doesn’t work, he’ll paint them red with nail varnish. Genius! Here’s one of his ideas:
<blockquote>“The first one he took down was a large box of SUPERWHITE FOR AUTOMATIC WASHING-MACHINES. DIRT, it said, WILL DISAPPEAR LIKE MAGIC. George didn’t know whether Grandma was automatic or not, but she was certainly a dirty old woman.”</blockquote>
Quentin Blake’s illustrations really add to the story, particularly in the second half of the book, when the child reading it can see just how big the characters are getting.
The imagination is powerful, but even more so when mixed with these visual aids – see the picture to the right. I think the great thing about the detail of these illustrations – particularly Grandma’s face – is that you can project feelings onto them. In the context of the story it’s really easy to see her as a disgusting “old bird”, but if it was slightly different, judging from the front page you could see her as slightly mischievous too. Or is that just me?! However, I’m digressing. For an adult reading the book, the words dance off the tongue just like George, imagining he’s casting a spell over his cauldron. I found that L’s attention was thoroughly captured and he loved hearing the ‘special effects’ of all the whooshes and woweeees. There’s also the magical and triumphant aspects – he’s somehow created this cool concoction that has meant he’s got his own back on his grouchy old Grandma and helped out his dad by enlarging all the animals. I think kids love those feeling of pride and revenge they get on George’s behalf, while at the same time getting vivid images in their head that they’ll remember for a long time – I know I did!
This review is also on my <a href="http://awowords.wordpress.com">blog</a>; - if you liked it, please check it out!
A couple of years ago, I was an au pair in France for three children: a boy aged 9 and two girls, aged 5 years and 9 months old, respectively. I remember I had a little bit of trouble getting the children to settle down and listen to me reading a book, and alas, with the girls, I wasn’t actually successful. They were really intelligent kids, speaking French and German, with English as their third language. With the boy though – I’ll call him L, as I haven’t asked permission to use his name – he ended up loving this book. While there were some words I thought it necessary to replace so that he’d understand, he got really into it, and every day was asking me to read him another chapter.
It’s all slightly cheeky, and very funny. There have certainly been people over the years I’d love to make a magical medicine for, and I remember L getting more and more excited as he firstly wondered what was going to happen to Grandma, and then was fascinated by all the effects the medicine had.
There’s a real childish logic to how George goes about concocting his marvellous medicine, which I know appeals to many kids. She’s got rotten teeth, so he’ll put toothpaste in, and if that doesn’t work, he’ll paint them red with nail varnish. Genius! Here’s one of his ideas:
<blockquote>“The first one he took down was a large box of SUPERWHITE FOR AUTOMATIC WASHING-MACHINES. DIRT, it said, WILL DISAPPEAR LIKE MAGIC. George didn’t know whether Grandma was automatic or not, but she was certainly a dirty old woman.”</blockquote>
Quentin Blake’s illustrations really add to the story, particularly in the second half of the book, when the child reading it can see just how big the characters are getting.
The imagination is powerful, but even more so when mixed with these visual aids – see the picture to the right. I think the great thing about the detail of these illustrations – particularly Grandma’s face – is that you can project feelings onto them. In the context of the story it’s really easy to see her as a disgusting “old bird”, but if it was slightly different, judging from the front page you could see her as slightly mischievous too. Or is that just me?! However, I’m digressing. For an adult reading the book, the words dance off the tongue just like George, imagining he’s casting a spell over his cauldron. I found that L’s attention was thoroughly captured and he loved hearing the ‘special effects’ of all the whooshes and woweeees. There’s also the magical and triumphant aspects – he’s somehow created this cool concoction that has meant he’s got his own back on his grouchy old Grandma and helped out his dad by enlarging all the animals. I think kids love those feeling of pride and revenge they get on George’s behalf, while at the same time getting vivid images in their head that they’ll remember for a long time – I know I did!
This review is also on my <a href="http://awowords.wordpress.com">blog</a>; - if you liked it, please check it out!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated X-Men Origins - Wolverine (2009) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
The 2009 summer movie season has arrived with the releases of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”, which once again stars Hugh Jackman in the role of the razor clawed Wolverine.
The film follows the characters origins in the mid 1800’s and how circumstances forced a young Logan to leave his home and spend the years hiding who he was.
With the only link to his past, a fellow mutant named Victor (Liev Schrieber), Logan and Victor ride out the years side by side taking part in wars ranging from The Civil War to Vietnam all the while trying as best as they can to hide their true nature.
When Victor starts to enjoy killing too much, and Logan tries to intercede, the duo find themselves the subject of unwanted attention in the guise of an officer named William Styker (William Houston), who recruits the duo to be part of a special team.
Victor and Logan find themselves part of a team of special powered operatives which includes the marksman Agent Zero (Daniel Henney), the Blade twirling Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), The Blob (Kevin Durand), Bolt (Dominic Monaghan), and more. When an operation goes too far, Logan turns his back on the team for a peaceful life as a lumberjack and lives for years in peace with a woman named Kayla (Lynn Collins) very much in love.
Try as Logan may to escape his past, he is unable to when Stryker arrives and tells him that someone is hunting down the former team. Logan ignores the warning and is devastated when Victor is revealed to be behind the killings and strikes a devastating blow to Logan.
With nowhere to go, Logan agrees to Stryker’s plan and undergoes an experiment which infuses his body with the indestructible Adamantium but soon finds himself again on the run when he is betrayed and learns the true nature of Stryker’s plans.
In a race against time, Logan must find the mysterious Island where Stryker has captured several mutants for his experiments and exact his revenge.
The new film was plagued by rumors of issues, which were heightened by reported reshoots and script changes, but thankfully manages to pull together to be an enjoyable summer film. Some may say the film took a bit to get up to the action sequences, but thanks to the great play between Jackman and Schrieber, the film keeps your attention.
There are some solid action sequences in the film and Jackman does not disappoint as we gain insights into the mercurial nature of Wolverine, and how various aspects of his character such as his memory loss came to be.
I would have liked to have seen more action in the film as the main action scenes were a bit to restrained and infrequent for my liking. When I go to a summer movie, I expect to be blown away by the action, and with this one, I had a sense of being underwhelmed by the films action sequences, even the climactic battle.
This is not to say the film is bad, simply that it lacks the needed gear to shift the film into overdrive. I did enjoy Jackman’s performance and it was great seeing the new characters in the film especially Gambit. Fans with sharp eyes will note many characters pop up in cameos and there are some real surprise visits in the film. In the end, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is better than the last X-Men film and should prove enough life in the series for future projects.
The film follows the characters origins in the mid 1800’s and how circumstances forced a young Logan to leave his home and spend the years hiding who he was.
With the only link to his past, a fellow mutant named Victor (Liev Schrieber), Logan and Victor ride out the years side by side taking part in wars ranging from The Civil War to Vietnam all the while trying as best as they can to hide their true nature.
When Victor starts to enjoy killing too much, and Logan tries to intercede, the duo find themselves the subject of unwanted attention in the guise of an officer named William Styker (William Houston), who recruits the duo to be part of a special team.
Victor and Logan find themselves part of a team of special powered operatives which includes the marksman Agent Zero (Daniel Henney), the Blade twirling Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), The Blob (Kevin Durand), Bolt (Dominic Monaghan), and more. When an operation goes too far, Logan turns his back on the team for a peaceful life as a lumberjack and lives for years in peace with a woman named Kayla (Lynn Collins) very much in love.
Try as Logan may to escape his past, he is unable to when Stryker arrives and tells him that someone is hunting down the former team. Logan ignores the warning and is devastated when Victor is revealed to be behind the killings and strikes a devastating blow to Logan.
With nowhere to go, Logan agrees to Stryker’s plan and undergoes an experiment which infuses his body with the indestructible Adamantium but soon finds himself again on the run when he is betrayed and learns the true nature of Stryker’s plans.
In a race against time, Logan must find the mysterious Island where Stryker has captured several mutants for his experiments and exact his revenge.
The new film was plagued by rumors of issues, which were heightened by reported reshoots and script changes, but thankfully manages to pull together to be an enjoyable summer film. Some may say the film took a bit to get up to the action sequences, but thanks to the great play between Jackman and Schrieber, the film keeps your attention.
There are some solid action sequences in the film and Jackman does not disappoint as we gain insights into the mercurial nature of Wolverine, and how various aspects of his character such as his memory loss came to be.
I would have liked to have seen more action in the film as the main action scenes were a bit to restrained and infrequent for my liking. When I go to a summer movie, I expect to be blown away by the action, and with this one, I had a sense of being underwhelmed by the films action sequences, even the climactic battle.
This is not to say the film is bad, simply that it lacks the needed gear to shift the film into overdrive. I did enjoy Jackman’s performance and it was great seeing the new characters in the film especially Gambit. Fans with sharp eyes will note many characters pop up in cameos and there are some real surprise visits in the film. In the end, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is better than the last X-Men film and should prove enough life in the series for future projects.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Last House on the Left (2009) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
In 1972, horror icon Wes Craven made a name for himself by writing and directing a film called “The Last House on the Left.” The film was very controversial and helped launch a new genre of terror and suspense films that pushed the limits of the times. The film was notorious for its content which included rape, torture, humiliation, and violence and contains to this day some of the most disturbing images ever captured on film. In this age of remakes, prequels, and sequels, Wes Craven has stepped aside to produce a new version of his classic and this remake is sure to be as controversial and disturbing as the original was.
The film centers around 17 year old Mari Collingwood (Sara Paxton), who is taking time off from her competitive swimming and school to spend the summer with her parents Emma and John (Monica Potter and Tony Goldwyn), at their remote cabin in the woods. The family is coming to grips with the loss of their son, and Mari is anxious to spend some time with her friend Paige (Martha MacIssac), whom she has not seen in a while.
Despite concerns from her mother, Mari is given the keys to the car by her father and travels into town to see Paige. The two girls meet a boy named Justin (Spencer Treat Clark), and proceed to go back to his room to party. The three of them are having a great time until Justin’s father Krug (Garrett Dillahunt), as well as his uncle and father’s girlfriend return unexpectedly. Krug and the group are wanted convicts after a bloody escape that has left two officers dead and Krug and his family the subject of an intense manhunt. The presence of Paige and Mari is an unwanted complication and the two girls are kidnapped and taken deep into the woods. After a failed escape attempt, the unstable group set upon the girls in a series of violent physical and psychological torture and acts before brutally finishing with them and leaving them for dead.
When an unexpected storm arrives, the fugitives take refuge at the only house in the area which happens to be Mari’s home. The Collingwood’s take the stranded group in and render medical assistance thanks to John’s background as a doctor. Unaware of the evil they have let into their home, the Collingwood’s life is turned upside down when their nearly dead daughter appears on their doorstep and forces the family to do whatever it takes to survive.
What follows is a dark, violent, and intense finale that goes to extreme measures to underscore the brutality and desperation the family has been driven to in order to survive. This may lead to some using the popular phrase “torture porn” to describe the film, but that would imply a film that existed in no other context but to titillate an audience with pain and suffering. The film is thin on plot and character development, making it simply a film about revenge and the depths people will go to in order to survive and protect their loved ones. The film is a bit slow at parts but few people will forget some of the more intense moments of the film include the finale. As with “The Hills Have Eyes”, Craven created settings where ideal families were driven to extreme measures when confronted with life outside of the safe suburbs in which they dwelled. The film will shock and dismay some, but few will forget the disturbing images anytime soon.
The film centers around 17 year old Mari Collingwood (Sara Paxton), who is taking time off from her competitive swimming and school to spend the summer with her parents Emma and John (Monica Potter and Tony Goldwyn), at their remote cabin in the woods. The family is coming to grips with the loss of their son, and Mari is anxious to spend some time with her friend Paige (Martha MacIssac), whom she has not seen in a while.
Despite concerns from her mother, Mari is given the keys to the car by her father and travels into town to see Paige. The two girls meet a boy named Justin (Spencer Treat Clark), and proceed to go back to his room to party. The three of them are having a great time until Justin’s father Krug (Garrett Dillahunt), as well as his uncle and father’s girlfriend return unexpectedly. Krug and the group are wanted convicts after a bloody escape that has left two officers dead and Krug and his family the subject of an intense manhunt. The presence of Paige and Mari is an unwanted complication and the two girls are kidnapped and taken deep into the woods. After a failed escape attempt, the unstable group set upon the girls in a series of violent physical and psychological torture and acts before brutally finishing with them and leaving them for dead.
When an unexpected storm arrives, the fugitives take refuge at the only house in the area which happens to be Mari’s home. The Collingwood’s take the stranded group in and render medical assistance thanks to John’s background as a doctor. Unaware of the evil they have let into their home, the Collingwood’s life is turned upside down when their nearly dead daughter appears on their doorstep and forces the family to do whatever it takes to survive.
What follows is a dark, violent, and intense finale that goes to extreme measures to underscore the brutality and desperation the family has been driven to in order to survive. This may lead to some using the popular phrase “torture porn” to describe the film, but that would imply a film that existed in no other context but to titillate an audience with pain and suffering. The film is thin on plot and character development, making it simply a film about revenge and the depths people will go to in order to survive and protect their loved ones. The film is a bit slow at parts but few people will forget some of the more intense moments of the film include the finale. As with “The Hills Have Eyes”, Craven created settings where ideal families were driven to extreme measures when confronted with life outside of the safe suburbs in which they dwelled. The film will shock and dismay some, but few will forget the disturbing images anytime soon.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Wild Hogs (2007) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
When four middle aged men all face a collection of issues at the same time, some people might think this premise is a setup for an emotional drama that will explore aging from a men’s point of view.
However in the new film Wild Hogs, the topic is skewered with hysterical results thanks to a great cast and some very funny moments.
When dentist Doug (Tim Allen), worries he has lost his edge and can no longer connect with his past glory, he convinces the three members of his local biking club to join him on a cross country trip from Ohio to California.
Along for the ride are Woody (John Travolta), who has learned he is broke and is getting divorced from his supermodel wife, Shy and socially awkward computer programmer Dudley (William H. Macy), and henpecked plumber Bobby (Martin Lawrence), who after taking a year off to work on a project that has not come to fruition, now finds himself facing the same plumbing issues that made him flee in the first place.
None of the men are happy with their place in life and are in need of a spark to lift them from their middle aged funk. The group sets off and soon finds one misfortune after another as well as some very awkward moments with law enforcement, male bonding, and an over eager family they meet along the way.
Despite this, this trip is going well until the group decides to stop for a drink at a local biker bar. Once in the bar, the leader of the Del Fuegos, Jack (Ray Liotta) decides to make life hard for the guys as he cannot stand suburbanites passing themselves off as bikers. He decides to take one of their bikes and not allow the group to venture further West down the highway in front of the bar.
Resigned to their fate, the guys are ready to head back, when Woody decides to fix the situation and sneaks back to recover Dudley’s bike and play a trick on the Del Fuegos. Everything goes according to plan until the bar explodes from the prank, and the guys end up running from the bikers who are bent on revenge.
The only issue is that Woody has not told the other three what he did, and has his friends convinced that he had a conversation with the bikers where they came to an understanding. Undaunted, the guys stop at a local New Mexico town for gas and learn that they must wait until Monday for the gas station to reopen.
Of course, Woody is freaking out as he knows the bikers will be out looking for them, and matters are further compounded when Dudley falls for a local restaurant owner (Marissa Tomei), and is eager to hang around for a few more days.
What follows is a funny set of circumstances as the guys take part in the local community while they wait for gas, which ultimately leads up to a final confrontation with the Del Fuegos.
Wild Hogs, is one of the funnier comedies I have seen in a while. I went in not expecting much, and I must say I was very surprised. The four leads work well with one another, and there are some very funny segments in the film, which I will not spoil for you, but suffice it to say the audience was in hysterics.
It is rare to find a comedy that not only makes you laugh but makes you leave the theater with a smile, and this film delivers.
However in the new film Wild Hogs, the topic is skewered with hysterical results thanks to a great cast and some very funny moments.
When dentist Doug (Tim Allen), worries he has lost his edge and can no longer connect with his past glory, he convinces the three members of his local biking club to join him on a cross country trip from Ohio to California.
Along for the ride are Woody (John Travolta), who has learned he is broke and is getting divorced from his supermodel wife, Shy and socially awkward computer programmer Dudley (William H. Macy), and henpecked plumber Bobby (Martin Lawrence), who after taking a year off to work on a project that has not come to fruition, now finds himself facing the same plumbing issues that made him flee in the first place.
None of the men are happy with their place in life and are in need of a spark to lift them from their middle aged funk. The group sets off and soon finds one misfortune after another as well as some very awkward moments with law enforcement, male bonding, and an over eager family they meet along the way.
Despite this, this trip is going well until the group decides to stop for a drink at a local biker bar. Once in the bar, the leader of the Del Fuegos, Jack (Ray Liotta) decides to make life hard for the guys as he cannot stand suburbanites passing themselves off as bikers. He decides to take one of their bikes and not allow the group to venture further West down the highway in front of the bar.
Resigned to their fate, the guys are ready to head back, when Woody decides to fix the situation and sneaks back to recover Dudley’s bike and play a trick on the Del Fuegos. Everything goes according to plan until the bar explodes from the prank, and the guys end up running from the bikers who are bent on revenge.
The only issue is that Woody has not told the other three what he did, and has his friends convinced that he had a conversation with the bikers where they came to an understanding. Undaunted, the guys stop at a local New Mexico town for gas and learn that they must wait until Monday for the gas station to reopen.
Of course, Woody is freaking out as he knows the bikers will be out looking for them, and matters are further compounded when Dudley falls for a local restaurant owner (Marissa Tomei), and is eager to hang around for a few more days.
What follows is a funny set of circumstances as the guys take part in the local community while they wait for gas, which ultimately leads up to a final confrontation with the Del Fuegos.
Wild Hogs, is one of the funnier comedies I have seen in a while. I went in not expecting much, and I must say I was very surprised. The four leads work well with one another, and there are some very funny segments in the film, which I will not spoil for you, but suffice it to say the audience was in hysterics.
It is rare to find a comedy that not only makes you laugh but makes you leave the theater with a smile, and this film delivers.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Cold Pursuit (2019) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
What can I say about Cold Pursuit? It's bad. Unfortunately it's not in the "so bad it's good" category.
From its opening with an Oscar Wilde quote and music that sounds like a mix of the 80s and Sherlock Holmes I was intrigued. I knew I wasn't expecting a masterpiece but I had hoped for something entertaining at the very least.
One thing that I was quickly baffled by was the between scene captions, a terrible font pops up with the relevant information and then it blows away as if made by snow... but not every time. I did wonder if even the graphics people got bored of doing it.
SOP for me and new movie releases is that I make 2 A5 sides of notes, for Cold Pursuit I made 7... SEVEN... and the general consensus of most of them was "WTF", "ridiculous" and "why?!" In fact those were probably the most used words on all the pages.
The characters are all over the place. Viking's relationship with his son, the token gay relationship that felt like it had just been wedged in and White Bull's gang dubious frolicking... I just don't even know what to say about it.
I can't sit here and list all the bizarre things, neither of us have the time for that so let's skip to the things I enjoyed. There are just three things, much quicker than covering the other stuff!
Wingman's wife was a star for me, and that nail sharpening technique was inspired... totally stealing that.
One of the scenes has Coxman chasing his next target with his snowplow. He comes up on him quite menacingly and then the film did a great job of fooling me, I was expecting one thing and given another. That part of the scene came together quite well, it's just a shame about what followed.
Viking's son was surprisingly wise in almost all of his scenes, very laid back, just going with the flow. Out of all of it though I loved the scene about fantasy football when he's talking with Mustang. It was was a nice little addition.
That's it, I'm done with the things I liked.
The cinema was "full" when I saw it. There were 30-40 people, which for our cinema and this type of film on opening night in a small screen, wasn't bad at all. There were old and young, there were people who snored and people who laughed, I fell into neither of those last categories. Honestly I was in too much shock to do anything other than pick my jaw up off the floor.
Ultimately Cold Pursuit is another prime example of why you shouldn't put some of your best scenes in the trailers. The whole thing could probably have been sold on lesser scenes in the trailer and then the impact of the bigger ones would have potentially given it a few more stars.
What you should do
I can't in good conscience recommend this to anyone, Neeson has performed much better acts of revenge in many of his other films... just watch one of those... perhaps from behind a snow globe to make it seem like you're watching Cold Pursuit.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Please could I have Coxman's ability to get into places where he clearly doesn't meet the dress code.
From its opening with an Oscar Wilde quote and music that sounds like a mix of the 80s and Sherlock Holmes I was intrigued. I knew I wasn't expecting a masterpiece but I had hoped for something entertaining at the very least.
One thing that I was quickly baffled by was the between scene captions, a terrible font pops up with the relevant information and then it blows away as if made by snow... but not every time. I did wonder if even the graphics people got bored of doing it.
SOP for me and new movie releases is that I make 2 A5 sides of notes, for Cold Pursuit I made 7... SEVEN... and the general consensus of most of them was "WTF", "ridiculous" and "why?!" In fact those were probably the most used words on all the pages.
The characters are all over the place. Viking's relationship with his son, the token gay relationship that felt like it had just been wedged in and White Bull's gang dubious frolicking... I just don't even know what to say about it.
I can't sit here and list all the bizarre things, neither of us have the time for that so let's skip to the things I enjoyed. There are just three things, much quicker than covering the other stuff!
Wingman's wife was a star for me, and that nail sharpening technique was inspired... totally stealing that.
One of the scenes has Coxman chasing his next target with his snowplow. He comes up on him quite menacingly and then the film did a great job of fooling me, I was expecting one thing and given another. That part of the scene came together quite well, it's just a shame about what followed.
Viking's son was surprisingly wise in almost all of his scenes, very laid back, just going with the flow. Out of all of it though I loved the scene about fantasy football when he's talking with Mustang. It was was a nice little addition.
That's it, I'm done with the things I liked.
The cinema was "full" when I saw it. There were 30-40 people, which for our cinema and this type of film on opening night in a small screen, wasn't bad at all. There were old and young, there were people who snored and people who laughed, I fell into neither of those last categories. Honestly I was in too much shock to do anything other than pick my jaw up off the floor.
Ultimately Cold Pursuit is another prime example of why you shouldn't put some of your best scenes in the trailers. The whole thing could probably have been sold on lesser scenes in the trailer and then the impact of the bigger ones would have potentially given it a few more stars.
What you should do
I can't in good conscience recommend this to anyone, Neeson has performed much better acts of revenge in many of his other films... just watch one of those... perhaps from behind a snow globe to make it seem like you're watching Cold Pursuit.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Please could I have Coxman's ability to get into places where he clearly doesn't meet the dress code.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Judy & Punch (2019) in Movies
Oct 31, 2019
This had been low on my list of things to see at the film festival but several people recommended it to me so I decided to take a look.
In the town of Seaside, which is nowhere near the sea, Judy lives in something less than domestic bliss with Punch and their baby. Punch's shows are a hit and he's got dreams of grand things, but Judy is the real brains behind the outfit though he'd never admit it.
Judy leaves Punch in charge of the baby while she runs errands but despite the responsibility he gets drunk and an unforgivable accident occurs. In his effort to cover his tracks Punch puts his wife on a journey that leads her to a community in the woods where she can plan her revenge on him for his evil ways.
The film has a very heavy sense of fairy tale about it and certainly the setting wouldn't be out of place in almost any tale you could bring to mind. The location and buildings are perfect and yet somehow didn't seem quite right, this is very much an afterthought though, as I watched it I thought the depiction was good.
The parallels shown between the story of the couple's home life and the puppet show are clear throughout, my only worry is that you might not get a good understanding of that if you aren't aware of the traditional Punch and Judy shows. This wouldn't have been something I'd have thought about before but more and more I talk about things with people and the response is "I've never heard of that"... god I feel old.
Damon Herriman has taken off his Manson mask for this one and I found him to be a very good lead as Punch. He manages to capture the devious side of Punch, and honestly, anyone who can pull off the scene with the baby with a straight face deserves recognition... and yes, I do feel kind of bad for laughing.
Mia Wasikowska (who also starred in Blackbird, review coming soon) had two very different versions of Judy to play. Judy-1 gives us an outgoing and resilient woman, Judy-2.0 is angry and vengeful though there's a happiness in her once she gets to know the community who rescue her. This second incarnation wasn't entirely to my liking, I much preferred the earlier more lighthearted take on her. I can see why the change in her demeanour was fitting it didn't quite feel like a true transformation.
I enjoyed Judy & Punch, it was something different to watch which I always find to be an interesting experience but I'm not sure I'd need to see it again. I was entertained while I sat through it but apart from one scene there was nothing I see myself remembering further down the line.
Just a couple of honourable mentions: I enjoyed the music, the jazzed up classical pieces fit in nicely, and the dog wearing its own ruff? Adorable!
What you should do
I don't think you need to rush out and see this one but if you happen to come across it at some point it might be worth watching.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
It has to be an impish little dog wearing a ruff... because what else would a sensible person pick?!
In the town of Seaside, which is nowhere near the sea, Judy lives in something less than domestic bliss with Punch and their baby. Punch's shows are a hit and he's got dreams of grand things, but Judy is the real brains behind the outfit though he'd never admit it.
Judy leaves Punch in charge of the baby while she runs errands but despite the responsibility he gets drunk and an unforgivable accident occurs. In his effort to cover his tracks Punch puts his wife on a journey that leads her to a community in the woods where she can plan her revenge on him for his evil ways.
The film has a very heavy sense of fairy tale about it and certainly the setting wouldn't be out of place in almost any tale you could bring to mind. The location and buildings are perfect and yet somehow didn't seem quite right, this is very much an afterthought though, as I watched it I thought the depiction was good.
The parallels shown between the story of the couple's home life and the puppet show are clear throughout, my only worry is that you might not get a good understanding of that if you aren't aware of the traditional Punch and Judy shows. This wouldn't have been something I'd have thought about before but more and more I talk about things with people and the response is "I've never heard of that"... god I feel old.
Damon Herriman has taken off his Manson mask for this one and I found him to be a very good lead as Punch. He manages to capture the devious side of Punch, and honestly, anyone who can pull off the scene with the baby with a straight face deserves recognition... and yes, I do feel kind of bad for laughing.
Mia Wasikowska (who also starred in Blackbird, review coming soon) had two very different versions of Judy to play. Judy-1 gives us an outgoing and resilient woman, Judy-2.0 is angry and vengeful though there's a happiness in her once she gets to know the community who rescue her. This second incarnation wasn't entirely to my liking, I much preferred the earlier more lighthearted take on her. I can see why the change in her demeanour was fitting it didn't quite feel like a true transformation.
I enjoyed Judy & Punch, it was something different to watch which I always find to be an interesting experience but I'm not sure I'd need to see it again. I was entertained while I sat through it but apart from one scene there was nothing I see myself remembering further down the line.
Just a couple of honourable mentions: I enjoyed the music, the jazzed up classical pieces fit in nicely, and the dog wearing its own ruff? Adorable!
What you should do
I don't think you need to rush out and see this one but if you happen to come across it at some point it might be worth watching.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
It has to be an impish little dog wearing a ruff... because what else would a sensible person pick?!
Andy K (10823 KP) rated 3 From Hell (2019) in Movies
Oct 18, 2019 (Updated Oct 18, 2019)
Very disappointing
It seems 3 From Hell was doomed before it began for several reasons.
First, why did Zombie wait so long between sequels? The time between House of 1,000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects was only 2 years. Zombie was a hot director at the time. Maybe he felt his career as a prominent horror director would continue to blossom after he was handed the reigns of rebooting the Halloween franchise.
Second, talk about painting yourself into a corner thematically having your three main characters go up against a police roadblock at the end of the last film getting sprayed with an onslaught of law enforcement ammunition. These are not immortal characters here, so explaining that circumstance would be difficult one indeed.
Third, and probably most importantly for fans, one of your leads has become deathly ill, lost a lot of weight, and probably cannot handle the strain of a large acting role at this time. Sid Haig dies only a few days after this film's release and his role was reduced to basically a cameo within the first few minutes of the movie disappointing fans of his unique personality as Captain Spaulding to minimal screen time. This eventuality made Rob Zombie have to do extensive rewrites to reinvent his third 3 From Hell baddie, and it was definitely a step down.
Explaining the plot of the film would almost mirror exactly that of the previous film. Somehow, the 3 survive their being riddled with 20 bullets each and get incarcerated for their convictions of the years of murder , torture and other bad deeds they have inflicted on their victims. Otis breaks free and escapes one day on his prison work detail and goes after the family and friends of the warden. A plan is put in place to execute the release of his beautiful, but deadly sister, Baby, by smuggling her out in a prison guard uniform.
After she returns to the warden's home full of kidnap victims (carbon copy of the motel scenes from Rejects) the two baddies along with their badass stepbrother decide to make their way to Mexico to evade capture and indulge in the good life of excess.
After they arrive, they have fun with the locals while secretly are betrayed to a band of south of the border hooligans looking to get revenge themselves on the 3 who had murdered a relative (again the same as the sheriff in Rejects).
I really couldn't believe the plot points being so very similar to Rejects. Zombie clearly ran out of good ideas and felt like the audience would just be happy to see more random bloody violence perpetrated by characters they knew and loved. Not true for me as I became bored quite quickly hoping for something interesting to happen which never really did.
The look of the film was also quite different. It seems Zombie's popularity is not what it once was and his budget this time must have been much smaller. The cinematography was weak and not very creative and the visual effects were just north of Sharknado level I thought with poor quality with the bullet wounds and stabbing injuring looking amateur.
Overall, very disappointed for a long wait with a poor 3rd film payoff. This is one of those times they should've quit with two movies and quit while they were ahead.
First, why did Zombie wait so long between sequels? The time between House of 1,000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects was only 2 years. Zombie was a hot director at the time. Maybe he felt his career as a prominent horror director would continue to blossom after he was handed the reigns of rebooting the Halloween franchise.
Second, talk about painting yourself into a corner thematically having your three main characters go up against a police roadblock at the end of the last film getting sprayed with an onslaught of law enforcement ammunition. These are not immortal characters here, so explaining that circumstance would be difficult one indeed.
Third, and probably most importantly for fans, one of your leads has become deathly ill, lost a lot of weight, and probably cannot handle the strain of a large acting role at this time. Sid Haig dies only a few days after this film's release and his role was reduced to basically a cameo within the first few minutes of the movie disappointing fans of his unique personality as Captain Spaulding to minimal screen time. This eventuality made Rob Zombie have to do extensive rewrites to reinvent his third 3 From Hell baddie, and it was definitely a step down.
Explaining the plot of the film would almost mirror exactly that of the previous film. Somehow, the 3 survive their being riddled with 20 bullets each and get incarcerated for their convictions of the years of murder , torture and other bad deeds they have inflicted on their victims. Otis breaks free and escapes one day on his prison work detail and goes after the family and friends of the warden. A plan is put in place to execute the release of his beautiful, but deadly sister, Baby, by smuggling her out in a prison guard uniform.
After she returns to the warden's home full of kidnap victims (carbon copy of the motel scenes from Rejects) the two baddies along with their badass stepbrother decide to make their way to Mexico to evade capture and indulge in the good life of excess.
After they arrive, they have fun with the locals while secretly are betrayed to a band of south of the border hooligans looking to get revenge themselves on the 3 who had murdered a relative (again the same as the sheriff in Rejects).
I really couldn't believe the plot points being so very similar to Rejects. Zombie clearly ran out of good ideas and felt like the audience would just be happy to see more random bloody violence perpetrated by characters they knew and loved. Not true for me as I became bored quite quickly hoping for something interesting to happen which never really did.
The look of the film was also quite different. It seems Zombie's popularity is not what it once was and his budget this time must have been much smaller. The cinematography was weak and not very creative and the visual effects were just north of Sharknado level I thought with poor quality with the bullet wounds and stabbing injuring looking amateur.
Overall, very disappointed for a long wait with a poor 3rd film payoff. This is one of those times they should've quit with two movies and quit while they were ahead.
