my thoughts on.... 'Aftershock'

I've said that Eli Roth was the next generation of horror film makers. That started back in 2002 with his debut horror film, 'Cabin Fever'. Since then, he's made a mark in the horror genre with several nasty little gems of movie making. Over the years, he's become a bit of a questionable commodity in Hollywood. It seems as though people have lost faith in him. I'm not sure why this is? Granted, I haven't seen his Netflix original series 'Hemlock Grove' yet.... but I've never been a fan of werewolves. I'll get around to it eventually though and I'm sure I'll love it. Also, along the way, Eli has been continuing to push his limits from being a director and into an actor. He has the charisma and enthusiasm, but I really would prefer him being the camera. Maybe that's just me?

'Aftershock' puts him partially at the helm of this vessel as the writer and co-producer, but it puts him out front as a lead actor. I wasn't sure what I'd make of this movie, as I intentionally kept myself in the dark about the plot. All I really knew was that there was an earthquake or something and everything and everybody went to heck. Meaning, the true nature of people came forward in a crisis, but not the good side. I'm actually kind of hesitant to give out the details, as I want you to be taken along for the same ride I was. Here's what I will say: The story centers around a man who travels to Chile to spend time with some friends. While he's there, a disaster happens and it's a fight for survival during the 'Aftershock'! (I should write those things for a living!) Seriously though, that's the most basic version of the plot. The secret of this movie is in the not knowing. The less you know, the better. Granted, this movie won't re-write any film making textbooks and won't shock jaded movie watchers. What it will do, is take you on a white knuckle ride through every travelers worst nightmare. Yeah, it's that kind of movie!

I'm guessing that the biggest complaints that people will have about this movie are two-fold. 1) They'll say that the ending was cliched and dumb. 2) That it took to long to get to any action. Let me handle those comments in reverse order. 2) The reason it took so long to get to the "good stuff" was because they were trying to get you attached to your main characters. I mean, how can you care if someone dies, if they have no back story or time to develop? The movie took a slow boil to the story line and there was a little over 30 minutes before anything even got started. This gave us, the viewer, a chance to get to know each and everyone involved and to build up some motion. Kind of like when you're going up the slow hill on a roller coaster. It creates tension and terror, so that when you get to the top and start going down the hill.... you're terrified and scream at the top of your lungs! This method was used here, as well. There was no rush and none was needed. It actually felt a great deal like how Eli handled the beginnings of 'Hostel' and 'Hostel 2'. Very similar. 1) Yes, the ending was a bit forced. I 100% agree with that statement. I even guessed what was going to happen, before it ever happened. Did that lessen the overall impact of the movie? I don't think so. It was still a great movie that was superior to other recent releases in a lot of ways.

'Aftershock' is a great little late night survival horror flick with no monsters, no masked killers and no demons. The only real bad guy here, is ourselves. This shows the darker side of humanity. It has a few twists and turns and some surprises here and there, but if you've been around the block before.... there's not much that's gonna get passed you. At the end of the day, I really enjoyed 'Aftershock', flaws and all. I would recommend this one to anyone looking for something a little different than what's out there right now. It's well done in every since of the word and has some beautiful locations to boot. If it was me, I would maybe re-write the ending, but I'm not quite sure what else Eli and company could have done to make it hit harder. It is what it is and I like what it is. Heck, it even had a strange guest appearance by Selena Gomez. Too bad her ex-boyfriend wasn't killed in some strange way in the movie. Oh well, we can't have it all.

Check this one out, for sure.

If you like 'Aftershock', check out some other Eli Roth classics: 'Hostel', 'Hostel 2' and 'Cabin Fever'

4 out of 5 stars, despite the ending.

my thoughts on.... 'Drive Angry'

So.... you want to watch 'Drive Angry'? Why yes, yes I did. Actually, I heard so many mixed things about this movie I was a bit hesitant. A lot of it was negative, but I have to say that I think a lot of it was either ungrounded or due to overly high expectations. If you walk into 'Drive Angry' with an open mind and the desire to see something new and fun, then you'll walk out happy. It is a prime example of over the top, balls out, big and silly, dumb and mindless fun. This movie does not claim to be Shakespeare or anything classic. 'Drive Angry' just is what it is, unapologetic. I'm actually kind of surprised it got the greenlight. It is an oddball story that might not fly with everyone. However, I would expect no less from the writer, Todd Farmer ('My Bloody Valentine 3D' and 'Jason X') and director Patrick Lussier ('My Bloody Valentine 3D' and the upcoming 'Halloween 3D'). Maybe that's why it got such mixed reviews? I personally feel that it had to do with 2 things. 1) the CGI leaves a bit to be desired and 2) Nicholas Cage is kind of over the top in the the best way. He usually shines when he's playing oddball, out of control characters. There also is quite a few people who don't feel that he's a good action hero and should stop making these types of movies. I agree, in some respects as he is getting older and sometimes seems kind out of place. (see 'Bangkok Dangerous')(which I haven't seen yet, just the trailer.) Anyway....

Here's the strange, yet funtastic plot: (from IMBD.com) "John Milton is up against the clock: Jonah King, the leader of a Satanic cult, has murdered Milton's daughter and kidnapped her baby. In three days, King and his followers will sacrifice the child at midnight. Milton picks up the trail in Oklahoma as well as rescuing a waitress named Piper from her brutal, two-timing fiancé. There are odd things about Milton: his driver's license is out of date, he has a very strange gun, and he's being pursued by a man in a suit who carries FBI ID and calls himself the Accountant. Piper, who's lived a life on the sidelines, has to piece things together on the fly as they close in on King." What they failed to mention there is that there is some serious other wordly stuff going on. As in heaven and hell kind of stuff. That's all I'm going to say about that.Well, it's obvious that I dug this popcorn flick. From start to finish, it was a damn fun ride that I would love to take again. Even with all of it's little flaws and unbelievable action, you can't help but just lose yourself in all the goofiness. I was actually kind of sad to see it end. If I was to classify this movie, I would absolutely call it a "man" movie. It's chock full of muscle cars, big guns, half naked chicks, good vs. evil and blood guts and gore. What more can you ask for out of a movie? Really, what more can you ask? Nothing.

At the end of the day, I ultimately can only cough up 3 out of 5 stars for it. I would seriously give it 4 out of 4 if it wasn't for two things. 1) The horrible CGI in the opening sequence. It was just so obvious and dumb that it felt like an entirely seperate movie. Kind of like the CGI in Disney's 'Aladdin'. (minus the flying carpet.) 2) The horrible CGI at the end of the movie. It's exactly as bad as the stuff from the beginning. I mean, I watched 'Battle: Los Angeles' and 'Skyline recently.... two movies that also have questionable reputations as good movies. However, they both have pretty killer CGI. Why can't this movie have spent a little more time getting quality people to work on it, rather than just settle for CGI from 1996? Ah well, I'm just picking on the little stuff at this point. I just say that you watch it with an open mind and a lack of expectations and you'll feel good when it's over. That's all I have to say about that.

If you like this, check out.... hmmmm, I'm at a loss for other movies like this one. I guess, just re-watch 'Drive Angry' again.

my thoughts on.... 'I Spit On Your Grave' (2010)

A while back, I wrote a fairly extensive review (by my standards) on the 1978 film 'I Spit On Your Grave' aka 'Day Of The Woman'. http://amomentarylapsewithjoel.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-thoughts-on-i-spit-on-your-grave-aka.html Meir Zarchi's exploitation epic is nortorious for many reasons and virtually wrecked the career's of a lot of the people involved. Well, somebody thought it would be a good idea to remake it and play with fire. I suppose with the release of the remake of Wes Craven's 'Last House On The Left', that it just seemed like the right time. Both are similar in tone, topic and end results. I've never really been a fan of films involving rape. I respected what the original was trying to do, but I can't say that I enjoyed it. Because of my experience with it, I was very slow to watching the remake. I'm kind of glad I didn't rush into it. After finally seeing it last night, I realized that I really needed to be in the right mind set to experience it. It is hard to watch and extremely graphic. Steven R. Monroe not only set out to remake the original, but to up the ante as well. I think that he also did something the original didn't do.... made it feel less like and exploitation piece and more like a revenge/empowerment piece. This version would have been more aptly subtitled, 'Day Of The Woman'.

The plot follows the original almost to the letter. There are a couple of subtle changes, but I imagine they were approved by Meir Zarchi as he was a producer on this film. The changes don't affect the overall story a lot, but if you've seen the original, it might throw you off a bit. The plot, according to IMDB.com: "Writer Jennifer Hills takes a retreat from the city to a charming cabin in the woods to start on her next book. But Jennifer's presence in the small town attracts the attention of a few morally depraved locals who set out one night to teach this city girl a lesson. They break into her cabin to scare her. However, what starts out as terrifying acts of humiliation and intimidation, quickly and uncontrollably escalates into a night of physical abuse and torturous assault. But before they can kill her, Jennifer sacrifices her broken and beaten body to a raging river that washes her away. As time passes, the men slowly stop searching for her body and try to go back to life as usual. But that isn't about to happen. Against all odds, Jennifer Hills survived her ordeal. Now, with hell bent vengeance, Jennifer's sole purpose is to turn the tables on these animals and to inflict upon them every horrifying and torturous moment they carried out on her." I think that sums it up completely.This film is a revenge story 100%. This is classified as a horror film, but the horror is all too real. There may not be a masked killer or a terrifying ghost, this film boasts monsters that exist and could possibly be people you've already met. One of the things the Mr. Monroe does differently than the original is to add a 5th party to the rape and attempted murder of our lead. I won't tell you who it is, but let's just say that he adds another level to the whole ordeal. It also adds another level of horror to the flim, as this person is possibly the last person you'd expect. It's a nice addition and what that I honestly didn't see coming. Another thing that's different (obviously), but I think better.... is the new leading lady. Camielle Keaton was great in the original, but Sarah Butler takes this character and brings it to a whole different level. She radiates off the screen and exudes so much emotion and eventual strengh. She automatically became a new favorite actress for me. Granted, she's not done much to speak of, that doesn't matter.... she has a bright future ahead of her and if I was making a film, I would hire her in a heartbeat. The setting, the cabin and the bad guys are all very similar to the original. It even feels the same when you watch it. This is a more modern take on the 1978 version, we have cell phones and computers.... but when it comes down to the final revenge, it's all old school. Yet another positive for this film.

The killings that our 'hero' Jennifer Hills carries out in the end are brutal and well deserved by the bad guys. What they did to her and the amount of time they terrorized her, earned them a lengthy stay in hell and she drags them down into that pit very slowly. The original boasted a lengthy rape scene, nearly 45 mins. The remake isn't quite as long, but still extremely graphic and hard to watch. What both films suffered from was bad poster design. Why do we need the rear end of a woman, half naked holding a knife? It just glorifies the wrong aspects of the film. Other than that, I felt this was a solid 4 out of 5 stars. I don't know if it has repeated watching written all over it, however I think it just might. I would never recommend this to a general audience. This film is for hardcore viewers only. This is a film that will stick with you and make you rethink staying alone in a cabin, especially if you're a beautiful woman. Just check your brain at the door during the scene with the crows.... they look a little too fake to me.

After thought: In the 78' version, Jennifer uses her sexuality to lure the rapists into situations of trust. Once they're in her realm, she dispatches her own brand of justice on each one of them. They never tried to kill her in the original version, they just let her go, expecting her too be to ashamed to say anything. Therefore, it makes it easier for her to convice them that she wants to be with them after the fact. In the 10' version, they attempt to murder her, but she escapes. She hides out plotting her revenge for 1 month before returning. She doesn't come to them trying to convince them of anything.... she hunts them down one by one and kills them slowly and painfully. They have no idea that she's even still alive. It seems much more believable to me and a lot less like they were trying to exploit Jennifer in the modern version. It's just a thought I had and something that I felt needed to be pointed out.

If you feel this is a good film, please watch: 'I Spit On Your Grave' (1978), 'The Brave One' and 'Extremeties'

my thoughts on.... 'Harpoon: Whale Watching Massacre' aka 'Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre'

How many times have you said, "I am so bored with all the horror movies out there, why can't someone make something new?" or "Why aren't there more Icelandic horror films?" I'm guessing you've said at least one of those two things before. I've got good news for you today, 'Harpoon: Whale Watching Massacre' is the answer to both of those questions. Believe it or not, despite the odd subject matter, this movie is actually really good. Consider the fact that Gunnar Hansen (the original Leatherface in Tobe Hooper's 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre') is in a decent starring role. That is reason enough alone to watch it. Add into the mix some amazing cinematography and direction as well as a somewhat original script and you've got a movie well worth your time. I mean, it just feels warm watching it. It is shot in such a way that it has a gritty 70's vibe. And the countryside is amazing to look at, hell it's a movie about whale watching right? I just wish I hadn't put this one off so long, it's one I'm even considering owning. It would make a nice bookend to my collection.

Okay.... so the plot, it's fairly obvious by the title that there is whale watching, harpoons and a massacre involved. I could probably only say that much and you'd get the gist. But here's the plot breakdown from Netflix.com: "During a whale-watching expedition in Iceland, a sightseeing group is left stranded when their captain gets wiped out. But when a seemingly helpful whaler sails by and brings the tourists aboard, he steers them to their deaths on a sadistic island. Gunnar Hansen -- who played the original "Leatherface" in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre -- co-stars in this graphically gory horror pic set adrift on the open seas." That's about it in a nutshell. It's a shame that it doesn't really give you the picture of how interesting all of these characters are. They're all very charasmatic and individual. They may be some of the stereotypes you've seen before, but they try really hard to keep it fresh and it works. So why bother with this one? Well, because I said so. No, seriously, this really is a good movie. It kind of reminds me of how I felt at the end of 'Cold Prey'. A somewhat original story told in a very well done way. I didn't see where this one was going exactly and even though there wasn't any big twist in the end or any super big surprises it still had that satisfying feeling like you'd seen something worthwhile. It made me wonder what else Iceland could offer up to the horror world in years to come? It also had a tribute to an Icelandic hero: Bjork. At a certain point in the movie, one of the women (who gets shit on by everyone), starts to sing 'It's Oh So Quiet' over the loudspeaker of the boat. It's kind of a tense moment. Also, at the end of the movie there is a quasi-death metal version of the same song. It's awesome. I've also mentioned the cinematography. There is several great scenes for that, but one in particular is where one of the men escapes by jumping off the boat. As he's swimming away, one of the killers uses a harpoon cannon to kill him. We see it from several perspectives and all of it is kick ass. (the trailer doesn't do it justice.)

All in all, I highly recommend that you put this movie in your queue tonight and watch it right away. You won't regret it or your money back! I gave it 3 out of 5 stars with a retainer that I'm going to come back to it and after a second viewing may update my decision. After all, this movie has everything a good horror movie should have. A decent plot, a high body count, unique kills, interesting characters, etc.... If you'll excuse me now, I'm going to go and cancel my reservations for my upcoming whale watching vacation. It's lost some of its appeal. Dig?

If you like this, check out other beautifully shot horror movies: 'Cold Prey', 'Let the Right One In' and 'Cemetary Man'

my thoughts on.... 'Who's The Caboose?'

The Netflix OnDemand streaming feature has proven itself to be the next evolution in movie watching. As if Netflix wasn't the greatest invention ever, this just improved upon it that much more. Thanks to OnDemand, I've found a lot of films that I'd have never seen before otherwise. 'Who's The Caboose?' is one of those movies. It's a little indie movie that, I guess, just made its way to DVD recently and Netflix made it an instant streaming movie right away. I found it because of my enjoyment of 'The Sarah Silverman Program'. (Again, thank you Netflix for finding other things for me to check out based on my likes and dislikes.) Now, this isn't the greatest thing since sliced bread or anything, but it's a good way to spend an hour and a half of your evening. It's funny where it needs to be, it's serious where it needs to be and it's clever in all the right places. The cast is a who's who of 90's comedy.... complete with Andy Dick, yes, Andy Dick. Most of the comedians are in the beginning of their careers or at least the earlier stages. Even back then, Sarah Silverman stood out as a comediane on the rise. She shines in every scene and is her usual, odd little self.

The premise of this is based on a documentary crew out to film homeless people in New York suffering from a rare and fatal disease that seems to only effect the homeless. After finding the topic to depressing they duck into a comedy club and find an up and coming comedian instead. Who they find is Sarah Silverman, about to head out to California to try her luck at landing a sitcom pilot. They follow her out along with her boyfriend and what happens next is their lives trying to make it in Hollywood. It's a pretty harsh look at the industry and the different way it treats people. Will she get her wish? Or will she end up back in New York as a struggling comedian? You'll have to watch to find out.... or read more reviews that are willing to give up the ending.

This movie really pulls no punches when it comes to the Hollywood system. I found it to be pretty smartly written and although it's not going to win any awards, it's still a damn good little flick. It's not restricted by it's budget, the film makers use it wisely with its mockumentary style. It was a little distracting in the beginning, but by the end it seemed really natural. It even had a satisfying ending, which a lot of movies can't seem to accomplish these days. It felt like it had a solid first, second and third act. This might not be a movie that I ever see again, but I would be more than happy to recommend it to friends as a worthwhile risk to take. (just make sure you have some interest in Sarah Silverman, if not.... you're going to dislike this one.)

'Who's The Caboose?' is a 'The Little Engine That Could' of indie/pilot season/Sarah Silverman movies. It'll sneak up on you, like a train, and make you feel a little warm and fuzzy inside by the end. I'm not sure that sentence just made sense, but that doesn't matter.... this is a 3 out of 5 star mocumentary with a small possablity of gaining some cult status. I could see that happening for those die hard fans of 90's comedians. David Cross, Kathy Griffin, Andy Dick, Sarah Silverman, H. Jon Benjamin, etc.... They're all here. (Sarah's little sister is even in this one, just like on her sitcom.) If I could change one thing about this movie? I think it's fine the way it is. Simple, silly and smart.

If you like this, check out: 'The Sarah Silverman Program' (TV), 'Freakshow' (animated TV) and anything from the early 90's.

my thoughts on.... 'Babysitter Wanted'

i've been hearing about this movie for a while now.... and i was awaiting it's arrival on DVD.... finally it showed up.... and last night i was able to sit down and soak it all in.... now you may think this is just another 'When A Stranger Calls', but it's so much more.... i enjoyed this movie from the credits to the credits and everything inbetween.... it had just the right amount of creepiness, suspense, blood, gore and good actors that it all belnded almost perfectly.... it feels like i'm constantly heaping praise on so many movies.... but i've gotten so lucky lately and seen some really amazing films.... so once again, here i go.... but before you think this is another 'The House of the Devil'.... let me tell you that it's not.... although there are similarities, they are 100% different films....

an 18 year old devout catholic girl named Angie, heads off to community college to study art histroy.... once she gets there she realizes she needs to earn some extra money in order to survive.... so she takes a number for a babysitting job out at a farmhouse far away from the college out in the boonies.... the couple are extremely nice and their son is a little shy, but takes a liking to Angie and she gets the job.... in the meantime, Angie meets a good upstanding Christian boy and they soon start to date.... she also begins to notice that someone seems to be stalking her and that there has been a rash of dissapearances around the area of young girls.... afraid that she might be next on the list, she goes to the local sheriff, played by Bill Moseley, and tells him her fears.... he gives her his card and off she goes.... the first night of babysitting arrives and during her time at the house she begins to notice strange things and soon the supposed stalked breaks down the door to the house and that's where the movie really gets started....
this film has a few well placed twists and turns.... some excellent timing and everything is just so well done.... that you don't see what's coming right away.... unless you read a lot of reviews for the movie ahead of time.... (which i don't recommend).... it's so much nicer to just let this movie unfold before your eyes.... to see what Angie sees and to learn what she learns in real time.... it makes this so much better of a movie.... and to experience this the way that the director intended, i would ask you to rent this on blind faith and just trust your Uncle Joel.... knowing too much ahead of time is not always a good thing.... oh one little detail i'll let slip.... Bill Moseley plays a good guy....!

once again, this was a no brainer and 4 out of 5 stars was well deserved.... this is the reason i love horror films.... it has all the elements that prove why this genre is so popular, but still a bit taboo.... it's not available OnDemand just yet, so you'll have to rent it.... but Netflix has it and i'm sure most popular video stores will carry it too, if they have any brains at all.... Blockbuster, i'm looking at you.... i know i usually inform you if i'll be including a film in my DVD collection and that kind of serves as my ultimate seal of approval.... and yes, this one will be included someday.... i can't wait to watch it again.... to see Angie's character arc.... it's more than worth the price of admission just to see that change.... i'm off to my babysitting job now.

if you like this, check out: 'When a Stranger Calls' (either one), 'The House of the Devil' and 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'

my thoughts on.... 'Sick Girl'

filmakers fascinate me.... as i've been on both sides of the lens, i find the whole process intriguing.... i've been director, cinematographer, screenwriter and actor.... finding a creative story and one that has the certain 'it' factor is rare.... this movie was one of those movies that got under my skin and despite it's shortfalls, it was still something unique.... maybe the story wasn't original in all aspects, but it just didn't matter.... i fell in love right away.... now you may find that disturbing once you see the film.... however, there's just something about it.... before i get on the review.... this movie is not available OnDemand on Netflix, but it's available to download and was one of those strange movies i just stumbled across while messing around on the Netflix site.... (a daily thing i do.).... needless to say, the title is not just a way to get your attention.... it really describes the film and it's star.... Leslie Andrews.... who is hypnotizing to watch....

Izzy and her little brother basically live on their own after their older brother goes off to Iraq.... their friend Benny watches over them as much as he can, but he has a life of his own and isn't always there.... neither of them know what Izzy is really up to.... she has a violent streak a mile wide and has very little pity for anyone and i mean anyone.... the movie opens with Izzy doing something nasty to a nun, doing something nasty to a schoolbus full of kids and then does something nasty to two random boys on the road.... that's just in the first 10 minutes.... it just gets worse from there.... as she continues on her silent rampage across her small town totally unknown to anyone except her victims.... that's all i'm going to say.... the rest just needs to be seen.
this is not a gentle film.... it's not heartwarming or at least not for long.... it's wrong on many different levels but there's some kind of poetry to it.... something i can't quite explain.... i'm sure you'll all think i'm nuts once you see it.... i just couldn't get enough of the film.... and i sent it right back this morning, as i wanted to remember it fondly and watch it again after it has time to settle.... i'd like to even own it, if i can ever find it anywhere.... perhaps on Amazon.... it blends a lot of different genres.... and some people may equate it with torture porn, but that's a genre definition that i don't agree with.... i think it's bogus and in this film it doesn't hold any more true than any other "torture porn" movie.... granted there are horrific things done to all ages of people.... but it has a point.... it just shows how truly disturbed our anti-hero Izzy is.... and she's pretty damn messed up....

after it ended i automatically gave it 4 out of 5 stars.... the only real drawbacks are some of the low production values.... but it's a low budget film.... so i can forgive the drawbacks of a lack of money.... the story is so strong and the characters so interesting that i couldn't take my eyes off of it the whole time.... and i wanted the experience to never end.... from the hard hitting beginning all the way to the gut punching ending.... it grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go.... plain and simple, i loved it.... so if anything i've said catches your interest at all.... go out and rent it asap and let me know what you think.... but you have been warned, it's not for the faint of heart.... 'Sick Girl' is film going experience, not a movie to casually just watch.

my thoughts on.... 'Cold Storage'

what is love....? it's a big question that has many answers.... and this movie is just one of those answers.... sadly, i came up with this same answer back in 2001 and wrote a short story very similar to this called, 'The Mortician: A Short Story of Longing'.... but that's for another time.... this is still an original movie with a twisted sense of itself and a good backbone in storytelling.... i found this on accident in the Netflix new releases to the OnDemand section and it caught my attention right off the bat.... and after watching it, i don't regret adding it to my queue....

the story revolves around a woman who heads to a small town to be in a play and leaves her boyfriend behind.... not in the best shape, relationship wise.... while on the way to the small town, she's in an accident and breaks her neck and ultimately dies on the road.... a passerby stops and you think he's going to help her and get her to a hospital.... instead, he puts her in his car and tows her car behind his back to his house.... where he proceeds to treat her like a living woman and falls in love with her.... and as she slowly begins to rot, things get interesting.... but it doesn't stop there.... the womans sister and boyfriend start looking for her.... and things just get strange from there....
there's not really much of a big name cast to speak of.... and it sometimes comes off a bit like the movie of the week on ABC.... but if you can get beyond those little things.... it's a gem of a movie.... a character study in human oddities and small town life, the dark side of it.... i really enjoyed all of the actors in this film and they way they portrayed their characters.... no one phoned in their performance and everyone was well cast.... it's a movie well worth your time and energy and never goes for the easy gross out.... it's more about the simple act of being crazy and loving a dead person.... so even those with a weak stomach can enjoy this movie....

3 out of 5 stars.... easy.... the story falls apart a little bit here and there and that's why i didn't give it a higher rating.... but beyond that it's and hour and a half well spent.... i would maybe even give it a second viewing.... granted it's not my story that i wrote.... but that doesn't mean it's crap.... so pop it in your Netflix queue and dig it.... i think you'll enjoy yourself.... but be careful driving on rural roads late at night and watch for low flying birds.

if you enjoy this movie, also watch: 'Kissed', 'Cemetary Man' and read my short story 'The Mortician: A Short Story of Longing' (or its sequel.)

my thoughts on.... 'Sorority Row'

i know what you're thinking right now.... 'Sorority Row' = teen crap.... right....? well, let me stomp on that little bit of thinking right off the bat.... this movie may have all the inner workings of another 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'.... but suprisingly, it goes a step or two beyond that.... it takes frats and sorority's and almost uses them as satire..... not in a ha ha funny kind of a way.... but it never takes itself so seriously that you get scared or grossed out.... it's just a fun, clever, little piece of horror filmaking that stands up with the best of it's kind.... meaning teeny bopper based slasher flicks.... i was really suprised at how much i enjoyed this movie.... it kept me guessing, it had good pacing and the script didn't suck.... the killers weapon of choice was original and it was a morality play all at the same time....! (and Bruce Willis's daughter was in it too....)

basically, sorority chicks go to far.... someone dies.... they try and cover it up.... it comes back to haunt them somehow and the world breaks down.... and it's interesting to me to watch these uptight, rich girls take on a horrific situation and see how they handle it.... granted it ain't Shakespeare.... but it's above average for what it is....
all in all.... a movie worth spending your time on.... it's available at Redbox, but only to rent on Netflix.... the cast is well cast.... the story is not too original, but well carried out.... the movie itself is shot very well and looks pretty.... overall a cut above the rest.... and not at all the piece of garbage i was expecting....

3 out of 5 stars.... go rent it if you have a little extra time and feel like watching pretty people get their just desserts.... and if you've ever wanted to know what REALLY goes on at a sorority party....! (yeah, right.).... you won't regret it.... if you want something smarter and scarier.... this may not be the one for you....

if you enjoy this movie, check out: 'Black Christmas' (2006), 'Club Dredd' and the 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' trilogy