Showing posts with label posters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label posters. Show all posts

Saturday, August 10, 2013

A Short List Of Movies Or Films Without Full Reviews: part 17

As a lover of cinema, I watch a lot of stuff. Sadly, I don't have the time, energy or even desire to write reviews for everything I see. Rather than to just continue to let these movies sit on a list, I've decided to post them here with a rating and maybe a little word or two. If you trust my judgement or agree with me on my decisions, then maybe this will be helpful to you in finding some keen new stuff to watch. I think it will also free up my mind a bit to see a much shorter list of things to review in the future. That being said, here we go!

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Safe House

It's no secret that I have a mancrush on Ryan Reynolds. I also love Denzel Washington. Put the two of them together and what do you get? A decent little action/thriller and not much more. I enjoyed it, but probably don't need to ever see it again.

3 out of 5 stars


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Below Zero

Edward Furlong has been around quite a while now, but never got the career that everyone was expecting him to have. Instead, he's just doing little movies here and there and looking kind of beat up. I still like him and watch the stuff he makes. This one was decent. Fairly original and a little weird, just like I like it. I'd give it a whirl.... if you like any of the things I've mentioned. P.S. Michael Berryman.

3 out of 5 stars.


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The Jeffrey Dahmer Files

The trailer for this looked pretty interesting. However, Mr. Dahmer isn't all the exciting. His crimes were horrific and a fascinating character study. But for whatever reason, he is terribly dull. This documentary continues to carry on that realization.

2 out of 5 stars.


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Horrible Bosses

An above average comedy. I enjoyed this quite a bit more than I expected I would. It might not be a "classic" like 'Dumb and Dumber' or 'Anchorman', but it's certainly not forgettable. Watch it and laugh.

3 out of 5 stars.

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Compliance

The people who've seen 'Compliance' talk about how difficult it is to watch. Not because it's bad, but because of the horrible things that happen during the course of the movie. I could see where some people might feel that way. While I was watching it, all I felt was anger at all of the real people involved.... for being so stupid. Not to discount the things that happened, but use some common sense folks! End of story. Not a bad movie though.

3 out of 5 stars.


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The Last Exorcism part II

I didn't love the first one, right out of the gate. Ashley Bell, the star, is what sold the movie. After a second viewing, I came to enjoy it quite a bit more. The sequel.... not so much. This one was watchable once, but the end was pretty bad and the whole thing needed a lot of work. It's a slapdash sequel, nothing more. Jeffery Combs, why have you forsaken me?

2 out of 5 stars.

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Night of the Living Dead 3D: Re-animated

Good lord, this was awful. Please, please, please stop pissing all over whatever good is left in the original 'Night of the Living Dead'. There was nothing good about this travesty of film making. Nothing.

1 out of 5 stars.

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The Switch

I love Jason Bateman, who doesn't? This movie was okay. Nothing great, nothing bad.... just kind of bland. The concept was original, but it just wasn't enough to carry the whole story. Watch once and forget it. The end.

3 out of 5 stars.

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The Man With The Iron Fists

Quentin Tarantino was in talks with the RZA to include his blacksmith character from this movie in his magnum opus, 'Django Unchained'. That never happened. This movie did, however. It had tons of potential and was tons better than most of the stuff that comes out these days. I enjoyed the ride and would consider adding it to my movie collection. The only thing is, this movie didn't stick with me. Everyone in it was great. The story was interesting. The action was spot on. There is very little to gripe about with this movie. With all of that being said, it was missing that little bit of spark that could have brought it to life. Perhaps it was the RZA's choice to take on the lead role? I'm not sure. No matter what, I'd still recommend this to fans of old school kung-fu flicks and those with a taste for bloody action flicks. This one is a whole lot of fun and Russell Crowe steals the show. Sit back, make some popcorn and enjoy!

4 out of 5 stars.


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Silent House

I remember watching the original version of this movie called 'La Casa Muda'. It kept me on the edge of my seat and did so all the way up until the end. The ending was a bit of a let down, but the rest of the movie more than made up for it. When I heard that were making an American remake, I was apprehensive. However.... I've always said that I have no problems with remakes. I just didn't understand the need for one only a couple of years later. Either way, this American version had a lot of the same flavor and flair as the original, but didn't provide the scares. The ending left me feeling hollow and incomplete and I just didn't think it did as much as it could have. Overall, it was a decent little pot boiler. Forgettable though.

3 out of 5 stars.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

A Short List Of Movies Or Films Without Full Reviews: part 16

As a lover of cinema, I watch a lot of stuff. Sadly, I don't have the time, energy or even desire to write reviews for everything I see. Rather than to just continue to let these movies sit on a list, I've decided to post them here with a rating and maybe a little word or two. If you trust my judgement or agree with me on my decisions, then maybe this will be helpful to you in finding some keen new stuff to watch. I think it will also free up my mind a bit to see a much shorter list of things to review in the future. That being said, here we go!

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Spy Kids 4: All The Time In The World

I just watched this with the family today. We own the other three and the kids love them and I can't hate, as they're done by Robert Rodriguez. So, until the kids can watch 'El Mariachi' or 'Desperado' or 'From Dusk Till Dawn', these will have to do. Now, he hasn't done all the greatest movies ever, but they are usually pretty fun and sometimes that's okay. This installment in the franchise, seems to be an attempt to update it and bring it back for another group of kids growing up. It has a little something for everyone and a lot of the same appeal of the other 3. Sadly, not all of the original cast members come back, but a good chunk are in the house. I found it to be fun and silly, that's about it. Also, Joel McHale is never a bad thing. If you're looking for something safe for the kids, with a decent message.... this one is right up your alley. The only thing I would warn you against is a lot of poop and puke. 3 out of 5 stars


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Inkubus

Good god, this is garbage. So much wasted talent in this little piece of hell. I tried and tried to find something good in this movie. But after watching it all the way through until the end, I'm sorry I ever bothered. Stay away from this one like the plague! 0 out of 5 stars.


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The Dictator

I love Sacha Baron Cohen. I think he's got a lot of talent and is a damn funny guy. When I first heard about 'The Dictator', I had high hopes. Now, this wasn't on par with his earlier work.... but it's not as bad as everyone says. No one person can make gold every time they create something. He tried something a little new and it came out feeling re-hashed and uninspired. If you're bored on a rainy Sunday and this comes on, you could do worse than to watch it. You could be watching 'Inkubus' instead. Ugh. 3 out of 5 stars. By the way, what the heck happened to Anna Faris? I used to be a fan and now, I'm kind of losing interest.


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The Thing (2011)

Well, I've seen the John Carpenter version, but I never saw the original 'The Thing From Another World' by Howard Hawks and Christian Nyby. All I knew about this movie was that it was a prequel to the Carpenter version, which I was never really keen on in the first place. Everyone holds it in such high regard, but I guess I just never got it. Not that it was a bad movie, it just never sparked an interest with me. This version was more of the same. I never really cared about anything that was going on and within the first half of an hour, I'd kind of tuned out. There was nothing in this movie that made me want to watch it. Never the less, I stayed until the end and forgot everything I'd seen by the time I deleted it from my queue. There is a lot of time and money spent on this one, but not much substance for all that effort. 2 out of 5 stars.

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The Three Stooges (2011)

When I was growing up, I used to love to watch 'The Three Stooges'. A big part of that appeal, was the way people used to talk down on it. Either for the violence or the sheer stupidity of it. That never stopped me from enjoying their antics. When I caught wind of this remake being tossed around, I was concerned about how it would turn out. When I heard the Farrelly's were at the helm, I felt a little better. After watching this one with my kids and re-living my childhood all over with them, I came away with a smile. Not that this was really all that good, but they paid attention to the details of the original source material and brought it back to life. It's design, script, stunts, actors and presentation all smacked of the original Stooges themselves. I can't say too much bad about this, as if you were going in to see it for any other reason than to laugh at their stupidity.... then you were probably not a fan to begin with. This isn't the best comedy of the year, but it's nostalgic brain candy for slapstick buffs. 3 out of 5 stars.


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I Ain't Scared Of You: A Tribute To Bernie Mac

A documentary about Bernic Mac, how could you miss with this? Sadly, he left us all too soon. I'm happy that they took the time to pay tribute to his life, but I think that they could have done a bit more with this movie. It felt rushed and pieced together. There are lots of good things here, but unless you're a fan.... it may miss the mark for casual viewers or those uninitiated to Mr. Mac. That is all. 3 out of 5 stars.

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Color Me Kubrick

This is kind of an interesting story, emphasis on "kind of". Everyone in this movie does the best they can with the source material, but sadly.... it's just not an overly intriguing tale to tell. I'm not sure why it felt to darn flat, but it did. There was nothing amazing here and nothing awful. It's kind of like wanting a hot bath and only getting a warm one. Rather than watch this Malkovich driven movie, watch his 2008 tale, 'The Great Buck Howard'. It's a much better, much more interesting story that's based on a real person. 3 out of 5 stars.

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The Smurfs

I wonder what Pierre Culliford aka Peyo, would think of this take on his creation, 'The Smurfs'? His brainchild was a huge part of my childhood and I can't say that I was happy to hear that they were updating them for a new audience. There's no room for me to argue the point against it, as I've stood behind many other reboots and new remakes of old material. The fact that it was such a big part of my childhood, just creates more bias than normal. Now, the movie itself was okay. There's nothing really good here and after it was over, I never wanted to see it again. They did what they thought was the right thing with the original source material, but it came out all wrong. The Smurfs felt strange, the humans seemed off putting and Gargamel was downright bad. If you really want your nostalgia kept in tact, then stick the original cartoons. If you want to feel dirty after an hour and a half of CGI Smurfs, then watch this. Not awful, but not good. 2 out of 5 stars. Even NPH couldn't save the day.

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21 Jump Street

Here's another example of nostalgia that's being mined for fun and profit. The big difference between this and other similar attempts is that this one, is actually DAMN hilarious! If you are a die hard fan of the original series, you may find some trouble watching this updated version. But if you loved the series like I did (even through the Grieco years) and never took it too seriously, than this will hit your sweet spot. This is not so much a remake as a continuation. All the elements of the original series are here, but it's not the same cast of characters. There is so many good things here to talk about, however, it's best if you just watch it for yourself. Also, the smartest thing they did with this movie was to make it a stand alone piece for people who've never heard of '21 Jump Street'. It's actually one of the funniest comedies I've seen in a long time and that's leaving all the nostalgia out of the equation. This is funny because it's well written and well done. Nothing more, nothing less. I laughed out loud a lot during this movie and that's no small thing for me. I highly recommend this for anyone who loves a good comedy, but be warned.... there's lots of swearing and that just adds to the humor. 4 out of 5 stars easily.


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The Living And The Dead

This is not an easy film to watch and probably not the best way to end this compilation of reviews. This film is dark, depressing and sad. The characters and lost and broken. This is the kind of film that sticks with you, long after the credits roll. It can be a bit jumbled at times, but if you're willing to put in the effort to watch it.... you will be rewarded with fine film making. Mental illness has never been portrayed quite like this. Nothing bad to say here, 4 out of 5 stars.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

A Short List Of Movies Or Films Without Full Reviews: part 15

As a lover of cinema, I watch a lot of stuff. Sadly, I don't have the time, energy or even desire to write reviews for everything I see. Rather than to just continue to let these movies sit on a list, I've decided to post them here with a rating and maybe a little word or two. If you trust my judgement or agree with me on my decisions, then maybe this will be helpful to you in finding some keen new stuff to watch. I think it will also free up my mind a bit to see a much shorter list of things to review in the future. That being said, here we go!

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Cars 2

This movie got a lot of flack after it was released. I really don't know why? My feeling was that it was a wonderful follow up to the original. It felt like they weren't trying to just copy the original. Granted, they played up a lot for the fans love of Mater, but what did you expect? I loved it, own it and think it was an example of what I dreamed my cars could do back when I was a kid. Didn't you have Hot Wheels that did some amazing things that actual cars could never do? That's pretty much what happened in 'Cars 2'. It was a giant fantasy for kids and adults. Our playtime imagination brought to life. Re-watch it with those eyes and tell me if you still feel that it wasn't as good as the first. 4 out of 5 stars


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Tucker and Dale vs. Evil

WHY AREN'T YOU WATCHING THIS RIGHT NOW? It's still on Netflix OnDemand and is well worth your time. This movie took me by surprise and is such a breath of fresh air. A movie where it's a horror/comedy, but in a totally new way. Think 'Final Destination' meets 'The Andy Griffith Show' or something. Such a strange and fun little movie, that I am wondering why I haven't watched it again. This is one that I will own someday and will cherish. It's not quite up to 'Evil Dead 2' status, but it's damn close. Go. Now. Watch! 4 out of 5 stars. (This movie really should have had a full review, but I need to clean up my backlog of movies to talk about.)


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Furry Vengeance

You may be saying, "Why would you watch this?" Well, I have kids. Honestly, it wasn't that bad. It won't win any Oscar's or anything, but it's fun. The cast seems to be enjoying themselves and it's pretty harmless. Not too mention that the kids loved the music. Recommended for people with kids. 3 out of 5 stars.


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Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

My fellow contributor to this blog and cousin, Doc Stout, will probably not be happy with me for this.... but I wasn't super impressed with this movie. I love Edgar Wright. I love some of the cast. I even really enjoyed the music, but I just couldn't get into this movie. I'm not a Jason Schwartzman fan and he always reminds me of those awful Wes Anderson movies. Ugh. I enjoyed this for what it was and might come to love it with repeated viewings. However, that might take a while before I have any desire to sit through it again. This is totally dismissing any ties to the original comics. I never read them, so I can't compare or judge based on that. I'm strictly making this verdict based on what was presented on the screen. Nothing more. I think this movies is for fans of the comics, mostly. 2 out of 5 stars. (For now.)

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The Wizard of Gore (2007)

No, this is not the Herschell Gordon Lewis gore splattered classic. This is 'The Wizard of Gore' for a new generation. I honestly wanted to hate this movie. I even tried to hate it, but it's so strange and interesting that I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. Crispin Glover is brilliant, as usual. Kip Purdue is out of character and does quite well. The director, Jeremy Kasten, creates a surreal vision of the original and it works beautifully. Where the original gave me no real reason to watch it a second time, this one did. There was so much going on that I almost feel like I have to watch it again to catch everything. Highly recommended for genre fans. For everyone else, this might not be your cup of tea. 4 out of 5 stars.


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The Dead

Another zombie movie? Really? That's what I'm guessing 95% of the population was saying when they saw these released. What they may not have said was, "Wow. Another zombie movie!" Which is what they should have said. This movie was a bit of a fresh take on things. You still have shambling zombies everywhere and things are extremely bleak, but that has to happen. What sets it apart is the setting and the cast. This takes place in such a desolate and impoverished area and the whole political climate is polar opposite to anything else we've seen. It puts a whole new spin on an old theme. There is nothing not to like about 'The Dead'. The only possible things that may turn off certain viewers is the pacing at times and the poorly thought out title. Sadly, if you look it up, you get 1,000's of other things with the same two words: 'The Dead'. Other than that? A winner in my book. 4 out of 5 stars.

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Red (2010)

I had absolutely no idea what to expect from 'Red' when I turned it on. What I got was an awesome thrill ride with an amazing cast, killer action and a damn fun story! This film is one of my favorite action/comedies of the past decade. It has something for everyone and should satisfy even the most jaded viewers. What's not to like? 4 out of 5 stars.

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Chromeskull: Laid To Rest 2

'The original 'Laid To Rest' was an indie blood fest that was kind of a gory little surprise to everyone who saw it. There was no fanfare or glory for this movie. It just crept up on everyone like the 'Little Engine That Could', if that engine had a video camera, a giant hunting knife, tons of cash and a wicked chrome skull mask. This is the sequel to that original gem. I can't say that I hated it, but it did feel a little short. The background story was great and gave Chromskull a lot more depth. Some of the stuff going on in the movie was awesome. It still kept many of the things that made the first one great, but it just didn't feel the same. Watch only if you're a fan of the first. 3 out of 5 stars.

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Cats & Dogs

Again, I watched this because of the kids. Not great, not terrible. I don't need to ever see it again. 2 out of 5 stars.


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Dear Mr. Gacy

Low budget serial killer movie, based on a real story. I rather enjoyed seeing this strange true crime story brought to life. William Forsythe was fantastic as John Wayne Gacy. He gave me a serious case of the heeby jeebys and that's a compliment. If you think you've seen every serial killer movie on the shelf, I'm betting you haven't seen this one. It's not your traditional story line, but that's what makes it great. You can check all your expectations at the door and just enjoy the ride like everyone else. I'm glad that this diamond in the rough finally showed up on my radar. Hopefully I've put it on yours now too. 3 out of 5 stars.

Monday, July 23, 2012

A Short List Of Movies Or Films Without Full Reviews: part 14

As a lover of cinema, I watch a lot of stuff. Sadly, I don't have the time, energy or even desire to write reviews for everything I see. Rather than to just continue to let these movies sit on a list, I've decided to post them here with a rating and maybe a little word or two. If you trust my judgement or agree with me on my decisions, then maybe this will be helpful to you in finding some keen new stuff to watch. I think it will also free up my mind a bit to see a much shorter list of things to review in the future. That being said, here we go!

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Brutal Massacre: A Comedy

It's been months and months since I'be seen this, but it still sticks in my mind. A funny, little indie comedy about making a low budget horror film. With some names you'll recognize and a decent script, this is a fun way to spend an evening or afternoon. Very enjoyable and something that may have slipped under your radar! 3 out of 5 stars


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Extract

Mike Judge is a damn talented guy. 'Beavis and Butthead' started his ball rolling, but 'Office Space' and 'Idiocracy' cemented his place in live action comedy film making. That's what makes it such a surprise to me that this came out with no real fanfare. It has several A-list actors, it's a pretty damn funny script and it's right on par with his previous work. You may have not heard of it, but you have now and I highly recommend that you check it out. Good stuff from a proven talent. 4 out of 5 stars.


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Hot Tub Time Machine

What an incredibly stupid plot! That's what I was thinking when I first heard of this. I actually thought it was a fake movie, until I saw a real trailer for it. Because of my preconceived notions about this movie, I stayed away from it for a long time. When it finally popped up on Netflix OnDemand, I figured it was finally time to take a chance. The end result? A hilarious movie that, sadly, had such a weird premise, it may have turned off a lot of potential viewers. If you're willing to check your brain at the door and just enjoy a big hunk o' stupid, this is the movie for you! (Also, it has some good stuff too.... that's not so stupid.) 4 out of 5 stars.


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Skyline

This is the first of 3 reviews all about alien invasion films. They all came out around the same time and I waited to watch them, until all around the same time. First up is 'Skyline'. This one has a simple story line, aliens invade, a small group of people fight to survive. The twist? Love. You'll understand once you see it. A lot of people were really turned off by the ending of this film. I think it was made to have a sequel and I think I'd watch it, if they made one. Granted, it was a bit strange and a little silly, but the rest of it made up for any of the bad taste left at the end. I really dug it and I now own it. 4 out of 5 stars.

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Monsters

I must be a sucker for alien films. The second one out of three is 'Monsters'. This one has a much lower budget than the other two, but I don't feel that it suffers because of it. This has more of a story about the two main characters and the aliens are kind of secondary. You do get some alien sequences, but they're few in number. I loved this for what it was and it felt like a breath of fresh air, after all the other GIANT CGI aliens from the other films. A very satisfying piece of cinema. 4 out of 5 stars.


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Battle: Los Angeles

The final film in this set is 'Battle: Los Angeles'. Not too be confused with the knock-off "mockbuster" 'Battle of Los Angeles'. This is more on par with 'Skyline' than 'Monsters. Big budget, big explosions, big guns and big aliens. Think world war III, but with aliens. There's not a huge amount of intelligence in this opus, but I loved it anyway. This is the kind of film you make a big bucket of popcorn for and watch on a rainy afternoon. If you have a giant TV and a good surround sound system, I'm guessing you'll enjoy this more than people without those things. I dug it quite a bit and would add it to my collection, if I had the spare cash. 4 out of 5 stars.

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The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

Morgan Spurlock came out of nowhere several years ago and changed the face of documentary film making, kind of like Michael Moore had done years before. He made them fun again and got people who didn't like documentaries before, to watch them now. There is no denying that the man is charismatic and very entertaining to watch. This somewhat recent outing from him takes an interesting turn. He sets out to fund a documentary with nothing but ads from sponsors. The two things really don't go together, but he makes it work and asks a lot of really smart questions along the way. I love everything he does and this was no exception. Highly recommended for fans of Morgan. 4 out of 5 stars.

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13 Assassins aka Jûsan-nin No Shikaku

I LOVE Takashi Miike. I think he's a modern day auteur and highly underrated in the states. I, however, am not a huge fan of old school samurai films. When I heard that he was making one of his own, I kind of balked at the idea. I'm sorry that I did. This film was awesome. I'm not even sure how else to describe it. The first two acts of the film are the build up to one hell of an amazing finale. This film has everything and you should stop reading this blog no and go and watch it! 4 out of 5 stars.

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I Saw The Devil aka Akmareul boatda

This is a serial killer film for people who love serial killer films. It may be Korean and it may be subtitled, but don't let that keep you away from it. (if that's something that bothers you.... i know a lot of people have issues with subtitles.... i'm not one of them.) Anyway, this film is pure genius. From the opening sequence, it grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go until the bloody climax. It's two and a half hours that zips by like it's going 100 miles an hour. This sets a new standard for the serial killer genre and is one that's not too be missed. 4 out of 5 stars.


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Super

The last review here is reserved for a film I was going to go more in depth with.... but I need to get the word out about it, so I'm just going to give you a brief over view. 'Super' is a superhero film about a guy who isn't really very super and may or may not be a hero. This is dark, bloody, comical and twisted. The creator, writer, director and mad genius James Gunn is at the helm and all you need to know is that he's a graduate of Troma Studios and is a close friend of Lloyd Kaufman. That should give you a pretty good idea of what to expect. There is nothing bad about this film. It has great actors, great action, great story, great music, great everything! The only reason to stay away, is if you have a weak stomach for violence and Kevin Bacon. I own it and love it. 4 out of 5 stars.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

A Short List Of Movies Or Films Without Full Reviews: part 13

As a lover of cinema, I watch a lot of stuff. Sadly, I don't have the time, energy or even desire to write reviews for everything I see. Rather than to just continue to let these movies sit on a list, I've decided to post them here with a rating and maybe a little word or two. If you trust my judgement or agree with me on my decisions, then maybe this will be helpful to you in finding some keen new stuff to watch. I think it will also free up my mind a bit to see a much shorter list of things to review in the future. That being said, here we go!

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With Great Power.... The Stan Lee Story

I'd say 50% of the world knows who Stan Lee is and I'd say the 100% of comic book fans know who Stan Lee is. What they think about him can differ greatly, depending on whom you talk to. This documentary is a fans look at the man behind the legend. There's nothing really negative here and that's okay by me. Stan Lee is very easy to like, very charismatic and kind of fun. This documentary tells the story of how he became to be the legend he is today. Highly recommended to comic book fans! 4 out of 5 stars


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BBC Jonathan Ross: In Search Of Steve Ditko

Now, we move onto another side of the Stan Lee story.... Steve Ditko. Steve isn't nearly as well known to the general public, but to old school and new school comic fans alike, he's a legend in his own right. This is a brief look at his amazing, but short career and his ties with Stan Lee. Jonathan Ross tells Steve's story with honest love and appreciation for his work. This is recommended to those who want both sides of the Marvel Comics story and who love Steve Ditko! 4 out of 5 stars. (There is no trailer, as this was a BBC special. Instead, I give you part 1 that links to all the other parts of the show.)


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The Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics

Finally, here's the history of Marvel Comics #1 competitor, DC Comics. This is a comprehensive look at DC's history and majesty. From Superman to today, this covers it all. Awesomely narrated by Ryan Reynolds, this is a must see for true comic book fans. I really enjoyed this documentary and it rounded out my comic book history lessons. 4 out of 5 stars.


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Defendor

From comic book documentaries to a comic book hero type movie. Here we have, 'Defendor', a man who's a little "off balance" and believes himself to be a superhero. This is a movie grounded in reality and Woody Harrelson plays 'Defendor' with zest and heart. I wasn't sure how this would match up to it's peers: 'Kick-Ass', 'Super' or 'Special', but it holds up quite well. It doesn't have as much style as the first two, but it makes up for it with a bit more heart. A good way to spend an evening. 3 out of 5 stars.

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The Innkeepers

The director of 'The Innkeepers', Ti West, is really hit and miss with me.... and with critics. He's not consistent enough with his films yet, to be a true contender in the horror genre. He has a lot of style and I think a lot more good left in him. Sadly, it seems that not all of his films are as well thought out as they could be. 'Cabin Fever 2' suffered from the sophomore jinx. 'The House of the Devil' was amazingly awesome and a love story to the 80's horror genre. But 'The Innkeepers' started out strong and seemed to be headed for greatness, however.... in the end, it just fell short. I have huge hopes for his upcoming 'V/H/S' and I think he's just about to hit his stride. Check out this movie, if you like ghost stories, but turn it off before the last 5 minutes happens. You'll thank me later. 3 out of 5 stars.


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Heckler

Jamie Kennedy doesn't care for heckler's much and this documentary proves it. He serves as our guide through the world of comedians and their detractors. Not something that I ever need to see again, but it shows a side of the comedy world that only the comedians see. Fun and educational. 3 out of 5 stars.

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Mum and Dad

When I'm spending my time looking for something good to watch, I do quite a bit of reading and research. Usually, I have pretty good luck at keeping the crap to a minimum. Somehow 'Mum and Dad' got past my radar. This was pretty much garbage. There is nothing new in this movie that you haven't seen before and probably didn't want to see again. It felt old, re-hashed, boring and lame. I stuck it out until the end, but it never got any better. This is your one and only warning, stay away from 'Mum and Dad'. Watch the trailer and you'll probably see why. 2 out of 5 stars.

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Not Your Typical Bigfoot Movie

When it comes to bigfoot hunters, these guys take 1st prize. One part crazy eccentrics and one part serious investigators, these two take their fascination with bigfoot to the next level. I couldn't decide if I felt sorry for them or believed every word they said. They had such belief in their research that you can't help but want to think that they knew something the rest of the world doesn't.... that bigfoot is real. Watch it and decide for yourself, but I'll tell you know.... this isn't the most exciting documentary. 2 out of 5 stars.

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Burke and Hare

My sister recommended this film and I'm glad she did! I had never heard of it or the real life people it's based on. Not only that, but it starred Simon Pegg and Andy Sirkis and was directed by John Landis! How does this slip by any decent film goers radar? The point is, you've got a built in pedigree with this film, even before the opening credits roll. It's a bit dry and very English in its humor, but don't let that keep you from watching this little gem. It's one of the better black comedies I've seen in a long time and something that was well worth my Saturday afternoon. You need to track down this film. Quotable and extremely fun. 4 out of 5 stars.


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Bereavement

The movie 'Malevolence' is a bit of an indie slasher/horror legend. It set a new standard for the quality of horror films that could be created on a tiny budget. I've seen it and found it to be mediocre at best. There were moments of good things, but they didn't outweigh the overall blah factor. 'Bereavement' is the sequel.... in the form of a prequel. It tells the story behind the story and this time.... there's a bigger budget. This movie feels like the director, Steven Mena, is on his way to bigger and better things, but hasn't quite found his voice yet. This movie gets a little tiresome after the first 30 minutes and feels like it keeps repeating itself the rest of the way, until the end. I wanted to really enjoy this, but only ended up feeling like I kind of missed the boat and didn't want to go back to catch another one. If you like the original, you might enjoy this. That's the only reason I would recommend you watch it. 3 out of 5 stars. (For an honest effort.)