The_Fear Reviews

Seven Samurai (1954)

Greatest Movie of All Time

[10/10 · 24 February 2007]

Seven Samurai is widely considered one of, if not THE greatest film of all time. Recently, I purchased the 3-Disc Criterion DVD set and am very pleased with it, but I'll get into that briefly in a little while. The film is 207 minutes (as you can see above) and that may seem like a daunting "task" for some and I myself was worried that it would be overlong, packed with fluff and at times, boring. Man, was I ever wrong.

In foreign films it is often hard, at least in my opinion, to gauge how well an actor performs because we do not speak the language. So much of the performance is in the delivery of the lines that the effect is sometimes greatly lowered. Not here though, the performances are so great that it doesn't matter whether or not you understand what they are saying. Everyone is very good here, but the main praise has to go to our seven samurai. Everything they do, every emotion they give is 100% believable. You really grow to care about them through the movie, which is very important in any movie. The farmers are good as well. Some not as good as others but there isn't anyone that was bad or bogged the film down in any way.

The music is really great. Sometimes it seems like it doesn't go well with the scenes (it can be a little funky at times but you will realize that is goes perfect with the scene. Later in the movie, the "funkiness" dissipates and the music is subtle at times and loud at others but it always is perfect. Fumio Hayasaka should be very proud of what he did (well, if he were still alive that is. Sadly, he died just one year after this movie was released).

Now, normally black and white movies, as I've found, don't have very…interesting cinematography to say the least. It's normally point and shoot. Now, I'm sure that isn't the case with all black and white movies, but the ones I've seen are just plain. This however, is amazing. There is always something going on. Be it a stream flowing, horses moving, people walking, flags waving or water wheels moving, there is always something moving and it makes the movie that much more interesting. Everything is filmed in such a beautiful way and the black and white image just enhances it. I personally feel that it would be impossible for this movie to be as great as it is if it were to be in color.

Now, the DVD is from Criterion and it is my first DVD from them. From what I hear, they make the best DVD's. They make them for film buffs. Everything about them is as perfect as they can be. That said, this is an amazing first Criterion DVD. The image is absolutely stunning, even though it was made in 1954 and wasn't preserved all too well. There is little grain to be found, even in the dark night scenes (the black levels are superb). The sound is as good as your going to get but the picture will floor you. The set comes with a great booklet and some features I haven't yet had a chance to check out. This is a superb DVD set and I cannot recommend it enough, even at $35, which some people might balk at (shame on you!).

What else is there to say about Seven Samurai that hasn't been said yet over the 53 years since its release. Three and a half hours may seem like a long time to be watching a movie, but the movie couldn't have gone on long enough. I was completely engrossed in this world and this is a movie experience I will never have again, at least not a first time. As I stated earlier, many people consider this to be the greatest film put to celluloid. I happen to be in that camp. It blends every genre to complete perfection. There are breathtaking action scenes (the rain fight at the end is utterly amazing, but don't think that this is an all out action movie, action doesn't really start until a while into the film but it doesn't matter, it keeps you captivated throughout), hilarious comedy bits that still hold up after all these years (hence the "hilarious" bit), suspense, drama and even a hint of romance (not a ton though). While it is not my favorite film of all time (it's sure as hell way up there though), it is quite simply the greatest film I have ever set my eyes upon.

Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (2003)

Sensational Action Turned Up To 12!

[8/10 · 27 May 2006]

I've been eyeing this film ever since it discreetly came onto the DVD scene last August. I had heard about it online. I can't remember exactly where but I remember reading about the awesome action scenes and if you know me, I'm a sucker for big, awesome action scenes, particularly ones that involve intense moves being performed.

The plot to this movie is very very simple. When the head of a statue sacred to a village is stolen, a young martial artist goes to the big city and finds himself taking on the underworld to retrieve it. That's it. It's almost paper thin but it doesn't matter cause if you pick this movie up, you aren't doing so for a deep plot.

Tony Jaa is simply stunning in this movie. The moves he pulls off are awe-inspiring. They're wonderful to watch but there is something about them that takes them to the next level: they're real. That's right. EVERYTHING you see Jaa do in this movie he does for real. There's no stunt doubles, no CGI and no wires. It's 100% Jaa and boy, some of the moves he pulls off are astounding. He trained for four years for this movie and it shows big time. Jaa is an utter joy to watch. He's elegant, yes elegant, in his fluidity and the array of moves he pulls off. He uses his elbows, A LOT. You think Tom Cruise went elbow crazy at the end of M:I: III? In Ong-Bak Jaa goes nuts, and it's awesome.

The movie is in Thai but also has an English dubbing. Dubbing is evil so forget about that. The acting is solid for the most part. It's hard to say how they are exactly considering you can't tell how their delivery is, but their performances were solid. Each character was unique but not out there (ok, the voice box guy was different). Jaa though, has no charisma. When Jackie Chan or Jet Li are in a movie, they tell a story and are...well charismatic. Jaa's moves are amazing yes, but sometimes (rarely) they get repetitive, especially towards the end. The music is funky at times but generic fare here. Nothing memorable or stand out. There's a lot of techno and hip-hop used throughout though and it isn't as distracting as you'd expect. This movie also has the best Thai three-wheeler chase I've ever seen. Probably cause it's the only Thai three-wheeler chase I've ever seen. It sounds extremely lame on paper, but its quite exciting to actually see.

As I said above, the action is top notch. But it isn't flawless. The faults in the action scenes are the director's fault though. He uses slow motion way too much and he shows almost everything Jaa does (and other things that happen) more than once. At least 2-3 times (sometimes more) for most "events", as we'll call them, that happen. Slow-Mo is a great technique to use in movie making, but while some things look cool slowed down, other things don't. There are plenty of scenes and moves that were slowed down in this movie that would have been better if they were kept at a normal speed. Jaa is fast and his elegance and fluidity should be shown at normal speed for some scenes. Some things turned out well with the aid of slow-mo but there were some scenes I would have liked at a normal speed. This sounds like a major gripe but it really isn't. It doesn't hinder the movie severely or make it any less enjoyable, its just something that I as a viewer noticed.

There are also some genuinely funny moments, some are even unintentional but aren't what you're thinking. They aren't the ones that are so bad they're funny or ruin the movie. They're the rare unintentional funny moments that are good. One in particular is when you first see what Jaa can do in the boxing ring. When he does what he does I laughed to myself and said "Ha-ha, that's awesome!" It's those kind of moments, not moments of cheese.

I'm a sucker for a good action or martial arts movie. I really enjoyed this movie. The plot was not overly complex and was there enough to the point where I stayed interested, but never bored. Ong-Bak was a fun romp. The action was turned up to 12 and it was never boring. I definitely recommend a viewing if you like action/martial arts movies and/or just want to have a good time. It's not a "second coming" nor anything that will radically change your views about action movies. Its just a fun movie and nothing more, nothing less.

Mission: Impossible III (2006)

Best of The Series

[7/10 · 8 May 2006]

"We've implanted an explosive charge in your head. Does that sound familiar?" Crazy. Mental. Insane. Dumb. Ridiculous. Say what you want about Tom Cruise but there's one thing you cannot deny, he knows how to deliver a big action summer blockbuster and he has done so with his latest; Mission: Impossible III.

J.J. Abrams does a wonderful job, you wouldn't know its his first time directing a feature length movie. His directing is tight and you see almost everything, unlike numerous action movies nowadays who either have the cameras right up close or has wiz bang editing. The camera is pulled back and the only complaint I have is that sometimes the camera is too shaky and jittery so you sometimes get disoriented. But Abrams pulls through and I hope that if there is an M:I IV, he directs.

The acting in this is solid per usual. Tom Cruise is great in this. I put all the gossip and news about Cruise and his behavior out of my mind and enjoyed the movie, which is essentially what we should do in the first place. He's not playing Tom Cruise in this movie so don't go in expecting him to act like he's perceived in the news. I don't care how he acts, as long as he puts out consistently great flicks (side note: He's from Syracuse, NY which is about 30 minutes from where I live. Awesome!). The whole cast has a great chemistry. Ving Rhames as Stickle is great per usual. The exchanges between Cruise and Rhames are great, you really get the feeling they are good friends. It really helps the movie by having them have conversations about Hunt getting married all while they're in the middle of a mission. Laurence Fishburne was good too. He had all of the best lines. I enjoyed the "chocolate" and "intelligence" exchange in one scene in particular. The rest of Hunt's team was good as well, even if there were no stand out performances from either. Simon Pegg (Shaun from]Shaun of The Dead) was awesome in this, even if he had little screen time. He was funny as usual and has quickly become one of my favorite comedic actors. His delivery and comic timing are top notch and funny as hell. Philip Seymour Hoffman. Now this is an enemy. He was menacing and evil but not over the top. Hoffman played Davian very well, he's probably one of the strongest characters in the movie acting wise. At some points I felt like saying I was sorry to him.

Now this is an action movie and it does not disappoint. The action scenes are over the top yes, but never go into the realm of unbelievable nor make you roll your eyes. They're all wonderful. There's a lot of action too. It doesn't have an overly elaborate plot line. It gives you just enough information to know what's going on and to be interested but doesn't dwell on it too much; they know what kind of movie you came to see. It's about 10 minutes of talking then another action scene. Each one is memorable and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The score is standard action movie fare with the famous M:I theme playing only twice throughout the whole movie, at the beginning and at the end. There's nothing in particular that stands out among another piece though.

So yes, Abrams has made the best of the M:I movies. It has a story and tons of action. It isn't over the top like M:I:II was. As I said before if there's fourth entry I hope Abrams returns to write and direct. I also hope we don't have to wait till 2012 for the next one either. So you're mission, should you choose to accept it, is to see this movie if you want a good time. This post will self destruct in 5 seconds

United 93 (2006)

"United 93 are you there? Come in 93 "

[9/10 · 28 April 2006]

Director Paul Greengrass has done the seemingly impossible. He has made a tasteful, powerful, emotional, great and above all else respectful movie on one of the events that transpired on September 11th 2001.

You all know what this movie is about so there is no need to explain it. The movie begins in the early morning hours of September 11th 2001 in the hotel room of the terrorists who hijack flight United 93. We follow them from there to the airport, to the plane, through the hijacking and right to the end. Everything in this movie is done respectfully and tastefully. There are no cartoonish bad guys, nor are there any Bruce Willis or Wesley Snipes type heroes. The music doesn't swell up or have violins playing in the background when the crew rebels. There are no dramatic slow motion shots either. This is a real movie plain and simple.

The acting in this movie is surprisingly great. All the actors in this are unknowns and this helps in a big big way. If we has Nicholas Cage or Brad Pitt in this movie then that would detract from is severely. We'd look at it and know that they are acting. With the unknowns though, they feel like regular people in a terrible situation. They all give great, convincing performances and really pull you in to the movie, yes even the terrorists do. There is not one main character we follow either, rather it is symbolic of the title; they are all United as one and we care for them individually as well as a whole. We don't get to know them deeply but that doesn't deter because, essentially they are us. You get to know them gradually throughout the movie though.

The music is a truly spectacular aspect of this film. As I said earlier, it isn't overly dramatic nor is it all heroic and such. It is absolutely perfect for this movie; the composer couldn't have done a better job. It's especially wonderful near the end though, truly spectacular.

Greengrass uses a lot of hand-held camera work here; most of the movie is in hand-held format. This helps us get sucked in to the situation even more because we feel as though we are spectators and going through what the crew and passengers went through. It's very effective and it never gets annoying. Some complain that hand-held cameras give them motion sickness, but if it's in the hands of the right director it works great (Mann is a good example) and Greengrass shows he is one of the ones who make it work.

The visual effects are good, for the sparse amount there are in the films. Most of them are just the outlook of the plane windows but they never look hokey or out of place. They seem very natural.

The imagery in this movie is wonderful. It doesn't go overboard exploiting everything that happened nor does it wallow in itself by saying "Hey, I'm a 9/11 movie, watch how I show all the horrible images we've seen over the past 4.5 years!" It shows what it needs to. It shows a news report of the second plane hitting, it shows the WTC in the background, smoking. It does not however show the buildings collapse nor does it show the plane exploding. It reminds us of why this is such an important event in our history, why we should never forget it. Greengrass knows that we lived through this and doesn't overdue the graphic-ness (for lack of a better word) of this subject, but he also shows enough and tells enough that future generations will be able to watch this movie and grasp what their Parents and Grandparents experienced that fateful September morning in 2001.

The ending to this movie is absolutely perfect. It ends in a perfect way; right when it should end. It ends right where you expect it too as well. It ends with the plane crashing. The crash is a first person outlook from the cockpit and the ground is spiraling toward you and you really get a great sense of how fast they were really going. Right before it hits, the screen goes to black for about 5 or so seconds. Then text appears explaining what happened following the crash and the text changes about three times before saying that this movie is dedicated to all those who lost their lives on September 11th 2001. You really have to see it though; it's quite moving and is quite simply the perfect way to end this movie.

United 93 is a spectacular movie. This is truly a movie for everyone. Everybody should see it, maybe not right now cause I know some people aren't ready to relive 9/11 quite yet and some think it's too early for a movie like this, but everyone should see it one day. These passengers and the crew struck the first blow in the war against terror, they were true patriots and I commend Greengrass because he didn't make this movie for money (even if that was the studio's intention) nor did he exploit the victims of this event. He made it to tell a story, a very important story of what happened 4 and a half years ago. He showed us how heroic these people are and that America is a strong nation. Honestly, I've never been more proud to be an American.

Silent Hill (2006)

It's Amazing What Happens When a Director Puts Forth a Little Effort!

[7/10 · 22 April 2006]

All the reviews of this movie have either been positive or negative. People seem to either love this movie or hate this movie; I for one am in the middle but leaning more (much more) towards like. Of course going into the movie with the information I had on it is also influencing my review.

Rose cannot accept the knowledge that her daughter Sharon is dying of a fatal disease. Over the protests of her husband, she flees with her child, intending to take the girl to a faith healer. On the way, she ends up driving through a portal in reality, which takes her to the eerie and deserted town of Silent Hill. Sharon disappears in Silent Hill, and Rose follows what she thinks is her daughter's silhouette all over town. It's soon clear the town is not like any place she's ever been. It's inhabited by a variety of creatures and a living darkness that descends and literally transforms everything it touches. The human inhabitants - the ones who are left - are trapped and fighting a losing battle against the Darkness. Joined by a cop named Cybil, who has been sent to bring her and Sharon back, Rose searches for her little girl while learning the history of Silent Hill and that Sharon is just a pawn in a larger game… That's the premise of Christophe Gans' game to movie adaptation. I went in to this movie knowing the premise. I've never played any of the games in this series but I really want to. Gans' did a terrific directing job. The sets look amazing. Everything is beautifully shot and he uses some camera angles which I am going to assume resemble the games' angles in some parts. All in all, his directing job is very well done; you can tell he loves this series.

The script for this movie has been under a lot of scrutiny. OK, it's not perfect and yes, it does have some corny, cheesy and out of place dialogue but I looked past that. I could have used without Rose yelling "Sharon!" over and over and over and over again. I was expecting Ozzy Osbourne to pop up and share in the yelling.

The acting is what you'd expect in this kind of movie. Who's here is solid, not the best but they get the job done. Mitchell does a great job as Rose while Sean Bean is just there. Jodelle Ferland is good as the child as well. The score is just ho-hum. It's not bad but it's nothing memorable. They use the "Silent Hill Theme" too much (don't know if that's the games' theme they're using or the movie's theme).

The effects in this are top notch. The monsters are inventive and creepy. They're unlike anything I've seen. It also helps they're not all CGI. They're people underneath there and there's very little CGI used.

OK, now to the information on why I rated this a little higher than I normally would have. This movie's run time is 125 minutes (approx.). Things seem missing at some places and not everything makes sense at the end. That's because the original cut was longer than King Kong, it was 3 and a half hours! So yeah, lots of things were cut, I guess that's why I'm being lenient to it and not bashing it. I went in expecting that and wasn't disappointed. This gets a higher grade because I understood things got cut out. The movie entertained me anyways. So I wasn't fully aware of what was going on in some places but I was so wrapped up in the world I was drawn into that I really didn't care. That's kind of like Doom, it's an empty empty movie but it's fun. Silent Hill is a movie with a simple plot and things were cut out but it was fun. Was Doom a "good" movie? No. Was it a "fun" movie? Yes and that's all that matters for a flick like this. I didn't go into this movie expecting gold in the first place and I wasn't let down. I guess the biggest thing that irked me was the ending. I heard about this huge amazing ending that left the movie wide open for a sequel. Sorry, it didn't. Sure, the ending was damn cool but wasn't what I was expecting, which is my fault and not the movie's. I enjoyed the very ending cause we don't get full closure. The ending is enigmatic but it doesn't hurt the film. My other large complaint is that the Sean Bean character really serves no purpose. His scenes only detract us from Rose's situation, a world that we've become a part of and entwined in.

So no, this isn't a perfect movie, not many are. And yes, things were cut out and that will cause people to be lost. Is this the definitive video game movie? Far from it. But I went in knowing this wasn't Gans' true vision, just his best effort to put out what he was allowed and for that I congratulate him. He created a pretty alright video game movie. I'm hoping his cut is a great one. The dialogue will make you laugh and the acting isn't the greatest but it's supposed to be a fun ride and I for one am glad I took that ride.

The Warriors (2005 Video Game)

Can You Dig It?

[5 April 2006]

Yeah, I can dig it. As many of you know, The Warriors is a game developed by Rockstar Toronto based on the 1979 Cult Film of the same name. The Warriors are mistakenly accused of killing a big time gang leader named Cyrus. Soon they have every gang in the city out to get revenge. The Warriors must make their way from one end of New York to their turf on the other side of the city. That's the story of the movie anyways, cause if you think this game is another movie rehash...you're dead wrong.

The game takes place 90 days before the movie does. It details the events leading up to the big meeting in an entirely new storyline that really melds well with the movie. It's obvious right off the bat that R* has loads of respect for this movie, everything about this games oozes it.

"Be lookin' good, Warriors. All the way back to Coney. You hear me babies? Good. Real Good. Adios" There is so much to do in this game though. You can play story missions to further the story. Then there is Rumble mode where you can choose any gang in the city and battle any other gang with many different game modes or you can create your own gang. Of course, you can search Coney Island (it's not very big...at all but you don't need loads of space in a game like this. The Warriors don't have much turf anyways) and do side missions and such. You can also work out with a heavy bag, do sit ups, push ups and chin ups. There are also Flashback Missions where you can go back and play and learn everything from how The Warriors started to how each individual member joined.

Alright though, onto the technical parts. First is the graphics. I know they don't look pretty in screenshots. And to be honest, they aren't anything special but they work for some reason. There aren't hi-res textures, some are just plain muddy but as I said, they work for this game, maybe because of the grittiness of it, I don't know but I like the graphics. That's not to say I wish they were better though, cause I would've liked that but I'm not complaining by any means.

The game controls very well. Control is tight and responsive. There are many moves you can do, even on the last chapter I was finding out new moves I could do. You can do head smashes, beat the crap out of someone, smash their skull on the pavement, do combo moves with other Warriors and much much more. There is also a Rage meter which seems dumb at first but later in the game you realize how helpful it is. You can tag...A lot. It is sometimes challenging, even if it is only a trace the line with your controller" minigame. They get challenging, especially if you have a Warrior who has lame tagging skills. You can tag burners (big banners that have "The Warriors" on it) or a plain red "W" over another gangs tag. There are also "War-Chief" controls that work great. The AI teammates are actually pretty good. They can hold their own, sometimes longer than you can.

The Warriors sounds phenomenal. Most of the voice actors reprise their roles. James Remar, Michael Beck, Dorsey Wright, David Harris and Deborah Van Valkenburg are just some that reprise their roles. Of course some actors are not with us anymore and had to be replaced (most notably the DJ and Rembrandt. The actors have since passed on, R.I.P) but the people they got are almost dead on with their performances. I don't know why they couldn't get Michael Potts (Cyrus) or David Patrick Kelly (Luther) to come back, considering they are still alive (but the voice actors they did get are spot on in their performances. I honestly couldn't tell if it was the original actors or not until the end credits when I saw they were different). Oh well. The Sound Effects are spot on. Everything sounds great. Bottles, tables, and chairs smashing to the music. Oh the music. I've always enjoyed the movie's soundtrack and its all here...but more of it. "In The City"? It's here. "Last of an Ancient Breed"? Yup. "Nowhere to Run"? Oh yeah. All of it is placed perfectly also.

The Warriors is one of the best games I've played in a while. It takes one of my favorite movies and respectfully translates it to a fun as hell game. Of course, I haven't touched on everything yet, some of it just needs to be played. I may add to this here and there as I think of stuff so check back. So should you "Come Out To Play"? Oh hell yes. Go out and play dammit.

"Warriors make a life of fantasy, on this night, we'll ride the devil's feet, gonna stand our ground on this part of town like the last of an ancient breed, like the last of an ancient breed?"

V for Vendetta (2005)

Remember, Remember...

[7/10 · 19 March 2006]

"Remember remember the fifth of November The Gunpowder, Treason and plot. I see no reason why The Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot..."

All I have to say is WOW! What a great great movie. This truly is an important movie. A shadowy freedom fighter known only as "V" uses terrorist tactics to fight against his totalitarian society. Upon rescuing a girl from the secret police, he also finds his best chance at having an ally. That's all I'm going to go into for plot details.

I've never read any of the graphic novels this is based on, so this is a review after a virgin viewing. I love this movie, plain and simple. Hugo Weaving is V and he plays the part amazingly well. Even though V's face is never shown, it doesn't need to be. Weaving uses mannerisms and has such a great voice, that sometimes you forget that it's even a mask. Natalie Portman is wonderful as well as Evey. Both of them have such a great chemistry together and it's always great when they're on screen. The rest of the cast is wonderful as well (John Hurt is amazing as well even though he's not in it all that much).

This is not an action movie like the trailers portray it to be (nor is it directed by the Wachowski Brothers as some are lead to believe). It doesn't need to be though. The story, characters and events are so good, that the few action moments in the film (which are spectacular by the way) are so good, you don't need action. It's such an interesting plot too, which I won't get into because you should see it yourself. The action scenes in this are great though, especially at the very end, I got goose bumps. The end sure goes out with a bang too, it's a great great ending to a great great movie.

I seriously recommend this movie. It's a very smart movie that puts story over action and characters over flashiness. This truly is an important movie that makes you think, it wants you to think and it does so wonderfully. I recommend this movie completely. It's a great first movie by James McTeigue, it's controlled very well and is a tight movie.

"Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. There is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof."

Hostel (2005)

I'll have the extreme violence with the side of vomit

[7/10 · 11 March 2006]

Now this was a horror movie. You all probably know what its about so I won't elaborate about it here. Director Eli Roth (Cabin Fever) has made one hell of a horror movie. Finally an original horror movie. I'm so sick of the redundant slashers, remakes (sans a few) and crap that they throw out nowadays. This was quite a refreshing movie.

What made this movie great? First off a solid cast. Jay Hernandez does an excellent job in his role, he stands out among the rest in my opinion but that's not to say that the others were bad, they were good as well, Jan Vlasak, who played a business man on a trip to the same place, took the role of the main villain (even though he might not quite be the real bad guy) and he was great as well, really creepy. I know the one question, for those who haven't seen it, as you're reading this: "Is it really that gory/disturbing/bloody?" The answer is: No. It's not as bad as you think it will be. Sure there's blood, sure there's torture but not to the extent that its played out to be. A lot of it is suggested. Of course, that's not to say that its a slouch in the gore department. There are plenty of dismemberments and moments that'll make you cringe. The movie gets off to a fairly slow start. There's lots of nudity (Roth even gets away with a full frontal) for the first half and throughout that first half there isn't really any horror aspects. I think Roth put so much nudity in to take the MPAA's attention from the torture. It worked too, I can't believe this movie didn't get slapped with an NC-17. It's a dark toned movie with blood and torture and nudity. Once we get to the second half, the parts that everyone really came to see, we get a hell of a show though. One problem though is that at some points the movie is so dark (contrast-wise) that you can't see what's going on most notably during the "eye" scene, there was a clip posted on the internet, dunno if anyone caught it. Anyways, it actually looked much better and much more convincing on the screen than it did during that clip on the internet, it also doesn't fade to black when he's cutting the eye out either like it did in the clip, the camera stays right on the face and damn is it great. I don't think that was done on purpose to make you think you're seeing something and make it more intense, it's just too dark, they should really think about lighting it up for the DVD release. Now I'm going to compare these two movies now; it was more intense than last October's release of Saw II. Much more. I guess the one major flaw is that it takes so long to really get going that it seems over a little quickly. Call me sick but I came for some gore and torture and I think that they could've shown more torture and really gotten to the audience. Don't get me wrong though, what they did show was freaking awesome! Now, I'm not saying that movie need a ton of gore, that's not what makes a movie, not at all. A horror flick needs suspense and this movie has suspense and lots of it. Don't let the slow start sway you though, it's not boring (the first half) it does set you up for the rest of the movie and makes you feel like the friends are really connected. So no, this movie is not perfect but it's a great one, certainly one I'll pick up on DVD when it hits around May-June (in the inevitable Unrated release). The score was pretty good, nothing over the top but that may have been a good thing. Oh and another problem that just came to me was that Roth uses the F-Bomb way too much. I understand in some parts, hell if that was me getting tortured or in those situations I'd be yelling it out too but he used it at such awkward times, it's like he just said "Hey, let's use that here!". After this movie, I vowed to never EVER hit a Slovokian city. Check that one off the list (not that it was ever on...).

So yeah, this was a good horror movie. I didn't really touch on everything (I don't think) so I may go back and edit this later if I think of something else to say. So if you're a horror fan then do yourself a favor and see Eli Roth's Hostel.

King Kong (2005)

Great Great Movie

[6/10 · 11 March 2006]

When this movie was first announced I didn't give a damn, It meant nothing to me, it was just another remake. I never saw the original and never really wanted to. Then the trailers for this came out. I still wasn't impressed. The CGI looked pretty bad and it just didn't look that exciting or good. Then a couple of days before its release I watched some clips over at Yahoo! Movies. After those clips I was officially excited for this movie. Then came the big problem, I didn't think I'd get to see it because of the busy holiday season coming up.

Well, last night I got to see King Kong and all I have to say it WOW! This was one hell of a movie. The CGI is utterly amazing, easily the best in film history. If you told me that they used a real 25-foot-tall ape for this I'd say "Where'd you get it?" If you told me that they actually filmed at Skull Island I'd say "Book me a ticket", it was that damn believable. Oh and the natives looked real too. 1933 New York City looks awesome too, you actually believed in it. Kong looks absolutely stunning though and is the main star. The amount of detail on him is staggering and Andy Serkis did an amazing job with him, his facial expressions are just amazing, major kudos to WETA. The story was amazing as well. I mean, a love story between a woman and an ape is far-fetched, but Jackson made it work, actually he made is work very very well. I actually felt for both Ann and Kong. Kong felt real and I cared about him and his feelings, I won't put this in spoiler tags because everyone already knows how the movie ends, when he fell of the Empire State Building I was sad, he was gone but he hadn't done anything wrong. He died for loving someone which is unfair. Naomi Watts did a great job as Ann, damn does that woman have a pair of lungs! Peter Jackson loves the original Kong and it shows through here. You can tell that he is making a remake of the movie he really loves and frankly, I'm very happy. The whole time I was on the edge of my seat and man did this movie tire me out, it had me laughing, on the edge of my seat, sad. It messed with my emotions but in the best way possible. As I said, this movie tired me out, I got home and went to bed and didn't wake up till about 10:00 this morning. But when I did wake up you know what was the first thing on my mind, that's right, breakfast! Just kidding, it was Kong of course.

Bottom line, you NEED to see this movie. It's the best movie of 2005 easily and is a movie that needs to be experienced in the theater with an audience. I will definitely buy this when it comes out on DVD, there's no question about that.

The Hills Have Eyes (2006)

Now THIS is a horror movie done right!

[9/10 · 11 March 2006]

Another remake. We've seen so many of them recently and have been disappointed by most of them. Only a few, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Dawn of The Dead, have been good. No surprise here though that we have another one. This time it's Wes Craven's The Hills Have Eyes.

This film is written and directed by Alexandre Aja (Haute Tension). This film follows the Carters, an idyllic American family traveling through the great American southwest. But their trip takes a detour into an area closed off from the public, but more importantly from society. An area originally used by the U.S. Government for nuclear testing that was intended to be empty...or so they thought? When the Carter's car breaks down at the old site, they're stranded...or are they? As the Carters may soon realize that what seemed like a car casually breaking down, might actually be a trap. This trap might be perpetrated by the inhabitants of the site who aren't pulling a prank, but are out to set up a gruesome massacre.

I have never seen the original so I have nothing to compare this to; I am only going to review this movie on its own merits. I flat out loved this movie. It was so visceral and intense that no movie I've seen recently can touch it. Hostel was flat out violent and gruesome. This was something totally different. I have never been so exhausted after seeing a movie. When I walked out of the theater I had the biggest smile on my face.

I actually cared (a lot) about the characters. That's why this movie takes a while to get going, you get to know and care for the characters and when three of them died in the absolutely awesome trailer sequence, you'll know it, I was sad. **SPOILER**When the one guy was going to shoot Brenda and then you see the blood on the trailer window, I thought Bobby had shot the guy but when I saw that Brenda was shot, I was like "HUH?" and I felt bad.**END SPOILER** You care about the characters in this movie and it pays off big time. This movie is also very violent. Not sickening in your face violent like Hostel was, just plain awesome and disturbing violence. There's a ton of blood but it doesn't feel overused or ridiculous at any point in the movie. This is one intense movie. Whoa is all I have to say about it. Once it starts it never lets up, not even at the end. There's just so much to talk about with this movie but I'm not going to here, you all just need to see it. This is a breath of fresh air in this genre. Aja gives horror the kick in the ass it so desperately needed. This is how horror should be; an unrelenting, unforgiving thrill ride with huge balls. Thank you Alexandre Aja. I can't wait for you're next movie. Oh and this also is the definition of a theater experience. Instead of most movies where you have the sound blasting out of speakers this actually makes use of the surround sound. You'll hear crows or screams or noises that are off screen to your left or right. One time I actually thought somebody brought a baby in with them only to find out it was in the movie. This is an awesome awesome thing to witness. It truly breaks the fourth wall. Another interesting thing which I don't know if it was intentional or not but one time when one character shone a flashlight beam towards the audience the light from it made the light from the projector visible so it looked like the was shining the light right at us. Again, intentional or not, it was awesome! The music was pretty good, I didn't notice the score but maybe that was intentional like in Haute Tension. The makeup was pretty good, if a bit unoriginal at times, one guy looked exactly like Jason from F13 Part 2 minus the hair. I mean EXACTLY. At the end this also sets up for a sequel. I hope there is not one cause I like the thought of it ending right there. And even though it sets up for a sequel, it does so in an absolutely awesome way. I loved the last shot of this movie.

So I didn't touch on all the points I wanted to but as I'm sitting here writing this I realized I didn't need to, all I should do is give my basic thoughts and let people experience this for themselves. Alexandre Aja is the next big horror director/master and I for one will be in line eagerly awaiting his next picture. This was a horror movie and everyone should see it. So, what are you waiting for?