samwellcross Reviews

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Deeply scary.

[10/10 · 8 September 2015]

Silence of the lambs has to be simply put the best crime thriller of it's kind narrowly beating out Se7en. The plot is unique in that FBI cadet Clarice Starling has to investigate the brutal murders of the Buffalo Bill serial killer by using the specialist advice of incarcerated serial killer Dr Hannibal 'the cannibal' Lecter. Sir Anthony Hopkins is that good as Lecter that you forget that he's not actually the main villain in the film, which makes his escape all the more shocking, and he brings a new layer to the character that Brian Cox was slightly lacking. Jodie Foster puts in another top of the range performance as the aforementioned, toyed with FBI cadet. Yet she manages in certain cases it seems to hold her own and even rattle Lecter. Jonathon Demme's direction is very good as he always keeps a sense of realism in the film without holding back on the shocking moments. This is a very deep and dark thriller that shouldn't be watched by people with nervous dispositions. It has no equals in it's own semi-genre, and has given new life into an all time legendary character. A definite 10/10 if ever there was one.

The Godfather (1972)

Can't believe there are non believers off this film out there.

[10/10 · 8 September 2015]

I was searching through the reviews of this film and came across a couple that weren't particularly complimentary about the film. Firstly I have to say that this film is not my favourite film of all time, but is definitely in my top 3. Secondly, one person seemed to take offence of Marlon Brando's performance, that in itself is an insult as Brando was incredible in this film. Coppola's direction and attention to detail are inch perfect for me. The whole cast was brilliant in particular Al Pacino who gives an Oscar worthy performance of epic proportions. You don't just watch this film for me, you experience a whole new chapter of life that most would never experience through this film. The word epic can be overused in terms of film but this is 100% an epic of epic proportions. I agree that everyone is entitled to an opinion but get with it man, you don't get films better than this and I refuse to believe that people who have rated the likes of 'Django unchained' as close in terms of quality to this film should be allowed to comment on film in general. 10/10!!!

Aliens (1986)

The continuation of perfection

[10/10 · 2 September 2015]

As I have previously stated, 'Alien' is the perfect horror film. It must be said though that 'Aliens' is the perfect sequel. This film is one of only a few sequels made that can actually stand toe to toe with the first films in their series. I liked James Cameron's approach to building on perfection, and that's more guns, more gore, and more aliens. It really works well. Another plus for me is the transformation of Ripley, from a dainty survivor to an extremely strong character, and woman. The supporting cast is extremely likable and you don't want them to die but you know it's inevitable. I own the extended version and I prefer it to the theatrical version, as all the extra scenes actually have an impact on the overall film. All in all this is a very good film and i'm looking forward to seeing the new film because it will be ignoring 'Alien3 and Alien;resurrection'.

Day of the Dead (2008 Video)

One of the worst re-imaginings of an absolute classic.

[3/10 · 1 September 2015]

I was seriously excited about watching this re-imagining of George Romero's 1985 classic of the same name, but wow was I in for a massive shock and not a good one. Even with a veteran horror director like Steve Miner and a decent $18 million budget this film has no right to go by the same name as the 1985 day of the dead. Everything is computer generated so what was one of the 1985 films strongest features (Tom Savini's spectacular horror make-up) is lost and the zombies themselves are somehow able to climb the walls like insects. The acting is extremely substandard and the story gets lost along the way. This is a great discredit to the previous 2 remakes that were well made and overall much better films. The 1985 version is one of my favourite horror films and I feel betrayed by this shockingly bad version. Not just a bad film compared to the previous films in this series but definitely one of the worst horror films ever made.

Taxi Driver (1976)

The best film of all time.

[10/10 · 1 September 2015]

Simply put I believe 'Taxi driver' to be the best film ever made. I do not understand how we live in a world where 'Django unchained' can be rated higher on IMDb than this classic 70's film. This film has a phenomenal story and score and it's all backed up perfectly by the best director of all time, Martin Scorsese, the best actress of all time, Jodie Foster, and the best actor of all time in the brilliant Robert De Niro. Put them together and you have cinematic perfection. The tension builds from the very start as we realize that Travis Bickle is not an ordinary character and we see him slowly come to the realisation that the world is full of despicable people and needs cleaning up and it all leads to an inevitable climax that is perfectly crafted and soo violently realized. This film is absolute perfection and needs to be recognised more greatly in my opinion.

Alien (1979)

Horror perfection

[10/10 · 1 September 2015]

Simply put this is horror perfection. The detail in the film is down to a tee. From the score all the way down to the acting. The set was deliberately made to be as claustrophobic as possible by Scott and it plays a vital role in the whole tone of the finished film. The acting is perfect in terms of the necessary tension needed for the film and the cast is star studded for the day (albeit Sigourney Weaver was a relative unknown at the time). The beast itself is the ultimate in horror terror and nothing will ever be scarier on screen, especially seeing as though it's all computer generated nowadays, and the fact that you don't see a lot of the beast adds to the tension and fear. The pacing is a bit slow to start with but rips into the action when the face hugger makes it's debut appearance. The tagline is 100% the best tagline in the history of film, and goes extremely well with the setting of space. It's got to be said that horror doesn't get any better than this. Absolute perfection. 10/10.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

My favourite horror film of all time.

[10/10 · 31 August 2015]

This film is not only the late Wes Craven's best film he has made but it's also my favourite horror film ever. Supposedly based slightly on the story of some tribesman who suffered from the same horrific nightmares but also on an old man that Wes Craven himself found truly terrifying. The concept of this idea is definitely the most original in horror history. The sets are some of the creepiest I have seen and the music adds to the tense atmosphere created by Craven. For me Robert Englund is the only Freddy Krueger and this is also the film that brought Johnny Depp to the worlds attention. I first watched this as a 14 year old teenager and i'm not ashamed to admit that I was petrified from the very first moment. It's a shame that Wes Craven wasn't involved with many of the sequels as his influence was greatly missed in my opinion. Definitely a benchmark for future slasher films and for me the best horror film ever made. BRILLIANT!!!

Maniac (1980)

An uderrated horror classic.

[7/10 · 31 August 2015]

The original maniac is a definite underrated horror classic for me. Made on a shoe string budget in a time when violent slasher films were plentiful and frequent maniac manages to stand out with it's excessive gory moments and disturbing plot. The shotgun head exploding scene is brilliantly done, another tip of the cap to Tom Savini for that and Joe Spinell is perfectly cast as the aforementioned maniac of the title. This film is definitely better than the remake with Elijah Wood and you can see the influence of the Italian Giallo thrillers in it. Probably one of the most visceral and best horror films of the 80's and makes for quite uncomfortable viewing at times. Definitely one to watch for horror hounds like me.