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Occult_Detective
I'm Seth, creator and host of Blood Puddle Reviews 2014-2017
Blood Puddle Reviews: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4730690/
Reviews
Punk's Dead: SLC Punk 2 (2016)
The title doesn't lie, Punk really is dead.
I like many other misfits gravitated towards a film like SLC Punk! in the late 90's because it was a great coming of age tale. It was a movie for anyone and everyone who had ever felt like they just didn't belong, especially from a small town where most all forms of personal expression made you some kind of a pariah. So to find a film like James Merendino's original really spoke to the majority of us. It's sequel, however, falls short of delivering anything beyond a few tiny chuckles.
SLC Punk! had and continues to have a huge following, of which this sequel couldn't have even been possible without all the fan support. But like many cult classics, it's follow up is overall redundant and doesn't really go anywhere we haven't already been before. After a couple quick feelings of nostalgia for seeing some familiar faces, Punk's Dead is pretty much just a less interesting rehash of the original. The drama is absent in this one, and the important points are ignored in order to make a quick joke that no one will really be laughing about. It pretty much is the polar opposite of SLC Punk! in the worst way possible. The characters, new and old, could have easily been replaced by cardboard cutouts and it really wouldn't have made that much of a difference.
It's worth watching once to say you've seen it, but it looks and feels like a much more amateurish film that the original. It spends so much time giving us commentary on how so much has changed and frankly, there isn't much that's interesting to say about this generation. If there's something to take away from the film, it's that simply, some stories are better left untold, even if the characters have moved on and changed since then. Where they end up is just disappointing and it feels as if they just go around in circles for the entirety of this movie. As for me, I'll stick with the first film and having seen this once, I never need to watch it again.
Rampage: Capital Punishment (2014)
I really enjoyed it.
I know what you're thinking. "Uwe Boll? Really?" And yeah, really. We all know Uwe Boll is king of crappy films when it comes to movies. and yet, somehow, he keeps being able to make them. How? Why? Because even a broken clock can be right two times a day. And after making so many mistakes, he finally got it. in 2009, he partnered up with two of my favorite Canadian actors, Brendan Fletcher and Katharine Isabelle, for a film most found so beyond politically incorrect. But it worked. It had all the right elements and was one hell of a film. Today, right now, a sequel has happened.
After co-producing the first film, a project he believed in, this time around Brendan sat down with Uwe and pitched idea for a follow-up. If there is a way to do a continuation, what is the most true way to do it? The answer is Capital Punishment. Not only is is a well done written, acted, and directed film on it's own terms. But it's exactly what a sequel should be. Enough call backs to the original (and in very creative ways, not just "Here's your flashback!") and yet it still stands on it's own feet, and hits you with such dangerous, unpredictable plot points.
You think a film called "Rampage" condones violence, when it doesn't. No more than films like "The Purge" tell it's audience "this crime is for a good cause." When the point the character himself makes in the film is that he's doing what he does, simply because he can, because he's allowed to. And if it's not him that does it, it will be someone else. And it's scary how true that is, about society and our government and everything. The world is a corrupt place to live in, and this character's statements about social commentary may not make his violence acceptable, but, dare I say, it makes it pretty scarily understandable? We've seen real guys like this character, and we're going to see more. It's the way the world works, sadly. There will always be violence, and movies, television (FICTION) music or video games (ENTERTAINMENT) are never going to be what causes it. Whether it exists or not, the government, people feeling screwed over by this country especially, always will continue to happen.
As much as people speak out about being against violence and crime or "mean people," they still make news and are watched by millions. It's our morbid curiosities on the matter. We don't wish harm or violence to occur, but when it does? Yeah, we'll take a peek. How many people watched the beheading video that was leaked back in 2001? More recently, how many of you watched Tony Stewart kill that racer? We shouldn't watch it, we shouldn't even want to... But we still do. And to me that's what Rampage is commentary about. About a guy who has no shame or guilt in admitting that curiosity, or confronting his lust. He does what he wants to do, because it's what people want him to do. They don't want to be involved, sure enough, but at the end of the day, his story will be the one they're watching on TV. And we're the ones watching a fictionalized movie based on such an idea.
Don't think of it as "an Uwe Boll film." It'd be like if Tommy Wiseau suddenly came out with another movie that by all means was actually good, but due to The Room's reputation, people would go in expecting it to be horrible. I hate Uwe Boll's work, okay? I couldn't even sit through Bloodrayne or House of the dead. But this film is so far away from that. Watch it. Watch both. You know you want to.
Casey Jones (2011)
Amazing
The moment I heard there was a Casey Jones fan film, I rushed to find it. The website itself is an eye-catcher, designed to totally give a gritty feel. And the film, what can I say. I was in awe at every moment. I feel like the makers took the characters from the comics and movies I grew up loving and brought them to life in the best way possible! Once Jones is an established character, you almost feel bad for the villains he's going to run into. The actors brought such personality to the characters, and totally embody everything you know and love about them. I could spend hours filling this up with flattering comments. I'll just say that if you're a fan of the characters, and feel like you've been let down by some of the other adaptations, then this is the one for you. It makes a fanboy feel proud that work like this can exist. They got a fan out of me, and will out of you too when you watch it. I'll even say this is one of the best fan films I've ever seen. Simply incredible. And very kick ass! I very much hope to see more from these guys in the future!
Red State (2011)
Red State should be Kevin Smith's last.
Very rare to I give a film the Awful rating, usually some actor, one scene, even just a sole line can save me from utter disappointment. That, however, is not the case here.
There was nothing redeeming about this film for my taste (and I stress that I speak for only my opinion here. I've not read others reviews. I believe each and every film should have ones full viewing before it's scorned. This film exists, and now it's my time to judge.)
Red State is the kind of film you might, if you have the unfortunate luck, stumble upon the B-movie section of the horror movie genre. I don't mean the potentially good, unrecognized gold that say, a film like The Evil Dead might have been if it'd gone undiscovered. No, this is the kind of film thats cover might catch your eye, but upon reading the back, you set it back down and look for a better selection. And I highly suggest you do just that.
I grew up a Kevin Smith fan. A convenience store clerk who felt like his film Clerks easily depicted a day of my own life and the crazy customers we have to deal with. I followed Kevin along through the rest of his not-so classy tales, standing by my fandom all the while... And then we come to Red State.
Red State was Kevin's attempt at getting away from View Askew, Jay and Silent Bob, and the rest of the empire he's built that he's known and loved for. But in doing so ... He first off, fails to make a successful horror/thriller movie any kind. It's so predictable, I don't even know if spoiler tags are worth while.
There can be a lot to say about those overly-religious cult nuts. But nothing creative or new or even mildly interesting is done here. A wasted very talented cast of characters are as quickly created with not even a hint of personality, as they are then just written right off.
It's every bad horror movie you've ever seen, all compiled into one Kevin-Smith sized portapotty, for him to squat on and frost like a giant cake. (See? I'm even a fan enough of Zack and Miri to quote a scene for a reference... Something I can't do with this film, at any stance.
This is the farthest thing from a Kevin Smith film you'll ever see, which I understand, that's what he was going for... But he didn't managed to shed his baby fat of SilentBob whilst doing this film. He just traded coats with Uwe Boll.
Like I said, I've always been a big supportive of Kevin, and I think him for the View Askew universe and for Randal Graves, the god of slackers ... But your movie making days are over, man. Good times. But, I just heard the last trumpets going off. Please, for us, for your fans, and for God... No more.