Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) Review

This 80's christmas slasher is one that can be described as half decent.
All the origin stuff in the first half I found to be quite interesting and actually had some ok acting, once it shifts into the actual slasher stuff though, things get a bit mixed. There's a few nice kills and bloody moments (in the uncut version at least) but there's also a few dull moments, with some sequence being padded out to fill the run time.
The movie is certainly sleazy and twisted but surprisingly tackles a few issues like trigger happy policemen and the certain effects of abuse and trauma, of course its all done in the most basic of ways, so its not particularly depthful, but its still oddly there
Overall I think this isan enjoyable enough slasher flick, nothing great but not too bad. ***

A Taxi Driver (2017) Review

Here's a Korean film based on a true story about the Taxi driver who helped transport a german reporter into Gwangju during it's democratisation movement in 1980.
Its a drama with some thriller and action elements mixed in, one that is deeply moving and utterly fantastic.
Song Kang-Ho plays as the Taxi driver and puts on a superb performance as you'd expect. I definitely got engrossed with his character and he's backed up by a really good supporting cast including Thomas Kretschmann as the reporter. There's a great dynamic between Kretschmann and Kang-Ho's character especially in trying to overcome the language barrier between the two.

The film actually starts out quite light hearted with a fair amount of humour, but it gradually turns more serious whilst retaining some of its humour and includes a few tense sequences, as well as strong emotional moments that had me in tears. The film is certainly a little romanticised and is very sentimental but it still works really well and manages to remain very engaging and moving.

Cinematography is also good and there's one particular standout scene in the film set at night time where only orange light is used to illuminate the setting and it looks incredible. The contrasting orange and black makes for some stunning imagery and mixed with the added smoke helps create a perfect atmosphere and setting for the events that ensue.

The film does have a hefty runtime of 137 minutes, but it certainly never drags and unfolds at a good pace. The only thing I wasn't too keen was a car chase scene, which seemed a little too fantastical  and a bit needless, but It's still effectively done and doesn't detract much from the film at all.

Overall this is a really great film fronted by strong performances that effectively sheds lights on a horrific event and represents well those unsung heroes of vital importance who never necessarily expect or want the recognition, but certainly deserve it. Highly recommended. ****1/2

Chaw (2009) Review

So here's a pretty fun but kinda lackluster South Korean monster movie about a mutant killer boar who roams the forests of  small village, killing and eating any person it comes across.
The film has a fun tone, playing out like a black comedy, though some of its humour doesn't quite work and feels a bit off.
The films execution is also a little rough, some of the editing and camerawork are a bit messy and its really lacking in the gore department which is bit of a shame.
Still some of Monster action isn't bad, the Boar being brought to life with a mix of practical and CG effect which are decent and works well enough.
The film also has its fair share of odd moments including couple of weird characters and despite is execution I quite enjoyed this overall. Its run time is almost 2 hours, which is too long for this kind of film but I wouldn't say it dragged at all and I think it's the films inherent oddness that keeps your attention.
Overall it's not the best but there's enough there to make it fun. **1/2

Writhing Tongue (1980) Review

AKA Furueru shita.

 I actually went into this expecting a wacky horror especially with a name like 'Writhing Tongue'. However that was not the case at all, instead I was pleasantly surprised to find that this actually a great drama that shows the mental and emotional struggle of a couple who are stuck in hospital with their sick daughter who has a form of tetanus, as the doctors and nurses do their best to keep her alive and help her recover.
Now though its not a horror, the film does still have a couple of disturbing elements, there's some creepy synth music that comes in every now and again and few of things the doctors do to help the young girl which are quite discomforting. To be fair these elements still made me feel the film was gonna turn into full blown horror and it was about 35 minutes in that I realised thats probably wasn't happening.
The film was still really engrossing though, the acting was very good and there was some very nice framed shots, as well as a bluey/purple colour filter which is used a couple of times that I thought look really pretty.
the film also has a couple interesting dream sequence's that were integrated well and overall I really liked the direction and execution.
I think my only main issue with it, was that the ending did feel a bit rushed, it comes very suddenly and feel could have used  more time to play out.
Overall though I enjoyed this alot and thought it was great drama that was simple and effective, this is the second film I've seen from Yoshitaro Nomura and he's definitely impressed me so far from what I've seen, so hopefully I'll delve more into his work in future. Definitely recommended ****

Spirited Killer (1994) Review

AKA Plook mun Kuen ma kah 4 is a low budget Thai Martial arts film from the early 90s featuring a young Tony Jaa. Now the DVD set I bought put all the focus on Jaa as you can tell in the above international DVD cover. But he is in fact only in one segment of the film, but does get to show off some of his skills before making his exit.
The film follows a bunch of travellers out in the Thai rainforest, who must help a local village take down an evil man who is wreaking havoc in the rainforest, fighting and killing all who he encounters.
It's minimal on plot, but heavy on the action with a fight occuring pretty much every 5-10 minutes. The action is well choreographed and fun, though the film does get a little tiresome towards the end and feels a little excessive, like the opening setup which is needlessly padded out to almost 20 minutes.
Now the version I watched had an english dub which was of course awful and threw in some stupid humour, though interestingly when there was no talking they kept to the original audio. A thai dub was available but with no english subs, though I probably still would have been better off with it, its not like there's much to follow.
Overall the movie is fun to a certain extent but could have shaved some of its time off, even if it is only 90 minutes. **1/2

When Worlds Collide (1951) Review

Here's a 50's technicolor Sci-fi film that's pretty solid. It's about a rogue star and it's orbiting earth-like planet that are hurtling towards earth which will cause it's destruction. With no way of avoiding the apocalypse, a decision is made to build a spacecraft that will fly to the planet orbiting the rogue star and start a new life  for humans there.
Majority of the film involves all the preparation for the fight but it's livened up with some dramatic conflicts that make it a little more interesting. There's also a cool little earth destruction sequence that was really nicely done and has some fun effects.
Overall there are some very good moments here but they mostly happen in the second half and the rest of the film is perfectly fine but  nothing inspiring. It's still certainly a decent watch though.

Maniac (1980) Review

Maniac is a grimy slasher flick that follows the killer's POV. It's mainly made up of main character monologues and a bunch of killings that have some nice gore effects provided by FX wiz Tom Savini. It then delivers a very strange and pretty awesome ending as the killers psyche breaks down from what could be argued to be his guilt.
The killer is played by Joe Spinell who puts on a commendable performance but most of the supporting acting and dialogue is pretty bad and at times laughable.
The film also has some pacing issues and it can be a little too slow in places. I think there's one chase scene in particular that goes on far too long and lacks the suspense to merit it's length.
Overall Maniac is a pretty solid slasher though that bring some differences to the usual fare. ***

Zone Troopers (1985) Review

Zone Troopers is a 1985 "sci-fi" movie set in jolly old World War II. It follows a bunch of American soldiers serving in Italy trying to fight off the Nazis in the area. While two of them are captured they encounter an alien that the Nazis have also caught and help it escape with them. the alien and her fellow bretheren then help the soldiers fight off the Nazis and return home to their planet. Yeah it's a very simple film with a very light tone that is arguable comedic but I didn't find much to be funny here, in fact I found the whole movie to be kind of boring.
I just really didn't connect to it all,the main alien looks pretty good but he brethren are literally just green men, since she's the only female among them(which of course is a joke in the film). The film is only 85 minutes long but the plot is so basic that it's stretched out in a rather dull way, there is alot of shooting in the movie, but there's no blood or effects here, so it's just a bunch of people fake dying to the ground and it's all a bit pants.
I feel like the movie would have worked way better if it was more hard edged with lots of blood and gore every way, instead what we get is a rather limp movie that does have an odd charm about it, but nothing much else going for it all. oh Well. **

Invaders from Mars (1986)

Tobe Hooper's remake of 1953 film of the same name, is a rather simple but fun movie. It has a basic plot involving Martians invading earth and taking over peoples bodies, with the main character being a young boy who enlists the help of the army to stop them.
The acting an dialogue isn't all that great but the film's main highlight are the special effects which are awesome and the most enjoyable aspect of the movie. Both the martians and spaceship look really cool and there's even some very minor body horror thrown into the mix.
The film does have a bit of a cop-out ending that I thought was kinda bullshit, but aside from that this is a bit fun that doesn't have much going for it, but has enough there to keep you entertained. If you want much more than just flashy visual effects, then this film is certainly not for you. ***

Dr. Lamb (1992) Review

Dr. Lamb is a an early 90's Cat III Hong Kong horror thriller that is based on real life serial Killer Lam Kor-wan. It's a very simple movie where the killer is caught in the beginning and then through some persuasion confesses his murders which we see in graphic detail.
The film has the usual mismatched tone that alot of these kinds of Cat III films have, a mix of silly humour and serious stuff.
Simon Yam plays the killer and though he certainly hams it up, he does a good job of showing the character's progression of going crazier as the film goes by.
There's also fair amount of gore and some quite good cinematography too.
Overall I found it to be quite a fun watch, nothing outstanding but certainly enjoyable enough.
***

Extreme Dinosaurs: Episode 1 - Out of Time (1997) Review

EXTREME, EXTREME, EXTREME DINOSAURS!

Ah the Extreme Dinosaurs, a cartoon series that definitely screams 90's. A spin-off of previous show Street Sharks, Extreme Dinosaurs had everything Anthropomorphic dinosaurs battling it out, Aliens, Roswell, a rad theme song, words like Carnifcate and Jurrassicate' and names like T-Bone, Stegs and Bad Rap.There was a lot in it to love as a kid and I thought it was super cool myself, I even got a birthday cake one time with a Marzipan Spittor(one of the evil Raptors) on it, though I don't think I ever had any toys surprisingly, still I enjoyed the show nonetheless.

So the first episode gives us the origin story and sets the foundation for the rest of the series. Basically an alien(Argor Zardok) who is a transdimensional criminal, transports to earth from another dimension during the period of the dinosaurs. He's fascinated that the world is solid and that Dinosaurs still exist. He decides to transforms a group of dinosaurs into super warriors who will do his bidding, however these dinosaurs now have independent thinking and refuse to work for him, so he ejects them from the ship and finds some Raptors that he transforms instead who are more loyal thanks to him adjusting the settings.
the Transdimensional police show up, a battle occurs between the dinosaurs and one of the Raptors has a super powerful alien weapon which causes a massive natural disaster which is guess it what killed the dinosaurs.
the Raptors and extreme dinosaurs survive this by all going into cryogenic chambers in the police ship, including Chedra who is one of the law officers.

They are discovered and awoken by an archeologists and they all do battle again and until Roswell agents show up and capture the heroes, who when escaping the facility fight off a bunch of robots.
they then have a poignant moment on the ship as they found out all the dinosaurs have been extinct.and question how they fit in to the world now.
They end up in at a dinosaur museum that's owned by an old country fella, who isn't bothered by talking dinosaurs cause he's seen all kind of shit living near Roswell and he helps them build giant cars using scrap.
They battle with the Raptors again and destroy the weapon that caused chaos at the start. The Roswell agents show up and everyone runs away, though the dinosaurs do capture two of the raptors bury them in an avalanche of snow.
On their way home they proclaim themselves the Extreme Dinosaurs cause they are Dinosaurs that are extreme enough to take on the raptors.

This show gives you everything in it's first episode and is still a barrel of fun to watch today, very enjoyable stuff. ***1/2

The Wise Little Hen (1934)

The Wise little Hen is a1934 Disney Silly Symphonies Cartoon that features the debut of Donald Duck which showcases him as an absolute dickhead. The cartoon follows a mother hen who asks both Donald and Peter Pig to help her plant her corn but both makeup the same excuse of them having a stomach ache. They then hide behind something and wink at the audience to show that they are sly bastards. Instead they decided to have a dance about with an accordion and so the poor Mother hen is forced to plant the corn herself along with her children.
She then asks Donald and Peter to help farm her corn but again pretend that they have a stomach ache, they go into their Idle Hour clubhouse and the wall of it comes down so the Hen sees these two numpty's shaking hands smiling.
So the Hen and her Chicks farm the corn and she proceeds to bake it all for a big Corn based banquet which the singing narrators hype the shit out of, she then goes to ask Pete and Donald if they want help eat her corn, before she even asks they are pretending they go a belly ache and then she asks and of course they chomp at the bit, to eat some of that corn goodness. But Mother hen trolls the shit out of them and hands them a basket which after they fight over it a little discover that inside is just oil to cure their stomach aches trolololol.
So at the end they are stuck in envy as they watch the hen gobble up that corn baked goodness while they take turns kicking each other in the butt. Lazy bastards, gotta work for that food. Donald really wasn't so loveable back then.
Fun stuff. ***

Cruel Intentions (1999)

Cruel Intentions is the kind of film that starts out with promise, it had a nice dynamic between characters(even if the acting is so good) an openness about sexuality and a general charm about it but quickly falls down into a rusty bucket of tired romantic cliche's that lead to a rather baffling and disappointing end.
The film is actually based off the 'Les Liaisons dangereuses'(Dangerous Liasons) a french novel written in 1782, but sets it among wealthy teenagers in modern New York. The attempt to put it in such a setting is rather intriguing it's just a shame it executed in the wrong kind of way, I feel like a more farcical unrestrained approach might have worked better and like I said the first half seemed to take things in the right kind of direction, but then in just turns into something more bland and sappy and loses it's potential to be something quite good. Shame really.**

The World Of Kanako (2014) Review

Been wanting to see this since it first came out but patiently waited for the long delayed UK DVD release. So it finally came out over here and I really liked it, it's dark, harsh and pretty darn superb. It's directed by Tetsuya Nakashima whose most known for the films 'Memories of Matsuko' and 'Confessions'. He's a director who I'm very fond of and always really enjoy and this film is no different. It features a disjointed editing style that Nakashima has used in his previous films with lots of cutting between past and present events and a use of montage with a rather stylish flair.
Its definitely the bleakest film Nakashima has done, one that is unrelenting and has very little hope or positivity which is sure to put alot of people off, so its not an easy watch by any means. It is a very intriguing film though one that takes quite a few twists and turns and is full of solid acting from a great cast of actors including some that have been in Nakashima's previous films including leading man Koji Yakusho, Miki Nakatani and Ai Hashimoto.
Overall I really liked this and think it's another great addition to Nakashima's consistently awesome filmography. ****

John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) Review

He's Back! and better than ever, John Wick: Chapter 2 does what all the best sequels do, build on it's predecessor and create something superior. Chocked full of great action including gun fu and hand-to-hand combat, John Wick: Chapter 2 is a stunning and hugely enjoyable action thriller. It expands on the interesting film world the first film created, keeping it all the more intriguing. It's the kind of world you'd expect to be from a comic book and I love how it's just its own thing and getting to explore that world more is very enjoyable. The film also still has that layer of odd quirkiness that leads to some rather humorous moments
The film also features some great cinematography and production design, a lot of the sets looked really cool especially the one used in the climax and theres a really nice use of lighting and a lot of the action was shot really well with some minimal cuts and wider shots being utilised. It just looks really great throughout and its influences from asian action cinema are clear to see.
Overall I think this is a great action film, that knows it exactly what it is and greatly succeeds at what it does and I would happily welcome a 3rd film. ****

The Lego Batman Movie (2017) review

Everything is still awesome in the Lego movie world, as The Lego Batman movie delivers a frantic barrage of pure fun. An Absolute joy to watch from start to finish, full of references to the Batman mythos including previous films, shows and comics, as well as other pop culture references that all providing many little laughs throughout. It has the same impressive Lego animation style seen in the Lego Movie, so it looks absolutely stunning, though every now and again the  does get a little too cluttered but it all still looks good. This also got a big cast of well known actors and celebrities doing the voice work and they all do a good job, I particularly loved Michael Cera and Will Arnett who are both top notch as Robin and Batman.
Overall this was a blast and almost on par with the Lego Movie, just lots of fun. ****

Loving (2016) Review

Loving is an historical drama about the lives of the interracial couple who were the cause of the 'Loving V. Virginia' supreme court case that invalidated state laws prohibiting Interracial Marriage. It stars Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga who is nominated for the Academy award for best actress.
The film I'd say is pretty solid but far from great. Its intentions and message are clear and well executed and the performances are good (didn't scream oscar-worthy to me though). the problem is the film just seems to be going through the motions, we jump forward from scene to scene in a brisk manner that just tells the story, but lacks a good amount of drama and emotional weight. Don't get me wrong there are a couple of strong scenes here and the fill certainly isn't devoid of emotion. But the understated approach just didn't connect with me that much. Of course they wanted to be as true to their lives as possible, so it is understandable and like I said the film is definitely solid and well made and is sure to connect with many people in different ways. Its also a story I didn't know anything about, so at the very least I learned something, so it certainly serves its purpose well. ***

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Bursting in with as much subtlety as an Independence Day parade, comes Mel Gibson's Hacksaw ridge. A war movie that is Brutal, Excessive but definitely powerful.
Based on a true story the film follows a really interesting  real life character played by Andrew Garfield who does a really great performance in a somewhat similar role to what he plays in Silence. The drama is also strong and the films emotional moments hit quite hard, one of the things that really makes the film standout though are it's incredible sequences on the battlefield. The way it thrusts us into the heat of war creates a harsh, chaotic and intense experience. It's chock full of gory moments and action in excess that are shocking but also somewhat perversely satisfies those of us that enjoy a bit of bloody action even with its real life context. These sequences are ripe with tension and backed up by some great camerawork, editing and sound.
The rest of the movie is also very good and there are strong performances from all the rest of the cast. It is all very on the nose and there is a strong sense of patriotism running through it, but it never detracts from the viewing experience and overall this is just a really great war movie. ****

T2: Trainspotting (2017)

20 years after the first Trainspotting film that was critically acclaimed and loved by many, the boys are finally back in a sequel and its pretty darn solid.
Now I actually only watched the first movie a few months back for the first time and while I did really enjoy it, I don't have the same loving attachment to it that alot of people have and coming out of T2 I found that I enjoyed this sequel just a much as the first movie. That's not to say that the first movie isn't superior, because it certainly is, I just found my own enjoyment of these films was on par with each other.
The acting as very solid as expected and its got some good drama and humour, and its compelling throughout. there's also a lot of intriguing cinematography with some strange and unique camera angles and movements, which was very cool to look at but was almost at times a bit jarring and distracting.
I will also say that I think the movie was a little safe, in that most things seemed to lack any real consequence and it doesn't offer much that is particularly surprising or unexpected.
Still the references and throwbacks to the first movie are fun and its interesting to see how these character's life compare now 20 years on.
Overall it's just a really entertaining time that very solid overall. ***1/2

Split (2016)

Split is the latest from director M. Night Shyamalan who I am happy to say is back on top form delivering a terrific thriller that is alot of fun.
The main thing that makes this movie is James Mcavoy's tremendous performance as the antagonist, he is just so utterly compelling and the film probably wouldn't have worked as well without him. He just manages to give life to Kevin's different personalities so incredibly well and he just shine through especially during the films great climax. The rest of the cast are pretty decent too and do a fine enough job.
I also really liked alor of the cinematography, it has lots of intricate camerawork that was quite intriguing and really fit in well with the film.
It's a little more predictable than you'd expect from M. Night Shyamalan but there is a nice surprise right at the end that kinda blew my mind but it may go over alot of audience members heads. Still the films constantly engaging, it's got humour, it's got tension and it thrills us like a good thriller should. Is it  a little O.T.T? sure but I love that and overall I thought this was great and one of the best things Shyamalan has done. Good Stuff. ****

Lion (2016)

So here's another one of this years Oscar contenders, It is a rather safe and conventional film but one that executes it's touching true story exceedingly well, making it a very solid drama.
For starters the acting is strong, the emotional moments hit well and both Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman definitely deserve their acting award nominations, though the rest of the cast are also very good and I'd particularly like to mention Sunny Pawar who plays a young Saroo and who is probably on screen more than anyone else and also deserves praise for his performance.
The film is also really nicely shot with the cinematography being very beautiful at times making it clear to see why its also got award nominations with lots of wonderful wide shots which is what I like to see.
I do think the first half is a little stronger and more consistent than the second half which I think unfolded a tad slower than it should have but overall this is a really good drama that runs exactly how you'd expect but it gets its message across clearly and is really well made and enjoyable. There's nothing there that would personally make me want to re-watch it, but I still have a strong appreciation for its execution. ***1/2

La La Land (2016)

What a an absolute wonderful film this is, a jazz musical full of charm and heart that is thoroughly engaging throughout. It takes inspiration from classic Hollywood musicals and blends that influence  into a more modern, real life setting. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone play the lead roles and their performances are great, with Emma Stone being a particular stand out especially during her one solo song towards the end.
Speaking of music the score is fantastic and works perfectly with the film and considering this is a musical it actually has quite a minimal amount of sung songs and the ones that there are have great purpose and never less than good.
The film also also beautifully shot with some great cinematography and set design that brings the films world to life incredibly well.
This was a project that Damien Chazelle had been wanting to make for a good few years and thanks to the success of his previous film Whiplash, he was able to and you can really see the passion and love that has been poured into making this, translating into a film that is truly wonderful film. A magnificent musical that is worthy of its awards buzz. ****

Manchester By The Sea (2016)

So here's one of the films currently riding the awards trail leading up to the Oscars. It's a little drama starring Casey Affleck, Lucas Hedges, Michelle Williams and a few others, and its pretty darn great. The drama itself is very strong a mixture of Sadness and hope laying at its foundation, though it is the melancholy that is most prevalent and it is quite the emotional experience but it's certainly no heavy-handed tearjerker, its approach is a little more subtle and genuine and handled exceedingly well.
What really makes this film though is it's characters and performances, the characters are well fleshed out and interesting and are backed up by great performances by its entire cast. I give particular praise to Casey Affleck who is outstanding in the lead role and deserves all the nominations and awards he's been getting. He plays the most interesting character in film who on the surface it may not seem like he is but there's alot of depth going on beneath which we get because of the way Affleck embodies the role.
the film is also well shot with alot of nice static camera work being used particularly in the films first 10/15 minutes which I thought was done in an intriguing way. I also like the classical music that was used throughout which fit in very nicely with the films atmosphere and tone.
The film does run at 137 minutes so it's a little long, but it's certainly not boring and stays engaging thanks to the characters, performances and certain story elements. Overall this is a great piece of drama that is full of strong acting and characters and I'd definitely recommend it. ****

Underworld: Blood Wars (2016)

So here it is, the latest film in the Underworld series and straight off the bat I have to say this is the shoddiest film in the series and I mean this mainly in terms of execution as it has a lot of messy editing and bad pacing with everything feeling rushed. It once again stars Kate Beckinsale and features Charles Dance and Theo James reprising their roles from the previous film, as well as some new faces including Tobias Menzies and Lara Pulver and her various provocative outfits.
Now the story's a bit of a mess and very generic but I preferred it to the previous film as theres lots of deceit going on that keeps it a little fun and its more reminiscent of the first film. This is also the films problem as its all too samey and just it feels a little stale with the most interesting scenes happen when they are at Vador, its a nice little change from the rest of the film and feature some fun action moments as well as introducing a couple of ideas that I wished they had explored more.
In terms of action overall the film as a good amount of it as well as some gore, although most of it is not the best, mainly because of the execution, but there are some enjoyable bits scattered abour.
The acting also varies in quality ranging between fine and kind of bad, but nothing flat-out terrible or good.
Overall the film is only partly successful at being  fun piece of mindless escapism and is really let down by its execution. Had things been handled better I definitely would have preferred it to the previous film, but as it stand this film is the weakest of the series and I think its time to put a stake into the franchises heart, but much like Selene, it's hard to kill for good. **

Underworld: Awakening (2012)

The fourth entry in the series and this time the humans have joined the war after discovering Vampires and Lycans do exist and go on a mass purge. Plus we have the edition of research facilities and science stuff which all bring the film into more generic and bland territory. But stories have never been these films strong points, its more about if they deliver the expected action goods and the film does indeed have some solid action particularly in its climax with a nice amount of gore and I gotta give kudos for the film still using practicals for the Lycans at certain points, though alot less than previous installments.The acting is varying in quality but Kate Beckinsale is fine as usual and there's the nice addition of Charles Dance in a small role as an elder.
Overall this is definitely alot weaker than the first 3 films but still supplies some fun action moments.
**1/2

Underworld: Rise of The Lycans (2009)

The 3rd film in the Underworld series and one that is a prequel that shows the origin story of Lucian, who was the antagonist of the first film. It pretty much just shows what we see and hear about in the first movie and pads it out to a needless 90 minute movie. But these films have never wanted to amount to more than mindless escapism and I still quite enjoyed this. The acting is still pretty decent which is expectec when you have Michael Sheen and Bill Nighy, the effects are pretty good and there is a nice bit of action and gore. The old period setting is also a nice change of pace/though nothing particularly special and the story holds no surprises and goes as expected, especially if you have seen the first movie. Overall its not up to par with the first two movies but I still find it to be somewhat enjoyable for what it gives us. ***

Underworld: Evolution (2006) Review

The second film in the Underworld series and it certainly ups the ante with more action, more gore, more sex and more fun. I quite enjoyed this, more so than the first movie, for starters its shorter and briskly runs through its 105 minute runtime, and while it still maybe be very superficial and shallow it delivers where it intends to with some very entertaining action and gore, which there is alot of through out and some good visual effects including the  some practical effects still being used for the Lycans so they still look rad as hell. The film is also again nice to look out and still uses its cold washed out look, but adds some nice added warmth in necessary places. Overall is just a very fun movie and that's all it aspires to be, which makes it a success in my book. Just some enjoyable action horror. ***

Silence (2016) review

Decided to do a short video review for the film Silence, though I was invisible at the time...

Underworld (2003)

In tepid anticipation for the new Underworld movie that hits UK next week, I've decided to go back and revisit the rest of the series. So here's the first film that kicked it all off, released in 2003 and inspired by the likes of Blade and The Matrix, Underworld is a leather-clad, gun toting action 'horror' pitting Vampires against Lycans(werewolves). Now I really enjoyed this film as a kid and having watched it again after a good few years, I still quite enjoy it, though not nearly as much as I used to.
First I want to talk about the Positives films strongest element which is its visuals, from its minimal colour palette to it's great set design the filmmakers did a great job of crafting the films world so it all looks good and nicely sets the films tone. It also got some good visual effects that still hold up quite well with a nice amount of practical effects that are utilised including for the transformed Lycans which look fantastic. Some of performances are also pretty good particularly  Kate Beckinsale, Bill Nighy and Michael Sheen, though there are a few that aren't so good but not flat-out bad. Finally the story is pretty standard but works well enough and I like the detailed mythology that's included within it.
So that's pretty much the positives, so what about its flaws?, well its biggest problems, is the lack of attachment to anything happening as the films is a little too superficial and shallow and it's only really towards the end of the film that they start to add in any character depth which is just too late, especially considering the films run time. Now it was the extended cut that I watched which clocks in at 2 hours 13 minutes, but the normal version is still 2 hours which is just too long for this movie and it really would have benefited alot just being 90 minutes, maybe 100 at a push. The film just drags at times and should have been more concise, also the action is decent enough but the gunplay does get a little boring at times.
Overall the movie is pretty fun and there's enough there to keep your attention throughout but it's certainly nothing stand out or great. A pretty decent first entry. ***

Top 10 films of 2016

So last year I waited til I'd seen a few Oscar contenders in January before doing a top 10, it was mainly to make a more definitive list, as I did struggle making it. But this year I've seen enough great stuff already that I can happily make a good list now rather than wait around. So 2016 was a significantly better film year than 2015 with alot more films resonating with me and despite alot of the blockbusters under-delivering there's been a lot of solid films out overall. So here are my favorite films of year which aside from the top 4 are not necessarily in a definitive order.

Honourable Mentions

Hail Caesar!

The Nice Guys

Zootopia

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Captain America: Civil War

10. Sausage Party

Nope, this is no joke, I had a hell of a fun time watching this and the film is way better than it should be. Not only is it really funny, but beneath it's gross out exterior lay a heart and some depth that help make it a  great adult animated comedy. Its ridiculous content maybe be too much for some, but I super enjoyed it.

9. The Shallows

 Probably the best shark movie since Jaws, featuring a strong leading performance from Blake Lively and the best supporting performance of 2016 by a seagull. This is another film that worked alot better than it should have and I had a blast watching it. A shark/survival film done exceedingly well.

8. Hell or Highwater

Following the recurring theme of films exceeding expectations(though on a smaller scale), Hell or High Water was a film that I already knew was supposed to be great before seeing it, but I didn't think I'd be that big on it, as it seemed like the kind of film that doesn't have much appeal to me, but I know I'd still appreciate. However my presumptions were wrong and I ended up really liking it alot.  From it's superb opening shot, it just keeps you hooked from start to finish and It's just a great movie with great characters (even the side characters are really interesting), that's really well shot, acted and written. 

7. Swiss Army Man

 Now here's a film I knew pretty much nothing about before watching, except that was supposed to be good and that Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe were in it. I certainly didn't expect to see one of the most unique films to come out this year, so it was a very pleasant surprise. It's a weird and wonderful comedy with great performance from it's two stars and with moments that are funny, disturbing and gross all at once. I can't help but love it's bizarre nature and it's got a good heart too, a great film all in all.


6. The Witch

 The best horror film of the year, one devoid of jump scares, but full of pure tension and includes brilliant ending. It's a simple but very effective movie with strong performances, great atmosphere, great cinematography and a unique setting that sets it apart from all modern horror. A great horror that had a lasting impression on me.


5. The Hunt For The Wilderpeople

Taika Waititi's latest film is an absolute joy to watch. It's a lovely and incredibly likable film full of heart and good humour. Waititi's nails it yet again providing probably the most pleasurable watch on this list. It's simply wonderful and I can't wait to see how Waititi handles Thor: Ragnorok.

4. Kubo and the Two Strings

Laika's best film so far featuring some of the most beautiful stop motion I've ever seen. Kubo is an incredible film with a story thats ripe with emotion, excitement and a heartfelt message. Combined with some top notch vocie acting and stunning visuals,. Kubo is simply fantastic.

3. Arrival

Arrival is an incredible piece of Sci-fi that is thought provoking and intelligent. It's so utterly engrossing and intriguing and features quite a few surprises. The performances are strong, the sound is superb, It's also emotional, leaves a lasting a effect and has themes that are very relevant for today. Denis Villeneuve really shows his talent as a director, as this could have easily been really boring in the wrong hands, but he manages to make it work incredibly well. Simply fantastic.

2. Neon Demon

Love him or hate him, Nicolas Winding Refn is one of the most interesting directors working today and one that's not afraid to take risks. The Neon demon is one of his best films to date(perhaps even his best), a sinister look into the modelling industry that is both fascinating and horrifying. A brilliant piece of work with a stellar central performance from Elle fanning. Incredible to look at, surreal at times and totally engrossing, I loved it.

 

 1. Your Name

 For a good number of months I was certain that The Neon Demon was gonna be my film of the year, then Your Name came along and completely changed that. My 3rd animated film on this list (and 3rd animated style), Your Name is nothing short of brilliant, a beautiful anime that contains super likable characters and is full of great drama, humour and emotion. It's constantly intriguing and utterly enthralling and I just love it. My favourite film of 2016.



So that's my list for the 2016 and I'm very much looking forward to what 2017 brings and there's a lot of intriguing films that are gonna come out. Hopefully I'll be getting more reviews done throughout 2017, so until then. Good Bile.