"Mama" Review

"Mama"

Directed by Andres Muschietti
Starring Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier, Isabelle Nelisse, Daniel Kash

RATING
7/10

Guillermo Del Toro seemingly treats his filmography like a wild game of poker. He chooses some risky projects to produce, and almost always hits the mark. However, with his hand far into the horror genre, Del Toro is a mastercraftsman of his work in the field. He knows how to scare us, even when he unintentionally doesn't. So his picks of horror films aren't a gamble, but after the middling results of "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark", many suspected that this master may be reaching his end in the genre. Fortunately, Del Toro came back with middle fingers flying in the form of "Mama". "Mama" came out at a very fragile time in cinema, and by that I mean a February release date. There's a lot of risk of failure, and especially for horrors. So this wasn't exactly the film to look out for. However, I will say I am pleasantly surprised.

 

"Mama" tells the story of a couple of children who are found five years later in a cabin in the woods after their disappearance with their father. They are taken in only to discover that they have developed animalistic qualities and cannot seem to stop talking about "mama". Once they are taken in by their caring uncle and punk-rocker aunt, they begin to receive frequent visits from a powerful spirit who seeks to rip them away from the family.

 

"Mama" is definitely one of the better modern horror films. Even though it was directed by a different person, this has Del Toro's fingerprints all over it. There are moments of sheer terror that are quickly balanced with moments of sheer beauty and awe, and walks a fine line between being a fantasy and being a horror. Jessica Chastain does a great job as a very unorthodox female lead, being a punk. Might I add, that just makes her insanely sexier too... But that's just my preference. Her chemistry with the two girls is shoddy at first, but as the intensity amplifies, Chastain's character, Annabel, has to switch to mother mode, for which she does greatly. However, there are a few characters that never quite give much importance to the story, other than to basically die or go into a deep coma (looking at you, Game of Thrones guy). So Chastain has to carry the entire second half of the film, and thanks to her charisma, she nails it. Make no mistake, even though I said this has plenty of typical Del Toro fantasy elements, there's still an abundance of scares to sink your teeth into, and they are orchestrated very well. There is a very old school aesthetic to the scares here, relying on plenty of jump scares that actually have a scare behind them. The antagonistic force, Mama, is never revealed for a good portion of the film, and that's a nice throwback to the suspense masters of the past like Hitchcock, Spielberg, and (once upon a time) M. Night Shyamalan. The films strength ultimately lies in how well it hides its villain and how great of an impact she makes whenever we have a glimpse of her. It's a great balancing act. Though, the film also faulters on a few simple but offkey beats. As mentioned, there's not much room for side characters to grow, and once we actually do see Mama, the scary effect of her is worn off a bit and it becomes rather overbloated with visual effects. A great horror villain should still maintain its scary image well after they're revealed, but Mama falls a bit short of the mark.

"Mama" is an entertaining and very scary film that does nothing new to the horror genre, but thanks to its well-crafted scare sequences, a solid performance from Jessica Chastain, and a good grasp on intensity and suspense, it proves to be well worth your time if you're an old school horror fan hoping for basic and effective scares rather than over-the-top gore. 

"Sucker Punch" Review

"Sucker Punch"

Directed by Zack Snyder
Starring Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Jena Malone, Abbie Cornish, Carla Gugino

RATING
5/10

As a last resort for sucking audiences into theatres to steal their hard-earned money, Hollywood at some point decided putting insanely hot women in the midst of a visually breahtaking fantasy world where 50-foot samurai warriors and dragons roam free. And figuring that they needed a director who would be able to have the credential power to draw in the hardcore film fanatics too, Zack Snyder stepped up to the plate to give Hollywood what it wanted. And "Sucker Punch" was the result. Now I'm not gonna be entirely objective because I understand that the film, on the surface, is a story (I use that term lightly) of hot girls in short skirts with insane kung-fu and gunplay abilities fighting off every known fantasy antagonist under the sun. There's really not much else below the surface. It really is a sucker punch.

 

"Sucker Punch" is about a girl who witnesses her fathers abusive behaviour and decides to take a stand against him for fear of her little sister being harmed. This only angers the father and sends her to a mental asylum, where showgirls are groomed to dance for creepy and rich older men. In between finding a way to liberate herself and all the go-go girls around her, she fantasizes about grand situations that somehow tie into them finding an escape from the hellhole of an asylum.

 

I'm gonna keep this review short and sweet. "Sucker Punch" is a very mixed bag of cinema, mainly because it has no aim, and even when it does, it quickly jumbles itself around and loses the audience. The lead girl, Babydoll (played by the beautiful Emily Browning), is easy on the eyes, a badass in her head, and an overall decent performance. However, what is quickly built up around character and plot is quickly undone by the most random sequences of fantasy events to occure. They serve no real purpose or objective other than to showcase some pretty stunning visual effects and well-choreographed fight scenes, but when linking it to the main plot of the film, it really doesn't make sense. The surrounding actors aren't exactly solid back-up for the story either. The likes of Carla Gugino, Oscar Isaac, and Jon Hamm are extremely underused. Even though Isaac comes close to being a perfectly molded villain type, his placement in the film is just off-key and unusual. He never feels as threatening as he should be, and it doesn't help elevate any stakes for the go-go girls either when they're somewhere off in their own telepathically linked imaginations fighting off Nazi zombies with mech-suits... because, you know, that's cool. I will give the film credit for two things that blew me away: the visuals and music. Zack Snyder is a very visual director and knows his way around making something pop on screen. These fantasy sequences, as pointless and redundant as they are, showcase the filmmakers keen eye for visceral thrills. Adding to that effect is a brilliant soundtrack, which constantly shifts between haunting, melodic covers and upbeat techno to set quite an awesome mood and atmosphere.

 

By the time the climax rolls around, you'll have no choice but to re-evaluate the film as a whole, and see that "Sucker Punch", while a visual juggernaut filled with beautiful women and dominating music, is nothing more than an aimless excercise in visual storytelling. And even then, when the flames from the dragon have died and the Nazi zombies saluting hands have been sliced clean off by a katana, does the film ultimately amount to nothing but a sucker punch, indeed.

"The Hills Have Eyes" Review

"The Hills Have Eyes"

Directed by Alexandre Aja
Starring Aaron Stanford, Ted Levine, Emilie de Ravin, Vinessa Shaw, Dan Byrd

RATING
8/10

Sorry for my late entries for these past few weeks. I have been quite busy with university and getting back into the swing of things. But now that I am reasonably comfortable, I bring you a few gifts. I'll have two reviews up by today,  including this one, and later tonight a preview of one of the most anticipated films of the year. But for now, here's 2006's "The Hills Have Eyes". In 1977, horror meistro Wes Craven crafted a shocking and graphic cinematic work known as "The Hills Have Eyes", which was filmed to somewhat resemble a snuff film. This, and his other much debated original "The Last House on The Left", was the cause of much controversy. So rightfully, about 30 years down the line, a remake would seem inevitable. And I had very low expectations about seeing this. People who have seen it either outright hated it or didn't bother to give it a chance because it "stunk of generic". After seeing it, well I have to say that it's scent was more of a surprisingly solid modern horror remake.

 

"The Hills Have Eyes" is about a family travelling through the desert on their way to San Diego. They pass a creepy gas station where the attendent is a creepy old man. Immediately, I may have lost you because "The Cabin In The Woods" would be racing through your mind and making you laugh throughout the scene. But wait, there's more. The creepy man, having found out that one of the family members spotted a seemingly stolen bag full of items, sends the family on a "shortcut" through a desert road where they are quickly derailed by spikes and left for dead. Or perhaps, hunted down by strange, deformed people who live in the hills due to massive nuclear tests in the past.

 

Like I said, had very low expectations seeing it, but I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome. What we have here is a horror film that manages to walk the fine line of being both physically shocking and psychologically terrifying. It outdoes the original in so many ways, that it becomes its own work. The performances were pretty good, crafting out a believable family with good chemistry that's easily relatable in some way. At first, it may seem like the emotional connection isn't made, but once the bat-shit crazy events hit the fan, you'll find yourself squealing over their lives. The film is able to go places where few modern horror films dare not, and without spoiling anything, I will say that there is a section in the middle that triggers a sequence of horrifying events in a short span of ten minutes, you'll be left glued to your seat and absolutely dumbfounded that it manages to get away with it. It's a very unconventional and shocking downward spiral very rarely achieved. Once the spiral subdues, you're left with a strong sense of sympathy and vengeance which leads you to make that long-desired emotional connection. Let's just say, there's literally a little element that elevates the tension of the plot to insane heights.

Apart from that, the film is expertly paced and structured, especially in the second half. It's clever editing techniques help build the scares mentally, that it's shock factor actually begins to scare you. Alexandre Aja does a fantastic job of creating atmospheric tension and delivering a pleasing amount of gore and great kills most die-hard horror junkies will yearn for. The make-up and design is a thing of beauty in this, and looks very naturalistic. I do only have one gripe for the film, which may make or break audiences, is that the first 15 minutes are pretty much standard fare for a modern horror film that it feels recycled to death. If it doesn't catch your attention then, it may later in the film, but unfortunately most casual horror audiences have the attention spans of goldfish.

 

"The Hills Have Eyes" is an exceptionally well-made and well-paced horror feature with plenty of gore and atmospheric tension to rival and better the original Wes Craven classic. It plays with its shock factor to great effect, and while it may seem odd at first for the horror noobs, the film does manage to transcend itself and become not just an eye-opening experience, but an entertaining tale of vengeance, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness... kinda.

"Cujo" Review

"Cujo"

Directed by Lewis Teague
Starring Dee Wallace, Danny Pintauro, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Christopher Stone, Ed Lauter

RATING
5/10

So, I just watched a movie about a rabid zombie St. Bernard dog that tears people to shreds. Sure as hell blows "Beethoven" out of the water. As a gigantic horror fan, one can only come across the film "Cujo" on film boards once every... ten minutes. Some regard it as a classic, others are lukewarm to it, and then there are those who consider it a shameful mess. It was a long while before I finally decided to give this odd tale a watch. Unlike the second group who were lukewarm, I didn't think there would be any middle ground. Either this would be terrible or great, no exceptions. Well, my deepest apologies to the second group... this was every bit as middling as they warned me. Is it terrible? Well, not really. A masterpiece? Very far from it.

 

"Cujo" is about a happy little family living in the generic suburbs who run into a bump in their marriage when the wife, Donna, becomes a cheating whore and sleeps around with the local, uninspired jock despite her loving husband and her wonderful son building solid relationships (see? Immediately we don't give a shit about her... She's a terrible person). Then, when the husband discovers her sleeping around, he decides to head out to a business conference for two weeks. Meanwhile, the wife and kid decide to pay visit to a relatives farmhouse, only to discover that they have run out of petrol... and are being hunted by a huge rabid St. Bernard dog who was bitten by a radioactive bat. So essentially what you have here is "127 Hours", only James Franco is being patronized by a zombie mutt.

 

Now I'll start with a few things I was impressed with. "Cujo" is able to capture that feeling of complete helplessness and puts you in the crisis the mother and child are facing quite well.

It knows how to walk the line between keeping you on edge and giving you imagery that will provide endless nightmares for a kid. Since this is based on a Stephen King novel, you can expect plenty of vivid and strange occurences, especially the odd mindset most of the characters seem to have. It actually makes it feel so unreal, that you simply take it as a dose of reality and what could possibly happen when these characters make decisions. But that's where the flimsy side of it starts to show too. The character of the mother, Donna, is unlikable and cold. She separates herself frequently from her family in the beginning to fool around with the scruffy jock. She acts like a confused high school teen, and not a responsible mother. So when the time comes when she is locked in the car with her son... you only really care about the son's safety. I was rooting for Cujo to rip her to shreds, honestly. As the lead protagonist, you just don't care about her. Even her attempts to show "affection" for her child while on the verge of death seems like a forced plea. Apart from the films characters, the whole aesthetic felt cheap. I'm still amazed at how they got the dog to go through some of those tricks, but it it doesn't help that the film has the production quality of a TV soap opera in the early 80's. And once the ending rolls around, you can't help but frown at its not-so-subtle and abrupt climax.

 

"Cujo" is a mixed bag for me. As an oldie in the horror genre, I can respect its style and ambition to a certain extent, but keep in mind that 1983 was a year after John Carpenter's "The Thing" shook the genre to its core. There's no excuse for a lesser direction to go in, and unfortunately "Cujo" is aimless for the most part. What could've been a brilliantly executed tale of terror and claustrophobia was undone by poorly concieved characters and weak production value. All in all, it's a mediocre film that doesn't break new ground, but certainly gives a new spin to the meaning "rabid zombie dog"... uh, that's never been said before, actually...

"Drag Me To Hell" Review

"Drag Me To Hell"

Directed by Sam Raimi
Starring Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Dileep Rao, Lorna Raver, David Paymer

RATING
9/10

In 1981, an indie director named Sam Raimi accidentally created a new offspring of the horror genre, in which it incorporated slapstick humor. The result was oddly very appealing, and thus the "Evil Dead" series was born. Despite his newfound ambitious drive, Raimi opted for more broader genres, and put away his horror directing card for how to head into drama and comedy, and a little superhero franchise some people are familiar with... However, he still remained a keen observer of the scare, producing several horror films in his later years. Then came the time when he decided to revisit the glory days, when slapstick horror/gore was hugely influential to directors such as Peter Jackson. He figured, maybe a dosage of Evil Dead for the modern era would be... pretty damn interesting. 2009 rolled around, and thus "Drag Me To Hell" was born.

 

"Drag Me To Hell" is the story of Christine Brown, a farm-girl who moves into the city, loses a few pounds, and inexplicably becomes attractive. Between having a relationship with her boyfriend, Clay, and working for the assistant manager position at her bank, Christine is confronted by Mrs. Ganush, who visits the bank hoping to get an extension on her home payments. When she is refused, the elderly gipsy puts a curse on Christine in which an ancient and powerful demon taunts and patronizes her for three days before finally collecting her to be literally dragged into hell. She then seeks the help of a spiritual psychic.

 

This was an incredible rollercoaster of a horror film. The best way I can honestly describe Raimi's style is "Dawn Of The Dead" meets "Looney Tunes". There's so much slapstick going on, that is often branches into more comedic territory, but at the same never forgets to scare the audience in the most bizarre ways imaginable. For example, a demon possesses a goat which causes it to speak English in a demonic voice, before telekinetically slamming a character into a wall. Bare with me, there's much stranger and horrifying things at work here. No other director could've pulled it off like Raimi, and where his strengths succeed in having a masterful grip on suspense and knockout delivery on scares, he also excels in writing believable characters and absorbing dialogue. Everyone in the film is likable (to an extent for some), but Alison Lohman as a troubled and desperate young woman is great. She carries the film when everything begins to get crazy, and even though the cast of colourful characters emerge in the spotlight, attention is still fixed on this innocent blonde-haired girl who fends off a mythical demon of the underworld like a mosquito.

The soundtrack is phenomenal, and one of the stars of the film. It pays homage to equally sinister demonic films of the past such as "The Exorcist" and "Demons". It blends in well with the outrageous amounts of gratuitous gore and scares conjured up, and strikes the perfect chords to send shivers down your spine, but also surprisingly make you laugh. The merging of these two emotions is something Raimi toys with like a little kid playing chess. It may seem like he has no idea what direction to take the film in, but that was the magic of the "Evil Dead" trilogy, and it's sprinkled well all over "Drag Me To Hell". It's a formula that most mainstream audiences who aren't familiar with Raimi's prolific past as a horror director won't entirely grasp, but for fans of the genre who are, this is Christmas: bubble-wrapped, signed, sealed, and delivered with a kiss of 'awesome'.

 

"Drag Me To Hell" was Raimi's triumphant return to horror, roaring into the dying coliseum of the genre on a blazing chariot of fire. With its whacky, over-the-top style and macabre plot elements, there's enough explicit scares and imagery to give horror junkies like myself wet nightmares for years to come. While the mainstream audiences will be largely divided over the slapstick sub-elements, for the rest of us down here starving for another bite of greatness that rarely happens in this day and age, we've finally got something delicious to sink our teeth into. "Drag Me To Hell" is one of the best horror films of the last decade.

"Celeste And Jesse Forever" Review

"Celeste And Jesse Forever"

Directed by Lee Toland Krieger
Starring Andy Samberg, Rashida Jones, Elijah Wood, Emma Roberts, Ari Graynor

RATING
7/10

No one could've put it better than Joseph Gordon-Levitt in "(500) Days of Summer", in which he has a complete mental breakdown after Summer breaks up with him. "People should be able to say how they really feel, and not words some stranger put into their mouths. Words like 'love', that don't mean anything. It's these cards, and the movies and the pop songs, they're to blame for all the lies and the heartache, everything." Then this film came along to put a nail on that speech in the form of "Celeste and Jesse Forever". Now I'm a sucker for a good romantic comedy, and from the trailers, this looked like another really fun indie-rom com I could sink my teeth into. But I was very unprepared and shocked at the levels of maturity I experienced.

 

"Celeste and Jesse Forever" is about a couple (I'll give you twenty bucks if you guess what their names are) who have just recently suffered a major blow in their relationship, and are signing up for divorce. However, they still remain very close friends, which other couples are confused about. Then Jesse runs into an acquaintance at a book store, which causes a spark of jealousy in Celeste. Eventually, the pieces fall into place when Jesse announces some big news that sends Celeste's romantic life into a long downward spiral.

 

It's not like right off the bat, you can tell the film is going to be anything other than the usual quirky romantic comedy, but only when things get heated does the film succeed on going in different directions not seen much in these love stories. It manages to more or less maintain its comedic appeal, but for the most part, it's a tragic romance that tugs at your heartstrings. Andy Samberg and Rashida Jones have fantastic chemistry together, and feel like a genuine couple who are too attached to let go. But Jesse's big revelation causes some interesting character development, and that's where Jones dominates when the attention fixes on her. She's a stunning actress, both in talent and looks. But she was well suited to this type of role, and ends up stealing the show. The fact that the film is aware of how unconventional it is can be arguably seen as both a good and bad thing, however.

 

When it hits the right emotional chords, it hits very hard, and in that specific scene knows how to manipulate the viewer. It's a great balance of directing and complete faith in the actors. However, there are a few misses that the film suffers from, mainly within it's unconventional rom com premise sometimes being a bit forced and hasty, and at other times really undermines the potential of how clever it could've been. There's an uneven throughline that unfortunately won't sit well with normal filmgoers and I assume some film nerds who are in the extremely rare situation of having a girlfriend. Also, the characters are either underused or downright unlikable, like Elijah Wood, who's brief moments in the film are funny, but never feels needed in the bulk of things. Please excuse my lack of knowledge, but the detective from 'Devil' who connects with Celeste is an unlikable schlup who doesn't make any effort to prove he's worth our time.

 

"Celeste and Jesse Forever" is a good indie-flick that's well worth your time if you're looking for something different, but with less humble style than, say, "(500) Days of Summer". Rashida Jones is fantastic, and the comedic elements add when necessary, but it's mostly a romantic drama that bares witness to the falling out of a relationship and the harsh repurcussions that follow. It's not always an easy watch, but it demands your attention.

"Movie 43" Review

 

"Movie 43"

 

Directed by James Gunn, Elizabeth Banks, Peter Farrelly, Bob Odenkirk, Steve Carr

Starring Richard Gere, Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Emma Stone, Christopher-Mintz Plasse

RATING

4/10

Please excuse my lack of posts on this blog over the week. It's been a rough start to university, so I took a leave of absence. So after my preview for the much anticipated 2013 superhero juggernaut "Man of Steel" comes a review of a film... that starts the year off on a bad note. You know those big ensemble pieces that feature a bunch of actors that you may have heard of and got a string of very random occurences that have no meaning or purpose other than to showcase a ridiculous attempt at being a "big" movie? Yeah, this is one of those. And of course, hats off to "Valentine's Day" and "New Year's Eve" that fall in the same bracket. But "Movie 43" did something quite unexpected... it made me chuckle quite a bit. After seeing these endless reviews crucifying it, I was hoping it wouldn't be as bad as I imagined. This was a killer waste of talent, sure, but it did bring out the best and worst in comedy that plays out like a bunch of SNL skits just amplifying the profanity and crude humor.

 

"Movie 43" starts out with two loser-ish teenagers who want to get back at a cyber-geek for pranking them, so they invite him over to search for a seemingly impossible movie to find, titled "Movie 43", with the intention of intelligently uploading a virus onto his computer (I use the term 'intelligently' very loosely). Things don't go as planned, and they stumble upon a bunch of random viral videos. Kinda like "V/H/S", but without the integrity, sense of identity, or fun factor.

 

I will say that "Movie 43" is a lot of fun, despite it being a dump on the legacy of the names attached. You have some really big hitters here, featuring the likes of Hugh Jackman, Richard Gere, Naomi Watts, Kate Winslet, etc. That already seems like the ingredients for one hell of an Oscar film, but it's unfortunately a movie where Wolverine has testicles attached to his chin. And I think it was intended to be viewed as nothing more than a piece of woven comedy that misses a few loops most of the time. However, when the jokes do hit, they're quite cynical and sadistic, and at this point I can't really say if its actually a good job walking that tight rope between the two. There is an advertisement placed in there about child slavery, but with a really odd twist that I admittedly laughed at and I'm going straight to hell for it. Another placed advertisement was for a tampon, and I'm surprised this ain't an official commercial. It's pretty funny. However, the only sketch I genuinely found humorous was the "Homeschooled" segment in which real-life couple Naomi Watts and Liev Shrieber try to raise their homeschooled son and give him the 'ultimate high school experience', which means verbally and mentally abusing him, a lesson about sex (a rather umcomfortable scene to watch), and being excluded at college parties where his father sees it as an excuse to motorboat a young girl's breasts. It's not the slice of comedy everybody will appreciate, but it got me going. That's not to say the film maintains that level of comedy. Everything from there is downhill. The skits begin to feel more and more random, and less useful to actually making sense in the bulk of it all. Halfway through I started to realise that the film pretty much descended into gag and fart jokes to keep the steam rolling, and it doesn't pay off at all. The jokes become tired and you feel the actors do too. It's never a good sign when you start out on a good foot then end up gradually disliking a film. The directors attached don't matter when all you're seeing is what could've been, and not what is being shown right now. There was plenty of opportunity for clever comedic gold, but somewhere along the line got lazy, bloated, and so unwitty it resorted to antique poop jokes and star-power to keep audiences engaged.

"Movie 43" is wasted opportunity in the comedy genre, and doesn't go anywhere nor present a cohesive narrative. It's a muddled mess of SNL skits with increased toilet humor, and while at times it delivers some surprisingly funny and unexpected laughs with its offensive content, it ultimately never lives up to its potential of being an extreme comedy fest. See "Movie 43" while high for a great time, but if you're bored on a Saturday night, catch some cartoons instead.

Preview: "Man of Steel" (2013)

"Man of Steel"

Directed by Zack Snyder
Starring Henry Cavill, Michael Shannon, Amy Adams, Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe

It's no secret that the line of Superman movies have been mostly terrible. With the last decent one being the first Christopher Reeves film, it has taken quite a downward spiral since then. In 2006, X-Men director Bryan Singer attempted to revive this dead franchise with "Superman Returns", but sadly his efforts were absymal. The film just didn't live up to expectations, and it seemed not even Singer could give the superhero the spark he deserved. Then, a few years later, a director by the name of Christopher Nolan picked up the Man of Steel whilst concluding his epic Batman trilogy, and hired visionary director Zack Snyder to helm the director's seat, while Nolan produced from the sidelines. This is the product of that collaboration, fittingly titled "Man of Steel", and I'm shocked to say this, but it seems Superman may be finally getting the movie he needed, and the one he deserved (I know, overused Nolan pun, but that doesn't make it less awesome).

 

 "Man of Steel" will be an origins story akin to Nolan's "Batman Begins", and will employ a lot of realistic and gritty elements too. From the trailers alone, we can tell the filmmakers did their homework in crafting the perfect superhero who is not only a symbol of justice, but one of internal conflict. We see Clark Kent wrestle with his past, and attempt to make sense of himself in society, coming to grips with the fact that he is an alien (to be it bluntly). Oddly, it looks and feels like a Christopher Nolan film, with the themes and tones already a trademark of the British director. There's not much hints of Zack Snyder's eye-popping visual flare, which has led me to believe that Nolan perhaps had his hand into the project more than we anticipated. Of course, this is a good thing, but ultimately this is Zack Snyder's baby by the end of the day, and whether or not David S. Goyer's script is solid enough to deliver a classic superhero experience. Goyer did write "Batman Begins", so I have no doubt he will be able to craft a struggling man within a shell of the corrupt  and crime-infested society, and not just America's hoorah poster child.

 

 

There's quite an impressive cast at work here too. Firstly, Henry Cavill is the new Superman, and he seems to fit the profile quite well. He's toned up and ready to brawl, but his acting talents have yet to be judged because "Immortals" was a trainwreck. Michael Shannon will play General Zod, a much anticipated villain. Kevin Costner and Diane Lane will play the sweet old Kents, who take in Clark after his crash landing. Amy Adams is also a part of this team as Louis Lane, and she seems to be a very fitting choice, matching the profile and curious journalistic nature of the redheaded reporter who falls in love with Superman. As not to spoil anything further, I'll keep the rest of the cast a secret, but Russell Crowe, Laurence Fisburne and Ayelet Zurer are all in the mix too.

 

So, the final verdict for this? It's something that you have to see, even if you hate superheroes (in which case, you live a sad and unimaginative life). "Man of Steel" looks to be the Superman movie without the cheese and patriotism. It's a dark, gritty movie grounded in a place where superheroes are given the "Nolan" treatment: heavy emphasis on character psychology, a stunning awareness of its expansive universe, and distinctive visual flare. If you aren't remotely interested in those... "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" is just down the road. (lol)

 

 

"Man of Steel" opens on the 28 June, 2013



"The House of The Devil" Review

"The House of The Devil"

Directed by Ti West
Starring Jocelin Donahue, Tom Noonan, Mary Woronov, Greta Gerwig, Dee Wallace

RATING
9/10

The idea of horror movies actually existing in modern times that may be considered cult classics is so surreal and uncanny to horror fans, because, let's be honest, most of them still live in the past and enjoy the glory days of "The Exorcist" and "The Shining" without paying much due to new films that are actually just as great. "The House of The Devil" is one of those films, and it blurs the lines between old school and new school scares, just in case the horror fans lash out and disregard the film as nothing more than a fanboy horror filmmakers wet dream, which it is, but in a very good way. Sure, other modern horrors like "Drag Me To Hell", "Insidious", "Sinister" or "The Descent" are all equally thrilling in that they could potentially be future classics within the genre, but I feel "The House of The Devil" is already a few steps ahead of them all.

 

Set sometime in the 80's, this seemingly true story is about a new college student, Samantha, who agrees to a babysitting job in order to earn some money to buy a new apartment. She reluctantly accepts, despite the advertiser sounding very strange on the phone. Samantha and her friend travel to the deep, dark woods until they come across a large house, where they meet the odd owners. As it turns out, it wasn't a babysitting job after all, but a set-up for something much more sinister.

 

Right off the bat, I will tell you the film is about satanic cults. That isn't a spoiler, it's pretty much in the synopsis for every movie website, and literally in the opening five seconds. I don't know what it is about movies that portray some sort of satanic or pagan cult, but it always gets under my skin if done well. Example, the ritual scene in "Eyes Wide Shut" and or the sweet and innocent but mentally unstable community in "The Wicker Man". What "The House of The Devil" does so masterfully is build up suspense to an absolutely frightening height, that watching it feels like you're walking a tight rope. Credit for this goes to writer/director Ti West, who I have confirmed in my books as one of the modern horror elite (which includes James Wan, Leigh Whannell, Scott Derrickson, Sam Raimi, and hopefully Fede Alvarez if "Evil Dead" goes smoothly). The film aesthetically very impressive as it adopts an 80's vibe and tone throughout, even presenting the same grainy and flashy qualities of the cameras used in those times. If I didn't know any better, I would immediately think this was a film made in 1985. And to the films credit, it works surprisingly well given that these events actually took place in the 80's. The exquisite attention to detail is what impressed me the most, especially clothing as basic as "mom jeans" being worn by the teenagers and slices of pizza being the size of a basketball. I don't know if that still is a standard size in America, but it doesn't look as appetizing now then it did back then.

 

As I mentioned earlier, the films strength lies in how well it builds up suspense and mystery. Leading up until the last 15 minutes of the film, the rest plays out like an intricate Agatha Christie novel, only you don't have ten misguided characters playing a game of real-life "Clue". It's only Samantha, the house, and the enigmatic old lady upstairs who keeps to her privacy. Yet it's rich in complexity in a very unconventional horror way. Samantha is a girl whom you deeply care about despite her typically being the joyless bookworm teenager found in most horror films. Her journey through the dark and mysterious places of the house lead her to uncover some horrific secrets, but what West does particularly well is only partially revealing those secrets as he takes his sweet time to unravel the mysteries of this satanic residence. It's a brave juggling act that Hitchcock perfected where not all is shown, and you are only fed bits and pieces, and because of this it keeps on sucking you into the plot. Combine that with a keen directorial eye for the ingeniously intense pacing and atmosphere, and you got a horror film that fires on all cylinders. I won't even get too deep into the last 15 minutes of this film for fear of spoiling anything, but it solidified my fear of satanic cults for the rest of my life, and is undeniably one of the most chilling climaxes I've seen in any horror film. Rarely, pay-offs in horror don't happen as immaculately terrifying as this. Be warned, your guard will be dropped and your sense of security completely demolished.

 

"The House of The Devil" is a modern horror masterwork that benefits from a perfect cast of weirdos, a viscerally pleasing 80's aesthetic, razorblade tension and suspense, and an unpologetically eye-opening climax that will get your heart racing faster than Usain Bolt in a 100 meter dash. If you're looking for old-school scares and a flare for the ominous, "The House of The Devil" is something that should be experienced and remembered.

"V/H/S" Review

"V/H/S"

Directed by David Bruckner, Glenn McQuaid, Radio Silence, Joe Swanberg, Ti West, Adam Wingard
Starring Adam Wingard, Calvin Reeder, Hannah Fierman, Simon Barrett, Jas Sams

RATING
8/10

 

Horror anthology is a bit of a wildcard. Usually it ends up being an uneven mess, or it thoroughly entertains all around. When "V/H/S" was announced, so was a slew of mostly unknown directors, who each stepped up to the plate of delivering something that has never been seen before. Were we to trust these guys? I sure as hell didn't, but after seeing the intense and very violent trailer for it, my mind was instantly changed, and this leaped up to my most anticipated horror movie list of the year, next to "Sinister" and "The Bay". Just so you know, the latter was a massive disappointment. Fun fact: the name of my blog, "Primal Nightmare", came from this film, when a critic was quoted in the trailer of the film as saying "it plays on a primal nightmare level." That's about the coolest phrase anyone has ever used to describe a film. Ever.

 

"V/H/S" revolves around a central story about a group of misfits who go around raping women and robbing people. Then one day they suddenly decide to break into a mysterious house to retrieve some V/H/S tapes that are said to contain some gruesome "snuff" footage. Upon arrival, they discover the corpse of an old man, with a bunch of tapes scattered on the floor. The misfits decide to explore the house while one person waits inside the corpse room, and to kill time, he begins watching the tapes...

 

"V/H/S" is one of the most innovative, fun, and viscerally thrilling horror movies of recent years. What really sells it is the fact that its comprised of many components and parts that never quite mesh together, but always seem to elevate anxiety levels at the perfect moment, delivering scares with grizzly accuracy and stunning catharsis. There are five tapes in total that play around the central story, but each one showcases a tale as strange as the last, until the final tape runs out. What's most interesting about them is they all find unique ways to differentiate the found footage genre, not simply using a flimsy camera but other recording devices too. For example, the first tape is about three douchebags (well, two douchebags and a geek) who go out for a wild party night on the town, and everything is documented by a tiny camera in the geeks glasses. It puts viewers in the first person perspective and makes for a more personal scare. They stumble across a quiet girl with very big eyes and another drunk girl, then take advantage of them by inviting them to their motel room. Let's just say, things don't go quite as planned and a lotta blood is spilt. A lot. It's the perfect set-up for the rest of the film, even if the next couple tapes don't quite reach the high standard set by the first. The second tape (and most anticipated) is directed by Ti West, and is about a couple who go on vacation, but run into trouble while staying in their hotel. Unfortunately, West's efforts are notable, but they don't match up to the rest of the tapes and this one ultimately ends up being the weakest of the bunch.

 

The third tape is a spin on the whole "Friday The 13th" formula, where a group of stupid horny teenagers go out into the middle of the woods to smoke pot and hike, and they expect everything to be okay. Meanwhile, one of the girls has an agenda of her own, which attracts an ominous serial killer to start hunting them down. Only thing is, the way this serial killer is portrayed is very inventive and refreshing. The fourth tape, a webcam episode, is a traumatizing story of a woman whose apartment is haunted by something, which drives her to commit gruesome acts of self-mutilation, all of this happening while her boyfriend watches helplessly. The pay-off? Nothing short of headscratching and confusing, but it surprisingly works. The final tape, however, is nothing short of spectacular. A group of friends dressed in ridiculous Halloween costumes break into an abandoned house only to discover some sinister doings happening in the attic, which causes all hell to break loose. And trust me when I say, this is a display of some heart-stoppingly horrific and eye-opening freak supernatural occurences, and quite a fitting climax that goes out with a bang. It is probably the biggest reason to see this film, if the other tapes don't suit your taste. It's one that will stick with you for quite some time.

 

When all is said and done, "V/H/S" ends up being more than just a horror anthology, and you feel like you've taken away something from this film. I'm still not quite sure yet what that is, but it feels nightmare-inducing. With an array of very talented  upcoming horror directors helming this piece of clockwork filmmaking that always engages but never slips away, it's easy to say that its one of the best horror films of the past five years.  

23 Most Anticipated Films of 2013

 

23 Most Anticipated Films of 2013

 

 

23. “Now You See Me”

Directed by Louis Leterrier

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Woody Harrelson

 

This star-studded cast unite to tell the tale of a group of Las Vegas magicians who double as bank robbers. They possess some extraordinary abilities, like transporting people across the globe to do their dirty work. Think “The Prestige” meets “Ocean’s Eleven”. It’s even got Michael Caine.

 

22. “Warm Bodies”

Directed by Jonathan Levine

Starring Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, John Malkovich

 

From the director of “50/50” comes… a romantic comedy about a zombie who falls in love with a human. Glad to see this isn’t “Twilight”… I really do like this unique spin on the tale of zombies, it makes for a fresh idea. Hopefully it delivers.

 

21. “Carrie”

Directed by Kimberly Peirce

Starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, Judy Greer, Gabriella Wilde, Portia Doubleday

 

This anticipated remake of the 1976 Brian De Palma horror classic stars Chloe Grace Moretz as Carrie, a troubled young girl who lives with her super-religious and possessive mother, and who also happens to have telekinesis. She struggles to be accepted in society, and all it takes is one prom prank to unleash hell on Earth. Given our modern technology, the telekinesis scenes should be a lotta fun.

 

20. “This Is The End”

Directed by Evan Goldberg & Seth Rogen

Starring Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride

 

What do you get when you put some of cinema’s leading film comedians in a “true life” film about the apocalypse? Well, apparently “This Is The End”. It’s quite a big cast, and the potential for comedy gold is at an all-time high. Got high hopes for this one.

 

19. “Monsters University”

Directed by Dan Scanlon

Starring John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, Joel Murray, Julia Sweeney

 

Pixar make a triumphant return with a sequel! Yay, right? I mean, it could be good. “Monsters University” is a prequel to their animated hit, “Monsters, Inc”, and joins Mike and Sully in their premature college days. It’s basically Pixar doing “American Pie” for kids. Awesome? I think so.

 

18. “Kick-Ass 2”

Directed by Jeff Wadlow

Starring Aaron Johnson, Jim Carrey, Chloe Grace Moretz, Christoper Mintz-Plasse, John Leguizamo

 

“Kick-Ass 2” is the sequel to 2011’s R-rated superhero flick, “Kick-Ass” and sees the return of your favorite titular hero joining forces with Jim Carrey’s ‘Colonel Stars and Stripes’ to fight crime again. Expecting more Hit-Girl badassery, please.

 

17. “The Grandmaster”

Directed by Kar Wai Wong

Starring Ziyi Zhang, Tony Leung, Cung Le, Chen Chang, Kye-kyo Song

 

What has basically amounted to Asia's response to "The Matrix", "The Grandmaster" is another biopic of Ip-Man, the legendary mentor that trained Bruce Lee. However, this looks way more styialized and has quite a stellar cast, including the beautiful Ziyi Zhang and Tony Leung as Yip Man.

 

16. “The Great Gatsby”

Directed by Baz Luhrmann

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey MacGuire, Carey Mulligan, Isla Fisher, Joel Edgerton

 

It’s not pathetic at all that I’m looking forward to this. Based on the classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, “The Great Gatsby” is about an eccentric millionaire playboy whose world is shattered by a shifting society. It also stars Carey Mulligan and the actor formerly known as Spider-Man.

 

15. “Insidious Chapter 2”

Directed by James Wan

Starring Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey, Lin Shaye, Ty Simpkins

 

James Wan is back (and the crowd goes wild) with the second part of his modern horror hit, “Insidious”. This basically picks up where the last one left off, so as not to spoil anything, you know more or less what to expect. I’m just psyched with anything James Wan does (no homo). A modern horror legend in the making if he nails this.

 

14. “Gravity”

Directed by Alfonso Cuaron

Starring George Clooney, Sandra Bullock

 

Literally nothing is known about this film other than its directed by the guy who did “Children of Men” and stars two Hollywood A-listers. There’s speculation about what this is, and some have even said it was all shot in one long tracking shot. Even if that’s not true, you can still expect something similar. (see: “Children of Men”).

 

13. “Elysium”

Directed by Neill Blomkamp

Starring Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, William Fichtner, Alice Braga

 

The following film has been approved by a Proudly South African. “Elysium” is director Neill Blomkamp’s follow-up to “District 9”, a heavy-handed political sci-fi action about… well, people in mech-suits. And a bald Matt Damon. That’s about all I have. Get hyped!

 

12. “Man of Steel”

Directed by Zack Snyder

Starring Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon, Amy Adams, Kevin Costner

 

Christopher Nolan presents Superman! Directed by Zack Snyder, the enigmatically titled “Man of Steel” is about Superman’s origins, and facing off against General Zod. Why is it so anticipated? Well, why the f*** not? This may actually be a Superman film done justice.

 

11. “The Place Beyond The Pines”

Directed by Derek Cianfrance

Starring Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Dane DeHaan, Rose Byrne, Ray Liotta

 

Derek Cianfrance is a talented and promising director, having the most sane and happy people rip their hair out and feel melancholic as hell with 2010’s “Blue Valentine”, now he returns to make us feel that way again. Or maybe not. It tells the tale of a motorcycle stunt rider who becomes a bank robber to provide for his family, but butts heads with the wrong side of the law. I’ve only heard amazing things about this film, so amazing is what I shall expect.

 

10. “The Wolverine”

Directed by James Mangold

Starring Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee, Brian Tee, Tao Okamoto, Hiroyuki Sanada

 

You have no idea how badly I want this one to be R-rated. Just for the fact that we can see Wolverine in bloody fashion tearing up mother-effers. The X-Men poster child travels to Japan after following a samurai warrior. And there’s no other reason to be excited. Wolverine + Japanese people = blood-pumping, stylish action. Emphasis on the “blood” (crosses fingers).

 

9. “The Conjuring”

Directed by James Wan

Starring Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Joey King, Ron Livingston, Hayley McFarland

 

Oh, don’t think “Insidious 2” would be the only James Wan film on this list! “The Conjuring” is about real-life paranormal investigators who stumble upon a very special case on a farm. And the reaction for those who have seen it so far say its something to be afraid of. Very afraid.

 

8. “Iron Man 3”

Directed by Shane Black

Starring Robert Downey Jr, Gwenyth Paltrow, Ben Kingsley, Guy Pearce, Don Cheadle

 

“Iron Man 3” picks up after the events of “The Avengers”. Tony Stark is still wrestling with the fact that the world almost ended and he nearly killed himself by way of nuclear bomb. And just when things look dark, well they get darker with the arrival of a new terrorist’s face. And he ain’t wearing a breathing mask.

 

7. “The World’s End”

Directed by Edgar Wright

Starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Rosamund Pike, Paddy Considine

 

Here’s another comedy about the apocalypse, but this time: it’s British. “The World’s End” is Edgar Wright’s tale of a group of drunk misfits who suddenly become humanity’s only hope for survival when the world starts to end. From the team behind “Hot Fuzz” and “Shaun of The Dead” comes another comedy goldmine.

 

6. “Only God Forgives”

Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Starring Ryan Gosling, Kristen Scott Thomas, Tom Burke, Yayaying, Vithaya Pansringarm

 

From the director of “Drive” comes another Gosling collaboration. A Bangkok police lieutenant squares off with a ruthless gangster in a boxing match. With a soundtrack by M83 and lots of stylish violence, this is one for the notice boards. “Drive” being one of my favorite films of all time, I’m extremely excited for the teams next venture.

 

5. “Star Trek Into Darkness”

Directed by J.J. Abrams

Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zoe Seldana

 

As a Star Wars geek, I just recently put aside my Trekkie indifferences to watch J.J. Abrams’ take on “Star Trek” in 2009. I ate my words. It was a phenomenally exciting and well-made film, so its only fair that I gave the trailer for “Star Trek: Into Darkness” another shot, and I found myself in awe. Live long and prosper, Mr. Abrams, god of the geeks (sorry, Joss Whedon).

 

4. “Pacific Rim”

Directed by Guillermo Del Toro

Starring Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Hunnam, Ron Perlman, Charlie Day

 

Imagine a film where giant monsters from beneath the Earth rise up to cause havoc, and humanities answer to that is gigantic robots to fight them off. And it was directed by Guillermo Del Toro. Yeah, “Pacific Rim” rustled my jimmies. Watch the trailer if you’re in doubt of this being another “Transformers”. Michael Bay is screaming in his career’s grave.

 

3. “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”

Directed by Peter Jackson

Starring Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchette, Christopher Lee

 

Part 2 of the trilogy to “The Hobbit” sees Bilbo Baggins continuing his journey to Mordor, I mean, er… The Lonely Mountain with the loveable dwarves and pointy-hat wizard to reclaim their gold and fight the dreaded dragon, Smaug. Now that “The Unexpected Journey” has come and gone, it’s time to pick up the pace and deliver a truly epic experience.

 

2. “Sin City: A Dame To Kill For”

Directed by Robert Rodriguez

Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Ray Liotta, Jessica Alba, Josh Brolin

 

In case you didn’t catch that casting list, look it up again. “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” is the sequel to Rodriguez’s dark crime fantasy, and continues the tales of people living in the grime and grit of society. Now with added JGL in the leading role. And if it weren’t for his involvement in the project, I wouldn’t be as excited, but nonetheless this is shaping up to be one storm of a sequel.

 

1. “Evil Dead”

Directed by Fede Alvarez

Starring Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Jessica Lucas, Lou Taylor Pucci, Elizabeth Blackmore

 

Well, here it is. My most anticipated film of 2013, and it’s a remake. But its not like any other remake, because this one is very special. Being helmed by the filmmakers of the original cult classic, plus a new seemingly talented director means that it could go in all different directions, but my anticipation is only driving me to see this as nothing short of spectacular. Sam Raimi expressed himself about the original not entirely being the vision he wanted, so with the development of modern technology, lord knows what boundaries this film is capable of pushing… judging from the trailer, quite a bit.
 

Honorable Mentions: "S-VHS", "The Lone Ranger", "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire", "Thor: The Dark World", "To The Wonder"