Coraline (August 6)
Tagline - Be Careful What You Wish For
Website - www.coralinemovie.com.au
Australian Gross -
When Coraline Jones moves into an apartment building, "The Pink Palace", which is located in the middle of nowhere, she discovers a secret door in the house. When she goes through the door, she discovers a world exactly the same as it was before, but seemingly better. Soon enough she discovers her "Other Mothers" diabolical plan, and has to save her parents, and set free the souls of ghosts who have secumbed to the "Other Mother"
Dark. I initially wanted to see this mainly because the trailer made it look like a scray kids movie. If i was 5 years old, I definately would've been scared at many moments. The films setting is dark, and the characters are a little cooky, but a healthy balance of sane-ness makes it good. There were some huge plot holes in the movie, the biggest being that we didn't find out WHY the "Other Mother" wanted Coraline so much. I felt kinda cheated at the end, only because it just seemed to finish, it didn't end with something dramatic, or exciting. The 3D effect was cool. With this type of animation, it actually seems like you can grab and feel the items on screen.
The plot was a good premise, but towards the end, there were several unanswered questions/plot holes. The dialogue was clever in revealing things, but not giving too much away, which in the end turned out to be a bad thing.
The character of "Coraline", i felt was a straight-out brat. Didn't like anything if it wasn't her way, but towards the end she finally turned and became nice. Coralines "Other Mother" was my highlight of the film. She went from being the overly nice better mother, to turning into a spider-like skeletor when Coraline found out her plan. There were two women who lived in the apartment below Coraline that were hilarious. One was fat, the other had really large breats, but they fought so much, and had some funny dialogue, and scenes.
Overall "Coraline" was enjoyable, but the majxor plot-hole left me feeling cheated. The 3D effect is worth every cent. My rating is 3/5.
The Midnight Meat Train (February 19) (DVD Released July 14)
Tagline - The Most Terrifying Ride You'll Ever Take
Website - www.midnightmeatrainmovie.com
Australian Gross -
Struggling photographer Leon Kauffman's obsessive pursuit of dark subject matter leads him into the path of a serial killer, Mahogany, the subway murderer who stalks late-night commuters - ultimately butchering them in the most gruseome ways imaginable.
Allright. I've heard rave reviews for this film, but upon watching it, I didn't think it was as good as it could've been. I did like it, even though it did drag on quite abit. The death scenes, and gore were great, and the film was a mysterious intriguer, which made me watch it the whole way through. The ending was kinda a bummer, because i was half expecting it to happen.
The plot was great, and thank-god there were no plot holes (visible to me). I like the fact that the murderer doesn't speak, and you find out why right at the end.
The acting was great. "Brooke Shields" and "Bradley Cooper" were the stand-outs, playing a seemingly un-close fiances.
Overall "The Midnight Meat Train" is full of gore and death, drags on a little, but is mysteriously intriguing. My rating is 3/5
Boogeyman 3 (DIRECT-TO-DVD July 14)
Tagline - She Left For College and Terror Followed.
When college sophomore Sarah Morris witnesses the alleged suicide of her roommate, it's sets into motion a series of horrific events that cause Sarah to fear the supernatural entity known as the Boogeyman. As she tries to convince the rest of her dorm that the Boogeyman does exist, the evil force grows stronger and her friends begin to pay the price. Now Sarah must stop this ultimate evil before the entire campus falls prey, because the question isn't whether or not the Boogeyman is going to get them... it's... HOW and WHEN!.
Pathetic. The third edition into the "popular" series, is basically a remake of the second film, just in a different setting. The whole plot was the same. It does take place shorlty after #2 ended, with references to characters in the second film, but funnily enough, no reference to the original 2005 theatrical hit were made. A third film was made possible by extending the 2nd's plot, into making "The Boogeyman" real, and not some psycho freak pretending to be him. The deaths were pretty bland, and the blood was so obviously fake, by the colour. It dragged on alot, and many scenes of pointless dialogue were added, thus leaving me bored. There is an opening for another sequel (*SIGH), which will probably be made.
The plot, as i said before, is disgraceful. The only thing different from the 2nd movies plot, is the setting, characters, and death scenes, otherwise it's practically a remake. The only good thing to come from the plot was the reference to the 2007 sequel, a minus was no reference to the 2005 original film.
The acting was terrible, each death scene was really badly acted, not giving any believability to the audience. I found lead actress "Erin Cahill" too be really annoying, and in the back of my mind, i was always waiting for her to die.
Overall "Boogeyman 3" is a terrible sequel, mainly because it's got 99% of the plot as the 2nd films, and the acting in the movie is terrible. My rating is 1/5.
The Last House On The Left (DIRECT-TO-DVD September 17)
Tagline - If Bad People Hurt Someone You Love, How Far Would You Go To Hurt Them Back?
Website - www.thelasthouseontheleft.com
After kidnapping and brutally assaulting two young women, a gang led by a prison escapee unknowingly finds refuge at a vacation home belonging the parents of one of the victims - a mother and father who devise an increasingly gruesome series of revenge tactics.
Great. For a 2 hour film, the time really flew by. I am usually checking the time every five minutes in a long, dragged on movie, and this was an exception, keeping me glued for the whole time. I only took about 20 minutes to cut to the chase, and get to the grittiness of the plot. The movie really hit home, when most scenes are so believable and realistic. The setting really gave the mood, the dark, uncomfortable vibe which shows the great skill in the making of the movie. There was of course the cliche scene, where a storm cuts out the phone line, but the rest of the film was totally original (not counting the original 70's shocker), and the death scenes were definately realistic.
The premise of the film is definately cringe-worthy, and the scenes of the teenage girls torture, was like something out of a crime show, something you'd read about, not having the cliche "falling over while running" moments, and "just escaping". There really was no suspense, but that made no difference. No cliche/cheesy dialogue was used, which also gave the film a more realistic touch.
The acting was sensational. Lead roles were superb, at beiung believable, and the range of emotions that were snapped into, were great to watch. Watching the cast of the sadistic criminals was also great, because they weren't too nice around others, but weren't nasty until they were alone.
Overall "The Last House On The Left" is realistic, gritty, and greatly made. It just shows that "Wes Craven" can't put a step wrong, producing this remake of his classic film. My rating is 3.5/5
Repo! The Genetic Opera (February 5) (DVD Released June 16)
Tagline - Not Your Parent's Opera
Website - www.repo-opera.com
Ausralian Gross -
In the year 2056 - the not so distant future - an epidemic of organ failures devastates the planet. Out of the tragedy, a savior emerges: GeneCo, a biotech company that offers organ transplants, for a price. Those who miss their payments are scheduled for repossession and hunted by villainous Repo Men. In a world where surgery addicts are hooked on painkilling drugs and murder is sanctioned by law, a sheltered young girl searches for the cure to her own rare disease as well as information about her family's mysterious history. After being sucked into the haunting world of GeneCo, she is unable to turn back, as all of her questions will be answered at the wildly anticipated spectacular event: The Genetic Opera
Somewhat entertaining. I'm not a fan of musicals, and this was no "Sweeny Todd", but the film did have some shock value, and some truly great moments. The songs were catchy, the kills were good, al that was needed was some more plot work, and the film could've been an amazing piece of work. The visuals were great, giving the film a goth/death vibe, which was definately needed for the songs that were performed. I found it to be slightly boring when nothing was really happening, and questionable characters also decreased the moral value of the movie.
The plot was very thin, and most musical films are, but with no twist ending, the plot is really nothing to boast about. We knew everything right from the start, and cut-away scenes telling us things, really cheapened the experience.
The acting was great, the singing was OK. "Alex Vega" was the idyllic star, playing a 17y.o girl. Her voice was somewhat croaky, and didn't really go with the film. "Paris Hilton" was actually a decent actress in this movie, her talking and singing voice sounding nothing like it does in real life. "Paul Sorvino" was the other star, and somewhat seemed like an opera star.
Overall "Repo! The Genetic Opera" was fun, and dark, but the thin plot left no room for thought, and character backgrounds were ground up in a 1 minute cut-away. My rating is 2.5/5
My Bloody Valentine 3D (February 12) (DVD Released June 17)
Tagline - Get Your Heart Broken.
Website - www.mybloodyvalentinein3d.com
Australian Gross -
In the mining town of Harmony, a drilling accident is caused by the son of the owner Tom Hanniger, and the mine collapses burying six miners alive. The rescue team finds only Harry Warden alive but in coma and the other miners murdered punched by his pickax, and they conclude that Harry killed them to save oxygen for himself. On the Valentine's Day, Harry awakes from the coma in the local hospital, and he kills twenty-two persons, including a group of teenagers that are partying in the mine. Harry is killed by the deputy but the only survivors are Tom Hanniger, his girlfriend Sarah, their friend Axel Palmer and another girl. Ten years later, Tom returns to Harmony after the death of his father decided to sell the Hanniger Mine, and finds that Sarah has married Axel, now the local sheriff, and they have a son. On the Valentine's Day, Harry Warden also returns seeking revenge against those that had escaped from his pickax in the past, and Tom is accused by Axel and other locals.
Watchable. I was dissapointed when i wasn't able to see the film in "Reel-D" theatrically, but was somewhat looking forward to the always mediocre 3D version. Watching it in 3D, nothing really sticks out, and everything is alwasy tinged and is outlined with multiple versions of an object. After 30 minutes of 3D, i switched to normal viewing, and the film was slightly more enjoyable. Predictable scenes, and the always obvious killer, was too cliche and unoriginal. The ending I saw coming from a mile away. The realy highlight is the gorey death scenes.
The plot was an updated version of the 1981 version, and did have a different killer, but was no more enjoyable. Dialogue was alittle weird and character depth was kinda too much overpowering.
The acting was good, one of the better parts of the film. "Kerr Smith" was the highlight, showing different emotions and stabilising to different settings. "Jensen Ackles" didn't really have any highlight moments.
Overall "My Bloody Valentine" is too cliche, boring but is worth the gorey death scenes. My rating is 2.5/5.
The Grudge 3 (DIRECT-TO-DVD July 30)
Tagline - You Cant Escape The Curse
A young Japanese woman who holds the key to stopping the evil spirit of Kayako, travels to the haunted Chicago apartment from the sequel, to stop the curse of Kayako once and for all and save a family who are currently being haunted by her malicious spirit.
Mediocre. I wasn't expecting much of this, I even held of watching it for a few weeks because the 2nd was such a drag. I didn't see how they could expand on the series, but they somehow found a way. The last 30 mjinute of the film it turned itself into "The Amityville Horror", and the ending which was okay, had a major plot hole, and of course was open ended. It was really slow paced, and boring most of the time, and people were just getting killed for no reason at all, and in my opinion was just for the thrill factor. I don't understand how sometimes characters can be killed, but others are just kidnapped into thin air.
The plot was pretty boring, and finding a new way to add to the series by continuing from 3 years ago was pretty stupid. The plot really doesn't have the guts the first film did, and even the 2nd film was more enjoyable than this, and thats not saying much.
The acting was average. "Shawny Smith", who I think is a great actress, really shone in her role. When i knew she was in it, all i could think about was her psychotic character in the "Saw" franchise, but she really broek free in this, and portrayed a totally different character.
Overall "The Grudge 3" was slow paced, boring, and the ending left a plot hole. My rating is 1.5/5
No Mans Land: Rise of The Reeker (DIRECT-TO-DVD August 26)
Tagline - Trapped Between The Living And The Dead. Again
Website - www.riseofreeker.com
In 1978, Sheriff Reed captures the deranged serial killer known as The Death Valley Drifter in the desert and the criminal is sentenced to death. On the present days, Sheriff Reed is near the retirement and will be replaced by his son; while they are having a meal in a diner in a rest stop in the middle of the desert, a runaway car with three thieves of a casino stops in the spot for refueling. One of the robbers is the former boyfriend of the waitress Maya and another criminal is wounded in the backseat. There is a shootout among the thieves and the sheriffs and their car explodes. However, the body of the wounded criminal vanishes and the survivors discover that they are stranded in the place; further they are stalked and chased by a fiend with stench known as The Reeker.
Weird. The films takes place in the ironically called Death Valley, which I think is pretty weird. Many plot holes, and un-resolved questions are asked at the end, and I doubt the answer will ever be known. It does have some similarities to it's 2005 preceeder "Reeker", but I think this tried to get originality for itself, and it didn't succeed in that sense. No suspense is given, but many moments aren't expected. The ending brings back memories from it's preceeder, and is good, but a little stupid by leaving it open ended. Some cliche moments, but nothing to decrease the thrilling mood.
The plot was trying so hard to be original, and I think the character set-up's were just right, in not mocking the whole films approach. It had some key dialogue scenes, but the use of the word "psyche" really pissed me off.
The acting was average, with no real winnewrs nor losers."Mircea Monroe" and "Michael Muhney" were the highlightsd, showing different expressions that really make the film's mood.
Overall "Reeker 2" is a watchable film, but nothing to rush out and see. My rating is 2.5/5.
House (Avaliable To Rent May 1)
Tagline - The Guilty Cannot Hide
A young couple blow their car tyre's driving home, find their way to the Wayside Inn, a ramshackle B&B, where they meet an equally self-obsessed couple. The foursome quickly find themselves terrorized by a household of ghoulish servant and a masked lunatic, who demands a dead body by sunrise. Their only way out seems to be by venturing further in, and the deeper they go, the more horrifying the killers games are.
Way to predictable. Basically from the get go the film doesn't have suspense, or momentum to keep you glued to the screen, and everything was way too cliched and predictable. The ending was really bland, because it did in no way redolve the last hour or so, and it was always obvious who would get the chop, and who would survive. The film tried realy hard to be original, and to stray from other supernatural flicks, but the character back stories made the movie seem unusually boring.
The plot could've been better adapted to film length. Although it's based on a book, the film version could've easily been edited to suit film needs, rather than focusing on the characters back stories.
The acting was average, with some scenes of gold, but most of the time it was pretty bad. "Reynaldo Rosales" and "Heidi Dippold" were the stars, but their acting skills weren't proven in this, looking like no effort was made to give the film the a dark mood.
Overall "House" is a wannabe effort at a supernatural film, and fails to get any suspense rolling due to the predictablility of the entire film. My rating is 2/5.
Diary Of The Dead (DIRECT-TO-DVD May 6)
Rating - MA15+ for Strong Horror Violence, Blood and Gore, Coarse Language
Tagline - Shoot The Dead.
Where Will You Be, When The End Begins?
Website - www.diaryofthedead.co.uk
While making a horror film, a group of friends hear news that several dead people are coming back to life and biting others, killing them. When they hear this they all get in their car and drive off scared when they hear that they try to kill you too, and only stop moving when their head is blown off. Now they are driving through the middle of nowhere in search of salvation, recording everything on a hand held camera.
Boring. From get go the movie was pretty slow paced, and I kept looking at the time thinknig "When Will It End?:. It had some decent deaths but the movie itself is a dissapointment. I'm really sick of the "Cloverfield" type films that just make the film seem less cool. The plot had a giant hole which was never mended and the acting was terrible equaling a crap movie.
The plot was unoriginal, and didn't do anything for me, and without any zombies actually hurting you, when you die you become one, how does that work?. That was a giant plot hole that was not worth sitting through for an hour and a half.
The acting was terrible, and that four week shooting time wasn't well planned. With some upcoming stars, the film could be more than just a bornig piece of zombie brains.
Overall "Diary Of The Dead" is the worst in the franchise, and is a huge dissapointment. My rating is 1.5/5
First Born (UNKNOWN DVD RELEASE DATE)
Rating - TBC
Tagline - Stay Away From The Baby
Laura's expecting. Her husband, Steven's a loving guy but has little time for her. Her mom lives thousands of miles away. Forced to give up on her dreams, she's always been a bit edgy. A C-section drives her over the edge, making her see things in a different light. A creepy babysitter doesn't make things any better. She begins seeing things, trusts no one, as she goes into self-destruct mode.
A dissapointment. I really didn't get the ending to this, and i doubt anyone did. The whole movie is a complete mess, and full of confusion. It had two intriguers that are the only reasons that kept me watching. The title has little to do with the whole movie, and what potentially could've been used to the films advantage was completely disected into a rubbish bin. It was really hard to follow and the ending gave no resolution to the plot holes obvious.
The plot, if worked on more, could've been great, but too many unresolved plot holes, meant that the film wasn't capable of living up to the full potential needed in order for it to succeed in being a decent flick.
The acting was OK, nothing special, but not bad. "Elisabeth Shue" was the leading lady, and although good portraying her role, many scenes could've been better acted.
Overall "First Born" is slow, and has so many plot holes never to be resolved, and the ending is really confusing. My rating is 1/5.
They Wait (OnlyTo Rent, April 8)
Rating - MA15+ for Strong Violence and Supernatural Themes
Tagline - They Wait,To Ensure The Past Is Not Forgotten.
Website - www.theywait.com
A couple returns to North America for a family funeral, having lived in Shanghai, China for the previous six years. Soon after they arrive, their son Jamie begins to see ghosts and suffer possession by one of the living dead, and it all ties in with the Chinese festival of Ghost Month, when the doors of hell supposedly open and angry spirits are given the chance to terrorize the living.
Slow. The film really drags on for the first 45 minutes, but gives off little inklings that are the main reason for you to keep watching. The ending wasn't really a shock, which I think it was supposed to be, and the overall film seemed a little dull, like it was missing something. It tried to be alot like the really scary horror Asian flicks, but having 99% of the cast Chinese, doesn't make it scary, when there is nothing actually shocking about the movie. The one intriguer is the ghostly 17 year old figure, and I only stuck around to see her back story.
The plot seemed a little unoriginal, but somewhat original in the sense, that I personally haven't seen a film use that kind of ending, or twist if you like. The film was only 1 hour and 20 minutes long, and although it was good in this case, I feel with a little more woerk, and changes the story could've been better presented.
The acting was average, with no standout's, or letdowns. The could've been better to some degree.
Overall "They Wait" has the vibe of a Asian horror flick, but it only had one intriguer going for it, and it dragged on for a while. My rating is 2/5.
Shuttle (DIRECT-TO-DVD June 4)
Rating - MA15+ for Storng Violence
Tagline - All They Wanted Was A Ride Home
Nover Ride With A Stranger.
Website - www.shuttle-themovie.com
When Mel (Peyton List) and Jules (Cameron Goodman) return from a girls' weekend vacation, they find themselves stranded at the airport, late on a rain-drenched night. Wanting nothing more than to get home safe and sound, they board an airport shuttle with a helpful driver (Tony Curran). But what begins as a short ride home slowly descends into darkness, leading to a series of terrifying events that leave Mel and Jules fighting for their lives.
Creepy. Whether it's the suspicious shuttle driver, or a seemingly retarded passenger, Shuttle is vry intriguing, and gripping. So many scenes make you cringe, and the films climax definately isn't expected, until the last 5 minutes. It's powerful build-ups are very avoidable if you think you know what's happening, but i can almost guarantee your wrong. Key points in the film, are very edge-of-seat material, and it's just a shame it didn't go theatrical.
The plot would be very hard to work into a full lenght picture, as it seemed a little impossible, but it is really well pulled off. What's most intriguing about the plot is the ending, that i thought near the end was possible, b ut i just didn't think it was going to happen.
The acting was suprisingly good. Alot of "Straight-To-DVD" features have appauling actors, but this actually had decency. The two lead women wear at times brilliant, and at times unbelievable but it worked out to a healthy mix.
Overall "Shuttle" delivers cringing moment,s great build-ups and a unexpected climax. My rating is 3.5/5
Death Valley (DIRECT-TO-DVD March 4)
Rating - R18+ for Sexual Violence
Tagline - In The Middle Of Nowhere, There Is Nowhere To Run.
One HELL Of A Trip.
Four wannabe thrill-seekers head out on a road trip to a rave in the California desert. Up for sex, drugs and rock & roll – they get much more than they bargained for when they meet up with a local biker gang controlled by a sadistic, machete-wielding leader. What began as a road trip soon becomes a battle for survival – a real trip from hell!
Sloppy. The film just seems like it tries to hard to be unique, but fails by not given the audience enough good stuff to watch, instead we get boring dialogue, and bad scenes. More of the time, you'll be debating which actor is in which other film, rather than focusing on the main storyline. As a horror or thriller, it reallt doesn't satisfy, and is one of the forgettable films of late.
The plot was entirely workable, but the main downfall was indeed the dialogue. It felt too incoherent with what was happening, and the main storyline was over exaggerated by the characters themselves.
The acting was below average, but not terrible. "Eric Christian Olsen" was the worst of the bunch, being way too weird for me.
Overall "Death Valley" really isn't worth rentine, or buying as it fails in bringing excitement, or enjoyment. My ratins is 1/5.
The Uninvited (March 26) (DVD Released July 23)
Rating - MA15+ for Strong Themes and Violence
Tagline - Fear Moves In.
Website - www.theuninvitedmovie.com.au
Australian Gross - $1,457,244
Anna (Emily Browning), returns home after spending time in the hospital following the tragic death of her mother.Her recovery suffers a setback when she discovers her father (David Strathairn) has become engaged to her mother's former nurse, Rachel (Elizabeth Banks). That night, Anna is visited by her mother's ghost, who warns her of Rachel's intentions. Together, Anna and her sister (Arielle Kebbel) try to convince their father that his current fiancee is not who she pretends to be, and what should have been a happy family reunion becomes a lethal battle of wills between stepdaughters and stepmother.
Great. The film keeps the suspense building right up until the very end, and that ending is truly amazing. The great effects, and the creepy atmosphere mixed together gives the film the mood needed in order for it to succeed in shocking in the last few minutes. The ending was truly a masterpiece, and it had me gobsmacked. The movie is really one of the better remakes, and will definately be one to remember for years to come. The clues left throughout, although confusing near the end, make you think back when the film is over, and go "How could i be so stupid". I had several theories in mind, of what the ending was going to be, but again i'll say it, it was fantastically unpredictable.
The plot, was closely adapted from "A Tale Of Two Sisters". The suspensful build-up is very well used to shock in the films climax. The dialogue, and sense of stupidity in the audience when ove,r makes the film a worthwhile experience.
The acting ws definately one of the strong points to the films overall greatness. Fellow Aussie "Emily Browning" was definately a highlight as "Anna". She portrayed the role triumphantly, and was realistic. "Arielle Keppel" was also a standout, even as the supporting role. The best acting by far was from "Elizabeth Banks". She portrayed suspicious step-mom "Rachel", and her effort was exceedingly intriguing, and had moments of true scariness.
Overall "The Uninvited" is definately the best Asian remake made yet, and the shock ending will leave you gobsmacked. My ratins is 4/5.
Knowing (March 26) (DVD Released July 29) Also avaliable in Exlcusice Collector's Tin at EzyDVD.
Rating - M forSupernatural Themes and Disaster Scenes
Tagline - What Happens When The Numbers Run Out.
Website - www.knowing-themovie.com
Australian Gross - $6,638,267
time capsule buried at an elementary school in Massachusetts in 1959 to mark its official opening is opened 50 years later; the drawings by the school children inside are handed out to the new kids, and young Caleb (Chandler Canterbury) gets to take one home that isn't a drawing, but a sheet of seemingly random numbers. His widowed astrophysicist father, Professor John Koestler (Nicolas Cage), recognizes a pattern of chilling historical relevance, with profound and immediate significance, but not even his friendly colleague Phil (Ben Mendelsohn) take him seriously. When Caleb mentions he hears whispers in his head and John strings clues together, his fears grow and the calamity he sees predicted seems only moments away.
Average. The film starts off a little mysterious, but from then on, it's just really boring. The 2 hours and 10 minutes on screen, really wasn't worth the ending, that I didn't get (Although i have a theory). The premise was great, but the build up to the finale, was really a let down. The CGI effects were obviously fake, which made the film seem a little cheap. Several "jump" moments, and great disaster scenes, but there was several plot holes, never resolved.
The plot was jus another doomsday theory, just extended, and attempted to be better. The plot at the start was really good, but then slowly got lost before the movie finished. The ending was just really really confusing, and just unexplained.
The acting was actually quite good, with the exception of "Nicholas Cage" who's just seemed a little too miserable for the role. "Rose Byrne" was one of the standouts, and very believable in portraying "Diana".
Overall "Knowing" is way too long, and too boring, with a few cool moments. My rating is 2/5.
Friday The 13th (February 12) (DVD Released July 23)
Rating - R18+ for High Impact Horror Violence, Sex Scene.
Tagline - Welcome To Crystal Lake
Website - www.fridaythe13th.com.au
Australian Gross - $1,185,576
Searching for his missing sister, Clay heads up to the eerie woods of legendary Crystal Lake, where he stumbles on the creaky remains of rotting old cabins that lie in wait behind moss-covered trees. And that’s not the only thing hiding under the brush. Against the advice of police and cautions from the locals, Clay pursues what few leads he has, with the help of a young woman he meets among a group of college kids up for an all-thrills weekend. But they are about to find much more than they bargained for...
Satisfying. Although it didn't meet my high expectations, it was still an awesome movie. The ironic 13 kills, weren't as good as they could've been, and there werr so many predictable/cliche moments that the "scary" moments just weren't scary. Many scenes in the movie were just pointless, and I found there to be many plot holes, never resolved. The death sequences weren't that good, and I was expecting them to be real gorey and just awesome, and they just weren't. The re-imagiong of the movie worked well, and I liked how Jason is actually living in an old cabin.
The plot, well the only real plot points were of the characters, and well i suppose Jason was killing people because they're on his turf, but that still deosn't make one huge plot hole work. More plot work would've made the film even better.
The acting was surprisingly above average with "Jared Padalecki" and "Danielle Panabaker" being the most believable/realistic. "Derek Mears" is one tall, tank guy, that takes Jason to a whole new level. He is so intimidating and fast as hell, one person to stay away of.
Overall "Friday The 13th" is yet another great "Platinum Dunes" film that although wasn't as good as you'd hope, but is still a kick-ass remake, and one hell-of-a-ride. My rating is 3.5/5
Donkey Punch (DIRECT-TO-DVD June 3, 2009)
Rating - R18+ for High Level Sexual Themes and Sex Scene. Violence, Drug Use and Coarse Language
Tagline - This Party Has Gone Overboard.
Website - www.donkeypunchmovie.co.uk
After meeting at a nightclub in a Mediterranean resort, seven young adults decide to continue partying aboard a luxury yacht in the middle of the ocean. But when one of them dies in a freak accident, the others argue about what to do, which leads to a ruthless fight for survival.
Good. The movie starts of a little suspicious, when one of the guys say "It's All Going To Plan". It's overdone sex scene seems very pointless, and rather long. After one of the 7 dies, the other 6 start to freak out, which is good, to see how they all react. The death scenes were pretty gruesome, bar one which was ideal for the situation. The tension in scenes was hard to go unnoticed, as the two remaining girls tried to escape without being noticed. The ending was rather predictable, but good none-of-the-less.
The plot was simple, and well it seemed like it was improvised alot, which in this case was good. There was one major plot hole to me, that I still don't understand, and it yet is still to be resolved.
The acting was decent, and believable. It seemed at some times in the movie, the characters weren't even acting it was that good, but other times the acting wasn't as good as it was previously.
Overall "Donkey Punch" has some moments of greatness, but then some moments of badness, but is averagely good. My rating is 3/5.
Triloquist (Avaliable to rent January 14)
Rating - MA15+ for Strong Horror Violence,Nudity,Drug Use, and Sexual References
Tagline - Ones A Dummy, Ones A Doll.
In 1993, in Hollywood, California, the addicted in heroin mother of two children is a decadent ventriloquist that can not find work anymore. When she overdoses and dies, the siblings Norbert and Angelina are sent to a foster house with their dummy. Later they are sent to their uncle's house; the man sexually abuses Angelina and the dummy kills him. Years later, Norbert (who can't speak) and his seventeen year-old alcoholic sister Angelina are living on the streets; when the dummy slaughters a boy, Norbert is accused and arrested by the police and sent to an asylum with his dummy. Later Angelina decides to release her brother and finds a woman in order to give an offspring to her family. She breaks into the institution, kills the male nurse and Norbert escapes. When they meet Robin on the road, Angelina decides that the teenager will be the mother of her nephew and they abduct the girl.
One of the worst movies i have ever seen. The movie is so stupid, and it is narrated by the Dummy, who "isn't" alive, yet is obviously killing people. No strong point's whatsoever, the film is just beyond bad. It's actually worse than the 2008 remake of "April Fools Day".
The plot is atrocious. I cannot fret how much this plot, is uncompleted, disgustingly bad, and I wish the makers of this wen't out of buisness.
The acting was really bad. No name actors, having no effect, other than a fucking retard jumping around, because the dummy which "speaks for him" tells him what to do.
Overall, "Triloquist" is one of the worst films ive ever seen. My rating is 0/5.
Asylum (Avaliable to rent February 10)
Rating - R18+ for High Level Violence, Coarse Language
Tagline - Once Your In, You Can Never Get Out.
group of beautiful coeds discover that their dorm was once a mental hospital where unspeakable experiments were performed by a deranged physician trying to "cure" troubled teens. But now the mad doctor's ghost is back to continue his torturous work... and he's running out of patients!
Majorly Unoriginal. The whole movie's plot is basically borrowed from "House On Haunted Hill (1999)", and "A Nighmare On Elm Street 3". It was way too predictable, and easily unrealistic enough. The cliche moments were a-plenty, which is never a good sign, and if that weren't enough, it was just abit to coincidental that every "main character" had a certain family problem, but it was never brought up how coincidental it was. The name "Asylum" was really stupid, because they are never really killed in Asylum styled ways, just with two pick things the "Doctor Burke" used to torture people with.
The plot, was the most stupid part of the film. It borrowed everything, including key elements from 3 Nighmare On Elm Street movies. it was just plain dumb, and well im kinda glad the movie never wen't theatrical.
The acting was actually OK, and in some cases realistic, but towards the end got kinda forced. It was really a shame, the cast chose to be in this movie, since it is so obviousally bad.
Overall "Asylum" is unoriginal, boring, and really slow, but the killer was actually creepy although very familiar. My ratins is 2/5.
The Unborn (February 26) (DVD Released July 1)
Rating - M for Horror Themes and Infrequent Coarse Language.
Tagline - Evil Will Do Anything To Live.
He Wants To Be Born.......NOW!
Website - www.theunborn.com.au
Australian Gross - $2,170,912
Casey is being hunted by something that isn't born. She must fight it, before it's too late.
Scary as shit. I had so many high expectations going into this movie as ive wanted to see it for ages. These expectations were not only met, but were exceeded beyond my belief. I'm not usually the ones to jump out of my seat in the cinema, but this made me do it so many times. It's scares were genuine and 90% of the tiem, you didn't see coming. The film itself is original, and the few cliche moments, gave the film an extra effect. The special effects, were also very well done, and yet again Platinum Dunes has delivered another great movie. Key elements in the story, were made very clear, so the audience didn't get lost. The cinema was packed with a huge range of age groups, and everyone jumped at the same bits. The film has totally arisen anything 2008 had come up with, and shits all over any film released in 2008.
The plot was very original, and many parts of the film were so creepy, it makes me shiver. The plot wasn't too complex, but it did make the audience think one or two times. It was solidly built and had times of excellence, and was very well made.
The acting was above average, and not once did I actually think what the hell are they doing in this movie. "Odette Yustman" is a very sexy woman, and her character is very well acted, and i think "odette" really was born to play her. "Meagan Good" was also good as the best friend. She had humour, which is always good to have, to brighten the always dark mood.
Overall "The Unborn" is a definate must of 2009, and is one of the most genuinaly scary films ive ever seen. My rating is 4/5.
Passengers (February 19) (DVD Released June 18)
Rating - M for Mature Themes
Tagline - The Truth Can't Hide Forever.
Website - www.thepassengersmovie.com
Australian Gross - $23,515
After a plane crash, a young therapist, Claire (Anne Hathaway), is assigned by her mentor (Andre Braugher) to counsel the flights' five survivors. When they share their recollections of the incident - which some say include an exlposion that the airline claims never happened - Claire is intrigued by Eric (Patrick Wilson), the most secretive of the passengers. Just as Claire's professional relationship with Eric - despite her better judgement - blossoms in a romance, the survivors begin to disappear mysteriously, one by one. Claire suspects that the airline may hold all the answers and becomes determined to uncover the truth, no matter the consequences.
Not what i was expecting. Judging from the plot summary, i thought i was going to see a decent thriller, but what the film was, is more of a drama with thriller moments. The plot, i think could have been alot stronger if it was given more time in the writing process, as many times during the film you fell like your watching two totally different movies at the same time. A few scenes had some unexpected "jump" moments, that literally made me jump in my seat. The moderate pacing in the film, made it easy to follow, but still not giving too much away with what was about to happen. Never once did i actually know what was going to happening in the following moment's which made the movie, even more enjoyable. The "shock" ending, i didn't see coming either.
The plot was very up and down, and sketchy. It was like it jumped from the actual storyline to some romance story that was misplaced into the film. The dialogue was very intriguinly smart. Many scenes the main character Claire would say something unexpectedly, and the whole films plot really shone through to a decent movie, apart from the split-genre vibe i got.
The acting was really well done, and believable. "Anne Hathaway" stars as therapist "Claire" and really commit's to the role, making it seem it was born for her. She shows little expressions in the film, which is just what her character needed to really replicate what she was supposed to be in the script. "Patrick Wilson" stars as Eric, the passenger Claire forms a relationship with. The character was very mysterious, giving off a vibe, he was somehow involved with the whole thing. "Wilson" effort in the role was well done.
Overall "Passengers" is a decent, intriguing watch, perfect for a lazy afternoon. My rating is 3/5
Amusement (DIRECT-TO-DVD February 12)
Rating - MA15+ for Strong Horror Violence
Tagline - It's Funny Right?
Your Fear. His Amusement.
Website - www.amusementmovie.com
Tabitha. Shelby. Lisa. They're longtime friends on seperate life paths. But they share a horrific destination when a seemingly innocent incident from they're schooldays comes back to haunt them. Someonr want's payback. Inside a stonewalled chamber of prision cells and mechanisms of doom, the three women and other victims face a fierce fight to survive. Who lives, Who dies?. It's all for someones Amusement.
Stupid. The film takes an hour making all three girls get kidnapped. Three seperate setting,s and the firls don't reuinite until there is 20 minutes left. Plain stupid. The film tried to be scary, but all it was, was bunch of cliche's and obvious plans for the killer to get "amused". The motive for kidnapping the girls was utterely stupid, and I would never ever make anyone watch this. I do admit, i was fooled in one scene, but the movie itself is all rigged up with cliche's, and dragged on for a pointless ride. The girls are with eachother for 5 minutes before theres one left, and the DVD's plot on the back, is way wrong.
The plot was really bad. It takes an hour, showing how each girl was kidnapped, then they reuinite for 5 minutes before some are killed off. The motive was really bad too, and the film should really have had a better script, and maybe it would be worth watching.
The acting was really, the only decent thing in the movie. The three girls, were well acted, and believable. They well interpreted their roles.
Overall "Amusement" is rigged with cliche's, obvious moment,s and is overall boringly bad. My rating is 2/5
Let The Right One In (March 5 (Melbourne, March 12 (Sydney)) (DVD Released August 18)
Rating - MA15+ for Strong Violence and Nudity
Website - www.lettherightoneinmovie.com
Australian Gross - $83,270 (Minimum)
Oskar, a bullied 12-year old, dreams of revenge. He falls in love with Eli, a peculiar girl. She can't stand the sun or food and to come into a room she needs to be invited. Eli gives Oskar the strength to hit back but when he realizes that Eli needs to drink other peoples blood to live he's faced with a choice. How much can love forgive?
Horror?. I wouldn't call this a horror but more of a drama. I guess the horror side is that she sucks people's blood and there is a little bit of gore, but still I'd classify this as a drama. The movie itself dragged on and on, and when it was over, I was like yay, but also WTF?. The movie is pointless and the plot doesn't really give you details on how she became a vampire, but just that she is one. As the film is Russian, subtitles are needed for viewing.
The plot was pointless, not even given us depth in why she became a vampire. The plot started off really slow, then picked up the pace then slowed down for the rest of the movie. Many plot holes throughout were obvious and the film wasn't as good as the critics made it out to be.
The acting was pretty good, with the two youngsters being the obvious people to steal the limelight. Supporting cast fitted well, and only one character was so unbelievable it was depressing.
Overall, "Let The Right One In" is rather boring, and isn't reccomended. My rating is 2/5
Rest Stop 2: Don't Look Back (Direct-to-DVD Febuary 11)
Rating - MA15+ for Strong Horror Violence, Blood and Gore
A year after his brother Jesse and his girlfriend Nicole go missing, Corporal Tom, returns from overseas for ten days. In this time he is going to search for the missing couple. Alongside his girlfriend Marion, and friend Jared, they travel to California to try and track them. Jared stops at a port-a-loo on the way and is attacked, and why Marion is in the rest-stop up the road Tom is attacked. Eventually they all discover a secret that is very hard to beleive.
Load of rubbish. The film starts off good, and is enjoyable, right untill about mid-way through, when things become laughable. One of the characters even has sex with a ghost. The movie was just plain stupid and had PLOT HOLES written all over it. It was predictable and one thing died throughout the whole movie.
The plot started off good and then turned to shit. The amount of plot-holes and unrelated dialogue was so stupid and it just made the filming pointless.
The acting was surprisingly good, with a believable cast, take 1. One of the key elemts to the film is the acting.
Overall this sequel, is only to be viewed if you've seen the first, and even if you have seen the first, i wouldn't bother buying it, or renting it. My rating is 1.5/5