Identity (July 31, 2003) (DVD Released November 12, 2003)
Tagline - The Secret Lies Within.
Website - www.identitymovie.com
Australian Gross - $4,514,302
On a dark and rainy night, murderer Malcolm Rivers (Pruitt Taylor Vince) is about to be executed, unless the doctor (Alfred Molina) can convince the judge that he’s not guilty by reason of insanity. And on a deserted road, a serious car accident brings together a mother (Leila Kenzle), her 9 year old son (Bret Loehr), and the boy’s stepfather (John C. McGinley), with an ex-cop limo driver, Ed (John Cusack), his actress passenger (Rebecca DeMornay), and call girl Paris (Amanda Peet). Sheltering from the storm and seeking a working phone, they end up at the isolated Motel in the care of a nervous night manager (John Hawkes). Then a policeman (Ray Liotta) drives in with a handcuffed convicted killer (Jake Busey) on the way across country. One by one, the travellers are found dead – violently murdered; what the rest can’t figure out is the thing they have in common - that is also their death warrants
Somewhat Annoying. The movie was so well paced, and the suspense was great, but the movie crumbled when the ending was revealed. I was so shocked and disgusted because movies with that type of ending are seriously pointless, and idiodic. It had great death sequences and mystery, but the ending just blew it out of proportion, and of course leaving it open-ended. The movie showed every characters part, in actually getting to the motel, and they did have somewhat of a backstory, and when we finally found out who the killer was, it was relief, but then just when you think thats the end, they spring upon you the actually endind, which is a disgrace. Your not expecting it, but then you wouldn't think such a cool film like it would have a pointless ending like it did.
The plot was allright, but again, the ending was just a waste of time, and it was so unexpected and pathetic, my thoughts changed from "This is great", to "What a fucking piece of shit". Character backstories/premises were cool, and fitted in well.
The acting was great. "John Cusak" is definately the highlight, proving his acting skills. Supporting cast were well assembled, and gave great performences. The acting was another reason the film was so great....up until the ending.
Overall "Identity" is an awesome flick, but the ending was just so pathetic and pointless, I can find no reason to highly reccommend. My rating is 2.5/5
The Cave (November 24, 2005) (DVD Released April 4, 2006)
Tagline - There Are Places Man Was Never Meant To Go.
Website - www.sonypictures.com.au/movies/thecave/
Australian Gross - $570,131
A group of cave-divers and scientists explore a newly found cave system in Romania. However, rockfall blocks the exit and after delving further into the cave, the group discover a pack of deadly creatures are waiting for them. With their leader Jack having very strange side-effects and with their numbers dropping, the group must delve even further into the cave, battle the creatures and hope for an exit.
Engaging. The films premise and story is a really big intriguer, and it didn't fail in keeping it's momentum going from start to finish. The creatures and setting's were excellent, and film had me on the egde of my seat, because of the many cholostophobic moments. Alot of action scenes, and quickly changed setting's were great in keeping your attention. The death's of each character were abit predictable, but not knowing what their deaths would be like, was a good thing. The details about the creatures, and the glimpses of them, were very well released to give a little away, but not too much until the end. The ending wasn't expected, but wasn't exquisit.
The plot was great. The story is really what makes the film so intriguing, because alot of people will get shivers just watching the characters going through the tiny passage ways in the cave.
The acting was great. "Eddie Cibrian" and "Morris Chestnut" were the highlighs along with "Piper Perabo". Their was some standout scenes of acting, but with really mellow moments, the characters just needed to be portrayed scared, willing and angry, which they all did.
Overall "The Cave" is a great monster movie, that will have you on the edge of your seat. My ratins is 3.5/5
Anacondas: The Hunt For The Blood Orchid (October 7, 2004) (DVD Released August 30, 2005)
Rating - M for Medium Level Violence, Horror Theme
Tagline - The Hunters Will Become The Hunted.
Website - www.sonypictures.com/movies/anacondas
Australian Gross - $2,478,681
Deep in a Borneo jungle, an extremely rare red orchid – the blood orchid – may hold the key to producing a youth-preserving -and big money making - serum. When a gung-ho group of scientists embark on the treacherous journey into the jungle to harvest the orchid during the rainy season with just two weeks before it disappears again for seven years, they realise that more than the weather and thick jungle separate them from their treasure. The giant anacondas of the region are close to their mating season, and the males are testy, hungry – and deadly. They are larger than normal because they have been eating the orchids as part of their diet…which proves the science, but doesn’t help the scientists.
Truly Awesome. Every minute on screen the film is entertaining you in one way or another. The amaziong scene, where the boat goes over the waterfall, is one to remember. The film has humour that fits in perfectly, and the monkey "Khan" is just classic. It was in no way whatsoever predictable, which is definately a quality the film aced on. The CGI snakes actually looked real, and scary too.
The plot was better than the first, and it didn't seem borrowed at all.
The acting was also very good, with reasonably unknown actors being cast, which makes the movie seem even more realistic. The roles were all portrayed well, and to the point of believablity.
Overall "Anacondas: The Hunt For The Blood Orchid" is way better than the original, and is packed full of entertaining moments. My rating is 4/5.
The Fog (February 2, 2006) (DVD Released June 6, 2006)
Rating - M for Moderate Horror Violence
Tagline - Their Past Has Come Back To Haunt Them.
Website - www.sonypictures.com.au/thefog
Australian Gross - $662,692
Exactly one hundred years ago, off the rocky shore of an isolated Northern California town, a ship of lepers seeking refuge was betrayed by the town's founding fathers and burned, dooming everyone aboard. Now, tonight, the ghosts of the long-dead mariners have returned from their watery graves to exact revenge. Shrouded within a supernatural fog, the ghosts trap the residents of the remote community, intent on seeking out the descendants of those who founded the town...and killing anyone who stands in their murderous path.
Boring. I found this to be really boring and slow. It had some cool ghost effects, but nothing else in the film was physically appealing. It tries so hard to be scary, but it's very obvious what's gonna happen. It was way too predictable, and the ending is one of the worst i've ever seen. The fact that one single thing that is so pointless stopped the whole thing, just makes the movie more worse than it actually was. This was the third occasion i have tried to watch it and finally got through it. It is so boring and the pacing is so slow, there really is no point to it.
The plot could've been really successful in giving decent scares, but the way the scenes were set-up it was made too predictable. The ending should've been worked on alot more to make it really potentially scary.
The acting was actually decent with "Slema Blair" being the highpoint. Her role, although supporting was very well acted, and was the most realistically portrayed. "Tom Welling" and "Maggie Grace" were just as equal as eachother, and were neither bad or great.
Overall "The Fog" tries to hard to be scary, and the stupid ending really makes the film seem worthless. My ratins is 2/5.
Fear Dot Com (February 6, 2003) (DVD Released August 26, 2003)
Rating - MA15+ for High Level Violence
Tagline - Wanna See A Killer Website?.
ENTER If You Dare.
It's The Last Site You'll Ever See
Website - www.feardotcom.com
Australian Gross - $110,389
Investigating the violent and inexplicable death of four men in New York, Detective Mike Reilly (Stephen Dorff from BLADE) has discovered that the victims have one thing in common – exactly 48 hours before they died, they each logged onto a website called feardotcom. Now, the only way to solve the mystery is to go there himself… and find the answers before he becomes the next victim.
Stupid. The film was so stupid and boring, and combine it makes a shit movie. A lead role, was really bad acted, the plot was stupid, and the ending was really predictable. The film had a really dark feel abut it, which is usually good, but the whole idea of a site knowing everything about you is just plain stupid. What i mean is that how can a site kill you withing 48 hours if it doesn't tell you what it want's. Several times during the movie i just wanted to turn the TV off at how boring it was.
The plot was really confusing, but did have some nice visual effects, in what the ghosts looked like. Apart from being confusing they're were loads of visable plot holes, and the script should've really be read over several more times before beiung greenlit.
The acting was average, but one actress Natascha McElhone was appauling. She only used one expression the whole film, and her voice was the same, even when she was supposed to be scared out of her mind.
Overall "Fear Dot Com" is boring, confusing and wasn't worth the $40,000,000 budget. My rating is 2/5
Ted Bundy (January 22, 2005 (Re-release))
Rating - R18+ for Medium Level Violence, Adult Theme
Tagline - Not Every Killer Fits The Profile.
Ted Bundy was the good guy. Charasmatic, handsome, charming, intelligent, and the nicest guy you'd ever met. But beneath that good guy exterior was a vicious serial killer who caused havoc and terror among the citizens of the United States in the 1970s. This is the true story of how this respected man became one of America's most notorious serial killer.
OK. The film starts off interesting but as it moves along it feels rushed. Basically all it does is show us that he really gets off spying and killing these women, and his girlfriend, which makes the film seem unrealistic, doesnt even think this is weird. I know it was based on a true story, but it doesn't seem realistic, and the film itself is nothnig special.
The plot is simple. A sadistic killer going across 10 states murdering whoever he want's. I think that it wasn't well adapted to screen, and the script could be alot better, if the film was a big budget hollywood picture.
The acting was also pretty bad. No member of the cast really stood out as being even above average, and because it's fairly low budget, the acting wouldn't have been any better with a different cast.
Overall "Ted Bundy" is a rushed adaption, that really doesn't make you think any less of him, as if you'd never heard of him before, you'd just think it was based on fiction. My rating is 2/5.
The Devils Rejects (October 13, 2005) (DVD Released Febuary 8, 2006)
Rating - MA15+ for Strong Violence, Coarse Language, Sex Scene
Tagline - This Summer Go To Hell!.
A Tale Of Murder, Mahem and Revenge.
Website - www.thedevilsrejects.com
Australian Gross - $277,704
After a shootout in which several deputies are killed , with one son killed, Mother Firefly is captured , Baby,and Otis escape and rendezvous later with the Firefly patriarch, the mad clown Capt Spaulding. After a mind blowing murder escapade at a dusty desert motel they retreat to a frontier town whorehouse run by Spaulding's adopted "brother" Charlie, while Sheriff Wydell slowly loses his mind in his quest for revenge. He enlists the help of two equally disgusting bounty hunters and tracks the the trio, now dubbed the "Devil's Rejects" by the media to their location and sets the stage for the final showdown.
Cool. This was even better than the first. From the opening scene you know the film is going to be gorey, and filled with black comedy which fully fits in, with these characters. WHat i love is how the whole film has this old time feel about it, and you loose your mind while watching for almost 2 hours. I really love how Rob Zombie has made a sequel that noy only delivers, but really proves that sequels can overrun their preceeders.
The plot was really well written, and the dialogue in the film was so smart for the characters, and really it felt like walking back to "House Of 1000 Corpse". The plot was yes simple, but with only a few settings, the dialogue really had to make the movie enjoyable, and being a sadistic family it really was fun to watch.
The acting was pretty good and "Sheri Moon Zombie" having a fun role. The acting was believable, and really entertaining to watch the actors giving their own touch to their role.
Overall "The Devils Rejects" runs over it preceeder, and is one of few genre films that has added hymour which fits right in. My rating is 3.5/5
Decoys (DIRECT-TO-DVD November 20, 2004)
Rating - M for Sexual References, Low Level Sex Scene, Low Level Coarse Language, Low Level Violence.
Tagline - They're Not What They Seem.
They Can Seduce Anyone... Prey It Isn't You.
In St. John College, the freshmen and best friends Luke and Roger meet the sexy blond cousins Lilly and Constance in the laundry of their building. They are next-door neighbors, and the experienced girls invite the young men to visit them anytime. Lilly forgets a package of coins in the laundry, and Luke goes to their room to return it. The room is empty, and he sneaks around, when the two girls arrive. Luke hides himself in the wardrobe, and through an opening, he sees Lilly with many tentacles on her breast. Luke tries to convince his friends that the girls are aliens, planning to attack Earth, but nobody believes in him. Meanwhile, some friends of them are found dead, with the internal organs completely frozen.
Boring. As soon as the movie starts you know it's not gonna be too good. Bad acting, bad dialogue, which ultimately makes the movie more bad than it is. Some scenes seemed very unoriginal, and your more likely going to spend the time watching, trying to figure who the actors look like rather than paying attention to what is actually happening. The amount of pointless scenes in the film got really excessive and the plot holes all over were never fully recovered.
The plot seemed allright, and on viewing the film discovered it was allright at being made to film. Many plot holes throughout made the experience confusing at times and really boring, as I felt it was a totally different movie alltogether.
Thye acting was ok, but mostly bad. The lead roles were obviously forced as their expressions never changed, and they maintained their expressions even when caught out doing something.
Overall "Decoys" is a boring film, that really isn't worth watching, but is ok for a weekend viewing. My rating is 2/5
Jason X (August 15, 2002) (DVD Released December 11 2002)
Rating - MA15+ for Strong Horror Violence
Tagline - Evil Gets An Upgrade.
Website - www.jasonx.com
Australian Gross - $141,855
The year is 2455, Earth is a deserted wasteland and Jason has been cryogenically frozen for hundreds of years. Discovered by a group of space-faring archaeological students from Earth 2, Jason is taken back on their spaceship and given the kiss of life and a series of terminator-style embellishments courtesy of the space ships nanomachines. Stronger, crazier and more deadly than ever, the fiend in the hockey mask is back doing what he does best. Space is no longer the final frontier, surviving Jason is.
Pathetic. I can see why this film was hesitant from Australian theatres for 4 months. The film is so utterly pointless and really tries to be funny aswell, which really kills the whole franchise. The only good thing about the film is that some of it's death scenes were quite good. This whole franchise was utterly killed when this piece of crap was released. This is one of the worst films in this decade so far, and has got to be the worst movie in the whole franchise.
The plot was stupid, idiodic, and the added humour trying to make the film more entertaining just made the film even worse. Plot holes were everywhere, and a little to obvious. The whole movie was predictable, right from the beginning.
The acting was awful. In this type of flick, you expect5 at least some decency, but no, instead we get this piece of shit cast who looks like they were picked from downtown somewhere. Not moment of decent acting.
Overall "Jason X" is the worst film of the year, and is the most pointless piece of shit ever to be made. My rating is 0.5/5
Final Destination 2 (March 6 2003) (DVD Released September 24 2003)
Rating - MA15+ for Strong Violence
Tagline - For Every Beginning There Is An End.
It's Not Over Yet.....
Death May Be Closer Than It Appears.
You Can't Cheat Death Twice.
Website - www.deathiscoming.com
Australian Gross - $3,057,719
On the first anniversary of that infamous plane crash, a group of teenagers are traveling on Route 23.Suddenly one of them has a vision of an apocalyptic car pile-up that kills hundreds of people. Or is it a premonition? By stopping the traffic behind her, Kimberly saves the group from the inevitable catastrophic road carnage.. But Death has it’s own Grand Plan and kills these survivors off one by one. Knowing her turn is coming up next, a desperate Kimberly realises she must track down Clear Rivers,that lone survivor of the original plane crash- maybe together they can at least stall death’s evil march.
Gorefest. This films is definately better than the original, and alot gorier. The whole premonition is so well made and filmed. A plane crash, yeah is cool, but a car pile-up is way cooler. The film's oremise is definately not the best, but one scene in the middle where it's discovered that all the survivors of the car pile-up where all supposed to die a year earlier, but couldn't because the survivors of the plane crash all died, which somehow connected the pile-up's survivors. The plot was defintaley complex, but it was good in explaining what was happening so we didn't get too confused. The ending was also really cool, and creative.
The plot, well the plot was really fun with every death really creative and thought out. The directing in the film would be really hard with the car pile-up and all the crashes throughout the film. No visable plot holes, made the film enjoyable.
The acting was a little sketchy. Ali Larter always seems to have the same tone, which is really irritating in this sort of role. She could never quite crack it for me. A.J Cook, was the standout and really made an impression. Michale Landes was also very good at his role as an officer. He really shone through to make the role more likeable, than what I believe from dialogue, it was supposed to be.
Overall "Final Destination 2", is a very gory, fast paced film, that doesn't fail to be enjoyed. My rating is 4/5.
Dawn Of The Dead (June 10, 2004) (DVD Released October 13 2004)
Rating - MA15+ for High Level Violence, Horror Theme
Tagline - When There's No More Room In Hell, The Dead Will Walk The Earth.
Website - www.dawnofthedeadmovie.net
Australian Gross - $2,867,991
The plante's population is hit by an inexplicable, unfathomable and lethal plague - and the dead ren't staying dead. Corpses yearning for their next meal are now stalking the few remaining survivors to feed on their flesh. The few survivors - one of the last bastations of humanity, take refuge in a surburban mall. Here they pool resources to fight to stay alive and most importantly...human.
Awesome. This movie has got to be my favourite zombie movie of all time. The humour thats added in, is surprisingly tasteful and fits in which is hard to do. The more characters this time around, makes the film better becuase their is more people to be killed. The gore in this movie is really great, and many scenes in this movie won't be forgotten quickly. A zombie baby is born, which is one of the greatest scenes in the film, that scene is so chillingly cool, it hurts. The movie is definately a step up for modern remakes, and is a must of 04'.
The plot is alot better than the originals, because there is alot more people to run the film along, and the characters are really likeable and the more the film eventuates the better you like them. Alot of scenes in the movie have humour added, which is okay, but it's one of the rare occasions where this genre can have comedy.
The acting is really believable and it's as if it's really happening. "Lindy Booth" shows versitility in this, than from her previous role as Francince in "Wrong Turn". "Sarah Rolley" is to me in her breakout role, and she was really well at making you beleive what was going on.
Overall "Danw Of The Dead" is a gore filles, great horro flick, that is a great remake, and a great film for the zombie genre. My rating is 3.5/5
Final Destination (April 13, 2000) (DVD Released December 20, 2000)
Rating - MA15+ for Strong Violence, Strong Horror Theme
Tagline - Face Your Deepest Fears, Before They Face You.
No Accidents. No Coincidences. No Escapes. YOU CAN'T CHEAT DEATH.
Death Is Coming!.
Website - www.deathiscoming.com
Australioan Gross - $2,878,118
When Alex Browning, has a premonition that his whole class is going to die on a plane to Paris, several others get off too, many in anger at him. Not allowed back on they watch as the plane takes off and ultimately blows up. Unable to explain all the people who got off the plan start to die the order they would have if they had stayed on the plane. Now Alex and the others must cheat death everytime it comes around to their turn, and must discover how to stop death before it's too late.
Original. The film is rellay original and fresh. The concept is really intriguing and what makes the film even better is that it has some pretty cool deaths. Featuring a cast that isn't well known, the film really delivers, and is very good at making you squirm. The films dark esscence lurks into manupulating your mind into getting frightened, which makes the whole experience alot better. Somewhat predictable in ways of who will survive, but good eitherway.
The plot was really original, and was originally planned for an X-Files episode. Glad it wasn't one though. The concept that death has a plan, and controls everything is definately a real intriguiner to the film.
The acting was beleivable, and realistic. "Ali Larter" is the real star, she was then and still is an upcoming actress, whos ability here really shines thriugh. "Kerr Smith" is also great at his role.
Overall "Final Destination" is a great teen-oriented horro flick, that is a definate for any horror fan. My rating is 3.5/5.
Scream 3 (March 23 2000) (DVD Released October 3, 2000)
Rating - MA15+ for Medium Level Violence, Horror Theme
Tagline - The Most Terrifying Scream Is Always The Last. Welcome To The Final Act.
Chapter 1 Sets The Rules. Chapter 2 Bends The Rules, But In Chapter 3 All Bets Are Off. THERE ARE NO RULES!
Australian Gross - $6,522,446
Sidney Prescott has literally dissapeared off the face of the earth, hiding from the world and the haunted blood-stained legacy that is "Woodsboro". But Thats all about to change. A new slasher flick based on Sidney's horrific story is being chot in L.A, called "Stab 3"....Based on Sidney's horrific story. One by one the cast of the new movie are taking their last curtain call. Someone is mimicking the horrific murders of the first 2 scream films...only this time even the leads are dying. So the real Gale Weathers, Dewey Riley, and Sidney Prescott must step into the spotlight and flush out the killer/s. And that means going back to Woodsboro one last terrifying time.
A slight decrease. I must admit that this is the best franchise out there. Every film is amazing, and this is no exception, but it was like it was comedy/horror. Gale and Dewey really didn't care about themselves in this one, and weren't really horrorfied the killer/s are back. The film had cameo's by Jay and Silent Bob, "Friends" jokes, and it really took away the scarness that is scream. However the film was still great, with the shocks coming right through till the end. The killer/s motive/s were so shocking that, I really was not expecting it.
The plot, well in this plot "Stab 3" is in production, where as "Stab" was only in production the second scream, but i guess a three year difference means alot. The plot isn't really great, but the ending was really the best part of the plot, as no one would be expecting it. Otherwise the plot is pretty average.
The acting, well is still really exceptional. "Neve Campbell" is one of the best actresses in modern times. She has this way, in which whatever she says is so smart, and you no not to mess with her. She really is great. "Courtney Cox-Arquette" was obviously still doing "friends" during this as many friends or co star references were made. "David Arquette" was still a wierdo freak in this. He really is like a mental patient. Supporting cast were really great too.
Overall "Scream 3" is not as great as the other two, but still is a must see. My rating is 4/5
Swimfan (October 10 2002) (DVD Released April 17 2003)
Rating - M for Low Level Violence, Low Level Sex Scene
Tagline - His Biggest Fan Just Became His Biggest Nightmare.
Hold.....Your.....Breath.
One Moment Could Change Everything...
Ben Cronin Had The Perfect Life Until He Met The New Girl.
Website - www.swimfanmovie.com
Australian Gross - $1,863,156
Ben Cronin has it all, great friends, a great girlfriend and a surefire college scholarship. But his life is turned upside down when new girl Madison Bell entrices him into a one-night affair. When Ben decides he want's to stay with his girlfriend Amy, Madison turns from #1 fan to #1 stalker and her obsessions quickly spiral out of control into betrayal, madness, and ultimately murder.
Entertaining. The film has a great amount of pro's about it. It's unpredictable, smart, modern, and has this effect, making you keep watching. As a thriller, it really needs to keep suspense, and be faced paced. This was not suspensful nor faced past, but it was not predictable at all. I wasn't expecting many scenes in the movie, but the plot is somewhat unoriginal in the fact that I felt like I'd seen the plot many times before.
The plot, had some great dialogue, but felt unoriginal. Although unpredictable, i did presume little things that were going to happen, which did, but otherwise the plot was well written. I would think that in a movie like this the plot really needs to be well adapted in order for the movie to work, in which case it did.
The acting was fairly well done. "Jesse Bradford" was the male lead, who was being stalked. He done all he could acting in this role, and he was very believable at it too. "Erika Christensen" was the female lead, the stalker. She was great, and you never knew what she was going to do next. I think that her expressions in this film were all the same, but either way it was still well acted.
Overall "Swimfan" is good watch if your in the mood, for a little stalker flick, but it's not one to rush out and buy. My rating is 3/5.
One Hour Photo (January 30, 2003) (DVD Released September 10, 2003)
Rating - M for Adult Themes, Low Level Violence, Low Level Coarse Language
Tagline - The Things We Fear The Most Have Allready Happened To Us.
He Knows Your Secrets!.
There's Nothing More Dangerous Than A Familiar Face.
Website - www.onehourphotomovie.com
Australian Gross - $4,151,023
A department store photo clerk, Seymour 'Sy' Parrish, is exceptionally knowledgeable about photography, and has been developing photos for the Yorkin family since their son was a baby. However, Sy also lives a very solitary and lonely life - with no wife, girlfriend, or family in the picture. Sy begins to develop a disturbing obsession with the Yorkins and what they have, and when he is fired for theft he goes over the top. Having discovered a disturbing secret about Mr. Yorkin, he exacts revenge.
Creepy. The movie was very hard to categorise, as It's definately not a horror, but then if it's a thriller, it's not very thrilling, but thriller was the only category it fits into. The film is great. From start to finish your eyes never leave the screen. The films creepiness level's are peaked when the character starts to get thoughts of himself with the family, as the uncle. The plot is so simple, and well, with what the director was given, he done a great job. Many parts of the film are just "Robin Williams" trying to be notcied by the mother he is crazy obsessed with. Alot of the scene's dialogue fits perfect with what "Williams' can do.
The plot was very simple, and very disturbing. What is most disturbing about the plot, is that I couldn't really figure out why someone would think to write the film. Personal Experience maybe?. Anyway, the plot was very well made into a motion picture, and the chilling premise of the film stands out as key, to make it a good thrillerish film.
The acting, well "Robin Williams" is definately the standout. His performence from being only known to me as the funny guy, to the creppy stalker, is great, and it is so effective. He gives of this vibe, that straight away you would think he is a crazy old man, but still he is so great in this film, that i'd love to see him in more films of this genre.
Overall "One Hour Photo" is a mild thriller that, is yet creepily effective, in making you not look away for one second, in case you miss a vital moment. My rating is 3.5/5
Taking Lives (April 15, 2004) (DVD Released September 23, 2004)
Rating - MA15+ for Medium Level Violence
Tagline - He Would Kill To Be You.
Website - www.takinglives.com
Australian Gross - $3,452,889
Successful FBI profiler Illeana Scott is summoned to help out Canadian law enforcement in Montreal, to hunt down a serial killer who assumes the lives and identities of the people he kills as he travels across North America, which forces Illeana to adjust to working in a strange city with a police team with which she doesn't really fit in with.
Paced. I bought this on DVD quite a while ago, and never got into it so I turned it off basically as soon as it started, but what I didn't know was how smart the film actually is. The plot was pretty basic at first but then got more complex as the film progressed. The twist at the end was very shocking because Angelina Jolie's stomach with twins is plunged into with scissors, but thats all an act to catch a killer. The film is very smart and modern, and is watchable.
The pot was pretty basic. with the main character beinf with the FBI, called to Montreal to help catch a killer, in whome she profiles. The more the film went on the more complex the plot was.
The acting was pretty realistic with cameos done by "Keifer Sutherland", and "Gena Rowlands".
Overall "Taking Lives" is a good watch, and is more of a thriller than horror. My rating is 3.5/5.
Monster (March 25, 2004) (DVD Released September 6 2004). Also avaliable in collectors edition.
Rating - MA15+ for Adult Themes, Medium Level Violence, Sexual References
Website - www.media8ent.com/m8/movies.asp?movieID=15
Australian Gross - $3,006,163
Ailleen Wuornos has been working as a prostitute since she was 13. No big deal, but then she meets Selby, and their sudden love is unanimous. When Ailleen is hooking for some cash for their little getaway she is raped and beaten and kills the rapist in self defence. She takes his money, car and leaves the body to retrun to Selby. When she finally comes clean to Selby, she isn't impressed, Ailleen is only doing this for Selby, to give her the better life. Then again Ailleen kills this time not in self defence, and takes the cash. Now with their sketches in public, the two girls must keep away from the public eye.
Stunning. The movie captures your attention right from the start, and really takes you into the mind of Ailleen Wuornos. The film is more of a love story gone wrong, but the film really captures the side of Ailleen no one believes or wanted to believe. The way the film is shot, and the locations, really give it the feel of the actual time she was killing. What amazes me, is that Charlize Theron can look like what she does in this movie. Charlize is young, and she is made out to be a white-trash hooker. The film is definately one of the best of the year, and the movie is just so emotionally wrapping.
The plot, was really well written, and from what i believe alot of it came from letters from Ailleen to her closest friend (not Selby). What I liked ws that Ailleen wanted to get out of the hooking buisness and try to make a better life for herself and Selby, but somehow got Selby wrapped up in it.
The acting was superb. Nothing in this movie stands out like Charlize Theron does. She changed her voice, look, everything to be the perfect Ailleen Wuornos, and succeeds. Christina Ricca also delivers a thriving performence as the supporting actor, that is nothing short of heart-warming.
Overall "Monster" is bloody brilliant, and Is a must see before you die. My rating is 5/5.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Begining (November 16 2006) (DVD Released April 4 2007)
Rating - R18+ for High Level Horror Violence
Tagline - Witness The Birth Of Fear.
The Only Thing More Shocking Than How It Ended, Is How It All Began
Website - www.texaschainsawmovie.com
Australian Gross - $594,722
It's 1969 and in a small town through Mexico, 99% of buisnesses are shutting down as the town is nothing anymore. When the only source of money and food (a meat factory) is shut down Thomas Hewitt, a big man with a really bad deformed skin condition finds out, he kills the head of the factory. When the only sheriff in town finds this he alongside Thomas's uncle are to put Thomas away, but the Uncle shoots the sheriff and claims the throne, leaving Thomas, himself and his brother and sister the only people left in the town. They decide to kill anyone who comes through for food, and Thomas is the butcher. The first victims to the family is two brothers and their girlfriends travelling through Mexico in order for the men to join the Vietnam war. Withing the night they are bashed, tortrued and ultimately slaughtered.
Amazing. Although it is a prequel, the only parts from Leathreface's childhood was the opening scene and the opening credit's which was showing him being born and then pictures. The film cut's to the chase and the gore is much more than it's 2003 remake preceeder. When watching your not really getting scared as it is somewhat predictable but is very enjoyable. I'ts one of those movies that you can watch over and over not caring you know every line and scene off by heart. The origina of the Chainsaw was really stupid, and was dissapointing, because the Chainsaw mass just sitting there when he killed the first person, and he used a knife to kill his first victim. It shows Why Uncle Monty is in a wheelchair with both legs severed, and why "Sheriff Hoyt" front two teeth are missing. In this we get to see the upstairs of the house which was also used in the 2003 remake, and there is also a dinner table seen which is the classic scene from the original. In this movie the Tea Lady who was the obese woman in the van in the remake returns for the movie for a very short 5 minutes, but man it was sweet :)
The plot at first seems pretty shit, because the tagline "Witness The Birth Of Fear" initially makes me think the movie is gonna be him growing up, but the movies plot is very good, although Leathreface's childhood could've been better presented.
The acting is key to this film because in a Texas Chainsaw movie you need to be top notch, and in my opionion not well known. "Jordana Brewster" starred as "Chrissie" who is the final girl and the final scene of the movie is one I wasn't expecting but then again, it had to happen in order for it to be a prequel. "Taylor Handley" was Dean, who was the younger brother who was great. "Doira Baird" was basically screaming the whole time after she saw leathreface, and she was very believable. Other cast included "Matt Bomer", "R. Lee Ermey", "Marietta Marich".
Overall "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Begining" is a great watchable movie, that doesn't fail to capture your attention. My rating is 4/5.
Thir13en Ghosts (December 13, 2001) (DVD Released July 17, 2002)
Rating - MA15+ for Medium Level Violence, Horror Theme
Tagline - Terror Has Multiplied.
Misery Loves Company.
Website - www.13ghosts.com
Australian Gross - $1,905,926
When a family inherits a magnificent old mansion from a distant uncle, it was supposed to be a dream come true.
As the thrilled family explores their new home, a triumph of glass and steel, unsettling things begin to happen - before the original inhabitants of the mansion begin to appear. Too late, the humans realise that this is no ordinary estate, but rather a ghost prison that houses no less than 13 revenge-crazed spectres...each feeding the `machine` itself to open the very door to hell.
Fantastic. This film from get go is enjoyable. Each ghost has it's own uniqueness about it, that makes the film more interesting. The stunning sets, and the make-up done to make the ghosts creepy really paid off. It's the second film released by "Dark Castle Entertainment", and is just as good. The movie isn't per-say a slasher, as only a few are killed, but when they are killed, it's awesome.
The plot, is very very huge in itself, and it lives up to what I presume the main script was screaming. It's very original, and has a few ghosts that's backgrounds are explored a little. Great plot, great movie.
The acting was very well done, with the house (although not living) stealing the show. Shannon Elizabeth stars as the daughter, who obviously won't die. The 13 ghosts are very very well acted, and are pretty freaky when you look at them.
Overall "Thir13en Ghosts" is a great flick, that isn't scary, but is a great watch, and is just fantastic. My rating is 4.5/5
Reeker (DIRECT-TO-DVD June 21, 2006)
Rating - MA15+ for Strong Horror Violence
Tagline - EVIL Is In The Air!
If You Can't Breathe, You Can't Scream.
Website - www.reekermovie.com
A group of friends, travel to a party in the desert. When they see an accident, they head back to a diner, and discover no one there. Their car stops working and they realise they're there for the night. Before long they keep coughing when something bad is in the air. After a while one by one they go missing, and they are lead by a blind person, who must fight for survival.
Boring. I remember seeing this a few years back, and loving it, but as im older, i can say it's nothnig special, and I don't recommend this one. The scares are cheap, and one of the actresses coughs were so obviously faked. This movie isn't to be taken seriously as the stupid plot just makes the rest of the movie predictable. Apart from a few nice deaths the film is nothing to boast about.
The plot is so basic and simple, and was destroyed. If a films plot isn't exploited enough to be excellent, why bother making the movie?. The plot could be great, but with Amatuers behind the camera, the movie just wen't downhill.
The acting was surprisingly OK, with only one familiar face to me. Arielle Keppel, who was in The Grudge2 , wasn't as great in this, and her fake coughing was obvious.
Overall "Reeker" is nothing special, and doesn't really deserve recognition. My rating is 2/5.
Valentine (May 3 2001) (DVD Released Febuary 6 2002)
Rating - MA15+ for Strong Violence
Tagline - Love Hurts.
Remember That Kid Everyone Ignored On Valentines Day?.....He Remember You!.
Scared To Be Alone On Valentines Day?. You Should Be.
Website - www.valentinemovie.warnerbros.com
Australian Gross - $1,333,538
Best friends since school, Kate, Paige, Dorothy, Lily and Shelly seemingly have it all - glamourous lives, hot bodies, great careers and men falling all over them. But as Valentine's Day approaches, they each receive a mysterious card with a sinister message - "you are next". And then, one by one, they start to disappear in horrific circumstances.
Dissapointing. The movie had potential to be great, but it was OK. The film wasn't really scary and it was easy to pick who was next to be slain. It comes along, thinknig it's crahs hot, and ultimately it's not. The trailer made the film look enticing, and I would be the one in that cinema helping it gross money, but then I would be pissed I paid full price. The film isn't anything special, and definately isn't one for a water cooler conversation, but it did have a good death or two.
The plot could've been magnificant, and the way the film was set out, just made the atmosphere seem childish. The plot is really what makes or breaks a film, and in this case it breaks.
Denise Richards, is a character and really steals the show with her character, being the typical slut, whos gonna get the chop. Katherine Heigl in an interview stated "If I read the fulll script before accepting, I'd never agree to do the movie", and the director also apologised for the end product. The film wasn't that bad to be apologising for, but it just wasn't awesome.
Overall "Valentine" is a plain horror movie, that could've been huge, but failed in it's exploitation. My rating is 2.5/5.
Dragonfly (August 8 2002) (DVD Released January 8 2003)
Rating - M for Adult Themes
Tagline - When Someone You Loves Die...... Are They Gone Forever?
Website - www.dragonflymovie.com
Australian Gross - $995,382
Lush green aerial photography of the Venezuelan jungle stands in stark contrast to the dark and depressing urbanity of American city life where Joe Darrow works as a doctor in the emergency room of Chicago Memorial Hospital. His wife, Emily Darrow , was last seen in a rainstorm in Venezuela, where she was on a retreat with the Red Cross offering humanitarian aid. She vanished in a bus accident. There were no survivors and her body was never found. That rich, green, exotic land is left behind as Joe is challenged to persevere through sad, rainy days back home. Joe promised Emily that if anything ever happened to her, he would visit her patients in the oncology ward. Strangely, the children seem to know him, and they say they've seen Emily in their near-death experiences. When Joe begins to believe that Emily is trying to contact him from the other side, his coworkers and his neighbour warn him that grief can be a heavy burden to bear.
Creepy. I remember watching this a few years back and it scared the shit out of me. I'm in my adolescence now and look back and think, I was right to be frightened. If someone who hasn't seen it before, and isnt expecting the jump moments, then you'll freak when they come as they're totally unexpected. What I loved was that it took, the old fashioned Ghost Story to the next level, but not the ghost wanting something back, but trying to give them a message of importance. The movie was considerablly dark until the last 20-25 minutes, and thats when you can tell it's starting to wrap up. The movie isn't instantly forgettable, but i9f it isnt on your mind it was slowly but sureyl slip to the back of your mind. It's one of the best films of 2002.
The plot was really consistent, in giving is detail of the situation, and what was going on. The characters were likeable, and they were designed to make you fell for them, in which ultimately I did. The plot is really centred around the wife sending a message to her husband that is of grave importance.
The acting was very believable with Kevin Costner really living up to what the character was built to be. His acting in this is one of his best I've seen (not alot), and his expressions of the situation really helped the movie give out it's intended vibe. Supporting cast were also very believable, and the film was very well cast.
Overall "Dragonfly" is a great movie, and will scare if you don't no what is coming. My rating is 3.5/5.
The Ring (November 14 2002) (DVD Released July 2 2003) Collectors Edition and collectors pack (1 and 2) also avaliable.
Rating - MA15+ for Adult Themes, Horror Themese
Tagline - Before You Die You See...The Ring.
Website - www.ring-themovie.com
Australian Gross -$7,423,998
A mysterious video tape is killing off anyone who watches it. Whenever the victim watches it, the phone rings, telling them they have only one week to live. A young reporter named Rachel is investigating these events, but after she and her small son watch the tape, it becomes a race against time to find out why the tape is killing everyone and how it could be stopped.
Chilling. I can see qhy alot of people basically shat themselves at this remake. This is where the Asian craze came from, I mean this was a success worldwide, and now companies still think it can happen. The movie worked so well too, because of the dampened dark feel it gave, with all the colours and the weather in the plot. Samara, the evil child is one scary little girl to look at. That end scene, is probably the most scary in the whole movie, and nothnig will ever have that same effect. The opening scene is one you'll never forget either, and the movie itself held together right to the end.
The plot was obviously taken from "Ringu (The Ring)", which is the Asian version, and also the original. The plot was pretty steady at keeping you glued to the screen, and not getting distracted. There was one plot hole right at the end, which I presume is going to be explained in #2.
The acting was very well. Naomi Whatts of course stole the movie, with her expressions and attitude changes throughout the movie. She exploited her character to excel;ency, and this is really one of her greater roles. Supporting cast also, were good.
Overall "The Ring" is the first and one of the best Asian remakes, and will definately give you chills for the next month and a half after watching. My rating is 3.5/5
Cabin Fever (December 4 2003) (DVD Released March 17 2004)
Rating - MA15+ for High Level Violence, Medium Level Coarse Language, Adult Themes
Tagline - Catch It!
Terror..In The Flesh
Website - www.cabinfevermovie.com
Australian Gross - $725,000
Five friends:Marcy,Bert,Karen,Paul,and Jeff leave the city for a mountain get-way and a renting a cabin in the hills. But after Bert goes shooting for squirrels but instead shoots a hermit with a flesh eating disease,(He got from his dog) begging for Berts help. Bert promise him help but lies and runs back to the cabin. Later that night after getting doped and drunk, the hermit comes to the cabin. But the friends in panic, kill the man. But when the man dies in the reservoir and Karen drinks the water, her skin is oddly being ate away. The friends send her into a shed outside the cabin. But one by one - Not knowing about the dead man in the reservoir - become infected with the disease.
Dying. Once upon a time this was my favourite movie, then I got taste. Although it is a good watch if you're in a "chilling" mood, just to watch something, it's not really award quality. What I liked was the dialogue, which had alot of humour which on a rare occasion makes a film quite good, which in this case it does.
The plot was pretty basic and simple, which was also a high point to the films watch factor. The gore really speaks for itself and the dialogue, well is impressive.
The acting, is where things are a little low. Rider Strong plays the lead, and his voice makes him sound gay. Jordan Ladd and Cerina Vincent are the main girls who's demises are probably the best in the movie.
Overall "Cabin Fever" is an OK watch, but nothing too special. My rating is 3/5
The Hills Have Eyes 2 (Direct-to-DVD December 19 2007)
Rating - R18+ for High Level Horror Violence
Tagline - Help Isnt Coming.
Twice The Terror, Double The Fear
The Lucky One Dies Fast
There Are Fets Worse Than Death
Website - http://www.foxatomic.com/#movie:TitleId=5
National Guard soldiers are driving through an old army testing grounds to deliver equipment to scientists working there. When they get there, no one is at the camp. When they see an S.O.S signal coming from above the mountain the climb up to rescue whoever it may be. Along they way they are ambushed my cannibalistic mutants hungry for flesh and women to rape in order to breed.
OK. Although I would've preferred the original plot of Brenda Carter joinging the army, and going back, her actress Emilie De Raven was to busy shooting "Lost" to join this cast. The movie was ok to watch but, is no where near as great as its preceeder. The plot was crap, with the mutants now living in the mountains, not in the mines, what the hell?.
The plot was stupid because the mutants are different characters, they live in the mountains now and not in the mines, unless this is a different part of the Sector, but I don't care.
The acting was ok, with Jessica Stroup stealing the limelight as the strong newcomber to the force.
Overall "The Hills Have Eyes 2" is not a great sequel but an allright movie by itself. My rating is 3/5
Halloween (November 22 2007) (DVD Released April 2 2008)
Rating - R18+ for High Level Horror Violence, Some Sexual Violence.
Tagline - Evil Has A Destiny
Website - www.halloween-themovie.com
Australian Gross - $799,057
Ten year old Michael Myers killed a school bully earlier in the day, and now sitting at home, his mothers boyfriend is tormenting him. His mother leaves for work at a strip club. Michaels sister is supposed to take him trick or treating, but she decides to stay home with her boyfriend. Michael goes inside and eats his candy, and then grabs a butcher knife out of the kitchen draw, and with duck tape tapes his mothers aquintant into the chair and slits his throat. He then kills his sister and her boyfriend, and is taking to a mental hospital where he is observed. 15 years later he escapes, and goes after his now 15 y.o sister. who has grew up not knowing she was adopted. Michaels mother killed herself not long after he killed a nurse in the Asylum, and Michael hasn't spoken in 15 years, all he does is make masks. Back in his hometown michael kills anyone who gets in his way of retrieving his sister.
Cool. I'm not a huge fan of the original, so I was expecting this to at leats be better than that, and it was. This was so gorey and every death was so well done it was amazing. The plot was slightly different aswell. I loved how the movie showed how he became the serial killer he is, and why he went to get his sister back.
The plot had taken the outline from the original, but Rob Zombie made it better. From get go, the film was definately going to be gorey, and the dialogue of the characters just makes the film modernized. The ending wasn't what I was expecting, but it was ok. A scene where he slits his mums boyfriends throat made me cringe. The plot itself makes the film seem so much better than it actually is, and it's probably one of the best remake plots of late.
The acting was great, and very believable. What I loved was how the acting was so modern, which I wasn't expecting, even when the plot was based 15 years previous the acting was still modernised which was great.
Overall "Halloween" is a modernised, better version of the original which is a great edition to the remake shelf. My rating is 3.5/5
Scream 2 (January 15 1998) (DVD Released April 12 1999)
Rating - MA15+ for Medium Level Violence, Horror Theme
Tagline - Someone Has Taken Their Love Of Sequels One Step Too Far!.
Australian Gross- $7,664,021
A copycat killer is on the loose at Woodsboro. The victim's first or second name, is how the killer is killing the new victims. It's been two years, and Sidney is getting calls from random people as Gail Weathers book has just been released into a motion picture "Stab". When a young couple "Maureen and Stephen" are murdered suspciion of a copycat killer gets into Gail Weathers mind.
Great. This movie is just as good as the first, if not better. The clique of a sequel was obvious, and although the kills arent as good, you'll never expect everything thats going to happen. The movie, like the first isn't scary but builds alot os suspense and questions, that get answered at the end. Everything you're expecting to happen doesn't and alot of what your not expecting happens.
The cast this time around where not as big of stars but were also great. Neve Campbell returns as Sidney and has equel success. Also returning are Courtney Cox, David Arquette, and Jamie Kennedy. Cameos by Sarah Michelle Gellar, as the nerdish CiCi who's demise is a high point of the film.Jada Pinkett-Smith and Jerry O-Connel also add to the extra star factors. Again, without this great cast, the film wouldn't have been as great.
Overall "Scream 2" is just as great as the original and is a must for any serious horror junkie. My rating is 4.5/5.
Scream (Febuary 13 1997) (DVD Released December 14 2000). Also avaliable in collectors edition.
Rating - MA15+ for Medium Level Violence, Horror Themes
Tagline - Someone Has Taken Their Love Of Scary Movies One Step Too Far. Solving This Is Going To Be Murder.
Make Your Last Breath Count.
Don't Answer The Phone. Don't Open The Door. Don't Try To Escape, But Most Of All Don't SCREAM!
Australian Gross - $6,589,788
A seemingly innocent call to Casey Becker turns brutal when she and her boyfriend are murdered. Sidney Prescott, hears about this the next day when news crew all around the school is claiming this is worse then her mothers brutal murder exactly a year before. Sidney is then attacked at her house, and after a close escape her friends are all being butchered, in clique horror ways. Everyone is a suspect, and no one is safe.
Amazing. This film is the best Wes Craven had produced for quite a while. The film is so clique but so clever, everything is suspicious. The questions need answering are are resolved at the end, and the film is just so well made, with dialogue so well fitted in, that the film really deserved the hype it got. Not many US R (AUS MA15+) rated horror films make it past $100 million, but this managed to scrape past it.
The plot was so complex, and manipulative, which makes you not want to look away. Every scene is so well drawn out, and the deaths are pretty original too. The ending is very clever, and of course leaves and open ending.
The acting was great, mostly because great people were cast. Drew Barrymore fits the role of helpless tennager so well, and her opening scene was so well acted that i would consider this her comeback role. Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, was also superb. She manages to make you fell what she is feeling and she was the best acting in the film. Courtney Cox was quite surprising as a bitchy news reporte Gail Weathers. She gives us all sorts of emotion throughout. David Arquette as mentally challenged "Dewey" would be hard to portray but he pulled it off. Rose McGowan as Tatum plays what she usually does, being the bimbo best friend, whos death scene is one of my favs. Matther Lillard and Sceet Ulrich were also stars and were allright too. The rest of the cast were all good too. A major part of the films success I think is due to the amazing cast.
Overall "Scream" pulls out the big guns and basically mocks horror films, by being one itself. It is great. My rating is 4.5/5
Lake Placid (October 28 1999) (DVD Released September 5 2001)
Rating - M for Medium Level Violence, Medium Level Coarse Language
Tagline - You'll Never Know What Bit You
Website - www.foxmovies.com/lakeplacid/
Australian Gross - $2,123,682
In an otherwise quiet lake in the Maine wilderness, a couple of gruesome fatalities lead to the discovery of a 30 foot crocodile with a matching appetite. Local sheriff Keough (Brendan Gleeson) calls in Fish and Game department warden Wells (Bill Pullman) to investigate, while New York-based palaeontologist Kelly Scott (Bridget Fonda) is dispatched by her museum on her first field assignment to the lake. Completing the quartet searching for the creature is eccentric millionaire Hector Cyr (Oliver Platt) who attempts to mastermind the capturing of the beast.
Tasteless. No one died, and most of the time the characters were just mocking eachother. It's one of the films that tries to add humour into the suspense, but it destroys it. It's not one to watch if you're wanting a beast flick thats filled with deaths and gore. It's just basically a beast eats a person, and a scientist has gone to find it, and then falls in love. A few scenes are pretty humourous, but thats because Betty White brings so much energy to her character and, she is really what makes the film "funny" in a sense.
The plot was pretty basic, a croc kills someone and a scientist comes. But a few scenes are worth watching, because they are so well filmed and capture the croc, in it's largest state. The plot isn't a high point, but without a solid plot, the film would be trash.
The acting wasn't very great with Betty White the standout, even if she wasn't a main character. Her character is so funny and simpathetic. Brigette Fonda, really doesn't give anything to the film apart from her dialogue. It's like she was a store mannequin.
Overall "Lake Placid" tries to mic horror and humour, but doesn't succeeed, and isn't your average croc flick. My rating is 2/5.
Dark Water (October 20 2005) (DVD released Febuary 22 2006)
Rating- M for Moderate Horror Themes, Infrequent Coarse Language.
Tagline- Dark Water Conceals Darker Secrest.
Some Mysteries Were Never Meant To Be Solved.
Website- www.darkwater.movies.go.com
Australian Gross- $462,995
Dahlia Williams (Jennifer Connelly)'s strained separation from her husband (Dougray Scott) disintegrates into a bitter custody battle. When she finds a dilapidated apartment on New York's Roosevelt Island for herself and young daughter Ceci (Ariel Gade), it, too, becomes a battle as the ceiling leeks, noises from above and disturbing events in general set her on edge. Ceci's new imaginary friend adds to Dahlia's woes, and when things get nasty in the custody battle, she gets herself a lawyer (Tim Roth). But the mysterious leaks of dark water continue, and Ceci's invisible friend, Natasha, becomes quite persistent.
Slow. The films starts off very slow and is more focused on character building than the horror. About half way through is when the film starts getting into the thriller type stuff. Although the film to me is more of a drama/thriller as it's not scary, but somewhat sad, as you feel for Dahlia. The ending was something I wasn't expecting, and alot of scenes I was not expecting. The film is rather dark and depressing and to a point, pointless. It is watchable and I did infact like it, but it was too safe for comfort. Not one I'd reccomend for a family evening, but just for a late night watch before bed, definately not deserving of any awards.
The plot was a little too dramatic, and based on character building which was somewhat entertaining to watch. Not scary, but more mysterious.
Jennifer Connelly is great. She was right on the mark when it came to her character Dahlia. The rest of the acting was also quite surprisingly good.
Overall "Dark Water" is a nice watch and is enjoyable. I liked it. and as it's very very watchable, my rating is 3.5/5
Wrong Turn (July 31 2003) (DVD Released December 4 2003)
Rating- MA15+ for Medium Level Violence, Horror Theme
Tagline- It's The Last One You'll Ever Take.
Website- www.wrongturnmovie.com
Australian Gross- $220,222
Chris (Desmond Harrington) takes a short cut on a dirt road to try to make it to his critical appointment. He fly’s around the bend and crashes into Jesse’s (Eliza Dushku) and friends car. Four of the six person’s walk back along the road for salvation unknown of what lies ahead. They stumble accross a house and head inside. In a short amount of time they realise that these “People” kill. When they attempt to leave the “People” arrive. After killing Jesse’s friend the “People” have a snooze, and this is when Chris, Jesse, Carly, and Scott leave. They are chased through woods desperate for survival.
Wrong Turn is an instant classic. Although it may have some connections with other films, it has originality which these days Horror films don’t seem to have. We’ve all seen the “New Craze” Asian-American remakes that just aren’t scary but this is a great watch. Most people critisised this for having “NO” originality but I for one have never seen a movie where the victims are chased through tree’s, chased into a paddock full of cars. Some elements have little connections to other films but it’s hard to tell.
The gore in this film is so well-done and IS scary. Other films like the SAW franchise have gone to far but this has a satisfying amount. When watching this and the red-headed beauty gets the chop it’s so thrilling and so un-predictable. It’s hard to critisise this film as most scenes are so well written.
The acting is believable and the opening scene just draws you in. Eliza Dushku is stunning and she just can pull every emotion. Desmond Harrington pulls a stella performance as the Lead male. Emmanuelle Chirque is great as the supporting role
Overall Wrong Turn has scares all the way through and well keep you hooked. My rating is 5/5
Cry_Wolf (March 23 2006) (DVD Released July 4 2006)
Rating- M for Moderate Violence, Moderate Sexual References, Moderate Coarse Language.
Tagline- It's High School....Nothing Is Real
At Westlakes High, Theres A New Game. AVOID SUSPICION, MANIPULATE YOUR FRIENDS, ELIMINATE YOUR ENEMIES.
beLIEve.
Website- www.crywolfmovie.com
Australian Gross- $672,607
Cry_Wolf follows Owen, a transfer student who has a bad record with schools. His first friend is Dodger (Lindy Booth), who later invites him to their school chapel to play a “Game” with her friends. After getting sick of their game they decide to make out that the recent murder victim from their school was murdered by someone on campus, and has been killing from campus-to-campus. After the rumour spreads the liers (Owen, Dodger and friends) start to die one-by-one the way the wrote in the emails.
Cry_Wolf is a thriller that willl keep you guessing to the very end. I think it was really smartly written and the shocks kept coming right to the end. The ending is by far the best part, and worth waiting, and the film is so well done. The storyline is so original and i don’t think people were expecting what was to come. I thought it was going to be a childish thriller but it was a mature horror/mystery flick.
Lindy Booth has so many emotions and i get why they chose her for the role. The cast have so much chemistry and they bonded really well on screen.
I am so amazed that they came up with this film with an estimated $1,000,000. It just really fascinates me.
Overall Cry_Wolf is a must see sexy/thriller that won’t dissapoint, especiall if you like to pick who the killer or in this case mastermind behind the plot.
My rating is 3.5/5
Wolf Creek (November 2 2005) (DVD Released March 9 2006)
Rating- R18+ for High Level Realistic Violence, Strong Coarse Language
Tagline- How Can You Be Found, When No One Knows Your Missing?
The Thrill Is In The Hunt.
Website- www.arclightfilms.com/films/wolfcreek/
Australian Gross- $5,900,713
Wolf Creek is about a two female tourists who are travelling around the Northen Terrortory of Australia with local/Friend. After visiting “Wolf Creek” crater their car stops working. They get a lift to a locals house at an old shed in the middle of nowhere. They wake up later in the night drugged and scared ofr their safety. During the course of the film they escpae, and die.
All Aussie films these days seem to be about bad things EG Rogue, and Black Water but this is a mastrerpiece and is the second greatest Assie film just behind Rogue. As an Aussie myself i love to watch these films about our land. This was so shocking and was based loosely on the backpacker murder killngs of Ivan Milat in the 80s/90s. This was a chilling film and will make people scared to go camping.
John Jarrat does an excellent job as the villian who loves his foreign beautues and has a hlarious laugh. This is really well worked and the cast work well together. One thing i hated about it was they used to much silent moments and that really irratated me.
The plot was well adapted from the Ivan Milat killings and i hope that in coming years, US markets will take pride in screening our films.
Overall Wolf Creek will have you gasping for breath as some scenes will scare the crao out of you. This is one for the Wolf Creek locals.
My rating 4/5.
Rest Stop: Dead Ahead (DIRECT-TO-DVD Febuary 2 2007)
Rating- MA15+ for Strong Horror Violence, Blood and Gore
A young couple running from their old lives take a road-trip to California. They stop at a REST STOP and the woman heads inside. When she emerges after an uncomfortable potty run her boyfriend is gone. As it gets late she heads over to a office near the rest stop. Soon she discovers a maniac is after her and when the police do arrive they are no help. By the next day she is worn out and not willing to give up hope.
This was something i was looking forward to because on the DVD, it says “Too Shocking For Theatres”. Well that was a load of rubbish. It isn’t real gorey and if this wasn’t allowed in cinemas the Saw franchise shouldn’t. This movie isn’t even gorey and so many other horrors are much have much more blood and guts. It was a pretty complex storyline that was believable to an extent. One scene i was really looking forward to on the trailer was the bus scene. There was a five second scene in the bus.
The plot was so complex and i felt that even if it went into cinemas, it wouldn’t have made a big impact.
The acting wasn’t great. Some scenes of terror were well acted but other than those the scenes weren’t well acted. I can’t explain how much boredom you feel at the end when it’s really acted badly and predictable.
Overall Rest Stop was predictable, unbelievable, and just plain boring. My rating is 2/5.
Dead Silence (DIRECT-TO-DVD October 5 2007)
Rating- M for Moderate Violence, Horro Theme
Tagline- You Scream. You Die!
Website- www.deadsilencemovie.net
Jamie Ashn returns home after getting take-out for his wife. He discovers her body and calls the ploice. AT the station he is the main suspect and when let off for the time being he goes back to his home town of Ravensfare to discover why a local legend Mary Shaw’s doll turned up on his doorstep.
Dead Silence packs the thrills to the end. It has scenes in the unrated version that are just gross to watch. The plot is so original and is the greatest ghost story since Darkness Falls. Mary Shaw is scary and will make you jump with one look at her face.
The plot has so much originality and I was really looking forward to this project. The story of Mary Shaw is a classic ghost story. Every town has a story to tell whether it’s myth or true. I love how Jamie goes back to his town and won’t stop looking for clues to this deadly town secret. The plot had thrills that will keep you guessing till the very end.
The acting was superb and it was so real. The Mary Shaw actress is great to watch. She has this look that will frighten.
The special effects were well placed and added to the “death” style of the environment.
Overall Dead Silence is packed with thrills and will keep you guessing to the very end. My rating is 4/5
Saw 4 (October 25 2007) (DVD Released March 19 2008)
Rating- MA15+ for Strong Horror Violence, Graphic Autopsy Scene, Strong Coarse Language.
Tagline- It's A Trap
Website- www.saw4.com
Australian Gross- $4,876,710
In the 4th installment to the franchise, Jigsaw is dead but his legacy lices on. He has a new accompless, Detective Rigg. Rigg is set up for a game in which he has to play many games to find Detective Mattews, which is discovered to be alive. As he plays the games he discovers more and more about the cases, and eventually gets to Mattews, but at a cost. Meanwhile Jigsaw's ex-wife Jill Tuck is being interviews as they find her photo's all over a crime scene.
A downfall. As i expected, this was a downfall from #2 and #3 which are great, this was average, and didn't leave much to the imagination. This film was way too confusing that i had to see it agin to realise that the story is taking place at exactly the same time as #3. What was even more confusiong was the ending, it left nothing to the imagination but was slightly predictable.
The plot wasn't very great, with jigsaw's wife not impressing me that much. There wasn't much gore, no really great scenes except for the one where the woman's skull is getting ripped. Other than that this was pretty bland, but was much better than the first film.
The acting was great, but without a solid good plot, it doesn't really show.
Overall Saw 4 isn't as great as #2 and #3, but is better than the first. A must for any Saw fan. My rating is 3/5.
Saw 3 (November 2 2006) (DVD Released April 11 2007)
Rating- MA15+ for Strong Horror Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Coarse Language.
Tagline- Suffering?.....You Haven't Seen Anything Yet.
Website- www.saw3.com
Australian Gross- $6,668,321
In this third installment, Jigsaw is on his deathbed. A nurse is taken captive, to where jigsaw is located lying in a bed. Surrounded by many tools and gadgets, the nurse is placed with a metal gadget around her neck that will kill her if jigsaw dies as it is connected to his heart-rate monitor. Jigsaw needs urgent surgery, but as he won't goto hospital Amanda is made to steal things from the hospital. Meanwhile Amanda has another game set up. The nurses husband is in the opppsite end of the factory going through many "forgivness games". Every room contains a person who was either involved with his sons death, or at the tiral. As usual the ending is a shocker, that no one was expecting.
Great. Although this wasn't as good as #2, this is just under that line. This sequel packed the gore to the extreme and the plot was very very intriguing. When comparing this to #2, i look at what scenes are watchable (all), what scenes made me cringe (70%), and what makes it great. The whole movie is interesting because little does Amanda know that she is also playing a game.
The plot is great, the scenes are great, the texture is great, and most importantly, the gore. Without all that this film would've burnt to the ground. The best part of the plot is abruptly the ending when we are left hanging gobless, wanting more. As each year passes you realise that each sequel from then on is most likely going to drop greatness by a certain percent. This is no exception, although a great film, not as good as #2.
Overall Saw 3, is gritty, gorey, and great, a must for any Saw lovers. My rating is 4/5
Saw 2 (November 17 2005) (DVD Released March 21, 2006)
Rating- MA15+ for Strong Violence, Blood and Gore, Coarse Language
Tagline- Oh Yes...There Will Be Blood
How Much Blood Would You Shed To Stay Alive?
Website- www.saw2.com
Australian Gross- $5,795,062
In this sequel, Detective Matthews and his team have finnaly caught Jigsaw, but are in for a shock. Jigsaw has captured Matthews son and he and seven others are locked inside a house with a gas leaking through. Jigsaw is watching this "live" in the back room of an abandoned building. Desperate to find his son Matthews threatens Jigsaw, but all Jigsaw want's to do is talk, and he promises his son will be safe. When the conclusion comes you'll be shocked.
Excellent. This is the standout in the franchise. This makes Saw look like a pile of shit. This one, wasn't as confusing as the first and built up the suspense right until the very end. The twist at the end is very very great, which makes the film even more enjoyable. The traps where the people were "killed", were very smart, and very nail biting to watch. A certain scene where the leading woman is thrown into a pit of syringes searching for a key, was so blood curtling.
The plot is better than the first, infact everything in this film is better than the first. Jigsaw is a very dangerous person to mess with, but if you listen and i mean listen to what he says you might be able to crack the case before the on-screen detectives.
The acting is great. Shawnee Smith who plays Amanda is very believable as the junkie who knows what she is doing.
Overall Saw 2 is a huge leap from the first film. The best by far in the franchise. My rating is 4.5/5
Saw (December 2 2004) (DVD Released May 24 2005)
Rating- MA15+ for High Level Violence
Tagline- Every Puzzle Has It's Pieces.
Website-www.sawmovie.com
Australian Gross- $4,321,072
In Saw, two men wake up in a toilet block chained to the wall. There is an elderly man died in the middle of the floor. They discover a camera watching them, and when they follow all these clues hidden around the room, they discover they've been captured by serial killer Jigsaw.
Meh. It wasn't crap but it wasn't great. The more often you watch it, the more it bores more. Every year when the new one comes out i watch them all again, but once actually passed on this one. It's too much of a hassle screwing with your brain the million times you watch it after forgetting, but when watching it the first time it was rather enjoyable. It was very smart, and sophisticated, but that is what also made it seem unbelievable at times, and rather predictable.
The plot is very original and very intriguing but without great acting the whole story is thrown to waste.
Well the acting is the downfall of the movie, and it's very frustrating watching the two main actors trying their best but not shininh.
Overall SAW, is interesting to watch, but only watchable every few years. My rating is 2.5/5
Hard Candy (July 13 2006) (DVD Released December 6 2006)
Rating- R18+ for High Level Sexual Themes, High Level Violence
Tagline- Strangers shouldn't talk to little girls.
Website- www.hardcandymovie.com
Australian Gross- $380,970
A 14yr old girl and man in his early 30’s meet up at a coffee shop after chatting in a chat room for three weeks. Eventually they head back to his home so he can photo her as he is a photographer. But tables turn when he is drugged and the inncoent Hayley embarks throughout his house for evidence. She gets suspicious when she finds no porn and finds a safe which exposes something she knew she would. A photo of Donna Mouer.
Brilliant. This is really a psychological thriller that is so great i’d reccomend it to mature people because others won’t get it. The storyline is simple, A man that likes teenage girls is tied up by one. The film only has two main acters with even a short 5 minutes with Sandra Oh as the suspicious neighbour. This film is entertaining but it’s not one to watch if your just looking for a horror. This makes you thingk real hard about the world. The dialogue in the film is so well scripted and the scenes are so well directed with close ups on the acters just as spmething happens. The in depth story to each character makes them so interesting that i applaud whoever wrote this scripts.
The plot is great. What i love about the plot is how the character Hayley changes in about 20 minutes from the innocent yr 8 honour student to the angry confrontational girl she ends up being. Jess the paedofile doesn’t expect a thing and when he wakes up tied to a chair he thinks it’s all a game, but quickly realises Hayley isn’t who he thought she was.
The acting is superb. Ellen Page steals the film. Her expressions and just the way she is with the camera is so well filmed she really deserved an award for this film. Sandra Oh who made a 5 minute cameo was just dropping off some cookies when she became suspicious of what was going on. Patrick Wilson is also great as the molester and he comes a close second on stealing the film. Without the great acting the film wouldn’t be as great, If you got big name actors for the roles i would think yes it’d made more money but probably wouldn’t have been so great.
Overall Hard Candy is one of the bets films of 2006. Although it doesn’t go into my top 10 list it is probably one of the bets films of this decade. My rating is 5/5. Perfect Perfect Perfect.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (November 20 2003) (DVD Released March 17 2004) Also avaliable in a 2-disc collecters edition.
Rating- MA15+ for High Level Violence
Tagline- What YOU Know About Fear...Doesn't Even Come Close.
Inspired By A True Story.
Website- www.texaschainsawmovie.com/2003
Australian Gross- $3,705,185
A group of youth's travelling through the deserted Texas in the 70's, pick up a hitchhiker who eventually blows her brains out in their van. They go to meet the unconcerned sheriff at The Old Crawford Mill, and when they find a little boy they realise he'll be a while. One couple decides to venture out to the Sheriffs house and they find a disabled man. The girl returns to the others discovering her boyfriend isn't back there as she though, so she and hid mate go back to the house and are ambushed by Leathreface. Then as the night goes on, the others are butchered in what they call "THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE".
<p>Brilliant. This has got to be one of the best films i have ever seen. It built up suspense throughout and the whole film was just so nail biting. So many scenes in this movie were so well directed and the great chemistry with the actors was superb. Remaking these days is just turning a good film into a piece of crap, but this was so well marketed and so well made i just can't stop bragging about it. The score fitted in with what was happening in the film, and the props were placed so well that it made each scene feel more realistic.
The plot of course was based on the original, but this also brang some originality into it. The whole scene with the hitchhiker worked great, and although it was based in the 70's it also had the modern theme. The new characters were better than the original ones, and these ones are more likeable.
The acting was excellent, with chemistry so real. Jessica Beil, plays Erin and is so realistic and can do many expressions with her eyes. Erica Leehrson was also great as the supporting actress. She played Pepper, who was also a hitchhiker and of course the sooky one. Mike Vogel was great as Andy. The acting was a strong point to the film and it made the film the masterpiece it is.
Overall This stunning remake, has thrills that will keep you watching and it is just so realistic. My rating is a perfect 5/5. It is a masterpiece and should've definately made some careers.
House Of Wax (July 14 2005) (DVD Released December 8 2005)
Rating- MA15+ for Strong Horror Violence.
Tagline- Prey. Slay. Display.
Theres A Reason They Look So Real.
The Flesh Is Weak. Wax Is Forever.
Website- www.houseofwaxmovie.com.au
Australian Gross- $1,985,563
The story follows Carly, Wayde, Nick, Paige, Blake, Dalton. They are on a road trip to the see a college fottbal game. They camp out for the night and in the morning discover Waydes car’s fanbelt has been torn. Carly and Wayde are giving a lift by a local to the town of Ambrose. Little do they know that the town hasn’t been on the map since the local sugar mill shut down ten years ago. They stumble accross the “World Famous” House Of Wax. After meeting the gas station clerk, they venture up to his house to get the fanbelt but they realise he is the crazy man that was at their campsite the previous night. Through the next day and night they discover the “people” in the town are wax but human underneath.
This is one of few movies that i can watch over and over. It’s so modern and just a great slasher. The plot was well adapted and the town looked like a normal town. Key scenes were so well played and the simple plot was so thrilling and energetic that you couldn’t look away. I love the deaths as they leave you gob-smacked. Just thinking that somebody could actually do this is so scary but this film brings a entertaining way about it.
The acting was believable and what a stella performence Paris had. I think the role defines her. My favourite scene and in many’s is the scene where Paris is chased by the killer. It shows that she DOES! have the ability to make movies that aren’t sexually explicit and she does a great job. Chad Michael-Murray is also great as Carly’s twin. He puts order and confidence just as well as Elisha Cuthbert. She is hot new talent on the scene and hopefully she’ll be in many more horror’s.
Overall House Of Wax has some scares that cwill keep you on the edge of your seat.
My rating is 4.5/5
The Hills Have Eyes (April 20 2006) (DVD released August 23 2006)
Rating- R18+ for High Level Horror Violence.
Tagline- The Lucky Ones Dies First.
Website- www.foxsearchlight.com/thehillshaveeyes
Australian Gross- $1,164,184
The hills have eyes follows an american family driving through the outback on the way to California. They stop at a gas station and the clerk gives them a “shortcut”. As they drive their tyres are pinned by spikes and the crash into a rock. By the next day half the family is dead and a group of cannibal mutants are behind it.
This is one of the best remakes i’ve seen. It opens with a great opening death scene and a creepy little credit sequence. The mutants were disgusting to look at which shows the great work of the make-up artists. It’s vibe was great and it had a little humour which was really well placed. I love it when remakes have scenes that were in the original because then if you’ve seen the original you can go, this was better or worse. This is one of the few films that kept the pace slow but entertaining. The way it kept the gore effective without going overboard makes you think that Alexandre Aja (director) knew what people wanted. Certain scenes were so disturbing and were so original. One of the most entertaining films in years.
The cast was well assembled with a fellow aussie Emilie De Raven playing Brenda. The connection between the actor and their role was obvious but the role of Ryby could’ve been better portrayed but what are you gonna do.
Overall with disturbing,scary,great scenes it’s a must see for horror lovers.
My rating is 4/5
ROGUE (November 8 2007) (DVD released May 29 2008)
Rating- M for Moderate Violence and Coarse Language.
Taglines- Welcome to the TERRORtory
How Fast Can You Swim?
Website- www.roguecrocodile.com
Australian Gross- $1,791,176
A travel writer goes on a crocodile cruise in the Northern Territory (Australia). Alongside other tourists they are about to head home when they see a flare. They go through the sacred out-of-bounds land and stumble accross the sunken tinney. Just as they attempt to leave they are powerfully nudged by a giant 7m crocodile. They get of the boat and stay stranded on a little mud island which in a few hours will be underwater. They must find a way to get accross to the shore before being dinner to this croc.
Rogue is a smartly written and smartly directed film that is yet firghtening but has some great wildlife cameo’s. It is realistic just making you think that it could be you stuck there just brings more reality and more thrills into the film. First what i love is that it’s just not all about the croc and it has some good character chemistry and they look well. Second the little cameo’s of the wildlife and landscape were so beautiful and were so well placed.
As a Aussie myself i also loved this movie as they have some great actors and best part a main character thats native. The croc was so well done by the effects team and it looked so real as if they were filming with a real 7m beast.
The plot was so simple and was brought to maximum realism as can be and i can’t find any ways to hate it’s plot. It was great as it wasn’t a “slasher” where everyone dies except the lead and it was also great as it wasn’t a movie where you knew who was going to survive.
The crocs lair was so well constructed and it was thrilling to look at it.
The acting which i think was the main part in the film which would have made it real was engaging and scary at the same time. First you have the beautiful Radha Mitchell who playes the boats tour guide Kate. She is the lead female role and she does it superbly. The biggest role was awarded to Michael Vartan who playes the travel writer. He does an excellent job at being the man everyone loves to hate.
Overall rogue is the greatest Aussie thriller and my favourite Aussie film ever. Not to be passed for some cheezy remake so pick it up now.
My rating is 5/5 because it’s perfect in every way.
Snakes On A Plane (August 24 2006) (DVD released December 28 2006)
Rating- M for Moderate Horror Violence and Coarse Language, Sex Scene and Incidental Drug Use.
Tagline- Sit Back, Relax. Enjoy The Fright.
Airline Food Aint What You Gotta Worry About.
Website- www.snakesonaplane.com
Australian Gross- $2,941,797
A F.B.I agent is flying a testifying man to court against a mobster from overseas. They book out first class and the first class passengers are angry. After a while the plane starts to see snakes turning up everywhere. Within a hour snakes have taken over the plane and the remaining survivors take to first class desperate for survival. They must fly the plane to safety as the captain is allready dead.
I loved this. It had humour that was well placed and i love the way this film was shot. Some scenes were frightening but funny. When at the cinemas i was expecting a piece of crap but when it started it got more interesting as the minutes went by.
The plot is so simple and would be hard to drag out into a feature film. There was sex, drugs, a horny fat woman, A famous rapper with Obsessive Compulsory Disorder, and snakes. It was so fun to watch the snakes rip apart every inch of your body. This plot is very original and so many scenes were just classic.
The acting was so great. It looked as if it was actually happening and even Samuel L. Jacksons famous line was believable. The cast were well assembled and were great under the camera. The stars (the snakes) were different in every way. Each had a scene of excellent whether they were C.G.I o not.
Overall with scenes of laughter, horror this is one film not to miss. My rating is 4/5.
Ghost Ship (December 5 2002) (DVD released April 15 2003)
Rating- MA15+ for High Level Violence, Horror Theme.
Tagline- SEA Evil
Website- www.ghostshipmovie.com
Australian Gross- $2,232,932
Ship salvagers set to the seas with a weather reporter to find an extremely large Cruise Ship seen from the reporters helicopter. When they come accross the Ocean Liner floating adrift they discover it’s the Antonia Graza, which went missing in 1962. It was the the most Luxurious cruiser of it’s day before it went missing without a trace. Desperate to block the leaking compartments the team get on board and attempt to pump out the water inside. Over time they discovered what really happened back in 1962 and with the help of a young ghost leave the ship alive.
Ghost Ship is a great Thriller that will keep you guessing right to the end. It has twists and turns and even the gore which only two main scenes had was extremely cool. The concept of a Ocean Liner adrift at sea for over 40 years was fun to watch. It was great to see that even the ship had secrets hidden within it’s dark hallways.
The plot is so original and interesting that it was just great to see how it all panned out. I just love how that a ship has been hidden in that exact spot for over 40 years without human contact. The flashbacks of what happened back in ‘62 where well placed in that otherwise it wouldn’t make sense if placed anywhere else. The ghosts were so different and what i loved most about them was that the ones the salvagers saw were the ones that knew what was going on before they were brutally killed.
The ship was a masterpiece in itself. She had the elegant but deadly vibe going on and she was really the main role. The rest of the cast were average and they put an effort that was visable but unbelievable to a point where you could tell they were acting.
Overall it’s twists and turns will keep you guessing till the very end. Another great film by “DARK CASTLE ENTERTAINMENT”
My rating is 4/5
Hostel (February 23 2006) (DVD released June 22 2006)
Released in a deluxe 3-disc set with part 2. Now Avaliable
Rating- R18+ for High Level Horror Violence, Sex Scenes and Nudity
Taglines- Welcome To Your Worst Nightmare
Website- www.sonypictures.com.au/movies/hostel
Australian Gross- $2,513,545
Three backpackers head to a hostel in Slovakia, so they can get laid. One by one, they go missing and are taken to a place, tortured and ultimately killed.
Cool. From the opening credits you know it’s gonna be a gore fest. It is a modern styled backpacking story. Three guys backpacking across the world to sleep with any girl possible. It keeps you entertained with humour and the essence that something is gonna happen soon. Throughout the film people pop up that look freaky, and you want to see again. The gore is put to the extreme and it makes you cringe at some of the torture the characters are put through.
The plot is simple. Backpackers bid-on, kidnapped, and tortured. It has sex, drugs, gore, humour. What more could you want?. Things like this do apparently actually happen in Slovakia and well lets just say that this film is enough to put me off backpacking throughout Europe.
The cast was assembled well, they were believable and did a great job at using body language to help make the scene better. The characters are great. They do what anybody in their situation would do.
Overall Hostel, is a gorefested, awesomely-cool ride. My rating is 3.5/5
The Hitcher (March 8 2007) (DVD released November 28 2007) Avaliable in a special edition also.
Rating- R18+ for High Level Violence
Taglines- Never Pick Up Strangers
Website- www.neverpickupstrangers.com
Australian Gross- $599,323
A young couple running from home almost hit a man in the middle of the road. They leave him stranded and drive off. Then when getting gas, the man was picked up by a trucker and dropped off there too. Feeling guilty the couple offer him a ride to the nearest town. When driving he reveals his real identity. He is maniac killer. The couple are framed for murdering his victims and are on the run from the cops, and on the run from THE HITHER.
The Hitcher is a good remake caught at a bad time. Although this is a entertaining film i think people are starting to get sick of these remakes. I have no problem with them but when you look at their performence in the box office they suffer. I love seing an original film and so do alot of others. When company’s stop putting their money into these remakes we will get some original thrillers. I mean i’m in anticipation for Friday The 13th (2009), A Nightmare On Elm Street (2010), and the rumoured Roesmary’s Baby, butwhat people want to see is new films, not ones predictable and oldish. By oldish i mean things that feel like DeJaVu. When watching this there was one film that stood in my mind because this is so like it. Jeepers Creepers. The only thing different really is that in this the creature is a serial killer.
The plot is basically the same as the original with added dialogue, and gore. I could tell that they wore hoping for the same-style feel by just how much it was like it’s preceeder. The plot has some suspense but as a horror flick it has satisfied me.
The acting is average with Sophia Bush as the “final girl”. She is believable but in some scenes she was terrible. Sean Bean is such a good killer. He pulls off the scary, killer look so well and i would’ve left him on the side of the road aswell.
Overall it’s a straight-out horror flick built on gore, and thrill scenes, but with more suspense my rating would be higher. My rating is 3/5
Perfect Stranger (April 19 2007) (DVD released August 22 2007)
Rating- M for Moderate Violence, Coarse Language and Sexual References
Tagline- How Far Would You Go To Keep A Secret?
Website- www.perfectstranger.com.au
Australian Gross- $3,347,156
A journalist goes undercover as a worker for a man who is rumoured to kill someone. She creates several instant messenger accounts posing as her undercover name Catherine Pogue, and a woman he slept with in the past. After investigating him for a long while, he starts to get suspicious, even looking at her messages.
A standout thrill ride. It sucks you in for a what seems to be a average watch but what you get is a film not to be missed. It has twists and turn with scenes that will make you bite your nails with anguish. I have to admit i wasn’t expecting it to be as good as Gothika, but it stands just as high. The ending is one you wont forget, and one of the most wired scenes ive ever seen.
The plot is so well drawn out and is packed with dialogue that makes it interesting. The two main characters have such a background in the film, which you don’t see alot these days. This ploy isn’t to be ripped off or remade, it’s that great.
The acting is great with lead roles by Halle Berry, and Bruce Willis. They have so much chemistry in the film which makes you wonder why they haven’t done more films together. Smaller roles were well acted but Berry, and Willis are standouts.
Overall it is more thrilling than you’d expect. Some scenes will play in the back of your mind for a long while. My rating is 4/5
Poseidon (June 1 2006) (DVD released September 27 2006) 2-disc edition also avaliable.
Rating- M for Moderate Disaster Themes and Violence.
Tagline- Mayday.
Website- www.poseidonmovie.com.au
Australian Gross- $4,752,736
A luxury cruise ship sailing the seas on New Years Eve are headed towards a Rogue Wave. Unable to get around it the wave capsizes the ship, and the top of the ship is now the bottom. A group of survivors get anxious and head upwards towards the now top of the ship in hopes of getting there before it sinks. Hurdles along the way cost them time, and many parts of the cruise liner are bow flooded.
Nail Biting. I havent seen the original but i doubt that it was anywhere as detailed as this remake. Scenes were so well drawn out and certain aspects of the film, made you feel bad. Although it was sometimes predictable, some scenes had me chewing my finger nails non stop. I was hoping for a longer scene of the ship going up in the wave and capsizing, but i guess they had to get the story rolling. Great character introdutions before they all knew each other, and great chemistry between them. The ending seemed abit Titanic, and really unrealistic but what are you gonna do?.
The Plot was something that made me wanna see it in the first place, and knowing friends have said it was good, just made me want it even more but i gotta tell you now, it’s not what you’d expect. The ending was really dissapointing because of how coincidental it was their was i life boat just as the boat was sinking. Some scenes were predictable but more scenes had me really chewing hard on my nails.
The acting is something i was looking forward to because i knew Fergie Ferg was a cameo. The acting was allright but nothing special.
Overall Poseidon has great special effects, great scenes and is a great ride. My rating is 3.5/5.