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- $430,611 (Minimum)
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 but nothing special, but i'd say watch it before you die. My rating is 3/5.
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- $190,756 (Minimum)
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- $658,849 (Minimum)
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- $5,808,365 (Minimum)
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- $4,878,000 (Minimum)
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- $6,659,353 (Minimum)
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- $5,707,797 (Minimum)
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- $4,610,155 (Minimum)
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- $300,850 (Minimum)
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- $3,647,111 (Minimum)
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- $1,897,685 (Minimum)
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- $1,086,926 (Minimum)
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- $1,877,280
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- $2,776,657 (Minimum)
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- $2,086,965 (Minimum)
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- $2,429,029 (minimum)
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- $504,737 (Minimum)
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- $3,284,101 (Minimum)
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
When A Stranger Calls (March 16 2006) (DVD released August 17 2006)
Rating- M for Infrequent Violence, Threatening Scenes
Tagline- Evil Hits Home
Whatever You Do. Don't Answer The Phone
Website-www.sonypictures.com.au/whenastrangercalls
Australian Gross- $3,239,877 (Minimum)
Jill is babysitting in the “rich part” of town. The house is in the middle of nowhere and huge. The kids are asleep, the pantry is full, and there’s no care in the world. UNTILL NOW!. She keeps getting calls from an unknown male and messages telling her to check the children. When the police trace the call, they discover it’s coming from inside the house. Jill must now escape with the children before she comes the next victim to this sadistic killer.
This is a remake that is connected but original in it’s own way. I love how the plot is the first five minutes of the original layed out into a full length feature. It was scary so when something was expected nothing happened but when something wasn’t expected something did happen. The one thing that stands out in my mind that is a fault is that Jill doesn’t call the cops to make them come over anyway.
The plot is scary and has suspense which is hard to do when their is loads of cast but in this case there was lots of chances to have a twist because it was one actress. The plot also has a style that want’s you to feel scared even when something is not happening which isn’t very appealing to the eye. When comparing the plot of the remake to the original’s this stylish remake wins. The original had only the first few scenes that were scary and the rest of the film was plain boring. I think the writer of the remake knew this and brought a whole new meaning to the film.
The Acting was something that was hard to digest because when looking at Camilla Belle (Jill) i don’t find that she would actually be someone who would pursue the role as well as others among the young cast. Camilla done a great job but casting her in a smaller role and having another actress take on Jill would be in my opinion a better choice.
Overall this stylish remake has your eyes drawn to the screen majority of the time. My rating is 3/5
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- $4,622,621 (minimum)
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.
Red Dragon (October 24 2003) (2-disc edition released June 17 2003)
Rating- MA15+ for High Level Violence and Adult Themes.
Taglines- Meet Hannibal Lecter For The First Time.
Before The Silence, There Was The Dragon.
Website- www.reddragonmovie.com
Australian Gross- $7,615,342 (Minimum)
1 year before Clarice Starling arrives to visit him, Hannibal Lecter is helping his old friend find a killer. The killer’s body is “invaded” by the red dragon, and he is preying on familys for a reason, the detective wants to know why. OK. Red Dragon isn’t as good as Silence, or Hannibal, but it wasn’t bad. I was hoping for more of Dr Lecter but was dissapointed. Hannibal wasn’t as engaging this film and the film overall just wasn’t brillian’t as i expected it to be.
The plot wasn’t bad, but i was hoping for more of Hannibal, I loved how they made it as the killer had a heart, because he did. The first 30 minutes were bland and boring, and weren’t what i’d expect from the franchise. I was hoping for engaging riddles and clues, but nothing. I loved the ending because Clarice Starling was about visit Hannibal. It was great.
The acting was great and believable. Of course Anthony Hopkins just makes you scared with a look, and the expressionless talking is so evil. The other performences were great but nothing like the great chemistry between Anthony and Jodie Foster.
Overall the film isn’t as good as you’d expect, but it was watchable. My rating is 3/5
Venom (DIRECT TO DVD June 20 2006)
Rating- MA15+ for Strong Horror Violence
Tagline- He Never Hurt A Soul, Until The Day He Died.
Website- www.miramax.com/venom
A woman crashes her car into a lake which is carrying a suitcase with deadly snakes inside. When the snakes kill the man trying to save the woman his body is ambushed by all the souls those snakes have killed. Now he wants revenge on the womans family and will kill anyone that steps in his way.
So So. It wasn’t bad nor good. It was just a average horror flick. Teens dying because of an evil source. The plot was very complex with a few good death scenes but it just failed to catch my attention for the whole time. Glimpses of the movie reminded me of other movies but, i guess that just means i’ve watched alot. I’m guessing it was aimed at younger audiences because it was teen oriented and well I didn’t think it was that crash hot.
The plot was complex, and yet again another horror with great scenes that weren’t acted to their potential. The death scenes are what stood out for me. Nothing makes me wanna watch a movie when i’ve heard that there is a really good scene where someone is dying. What i hated about the plot was it was too much storyline with many unanswered questiones and plot holes.
The acting was ok. Bijou Phillips, although dies early on has a unique voice and when she screams it seems too fake, but ultimately she does the same scream in Hostel 2. Laura Ramsey was better in The Ruins, but her effort was watchable.
Overall Venom, is a teen oriented horror flick that won’t keep your attnetion the whole time. My rating is 2.5/5
Hostel 2 (June 7 2007) (DVD Released October 23 2007)
Rating- R18+ for High Level Violence,Blood and Gore, Coarse Language.
Website- www.hostel2.com.au
Australian Gross- $926,047 (Minimum)
Three college girls on a train to Prague are joined by a woman they met in Rome. She convinces them to go to Slovakia for the “theraputic” hot springs, but what they don’t realise is that the hostel they are booked in sells them to people who will torture them in any way they like.
Better than the first. This one has been criticised for being released just for money, but i loved it. It was better than the first. This combines two storys together and puts them together towards the end, and it is just so fantastically directed. I love Eli Roth for starters. He directed one of my favourites Cabin Fever, and then Hostel and now this. The thought of the plt actually happening is so dramatically real, and thats the thing that makes it scary.
The plot is definately a risk taker, and im sure that Slovakia wouldn’t appreciate it but i loved it. The three girls who then are tortured by the men who are doing it for the first time. The characters all have a sotry and i loved listening and watching what they were doing.
The acting is so fun and believable to watch. The character of Whitney played by Bijou Phillips is so well acted and Bijou plays her so well. Shes the typical sex craved girl, up in your face. Lauren German is also great. Her character as Beth is so up and down and Lauren plays her so well. Lorna is also great and Axel too. The acting is a strong point of this film.
Overall Hostel 2 delivers more than the original and adds in the things you really wanted to see but didn’t in the first. My rating is 4/5
Deep Blue Sea (September 27 1999) (DVD released)
Rating- M for Moderate Violence and Coarse Language.
Tagline- Bigger. Smarter. Faster. Meaner
How Fast Can You Swim?
Welcome To The Endangered Species List.
Your Worst Fear Is About To Surface.
Beneath The Glassy Surface, There's A World Of Gliding Monsters.
Website- www.deepbluesea.warnerbros.com
Australian Gross- $9,725,858 (Minimum)
A team of Shark experts invite a Doctor to their floating labatory AQUATICA. The doctor makes a terrible mistake when experimenting and makes the sharks FASTER. MEANER. STRONGER. Now as Aquatica is slowly filling up with water, they must escape before it’s too late.
A modern Jaws. What i liked about this film was, it wasn’t predictable, too far-fetched and mostly boring. Some dialogue was humorous which fitted in well with what was happening in the scene, and the characters were likeable, and even then picking who was to die was hard. It’s hard to think this could potentially happen with science as it is these days. I really couldn’t find a thing wrong with it.
The plot is to an extent complex, but pulls off as being true to it’s name. The film i think would be better named AQUATICA which is more suitable but ah well. The plot had many characters which we learned more about them as the film goes on or before they died. The plot is what you’d expect from a shark film, AWESOME!.
The characters are great and all seemed to fit in together. They all seemed to die pretty quickly and what the creators achieved was making them likeable so that you didn’t want any of them to die. The acting was great and was believable. I wasn’t expecting many of the characters do die when they did, and ultimately only one survived that i expected.
Overall Deep Blue Sea, is a great shark film, that is entertaining with a little added humour.
My rating 3.5/5
House On Haunted Hill (February 10 2000) (DVD Released September 20 2000)
Rating- MA15+ for Horror Theme.
Tagline- EVIL Loves To Party.
Dare You To Win!
Six Strangers Have The Chance To Win $1,000,000.All They Have To Do Is Make It Through The Night......Alive
Website- www.houseonhauntedhill.com
Australian Gross- $2,361,851 (Minimum)
5 strangers are invited to a party for Evelyn Price. These five people do not know her, nor she know them. Her husband Steven Price is behind the whole scheme. The are all offered $1,000,000 to stay one single night in the supposed haunted house. They eventually get lockjed in alongside the owner who knows the former asylums little secrets. Over the next night the house will hunt it’s victims down untill there is none left.
Not only a remake, a masterpiece. Although it borrowed elements from another movie it was so scary to the point of turning the lights on. Twists all over which will keep the story going and yet keep you entertained. This will slip into my top ten movies of all time. The genre of horror these days means basically gore, but back when this was released in 1999 the horror films then had gore but also had a great plot alongside it.
The plot keeps some original scenes but also has the freedom to discover new ones. Personally this plot is better than the 1958 one mainly because in this, their is ghosts. The scare tactics of this is the sound which if it lacked wouldn’t be scary. The whole environment of this film is scary, the fact that it was an asylum is scary, let alone the cobwebs everywhere.
The acting is great and my favourite performer of this whole film is Bridgette Wilson who plays Melissa Marr. She made her role elegantly beautiful but bitchy. Famke Janssen who plays Mrs Price was so well acted. She had so many expressions which were superb. Ali Larter, Taye Diggs were the lead roles and were great, but i think could’ve been a little better. Last of all Geoffrey Rush who plays Mr Price was so believable and you felt what he felt. He played along with the whole situation where he and his wife wanted eachother dead, when deep down he loved her. The cast was backed up on a superb plot which would be nothing without them.
Overall this is my second favourite film by Dark Castle entertainment. I would recommend this to anybody. My rating is 4.5/5.