Genre: Horror
Director: Andrew Douglas
Screenplay: Scott Kosar based on the novel by Jay Anson
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George, Jesse James, Jimmy Bennett, and Chloe Moretz
The Lutz Family has just bought a new family home, and they are eager to start their new lives together. They just didn’t realize that the home was already occupied when they moved in. Strange occurrences continue to happen and worsen. Something dark and evil is trying to prey upon the Lutz family, but can they stop it?
This isn’t a terrible remake for starters. I actually liked the subtle changes in this interpretation. They put more of the original murder story into this film by using the victims to haunt as well as the evil that surrounds the place. The original story is mostly psychological toying with the supposed actual truth of the events. Since the technological effects were nowhere near the capabilities available to the remake, one would assume that the new movie would head off more in that direction. This was not the case, though there were obvious advances in the effects. They still chose to use the story as the best asset, which the actors helped out with.
I honestly was a little skeptical of seeing Ryan Reynolds in this film, due to this being the first time he took such a serious leading role. Before this, he was mostly known for his comedic abilities. I was delighted to see that he could handle such a role and be taken seriously. This type of flexibility usually leads to phenomenal performances as an actor. By no means do I ever want him to stop comedy, because his sarcasm is divine. I won’t mind seeing his serious roles either.
I give this film 3 Buttery Kernals.
Coming Soon: Monster Squad
Sleepy Hallow
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Genre: Horror
Director: Tim Burton
Screenplay: Andrew Kevin Walker based on the story by Washington Irving
Starring: Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Casper Van Dien, and Christopher Walkin
Ichabod Crane is summoned to Sleepy Hallow to solve a string of murders. There is legend and mystery surrounding them, but Ichabod Crane is determined to make scientific sense of it all. Disctraction comes in the form of the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel for Crane, but she also brings more questions and mysteries of her own. How is Ichabod Crane to prove that these murders have been done by man and not the feared headless horseman.
This will be the second film I am to review concerning this legendary story. I am happy to admit that this film succeeds the last crappy film by several giant leaps and bounds for several reasons. The major reason being:
1. Tim Burton
He is an eccentric film making, and we may not always understand his visions. Though, the man knows how to display one magical and imaginative movie. He has a wonderful use of color in his all of his films, and this one is no different. His uses of the colors red and blue vary by being gorgeous and then frightening the next moment.
2. Johnny Depp
It is never a bad thing to have this man in a movie period, but when he does a Burton, which he does a lot, it is a combination that is difficult to top. His acting skills are pretty decent also. Yeah, that was an understatement.
3. Christopher Walken
I think that man’s name is more than plenty.
I give this film 3 Buttery Kernals.
Coming Soon: Amityville Horror
Director: Tim Burton
Screenplay: Andrew Kevin Walker based on the story by Washington Irving
Starring: Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Casper Van Dien, and Christopher Walkin
Ichabod Crane is summoned to Sleepy Hallow to solve a string of murders. There is legend and mystery surrounding them, but Ichabod Crane is determined to make scientific sense of it all. Disctraction comes in the form of the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel for Crane, but she also brings more questions and mysteries of her own. How is Ichabod Crane to prove that these murders have been done by man and not the feared headless horseman.
This will be the second film I am to review concerning this legendary story. I am happy to admit that this film succeeds the last crappy film by several giant leaps and bounds for several reasons. The major reason being:
1. Tim Burton
He is an eccentric film making, and we may not always understand his visions. Though, the man knows how to display one magical and imaginative movie. He has a wonderful use of color in his all of his films, and this one is no different. His uses of the colors red and blue vary by being gorgeous and then frightening the next moment.
2. Johnny Depp
It is never a bad thing to have this man in a movie period, but when he does a Burton, which he does a lot, it is a combination that is difficult to top. His acting skills are pretty decent also. Yeah, that was an understatement.
3. Christopher Walken
I think that man’s name is more than plenty.
I give this film 3 Buttery Kernals.
Coming Soon: Amityville Horror
1408
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Genre: Horror
Director: Mikael Håfström
Screenplay: Matt Greenberg, Scott Alexander, and Larry Karaszewski based on the short story by Stephen King
Starring: John Cusak and Samuel L. Jackson
Mike Enslin has made a career of going to famous haunted places and debunking their paranormal attributes. He gets a strange opportunity to check out the infamous room 1408 of the Dolphin Hotel. This being a major step in his career, he immediately agrees. What he finds in room 1408, may actually be true and terrifying.
I really enjoyed this film. I am a huge fan of John Cusak, so I was going to watch it no matter what. I was not disappointed. The fear generated in this film is more psychological and easier to believe as audience and possibly be frightened by, so in easier words, bigger creep factor. These films are always driven by the story, and the better the story, the better the movie. This film certainly held up.
Since this film mostly focuses around one character and his experiences, the merit of the actor has to be high. John Cusak is a wonderful actor that could easily handle the weight of this film. The man could probably do a one man show, and I could sit there completely enthralled. Why he has yet to win an Oscar is a mystery to me. The writing alone in the movie is enough to watch, but to have Cusak drive, who wouldn’t want to take that trip.
I give this film 3 Buttery Kernals.
Coming Soon: Sleepy Hallow
Director: Mikael Håfström
Screenplay: Matt Greenberg, Scott Alexander, and Larry Karaszewski based on the short story by Stephen King
Starring: John Cusak and Samuel L. Jackson
Mike Enslin has made a career of going to famous haunted places and debunking their paranormal attributes. He gets a strange opportunity to check out the infamous room 1408 of the Dolphin Hotel. This being a major step in his career, he immediately agrees. What he finds in room 1408, may actually be true and terrifying.
I really enjoyed this film. I am a huge fan of John Cusak, so I was going to watch it no matter what. I was not disappointed. The fear generated in this film is more psychological and easier to believe as audience and possibly be frightened by, so in easier words, bigger creep factor. These films are always driven by the story, and the better the story, the better the movie. This film certainly held up.
Since this film mostly focuses around one character and his experiences, the merit of the actor has to be high. John Cusak is a wonderful actor that could easily handle the weight of this film. The man could probably do a one man show, and I could sit there completely enthralled. Why he has yet to win an Oscar is a mystery to me. The writing alone in the movie is enough to watch, but to have Cusak drive, who wouldn’t want to take that trip.
I give this film 3 Buttery Kernals.
Coming Soon: Sleepy Hallow
Planet Terror
Friday, October 22, 2010
Genre: Horror/Comedy
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Screenplay: Robert Rodriguez
Starring: Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Josh Brolin, Mary Shelton, Jeff Fahey, Naveen Andrews, and Bruce Willis
When bio-weapon is released into the air of a small town, infection spreads turning the people and dead into mutant zombies hungry for flesh. Only a small group of survivors are left to take on the hoard coming to eat them. They can only hope to survive long enough to make it out of town.
So this film is a parody, a bloody and ridiculous parody, but that’s the point. The film is filled with bloody gore upon bloody gore, but in a ridiculous manner that is supposed to make you laugh. It is all in the fun of making you uncomfortable and then asking you to believe that what you’re seeing could be somewhat real. Okay, so maybe turning a missing appendage into a lethal weapon is a little hard to swallow.
There is also a kind of finesse with how the effects of the film make it feel as if it is something from the seventies. The look of the film, the music, and even some of the editing are blended together to give this appearance. It also adds to the ridiculousness, considering many films of that time had the campy humor to it.
If you’re not into laughing at this kind of grotesque blood and gore, then I don’t recommend this one for you.
I give this film 3 Buttery Kernals.
Coming Soon: 1408
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Screenplay: Robert Rodriguez
Starring: Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Josh Brolin, Mary Shelton, Jeff Fahey, Naveen Andrews, and Bruce Willis
When bio-weapon is released into the air of a small town, infection spreads turning the people and dead into mutant zombies hungry for flesh. Only a small group of survivors are left to take on the hoard coming to eat them. They can only hope to survive long enough to make it out of town.
So this film is a parody, a bloody and ridiculous parody, but that’s the point. The film is filled with bloody gore upon bloody gore, but in a ridiculous manner that is supposed to make you laugh. It is all in the fun of making you uncomfortable and then asking you to believe that what you’re seeing could be somewhat real. Okay, so maybe turning a missing appendage into a lethal weapon is a little hard to swallow.
There is also a kind of finesse with how the effects of the film make it feel as if it is something from the seventies. The look of the film, the music, and even some of the editing are blended together to give this appearance. It also adds to the ridiculousness, considering many films of that time had the campy humor to it.
If you’re not into laughing at this kind of grotesque blood and gore, then I don’t recommend this one for you.
I give this film 3 Buttery Kernals.
Coming Soon: 1408
The Strangers-Stu
Thursday, October 21, 2010
The Strangers
Directed by Bryan Bertino
Starring Liv Tyler(Aerosmith’s daughter) Scott Speedman(Underworlds)
A couple spends time together at the family cabin. They have just left a wedding and he thought that he would ask her to marry him. She said no. So they decided to spend time together alone at a cabin. So alone out in the middle nowhere, they are tortured by three crazy psycho killers.
This movie was a pretty good. It is based on a true story and the killers are in awesome masks.
3 bloody hand prints
Directed by Bryan Bertino
Starring Liv Tyler(Aerosmith’s daughter) Scott Speedman(Underworlds)
A couple spends time together at the family cabin. They have just left a wedding and he thought that he would ask her to marry him. She said no. So they decided to spend time together alone at a cabin. So alone out in the middle nowhere, they are tortured by three crazy psycho killers.
This movie was a pretty good. It is based on a true story and the killers are in awesome masks.
3 bloody hand prints
The Children-Stu
The Children
Directed by Tom Shankland
Starring some crazy Brits
Two couples get together for the Holidays. The kids and the parents enjoy spending time with family, with the exception of the teenage rebel and the sick kid. They share stories, laughs, and everything is like a British Norman Rockwell painting. They then discover that the sick kid may have more than just the flu. As the hours go by, things become scary. The children turn into evil murderous demons. Will the adults survive?
This story has it all. Teenage angst. Vomiting children. Sledding injuries. Even sexual tension between an underage goth and her uncle. It is British, but that is all it has going for it. The kids aren’t even creepy, which is what you would ask for in a creepy kid movie.
I give this 1 bloody hand print
Directed by Tom Shankland
Starring some crazy Brits
Two couples get together for the Holidays. The kids and the parents enjoy spending time with family, with the exception of the teenage rebel and the sick kid. They share stories, laughs, and everything is like a British Norman Rockwell painting. They then discover that the sick kid may have more than just the flu. As the hours go by, things become scary. The children turn into evil murderous demons. Will the adults survive?
This story has it all. Teenage angst. Vomiting children. Sledding injuries. Even sexual tension between an underage goth and her uncle. It is British, but that is all it has going for it. The kids aren’t even creepy, which is what you would ask for in a creepy kid movie.
I give this 1 bloody hand print
White Noise
White Noise
Directed by Geoffrey Sax
Starring Michael Keaton(Batman, Multiplicity), Debra Kara Unger(Silent Hill, Crash(the old one), Chandra West(not much), and Ian McNiece( Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls)
Keaton plays a Architect who loses his wife in a tragedy. He then is stricken with grief that he cannot shake. He then is approached by a man who informs him that he may be able to speak with his wife---from beyond the grave. He then becomes obsessed with seeking his wife and helping others, through the use of EVP(electronic voice phenomenon). The EVP’s help lead him into a world of evil from beyond and trying to help a missing person.
This movie is actually kinda cool. Watching all the ghost shows, I am very familiar with the use of EVP. It is kind of a creepy concept and it is worth a look if you have the time. It goes a little too far, but what do you expect for a horror movie.
I give this one 3 ½ bloody hand prints
Directed by Geoffrey Sax
Starring Michael Keaton(Batman, Multiplicity), Debra Kara Unger(Silent Hill, Crash(the old one), Chandra West(not much), and Ian McNiece( Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls)
Keaton plays a Architect who loses his wife in a tragedy. He then is stricken with grief that he cannot shake. He then is approached by a man who informs him that he may be able to speak with his wife---from beyond the grave. He then becomes obsessed with seeking his wife and helping others, through the use of EVP(electronic voice phenomenon). The EVP’s help lead him into a world of evil from beyond and trying to help a missing person.
This movie is actually kinda cool. Watching all the ghost shows, I am very familiar with the use of EVP. It is kind of a creepy concept and it is worth a look if you have the time. It goes a little too far, but what do you expect for a horror movie.
I give this one 3 ½ bloody hand prints
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