julessimmond's Reviews

Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer (2007)

5/10

13 May 2009

Freddy Kreuger guy is brilliant in this film, everyone else is okay. Its worth a watch to see him give it his all! I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did! I really love the monsters (although a little cartoony) they were really well done! I couldn't help but feel this was made for children, as the story didn't seem to have much going on to keep me interested, there was nothing left to guess, it was predictable even though it was 'fun'.

Story is very basic, guy has anger issues with people and monsters. Guy has to get over it and kill said monsters. It really is that basic. Cute film though.

After watching it I would totally think my little cousin would enjoy it so I think its quite kid friendly. Not sure if this is what the film makers were after, give us some good films for adults!! The making of is brilliant, they are really open and seem like a great bunch of people. They kept saying though they were making it for 'THE FUN' of it? So my round up, good fun, but fun isn't everything. Totally worth a watch just to see the monster metamorphosis but don't expect to be pulled in by it!

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Eden Log (2007)

3/10

A Cinematic Masterpiece it is Not! Large French Man In a Tunnel! Bad taste!

15 March 2009

Warning: Spoilers

A man wakes up in a pool of sludge, not knowing who he is or where he is. He struggles to get up and climbs over a corpse. Warning... This main sequence takes ages, consisting of darkness and grunting as our main character tries to navigate his surroundings, which is slightly grimm in a bad way. From there on he tries to find out where he came from and what his purpose might be...

I found the main character badly written, I didn't like him or feel for him, again more grunting as 3 dancers in suits pretend to be aliens running around. This wasn't the best! The people in suits were Quite funny!

There is a scene where he rapes a woman for no reason. Yuk! This was just plain bad taste, me thinks it was to secure the Certificate for the film. anyway this large grunting guy carries on like nothing happened. But the rest of it was fine, nothing special though... I wont spoil the ending, but you've probably worked it out after 20 minutes of watching anyway.

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Dante 01 (2008)

6/10

Mysterious Virus Affects Convicts in Space - Pseudo Religious Sci Fi Movie

15 March 2009

Warning: Spoilers

The whole story is set in a space shuttle which is being used as a medical research centre, far from the earth with a psychiatrist and a few guardians in charge of 7 convicts. Some of them are murderers some of them are psychopaths. As the story progresses a genetic engineer woman comes to the space shuttle with a secret experiment.

A strange, mysterious new convict is delivered to the space shuttle who is very sick, dumb, bald and has no identity....

One of the convicts begins believing that this sick, unknown man is the Messiah sent from God; and he gives him a name of a Saint. The convicts fall apart into 2 confronting sides and once things start breaking down the film becomes very enjoyable.

I love strong character films. Only trouble is that it is slightly confusing when the genetic engineer woman injects the immortality virus into some of the convicts' bodies. just before she is going to watch their change and our strange mute guy shows up and takes the immortality virus out of their bodies by eating it.... creepy

I felt this was a really enjoyable film but if you don't like Pseudo Religious meanings in a film this is not the one for you- I felt like there was going to be a monster but there wasn't so if you try not to expect some big monster reveal or aliens you'll enjoy it more! Enjoyable overall though and great acting and characterisation.

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The Dead Outside (2008)

7/10

Indie horror gem

2 March 2009

While I must admit that I wasn't expecting much, this film turned out pretty good! Story was more complex and psychological than I expected. Left me wondering how such a low-budget effort could resonate more than the last 5 big-budget films I've watched combined. The ending in most films lets them down, there's nothing worse than a bad ending. Dead Outside pulled out all the stops and tied it all up with a bow, great little atmospheric film. Oddly creepy at times with them surviving in the old run down farmhouse, waiting for something bad to happen. This film is similar to The Fog in its atmosphere of dread but set in the Scottish Borderlands.. with the infected acting as the backdrop for the narrative.. and some ghosts for good measure! Haunting and well worth a watch.

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The Strangers (2008)

8/10

Suspenseful pretty Horror Film

2 March 2009

OK now this is very different from the french original 'Ils' and better in many ways, not just in that it is glossier but it is a much better told and structured film. People mention yuppies but have you seen Ils? Now that couple were annoying! I'm a fan of good old fashioned suspense and using atmosphere to build up fear. This does the job very well! Its a must watch and quite an achievement for Hollywood to make a slower paced scary film. Really good looking immersing film! Just lay back and watch it on the big screen. It will blow you away! No gore here. Just suspense and scary moments. We should support this atmospheric and brooding kind of film. I've had enough of action and gore for one.

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Manhunt (2008)

7/10

Was pretty good

28 February 2009

I think the rating for this is a tad unfair. Okay, its pretty unoriginal, and doesn't particularly contribute anything new to the genre, but there was plenty that it did right. The acting throughout was great, especially the first girl. I also liked the 70's Scandinavia feel, it really gave it a tone and an atmosphere that sucked you into its world. It had a lovely texture and aesthetic to how it looked, and I think the contrast of the dated, distressed visuals with the shocking effects and edge-of-your-seat sound design was really brilliant. Yes I must say that I usually prefer a tad more story to get invested in, but it was fast, tense, believable, and I genuinely enjoyed it! Hopefully the filmmakers have more to give than this next time around- they clearly have the technical skills for the genre, lets see what they have to give in the story department. A great debut film.

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Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009)

6/10

A couple hours entertainment, I suppose

28 February 2009

Well it was better than Underworld 1, but clearly that isn't saying much. I skipped Underworld 2, but went to see this one at the Cinema since I had a 2-for-1 offer.

Rhona Mitra is surprisingly good as the 'young attractive ish female vampire', which is usually done pretty terribly in this type of film. Her strong voice and general demeanor was surprisingly good. The main guy was also pretty good-- between the two of them they really tried to prop up the seriousness of the film, against all odds.

Bill Nighy was totally miss-cast, and oozed with camp theatricality that unraveled any suspension of disbelief each time he appeared on the screen. Which is odd, he should be able to do this-- the old, dusty authoritarian head vampire is the one that films usually 'get right'. Clearly either he or the director weren't taking the film that seriously.

The clip where the vampire girl and the wolf/ lycan guy are making love over the edge of a cliff was hilarious.

Overall it was pretty epic, fairly non-stop in the action stakes, but a tad brain-dead and lazy in the storytelling department.

p.s. Rhona Mitra's massive top lip got distracting.

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