The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Al_The_Strange]

Death Proof (Grindhouse)

In 2007, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez joined forces to create the Grindhouse film experience: a double feature intended to emulate the thrilling grittiness and distinctive roughness of 1970s exploitation cinema.

Tarantino's contribution to the Grindhouse project is Death Proof: a weird combination of car-chase action and serial-killer terror. If nothing else, Death Proof does everything that Tarantino loves doing. It has characters who act really cool, always talking with sharp wit and dirty language. It has wild camera work, including some slick black-and-white shots and shots intentionally damaged to give everything a rough, old-fashioned texture. It has an abundance of oldies rock 'n roll, it has oodles of references to other films (including some references to Tarantino's own Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill). It even has dozens of foot-fetish shots, with barefoot characters strutting around, shoving their feet into the camera. And, of course, there's also plenty of pulpy blood and violence to satisfy.

The film has its share of cool parts and sharp dialogue. The last act is most worthwhile for its phenomenal car chase scene. It lasts for a good twenty minutes or so, featuring a pair of great muscle cars, ripping up the roads before ripping each other up. It's all intended to replicate the look, feel, and excitement of old-fashioned car chase films, such as Vanishing Point (which is referenced in the film, and the film even uses the same car).

The problem is, however, is that when the film isn't cool, it's totally uncool. In between the big standout scenes, the film drags a lot. A lot of time is spent on the characters hanging out at bars and restaurants, chatting inanely, and often times without progressing the plot all that much. These scenes still have a few standout scenes (such as the saucy lapdance scene), but a lot of it comes off as pointless.

The story is also pretty weird and mixed. It's essentially split in half, with some scenes set in the past and some set in the present. It's all intended to focus on the main villain stalking two different sets of victims, and the film takes its (damn) time to set things up for the big car wreck scenes. It also takes its time to dive deeply into the characters. Unfortunately, the pacing takes a huge hit in doing so, and the film overall feels uneven.

Fortunately, the film remains cool and slick, with fantastic photography and editing. Scenes set in the past have been scratched-up and damaged on purpose to replicate that old-fashioned 1970s film look, and it is pretty wild that way. Acting is quite appealing from the cast; especially from Kurt Russell, playing the bad guy for a change, and he is strikingly effective as Stuntman Mike. Writing is very sharp and witty, although not always effective. This production uses some very cool and distinctive sets, props, costumes, and cars. Music is really neat too.

The film is pure Tarantino, and I can't help but to think that the man must have had too much fun making this picture, because it encompasses all of his signature trademarks. Unfortunately, it's also quite a mixed experience that's not always palatable. Fans should check it out and see what they think, and it's recommended as part of the Grindhouse double-feature experience, but otherwise it's best left as a rental if you're interested.

3.5/5 (Entertainment: Average | Story: Pretty Good | Film: Good)

Recommendation: As a rental.

On Blu-Ray, it looks and sounds exactly as it's supposed to.

PQ: 4.5/5, AQ: 4.5/5

[Al_The_Strange]

Planet Terror (Grindhouse)

In 2007, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez joined forces to create the Grindhouse film experience: a double feature intended to emulate the thrilling grittiness and distinctive roughness of 1970s exploitation cinema.

Planet Terror is a sick, disgusting, schlocky, over-the-top and ridiculous zombie flick, and for a Grindhouse feature, it's perfect! This film revels in so much splattering blood and twisted mutilations; combined with the purposeful damaging of the film negatives, it makes for a very rough-looking picture. Combined with the fast-paced action and explosive mayhem, the whole film becomes a wild thrill ride.

The story does its job well enough, presenting enough of a plot to allow the carnage to unfold and get the characters together to try and survive. In spite of that, the plot ties itself up pretty neatly. The characters are very colorful and distinctive, and they are a blast to watch. My only complaint is that a few characters act a little too mean, too unreasonably, or make decisions that have tragic outcomes. Still, the film rarely takes itself seriously, so these issues breeze by and hardly hinder the film's flow.

This film uses pretty decent photography and good editing. The entire picture has been loaded up with film scratches, dirt, discolorations, and other effects to make it look old-fashioned and gritty; often times, these effects are cleverly inserted during key scenes to enhance specific scenes, and it's pretty neat that way. Acting is pretty decent from the whole cast, and the writing proves to be quite witty and fun. This production uses some very rough and gritty-looking sets, props, costumes, make-up effects, and special effects. Robert Rodriguez's music score is pretty damn awesome too.

Of the Grindhouse double-feature, Planet Terror is my favorite of the lot, for it is so full of crazy energy, crazy blood and gore, crazy characters, and crazy style. The film is pure Robert Rodriguez, and I think it's perfect for the Grindhouse theme. If you can handle the extremities of the film, it's worth checking out at least once.

4.5/5 (Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Good | Film: Good)

Recommendation: As a rental.

This Blu-Ray looks and sounds as good as it's meant to.

PQ: 4.5/5, AQ: 4.5/5

[jvince]

Geometria (1987) - Directed by Guillermo Del Toro - YouTube

Geometria (1987)
dir. Guillermo del Toro

The Good: A fun little horror-comedy about a boy who summons a demon to help him pass geometry. Awesome soundtrack. Colorful Argento-esque cinematography. Clever ending.

The Bad: Nothing major.

The Bottom Line: A solid early effort from Guillermo Del Toro. Worth checking out for fans of the director.

[U7ysses S Gr4nt]

Ninja Assassin (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – Once I accepted it for what it is, I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I would have expected. The violence is a little over the top sometimes, but it’s good, dumb fun. I wouldn’t let the name fool you, as this is more of a pure action movie, and less of a kung-fu flick. Fans of violent, bloody actioners that don’t make you think too hard will definitely enjoy this.
6.5/10

Jurassic Park (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – It doesn’t carry quite the nostalgic factor for me, as I was a wee lad when this was released. I may have caught bits and pieces as a young child, but this was my first time ever watching the whole thing in one sitting. It’s not my favorite Spielberg movie, but it’s a good action/adventure film that doesn’t fit neatly into one genre. It has moments of humor, terror, and even drama, a rare combo in movies, and something Spielberg does quite well. I know a lot of people rank this much higher in their favorite films than I do, but seeing it so long after its release hampers the enjoyment a bit. The CG work here holds up relatively well; definitely doesn’t detract from the experience.
7/10

Jurassic Park: The Lost World (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – It falls into sequel syndrome, trying far too hard to emulate what worked in the original. Most sequels, this one included, would be far better served trying to be their own movie. What worked in the original feels a bit tired here, and though it’s possible it felt that way because I watched them in consecutive nights, the whole movie just has the “been there, done that” vibe. It’s a decent action/adventure film, but a definite step-down from the original.
6/10

Jurassic Park III (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – Another decent entry in the series, but again fails to match the original. It makes use of a strong cast, and bringing Sam Neill back was a great decision. Because it’s a newer release, the CG work is pretty solid; the fight between the two large carnivorous dinosaurs in the beginning is actually awesome. Overall, it’s a little too short and much like II lacks the depth of the original (primarily with the characters), but it still makes for a decent action/adventure film.
6/10

Pacific Rim (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – I’m a fan of Del Toro, and this particular genre – the monster movies – hasn’t been explored too much recently, so I was excited to finally see this. The battle sequences are some of the greatest visual treats you’ll see, but I felt like the scenes between them (the character interaction) were a little weak. You can make summer blockbusters that are both highly entertaining and have depth; this does just an okay job in that regard. I wasn’t disappointed, but I had thought this could transcend just the popcorn sort of flick.
7.5/10

Drag Me to Hell (Blu-ray, 2nd viewing) – I wasn’t crazy about Raimi’s Evil Dead films, but I do enjoy this little combo of horror and comedy. It gets a little crazy sometimes, but it’s a fun watch.
6.5/10

Disturbia (Blu-ray, 3rd viewing) – I’ve always been pretty lenient with movies starring Shia (I’ve always liked him), but I’ll be the first to admit that Disturbia borrows heavily from superior films. I still like it, though it’s not holding up as well with repeat viewings. It blends some different genres pretty well to me, but doesn’t really excel as either a coming of age film or horror/thriller.
6.5/10

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

I originally just ordered it from Amazon.ca. At the time, I think I bought it for about $12 CDN. It may look like it's in French of something, but it should be bilingual with reversible covers.

I do see a copy available on Amazon US as well, but I don't think a US release was ever made specifically, so I suspect that's an import copy available. It looks like the same thing as the Canadian one, but for $10, it might be more worthwhile to get it from there, depending on your shipping options.

Also be aware that the Canadian copy has no extras, so if you have the DVD, it might still be worthwhile to hold onto it for its deleted scenes, featurettes, and DVD ROM stuff.

Link for the Blu-Ray.com listing. Hope this all helps.

Thanks!

[jvince]

Night of the Living Dead (1968)
dir. George A. Romero

The Good: Brilliant concept -- we wouldn't have all these zombie movies and TV shows without this film. Brilliant choice of setting -- I love single location films like this. It highlights the group dynamics and creates a sense of danger and claustrophobia. Brilliant ending -- one of cinema's most shocking and memorable conclusions.

The Bad: That Barbra is such an annoying ***** (and a terrible actress too). I understand she's in shock after witnessing her brother get attacked by a zombie, but man, she was just too much. I like my female protagonists strong, not useless and retarded. She's really the only thing that keeps me from loving this film.

The Bottom Line: With just a mere $114,000, George A. Romero created one of the most influential horror films of all time. If you love horror and zombies, this is a must.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by jvince

Night of the Living Dead (1968)
dir. George A. Romero

The Good: Brilliant concept -- we wouldn't have all these zombie movies and TV shows without this film. Brilliant choice of setting -- I love single location films like this. It highlights the group dynamics and creates a sense of danger and claustrophobia. Brilliant ending -- one of cinema's most shocking and memorable conclusions.

The Bad: That Barbra is such an annoying ***** (and a terrible actress too). I understand she's in shock after witnessing her brother get attacked by a zombie, but man, she was just too much. I like my female protagonists strong, not useless and retarded. She's really the only thing that keeps me from loving this film.

The Bottom Line: With just a mere $114,000, George A. Romero created one of the most influential horror films of all time. If you love horror and zombies, this is a must.

Had half a mind to see the Rifftrax version of this film. Unfortunately, I'm not a fan. I enjoyed Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead better.

[jvince]

Dawn of the Dead (1978)
dir. George A. Romero

The Good: George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead is a fantastic social commentary on consumerism and materialism. A biting satire with a nice mix of fun and danger. The characterizations are also better here than in Night of the Living Dead, although I prefer Duane Jones over Ken Foree. I think Jones' Ben is a much better hero. And once again, I love the setting. Zombies in a mall? Genius.

The Bad: The film is cheesy and uneven, and it feels more dated than the original. The apartment raid and the biker gang invasion weren't executed too well. The ending is also weak -- all of a sudden, Peter (Foree) decides to stay and kill himself, but within a couple of minutes, he changes his mind.

The Bottom Line: Like Night, Dawn is filled with great ideas. Both films will always be influential, but let's face it, it's been done better over the years.

[jvince]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Had half a mind to see the Rifftrax version of this film. Unfortunately, I'm not a fan. I enjoyed Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead better.

Lol, they really did a RiffTrax for NotLD?

Yeah, I'm not a fan too. I love parts of Night and Dawn, but for me, Dead Alive is the best zombie movie ever made.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by jvince

Lol, they really did a RiffTrax for NotLD?

Yep, they're supposed to broadcast it live in theaters...I think tomorrow.

Originally Posted by jvince

Yeah, I'm not a fan too. I love parts of Night and Dawn, but for me, Dead Alive is the best zombie movie ever made.

Dead Alive is definitely a blast.

[Al_The_Strange]

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

D is one cool dude, and he lives in a really cool world. It's a far-out universe full of weird-looking monsters (including vampires, of course, but also werewolves, some lady that turns into a tree, giant stingrays that fly over deserts, zombies, and other freaky creatures of the night). It's a world full of imaginative settings and locations, and of cool-looking weapons and technology. The whole thing is like what you get if Blade was cross-bred with Book of Eli, and it's awesome that way.

Above all, the movie runs fast, loaded with great-looking action, fights, and great visuals. The film is never dull, it's never repetitive, and it's rarely cliched (not even by anime standards). I've always found it to be a perfect mix of style and excitement, the likes of which is pretty much on the same level (though not nearly as shockingly graphic) as Kawajiri's past work with The Ninja Scroll.

Above all, I think this tale of Vampire Hunter D is pretty decent. The older film from 1985 is a little more intimate in a way, but Bloodlust broadens the scope and scale tremendously. It includes a pretty big cast of cool characters, some of which are not what they initially seem (the film's ending does a decent job of challenging the notion of good and evil in spite of this). It's a twisty and action-laden plot with bounty hunters and monsters galore; maybe nothing terribly deep, but it is a fun thrill ride, and I think it's really cool stuff.

This film uses great-looking animation, with smooth and refined movements, well-detailed backgrounds, and some really neat light and shadow effects. Character designs are top-notch. Most everything else features good-looking designs too. Voice-acting (for both English and Japanese) is decent. The music score is okay, but has some strong moments too.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is still one of the coolest and funnest anime films I've seen, and should be a must-see for fans of the medium.

5/5 (Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Very Good | Film: Very Good)

Recommendation: Yep.

I want a Blu-Ray for this!

[Pondosinatra]

World War Z



Director: Marc Forster
Main Stars: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, Mathew Fox, Fana Mokoena

Rating: 4 out 5

Gerry Lane (Pitt) has left his life working at the UN behind him in order to spend time with his family and stop working on other people’s problems. Life is good until one day they get stuck in downtown Philadelphia and it soon becomes apparent that they need to get out of the city - and fast. This film had a troubled history with rewrites and reshoots. When I saw the trailer my first reaction was that it looked like a CGI'd mess and I decided it was going to be a disaster and didn't want to see it. Fast forward to today and in a 'why not' moment I grabbed it on Blu-Ray. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. More 28 Days Later than The Walking Dead the zombies in this one are fast, as in really fast. No time for Romero type social commentary as everyone is too busy simply trying to survive. For most of the film I was literally on the edge of my seat. There's some amazing set pieces in here. About the only downside was that I wish the wife had a bigger role as I simply adore the actress (Enos) who plays her. I also thought the movie ended on a somewhat neat and tidy note. But overall an enjoyable thrill ride.

[Pondosinatra]

Originally Posted by Steve46

Captain Phillips (2013)
...

Overall score 3.75/5

3.75???

Why not 11.25 out of 15???

[jvince]

The Return of the Dead (1985)
dir. Dan O'Bannon

The Good: Return of Living Dead boasts colorful characters and delightful performances, with standouts being James Karen as the bumbling, panic-stricken Frank and Don Calfa as the Nazi mortician Ernie. But the best thing about this film are definitely the zombies. These aren't your typical zombies. These guys are strong, fast, and smart (and witty comics to boot). Even worse, disposing of them is seemingly impossible -- shooting them in the head and chopping them to pieces doesn't stop them, and burning them only brings more corpses back to life. These are hard-mode zombies. I don't know why this variation of the undead never took off. It's a pretty terrifying thought, not being able to kill them. Lastly, what is a great comedy without some memorable quotes? This film has plenty, but the "send more paramedics" line had me in fits. I absolutely love that running gag.

The Bad: The plot resorts to contrivances and I find the ending to be a bit disappointing. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea, but the execution (they simply used stills and reused footage) wasn't as inspired as the rest of the film.

The Bottom Line: While it's not quite as deliriously fun and gory as Peter Jackson's Dead Alive, Return of the Living Dead is certainly one of the most hilarious and entertaining zombie flicks around. Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland have nothing on this cult classic. So, send the paramedics, because you may black out from fright... and laughter. Worth a watch.

[Spirit Zero]

R.I.P.D. (2013)

So I found out this film is based on a Dark Horse comic book which instantly got me somewhat excited truth be told. Yeah I heard all the negative buzz flying around about the film, bad reviews, the fact it bombed blah blah blah...but as we all know you should always see the film and make your own decision right. So yeah I was pretty curious about the whole thing mainly because of the premise which seemed dark and cool. It felt a bit familiar with another certain film sure but I put that to the back of mind.

Well that didn't work, no sooner has the main character been killed and sucked into plain waiting room, the 'MIB' copyright stands up marches down to you and slaps you across the face!. But wait there's more, this isn't just a complete rip off of 'MIB' (could almost be a sequel/prequel), there are heavy elements taken from various other films like 'Hellboy' 'Ghostbusters' and 'Beetlejuice' with all the paperwork and bureaucracy of the afterlife...to a degree.

In general I really got the impression nothing had been fully thought out here, there are some nice ideas, hell the whole plot is fun enough but its been made poorly. First off nothing is really explained too well, why exactly do dead people who don't manage to make it to judgement turn into monstrous ghosts over time? they seem to decay, why?. While I'm talking about them how come the living can see them?! they are ghosts right. Then there is the terrible way the main characters can mingle amongst the living and not get recognised by people that may have known them when they were alive. Again they are ghosts, how come the living can see them plus the fact they look like different people or have new bodies just came across as lame and cheesy. I realise being a ghost doesn't mean you can never be seen, heard or cause damage but all these characters just act as though they aren't dead, you'd never guess this was about ghosts if you didn't know.

Everything seems so wafer thin in conception, there doesn't appear to be anything in place to stop the living finding out about the afterlife and all the monsters. When some ghost monsters run amok downtown that's it, everybody knows about the paranormal being true, no going back, the cats out the bag. On top of that I can't believe that kind of thing has never ever ever happened before, really? with all those huge crazy ass ghost monsters...never ever?? come on you're shitting me. The whole structure of the plot seems so fragile, one pick and it topples.

The gold pieces that form that religious statue thingy, it opens up lots of typhoon-like storms and somehow makes all dead people come back to the realm of the living...wut??. Why would someone create such a device? what would be the point of it? how would anyone benefit? and why doesn't God do something seeing as the film hints at an almighty power above (and below).

So much more could of been done, when 'Nick' arrives in the Boston division of the Rest In Peace Department, the entire reason behind what has just happened (his death) is explained in about five minutes. No sooner is he told he accepts everything and joins the R.I.P.D. without a moments thought, no questions, no disorientation...nah he's good. We don't really see any background action or characters in the afterlife, there is nothing going on, its totally bland and boring mainly because they are trying to copy that Will Smith film. The interior of the Boston Division is seriously taking the piss with the pinching of ideas Jesus! it may well be close to the source material (or not) I don't know, but visually its virtually a copycat. Now I'm not saying the film had to be quirky and kooky like 'Beetlejuice' but its simply screaming out for some depth, something other than plain white walls and grey office furniture.

Its not all bad, as said there are some nice bits. I did like all the cops from different eras within the R.I.P.D., the handguns are quite neat looking and Bridges does play the rootin' tootin' yeehaw! wild west lawman to a tee for sure (if you can understand him, sounds like he's got a gob full of tobacco). Naturally I COULD compare his character to the grizzled 'Agent K' and on the same note I could compare the wet behind the ears Nick to 'Agent J'...but that's way too obvious. I could mention other scene for scene sequences but its not worth it, you only need to watch the trailer to get the gist, this feels like the low budget version of 'MIB'.

Yep that's right I said low budget, the film generally looks awful with shoddy CGI, uninspired ghostie monsters, cheap looking sets, costumes and above all errr...shoddy CGI. The CGI would have looked great about maybe ten years ago. Oh anyone notice there isn't anyone around in the city street sequences towards the end, totally deserted! where has the population gone?!. I hate to say it but it does look like an average video game, the old cliche I'm afraid. Looks like the critics are right with this one, a pretty poor looking formulaic CGI filled shambles that is clearly heavily influenced by many things (or was it the comic book that was heavily influenced?).

Had this gone straight to DVD then you could look on it more favourably. On the other hand had it come out before 'MIB' over sixteen years ago, you could also look on it way more favourably. But as a major summer blockbuster release?! with those visuals!! come on guys seriously.

3/10

[SquidPuppet]

Before Midnight



Wow! What a surprise this was.

I absolutely loved the first two, Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. But this newest film in the series just did not work for me, at all, on many levels.

Lots of beautifully filmed gorgeous scenery and architecture. Frankly, that's about the only positive from me.

Film 2/5
PQ and AQ were very good.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Before Midnight



Wow! What a surprise this was.

I absolutely loved the first two, Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. But this newest film in the series just did not work for me, at all, on many levels.

Lots of beautifully filmed gorgeous scenery and architecture. Frankly, that's about the only positive from me.

Film 2/5
PQ and AQ were very good.

I thought it was fantastic.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Foggy

I thought it was fantastic.

I was ready to love it. On paper it was a sure thing. 98% at RT. I was very bummed out.

[jvince]

Carrie (1976)
dir. Brian De Palma

The Good: A meek but dangerous Sissy Spacek, a bible-thumping, batshit crazy Piper Laurie, a bunch of evil ***** bullies, John Travolta being John Travolta, Brian De Palma's impeccable visual style, Pino Donaggio's memorable score, a pervy, slo-mo locker room scene, an immortal prom sequence, Stephen King, telekinesis, and a bucket of blood -- all ingredients for the ultimate high school revenge fantasy.

The Bad: A car flip and an instant flambé were not enough. ****ing youths.

The Bottom Line: So 70s, so what. De Palma's adaptation is still head and shoulders above its more recent updates. A brilliant tale of revenge and tragedy rolled into one. Recommended.

[jvince]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Before Midnight



Wow! What a surprise this was.

I absolutely loved the first two, Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. But this newest film in the series just did not work for me, at all, on many levels.

Lots of beautifully filmed gorgeous scenery and architecture. Frankly, that's about the only positive from me.

Film 2/5
PQ and AQ were very good.