"Dead-Alive"
Peter Jackson's "Dead-Alive" is a masterpiece of over the top gore and zombie violence/hilarity. A must for gorehounds and fans of twisted humor alike.
Jason Pitt
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'Kairo' aka 'Pulse'
"Kairo" aka "Pulse"
"Kairo" is a startling example of what is great about foreign horror cinema - in particular, Asian horror cinema. Directors such as Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Takashi Shimizu, Ji-woon Kim, and Hideo Nakata, are all masters of their craft. They can create surreal imagery out of the most seemingly commonplace events. They rely on atmosphere to generate chills, as opposed to shocking the viewer, as is the more traditional American approach. They are seemingly capable of controlling the most primal emotions far more effectively than the best Hollywood directors. This is why I love and respect Asian horror cinema.
'Ju-on: The Grudge'
"Ju-On: The Grudge"
I'm not easily scared. I've seen enough horror films in my life that not much affects me. Not violence, gore, or attempted fright. However, the first time I watched "Ju-on", I was scared. More scared than I can ever remember being from seeing any other film. My stomach swelled with dread, my heart was racing. When the film was done, I quickly switched the lights on, turned on my computer, and sent my then-girlfriend an email telling her what I'd watched, and that I was going to sit her down to experience the same thing. I wrote as humorously as possible in order to break the feeling of dread that was still built up in my stomach. I slept with the lights on that night. No horror film has ever freaked me out like that before.
'JCVD'
"JCVD"
Van Damme's films have always catered to a certain mentality of film-goer. His films have never carried much of a plot, focusing solely on the action, be it through martial arts (“Bloodsport”; “Kickboxer”) or a mix of traditional action, focusing as much on gunplay as physical action (“Hard Target”). Action movies aren't made this way anymore… They try to incorporate more of a plot than the films are worth, and as a result the level of action suffers, as does the film overall.
'Isle of the Damned'
"Isle of the Damned"
In my review of Mark Colegrove 's "Pleasures of the Damned", I warned potential viewers that many would not share my particular sense of humour, and as such I can't recommend the film to all audiences. Well, the same goes for its pseudo-sequel "Isle of the Damned", a film that exceeds its predecessor in terms of sheer quality and effectiveness, yet also displays a lot of the same detrimental characteristics that hindered the overall quality of "Pleasures…"
'Iron Man'
"Iron Man"
I really wish they hadn't used Black Sabbath's 'Iron Man' during the closing credits of the film. It's not that I dislike the song, or that I even felt it didn't compliment the film. It just seemed so obvious. They didn't have to use the song, because really, it doesn't have much to do with the film (or comic) thematically. But we all knew it would be in there somewhere. I just would have been nice if they did the opposite of what everyone expected. The reason I mention this, is that this is really my only complaint about the entire film. And it's a small one at that…
'Intruder'
"Intruder"
"A new dimension in terror", hardly. What an ill-fitting tagline. It seems to have nothing to do with the movie. Anyway, "Intruder" is very enjoyable nonetheless. I suppose the tagline above is better than the other tagline which was used- "If this one doesn't scare you... you're already dead". I don't think I could count how many movies that has been the tagline for, if I used all my extremities. Anyway, about the movie...
'Inferno'
"Inferno"
The thematic sequel to "Suspiria", "Inferno" really has nothing to directly relate it to it's predecessor except the inclusion of a book titled “The Three Mothers” that suggests three witch sisters living throughout the world; Mater Suspiriorum in Frieburg ("Suspiria"), Mater Tenebrarum in New York ("Inferno") and Mater Lachrymarum in Rome ("Mother of Tears"). With the exception of the book that tells an overlying story arc that connects the three films, they aren't related in any direct fashion.
'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'
"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"
I thoroughly enjoyed the fourth instalment in the "Indiana Jones" franchise. It was a wonderfully enjoyable film throughout most of its running time. It was exciting, funny, and Harrison Ford certainly hasn't lost any of the Indy charm or sarcastic wit and dialogue delivery that made the character so memorable more than 25 years ago. It was an exceptionally risky proposition, attempting to revive a classic film character nearly twenty years after the previous film. I mean, come on, Harrison Ford is a senior citizen, and Steven Spielberg hasn't directed a truly memorable film since the early nineties. (This of course, is only my personal opinion.)
'Ils' aka 'Them'
"Ils" aka "Them"
The first two-thirds of "Ils" are truly terrifying. There is an incredible amount of suspense on display, from the opening sequence, forward. Moreau and Palud are incredibly adept at creating a tense atmosphere, which doesn't let up even slightly from the moments our protagonists find themselves trapped, to the beginning of the third act. There are long, drawn out sequences of suspense that rival absolutely anything American cinema has produced in the last ten years, and even a few genuine shocks spattered throughout. The shock sequences are so rare, however, and are built on the foundation of an incredible amount of suspense, that when they do occur, they nearly stop your heart.
'I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer'
"I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer"
From the opening sequence, in which a man is dispatched in a comedically violent manner by way of a cricket bat, directors Stacey Edmonds & Doug Turner firmly establish the tone of the film. It is in no way meant to be taken seriously, and, while structured in the traditional slasher horror format, manages to provide an ample amount of laughs through an incredibly effective use of what I will call 'horror misdirection'.