10.16.16

My quick rating 6,9/10. If you are a fan of quality camera-work, editing and an array of interesting characters, this one will do well for you. In a strange film noir mix with modern times (which sometimes works and other times just seems out of place) a couple, one who conveniently is a cop, are attempting to sell a house where a brutal massacre occurs. Jessica Lowndes plays a real estate agent who conveniently is married to Joe Anderson as they start to realize that this murder was not just a one time thing when the house sells almost immediately and upon inspection, the entire crime scene has been removed, literally. Upon this strange occurrence they soon find that this has been happened before, numerous times. What befalls them is a strange tale that draws the viewer in to see who or what is taking physical murder scenes and collecting them. Behind it all is Dayton Callie, playing Jebediah Crone brilliantly, who seems to have a hold of a small town in a rather unsettling way. As the movie plays out, you start to really understand the small town mentality, and realize that you are being drawn into a much larger mystery that culminates into a wonderful ending. I won't say much more on that, just a very well made movie that aside from the strange 50s meets today style hits the mark on many levels. Kudos for a creative and original idea that really is done well. Much attention to details that visually are stunning, especially the last half hour of the film. Definitely a treat for horror and movie fans alike.

10.16.16

My quick rating 5,7/10. Ever wonder who that Facebook friend is that you just accepted since you play the same game? Here is your darker look into who that person may be. These days we accept these requests all the time and most likely don't think much of it. For Laura (Alycia Debnam-Carey) it turns out to be a mistake befriending a social outcast at her university. Fans of these types of movies will be pleasantly surprised at what transpires. The obsession factor is acted out very well and does use the supernatural aspect to give it a little more "umph" then just some crazy chick stalking the popular girl. The pacing of the movie takes you along without overdoing it nor leaving you bored. Aside from some pretty dumb decisions by the lead, this flick does well in captivating the audience and most assuredly making you wonder about the "what would you do" factor. Some nice visuals to add to the creepy atmosphere also assist. Going in I expected a cheesy movie but came out quite satisfied with what I saw.

10.16.16

My quick rating - 6,8/10. Behold the fear of the dark. Many people have it and will identify with that. I assume not so many have had to deal with this level of the phobia. The setup is introduced quickly so me telling you a spirit that only appears in the dark and vanishes in the light is no spoiler. Just that this particular ghost kills anyone that threatens her. With that being said, the stage is set to scare the crap out of the viewer at any given moment making an 81 minute movie fly by. The director (if you saw the short film on "The Fear" TV show from England) took his 5 minute idea and blew it up into a full length scarefest. To take that simple idea and incorporate the actual anxiety of psychological issues people have into horror was done quite well. Kinda reminded me of "The Babbadook" in that aspect. The eerie looking ghost of "Diana" was creepy looking throughout even in the dark. The lighting, of course, is critical in this movie. Each flicker of light, or dark space is a key part of the film and if it wasn't done properly, would ruin scene after scene. The good news is this did not happen. Every bit of attention was given to this detail as good directors will do. Such was the case with "Crawl or Die" and countless other well crafted films like this one. Suggesting to turn off the lights and watch this next to your loved one goes without saying but I would shoe the kids out of the room unless you want to be awoken when they have nightmares. A very good film with a powerful ending that may leave you a bit surprised. Enjoy

03.10.16

My quick rating 7,7/10. Even if you are not a fan of so called "kung fu movies" this is the type of film that will make you see past the punches and poor dialogue. The film is basically a tutorial in fight scene choreography from start to finish. Each move and counter is so perfect in both the physical action and the camera-work to bring it to the audiences eyes. Even with all the fighting going on, there is a story about an aging martial arts master of Wing Chun that is forced to stop a band of brutal gangsters led by a crooked property developer make a play to take over the city (IMDB). This of course leads to the ensuing fights to try and keep the town safe. Within this plot is a subplot that ends the movie as well when an unknown comes to aid Ip Man only to challenge him for the title of master. The version I watched had horrible subtitles, but even still some of the conversations made enough sense to see there were points about western police and going against government. So, yes, there was also an underlying theme to his movie. But lets be honest, we are watching to see Master Ip (played superbly again by Donnie Yen) subtly beat the crap out of everyone. Even in one scene given a fight where he is not allowed to punch 10 opponents, he is still able to keep them at bay. The fights all vary in style with the most unique but not necessarily technically the best, a fight to the end, 3 minutes timed with none other then Mike Tyson. Each fight sequence really is just poetry on the screen and must be seen. I personally have been looking forward to this sequel for a long time and I must say it has been worth the wait. Definitely worth seeing and I know I will be seeing again. For a more in depth and excellent review with more information about the actors and fighting throughout, check http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2888046/reviews-enter

09.03.16

My quick rating - 6,5/10. A sound and great looking movie that plays at the mind more for the horror aspect than it does with gore andloud scare moments. More of a thinking persons horror/thriller that plays out well in the atmosphere created. Even with the moderately short running time of just over an hour and a half, though, this movie seems to drag on quite a bit and may turn offcasual moviegoers. Don't let that stop youfrom seeing a well rounded film that comes at a time where the more gore the better is the norm.Add News Story here

09.03.16

My quick rating - 7,8/10. Crowe and Gosling team up in an unlikely crime/mystery film that just works. The characters are acted out just the way they should be which is often rare in buddy flicks. Crowe plays the heavy while Gosling plays the heavy drinker. They get paired up when Gosling is a Private detective working a case that Crowe inadvertently gets roped into. The two of course have no interest in working together which adds to the comedy. This movie is filled with underlying dark humor that sometimes does miss the mark, but overall is entertaining. Also incorporating some little shout outs to spotting the time frame (Tim Allens name on the marquee at the Comedy Store for an example) points out the writers/directors attention to detail. Little things such as this pop up to make you appreciate the care that was put into the film. The story itself moves along very well as the mystery of Amelia (Margaret Qualley) plays out in the porn industry. Explaining what I mean would be in spoiler territory, so watch it to see. I will say that after the majority of the film being so good, the ending just seemed to run out of gas. It didn't let the audience down, it just didn't live up to the excellent work that was already presented. But overall, a very well made movie and I could be open to a sequel if they so chose.