Film Review: Cage Returns in ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance’ (2011) and Once Again Fails to Kickstart Consumer’s Engines

 Action, Adventure, B. Woodell, Demons, Fantasy, Horror, Revenge  No Responses »
Feb 182012
 

ghost-rider-2 Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. These words echoed in my brain while watching Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance as I went against my better judgment and gave the sequel a chance. The only enjoyment I had from the first Ghost Rider, was my friend turned to me in the theater and said, “Bennie, I’m getting sober, and this movie’s getting worse.” Sadly, with Spirit of Vengeance, I was embarking on the journey alone, with no one to share my pain.

Johnny Blaze (Nic Cage) has to save Danny (Fergus Riordan) from Roarke (Ciaran Hinds), who apparently is Satan or one of Satan’s helpers. That’s pretty much all I can tell you about the storyline because the film felt like one, giant Continue reading »

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 Posted by Bennie Woodell at 7:53 PM  Tagged with: , , , , , , , ,

Film Review: ‘Man on a Ledge’ (2012) Reaches Dizzying Heights of Action and Suspense

 Action, B. Woodell, Crime, Drama, Thriller  No Responses »
Feb 172012
 

man-on-a-ledge There’s something wonderful about films that explain the plot in the title, and subsequently repeat that somewhere in the film, because you know exactly what to expect when going in the theater, and anything that’s beyond the spectrum of the title is a bonus and nice surprise. Man On A Ledge does not disappoint in any of those areas, and is in fact a very fun little heist flick.

Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) was set up and sent to jail for twenty-five years for robbing a very precious diamond from David Englander (Ed Harris), a rich tycoon in Manhattan. With the help of his brother Joey (Jaime Bell) and his brother’s girlfriend Angie (Genesis Rodriguez), he escapes from jail and sets to prove Continue reading »

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 Posted by wildsidecinema at 5:27 PM  Tagged with: , , , , ,

Staff Picks: Bennie Woodell 2/12

 B. Woodell, Staff Picks  No Responses »
Feb 172012
 

bucktown Bucktown (1975) – Starring Fred Williamson and Pam Greer, this gem from the 70’s is about a man who comes back to his hometown after his brother is murdered and with the help of his friends, gets revenge. Afterwards, his friends become as corrupt as the police before, and he has to stop them himself. Continue reading »

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 Posted by Bennie Woodell at 5:04 PM  Tagged with: , , ,

Film Review: ‘Agneepath’ (Path of Fire – 2012) Sets Bollywood Ablaze with a Smoldering Tale of Revenge

 Action, Asian Cinema, B. Woodell, Bollywood, Crime, Drama, India, Revenge, Thriller  No Responses »
Jan 302012
 

agneepath Bollywood has started 2012 with a vengeance, literally, with Agneepath, a remake of a 1990 film. It includes everything you would expect from Indian cinema; romance, action, elaborate dance sequences, and lush colors, only this film has so much more violence and heartache.

As a child, Vijay’s father tries to talk the townsfolk of a small island off the coast of Mumbai out of loaning their land to Kancha, who wants to grow coke in their salt fields. Kancha will stop at nothing to get the land, so he has a little girl raped and murdered and sets Vijay’s father up, leading to mob justice and the father’s death. Vijay and his mother move to Mumbai where he comes across Rauf Lala, Mumbai’s top drugs dealer and human trafficker and becomes a member Continue reading »

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 Posted by Bennie Woodell at 10:05 PM  Tagged with: , , , , , , ,

Film Review: ‘The Grey’ (2012) is a Masterful Thriller and a Snarling, Howling Good Time

 Action, B. Woodell, Drama, Thriller  No Responses »
Jan 302012
 

the-grey What would you do, if you survived a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness during a blizzard? Would you have the know how and basic primal instincts on building fires and seeking shelter? Now throw into the mix a pack of vicious Timberwolves who know you and your party are injured, and are just waiting to pick you off one by one. Would you survive? The answer to these questions is answered very blatantly in Joe Carnahan’s new film, The Grew, starring Liam Neeson.

Ottway (Neeson) is a wolf hunter for an oil company who oversees the workers while they’re drilling in the Alaskan terrain. He makes sure they don’t get attacked, and is very good at his job. Upon returning home from an expedition, the crews plane goes down leaving a handful of survivors with Ottway taking charge and Continue reading »

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 Posted by Bennie Woodell at 12:55 PM  Tagged with: , , , , , ,

Film Review: Cash Chin Man-Kei’s CAT III Classic ‘The Eternal Evil of Asia’ (Nan yang shi da xie shu – 1995) Still Delights with Sleaze & Frights

 Asian Cinema, B. Woodell, CAT III, Demons, Erotic, Exploitation, Fantasy, Horror, Martial Arts, Revenge  2 Responses »
Jan 282012
 

the-eternal-evil-of-asia The Eternal Evil of Asia is another wonderfully produced category III horror/voodoo/sex/comedy romp produced by legendary Wong Jing. Being one of the most prolific filmmakers in Hong Kong, anyone who knows what Wong is capable of, will have an inkling as to what they should expect in this hilarious tale.

Four friends travel to Thailand on a bachelor party excursion, but the trip goes awry when they befriend a local wizard and accidentally kill his sister. They return to Hong Kong, but the wizard follows and begins picking them off one by one. The wife to be has to decide to make a personal sacrifice to save the man she loves and her brother Continue reading »

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 Posted by Bennie Woodell at 4:13 PM  Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Film Review: Yuen Wo-Ping Introduces the Action World to Donnie Yen in Kung-Fumedy ‘Drunken Tai Chi’ (Siu taai gik – 1984)

 Action, Asian Cinema, B. Woodell, Comedy, Hong Kong, Martial Arts  No Responses »
Jan 282012
 

drunken-tai-chi Drunken Tai Chi is an absolute Yuen Woo-Ping gem from 1984, and is the very first film by the great Donnie Yen. Like many kung fu films made in the late 70’s and early 80’s by the Yuen clan, Jackie Chan, and Sammo Hung, Drunken Tai Chi is filled to the brim with mind bending feats of physical abilities, amazing kung fu sequences, revenge and comedy galore.

Being a revenge film, it follows the formula we’ve all come to know and love. Chan Chuen Chung’s (Yen) brother embarrasses Ta Sha, a rich schoolmate, and a rivalry ensues. It escalates to the boy having his father pay Iron Steel to kill Chan and his family. Chan is not home, but instead is fighting in a gambling hall Continue reading »

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 Posted by Bennie Woodell at 4:09 PM  Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Staff Picks: Bennie Woodell 1/12

 B. Woodell, Staff Picks  No Responses »
Jan 162012
 

shame Shame (2011) – Directed by Steve McQueen, this film focuses on the life of a sex addict (Michael Fassbender) and his relationship with his sister. McQueen is brilliant in his direction with camera placement, camera movement and editing. Continue reading »

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 Posted by Bennie Woodell at 1:18 PM  Tagged with: , ,

BEST OF 2011: Bennie Woodell

 B. Woodell, Staff Picks  No Responses »
Dec 282011
 
drive

Drive – Drive could quite possibly be the best film visually I’ve seen since Wong Kar Wai’s 2046. From the intense opening sequence, to Ryan Gosling’s riveting performance, the haunting soundtrack that lingers in your mind, and an innocent love story that leaves you sitting there smiling as it blooms; the film screams of why I love cinema. Continue reading »

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 Posted by Bennie Woodell at 3:10 AM  Tagged with: , , , ,

Film Review: Brad Bird’s ‘Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol’ (2011) a Thrilling Addition to the Exciting MI Franchise

 Action, Adventure, B. Woodell, Drama, Thriller  No Responses »
Dec 212011
 

mission-impossible-ghost-protocol-poster Five years ago, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) saved the world from certain destruction, but lost his wife in the process. Now, mourning the loss of her, Hunt has chosen to accept a new mission, one that again would mean certain world destruction and the start of possibly World War III in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.

While on a mission in Russia infiltrating the Kremlin to obtain nuclear codes, Hunt’s mission is aborted due to another spy in the premises also seeking the codes Hunt escapes just in time before a bomb explodes, leaving high tensions between the US and Russia, since all evidence points towards him on detonating the bomb. The US President declares Ghost Protocol, or the shut down of IMF, leaving Continue reading »

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 Posted by Bennie Woodell at 4:45 PM  Tagged with: , , , , , ,

Film Review: Song’s ‘A Better Tomorrow’ (2010) Remake Respectfully Spins Woo’s Masterpiece into Successful South Korean Crime Cinema

 Action, Asian Cinema, B. Harris, B. Woodell, Crime, John Woo, S. Korea, Thriller  No Responses »
Nov 222011
 

a-better-tomorrow Throughout the years, there are a handful of films that are made that are truly game changers. Films that not only stand the test of time, but also redefine genres and how future filmmakers hone their own craft. John Woo’s 1986 masterpiece, A Better Tomorrow is one of those films. So much of the way we see action films nowadays is because of this film. So to take a film such as this and remake it, the filmmakers have to not only love and understand the original, but also know how to make their own film and relevant to the world around them.

Hae-sung Song, and his team of six writers set out to remake this classic and not only did Woo’s original justice, but they exceeded in making the film completely fresh and Continue reading »

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Film Review: Singh’s ‘Immortals’ (2011) Blows Viewers from Theater Seats with Intense Action & Stunning Visuals

 Action, Adventure, B. Woodell, Drama, Fantasy, War  No Responses »
Nov 192011
 

immortals After a five-year hiatus, Tarsem Singh (The Cell) is back in the director’s chair to deliver us yet another visually stimulating journey in his third feature film. Immortals. Singh takes the wonderfully crafted script from the up and coming writing team of the Parlapanides brothers, Charley and Vlas, and takes us back to Ancient Greece, to a time of Western mythology when the Gods were in charge.

King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) is scouring Greece to find the Epirus Bow, a weapon that could be used to unleash the Titans back onto the Earth from their prison deep within Mount Tartaros. After overtaking a Monastery and capturing Phaedra (Freida Pinto), an oracle who sees visions and can aid in finding the bow Continue reading »

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 Posted by Bennie Woodell at 8:07 PM  Tagged with: , , , , ,
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