Film Review: The Controversial Film ‘Territories’ (2010) Questions The Meaning of Patriotism in Post-9/11 America

 Canada, Drama, France, Horror, J. Meredith, Thriller, War  No Responses »
Nov 222011
 

territories Following a weekend at a wedding in Canada, a bunch mates get pulled over when they drive their minivan across the border to America. Two customs officers ask to see Jalil’s (Michael Mando) driving license and move back to their car to check him out. When they point out that the youngsters are driving with a bust front light, Jalil tells them that they hit a deer a while back, which triggers the officers

Despite constant claims of “only trying to do our job” the custom officers become increasingly agitated and act more and more threatening towards the group of youngsters. When one of the youths, Tom (Alex Weiner) starts Continue reading »

Share

Film Review: Vivas’s Brutal Film ‘Kidnapped’ (Secuestrados – 2010) Shows Armed Assailants & Viewers No Mercy

 France, Horror, J. Felton, Spain, Thriller  No Responses »
Jun 142011
 

Theatrical Poster

Due to reasons that I won’t go into I ended up watching Kidnapped, Secuestrados in its native Spain, in two parts. When sitting down to watch the final 20 minutes or so I warned my wife that it apparently gets quite harsh so she may not like what happens. Needless to say it did and she didn’t. Kidnapping certainly packs one hell of a punch.

On the surface Kidnapped could be viewed as just another home invasion style movie, and truth be known it is a home invasion flick. A Spanish couple and their daughter move to a new house, and everything is going smoothly aside from the odd glitch which is bound to happen upon arriving at your new house. Before the night is over though three men break into the house and take Continue reading »

Share

Film Review: Noé’s ‘Enter The Void’ (2009) Combines “Art House” & “Neon Underbelly”

 B. Harris, Drama, Experimental, France, Thriller  No Responses »
Feb 252011
 

DVD Artwork

Oscar, a drug-dealing ex-pat living in Tokyo with his exotic dancer sister, is set up by a disgruntled friend and chased into a bathroom stall by police. Instead of surrendering himself to authorities, he tries to buy himself time to flush his drugs down the toilet by shouting he has a gun. Taking no chances, the Tokyo PD shoots through the door of the stall and mortally wounds Oscar, leaving him to slowly bleed to death on the bathroom floor.

Now a disembodied consciousness, Oscar travels about Tokyo, looking in on his fugitive friend, his distraught sister, his past Continue reading »

Share

Film Review: Mutant Boar Run Wild and Everything that Moves is ‘Prey’ (2010)

 Action, B. Harris, Drama, France, Horror, Revenge, Thriller  No Responses »
Dec 142010
 

Poster Artwork

A young man named Nathan heads out into the woods, owned by his girlfriend Claire’s family, to hunt a large wild boar that appears to be stirring up trouble with the wildlife. Claire’s Grandfather, Father and Uncle lead the hunt and they’re soon on the trail of the creature but all signs point to something else, something that even the wild boar fear. Could a strange chemical polluting the land, produced by Claire’s family-owned factory, be the cause of this woodland disturbance as well as the strange chemical burns found on family members?

As the group travel deeper into the woods they stumble upon the terrifying truth, whatever it is that is destroying the Continue reading »

Share

Film Review: Kinski & Trintignant Face Off in Corbucci’s Masterpiece,’The Great Silence’ (1968)

 B. Harris, Drama, France, Italy, Spaghetti Westerns, Westerns  No Responses »
Nov 302010
 

Poster Artwork

A small, snow-covered mountain town becomes a bloody battleground when a gang of cunning bounty killers are hired to apprehend religious outlaws hiding in the outlying wooded hills. Preferring to bring them in dead rather than alive, Loco the leader of the bounty killers quickly butts heads with the new sheriff concerning the ruthless methods he employs to collect bounties and his disrespectful transportation of bodies.

When a new gunslinger comes into town, Loco and his boys discover that this is no ordinary hired gun but the legendary Silence; a mute gunman with almost supernatural speed and aim. Turns out Continue reading »

Share

Film Review: ‘High Lane’ (Vertige – 2009) – Nobody Can Hear You Scream Up There

 Action, Adventure, France, J. Felton, Thriller  No Responses »
Oct 172010
 

Poster Artwork

Before I get into the meat and potatoes of this review I am going to quickly get something of my chest. It may seem a minor detail to some, to me however it was a major pain in the ass. The thorn in my side being that this French movie was screened dubbed into English with no warning that I could recall. Now, I paid good money to watch this On Demand so I would have at least liked to have had the option of watching it dubbed or with subtitles. Hopefully the DVD release of this will have the option of both included. So you have been warned, if you don’t like dubbed movies I would hang around and see what they come up with for the shiny disc release.

Moaning over with, for the time being, and onto the movie itself. High Lane, or Vertige as it is known in its native language, follows the tried and tested Continue reading »

Share

Film Review: The Politics of Crime of ‘Cell 211′ (Celda 211 – 2009) Creates Genuine Terror

 Action, B. Harris, Crime, Drama, France, Spain  No Responses »
Aug 022010
 

Poster Artwork

During a casual walk-through of the prison where Juan is begin working at the next day, some loose cement in the ceiling collapses, slamming into his head and injuring him. Forced to drag Juan’s body to the nearest empty cell,  the guards must abandon the young employee when a riot sparks off and a wave of violence forces them to flee for their lives.

Shortly after being pulled to safety, Juan awakens in the cell to the shouting of the bloodthirsty prison population swarming the halls and realizes he’s as good as dead if he’s discovered fully clothed, looking like a guard. Stripping himself of all personal items Continue reading »

Share

Creepshow (1982)

 Anthology, France, Horror, Sci-Fi, Zombies  No Responses »
May 122006
 

Theatrical Poster

Drawing their inspiration from the controversial EC horror comics of the 1950’s, writer Stephen King and director George Romero joined forces to create Creepshow, which consists of five terrifying tales. Well, maybe “terrifying” is too strong a word, but they sure are fun to watch. Romero apes the comic style perfectly with bright harsh lighting and awkward camera angles. I have a hard time not believing that this movie was an influence on Robert Rodriguez; in a stylistic sense, Creepshow is Sin City’s grandfather. All Creepshow is lacking is the word “AIEEEEE!” emblazoned across the screen. Oh, and boobs. No naked nubbins in Creepshow.

There are many reasons to watch “Creepshow,” but Continue reading »

Share