THROWBACK THURSDAY REVIEW: Demon Seed (1977)

I first stumbled upon Demon Seed about two weeks ago at the local flea market, where it was sitting in the "rare finds" section. I was drawn to the cover instantly because it looked sexy, and because I had never heard of it before. I read the (ridiculous) synopsis on the back cover, and even though I wasn't totally sold on it, I decided to give it a chance anyway. I mean, a woman getting impregnated by a machine? Really? I've seen movies where women have been raped by rednecks, Satan, demons, and monsters. But I've never seen a woman victimized by a machine, so I was eager to add that to my 'all the crazy crap I've seen' list. And, when I found out that it was based on a Dean Koontz novel of the same name, I was a little more interested and more willing to give it a shot.

Horror Toy Tuesday: 'ALIENS' Ultra Deluxe Alien Queen

The following is an article I originally wrote for MoviePilot. It has (barely) been edited:

EDGE OF TOMORROW resets the end game

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT 

RATED- PG-13

RUN TIME- 113 Mins

WRITER(S)- Christopher, McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, and John-Henry Butterworth

STARRING- Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, and Bill Paxton

DIRECTOR(S)- Doug Liman 

Synopsis taken from IMDb

An officer finds himself caught in a time loop in a war with an alien race. His kills increase as he faces the same brutal combat scenarios, and his union with a Special Forces warrior gets him closer and closer to defeating the enemy.  

Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible) is an unlikely hero in this sci-fi action thriller. Honestly, I tend to avoid watching Cruise's films for the most part, but this and the Mission:Impossible movies are exceptions. Even though I'm not a fan of Cruise, I can't deny he's in some good features. Edge of Tomorrow picks up informing us of a war that's been waging for five years now against an alien race called Mimics. And we see the human's fighting gear, which like the world, is upgraded and very futuristic, unlike anything you'll see soldiers wearing right now. The gear looks like a combination of the uniforms worn by the Marines in Aliens (1986), with some Elysium (2013), and Iron Man (2008) mixed in.

DAYS OF FUTURE PAST keeps hope alive for mutants and fans alike

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT 

RATED- PG-13
RUN TIME- 131 Mins
WRITER(S)- Simon Kinberg, Jane Goldman, and Mathew Vaughn 
STARRING- Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and Hugh Jackman
DIRECTOR- Bryan Singer



Synopsis taken from IMDb
The X-Men send Wolverine to the past in a desperate effort to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants.




The "X-Men" films were always second to me, right after The Dark Knight trilogy. In fact, I really thought that "X-Men: First Class" was better than "The Avengers". While I'm not a fan of the Wolverine solo movies, I've liked all of the other "X-Men" films, even the third one. It's kinda sorta a tie for me between "First Class" and "X2" as the best installments, but there for a while, the series hit a rocky road for fans who had plenty to complain about. With the unsteadiness of a lot of people not liking the third movie, and then to be followed by an even less liked solo Wolverine movie, moviegoers and comic fans alike began to believe that the series had peaked. Then "First Class" landed, and it changed things up. It rebooted the franchise in a way, by introducing a new cast of old characters, and telling the origins of Erik Lehnsherr and Charles Xavier.

ON/OFF short film (Screener Review)

"On/Off is a French sci-fi short film (13 minutes) produced by Julien Renaud and Thierry Lorenzi, whose theme is transhumanism and post-humanity. On/Off follows astronaut Meredith having only one mysterious voice message to stay connected to her humanity. Directed and written by Thierry Lorenzi with Carole Brana (A L'Adventure, Red Nights) and Arben Bajraktaraj known for playing the Azkaban Death Eater in the last three episodes of Harry Potter. The visual effects company based in Montreal, Rodeo FX (Pacific Rim, Now You See Me...) is responsible for making credible the sensation of weightlessness. In the end, no less than 150 people and three years were needed to complete this spectacular and mesmerizing odyssey." 

It takes a lot to awe me, but this may very well be the greatest short film effort that I have ever seen. When I was approached to watch a private screener, I never expected it to be what it actually was. "On/Off" probably has the biggest vision I've seen for only a 13 minute movie. It reaches at the heart of humanity, and has a very deep and poetic purpose and meaning. This is the "Gravity" of short films, there's no doubt about that. However, this is a more sci-fi approach, and rather than just go into big effects, it manages to focus more on humanity than the disaster element. 

It's subtitled because it's French, and the visuals are beautiful. The special effects are outstanding, and the acting is edged out well. There's hardly any dialogue, but what is said is natural and not forced. The score to this film is right on point. I don't think I've ever seen anything like this, as far as short films go. Overall, I'm extremely impressed. 

It took a long time, and a lot of hard work to complete, but in the end result it shows. Well done. And the surprise ending is a nice, emotional touch. For more info on "On/Off", you should visit the site here.

4 stars out of 5

GRAVITY (2013)

RATED- PG-13
RUN TIME- 91 MINS
WRITER(S)- Alfonso Cuaron and Jonas Cuaron 
STARRING- Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, and Ed Harris
DIRECTOR- Alfonso Cuaron 



Synopsis taken from IMDb
A medical engineer and an astronaut work together to survive after a catastrophe destroys their shuttle and leaves them adrift in orbit.




Talk about a movie that's been getting a lot of hype! It seems everywhere you go it's 'Gravity' this and 'Gravity' that. Whenever there's a movie going around like this there's two kinds of crowds: those who get the hype and agree with it, and those who don't get it and say it's overrated. Usually I find myself in the latter crowd. Usually films that get critical praise give me migraines because they're so dull and boring. I was hoping that was not the case with this film.

I knew that I'd eventually get around to seeing it, but I didn't really feel a rush. It was my fiance who made me feel the rush and urgency to see it. So, being the awesome fiance that I am, I brought it home as a surprise gift for her (on Blu-Ray of course). We pretty much popped it in the player before the blu-ray case was even opened (laugh). And I was actually really satisfied with the outcome, and I can say now that I do agree with the hype it's getting. It's just that good!

Although George Clooney has a minimal part, he makes his presence felt. And Sandra Bullock does a great job of supporting the film by herself. Though I would never have considered her for a best actress in this role because of all the cgi used, she does an amazing job! Very sincere character that clicks with the audience. She's scared and out of her element, same as everyone else who isn't experienced in her situation. For 90 minutes we watch her fight tooth and nail, with everything she's got, to survive being alone in space and make it back home in one piece.

What I didn't expect about this film was how non-stop it is. I had gone in expecting to watch Sandra float around in space for God knows how long, and what I got is a blistering outburst of chaos and special effects that are top-notch. The tension only eases up momentarily until a new problem arises. I said to my friend, "it's like the worst day you could possibly have, only it's happening in space" and that's the best way I can sum it up. I didn't expect it to be one disaster after another, but damn if it didn't keep me on my toes!

Towards the end of the film we get some heart to heart time with Bullock's character, Ryan Stone, who's still tormented by the death of her young daughter. She's wasted a lot of time in her life as of late due to being caught up in past agonies. And now that she has nothing and no one, she has a chance to either make a new life for herself and start anew, or die trying. Her performance at the end is gut wrenching, and had me hoping for the best for her, but i was uncertain it would play out that way.

I was also surprised by how short the movie is! Here I am expecting an over two hour long movie, and it's only 91 mins! That just goes to show you how much momentum the film has, because a lot happens in a short amount of time. It's an avalanche of disaster, and you're a witness to it. I love it!

After watching the bonus features, I came to understand how exactly it isn't a completely accurate film. And how some things had to be altered in order to make it work for the movie. Such things do lessen a movie for me because if you're not based in reality then your based in fantasy. And if you're based in fantasy you're not believable. This film attempts to blend the lines in order to allow cop-outs, such as having suits with made up zippers for easy removal.

And there's other small things, like the fact that the director Alfonso Cuaron threw in a quick shot in George Clooney's helmet reflection of the camera crew. Such little jokes go wasted on me. This film would have been better off staying as close to reality as possible, instead of looking for easy shortcuts and funny little inside jokes being riddled within.

So ultimately I absolutely loved the movie, but that doesn't take away from my disappointment towards some of the nonsense in it. It has a good leading actress who knows how to carry a film, and it's got a good story. Debris in space is no joke, and this film is an attempt to make more people aware of how polluted our solar system is becoming. I like the message, and I like the movie.

ELYSIUM (2013)

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 109 Mins
WRITER(S)- Neill Blomkamp
STARRING- Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, and Sharlto Copley
DIRECTOR- Neill Blomkamp



Synopsis taken from IMDb
In the year 2154, the very wealthy live on a man-made space station while the rest of the population resides on a ruined Earth. A man takes on a mission that could bring equality to the polarized worlds.




Having enjoyed "District 9", I was very much looking forward to checking out this film. Neill Blomkamp made quite the name for himself with his first feature, so I figured he'd be someone to follow. Especially since this also tends to be a visual effects movie, the same way District was, I figured this one might be worth a watch.

As it turns out, I watched it twice (laugh). And although I liked it, I still found it disappointing. I think that there was a lot of hype on this film and on Blomkamp, because people now have an expectation of how good his films should be. But, this one just doesn't live up to it's potential.

I think the main reason that this doesn't go over as smoothly as  "District 9" is because it's far too political. You can smell it radiating off of the movie. It's very obvious and in your face, and very blunt. It's just as political and metaphorical as George A. Romero's 2005 zombie film "Land of the Dead", if not worse. Blomkamp has a tendency to incorporate messages through his films, but this just felt unnecessary and not what I was expecting. It's basically a futuristic way of trying to tell the story of people demanding equal respect from their government.

Only it's done with fancy trinkets and lots of special effects and cgi, to help you wash down the overly redundant topic. You can always go watch "V for Vendetta" if you want the same basic principal of story told, and better told while at it.

I think that's what was such a letdown to me. This film had myself and everyone thinking it was going to be epic, and it turned out to have no major performances in it, and ended up just coming off and being treated like an action sci-fi movie. I sound like a snob, but point blank, I expected a better film.

The action scenes, and special effects are well done, and very cutting edge and cool. But again, I wanted more than just fancy fight scenes and a lot of explosions, but I attended the wrong movie. This flick is good for all the wrong reasons. It's good because it's fun, not because it's a well made piece of cinema.

As the story plays out, it becomes a tad predictable. It's like a super breed of a generic movie. It's easy on the eye, and has a sense of intelligence to it. But, there's something missing, a vital piece. It's hard to put my finger on. In the end, I like "Elysium", but it should have been so much better than it is. It's not something I'd watch often.

On the positive side, I think that Matt Damon did a great job playing Max. Damon is very sympathetic and genuine in this role, and he does a good job at making it easy to side with his character. It's not the best acting I've seen from Damon, but it's still pretty good. I believe the character of Max is the common man in today's economy, just trying to make it by, and hope to get treated fairly. Only since this is a movie, he gets to get revenge and bring hell down on those who've earned it.

However, although Matt Damon plays a likable character, he's the only performance that really stands out. Sharlto Copley hardly gets enough screen time to allow us as an audience to really get any character development, so the performance isn't his best work. Add to that, he's a villain, so there's really nothing to like about his character, and there's nothing that stands out and makes his acting or the character memorable. As a matter of fact, I'm willing to bet that the only person people talk about after seeing this film is Matt Damon.

Not to mention, Jody Foster, who really doesn't do much for the film aside from add it's main villain. She does a good job at it, but her acting isn't anything worth mentioning, so I won't. It's easy to play a bad guy and good guy. It's hard to make the character read on screen as more than just  cut and dry, good or bad. There's no layers to her character, Delacourt. So I can't say that I'm impressed with Jody in this one. Let's hope she does something a little more memorable in her next flick, whatever that may be.

At the end of the day, "Elysium" is a fun film for lots of stylized fights and scenery. And if you don't let the thickness of it's political message cloud your air, you just may enjoy it!

3 out of 5 stars

ROBOCOP isn't the same machine

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 117
WRITER(S)- Joshua Zetumer, Edward Neumeier, and Michael Miner
STARRING- Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, and Michael Keaton
DIRECTOR- Jose Padila



Synopsis taken from IMDb
In 2028 Detroit, when Alex Murphy - a loving husband, father and good cop - is critically injured in the line of duty, the multinational conglomerate OmniCorp sees their chance for a part-man, part-robot police officer. 




I'm going to start off this review by stating that unlike most people, I do not hold the original 1987 "Robocop" in high regard. I mean, I like it, but it's no "The Terminator". So, going into viewing this, I wasn't worried about them sullying a film that I hold in high regard. I was however, completely turned off by the black suit. Even I was face-palming at how they made Robocop look like Cobra Commander from the awful "G.I. Joe" films that have came out as of late.

Like most reboots and remakes, there's things I like and dislike about this telling of the tale. I think that they were on the right track with the idea but, about halfway through the film, it seems it was just pieced together however it would fit. And of course, like most movies nowadays, there was little-to-zero character development. I appreciate the fact that they tried to give backstory with Alex Murphy and his family, but it wasn't enough to ever make me really care for the character. I was just looking for cool effects about midway through, when I gave up on the story improving.

In all actual truth, I don't think that there are many things that this movie improved on aside from the design of the suit, and the special effects and cgi. There's more negative to say than positive. Such as, Joel Kinnaman doesn't do as good of a job playing the half-man, half-machine cop as well as Peter Weller once did. However, I think part of that has to do with how the story seemed to rush any emotional scenes, so I blame the writing, not the acting. Had there really been time invested in getting to know the character, I might have said otherwise.

"Robocop" also seems to be a bit dulled down, besides having a cool looking suit (when it's not black). He just didn't come off as much of a bad-ass as he did in the 1987 movie. He isn't as tough or resistant, and his fighting isn't as impressive. He tends to need more help, and is hurt easily. I figured it was because in modernizing the film, they wanted to ground it and make it as realistic as possible. But, it didn't better the film. It took the some fun out of it to be honest.

I really enjoyed seeing Michael Keaton playing a villain. Hell, I've always liked Keaton. But even he couldn't save this film from becoming just another popcorn flick for the kids to watch. See, I don't mind that it's not taken seriously, and I don't mind it being a popcorn flick, but when the original motion picture is a serious Terminator-esque R rated picture, it really pales in comparison.

The movies main twist isn't nearly as impactful, and it's not as political or meaningful as a film overall. The deception angle is weak, and it just came off as too easy and simple. There was no complexity to anything, it is just cut and dry, fun. Nothing more. I find this an unnecessary reboot for such a mediocre story. Should have left "Robocop" series sleeping until something better came along as a worthy reason of awakening it.

So, aside from the fact that I can say "hey, that was a fun movie. Cool effects and some good laughs", there's nothing to praise this movie for. I remained entertained, but that's not nearly enough.

2 out of 5 stars

STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS will pull you in

RATED- PG-13

RUN TIME- 132 MINS

WRITER(S)- ROBERTO ORCI, ALEX KURTZMAN, AND DAVID LINDELOF

STARRING- CHRIS PINE, ZACHARY QUINTO, AND ZOE SALDANA

DIRECTOR- J.J. ABRAMS

Synopsis taken from IMDb

After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. 

Growing up, I was a huge Star Trek fan. As a child, I owned the entire series of action figures from "The Next Generation", along with The Enterprise, Transporter, and other diorama sets for the figures. I actually got my love for the series from my dad, who is a serious Trekkie. However, as I grew up and got into horror, I left all that stuff behind. I haven't watched an episode of the show in, I don't know how many years! 

In 2009, when J.J. Abrams released his first film in this franchise, I was an instant fan. I won't say that it got me back into the series but, I really enjoyed the fresh take on the characters. As well as how brilliant the story was written, and how it crossed over with the original series' timeline. So after missing it in theaters, and having to hunt it down from five Redbox machines, I was finally able to sit down and watch, "Into Darkness".

Much like it's predecessor, "Into Darkness" starts instantly with intense action and stays entertaining throughout. Aside from the one-liners, I enjoyed this one almost as much as I did the first film! Again, the action sequences are awesome, and borderline epic. Same goes for the cgi. I said it on Twitter, and I stand by the fact that J.J. Abrams has done to this series what Chris Nolan did to the Batman series, and I like it a lot.

I'm really satisfied that this one doesn't drop the ball, and keeps on rolling. The stakes are raised extensively high, this is to be expected when you have Khan as the main villain. I really liked Benedict Cumberbatch's performance as Khan, and rather than compare it to Ricardo Montalban's version of the character, I welcome it as a new take. A few people told me going into this that I shouldn't watch it with a hardcore Trekkie because they'll pick it apart with how it differentiates with the older flicks. Unfortunately, I watched this with my dad, so I didn't exactly take the advice given to me but, he liked it, the same as me.

There's a scene between Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto) that I found profoundly sad. Good news is, it doesn't last long. There's a lot of rich story and character development between Spock and James Kirk, and we see them grow as characters. It's a nice touch to see them get along for once, instead of always being at each others' throats, like in the prior film.

This movie has a lot of underlying political tones that you can smell a mile a way. Especially when it comes to war. Some very serious and deep messaging in there. And what is great about this movie, is that it manages to go really dark, and takes risks. Things happen to characters all throughout that you don't expect, and aren't anticipating. It manages to stay fresh but, stay true to what we expect. Which is a hard thing to juggle.

"Into Darkness" is full of heart and hope, friendship, honor, and family. It's as uplifting and positive as it is dark. Managing a perfect balance of sinking so low, and then reaching so high, you're left excited and thrilled. Unfortunately, J.J. Abrams has announced he won't be on board for the third film due to being asked to shoot the new "Star Wars" film. I can truly say that he'll be missed, and I can only hope that they find a suitable replacement who will keep this series on the right track. Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) has been rumored to possibly be on board.

Aside from some senseless dialog at some points, and some over-the-top acting, "Into Darkness" is an overall success.

THE WORLD'S END caps off a perfect trilogy

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 109 MINS
WRITER(S)- SIMON PEGG AND EDGAR WRIGHT
STARRING- SIMON PEGG, NICK FROST, AND MARTIN FREEMAN
DIRECTOR- EDGAR WRIGHT



Synopsis taken from IMDb
Five friends reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier unwittingly become humankind's only hope for survival.

Years back when I became a fan of 2004's "Shaun of the Dead", I became obsessed. As a matter of fact, a friend of mine has a memory of me watching it seven times in one week. Afterwards, I discovered the British sitcom, "Spaced", which also stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. I became an instant fan. Then, "Hot Fuzz" hit in 2007, and again, I was a fan. What I'm getting at is, seeing the conclusion of the Wright, Pegg and Frost trilogy was a must for me.

The first thing that struck me when watching, was that I forgot that it was about robots taking over the world. Seriously, no exaggeration, the characters and their bonds seem so real that I got caught up in their personal stories. And, with the character development going on, the big picture slipped my mind! When the first robot encounter happens, it actually jolted me, because I forgot all about that aspect of the film. Just goes to show ya that all you gotta do is sit these guys down at a pub and let them talk to make a good movie. 

It's laugh out loud funny, even though there's tragic and depressing moments. There's always an upbeat to it, giving off a positive and heartfelt vibe, even through the gloomy times. I can recall several times that this movie had me cracking up. And a lot of that not only came from great dialog but also, the action scenes...

Nick Frost owns the screen in the showdown scenes. His character, Andy Knightley, is such a calm and collected character. So, it's a total rush of excitement and humor when he snaps and starts kicking major ass. He and Simon Pegg make an unstoppable team yet again! The action and effects are done in a very comedic way, and it's very original. The whole film is really just genius humor!

The supporting cast was spot on as well. The thing that I enjoy and commend this movie on the most is, the fact that all of the characters are funny and have their moment, not just the leading men.

As the film concludes, it ties up very nicely and leaves you with a smile on your face. Well, it left me with a smile on my face, anyway. It really does end on the right note. This isn't some "Rocky V", where they need to do another film to wash this one out. No, they hit the nail on the head with a proper finale. It doesn't live up to "Shaun of the Dead" but, I like it more than "Hot Fuzz". 

As the final installment in their trilogy, there's a lot of underlying messages. Most of which, are about growing up and moving on. This is particularly sad because, I found it to not only be about the characters in the film but, also about Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright in their personal lives. Moving on from the past and letting go. It's dismal to see them go but, they go out in a blaze of glory with this great end to their series. 

Nothing stays the same, no matter how hard you try. And nothing lasts forever. But, friendship is worth living for. That's the message this motion picture leaves us with. "The World's End" is a celebration of life.

Pacific Rim Defines Epic

RATED- PG-13
RUN TIME- 132 MINS
WRITER(S)- TRAVIS BEACHAM AND GUILLERMO DEL TORO
STARRING- CHARLIE HUNNAM, IDRIS ELBA AND RINKO KIKUCHI
DIRECTOR- GUILLERMO DEL TORO



Synopsis taken from IMDb
As a war between humankind and monstrous sea creatures wages on, a former pilot and a trainee are paired up to drive a seemingly obsolete special weapon in a desperate effort to save the world from the apocalypse.  




In a world where the apocalypse has been done what seems like a billion times over, leave it to none other than Guillermo Del Toro to fascinate us with not only something completely original, but truly epic. Earlier this year when the trailer hit, I was extremely excited for this film to land. And now that it has, I'm even more pumped because it was even better than my expectations built it up to be.

Truthfully speaking, this film is just completely amazing. I can't believe how good it is! It's one of those rare films where after you walk out of the theater, the first conversation piece is when you're seeing it again. This is one of those movies that I think everyone on the planet should see at least once in their lives, it should make everyone's bucket list. There wasn't a boring part in the entire film, the whole duration is thrilling and gripping, and it's damned near impossible to take your eyes off of the screen.

If you follow Del Toro as closely and loyally as I do, than you know his creative side, and that his creatures in every film are always unique and different. This film is no different. Despite the amount of Kaiju's shown in the film, they're all brilliantly designed and different. Nothing else considered, just looking at the intricate monsters is enjoyment enough. Not to mention the Jaeger's, which are fantastic as well.

The action scenes are unlike anything you've seen before, they're totally new and mesmerizing. I can't recall another film that's had action sequences of this proportion before, and I know the term gets thrown around a lot, but "Pacific Rim" is absolutely 100% epic. It's consumes and enthralls you from the opening scene until the end. There is nothing that isn't spectacular about this film! And the 3D is gorgeous! This is probably the best film in 3D I've ever seen.

One of the most important things that I have to say about this film, is that they did a very good job of keeping a lot of the film out of the trailers. You may think you know about this film from what commercials you've seen, but it's a whole other motion picture than what you'd expect! I love that. Even though I did like the "Evil Dead" remake, I have to admit that the best parts of that film were spoiled in the trailers. That is not the case with this masterpiece. This may just be Guillermo Del Toro's greatest film to date, it's definitely the most enjoyable.

I also have to mention Charlie Hunnam's performance. Although he can tend to be a little stiff sometimes, he really came out of his shell in this film as Raleigh Becket. I'm truly glad, because I feel that sometimes he can get overlooked as an actor. So it's really satisfying to see him showing off a different side of himself and playing someone completely new! Great job all around on the cast. And Idris Elba is phenomenal as Stacker Pentecost, and he rivals Hunnam.

There is only two small flaws that I found with this film. One of them being a spoiler, so I'm not spilling the beans, though it has nothing to do with a twist or the end of the film. And the other being that I don't feel that the fact that it was the end of the world was stressed enough. It's mentioned a few times, but due to the fact that you don't see any civilians living their lives, and how the Kaiju invasion has impacted them, you don't get a real connection that it's the apocalypse. Nonetheless, this is truly a near-perfect film. It's very, very close, and I haven't given a film this high of a rating in years. 

It may be clichè, but the best word to describe this film is breathtaking. I reckon I'll see this film at least 5 more times when it comes out on Blu-Ray. This is the movie the world needs right now. This is what summer blockbusters are supposed to be. 

John Dies at the End (2012)

"Just so you know... they're sorry for anything that's about to happen."

RATED- R 

RUN TIME- 99 MINS

WRITER(S)- DON COSCARELLI AND DAVID WONG

STARRING- CHASE WILLIAMSON, ROB MAYES AND PAUL GIAMATTI

DIRECTOR- DON COSCARELLI

Synopsis taken from IMDb

A new street drug that sends its users across time and dimensions has one drawback: some people return as no longer human. Can two college dropouts save humankind from this silent, otherworldly invasion?



STORY: This is one film that I've been looking forward to for a while now, especially after hearing all the positive feedback it's been getting. People have even been getting tattoos! Don Coscarelli's name being on it was enough to make me give it a shot. For those of you who don't know who he is, he's the guy who brought us Phantasm and Bubba Ho-Tep. This tale starts with Dave (Chase Williamson) beheading a skinhead with an axe. Then poses the question of if an axe that's had it's head and handle replaced is still the same axe.

Dave talks with a reporter, Arnie (Paul Giamatti), about weird and bizarre events. Dave tells Arnie that he and John (Rob Mayes) received a call from Shelly Morris asking for their help, she said she was being harassed by her ex and after coming to her aid, Dave and John came to realize that they're seeing two different visions of her. Then we go back to when all the bizarre stuff started to happen two years ago when John's band was playing and Dave ran into a Jamaican guy who not only could do some fancy tricks, but can tell Dave about his past and future. That night John calls David for help and once Dave arrives he finds John to be having a bad trip off of this black liquid known simply as "Soy Sauce". John starts telling Dave that he's losing touch with reality and has been calling Dave all night. But to his disbelief, while John is with Dave, Dave receives a call from John.

Some time after, Dave accidentally takes the drug. After doing so, he sees that the drug itself is a living thing, moving on it's own. That's when he realizes the severity of this situation and is pulled into the craziness that John talked about. Only now he knows that John isn't crazy, and neither is he. Due to taking the drug, Dave can do some extraordinary things like read minds and know things he shouldn't.

Dave and John come face to face with a lot of ground beef...

ACTING/PERFORMANCES: The acting in this movie was awesome, nothing award worthy, but very well done. There's a hint of sarcasm and smart-ass about the whole movie and I loved it. Very entertaining performances. Paul Giamatti said he was in this movie because it was a chance for him to be in the type of movie he'd watch.



SPECIAL FX/CREATURES: The special effects are cheesy but forgivable, when you see the type of movie it is the FX really fit the feel of the film. They help keep that humorous tone and definitely make you laugh. There's a part where Dave is being attacked by a cop's mustache, absolutely ridiculous but hilarious as well.



OVERALL: This film is a blast and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a very entertaining movie and is one you'll remember for a long time. Don Coscarelli nailed it again, while not as good as Bubba Ho-Tep, John Dies at the End hits a home run.

THIS FILM GETS 3 1/2 REAPER SKULLS OUT OF 5

Men In Black 3 (2012)

"This summer, he'll have to find the answers...in time"

RATED- PG-13

RUN TIME- 106 MINS

WRITER(S)- ETAN COHEN, LOWELL CUNNINGHAM

STARRING- WILL SMITH, TOMMY LEE JONES AND JOSH BROLIN

DIRECTOR- BARRY SONNENFELD

 Synopsis taken from IMDb

Agent J travels in time to M.I.B.'s early days in 1969 to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K and changing history.  

STORY: Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement), an alien known as a Boglodite, is the last of his kind and in 1969, a younger Agent K (Josh Brolin) arrested him. In doing this, Agent K stopped the alien takeover that Boris was trying to mastermind, and in doing so all the Boglodite's were faced with extinction. Boris is missing and arm that Agent K is also responsible for.

 Now Boris has come up with a new plan to escape imprisonment and go back in time to 1969 and kill Agent K, as well as follow through his maniacal plan to have his kind invade Earth and dodge extinction. Agent J (Will Smith) wakes up and realizes something sketchy is going on when he's the only one who knows who Agent K is, he then finds out that his partner doesn't exist because Boris succeeded in his plan to kill Agent K in 1969. So Agent J must travel back in time and stop Boris and warn his future partner.

However, Agent J finds that convincing his younger partner that his story is true isn't as easy as he was hoping. Agent K is weary of Agent J and suspects him to be up to no good. Agent J must find a way to convince his partner of the truth before time runs out.

Agent K (left) and Agent J (right) find that they make a great team after all

ACTING: The acting in this movie is really well done and humorous. Will Smith is hysterical at several parts and Josh Brolin even has his moments. Josh Brolin steals the show with his acting, he does a perfect job impersonating Tommy Lee Jones. The acting is well done all around.

SPECIAL EFFECTS: The CG and creature effects are on par with today's standard of technology and it's nothing short of what you'd expect from this movie. The creatures are all goofy looking and have quirky personalities, like they always have. They effects are well played.

OVERALL: This film isn't anything more or less than you'd expect from this series. It fits right in with the other 2 films. It's got it's funny and serious moments and overall it's entertaining and fun, but that's as far as it goes. It's not a great film, or one of the best of 2012, it's just a blast to watch and is enjoyable on all fronts.

THIS FILM GETS 3 REAPER SKULLS OUT OF 5

Splice

Wow. What an amazing sci-fi flick. It's been a long time since a movie like this has been made and it instantly shoots up there with Cronenberg's The Fly and Carpenter's The Thing. I loved the movie, though I thought it ended on a slow note and I'd prefer it ended on a more impactful ending.

Two scientists use human dna in an experiment after being told it's illegal. And in their attempt to create life they mix the human dna with animal dna to find the missing links they needed in making a living being. But they soon discover that playing God isn't all it's cracked up to be when they have to face what they created.

This thing is crazy looking! Such a fantastic design. Dren (our human/animal hybrid) is a bad mother and the movie is very injoyable.

3 stars is the verdict. View the trailer below.