Don't feed the 'ANIMAL'

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

The Monkey's Paw (2013) director, Brett Simmons directs this survival story about a group of close-knit friends on the run for their lives from a beast within the woods. Starring Joey Lauren Adams (Chasing Amy), Elizabeth Gillies (Killing Daddy TV movie), and Paul Iacono (G.B.F.), Animal is an entertaining and relentless creature feature.

'JOYRIDE 3: ROADKILL' is relentlessly brutal

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

In the third installment in the Joy Ride series, we get a bloody (no pun intended) good sequel. This time around, a group of street racers who take a short cut to a race rally antagonize the vicious truck driver, Rusty Nail, and he won't stop hunting them until they all die gruesome deaths. Directed by Declan O' Brien (Shartopus) and starring Ken Kirzinger (Freddy Vs. Jason), Jesse Hutch (Smallville), and Ben Hollingsworth (Coming Home for Christmas).

'THE MONKEY'S PAW'

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT

RATED- Unrated

RUN TIME-  100 Mins

WRITER(S)- Macon Blair 

STARRING- C.J. Thomason, Stephen Lang, and Michelle Pierce

DIRECTOR- Brett Simmons

Synopsis taken from IMDb

Jake is given a monkey's paw that grants three wishes. After the first two wishes leave his friend Cobb undead, Cobb pushes Jake to make a final wish.

I grew up loving the story of The Monkey's Paw, I even remember the first time I read it in school. Being a fan of horror since I was a child, story's about supernatural things never bothered me. Tales From the Crypt even did an episode about The Monkey's Paw that I remember watching on my parent's couch in their living room. So, having been a fan of the story for many years, there's no way I was going to miss the new feature-length film based on it. Especially since Chiller Films are behind it. While Chiller's movies tend to be on the low-budget side of things, they also hit some of their projects out of the part. Other times, it's hit and miss with them.

'DEVIL'S MILE' (Screener Review)

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT 

RATED- Unrated

RUN TIME- 88 Mins

WRITER(S)- Joseph O'Brien

STARRING- David Hayter, Maria Del Mar, and Casey Hudecki

DIRECTOR(S)- Joseph O'Brien

Synopsis taken from IMDb

A relentlessly-paced hybrid of a gritty crime thriller and Lovecraftian supernatural horror, The Devil's Mile follows a trio of kidnappers who take an ill-advised detour en route to deliver their hostages - two teenage girls - to their mysterious and powerful employer. When they accidentally kill one of the girls during a botched escape attempt, their simmering mistrust explodes into shocking violence. But what they thought was their worst case scenario is only the beginning, as they are engulfed by the hellish forces that haunt the road - a road they realize they may never escape. Now captors and captive must fight together to escape the monstrous forces pursuing them and somehow survive...THE DEVIL'S MILE.  

Quite literally, this film starts off with a bang. We see Jacinta (Casey Hudecki), Cally (Maria Del Mar), and Toby (David Hayter) who apparently don't get along very well, traveling by car. After taking a wrong turn, and tempers flare, we come to realize that they're kidnappers who have two helpless Asian girls in the trunk, who will be held for ransom. However, things go terribly wrong when we find out that one of the girls isn't the right one, and her parents aren't rich. The proper girl, who was meant to be kidnapped, tries to escape but is ran over and killed instead by Cally on "accident". So the trio of criminals' situation goes from bad to absolutely terrible.

COMPOUND FRACTURE shows the past can come back to hurt you

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT

RATED- Unrated
RUN TIME- 90 Mins
WRITER(S)- Renae Geerlings and Tyler Mane
STARRING- Tyler Mane, Muse Watson, and Derek Mears 
DIRECTOR- Anthony J. Rickert-Epstein 



Synopsis taken from IMDb
Michael left home when he was a teenager and never looked back. Now, after the death of his sister, Chloe, he's returning home with his fiancee Juliette and his angst ridden nephew Brandon. On arrival, they realize that home isn't exactly what it used to be. With high walls surrounding the house and security cameras in every nook and cranny it's more of a military compound than anything else. Enter Gary, Michael's estranged father who, while happy to be reunited with his son and grandson, seems more distracted by other things. As the strange family reunion commences, an uninvited guest shows up and we learn bits and pieces about the real reason behind Chloe's death and why Brandon is so closed off from Michael. The fractured family will have to come together to fight the ghosts of their pasts and make it out alive!




The first thing that drew me to this motion picture was the cast. When I saw that it stared Tyler Mane (Halloween 2007), Derek Mears (Friday the 13th 2009), and Leslie Easterbrook (The Devil's Reject's 2005), I knew that this was one worth a viewing. The opinion of horror fans overall seemed positive, so that was another reason to check it out.

BLUE RUIN is as violent as it is tragic

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT 

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 90 Mins
WRITER(S)- Jeremy Saulnier
STARRING- Macon Blair, Devin Ratray, and Amy Hargreaves
DIRECTOR- Jeremy Saulnier



Synopsis taken from IMDb
A mysterious outsider's quiet life is turned upside down when he returns to his childhood home to carry out an act of vengeance. Proving himself an amateur assassin, he winds up in a brutal fight to protect is estranged family. 




Seeing as the trailer basically gives nothing away, I didn't know much going into this one except for it's somewhat notorious critical appraise. I knew that it was a revenge thriller, but that's about it. And I refused to read about it online for the sake of running into spoilers. But it seemed like my kind of flick, and with all the good words said about it, I figured there had to be something to it.

Dwight (Macon Blair) is a beach vagrant who breaks into vacant homes during the day to take baths. He also sleeps in his car and eats out of dumpsters. He's a quiet, socially awkward guy, who's beaten up from the past. 20 years ago, his mother and father were murdered, and he's never been the same since. But when he hears that his parent's killer, Wade Cleland, Jr. is getting released from prison, he decides to go back home to exact a terrible vengeance.

One of the things that let me know that I was going to like this piece of cinema is that it's kind of a slow-burner type of thriller. It takes it's time, and when the payoffs come, they aren't what I was expecting. It's not very predictable, and it really takes you on an emotional journey. They don't delve too much into how much Dwight's parents' deaths affected him, but it still gets across to the viewer because of the emotionally gripping performance by Macon Blair. His acting in "Blue Ruin" is genuinely convincing, and I can't help but feel terrible for the guy. Although he's quiet and a loner, with his reasons and purpose, he's easy to get behind and invest some emotion into.
 He's a real character, and that's what resonates the most about the story.

After Dwight changes his appearance by shaving and cutting his hair, his new look doesn't protect him from the Cleland family, who are now seeking him out as well as his closest family member, his sister Sam (Amy Hargreaves). When Dwight realizes that the hunt for his life won't end, he's forced into making final drastic decisions. Again, Dwight being the heartfelt character that he is, isn't a pro at killing or booby trapping, so he fumbles and often shows how vulnerable he is. He's just a man with a plan, and he's trying to execute it. And he doesn't expect it to end well. While I was watching, I think it's safe to say that I assumed the same type of outcome.

Honestly, there's a few scenes that are heart-stopping. I was frozen in my seat, heart pounding several times. Everything is done in a very realistic way, so you know that if something serious goes down, that it's going to stick and have an effect. The characters aren't untouchable, and they aren't safe, and that's what keeps the suspense element ever-present. This film also isn't afraid to show bloodshed, and graphic violence. But it keeps a grounded approach that fits, and doesn't just throw buckets of blood around to overcompensate. This is a combination of "A History of Violence" and "Death Sentence". It's not for the faint of heart, but doesn't go far enough to make any of the vehemence unnecessary.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed watching "Blue Ruin", there's one nitpick that I can't help but be annoyed with, and that's that Wade goes unnoticed far too much. He pulls up and pumps gas with a guy screaming and thumping inside his trunk. Scattered moments like this lessen the realism the movie sets, and reminds me of the latter seasons of "Dexter".

There's an unpleasant plot twist towards the end, and it's a game changer. There's some unexpected deaths, and the film as a whole is incredibly intense. Dwight has a death wish, and only lives for revenge. Even though he's in over his head, he knows the only way out of his situation is to end it himself, and take it into his own hands. Powerfully compelling storytelling. I actually liked this more than I expected, and I can't wait to own it on Blu-ray.

3.5 stars out of 5

HATE CRIME (2013)

RATED- Unrated
RUN TIME- 73 Mins
WRITER(S)- James Cullen Bressack and Jarret Cohen
STARRING- Jody Barton, Nicholas Adam Clark, and Greg Depetro
DIRECTOR- James Cullen Bressack



Synopsis taken from IMDb
A Jewish family, that just arrived in a new neighborhood, are recording their youngest son's birthday celebrations on video when their home is suddenly invaded by a bunch of crystal-meth-crazed Neo-Nazi lunatics. 




Now, if you read my blog often, or even time to time, you know that I'm one of those horror fans that can't resist a movie that has everyone waving the brutal flag for. If you tell me a film has a reputation like that, odds are I'm gunning to see it. I'll try any movie once, just to say I watched it. Being a horror critic you have to be up to date on what is considered extreme, just common sense, really.

When the movie starts, we're watching the celebration of a child's birthday. We're also introduced to the fact that the mother and father don't seem to get along too well. But before we can get any real character time, the Neo-Nazis invade the Jewish family's home and start wrecking havoc. I was surprised by how quick this film picks up. I guess seeing as it's only 73 minutes long, they had to get to the point quick.

The Nazi terrorists call themselves One, Two, and Three. They're totally off their rocker, and have no idea what they're doing. Often overacted, they're high on meth and wanted to scare the newest family in the neighborhood. But things get taken to an all new level of unnecessary proportions. In fact, one of the three lunatics even tells the family that it wasn't supposed to go down this way, but there's no going back.

So, rather than stop while they're ahead, they just go further with their terrorizing. The first notable thing that I disliked was that through the entire film, everyone is so loud and screaming that it's downright inaudible in parts. Add to that the fact that the Neo-Nazis are wearing masks, and it makes it even harder to hear some of the dialogue. I understand if this were done to maintain a sense of realism, but I would have rather heard what was being said with clarity. Especially since the acting being so poor at times ruins the realism the film creates.

I also have a problem with the fact that this movie takes itself so seriously, but it pussyfoots around the solid details that would have really improved the film. Such as when the mother is being raped. She is raped twice, once by Three, the over-sized meth freak, and a second time by her own son upon being forced by the intruders. And neither of these times does the moms underwear leave her waist. I know I probably sound like a creep saying this, but there's no proper way to say it without being blunt.

If you want to make a film that is built on suspense, then you don't need to show everything. But when you make a movie meant to push boundaries and show everything gruesome, you don't forget details like a rape victim still garnished in lingerie. It's common sense. What I dislike about "Hate Crime" most, is its lack of commitment to being a hardcore horror film, although it tries to pass itself off as one.

There's some serious problems paying attention to detail too, like the fact that the family doesn't fight back at all and just moan and cry like helpless victims. I understand the fact that the idea was to show a family being helpless and victimized, but no one trying to defend themselves is just disappointing. I know that if this type of scenario happened to me, I'd go down fighting, not crying and begging. I also hated how the victims weren't even tied up tight. Here we are, watching them thrash about in their chairs as they're beaten and even branded on the face with swastikas, all the while they're not even tied in tight, and could easily escape. I mean it's pretty clear watching the movie how lose those chords are tied around them. So again, something else that ruins the authenticity of this films attempted realistic feel.  

There's hardly any gore aside from a painful eyeball removal scene that's done off camera. This however, is filmed properly and lets the screams of agony tell the story rather than show you all the details. It's probably the most gruesome thing that happens in the entire film, even though we miss the visual. The entire third act is incredibly suspenseful, and the found footage/documentary style of filming works well for the story.

I think that One, Two, and Three are complete idiots outside of just being racist losers. When the father escapes their grasp, they waste so much time doing nothing. Meanwhile, in reality, someone escaping would cause the protagonists to run in fear of the cops being called. Not in this movie. They just get high and take their time, which is not realistic at all. They stick around beyond when they should, and they record way too much.

Towards the end it doesn't even make sense as to why they're still recording, and you can tell that it's just for the sake of the movie. You can't just leave things go on like that for the sake of the story. There's ways around such hiccups that wouldn't lessen the movies value. Such as just letting the movie cut off, or finding a better reason to let the camera run aside for the sake of having it sit on the dashboard while the meth-heads talk.

In the end, I enjoyed "Hate Crime", but I dislike it for its shortcomings, in which there are many. Nothing irks me more than a horror film with vast potential to beat the walls of conventional-ism down, but chickens out and plays it the safe way. Yeah, it may be hard to stomach, but there's things that constantly remind you that it's only a movie. So the point of the flick is lost, and it just becomes a senseless movie about brutality that dares to push barriers, but doesn't make the cut.

2.5 stars out of 5

PROXY is a deranged piece of cinema

RATED- Unrated
RUN TIME- 120 Mins
WRITER(S)- Kevin Donner and Zack Parker
STARRING- Joe Swanberg, Kristina Klebe, and Alexia Rasmussen
DIRECTOR- Zack Parker



Synopsis taken from IMDb
While walking home from her latest OB appointment, a very pregnant Esther Woodhouse is brutally attacked and disfigured by a hooded assailant. This horrible event seems to be a blessing in disguise when Esther finds consolation in a support group. Her life of sadness and solitude is opened up to a friendship, understanding, and even acceptance. However, friendship and understanding can be very dangerous things when accepted by the wrong people. 




Starting almost immediately, we see a very pregnant Esther (Alexia Rasmussen) ruthlessly attacked. What follows actually made my jaw drop, and I almost had to look away. This is that kind of movie that instantly tells you what you're in for. The attack is so heinous and traumatizing to watch, and it caught me off guard. My first thought was: who would do such a thing? Pushing the boundaries within just a few minutes, I was ready to stick around to see how far it would go.

We see the impact the vicious attack has on Esther, and she's extremely lonely. She joins a support group and starts to socialize, which seems to make her feel better. As the first act of the film dragged out and was kind of slow, I was intrigued to stay tuned and see where this all was leading. Never would I expect such a sick and unforgivable twist. And we see Esther sleep around, making the viewer realize she's not who we thought she was.

Esther becomes completely unlikable instantly, and we find out things about her, like how she never wanted to be a mother. She's a nasty, heartless person. But, it isn't just Esther that is unlikable, it's almost the entire cast. Joe Swanberg shows up and puts on a good performance, but he's kind of stiff. I don't feel that he let it all out in this film. I guess his performance while good, felt held back. His character Patrick, undergoes a traumatic incident that changes him for the worse.

What follows Patrick's misfortune is a shocker. I didn't see any of it coming, but it shows you how unpredictable this flick is. It's completely unconventional. There's an unnecessary slow motion scene that irked me, and it just didn't go as I expected it to, so I was left compelled to watch, so I can see how it would end.

There's some good gore that looks realistic and painful, and there's nice dialogue that doesn't feel forced. It goes over smoothly and naturally for the most part. Some of the music is kind of quirky, which is unnecessary, and takes you out of the movie.

The masturbation-choke scene is pretty disturbing and gross, again pushing boundaries. And we see that due to recent events, Patrick is now going to a support group. When he discovers a secret about his wife and her relationship with Esther, things get crazy. There's another kill towards the end that I did not see coming, and caught me off guard. I think what this movie is best at is being completely random and unpredictable.

The film ends very deranged, but good. I feel that after viewing the film that it has a lot of good things going for it, but it's far too slow, and fails to build any true successful suspense. It turns into a movie that's only subsidence is shock value. Overall I was entertained, but I wasn't impressed. It gets too many things wrong, and it gets in its own way of being a great good movie due to some boring writing and drawn out scenes. I like it, but it's nothing worth praising.

3 stars out of 5

BIG BAD WOLVES (2013)

RATED- Unrated
RUN TIME- 110 Mins
WRITER(S)- Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado
STARRING- Lior Ashkenazi, Rotem Keinan, and Tzahi Grad
DIRECTOR- Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado



Synopsis taken from IMDb
A series of brutal murders puts the lives of three men on a collision course: The father of the latest victim now out for revenge, a vigilante police detective operating outside the boundaries of  law, and the main suspect in the killings- a religious studies teacher arrested and released due to a police blunder.




Quentin Tarantino is quoted as saying that this flick is the "best film of the year". That's all I really needed to hear, I knew I had to see this. Although Tarantino puts his name on films to give them a push with audiences and critics, they aren't all good. So this was a gamble. But after a few minutes of watching, I knew that I was going to like it.

It picks up pretty quickly, throwing you in amidst the chaos of a suspect being beaten and interrogated. I instantly saw some "Reservoir Dogs" in the scene, and could tell that this was going to be an unconventional experience. The suspect ends up being released, and we discover that a teenager was in the building when the violence was happening, and he recorded the incident. Shortly after leaking the video on YouTube, the lead cop on the case, Micki (Lior Ashkenazi) is dropped from the police force. But rather than quit while he's ahead, he pursues the suspect on his own time and terms.

I like that we get some alone time with the suspect, Dror (Rotem Keinan) and see how his life is effected by the accusations made about him. They make you wait a bit before finding out exactly what he's suspected of doing, but it's quite gruesome. Supposedly he kills little girls by sawing off their heads with a rusty saw, but after drugging, raping, breaking their fingers one at a time, and peeling off their toenails and keeping them as souvenirs. Dror appears to be such a wholesome guy that it's hard to say whether or not he's really guilty or just being falsely accused. He's subjected to finding students making nasty drawings about him, and he's treated to nasty comments on exams he's grading from. He's definitely weird, but the mystery of his innocence or guilt is well told, and leaves you guessing.

Then we discover that former cop; Micki, is being spied on by Gidi (Tzahi Grad), the father of the latest missing child. His introduction is when the movie gets serious. He purchases a nice new house, and makes sure that it has a sound proof basement. He makes it a vital point to get a basement that you can't hear screaming from. After a brief discussion with Micki, they decide to team up and question Dror the hardway, and off the books. This is where the movie goes from "Reservoir Dogs" to "Kill List" quickly.

There's not a lot of gore in the film, but what is used is mostly spent in Gidi's basement. And despite the extreme nature, there's some good dark humor that keeps the mood from sinking too deep into making "Big Bad Wolves" an uncomfortable film. Gidi offers a quick death to Dror if he just tells him where his daughter's head is so he can bury it with her body. Dror being persistent, refuses that he doesn't know and that he's not the guy they're after. He's so convincing that he almost sways Gidi and Micki's bond. But after not confessing, the torturing begins.

There's some painful moments to watch, including a finger breaking, and toenail removal. Needless to say, the soundproof basement comes in handy. But things get even crazier when Gidi's father, Yoram (Doval'e Glickman) stops by for a visit, sees what's going on, and joins in on the party. The dialogue between Yoram and Gidi is funny, and the entire cast flows smoothly together and interact with great screen chemistry.

There's a sudden turn of events that blindsided me, and makes for a really screwed up, non-happy ending. Although considering what happens, I don't feel that it was emotional enough. I think there was some powerful acting to be had at the end, and it never happened. So the movie could have ended on a strong note, even if it still ended in a shocking way. Overall, "Big Bad Wolves" is full of suspense, and it's not predictable. There's some good acting all around, and a strong story with disturbing content matter, and an unexpected twist.

3.5 stars out of 5

PRISONERS (2013)

RATED- R

RUN TIME- 153 Mins

WRITER(S)- Aaron Guzikowski

STARRING- Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Viola Davis

DIRECTOR- Denis Villeneuve

Synopsis taken from IMDb

When Keller Dover's daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family?

First, let me start this by saying that this is definitely one that you need to watch twice to get the full effect. Due to how well you're mislead the whole film, you miss a lot of details and clues that are actually important, and end up coming into play. Once you've seen it a first time, and know how it ends, going into it a second time allows you to see the things you might have missed. That is the case with me, anyway.

It's been a long while since I've seen a really good revenge thriller outside of the 2010 Korean masterpiece, "I Saw The Devil". So, having my interest piqued with the television commercials, I decided that I'd give this one a chance. I didn't get around to seeing it in theaters, and only just saw it for the first time a month ago. But after viewing it and seeing what a powerhouse of a movie it is, I knew it was going to go on the slab for reviewing.

The story to this is a lot more psychological and deep than other recent kidnapping movies such as "Megan is Missing" (which I thought was completely tasteless). Anyway, "Prisoners" takes a look at things from the parents point of view, instead of the person(s) kidnapped. And in order to pull off such a feat, you have to have a good convincing cast, which this movie provides perfectly.

What would you do if your child was kidnapped? Would you do the right thing and wait around for the authorities to handle it, or would you take matters into your own hands? How would your marriage suffer from having a child stolen from you? Or, how would it effect your everyday life, including work and sleep? Well, all of these questions are touched up on and shown to us in a very believable manor. Which is why the film hits so hard, because it has real character reacting to a terrifying situation.

And the thing that I think I liked most about this picture, is that it isn't predictable. Most films like this you can see through and pick apart within 30 minutes, but such was not the case for me with this one. Everyone is a suspect, and because you have certain people you're weary of as a viewer, it kept me on edge. I didn't trust a single person in this one. And I was blindsided by the twist at the end.

The cast is on point in all aspects. I personally thought that Jake Gyllenhaal was awesome in this, and I don't really like a lot of stuff that he's in. But the crown on this film is Hugh Jackman's acting. That guy delivers. Jackman plays the guy that does what anyone'd want to do in his situation. Most of us would never have the guts to do what he does, but that doesn't mean we wouldn't want to.

So, even though he takes things a bit far, there's a lot of people out there who'd go even further, which makes his character easily likable and easy to relate to. As violent as he is, he's justified as far as I'm concerned. You steal someones child and you deserve all the hell in the world to come down on your head in my book. As a matter of fact, the movie actually received an NC-17 rating due to the torture, gore, and violence. So it was edited to tone down the graphic nature of it all.

For such a heavy topic, director Denis Villeneuve does a great job at exposing the realness and rawness of the situation. Very good movie. The ending left me high and dry, wanting more answers, but I really believe that it was the best way to end a near perfect picture.

So just for the sake of keeping track, you've got a good, strong story, great acting, good plot twists, lots of suspense, and a solid ending. As a matter of fact, I'll swear to the Lord that midway through the movie, I was so anxious to find out who the protagonist was that I almost pulled my phone out to Google spoilers (laugh).

If you haven't checked this out yet, do yourself a favor and give it a viewing. It's hard and has some bite to it, but it's a rewarding experience, and a very serious movie.

3.5 out of 5 stars

THE COLONY won't save you

RATED- UNRATED

RUN TIME- 95 MINS

WRITER(S)- JEFF RENFROE, SVET ROUSKOV, PATRICK TARR, AND PASCAL TROTTIER

STARRING- KEVIN ZEGERS, LAURENCE FISHBURNE, AND BILL PAXTON

DIRECTOR- JEFF RENFROE

Synopsis taken from IMDb

Forced underground by the next ice age, a struggling outpost of survivors must fight to preserve humanity against a threat even more savage than nature.

This is another recent rental of mine. I've heard some pretty good things from friends, so I wasn't reluctant to give it a shot. However, there is a small part of me that was worried because Laurence Fishburne doesn't have a good track record with me. But, in all fairness, he has his share of good films. Also, the fact that it co-stars Bill Paxton helped to sell me on giving it a watch.

From the way this flick started, I instantly could see that it wasn't going to be that bad, and that it had promise. I definitely like the concept, and I actually was impressed with its delivery. There is a real sense of it being severe times for humanity, and I couldn't help but get pulled in, and sympathize with the characters. The year is 2045, and after we build climate controlling machines, they break down and ever since, it's never stopped snowing. So, all humanity is broken up into underground colonies, where they're quickly running out of resources. However, from what I understand, major critics accuse this movie of borrowing old ideas from sci-fi motion pictures, and I can't really disagree.

 Sam (Jeff Renfroe) is the main character and we follow him on the journey as he tries to accompany Briggs (Fishburne) to search out and save a fellow colony that isn't responding to radio contact. Upon the rescue mission, they come to realize that the death of the other colonists are by a group of cannibals, who ate them. Again, this is a great idea, and it kept me intrigued, even if it's originality is severely lacking. But, it's very entertaining.

The performances are pretty spot on, Fishburne and Paxton are at their best. The character development is dry and repetitive, but the acting is surprisingly convincing. I enjoyed the interactions between characters, and their dialogue isn't forced. Though, nothing remarkable stands out about the writing, it just works for what this film is. I would have liked to see more clever writing done, to really put it over-the-top and make it less predictable. 

There's things that this movie does fail at miserably, and the main thing, is the lead villain, the Feral Leader (Dru Viergever). I don't like or understand the need for him to be as menacing as he is. I understand he's the bad guy and main threat, but the acting and execution of his appearance looks like something out of a ridiculous sci-fi movie. I found this character to cheapen the overall effect this movie had before he became a player on screen. Had he been more fitting to the story, and not as cheesy, I think this film may have been really good. Not to mention the mediocre cgi, that reminds us all that this isn't a high-end motion picture, and also lessens the impact this film may have otherwise had.

In the end, The Colony is more of the same. But it's enjoyable and an easy watch. Can't say I hated it, but I can't praise it. Could have been better, but wasn't. I am expecting this one to become forgotten very quickly, and it sucks. There was a lot of potential behind this one, and it just didn't add up to what it should have.

KICK-ASS 2 is a solid sequel

RATED- R

RUN TIME- 103 MINS

WRITER(S)- JEFF WADLOW, MARK MILLAR, AND JOHN ROMITA Jr.

STARRING- AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON, CHLOE GRACE MORETZ, AND CHRISTOPHER MINTZ-PLASSE

DIRECTOR- JEFF WADLOW

Synopsis taken from IMDb

The costumed high-school hero Kick-Ass joins with a group of normal citizens who have been inspired to fight crime in costume. Meanwhile, the Red Mist plots an act of revenge that will affect  everyone Kick-Ass knows.

I liked the first film a lot more than I ever expected to, so I was ready going into this one. I haven't heard much about it, I stay away from spoilers as often as I can. I've only read two reviews on it I believe, both of which were positive. 

I like how it starts, Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) no longer fighting crime, but others around the city have picked up where he left off. He's inspired a group of vigilantes that call themselves superheros, just like he once did. Even though you can see where this storyline will inevitably end up, it's still enjoyable. Dave meets up with his former pal Mindy Macready/Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz), and she gets him back into training and fighting crime. Dave starts taking everything a bit more seriously, and is proud to be partners with Mindy.

There's a lot of growing, both physically and mentally, from Dave and Mindy. All of which is fantastic.

After Mindy decides to give up fighting crime, Kick-Ass joins forces with a team of masked superhero's headed by Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carey). Carey gives a very good performance for this film, and is one of the most memorable things about this sequel. As a team they conquer the streets and shut down criminals left and right. Donald Faison is in this flick as well, and he plays Dr. Gravity. Another memorable and funny character. 

Chris D'Amico/The Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) is hellbent on revenge and takes things to a new extreme, which doesn't limit his new name, which he gives himself when he decides to become the worlds first super-villain. He now goes by The Mother F'er, in short, and even though Plasse seems to be the same damn character in every movie he's in, he still pulls off the annoying character. All the while I was just waiting for Kick-Ass to beat the hell out of him. In the name of his deceased father, The Mother F'er hires a team of ex-cons and street criminals to join his army in alliance to kill Kick-Ass and destroy the city.

Like the first film, I really adore how they are able to balance such humor and ridiculousness with serious vibes. It gets very dark and gritty really quickly, and there's a lot of death. But it never loses it's quirkiness. And while this film kept me happy, nothing changes that it doesn't have that magic that the first one had. I believe this is as close as you can get to capturing that lightning in a bottle again.

The acting is over-the-top, but exactly what it needs to be for this type of film. The story isn't as strong, although all of the stakes are upped. Without the origin story the original film had, this one almost falls flat aside from the action. However, the story between Dave and Mindy is well done, and adds a great depth to the story, stopping the story from becoming weak and too much action. There's also good character story and development with Dave and his father, which I liked a lot. They do the same with Mindy, showing her home life and how she interacts with her new dad, Detective Marcus Williams (Morris Chestnut) after her real father's passing.

The climax of the film is touching and well written. Full of despair, hope, and strength, as well as blood and violence. We're left wondering if there's going to be a third film. My sources have told me that a 3rd installment probably will happen, this just leaves me guessing what it will be about? Hopefully they won't do a third and fall into the trilogy curse. We'd rather have just two good movies than to have two good movies and one bad one. Hopefully they aren't reaching too far in order to make a third happen.

All in all, "Kick-Ass 2" is a solid action film that'll invoke all emotions in you from sadness, to complete happiness and laughter. It's a blast, and if you liked the first motion picture, you're bound to like this one. I left the theater satisfied, and I guess as a movie buff, that's all I can ask for. I'm definitely glad this film happened. It kick's ass!

Dredd 3D (2012)

RATED-R

RUN TIME- 95 MINS

WRITERS- CARLOS EZQUERRA, ALEX GARLAND AND JOHN WAGNER

STARRING- KARL URBAN, OLIVIA THIRLBY AND LENA HEADEY

DIRECTOR- PETE TRAVIS

Synopsis taken from IMDb

The future America is an irradiated wast land. On it's East Coast, running from Boston to Washington DC, lies Mega City One- a vast, violent metropolis where criminals rule the chaotic streets. The only force of order lies with the urban cops called "Judges" who possess the combined powers of  judge, jury and instant executioner.  Known and feared throughout the city, Dredd is the ultimate judge, challenged with ridding the city of its latest scourge- a dangerous drug epidemic that has users of "Slo-Mo" experiencing reality at a fraction of its normal speed. During a routine day on the job, Dredd is assigned to train and evaluate Cassandra Anderson, a rookie with psychic abilities thanks to a genetic mutation. A heinous crime calls them to a neighborhood where fellow judges rarely dare to venture- a 200 story vertical slum controlled by prostitute turned drug lord Ma-Ma and her ruthless clan. 

This is a film I've wanted to see since I first saw the trailer for it. To me, it looked fun, action-packed and violent as hell. So I was stoked to see how this movie would turn out. However, I didn't get to see it opening weekend due to being overbooked, so I had to miss out on seeing it opening weekend. So you can imagine my surprise to find out that this movie bombed at the box office! I guess I was alone in thinking this movie looked like a great time.

Despite the film coming in 6th place opening weekend and only grossing around 6 million dollars, I was still eager to see it. I don't let what critics or grossing's judge movies for me, I listen to what's being said about the film but I never let someone else's opinion become the reason for not seeing a movie. So I made a plan to see it this past Sunday with some of my close friends so that after Dredd was over we could still make it for the Dexter season 7 premiere after. It was a good Sunday.

Wanna know what else made my Sunday even better? Dredd 3D was awesome! The movie didn't let me and my friends down one bit, regardless of it's doings a the box office we loved it and were completely satisfied. Karl Urban played a mean Judge Dredd. The casting was spot on, I liked all the characters and the people who played them.

Lena Headey, who I think is a beautiful talented actress was made hideous for her role in this film, bearing rotten teeth from drugs and a nasty deep scar running under her right eye across the cheek. However, this made me love her role even more! Because she's not relying on her beauty to make the part, she has to show true acting in this role, all beauty stripped away. It also shows the parts she's willing to play and I love her for that. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, 300 and Dredd 3D. Lena's definitely my kind of actress.

I also loved Cassandra Anderson's character. She was a rookie only used to using her psychic powers and is thrown into a situation where she has to fight for her life and watch people be killed in front of her. You see the look of shock on her face and the doubts of if she chose the right career. But sooner or later she's gotta either kill or be killed.

The gore in this movie was spectacular! It was like The Punisher: War Zone, only this movie was ten times better. The violence was off the chart, and the best part was it was in 3D. I think my new favorite thing in life may be watching people kick some ass in 3D. Making Dredd a 3D movie was definitely a good call. I don't usually go for 3D movies, but this one was worth it.

Dredd punishes his victims, he has no problem pulling the trigger. He sees straight and narrow, you're either right or wrong. If you're a criminal you should watch you back. You may end up with a bullet through your face...

The movie is packed with total action and it's unbelievably awesome. It's just alot of hell being raised and people being killed. This movie is a thrill ride. It even has a pretty good twist to it that I personally, didn't see coming. He's constantly put in impossible situations and it makes for a great, entertaining movie.

The one thing bad that I have to say about this movie is that it's totally a 3D movie. It was made for that. The action scenes, the scenery and the effects. Even the filming sets were made for 3D. So if you don't want to see it in 3D your opinion is probably not going to be as enthusiastic as mine. Go see it in 3D.

This movie was everything I was expecting and I can't wait for the Blu-Ray to be released to watch all of the bonus material. Even though I've never read the Dark Horse comic series I'm now considering it if they're half as good as the movie. I hope they follow through and do a sequel to this film despite it's box office charm-or lack there of.

THIS FILM GETS 3 1/2 REAPERS OUT OF 4

A Serbian Film (2010)

RATED-NR
RUN TIME-104 MINS
WRITER-ALEKSANDAR RADIVOJEVIC, SRDJAN SPASOJEVIC
STARRING-SRDJAN TODOROVIC, SERGEJ TRIFUNOVIC AND JELENA GAVRILOVIC
DIRECTOR-SRDJAN SPASOJEVIC



Synopsis taken from IMDb
In Serbia, the retired porn star Milos is married with his beloved wife Marija and they have a little son, Peter, that is their pride and joy. The family is facing financial difficulties, but out of the blue, Milos is contracted by the porn actress Lejia that offers him a job opportunity in an art film. Milos is introduced to the director Vukmir that offers a millionaire contract to Milos to act in a film. However, Vukmir neither show the screenplay nor tell the story to Milos. Milos discuss the proposal with Marija and he signs the contract. But sooner he finds out that Vukmir and his crew are involved in sick snuff films of pedophilia, necrophilia and torture and there is no way back to him and maybe it is too late to protect his family.


Wow. Where do I begin?

I guess it all started when myself and some other horrorhounds were in a forum chatting about horror films and I've seen all the ones mentioned. I even got some people to add some things to their queue that they haven't seen yet that I recommended. Then a guy comes in talking about A Serbian Film and how it's the most hardcore movie he's seen and how alot of people can't take watching it.

Now call me sick in the head but being a horror fan as hardcore as me means that when I hear someone say a movie is too brutal, gory, violent or just too screwed up I'm intrigued to give it a shot. It's what I do. I want to see anything horror that I can get my hands on. What does that say about me?

So after reading some things online about how screwed up this movie is I tossed the idea around in my head for days asking myself "is it worth it?" and "do you really want to watch that?" and ultimately I answered yes.

The movie starts off slow and steady and right off the bat I can see why people wouldn't want to sit through this. Very vulgar. And once the movie picks up it goes 100 miles per hour hitting you with one horrific thing after another. It certainly picks up the ball and runs with it.

I seriously don't recommend this film to anyone. I think that if you want to watch this on your own accord go right ahead and I hope you enjoy. But there's so many screwed up elements in this film that I don't wanna be the guy people are seeing it because.

My final impression after finishing the film was simple and easy. My jaw was dropped and I had no words. This movie is graphic in every aspect of the word and is not for everybody. I sat through it and didn't have to stop it or turn it off but that doesn't mean I'd watch it again anytime soon.

The sex and violence in this movie are no holds barred. They don't hold back and they're very believable. The gore is the same, very believable.

The film comes off as a glorified snuff film. The stuff they show in this movie is just crazy. It blew my mind. I can't say it was a bad movie either, just a really messed up one. This falls into the category of ones you'd watch every blue moon when you've had time to recuperate from it. Or it falls into the category of you'd never watch it again.

To me, it's one I'd watch every blue moon. And them blue moons are going to be few and far between. But I can't say I'd never watch it again.

This movie gets points for good acting, original story and for having a big brass set of balls and has no fear.

I give this film 3 stars.