Horns Movie Review

I did not have any plans for Halloween this year, so I decided the best way to celebrate was to see a movie that seemed to be Halloween-ish.

The movie I saw was Horns. Horns is a dark fantasy movie starring Daniel Radcliffe which was put into limited release on the day of Halloween, but was at the theater near me. I saw the trailer for it, before another movie I saw recently (I think it was Annabelle but I'm not sure), and thought it would be intriguing and appropriate for the season.

Radcliffe plays a man who is accused of murdering his girlfriend, and has had everybody in his town turn against him. One morning, he has mysteriously grown horns, and finds that because of them, anybody near him confesses their darkest thoughts and past crimes. He uses this new-found power to help find the killer, but he may lose his humanity to the satanic horns.

This is a more adult role for Radcliffe than Harry Potter. There is more sex, violence and he is portrayed more demonically.

This was a very interesting movie. It was suspenseful at times, funny at others, and even some romance. There is plenty of disturbing images, and also plenty of humorous parts. It is all tied together by an intriguing story.

However, there were parts of the movie that seemed unlikely. Also, some of the flashbacks of the main characters relationship with the victim seemed to drag on. I understand that these are necessary for character development, but I felt that there were parts that didn't necessarily need to be in there, or that they could have been divided throughout the movie.

But in spite of this, I still enjoyed Horns, and think it is an intriguing thriller.

4.0 out of 5 stars

John Dies at the End Movie Review

Um... spoiler?

In continuing my weekly October reviews of movies from the Halloween Favorites section of Netflix, I decided to do something obscure. I came across a film called John Dies at the End. It had a fairly high rating, and one of the top reviews said that it was "destined to be a cult classic." So, I'm reviewing it.

The movie is an independent horror comedy, which is probably one of the most bizarre I have seen in recent memory. I'll try to sum up the concept to the best of my abilities. It centers around a man whose friend John, and a few others, die from taking a new drug called Soy Sauce. He then accidentally injects himself with it, and finds that he has gained psychic abilities, and can communicate with John from beyond the grave. Over the course of the movie, he slowly figures out that Soy Sauce is at the forefront of an invasion of inter-dimensional beings, and he has to stop it. Yeah, it's as weird as it sounds. The cast is made up mainly of unknown actors, but Paul Giamati plays a small role.

The weirdness of this movie will either make it great for you or ruin it. This will really only attract only a certain kind of people.

If you are one of the people this was made for, I think you may enjoy it. It is at times funny, at times scary, and often intriguing. Although I am still confused on certain scenes at the beginning and the end, it is still a very entertaining cult-y film. I think that it has the potential to be a cult classic.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Avengers: Age of Ultron Trailer Review

The first trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron, the upcoming sequel to The Avengers, has been released, and it looks great.

The creators of this movie said that it would be going in a darker direction than its predecessor, and it shows in the trailer. The creepy rendition of the "I've got no strings" song from Pinocchio was an interesting touch. Overall, there is a feeling that they are up against a bigger and more difficult threat than in the last one. The shot at the end with Captain America's broken shield seems to drive that in. I think that they will have moments of humor like in the last movie, but they weren't in this dark trailer.

But the darkness makes this trailer all the more entertaining. It hints toward more drama, and shows some very intense action sequences.

One of the things that sticks out is James Spader's performance as the villain Ultron. He seems very threatening in this role. I like his performance in the show The Blacklist, and he seems to be taking the same energy to this role.

So in conclusion, though the sense of humor of the last movie is not in this trailer, it still looks very good. This trailer has gotten me excited, and I can hardly wait for this movies release next summer.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) Movie Review

It's October, so I've decided that for the rest of the month, my blog will get into the Halloween spirit. Until November begins, I will be reviewing horror films and other Halloween-ish movies, probably mainly from the Halloween Favorites section on Netflix. My first review is of the 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a remake of a 1950s black and white sci-fi horror film of the same name. It is considered one of the greatest remakes of all time, as well as one of the rare remakes that are considered as good as the original.

It stars Donald Sutherland as a San Francisco health inspector who begins to notice the people acting differently. He and a group of other people then out alien pods has landed on Earth, and is replacing the humanity with emotionless creatures with the same appearance. Soon, they are fighting for their lives after the entire city is taken over.

This movie had a very creepy atmosphere throughout, and some pretty effective scares. Once the heroes completely find out about the body snatchers, there is a feeling of dread for these characters. There are some practical effects, and they look pretty good for the most part. The acting is also pretty good for a horror movie, with a cast including Donald Sutherland and Leonard Nimoy.

I could see why it would be considered as good as the original. It maintains that movie's feel, and creates some good scares. I would recommend this movie if you are a fan of science fiction or horror.

4 out of 5 stars

Top Ten Best Scenes From Blockbuster Films Since the Late Nineties

Two weeks ago, I wrote an article called Top Ten Worst Scenes From Blockbuster Films Since the Late Nineties. It currently has one view, which is popular for this pretty much unknown blog. However, since then, I thought about making a Best Scenes list to even things out, and so I did. This list was more difficult for me to write, because I guess, for some reason, it's easier for me to think of scenes I didn't like than movies that I liked in particular. But here it is.

This is my list of what are my personal favorite scenes from big recent films. I am not able to go as in depth as I did with the Worst Scenes list, but I'll do my best. There are some spoilers, but I'll warn people of them before. If you're interested in the Worst Scenes list, its under September.

10. Iron Man- First Flight

The scene that will begin my list is the scene in which Tony Stark tests out his second Iron Man suit in his first movie. This scene is very entertaining, and contains some amazing visuals. It also ends in a humorous scene of him crashing through the roof of his house.

9. Spider-man 2- Train Scene

This scene in which Spider-man saves a train full of people is also a pretty entertaining action sequence.

8. X-men: Days of Future Past- Slow Motion

This is a more recent film than most of the others on this list, but I think it should be here. In it, one of the X-men, Quicksilver, needs to dispatch some guards. His power is super-speed, and he uses that to his advantage. This scene is done in slow motion, and with soft music playing, giving it a comic tone to go with its great visuals.

7. Pacific Rim - Hong Kong Battle

This scene from last year's giant robots vs monsters movie Pacific Rim is also a pretty good action sequence. This battle contains some of the more intense sequences of the movie.

6. Godzilla (2014)- Final Battle
Some spoilers

A very similar scene to the earlier one. Many people have criticized this movie for not having enough Godzilla in it, until the very end. However, most people agree that when he does show up, it is a great scene. This battle is very intense, and the resolution is very satisfying.

5. The Matrix- Climax

 The Matrix is a classic in the sci-fi action genre, and contains some revolutionary visuals. My personal favorite scene is the climax, which contains some of the best shots of the movie, including the iconic scene of Neo dodging a bullet.

4. Toy Story 3- Andy's Goodbye
Spoilers Ahead

Finally, a much needed change in pace for this list. At the end of this movie, Andy, the owner of the toys in the movie, gives them away to a younger child, before he goes off to college. This is a very heartfelt moment that surprisingly brought me and many others close to tears. This scene is a sad but beautiful testament to growing up.

3. Up- Opening Montage

Moving from one tragic Pixar moment to the next, next is the opening montage from Up. While Toy Story 3 made us cry for characters we've known for over a decade, this movie made us feel the same way for a woman we've known for only a few minutes. And that is not an easy thing to do. This montage shows the main character's life up until the events of this movie, mainly his relationship with his wife. It shows their lives in detail, ending with the wife's death. This scene stirs up more emotion in just a few minutes than some movies can in their entire run-time

2. The Avengers- Hulk vs Loki
Spoilers Ahead

The title of this spot would probably imply that we were getting back to action sequences, but that is not the case. Instead, the final showdown between the Hulk, and the villain, Loki is a shorter, more humorous sequence.  In it, the Hulk charges Loki, but Loki stops him to talk about how he is a god, and therefore stronger than him. The Hulk then picks him up in mid-sentence, throws him on the floor a few times, and walks away muttering "Puny god." And that was it. Loki never got back up again. For the entire movie. When I saw this in the theater, the entire audience erupted in a mixture of laughter and applause. In addition to the unexpected humor in this scene, it is also fun to watch Loki get tossed around like a rag doll even out of context.

1. The Dark Knight- Joker in the Boardroom

This is my favorite scene from one of my favorite blockbuster movies in some time. In it, the Joker interrupts a meeting to propose that they try to kill Batman. The Joker is played by Heath Ledger, a role which won him a posthumous Oscar. His performance carries this scene, and does so very well. He does a good job of seeming like an insane, evil madman.

And that concludes my list of my favorite scenes from blockbuster films since the late nineties. If you are interested in my least favorite scenes, (a list where I think I'm more able to get deeper into describing the scenes) that is under September. Thank you for reading.

Annabelle Movie Review

I have heard many bad reviews for this movie. However, because I was a fan of The Conjuring, I went to see it anyway. The doll looks very creepy, so how bad could it be? And sure enough, I was surprised to find that while it was not nearly as good as The Conjuring, it was still a decent movie in my opinion.

Annabelle is a prequel/spin-off to last year's hit horror film, The Conjuring. It is about the origins of the evil doll from some of the movie's best scenes. It tells the story of its possession and how it haunted the owners.

I was initially excited for this movie, but my expectations were lowered when I found out that it was not, as I previously expected, based on a true story like The Conjuring was. They were lowered even further when I found out who was directing. The director's name is John R Leonetti, and he was the director of photography for The Conjuring and much of director James Wan's other work, but his only other two directing credits, (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, and The Butterfly Effect 2) were poorly received.

However, this film wasn't really that bad. However, it was definitely flawed. The characters at times make stupid decisions, and it does not have the same effect as The Conjuring. But there are some good jump-scares, and the same creepy atmosphere as its predecessor.

This may not be the best horror movie, but if you want to see a horror movie this October, you could do worse than see Annabelle.

3 out of 5 stars

Gone Girl Review

Gone Girl is the new David Fincher movie, which also has a wide array of talented actors including Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, and Tyler Perry. In it, Affleck's wife, played by Pike, goes missing. As the investigation continues, the police begin to suspect Affleck more and more.

I really enjoyed this movie. The acting was great, and it was very well directed. It is the type of movie that leaves you shocked at every turn. Its story is built on twists that aren't mentioned in any of the previews. While some of these plot points may seem ridiculous, they way that they are executed left the audience stunned. For the first half hour or so, I thought I had a pretty good idea of where the film was going, but then it took me by surprise, and it became very different.

I saw this movie with a crowd, and throughout the theater, I could feel the tension in the audience. People were muttering in shock at some of the turns this film took. It was so effective that at the end, I was expecting people to applaud the movie. But instead there was dead silence. It takes a lot to leave an audience speechless.

If you are a fan of Fincher's earlier work like Se7en , I would recommend this film. It is twisted, often unsettling, unpredictable, and very intriguing. I am going to give it only 4.5 stars instead of five, because, like I said, it does get kind of ridiculous. But it makes that ridiculousness to be believable, and I think it may be my favorite movie of the year so far.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Tetris Movie in Production

If you scroll down for some time, you may find a post saying that I will no longer report movie news. However, this story is so bizarre that I feel like I have to comment on it.

It has been announced this week that the the classic video game Tetris will be made into a movie. For anybody unfamiliar with the game, it involves tiles of different shapes falling to the bottom of the screen. The player must move the tiles before they reach the bottom in a way in which they stack up without getting too tall. And that's the whole game. There is no story, no characters, just tiles that don't resemble anything.

I'm confused. How do you make a movie about that?

So far, there are no details about the plot of the movie, but it is supposed to be a live action sci-fi movie. Because an animated Tetris movie wasn't stupid enough, apparently.

The movie is being made by Threshold Entertainment. This company is the same that bought us the movie versions of Mortal Kombat. They also made a film called Foodfight, which was about the adventures of many food mascots, was sent straight to DVD despite it's large production value, and received very negative reviews. Larry Kasanoff, the CEO of Threshold, when talking about the movie said that "brands are the new stars of Hollywood." That is such a cynical statement.

I have seen people online compare this to the Battleship movie we've had a few years back, but I don't think that is an appropriate comparison. This make even less sense than Battleship. While there was no story or characters behind the Battleship game, it at least allowed for a movie about battleships. But Tetris is about simply a bunch of tiles that fall to the ground. How are you going to make a movie about that? Like any movie at all?

This is the most ridiculous attempt at Hollywood trying to cash in on a brand I think I have ever seen. I don't see any way that they can make this movie any good. It's almost insulting to fans of other games who want to see movie versions of them. You wanted to see that game with the deep story get a movie adaptation? Well they aren't making it, but their making a film out of a game with no story or theme! What has the world come to?

Source: http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/tetris-movie

Taken 3 Trailer Review

The trailer for the new action sequel Taken 3  (or, apparently, Tak3n, as the trailer and IMDB page call it) has been released, and the movie looks like a dumb Hollywood cash grab.

The original Taken, which was about a retired CIA agent searching for his kidnapped daughter, was a good movie. It was also a surprise hit, which established leading man, Liam Neeson, as an action star. The movie's highlight scene, Neeson's threatening phone call to the police, has been imitated, parodied, and started internet memes. In short, it was big. However, it didn't really leave itself open to sequel opportunities. But that didn't stop them from trying.

A few years later, they made Taken 2, in which relatives of the kidnapper, out of revenge, take Neeson and his ex-wife, and come after his daughter. So, kidnappers come after his family again? The result was a critical disappointment, but it made a lot of money.

And so now we get to Taken 3 (I'm going to use that instead of Tak3n, because Tak3n looks kind of dumb). In it, it Neeson's ex-wife is murdered, and he is the prime suspect. He must now find the killer, and clear his name.

So, nobody gets taken? I realize that at the time of the sequel, people were joking about how his family keeps getting taken, so I can understand why they went down this road. But then why would you still call the movie Taken?

Actually, why make it at all? Taken should have been a standalone film. It's kind of dumb how many times this family gets attacked. However, Liam Neeson says that this movie will be the last in the franchise.

In conclusion, I don't think that Taken 3 will be very good. I personally didn't like the second movie, and I don't have faith that this will be much better. However, I will give it two stars, because Liam Neeson is still good in his role.

2 out of 5 stars.