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ajmayowski
Reviews
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
A totally different animal from Romero; as in, a fast, relentless one.
I just got back, and I'd like to share one bit of information before I elaborate.
Horror movies don't scare me. I nearly peed myself.
Now, as I was saying, this is nothing like the original version. More or less, this movie feels like it's done by the people who made 28 Days Later, and the artists for Resident Evil. I've seen the same type of zombies in Resident Evil, hell, in the instruction booklet.
What this movie adds to the table that 28 Days Later didn't is fairly obvious; It shows you an undead creature that can run like William Perry with a rocket on his back; This means fast, and hard hitting.
It's a growing trend that we see fast zombies, and I can understand this, as the creatures need to evolve; to become scarier. But while it will be hard for some of us, who still remember the slow zombie, newer audiences will eat it up. Isn't it odd, knowing that one day zombies will be thought of as fast?
BACK TO THE MOVIE...
This movie really had to do something special to rise above 28 Days Later, so as to not be a clone, and it succeeded here. It's not Dawn of the Dead (78) and it's not Resident Evil. It's its own movie, and it shows as a hard working, scare a minute thrill.
Action and Horror: Two genres, always so close, yet never meshing perfectly. What DOTD has here is the end of conventional horror; The Age of Slashers is at its end. Now, Horror movies will be faster, scarier (hopefully), and maybe even less gory. DOTD took a huge step back from the original, not a head twisted off in sight.
So, while this was definantly the best horror movie made since Nightmare on Elm Street, it also kills off the slasher genre. Unless, of course, they evolve too, which Freddy vs. Jason showed signs of.
Time's running out. The Slasher genre has to save itself.
By the way...
10/10 Horror. Perfectly made, but uncomparable to the original. Watch for future movies to copy this flick.
Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
Saved the Genre
This movie came just when i gave up hope for the entire genre... well, not quite, since Jeepers Creepers had me a little optimistic, and the Ring, while not great, was a good sign, but i thought this movie,F V J, would kill it.
Nope. This movie was WAY more than anyone expected it to be, myself included. I saw it on opening night in a crowd consisted of two types of people: Sex-depraved teens craving nudity, and horror fanatics. While I am a teen, it was the second group i belonged with- the group that was waiting for this movie to continue the stories of the two greatest slashers Hollywood's ever known- Freddy, who hadn't been on the screen since "New Nightmare", almost a decade ago, and Jason, who had Jason X, which was a terrible concept, but New Line pulled something out of its butt and made it acceptable.
Freddy, who's been neglected recently, although his last film, New Nightmare, was the last 1980's style horror movie made. Funny. It's also the 90's best horror movie. He's back for revenge, since he's been forgotten, so he's sorta P.O'd. He uses Jason to kill and strike terror into the hearts of Elm-Streeters, who have forgotten Freddy thanks to a drug called Hypnocil, and this Midwestern-town government conspiracy. Yes, i said Midwest, not Middle East(!). Hope I don't get arrested. I made a hint that criticized our government.
The plan works, and Osam... Freddy, I mean, has everyone afraid of him, so he comes back, but Jason gets a bit greedy with killing people. What a mama's boy.
But, yeah, from here, there involves this huge battle featuring some decent Freddy one-liners, though I prefer the "New Nightmare" Freddy, who's more business but uses the one-liners to get inside his victim's head- no, i don't mean physically, usually only his claw does that.
Anyway, this movie officially put Ronny Yu on my "Respected Directors" list. He's saved two horror movie series now. Child's Play DOES have a film currently in development, though I don't see anything about that one IMDB. See "Boogeymen", a great compilation, for the FYI on that.
I really think this is a good movie, the best in the "Jason Series", easily, since the first one doesn't really count as his movie. Does it? It's the third best in the "Freddy Series".
Oh, yes, before the "Grades", beware the first few minutes after the Freddy Monologue. I didn't time it, but I'd say it's about 15 minutes long. It's the worst stretch of time in Freddy history. I remember just laughing to myself in the theater. I believe I said "This sucks." while chuckling.
And one more note: When I was watching this, a group of teens, about 5-7 in number, enjoyed the nudity a lot. I recall one kid who said during EVERY kill or nudity shot "That's what I'M talking about." Actually, he only talked about what he was talking about. I wonder if most high-schoolers in America really are dumber than I am?
Script: B Direction: A Humor: B+ Cool Scenes: A Respect for Prequels: A Acting: A- Mood: A-
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Attention all Shoppers: Rent, don't buy.
I have to say, first off, that i'd consider myself an expert on what elements are usually in a good horror movie.
This had those elements, for the first act.
But after that, when you get into the commercialism act, it quickly loses its touch for a horror movie, and instead became, simply put, a movie.
But still a good one.
I gave this a seven because i felt that it isn't a zombie movie for act 2, but that changes when the mall is opened again by bikers. Act 3 begins.
So, to put it in a finishing way, this movie was above average- one of the best zombie movies i've ever seen, but Night of the Living Dead (1968) was better. I say that because of the relentless pressure on Night, when Dawn had plenty of relenting.
As a final note: I am a biker in a mall, quickly becoming filled with zombies. They are eating my companions. I know! I'll check my blood pressure!
Romero IS the best Horror director.
Not Rated, since this baby would be NC-17 in a heartbeat. I never saw intestines being eaten like THAT...
Boogeymen: The Killer Compilation (2001)
17 of the best...
This movie is a MUST HAVE for any horror fan. It takes us on a trip to watcvh the 17 best scenes from the 17 best boogeymen, including an Easter Egg featuring Jack Frost. So, why were these boogeymen picked?
Every one has a reason, I suppose. But, what about Hannibal? or that creepy girl from the Ring? or the Creeper? All three of those should be in Boogeymen 2. As a matter of fact, some of the new Boogeymen are from films lke the Ring that weren't released yet.
So... What are the biggest questions on this film?
Q: Why was Jason Goes to Hell the Jason selection? A: Simple. It showed you Jason. I don't believe every Friday the 13th movie does that until the end, does it? Well, yes, there were a million better Friday scenes, but, on the other hand, it showed Jason in his present form.
Q: Why wasn't the Exorcist on there? Or the Shining? A: Boogeymen. Not Scary Movies. There is no Boogeymen in the Exorcist, is there? And the Shining? Maybe with a sequel. Or a suitable kill scene. There are neither. Maybe... Boogeymen 2 for the Shining, but leave the Exorcist out.
Q: Why wasn't Hannibal on there? Or the Creeper? A: Although this may appear to be basically the same question as the one above, it is not. Both of these boogeymen deserve to be on Boogeymen, and maybe they'll be on B2.
Q: Why was Jack Frost an Easter Egg? A: Why was he even on there? Personally, I'd prefer The Creeper, but he's an Easter Egg probably because of the nudity? I can't really answer that.
Q: What is The Ugly? A: It's a bit of a Foreign film, but before you scoff, it is really a good movie, even if Hannibal deserved that spot more. I'd reccomend renting it, because it will remind some viewers of Hitchcock type Psychological thrillers. Not a bad movie.
Q: Has Boogeymen 2 been announced? A: Not that I know of, but it did say "Vol. 1" On the side, didn't it. Go ahead, pick up your copy, look at the side- ah! NOW you see!
Q: What can we expect from Boogeymen 2? A: I have no clue. Either it will be just new scenes from the previous Boogeymen, All new Boogeymen, or a mix of both. We could see Jeepers Creepers, Hannibal, or Children of the Corn. I'd say all are a possibility.
Q: How much does this movie go for? A: It's 20 bucks on DVD. And buy it on DVD. There's a plethora of special features that you don't want to miss. I don't know about VHS.
Q: Camilla? What's she doing here? A: I don't know. The movie wasn't all that great, and there's not even a sequel for it. The Ugly doesn't have one either, but it's really a good movie. I'd say it's there because it's the only Boogeywoman (cough Ring cough) that was out at the time. Note: The Ring wasn't out at the time.
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)
The worst years of Horror
Alright. Welcome to the 80's- The BEST decade of Horror, ever! 3 icons have risen above the rest and regularly make sequels- Jason, Freddy, and the king, Michael Myers.
But- wait. The 80's ended. And the 90's, one of the worst decades of Horror ever, became the time period. And then... Finally, I ask why.
This is the reason. THIS movie! And I am serious. This is not the only movie that contributed to the downfall of half- decent horror. But it is one of the biggest ones.
Did you notice, maybe, that sequels always drain the story? They're never all that good? Although Halloween 2 was fine, sure, 2, 3 in a series is acceptable. Never more.
Because They make the story worse, making lower standards. You only have to work so hard now. Not even Scream could save our Horror movies.
New Nightmare, a Freddy film, is thelast 80's movie. It was made in 94, of course, but it is truly an 80's style movie.
Halloween 5 is not. Either is Halloween 4. And, we were going to lose interest in Horror when...
Out of the darkness of bad movies came Scream. Hey, if this was a 90's movie, alright! It took long enough!
But movies like this inspired Scream. So... is it a cycle? Did this movie NOT ruin horror today? Here's my thoughts-
The year 2000 decade. The 90's horror is left behind. And movies come out again! Movies like... Feardotcom? Leprechaun in Da Hood?
No! Thank God, like New Nightmare is truly an 80's film, those were 90's films! But... 2002, and I'm getting tired of waiting!
Then, out of the darkness that had lasted 14 years with just New Nightmare and Scream with fleeting flashes of light, I see- The Ring. This is the Horror Movie Fan's Messiah. This is the movie, people. THIS is what our decade's horror must be!
And, although movies like Ghost Ship still do appear... So what? We have our model. We have what must happen. All we have to do is follow the Ring... and we'll be saved.
So... what is 2000 horror? More mysterious.
Other 2000 movies-
Hellraiser Series (1980's to 2000's, which they easily embraced) Dreamcatcher Jeepers Creepers Series Miracles (TV Series, sure, I know)
Maybe more?...
Jack-O (1995)
Mystery Science Theatre 3000, here we come!
Oh... The cover looked nice... Hey, cool title scene... What you have just read is what the budget was used on. I mean, actors are so scarce that they used the director's son, with a look of pure terror on his face... never! Here's something that may contain a spoiler, so you may want to quit reading now.... You're sure?.... Good, I wouldn't want to see it either, so it doesn't matter. That... boy... is being buried alive by Jacko. He then says "No... Please.... Don't bury me..." By the way, if the dots annoyed you in the quotes, trust me, they're there. He has NO terror at all! Run away! Save yourself! Not from Jack-O, from the movie! And, by the way, DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THE NIFTY COVER!!!
Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)
What a horror movie should be
This is it. NO director has done such a good mix of story and slashing before. The movie, with the exception of 2 or 3 scenes, shouldn't have been R rated... or should it?
Perfect. No nudity, for once! This is something you don't get anymore- and this was, after all, the only really good 90's horror movie.
Freddy is mysterious. With the exception of "Skin the Cat" he wasn't really a jokester. His one joke was really good, and Freddy was the best one we've seen since the original.
10 out of 10. Must See. Must Buy. Must DVD.
Halloween II (1981)
BETTER than the first!
Michale Myers terrorizes in a hospital- a closed environment with nowhere to run. Now we can't yell at Laurie for not going out the door, so it makes it a scarier flick. This was, coincidentally, the last good Halloween movie.
Anaconda (1997)
Really Average
FORMULA FOR MOVIE PRESENTED WITHIN! SPOILERS!
This movie is, in essence, really average. This is so similar to Jurassic Park 3... Of course, JPIII WAS made years after, but I can see where it borrowed. Anaconda was well received, and it wasn't a bad movie. What it was was average.
It followed a certain formula. Crew finds evil guy, evil guy finds snake, snake finds snack, snake finds evil guy. Yadayadayada.
So, average. No more, no less.
Stand by Me (1986)
Not as good as I expected
This movie, Stand By Me, is a retelling of a novella by my favorite author, Steven King, an one of my favorite stories ever. So, anxiously, I picked up this movie and...
Hated it. Oh, I've seen bad movies before, and this was not the worst, but it wasn't a movie I'd come back to. After seeing The Shawshank Redemption, another King novella in the same book, I expected more great things. Alas...
I'd like to finsih this by saying that the acting was not bad, but it is mostly just the director' uncanny ability to draw out the best. So, I must give this a 4 out of a possible 10, and pray that people who liked this see Shawshank Redemption and THEN watch it. See the difference!
Rear Window (1954)
Very Overrated
I saw this film and thought little of it. I thought that most of the story was... bad. A man believes one of his neighbors committed murder. Okay, so you call the police. COMMON SENSE!!!
But then, what if the police don't find evidence, or don't believe you? Then FORGET ABOUT IT!!!
But then, what if you decide to be stupid and, despite being in a wheelchair, decide to stop him ultimately by force and your camera's flash, which surprisingly holds him at bay long enough for help to get there after, of course, you are knocked off a low balcony that you would survive the fall from. SO the killer will get caught after all. Oh yeah, if I killed, I would let the witness survive and get caught.
No common sense was put into this. Without it, most movies aren't very good. This is no exception, and stands as a very overrated movie.
Spider-Man (2002)
I saw this because I love the comic book... But it didn't stay true
I am a huge fan of the comic book series, so I decided to check this out, thinking it'd be like the series. WRONG!
SPOILERS FROM HERE ON IN!
Mary Jane Watson and Peter don't get together? Hmmmmm... Not right. Nor is anything else, for that matter. In the Ben Riley Spider Man Saga, He invents web shooters. He doens't get them. Oh, yeah, one more thing- that spider bite left no mark.
Don't see this movie if you liked the comic.
Rose Red (2002)
No. 5 on my Horror films list ALL TIME
This movie tells a story, that, quite frankly, is SCARY and nothing short. It's not as good as Wes Craven's New Nightmare, but it might be scarier. That isn't enough? Halloween 2, 4, or 1 aren't as scary. Still not convinced? Friday the 13th isn't as scary. I'd say only Nightmare on Elm Street is scarier AND higher ranked.
Psychic people in an evil house, infested by spirits that don't go for the kill: A good thing. Because the house will drive the Psychics insane quicker than Dawn of the Dead. This movie scared me. Let it scare you
Tip: It is LONG! Start watching it early and prepare to lose a whole night.
Big Daddy (1999)
No Daddy N... Hey, ain't half bad!
I LOVE Adam Sandler movies. I guess its because I love to laugh, but occasionallly, like in Little Nicky, the storylines are good.
As of yet, I've never given a movie a ten, but this was not close, either. If it wasn't funny, it wouldn't be my kind of movie, because it wouldn't have had flow.
I give this a 7 because the jokes were good, and i got involved. I wouldn't see it, however, if I wasn't an Adam Sandler fan.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
My vote may be adjusted soon enough
I've NEVER given a movie a 10, something I am known for, but this got about a 9.99999999999. It is rounded up to a ten, but it won't cut it with me.
This movie has a 9 right now, but mark my words- I MAY ADJUST. I need to give it time first.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
I want Wes back!!!
Okay, this movie was terrible. I hate when this happens. Friday the 13th, Child's Play, and others went in the comedic direction, and Puppet Master went for the (ugh!) comic book type movie. But those two awful elements in modern horror movies weren't combined... until now.
You see, Freddy turned into Eddy (Murphy), and, to make it worse, there are DREAM WARRIORS? After Freddy Vs. Jason, will we see Freddy (or Eddy) vs. the Power Rangers?
I don't need one liners. I don't want Dream Warriors. I want Freddy back to his form in no. 1, and, of course, we all remember New Nightmare, the best Freddy Film since the original.
1, 2, and New Nightmare are the ONLY good ones. Eddy... err... Freddy is coming for you in 2003. Let's hope it isn't the Chris Rock routine. 3/10 for this... disgrace.
Air Force One (1997)
Ford's best since Indiana Jones
I loved this movie. A full two hours goes by fast when watching Harrison Ford eliminate the terrorists on his plane. Not too many laughs, but this adds to suspense, and gives you a feeling of fear as you cheer for the President of the U.S. of A. reclaim Air Force One, and save his family.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1980)
Goldblum as Crane? Hole in One!
I loved this one! Icabob Crane is here and Brom Bones (Dick Butkus) is angered that Katrina Van Tassel, his "girl" is taking a fond interest in Crane. When poltergeists appear, Crane still doesn't believe until one fateful night... My only problem with this is that it does not remain trueful to the book by Irving.