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Reviews
Evidence (2012)
Reasonably Entertaining..............Very Misleading Trailer,
Evidence is filled with a cast of unknowns and all of the unknowns are so annoying that I was actually willing them to be ripped limb from limb. Having said that, I have always been a huge fan of the 'found footage' genre, and despite many who believe that these films are all too common I still think that many of these films find a way to come across fresh and genuinely frightening. The first half of Evidence owes way too much to the godfather of found-footage "The Blair Witch Project" and For forty-five minutes its all people in tents and noises in the woods with the cast only adding to the fact that i was bored waiting on something happening. But when something does happen its totally unexpected and so unlike anything that you thought you would be witnessing in this film. It got so wild that I literally couldn't take my eyes from the screen. At the end of the film I was left thinking how misleading the trailer was, it was almost as if the trailer was only advertising the first half of the movie. As with many shaky-cam movies the viewer is left with so many unanswered questions, which will no doubt annoy a large portion of the audience. Evidence doesn't have enough to change the views of the mass 'found footage' haters, but if you like the look of the trailer chances are Evidence will keep you reasonably entertained.
Lost Highway (1997)
Dark, Eerie and Disturbing.........Classic Lynchian Nightmare
David Lynch can do many great things and as usual he manages to make the viewer feel very uncomfortable. During Lost Highway I found myself with a recurring feeling of impending doom. He places strange and mysterious characters throughout all of his films and this film is no different. Another one of David Lynchs strengths is to get top rate performances from otherwise mediocre stars. Bill Pullman and Balthazar Getty are the two middle-weight male leads and in my opinion this is both of these gents greatest performances, both oozing mystery and a large portion of suave, its almost as if they had transported straight from a 40's noir movie. For me though its Patricia Arquette who really nails it in Lost Highway, an actress who I previously have never found attractive or found especially entertaining but in Lost Highway she is completely transformed into a Goddess and you find it hard to take your eyes from the screen whenever she appears. This film isn't as good as either Mulholland Drive or the earlier Blue Velvet but if Lynchs movies are your thing then this film will be right up your street. Dark, eerie and disturbing, this film will leave you thinking long after the end credits.
Gleaming the Cube (1989)
Blast From My Past!
When I first watched Gleaming The Cube probably twenty years ago, I was highly excited by this farce. I liked it so much I probably watched it everyday for a week, hell maybe even a month. Then once I had finished watching I'd take my skateboard round to my friends then we'd head down to school, climb onto the long flat roof and skate around for hours rein-acting scenes from the film. Gleaming The Cube was just one of many films that had us acting like this in our youth.
Having just finished watching Gleaming The Cube for the first time in years I realised two things. 1. It doesn't have the same hold over me as it once did (but really why should it? I'm not ten anymore). 2. It isn't anywhere near as bad as some of the reviews I've read over the years.
Starring one of my all time favourites 'Christian Slater' in the lead role of Brian and starring no-one else worth mentioning, Gleaming The Cube is without doubt the best skateboard/mystery/drama that the world has ever produced. Slater spends his usual amount of time trying to pull of intense 'Jack Nicholson' style faces, but that's one of the things I always loved about him.
When Brian's stepbrother is found dead, the police say its suicide but Brian thinks different, so he sets out on his skateboard and tries to solve the mystery of his death. That's basically it as far as plot goes, but the film is carried forward with chase scenes and skateboarding action.
All in all it's everything an 80's skateboarding film should be. And I like it.
Dream a Little Dream (1989)
Something a little bit different
80's teenage comedies come a dime a dozen, but while watching 'Dream A Little Dream' you'll realise it really stands out compared to many of the others.
Written, directed and produced by Marc Rocco, who also wrote psychological thriller 'The Jacket', Dream A Little Dream takes the teen comedy genre and adds a fantasy body-swapping twist to it. But despite the fantasy theme of the film it still comes across sincere and slightly nostalgic.
Once again the two Coreys team up together, this time with Corey Feldman taking the lead role as hopeless in love Bobby, but its Corey Haim who steals the show with a fantastic performance as hapless best friend Dinger.
There are great supporting roles from legends Piper Laurie and Jason Robards and once again a tremendous performance from the always wonderful Harry Dean Stanton.
One weak point in the cast comes from the lead love interest played by pretty faced Meredith Salanger who doesn't seem to fit the mood of the film.
There is a strange atmosphere during the film which is helped along by the soundtrack, Van Morrisons classic "Into The Mystic" seems especially fitting to the movie.
So give Dream A Little Dream a watch, and like it or not I'm sure you'll agree that it's got something a little bit different.
I Love You, Man (2009)
Delightful comedy about male friendship.
After watching "I Love You Man" I just can't seem to shift the feeling of joy I'm left with.
Filled with laugh out loud moments and scenes of more gentle comedy, this film about male friendship genuinely put a smile on my face.
The movie is in a similar mould to writer/director John Hamburgs previous comedies "Meet The Parents" and "Meet the Fockers" but seems to have a more personal feel to it than his previous efforts.
There is a brilliant chemistry between leading duo Paul Rudd and Jason Segel which feels realistic and natural, you can almost imagine these two men to be great friends in real life.
Relatively unknown to me actress Rashida Jones gives a cute performance and there is hilarious performances from many of the supporting cast including Jaime Pressly, Jon Favreau and Lou Ferrigno (playing himself).
The soundtrack really suits the film with some kooky pop songs to add to the feel of the movie.
I would recommend this movie to any fans of this genre and I'm sure it'll put a smile on your face, just like it did mine.
Shuttle (2008)
A bus ride to mediocrity
The simple plot line which follows passengers taken hostage by a seemingly psychotic driver on a shuttle bus from an airport is made even simpler and dumber by the dulcet screenplay.
The setting is industrial, bleak and dark throughout the course of the movie and the soundtrack follows suit. There are a few jumpy moments mostly caused by a lack of suspense building music. Most of the horror here is caused by scenes of psychological terror and torture, but there is a lack of blood and gore which will put off a large section of horror fans.
The women on the bus, played by Cameron Goodman and the gorgeous Peyton List, put in the best performance of the cast, the two younger male passengers are forgettable and even slightly tedious. Even Scottish actor Tony Curran fails to shine as the psychotic bus driver with a terrible accent, but the rotten tomato has to go to Andy the devoted family man (Cullen Douglas) who comes across almost unbelievable as a human being.
The bus ride seems to last all night and at times the scenes on the bus start to feel almost claustrophobic, and the victims constantly yelling stupid questions doesn't help either.
The ending is very smart and slightly shocking, but instead of going away from this film thinking about the ending I ended up thinking about how farcical the whole thing was and how many holes the story contained
Shuttle is a mediocre film made worth the watch if only for the fine ending.
976-EVIL (1988)
Does exactly what it says on the box!
Made in the late eighties and directed by Robert Englund, I pretty much knew what to expect from '976 Evil' before it even began. Then I see the front cover which depicts some kind of beast above a telephone and the tag-line reads "One Number For Hell". I knew straight away I was going to enjoy this movie to a certain degree because it's exactly the type of film I like to watch, and I'm pretty sure most of the people who give this film terrible reviews and ratings knew they were going to hate it before watching it.
Written by Brian Helgeland who boasts an expansive back catalogue of quality, solid screenplays, the story moves along at a solid pace. As the tension builds you know exactly when something awful is going to happen but heah, isn't that what this style of horror movie is all about.
From the leather clad greaser Spike, right through to the awkward teenager Hoax (played by Stephen Geoffreys of 'Fright Night') the characters are standard fare for an eighties horror flick.
Basically this is an eighties horror film about a teenager who becomes possessed after calling a 1-900 number. The rest of the film plays out exactly as it should with some nice one liners, a healthy portion of gore and an even healthier portion of cheese.
The acting is far from perfect here but this isn't something that will bother an eighties horror fan.
So if eighties horror isn't your thing give this one a miss. If however you normally like this style of horror, give it a chance.
It does exactly what it says on the box.