Reviews

I'm not even sure where to begin. This film dragged on and on and I just kept thinking "I should at least see it all." So I watched it until the end and *surprise*...the ending was likely worse than the entire film. The writer(s) tried to make this film scary but in my opinion they failed miserably. I have a high standard for Horror films and while the trailer seemed interesting enough...the trailer was the only interesting part of the film. Without giving away spoilers...if you want to watch a newly- hired confused (and boring) female character wander around an old building while her grumpy and odd co-worker tells her where to go while watching from the security camera footage...then by all means this movie is for you. And then comes the weird ending. Which couldn't have come soon enough!

The trailer looked good. The premise was interesting. The actual film itself...well...I just kept hoping for it to end or at least provide SOME sort of creepy factors. This movie may work for some but true Horror and Thriller fans will be disappointed. If you can get past the obnoxious and facetious character of one of the main actors well you're definitely more patient and forgiving than me. He was absolutely AWFUL. Condescending...and much more. Horribly written character. In addition I was very discouraged by the police and how they handled certain situations. Finally this movie may as well be re-named "Masked Stabbers" trying in some way to perhaps be like Scream (but failing miserably). I am not sure how this film garnered 5/10...definitely beyond me. Pass.

This sobering documentary is a must-see film certainly by all Americans and the rest of the world as well. We see how (now illegal) drugs were sold and used in pharmacies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There is excellent historical footage and documents, not to mention stories from those who were deeply affected, simply by their poverty level or the colour of their skin. Ronald Reagan, despite waging the "war on Drugs", made the entire situation much worse and ignored statistics. Throughout the film, we follow the narrator through his personal experiences as well as the drug issue on a wide-scale, looking into prisons and how the system is completely prejudicial. A VERY important film.

This movie certainly peaked my interest. At first you may think "Oh, another Christmas-time scary horror film" as I did but it is so much more than that. It has a great cast, great storyline based on an ancient legend, and I can't quite compare it to any other Horror film I have seen in the recent past. The story begins like most Christmas-themed films, family arriving for the Holidays, decorations, lots of food, comedic remarks and such. Krampus is not terribly horrific, but there are a few jumpy and creepy moments (of course, this depends on your personal taste). There isn't a dull moment in the film, it goes by quite quickly and has some interesting features that one would not expect. The ending was well done. Krampus is worth seeing, at any time of year!

The first Insidious was very interesting and well done - a neat concept in the horror genre; Insidious 2, while not quite as good as the first one, also had a great storyline. With Insidious: Chapter 3, set as a prequel, I had high expectations and looked forward to seeing how character Elise grew to become who she is, where her talents came from, all while enjoying another "insidiously" creepy tale with genuine scares. Unfortunately, while there were some jump-worthy moments, this 3rd film really failed to deliver like the first two did and I feel that true horror fans (especially those who really liked 'Insidious') will be left disappointed as I was, not to mention the fact that watching the prequel will not benefit viewers of the first two films, nor are the first two films necessary to be be seen before seeing this one. What exactly was the point of this "prequel"? I don't really have a clue except to make money off the success of the first two in the franchise.

If you're easily frightened and haven't seen these others and are looking for a scare then by all means, rent Chapter 3. Otherwise, this film is not required viewing to understand the first two.

Always seeking a great under-rated true horror film, I thought I'd give this one a shot. After all, Skew (a GREAT film) received poor reviews but was extremely good. With Unholy, I have NO idea what was going on, the music was awful, I kept waiting for some horror to happen but was let down. There are (arguably I suppose) no ghosts, there is a strange maternal issue and a daughter who apparently commits suicide (as shown in the trailer, and a cellar that also serves as the "scary place". Throw in some kids, snow, a weird grocery store clerk and a bit of WWII history and...well, that's the film. If anyone can come up with a positive and comprehensive review of this film, I applaud them, really.

Some would say this film is very simplistic in nature. We get it, the "detainees" are there for being terrorists. But is that so? Or is this film about humanity and our ties to all persons, regardless of ethnic or religious background, and the ever-existing dilemma of Guantanamo Bay? Kristen Stewart certainly does not disappoint, nor does Maadi. Their characters are well developed and explore much beyond the cells and fences that confine them both, in a sense. This film has so much to offer the viewer who takes the time to focus. We are privileged to even enter such a horrible world. The writer, producers and directors of this film knew absolutely how to pull us in, although they need not have tried very hard. As we are left in ambiguity, one question remains for me: Why has Guantanamo Bay not been shut down?

Excellent film in every way and excellent actors.

Very pleasantly surprised by The Perfect Host. This film has a little bit of everything: a dark side, comedic relief, twists and turns, crime...and a gracious host (well-played by David Hyde Pierce)!

David Hyde Pearce (in character) has a most amazing and peculiar dinner party complete with a multitude of interesting guests. His dark side begins to show near the beginning of the film when a surprise guest (played by Clayne Crawford) arrives. What follows is extremely entertaining, dark, humorous, psychologically thrilling and to say more would spoil this film.

The twists and turns in this piece of perfection lead to a perfect ending! David Hyde Pearce's performance is so well-done and charismatic that you can't help but watch all the way through, even twice! Great, intense, and thrilling film! Can't recommend it enough!

Out of all the Fairy Tale films this past year, I certainly preferred 'Maleficent' over 'Into the Woods', although the two are quite different: whereas Into the Woods combines a combination of tales and singing, Maleficent does not (of course, there are more details that make the films differ greatly but I do not want to include spoilers).

Maleficent had excellent use of special effects/CGI animation and wonderful music throughout the film. It was very interesting to learn of how Maleficent came-to-be in this version and Angelina Jolie did a great job in this role. Sam Riley, as always, was brilliant and Dakota Fanning was quite charming...but a bit too cutesy at times. Fabulous detail in the costumes; all the wonderfully delightful creatures of the "enchanted" forest were fabulously executed. Great for adults and kids alike. And did I mention the score? It's beautiful.

One thing I did not like, in relation to the film, was how the pronunciation of Maleficent was done (in the film trailers, promos, etc.). In the original Sleeping Beauty (1959), Maleficent was pronounced 'MaLIFecent'. In this new film, why change the pronunciation? It sounded so strange every time I heard 'MaLEFFicent'.

To categorize this film as one genre is nearly impossible. There are elements of musical theatre, drama, comedy, adventure and fantasy (at times probably too dark for some). The cast is amazing of course, all big names, all sing well. An interesting combination and interpretation of certain fairy tail elements and one is never quite sure what comes next. As has been stated in other reviews, Johnny Depp's character could be seen/portrayed in a negative way along with some other dark and unexpected comments. Personally, I like the dark stuff but I would not recommend this film for under 14. Aside from Johnny Depp and Meryl Streep, I did enjoy Emily Blunt's character as well as Anna Kendrick. Would I have paid to see this in a cinema? No. Should you check it out? Why not. We all have different tastes, perhaps this review helps you out somewhat at least.

After reading all of the reviews I was satisfied that this would be a true horror film that would definitely frighten me (something that is difficult to do). I ordered the film on pay-per-view and although the storyline was interesting (and apparently based on the real events surrounding an NYPD detective, as mentioned in the trailers), overall it fell short horror-wise and was more a biographical thriller. Sure, there were some moments that would make some persons jump (along the lines of the awful "horror" films Paranormal Activity), there were some scenes that had added "jump" tactics in an attempt to increase the film's overall horror aspect, which I felt were unnecessary. The film would have been better promoted as a psychological thriller, which it truly is. A couple scenes from trailers were not even in the film, which was a disappointment. I kept waiting for "that moment" which never came. Eric Bana, however, was likely the saving grace (no pun intended) and is a great actor, as was his partner in the film (whose name I can't recall).

If Sinister scared you, this film might scare you. Sinister did not scare me and I was disappointed. If you enjoyed the horror in Insidious and are looking for the same from Deliver Us From Evil, you will also be disappointed.

Definitely believe this film deserves higher reviews. If you're looking for heavy gore and very creepy ghost/supernatural stuff, then try something else. That said, Resurrection knows when to use the right sound effects and visual effects to give you a little scare and has its moments. Michael Clarke Duncan (RIP), Mischa Barton and Devon Sawa were great, even though a lot of people seem to question Mischa Barton's acting skills. She did well in this film! Without giving too much away, the concept of supernatural resurrection and the occult basis for this film make for an interesting and curious storyline that isn't quite like any I've seen or heard of before. And there are parts of the film that will leave you questioning what you thought was going to happen and curious as to why it played out the way it did.

Enjoyed it, give it a chance! Don't judge it simply by its ratings as one man's treasure is another man's junk.

Seeing such a poor rating for this film, I was not expecting much however I was absolutely pleasantly surprised. There are some great plot twists and turns that will leave you guessing, the atmosphere/outdoors are the perfect backdrop for the chills you will sense, some wonderfully creepy moments, a back-story, and near the ending there are some shocking moments. This film has great elements of supernatural horror, non-supernatural horror and drama, twists, and overall is well-acted and the script is well-written. Even a sequel for this film would be very interesting. That said, to each his own in taste, not everyone likes the same films obviously, but this one deserves a chance.

I find there are elements in this film which would strike a chord somewhere within with each viewer. The story, the scenery, the actors were all excellent. A few parts reminded me of Elvis & Annabelle, but aside from that, the films are very different. It is quite a daunting task to review this film without giving away too much (which is why I recommend viewing it!). Imagery and symbolism are well used which made the film that much more interesting and beautiful. Yes, there are some moments that may cause some to shudder or "jump", but they are few and far between. The film does well in exploring life and death and even modern history. There is a great melodic/ballad song that plays at times which also really made the film. Worth watching!

Great fun ghostly film that will leave you questioning certain events throughout. Personally, I thought the story was not bad at all! Some of the plot could have been better filled, but for a lower budget film, it does seem "higher budget". The special effects were good, some spooky "jump in your seat" moments and the acting was actually very well done. Some viewers may find it a bit predictable, but this could also be questioned throughout the film. I do wish the film had been longer and much more creepy scary (I really like it when my adrenaline starts pumping - those types of Haunting thrill movies are my favourite, but to each his own). It would be interesting for this film to have a prequel, that would really make the film (and prequel) stand out.

Overall, dim the lights and enjoy this "fun" haunting thriller!

Often some great Horror gems receive low reviews. I feel, in the case of this film, it is severely underrated. It's a great film, has interesting characters and character development, is not entirely predictable, and there is some truth to this tale when it comes to West Coast history which will be apparent when viewing the film. In addition, the locations ARE all shot on the West Coast (Vancouver BC and Vancouver Island, BC) and the beaches, scenery, ocean in itself are beautiful to look at. The special effects are VERY well done, the suspense builds and you might have a jump or 5 during certain scenes, good music and sound effects, all in all, a fun horror/thriller with a great cast. The story/script is quite original. Why not give it a go?

Thoroughly enjoyed Excision, especially AnnaLynne McCord's performance. This film deals with some unfortunately very real family situations yet takes it to a dark extreme that is most artistic and well done. Definitely will not be everyone's cup of tea, so to speak, as we all have different tastes, but I was very pleasantly surprised and could not have enjoyed it more, especially the build up to the ending which was exceptional and hauntingly stayed with me, particularly the last minute. But to get there, one must watch this dark and slightly comedic at times film which has many different elements and is excellent throughout its entirety. McCord really surprised me and I was pleased to see her in this role which is so different from any other she has done, and good for her! Not all actors would break out and do this, so I commend her for her role here.

A must see for Horror-Fantasy-Dark-Artistic film buffs.

Not terribly impressed with Whisper for reasons that follow. The trailer pretty much gives everything away. What you see is what you get, except that the film does have a few twists and turns. The child actor who, as we know from the trailer, is abducted, is almost nauseatingly conceited and OVER ACTS in his role. There are some interesting parts of the storyline which could have been better developed, not to mention a deeper character development wouldn't have hurt. There are times it seems the film drags on and then "BOO", a scary moment appears. I read some other reviews of this title and someone compared this film to The Ring and The Omen. The Ring? No, The Ring was very well done and Whisper is nothing like The Ring, which did have genuine creepy moments. As for The Omen, well, we know (again just by viewing the trailer) that there is something wrong with this boy but I wouldn't go so far as to say that it is as good as The Omen. Similar behaviour, perhaps, but nowhere near as good. Finally, I did enjoy the kidnapping aspects and how that unfolded, which made the film more of a Thriller.

This film is great for the average individual or group looking for a scary thrill but will not hold up to the standards of big Horror fans.

Had much higher hopes for this film based on the trailer...but the film simply didn't deliver. The acting of "Kyra" and "Reed" was horrible. I suggest they take lessons or at least don't OVER-ACT or force it. I could have done a better job acting. And I'm not an actor. The story has SOME interesting facets except that the writers/director do not fully explore them. Had they done so, the film would actually have had a chance. No idea where the contamination of the town came from, this isn't properly explained in the film and neither is most of what is seen in the trailer. The film drags on, and on, and on...and on. I hesitate about calling this a horror or thriller because it doesn't really have these elements.

The film simply doesn't deliver, on all counts.

What appears to be the dichotomy between the positive and negative reviews with regards to "The Fields" is that you have those looking for "scare the crap out of me!" horror and those that see this film is truly full of horror elements. It is not dull, boring, nor uneventful. In fact there are many different things going on here in this period piece that is very well executed and is highly worth viewing, in my (and many others') opinion. We know that film reviews are subjective: not everyone is going to like the same thing, this goes without saying. The Fields really covers so much ground and truly disturbing yet also interesting and "good" moments that it would be very unfortunate that one would not watch it based on some poor reviews. Be wary of those telling you not to waste your time. I almost heeded their words and would have missed out on this complex and realistic gem.

Expected much more from this film but it was quite boring and uneventful until a brief moment at the end. It would have been MUCH better had the writers/producers/director taken the time to do extensive set prepping. I was hoping to see chills and remnants identical to the actual Chernobyl, such as a look inside abandoned homes, schools, even a teddy bear or something left behind. Instead, there was not enough good quality material nor direction and the plot was weakened by many of the above factors. The acting wasn't too bad but the film just dragged on. True Horror/Thriller fans will likely disappointed. Those who do not watch Horror films by the dozen and like a bit of mystery and suspense might enjoy it. I saw someone mention it was like The Descent, minus 20%. I would say minus 50! The Descent was very well done with great character development. Chernobyl Diaries has NOTHING on The Descent.

Despite that it is clear Rose McGowan has had plastic surgery excessively lately (yes, I know, it has nothing really to do with the film), her character was interesting as was the story. A good suspense, mystery, psychological (arguably) thriller which drew me in and I wasn't expecting all that much. But pay attention. There is a lot going on in the film even though you may not realize it. I liked the plot/premise and at times you might question who/what is really the "bad guy", so to speak. I wouldn't classify it too much as a Horror (but then again, my Horror standards are extremely high) yet there are some creepy/weird moments. I was satisfied with the film but I do still have questions which is not to say the ending is good or bad...we can draw our own conclusions but some may see it as black and white and see the ending immediately.

Give it a try, why not?

Sick Boy has a low rating, yes, so I went into it thinking it will be awful. However, in the end it wasn't too bad but I wouldn't watch it again (once you've seen it, you've seen it - nothing to "go through" or re- evaluate). The acting of the lead is sub-par and really annoying at times especially near the end, the movie starts verrry slowly and her boyfriend is a bit of an idiot...but if you can look past that, the story itself (although it's been done before and you'll see why) is solid and suspenseful. I particularly liked the look of the sick boy, skin color, eyes, as you see in the trailer. There are moments you will be thinking "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" when it comes to the lead actor's decisions, but in the end it wasn't too bad. Obviously very low-budget but budget doesn't always mean BAD film.

Unfortunately, this movie should be re-named..."Not So Sinister". Very slow start, not chilling or eerie or a challenging horror/thriller. I was quite surprised because even the reviews from true Horror fans/maniacs (like myself) rated it high. If you have seen Insidious, it is MUCH more thrilling/creepy than Sinister, and I didn't find Insidious to be too creepy. Sinister was more of a drama/thriller with a few loud bangs and the old home movies bit was slightly redeeming, but we've seen this before.

At any rate, each person will have to draw their own conclusion but I suggest true Horror fans wait for a free download. Not worth the theatre. I almost considered walking across the hall to Paranormal Activity 4 aka "attack of the chandeliers and visit from little boy across the street." And Paranormal Activity 1, 2 and 3 were not scary at all.

Haven is an excellent series for so many reasons but the most important are as follows: a) Genres; Haven crosses so many different genres, such as Thriller, some Comedy, some Romance, Mystery, Drama, Sci-Fi and Horror. There are more, but I'll stick to these as they are the ones that stand out most. b) Appeals to a mass audience; to follow up on that last point, given all that the show delivers, it's nearly (or even theoretically) impossible for any individual to enjoy SOME aspect of this show. It will draw you in for more. c) Location and Setting; The strong location backdrop and scene locations are hard to be beat with a series which relies almost entirely on a small Harbor Town...and a beautifully stunning one at that. Beaches, ocean, a marina, boardwalks, rocky Maine coastline (although filmed very close by in Canada) surrounded by thick forests makes it pleasurable to watch for the views alone. And the small harbour town, again, makes for a "small town feel" amongst the great cast of characters but also allows room for the outside to come in which can be good at the right time. And when this occurs, the show never fails to maintain its strong beliefs and appeal of the mysterious town of Haven. d) Great acting...a must in any TV or Film! e) Having a link to Stephen King and his novel "The Colorado Kid" definitely draws in even more viewers.

All in all, we need more shows like Haven!