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 Severin's Horror Movie Reviews |
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 3rd September 2017, 11:22 AM
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#21
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 Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,931 User: 9,872 
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Open Water 3: Cage Dive
Year - 2017 Directed by Gerald Rascianato. Three friends filming an audition tape for an extreme reality show, take part in shark cage diving, only to be left in great white infested waters, turning their recording into life and death. One of 2 reasonably high profile killer shark films released this year, this was originally simply called Cage Dive but they contrived a connection with the acclaimed Open Water presumably to increase its profile. Filmed as found footage, it centres on 3 individuals who are recording an audition for reality tv - 2 brothers and a a girl who they are both sleeping with although the official boyfriend doesn't know. Personally this aspect of the film seems to serve no narrative purpose and although it's meant to serve as a reason for division between the brothers it's unnecessary and bland. None of the cast are particularly strong acting wise and their charatrs are are too often irritating. However, it does look really good, there are some excellent visual, mostly centered around the weather and a sunset. The film's strongest point is that you do genuinely feel that the sharks are real (maybe they are?) and that they are moving in amongst the actors. Ultimately though despite it's conceptual promise it feels like a missed opportunity and lacks excitement. 5/10 |
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3rd September 2017, 11:43 AM
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#22
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,931 User: 9,872
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47 Meters Down
Year - 2017 Directed by Johannes Roberts. Two sisters vacationing in Mexico are trapped in a shark cage at the bottom of the ocean. With less than an hour of oxygen left and great white sharks circling nearby, they must fight to survive. Coming out around the same time as the previously mentioned Cage Dive, this British film was the more well known of the 2, and although Cage Dive initially created more waves its buzz died down as this film's rose. For me it's hard to seperate them quality wise and whilst they are thematically very similar, stylistically they are very different and which you prefer will come to whether you prefer the in your face shaky cam of Cage Dive or the more conventional set up of this. Neither film is great and this suffers many of the same problems. Characters that don't really make you invest in them too much, so-so acting, terrible script etc. Cage Dive just looks better but this has a stronger narrative (barely). Cage Dive feels more real and has more sharks but this feels more like it wants to be a character driven Thriller with Horror elements but it doesn't have the tools to really go for it and relies too much on jump scares. They work so well in Jaws because they are so few and genuinely unexpected. The score in this film is awful too. That said there's enough here to waste an hour and a half of your time and not feel cheated 5/10 |
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10th September 2017, 08:45 PM
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#23
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,931 User: 9,872
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Death Note
Year - 2017 Directed by Adam Wingard. A high school student named, Light Turner, discovers a mysterious notebook that has the power to kill anyone whose name is written within its pages and launches a secret crusade to rid the world of criminals.. This came out on Netflix not long and is a re-imaging of the ideas behind the classic original Japanese Anime and live action movie. Inevitably (because fanboys get all het up if things aren't exactly the same as the version they love), this has received some harsh criticism from people who loved the originals and often from people who haven't even seen it - think Ghostbusters remake (although that was terrible in the end). It should be noted that I love the original film. Not so fussed on the Manga series but I recognise its worth. The film however is utterly brilliant, so I was much hyped for this and whilst I have to admit this doesn't hold a candle to that particular classic, I found it highly entertaining. Obviously I like the basic premise - young high school student is suddenly granted the power of life and death - what should he do? And stylistically the death god Ryuk is an expressionist vision of nightmarish evil that is perfect. Adam Wingard is steadily adding more and more colours to his palette and building his reputation well. If anything this feels like his nod to Donnie Darko as it is clearly influenced by that. If I were to bring to bear any criticisms, I have to be honest and say that the majority are bound up in knowledge of the original. The characters are less well defined and more 'westernised', the love interest is ok but unnecessary and the character of L in particular is more agitated than calculating. The scene where L and Light meet in a cafe should be remiscent of Pacina and De Niro in Heat but it can't pull it off. I realise criticising a scene for not being as good as one of the 90s greatest is harsh. In surmation, don't expect this to be the same Death Note - more an inspired by Final Destination meets Donnie Darko type movie. There's much to enjoy in this and if you're intrigued after then you absolutely must watch the Japanese live action films. 7/10 |
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14th September 2017, 08:07 PM
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#24
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,931 User: 9,872
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It Comes At Night
Year - 2017 Directed by Trey Edward Shults. Secure within a desolate home as an unnatural threat terrorizes the world, a man has established a tenuous domestic order with his wife and son. Then a desperate young family arrives seeking refuge. Critically acclaimed and with good reason, this Thriller cum Horror is an exercise in slow burning paranoia that comes over as a cross between Z For Zacariah, The Shining and The Witch. Set in a single isolated woodland home in an undefined part of America, the house itself takes on a personality all of its own in what is a deliberate nod to Kubrick's Overlook Hotel from The Shining. The intentionally vague layout of the house also parallels nicely with the Travis characters mental state - we are never quite sure where we are or what the layout is. As the film progresses the house feels more and more labyrinthian. All the while a creeping sense of dread pervades. It always feels like something terrible is about to happen but the film exercise restraint and doesn't show its hand until the last 15 minutes. When it finally does it does so with tragic brutality. Every single cast member plays their role perfectly, never giving too much away and the script is subtle and smart. Trailers for this gave the impression that this was a monster in the night movie which is a huge injustice. It's smarter than that and has something to say about misery, grief, trust, and the desperate lengths people will go to in order to survive Highly recommended 8/10 This post has been edited by Severin: 14th September 2017, 08:07 PM |
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14th September 2017, 08:56 PM
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#25
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c:
Joined: 12 March 2014
Posts: 13,153 User: 20,692
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Ooooh, I didn't think there would be much overlap with what I've seen and the films you're reviewing here but I did see 47 Metres Down. I like shark horrors anyway so I quite enjoyed it, nothing ground-breaking at all but the scares were fun and I was quite invested in Mandy Moore's character too even though her sister was a bit dull. I wasn't keen on the twist ending though, that was probably my biggest problem with the movie.
I wanted to see It Comes At Night but it wasn't showing at my local cinema so I had to miss out on it  I think I might rent it on iTunes later in the year because it did look pretty interesting and I want to see what all the furore about misleading trailers was all about 
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15th September 2017, 02:20 PM
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#26
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FIVE YEARS OF THE TURRET 15-20
Joined: 12 March 2015
Posts: 4,754 User: 21,666
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Haven't seen Death Note movie, but I have seen the first two episodes of the anime. I'm liking it right now. My favourite has to be the second episode, especially the second half.
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16th September 2017, 11:02 AM
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#27
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,931 User: 9,872
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QUOTE(DalekTurret32 @ Sep 15 2017, 03:20 PM)  Haven't seen Death Note movie, but I have seen the first two episodes of the anime. I'm liking it right now. My favourite has to be the second episode, especially the second half. Most afficionados seem to think it's the best Death Note there is. I've never been a huge Manga fan so veer towards the live action stuff. I'm probably wrong |
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16th September 2017, 11:06 AM
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#28
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,931 User: 9,872
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QUOTE(Josh! @ Sep 14 2017, 09:56 PM) Ooooh, I didn't think there would be much overlap with what I've seen and the films you're reviewing here but I did see 47 Metres Down. I like shark horrors anyway so I quite enjoyed it, nothing ground-breaking at all but the scares were fun and I was quite invested in Mandy Moore's character too even though her sister was a bit dull. I wasn't keen on the twist ending though, that was probably my biggest problem with the movie. I wanted to see It Comes At Night but it wasn't showing at my local cinema so I had to miss out on it I think I might rent it on iTunes later in the year because it did look pretty interesting and I want to see what all the furore about misleading trailers was all about Yeah, they'll definitely be some more high profile ones appearing when necessary as I've cleared out a backlog of lesser knowns recently. I know the reviews aren't indepth but I don't want to post spoilers all the time and just hope to pique peoples interest in something they may not be aware of. I agree about the ending to 47 Meters Down. It was a bit too obvious and didn't add to the film really. It's not a film I'd go out of my way to see again but, like I said, it's entertainig enough four and hour and a half. |
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22nd October 2017, 11:11 AM
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#29
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,931 User: 9,872
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Annabelle: Creation
Year - 2017 Directed by David F. Sandberg. 12 years after the tragic death of their little girl, a dollmaker and his wife welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home, where they soon become the target of the dollmaker's possessed creation, Annabelle. The latest installment from The Conjuring franchise this time focuses on its most recognisable property - the possessed doll Annabelle. It is also directed by one David Sandberg. He of the very impressive Lights Out, and whilst this isn't up to the very high standards and invention of that film it does have its moments in what is a largely predictable and formulaic film. Despite the subtitle Creation, the film spends very little time on that particular element, instead after a brief prologue we join this prequel/origin story at a time where is should be the sequel. Annabelle's actual creation is shown in flashback towards the end of the film because as our main plot unfolds it turns out she's been locked away for years and a group of unknowing/dim-witted girls accidentally let her out for her first major rampage. Everything goes pretty much as you'd imagine. There are noises in the night, strange figures out of the corner of your eye, stormy nights, rooms in the house that are off limits and plenty of scenes of young girls screaming or cowering in fear. You could literally write a paper to define a cliched Horror and accidentally write this movie. On the plus side parts of it are down very well. Sandberg's direction is taut and effective when it needs to be and the film captures the era well in both tone and dialogue for the most part but none of this is quite enough to raise the film being mildly enjoyable mediocrity. If you love The Conjuring films you may find much to relish but it is noticeably the weakest yet. 6/10 |
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23rd October 2017, 04:21 PM
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#30
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BuzzJack Legend
Joined: 7 March 2006
Posts: 22,001 User: 53
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Southbound is coming up next week on Horror Channel. Think 31st, as I saw a trailer last night.
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23rd October 2017, 06:21 PM
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#31
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,931 User: 9,872
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QUOTE(commonsense @ Oct 23 2017, 05:21 PM) Southbound is coming up next week on Horror Channel. Think 31st, as I saw a trailer last night. It's well worth checking out. It's a neat little collection of interconnected stories. It's not perfect but if you can get through the opening ok it's good fun |
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25th October 2017, 08:18 AM
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#32
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BuzzJack Legend
Joined: 7 March 2006
Posts: 22,001 User: 53
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QUOTE(Severin @ Oct 23 2017, 07:21 PM) It's well worth checking out. It's a neat little collection of interconnected stories. It's not perfect but if you can get through the opening ok it's good fun Yes, will watch it. Sunday 9pm by the way. |
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28th October 2017, 08:31 PM
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#33
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,931 User: 9,872
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Happy Death Day
Year - 2017 Directed by Christopher Landon. A college student must relive the day of her murder over and over again, in a loop that will end only when she discovers her killer's identity. So this turned out to be exactly as I had heard/suspected - Groundhog Day meets Scream which in itself is a really fun idea but it's very difficult to avoid comparing them. And for the most part the film carries it off even if it never quite steps out from the shadow of those 2 films. Jessica Rothe's character Tree has an identical arc to Bill Murray's in Groundhog Day - starts out as self centered and egotistical before living the day over and over softness his character into someone better - and whilst she plays it with gusto and charm, Bill Murray is in a class of his own. The other clear influence, that of Scream, is where the film struggles a bit more. Scream was groundbreaking at the time and approached it's subject with a knowing smile and sharp wit. It also had one of the best directors in the history of Horror in the shape of Wes Craven, who's experience, skill and knowledge of the genre helped to inject fresh blood into the slasher movie. Happy Death Day has a villain who struggles to make much of an impact too many of the murders are repetitious when there was a real opportunity to bring fresh new takes to each death she endured. Only a couple really stood out. In summary Happy Death Day is a fun if derivative 90 minutes but probably not one I'd want to live through again 6.5/10 |
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29th October 2017, 05:19 PM
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#34
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,931 User: 9,872
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It
Year - 2017 Directed by Andy Muschietti. A group of bullied kids band together when a shapeshifting demon, taking the appearance of a clown, begins hunting children.. Based on Stephen King's 1986 novel this is actually the first time it has been made for the big screen. It was previously made as a 3hr TV miniseries that subsequently come to be regarded as a cult classic with an influence on TV series production to rival Twin Peaks. Tim Curry's Pennywise has probably featured in more than his fair share of nightmares and the first episode, which focuses on the childhood part of the tale recalls Stand By Me and is clearly referenced to this day in shows like Stranger Things. Of the two episodes the first is the much stronger, and that is the same part of the story that this film covers. The film feels very much like a close retread of the TV series but to be fair both a drawing closely from the source material, and that's the right idea. Stephen King's books are exceptionally good at painting a picture of small town Maine, USA life and developing characters. King's never been quite so good at creating a deep main narrative but his characters subplots and interactions more than make up for this. It's plot is pretty simple - a stranded shapeshifting alien must feed every 27 years and appears to its prey as what they most fear because the more terrified they are the more sustenance it gets. King's underlying theme of the damage parents do to the children is all here and the good wins out in the end through banding together. Everything hinges on 2 elements however. The central performances of the children and the clown, Pennywise. Thankfully everything here is good. The kids have a genuine camaraderie and fully believable friendship but it's Bill Skarsgard as the clown who needs to be scary. I'm not sure he's quite as good as Tim Curry but he is brilliantly cartoonish and creepy and steals the show. Most of the other forms It takes aren't as effective but it is the clown that matters most and it works beautifully. It is a very strong contender for the best outright Horror of the year but I feel it really benefits from not having seen the tv series before as the less familiar it is the better. 9/10 |
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