Paranormal Activity 2

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 22 October 2010

Director: Tod Williams
Writer:Michael R. Perry and Christopher Landon
Running Time: 1 hour and 31 minutes

Staring: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat and Molly Ephraim

Rating? R

SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS

IMDB: 5.7 of 10

MY RATING: 7 or 10

STORYLINE

Daniel Rey and wife, Kristi; daughter, Ali; toddler son, Hunter, and their dog, move to Carlsbad, CA. A few days later their residence is broken into, however, nothing appears to be missing. In order to prevent re-occurrences, they install a number of security cameras that will record everything on a DVR. After they hire nanny to look after Hunter, she informs them that there is something wrong in their house and performs prayers, much to the chagrin of Daniel, who lets her go. He will subsequently regret this decision as more inexplicable and strange incidents occur, with Ali concluding, after a research, that their house may be possessed by a demonic entity.

MY REVIEW

I liked this movie. Not the best of the best, but solid.

This is a legit high quality sequel. Creep factor was pretty high and I was really happy with the plot and the twists that kept the movie going.

I loved the idea of proving more of the backstory for Katie along with her sister. It started to actually feel like the developing characters were coming together and forming a fully functional character! I liked this movie better than the first one. Yes, it was a little slow to start, but the final act of this movie was quite likely the best I've seen in a long time in this genre. Where this movie went in the right direction for me was the additional camera angles all over the house. I appreciated the filmmakers understanding our need to see MORE!

It's a pretty standard scary movie with some additional pieces that make it not suck!

The Shrine

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info:  14 October 2010

Director: Jon Knautz
Writer:Jon Knautz and Brendan Moore
Running Time:  1 Hour and 25 minutes

Staring: Aaron Ashmore, Cindy Sampson and Meghan Heffern

Rating? Not Rated

SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS

IMDB: 5.6 of 10

MY RATING: 4 of 10

STORYLINE

After a young American backpacker goes missing in Europe, a group of Journalists link his disappearance to a remove village in Poland. They travel there in hopes of getting the story but as they unravel the secrets behind this mysterious village, they are pursued by hostile locals. Unable to escape, the become the next victims of the ritual human sacrifice. Forced into the gruesome relate of a true survival horror story.

MY REVIEW

The best that I can say about this movie is that it's a really good B Movie. It definitely take itself too seriously for its own good. There are lots of elements that could have been taken to a better place or even to a sense of humor. The characters were lack-luster and boring with little real plot enough to carry themselves through to the next scene. Nothing much to make me root for any of them to win or survive. It just feels wrong. Polish people played by non-Poles filmed in Poland which was OBVIOUSLY not Poland. Could have made that at least a joke.

The story follows Carmen, played by Cindy Simpson, who is a tenacious troublemaker journalist.(side note-- why is it always a tenacious journalist who finds the crazy mystery and has to solve it?) She's on the hunt for missing American Eric Taylor, played by Ben Lewis, who we already know was sacrificed by a bunch of weird robed Polish Locals. For some reason, she believes she is the only one who can solve this crazy mystery... Where is the Scooby Mystery Machine when we need it! We meet her cameraman boyfriend Marcus, played by Aaron Ashmore. He's not the voice of reason and sticks around while the others retreat to a seemingly safe distance.

I did like the idea of the setting in the rural creepy town of Albania Poland and all of the feels that it evoked. Seemed to me a little Hostel-ish in the weird setting and "Americans fall victim to the creepy guys from insert-a-country."

Yes, it's got some really creepy scenes specifically when the group gets lost in the misty forest and runs across the weird demon-like statue in the mist and find the corpse of the boy they are looking for in a chamber underneath.

I did visually enjoy the buff tool-wielding locals that were chasing them! :) But as a final note, the end is likely the best part but it's not a real winner for a scary or horror movie. It falls flat and leaves me wondering if I could have done it better.

Devil

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info:  17 September 2010

Director: John Erick Dowdle
Writer: Brian Nelson and M. Night Shyamalan
Running Time: 80 Minutes 

Staring: Chris Messina, Caroline Dhavernas and Bokeem Woodbine

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS

IMDB: 6.3 of 10

MY RATING: 6 of 10

STORYLINE

In Philadelphia, Detective Bowden is still grieving for his wife and son killed in a hit-and-run five years ago. When someone jumps from a skyscraper onto a truck, Bowden is sent to investigate. Meanwhile, five strangers are trapped in an elevator in the building where the jumper committed suicide. The communication radio in the elevator is broken but the guards, Lustig and Ramirez, observe the individuals via CCTV as events unfold. Tensions run high among those trapped, so Lustig calls the police and Detective Bowden assumes the case. Without being able to contact the individuals, he tries to work out who they are, but he can only account for four of them. Time is running out for the occupants of the elevator, as Bowden realizes he has to get them out quickly.

MY REVIEW

I did enjoy this movie. It was not exactly what I thought it was going to be. There were enough turns in the plot to keep me entertained, but still is was lacking in a few pieces.

I was close to guessing the ending, close, but not exactly what I guessed. I would have enjoyed it more if some of the scenes were a little more intricate.

Inception

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 16 July 2010
Running Time: 148 Minutes
Staring:  Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Ellen Page..
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 8.8 of 10
MY RATING: 9

STORYLINE
A thief who steals corporate secrets through the use of a dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a CEO.

MY REVIEW:
I am hard to please as a cinaphile. This was pleasant and thought provoking. It's imaginative and entertaining and has a sense of overwhelming visual effects that are hard to look away from.

It's unique and fresh unlike most of the cinematic drivel these days.  They did a wonderful job bringing together an all-star cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, and Ken Watanabe.

This is a MUST SEE!

Princess Kaiulani

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 14 May 2010
Running Time: 97 Minutes
Staring:  Q'orianka Kilcher, Barry Pepper Shaun Evans
Rating? PG
SPOILERS? Not if you know history

REVIEWS
IMDB: 6.1 of 10
MY RATING: 3

STORYLINE
The story of a Hawaiian Princess' attempt to maintain the independence of the island against the threat of American Colonization.

MY REVIEW:
It's not a bad bio-pic, and I wouldn't exactly call it a biography. It was close and a little one-sided. They got at least one of the big points right, Princess Ka'iulani was a real person. She was brave, charming and smart. Some of the other pieces were true as well, she was educated in England and did visit President Cleveland. Yes, her family was suppressed when the US took over Hawaii. She tried, in vain, to help her country and people.

As much as she failed in this valiant attempt, she did at least delay the inevitable. She was ill for a very long time and died in her 20's.

I wish they would have stopped trying to tell the story that they wish would have been and stuck to the facts.

Never Sleep Again

Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 4 May 2010
Running Time: 240 Minutes
Staring:  Documentary
Rating? Not Rated
SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS
IMDB: 8.8 of 10
MY RATING: 9

MY REVIEW:
If you are an Elm Street am, you will LOVE this documentary.

This was 240 hours (yes, 4 hours!) of Freddy Krueger wonderfulness! This doc takes it back to the original movie andover the course of the movie, walks step by step through each one. Histories. Meanings. Behind the scenes. Stuff you never even knew about the series!

Iron Man 2

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 7 May 2010
Running Time: 124 Minutes
Staring:  Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Gwyneth Paltrow, and many more
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? Not really

REVIEWS
IMDB: 7.1 of 10
MY RATING: 7

MY REVIEW:
If you
     a) liked the first one
     b) enjoy Marvel comic book movies
     c) Love Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr.
then you will like this movie.

I enjoyed this one almost as much as the first one. RDJ is awesome as usual and I loved the character that Mickey Rourke played. Very interesting.

My issue was they tried to put TOO much into 124 minutes. It was good... don't get me wrong, but the new characters needed some time to develop and not be just thrown into the mix. The ending seemed forced and predictable, but it's a comic book movie, so that was kind of to be expected.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 30 April 2010
Running Time: 95 Minutes
Staring:  Jackie Earl Haley, Rooney Mara, Kyle Gallner
Rating? R
SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS
IMDB: 5.2 of 10
MY RATING: 3 of 10

MY REVIEW:
I want to start with review with:

Dear Wes Craven-
     Why on earth did you let this happen?
            Love, Me.

My second letter would be as follows:

Dear New Line Cinema-
     Why would you not try to get Wes Craven for the remake of his movie? Maybe even Renny Harlin? This felt more like an international remake from Slovenia not a US Homage. Insert sad face here.

This was a pathetic excuse for a remake. Why on earth would you replace Robert Englund? He IS Freddy Kreuger. I could not let that go for this movie.

This film is light on the character development and heavy handed on the loud sound effects and extreme special effects.

Kick-Ass

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 16 April 2010
Running Time: 117 Minutes
Staring:  Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nicholas Cage, Chloe Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse...
Rating? R
SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS
IMDB: 7.7 of 10
MY RATING: 9

STORYLINE
Dave Lizewski is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan who one day decided to become a super hero, even through he has no powers, training, or meaningful reason to do so.

MY REVIEW:
I absolutely loved this movie. I had a sneaking suspicion that it was going to suck, so I made sure to get popcorn and snacks to keep myself occupied when I got bored. WoW! Was I surprised. This was one of the funniest and entertaining super-hero-type movies I've seen in a while. It was new and interesting and a story that wasn't overly told!

You actually had a director, Matthew Vaughn, who cared enough to make it amazing! There was character development, plot lines and cohesive movement throughout.

I appreciate a good comic-book geek just as much as the next fan girl. This one made me feel okay about that! I loved the characters and actor choices to play them. It is bloody and violent, but that's all in the name of the game!

Great Job!

Hot Tub Time Machine

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 26 March 2010
Running Time: 101 Minutes
Staring:  John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson...
Rating? R
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 6.5 of 10
MY RATING: 4 for Atmosphere

STORYLINE
Time machine sends 4 idiots back to 1986.

MY REVIEW:
I'll start by saying that I don't think that I am the target demographic for this movie. I think this would have been better in a short film. Maybe 30 minutes. That's about the length of humor this movie could sustain.

I absolutely loved the view of the 80's in this which gives it the extra point and a half.

This film just didn't work for me in the end. Not a bid fan.

The Crazies

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 26 Feb 2010
Running Time: 101 Minutes
Staring:  Radha Mitchell, Timothy Olyphanty, Danielle Panabaker
Rating? R
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 6.6 of 10
MY RATING: 7

STORYLINE
Inhabitants of a small town in Iowa suddenly are plagued by insanity and then death after a mysterious toxin contaminates the water supply.

MY REVIEW:
So, the scariest thing about this movie was the psychology toll in my head as I was watching thinking that this could actually happen. Well, not in this exact way, but that something could threaten us in food or water and we would not know until it's way too late. That is a serious fear!

Yes, it's a remake of a Romero film from 1978 and I think old George would be okay with the outcome. It's pretty fast paced for a horror movie and definitely needs the watcher to pay attention.

The question: Is this movie for you? Well, if you like zombie movies and with a twinge of horror, then this is for you!

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 22 Jan 2010
Running Time: 89 Minutes
Staring:  Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, Katrina Bowden and a few other lesser knowns.
Rating? R
SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS
IMDB: 7.6 of 10
Rotten Tomatoes: Critics: 84% Audience: 84%
MY RATING: 8

STORYLINE
Tucker and Dale versus Evil is a hilariously gory, good-sprited horror comedy, doing for killer rednecks what Shaun of the Dead did for Zombies! Tucker and Dale are two best friends on vacation at their dilapidated mountain house, when they are mistaken for backwoods murderous hillbillies by a group of obnoxious, preppy college kids. When one of the students gets separated from her friends, the boys try to lend a hand, but the misunderstanding grows, and so does the body count.

MY REVIEW:
I absolutely loved this movie!

Daybreakers

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 8 Jan 2010
Running Time: 98 Minutes
Staring: Ethan Hawke, Willem DeFoe, Sam Neill
Rating? R
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 6.5 of 10
MY RATING: 5

STORYLINE
It's 2019 and a plague has turned almost all humans into Vampires. Faced with a dwindling blood supply, the fractured dominant race plots their survival; meanwhile, a researcher works with a cover band of vampires on a way to save humankind.

MY REVIEW:
This could have been an amazing movie. With some iffy direction and some odd casting, this went to more of a fun idea than an actual plot.

The action sequences seemed to be blocked by a thirteen year old. The characters were one sided and realistically, in some placed, cardboard cutouts could have done a better job. Completely forgettable for me.

I expected more for a vampire movie in general, but this slips into the absurd rather quickly.