Kärlek Deluxe

People have sometimes asked me:- Daniel, you are a swedish man. but you don´t watch many swedish movies, why is that ? I answer most of the time :- Because only 3 out of 2500 are good. And that pretty much says it all. Swedish movies are terrible for the most part. It is like swedish directors have to follow a certain pattern and adjust each movie to please the swedish audience. Thankfully this year we are getting a fantastic swedish short movie, called Kung Fury. I suggest you check the trailer, now this is how swedish movies should be made like more often.

For those of you that have not seen many swedish movies, i have 3 rules you should know about.

1. If it says directed by Colin Nutley, run away as fast as you can.
2. If you see a Wallander dvd in your video store with Krister Henriksson, you should try and destroy it with a grenade.
3. If a swedish person says to you that Hälsoresan is a great comedy, beat him or her with a baseball bat.

Ok, now you can feel more safe. Or can you ? Kärlek Deluxe is a new swedish romantic comedy by director Kicki Kjellin, this is her first time to direct a motion picture. I did not know much at all about Kärlek Deluxe, until i saw a poster at the cinema, and i had bad vibes straight away. And when a trailer was shown, i still felt the same way. So tonight i was forced to go with my girlfriend and some female relatives ( yes forced ), to see Kärlek Deluxe. Maybe this is better than i expected, or is this another worthless swedish cinema release made for fans of Intresseklubben ?

Selma ( Moa Gambell ) is a author. Her boyfriend break up with her after a party dedicated to Selma´s latest book release. But she end up sleeping with a guitarist in the band on stage, who´s name is John ( Martin Stenmarck ). Selma have readers, but her book reviews are awful by newspapers. So her publish manager Catharina ( Görel Crona ) tell her she needs to change her Writing style. She arrange a meeting with the legenday cultural queen Britta ( Lotta Tejle ). Britta have an idea, she needs to send Selma away to Gotland, to a summer cabin where she can write a completely different story, to find inspiration. Here in Gotland she meets John again, he is on a camping vacation. At the same time, Selma becomes romantic involved with another man named Nils ( Andreas La Chenardière ). Nils and Selma become a couple, because Selma thinks this is the perfect partner. She still have no idea what to write about, and the book need to be finished soon before deadline. But is she really happy with her life ?

Dolph Lundgren once said :- Dying is easy, rock and roll is hard.

And this is exactly what we needed to hear. Because Kärlek Deluxe is such a cliché love comedy, you know exactly what will happen. And the so called funny scenes are so staged, you wonder if people really find all of this funny. Women laughed plenty in the audience, and i had to look around to check if it not was because someone was holding up a sign that says :- Laugh, or i will beat your ass. This is a 90 minute movie that felt like 15 hours, i was bored like hell. If you want to laugh, i suggest you see Eastbound & Down all seasons, now that is real comedy. Another shitty swedish movie served to the swedish audience. Now i know why i want to live in Greece.....they don´t even know we have a movie industry.

Rating : D

Bad Milo!

Many people older than me would probably say they prefer old classic monster movies from the 50´s and 60´s. Personally i think it became more fun in the 80´s, with movies such as Basket Case, Critters, Ghoulies, Gremlins and many other titles. There were more humour, and more crazy stories to be told in the 80´s , and of course more nudity, that became a classic ingrediens. You could probably say the 80´s had a lot to offer, even if the budget was small and the actors were sometimes terrible, you would still have a great time. Anyone of you remember Night Of The Creeps ? Got to buy the new release on this one, such a wonderful family movie. Bad Milo! is said to be a tribute to old classic monster movies of the 80´s, and for that i just had to check this out. The trailer looked really fun, so i kind of knew what this might be but not with too high expectations. Is Bad Milo! a classi B movie perfect at Birthday Parties for kids, or is this a straight to dvd crap release as made for mommy boys still living at home at the age of 35 ?

Duncan ( Ken Marino ) have a good job as an accountant, and a beautiful wife named Sarah ( Gillian Jacobs ). But his stomach have become bad lately so he needs help, and during a medical examination, something is seen inside of Duncan. Not knowing what it is, the doctor suggest that they need to go in with a camera, the next time Duncan have a booked time to the doctor. Sarah suggest Duncan visit Highsmith ( Peter Stormare ), a well known therapist and a hypnosist. But one night while sitting in the toilet, he shits out a demon who kills one of his work friends. Next day Duncan wakes up, passed out in the bathroom, not knowing what happened until he hear the news. Back at work, Duncan´s boss tell him to forget about what happened, and help him fire people from the company. Duncan decide to go back to Highsmith, to try and get help even if he is skeptical. As he is hypnotized, the demon climbs out of Duncan´s ass and run away outside. Highsmith thinks he knows what this demon is, as he finds a chapter in a book about anus demons. But he warns Duncan, if he kill the demon, he might kill a part of himself, since the demon is connected to his body.

Oh god i laughed so many times watching Bad Milo!. This is just like going back to the 80´s into monster slasher comedies, and they actually managed to find the right tone with this story. Milo himself is really well made, almost like a mix of a mutated worm and Jabba The Hut with large teeth and a smaller body. Bad Milo! is the best monster horror comedy made on low budget for many many years, especially thanks to Peter Stormare as Highsmith, he is so funny as the very odd hypnosist. Ken Marino does a very good performance as Duncan, it must have been hard trying to look serious, as he shits out a demon out of his ass. Bad Milo! is not only a tribute to the 80´s classics i grew up with, but thanks to director Jacob Vaughan he makes sure this genre is still around in 2014. And for that i have to thank him, because we need movies like this made today in society. When studios make big budget box office hits, they usually forget that it´s not always the money that matters. What matters is if you have the passion to do what you like, and to know what the audience wants. And this is where Bad Milo! make a big strike, this is exactly what we want, in all ages. Let´s be honest, Tony Irving will hate this one for sure, but who cares ? Bad Milo! will make you laugh so hard, you might have an orgasm before you even know it. The dvd is on the way out all over Europe this spring, but you can buy this movie from Usa, support B movies like this one, you won´t regret you did.

Rating: DDDD

The Fifth Estate

I did not follow the story of Wikileaks, when the story of Julian Assange came out in public. But i still found this story interesting when i realised how much Wikileaks leaked out information. Some people see Julian Assange as a criminal, some see him as a hero. Personally i think he might have gone too far. I understand he wanted the truth to come out, but with truth there comes a price to pay. The Fifth Estate is a motion picture based on the life of Julian Assange. This is not the first time we see the story about mr Assange, there are other movie adaptions out there. But this one have Benedict Cumberbatch, you know who he is right ? The latest Sherlock Holmes, also the villain in Star Trek Into Darkness. One of the best british actors in many years, he can do any character into his own unique personality. So, when i Heard he was going to be Julian Assange, i got hooked up right away. With such a great actor in this important story, is The Fifth Estate as good as i hoped, or is this a fast produced history lesson with nothing else to say ?

In 2007, journalist Daniel Domscheit-Berg ( Daniel Brühl ) meets Australian computer hacker Julian Assange ( Benedict Cumberbatch ). They meet in Berlin, as they become close friends. Daniel learn more about the ideas of Julian, that he want to reveal information to the world about corrupted people and criminal leaders. So they decide to start Wikileaks, an information web site that reveal classified information, not meant to be seen by ordinary people. As the web site become larger, and find more readers, they continue to reveal more information that should not be seen by anyone. While Julian Assange become famous world wide for his web site, he is also hated by world leaders. One of the first big stories revealed on Wikileaks is private Swiss bank Julius Bär Group Ltd, with information published that the bank have been doing illegal activites. Wikileaks is in trouble, as well as Julian Assange, but he manage to not get arrested. But problems begin to grown. When United States Army soldier Bradley Manning release leaks hundreds of thousands of documents, videos from Baghdad, Afghan and Iraq War Logs, where you see innocent people are killed by military. This becomes so serious, the american government becomes furious about Bradley´s publication. The friendship between Daniel and Julian becomes more problematic, when Julian is becoming more suspicious about people and who he can trust. But Julian decide he should continue doing what needs to be done, more people need to know the truth, even if he could be arrested.

It is sad that The Fifth Estate become one of the biggest box office flops of 2013. On a budget of 26 million dollars, it only grossed 8,5 million dollars world wide. But this is not as bad as you might think, Benedict Cumberbatch shows once again why he is such a great actor ( even if this is not one of his best performances ). And the story of Wikileaks is actually interesting, because the web site showed that there are ways to reveal criminal acts from powerful people. I have read other reviews saying that this is a pretty boring motion picture. There are some boring scenes, but i can´t say i lost interest in the story. Director Bill Condon ( who directed 2 movies i hated, The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part 1, and Part 2 ) have actually managed to do something good with this story. There are flaws, but he have tried to make this more of a european stylish movie, without the typical american cliché photography. I have to say i admire he could move on after making those shitty Twilight movies, and do this. That is worth a big applause. The Fifth Estate is not a motion picture for everyone, this is more for people who enjoy deep stories based on true historical events. You may not change your personal opinion on Julian Assange, but i suggest you see this one and make up your own mind. Internet is a powerful tool, you realise that after watching The Fifth Estate.

Rating: DDD

The Wolf Of Wall Street

If you were to travel to Brooklyn, NY, and say to italians that you have no idea who Martin Scorsese is, they would tear your ass apart. Martin Scorsese is one of the greatest directors of all time, did you read that Twilight fans ? The list of his great movies are endless, and there are so many fantastic motion pictures to choose between. Most people would probably say Taxi Driver is his masterpiece, and it is. But still, he have done so many other amazing movies that you can´t ignore them. Leonardo Di Caprio, pretty boy from Titanic, have proved himself to be a really great actor, and have worked with Martin Scorsese in 4 other movies earlier. Gangs Of New York, The Aviator, The Departed and Shutter Island. And here we are, where Martin Scorsese work with Di Caprio for a 5th time in his latest motion picture The Wolf Of Wall Street. As the title may suggest, we have a story about Wall Street. Set in the 80´s, with a fantastic cast and an Amazing director, is The Wolf Of Wall Street another classic motion Picture of Martin Scorsese, or is this a turn into the wrong side of the border ?

The year is 1987. Jordan Belfort ( Leonardo Di Caprio ) is trying hard to get a job at Wall Street. He suddenly get a chance, when his new boss Mark Hanna ( Matthew McConaughey ) hire him into his firm. Mark tell Jordan what he needs to do to handle a job at Wall Street. Make sure you use cocaine and sleep with many girls to succeed with the job. But one day the worst possible thing happends. Jordan have to leave the firm, since there is no more money and have to close the firm. Without a job, and no idea how to find a new one quickly, Jordan´s wife Teresa Petrillo ( Cristin Milioti ) suggest he look for a job in the newspaper. He manage to find a job advertise, about a Long Island boiler room, who handles penny stocks. Jordan is hired quickly, as they see he have the ability to fool customers to buy penny stocks, that are actually not worth anything. Jordan becomes so powerful, he begins to take over the boiler room. Jordan meet his neighbour Donnie Azoff ( Jonah Hill ) who is sick of his life. Jordan suggest they open a new firm together, as he show Donnie how much money he makes in a month. As the new firm is created, with new staff members hired, they give the firm the name Stratton Oakmont. Business is going great, money keep coming in, and they all get new pussy and drugs all the time. At one of his parties, Jordan meets Naomi Lapaglia ( Margot Robbie ), a woman he start to have an affair with. Terese finds out after seeing them in a limousine and decide she wants a divorce. Jordan begins a new life, and marry Naomi. But problems become an issue, when FBI agent Patrick Denham ( Kyle Chandler ) is investigating Jordan for several crimes. Jordan is not worried, he continue to live his rich life and do what he wants. Stratton Oakmont is becoming even bigger, and with all that cash coming in, Jordan is not going to quit for any laws or criminal decisions.

After sitting 3 hours in the cinema seat, i could not fall asleep at any moment. This is so good i think every guy in the audience got an erection from the powerful performance of Leonardo Di Caprio. I would dare to say this is his best performance ever in a motion picture, simply outstanding. The Wolf Of Wall Street punch you right in the face, with a brutal and honest portrait about Wall Street life. I am not saying this is exactly what happened in the real life of Jordan Belfort, but this is based on his biography so i would guess most of this is the truth. Rich people will continue to live like this, and they never seem to get enough. You can have a mansion, luxury cars, get lots of girls, but still you are not satisfied. And this is where Leonardo Di Caprio does his character so well, he really show how you can live on the top, where there are no limits of what you can´t do. Martin Scorsese direction style is once again fantastic, both visual and with his own unique style. It seems that every time he works with Di Caprio, they have a chemistry that always deliver on the big screen. I am most surprised about Jonah Hill, this is his best performance ever in a motion picture, i laughed so many times seeing his character on screen time. You might 3 hours is way too long. Hell no, The Wolf Of Wall Street never gets boring, this is exactly how you make a movie if it is going to be 3 hours, and Martin Scorsese knows exactly what he is doing. I really hope Di Caprio and Martin Scorsese win awards at the Oscar Academy Awards, they both deserve for their work on this amazing motion picture. Stay away from Kärlek Deluxe, and make sure you go see this one. I promise you will not regret that choice.

Rating: DDDD

The Disco Exorcist

Cult movies with bad acting and bad special effects, can sometimes be better than big budget Hollywood productions. In the 70´s, there was a lot of slasher films, made with no budget at all. But the positive side of this, was that the movies were fun to watch. I have seen so many fun low budget movies from the video violence era, that it´s hard to remember all the titles. But one thing is for sure, B movies are needed. So what do you get if you mix soft porn, with lots of blood, naked girls, and demonic posessed people ? We are served with The Disco Exorcist, a motion picture that Kristdemokraterna does not want to be released for sure. But it´s out on dvd in the UK since the end of 2013, so i had to get a copy and watch this one. Not knowing what to expect, did The Disco Exorcist make my movie night a flesh feast, or is this just a low budget project with nothing to offer ?

Rex Romanski ( Michael Reed ) is a wild swinger, who have sex with every girl he can get his hands on. He also likes to party, so one night he meets the mysterious Rita Marie ( Ruth Sullivan ) on the dancefloor. They end up in bed, as Rex is having a great time. But what he does not know, is that Rita is actually a evil black magic priestess, with demonic posession. What seemed to be an ordinary girl, turns out to be a girl who can kill anyone who gets in her way. Rex need to stop Rita, so he becomes The Disco Exorcist. It is time for evil to be terminated.

The first time i watched the trailer of The Disco Exorcist, i had a feeling this could be a fun B movie. And i have to say, i had a great time. The acting is really bad, but that´s the way it should be in a motion picture like this. This is a tribute to many classic grindhouse movies, with a different approach on exorcism. Just the title is brilliant, who else would mix the 1970´s disco dancer with a demon killer ? Michael Reed is an actor known for making bad B movies, where you get to laugh a lot. The biggest difference this time is that he actually have found a character i find really cool. The plot must have been written in less than 3 weeks, but who cares ? Director Richard Griffin have directed many different B movies in the past, and you can tell he have a passion for this genre. He tries to mix 2 very odd genre mash ups, and i think he succeeds. Is this a classic ? No, but this is a fun tribute of old school horror, with no budget at all. But i have to say this is more of a horror comedy, because you laugh at the bad dialogue and all the naked girls with such bad acting. The Disco Exorcist is a motion picture that will be hated by Mariah Carey fans, because it makes no sense at all, just like this diva´s strange demands. And for that i had a great time watching this one, it is a fun tribute to the good old days of grindhouse cinema. I hope they get the money to make a sequel, Ron Jeremy would be perfect as a swinger, or maybe even The Disco Exorcists horny uncle.

Rating: DDD

The Seasoning House

All over the world, young girls are forced into prostitution. Police and politicians say they are trying to solve this big problem, but of course many of themselves pay for sex. So how do you solve this ? You can´t, not completely. Thankfully some girls manage to get out, while others die or end up as drug addicts. It´s a cruel world we live in, and even if things are not looking good for girls stuck in prostitution, i still feel we need to have some kind of hope left. The Seasoning House is a psychological thriller, set in the year 1996, where Balkan soldiers kidnap young girls to rape them, and let them be prostitutes to other men. With such a heavy subject, does this story bring the pieces together into a solid story, or is this a big mess ?

As a young girl, Angel ( Rosie Day ) was kidnapped by millitary. She is taken to a whore house, where the leader Viktor ( Kaevin Howarth ) place her as a maid, to help him drug the girls and prepare them for sex. Viktor´s companion Dimitri ( David Lemberg ) make sure Angel do her job, otherwise she will be punished. Each day that goes by, Angel loose her knowledge of what is happening in the outside world, she is a slave with no future. One day she finds out that one of the girls, Violeta ( Anna Walton ), understand that Angel is deaf. They begin a friendship that is forbidden, but somehow Angel realise she might have a reason now to go on living. What seemed to be impossible, with no hope, is suddenly giving these girls something to belive in.

If you can´t see young women being treated like trash, i suggest you don´t watch The Seasoning House. This is a brutal portrait about how bad these girls are forced to be sex slaves, and have nothing to say against their owners. Everything may not be realistic, but some scenes affect you with so much tragedy going on. The acting from the young girls are good, it must have been hard playing a character with so much sadness and fear. The scenes at the whore house, where all girls are drugged and locked up are well made, and effective. Director Paul Hyett is mostly known working as a special makeup effects designer on movies like The Descent, Eden Lake and Doomsday. The Seasoning House is his first debut as an director, and he have a talent for this genre. In some ways you feel there are horror influences here, but not so deep that it becomes cliché. Remember i talked about the young girls acting ? The adult actors does not deliver as strong performances, like leading actress Rosie Day, her innocent look with her expression of being molested is disturbing. The Seasoning House is a very emotional horror/ thríller, that will make you sad. There may be some flaws, but overall i think this is important to see, to get a glimpse in the world of forced illegal prostution. There are some problems, but considering how deep this is and disturbing, i still feel that the message is needed. The Seasoning House is out on dvd and blu ray in the UK, no release date known for Sweden so far. But order your copy, this is a movie you will not forget.

Rating: DDD

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones

Looking back at the box office numbers for Paranormal Activity 1 - 3, you realise how much the audience love this found footage horror style. From my personal opinion, i enjoyed number 3 most, because the story was both deeper and had more to say about the paranomal activities happening inside a family´s home. But suddenly something happened. Paranormal Activity 4 did not do as good as the previous movies at the box office. It still made a profit, but not as much as the predictions were. I can understand why, this was a poor sequel with no interesting plot, just trying to be scary without any real effort. You might think this is the 5th one, but it is not. Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones is a spin-off of Paranormal Activity franchise, and this means we get a completely different story. Considering i did not really enjoy Paranormal Activity 4, is this spin-off a step in the right direction, or another example of a bad choice that should have laid on a shelf ?

June 2012. Jesse ( Andrew Jacobs ) have just graduated high school, and hold a party with friends and family. Jesse´s friend Hector ( Jorge Diaz ) make sure Jesse have a great time. But lately Jesse have noticed that strange noises are coming from a neighbours appartment, her name is Anna ( Gloria Sandoval ). They send down a small camera in the ventalation system, where they notice Anna is doing some kind of ritual. Confused and worried about what is going on, they try to find answers to who she is. Suddenly one night, Anna is found dead by Police. This is a chance for Jesse and his friends to find more answers about Anna, and what she was doing in her appartment. They manage to get inside her place, and find strange objects, as well as ritual belongings. There are also pictures of Jesse at the ritual table, and Jesse have no idea how they got there. Jesse suddenly begin to change, he have bad temper and seem to have something following him wherever he goes. What seemed harmless in the beginning, is now becoming a nightmare when the truth is revealed.

Thankfully director Christopher B. Landon tries to take this motion picture in another direction, compare to the previous Paranormal Activity movies. The latino influences in L.A. is a good idea, with the ritual perspective. But the problem is he does not deliver enough to make this story interesting. In fact, not untill the last 18 minutes we get some interesting details, that should have been told much earlier. There are parts where i feel kind of bored, because nothing really happends. And when something finally do happen, it still does not feel scary enough to make me jump out of my seat. The acting is nothing i remember much of, but in the ending we do at least get something positive. Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones is not anything i can recommend, but still this is better than Paranormal Activity 4. Am i looking forward to the 5th sequel ? Not really, but i will see it. Hopefully they come up with an intelligent plot, then maybe we might actually have some more details explained from the 3rd movie. There are many questions that needs to be answered.

Rating: DD

12 Years A Slave

Slavery in the 1800´s is not a topic i learned much about in school. I can´t remember that my history teacher ever brought this up in any historical events. Even if this was horrible, and a time in history you wish would never have happened, the stories need to be told so every generation know the truth. 12 Years A Slave is based on the true story of Solomon Northup, who wrote a book on his life as a slave. Praised as one of the best motion pictures of 2013, i felt that i needed to see this one. Is 12 Years A Slave a very tragic and honest story, or is this another Hollywood production made to earn cash at the box office ?

In the year of 1841, Solomon Northup ( Chiwetel Ejiofor ) lives as a free man, with a wife and 2 kids. But suddenly one day, Brown ( Scott McNairy ) and Hamilton ( Taran Killam ) trick Solomon to come along with them. Solomon wakes up in a cell, where he now is informed he will be sold as a slave. At a slavery auction, Solomon is bought by plantation owner William Ford ( Benedict Cumberbatch ). William begin to like Solomon, since he seems very intelligent and have lots of knowledge. This is something racist carpenter John Tibeats ( Paul Dano ) does not appreciate. John tries to do anything he can to make Solomon´s life miserable, even try to hang him without William´s permission. Solomon tries to stay alive, doing anything he can to please his Master. But after a conflict between John and Solomon, things become so bad that William is forced to sell Solomon to Edwin Epps ( Michael Fassbender ), a very cruel planter who hate black people. His wife Mary Epps ( Sarah Paulson ) is also evil, and have no respect for black people. One thing that help Solomon get out of trouble, is the fact that he can play violin. So Edwin decide he should play at their dance evenings. Solomon want to go back home, to his wife and children. But he does not know if he will ever see them again. So the only thing he can do, is obey his Master, and hope to survive.

I have to say it was hard for me to watch some scenes in 12 Years A Slave, especially when a young black woman is whipped so hard, she could have died. To know that white people were so cruel to black people, because of their skin color makes me very upset. Director Steve McQueen ( not the legendary actor, he is dead since 1980 ) show us a very honest brutal portrait about the slavery in New Orleans. Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor is simply amazing as Solomon Northup, a man who lost everything, but he never give up. Michael Fassbender is really good as the slave master Edwin, such a horrible person who have no remorse. Sarah Paulson is fantastic as the bitch Mary Epps, i wanted to punch her in the face while watching her do this character. This is a very disturbing motion picture, so sad, but very powerful. i have a feeling teenagers need to see this in schools, so they learn more about slavery, because not much is said in school books. 12 Years A Slave is a very tragic story, with very good actors that lift the story even more. Many critics called this the best motion picture of 2013, i do not agree. But still i say you need to see this one, you will be angry, you will be sad. I am so happy that 12 Years A Slave have won so many awards so far at different film festivals, everyone who worked on this motion picture deserves to be heard, i will not forget what i have just seen.

Rating: DDDD

Skinwalker Ranch

Found footage horror movies have made an impact on audiences. Just look at the box office numbers, or dvd sales on some of the releases ? I suppose people are tired of CGI effects only, and see the quality behind making horror on a very low budget. Usually i try and look for the low budget ones that comes out, because there is so much work behind the releases. In a big movie company they can spend millions of dollars easily, while the smaller companies they have to keep the budget all the way. Speaking of found footage, how many of you have heard about the Ufo sightings at Skinwalker Ranch ? I had no idea, i guess you might know about this if you read online, or hear interviews on Youtube. Some people in my family belive in Ufo´s and aliens, i am more skeptical, since i need evidence before i belive in anything. Skinwalker Ranch is a found footage horror movie, based on the true events happening in Utah. Is this Another highlight in the found footage genre, or another one you will soon forget going straight to dvd ?

At the Skinwalker Ranch, owner Hoyt ( Jon Gries ) still have no answers to what happened to his son, who disappeared 10 years ago. A team of investigators on paranormal activity , including Sam ( Steve Berg ), Lisa ( Erin Cahill ) and co workers,  travel out to the farm, to try and find evidence on sightings. Hoyt try to explain what he have experienced, not knowing if he will ever see his son again. As the days go by, more sightings are being noticed. But that´s not all, it is clear someone is watching them, as they begin to disappear one by one.

Bloody Disgusting was actually the reason why i checked this movie out. They simply loved this one and i actually got curious. For a found footage horror movie, does it deliver anything fresh ? No. Is it any good at all? Yes, thankfully because of good acting, and some of the effects are not so bad. There is a creepy feeling while you watch what is going on at this cattle ranch, and for that i must say director Devin McGinn have succeeded doing a good job. The only problem i have here, is i would have wanted some more details, about what happened 10 years ago. I think that would have helped the story become even more interesting. Still, i would say this is a good one in this genre. You can get Skinwalker Ranch on VOD or iTunes, support small movies being made on lower budget, they are needed in this society.

Rating: DDD

You´re Next

Family dinners. A time when we can all talk about our lives, what´s new, and be grumpy about old problems. I can personally say, i enjoy family dinners, as long as my family don´t bring up divorce memories from 1993. Thankfully, they try not to, and if the do, i try and switch conversation. Every family have arguments, no matter what it is about, most things can be solved. You´re Next is a horror movie about family gatherings, that laid on a shelf for 2 years, before a world wide realese was made. It did screen at Toronto International Film Festival in 2011, but after that You´re Next dissapeared. Not a good sign, but maybe this is better than i would expect, or is this another slasher for horny teenagers with no taste of quality ?

A couple is brutally murdered in a cabin, out in the countryside. Aubrey Davidson ( Barbara Crampton ) and Paul Davidson ( Rob Moran ), have just arrived to their summerhouse. Aubrey hear someone upstairs, but Paul thinks she must have imagined hearing someone else. They are both waiting for their children, for a family reunion. Crispian Davidson ( A.J. Bowen ) and his girlfriend, Erin ( Sharni Vinson ) arrive one day earlier. The next day the whole family arrive, Crispian´s 2 brothers Drake ( Joe Swanberg ) and Felix ( Nicholas Tucci ), along with their wives. Also arriving is Crispian´s sister Aimee ( Amy Seimetz ) with her boyfriend. The whole family begin talking about their lives, careers, and future plans, as dinner is served. But when Tariq ( Ti West ), Aimee´s boyfriend, sees something outside the window, he walk away to take a look. An arrow is fired into his head, chaos breaks out. Everyone is trying to find a safe place, not knowing who is doing this. Erin try to think out a way to keep everyone safe, but Aimee decide to run outside, when her throat is cut open from a wire, attached to the entrance. Suddenly Aubrey is brutally murdered upstairs, it seems that there are more than one person doing this. But something is not right, is it possible that someone in the family is behind all of this ?

I respect director Adam Wingard, since he did direct 2 segments in both V/H/S and V/H/S/2. He have a feeling for making old school horror, instead of using CGI to cover up flaws. I had no expectations while watching You´re Next, and in the beginning i did not feel very interested in this story. Maybe because the acting is dull, and the plot feels kind of blend. But then, when the plot changes, something positive happens. You´re Next turns into a more intelligent horror movie, with some different turns than you would expect. I still can´t agree with some movie critics who loved this, maybe because this is not original enough too keep me on the edge of my seat. We have seen this before, but thankfully director Adam Wingard finds a way to take a different turn, and this is why You´re Next works pretty good. Leading actress Sharni Vinson is a tough woman, and boy does she kick ass here. I would not want to mess with her in a bar. Even if the first 26 minutes could have been better, we get some nice surprises later on with some very gory scenes. A good choice if you also felt disappointed  with a number of horror movies lately.

Rating: DDD

The Request Review winner of this week is.......

Congratulations Martin Cruz

I will review Ong Bak - Muay Thai Warrior on sunday, thank you all readers for supporting this movie review blog, without you i would not be doing this.

Cheers from Daniel

Closed Circuit

On the 7th of july in 2005, London experienced something no one will ever forget, The London Bombings. The fact is i was supposed to go to London this summer, to continue my visit to friends in Edinburgh, Scotland. But plans changed, and i did not go. Looking back today, i am glad i did not go, but feel sorry for everyone who lost their lives, and all the families victims. Every year we hear about possible terrorist threats, all over the world. And it will continue, even if we want these attacks to stop. Closed Circuit is a motion picture, that take on the subject of terrorism in London, but from a different perspective. With Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall as the leading actors, is Closed Circuit a powerful story on terrorism, or have we seen this so many times before that we have seen enough ?

At a crowded Borough market in London, a truck blow up armed with a bomb. Many civilians are found dead at the crime scene. Police immediately arrest prime suspect Farroukh Erdogan ( Denis Mochitto ), suspected of being the mastermind behind the bomb attack. Lawyers Martin Rose ( Eric Bana ) and Claudia Simmons-Howe ( Rebecca Hall ) are both chosen to represent Farroukh in court. Martin and Claudia had an affair some time ago, and don´t get along very well, but realise they need to focus on this case. But while they search through evidence, and information on Farroukh, it seems like they are being watched. Every time Martin takes a taxi, the same registrered number shows up. In Claudia´s home, someone have moved a book from her shelf. Not knowing who is watching them, or why, the case becomes more complicated. Somehow they need to know the truth from Farroukh.

Irish director John Crowley directed one of my favourite movies of the year 2007, named Boy A. A very sad and emotional drama movie, where Andrew Garfield did an amazing performance as a child murderer, who is let out to start a new life, with a new identity. But when the truth comes out, who he really is, all hell breaks loose. John Crawley also did a good motion picture with Michael Caine in Is Anybody There ? Since then, i have not heard much about his latest motion picture Closed Circuit, until i got a chance to see it. To compare this with his previous work is not necessary, because this is a completely different genre. The positive side of Closed Circuit, is that this is a well acted thriller, with some nice performances from british actors Jim Broadbent and Kenneth Cranham. Of course we have the lead actors Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall, who both deliver solid performances. Now for the negative side, cosnidering this is just over 90 minutes, we would have needed some more thrilling scenes. It tend to get a bit boring in some scenes, when the lawyers discuss the case. But is this a bad thriller ? Not at all, Closed Circuit gives us a pleasent thriller that lives on the good acting. Just when things seem to become more intensive, we only experience this for a short while. Such a shame, Closed Circuit could have been even better with a more darker and raw tone on the legal system. Still, i would say that this is worth a rent if you are fed up with Wallander 562, or was it 563 ? Either way, they never stop coming.

Rating: DDD

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa

I would guess that everyone have seen Jackass on MTV, when they used to show episodes every week with Johnny Knoxville and Steve-O with friends. And of course their insane Jackass movies, where they did everything you are not supposed to try on your own. Disgusting, idiotic, silly, but also damn funny at times. Jackass could make you laugh like hell, especially on a bad day. But when Jackass 3 came out in 2010, i kind of felt that it was not as funny as it used to be. Maybe they were running out of ideas, and all of them are getting older ( most people who get older mature, these guys don´t ). Even if i don´t watch Jackass very often in these days, i can still remember some highlights of their tv shows, and in their first 2 movies. When i first heard of Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa, i did not know what to think about this, That was until i saw the trailer, when i realised Johnny Knoxville is trying to do something different with the concept of old people gone crazy. Is Bad Grandpa much funnier than i expected, or is it a step back into the same concept where Jackass 3 felt uninspired ?

Irving Zisman ( Johnny Knoxville ) is 86 years old. His wife Ellie ( Catherine Keener ) dies and Irving is now left alone. At the funeral, he does not expect to see his daughter Kimmie ( Georgina Cates ) show up. She arrive late, and she also have Irving´s 8 year old grandson, Billy ( Jackson Nicoll ), with her to the funeral. Kimmie tells Irving that she is going back to jail, for violating her parole. She order Irving to take care of Billy, while she goes to prison. Irving´s plans of getting laid and party is destroyed, now he have to take care of his grandson. Irving try contacting Billy´s father, Chuck ( Greg Harris ), an unemployed stoner, who agree to take care of Billy, if he get child support. Irving agree to take Billy on a road trip, to his father in Raleigh, North Carolina, and drop him off on sunday. As the road trip begins, Irving is about to make sure, Billy will experience a journey he will never forget.

I am happy to say, Bad Grandpa is actually much more fun than Jackass 3, in a completely different way. Sure, there are jokes you can recognize from the show, but still done in a much more intelligent way. Johnny Knoxville does a great job, playing 86 year old Irving, a horny old bastard who rather go to a strip club than play cards with old people. There are moments i found myself laughing as hell, like when he decide to put his dick in a soda can machine, and gets stuck. There are many more moments where you will laugh a lot, unless you dont like vulgar humour. Bad Grandpa is the perfect example of a Grandfather, no one would want, except for me of course. A dirty old man who don´t give a shit about what people think, and at the same time he realise he may die soon, so he want to live life now when he is free. I would probably say this is the best character Johnny Knoxville have ever done in his career so far, and the young boy Jackson Nicoll is very talented for his age. Some sketches may not deliver all the way, but still this is definetely a great time. I can only hope i will be like Irving when i am old, that would make my day feel so much better.

Rating: DDD

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

I can´t say i have many young favourite female actors. There are some really good ones out there, but some are even better. Just like Jennifer Lawrence, have you seen her performance in Winters Bone or Silver Linings Playbook ? She also did House At The End Of The Street, she must have regret that choice, awful movie. When i watched the first motion picture of Hunger Games, i had not read the book by author Suzanne Collins. But still people were saying i should check the movie adaption out, and i did. The first movie adaption was well made, and of course Jennifer Lawrence did a great performance as Katniss Everdeen, who fight in The Hunger Games for survival. You could probably say The Hunger Games is a mild, and more kind survival story than one of my personal favourite movies, Battle Royal. Now, this japanese classic is very brutal, and tragic, but so powerful you will not forget it. So here we are with the sequel to The Hunger Games, simply called Catching Fire. The same cast is here as last time, but also with some new faces, like Philip Seymore Hoffman. Is the second movie adaption of The Hunger Games more improved than last time, or is this sequel just as blend as Donald Trump´s hair piece ?

Katniss Everdeen ( Jennifer Lawrence ) and Peeta Mellark ( Josh Hutcherson ) survived the 74th Hunger Games. Katniss and Peeta return home to District 12, to try and deal with everything that they both have experienced, and how they should move on with their lives. Suddenly President Snow ( Donal Sutherland ) visit their home, explain that Katniss have inspired rebels, after her actions in The Hunger Games. To fix this problem, President Snow order Katniss to go the upcoming victory tour, and tell the people how they should behave. Peeta is also coming along on this victory tour in District 11, and both of them are told to hold a speech. When Katniss suddenly change her speech, chaos breaks loose. Soldiers beat down citizens, only because they show a signal of peace. Effie Trinket ( Elizabeth Banks ) is not happy about the situation, so she needs Haymitch Abernathy ( Woody Harrelson ) to help her on this victory tour. To keep the fans calm, Katniss make fake statement , that Katniss and Peeta make a public engagement. This is arranged at the Snow mansion, as he congratulate the couple. As Katniss return home to District 12, Peacekeepers show up, to torture Gale Hawthorne ( Liam Hemsworth ), because he attacked Head Peacekeeper Romulus Thread ( Patrick St. Esprit ). When Gale is whipped in public, Katniss and Peeta are announced to return to the 75th Hunger Games. But this time, the battle is bigger, with more players, more danger than ever.

The first motion picture of The Hunger Games was alright, especially for Jennifer Lawrence. If she would not have been Katniss Everdeem, i don´t think i would be very interested in her character. Here in the sequel, she does an even better performance than last time, and she really make this character feel more alive on screen. The storyline is better this time, with more depth, and with a much darker tone. My biggest problem is the length, 2 hours and 30 minutes, almost 15 minutes longer than the first movie. Even if i enjoy the story ( for the most part ), it is way too long, and that is a shame. Because The Hunger Games: Cathcing Fire is actually better than the first motion picture, how often does that happen ? The battle scenes are really well made, and you can tell director Francis Lawrence have taken this story seriously, and try to make the Hunger Games feel majestic and powerful. If you enjoyed the first part of The Hunger Games, you are in for a treat with this sequel. Way too long, but still worth a look, especially if you enjoy a strong performance of Jennifer Lawrence. I wonder if i can get a bow like hers, hunting look so much more fun with a weapon like that, or to make sure Jehovas Witnesses don´t knock on my door.

Rating: DDD