Hell Fest

Halloween!

The weekend where people across America dress up as frightening characters, go trick and treating, and bring out the machete for some family fun. Of course the pumpkin sales go sky high, and they are of course an important part of this traditional weekend. Halloween is one of those weekends when you know it is ok to play with the chainsaw, especially if Jehovah´s Witnesses rings the door bell. This is also the weekend when you can run naked across the corn field, to make sure you are prepared for an audition for Geordie Shore on MTV. I have been a big horror fan ever since my childhood, and i always appreciate a nice blood feast, where body parts fly all over the place. This is where i feel at home, a warm cozy moment in life that i wish everyone would experience. When you talk about classic Halloween horror movies, we have so many titles to choose between. But i decided to mention two of them that actually are not that old. Let us begin with the 2005 film The Exorcism Of Emily Rose. Directed by Scott Dericksson, this is a horror film that actually managed to work really well in the exorcism genre. The acting is also really good, especially from actor Jennifer Carpenter as Emily Rose, the woman who was possessed by a demon, or was she ? I also really feel that the cinematography by Tom Stern looks really good in this film, capturing the right atmosphere for this genre. The second movie we need to mention is of course the 2007 anthology horror film Trick´ R Treat from director Michael Dougherty. A really creepy horror film, divided into different stories. What made this film so good, was that each story delivered some solid horror entertainment with a classic Halloween concept. If you love horror movies, you should buy Trick `R Treat on Blu Ray. During the Halloween weekend, cinemas will be showing horror films in many different shapes. I will be going soon to see the latest Halloween movie where Jamie Lee Curtis returns as the legendary character Laurie Strode. I hope it will be good, and i heard some positive reviews so far. Since Halloween weekend have arrived, i decided to take a look at the new Halloween horror movie Hell Fest, recently released in cinemas. Just to make it more fun, i did not read about this film online, to see if i would enjoy this film without knowing too much. A slasher film at a amusement park, is this a surprisingly good slasher, or is Hell Fest a big mess that should be avoided among horror fans worldwide ?

A group of friends head off to the amusement park known as Hell Fest, a horror influenced horror park that have especially targeted to scare young people. Natalie ( Amy Forsyth ) witness a real murder, done by a man with a mask. He seems to be following her, so she tries to explain to her friends Taylor ( Bex Taylor-Klaus ) and Brooke ( Reign Edwards ) that there is a real killer out there. But they can´t take her serious, since this is an amusement park. As the night continues, more victims are about to be sacrificed.

I had no expectations at all about Hell Fest, since i have not heard much about this film. But i have to say, in the slasher genre, this is better than i expected. This does not mean that Hell Fest is a future classic, or one of the better films in the slasher genre. I would rather look at this film as a fun throwback to the 80´s. A masked man killing young people is of course cheesy, but that is the best part of this film. I also like the fact that Hell Fest takes place in a huge amusement park built up as a ghost house, divided into different horror sections. The mask also works well, even if it is not the most effective mas we have seen. One of the things i have to mention, is that the female characters are much stronger in this film than the male characters. The three characters i am especially thinking about are actors Amy Forsyth, Bex Taylor-Klaus and Reign Edwards. When they have screen time, you feel that they deliver with their characters. The male characters are more bleak in this film, so you don´t really care about them. It is also nice to see legendary horror actor Tony Todd in a cameo here as well. The amusement park known as Hell Fest is exactly what you would want to have during Halloween. A lot of costume dressed people, wearing costumes that fits right into the theme park concept. I especially enjoyed one segment where arms are moving around in a long corridor, that seems to be from dead people, grabbing you unless you get out of the corridor. The slasher scenes with the masked man, reminds me of the classic Scream concept. And this is also something that Hell Fest knows how to do, keep it classic without making it boring. I would have liked to see even more raw killing scenes, since i feel that this would have helped Hell Fest become more fun. But as a Halloween slasher film, i cant complain too much. Sure, the story is very thin, and some of the actors are not anything you care about. But with female characters that works surprisingly well, and a slasher theme that matches the amusement park, Hell Fest manage to combine both ingredients without falling apart. If you plan to watch something new this Halloween weekend, give Hell Fest a chance in cinemas. Its not original in any way, or bring anything new. But if you love to see people be murdered, with some brutal kills and see some classic slasher ingredients, i think you might enjoy this film for what it is. I wish we had a Halloween amusement park like Hell Fest in Sweden, then even i would bring an Axe to have some fun.

Rating: DDD

Death Kiss

There are some movies that will always be iconic, no matter how many years go by. Certain films can grow really old, and never changes the level of quality. Just look at The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, and i guarantee that most people will agree that these films will never grow too old. These films both had really solid acting, and a very interesting story to tell about the Corleone family, as we follow their lives as gangsters. The third film is not bad, but nowhere near as good as the previous films. The Godfather Trilogy is a must own collection on DVD or Blu Ray. Then we have old school action films that even until this day works much better than most action releases. There are a number of titles i could mention right now, but let´s focus on one specific film from 1974. One film that was actually controversial during the 70´s for the raw violence. The action movie Death Wish from director Michael Winner. The film tells the story of family man Paul Kersey, played by legendary actor Charles Bronson ( who made some really classic films such as Red Sun and Chato´s Land ), revenge the murder of his wife and raped daughter. Death Wish will always be one of the biggest Charles Bronson classics, and is in my opinion one of the better action films of the 70´s. It may not be the best Bronson film in his long career, but definitely one of his classics. When the sequel Death Wish 2 arrived, the concept still worked but you could tell that it did not match up to the same quality level as the first film. There were more sequels relesed of Death Wish, but it was becoming clear that the franchise have lost it´s magic. The first Death Wish film will always be a cult classic and a film that will be appreciated in many generations across the world. A couple of months ago, i came across a trailer on a new film called Death Kiss. The first thing that i noticed was that actor Robert Bronzi looked just like legendary actor Charles Bronson ( who we unfortunately lost in 2003 ). And i have seen pretty much all the classics with Charles Bronson, and love many of his iconic films. The concept of the film Death Kiss, looked almost like a Death Wish movie. With such a fun combination, i just had to see Death Kiss to see if this would be a worthy throwback to the classic days of Charles Bronson magic. Do we finally have an action film that should be seen by a larger audience, or is Death Kiss a desperate try to make money out of a classic concept ?

A vigilante with no name, only known as The Stranger ( Robert Kovacs ) lives his life to end the lives of criminals, cleaning up the streets in his own way. He helps the young mother Ana ( Eva Hamilton ) and her disabled daughter, sending them money. Ana have no idea where the money is coming from, but eventually meet him as he drops of another envelope of cash. The Stranger leave no answers, just that she should take the money. Criminal Tyrell ( Richard Tyson ) was shot by The Stranger, and he plans to end his life eventually. But it becomes very clear, The Stranger is not finished yet, he have more criminals to execute.

To see a Charles Bronson tribute in 2018, is something i never expected to see. But this is clearly what Death Kiss proves, that you can make a worthy tribute to the legendary actor. This film manage to capture the style of Death Wish, with even more brutality than the classic Death Wish concept. The bullet holes in the bodies are bigger, blood is flushing out, and the bad guys are executed right on spot. Is it a classic like Death Wish ? No, but that is ok. Just to see that there are still film makers who want to make films like this, gives me joy in my heart. The VHS video violence have always meant a lot to me, renting very brutal titles was the good start of my teenage years. Death Kiss is in no way original, but that is completely fine. This is a throwback to what fun films used to be like during the 70´s and 80´s. Actor Robert " Bronzi " Kovacs who looks exactly like Charles Bronson, is perfect as the lead character The Stranger. He shoots down criminals, and take justice into his own hands, just like Charles Bronson did in Death Wish. The best part of Death Kiss is to see The Stranger shoot down criminals, and execute them. This is where the real moments shine throughout the film, and Bronzi is really good as The Stranger. I also enjoy the radio host Daniel Forthright played by Daniel Baldwin. This is actually one of the best acting performances i have seen Daniel Baldwin do for many years, and i have seen a lot of his movies ( except for a few titles ). Eva Hamilton as the young mother Ana is also a great character. Actor Richard Tyson ( known from Kindergarten Cop ) also does a worthy performance as the bad guy Tyrell. The only negative i can say is that some of the dramatic scenes feel a bit drawn out. They don´t work as effective as you would have hoped for. Director Rene Perez have directed a lot of B movies, especially in the horror category. I have not seen many of his films, but i have to say that he have made a nice tribute to old school action films with Death Kiss. That he managed to do a rip off from Death Wish, and still do it respectfully is a great achievement. I really hope people will support this film by watching it on VOD, or rent it on DVD ( or even buy the DVD ), so we can get a sequel. I would love to see what a sequel could do, and to see Kovacs return as the bad ass Stranger. If you loved Death Wish with Charles Bronson, you have to check out Death Kiss. This is a fun tribute to the golden days of VHS nostalgia with classic influences.

Rating: DDD

Venom

British actors have a special way to make characters, and give us solid films. There are of course many names we could mention when we talk about British actors. But let´s get into 3 actors who have made a big impact in cinema history. Sir Anthony Hopkins have made a lot of films in a very long time. And of course one of his most legendary characters is of course Hannibal Lecter in The Silence Of The Lambs. But if i had to choose another film with Anthony Hopkins, i would have to choose the 1993 film The Remains Of The Day, where he made a wonderful performance as Mr James Stevens, the butler of Darlington Hall. If you have not seen The Remains Of The Day, i suggest you see the movie. Legendary actor Emma Thompson also does a really good performance in this film. The next British actor that comes to my mind is Benedict Cumberbatch who have done a lot of really good performances, especially in the historical drama film The Imitation Game, based on the story of British mathematician Alan Turing. A very good drama film, where Benedict Cumberbatch gave a performance that made you feel for his character. Benedict have of course done a really good performance as Sherlock Holmes for several years, and i have not seen all of the British TV series. But i plan to watch all the episodes, since i enjoy the adaptation on the legendary detective. The final actor that we need to talk about is actor Tom Hardy. Most people might think about his amazing performance in Mad Max: Fury Road. But the first time i really discovered him was in the British film called Bronson. Released in 2008, the film tells the story about Michael Peterson ( based on the real English criminal Charles Bronson, who was born as Michael Peterson ). Tom Hardy did a really powerful performance as Bronson, and he really went all in to try and portrait the life of this well known criminal. If you have not seen Bronson, you should check it out. I know that not many people i have talked to have seen the film, for different reasons. But i think this film deserves to be recognized, for being a great crime drama. Tom continued doing a lot of quality films, such as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Warrior. We have to mention a very special film known as Locke. A unique film since the whole film takes place inside a car, and you only see Tom Hardy as the only character, and the other actors are only speaking on a phone. Locke is a 2012 film that manage to capture you, for being both original and intelligent. And the performance of Tom Hardy strikes hard, a film you need to see.When i heard that Hardy was chosen to play the Marvel comic book character Venom, i was excited. A great choice for this character. Since many of the Marvel films have been really good, is Venom one of the highlights in recent years, or a big disappointment for both fans and audiences ?

A probe belonging to Life Foundation, is exploring space for new habitable worlds. A comet is discovered with symbiotioc lifeforms. Four samples is taken back to Earth, but one escape and crash in Malaysia. The Life Foundation recover the other three and transports them to their research facility center in San Francisco. CEO Carlton Drake ( Riz Ahmed ) learns that the symbiotes can not survive without oxygen-breathing hosts, so Carlton use humans as experiments to see what happens with the symbiotes. Journalist investigator Eddie Brock ( Tom Hardy ) reads about Drake´s human trials in a classified document in the possession of fiancée Anne Weyning ( Michelle Williams ). Eddie confront Carlton to find out the truth about, but is later fired from his job, and also make his fiancée Anne fired from her job as well. Eddie is forced to live on his own, and find a way to go on with his life. 6 months later, Drake is close to achieving a successful symbiosis. One of Carlton´s scientists known as Dr. Dora Skirth ( Jenny Slate ) approach Eddie since she is ready to expose Carlton´s research work. Dora helps Eddie to get inside the research facility to find evidence. Eddie finds out that a homeless woman named Maria ( Melora Walters ), has become one of Carlton´s test subjects. Eddie attempts to rescue Maria, but the symbiote possessing her body move into Eddie´s body instead as Maria dies. Eddie manage to get out of the research facility. Something is happening to Eddie, he hears voices and notice himself changing, especially when he is angry. Carlton finds out that Eddie have the symbiote inside of him. Eddie is now hunted, and have no idea how to control this other personality.

Before i watched this film in Cinema, i know fans and critics were very divided about this film. So i am going to tell you my personal opinions about Venom, without being affected by other critics. Let´s get into the positive first. Tom Hardy is the best part about this film. His journalist character Eddie Brock helps this film get on the right track, since Hardy knows how to develop characters. The scenes where he hears another voice talking in his mind, also shows you that he can act outside the comfort zone. Actor Michelle Williams as district attorney Anne Weying is also a highlight in this film. Michelle have no problem making her character feel interesting, but we don´t get to see her that much. I would have liked to see more of her in this film, since she clearly have a big impact on Eddie´s past. The CGI effects of Venom may not be perfect, but i think it works with the concept of the character. Venom actually feels like a great character to make in a stand alone film, and there are scenes here where we get to see Venom make an impact. The action scenes is also one thing that works, for the most part. Especially the fighting scenes. Now, let´s get to the negative. Riz Ahmed as inventor Carlton Drake is way to bleak to care about. The scenes we see Hardy and Riz on screen, it becomes very clear that Riz Ahmed can´t act out on the same professional level as Hardy. And this is not a good sign, in a film like this. You would have needed a stronger actor to play Carlton Drake. The story is not very interesting to be honest. We do get to find out about some deails on the alien symbiote, but other than that it is a very basic story that follows. As a movie based on a comic book character, i still feel that Venom has something to offer, especially for fans of the Spider-Man audience. Director Ruben Fleischer ( who have directed several films, especially his well made directorial debut film Zombieland ) have taken on a project that is not easy to do correctly. I don´t think he have done everything correct with Venom, but as a first stand alone film for Venom this is a good start. But let us be clear, that without Tom Hardy in the lead role we could have had a completely different film here. One of the things director Ruben Fleischer does well, is to make sure that the main character Eddie give this film a dark tone with his transformation. And when you have a human transforming into Venom, you need a dark tone to make it work. If you enjoy the previous Marvel films in the past, i don´t see any reason why you should not see Venom. This is not one of the better Marvel films, but still entertaining. If you love comic book adaptations, i think you should give Venom a chance in a Cinema near you. 

Rating: DDD

30 Years Anniversary Review Of Mississippi Burning

Racism will always be around, no matter how we try and make it stop. Of course we can do what we can try to prevent it from happening, but at the same time you can never stop racists completely. So the best way to handle them, is show them that we don´t approve any kind of racism at all. I know families from many different countries, where some of them have been victims of racism. And it is so sad that in 2018, we still have racist people hating colored people. We are all humans and should not be judged by the color of our skin. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the people who really did made a big impact, trying to help black people to be accepted in society, and not judged by the color of their skin. Unfortunately, he was murdered on April 4th in 1968. But the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr still lives on, and many people are still inspired by his classic speech " I Have A Dream ". In Hollywood, we have had several films that brings up the subject of racism. One film that is considered to be a 90´s classic is the 1998 movie called American History X. Directed by Tony Kaye, this is a very realistic portrait about American Nazi brothers who spread hate. Edward Norton as the older Nazi brother Derek Vinyard, is a really powerful performance, and Edward Furlong as the younger brother Danny Vinyard also gives a really good performance. The biggest reason why American History X is such a great film, is because the film really shows you how racism destroy people´s lives. Let´s go back to the year of 1988, when director Alan Parker released his film Mississippi Burning that was nominated for 7 Academy Awards, and won one award for best Cinematography. But the film did made a very strong impact with audiences and with movie critics worldwide. The film is based loosely on the true murder investigation in 1964, when 3 boys named Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner were brutally murdered by members of the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi. I have not seen this film for many years, i think it must be over 15 years since i saw it the last time. But when i saw this year that Mississippi Burning is turning 30 years old, i felt that i should watch the film again to see if the film made a powerful impact on me, so many years later. With an amazing cast such as Willem Dafoe, Gene Hackman, Brad Dourif and many others with a legendary director on board, is Mississippi Burning still one of the best motion pictures that brings up racism ? Or have this film aged with time and don´t leave the same impact as the film used to do ?

In 1964, three civil right workers - two Jewish and one black - go missing while organizing a voter registry for African Americans in Jessup County, Mississippi. The FBI sends two agents, Rupert Anderson ( Gene Hackman ) and Alan Ward ( Willem Dafoe ) to investigate the missing young men. They find it hard to interview anyone, since they are not welcome there according to white racists. Rupert and Alan try to get help from Sheriff Ray Stuckey ( Gailard Sartain ) and Deputy Sheriff Clifton Pell ( Brad Dourif ) and their men. They don´t care what happened to the Jewish boys or the black boy, and this clearly shows that they might know what happened to them. Agent Alan tries to talk to families in the black society, with not a lot of help. So when he finally get information on where the missing car have been found in a swamp, Agent Alan calls in everyone that can search for the bodies. The boys are found dead, and all the evidence so far shows that members of the Ku Klux Klan is behind the murders. The Ku Klux Klan refuse to give themselves in, and will fight against both FBI and continue to destroy black peoples lives, no matter what they have to do to win this war.

Mississippi Burning may be 30 years old, but this film is just as good as the first time i watched it. You have a really disturbing story of 3 murdered young men, and how black people are being beaten up, murdered and their homes burned down by the Ku Klux Klan. Knowing that this film is based on true events, make this film even more horrific. Let´s get into the acting and the characters. Willem Dafoe as FBI Agent Alan Ward, a man who work very hard for justice. Dafoe is a really good choice for this character, and he goes all in for his performance. Gene Hackman as FBI Agent Rupert Anderson is the absolute highlight of this film. Hackman explodes on the cinema screen, and deliver such a strong acting performance, that you can feel his anger. Brad Dourif as Deputy Sheriff Clinton Pell is another really strong character, and i have to say that Dourif also deliver a very strong performance. We also have the legendary actor Ronald Lee Ermey ( who we unfortunately lost this year in April ) as Mayor Tillman, who does another outstanding performance. Actor Frances McDormand ( who especially made a iconic character in Fargo by The Cohen Brothers ) as the abused wife Mrs. Pell is another performance you feel for in this film. One of the biggest reasons why Mississippi Burning is such a powerful film, is the realistic portrait of how the Ku Klux Klan destroyed so many peoples lives in Mississippi during the 60´s. To see racist families see black people as trash, and treat them like they are not humans, is really horrible. Director Alan Parker ( who made the classic 1978 film Midnight Express ) have really found a way to express how bad racism was in the 60´s in Mississippi. He tell this story very brutal, but in an honest way. I also feel that director Alan Parker capture the image of Ku Klux Klan very clear, that these members are low educated people who have a very low intelligence level,  and this comes across very clear when you hear how they think. The murder case of the 3 young men also becomes a very interesting part of the film, as we follow the investigation. The scenes where Gene Hackmans character Agent Rupert become really angry, to beat up Ku Klux Klan member Sheriff Clinton feels good. To see his racist ass get beaten by justice is something we should see more often. Another detail that this film manage to do well, is show us that small towns like in Mississippi during the 60´s had a really bad attitude against anything that was not seen as American. This is one of director Alan Parker´s best films, and a film that should be shown in schools everywhere. We need to stop racism in every form, and Mississippi Burns still makes a really powerful impact on me after all there years. Get a Blu Ray of this film and show the whole family a piece of history that will never be forgotten.

Rating: DDDD

Summer Of ´84

1984!

The year of 1984 was filled with a lot of great movies ( and some really bad ones as well of course ). But if you think about the year of 1984, we got the first Police Academy movie with Steve Guttenberg. A classic still today in the comedy genre. 1984 was also the year we got Firestarter, based on the novel by Stephen King. To see a very young Drew Barrymore develop pyrokinesis and attack people with her mind, actually turned out to be a good film. I would not say this is one of the better Stephen King movie adaptations, but still a solid film with a great cast. I have to mention that actor Martin Sheen also did a great performance in this film. If you buy the Shout! Factory Blu Ray release, you get some nice special features included. I might get myself a copy, and listen to the commentary track especially. Let´s move on with the year of 1984. I also remember the film Revenge Of The Nerds, a comedy where nerds fight against a fraternity called The Alpha Betas who hates nerds. If you have not seen Revenge Of The Nerds on DVD, you should. This is one of the real comedy classics of 1984, with some really classic characters like Booger, played by actor Curtis Armstrong. In the horror section released in 1984, we have to mention the movie Children Of The Corn. Based on a short story by Stephen King, the film tells the story of a malevolent entity, who make children kill adults to make sure they have a good harvest. Actor Linda Hamilton is seen in this film, who of course would be seen this year in The Terminator that made her character Sarah Connor iconic. The first Children Of The Corn movie is not a classic in any way, but the best film in the franchise, and worth a watch if you enjoy Stephen King movie adaptations. The 80´s have been brought back into many B movies over the years, and there are a bunch of titles that have tried to bring back this era. One of the films that did this really good, is of course the awsome B movie known as Turbo Kid. A crazy apocalypse mixture of science fiction, horror and action, that worked so well because of a genius concept of pure 80´s nostalgia on a wonderful level. Even today i consider Turbo Kid to be one of the best throwbacks to the 80´s, and a film you must buy on DVD or Blu Ray, this film deserves to be next to The Godfather collection box. Directors Francois Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell should have won a ton of awards for this film at the Academy Awards, but at least we can say that Turbo Kid did get a lot of respect by movie critics and audiences. When i heard that the same directors of Turbo Kid was making a different film together called Summer Of ´84, i had to check it out. It seemed to bring back the 80´s style once again, but in the horror genre instead. Since i love Turbo Kid so much, is their next film almost as good, or is this the step into the wrong direction for these film makers ?

The year is 1984. In the ordinary American town Cape May, a serial killer known as "Cape May Slayer" is running loose, and have murdered 13 teenagers so far. Davey Armstrong ( Graham Verchere ) and his friends Tommy "Eats" Eaton, Dale "Woody" Woodworth and Curtis Farraday ( Cory Gruter-Andrew ) all suspect their neighbor Police Officer Wayne Mackey ( Rich Sommer ) to be the serial killer. Without any real hard evidence to prove that Wayne is behind all these gruesome murders, Davey decides to get evidence with the help of his friends. But is Wayne really a serial killer, or is someone else behind these murders ?

The first thing that comes to my mind about Summer Of ´84, is that this film reminds me of the 1985 film Fright Night. There is a big difference of course, there are no vampires in Summer Of ´84, instead it is a serial killer who could be a neighbor. I like the fact that you can feel Fright Night influences in this film, without copying the plot too much from the 80´s classic. The young cast works well in this film, and when you have great characters that match on screen presence, you know this will help the film become more interesting. Lead actor Graham Verchere as Davey Armstrong is a teen we all can recognize ourselves in, the nice guy who loves mysteries. Caleb Emery as Dale Woodworth ( an actor i hope to see more in the future ) is the one you feel sorry for, because he have such a good heart taking care of his mother who is suffering with depression. Cory Gruter-Andrew as the intelligent teen Curtis Farraday is exactly like one of my high school friends called Martin, who had great grades in every subject.Cory does a great job portraying the nerd character Curtis. Judah Lewis as the tougher teen Tommy " Eats " Eaton is exactly what this gang needed, a bit different from the others with a bigger attitude. Then we also have actor Tiera Skovbye ( who have a Scandinavian background from Denmark and Sweden, very cool )  as the lovely young woman Nikki Kaszuba, who is one of the highlights in this film. I would not call Summer Of ´84 a pure horror film, maybe more of a thriller horror, with a mystery vibe within the story. When it comes to capturing the 80´s, this film does a pretty good job making it right. The soundtrack is really 80´s style, and the hair styles does look like the 80´s. The G.I. Joe walkie talkies is a nice throwback to the good old days, and i also appreciate the costume design. The story is very simple, but works thanks to the great cast and the Fright Night feeling throughout the film. The limited budget is no problem, since you can tell that the film crew have tried to do this film with passion for the 80´s. Directors Francios Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell have made a film that does succeed to bring back 80´s nostalgia. I would say that their film Turbo Kid is a better film than Summer Of ´84, but as a thriller horror, i still feel that they have made a solid try to bring back a classic concept from the past. If you loved Fright Night, i actually think you want to see Summer Of ´84. It is nice to see that film makers pay their respect to classic films, and if you want to see something good on VOD, i think Summer Of ´84 will be something you will appreciate.

Rating: DDD

In December, A 10 Years Anniversary Review Of Doomsday

Greetings movie lovers worldwide!

It's Daniel here, the sexiest Swedish movie critic ever. Is this true ? Of course it is, because name one Swedish movie critic that is hotter than me ? I know, it's impossible. 

Anyway, i remembered that this year is 10 years since director Neil Marshall released his Science Fiction film Doomsday. This film was actually one of the biggest movie productions in Sottish movie history, though it did not do as well as they hoped it would do. Even if Doomsday was no hit, i still remember that i appreciated this film for being different from other sci films released during 2008. So i decided to take a look at the film again, 10 years later, to see how i feel about this film today. The review will be posted in early December, since i have plenty of more reviews to post first. So until my next review is posted, thank you every single one of you who read my reviews. Take care and see you soon, with more fresh movie reviews.

Cheers from Daniel

The Last Sharknado

There is a saying here in Sweden that goes something like this :- Vägen till en kvinnas hjärta är genom att uppleva Sharknado. In translation this means :- The way to a woman´s heart is to experience Sharknado. This might sound strange, but women in Sweden are obsessed in the Sharknado movies. If you mention Twilight, Grease or Bridget Jones, they have no idea what you are talking about. But, if you mention Sharknado to a woman in Sweden, they will marry you right away. So why is that ? Well, it all started back in 2013 when SyFy Channel premiered Sharknado, a film where tornados with sharks attacked Los Angeles. I remember seeing women all over the streets of Sweden, they would sing the Sharknado theme song, and run to buy the DVD. When Sharknado 2 hit the premiere week, all over Sweden you could tell that not only women were hooked up on Sharknado, i was as well. Every year i have seen every Sharknado movie, and every film made me feel like a new man. The Sharknado franchise have proved that you can make quality films with big stars such as Gary Busey, David Hasselhoff, Bret Michaels, Vince Neil, Lou Ferrigno, Frankie Munic and many more. In my eyes, the Sharknado franchise should have won a Nobel Prize a long time ago, for making this world much more peaceful planet. It is hard to say what movie i prefer, since i enjoy every film for different reasons. If i had to choose one of them, i would probably go with Sharknado 2, because i loved the location of New York and all the cameos from celebrity people. Every Sharknado film since then have been filled with tasteful action scenes, wonderful special effects, and surprises that always gives me a warm feeling inside my heart. And when legendary actor David Hasselhoff turned up in Sharknado 4, i hugged my fridge in happiness. He did return in Sharknado 5 as well, as Fin´s father, and i think that Sharknado needed a strong character, and Hasselhoff was the perfect choice. When i heard online that Sharknado 6 was going to be the last movie, i cried. No more Sharknado, how will i survive without these wonderful movies that helped me to become the man i am today ? But i had to gather my thoughts, and think positive. Even if this 6th film would end the franchise, i am of course happy that it lasted this long. And i have written reviews of the other Sharknado films in the past, so of course i had to write a review on the final chapter. Is this last movie of the legendary franchise the best so far, or is this a ending that could have been much better ?

Fin ( Ian Ziering ) travel back 66 million years to the Cretaceous in order to prevent the firs Sharknado. Fin gets a message from Gil who tell Fin that any person can only travel back in time once. Fin retrieves the bag with Aprils ( Tara Reid ) cybernetic head, that is soon taken by a dinosaur. The dinosaur is attacked by Nova ( Cassandra Scerbo ) who Fin thought was killed, but it seems that she survived thanks to time travelling. Soon they are joined by Bryan ( Judah Friedlander ) and pre-cyborg April ( Tara Reid ). They are gathered to plan how to stop the very first Sharknado, that will force them to travel through time. Will they be able to finish Sharknado for all eternity, or are they doomed to fail ?

It is a great sadness that this is the last Sharknado movie. There will be no more adventures with Fin And April, and this final film really goes in all kinds of different time travel locations. How about visiting Merlin The Wizard, the old Wild West, cyborg future, Revolutionary War and other historical moments. Fin Shepard is as usual brilliant by actor Ian Ziering, and April Shepard also returns, played by wonderful actor Tara Reid. Their chemistry is what makes these films magical, and to see them united one final time is incredibly sad. But this final film does try and make this final time majestic, especially towards the end with a very insane epic battle. The Sharknado storms is even bigger this time, and there is plenty of sharks flying around, just the way we like it. The cameo list may not be very big this final time ( too bad, i would have liked to see Chris Hemsworth fight sharks, or perhaps Rick Astley ), but we do have some surprises. Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider turns up as a Sheriff in the Wild West, and as Merlin The Wizard we see Neil deGrasse Tyson. Legendary actor Leslie Jordan plays Benjamin Franklin ( known from TV series Reasonable Doubts ), American Pie actor Chris Owen is also here as 30 year old Gil. And let´s not forget actor Darrell Hammnond ( known from Scary Movie 3 and Epic Movie as Captain Jack Swallows ). The cameos do bring some fun into the time travelling and the action scenes are of course even more insane this time. The idea to travel through time to stop the first Sharknado storm from happening, is a fun concept. Since this is the final chapter, it does make sense making sure that this will never happen again. The best part for me personally, is seeing Fin fighting dinosaurs from the beginning, i would have liked to see that part more. Maybe it is because i have a passion for dinosaur movies made by The Asylum, i just love to see that genre. The dramatic scenes is one of those things we don´t feel interested in, it just does not feel necessary. But once the Sharknado storms comes back, we are back into the classic action scenes. I hope that one day, we can see Ian Ziering and Tara Reid in a new kind of franchise, how about a Indiana Jones rip off, or how about they fight a zombie apocalypse ? I hope that we can see them both return in another format, outside the Sharknado concept. Is this a worthy ending to this legendary franchise ? I would say that it is, since the ending is so insane it feels like a beautiful end to the history of Sharknado. If you loved the movies so far, you have to see this final chapter. Not one of the best in the franchise, but still you can´t deny that there is magic here. Thank you so much to everyone who have been in Sharknado, and especially to director Anthony C. Ferrante for making these wonderful films. Sharknado will always be in our hearts, for all eternity.

Rating: DDDD

Await Further Instructions

Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year!

At least Swedish men will say this, because Swedish men have a very special Christmas tradition, that they do every year. Swedish men gather around the Christmas tree and listen to Gary Barlow´s solo album Open Road. Why the hell would they do that you might wonder ? Well, for Swedish men, there is no Christmas without Gary Barlow´s album Open Road, it is just as important as the Christmas Turkey is for Great Britain, except Swedish men think about Gary Barlow instead. I hope that some documentary film maker will do a documentary about this one day, i think this could be one of the greatest Christmas documentary films ever. For me personally i love to celebrate Christmas, in an old fashioned way, have some fun with the chainsaw, or machete, if Jehovah´s Witnesses comes around. After that we sit down and enjoy a great meal, from local fresh meat products of course . Christmas is the time when you want to enjoy your time off, and just spend time with family and friends. Here in Sweden we have meat balls, Christmas ham, sausages, and of course Christmas Snaps ( strong Christmas alcohol to helps you see much better ). So how about Christmas movies ? I think we all have some Christmas movies we enjoy, and i have personally two films that i enjoy during the winter holidays. First we have Silent Night, Deadly Night, a slasher horror film released in 1984 from director Charles E. Sellier Jr. This film is a Christmas film that has the right tone for a happy Christmas, you got lots of brutal kills and some really bad practical effects, just the way we like our 80´s style films to be. And to see a dressed up Santa Clause killer walk around was exactly what a film like this needed to work. If you have not seen it, i suggest you pick up a Blu Ray copy with some nice special features included. Another movie we should mention is of course the classic 2003 film known as Bad Santa. Billy Bob Thornton as a Shopping Mall Santa Clause who hates Chrismas, and drinks all the time, is a classic. Every year there are so many Christmas movies coming out, and i barely watch any of them, especially from Hallmark. I did see one that was beyond horrible called Beverly Hills Christmas with actor Dean Cain. Let me just say this, if you never thought a Christmas movie could make you depressed, then just watch Beverly Hills Christmas. In the late month of August, i came across an article about an upcoming British horror film called Await Further Instructions, that looked interesting. The trailer looked even more fun, so of course i had to check this film out. Do we finally have a British Christmas movie that will be enjoyed in many generations from now, or is this film a Christmas movie that fails completely to capture the holiday feeling ?

It´s the day before Christmas Day, and the Milgram family is gathering to celebrate Christmas together. After arguments and discussions, Nick Milgram ( Sam Gittins ) is upset over how some of his family members have treated his girlfriend Annji ( Neerja Nalk ). On Christmas Day, as everyone is waking up, Nick finds that every door, every window have been sealed with a strange kind of metal. The whole family is locked inside the house. Nicks father Tony Milgram ( Grant Masters ) believe that it must be the government who is behind this, since their TV is reading out messages on how they should act at this moment. But something is not right, when they are suddenly forced to inject themselves with needles, with a liquid no one knows what it is. As the father of the family, Tony believe they must follow the rules. But what if every rule is not meant to help them, and is given to the family for a completely different purpose ?

I am so happy to say that i finally got a chance to see Await Further Instructions, and this is a film you should experience before Christmas this year. You have a traditional Christmas gathering here, but the best part about this film is that it changes completely into a different kind of Christmas movie. Imagine being locked up inside your own home, and forced to follow rules by a TV screen. You might think this is like the Saw movies, but it´s not. Await Further Instructions have a different approach than most horror films, and this is what makes this film interesting. Since a lot of horror films these days don´t try to do something different, i have to say that this film does try a different concept. The fact that you don´t know who is behind locking up everyone, also makes the film interesting. So you basically have no idea what is going on, and this is positive. The actors in this film makes this a special Christmas celebration. We have a good performance from Neerja Naik as Annji, a sweet intelligent woman who is forced to deal with racism. Legendary actor David Bradley as the grumpy Granddad is a highlight in this film. David brings his comedy timing right where we need it, and he still manage to be an asshole as well. Grant Masters who play family father Tony is very strict, and want to be the leader in the family. He manage to fit his character well into the story, and give a solid performance. Sam Gittins as the youngest son Nick, gives you a clear image that he feels embarrassed over his family´s behavior, and he acts this out effective. There are more great characters in this family as well, but let´s get into some positive other details about this film. The religious theme that becomes clear in the film, almost feels like a cult. And we don´t really get to know much about if this is a cult or not, and that makes you more curious to know. The TV messages reminds me of the John Carpenter classic They Live, when actor Roddy Piper see the messages across town that he can only see with sun glasses. Await Further Instructions may have been influenced by that film, and if that is the case then i like their approach. I think the TV giving orders is a clever way to reach out, considering we live our lives watching TV and it would be an easy way to get people in control. The horror atmosphere is also effective in this film, using classic elements without being too predictable. Director Johnny Kevorkian have managed to make this film surprisingly effective, and for that he deserves respect. I can´t really complain much about this film, because i think as a Christmas horror film, this is one of the better releases in recent years. I think you need to watch Await Further Instructions if you want a good Christmas celebration,  In fact, if every Christmas was like this film, we would be happier around the world.

Rating: DDD

BlacKkKlansman

Let´s go back to the end of the 80´s. During this time there were some really great films released in Cinemas, and i remember a lot of movies that made a powerful impact on me. Especially the movie called Born On The Fourth Of July, directed by legend Oliver Stone. Actor Tom Cruise did a really strong performance as Vietnam war veteran Ron Kovic. The film tells the story of the life of Ron Kovic, and how he handled the war in Vietnam, and how he continued fighting in his life as a disabled person. A really good drama, and one of the classic films by director Oliver Stone. I suggest you pick up a Blu Ray copy and see the film. During the end of the 80´s, there were some films that clearly stood out from the ordinary movie releases, like the film called Do The Right Thing. A drama comedy by director Spike Lee, that would become a huge name in the movie industry. Do The Right Thing was critically acclaimed worldwide, and loved by audiences in all ages. I saw this film in the early 90´s on VHS, and i remember that i really appreciated the style of director Spike Lee, and his way to tell the story of the ordinary society, in a very colorful way. Director Spike Lee continued making really good films after this, and i can say that i am a big fan of his films. I would like to talk about two films especially that i still really appreciate today. Let´s start of with the 1992 film called Malcolm X, with a brilliant performance of Denzel Washington as Afro-American activist Malocolm X. A really strong drama film, that tells a very important story of how Malcolm X made a huge impact to help black people. Denzel Washington was the perfect choice for this role, and he really worked hard to portrait Malcolm X in a believable way. The next film was released in 1999, is he film known as Summer Of Sam. The film is based on the story of the 1977 Son of Sam serial murders, that shocked the world. I know that Spike Lee fans are divided about this film, but i personally think he did a really good job, telling the story in a effective way. I also enjoy the cast in this film, with great actors such as Adrien Brody, John Leguizamo, Mira Sorvino, Anthony LaPaglia and many others. If you have not seen this film, i strongly suggest you do that, especially if you appreciate the film of director Spike Lee. By the way, i hope we get a special release of Summer Of Sam in 2019, a 20 Years Anniversary release. With new interviews, with director Spike Lee, and with the cast. I think that would be a really good idea. Spike Lee have continued making films in recent years, and i have to be honest and say, i have not seen all of his releases. I am hoping to watch Da Sweet Blood Of Jesus soon, a film i was supposed to see years ago. But last year i heard the rumors that Spike had a brand new film called BlacKkKlansman, based on a true story. With a legendary director and a great cast, is this a return for director Spike Lee from his glorious days of film making, or is this one of the films that not many people will notice ?

In the early 70´s, Ron Stallworth ( John David Washington ) is hired as the first black officer in Colorado Springs police department. At first he is assigned to work in the records room, but after facing some racial slugs from his coworkers, Ron requests to go undercover instead. He is assigned to infiltrate a local rally for Black Movement, where Ron meets Patrice Dumas ( Laura Harrier ), the president of the black student union at Colorado College. While Patrice is taking Kwame Ture ( Corey Hawkins ) to his hotel, Patrice is stopped by patrolman Andy Lauers ( Frederick Weller ), a racist officer in Sallworth´s precint, who threatens Kwame and sexually assault Patrice. After the rally, Ron is reassigned to the intelligence division. While Ron is reading the paper, he finds an advertisement about how to join the Ku Klux Klan. Ron calls the number, and pretends to be a racist white man. The Grand Wizard, also known as David Duke ( Topher Gace ) is proud to hear a white man call in, and ask for a membership. So he falls for Ron´s trick, and will make him a membership card. To make this work, Ron can´t go inside the Ku Klux Klan showing his dark skin, so he takes his colleague Flip Zimmerman ( Adam Driver ) to pretend to ac like him, as he is welcome to meet the Ku Klux Klan family. Can this operation succeed, or will their undercover mission be revealed ?

One of the things that makes BlacKkKlansman really interesting, is that this story is actually based on a true story. Knowing that Ku Klux Klan was fooled, shows how stupid they really are. Anyone can be fooled by someone who sounds believable, but i cant help to think that the intelligence level of Ku Klux Klan is very low. This film really shows you how small minded they are, talking about one white race and have no reality check at all. The story is very well told, and to see that Police actually pulled this off against Ku Klux Klan shows that they did a really good job. The acting in BlacKkKlansman is really good. Let´s begin to talk about actor John David Washington ( most of you might remember him in TV series Ballers ) as Detective Ron Stallworth is the strongest character in this film. John really give a really solid performance, and give his character a really solid ground as he tries to get into the heart and soul of Ku Klux Klan. Another really good performance is given by actor Adam Driver ( known for his performance in the Star Wars movies as Kylo Ren ), as Ron´s colleague Flip Zimmerman. The scenes where he pretends to be a nigger hater, after managing to get inside the Ku Klux Klan family, is really emotional. Knowing that he hates racists, and tries to pretend to be one, not to blow his undercover, is clearly very difficult. We got more really good performances from Michael Buscemi as Jimmy Creek, and especially from Topher Gace who plays David Duke, known as the Grand Wizard. The political message of this film comes very clear, that racism will always be a big problem in society, even how many years go by since the events of this film is based on. But this film does not focus only on Ku Klux Klan, it also focus on what an impact Black Power moment made during this time period. Director Spike Lee is clearly focused to tell a realistic portrait of what happened during the infiltration of the Ku Klux Klan. He knows how to tell important subjects in a very powerful way, and he have done it several of his films in the past. BlacKkKlansman strikes you hard in the face, with the knowledge of his horrible racism have been for so many years. This is a film that everyone should see, to understand how the Ku Klux Klan worked to spread hate and fear, but also shows their weakness. I have a feeling that Spike Lee´s latest film will be nominated at the Annual Oscar Academy next year, because this is a really solid film with a very powerful message. If you get a chance to see BlacKkKlansman in Cinema, you should pay for a ticket. This is one of the best Spike Lee films in many years, and will affect you guaranteed,

Rating: DDDD

Triassic World

I have a wish before i pass away, and that is to have a cameo in an Asylum film. I would love to run away from dinosaurs, flame shooting spiders or mutated lizards. So why want to be in a really low budget film ? It is very easy, i love low budget B movies, and if any director read this review and need a cameo, feel welcome to contact me through my movie review blog. I don´t even have to get paid, just a meal and a beer would do just fine. Ever since the early 80´s, i used to go in to VHS rental stores and look for B movies. Especially where people are attacked by giant ants, wild animals or even monsters. There are so many funny titles to choose between. But let´s mention 2 films that still can be enjoyed today on DVD. First we have Mimic from 1997. A horror film directed by Guillermo del Toro, where we see New York is being attacked by giant cockroaches. Mimic worked well, thanks to a concept that was effective. Even if the film is 21 years old now, i still think Mimic is an insect horror film that should be seen. Actor Mira Sorvino is also good in the lead role as Dr. Susan Tyler. Another film i feel that should be mentioned, is the low budget dinosaur movie Jurassic Attack ( Rise Of The Dinosaurs ). A great choice on DVD if you want to watch a really bad B movie, that is so funny in a wrong way. The CGI effects are really terrible, so if you can´t find a funny comedy to watch on Netflix, why not pick up Jurassic Attack ( Rise Of The Dinosaurs ) on DVD instead. I guarantee you will laugh in many scenes. Legendary B movie actor Vernon Wells can be found in this film, and actor Rachel Riley who have been in a number of B movies such as Zombie Farm and Jurassic City. Since i have seen a lot of films released by The Asylum, i try to check out their movies in different categories. It is such a shame these films are never shown on Swedish TV, since we don´t have any TV channels that focus on B movies. So i usually check out titles on VOD, where you can find a lot of interesting choices. And this is where i came across a title called Triassic World. The movie poster looked nice, in a traditional B movie way, and the trailer seemed to offer some dinosaur action. Since i have seen all seasons of Sex And The City, i thought to myself that Triassic Park would be a great choice after this classic TV series. Is it possible Triassic Park is one of the highlights of this year, or should this film have stayed hidden underneath the conspiracy compounds of Alabama ?

Businessman Steven Hagen ( Joel Berti ) and his assistant Bridget ( Jennifer Levinson ) are given a tour of a research facility run by Dr. Marisa Martinelli. Inside this research facility, Dr. Marisa and a group of scientists have cloned dinosaurs, planning to use them for disease research. When one of the dinosaurs escape, the research facility is now a fatal zone, and anyone could become a victim.

If some of you saw the straight to DVD release of Deep Blue Sea 2, you might have been disappointed just as me, that they could have done so much more to make the movie more entertaining. The good news is that Triassic Park does a better job, both with the facility look, and the attack against humans compared to Deep Blue Sea 2. There is nothing special about Triassic Park, since we have seen all of this before. But the dinosaur effects are actually not as bad as you might expect. I especially enjoy seeing the dinosaurs running in low budget CGI effects. This is one of the few Asylum films that have some characters you can enjoy. Really ? yes, i am surprised myself. Let´s begin with actor Hayley J Williams as Dr. Marisa. She is not the kind of woman you would want near an experiment with dinosaurs. Hayley manage to portrait Marissa in a way that match her character, a selfish woman who don´t care anybody else. Actor Joel Berti ( known from TV soap Fashion House ), is another great character known as Steve Hagen, a man with a passion for bringing back dinosaurs to life. Actor Joseph Michael Harris as the tough Thomas Adkins ( not to be mistaken for Scott Adkins ), is one of the more physical characters of this film. And his tough attitude fits with the character, and give this film a push into the right direction. The attack scenes by the dinosaurs are more brutal than you would expect from a film by The Asylum. Lots of blood, flesh wounds, something you don´t see very often from films like this. Of course the special effects are not very good, but better than many films released by the same company. Another detail i enjoy about the film is that you can actually feel that they tried to build up the characters, more than just making killer scenes. So what is bad about Triassic World ? There is no story to care about. I am not expecting a deep story in a film like this, but a surprise twist would have been fun. The end of this film is not a good ending. Director Dylan Vox ( who have been in many B movies such as Super Shark and Super Cyclone ) have made a directorial debut film that may not be anything unique, but entertaining. Overall, this is one of the better dinosaur films made by The Asylum. And i think you will especially enjoy it, if you appreciate low budget films. Triassic Park is not the best pick for a popcorn night, but if you just want dinosaurs to attack, you should give this film a chance on DVD. One thing is for sure, The Asylum can still make B movies for the whole family to enjoy.

Rating: DDD

Congratulations Dennis Magnusson In Sweden

I am always happy to hear from my readers worldwide, and especially if they have any request reviews. So today i was contacted by a man in Sweden named Dennis Magnusson, who asked if i could review The Cube movies. So of course i will do that, all of them. Since i have already chosen most of the films i will write reviews on in October, i will write the reviews of The Cube movies in November. So a personal thank you to Dennis Magnusson for reaching out to me, and i hope you will enjoy my reviews of your request, that will be posted in November. 

New movie reviews are on the way so stay tuned, and have a great week all my readers worldwide. 

Cheers from Daniel