25 Years Anniversary Review Of From Dusk Till Dawn

The 90´s were magical for a number of reasons. Not only was this a great time, especially for action films, but this was also a magical time for iconic characters. The 90´s seemed to know what we needed at the time, considering there were so many great action titles that came out during this time. Just look at films such as Reservoir Dogs by legendary director Quentin Tarantino, who made one of the coolest thrillers of the 90´s. The cast in this film is amazing, you have actors such as Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth, Chris Penn, and of couse legendary actor Lawrence Tierney. If you for some reason have not seen Reservoir Dogs, let me just give you the plot. 8 men meet to eat breakfast at a Los Angeles diner Before carrying out a Diamond heist. That´s pretty much all you need to know, not to give away too many spoilers. Reservoir Dogs is a really cool throwback to the 70´s with a really groovy sountrack, fantastic characters and a well made plot as well. This was the first full feature debut film from director Quentin Tarantino, and this film is still one of his best. Just two years later he released Pulp Fiction, and nothing would ever be the same again. It was during this time that director Robert Rodriquez worked on the film Desperado, that was released in 1995. A very energetic action film with actor Antonio Banderas as the guitar playing hitman El Mariachi, with extremely violence and funny dialogue as well. A really fun ride, where director Quentin Tarantino actually have a cameo in this film, where he delivers some great dialogue. When both directors Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez decided to work together again in 1996 with the horror action film From Dusk Till Dawn, i was really excited. Two proffesional film makers, combining two genres that they both are really good at, would it be a success? I still remember how much i loved From Dusk Till Dawn back in 1996, it was the coolest film around during that time. And i realised that this film turns 25 years now in 2021, wich is insane. Time flies by fast, and i just had to see this film again, to see if it holds up 25 years later. Is this still one of the greatest classics of the 90´s, or have this film aged too much and lost some of the charm ?

Fugitive bank robbers Seth Gecko ( George Clooney ) and Richie Gecko ( Quentin Tarantino ) hold up a liquor store, killing clerk Pete Bottoms ( John Hawkes ) and Texas Ranger Earl McGraw ( Michael Parks ) in a shoot out, and destroy the building as they leave. With a kidnapped hostage known as Gloria Hill ( Brenda Hillhouse ), they stay at a motel to prepare for their next move. As Gecko goes out to get food, Richie brutally raped and murdered Gloria. Gecko is not happy, because this causes more problems. At the same motel, pastor Jacob Fuller ( Harvey Keitel ) is resting with his kids Kate Fuller ( Juliette Lewis ) and Scott Fuller ( Ernest Liu ) as they will continue their road trip, after a good nights sleep. But everything changes as the Gecko Brothers kidnap the family, to get across the Mexican border in their RV. They succeed, as they head towards the bar known as Titty Twister to celebrate, not knowing what awaits them.

It is not often you can say that a film is just as good as it was 25 years ago, but From Dusk Till Dawn still holds the same quality level as it did at the theatre release. This film have something for everyone, and especially if you love the styles of both Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriquez. The insane mix of action and horror combined, is one of the biggest reasons why this film is so much fun. There is a lot of violence, and this is exactly what a film like this needs to be more entertaining. But let´s be honest, the combination of actors George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino as the Gecko Brothers is absolutely brilliant. These characters match this film so well, i could easily say that these are some of the best characters from the 90´s. The dialogue between the Gecko Brothers is smooth, powerful and damn funny as well. watching them together is true cinema magic at it´s best. You might think that these are two very different actors, and can they really pull this off with such different backgrounds? I think this shows the power of acting, even if you have very different personalities. If you see that the chemistry is there right from the start, you know it´s going to be a wonderful experience. But there are more great characters in this film, that we have to mention. Legendary actor Fred Williamson ( the blaxploitation legend ) plays the bad ass character Frost, who have no problem kicking ass. You also have legendary acor Tom Savini ( who created a lot of fantastic practical effects in many films ) as the cool character Sex Machine, and of course legendary actor Cheech Marin as 3 different characters in this film. The film may begin as a cool action film, but turns out to be a vampire action horror movie instead. And it is at the bar Titty Twister where the fun begins, as survivors slaughter vampires where this film really lift to a whole new level. Director Robert Rodriquez combine these genres with a smooth sexy style, all the way through. He knows how to entertain the audience, in hiw own unique way. The soundtrack in this film is amazing, with perfect matching songs for the Mexican desert and the sexy ladies. From Dusk Till Dawn is still one of the best action horror films out there, and it will be for many years ahead. This is a must buy on DVD or Blu Ray, because this is exactly what every generation should experience, a true quality film.

Rating: DDDD

Hillbilly Elegy

Drug addiction can be one hell of a mess. I have not used heavy drugs myself, but i lost one good friend in an overdose, and his brother had a brain damage from an overdose. I will not mention their names right now, in respect to the family, but i can tell you how it was, to see someone that i knew since i was a baby, to become a drug addict. I always thought that these 2 brothers would do great, get a job that they enjoy, and find a great partner. I knew they tried drugs, and i had no problem with that, as i told them as long as they keep it in control. And for a while things did look good, until i got a phone call in early 2000´s. One of the brothers had overdosed on drugs, and i remember going to the hospital, seeing him lying there. It is not often i cry, but that really affected me emotionally. He survived thankfully, but the overdose damaged his brain, and he would never be the same friend that i used to know. I visited him and spent time with him, even if i knew he was a different person. To see the damage that the drugs did to my friend, was heart breaking. He was off drugs, thanks to his fantastic girlfriend, who made sure he stayed clean. So she helped him in his ordinary day life as well, making it as normal as possible. And as i moved to a different city ( where i live now ), i got a call a couple years later, from my mother. She was completely torn apart, telling me that the other brother of my friends died in an overdose. I still remember that call, all of me went ice cold, and i did not know what to say, just feeling the tears flooding down. I found out later what happened, and how he overdosed. It did not really matter, what i feel matter is that i have all the good memories we had with each other. When it comes to films that brings up addiction, i have a favourite film that is actually an independent film. It is a film called Sherrybaby, and is directed by Laurie Collyier. This film tells the story of Sherry ( brilliant played by actress Maggie Gyllenhaal ) who is released from prison, recovering from a heroin addiction. She plans to start a new life, and most of all repair her relationship with her daughter. A very emotional drama film, where you can clearly see the real life of a drug addict. A must see if you have not seen this film. I have heard for a while about the Netflix film called Hillbilly Elegy, that have been getting very mixed reviews. A film about a struggling family, sounds like something for me, based on a book with the same title ( that i have not read, unfortunately. ) Is this a must see on Netflix, or is Hillbilly Elegy as bad as some critics say?

The year is 2011, and young man J.D. Vance ( Gabriel Basso ) is attending Yale University, while he is working three jobs. He is also dating a young woman, named Usha ( Freida Pinto ). She has a summer internship in Washington D.C. and J.D. hopes to get one there as well. He attends an event to network in hopes of landing the internship. J.D. gets a call from his sister Lindsay ( Haley Bennet ), who tells him that their mother Bev ( Amy Adams ) is in the hospital, after an overdose of heroin. Lindsay can´t handle this situation, who needs to take care of her three children, and ask J.D. to come home. J.D. feels conflicted about the situation, considering that it is interview week at Yale. But he decides to try and make it back on time, as he travel down to help the family, and especially deal with his mother.

I will be honest and say, i don´t think this is a bad movie, and i will explain why. Even if this film does not dig deep into one certain character, this film is trying to tell the story from a family´s experience ( since this is based on a true story ). And that is actually a good idea, because when you are dealing with addiction in a family, you know that this will affect the whole family, and not only the one who is having problems with drugs. And this film manage to portrait this through the eyes of a family, and not just from one person´s experience. When ever you know that the story will include some really difficult subjects, you know it might be emotional. I will say this, there are some scenes that actually do hit the right mark, where you feel the tensions in the family. I would have liked some more raw scenes of the addiction of the character known as Beverly, since i prefer seeing a realistic portrait of an addict. And even if we do get to see her struggling with herself, we don´t get to see the really dark moments ( except for a motel scene, that´s actually realistic ). When it comes to films with drug addiction, i always feel that you should show the dark reality, as brutal as it is. We have to talk about the characters for a bit. Actress Amy Adams who plays the heroin addict Beverly "Bev" Vance, gives us a solid performance of a mother who lost control of her addiction. Amy manage to capture the behavior of an addict, that i am sure many people would recognize in family members, or someone that they know. One of the best acting performances in this film comes without a doubt from legendary actress Glenn Close, who plays Bonnie "Mamaw" Vance, Bev´s mother. You get the feeling that she is one of the biggest reasons why especially young J.D. ( played great by young actor Owen Aszatalos ) can focus on school and get an education, while his mother can´t handle her life. Grown up J.D., played by actor Gabriel Basso, also deliver a solid performance.Outside of the drug addiction, Hillbilly Elegy also manage to show the importance of not being embarrased by your family background, coming from a poor family. This film also show the importance of having a family that help each other, in hard times. Legendary director Ron Howard ( director of classics such as Cocoon and Willow ) tell a story that a lot of people can relate to, and i think he have done a good job, especially with the characters. I only wish this film could have been more darker, but other than that, i can recommend Hillbilly Elegy for you who are interested in films that take on the problems of drug addictions, and family issues as well.

Rating: DDD

Hard Kill

The movie industry have changed, in many different ways. Especially in the genre of action movies, we don´t have many new action stars coming out. I would not say that the action genre is dying out, but you can clearly see that not many actors choose to make hard hitting action films ( Scott Adkins is one of the few, we are blessed to have him ). To make this genre survive, we need more actors to focus on action films. And especially make them hard, with dialogue that you will remember. There are some real legends in the action genre that we could talk about, so we have to talk about one specific actor who have had an amazing movie career so far, and that is of course Bruce Willis. Not only did he make the best Christmas action movie ever ( Die Hard of course ), but he also have delivered several classic films that you can watch over and over again, and never get tired of. One of my personal favourite Bruce Willis film actually turns 30 years this year, and that is the 1991 action film The Last Boy Scout, from director Tony Scott. A very hard hitting action comedy film with lots of violence, great characters, and most of all some really funny dialogue moments between actors Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans. The Last Boy Scout tells the story of private investigator Joe Hallenbeck ( played by Bruce Willis ), who is living one shitty life. Mike Matthews ( Bruce McGill ) gives Joe an assignment to be a bodyguard to a stripper named Cory ( Halle Berry ). She is brutally murdered by hitmen, as her boyfriend Jimmy Alexander Dix ( Marlon Wayans ) survives. The soon find out that Senator Calvin Baynard ( Chelchie Ross ) might be involved in this. The Last Boy Scout is definetely a must buy on DVD and Blu Ray, if you love 90´s action films. Bruce Willis have continued making action films for many years, where some films have been alright, while others have felt uninspired. I decided to take a look at one of his films from last year. called Hard Kill. Is this an action film with big balls, or have these balls shrunken to raisin sizes?

A billionaire known as Donavan Chalmers ( Bruce Willis ) seeks out ex-Special Forces operative turned mercenary Derek Miller ( Jesse Metcalfe ), for a mission in an abandoned factory, Derek assembles his team, including Sasha Zindell ( Natalie Eva Marie ), Harrison Zindel ( Jon Galanis ) and Dash Hawkins ( Swen Temmel ), assuring them for a generous payday for an assignment. But what seems to be a simple mission, turns out to be a bit more complicated than that.

I found out that this film have actually done pretty well on Netflix, wich is kind of a surprise, since this is not the typical film you would think people would want to see. But if people are interested in action films, than that is a good sign. However, to call Hard Kill a great action film, would not be realistic. This is a pretty basic straight to DVD release, that does not really bring anything new to the table. But let´s make one thing clear, that this is not the Bruce Willis fim that you might have hoped for. You won´t see him kicking a lot of ass, or shooting a lot of bullets as we are used to see. He does fire off a few bullets, but considering that his biggest fans watch his films to deliver action, this is not the film you are probably looking for. The lead actor in this film is actually Jesse Metcalfe ( most known for his character John Rowland in the TV series Desperate Housewives ). His character in this film known as Derek Miller, is a typical American patriot that we have seen many times before. I will say though that Jesse at least gives some kind of performance in Hard Kill, while Bruce Willis does not seem very interested in doing much at all. One of the characters that i wish we could have seen more of, is the female character Sasha Zindell ( played by female wrestler Natalie Eva Marie ). I actually wish she would be the lead in this film instead, since she actually have more balls than most of the men, and her character is kind of cool. Director Matt Eskandari ( who have directed a few films with Bruce Willis in the past ) have made an action film that you have seen so many times before, that you will not find any surprises. And when you make no big attempt to bring something different to this simple plot, you won´t really remember this film. Not the worst action film i have seen, but forgettable. I suggest you watch The Last Boy Scout again instead, and remember the good days of action.

Rating: DD

Films Not Many Have Seen, But Are They Any Good? The Answer ( 2015 )

There are tons of independent films that disappear on DVD shelves, or on VOD menys, that not many people notice or even remember. Even if i actually have seen a lot of independent films ( or should i say low budget films? ), there are films that i discover that i have never heard of or have not noticed before. I think one of the reasons are that there are so many low budget films released every year, and it is impossible to know all titles. Let´s just say that i see about 30 low budget movies in one year ( or more, depending on what films i am interested in ), and while i look for DVD releases i come across titles all the time that i had no idea existed. That way you may be lucky, and see a film that you can actually enjoy. There is a chance that there are some really bad ones as well, especially if you have bad luck. One of the films that i do remember, that turned out to be bad, is the 2011 found footage horror film The Amityville Haunting. A film that is inspired by the classic 1977 book known as The Amytville Horror, but if you have seen the 1979 film, i can tell you that The Amytville Haunting is just a cash grab, to try and make fans of that film interested. I am a fan of found footage horror, but The Amytville Haunting fails both as a horror film, and a found footage film. However, there are films that i have discovered by accident that turned out to be better than i expected, such as a film called Armstrong, released in 2017. A sci fi action film that is actually well made, considering the low budget from directors Kerry Carlock and Nicholas Lund-Ulrich. If you are a fan of independent sci fi films, check out Armstrong. I decided to go through a lot of low budget films titles, and just pick out a film i never heard of that looked interesting. And i came across a film called The Answer, released in 2015. I actually picked this film up from Germany on DVD ( for a good price as well ), just to check this film out. Since i am a big fan of low budget films, is The Answer a very positive surprise, or is there a good reason to why not many people have seen this film?

Bridd Cole ( Austin Hébert ) is an introverted man, who works at stock company as a mailroom associate. He have always been attracted to one of the women who works at the same company as him, a woman named Charlotte Parker ( Alexis Carra ). Luckily, she seems to be interested in him as well. But as they are about to go to his appartment, his appartment have been crashed completely. Someone seems to have broken in, looking for something. A strange masked man is still inside, as Bridd and Charlotte escape. Bridd have no idea why someone would search his appartment, until he remembers what his mother sent to him, a mysterious device.

There is something charming about independent sci fi films, that you can not deny. Most of these films have a limited budget, and to be able to pull this off in a positive way, you have to be able to deliver an interesting story and also have something for sci fi fans to appreciate. The Answer is definetely one of those films that will probably divide sci fi fans of independent films, depending on what you enjoy. What i personally appreciate about The Answer, is that this film tries to combine action with sci fi, and get away with it. What do i mean about that? Well, this film could have easily felt like a cheap attempt just to make a sci fi film, without any meaning. But instead this film manage to find a way, to combine a clever idea with an action story included. The device that main character Bridd Cole gets in his mail, turns out to be a very different kind of device. If he solves the pussles, he will get information that his dead mother left him on there. And this is where the film becomes sort of a sci fi version of the 1993 film The Fugitive, with a few other influences included. One detail i really appreciate are the blade weapons, that the bad guys with very strange helmet heads carry with them. They look like something that we might have seen in the 1998 film Blade with Wesley Snipes, but still have a different unique look. This is one of those details that proves that you can create cool things from a limited budget. What about the acting? I would definetely say that actress Alexis Carrera is one of the better actors in this film, as the character Charlotte Parker. A confident woman, who is not afraid to say what´s on her mind. Lead actor Austin Hébert is unfortunately not as strong as a lead actor, that i was hoping for. He is not terrible, but i wish he would have left a bigger impact. The bad guy role in this film is good though, from actor David S. Lee ( who i guarantee some of you remember from Black Panther ), playng the role of Leader. The Answer is a film that is worth checking out if you are a fan of independent sci fi action films, and if you can accept some flaws. Director Ibqual Ahmed have definetely managed to combine interesting ideas with this film, and manage to deliver a sci fi film that actually looks different from the mainstream releases. Not a future classic in any way, but worth picking up on DVD.

Rating: DDD

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Films Not Many Have Seen, But Are They Any Good ? Sinners And Saints ( 2010 )

If there was one thing i loved to see on VHS rental stores during the 80´s and 90´s ( except for horror films ), it was cop action movies. Did not matter if they were low budget or had famous actors in them, it was always so nice to see a cop shooting bad guys, especially with a lot of bullets. Back in those days they could make cop films feel very macho, you did not need the soft, caring cop. You needed the cop who would just fire his weapon until his ammo went out, and did not give a shit if his police captain got pissed off. He would just say the best dialogue such as :- Why don´t you suck my balls asshole, and just let the bodies be filled with bullet holes. I miss those days when it comes to cop films, because they could play by their own rules, and say whatever they wanted ( when extreme feminists did not exist, as they do today ). There are tons of cop action films that we could talk about, but let´s bring up one film that i still think is really good, and actually turns 30 years this year. And that is the 1991 action film known as Stone Cold, from director Craig R. Baxley. This film tells the story of Alabama bad ass cop Joe Huff ( played really cool by legendary former professional footbal player Brian Bosworth ), who goes undercover as a biker known as John Stone, to infiltrate white supremacist biker gang know as " The Brotherhood ", led by their leader " Chains " Chopper ( played by legendary actor Lance Henriksen ). Stone Cold is a hell of a good action film, and the best film that actor Brian Bosworth ever did. Lots of gun battles, lots of violence, and includes sexy girls as well, just the way we want a real cop film to be. If you have not seen Stone Cold, you should pick this film up on DVD and Blu Ray. When i Went through cop films i have not seen to my segment Films Not Many Have Seen, But Are They Any Good? i found quite a lot of titles. So i decided to pick one that looked interesting called Sinners And Saints, that i have never heard of. Is this a more traditional fun cop action film, or is this a film you don´t have to waste your precious time on?

Detective Sean Riley ( Johnny Strong ) is a hard working man at the New Orleans Police Department. His job is the only thing that is keeping him going, after he lost his young son in leukemia and his marriage ended. But this is not the only tragedy that have struck Sean, he also lost his partner Detective Dave Besson ( Kim Coates ) while they visited a criminal gang. Captain Trahan ( Tom Berenger ), assigns Sean to investigate a series of murders involving victims who have been burned.

I am actually quite surprised. Not that this film brings anything new to the table, but as a cop action film, i would have to say that Sinners And Saints actually does two things right. First of all you do have a great lead character here named Detective Sean Riley , played by actor Johnny Strong. Detective Sean is tough, have no problem getting violent, and he does not take any shit from any wise guys, and this is exactly what a film like this needs. The second detail that this film does right is use a lot of gun shootings. And this reminds me of old school cop films, wich makes this film quite fun to watch. I have to mention that they actually made an effort to bring in a great cast into this film. You have legendary actors such as Tom Berenger ( who i love in the 1993 action classic Sniper, a must see ), Sean Patrick Flanery ( who most people worldwide have seen in the cult film The Boondock Saints ), Kim Coates and even Method Man. And since we are already talking about the actors, let´s talk about what characters who does a good job. I already mentioned that the lead character works well, so we should mention actor Kevin Phillips ( who some of you might recognize from the Michael Jai White action film Blood And Bone ) who plays Detective Will Ganz. He is actually a great partner to Detective Sean, so these characters match well as they go out to clean the streets from criminals. Legendary actor Tom Berenger is actually great as Captain Trahan, and i wish we could have seen more of him. The plot is not really anything special, but that´s ok. This is a classic cop action film that will be appreciated for those who enjoy the cop films of the early 90´s. Director William Kaufman brings back the classic cop concept with Sinners And Saints, and he does a pretty good job, even if i wish he could have made this film even more brutal. If you just want to see lots of guns, and a cop film combined, then i don´t see any reason why you should not check out Sinners And Saints.

Rating: DDD

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Amulet

I love to talk movies with people worldwide, especially to hear their opinions and feelings about a movie we discuss. It can be a big budget Hollywood film, or an independent film, it does not really matter. What matters is we enjoy our conversations, and we respect that different people have their own opinion about the film we discuss. But i remember one time when i had a discussion online about movies, and i mentioned a film called Vera Drake. None of the people i talked to have seen this film, and for me that was quite shocking to hear. This film is directed by legendary English director Mike Leigh, who have made a lot of really good films in his career. Vera Drake is one of the films i especially remember from his catalogue, because this is a very powerful drama film. This film tells the story of Vera Drake ( brillaint performance from actress Imelda Staunton ), a devoted mother who looks after her family, her elderly mother and her sick neighbor. But she keeps a secret, and that is that she is providing young women abortions. Vera Drake is a a film that clearly shows you that in a society with powerty, you may take chances that could destroy your life. You might make a decision, even if you know this is not legal or healthy, risking peoples lives. Actress Imelda Staunton really goes all in for her character Vera Drake, delivering a very strong portrait of a woman, who clearly feel the need to help young women who are not ready to become mothers. The poverty locations are very effective, capturing the feeling of the year 1950, that we really are in homes of people who are struggling. I think this film also give a lot of interesting subjects to discuss surrounding Vera Drake, is she really doing the right thing, or should she be locked up? If you have not seen Vera Drake, you should pick it up on DVD. Actress Imelda Staunton have continued working hard, and have been in many films since Vera Drake. I came across a film that i have not seen with her, a horror film called Amulet, that was released in October here in Sweden on DVD and Blu Ray last year. Being a big fan of Imelda, of couse i had to see this film. Is this a horror film that is actually suprisingly good, or should you simply skip this film ?

Tomaz ( Alec Secareanu ) is guarding an outpost in the woods. One day he finds an amulet in the ground, that seems to be very old. Since he have no idea where it is from, he keeps it. While sitting at the outpost, an unkown woman tries to cross the outpost. She seems to be in need of help, and Tomaz takes her to his residence in the forest. She suddenly decide to leave after a while, while Tomaz is worried that she might not be safe. To survive and be able to get food, Tomaz travel to London to work extra as a day laborer worker, sleeping in the building with other refugees. When the building is set on fire, Tomaz is now homeless and without a job. He collapses in an alley way, and is discovered by Sister Claire ( Imelda Staunton ). She takes care of him after he comes out from a hospital, and have an idea how he can find a new home, if he could help a woman named Magda ( Carla Juri ) to fix her house. Magda is taking care of her sick mother, so she have no time for anything else. Tomaz accepts the offer, but he will soon find out that something is quite not right in this house.

If there is one thing that i appreciate about independent horror films, is seeing a film that offers something different from the ordinary typical horror release, and this is exactly what Amulet does. This film feels like an artistic horror film, in the sense that this film is not the typical release you will find on the DVD or Blu Ray shelves. If you can accept artistic horror, that have something more deep to say than the usual horror release, i do feel that Amulet have an interesting story hidden in the darkness. One thing i have to mention that this film also does, is give us two different stories, that eventually cross together, and you will have to think for yourself what you believe is the answer. You might think you have figured out the plot along the way, but there is a clever twist towards the end that changes everything you thought you knew would happen. Let´s get into the characters for a while. The main character known as Tomaz ( played by actor Alex Secareanu ( who some of you might remember from the very powerful drama film God´s Own Country ), is struggling as a homeless man, and he is a former soldier. You can tell that he is still suffering from the horrors of war, and actor Alex manage to capture that fear in some scenes. Actress Carla Juri ( who i especially enjoyed in the 2013 drama film Wetlands, or original title Feuchtgebiete ) gives a solid performance as the character Magda, an odd woman who never really do anything, except take care of her mother, who Tomaz later will feel a connection to. Best acting performance in this film is without a doubt from legendary actress Imelda Staunton as Sister Claire. I wish we could have seen more of her in this film, because the scenes she is seen in, feels more powerful than the other acting performances. Amulet takes a while to get into, since this film does not rush anything. If you can accept that, then i will say that the last 30 minutes is where the film gets really interesting, with some brutal gory practical effects. Director Romola Garai definetely have something different to offer with Amulet, and she have made a professional looking film. If you are just looking for a jump scare horror film, then this is not the film you should see. Amulet is a much more intelligent horror film than that, and actually have a much deeper meaning than the usual horror release. Definetely worth checking out if you are a fan of artistic horror.

Rating: DDD

Shifter

What would you do if you could travel in a time machine. Would you travel into the future, or into a certain time period in history? I know exactly what i would do, i would travel back to the year of 1977, on July 22nd in America. That was the year and date, when Wes Craven´s cult horror classic fim The Hills Have Eyes premiered in cinemas across America, and i would have loved to sit in a cinema seat in 1977 and watch this film at the premiere. I know, i could probably have chosen to stop some historical tragedies, but we all know that if you try to do a big changes, it may cause problems in the future. Time machines have been brought up in many books, especially in the classic sci fi novel The Time Machine from author H.G Wells, published in 1895. I have not read the book myself, but a school friend of mine called Martin read this book and loved it, that he also have seen all the films made based on the book ( there are 3 films ). I have only seen one of the films based on the book, and that is the 2002 film known as The Time Machine, released in 2002. It has been quite a long time since i saw the film, i bought it on DVD back in 2003, but i do remember that i enjoyed the film, especially for the special effects and the cast of Guy Pearce, Orlando Jones and Jeremy Irons. The concept of a time machine also turned out to work perfect in the Terminator franchise, with some really powerful CGI effects with time travelling. It is not often these days you see films that includes time travelling, This is why i became curious about an independent film called Shifter, that i discovered among VOD releases. Not knowing much about the plot, except that this film was funded through on a campiagn on Indiegogo, the premise sounded interesting. Is this a sci fi horror film that should be seen by a larger audience, or is Shifter going to be forgotten easily ?

Theresa Chaney ( Nicole Fancher ) lives in the countryside, not having many friends or family members who are still alive. When her father was still alive, she used to take care of him. One project that Theresa have been working on for quite some time, is building a time machine, with parts from farm machinery, an old school desktop PC and a few science equations. To see if the time machine works, she let her cat Bernard, be the first candidate. It turns out that it actually works. So to test on a human, she let herself be the next candidate. Everything seems to work this time as well, until she discover later on, that something may not have gone as planned.

Since i knew very little about Shifter, i am actually a bit surprised. This is without a doubt a film with a very limited budget, but i do like some of the ideas around this film. This is not the typical time machine film that you might have seen before, by using a different plot than we are used to see. And whenever i see a film that tries to do something different, i have to applaude. Because we really need film makers who dare to go in a different direction. Shifter does have elements from time travel stories we recognize, but this film also have a different approach in this genre, and this is one of the reasons why i find this film interesting. This is a tragic film in many ways, since the main character Theresa have a very difficult time, handling her private life and her work as well. On top of that, she does not really know how to handle the choices she made by using the time machine that she built, and she can´t tell anyone about it. Actress Nicole Chancer gives us a portrait of a young woman, who clearly is having a hard time with herself. And the performance from Nicole feels fascinating, in a mysterious way. She is the character you see most in this film, while some few characters show up later on, who add some interesting details to the plot. The one negative thing i can say about Shifter, is that the time machine itself does not really look that great. I understand that the budget must have been limited, but i felt while i was watching this film, that this could probably have been fixed. Apart from that, Shifter do have some interesting ideas that includes time travelling, and leaves us with questions such as :- Should we really try and change the past ? Director Jacob Leighton clearly have an eye for telling a story, that does stand out in this genre. With the resources he had, i think he did a pretty good job. Shifter may not be for everyone, but if you appreciate interesting stories, you should give this film a chance.

Rating: DDD

A Werewolf In England

I don´t know about you, but whenever i think about England, i think about the sexiest British sport ever, and that is of course watching dart. To watch PDC World Darts Championship on TV, is the closest thing you will ever have to experience a true orgasm ( at least for me, i might be one of the few here in Sweden, i will have to do some research on this ). Just to see someone throw the darts in an incredible speed, is a lot more sensual than i ever would have expected. And believe me, i have seen a lot of good hot stuff on TV over the years, but nothing beats the PDC World Darts Championship, it´s just one of those moments in life you can´t be without. I have been to England 3 times so far, or should i say to London 3 times. I have had some good times there, and perhaps the best time was actually in september of 2018, when me and my sister went to London to see American rock band Garbage at Brixton Academy. But we also went to a lot of pubs, breweries and tried both different beer and whiskey, and more pubs again ( even Swedish vikings are thirsty, or we have no idea what we are doing ). One of the things i especially remember was my first time in London back in December of 2002. I was just there for a short while, because i was planning to continue my journey to Scotland, Edinburgh. Let´s just say i did get on the plane, but maybe a bit too drunk to even find the gate ( a Scottish couple helped me though, after my pub round in London ). So as you can see i have only good things to say about London. But when i think about films that includes England, i am always reminded of one of the best werewolf films of all time, of course known as An American Werewolf In London from director John Landis. This film is both really well made, have really well made practical effects ( especially the werewof transformation scene ) and the horror elements works really well. If you love werewolves, this is one of those films you have to see. I have been hearing about a werewolf film last year, that looked very interesting. With a title of A Werewolf In England, this sounded exactly what i wanted to see in early 2021. Is this the best werewolf film since Dog Soldiers, or was i hoping too much on a new British werewolf film  ?

Parish Councillor Horace Raycraft ( Tim Cartwright ) is transporting Archie Whittock ( Reece Connolly ) to court. Archie claims he is innocent, but Horace is determined to make sure he will get there on time. A storm forces them to take shelter at The Three Claws, an inn in the middle of nowhere. Innkeepers Martha Hogwood ( Emma Spurgin Hussey ) and her brother Vincent Hogwood ( Barrington De La Roche ) welcome the new guests. But these guests don´t know, that at The Three Claws, their visit here is about to take a completely different turn.

Since i have been a big fan of werewolf films since the 80´s, i have to say that A Werewolf In England is definetely one of the better titles i have seen in recent years. And it´s not because of the horror that makes this film is so good, it is because of a lot of funny scenes. This film manage to find a way to make fun of the werewolf genre, in a quite pleasant way. And it´s not only the werewolves that are funny to watch, i have to say that some of the characters in this film are really funny as well ( especially in some crazy scenes ). You get a lot of blood, and even a cut off werewolf hand attacking people ( Evil Dead 2 reference perhaps ? ) Speaking of the characters, we should talk about them for a while. Actor Reece Connolly as the character Archie Whittock, is one of those personalities that makes this film charming. He is such a nice fellow, and he is clearly not prepared for what´s to come, and Reece give a performance filled with funny body language, and funny dialogue as well. Actor Tim Cartwright ( who is also in the great horror film The Barge People, that i reviewed last year ) plays the loud mouth character Horrace Raycraft, also bring some golden comedy moments into this film. Actress Natalie Martins deliver a lovely performance as young mother Jane, a woman filled with passion and a big heart. One of my absolute favourite characters in A Werewolf In England, is without a doubt the character known as Vincent Hogwood, played by wonderful actor Barrington De La Roche. This character is so funny, that i found myself laughing a lot of times throughout this film, when Vincent deliver his brilliant dialogue. The practical make up effects bring a certain charm to this film, since you can tell that they really tried to do everything in an old school way. The location of The Three Claws fits really well with the plot, and let´s not forget the werewolf costumes. I think they have done a really good job with the costumes, considering that they had a limited budget to work with. Director Charlie Steeds is clearly one of the directors that i feel can bring hope into independent horror films, with such great titles as Winterskin and The Barge People in his catalogue. A Werewolf In England is without a doubt my favourite film so far from Charlie, because he manage to bring back the werewolf genre back on track. This film may not be a future classic such as Dog Soldiers. but this is a damn funny horror comedy that you should buy on DVD, if you are a werewolf fan. What are you waiting for? Go get A Werewolf In England on DVD right now, and i promise you will have a really fun night.

Rating: DDDD

Sky Sharks

We have a saying in Sweden, when a man is looking for a wife, and that is the following:

:- May she love shark B movies, and i will love her for all eternity.

This saying actually works, because i don´t think i would be married if it was not for my wifes passion for B shark films. I remember one of the first films i saw in her appartment, when we met back in 2004, and that was Red Water on DVD. You have a cast of wonderful actors such as Lou Diamond Phillips, Kristy Swanson and hip hop artist Coolio, being attacked by a shark, what more could you ask for? And one of the first things i told my future wife when i was invited in her appartment was :- I can´t believe this is my favourite film as well. This turned out to be the best pick up line ever, cause right after that we became a couple, thanks to Red Water on DVD. So to all you single men out there, if you want to find marriage, my best advice is to find a woman who loves shark B movies, and you will live in happiness forever. Shark movies have turned out to be very entertaining, in many different formats and genres. Especially in the low budget section, there you have a lot of fun stuff to discover, if you have not seen the catalogue of choices. Of course i could easily mention Sharknado, because we all know that´s the greatest shark franchise ever, but let´s talk about a completely different film instead. The 2015 film 3-Headed Shark Attack, turned out to be a much better sequel than the first film 2-Headed Shark Attack. And i think it helped with a great cast with actors such as Danny Trejo ( the original Machete ), professional wrestler Rob Van Dam and Baywatch actor Jaason Simmons. 3-Headed Shark Attack tells the story of marine biologists Dr. Tell Nelsson ( Jaason Simmons ) and Laura Thomas ( Jena Sims ), who try and find a way to survive against the 3-Headed Shark, after their underwater research facility Persephone, is attacked and destroyed. A fun B action movie with fun characters, and worth picking up on DVD or Blu Ray. For quite a long time i have heard about the B movie known as Sky Skarks being made, through a Kickstarter campaign. It took a while for a release date, but i finally got myself a copy from Njutafilms. Is this the best way to start the new year of 2021, or is Sky Sharks not as good as i was hoping it would be ?

In the icy Antarctic, a small group of mercenaries discover a hidden experimentation complex. Deep within the lair, genetic experiments were conducted on sharks and undead soldiers, where they create weaponized, flying sharks. These sky sharks are controlled by dead nazi soldiers, who are prepared for world domination. The only way to stop this, is through Dr. Klaus Richter ( Thomas Morris ), who knows a way to stop the nazis, with the help of his two daughters, Diabla ( Eva Habermann ), Angelique ( Barbara Nedeljakova ) and their team members, with their own secret weapon.

Right after a nice calm start on a big airplane, we get a really wonderful gory feast with nazi zombies attacking passengers, from their flying nazi sharks. And you know what, i love the concept. Because that is the right way to introduce your concept for a film, you can´t go wrong with dead nazis and shark nazis as well. But if you this part is the only good part of Sky Sharks, it gets even better as the film goes on. We are thrown right into a world of technology, that looks inspired by the 80´s and 90´s, with a more modern touch. And i love the idea of mixing all of this together, with a lot of gore and nazi zombies included. In some ways, i would probably call Sky Sharks the film that will bring us hope in 2021. This film have everything you could wish for when it comes to making people feel inspired, because once you see these sky sharks attack with missiles, you realise that this is the best way to combine an inspirational story, that people all over the world will feel a connection to. Let´s get into the characters for a bit. German actor Detlef Bothe ( who some of you might remember from films such as Baltic Storm, where Donald Sutherland was also included in the cast ) plays the character Dr. Hans Kammler. He is definetely the right choice for this character. Legendary actor Thomas Morris ( who most of you remember from Steven Spielber´s classic Schindler´s List ) plays the character Dr. Klaus Richter. He is without a doubt one of the characters in this film that you get to connect with, on a more personal level. There are a lot of cameos here from legendary actors such as Amanda Bearse ( Fright Night ), Tony Todd ( Candyman ), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa ( Mortla Kombat ) and many more, who give us some special highlights. The action scenes are cheesy, very bloody, and i can´t help but feeling a lot of joy for a film such as this, a tribute to the VHS era of my childhood. There is even a reference here to Universal Soldier here, with a scene that you might remember with Dolph Lundgren ( i won´t reveal it, but it´s really fun ). Director Marc Fehse does not take anything seriously with Sky Sharks, and this is why this is such a fun movie to watch. He is clearly inspired by a lot of classics, but manage to do his own film with some different and creative ideas. Sky Sharks should be watched by everyone, and please support the film by buying the film on DVD or Blu Ray, because we need a sequel. So we can make sure that a young generation will have quality films in the future, just like Sky Sharks.

Rating: DDDD