15 Years Anniversary Review Of The Black Dahlia

I love to watch documentaries about unsolved murders. I can easily spend 2 hours watching a very interesting documentary, where one case show you the timeline of what happened, from the murder took place, and the evidence that was found. There are so many interesting cases to go through, and i am planning to go back to London within the next couple of years to have a look at the streets where Jack The Ripper killed prostitues in 1888. I recently found a book that goes through a lot of evidence on Jack The Ripper, and who some people believe did these horrific murders. There is especially one case that i have been very interested in for many years, and that is the case known as The Black Dahlia, the murder of Elizabeth Short. For those of you who have not heard about this case, i will tell you about this mysterious murder case. Elizabeth was found murdered on January 15th, 1947 in Leimert Park, Los Angeles. Elizabeth´s body was completely severed at the waist and drained of blood. The killer had slashed from her corners of her mouth to her ears, creating an effect known as the " Glasgow Smile ". There have been several suspects in this case, and so far it does not seem to be solved. Considering how brutal Elisabeth was murdered, they have sugested that the murderer could be a surgeon, or someone with knowledge of surgery, who murdered her. I have tried listening to many different theories surrounding this case, and i do have a very good suggestion for you, if you are interested. There is a very interesting interview with author Steve Hodel, who wrote the book Black Dahlia Avenger, on the YouTube channel Most Notorious, where he tells us about the investigation he did on this case, that his own father could have been behind the murder. It is a 2 part audio video interview called The Black Dahlia Murder with Steven Hodel, and i suggest you check it out. The Black Dahlia case have not only been brought up in crime documentaries, but 15 years ago a film was released, simply called The Black Dahlia. I have not seen this film since the film came out, but i was very intrigued at that time, since the film does tell the story of the investigation of this case. I decided to get the DVD from the UK to watch it again, 15 years later, to see if this film is still good. Have this film become better within these years, or is The Black Dahlia a film that have aged too much?

On January 15, 1947, Elizabeth Short's ( Mia Kirshner ) dismembered body is found and she is dubbed " The Black Dahlia " by the press. LAPD detectives Dwight "Bucky" Bleichert ( Josh Hartnett ) and Lee Blanchard ( Aaron Eckhart ) takes on this case. They will soon discover that Elizabeth Short lived a life, filled with mysteries. 

It is quite amazing when you can revisit a film 15 years later, and enjoy it just as much as i did, when i saw the film in cinema. The Black Dahlia is not only a good crime thriller, but this film manage to capture the time period of Hollywood in the 1940´s, with great looking costume design, and characters that fit in with the story. Knowing that this film is based on the investigation of Elizabeth Short, this film feels a bit special, considering that this mystery have never really been solved completely. Let´s be clear about one thing though, this film also tries to tell the story of Detective Dwight, his personal life, and how the investigation surrounding the death of Elizabeth Short affected him. You can tell that he is trying to deal with the situation, as good as he can. It is pretty clear that this case must have been very unique, since no one have ever seen a face beeing slashed from ear-to-ear. I instantly thought of the comicbook character The Joker, that he would do something similar to this. Of course, we are talking about a real killer here, but you have to wonder if the killer was inspired by the insane mind of The Joker, slicing a smily face on a human head? After all, the first comic book with The Joker was released in 1940, 7 years before the murder. It is just a theory from me, and it may not be connected at all to the case, i still find it very interesting. When it comes to the cast of this film, you have a lot of great performances. I have never been a huge fan of Josh Hartnett, but i have to say this may be one of his better acting performances as Detective Dwight. There is no doubt that one of the best acting performances in this film comes from actor Aaron Eckhart ( who can forget his fantastic performance in the 2005 film Thank You For Smoking ) as Detective Lee. Aaron have a screen presence that is hard to describe, but he almost feels like old school actors, that he can make any character feel interesting, no matter what the genre is. Of course we have wonderful actress Scarlett Johansson here as well as Katherine, and i don´t need to explain how good she is, i think most of you already know. One of the things i do think this film could have done better, is dig deeper into the murder case, instead of telling different stories about certain characters. I understand that they probably wanted to try and tell the story, from different personalities, and how they experienced this horrific crime, while dealing with personal issues. Somehow, i feel like we could have had more details about the murder, and actually see more of what happened to Elizabeth Short. I still think this is a good crime thriller though, and that is thanks to legendary director Brian De Palma, who knows how to make quality films. This may not be one of his classics, but it´s definetely an interesting film, in a very mysterious murder case. The Black Dahlia is worth picking up on DVD, if you love to dig deeper into famous murder cases of the past. A well made film that will continue the legacy of Brian De Palmas amazing film career.

Rating: DDD

Rise Of The Footsoldier: Origins

I have travelled several time to England, and the first time was in late 2002. I remember that journey especially, because i was drunk. Not all the time, but more than usual ( let´s just say i almost fell out of the bus at one point ). Perhaps it was because i was in really good company with some Scottish friends, who i would spend more time with in Scotland. Anyway, the first time in London in 2002 was especially fun, because it was the first time i got to experience real British pubs with really crazy brits. I remember one evening at a British karaoke bar, where one guy went up on stage and started to sing Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. It was the worst singing voice i have heard that year, but i loved him for doing his performance so wild. People cheered all over the bar, and moments like that are magical. Who cares if you can sing or not? Just have a good time, and that guy made that night fantastic. The first time i went to London i did not really see all the famous places, not until i went there my second time in 2012. That was the first time i really got to see more of London, and see the famous locations across town. Let´s go back to 2002 again, and there was one thing i especially remember in London at my first vacation there, and that was one night when we visited a football bar. I can honestly say that i don´t remember the team Manchester United was meeting on TV, i had quite a lot of whiskey, but the atmosphere in there was really loud. As we were sitting there, a group of football supporters started fighting outside, and they were quite violent. I have heard about football hooligans here in Sweden, but this was on a completely different level. Police came and ended the fight, but i was a little bit shocked how violent they were. Since then, i have seen news reports from different football games in England, and it´s very clear that football hooligans are still a huge problem. No one should be beaten up, no matter what team you cheer for. Speaking of football holligans, i remember one specific film called Rise Of The Footsoldier, directed by Julian Gilbey. Released in 2007, this film is based on true events featured in the autobiography of Inner City Firm hoologan turned gangster Carlton Leech, and the drug dealers Pat Tate and Tony Tucker. Rise Of The Footsoldier is a really brutal, and really well made criminal drama film, that shows the real lifestyle of football hooligans, and how they operate in criminal gangs. If you want to see powerful acting performances, this film is a great choice. My suggestion is that you get the Double UK DVD, that includes some nice special features as well. There have been several sequels released since 2007, and i have not seen any of them. But i decided to give the new film Rise Of The Footsolder: Origins a chance, since i really enjoyed the original film. Is this a worthy prequel to the original film, or is this a film that will most likely be forgotten on the DVD shelves?

Falklands war veteran Tony Tucker ( Terry Stone ) gets a job as a nightclub bouncer, after helping the nightclub owner´s son survive from a violent attack. At first he seems to be living life, getting respect and enjoying a party life. Until things get out of control as he join forces with criminals Pat Tate ( Craig Fairbass ) and Craig Rolfe ( Roland Manookian ) to capitalise on the drug boom.

It´s been a while since i watched the original film, but i still remember how good it was. I should mention that i have not seen any of the sequels, so i can´t say anything about them. So i knew that there might be a chance that i don´t understand the full story, and that´s ok. I still decided to go into this latest film with an open mind, still remembering the original film. Seeing this prequel made me realise, that there are some details that the first film did not share with the audience. Prequels are actually pretty difficult to make, since they usually have a lot of pressure, to get the respect from fans of the original film. In the case of Rise Of The Soldier: Origins, i have to say that they have done a pretty good job, trying to tell the story how it all started. I actually prefer prequels than sequels sometimes, since they can actually be more interesting. In the case of Rise Of The Footsoldier: Origins, we actually get to find out how it all started for Tony Tucker ( played really good by British actor Terry Stone ). You get to see him being in security business, and we also get to see how things started to get out of control with drugs and alcohol. Legendary actor Craif Fairbrass ( who is also in the original film ) deliver once again a top quality acting performance. What i especially appreciate about this prequel is the fact that the whole cast seems to have taken their roles seriously, and you can actually sense that they tried to make an effort to portrait the life of these criminals, and make this prequel connect to the original film. You can´t really see their lives getting any better, since they make a lot of bad decisions. You also begin to wonder, if some of them really understand themselves that this is not a lifestyle that will last forever. No matter how many drugs they take, and alcohol, at some point it will all fall apart. It is like they are living for each day, and don´t give a fuck what could happen tomorrow. I really appreciate seeing legendary football player, and actor Vinnie Jones in this film as the character Bernard. A hard headed bouncer, who is not afraid to clean up the nightclub. He is really a perfect match for this role. Director Nick Nevern ( who i especially remember from the great crime TV mini series Prime Suspercts 1973 ) deliver a prequel that does not only look good, but also includes great acting, and a story that definetely is a wake up call for anyone struggling with addiction. If you did enjoy the 2007 film, you should definetely see Rise Of The Footsoldiers: Origins. I picked up my DVD copy online, and so should you.

Rating: DDD

Prisoners Of The Ghostland

A lot of actors are not afraid to take on challenges, since they know that if they want to survive in Hollywood, you have to be open minded. You have to take some chances, and not repeat yourself. Some actors are of course famous for certain films, and may have a hard time getting different films for that. But then you have actors who seems to take on any kind of project that is possible. A perfect example of that is legendary actor Nicolas Cage. Since the 80´s he have done so many crazy films, in all categories, that you have to be impressed how open minded he is. He does not seem to worry that much about trying different ways as an actor, and i really appreciate that about him. That does not mean that he have only done great films, he have made some bad choices of films. But i will say this, since we are talking about Nicolas Cage films that may not be perfect, some of them are still fun to watch. He have actually made some fun bad films, who functions for entertainment purposes. And that´s one of the things i appreciate about him, he does not take his career too seriously. One film that comes to my mind is the 2007 film known as Ghost Rider from director Mark Steven Johnson ( director of Daredevil with Ben Affleck ). Ghost Rider is based on the Marvel comics character of the same name, This film tells the story of stunt motorcycle rider Johnny Blaze ( Nicolas Cage ) sold his soul to the demon Mephistopheles / The Devil ( Peter Fonda ), Mephistopheles makes Johhny Blaze an offer, if he defeat his son Blackheart ( Wes Bentley ), he will get his soul back. Johnny is transformed into Ghost Rider, the burning skeleton. If you just want to have a fun popcorn movie night, The Ghost Rider is a great choice. This film have everything you could wish for, fun dialogue, fun action scenes and characters that you will fall in love with. Definetely worth picking up on DVD or Blu Ray, if you are looking for a movie that doesn´t take itself seriously at all. There is a sequel of course called Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance, released 4 years later. It´s nowhere near as good as the first film, so only see it if you want to. I try and keep up with Nicolas Cage films, and at least see some of them. One of the films i have been curious to see is a film called Prisoners Of The Ghostland. This film seemed to be a little bit different than his usual releases, so i decided to give this film a chance. Is this one of the highlights in Nicolas Cage career, or should he consider quitting acting for good after this film?

Many years ago, a region in Japan was quarantined after an accident in wich highly volatile nuclear waste was spilled after a crash between the waste transport and a prison bus, a settlement called Samurai Town, ruled by The Governor ( Bill Moseley ). The outside is a wasteland known as Ghostland, inhabited by half-crazed outcasts. Hero ( Nicolas Cage ), a criminal, was imprisoned in the aftermath of a bank robbery. One night, Bernice ( Sofia Boutella ) one of the "granddaughters", flees from the Governors house with two friends. The Governor order Hero to get Bernice back to him, forcing him to hunt her down, with a special designed bodysuit with explosive charges. If Bernice have not been rescued in five days, the explosive charges will go off on the bodysuit. Hero begin his journey to locate Bernice in the Ghostland.

Knowing that this film is directed by Sion Sono ( who directed the really good thriller Cold Fish ), i knew that this might be a quite different experience. To combine Sion Sono and Nicolas Cage in a Western horror film sounded like a perfect idea on paper, since these are 2 very different personalities. And if you plan to watch this film, you should know the following information. This is the kind of film you can´t look at as a serious film. This is one of those odd films, that many of us probably will never understand, and why some strange decisions were made. Those who know me personally, they know that i appreciate odd films. This is definetely one of the most odd films i have seen this year, that this might actually be a cult film in the future. Does this mean that Prisoners Of A Ghostland is a perfect film? No, there are of course issues with this film, but let´s get into the positive details that i appreciate. First of all i do enjoy some of the odd characters, especially the lead character known as Hero ( Nicolas Cage ). Imagine of a combination of Swedish Bingolotto TV star Rickard Olsson in a leather outfit, combined with Soldoktorn ( The Sun Doctor ) Mikael Sandström´s serious facial expressions, and you have everything you could ask for in a character such as Hero. Everywhere he goes, he makes all the perfect choices that you did not think was possible. And for that, you have to respect Nicolas Cage for choosing such a cool character as this one. I also enjoy the character known as Governor, played by legendary actor Bill Moseley ( who i personally love as the character Chop-Top, in the Cannon Film classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 ). He is definetely a character that is hard not to like, with his white suite, and dialogue that matches so well, that some people might actually want to propose to him. Some of the apocalyptic locations have a very odd, but interesting look. I also like the combination of samurai battles, while we also get odd scenes where people begin to sing for some reason. Now to the negative parts ( and there are a few ). This could have been a great film if this film actually had a script that made any sense, but it doesn´t make a lot of sense. If you would ask me about the plot of this film, i honestly can´t explain it all completely. There are parts of the film that are easy to understand, while other parts are really strange. I also find some of the acting really bad. I can accept Nicolas Cage screaming funny, and acting weird, but there are a few characters that does not even make any sense at all, why they are actually in the film. However, all of this still made me enjoy this film, for being so weird and bizarre. Director Sion Sono have actually made a film that will either be loved by fans of odd films, or hated by some others. I think he did manage to bring out something unique with Prisoners Of The Ghostland, by mixing in so many different styles. If you are a Nicolas Cage fan, i think you should at least rent this film on VOD and give it a chance. Prisoners Of The Ghostland is like watching a 3 hour broadcasting of Swedish TV news show Nyhetsmorgon, there is something for everyone here, no matter if you like it or not.

Rating: DDD

30 Years Anniversary Review Of Oliver Stone´s JFK

Looking back at political tragedies in history, you might think that we would learn and make this world a more loving place. Unfortunately, a lot have happened over the years, where we have lost politicians, human right activists and many more, in violent historical events. We may never be able to stop everything from happening, but you can make an attempt to make life better, for all nations and all cultures. One of the earliest political tragic moments of my childhood here in Sweden, was in February of 1986, when our Prime Minister Olof Palme was shot, and killed brutally, outside a cinema in Stockholm. I was only 8 years old, but i still remember the headlines on newspapers across town. This was the biggest schock of the 80´s in Sweden, were people could not understand who would kill a Prime Minister, on a public street. A lot of theories were brought forward, were they believed a well known chriminal acoholic, known as Christer Petersson was seen as a suspect. He was later released in November of 1989, still seen as a suspect. Even until today, no one have been charged for the murder of Prime Minister Olof Palme, and unfortunately they can´t seem to solve this case. Speaking of political tragedies, one of the most tragic moments in political history happened back in the year of 1963, on November 22. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, while riding in a presidental motorcade through Dealy Plaza. Kennedy was riding with his wife Jacqueline Kennedy, Texas Governor John Connally, and Connally´s wife Nelly, when he was fatally shot by Lee Harvey Oswold, who was a former US Marine. The story of what happened that day have a lot of theories, and i have watched a lot of documentary films, including listening to interviews with people who were there that day. Did Oswold really shoot John all by himself, or was there another shooter as well? Was there someone else behind the murder of John, and was Oswold just a cover up to hide the real truth? There will always be a lot of theories out there, and most importantly, we must stick to the facts, on what seems to be the real evidence of this case. In 1991, 30 years ago, legendary director Olver Stone released his film JFK, the film that tells the story of the murder, and the investigation surrounding the assassination of president John F. Kennedy. I have not seen this film for many years, and decided to revisit the film, now when the film turned 30 years old. Is this film still as good today as it was 30 years ago, or have the film JFK aged too much and lost some of the powerful impact?

On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. The whole world is in schock, and they manage to find a suspect known as Lee Harvey Oswald ( Gary Oldman ). District Attourney Jim Garrison ( Kevin Costner ) begin to investigate every piece of evidence that he can get his hands on, to find out what really happened that day. He will soon realise, that this case may have a lot of different theories. But the question is, what is really true about this case, and is Lee Harvey Oswold really the only suspect?

Going back to a film like JFK, gives me a lot of nostalgic feelings. This is one of those films in director Oliver Stone´s incredible career, that not only work very well as a political film, but manage to deliver a lot of great characters as well. I have to say, a film that tries to tell the history of the murder of John F. Kennedy and tell you about details surrounding this case, this film is filled with very interesting facts. If you love to dig into historical tragedies in history, then i have a feeling you will find this film very interesting. One of the things i really appreciate with the film JFK is that it is very easy to follow, along the investigation. It is not too complicated, and it also sticks to true historical facts, instead of jumping around on theories only. Of course i can´t say if certain details have been added, to make this film as long as it is ( it is over 3 hours and 20 minutes ), but a lot of the facts that is brought up along the way is actually true. How does the characters work in JFK? I have to say that i am impressed how good most of the actors are, as their characters. Especially Kevin Costner as District Attourney Jim Garrison, and this might actually be one of his better acting performances in his amazing career. One of the performances that i personally feel attached to, is the character known as Jack Martin ( played really good by legendary actor Jack Lemmon ). Every scene that Jack Lemon is in, feels so natural and magical. He had such a unique screen presence that you don´t find often these days. One of the most surprising acting performances in this film comes from legendary comedian John Candy, who plays Attourney Dean Andrews Jr. I personally feel that this is the best acting performance i have ever seen John Candy do, and i hope people will see that he really was a powerful actor with this film. The political story is told in a very effective way from director Oliver Stone, and he knows how to approach this historical tragedy, in his own uniqe way. He also manage to make the audience feel engaged in the investigation, wich helps this film become even more interesting. JFK is definetely one of the true classics of legendary director Oliver Stone, wich works really well both as a political thriller, but also reminds us from a humanity perspective, how important it is not to loose hope, no matter what tragedies we go through. Definetely worth getting on DVD or Blu ray, JFK is a true 90´s classic that will continue to find audiences worldwide, telling a story that will never be forgotten.

Rating: DDDD

Squid Game

Gambling can be fun, if you know that you are in control of your money. As long as you don´t spend more than you can afford, you can play any games that you want. But there are a lot of people worldwide who are addicted to gambling, where they loose their home, their marriage, and even have to sell everything they have to pay debts. I actually know one guy, who got in real big problems with gambling. He made some deals with a well known criminal biker gang here in Sweden, and it did not end well. In respect to his family, i will not go into further details. All i can say is that if he only would have asked someone for help for his addiction, he might have been able to turn things around. Of course not everyone can be saved, some people can not change their behavior. I still want to feel hope for people, that anyone who really need to change their lives, should have the chance to make a change. Since we talked about gambling, let´s talk about playing games. There is one film that really took playing a game to a completely different level than we have ever seen before. And that happened 20 years ago in 2001, in the South Korean film Battle Royale from director Kinju Fukasaku. Battle Royale is a very unique film, and is actually one of the few original films from the early 2000´s ( expect for Christopher Nolan´s powerful film Memento of course, a must see ). Battle Royale tells the story of a school class, who are out on a field trip, but they are gassed and taken to a remote island. Their teacher Kitano ( Takeshi Kitano ) explain to the whole class, that they have been chosen to participate in the annual Battle Royale. They have three days to fight until death until a victor emerges. Battle Royale is not only a really good film, but this film also show how you handle yourself, knowing that you are forced to kill to survive. This is definetely on my list of the best films of early 2000´s, and i suggest you get the Blu Ray from Arrow Video. Over this year i have heard so much positive words about a new TV series called Squid Game. This seemed to be a TV series that might have been influenced by Battle Royale, with a completely different look. Since i am such a big fan of Battle Royale, i just had to see what this Netflix series have to offer. With both critics and audiences praising Squid Game across the world, is this one of the better TV series this year, or is the hype way too big to be true for Squid Game?

Seong Gi--hun ( Lee Jung-jae ), is a man who´s life is falling apart. He is addicted to gambling, still living at home with his mother, and he owns money to people in big numbers. He is running out of luck, until one day, when he is offered to play a series of children´s games for a chance to a large cash grab. He accepts the offer, and is taken to an unkown location. Inside a building, 456 players are all gathered there to play these games. Each one have been chosen because they are all in a deep financial debt. At first it all seems to be pretty innocent, until they find out that you can be killed, if you don´t follow the rules. Suddenly, these games are not very harmless anymore, but the only way out to survive, and win the ulitmate prize.

Even if Squid Game and Battle Royale have some similar ideas, there is still a big difference between the classic film and this TV series. Squid Game definetely show a completely different approach on playing games, by using addiction into the plot. In Battle Royal, it was basically more abut survival itself, and no addiction included. And i have to say, the idea to especially focus on people with gambling addiction into the plot is actually a clever combination. How far are you willing to go if you could pay all your debts, that this might be the last chance you have to get a normal life? I think one of the most interesting details about Squid Game, is how inspired this production seems to be by legendary director Stanley Kubrick, and especially his last film Eyes Wide Shut. You will notice this toward the end of the season, when we see both the staff wearing their masks, but especially the VIP members who are visiting, to bet on who will survive. It definetely feels like Eyes Wide Shut could have inspired director Hwang Dong-hyuk to make these gorgeous looking VIP scenes, with a completely different plot of course. In Eyes Wide Shut we would see a secret society, who gather with members only. There is a similar idea with Squid Game to the Eyes Wide Shut society, wich i find very interesting. The children games that each contender will have to play, feels refreshing in the sense that they did not try and copy The Hunger Games in any way, but tries a different path. And the plot surrounding these games have so much more to offer, than just the games themselves. The acting is really good, basically from all the actors. Of course there are a few actors who stand out, and one of them is without a doubt Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun. To be able to play a gambling addict powerful is not easy, but he does a really strong performance and show all the emotions of an addict. Actress Kim Joo-ryung definetely deliver one of the most insane acting performances as the character Han Mi-nyeo, and i am really looking forward to see what she will do next. Squid Game is a perfect example of how easy it is to use human lives, who are chosen for their addiction. They are the perfect people to sacrifice, because they basically have lost everything on the outside world. This is of course a big tragedy, knowing that you use the lives of human beings to believe that they will be rich. But i also think this is one of the reasons why Squid Game is so powerful, that you really see human behavior, and what it could cause in complicated situations. Definetely one of the best TV series i have seen this year, Squid Game does not only deliver top quality acting, but actually feels original as well. How often do we see that these days? A must see for fans of quality TV series, and fans of Stanley Kubrick as well.

Rating: DDDD

Escape From Death Block 13

Action films are no longer what they used to be. I remember the good old days of the 70´s and 80´s, when you could still make action films, that did not care about being too violent or what was allowed to do. Back then, they used to make real macho action characters, that did not care what was politically correct, but answered with a fist, a kick, or 68 bullets to solve the problem. And we need action macho men, in today´s society. Let´s be honest, if it was not for Charles Bronson, we would never have classics such as Death Wish, Mr Majestyk, Hard Times, The Mechanic and many many more films. Charles Bronson is a perfect example of the action stars of the past, who knew exactly what the audience wanted. I have seen almost all of the Charles Bronson films, beginning from the early 60´s, up until his last films. It is quite incredible how many great films he managed to make in his career, and some of them are just as good as they were when they were released. i could easily mention some more titles, but i decided to talk about one specific Charles Bronson film that you don´t hear about often these days. And that is the 1980 film Borderline, directed by Jerrold Freedman ( who also directed the TV movie classic The Streets Of L.A. ). Borderline tells the story of United States Border Patrol Agent, Jeb Maynard ( Charles Bronson ), is forced to track down killers of a young Mexican boy and his colleague and friend, veteran Senior Patrol Agent Scooter Jackson ( Wilford Brimley ). It turns out they were murdered by Hotchkiss ( Ed Harris ), a ruthless alien smuggler. Borderline is not only a great action movie with Charles Bronson, but also show the reality of immigration, and how people are trying to make a new start. Borderline may not be seen as one of the biggest classics from Charles Bronson, but i think this film deserves more respect, for showing a different side of his amazing film career. Definetely worth checking out, if you are a true Bronson fan. Speaking of Charles Bronson, i still remember the first time i saw the film Death Kiss with action star Robert Bronzi ( who looks exactly like Charles Bronson ). It felt like a tribute to the classic Bronson franchise Death Wish, and the film is actually good. I also enjoyed the western film Once Upon A Time In Deadwood, where Robert Bronzi also proved that he can do this genre as well. I have been very excited to check out a brand new Bronzi film called Escape From Death Block 13, a prison action film. The trailer looked really good, and i finally got my hands on a DVD copy. Is this one of the greatest action films this year, or is Escape From Death Block 13 not as good as i was hoping for?

Mick Kovacs ( Robert Bronzi ) travels to America to seek justice for the death of his brother. He visits the company where his brother worked, to collect his death benefits, but ends up in trouble. Mick is arrested and sent to the prison known as Pleasent Hill Pentitentiary. Not only does he have to try and survive this rough prison, but he is still determined to get justice for his brother, no matter what he has to do.

If you were worried that we won´t have any action film this year, that respect both the audience and action movie lovers from the past, your dreams have all come true. Escape From Death Block 13 is a love letter, not only to fans of Charles Bronson, but also to people who love VHS video violence from the 80´s. You could say that this film feels like a mixture of Jean-Claude Van Damme´s classic Death Warrant and Sylvester Stallone´s classic Lock Up, with a different plot. Since we don´t get to see action films in prison very often, it feels like the timing of this film is perfect. As we have heard in the past, there are prisons who have turned out to have corrupted staff, doing illegal stuff. And this is actually one of the issues that is brought up in this film, where the prison staff are clearly not following any laws. They make their own laws, to control the inmates, and make the inmates do whatever they want. And if the prison staff is pleased, they reward the inmate, even if they know it´s illegal. We have to talk about the characters in this film, and let us begin with actor Robert Bronzi, as the lead character Mick. You can tell he is becoming better and better, in every film he does in acting, and delivering action scenes. He seems comfortable to be the new generation of Charles Bronson, and i really enjoy seeing him kicking ass. It also feels like he is becoming more confident with delivering solid dialogue. I really enjoy the performance of wonderful actress Debbi Scaletta ( who i especially recognize from the independent horror film The Curse Of Lilith Ratchet ) as Warden Jack. This is exactly the kind of character i wanted to see Debbi perform, and she does this really good. Not only is Warden Jack evil, but she does have a very interesting personality, a bit mysterious. Chris Hahn ( who played Machete Clown in the independent horror film ClownTown ) as the character Bunyan is really entertaining. Not only is this guy crazy, but he knows how to deliver charming dialogue. One of the highlights of Escape From Death Block 13 is without a doubt the violence scenes. Especially when the inmates strike back, and people get killed all over the place. Lots of bullets, lots of blood, my kind of weekend celebration. Director Gary Jones ( who i especially remember for his 1994 film Mosquito ) go all in with this film, and is definetely inspired to bring back the video violence from the 80´s back on the big screen, and he does a really good job, capturing the feeling of old school action films. Escape From Death Block 13 is without a doubt one of the better action films of 2021, and definetely proves why Robert Bronzi is the future name in the action genre. We need Bronzi in this category, to make sure that action films still have a bright future. There is no doubt, everyone needs to see Escape From Death Block 13 and experience what nostalgic love for VHS violence really feels like. 

Rating: DDDD

V/H/S/94

As long as i can remember, i have always been a fan of anthology horror movies. They may not have been the first horror movies i watched ( that was A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy´s Revenge ), but i certainly remember some of the titles on VHS. Back in the 80´s in Sweden, we would only see a couple of anthology horror films released on VHS in stores. At least in the city i used to live in, where there had 3 rental VHS stores. One of the very first anthology horror films that i did watch, was the 1982 horror film Creepshow. At that time, i did not know this film was inspired by horror comics of the 1950´s. I still remember watching the VHS rental cover of this film, it was the coolest tape i had seen at that time. Directed by legendary director George A. Romero, this film tell 5 different short horror stories that all have something important to say. There are so many great actors in this anthology horror film such as Leslie Nielsen, Ted Danson, Tom Atkins, Ed Harris, Stephen King ( yes, he is actually acting in this film ), Hal Holbrook and many more. What i especially enjoy about Creepshow, is that each story actually feels like it´s coming straight out of a horror comic book. To be able to do that and make it work is very difficult, but director George A. Romero knew exactly what he was doing. I suggest you get Creepshow on the Double DVD from the UK, and you get the Creepshow documentary as well, that includes a lot of interesting details about this film. Let´s move forward many years ahead to 2012. This was the year when the anthology horror film V/H/S was released. A very clever idea, where different stories were told through different VHS tapes found in a room. V/H/S looked like a found footage film, but especially worked as a anthology horror film with very divided short stories to tell from talented directors. Each story had something important to say, with a certain message to humanity. The sequel V/H/S/2 turned out to be really good, and especially the story Safe Haven from directors Timo Tjahjanto and Gareth Evans, turned out to be bloody brilliant. When the third film called V/H/S: Viral was released in 2014, it turned out to be a big disappointment. I was actually upset how bad it was, and lost all hope in this franchise. But early this year i heard that V/H/S/94 was on the way. A fourth film in the V/H/S/ franchise, could this be the best one yet, or is V/H/S/94 even worse than i expected?

6 Stories from 6 different director´s, that are all connected somehow. V/H/S/94 continues the legacy of the V/H/S franchise, with completely different stories than before.

Wow!

This is how you make a sequel. V/H/S/94 does not only deliver more than both first V/H/S film, it also crushes V/H/S: Viral completely. This is the kind of anthology horror film that knows what the audience wants. We want lots of blood, body parts flying, and we also want some great characters as well. There are so many good things i have to say about this film, but let us discuss some details that i feel are important to say. First of all, this is such a brutal films. The kills in this film does not only look beautiful, they look so effective as well. If you are going to make a violent film, you should do it like they do it in V/H/S/94, where there are no limits. Heads fly off, body parts get ripped apart, bodies get filled with so many bullets that their heads explode. Another important detail about this film, is that each story actually works really good. Some are better than others, but there is not one single bad story, and that surprised me a lot. Even the first V/H/S film had at least one story that did not feel interesting, while V/H/S: Viral only had one good story, and the rest of them was pretty bad. Seeing that they really worked hard to make each story fit into the film, warms my heart. It is hard to choose my favourite story in this film, because i enjoy several of them, for several different reasons. But if i had to choose one, i would have to choose i would go for the segment called The Subject from director Timo Tjahjanto ( who also directed the brilliant segment Safe Haven in V/H/S/2 ). The Subject almost feels like a modernized version of the classic tale of Frankenstein, what if you could build your own life and make it work? How far would you go, no matter what the consequences are? This segment is not only really well made, it is really brutal as well, and all of the actors does a brilliant job. Director Jennifer Reeder´s structural narrative of V/H/S/94 called Holy Hell, is the thread throughout this film, putting all the pieces together. I think she did a really good job combining a disturbed religious cult with the SWAT team footage, a very effective combination. There are other really good segments in here, so i would like to say that everyone did a great job on this film, including most of the actors. V/H/S/94 is exactly what this franchise needed, a sequel that delivers eveything i have hoped for, and even surprised me. I beg you all, watch this film on Shudder, and i promise that you will be pleased. One of the better found footage / anthology horror film in many years, V/H/S/94 proves that there is still hope for really good quality horror films.

Rating: DDDD

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings

I remember back in the spring of 1992, i was visiting my grandfathers appartment. We used to go down to the VHS rental store, because he knew i loved to look around there for different films. We did rent a couple of titles, and most of the time it would be films that both him and my grandmother could watch. But he had a TV channel called ZTV, that i did not have at home at that time ( i think i first had it in 1994, if i remember correctly ). It was night time, and on ZTV they were showing a ninja B movie. I don´t remember the title, but i do remember i stayed up that night to watch the film. It was a really fun martial arts ninja action movie, with lots of fighting, bad dialogue and great characters. During the 90´s i watched a lot of martial art films, in many different categories. Usually i would find some titles at the VHS store, but i also knew a school friend who actually bought ninja films from a film club, so i was able to see some really bad, but fun ninja action films. Whenever i discuss martial art films with other film fans, everyone seems to have their own personal favourite. And since my early days in VHS stores, i have a lot of martial art film memories, of titles that inspied me to watch a lot of classics. One of the films i can watch over, and over again, is the Hong Kong action film Rumble In The Bronx with legendary action star Jackie Chan. Released in 1995 / 1996 ( depending what country showed the film in cinema ) from director Stanley Tong ( who also directed Supercop with Jackie Chan ), this film tells the story of Keung ( Jackie Chan ) who is visiting his Uncle Bill in New York. Keung soon finds out that criminals vandalise and steal from Uncle Bill´s store, as he decides to act and hit back. This causes problem for Uncle Bill, since the criminal gang will now make the situation worse. But Keung is not afraid to stand up against this gang, and do what´s right. Rumble In The Bronx is one of those films i can still watch and enjoy a lot, for the really violent fights, Jackie Chan´s amazing stunt tricks, and for the 90´s nostalgic action scenes. Rumble In The Bronx is definetely worth picking up on DVD if you enjoy martial arts and action combined. Earlier this year i was reading a lot of articles on the new Marvel Studios film Shang-Li And The Legend The Ten Rings, and my plan was to see this film in cinema. Plans changed, so i eventually ended up seeing this film on Disney + instead. Being a big fan of martial art films and Hong Kong cinema, i was curious to see what this film had to offer, being a part of the Marvel universe. Is this one of the better comic book inspired films this year, or is Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings a big disappointment?

Thousands of years ago, Xu Wenwu ( Tony Leung Chiu-wai ) discover the mystical ten rings wich grant immortality and godly powers. He establishes the Ten Rings organization, conquering kingdoms and toppeling governments throughout history. In 1996, Wenwu searches for Ta Lo, a village said to harbor mythical beasts. He travels through a magical forest to the village entrance but is stopped by guardian Ying Li ( Fala Chen ). The two fall in love, and when the villagers reject Wenwu, Li chooses to leave him. Wenwu locks away the Ten Rings and the power, including immortality that it grants. They have two children, Shang-Chi and Xialing. When Shang-Chi is 7 years old, Ying Li is murdered by Wenwu´s enemies, the Iron Gang. Wenwu returns and dons the Ten Rings once again, and massacre the Iron Gang. Wenwu makes Shang-Chi brutal training, while his daughter Xialing is not allowed to train ( wich she does anyway in secret ). At the age of 14, Shang-Chi is ordered to kill the Iron Gang leader, wich he refuses to do and escape to America instead, to San Fransisco. Present day, Shang-Chi ( Simu Liu ) have an ordinary job, and spend a lot of time with his best friend Katy ( Awkwafina ). But his past is haunting him, and Shang-Chi must face reality, no matter what might happen.

I´m going to be honest and say, i knew nothing about the background story of this film, or the comic book. I could have looked at the source material just to get a bigger picture of Shang-Chi, but i decided to go into this film with an open mind. This film definetely feels very different to the Marvel films we have seen in the past. This is a film more focused on martial arts, and that is actually a positive direction. I personally feel that Marvel Studios needed to take a chance, and do something different, instead of going on the same path of superheroes. So is this an entertaining film? I would say yes, but especially if you are a fan of old school martial arts. Some of the fighting scenes feels inspired by classic films from the Hong Kong cinema, and i really appreciate seeing that they show respect to the films i grew up enjoying from the VHS era. Of course they use a lot more CGI effects these days, and for the most part i can accept that, since this is a comic book inspired film. There is especially one scene that actually felt inspired by the Jackie Chan fights in Rumble In The Bronx, and that is a bus scene, where our main character Shaun fight against a gang of bad guys, in a way that reminded me of the fast hitting Jackie Chan in Rumble In The Bronx. I also enjoy that this scene takes place on the famous hills of San Fransisco, where a lot of famous films have used action scenes in the past, such as Bullet with Steve McQueen. There are some other fight scenes that also feels inspired by Jackie Chan classics, and i really appreciate the effort that these fighters did, to give us a nostalgic feeling. You really feel that they have tried to capture the spirit of Shang-Chi, and lead actor Simu Liu ( well known from the Canadian TV series Kim´s Convenience ) gives a solid performance. Actress and rapper Awkwafina plays the funny character Katy, and she is definetely the comedy highlight of this film. I really appreciate seeing actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai ( who i especially remember from the classic Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs, a must see on DVD ) in this film as Xu Wenwu, he add something special with his smooth acting performance. The action scenes are well made, and the story is told in a simple but effective way. Even if this is not one of the better Marvel Studios films i have seen, i still had a good time with Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings. This is a fast, hard hitting action film, that´s definetely both for comic book fans and martial art fans. Director Destin Daniel Cretton deliver a Marvel film that´s both different, and inspiring from the world of comic books. You can tell he took this project seriously, and it shows. I am actually looking forward to see the future films of Destin, hoping he will continue doing more martial art projects. If you love Marvel films, and action films in general, something tells me that you are going to enjoy this film, just like i did. Anyone feel like going for fist fight with me? I promise, i won´t knock your teeth out ( remember, i have actually seen Julia Robert´s film My Best Friend´s Wedding in cinema, that makes me more tough than most people ).

Rating: DDD

Jurassic Hunt

Ever since i was a kid, i was always fascinated about dinosaurs. I remember when we went to the Swedish capital Stockholm to look at an exibition about dinosaurs, and you can imagine how exciting that was. To learn about dinosaurs, see actual bones that have been found, and also see how they looked like, was quite fascinating. I remember that my mother bought me a book at the museum shop about dinosaurs, and i would sit there on the train home, reading about how dinosaurs lived. Since then, i have always enjoyed films about dinosaurs. Jurassic Park is of course a fun classic, but i actually prefer low budget dinosaur films instead. Not that they may have the best special effects, or the best acting included. But you can have a different kind of entertaining moment with low budget dinosaur films, that you can´t have with Jurassic Park. There are a lot of low budget dinosaur films out there, and we could easily go back a long time in history to find some hidden gems, but let´s stay within the 2000´s era. I had a look around of all the dinosaur B movies i have seen in the last 20 years, and i have seen quite a lot, so i decided to pick out one specific title. And i decided to choose the 2013 film known as Age Of Dinosaurs from director Joseph J. Lawson ( who actually worked as a visual effects supervisor on the first Sharknado film ). Age Of Dinosaurs tells the story of a biotech ferm who creates a set of dinosaurs. But when the dinosaurs escapes their museum, everything is out of control. Age Of Dinosaurs combine classic action movie ingredients, with some really fun dinosaurs included. This film actually have legendary actor Treat Williams in the cast, and he is actually the highlight of this film. I also enjoy some of the scenes where dinosaurs attack, in many different ways. If you enjoy dinosaurs and action combined in a B movie, then you should definetely give Age Of Dinosaurs a chance on DVD. B movies still keep making more dinosaur films, in many different categories and genres. One of the films i came across recently is a film called Jurassic Hunt, that looked like fun from the DVD cover. Is this the film that should be seen by the whole family, or is Jurassic Hunt just as bad as Helloween´s awful 1999 studio cover album Metal Jukebox?

A group of hunters, including Parker ( Cortney Loggins ), Valentine ( Tarkan Dospil ), Torres ( Rupen Pla ) and many more, are flown into a remote and hidden location. They are chosen to hunt down dinosaurs, through a company known as Jurassic Hunt. The manager of Jurassic Hunt, known as Lindon ( Joston Theney ), make sure everyone is armed, with all weapons that they need to survive, and mark them with tracking devices. What the team does not know, is that the company Jurassic Hunt, actually have some other plans for the chosen ones.

I know that some people have a problem with bad CGI effects, and that´s fine with me. I personally see it from a different perspective. If it is a fun B movie, i can accept bad CGI effects, as long as we have fun characters and a fun story. In the case of Jurassic Hunt, this is a perfect example of what i am talking about. This is a film that does not take itself seriously at all, and this is why i enjoy this film. We get plenty of dinosaur attacks, we also get plenty of shooting scenes, and we also get some fun dialogue as well. One thing i especially enjoy about this film are four specific characters, that definetely matches perfect with the plot. Let us begin with the Spanish version of Rambo, and his name is Torress. Played by actor Ruben Pla, he definetely had fun playing this douchebag. Torress may not be the best to talk to women, but he knows how to kill dinosaus with a hunting bow ( John Rambo reference? ). Actress Cortney Loggins as the bad ass character Parker, is exactly what this film needed. A woman who is not afraid to stand up against assholes, while she still have a good heart. Actor Tarkan Dospil as Valentine, may not be that tough, but he wants to do right for himself, while helping others in need. Actor Joshton Theney as the bad guy Lindon, is actually a great match for this film. He´s definetely a personality that can be seen in a large crowd, he has a charming personality ( until he shows who he really is ). So what else does Jurassic Hunt have to offer the B movie lovers worldwide? I think the best way to go into this film is not to have any expectations, and just see the entertainment value that this film offer. Anything bad to say? I could probably complain about some of the CGI effects, some of the acting. But you know what? I actually needed a film like this right now, that´s not meant to be intelligent. This is more of a throwback to the action movies of the 80´s, and i had fun with this film. Director Hank Braxtan ( well known for many B movies, such as Snake Outta Compton ) is clearly inspired by Cannon Films, and he deliver a film that will definetely be appreciated by audiences who appreciate cheesy fun B movies. Jurassic Hunt may not deliver anything new, and that´s completely fine with me. I just want a fun action movie that does not take itself seriously, and that´s exactly what i got with Jurassic Hunt. Definetely worth picking up on DVD.

Rating: DDD

The Boy Behind The Door

Kidnappings are happening daily, all over the world. Some people are kidnapped for ransom, while some people are kidnapped for other personal reasons. No matter what the reason is, crimes like these destroy families, not knowing what happened to their loved ones. Just imagine not knowing if your family member is still alive, and you have no idea how to find him / her ? I don´t think anyone can understand how painful this must be, going through such a devastating nightmare. When it comes to films that takes on the subject of abductions / kidnappings, we have some really good titles to choose between. One of the films that instantly comes to my mind, is the 1993 psychological thriller The Vanishing ( known as Spårlöst Försvunnen in Sweden ). Directed by George Sluizer ( who also directed the original film Spoorloos, wich The Vanishing is a remake of ), this film tells the story of Jeff Harriman ( Kiether Sutherland ) who goes on vacation with his girlfriend Diane Shaver ( Sandra Bullock ). While stopping at a gas station, Diane simply disappears. Jeff is completely devastated, not knowing where she is, or what happened to her. 1 year go by, and Jeff never stops trying to look for answers, he needs to know the truth. His new girlfriend Rita ( Nancy Travis ) finds out that Jeff is planning to write a book about Diane, not telling her about it. She confronts him about it, and he confesses that he can´t stop looking for answers. The Vanishing is not only a well made psychological thriller, but the whole cast deliver great characters, and i really enjoy the plot. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, especially that brings up abductions / kidnappings, you should see The Vanishing. About 2 months ago i came across a review of a Shrudder film called The Boy Behind The Door, that seemed to be a psychological thriller about kidnapping. Exactly what i needed this autumn, so i decided to give this film a chance. Is this one of the best thrillers to watch right now, or is The Boy Behind The Door as exciting as watching 2022 PDC World Darts Championship for 6 hours straight?

Best friends Bobby ( Lonnie Chavis ) and Kevin ( Ezra Dewey ) are playing outside and are suddenly kidnapped in a forest area. Bobby wakes up in a trunk of a car, manage to get out and get insdide the large house. Here he finds out that his friend Kevin is locked inside another room, and need to find a way to get him out. Not knowing why they are kidnapped, the only thing on their mind right now is to escape.

Good thrillers is not something you see very often these days, at least not thrillers who manage to deliver some positive surprises. The Boy Behind The Door may not be a very original thriller, but since we are talking about a kidnapping thriller, there are details in this film that works surprisingly good. Let us begin with the psychological twists and turns in this film. Even if we have seen similar ideas done before, the one thing that especially works unexpectedly good is the psychological tension, that this film keeps building up. You can actually feel the fear through the children, and this is a very important detail to make this film more effective, as a thriller. We have to talk about the child actors in this film, Lonnie Chavis and Ezra Dewey. Both of them give solid performances, considering their young age. To be able to play children in fear, is not easy. You have to be able to capture that feeling, and make it look realistic. I think they both do a great job portraying the kidnapped victims, so i am really looking forward to see their bright future as actors. Actress Kristin Bauer van Straten ( who fans of the TV series True Blood will recognize ) delivers the best acting performance in this film, as one of the kidnappers. She is really disturbing to watch, and Kristin does a really good job portraying such a dangerous personality. I especially love some of the ax scenes, where she is so good i can almost start applauding infront of the TV ( that does not happen very often, trust me ). The plot that takes place at the big house, may not be very complicated, and i am completely fine with that. I think a film such as this one does not need to make things too complicated. If you manage the psychological twists to work, that is more important than the location itself. If you are worried that we wont have any brutal kills, we do have some cozy scenes in here. Directors David Charbonier and Justin Powell deliever one of the better thrillers of this year, and they are clearly inspired by old school psychological thrillers, wich i really appreciate. The Boy Behind The Door is exactly what we needed this autumn to watch on VOD, DVD or Blu Ray, so i suggest you pick up a copy and prepare for a popcorn evening. I promise you, you will feel inspired to get your own axe after watching this film.

Rating: DDD

If you live in Scandinavia, you can find The Boy Behind The Door from Njutafilms on DVD on the following link:

http://www.njutafilms.com/the-boy-behind-the-door/

Candyman

It is very hard these days to make horror films, that are quite unique or original. A lot of the horror films that are released feels like borrowed ideas from classics from the 80´s or the 90´s. And i can accept that, as long as the film is good. It is not easy coming up with original ideas, since the horror genre have tried so many different paths for so many years. The golden age of horror films was during the 80´s, if you ask me. Those were the years when they really went in all directions, and tried so many creative ideas, especially where practical effects got a chance to shine. Even if the 80´s was the golden age of horror, we did get some good titles in the 90´s as well. Just a reminder of titles such as Bram Stoker´s Dracula, Interview With A Vampire, The Exorcist III, John Carpenter´s Vampires, Blade and many more. Since we are speaking about the 90´s, let´s talk about one specific horror film that did leave a big impact among horror fans around the world. And that is the 1992 horror film known as Candyman, directed by Bernard Rose. Candyman turned out to be a quite different kind of horror film, thanks to the character of Candyman, played by legendary horror actor Tony Todd ( who have been in so many good films such as The Crow, The Rock and The Wishmaster ). Candyman tells the story of Chicago semiotics graduate student Helen Lyle ( Virginia Madsen ), who is doing research on the urban legend known as Candyman ( Tony Todds ), a spirit who kills anyone who says his name five times infront of a mirror. What made Candyman such a unique horror film, was the evil character known as Candyman. Legendary actor Tony Todd definetely made this character so powerful, through his portrait of this brutal killer. I have to mention that director Bernrd Rose did a really good job on telling the story of this film, using simple but effective horror methods. This is definetely a film worth checking out on Blu Ray or DVD, if you enjoy 90´s horror. Candyman did get 2 more sequels ( i did not see any of them ), and after the third film Candyman: Day Of The Dead, no more films in this franchise was made. It would take 22 years, and here we have a remake of Candyman, with a brand new cast and a new director. Considering that the original film is loved by horror fans worldwide, is this remake better than i expected, or should they have left Candyman alone for good?

Visual artist Anthony McCoy ( Yahya Abdul-Mateen II ) lives in Chicago with his girlfriend, art gallery director Brianna Cartwright ( Teyonah Parris ). Looking for a creative spark, Anthony goes to Gabrini-Green after hearing the legend of Helen Lyle ( Virginia Madsen ), who was claimed to have kidnapped a baby and killed several people before walking into a community bonfire, killing herself. Anthony finds out the horrific background story of Candyman, through laundromat owner William Burke ( Colman Domingo ). William was a witness back in 1977 when police officers abused Sherman Fields ( Michael Hargrove ) abused Sherman to death. Now, 32 years later, Candyman returns, as he have been summoned through a mirror.

I decided even before checking out this remake, that i would go into this film with an open mind. That i would not try and compare this film with the original film. Even if both films have connections to the past, i have to say that i am impressed. This remake actually takes the story of the Candyman more seriously than i expected. And you get a sense that they really wanted to show respect, not only to the original film, but also to the character known as Candyman. I believe that this was a very good choice, since a remake would be difficult to do. So with this said, let´s get into the details i especially enjoy about this film. First of all, this film looks really good. The cienatography from John Guleserian ( who also did a great job with cinematography on the British romantic comedy Aboute Time ) is right on spot. Not only is this film his best work so far, but you can tell he actually made an effort to give this film a unique look. The acting in this film is surprisingly good, and i have to say that actor Colman Domingo ( who have been in a number of really good films, such as 42, The Butler and Selma ) as the character William Burke. He just feels so natural as this character, and every scene he deliver solid dialogue, he make everything match perfectly. Wonderful actress Teyonah Parris ( who is really good in the drama film If Beale Street Could Talk ) as the character Brianna, is another really good example of top quality acting. Lead character Yaha Abdul-Mateen II ( who did a really good acting performance in the Netflix film The Trial Of The Chicago 7 ) manage to deliver a performance that not only feels powerful, but also fascinating as well. As a slasher horror film, does this film have anything to offer? In my opinion, this is one of the better slasher horror films that i have seen this year. The biggest reason for that is the Candyman himself, when he shows up. It is quite effective to see someone with a hook kill people, and it definetely makes this film feel a bit old school. Even if we don´t get to see a lot of brutal kills, i can accept that. Since this film looks so good, it definetely helps the film work better with the horror elements. Anything negative to say? Not really, i don´t have much to complain about. Perhaps that i would have wanted some more brutal kills, but other than that i am pleased with this film. For me this is a perfect example when a remake is actually made with passion for horror, and they actually care about the substance, instead of just trying to cash in on a famous project. Director Nia Dacosta have done a really good job telling the story of Candyman, and portray this in ordinary day life, among ordinary people. If there ever is a sequel made, i really hope she returns as a director. Until then, i think you should check out Candyman on VOD, DVD or Blu Ray, and hopefully enjoy it as much as i did. Excuse me for a moment, i need to find a mirror and see if my skin looks a little more smooth. I promise, i will not even mention Candyman in the mirror ( who am i fooling? ).

Rating: DDD