onsdag 30 november 2016

The Wailing

I read a lot of newspapers. And i have been holding a tradition, since early 2001, to be a subscriber to The Gothenburgh Post, a morning news paper that my grandfather Ingvar always have had. When i was very young, i used to sit on his house porch, and read the latest news. I remember especially one story, from October in the year 2002. It was about the D.C. sniper, who killed 10 people, and injured 3, in a three-week period. John Allen Muhammad turned out to be the sniper, who got help from 17 year old Lee Boyd Malvo. This was clearly a serial killer, who destroyed many peoples lives. I remembering reading about this case in the Gothenburgh Post, and following the latest updates. John Allen was finally executed in 2009. Serial killers have been a part of the film industry for a long time, and we could mention a lot of films that have left an impact. One of the films i mostly remember, is a small low budget film from 1986 called Henry - Portrait Of A Serial Killer. Michael Rooker was simply fantastic as the serial killer Henry, and the film really digged deep into your mind, with the brutality and raw tone of a serial killers disturbing mind. I think one of the most classic serial killer films, has to be Seven, a masterpiece by director David Fincher. The story of 2 detectives, played brilliantly by Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, who chase a serial killer, absolutely fantastic acting by John Malkovich. Seven is one of the few serial killer films that managed to show the world, how a serial killer function, and why he choose his victims. It would take a long time before i would see anything really good, in the serial killer genre. But in 2010, a South Korean film called I Saw The Devil, proved to be simply outstanding. Directed by Jee-woon Kim, a serial killer thriller that was so insane, that i will never forget this film. Such a disturbing story, but so well made and leaves a strong impact. I highly recommend you buy this film on blu ray. South Korea have made several really good films over the years, and I Saw The Devil is just one example. When i read that director Hong-jin Na ( director of the really good South Korean film The Chaser ), have made a new horror film, i just could not wait to see it. After some really positive reviews, i finally got a chance to see it on blu ray. Is this another high quality film from South Korea, or is this not what i expected at all ?

Strange things are happening in a small village, ever since The Stranger ( Jun Kuminura ) shows up. Ordinary people go comletely insane, and kill their loved ones, in very brutal ways. Sergeant Jong-gu ( Do Won Kwak ) is investigating these brutal murders, to see if there is any connection, to why more people are becoming killers. As he digs deeper into the truth, he realise that this might be more complicated than he expected. Especially when his own daughter Hyo.jin ( Hwan-hee Kim ) becomes a killer herself. What is going on in this village, is someone making people kill their loved ones, or is there another explanation to all of this ?

The Wailing is a film hard to describe, because this is a mix of horror, and a thriller, but with other elements thrown in, to make this film unique. When i say unique, i mean this in a very positive way. At first you get the feeling that this might be about people becoming serial killers, driven by a cult leader that orders them to kill. But then you get a different perspective, as the film continues to open other doors. One thing is clear though, this is without a doubt the best film i have seen in years from South Korea. Maybe not as good as I Saw The Devil, but still a film that reaches a high level of quality. The mysterious brutal murders feels almost like sacrifices, and you can´t help wondering what is really going on. One of the most positive things about The Wailing, is how good the acting is. There are some really strong performances here, especially from Do Wan Kwak, Jun Kuminura and Hwan-hee Kim. They really dig deep into their characters, and i have to say, Hwan-hee Kim is absolutely fantastic as a child actor. If she can keep this acting level as she grows up, i think we might have something special to look forward to. Director Hong-jin Na have made a film, that combines mysterious elements, in a well executed package of brutality. He makes sure to grab your attention, by using simple details, and make it all look so well made. As an example, the scenes where Sergeant Jong-gu is loosing his mind, and really flips out, not knowing what have happened to his daughter. He could have easily made the typical clichés, but instead director Hong-jin digs deep into a psychological perspective, and this is where it gets interesting. The mystery keeps itself secret throughout the film, and i love that. You don´t really know where the film is going to go, and this is a sign that The Wailing tries to expand different possibilities. The special effects looks really good, and the cinematography by Hong-kyong Pyo works very effective into the plot. When you see a film at some point, that can´t be compared with one specific film, but manage to build tension between the insanity, you know you have a winner. And this is exactly what The Wailing is, a very disturbing look into darkness. I suggest you get yourself a blu ray copy, because South Korea still proves how good they are at making pure quality horror films. American film makers, i think its time you learn why South Korea are the masters of horror.

Rating: DDDD

måndag 21 november 2016

Yoga Hosers

There are some directors in Hollywood, who don´t like to follow the same pattern. They just want to make films, without being forced to do projects from the film studios. Sometimes though, they will agree to make one film, just to get money. One example of this, is director Kevin Smith. The film i was thinking about, that the studio wanted him to do was Cop Out with Bruce Willis, that turned out to be a bad choice. Most of you might remember his films Clerks, Mallrats, or perhaps Dogma ? From the 90´s and into the millenium, director Kevin Smith have continued making films in all genres, and he also have worked on other funny projects. His early films from the 90´s became cult films, especially Clerks. Even if the budget was limited, he proved himself to be a film maker with a passion to deliver characters, that especially young people would love. Especially the characters Jay & Silent Bob. They even got their own film Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back, a film that is still today really funny, with crazy cameos and insane ideas. I personally think that one of Kevin Smith´s best films is Clerks II, a sequel much better than i expected. This is a really funny film, with a really good cast included. One of his most serious films, known as Red State, turned out to be one of his better films. I really love the acting from Michael Parks, as the insane sect leader Albin Cooper. Red State is a film i highly recommend everyone to see. Since Kevin Smith always have been busy, making all kinds of projects, i remember how excited i was to hear about a film called Tusk. This seemed to be something completely different from his previous work. The film turned out to be one of his best films in many years, simply because of the acting from Justin Long and Albin Cooper. Their scenes together is just a proof of how you do characters right, and make dialogue feel interesting. Tusk may not have made much money at the box office, but at least the film did get some positive reviews, even from myself. After Tusk came out, it seemed as if Kevin Smith was planning a trilogy, making three films from the Tusk idea. This sounded really fun, and when he finally announced that his next film would be called Yoga Hosers, i knew we might have something special to look forward to. It turned out that Yoga Hosers did not get a theatre release worldwide, so instead i had to see the dvd release instead. Since Tusk turned out to be such a great time, is this next chapter of the Kevin Smith new trilogy a step in the right direction, or should he have skipped making a sequel ?

Colleen Collette ( Lily-Rose Depp ) and Colleen McKenzie ( Harley Quinn Smith ) are two young girls, working in their ususal mini market store. They spend most of their time training Yoga, with their guru, Yogi Bayer ( Justin Long ). At school the girls learn about the Nazi Party, that once had an influence in Winnipeg. Led by the self-proclaimed " Canadian Fuhrer " Adrien Arcand ( Haley Joel Osment ), and his right-hand man Andronicus Arcane ( Ralph Garman ), the Canadian Nazis brought terror and destruction to society. Adrien was later arrested, but Andronicus was never found. But what the Colleen girls don´t know, is that Canadian Nazi Andronicus have been frozen down for many years, as he has awakened with an army of Bratzis, Bratwurst Sausage Nazis, that will help him finish his plans. But the Colleens use their Yoga powers to strike back, and with some help of Detective Guy LaPointe ( Johnnny Depp ), they will strike back against the Canadian Nazis.

Since i really enjoyed the film Tusk, and read that Yoga Hosers would be kind of a follow up to Tusk, i was hoping to see Kevin Smith deliver once again. Unfortunately, Yoga Hosers is no where as good as Tusk is, or his other classic films. What started off pretty fun, becomes a very odd mix of a comedy, joking about canadians and nazis. I love vulgar comedies that manage to combine comedy in a raw way. But only if it is made correctly. Yoga Hosers have so many strange scenes, and odd characters, it is hard to know what Kevin Smith wanted to show to the world with this film. I can understand he wanted to do something different from Tusk, and use some of the characters from that film again. But he should have done it in a different way, and still made fun of canadians. The so called funny scenes falls pretty flat, and i don´t really enjoy myself as much as i did in his previous film. I think Kevin Smith might have tried to throw in to many diffrerent elements in here, and the result is a film that fails. Main characters Colleen Collette and Colleen McKenzie, played by Lily-Rose Depp and Harley Quinn Smith, do their canadian characters once again from Tusk. They have a few funny scenes together, but the best character in this film is actually Jonny Depp as Guy LaPointe. His french detective character is so awful, that you have to enjoy his performance. Justin Long as the Yoga teacher Yogi Bayer is also pretty funny. Then we get nazi sausages running around, even a canadian satanist who wants a virgin. Director Kevin Smith is a good director, and he have proved himself over the years. Yoga Hosers is a film that seems to be made for a young generation. Nothing wrong with that, because his first films was specifically made for a younger audience. But times have changed, and i dont know if a film like this will find the right audience. I will say this though, i like that director Kevin Smith does not follow the same pattern in his films, he have many ideas and he only takes on projects that he enjoy. Since i was hoping this would be a film as good as Tusk, i can honestly say i am disappointed. Yoga Hosers is a film that most likely will be forgotten, and that is not a good sign. Just think of Clerks II, one of the best sequels i have seen in many years, there you could tell Kevin Smith knew exactly what he was doing. I suggest you put in Tusk again in your blu ray player, until the third film in the series is released. that is supposed to be called Moose Jaws. I actually love that title, let´s hope he get things right by then.

Rating: DD

söndag 20 november 2016

Sully

One of the most iconic actors, and directors that have always deliver solid quality films ( for the most part ), is the legend known as Clint Eastwood. From his early days in Hollywood, you could tell there was something special about him. His western films will always be some of the best film of this genre, especially his collaboration with legendary director Sergio Leone. As the 70´s kicked in, we got ourselves a new iconic character, known as Dirty Harry. The first film from 1971, is still today one of the best action films of the 70´s. Clint Eastwood´s rough language and bad temper, was just what the character of Dirty Harry needed. Dirty Harry continued his rampage in a number of films, and most of them were really good. But Clint Eastwood wanted to do so much more, than just action films. And i think he have managed to prove himself, especially in the films he have directed. One of my personal favourite films, that Clint Eastwood have directed, is without a doubt Million Dollar Baby. This film is one of those i can watch over and over again, and still enjoy it just as much as the first time i saw it. The story of a boxing trainer, who refuse to train a waitress called Maggie ( brilliantly played by Hillary Swift ), is a very powerful film. I am so pleased that Million Dollar Baby won 4 Academy Awards, especially for Best Picture in 2005. Clint continued to make many more great films, i should mention his very powerful film Mystic River. We could probably count in a lot of more titles, that so many people love. But i feel that we should talk about Gran Torino. Released in 2008, this was supposed to be the final film where Clint Eastwood made as an actor, but that did not turn out to be true. Still a really good film, with a lot of important issues between imagrants and american citizens. Do any of you rememeber the story of  Captain Chesley Sullenberger, who saved all people on a plane on January 15, 2009 ? This became national news, and i did hear it on tv news casts on many channels. Captain Cesley became a hero, and many civilians were so happy that he managed to get the passengers into safety. Of course, some people were curious to see if Chesley was the reason the plane crashed. Clint Eastwood decided to make a film, based on this historical event, and in the lead role we see Tom Hanks as Chesley Sullenberger. With a team of legends like this, in a very fascinating story, do we have another classic from director Clint Eastwood, or should someone else have taken this project instead ?

On January 15, 2009, Captain Chesley " Sully " Sullenberger ( Tom Hanks ), had to land on The Hudson River in New York, after the Airbus A320 strikes a flock of Canada geese, disabling both engines. All the passanegers manage to survive, but an investigation begins by the NTSB ( National Transportation Safety Board ) to see if Sully is responsible of the crash, or if he made the wrong choice. Sullys co pilot Jeffrey " Jeff " Skiles witnessed everything that Sully did, and he knows that Sully did not cause the crash. This is the start of a long journey, where Sully have to prove his innocence. Did he act correctly, or should he have handled this situation differently ?

Knowing that this film is based on a true story, you know it is hard not to be interested. This difficult landing could have gone terribly wrong, unless Chesley Sullenberger did what he had to do. Just imagine if he did not go into the Hudson River, everyone could have been dead. You get a sense that Chesley is a nice man, and he wants to do things right. Knowing the way he was treated by certain people, even though he saved all those people´s lives, is just awful. I can understand that you have to do a very big investigation, about what happened with the plane, and if the airpilots did the right choice. But it is clear that Chesley was not treated respectfully. Tom Hanks in the lead role, manage to make his portrait of Chesley Sullenberger feel realistic. His natural way to portrait people, and that shows in this film. We follow the story from what happened that day, when Captain Chesley Sullenberger and Jeff Skilles were flying the plane, before landing on the Hudson River. The biggest strength of the film Sully, is that it is easy to dig into this film, because it is both well made, and the acting holds good performances, both from Laura Linney and Aaron Eckhart ( remember his performance in I, Frankenstein ? ) Clint Eastwood have always been a good story teller, and there is of course no change here in Sully. We get a glimpse of how Sully fights, to make sure that he is not hold responsible for this accident, and we also get to see images of the crash. The films jumps between different time periods, but it does not become a problem. My only problem with the film Sully, is that it does not feel as powerful as many of Clint Eastwoods films from the past. He have made so many wonderful films, that you will never forget. Sully feels a bit too light, and not one of the films you will think of while talking about Clint Eastwood. With that said, this is still a well made film, and you feel curious about the case. The scenes where Sully is being questioned, about his health condition while he flied that day, gives you a glimpse of how hard it must be in his situation. Sully does not lift to the high level as Mystic River, or Million Dollar Baby, as i would have wanted this film to do. I still feel that you should see Sully for another reason, get your own opinion on this case, and understand the situation surrounding the case. Tom Hanks knows what he is doing, and i think he manage to make this film what it is, a solid drama with a very important story to tell. I feel like going on a flight now, and my coffee thermoses are coming along, just in case we land somewhere unexpected.

Rating: DDD

söndag 6 november 2016

Miss Peregrine´s Home For Peculiar Children

There are some directors who will always be known for their unique style, making films in their own way. And one of those directors i am thinking about, is of course legendary director Tim Burton. He have made so many classics over the years. Who have not seen Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, the two Batman films he directed ? We have to mention a classic, that not many might think of. Pee Wee´s Big Adventure from 1985. A fun ride with classic character Pee Wee Herman, looking for his stolen bicycle. I also enjoyed his film Ed Wood, based on the cult director that made some awful films back in the 50´s. Brilliant acted by Johnny Depp, a film i know some people have not seen, but should see it. Tim Burton have been involved in many films over many years, and the ones he have directed himself, is mostly really good. His style is hard to explain, because he have so many ideas, and manage to capture the audience with his vision. One of the films i have always loved from Tim Burton, is the 1999 horror film Sleepy Hollow. It is a bizarre horror film, but very well made, and the cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki is absolutely brilliant. The story of the headless horseman, who revenge everyone for his brutal death, is a classic story. Tim Burton proved himself to be the right man to direct this film. Even though i enjoy a lot of his films, i never really enjoyed his version of Planet Of The Apes. Somehow, i did not really connect with his vision of a remake, and the acting was not that good. Not even from legendary actor Tim Roth, who usually always deliver great performances. With that said, i always look forward to see what Tim Burton will get his hands on for a new project. So back in 2015, i read in a newspaper, that he would be directing a first film, based on the popular book called Miss Peregrine´s Home For Peculiar Children by author Ranson Riggs. This book spent 70 weeks on The New Yorks Times Best Sellers list for childrens books, so there is no surprise we would have a film adaptation. Knowing that Tim Burton would do this film, i was of course curious to see what he would do with the material. When i noticed the cast, i also felt pleased. How about Judi Dench, Terence Stamp, Samuel L. Jackson and Eva Green ? I had to see if this would be a great cinematic experience. Is this one of the best films of Tim Burton in a long time, or is this back to the level of Planet Of The Apes, and we should all avoid this one ?

For many years, Abe Portman ( Terence Stamp ) have been telling his 16 year old grandson Jake ( Asa Butterfield ) stoires about his childhood. How he battled monsters and survived World War II while living at Miss Peregrine´s Home For Peculiar Children. This home is located by the coast of Wales. One night, as Jake goes home to see his grandfather, he notice that something is not right. He finds Abe outside, and his eyes are completely black. Abe warns Jake that he should get away, and find his way to Wales. Jake is forced to go through therapy sessions, because his parents Maryann Portman ( Kim Dickens ), and Franklin Portman ( Chris O´Dowd ) belive that he have issues with the difference between reality and fantasy. His therapist suggest that Jake and his father Franklin, should go to Wales, just so Jake will know that Abe´s stories were just fictional, and not true. Franklin agrees, and they begin their journey. As they finally arrive into the small town, where this childrens home is supposed to be located, Jake gets help from the locals to find the orphanage. It turns out it is in ruins, after World War II. But as he enters the house, he notice that he is being watched and falls, hitting his head. As he wakes up, he is introduced to Miss Peregrine ( Eva Green ) and her particual children. The year is 1943, and he finds out that they are stuck in a time loop. Every night they repeat the same day over and over again, when the orphanage is being bombed. Jake begins to become a part of this orphanage, and he especially is drawn to a sweet girl called Emma Bloom ( Ella Purnell ). Every child in this orphanage, have special powers, and they all help each other out. Miss Peregrine is worried about the childrens safety, because the evil Mr. Barron ( Samuel L. Jackson ) and his companions are out to get them. Is Jake the key to get the children to safety, or is there another explanation to why he was called to the orphanage ?

Since i have not read one of the books, that this film is based on, i can´t compare them and say if Tim Burton manage to capture the tone of the novel. But if you look at this film from a pure entertainment perspective, i have to say that Tim Burton knows exactly how to do fantasy, adventure films. You have strong characters here, especially Miss Peregrine, really good acted by Eva Green. Her screen presence shines throughout the whole film. I also enjoy the performance of legendary actor Terence Stamp. His scenes fill this movie with a taste of sweetness, because he knows exactly how to make his character. Lead actor Asa Butterfield ( remember him from the funny Rambo tribute Son Of Rambow? ) also deliver a solid performance, as the shy and bullied young man Jake. Let´s not forget to mention that Samuel L. Jackson also manage to make a good performance, as the evil Mr. Barron. You can tell that director Tim Burton have tried to use his skills, to make you feel that you are in the world of Miss Peregrine and her particular children. Every child have special skills, so you will see them do different things, in situations, when they are needed. All the children do a great job, and one in particular should be mentioned. English actor Ella Purnell is wonderful as the aerokinetic Emma Bloom. Her character is a great female role model for young women, and for a film like this it is great to see that Tim Burton understood that. The film itself looks good for the most part, and you do have fun while you follow the story of Jake, trying to understand the secrets around the children´s home. I will say this, even though i enjoy this film, it is not as enjoyable as some of Tim Burton´s biggest classics. But that´s ok, because i think he have still managed to do this film in a worthy adaptation. His way to build characters, and put details in locations, have always been his strength, and he prove that here as well. I love the creepy twins Joseph and Thomas Odwell, they reminded me of the creepy child from the spanish horror film The Orphanage ( a really good horror film ). When they show up with their weird look, and odd behavior, you can´t resist them. Miss Peregrine´s Home For Particular Children is a great film adaptation done by Tim Burton, and i have a feeling that people of all ages will enjoy this adventure. There is something for everyone in here, but you should know that this might be scary for younger kids. I am looking forward to see a sequel, and hopefully we will get to see Miss Peregrine even more next time. I absolutely love the performance of Eva Green, can someone please nominate her for a Golden Globe Award ? 

Rating: DDD

lördag 5 november 2016

King Cobra

The porn industry have always been controversial. Ever since the early days of Linda Lovelace, as she shocked the world with Deep Throat, people have protested and hated porn. Ron Jeremy is of course one of the biggest legends in the porn industry, and he have had his share of negative reactions. But the truth is that the porn business was very big, people would make lots of money on VHS sales, on magazines. and in adult cinemas. As the millenium came along, porn on internet grew very fast, and dvd´s were the next big thing. I used to go to strip clubs, sex clubs, even visiting whore houses in Germany in my youth. At that time, you were excited to see a different world, far away from the ordinary day life. I remember when me and my friend Robert sat down in early 2000, in a adult cinema in Gothenburgh, watching a porn film. It felt very strange sitting in a cinema, full of people jerking off, firing their shots all over the cinema seats. You could probably say that there was enough sperm in this place, to fill up a sperm bank in no time. At the strip clubs, me and Robert ordered in drinks, and just watched the shows, these women went wild, you can pretty much imagine what this means. I also remember the VHS and dvd store, next to the strip club, people were buying porn films of all kinds, latex, bondage, threesomes, lesbians, anything you wanted to see was here. There was always one category that was controversial, for many reasons. And that was the gay sex films, with men having sex. Me personally dont get turned on by watching this, perhaps because i always been attracted to women. But i don´t thing there is anything wrong with liking that, we all have our sexual attractions. Porn will always be around us, no matter how much especially feminists complain, and call it satans work. So i think the best way to handle this, is not to let it bother you. If people want to watch films, let them do so. There are bigger problems in this world. Around april this year, i was reading about a new film that was coming out called King Cobra. Reading that this film is based on the biographical story of gay porn actor Brent Corrigan. What made me curious about this film, was the cast. James Franco, Christian Slater, Molly Ringwald and Alicia Silverstone ? Almost like a big reunion of the 80´s and 90´s stars, with James Franco included. And the story itself seemed to be controversial. As the film King Cobra was finally released in selected theatres, and on VOD, i took some time to see if it was worth the positive reviews. Do we have another really good independent film in our hands, or did the premise look too good to be true ?

Sean Paul Lockhart ( Garret Clayton ), also known as Brent Corrigan, is working hard to release more gay porn films, with his boss Stephen ( Christian Slater ). Stephen takes care of all the publicity, titles, and welcome in new talents, as long as Brent is doing his part. Brent is beginning to wonder if he should drop out, especially when he finds out how little he is paid for every film he have made over the years. Stephen finds out and is furious. Brent is no longer a part of the gay film company Cobra Video, so he decides to look for another similar job.  He contact Joe ( James Franco ) who is willing to help him out, if he agree to do a film as Brent Corrigan ( his stage name ). Since Brent is locked on a contract with Stephen, he cant use his stage name. He needs the money, and is willing to take risks. But Stephen is not giving away his star that easily. He created the character Brent Coorigan, and he will make sure that no one will destroy his plans for the next film.

I have not seen any of Brent Corrigan´s films, when he made a career in the adult film industry. But it is not hard to guess, how his films might have been. You get a sense of that here in King Cobra. The gay porn actors could not act at all, so it was all basically about sex. I really don´t care about the sex scenes in King Cobra, i am more interested in the character called Stephen. This character is loosely based on the murdered gay porn producer Bryan Kocis. Christian Slater, who plays Stephen, really surprised me. When was the last time you have seen Christian Slater make a really good performance ? I personally think that this could be his best acting performance in many years. James Franco as the gay film maker Joe, is both really funny and wild. Some scenes where he asks his favourite gay actor, to take him harder, made me laugh quite a bit. The lead actor Garret Clayton also deliver a pretty solid performance. The biggest reason why King Cobra is an interesting view in the porn industry, is to see how far people are willing to go, just to make more money. To make a profit for every film, is everything that matters. Of course, you get a sense that there is a tragedy behind these young mens lives. Is this really what they want to do, or is there a better life out there ?  Director Justin Kelly have directed several films in the past, and there is one film we should mention from 2015 film called I Am Michael. In this film he worked with James Franco, as James played Michael Glatze. He was a gay activist who became a Christian pastor. In King Cobra, it seems that director Justin Kelly have tried to dig deeper into the gay world. He does not show too much from the adult film making, instead he focuses on the characters more. And this is a great idea, because with solid characters you can tell a story more focused. Another detail i thing director Justin Kelly manage to do, is to capture the feeling of a pervert, when we see Christian Slater being turned on by younger men. I suppose this was necessary to get that feeling, of how some people are in the industry. As the serious tone become more clear, towards the end of the film, you realise that this is a serious business. King Cobra did not shock me as much as i thought it would, but i will say i enjoy this film for trying to dig into this business. Could it have been more raw ? Yes, but still we have a solid film with a lot to say. I really hope Christian Slater will have a nomination at some festival for his performance here. He deserves a nomination this year, and i suggest you give this film a chance.

Rating: DDD

tisdag 1 november 2016

Nerve

Internet have changed our lives completely. We don´t have to do everything as we used to do, we can shop online, check our bank account, order food, be social with the whole world through Facebook or Twitter. Back in the 90´s, when internet came, i remember that we only had very few options. We could read news on web pages, check out upcoming films, design, restaurants recommendations, and some other stuff. As the millennium entered, we were seeing how internet kept growing, and developing our life styles in a complete different way. These days you can pretty much do everything online. And it is fascinating how much internet control us, no matter where we are in this world, we can go online and tell anything we want. But is everything good about the social networks ? Of course there will be always be problems. Especially when people fake their identities, or steal other peoples money. Since i spoke about the 90´s earlier, there was actually a film that was ahead of its time called The Net. A great thriller, where Sandra Bullock get her identity stolen through internet. This film came out in 1995, at a time when internet was on the verge of becoming very popular, so the film makers knew exactly how to use the topic into this film. Even if the film may be over 20 years old, it still shows that this could still happen today. Sandra Bullock did a great performance, and i suggest you rent this film, especially for nostalgic reasons. Legendary director Michael Mann, tried to do an action thriller, about computers and internet, in a film called Blackhat. Chris Hemsworth was not very good, and the film felt too simple to care about. Around early spring time, as i was sitting in a cinema, trailers started to roll. And one of the film trailers that was shown, was a film called Nerve. I have never heard about this film before, not even online. Usually this is a bad sign, as if the film company does not feel confident in a film to promote it. My first reaction to the trailer was, this could be something to check out. Especially because of the lead role, Emma Roberts. A actor most of you probably remember from Scream 4 and We´re The Millers. Since i never went to see Nerve in a cinema, i too the chance to see it on blu ray instead. Is Nerve a high qualilty thriller, or is the concept too mainstream to care about ?

High school senior Venus " Vee " Delmoncio receives an email from California Institute of the arts, reminding her to accept or reject admission. This is something Vee have not told her mother Nancy ( Juliette Lewis ) about, while Nancy hopes her daughter have chosen a college close to home. Ever since Vee´s little brother died, the relationship between Vee and Nancy is very sensitive. Vee finds comfort with one of her closest friends, Tommy ( Miles Heizer ). Vee notice that her friend Sydney ( Emelie Meade ) is very popular in the game called Verve. The idea is to let the game control your choices. If you follow the rules, and complete a mission, you will be paid in cash. Since Vee is curious about the game, she accepts to join in. She also get to know another Nerve player called Sam ( Dave Franco ), as they tag along to win as many challenges as possible, But is there a prize to pay, for all the choices they make ?

We have seen films before, where they use ideas from the internet. So in that sense i can´t say that Nerve is very original. However, since this is supposed to be a game, of a very different kind, things become a bit more fun. Once the challenges are being accepted, we are going to different locations across the city. Some challenges are fun, while some feel less interesting. But where Nerve manage to pick up, is the idea of your life being controlled through a game. If you don´t follow the rules, it all ends. You could say that Nerve is a modern teen thriller, made for especially a young generation. But i think you can watch this film, no matter what age you have, just to get a glimpse of how we can be fooled by technology. Just think how obsessed we could become, knowing that you can make a lot of money, if you are prepared to do whatever this game tells you to do ? Directors Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost, have worked together on directing Paranormal Activity 3 and 4, and Nerve is another collaboration. I will say this, if you compare their previous film Paranormal Activity 4, this is definitely an improvement. They have focused more, on trying to do something outside of the horror genre, and that is a good idea. Even if Nerve hold some good ideas, there is something we could have skipped in here. The romantic moments feels too predictable, and boring. If Nerve could have stayed with some more intensive moments, we might actually had something more to be happy about. Lead actor Emma Roberts, ( who did a great performance in the funny comedy The Winning Season ), is the strength of the film Nerve. I would not say this is one of her stronger performances, but she fits her character well. Plus she is an experienced actor, so you can tell she knows how to develope a character. Miles Heizer also does a great performance, as the soft guy Tommy, who tries to make Vee understand her choices.  Once the film switch from a playful view, to become more serious, this is where Nerve works best. The dramatic parts simply don´t function as they should have. Overall, a surprise for me personally. Nerve is not as bad as you might expect it to be. I was going to play Xbox One live tonight, i think i might stick to reading the Jehovas Witnesses latest paper instead. No cyber demons can reach me there, or could they ?

Rating: DDD