Child actors come and go, and only a few manage to continue their careers after they grow as adults. We all know what happened to Macaulay Culkin. In the end of the 80´s, we noticed his potential in Uncle Buck with John Candy. He became a superstar in the comedy Home Alone, and seemed to be unstoppable. The sequel Home Alone 2 also was a massive hit in the box office, but things were about to change. When he did a thriller called The Good Son, in 1993, the audience, or the critics were not so pleased. I remember the film, and to be honest, it was not very good. At that time, when i was 16 years old, i might have enjoyed it. But looking back, i feel that it was just a try to make a simple thriller, just to make money at the box office. Speaking of the film The Good Son, we also noticed another child actor named Elijah Wood. You could tell that they were both different, from an acting perspective. While Macaulay Culkin´s career was going down the drain, Elijah Wood managed to continue working in the movie industry, and made himself known for his acting ability. One of the earliest proofs where Elijah Wood showed his acting skills, was in a film from 1997, called Ice Storm, by director Ang Lee. This is a very good drama film, with really good acting also from Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Christina Ricci, Tobey Maguire and Joan Allen. The film was a box office bomb ( unfortunately ), but critics loved the film. It is one of those films not many people heard about, that should have found a bigger audience. The whole world probably knew who Elijah Wood was, when he took the role as Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson´s version of The Lord Of The Rings. With 2 more sequels, that became massive box office hits all over the world, Elijah Wood was now on everyone´s lips. Some actors might just go and make films, that are guaranteed to be box office hits, but Elijah proofed himself by doing smaller films, most of the time. One of the films, that had an amazing cast, for such a limited budget, was a film called Bobby. Some of the actors in this film is Sharon Stone, Anthony Hopkins, Christian Slater, Shia LaBeouf, Helen Hunt, Laurence Fishburne, Ashton Kutcher and many more. If you have not seen this one, i recommend that you do rent it. Not that long ago, Elijah Wood was the lead actor in a very good thriller called Grand Piano. I simply loved this film, because it had a very intelligent plot. How many of you would have guessed that Elijah Wood would show up in a zombie film ? I never would have guessed, but with the film Cooties, it looks like he is trying this genre. Since he is such a great actor, and have tried so many different characters, and genres, does he fit into the zombie horror genre really well, or should he have stayed away from this ?
In the small town of Ft. Chicken, horror writer Clint Hudson ( Elijah Wood ) have moved back to his hometown, after trying to live in New York. He agree to work extra, as an teacher at Ft. Chicken Elementary. There in the coffee room, Clint meet his high school crush, Lucy McCormick ( Alison Pill ), who works here as an teacher. It seems that he still have feelings for her, after all these years. One of Clint´s students called Shelly Linker ( Sunny May Allison ), have eaten a chicken nugget with black spots. She begins to act strange, and her face is changing. Not knowing what is happening to her, Clint is shocked to see Shelly attack a student, biting a flesh wound in his face. This is just the beginning of a virus outbreak, where the kids are becoming affected, and turned into zombies. Clint and Shelly, get together with the other teachers Wade Johnson ( Rain Wilsson ), Tamra ( Morgan Lily ), Tracy Lacy ( Jack McBrayer ) and their collegues, just to hide and protect themselves. They have no idea how to stop these infected kids, and they have no idea how to get out. They will have to figure out, how to survive, without any help from the outside.
Some of you might think that this is a pure horror film. The fact is that this is more of a horror comedy. There is an horror undertone within the plot, but it is basically mostly built on comedy material. If you are not a fan of zombies, i doubt Cooties will change your mind. Besides, you have to appreciate this genre to enjoy the substance. One of the things that makes Cooties a fun experience, is the mixture of classic horror ingredients, combined with characters that have some serious big problems, on a personal level. One of the funniest scenes in the film, is when the teachers meet Elijah´s character in the coffee room, where he finds out they love Jason Patric, especially from his films The Lost Boys and...Speed 2. I just love it when they look serious, as if they loved Speed 2, when in fact most people in this world hated that sequel. If you by some reason have not seen Speed 2, be happy that you skipped it. The biggest advantage of Cooties, is the teacher characters, especially the character known as Wade Johnson, played by Rainn Wilson. His 80´s style fits the school so bad, you just have to love him, and of course the fact that he loves Jason Patric. I also enjoy the character Tracy Lacy, played by Jack McBrayer. He both looks feminine, and i just love the scene where he says that he played with his tennis coach hairy balls. Of course, that is the first thing you want to tell your collegues at work. Director Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion have made a film, that reminds me of another version of The Faculty meets Dawn Of The Dead. It is not hard to understand that we are not dealing with anything original, but that is ok. This is still a fun tribute to many films from the past, and who does not love zombie kids ? There is blood, guts, flesh wounds, and other classic elements here that we have seen many times before. But from a B movie perspective, Cooties deliver, especially thanks to the great cast. Shaun Of The Dead is still the funniest horror comedy in modern times, and it looks like no title will beat that film. Still, i do enjoy a good time, and Cooties does not fail to please me. I am pretty sure i could be the greatest zombie killer ever, besides, i have 3 seasons on dvd with Miami Vice. I have learned everything i need to know from Don Johnson.
Rating: DDD
måndag 30 november 2015
In december, it is time for another Shout! Factory blu ray review
Hello everyone!
Daniel here, Sweden´s greatest film critic of all time. For those of you who have been following my movie review blog, you know i throw out some surprises sometimes. So it was a while ago i did any reviews on the blu ray releases from Shout! Factory, who bring out old movies, on new releases. Last time i did a review was the film Monkey Shines, by director George A. Romero, so i think it is time to do another one before the year ends.
This time i have chosen a film i have not seen yet, it is called I, Madman. This film was directed by Tibor Takácks, a man who have made both films and tv series. I actually noticed that he directed Sabrina Goes To Rome, a film that i hope he regrets doing. But we are here to talk about his horror film I, Madman, that i will post a review on in december. I will come back with more reviews from Shout! Factory in 2016, because i know a lot of people love this company who put out old forgotten films, in brand new editions. Thanks for reading my reviews, more are coming up in december, so stay tuned.
Cheers from Daniel
Daniel here, Sweden´s greatest film critic of all time. For those of you who have been following my movie review blog, you know i throw out some surprises sometimes. So it was a while ago i did any reviews on the blu ray releases from Shout! Factory, who bring out old movies, on new releases. Last time i did a review was the film Monkey Shines, by director George A. Romero, so i think it is time to do another one before the year ends.
This time i have chosen a film i have not seen yet, it is called I, Madman. This film was directed by Tibor Takácks, a man who have made both films and tv series. I actually noticed that he directed Sabrina Goes To Rome, a film that i hope he regrets doing. But we are here to talk about his horror film I, Madman, that i will post a review on in december. I will come back with more reviews from Shout! Factory in 2016, because i know a lot of people love this company who put out old forgotten films, in brand new editions. Thanks for reading my reviews, more are coming up in december, so stay tuned.
Cheers from Daniel
söndag 29 november 2015
Last Shift
I enjoy working night shifts. In my youth, i used to work night shifts, both at a company called Odal, and at different health care homes. Sometimes it was hard, since you had to stay awake all night long. So i used a lot of coffee, and energy drinks to make it work. One of the problems with working night shifts, is that your sleep does not always get enough hours. But, since the payment was better, and i did not mind the late hours, i choosed to stay instead of going back to daytime shifts. One of the things i do remember, is working with some very strange patients, who could be very odd at night. I can´t really go into what happened, because of rules, but there were some creepy moments. To be able to work night shifts, you have to be able to adjust yourself, both mentally and physically. I can tell you all the times i fell asleep, on the bus, going home. I remember people had to wake me up, just to let me know that the bus end station is almost there. Nowdays i work 25 hours shifts, in health care, and i like it very much. Long shifts, but more free time to plan all kinds of activities. There are a lot of occupations where you have to work night shifts. Just look at Police Officers, who have to be out on the streets, no matter what the situation is. You have to admire them, for putting up with all kinds of difficult situations, and i feel that people need to stop talking shit about police. Sure, everyone may not be good, but in general i belive we need to trust them. They are only humans, who dedicate their lives to protect and serve. Now, let´s imagine something in our minds. Think about yourself as an police officer, working a night shift in an abandon police station, while strange things are happening ? Does not sound like the perfect way to spend the weekend. New horror film Last Shift seems to bring this subject into the storyline. I accidently heard about this film on an podcast, where 2 film critics were talking about new releases, and their own recommendations. I never heard of Last Shift before, but after listening to the podcast, i decided that i had to check it out. When i noticed that Last Shift is directed by Anthony DiBlasi, i remembered his film Cassadaga from 2011. This was a low budget horror film, that actually had some nice treats along the way. Curious to see his latest film, is this the best work so far from director Anthony DiBlasi, or is he running out of ideas, like most Hollywood directors are ?
Police officer Jessica Loren ( Juliana Harkavy ) is asked to do a last shift, in an abandoned police station. As she arrives, she gets all the information she needs from a police officer, who give her a round tour of the building. She is told to just be in the building, until her shift is over. After a while, at the beginning of the shift, she is getting phone calls from a woman, saying she is in trouble. Jessica tries to find out who the woman is, but the call breaks up. Jessica contact dispatch, where she is told not to use the phone. And she is also told that if the woman contacts her again, she have to call 911 instead. As the night shift becomes late, strange things begin to happen. A homeless man is suddenly standing in the entrance, peeing on the floor. She throws him out, but later finds him inside the building again, up on a shelf. She decides to lock him up, since he can not walk around like this. As the night goes on, strange things begin to happen in different rooms, and Jessica see strange people showing up from nowhere. What seemed to be an ordinary night shift, is soon becoming a nightmare.
To be honest people, i am very pleased. Last Shift is actually one of the better horror films released this year, and i will explain why. This is a very simple horror film, but what makes Last Shift work so well is the camera work by director Anthony DiBlasi, and the lead actor Juliana Harkavy. The atmosphere with the well made camera angles, makes this film more creepy than many other mainstream releases. The religious theme, that is presented later on in the film, fits really good with the plot, when you put the pieces together of what is going on. Another detail that i like, is that the whole film takes place in the same building, and still you never get bored, because of director Anthony DiBlasi´s visual direction. I would not say that there are many fresh ideas here, but once you get the puzzle, and what the message is, i still feel that the concept feels tasteful. While watching Last Shift, i noticed that director Anthony DiBlasi might be influenced by John Carpenter´s classic film Assault On Precint 13 from 1976. That film takes place inside a police station, but with a completely different plot. The characters are not that many, if you look at the few actors who shows up for a few minutes. But that´s ok, lead actor Juliana Harkavy manage to make the film interesting with her presence. If you have been watching The Walking Dead, you might remember her character Alisha from Season 4. She have also been in a couple of films, like the film Dolphin Tale, who is popular among family movies. I would say that this might be the best performance i have seen her do, in Last Shift, outside of The Walking Dead series. Hopefully she have something else interesting waiting for us to see in 2016. It is great to see that horror films are not completely knocked out in 2015, that we still have some hope left. Last Shift may not be original, or will change the horror genre in any way, but this is still better than i have expected. I suggest you give this film a chance, who knows, you might actually find yourself having a good time.
Lesson learn kids, never get a night shift inside an abandoned building, The Dansband Demons might attack you, when you least expect it.
Rating: DDD
Police officer Jessica Loren ( Juliana Harkavy ) is asked to do a last shift, in an abandoned police station. As she arrives, she gets all the information she needs from a police officer, who give her a round tour of the building. She is told to just be in the building, until her shift is over. After a while, at the beginning of the shift, she is getting phone calls from a woman, saying she is in trouble. Jessica tries to find out who the woman is, but the call breaks up. Jessica contact dispatch, where she is told not to use the phone. And she is also told that if the woman contacts her again, she have to call 911 instead. As the night shift becomes late, strange things begin to happen. A homeless man is suddenly standing in the entrance, peeing on the floor. She throws him out, but later finds him inside the building again, up on a shelf. She decides to lock him up, since he can not walk around like this. As the night goes on, strange things begin to happen in different rooms, and Jessica see strange people showing up from nowhere. What seemed to be an ordinary night shift, is soon becoming a nightmare.
To be honest people, i am very pleased. Last Shift is actually one of the better horror films released this year, and i will explain why. This is a very simple horror film, but what makes Last Shift work so well is the camera work by director Anthony DiBlasi, and the lead actor Juliana Harkavy. The atmosphere with the well made camera angles, makes this film more creepy than many other mainstream releases. The religious theme, that is presented later on in the film, fits really good with the plot, when you put the pieces together of what is going on. Another detail that i like, is that the whole film takes place in the same building, and still you never get bored, because of director Anthony DiBlasi´s visual direction. I would not say that there are many fresh ideas here, but once you get the puzzle, and what the message is, i still feel that the concept feels tasteful. While watching Last Shift, i noticed that director Anthony DiBlasi might be influenced by John Carpenter´s classic film Assault On Precint 13 from 1976. That film takes place inside a police station, but with a completely different plot. The characters are not that many, if you look at the few actors who shows up for a few minutes. But that´s ok, lead actor Juliana Harkavy manage to make the film interesting with her presence. If you have been watching The Walking Dead, you might remember her character Alisha from Season 4. She have also been in a couple of films, like the film Dolphin Tale, who is popular among family movies. I would say that this might be the best performance i have seen her do, in Last Shift, outside of The Walking Dead series. Hopefully she have something else interesting waiting for us to see in 2016. It is great to see that horror films are not completely knocked out in 2015, that we still have some hope left. Last Shift may not be original, or will change the horror genre in any way, but this is still better than i have expected. I suggest you give this film a chance, who knows, you might actually find yourself having a good time.
Lesson learn kids, never get a night shift inside an abandoned building, The Dansband Demons might attack you, when you least expect it.
Rating: DDD
Close Range
When i grew up as a kid, most of my family loved watching swedish comedies, swedish drama series. I tried to watch this also, and the only film i can remember that at least was pretty funny was called Sunes Sommar. One of the few swedish family movies that shows what swedes are like on camping vacation. But i always had a passion, looking for something else. And it all started with my grandmother Maj, who let me watch horror movies, even if i was too young. I discovered brutal violence, murders, and martial arts of course. VHS video violence became a lifestyle, that gave me a better view on the world. I have talked about this subject many times before, and when it comes to writing reviews on action films, this becomes an important issue. Without Chuck Norris, Dolph Lungren, Bruce Lee, Michael Dudikoff or Jean-Claude Van Damme, i would not be the intelligent man i am today. So how does video violence give you intelligence ? Let me explain really simple. You can´t solve all problems by paper, that´s why you use special kicks or an M60, to clean up the mess. You see politicians of Sweden, i should be the next prime minister, since you need bigger balls.
Let´s get back to the review.
Ever since martial arts became very popular, from the early days of Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris and David Carradine, i have followed many great action stars along the way. Remember Billy Blanks, Don " The Dragon Wilson, or perhaps Bolo Yeung ? The 80´s and 90´s will always be close to my heart. back in those days the budget did not matter, it was all about making action films with cheesy dialogue. B action movies are still being made even today, but there are some differences. In the movie industry today, you can make really well made action films for a very low budget. What you need is a director with a vision, and who knows his classic B movie elements, combined with the right lead actor. One actor who can do almost anything look great, is without a doubt legendary actor Scott Adkins. He is fantastic in martial arts, and he knows how to make action films look great. One more detail that we should mention, is that he is not a terrible actor, because he is one of the few who can combine acting in action films. One of my personal favourite films with Scott Adkins, is without a dout Ninja - Shadow Of A Tear. This is a really insane action film, so well made that your nuts will most likely explode of joy. If you have not seen it yet, go down and buy it on dvd, or blu ray. It is one of those films that should be next to your The Godfather dvd collection. Another film we have to mention is of course Universal Soldier - Day Of Reckoning. An action film so good, you never want it to stop, with the amazing cast of Scott Adkins, Dolph Lundgren, Jean - Claude Van Damme and Andrei Arlovski. One of the things i love about Scott Adkins, is that he is very passionate about keeping the B movie industry alive, telling people to support the films he and many other actors make. I try to tell people all the time, that we need to show our support, to make sure that B action films can be made in the future. So whenever i see that Adkins releases another film, i am always there to check his latest projects out. Close Range is a film i recently got a chance to see, with Adkins of course, doing another action film for B movie lovers. Since i have always been a fan of his work, is this film another proof that he knows what he is doing, or is his choice of films becoming weaker for each year ?
Colton MacReady ( Scott Adkins ) is an ex military, who is sent to rescue his estranged niece Hailey Reynolds ( Madison Lawlor ). She is a prisoner of the mexican drug cartel, but Colton manage to get inside and clean up the place. He takes Hailey with him back to her home, but the happy reunion does not last very long. Corrupted Sheriff Jasper Calloway ( Nick Chinlund ) is send my drug lord Fernando Garcia ( Tony Perez ), to take care of Colton. He fails, as well as his men, to finish the job. Fernando have already a back up plan, as he sends out his crew, including Lobo ( Anthony L. Fernandez ), Victor Garcia ( Ray Diaz ), Ignacio ( Julien Cesario ) among others. Colton stole a very important USB stick, with very sensitive information, that no one is supposed to know about. Fernando will do anything to get the USB stick back, no matter how many people will be killed.
Earlier this year, people were hysterical about 50 Shades Of Grey, because it was supposed to be so erotic and so emotional. I did watch the film, but i ended up wondering what the big fuzz is all about ? I think people need to understand that these kinds of movies are not the ones who are supposed to be shown in cinemas worldwide. You can watch naked girls at the local strip club, or just buy a dvd of Rocco Invades Poland instead, and get more value instead of 50 Shades Of Grey. I think this is the time, where B action movies should get more respect, and shown for audiences worldwide, so a younger generation can learn what quality is all about. If we could have had Ninja - Shadow Of A Tear on screen in almost every country, i have a feeling that people would have cared less about 50 Shades. Close Range may not be as good as Ninja - Shadown Of A Tear, but this is still a pretty solid action film, that fits for a Friskis & Svettis christmas dinner evening. We have the classic elements of a revenge story, and we have the drug cartel ingredients we have seen before. Even if Close Range brings nothing new to the genre, or something unexpected, it is nice sometimes just to get some kick ass action brought to your family gathering. Scott Adkins still does what he knows best, using his brutal martial arts fighting skills, and shows how you should do in congress, instead of talking statistics. Director Isaac Florentine have worked together with Scott Adkins in many of his films, like Undisputed 2, Undisputed 3, Ninja, and the really good sequel Ninja - Shadow Of A Tear. He is a good action director, and you can tell that he have passion for this genre. If we compare the other films that Isaac Florentine have made together with Adkins, in the past, Close Range definetely looks different. This is a different revenge story from the Ninja films, with some other details. That the film takes place in the desert areas of Arizona, makes me think of Walker Texas Ranger. I can even see influences from Lorenzo Lamas old classic tv show Renegade here. The acting is not that great from the cast, so the only thing that matters is the action scenes. The plot is very simple, and you don´t have to think too much. Close Range is a classic action film, almost made as this is a tribute to Walker Texas Ranger, but without a sheriff in Chuck Norris clothes. I would probably say this is not one of the better films, with the duo of Florentine and Adkins, but have enough entertainment value for B movie lovers. I still recommend that you see Ninja - Shadow Of A Tear, if you want to see a really good Scott Adkins film. If you did enjoy Walker Texas Ranger in the 90´s, then Close Range will bring you back into that atmosphere. I feel like dressing up in tight jeans, with a shirt and a cowboy hat. But don´t tell anyone i am going to Ray´s Bar for a brokeback ride, a true gentleman never reveal their secrets.
Rating: DDD
Let´s get back to the review.
Ever since martial arts became very popular, from the early days of Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris and David Carradine, i have followed many great action stars along the way. Remember Billy Blanks, Don " The Dragon Wilson, or perhaps Bolo Yeung ? The 80´s and 90´s will always be close to my heart. back in those days the budget did not matter, it was all about making action films with cheesy dialogue. B action movies are still being made even today, but there are some differences. In the movie industry today, you can make really well made action films for a very low budget. What you need is a director with a vision, and who knows his classic B movie elements, combined with the right lead actor. One actor who can do almost anything look great, is without a doubt legendary actor Scott Adkins. He is fantastic in martial arts, and he knows how to make action films look great. One more detail that we should mention, is that he is not a terrible actor, because he is one of the few who can combine acting in action films. One of my personal favourite films with Scott Adkins, is without a dout Ninja - Shadow Of A Tear. This is a really insane action film, so well made that your nuts will most likely explode of joy. If you have not seen it yet, go down and buy it on dvd, or blu ray. It is one of those films that should be next to your The Godfather dvd collection. Another film we have to mention is of course Universal Soldier - Day Of Reckoning. An action film so good, you never want it to stop, with the amazing cast of Scott Adkins, Dolph Lundgren, Jean - Claude Van Damme and Andrei Arlovski. One of the things i love about Scott Adkins, is that he is very passionate about keeping the B movie industry alive, telling people to support the films he and many other actors make. I try to tell people all the time, that we need to show our support, to make sure that B action films can be made in the future. So whenever i see that Adkins releases another film, i am always there to check his latest projects out. Close Range is a film i recently got a chance to see, with Adkins of course, doing another action film for B movie lovers. Since i have always been a fan of his work, is this film another proof that he knows what he is doing, or is his choice of films becoming weaker for each year ?
Colton MacReady ( Scott Adkins ) is an ex military, who is sent to rescue his estranged niece Hailey Reynolds ( Madison Lawlor ). She is a prisoner of the mexican drug cartel, but Colton manage to get inside and clean up the place. He takes Hailey with him back to her home, but the happy reunion does not last very long. Corrupted Sheriff Jasper Calloway ( Nick Chinlund ) is send my drug lord Fernando Garcia ( Tony Perez ), to take care of Colton. He fails, as well as his men, to finish the job. Fernando have already a back up plan, as he sends out his crew, including Lobo ( Anthony L. Fernandez ), Victor Garcia ( Ray Diaz ), Ignacio ( Julien Cesario ) among others. Colton stole a very important USB stick, with very sensitive information, that no one is supposed to know about. Fernando will do anything to get the USB stick back, no matter how many people will be killed.
Earlier this year, people were hysterical about 50 Shades Of Grey, because it was supposed to be so erotic and so emotional. I did watch the film, but i ended up wondering what the big fuzz is all about ? I think people need to understand that these kinds of movies are not the ones who are supposed to be shown in cinemas worldwide. You can watch naked girls at the local strip club, or just buy a dvd of Rocco Invades Poland instead, and get more value instead of 50 Shades Of Grey. I think this is the time, where B action movies should get more respect, and shown for audiences worldwide, so a younger generation can learn what quality is all about. If we could have had Ninja - Shadow Of A Tear on screen in almost every country, i have a feeling that people would have cared less about 50 Shades. Close Range may not be as good as Ninja - Shadown Of A Tear, but this is still a pretty solid action film, that fits for a Friskis & Svettis christmas dinner evening. We have the classic elements of a revenge story, and we have the drug cartel ingredients we have seen before. Even if Close Range brings nothing new to the genre, or something unexpected, it is nice sometimes just to get some kick ass action brought to your family gathering. Scott Adkins still does what he knows best, using his brutal martial arts fighting skills, and shows how you should do in congress, instead of talking statistics. Director Isaac Florentine have worked together with Scott Adkins in many of his films, like Undisputed 2, Undisputed 3, Ninja, and the really good sequel Ninja - Shadow Of A Tear. He is a good action director, and you can tell that he have passion for this genre. If we compare the other films that Isaac Florentine have made together with Adkins, in the past, Close Range definetely looks different. This is a different revenge story from the Ninja films, with some other details. That the film takes place in the desert areas of Arizona, makes me think of Walker Texas Ranger. I can even see influences from Lorenzo Lamas old classic tv show Renegade here. The acting is not that great from the cast, so the only thing that matters is the action scenes. The plot is very simple, and you don´t have to think too much. Close Range is a classic action film, almost made as this is a tribute to Walker Texas Ranger, but without a sheriff in Chuck Norris clothes. I would probably say this is not one of the better films, with the duo of Florentine and Adkins, but have enough entertainment value for B movie lovers. I still recommend that you see Ninja - Shadow Of A Tear, if you want to see a really good Scott Adkins film. If you did enjoy Walker Texas Ranger in the 90´s, then Close Range will bring you back into that atmosphere. I feel like dressing up in tight jeans, with a shirt and a cowboy hat. But don´t tell anyone i am going to Ray´s Bar for a brokeback ride, a true gentleman never reveal their secrets.
Rating: DDD
söndag 22 november 2015
Red Sonja
Let´s go back in time, to a year where film studios still made some really fun 80´s movies. The year we are about to enter is 1985. Most people would think of Michael J. Fox in the cult classic Back To The Future. But we have some more films to discuss on this year. Does anyone of you remember Iron Eagle, the action film about a young pilot, who travels to the middle east to save his father from terrorists ? This was a year before Top Gun, and if you ask me personally, i enjoyed Iron Eagle more, especially with Louis Gosset, Jr as an retired vietnam war hero. The song One Vision, by legendary rock band Queen, also made this film fit the concept. David Suchet, who have played Agatha Christie´s Poirot, in many tv films, was great as the terrorist leader. So what else is worth remembering in 1985 ? One film that i think many people should see, that most of you have probably forgotten is Terry Gilliam´s crazy science fiction film Brazil. This is a very odd combination of styles, and looks really good, considering being made in the middle of the 80´s. The cast is also great, how about Robert De Niro, Bob Hoskins, Jonathan Pryce and Ian Holm, included in the cast ? If you have not seen it, i suggest you buy the dvd, it is worth having in your collection. If you do get your hands on the blu ray release, i know that this includes a longer version of the film. Have you ever heard of the name Richard Fleischer ? Maybe a bell will ring inside your head if i say Conan The Destroyer ? Yes, the director of the sequel to the cult film Conan The Barbarian. The first film was really good, so the sequel was not on the same level, in fact, it was pretty silly in some moments. But from an entertaining perspective, there was some details that made the film fun to watch, including Arnold Schwarzenegger´s hair style. So just a year after Conan The Destroyer was released, director Richard Fleischer decided to direct a film adaptation of the Marvel comic book character Red Sonja. Birgitte Nielsen was chosen to become Red Sonja, the danish woman who took Hollywood by storm in the 80´s, being in several big Hollywood films, like Cobra with Sylvester Stallone, and Beverly Hills Cop 2 with Eddie Murphy. Arnold also said yes to do a different character, that looks like Conan, but with more dialogue. Since it is 30 years ago, Red Sonja came out, i decided to look back and see what i feel about this movie today. Is this a sword fighting film, that still deliver entertainment , after so many years, or is Red Sonja a bad transformation of a comic book character, that should have been left untouched ?
Red Sonja ( Birgitte Nielsen ) is raped, and left on the ground, while her family home is burned down by Queen Gedren´s ( Sandahl Bergman ) men, where her parents are killed, including her brother. Red Sonja wakes up, as she is confronted by a spirit, who give her the strength to seek revenge. Lord Kalidor ( Arnold Schwarzenegger ) finds wounded Varna ( Janet Agren ). She have escaped from her temple, where Queen Gedren´s army killed her friends, and she is the only survivor. Varna asks Kalidor to find her sister, and bring her back to her. Kalidor goes out on a journey to find Red Sonja. Kalidor manage to locate her training, with a sword master. He inform her of her sister´s bad health, and she goes with him. Just as Red Sonja arrives, Varna only manage to tell her some details, before she passes away. Since her whole family is now dead, Red Sonja rides towards Queen Gedren´s castle to finish her for good.
If you think that Red Sonja is just like Conan The Barbarian, but a female version, i would say that is not completely true. Since we are dealing with a completely different character, you can clearly see that there is a different message with the film. There are influences here, from Conan, no doubt about that, but i would say that Red Sonja is more of a feminist warrior. She fights, kills with her sword, but also try and do what´s right, while Conan would probably just kill anyway. I like the fact that we get to see more women fight, with swords, in a temple scene, almost in the beginning of the film. This gives the tone of the film, a positive touch, that women are not afraid to stand back against evil. Birgette Nielsen in the lead role as Red Sonja, may not be a good actor, but she does handle the sword battles pretty well, and looks tough. Sandahl Bergman, who also were in the first Conan The Barbarian film, is now the evil Queen Gedren in Red Sonja. Not the greatest cinema villain we have seen, but functional. Arnold Schwarzenegger is actually a more sensitive guy in this film, with his long hair. His dialogue is actually the best part of this film, because he is acting really bad. There are some scenes where he tries to sound emotional, and i just cant stop laughing. You got to love Arnold for being who he is, even if he does not always choose the best characters. I know that Arnold himself have said that Red Sonja is one of the films he does not like in his career, and i can understand why in some ways. At the same time, i see Red Sonja as a fun tribute to sword films, with some entertainment value for the fans of Conan The Barbarian. When i listened to the interview with assistant director Michel Ferry, of Red Sonja, he expained some interesting details that i have never heard before. For example, Arnold was only supposed to shoot a couple of scenes, but ended up staying on set much longer than planned. The budget was also much more expensive, because Arnold demanded a certain amount of payment to do the film. I also understand that Birgitte Nielsen was not happy with the film, because she did not like the portrait of Red Sonja. Looking at this film 30 years later, i can still say that i see some entertainment value here. Is the acting bad ? Yes, but better than any of Helena Bergströms movies, so that is a good sign. I think that director Richard Fleischberg at least tried to give us an image of Red Sonja. Could he have made a better film ? Of course, there are many things he could have improved. But with the cheesy dialogue, Arnolds terrible dramatic scenes, and the sword fights, we still get some entertainment here worth watching. I am interested in this new Red Sonja remake, that have been talked about since 2010. From what i understand so far, director Simon West, who directed The Expendables 2, could be the director who makes this remake come to life. Until then, sit back at home, order a pizza, and a couple of beers, and just have fun with 80´s nostalgic sword fight action. I suggest you watch the blu ray, with the interesting interviews, nice to hear stories from the set of this box office bomb.
Rating: DDD
Red Sonja ( Birgitte Nielsen ) is raped, and left on the ground, while her family home is burned down by Queen Gedren´s ( Sandahl Bergman ) men, where her parents are killed, including her brother. Red Sonja wakes up, as she is confronted by a spirit, who give her the strength to seek revenge. Lord Kalidor ( Arnold Schwarzenegger ) finds wounded Varna ( Janet Agren ). She have escaped from her temple, where Queen Gedren´s army killed her friends, and she is the only survivor. Varna asks Kalidor to find her sister, and bring her back to her. Kalidor goes out on a journey to find Red Sonja. Kalidor manage to locate her training, with a sword master. He inform her of her sister´s bad health, and she goes with him. Just as Red Sonja arrives, Varna only manage to tell her some details, before she passes away. Since her whole family is now dead, Red Sonja rides towards Queen Gedren´s castle to finish her for good.
If you think that Red Sonja is just like Conan The Barbarian, but a female version, i would say that is not completely true. Since we are dealing with a completely different character, you can clearly see that there is a different message with the film. There are influences here, from Conan, no doubt about that, but i would say that Red Sonja is more of a feminist warrior. She fights, kills with her sword, but also try and do what´s right, while Conan would probably just kill anyway. I like the fact that we get to see more women fight, with swords, in a temple scene, almost in the beginning of the film. This gives the tone of the film, a positive touch, that women are not afraid to stand back against evil. Birgette Nielsen in the lead role as Red Sonja, may not be a good actor, but she does handle the sword battles pretty well, and looks tough. Sandahl Bergman, who also were in the first Conan The Barbarian film, is now the evil Queen Gedren in Red Sonja. Not the greatest cinema villain we have seen, but functional. Arnold Schwarzenegger is actually a more sensitive guy in this film, with his long hair. His dialogue is actually the best part of this film, because he is acting really bad. There are some scenes where he tries to sound emotional, and i just cant stop laughing. You got to love Arnold for being who he is, even if he does not always choose the best characters. I know that Arnold himself have said that Red Sonja is one of the films he does not like in his career, and i can understand why in some ways. At the same time, i see Red Sonja as a fun tribute to sword films, with some entertainment value for the fans of Conan The Barbarian. When i listened to the interview with assistant director Michel Ferry, of Red Sonja, he expained some interesting details that i have never heard before. For example, Arnold was only supposed to shoot a couple of scenes, but ended up staying on set much longer than planned. The budget was also much more expensive, because Arnold demanded a certain amount of payment to do the film. I also understand that Birgitte Nielsen was not happy with the film, because she did not like the portrait of Red Sonja. Looking at this film 30 years later, i can still say that i see some entertainment value here. Is the acting bad ? Yes, but better than any of Helena Bergströms movies, so that is a good sign. I think that director Richard Fleischberg at least tried to give us an image of Red Sonja. Could he have made a better film ? Of course, there are many things he could have improved. But with the cheesy dialogue, Arnolds terrible dramatic scenes, and the sword fights, we still get some entertainment here worth watching. I am interested in this new Red Sonja remake, that have been talked about since 2010. From what i understand so far, director Simon West, who directed The Expendables 2, could be the director who makes this remake come to life. Until then, sit back at home, order a pizza, and a couple of beers, and just have fun with 80´s nostalgic sword fight action. I suggest you watch the blu ray, with the interesting interviews, nice to hear stories from the set of this box office bomb.
Rating: DDD
lördag 21 november 2015
Coming this sunday, its the 30th Anniversary of Red Sonja
Greetings everyone
This is Daniel once again, coming with an update. On sunday i will be posting the 30th Anniversary of the film Red Sonja. Can you imagine it was 30 years ago Birgitte Nielsen and Arnold Schwarzenegger was in the same movie together?
Now i know that some people think this is a horrible film, and the reason why I bring it up now is because a remake is going to be made. Yes, you did not read wrong. A remake of Red Sonja, that cant be bad right?
Another reason why I am writing this review is because it is almost 10 years ago since the director of Red Sonja, Richard Fleischer died in 2006, and its soon 2016. Now Richard did direct the Conan The Barbarian sequel Conan The Destroyer, so he should be remembered. He even directed Mr Majestyk with Charles Bronson, a classic indeed. So on sunday get ready to celebrate 30 years of Red Sonja.
Cheers from Daniel
This is Daniel once again, coming with an update. On sunday i will be posting the 30th Anniversary of the film Red Sonja. Can you imagine it was 30 years ago Birgitte Nielsen and Arnold Schwarzenegger was in the same movie together?
Now i know that some people think this is a horrible film, and the reason why I bring it up now is because a remake is going to be made. Yes, you did not read wrong. A remake of Red Sonja, that cant be bad right?
Another reason why I am writing this review is because it is almost 10 years ago since the director of Red Sonja, Richard Fleischer died in 2006, and its soon 2016. Now Richard did direct the Conan The Barbarian sequel Conan The Destroyer, so he should be remembered. He even directed Mr Majestyk with Charles Bronson, a classic indeed. So on sunday get ready to celebrate 30 years of Red Sonja.
Cheers from Daniel
onsdag 18 november 2015
Re-Kill
Reality tv shows are really popular, at least most of them. You can follow people doing all kinds of strange jobs, or just follow families who have 12 kids, and barely have time to change diapers. We also have reality shows where we get to follow the work behind police officers, trying to clean up the streets from drugs, guns and prostitution. Cops, is probably the longest showing reality show on tv, and i have seen a couple of episodes. If there is one thing you learn from this show, and many other similar ones, is that criminals are usually very dumb. Maybe it is the drugs fault, or maybe many criminals never had the chance to learn to read, or go to school like many other kids or teenagers do. Either way, stay away from drugs, criminal gangs, and do much better things, like water gymnastics with Carolina Gynning. Each year we get so many reality tv shows, i can barely keep up with the latest ones. Am i sad about that ? Not really, i find most of them quite boring. So what would i do as a reality tv show ? Let´s see. How about having Britt Ekland going around the world, finding out different sex traditions in different countries, with Harald Treutiger as her companion ? Now that is a brilliant idea, sometimes i am shocked how easy i can combine fantastic combinations. Speaking of reality tv shows, how would you like to see a special military team, on a mission to wipe out zombies ? This sounds wonderful indeed, as if this was made to please the audience of Familjen Annorlunda. Here we have a film called Re-Kill, based on an idea of a reality tv show, where we get to follow a special force, sent out to wipe out the living dead. I noticed something special with this film, in the cast list. Scott Adkins is here ? Halleluja, the ass kicking actor from Ninja - Shadow Of A Tear and The Expendables 2, seems to be a part of this team. I am actually reviewing another film with Scott Adkins later on this month, so keep your eyes open. Since i am a big fan of zombie films, ever since the early days of George A. Romero, i had to see if this film had something special to bring to the genre. So a reality tv show, about killing zombies sounds like a fun combination. Is this the best idea for this genre in a long time, or is the zombie genre dying out of ideas completely ?
A reality tv show called Re-Kill, is showing the audience how a team of trained special soldiers, are sent out in the streets to wipe out all threats, where zombies are located. The team called R-Division, is led by team leader Sarge ( Roger R. Cross ), who makes sure everyone will follow orders, and kill anything that stands in their way. The team includes Matthews ( Daniella Alonso ), the only woman in the team, who is tough as hell. Parker ( Scott Adkins ) is a man with no fear, and is always ready to kill, no matter how brutal he have to be. Winston ( Bruce Payne ) is a man who follow the word of God, and tries to stay clear with his faith. Together with the rest of team members, they all try and make sure everyone is safe. The camera man ( Owen Davis ) follow the team, wherever they go on their next mission. The chances of survival is getting smaller, but Sarge is confident that they have to find another way out of this hell.
A tv reality show with zombies would probably be the greatest idea in tv history, if it ever was to happen. Now, i know the chances of zombies coming back to life in reality, is just as big as the chance of Peter André releasing a good album ( that will never happen ). But the idea of this film, made as a reality tv show called Re-Kill, is a pretty fun concept. There is a lot of brutal violence, so there is no chance you will be bored, like watching a math expert holding a bloody boring speech. The concept have been done before, in a british tv mini series called Dead Set. This mini series showed what happens, when a group of people are stuck in a Big Brother house, while the rest of the world is attacked by flesh eating zombies. The concept was pretty unique, and i can´t think of many films that have used this formula in the zombie genre. Re-Kill was actually finished in 2010, but didn´t get released until now in 2015. Why ? I have no good answer, maybe it just did not have a distribution company, or maybe it was hard to put it out because of economical situation ? Either way, Re-Kill is a fast, and brutal action horror film, with both classic zombie elements thrown into a tv reality show. I will say that the plot is very thin here, you basically just follow this military team trying to finish their mission. And if the film would have been like this all the time, i might have become tired of the concept. Luckily, director Valeri Milev, decided to throw in some funny commercials between the tv show, with everything from sex, medicines, and stories from how some people survived the outbreak. This is actually a great idea, to make it feel more like a reality tv show, just taking a short break. The acting is ok, i would not go much further on that subject. It is the intensive action scenes that makes this film fun to watch, combined with the funny commercials. Director Valeri Milev have directed 2 films, Code Red, and Wrong Turn 6 ( that i have not seen yet, since the 5th film was really awful. I would say that he have managed to make a different effort in the zombie genre, without breaking any important rules. Scott Adkins is of course here also, with a bad attitude that fits him great. Bruce Payne, remember him from Passenger 57 ? He is also in the cast, nice to see him still making films. Re-Kill is a fun moment, if you just feel like bringing out some ice cold beers, and chill in your sofa. I have seen better zombie films than this, but it is functional for what it is, a pure action horror film. I feel like killing some zombies right now, anyone know a good location where i might find them ? I promise, i will only do head shots, or chop some arms off, i always try to stay classy.
Rating: DDD
A reality tv show called Re-Kill, is showing the audience how a team of trained special soldiers, are sent out in the streets to wipe out all threats, where zombies are located. The team called R-Division, is led by team leader Sarge ( Roger R. Cross ), who makes sure everyone will follow orders, and kill anything that stands in their way. The team includes Matthews ( Daniella Alonso ), the only woman in the team, who is tough as hell. Parker ( Scott Adkins ) is a man with no fear, and is always ready to kill, no matter how brutal he have to be. Winston ( Bruce Payne ) is a man who follow the word of God, and tries to stay clear with his faith. Together with the rest of team members, they all try and make sure everyone is safe. The camera man ( Owen Davis ) follow the team, wherever they go on their next mission. The chances of survival is getting smaller, but Sarge is confident that they have to find another way out of this hell.
A tv reality show with zombies would probably be the greatest idea in tv history, if it ever was to happen. Now, i know the chances of zombies coming back to life in reality, is just as big as the chance of Peter André releasing a good album ( that will never happen ). But the idea of this film, made as a reality tv show called Re-Kill, is a pretty fun concept. There is a lot of brutal violence, so there is no chance you will be bored, like watching a math expert holding a bloody boring speech. The concept have been done before, in a british tv mini series called Dead Set. This mini series showed what happens, when a group of people are stuck in a Big Brother house, while the rest of the world is attacked by flesh eating zombies. The concept was pretty unique, and i can´t think of many films that have used this formula in the zombie genre. Re-Kill was actually finished in 2010, but didn´t get released until now in 2015. Why ? I have no good answer, maybe it just did not have a distribution company, or maybe it was hard to put it out because of economical situation ? Either way, Re-Kill is a fast, and brutal action horror film, with both classic zombie elements thrown into a tv reality show. I will say that the plot is very thin here, you basically just follow this military team trying to finish their mission. And if the film would have been like this all the time, i might have become tired of the concept. Luckily, director Valeri Milev, decided to throw in some funny commercials between the tv show, with everything from sex, medicines, and stories from how some people survived the outbreak. This is actually a great idea, to make it feel more like a reality tv show, just taking a short break. The acting is ok, i would not go much further on that subject. It is the intensive action scenes that makes this film fun to watch, combined with the funny commercials. Director Valeri Milev have directed 2 films, Code Red, and Wrong Turn 6 ( that i have not seen yet, since the 5th film was really awful. I would say that he have managed to make a different effort in the zombie genre, without breaking any important rules. Scott Adkins is of course here also, with a bad attitude that fits him great. Bruce Payne, remember him from Passenger 57 ? He is also in the cast, nice to see him still making films. Re-Kill is a fun moment, if you just feel like bringing out some ice cold beers, and chill in your sofa. I have seen better zombie films than this, but it is functional for what it is, a pure action horror film. I feel like killing some zombies right now, anyone know a good location where i might find them ? I promise, i will only do head shots, or chop some arms off, i always try to stay classy.
Rating: DDD
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