Cheers everyone!
Daniel here, the amazing movie review critic from Sweden. I am back to give you a very important update, before i publish my last review for this month.
I saw The Lion King in cinema, and for some reason people applauded when the film ended. My first thought was, why ? Don´t get me wrong, it is not a horrible movie, but this is not a masterpiece in any way. I just don´t enjoy this film as much as some of you people do, so i won´t review this film. Instead, i want to give you a better advice, what you should be seeing instead of The Lion King. You should be ordering a DVD copy of independent drama film Her Smell, from director Alex Ross Perry. A really powerful film, with an absolutely brilliant performance from lead actress Elisabeth Moss as the punk band singer Becky Something.
Now this is a damn good film, a lot better than The Lion King ( my opinion, i know some might not agree and that´s ok ). So if you want a really good film you should be watching Her Smell instead, and i guarantee you will be emotionally touched. So go online and order a DVD of Her Smell, and you will support quality independent films as well. Take care and have a good week, and i will see you soon with the last review of this month.
Cheers from Daniel
måndag 29 juli 2019
måndag 22 juli 2019
The Intruder
Psychopaths, what would life be without them ? Exactly, we would not have that wonderful movie American Psycho with a brilliant performance by actor Christian Bale. This film actually helped me understand what romance really means. I used to think that everything i need to know i would learn from watching romantic comedy French Kiss ( released in 1995 ) with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline. Oh boy, i was wrong for sure. You see, American Psycho made me realize that flowers and chocolate are too predictable, and very boring for women. That is why women appreciate some real action, just like American Psycho offered. So thank you Christian Bale for teaching me the right path to go. Whenever i think about psychopaths in films, i always come back to a true 80´s classic known as Fatal Attraction. Released in 1987 from director Adrien Lyne. This film tells the story of Manhattan lawyer Dan Gallagher ( played really good by legendary actor Michael Douglas ) who is married and live in a beautiful house. One day he has an affair with Alexandra " Alex " Forrest ( played brillaint by actress Glenn Close ), an editor for a publishing company. At first Dan is having a great time with his new lover, but it becomes clear that there is something really wrong with Alex. Fatal Attraction is a very effective psychological thriller, and shows you that you can never trust anyone completely. The character Alexandra is a perfect example of a person who could destroy anyones life, if you have her too close in your home environment. There is a scene that i think most people will never forget, where she boils Dan´s familys rabbit. If you have not seen Fatal Attraction, i suggest you pick it up on DVD or Blu Ray. This is one of those classics that will always be appreciated by fans of this genre. When you hear the name Dennis Quaid, i Think most people will think about all the classic films he have made. The list is long, but i have to mention two of my personal favourite titles with him in the cast, known as Frequency and of course Traffic. During this spring i was hearing a lot of hype about his new film The Intruder, where he is supposed to play a psychopath from hell. of course this made me curious, to see him do a very different character than he has done before. Is this film a very effective thriller, or is The Intruder most likely one film that will be forgotten on DVD shelves ?
Scott Howard ( Michael Ealy ) and Annie Howard ( Meagan Good ) are a happy couple, who are living a good life thanks to Scott´s work position. Annie Dreams about having a house, outside of the big city. They go look at an old big house, that looks Beautiful and meet the owner Charlie Peck ( Dennis Quaid ). Charlie give Scott and Annie a tour around the house, and they feel that this home is very special for Charlie in many ways. Annie wants this house, so Scott agree to buy it. But as they begin their new lives in the big house, Charlie is still showing up unexpected. At first they think he is just lonely, and need someone to talk to. But it becomes clear that Charlie have a problem letting go of his old house.
I think we need to be very clear about The Intruder. If it was not for the performance of Dennis Quaid, this film would not be as fun to watch as this film is. When he turns on his bad behavior, this film gets going in the right direction. You could probably say that this film reminds us of other psychopaths in other classic films, such as The Stepfather with legendary actor Terry O´ Quinn. Of course these films are very different from each other, but they both have very disturbing personalities. Dennis Quiad gives a performance that clearly stands out from the rest of the cast, and i have to thank him for trying to make his character as insane as he seems to be. If we look at the rest of the cast, here it becomes clear that we have a problem. Not many of the characters feels interesting, such as Scott Howard played by actor Michael Ealy ( who you probably have seen in the romantic comedy Think Like A Man ). He is not awful, but he does not bring anything interesting with his character. I feel that actress Meagan Good ( who i especially remember from the horror film Saw V ) at least make her character Annie Howard loveable. The story surrounding The Intruder is very simple, and works as long as Dennis Quaid is in his scenes. When he is not, i don´t feel as interested in the other character´s lives. One thing that works though is when we see Charlie become more dangerous, and his behavior becomes more disturbing. I actually feel like Quaid should have shown a bit more of his disturbing behavior, and Charlie could have given this film an even stronger message. Director Deon Taylor ( who directed the great thriller drama Supremacy ) have made a psychological thriller that is a step in the right direction since his action film Traffik. It has been a long time since we have seen a disturbed personality as Charlie, and director Dean Taylor clearly must be a fan of Fatal Attraction, and balance this genre in a positive way. The Intruder may not be original in any way, but as a psychological thriller i had a good time watching Dennis Quaid go nuts. One thing is for sure, i will be watching my neighbors from now on, someone of them might be insane ( unless they are naked in the garden, that could be accepted).
Rating: DDD
Scott Howard ( Michael Ealy ) and Annie Howard ( Meagan Good ) are a happy couple, who are living a good life thanks to Scott´s work position. Annie Dreams about having a house, outside of the big city. They go look at an old big house, that looks Beautiful and meet the owner Charlie Peck ( Dennis Quaid ). Charlie give Scott and Annie a tour around the house, and they feel that this home is very special for Charlie in many ways. Annie wants this house, so Scott agree to buy it. But as they begin their new lives in the big house, Charlie is still showing up unexpected. At first they think he is just lonely, and need someone to talk to. But it becomes clear that Charlie have a problem letting go of his old house.
I think we need to be very clear about The Intruder. If it was not for the performance of Dennis Quaid, this film would not be as fun to watch as this film is. When he turns on his bad behavior, this film gets going in the right direction. You could probably say that this film reminds us of other psychopaths in other classic films, such as The Stepfather with legendary actor Terry O´ Quinn. Of course these films are very different from each other, but they both have very disturbing personalities. Dennis Quiad gives a performance that clearly stands out from the rest of the cast, and i have to thank him for trying to make his character as insane as he seems to be. If we look at the rest of the cast, here it becomes clear that we have a problem. Not many of the characters feels interesting, such as Scott Howard played by actor Michael Ealy ( who you probably have seen in the romantic comedy Think Like A Man ). He is not awful, but he does not bring anything interesting with his character. I feel that actress Meagan Good ( who i especially remember from the horror film Saw V ) at least make her character Annie Howard loveable. The story surrounding The Intruder is very simple, and works as long as Dennis Quaid is in his scenes. When he is not, i don´t feel as interested in the other character´s lives. One thing that works though is when we see Charlie become more dangerous, and his behavior becomes more disturbing. I actually feel like Quaid should have shown a bit more of his disturbing behavior, and Charlie could have given this film an even stronger message. Director Deon Taylor ( who directed the great thriller drama Supremacy ) have made a psychological thriller that is a step in the right direction since his action film Traffik. It has been a long time since we have seen a disturbed personality as Charlie, and director Dean Taylor clearly must be a fan of Fatal Attraction, and balance this genre in a positive way. The Intruder may not be original in any way, but as a psychological thriller i had a good time watching Dennis Quaid go nuts. One thing is for sure, i will be watching my neighbors from now on, someone of them might be insane ( unless they are naked in the garden, that could be accepted).
Rating: DDD
The Odds
Money, the key to make life easier. With money you can basically do anything you want, especially if you happen to have a lot of it. Of course there is always a risk with lots of money, you have to know how to handle it in a clever way. I am in no way a rich guy, just an ordinary worker. But i do know what i would do, if i did win millions in the lottery. I would build up an amusement park know as Dolph World. What is this amusement park ? Very easy, everything here would be a tribute to the greatest Swedish actor or all eternity, known as Dolph Lundgren. Just imagine, going on the Universal Soldier rollercoaster ride, or how about being He-Man in Dolph style, or perhaps be the icnoic Ivan Drago for a day ? Dolph World should happen, this is the greatest idea ever. Really ? Yes, it really is. But what if you were given a chance, to have a lot of money if you did anything to get them, would you do it ? There are several films that have used this idea, in different combinations. And i suggest we talk about one specific title that actually turned out to work well. The 2016 film known as Nerve, used a modern take on technology and how far you would willing to go to play a game for money. Each player choose how far they are willing to go, even if it means they could die. Directed by Henry Joost, this is a thriller that shows a dark side of social media, and how especially young people can do anything to become famous. And it becomes pretty clear that whoever created this game, is not worried how many people could be killed. The cast of actress Emma Roberts and David Franco, actually felt like a great combination. If you enjoy modern thrillers, that brings up some of the problem with social media, then you should check Nerve out on DVD or Blu Ray. What if you had the chance to win a lot of money through a game, that is shown online for the whole world ? That might not sound so bad, until you find out that for each level you make, the more you have to be tortured. The Odds is an independent film i came across on VOD that looked interesting. With only a few actors, and this film seems to take place in one room, is The Odds an unexpected winner or should this film be thrown into the failed Lotto ticket bucket ?
In a secret room, a woman known as The Gambler ( Abbi Butler ) have agreed to play a game. If she survives she wins a lot of money that could change her life, and give her a chance to build up a relationship with her daughter. The rules are that for each round, she must survive different torture activities. Other players are playing the same game, and all Abbi needs to do is to be the one who survive each round. Game Master ( James J. Fuertes ) is making sure she is following the rules, and tries to be supportive. But can Abbi really go through the whole game? Is she mentally strong enough to handle this ?
It has been a while since i have seen a film that tries to go in a different direction than most thrillers. And this is why i find The Odds an interesting film, because you realize that anyone could be in this situation. Especially if you have lost all hope, and are willing to do anything to get money, no matter what it takes. The plot reminds me of some films, but still manage to tell a story in a way that works well with the characters. Let´s talk about the characters for a bit. Actress Abbi Butler ( who you might recognize from the Jeff Fahey film Country Line ) as the character The Player, gives us the strongest performance in this film. Her character is clearly willing to do anything, to win this game. Abbi manage to balance her acting in a professional way, and give her character a strong personality. It is hard to imagine what she must be going through. The second character known as Game Master, played by actor James J. Fuertes is clearly a sick individual. Even if his character is interesting, Abbi Butler steals the show through this film. The Odds is a different film from most gambling related stories, since this film tries to show a different kind of game. The psychological level is the strength of this film, when we see how The Player is forced to be tortured in many different ways to survive. One of the things i feel i would have liked to know more, is the background story of The Player, since we find out something happened in her past ( an event that affected her relationship with her daughter ). The length of The Odds may be a little bit long, but does not affect the quality of the film. Director Bob Giordano clearly wanted to tell a story, on how far we are willing to go if our mind is determined to reach the goal. He manage to do so, in a solid thriller ( with some horror influences ). The Odds is not a film for you who hate a lot of dialogue. But if you enjoy a film that does look different from most DVD releases, give this film a chance. The Odds will make you be more careful about gambling, and that is of course a good sign.
Rating: DDD
In a secret room, a woman known as The Gambler ( Abbi Butler ) have agreed to play a game. If she survives she wins a lot of money that could change her life, and give her a chance to build up a relationship with her daughter. The rules are that for each round, she must survive different torture activities. Other players are playing the same game, and all Abbi needs to do is to be the one who survive each round. Game Master ( James J. Fuertes ) is making sure she is following the rules, and tries to be supportive. But can Abbi really go through the whole game? Is she mentally strong enough to handle this ?
It has been a while since i have seen a film that tries to go in a different direction than most thrillers. And this is why i find The Odds an interesting film, because you realize that anyone could be in this situation. Especially if you have lost all hope, and are willing to do anything to get money, no matter what it takes. The plot reminds me of some films, but still manage to tell a story in a way that works well with the characters. Let´s talk about the characters for a bit. Actress Abbi Butler ( who you might recognize from the Jeff Fahey film Country Line ) as the character The Player, gives us the strongest performance in this film. Her character is clearly willing to do anything, to win this game. Abbi manage to balance her acting in a professional way, and give her character a strong personality. It is hard to imagine what she must be going through. The second character known as Game Master, played by actor James J. Fuertes is clearly a sick individual. Even if his character is interesting, Abbi Butler steals the show through this film. The Odds is a different film from most gambling related stories, since this film tries to show a different kind of game. The psychological level is the strength of this film, when we see how The Player is forced to be tortured in many different ways to survive. One of the things i feel i would have liked to know more, is the background story of The Player, since we find out something happened in her past ( an event that affected her relationship with her daughter ). The length of The Odds may be a little bit long, but does not affect the quality of the film. Director Bob Giordano clearly wanted to tell a story, on how far we are willing to go if our mind is determined to reach the goal. He manage to do so, in a solid thriller ( with some horror influences ). The Odds is not a film for you who hate a lot of dialogue. But if you enjoy a film that does look different from most DVD releases, give this film a chance. The Odds will make you be more careful about gambling, and that is of course a good sign.
Rating: DDD
lördag 20 juli 2019
I Can Be Seen On Ron Jeremys Official Facebook Page
Cheers everyone!
Daniel here, the most sensual movie review critic ever. Really ? Of course i am. This is not related to any movie reviews or anything, but me and my friend Tony can be seen on a tshirt, hold up by legendary adult film star Ron Jeremy on his official Facebook page. We are called The Golden Boys Of Sundsvall, and we have been promoting Ron Jeremys Rum and Gin for a very long time, on trips worldwide. So feel welcome to check it out on Ron Jeremys Facebook page.
New movie reviews are on the way, and the 20 Years Anniversary Review of The Matrix will be coming soon as well. Have a good weekend and i will see you soon with fresh movie reviews.
Cheers from Daniel !
Daniel here, the most sensual movie review critic ever. Really ? Of course i am. This is not related to any movie reviews or anything, but me and my friend Tony can be seen on a tshirt, hold up by legendary adult film star Ron Jeremy on his official Facebook page. We are called The Golden Boys Of Sundsvall, and we have been promoting Ron Jeremys Rum and Gin for a very long time, on trips worldwide. So feel welcome to check it out on Ron Jeremys Facebook page.
New movie reviews are on the way, and the 20 Years Anniversary Review of The Matrix will be coming soon as well. Have a good weekend and i will see you soon with fresh movie reviews.
Cheers from Daniel !
tisdag 16 juli 2019
The Curse Of La Llorona
There is a curse in Sweden that has been haunting us ever since the 80´s. The story goes that when you play the Herreys album Crazy People ( released in 1985 ) backwards, it would summon the demons of known as " Skärm Stänkare ". For those of you who are not familiar with these demons, they would usually be found infront of a TV screen, hoping to enter the world of Solsta Café with Bengt Alsterlind. But what the demons did not know, was that TV host Bengt Alsterlind had his secret weapon against demonic powers, known as Hajk. This is a story that is well known for people who live in Sweden, and even until this day no one wants to play the Herreys album Crazy People backwards ever again. Just to make sure that the " Skärm Stänkare " would not return from the other side. Folklore tales in horror films is something we have seen in a lot of titles. But let´s talk about one specific film that has a folklore story, and actually turns 20 years old this year. Tim Burton´s magnificent 1999 film Sleepy Hollow, tells the story of the folklore of The Headless Horseman, that returns to chop off heads in the city of Sleepy Hollow. This is a very well made horror film, with a wonderful cast of Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Casper Van Dien ( much better than i would have expected ) and Christopher Walken. Sleepy Hollow is one of those horror films you can return to, and it still looks really good 20 years later. And i have to say, Johnny Depp as the lovely character Ichabod Crane is one of the biggest highlights of this film. If you have not seen Tim Burton´s classic horror film Sleepy Hollow, you need to check it out. Just a few months ago i heard about a horror film under the name of The Curse Of La Llorona, based on a story of a Mexican folklore. Since i am a big fan of horror films, and appreciate films based on local stories, is The Curse Of La Llorana exactly what we need on VOD this summer, or is this a horror film you will forget as soon as you finished watching it ?
In 1673 Mexico, a mother of 2 children drown her two sons to hurt her cheating husband, taking away what he loves most. She regret what she did, and kill herself in the same river where she killed her sons. 300 years later, in 1973 Los Angeles, Hispanic caseworker Anna Tate-Garcia ( Linda Cardellini ) investigates the disappearance of client Patricia Alvarez ( Patricia Velásquez two children. Anna arrives at the home of Patricia, for a welfare check. Inside, she finds Patricia´s children locked inside the door. Patricia attack Anna, warning her not to open the door, and not let the children out. A police officer arrest Patricia, and her two sons are taken to a police station. The young boys of Patricia are found dead, after seeing a woman dressed in a white dress. Anna is called to investigate the murder of the boys. It seems that a the woman who is known as La Llorona, who lived in 1673 in Mexico, has come back to take the life of other children. Now, Anna´s two children could be the next victims, unless Anna find a way to stop this evil spirit.
If you are a fan of The Conjuring films, or if you enjoyed the remake of The Amityville horror film from 2005, then i have a feeling you will enjoy The Curse Of La Llorona. This is the kind of horror film that is set out to make you feel an haunting environment. I think it is a good idea, telling the story of an old Mexican folklore, and mix it up with a horror story. That way it feels more natural to understand why La Llorona keeps coming back. One of the things this film has is a great main female character. Actress Linda Cardellini ( who i especially remember from the 2011 film Kill The Irishman ) as mother Anna Tate-Garcia is exactly what a film like this needs. A woman who will do anything to protect her own children, no matter what she has to do. I am so happy to see actor Tony Amendola return as Father Perez, from the first Annabelle film. He gives a performance that fits well with his character. I have to mention actress Marisol Marinez ( who you might have seen in the interesting 2015 horror drama Circle ), who plays the evil La Llorona. She does a wonderful job with her character, and make her feel very creepy in several scenes. Even if this film is well made, and i enjoy the folklore story, there is one problem i have with The Curse Of La Llorona. There are no big surprises here, where something completely unexpected happens. I would have liked to see a surprise twist among the way, to make the story more interesting. Director Michael Chavez have directed several short films, but this is his full feature directorial debut film. I think he clearly have an eye for how to make a horror film work, and i recently found out he is the director of The Conjuring 3 ( i hope he will give us a worthy sequel ). If he only would have made an unexpected twist in the story, i have a feeling this could have been an even more effective horror film. With that said, i still think this is a film that will especially please fans of The Conjuring. Don´t know what to Watch on VOD this weekend ? Why not give The Curse Of La Llorona a chance, and you might be pleased. If i ever hear a crying mother wearing a white dress, i won´t be standing around for long, i guarantee that.
Rating: DDD
In 1673 Mexico, a mother of 2 children drown her two sons to hurt her cheating husband, taking away what he loves most. She regret what she did, and kill herself in the same river where she killed her sons. 300 years later, in 1973 Los Angeles, Hispanic caseworker Anna Tate-Garcia ( Linda Cardellini ) investigates the disappearance of client Patricia Alvarez ( Patricia Velásquez two children. Anna arrives at the home of Patricia, for a welfare check. Inside, she finds Patricia´s children locked inside the door. Patricia attack Anna, warning her not to open the door, and not let the children out. A police officer arrest Patricia, and her two sons are taken to a police station. The young boys of Patricia are found dead, after seeing a woman dressed in a white dress. Anna is called to investigate the murder of the boys. It seems that a the woman who is known as La Llorona, who lived in 1673 in Mexico, has come back to take the life of other children. Now, Anna´s two children could be the next victims, unless Anna find a way to stop this evil spirit.
If you are a fan of The Conjuring films, or if you enjoyed the remake of The Amityville horror film from 2005, then i have a feeling you will enjoy The Curse Of La Llorona. This is the kind of horror film that is set out to make you feel an haunting environment. I think it is a good idea, telling the story of an old Mexican folklore, and mix it up with a horror story. That way it feels more natural to understand why La Llorona keeps coming back. One of the things this film has is a great main female character. Actress Linda Cardellini ( who i especially remember from the 2011 film Kill The Irishman ) as mother Anna Tate-Garcia is exactly what a film like this needs. A woman who will do anything to protect her own children, no matter what she has to do. I am so happy to see actor Tony Amendola return as Father Perez, from the first Annabelle film. He gives a performance that fits well with his character. I have to mention actress Marisol Marinez ( who you might have seen in the interesting 2015 horror drama Circle ), who plays the evil La Llorona. She does a wonderful job with her character, and make her feel very creepy in several scenes. Even if this film is well made, and i enjoy the folklore story, there is one problem i have with The Curse Of La Llorona. There are no big surprises here, where something completely unexpected happens. I would have liked to see a surprise twist among the way, to make the story more interesting. Director Michael Chavez have directed several short films, but this is his full feature directorial debut film. I think he clearly have an eye for how to make a horror film work, and i recently found out he is the director of The Conjuring 3 ( i hope he will give us a worthy sequel ). If he only would have made an unexpected twist in the story, i have a feeling this could have been an even more effective horror film. With that said, i still think this is a film that will especially please fans of The Conjuring. Don´t know what to Watch on VOD this weekend ? Why not give The Curse Of La Llorona a chance, and you might be pleased. If i ever hear a crying mother wearing a white dress, i won´t be standing around for long, i guarantee that.
Rating: DDD
Big Kill
In my childhood i wacthed a lot of Sergio Leone western films. Especially the western films with Clint Eastwood such as A Fistful Of Dollars, For A Few Dollars More and of course my favourite The Good, The Bad And The Ugly. Director Sergio Leone had a very unique view on western films, and managed to capture the magic with his story telling, and with the strong characters. Sergio continued doing another really good western epic film known as Once Upon A Time In The West, with the amazing cast including Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale, Gabriele Ferzetti and many others. The western genre managed to keep audiences enchanted into the 70´s, where Clint Eastwood continued making great films in this genre. But as the 80´s came along, you could tell that the western genre was going through a change. But not in a negative way, since there was still hope for this genre. In 1988, a film called Young Guns hit the cinema screens worldwide with a really good cast including Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Lou Diamond Philips and many others. Young Guns was an attempt to make a younger audience appreciate western films, and it worked. This is a fun western film with crazy characters, and some fun gun battles as well. A sequel was released 2 years later, that also worked. I would probably say that the first Young Guns is the best of the films, but the sequel managed to bring the characters back in a positive way. Speaking of Lou Diamond Phillips, this is an actor who have continued working constantly with new films. And he has done some more western films as well, especially in the 2008 film Lone Rider, and the 2009 film known as Angel And The Bad Man. None of them may have been anything unique, but i was hoping to see him return in a new western film with a bigger cast. And this is what we got with the western film Big Kill. A film that recently was released on DVD in Sweden on company Studio S Entertainment. Of course i had to pick a copy up to see if this film would be worth a watch. Is this a surprisingly good western film for us who appreciate this genre, or should Big Kill have been buried underneath the desert sand ?
Travis Parker ( Clint Hummel ) and his companion Jake Logan ( Scott Martin ) have just escaped from the Mexican army, being chased by Mexican General Morales ( Danny Trejo ). As they cross the border to America, Travis and Jake believe they should be safe. But General Morales and his men keep going after them. They are forced to return to Mexico though when Colonel Grager ( Michael Paré ), order them to return or be killed by his men. Jim Andrews ( Christoph Sanders ) needs help to get to the town of Big Kill, and is looking for guides to take him there. He meets Travis and Jake, and offer them to help him make his journey possible. They agree, but it becomes clear that Big Kill is not the friendly town to visit.
I will be honest and say, the biggest reason why i wanted to see Big Kill is because of the cast. Just look at this classic actors list in this film:
Jason Patric
Danny Trejo
Lou Diamond Phillips
Michael Paré
All 4 of these actors have given us some great classics in the past, and to see them all together in a western film is a wonderful idea. The question is, does Big Kill bring anything positive into this genre ? I would not say this film bring anything different to the western genre, but i will say that this is a independent film that tries to bring back the old school feeling of classic western films. Even if i am happy to see these legendary actors, they are not the only ones who bring great characters. Actor Clint Hummel ( who some of you might remember from the B action movie P-51 Dragon Fighter ) is the bad ass character Travis Parker. Clint manage to balance his character in a professional way, and still manage to make him enjoyable. Scott Martin ( who is also in the film P-51 Dragon Fighter ) plays gun slinger Jake Logan who is hard not to like, and i especially enjoy his attitude. I think the chemistry between Clint and Scott comes across in a positive way in this film, and to see them together in many scenes makes me appreciate this film, from a character perspective. Lou Diamond Phillips as the gun slinger Johnny Kane, is his best western performance in many years. He is a really good choice for this character, and he proves once again why this is a genre he should do more often. Jason Patric as The Preacher is one of those cool characters who should have his own film ( just imagined a teatle such as No Mercy With The Preacher ). Michael Paré as Colonel Grager is a perfect match for this film, he is rough and very clear who is in charge. Danny Trejo knows exactly how to do his character General Morales, without feeling too predictable. The story of Big Kill actually works pretty good, and capture the time period with nice locations. The small western town, where everyone gets drunk and play poker feels right as well, since this film is trying to bring back the old school western films instead of updating the genre. Director Scott Martin ( who have worked as a producer on many films, such as Dolph Lundgren film Don´t Kill It and P-51 Dragon Fighter ) have made a western film that will be appreciated by fans of this genre. He clearly wanted to make a film that has more to say, than just having gun battles. Get on your horse and ride down to your local DVD / Blu Ray shop and pick up a copy of this film.
Rating: DDD
P.S. If you can´t see Region 1 DVD´s or Region 1 Blu Ray´s, you can find Big Kill on Region 2 DVD from Studio S Entertainment. Link is found below:
http://www.studiosentertainment.se/big-kill/
Travis Parker ( Clint Hummel ) and his companion Jake Logan ( Scott Martin ) have just escaped from the Mexican army, being chased by Mexican General Morales ( Danny Trejo ). As they cross the border to America, Travis and Jake believe they should be safe. But General Morales and his men keep going after them. They are forced to return to Mexico though when Colonel Grager ( Michael Paré ), order them to return or be killed by his men. Jim Andrews ( Christoph Sanders ) needs help to get to the town of Big Kill, and is looking for guides to take him there. He meets Travis and Jake, and offer them to help him make his journey possible. They agree, but it becomes clear that Big Kill is not the friendly town to visit.
I will be honest and say, the biggest reason why i wanted to see Big Kill is because of the cast. Just look at this classic actors list in this film:
Jason Patric
Danny Trejo
Lou Diamond Phillips
Michael Paré
All 4 of these actors have given us some great classics in the past, and to see them all together in a western film is a wonderful idea. The question is, does Big Kill bring anything positive into this genre ? I would not say this film bring anything different to the western genre, but i will say that this is a independent film that tries to bring back the old school feeling of classic western films. Even if i am happy to see these legendary actors, they are not the only ones who bring great characters. Actor Clint Hummel ( who some of you might remember from the B action movie P-51 Dragon Fighter ) is the bad ass character Travis Parker. Clint manage to balance his character in a professional way, and still manage to make him enjoyable. Scott Martin ( who is also in the film P-51 Dragon Fighter ) plays gun slinger Jake Logan who is hard not to like, and i especially enjoy his attitude. I think the chemistry between Clint and Scott comes across in a positive way in this film, and to see them together in many scenes makes me appreciate this film, from a character perspective. Lou Diamond Phillips as the gun slinger Johnny Kane, is his best western performance in many years. He is a really good choice for this character, and he proves once again why this is a genre he should do more often. Jason Patric as The Preacher is one of those cool characters who should have his own film ( just imagined a teatle such as No Mercy With The Preacher ). Michael Paré as Colonel Grager is a perfect match for this film, he is rough and very clear who is in charge. Danny Trejo knows exactly how to do his character General Morales, without feeling too predictable. The story of Big Kill actually works pretty good, and capture the time period with nice locations. The small western town, where everyone gets drunk and play poker feels right as well, since this film is trying to bring back the old school western films instead of updating the genre. Director Scott Martin ( who have worked as a producer on many films, such as Dolph Lundgren film Don´t Kill It and P-51 Dragon Fighter ) have made a western film that will be appreciated by fans of this genre. He clearly wanted to make a film that has more to say, than just having gun battles. Get on your horse and ride down to your local DVD / Blu Ray shop and pick up a copy of this film.
Rating: DDD
P.S. If you can´t see Region 1 DVD´s or Region 1 Blu Ray´s, you can find Big Kill on Region 2 DVD from Studio S Entertainment. Link is found below:
http://www.studiosentertainment.se/big-kill/
lördag 13 juli 2019
Monster Island
If there is one thing i have learned in life, it is that The Asylum movies can make any bad day turn around and make everything better. How is that possible ? It is very easy. The Asylum knows what humanity needs. They make sure we have films with monsters, bad CGI effects, bad acting, and wonderful characters. I would not say i enjoy all of their films, but for most titles i always find something that is entertaining. So why not dig into two films from The Asylum that i think you should buy on DVD or Blu Ray, to prepare christmas gifts for this year ? Let´s start with the 2011 horror film Zombie Apocalypse from director Nick Lyon. This film have some classic zombie elements and a great cast as well including actor Ving Rhames ( most known for his films such as Con Air, Dawn Of The Dead and the Mission Impossible franchise ) and actress Taryn Manning ( known especially from Netflix series Orange Is The New Black ). Zombie Apocalypse is exactly that title you have waited for, especially if you are a fan of British cricket matches. Let´s get into the next film. 3-Headead Shark Attack is a wonderful sequel to the awful film 2-Headed Shark Attack. This sequel actually looks much better, and has a much better cast including legendary actor Danny Trejo, wonderful actress Jenna Sims, wrestling legend Rob Van Dam and Baywatch actor Jaason Simmons as well. If you love sharks and underwater action scenes, then 3-Headed Shark Attack will guaranteed please your Mariah Carey fantasies ( this combination actually makes more sense than you can imagine ). Every year The Asylum keep releasing new films, and i try to check some of the titles out. And this summer i saw a premiere was coming of a new film called Monster Island. The title itself sounded wonderful, so of course i had to give this film a chance. With a production bigger than all of Åhlens stores around Stockholm area, is Monster Island the masterpiece we all have been waiting for, or is this film as bad as you expected it to be ?
Billy Ford ( Adrian Bouchet ) is a billionaire who´s into undersea mining. While his team is looking into the mining operation a giant starfish is released from the mining location. Billy´s two employees Cherise Ramon ( Donna Cormack Thomson ) and Riley James ( Chris Fisher ) help Billy and the government agent Sarah Murray ( Natalie Robbie ) to get to safety from the giant sea monster. They piss off the Starfish who bleeds out lava, and the situation gets worse from here. Navy captain General Horne ( Eric Roberts ) is ready to kill the beast with all the firepower they have. But the truth is that they need help from another monster, known as Living Mountain. This might be the only chance to save humanity.
I am surprised over Monster Island. This is perhaps one of the more serious films i have seen being made by The Asylum. As you might know, in most films made from this company they focus more on the monsters than on the characters. And sometimes that works, while sometimes it should have been the other way. When it comes to Monster Island, this film focus more on the characters than on the big Kajun monster. If you expect to see the monster attack in many scenes, you won´t see it in this film. This film is trying to move in a different direction. The acting is not in any way good, but i do like that this film stands out from other productions of The Asylum, by focusing more on the characters. The best character for me personally in this film, is actor Adrian Bouchet ( who you might remember from films such as Alien vs. Predator and The Seasoning House ) as the character Bily Ford. He is the right kind of character for a film like this, being confident about his position. The other character i enjoy in this film is Sarah Murray, played by actress Natalie Robbie. She is a character you would want underneath the ocean, not afraid to take chances. Legendary actor Eric Roberts is of course here as well, as the character General Horne. He may not have many scenes, and does not give this film anything unique, but you can´t help enjoying his presence. What about the monsters ? They are not around a lot, and that is too bad. Because i do like to see Kajun monsters in different forms. Now to my biggest problem with this film. The ending is really bad. In fact, it feels like they choosed to make the ending as easy as possible, just to finish the story without any real reason. And this is where Monster Island fails to deliver, since the ending destroys the plot that is built up through out the film. Director Mark Atkins have directed a lot of The Asylum films, especially the solid film Android Cop. He does have some good ideas with Monster Island, but i have no idea why he let this film end as bad as it does. Such a shame when we have some interesting characters here. Hopefully the cast will return for Monster Island 2 with more monsters and a better ending. Then i might actually have something to be happy about.
Rating: DD
Billy Ford ( Adrian Bouchet ) is a billionaire who´s into undersea mining. While his team is looking into the mining operation a giant starfish is released from the mining location. Billy´s two employees Cherise Ramon ( Donna Cormack Thomson ) and Riley James ( Chris Fisher ) help Billy and the government agent Sarah Murray ( Natalie Robbie ) to get to safety from the giant sea monster. They piss off the Starfish who bleeds out lava, and the situation gets worse from here. Navy captain General Horne ( Eric Roberts ) is ready to kill the beast with all the firepower they have. But the truth is that they need help from another monster, known as Living Mountain. This might be the only chance to save humanity.
I am surprised over Monster Island. This is perhaps one of the more serious films i have seen being made by The Asylum. As you might know, in most films made from this company they focus more on the monsters than on the characters. And sometimes that works, while sometimes it should have been the other way. When it comes to Monster Island, this film focus more on the characters than on the big Kajun monster. If you expect to see the monster attack in many scenes, you won´t see it in this film. This film is trying to move in a different direction. The acting is not in any way good, but i do like that this film stands out from other productions of The Asylum, by focusing more on the characters. The best character for me personally in this film, is actor Adrian Bouchet ( who you might remember from films such as Alien vs. Predator and The Seasoning House ) as the character Bily Ford. He is the right kind of character for a film like this, being confident about his position. The other character i enjoy in this film is Sarah Murray, played by actress Natalie Robbie. She is a character you would want underneath the ocean, not afraid to take chances. Legendary actor Eric Roberts is of course here as well, as the character General Horne. He may not have many scenes, and does not give this film anything unique, but you can´t help enjoying his presence. What about the monsters ? They are not around a lot, and that is too bad. Because i do like to see Kajun monsters in different forms. Now to my biggest problem with this film. The ending is really bad. In fact, it feels like they choosed to make the ending as easy as possible, just to finish the story without any real reason. And this is where Monster Island fails to deliver, since the ending destroys the plot that is built up through out the film. Director Mark Atkins have directed a lot of The Asylum films, especially the solid film Android Cop. He does have some good ideas with Monster Island, but i have no idea why he let this film end as bad as it does. Such a shame when we have some interesting characters here. Hopefully the cast will return for Monster Island 2 with more monsters and a better ending. Then i might actually have something to be happy about.
Rating: DD
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