Hi-Death

Traditional horror films can both be very effective, fun and have some surprises included. Either way, i am very open minded to all kinds of horror films. One of the things i usually appreciate is directors who tell stories in anthology horror films. If you have no idea what this is, then i will explain it simple. Anthology horror films is usually a horror film with different stories from different directors, put together into one film. And in most horror anthology films, each director have worked with several different film projects, and get a chance to do something together with other film makers. Sounds like fun right ? I have seen plenty of anthology horror films in the past, and i especially enjoyed a film this summer called Nightmare Cinema ( you can find the review in this blog, just check on the list of reviews ). But since there are so many anthology horror films to choose between, i decided to talk about one specific antholohgy horror film that surprised me. The 2012 anthology horror film known as V/H/S is a great choice for this genre, from directors such as Adam Wingard, Ti West, David Bruckner and many more. The film begins with a gang of criminals, who break into to the home of a dead man to steal a single VHS tape. In this room there are a lot of VHS tapes, so one of them begin to watch one of the tapes. And this is where V/H/S become interesting, giving us some nice horror stories in different shapes. I enjoyed all of the stories for different reasons, especially the story known as Amateur Night from director David Bruckner. V/H/S manage to bring these stories together for a specific reason, and you will find out why as you watch the film. I should mention that the sequel V/H/S/2 is even better than the original film, but the first V/H/S movie have some quality substance included. Speaking of horror anthology films, i recently bought the film Hi_Death on DVD, an anthology horror film that looked interesting. Is this one of those horror films that will find a bigger audience, or is Hi-De a film no one will remember ?

2 women, having fun on the streets of Hollywood, begin to watch different horror stories together. But for each story that they watch, something begins to happen with their lives…..

If you are not a fan of anthology horror films, you are not going to enjoy this film. However, if you do enjoy this genre, i would have to say that Hi-Death have something for everyone. You see, each story is very different from each other. And this is one of the things i enjoy about this film, that each story takes it´s time to show us different characters in different situations. Now i also have to be honest, that i did not enjoy every single story completely. With that said, let´s get into some of the stories i did enjoy, and especially the characters. Let´s begin with the story Death Has A Conscience, from director Anthony Cantanese. This story of drug junkee Erin ( played by actress Jensen Jacobs ) who Wakes up with the Grim Reaper at a cheap hotel. The discussion they have together reveal some details about Erin, and i like the idea of the Grim Reaper telling her details about her life. The masked figures that joins the Grim Reaper works good as well. Actress Jensen makes her character Erin interesting, considering she seems to be stuck in her addiction. The next story i enjoyed is called Night Drop from director Amanda Payton. The story is set inside a local video store, where a secret DVD shows up. When the store worker play this DVD, things are about to change everything. Night Drop is a nice surprise, especially the brutality towards the end. My favourite story in Hi-Death comes from legendary director Todd Sheets, in a story called The Muse. This is a very odd and interesting portrait of a very disturbing man, Edwin Parker ( played by actor Nick Randol ). Edwin is being groomed by a demon, who wants a new human victim, a call girl played by wonderful actress Dilynn Fawn Harvey. The story known as Dealers Of Death is the weak spot of this film, not giving much to be pleased about. Overall, Hi-Death is a nice horror anthology with both nice practical special effects, and some crazy characters to enjoy. Worth picking up on DVD from Wild Eye Releasing, if you appreciate this genre.

Rating: DDD

Child´s Play

Best friends are precious in our lives. You might have friends, but only the best friends are the ones who accept you for who you are, and enjoy being in your company. Friendship is something that will last forever, if you let it grow strong. But what if your best friend is a doll, and not a real human ? Then you might be concerned about the child, especially if you notice that the doll is not just a toy. This is something that the classic 1988 horror film Child´s Play brought up, the subject of a friendship between a young boy and a possessed doll. They story about Andy Barclay, who gets a Good Guy doll as a gift, have no idea that this specific doll carry the sould of serial killer Charles Lee Ray. The doll is called Chucky, and they become best friends, until Andy realize that this doll is no ordinary friend. Child´s Play is not only a great horror film, this film also manage to give dolls an iconic horror look like never before. Actor Brad Dourif ( who gives the voice to Chucky ) managed to make this character unique, in his own way. Chucky have since then continued the legazy with a lot of sequels, and i have to say i especially enjoyed Child´s Play 2 and Bride Of Chucky. Child´s Play 3 have some fun scenes, but the other sequels that came along after Bride Of Chucky are very divided from a quality perspective. In some ways it felt like the Chucky franchise was running out of ideas, and should take a break for a while. As most horror fans know of classic films, there will Always be sequels made as long as fans are willing to pay for tickets. So when the news came that Child´s Play was getting a remake, i was skeptical. Maybe because i am a fan of the original film, and i was worried they would not respect the source material. But when the trailer was releases, i was surprised. This did look like an interesting remake, with some new added details. And to hear legendary actor Mark Hamill as the new voice of Chucky made me curious. Is this a worthy remake to such a classic horror film, or should we bury Chucky for good inside the box he once came from ?

The multinational company Kaslan Corporation have just launched Buddi, a revolutionary line of high-tech dolls designed to be a long-life companions to their owners, Learning from their surroundings and acting accordingly. Buddi dolls can also connect to and operate other Kaslan Products. The Buddi dolls become a huge success worldwide. At a Buddi assembly factory in Vietnam, an employee is fired by his supervisor for insufficent work. In retaliation, the employee manipulates the doll by assembling all the safety protocols. The doll is prepared with other Buddi dills, to be shipped by international delivery. In Chicago, retail clerk Karen Barclay ( Aubrey Plaza ) and her 13-year-old hearing-impared son Andy Barclay ( Gabriel Bateman ) have moved to a new appartment. Karen tries to encourage Andy to try and make new friends in the neighborhood. In an attempt to cheer him up, she manage to get a Buddi dolls from work, as a gift to Andy. At first he is skeptical, but soon realise that he might enjoy the company of this robot doll, who names himself Chucky. But the more time they spend together, the sooner Andy will notice that there is something wrong with Chucky.

When you make a remake of a classic horror film, you got a lot of pressure from the fan base of the older films. I have a feeling this film will divide fans, since there are some changes with this film compared to the original film. However, i will say this, i am not disappointed. You see, i think this is quite a clever update of the original film, where Chucky is now more of a robot ( makes sense since robots are becoming more popular in homes ), and the mobile app is also a clever detail. So basically you could say that Chucky has changed, but once his damaged settings comes, out you will recognize his evil personality. Legendary actor Mark Hamill ( Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise ) is the voice of Chucky, and i have to say he does a pretty good job. Chucky moves differently, and talks differently than before, but since he is a robot you can accept the changes. Teenage actor Gabriel Bateman ( who some of you might remember from the horror film Lights Out ) plays the classic character Andy Barclay, and i am impressed how well he does this character, also a bit different from the original film. Actress Aubrey Plaza ( from the wonderful independent drama comedy Safety Not Guarantee, a must see ) plays Andy´s mother Karen, and i really enjoy her performance in this film. What about the horror scenes in the new adaptation of Child´s Play, do they work ? I would have to say yes, since they have managed to find a way to adapt this version with the new version of Chucky, and still include some really brutal kills. Norwegian director Lars Kleverborg ( who directed the horror film Polariod ) have made his best film so far as a horror director. Child´s Play may not be original, but works well as an updated version of a classic film. Chucky is back, in a surprisingly effective way. Check out this film on VOD, until the Blu Ray release on September 24, i will be getting a copy myself for my Chucky collection .

Rating: DDD

Angel Has Fallen

If you would ask any lady, in any country in this world, what man would they want ? I know, you might think it is Chris Hemsworth. No, the truth is that Gerard Butler is Number 1. How do i know ? It is very easy, every time i mention the name Gerard Butler, every woman so far have responded the same way. They go crazy, looking for him everywhere, climb mountains, climb trees, just in case they can have their dream man Gerard. So what is it that made Gerard Butler the most wanted man on Earth ? I belive i know when that happened. In the year of 2009, he was in the romantic comedy The Ugly Truth with actress Katherine Heigl. This was a pretty descent box office success, and pulled in over 200 million dollars. So when all the ladies went to see this film, they were shocked. Because Gerard was telling Katherine Heigl how men are and how they think, exactly what all women wanted to hear. This is where the magical journey started for Gerard to become the most wanted man between women. Most people probably remember him from the epic action movie 300, directed by Zack Snyder. But i have to say my best memory of his film catalogue is the 2009 thriller Law Abiding Citizen. Directed by F. Gary Gary, this is great action thriller that actually have a good plot. But it was in the 2013 acion thriler film Olympus Has Fallen, where Gerard Butler got a whole new level of fans as Secret Service agent Mike Banning. Directed by Antione Fugua, this film turned out to be a fun action film, with a classic American patriot story. The sequel London Has Fallen had plenty of action, but less of a story. And here we are with a third film called Angel Has Fallen, with Gerard Butler returning as Mike Banning. Is this the best sequel in this franchise, or has this angel fallen way too predictable and is not worth your precious time ?

Secret Service agent Mike Banning ( Gerard Butler ) undergoes training at a military facility owned by his friend Wade Jennings ( Wade Jennings ), a former fellow Armer Ranger and currently the CEO of the paramilitary Company Salient Global. President of the United States, Allan Trumbull ( Morgan Freeman ) have plans to retire Secret Service Director David Gentry ( Lance Reddick ). During a fishing trip, where Mike and his team are keeping the president safe, President Trumbull mention to Mike about his plan to choose a new Secret Service Director, and have Mike in mind. Since Mike is having health issues, they decide to talk about this at another time and President Trumball order Mike to rest. While Mike is on hiw way back to the shore, a drone attack hit his team, and attacking the president as well. Mike manage to get the President into the water. Mike wakes up in a hospital, where he is informed by FBI Agent Helen Thompson ( Jada Pinkett Smith ) that he is suspected of trying to assassinate the President, who is currently lying in a coma at the hospital. Mike knows he has nothing to do with this, and need to get the truth out. He escapes from the hospital, and is now a fugitive on the run. Will Mike be able to prove that he is innocent ?

Since i was disappointed with London Has Fallen, my expectations for this third film were actually higher. And i have to say, this is actually not a bad sequel. First of all we have to talk about the chemistry between Gerard Butler and legendary actor Nick Nolte, who plays Vietnam war veteran Clay Banning. Their scenes together are actually fun, and especially when Clay blow up a whole forest with explosives. Nich Nolte gives one of the best performances in this film, and even if he might be a bit older, he still got that magical cinema touch. Gerard Butler manage to bring his character Mike Banning back in a effective way, and i think this time he actually manage to show a more personal portrait of Mike in this film, than in the previous films. Actor Danny Houston ( who you probably remember from the Classic film 21 Grams, directed by Alejandro González Inárittu ) plays the main evil character Wade Jennings, and i have to say that he is actually better than i expected. Legendary actor Morgan Freeman as President Allan Trumbull is of course another highlight in this film, and you would want him as a president in real Life, since he seems to care about everyone and make reasonable decisions. Now, let´s get into the most positive thing about Angel Has Fallen, other than the characters. Some of the action scenes are actually not bad, especially the drone attacks where people fly all over the place from explosions. I also enjoy the gun battle towards the end, when Mike and his team are protecting the president with lots of bullets flying. Angel Has Fallen have both entertaining action scenes, great characters and some funny scenes as well. Director Ric Roman Waugh ( who directed the powerful film Shot Caller ) have managed to make a worthy sequel to this franchise, and also manage to bring in some positive Changes. If you enjoy the previous films, i guarantee you want to see this sequel on the big screen. I don´t know about you folks, but i want to see Mike Banning return a fourth time. Until then, head down to your local cinema and experience an action film that was made for fans of this genre.

Rating: DDD

Project Ithaca

I have always been a fan of science fiction films, ever since i first saw Close Encounters Of The Third Kind from director Steven Spielberg. I was probably around 7 years old when i saw this film the first time on VHS, and this was the film that started my sci fi curiousity. Of course i watched all the Star Wars films, and Star Trek films of the 70´s and 80´s as well eventually, but Close Encounters Of The Third Kind will always be special to me. If i had to choose sci fi films, i actually prefer independent films. Why ? Simply because most sci fi independent films are more interesting, for a number a reasons. They usually have more interesting stories, the creativity level of design, special effects and interesting characters than the big budget Hollywood films. With a limited budget, you have to be able to make the film work on a completely different level, than if you have a 200 million dollar budget. There are a number of really good independent sci fi films to choose between. But let´s talk about one specific title, of a film i really appreciate in this genre. The 2016 sci fi film known as Midnight Special, is directed by Jeff Nichols ( who also directed the very well made psychological thriller drama Take Shelter ). Midnight Special tells the story of Roy Tomlin ( really good played by actor Michael Shannon ) who escape with his biological son Alton Meyer ( also a great performance from young actor Jaeden Martell ) from government and a religious cult. Midnight Special is a really powerful sci fi independent film, that have really strong performances and great looking special effects. This is a must have on DVD or Blu Ray, with some interesting special features included. I recently got a chance to see the new independent sci film Project Ithaca on DVD, that caught my attention. Is this a sci fi film for fans of this genre, or is Project Ithaca a film that will most likely be forgotten ?

A group of strangers wake up on board an alien spacecreaft. They are being held prisoner by some kind of alien lifeform, and no one knows why they are chosen. As they start to communicate with each other, it seems that everyone is from different time periods, both from the past and the future. Why are they here, and why have they been taken from different years ?

I am always happy to see an independent film, that remind me of sci fi films, but still manage to combine different ideas into the plot. If you have seen the 1993 cult classic film Fire In The Sky from director Robert Lieberman, imagine the style of that film ( inside the space ship ), except with a different concept, and you have Project Ithaca. Of course i can´t say these films have much else in common, but they even mention Fire In The Sky in the film ( so there is clearly an inspiration from that film in here ). The trapped people who is hold by some kind of alien lifeform, comes from different time periods in history. And this is an interesting detail, what if you woke up on board an unknown spaceship, and found out you have all been chosen from different years, both from the past and the future ? I think this is a really interesting concept for a sci fi film. Let´s get into the characters. The most interesting characters for me personally, is rock star Zack Chase ( played by actor Alex Woods, who you might have seen in the TV series Covert Affair ). Zack is clearly a man who is struggling to accept the situation. I especially like the character known as John Brighton ( played by actor James Gallanders, who some of you might remember from Bride Of Chucky ). John is clearly a man who is a survivor, and you can tell he might know more about what is going on inside this spaceship, than the rest of the abducted people. The female actors Konima Parkinson Jones and Deragh Campbell both deliver characters you are curious about. Even if i enjoy this film, i will say that i feel that they could have used the alien scenes more effective than what we get. This film focus more on how the characters handle the situation being trapped, but we don´t really get that much information on who these creatures are. If you enjoy independent sci fi films, i do believe you might find yourself enjoying this film for trying something different in the sci fi genre. Project Ithaca is a nice attempt to make a sci fi film with a different tone than most Hollywood productions. Director Nicholas Humphries is a name i hope we hopefully will see do more sci fi films in the future, he is clearly on to something positive in this genre.

Rating: DDD

Sleepless Nights ( A Request Review From Actress Dilynn Fawn Harvey )

Time flies by for sure. I can´t belive it has been 8 years since i started this movie review blog. And it all started by an idea of mine, after seeing an episode of South Park, where the students did a news TV show called Sexy Action School News. So i got an idea, why not name my movie review blog Daniels Super Sexy Movie Reviews ? The idea was that this would make this blog sound sexy, when it actually is nowhere near sexy at all. I had already written reviews long before i started this blog, so i just needed to make something personal. And since then, i had written a hell of a lot of reviews. The best thing for me so far is to see how many countries that read my reviews, i am happy to see i can reach out to anyone who is interested to read. I even had official movie pages for films, share my reviews, including actors as well. So of course i am honored for all of the people who have shown me support. Sometimes, i get a request of a movie review, mostly from fans of my movie review blog. Unfortunately, some requests from readers have been published already, so i can´t write the same review again. But i always appreciate that some people ask if i can write a request. During this summer i actually got a request from wonderful actress Dillyn Fawn Harvey, who you can see in the lovely film Clownado on DVD, from Wild Eye Releasing. She and her cast really enjoyed my review of Clownado, so of course when she requested a review of another film she is in, i felt honored. It is not something that happens everyday, so she asked me if i could review the 2016 horror anthology film known as Sleepless Nights. Of course i said yes, so finally got a chance to see the film on VOD. Is this a horror anthology film that should be nominated for a Nobel prize, or should you avoid this film at all cost ?

During the Halloween weekend, 7 different stories are told, from 7 different directors. Are you ready to face the true faces of evil, or are you doomed for hell in all eternity ?

If you have been looking for a small budget, gory and fun horror film to watch, then look no further. Sleepless Nights is a treat for us who wants a good laugh, with a lot of practical effects. This is a real throwback to the 80´s with the tasteful soundtrack, and with some acting performances, so bad you can´t help loving their characters. In some ways, you could say that Sleepless Nights is a mash up of classic Halloween ingredients. You have demon possessed people, zomies, parasites, the perfect mixture for a pumpkin holiday. There is especially one of the stories that will make you laugh, about a demon possessed child, where everyone runs out of the house, such as a catholic priest, an indian and a voodoo man. But thats not all. In one story you have an Afro American character Derwell Sweet, who sword fight, and keep a zombie girl as his new toy, known as Zombie Ho ( played by actress Dilynn Fawn Harvey ). You can also see Dilynn in another story, where she plays the character Enid. The thing i love about actress Dilynn Fawn Harvey is that she can do all kinds of characters, and she clearly shows that in this film. My favourite segment in this film is the story called The Crawler, where Enid get some kind of parasite up her ( private parts ? ). Dilynn handle this character in a very wonderful way. One of the things i can is that Sleepless Nights does not feel scary at all. That´s not a bad thing, because you will have plenty of laughs along the way for all the crazy things happening in every story. Director Todd Sheets, and the rest of the directors that made different segments in this film, have made an entertaining B anthology movie. Are you already looking forward to celebrate Halloween with a costume ? Then make sure you pick up Sleepless Nights on DVD from Wild Eye Releasing, and i guarantee that you will feel that this is the best British tea afternoon, you never thought existed.

Rating: DDD

Later This Year, Let's Celebrate 30 Years Of Van Damme Classic Films Kickboxer And Cyborg

Cheers everyone!

Its getting colder outside, at least here in Sweden. Within 2 weeks im pretty sure we will see snow, ice, and all that stuff from hell. Im happy at least to have Ron De Jeremy Rum bottles, so i will keep myself warm for now. 

So there is a reason why we should be happy. Im no longer a virgin? I wish that was true but looks like im gonna have to wait for a miracle to happen. The real reason why we should be happy, is that it's 30 years since Jean-Claude Van Damme released his 2 classic films Kickboxer and of course Cyborg. I have so many wonderful memories of these films, so i will be doing a double review of both films, later this autumn. If you are a Van Damme fan, i guarantee you don't want to miss this. I've got plenty of movie reviews coming this fall, so be prepared to have a hell of a good time, and i will see you soon.

Cheers from Daniel! 

Coming This Christmas To Daniels Super Sexy Movie Reviews, I Watch A New Hallmark Christmas Movie

Cheers everyone!

This is Daniel here, the amazing movie critic from Sweden ( the country that have watched repeats of Magnum P.I. more than any other country, perhaps because every swede loves Tom Selleck ). 

Anyway, let's get to the real reason why im updating you all. Christmas decorations and Christmas candy is already in stores, so you know what that means. That is a sign that Hallmark are releasing a new set of Christmas movies. So, i decided to pick one of the new films this Christmas and see if i can survive it. I will let you know later on this autumn what Hallmark film i will review. New movie reviews are coming next week, so stick around and have a good weekend. 

Cheers from Daniel!