30 Years Anniversary Review Of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

I don´t know about you, but i can easily buy myself a large pizza, with lots of cheese, and have a great meal. In all the years that i have travelled across the world, i like to try pizzas in different locations, because you never know if you might find a pizza restaurant that is fantastic. One of the cities i remember had really good pizza, is the city of Prague in Czech Republic. Speaking of pizza, how many of you are reminded of pizza when you hear the name Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ? I know, it is hard not to think about a connection. The mutated turtles from New York really game my childhood a great start back in the late 80´s with their cartoon show. Rafael, Donatello, Michaelangelo and Leonardo, these ninja turtles delivered some fun moments in their classic cartoon TV series, and i must have seen a lot of episodes back in those days. It would not be long until we would see the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles own full feature film, released in 1990. I remember when this film came out, because me and my school friends used to play as Ninja Turtles, and we had their official toys. Of course i also had the Nintendo game as well, that i played every weekend when i was off from school. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became a hit worldwide in cinemas, and you could tell that these turtles are here to stay. And they did, bringing in more seasons of their cartoon show, and two more sequels to the original film. The sequel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of Ooze was released just one year after the first film, and the third film was released in 1993. I always felt that this franchise was a fun part of my youth, since i grew up with their cartoon show. It would take 21 years until we had a remake, with the same name. But to be honest, this updated version from 2014 does not feel as charming as the classic films. This year the original film of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles turned 30 years, so i decided to do a 30 years anniversary review, to see if this film still holds up today. Are these turtles even more fun to watch after all these years, or should you watch the 2014 remake instead ?

As a crime wave rises in New York City, reporter April O´Neil ( Judith Hoag ) correctly theorizes that the mysterious ninja Foot Clan may be behind the rising chaos. The Shredder ( James Saito ), the Foot Clan leader, orders April silenced. She is attacked by the Foot Clan, but these soldiers are attacked soon by Raphael ( Josh Pais ), one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, carry down April to their hideout. Here she meets the rest of the turtles known as Leonardo ( David Forman / Brian Tochi ( voice ) ), Donatello ( Leif Tilden / Corey Feldman ( voice ) ) and Michaelangelo ( Michelan Sisti / Robbie Rist ( voice ) ). Their leader and father figure Splinter ( Kevin Clash ) tells April the story of how they used to be ordinar animals, until they were mutated by toxic waste, and trained by Splinter in the art of ninjitsu. After the turtles escort April home, their hideout is ransacked by the Foot Clan as they kidnap Splinter. The turtles prepare to bring their master home, no matter what they have to do to complete their mission.

If you are a fan of these films from the past, i seriously doubt that you will change your mind about this film. This is a trip back to the days, before CGI effects took over and they were still using real actors in costumes. Watching a film like this today, does not only bring back a nostalgic feeling, but it also reminds me of how simple some of the 90´s films felt. You did not need a complicated plot, or serious acting. This was all about having fun, and you can still get that feeling today with this film. Let´s get into the characters. Actress Judith Hoag ( who have been in the TV series Nashville ) plays April O´Neal, the TV reporter. I have to say that Judith manage to bring her own version of April, and she does a good job portraying this character. One of my personal favourite characters in this film, is legendary actor Elias Koteas ( who you must see in the horror film The Haunting In Connecticut ) as the character Casey Jones. He is loud, confident, and he loves to kick ass, just about everything you need in a character to fit into this film. Then of course we have all the turtles, who are played by four different actors, but their voices are also from four other actors. Instead of presenting each one, let´s just get into their performances in costumes. I think that they actually work pretty well, considering they are fighting in pretty big costumes. Another thing that this film manage to do well with these four turtles, is giving them a lot of space with their comedy timing. If you are in the right mood, i guarantee you will have a good time when these four turtles bring on their fun personalities. I have to mention legendary actor James Saito ( who i will always remember from TV series Eli Stone ) as the evil character The Shredder. James manage to make Shredder exactly as bad as we wanted him to be. Does the martial art scenes still work in this film ? I would have to say yes, and there is plenty of fighting to enjoy. Sure, the dialogue can be cheesy at times, but that´s the whole meaing with a film like this, not to take itself too serious. Director Steve Barron manage to find the right tone for a film like this, and bring out the comic book feeling as well in a positive way. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an action comedy that knows what kind of audience it wants to please, and that is why this film still works well. If you are planning a pizza night, why not do it while watching this film on DVD or Blu Ray ? In this combination, you are guaranteed to experience a nostalgic trip back to the 90´s. 

Rating: DDD

The Podcast Everyone Should Be Listening To, Is Of Course The Rest Is Confetti

Cheers everyone!

Over the years that i have been writing reviews, i have had the chance to talk to people worldwide through social media. Most of the time it has been discussions with actors, including directors, but today i am proud to say that i have stepped into a new direction. I am always open to new contacts and help movie lovers that do their own social media projects.

I have been talking to one of the girls of the podcast known as The Rest Is Confetti, and her name is Macy. She and her friend Courtney are doing this podcast, and this is where they talk about independent films, and especially obscure horror films. One of the reasons i feel that this podcast is so important, is because we need a podcast that talk about independent films. I personally feel that this is the most interesting podcast in many years, and since summer is getting closer, i have a feeling that this will be the podcast that everyone will be talking about worldwide this summer. I will be listening to every episode, and i hope all of you will as well. You can listen to this podcast on Spotify, or choose a different way to listen through other choices as well. i will give you a link to where you can listen to The Rest Is Confetti:

https://anchor.fm/confettipod

Last review of this month will be posted any day soon, and i have a lot of good stuff coming in June. Actually, next month i will be focusing more on independent horror films, since it would be nice to enter summer by supporting films in this genre. Take care everyone, and remember, The Rest Is Confetti is the place to be during this summer.

Cheers from Daniel!

35 Years Anniversary Review Of Fright Night

Ah yes, the 80´s. What a wonderful time it was for us who were children during these times. We may not have had Facebook or Instagram, but we had something even better called VHS rental stores. This were where you spent your days, looking at the coolest movies on VHS covers, and dreaming away that you would get a chance to meet Melanie Griffith from the cult film Cherry 2000. I have no idea how many days i spent in VHS rental stores every week, but let´s just say i focused more on my time there than in school. And you know what, i actually learned more in some subjects there, thanks to the VHS covers. The 80´s had a lot of great horror releases, and even if i was too young to rent films in those days, i had connections that would bring me the some great titles. One thing you have to admit, is that in the 80´s you could tell that vampires were making a great comeback, after some cheesy releases in the 70´s. It was like film makers wanted to take this genre to another level, and update the classic concept into a more modern World. And one of the best examples of that is when director Joel Schumacher released his vampire film The Lost Boys in 1987. For those of you who are young today, i can tell you that The Lost Boys was one of the best films to grow up with, before we turned into teenagers. The Lost Boys have everything you could wish for, such as cool characters, a great soundtrack, great looking vampires and fun horror scenes as well. But let´s go back two years before The Lost Boys was released, and talk about a different horror film called Fright Night. Released in 1985, this is considered to be one of the true 80´s classic. I first saw Fright Night when i was about 1989, when i was 11 years old. At that time, i remember seeing this film on TV for the first time. I believe it was my aunt who rent this film on VHS. I remember that Fright Night felt like a tribute to old school vampire films, and was entertained. I finally picked up Fright Night on Blu Ray a couple of years go from the UK, and i realised that this film turns 35 years old this year. I just had to watch it again, to see how i feel about Fright Night in present day. Is this still a cult horror classic, or has this film lost some of the magic over the years ?

 17-year-old Charley Brewster ( William Ragsdale ) is a big fan of traditional horror films, and especially his favourite TV series known as Fright Night, hosted by former vampire hunter Peter Vincent ( Roddy McDowall ). One evening, Charley discover that his next door neighbor Jerry Dandridge ( Chris Sarandon ), is a vampire responsible for the disappearances of several victims. Charley tells his mother Judy Brewster ( Dorothy Fielding ) about his neighbor, and she have a hard time believing him. Charley also try and tell his friends, with no bigger luck. So he decide to take this into his own hands, and Contact authorities. Detective Lennox ( Art Evans ) go with Charley to visit his neighbor Jerry, as Charley is hoping to prove that he is a murdered. It does not go well, and they leave the house. Charley get a visit from Jerry, where he warns him that he should stop with his vampire hunt, or something serious will happen. Charley is not giving up, and Contact the TV host, movie star Peter Vincent ( Roddy McDowall ), hoping he can help him. At first he is not interested, but when Charleys girlfriend Amy Peterson ( Amanada Bearse ) offer to pay him then he accept the offer. At first Peter believe this is all fake, until he see some signs that something is terribly wrong. Maybe Charley is telling the truth after all ?

Back in the day when i first saw Fright Night, i enjoyed the film for a number of reasons. But perhaps i always felt closer to The Lost Boys and watched that film more times. Since time have passed and Fright Night have this year turned 35 years, i can actually appreciate this film more now than what i did in the end of the 80´s. I probably did not think too much about it back then, but do we have some really good characters in this film. Let´s begin with the character Charley Brewster, played by actor William Ragsdale ( who you have also seen in the horror film The Reaping ). Brewster is the typical teenager, who is clearly afraid of his creepy neighbor Jerry. I have to say that William gives his character a realistic portrait of an ordinary teenager, and how you might have reacted in his situaton. Im not saying this film is realistic in any way, but his performance does work well with the teenage portrait of Brewster. Actress Amanda Bearse ( who everyone knows from the classic TV comedy series Married With Children )plays Charley´s girlfriend Amy, and she does this really good. Amy is the kind of  natural teenage girl we have all met at some point, when we were in this age. One of the best characters in this film is Peter Vincent - The Vampire Killer, played by legendary actor Roddy McDowall. He is absolutely brilliant in this role, and he is in my opinion one of the reasons why Fright Night is such a classic. Roddy manage to make Peter Vincent into his own unique character, and i must say this may be his best acting performance in his career. Legendary actor Chris Sarandon ( who i remember from the classic crime drama film Dog Day Afternoon ) plays the vampire Jerry Dandrige. He goes full into his character, and i don´t think anyone whould have done it better than him. One of the other reasons why Fright Night work so well, a part from the great characters, is that this film actually manage to balance classic vampire ingredients with effective practical effects. We also have a great soundtrack that fits really well with this time period.  Director Tom Holland clearly knew how to make a vampire film in his own unique way, and still make it feel timeless. Fright Night will continue to be one of the true vampire classics of the 80´s, and Peter Vincent may be the greatest cult characters within the vampire killers in cinema history. I strongly suggest you pick up this film on DVD or Blu Ray and celebrate 35 years of Fright Night this summer, and share this experience with the whole world. A high rating to a true classic 80´s horror film.

Rating: DDDD

Coming This Summer Of 2020, Let´s Have A Lou Diamond Phillips Summer!

Cheers everyone!

Daniel here, your favourite Swedish movie reviewer of all eternity. Really ? Yes, i know it is amazing. So i have thought abbout something for this summer, that we should do something that will fit perfect with summer. And what fits better with summer than legendary actor Lou Diamond Phillips ? I know, it can´t get any better than that. 

Most of you know Lou Diamond Phillips from the 1987 film La Bamba, where he played Ritchie Valens, the rock and roll singer. But he have done a lot of films over the years, so my idea is to pick out three films in his career, that i have not seen, and review these films each between the months of June to August. I have no idea what films i will choose so far. But i guarantee i will try to review three very different films in his career, that are all in different categories. A summer with Lou Diamond Phillips must be the greatest idea so far that i have heard in a long time, and i am pretty sure The Kardashians will agree with me on that.

Working on the last two movie reviews for this month, so stay tuned and have a fantastic weekend. I hope you will enjoy the reviews i have posted so far this month.

Cheers from Daniel !

The Dawn

All over the world, a lot of people are visiting their church, mosque, temple, depending on what religion you believe in. And in these days when we have all seen what this pandemic can do, it is not hard to understand why people need to hold on to their faith. But what if your faith is tested by something evil, that will try and take you down for good ? That is of course the moment where you need something to hold on to, when you know that this could end bad. In the movie industry, we have seen a lot of horror films with religious themes. One of the best religious horror films in the last 20 years, has to be the 2001 film known as Frailty. This film looks great, but also have a fantastic cast including Bill Paxton, Matthew McConaughey, Powers Boothe and Luke Askew. Frailty is actually directed by Bill Paxton, and i have to say he did a really good job, telling the story of father Meiks, a hard working man who is trying to raise his young boys. But one day, Meiks claims that he was visited by an angel, who wants him to kill demons, who may look by humans but are actual demons. Meiks go out and find these people, as he kill them brutally. Meiks keeps getting more messages from this angel, as he is told to kill more demons. He finally reveal to his boys what he needs to do, and hope they will accept his mission. Frailty really shows you hos destructive religion can be, when you don´t know what is reality and fantasty. A must see on DVD or Blu Ray, that is actually worth buying to your movie collection. If you are one of those who enjoyed The Conjuring, i am sure you saw the creepy nun that terrified everyone. Nuns can be very effective in horror films, and we have seen several releases over the last few years with this theme. I recently came across one film that looked interesting, that is known as The Dawn. Since i like to pick up DVD horror films, i decided to get myself a copy and see if this film would be as interesting, as the cover of The Dawn seems to be. Is this one of the better horror films with nuns in recent years, or is this a film that fails to bring anything interesting to the table ?

During World War I, young child Rose live with her family in the countryside. Her father is suffering from his experiences of war, and he can´t provide everything with what this family needs. One night, he get up and murder everyone, except Rose who manage to escape from the house. Rose is taken to a convent, where the nuns welcome their new sister into a new life. 10 years later Rose ( Devanny Pinn ) is a big part of the sisterhood, and keep working on her faith. She is considering if she should take her " final vows " in the convent. Because of the aforementioned tragedy, she keeps having nightmares, flashback and visions. As her nightmares become even worse, she is questioning if she might be attacked by something extremely evil.

If you were hoping to see lots of blood, and lots of jump scares, then this film might disappoint you. On the other hand, if you enjoy a horror movie that takes it´s time to build up the atmosphere, then you might find The Dawn interesting. This is a film made on a low budget, but you can feel that this film team have tried to capture the time period of World War I, and how the main character grew into her new life as a nun. But we do have a major problem with this film, and that is that the horror scenes are unfortunately not very effective. The plot actually have a great setting for delivering some old school horror ingredients, but for some reason they don´t really use those tools correctly. Let me give you one example, as we see the main character Rose is experiencing an evil presence. Usually when we see someone being attacked by something evil, it can be very effective. In this film you don´t really feel that she is in a dangerous situation, as the film tries to push forward with the evil entity. And this is such a shame, because i do like the location of this film with the convent, and the sisterhood of the nuns. But when you don´t make the horror scenes effective enough to carry this movie forward, you loose some of the power that this film would have needed. Lead actress Devanny Pinn ( who you might remember from the Rolf Kanesky film Party Bus To Hell ) as Rose, is actually an interesting character. And i do feel that she is a good choice for this film. But, since she can´t deliver strong enough horror scenes on her own, you get a sense that this film does not take itself very serious. It is nice to see actress Stacey Dash ( who i guarantee you will recognize from the 1995 comedy Clueless ) as the character Sister Ella. Unfortunately, she is not given the chance to be seen in more scenes. Director Brandon Slagle ( who is releasing his new interesting sci fi film Attack Of The Unknown this summer ) do have some interesting ideas with this film, and he did start the film in a powerful way with the murder of an entire family. But for some reason he does not continue with the horror influences, on the same level as the beginning of the film. Too bad, because i do feel that this could have been an interesting horror film. I suggest you check out St. Agatha instead, and we will look forward to see Attack Of The Unkown this summer, i have a feeling that will be a tasteful treat.

Rating: DD

Spenser Confidential

There is a rule in Hollywood, that we have seen in many years. Release the films that we don´t have high expectations of in the month of January, and we will see if anyone wants to see the film. There are a lot of examples of films that have been released exactly this month, such as horror action film known as I, Frankenstein, released in 2014 ( with Aaron Eckhart ). Or how about Vice in 2015 ( with actors such as Bruce Willis and Thomas Jane ) ? These are just two good examples of releases that people had no high expectations of in Janurary. I actually find it fun every year with the releases of this month, and there are actually a few films that have turned out to be better than expected. Especially one film in January of 2013, when director Peter Berg released his military action film Lone Survivor. This film turned out to be a box office success, pulling in over 154 million dollars, on a budget of 40 million dollars. Not bad for a January release. Lone Survivor is based on the eponymous 2007 non-fiction book by authors Marcus Luttrel and Patrick Robinson, that tells the story of what happened to Seal Team 10 in Afghanistan, in the summer of 2005. This was actually the first film where director Peter Berg and actor Mark Wahlberg worked together, and it turned out to be a great match. Lone Survivor manage to deliver a solid story, and some great acting performances as well. If you have not seen this film for any reason, you should check it out. Director Peter Berg continued making films together, such as Deepwater Horizon and Patriots Day. Both of these films are really good, and worth checking out You could tell that actor Mark Wahlberg could deliver great characters with the help of director Peter Berg, and i had high hopes for their next film Mile 22. That film turned out to be their worst film, that they have worked on together. Too bad, but i suppose it is hard to make everything right. When i heard the news that director Peter Berg would team up again with Mark Wahlberg in the Netflix film Spenser Confidential, i was happy. Could they finally be back on track again with something good this time ? Is this the best team work from both os these men since Patriots Day, or is Spenser Confidential not worth checking out at all ?

Detective Spenser ( Mark Wahlberg ) arrives with his partner Driscol ( Bokeem Woodbine ) to the home of Captain John Boylan ( Michael Gaston ). While questioning about the woman named Gloria Wiesnewski ( Alexandra Vino ), and the tape footage of Wiesnewski´s murder leaked by Wayne Cosgrove ( Marc Maron ), the confrontation gets heated after Spenser sees Mrs Boylan´s bloody face, and beats Captain John sensleess. Spenser is sent to prison for 5 years. After serving his time, Spenser is released and picked up by his friend Henry Cimoli ( Alan Arkin ). At night, Captain John is driving talking to his daughter over the phone. An S U V drives right into him at a school bus yard, drag him out and kill him. The next morning, a nurse named Letitia Graham ( Hope Olaide Wilson ) comes home to find her husband Terrence Graham ( Brandon Scales ) dead. Spenser is considered to be a suspect, while he knows he had nothing to do with these murders. But when Spenser begin to do his own investogation of what happened, he is about to find out another truth that was supposed to stay hidden.

I could be wrong about this, but i get a sense that director Peter Berg could have been inspired by the 1982 classic film 48 Hours. Not that these films have in lot in common, but the concept of of Spenser Confidental reminds me of the teamwork that Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy had in 48 Hours. Because this film actually manage to deliver both good comedy timing, and great looking action scenes as well. If you have seen the previous films that Mark Wahlberg and director Peter Berg have made together before, i have to say that Spenser Confidential stands out from their catalogue. This is a much more simple film, that is made for fans of action films such as Lethal Weapon. Speaking of Mark Wahlberg, i don´t need to tell you in detail why he is good as the main character Spenser. He knows how to deliver a great character, especially in action films. One of the biggest susprises for me personally, is how good actor Winston Duke is as the character Hawk is. Imagine a combination of Mr T, and the friendly John Coffey in The Green Mile, and you have Hawk. He may seem like a soft guy, but once he gets his mood in the right place, we get that violent behavior that we all were hoping for. Comedian actress Iliza Schlesinger plays the rough, bad ass character Cissy Davis. And she is so good, that she may be one of the highlights in this film. Legendary actor Alan Arkin as Henry proves once more why he is so natural on screen, and how he manage to bring out characters in his own unique way. If you are looking for an intelligent film, with a lot of depth and intelligent conversations, then you are not going to find it here with Spenser Confidential. This is a film made for fans of action films, who just want to be entertained with fun characters, and great looking action scenes. Director Peter Berg have definetely stepped it up in the right direction since Mile 22, and i am happy to see him back on track. I am looking forward to see these guys work together again, perhaps even see a sequel to this film ? I guess we will have to wait and see. Spenser Confidential is a good choice on Netflix, that will entertain all ages.

Rating: DDD

Disappearance At Clifton Hill

We all experience trauma in many different ways. It might have been something we experienced as children, or if we lost someone close to us. Some might have gone through an abusive childhood, or a horrible marriage as an adult. Trauma can change our life completely, especially if you have experienced something horrible. When it comes to films that are dealing with trauma experiences, there are a lot of titles to choose between. And i could easily pick films that are not too old, but i decided to go in another direction. Let´s go back 19 years in time to the year of 2001, when the psychological thriller Don´t Say A Word was released. Directed by Gary Fleder ( who directed the wonderful crime film Things To Do In Denver When You´re Dead ), this film tells the stort of Dr. Nathan R. Conrad ( played by legendary actor Michael Douglas ) who is asked by Dr. Louis Sachs ( played by legendary actor Oliver Platt ) to examine a " disturbed " young girl named Elisabeth Burrows ( played by actress Brittany Murphy, who will always be remembered ). It turns out that Elisabeth may be the only one who can save a kidnapped girl, with a six-digit number that only she knows. Don´t Say A Word may not be a masterpiece in any way, but as an psychological thriller, i have to say that this film feels effective, especially thanks to the great cast. I suggest you pick this film up on DVD or Blu Ray, and please listen to the commentary track. You do get some interesting details about making this film, and the vision that director Gary Fleder had making this film. I recently came across a thriller film on VOD i have not seen called Disappearance At Clifton Hill. I noticed that this film is directed by Albert Shin, who directed the really good film In Her Place, released in 2014. Is this a thriller that could please a lot of fans of this genre, or is the Disappearance At Clifton Road a film that no one will notice at all ?

When Abby was a small girl, she witnessed a kidnapping while fishing with her family. Many years have gone by, and Abby ( Tuppence Middleton ) return to her hometown of Niagra Falls, to find out what happens with her mother´s motel, as she and her sister Laure ( Hannah Gross ) to find out about their heritage. Laurie is not interested in the motel at all, while Abby can´t imagine letting that place go. While Abby remember the kidnapping she witness as a child. She diecides to invetigate what really happened back then. The further she digs into the evidence, the more she realise what lies behind the real truth.

If you enjoy old school thrillers that takes it´s time to reveal the truth, then you should enjoy Disappearance At Clifton Hill. It is like going back to the 90´s, when you saw those thrillers that took place in a small town, where secrets have been hidden for many years. In these days when a lot of thrillers try to be more modern, while this film tries to go back to the roots of how thrillers used to be. And i appreciate the effort, since i think we need thrillers, that heads toward a more traditional concept. One of the things that especially make this film interesting, is that this film becomes an investigation of a child who witnessed a kidnapping, and she is now as an adult trying to find out the truth. When the main character Abby digs deeper into the case, the film manage to balance the story with a realistic portrait of a woman who have lived with trauma for a long time. Lead actress Tuppence Middleton ( who i am sure that most of you have seen in the Netflix TV series Sense 8 ), gives her character Abby a very interesting personality. You can sense that she is struggling with her past, knowing that she is sure that she did witness a kidnapping. One of the characters that i really feel give this film a lift up, is thanks to the performance of legendary actor / director David Lynch ( director of Scanners and A History Of Violence ). His character Walter have been searching for evidence on this case for a long time, so you do find out some interesting details through him. I will say that the only negative i can say, is that the film is a bit slow in some scenes, and you need to have patience to find out the truth. Director Albert Shin have clearly felt inspired to make a film, that brings back the thriller genre back on it´s feet, with a simpe but effective story. If you don´t want CGI effects, and no expolsions, then i have feeling that Disappearance Of Clifton Hill should probably be a good choice for you. 

Rating: DDD