The Wing Kong Exchange (feat. Inferno)

  • Welcome to "The New" Wrestling Smarks Forum!

    I see that you are not currently registered on our forum. It only takes a second, and you can even login with your Facebook! If you would like to register now, pease click here: Register

    Once registered please introduce yourself in our introduction thread which can be found here: Introduction Board


Fuji Vice

Hall of Famer
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
25,302
Reaction score
775
Points
118
Age
45
Favorite Wrestler
stanhansen
Favorite Wrestler
brusierbrody
Favorite Wrestler
rickrude
Favorite Wrestler
randysavage
Re: The Wing Kong Exchange

Thanks guys, glad you enjoyed the Cloverfield review, here's another one for you, albeit a tad more obscure but still in the found footage genre....

84 Charlie Mopic

l_96744_27f2a6db.jpg

A freshly minted lieutenant and a cameraman making a training film join a platoon of Green Berets on a mission behind enemy lines in Vietnam. They're soon well into enemy territory and while the cameraman attempts to learn a little about each man, they move further inland. Eventually they come across a company of North Vietnamese troops and engage them, only to quickly find themselves in the fight of their lives.

84C1.jpg

There's something about the Vietnam war that always seems to lend itself to quality material. From Coppola's Apocalypse Now to Stone's Platoon and Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, it seems that there is no shortage of strong films centered around this particular war. Another that can easily be added to that list is 84 Charlie Mopic (sometimes titled 84C MPC), a gritty and realistic portrayal of that very war with a unique twist; its a found footage film as well. Yes that's right, a found footage film that doesn't fall strictly into the horror category, though its just as horrific as some of those given the subject matter. In fact, I could argue that its even more horrific than some, since it comes across as the most realistic of them all and also the most unsettling. These aren't stupid kids who lock themselves in an asylum or unlucky people who have demon's following them, these are soldiers fighting (and dying) in a war they never asked to be involved in. As the film progresses and you learn more about each individual, a sense of dread unlike any other in the genre comes across you, as you simply know that not every one of them is going to make it out alive. By the end of it all, its hard not to come away with the realization that the found footage style benefited this film perfectly, making it the most realistic and heartbreaking Vietnam film ever made. Given the stature of some of its contemporaries, including the one's I mentioned above, I believe that to be a pretty bold statement. Well here's another...84 Charlie Mopic is the single best Vietnam film I've ever seen, one that removes the sensationalism and inner turmoil that the others tend to focus on and chooses instead to paint an unflinching and heartfelt portrait of life, and death, in the jungle.

84C3.jpg


"Climbing up Hamburger Hill."

Written and directed by Patrick Sheane Duncan, the film is based almost entirely on his real life experiences as a soldier in the Vietnam war. While other directors had done this as well (most notably Oliver Stone), Duncan chose to forget about using the war motif as some sort of personal soapbox and instead sought to portray an honest slice of life from a soldier's perspective. To do this, he realized that the idea of a cameraman filming these soldiers would make the most sense, as it would allow him to show what was behind each man, both good and bad. The found footage style was still very new here, having only been used previously in Cannibal Holocaust, but Duncan shows an absolute mastery of it from the beginning. He uses the camera and the narrator to become the eyes of the audience, allowing us to immerse ourselves fully in the experience he creates for us. He also writes some of the most believable dialogue I've ever heard in a Vietnam film, which is most likely due to his personal experiences. He probably wasn't writing scripted lines so much as he was paraphrasing real life people that he'd met during his time in the war, which again makes everything seem that much more honest. Of course the dialogue is only going to be good if the actors involved are strong enough to make it work, which in the case of this film, they most certainly are.

84C2.jpg


"Good Morning, Vietnam!"

As far as casting in found footage films goes, I'd say this one is far and away the best I've seen yet. Each and every actor here brings a certain special something to their roles, and though its sometimes intangible you can always sense that its there. Richard Brooks (best known as Assistant DA Paul Robinette on the early seasons of Law and Order) portrays OD, the leader of the Green Beret team and the most stoic of the bunch. He's the only one who doesn't give any back story as to why he's in the war, but he certainly shows enough emotion throughout the film to give his character some real growth. The other recognizable actor here is Glen Morshower, who is well known to television fans as Aaron Pierce from 24. Morshower plays a redneck type who is questioned about his subservience to a black commander (Brooks) and gives perhaps the most intelligent and poignant response I've ever heard. It's not about race when people are trying to kill you at every turn, and these guys understand that, regardless of their personal issues back home. The rest of the cast is equally as strong as these two and again it sucks that we get to know so much about them given the eventual outcome of the film. Among the other standouts are Nicholas Cascone as Easy, a happy go lucky guy who is "short" and is just trying to survive the next 26 days and Christopher Burgard as Hammer, a slightly unhinged soldier who's more than happy to go into any fight with guns blazing. Finally, Jonathan Emerson plays LT (Lieutenant), a total rookie who is only out in the bush to make a name for himself and advance his career. The sad truth is that there were lots of these guys during the war, and most of them thought it was a lot safer than it turned out to be, leading to very few of them coming back. Emerson tries to create a sense of conscience among the others, but he is soon swept up in the torrid state of affairs taking place and becomes battle hardened before our eyes.

84C4.jpg


"Good thing I loaded my Full Metal Jacket's for this one."

The story here is not particularly original, though I'm pretty sure it wasn't mean to be in the first place. If you've seen a couple of Vietnam movies, you'll easily recognize these characters, but they've never seemed as real as they do here. They may be stereotypes, but the events that surround them are not, and before the film is over you're suddenly immersed in real war rather than pretend Hollywood stuff. The longer these guys go on their mission, the more we start to realize the futility of it and the war itself, a point made so easily in this film where it has to be fought for in others. There's a great conversation one guy has about how he's been really lucky so far which further drives home the utter pointlessness of the war itself. For all the top notch training these guys had before they went, it boiled down to simple blind luck that allowed some to survive and others to perish. The bottom line here is that the film doesn't try to do anything but show these men in this particular situation and then let the action unfold as it may. There's no political messages here, no sensationalist explosions or internal civil war struggles between opposing views, its just the war, plain and simple. Take that as you may, but I believe this is the true essence of the war itself, the small stories that you never hear as opposed to the all encompassing opuses created by the likes of Coppola, Stone and Kubrick. 84 Charlie Mopic may not have the budget or the pedigree of those films, but it has a heart and its honest, something that puts it well above them in my eyes.

84C5.jpg


"Thankfully these guys won't be Missing in Action."

84 Charlie Mopic was released to a limited theatrical run and grossed just over $150,000 but it also garnered several award nominations including one for Best First Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards and was also up for the Grand Jury Prize at 1989's Sundance Festival. That's not too shabby for a film that basically nobody I know has ever heard of, but as I say, if you like Vietnam films or are interested in a brutally honest portrayal of that war, you can do no better than it. Not only is it the best Vietnam film I've ever seen, its also the best war movie and best found footage one as well. Once again, I realize that's a bold statement, but hey, that's just how I feel. Would I recommend it over Platoon or Full Metal Jacket? For strict realism, yes, for overall impact, probably not, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't check it out for yourself to feel its full power. 9/10.

84C6.jpg


"Next time, is this man a killer?"
 

Wang Chung

Cowboy Shit
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
20,922
Reaction score
3,814
Points
138
Age
48
Location
Dancing
Favorite Wrestler
hulkhogan
Favorite Wrestler
ajstyles2
Favorite Wrestler
nwo
Favorite Wrestler
boots2asses
Where can I find that movie at? That sounds interesting. Oh that dude isn't the killer.





























I am

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2
 

Wang Chung

Cowboy Shit
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
20,922
Reaction score
3,814
Points
138
Age
48
Location
Dancing
Favorite Wrestler
hulkhogan
Favorite Wrestler
ajstyles2
Favorite Wrestler
nwo
Favorite Wrestler
boots2asses
You da man. I will download it

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2
 

Fuji Vice

Hall of Famer
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
25,302
Reaction score
775
Points
118
Age
45
Favorite Wrestler
stanhansen
Favorite Wrestler
brusierbrody
Favorite Wrestler
rickrude
Favorite Wrestler
randysavage
Re: The Wing Kong Exchange

Looper

l_1276104_4b01ed84.jpg

In 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent 30 years into the past, where a hired gun awaits. These men, known as loopers, kill the targets and receive a fee that allows them to live a great life. Joe is one such looper, who one day learns that the mob wants to close his loop by transporting back Joe's future self for him to terminate. Joe's future self eludes the kill however, and its now up to Joe to find him before the mob connection in 2044 kills him in retaliation.

LOOP1.jpg

I don't think you'll get much of an argument out of anyone that 2012 was a great year for movies. Films like The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises and The Hunger Games shattered the box office while James Bond made a triumphant return to the big screen in Skyfall. Independent gems like Beasts of the Southern Wild and Moonrise Kingdom shot to the top of critics top ten lists, while Quentin Tarantino closed out the year with a literal bang with Django Unchained. Into this year fell a lot of other films, some of which flew under many people's radar even though they achieved notable box office success and critical acclaim. One of those films is Looper, Rian Johnson's minimal sci-fi action piece which stood on its own as a notable achievement in that genre. It may not be as well known as a lot of the other films that overshadowed it throughout the year, but its equally as good if not better than many of them. Focusing on story over effect and weaving a nifty morality play hidden within occasional flashes of violence, Looper proved that there are still unique concepts out there to be discovered.

LOOP2.jpg


"It's bad enough that he had to drive that thing, now you're going to shoot him too?"

Rian Johnson, who both wrote and directed, had already gained a name for himself in the film world, having previously done both Brick and The Brothers Bloom, two very well received works. In what seems like an attempt to challenge himself, Johnson shot for even further stars here, telling a complex story in the simplest way while always maintaining focus and composition. His script is rich with detail and second viewings are guaranteed to leave the viewer with lots of extra information to mull over. At the same time, he doesn't feel the need to become complex with the time travel aspect of his story, it simply exists as a plot device and that's it. He even makes reference to this during a conversation between his two leads where one mentions they'd be talking for hours if they tried to explain it. The only major issues with the film exist in a slow start and an obvious climax, but everything else sandwiched in between them is superb. His direction never feels forced and the film unfolds at a proper pace, though again I think the beginning tends to drag for a little bit before it kicks into high gear. Fortunately when it does, we're left with nothing less than a non-stop thrill ride until the end, and one that gives us a chance to think as well. There aren't that many cerebral action films these days, so that's definitely a refreshing change of pace.

LOOP6.jpg


"When do I shoot?"

Joseph Gordon-Levitt portrays Joe with a great swagger. Here's a guy who knows what he's capable of who goes out and does it with full confidence. He's not without his fair share of personal demons, including a drug habit, but one gets the impression that this is the norm in his life as opposed to the exception. He's alternately mentored and bossed around by Jeff Daniels, who does a nice job in a small but crucial part. Support from the 2044 characters comes in the form of the always strong Garret Dillahunt (check him out in Raising Hope for some serious laughs) as a hired thug and Noah Segan as a terminally over the edge psychopath. Segan in particular has some great material to work with and really makes the most out of it. Oh, there's chicks in the movie too, courtesy of the always hot Piper Perabo and Emily Blunt, who provide some good exposition while also looking...well hot of course. The other star here is Bruce Willis, who plays Levitt's future self and does a fantastic job layering years of emotion into his character. There's a great scene where the following 30 years of Joe's life shoot by really fast, and once we meet and hear Willis speak, its as if almost all of these moments come out in very little dialogue. I've always felt Willis was a fairly charismatic performer, but here he puts such a subtle spin on his character that the charisma falls away and a talented actor emerges. This is most likely his single best performance in a role other than John McClane, which is no small praise considering the plethora of films he's appeared in over the years.

LOOP4.jpg


"What a peeping creeper."

The real strength of Looper is its insistence on being something other than a typical sci-action film. Rather than become another mindless excuse for setting up the next cool special effects sequence that costs millions of dollars, it makes the most out of the least. Working within a relatively small budget can often cause these sorts of films to fall apart at the seams, here it works completely in its favour. Johnson's reliance on his story-telling abilities is well served and its in this story that the heart of the film shines through. This is not a tale of a man chasing another man, this is the tale of a man chasing himself, albeit in a different body. While it may seem complex on the surface, its actually quite simple when you think about it. So are the motivations of the character, whether its his present or future self. Sure we may find Willis' character to be morally reprehensible, but at the same time its easy to understand why he feels he must do what he sets out to in the film. If you had one chance to fix your world and prevent those you care about from being harmed, you would probably pull out all the stops to do it, regardless of the others you may affect. Meanwhile, Levitt's motivations are much simpler, he just wants to keep doing his job and eventually move to France, and Willis is standing in his way. There's no need for complexity or massive amounts of dialogue here, these two are meant to come to a head and nothing is going to stop them. This material is infinitely more compelling than any high-concept sci-fi film I've seen in years and that's mostly due to the abilities of Johnson as a filmmaker and the performances of the two leads.

LOOP3.jpg


"Apparently in the future, STD's are still a common problem."

However, for all that praise I do want to take a moment to look at what I feel are a couple of faults that I alluded to before. One is the notoriously slow start to this film, which actually had me wondering if anything was ever going to happen. Sure its great once it does, but as a great filmmaker once said, you can't cheat the audience by starting out slow. You've got to go right for the jugular to snap them to attention and keep them there for the duration of your film. I honestly can't remember who said that, but its totally true and really noticeable when it doesn't happen. The second thing that bugged me is the contrived ending, which while obvious to anyone paying attention, could have been handled a little better. I'm not saying it should even have been changed, just that it should have been a little more mysterious before leading to that point. Obviously these are minor complaints, but they still exist, which is why I'm mentioning them here. I'd rather not have people think that I felt this was a perfect film, since its clear that it has flaws. However, with that being said, they didn't do enough to deter me from enjoying everything else Looper had to offer, from strong acting to a great story and even some nice special effects that were obviously done on the cheap. Hey, sometimes you don't need Joss Whedon or Chris Nolan to pump out a stylish and sleek film that's guaranteed to knock your socks off; clearly Rian Johnson's equally as capable AND more cost effective.

LOOP5.jpg


"I've said it before, I'll say it again, chicks with guns are always hot."

Looper's done pretty well in its theatrical run so far, pulling in over $166 million on just a $30 million dollar budget. By my estimation, that makes it one of the most profitable cost vs. return films of the year, another great achievement considering its lack of marketing or promotion. Maybe people are finally starting to realize that good movies do exist and only need to be sought out to be found. Or perhaps its just dumb luck. Either way, its a good thing for Looper and its a good thing for the minimal sci-fi scene, because more films like District 9, Moon and Love need to be seen and appreciated by the masses. Minus the few issues I had, this was easily one of the best movies I've seen this year (and in the last 5 as well) and will definitely be getting a few re-watches from me in the next little while. 8.5/10 and a strong recommendation to watch.

TC3D3.jpg


"Next time, its Texas...and there's a chainsaw."
 

Postman Dave

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2011
Messages
10,061
Reaction score
165
Points
63
Age
35
Location
UK
Re: The Wing Kong Exchange - Looper

Agreed, phenomenal movie. I love it when Bruce Willis randomly decides to prove to people he can actually act really well when he wants to. The one scene late on with one of the kids, wow.
 

Wang Chung

Cowboy Shit
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
20,922
Reaction score
3,814
Points
138
Age
48
Location
Dancing
Favorite Wrestler
hulkhogan
Favorite Wrestler
ajstyles2
Favorite Wrestler
nwo
Favorite Wrestler
boots2asses
Thought this was a tremendous film that needs more than one viewing to really capture everything. As there were things in the beginning that I felt I missed or didn't pay much attention too. JGL has been terrific lately and Brice was phenomenal.
 

Fuji Vice

Hall of Famer
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
25,302
Reaction score
775
Points
118
Age
45
Favorite Wrestler
stanhansen
Favorite Wrestler
brusierbrody
Favorite Wrestler
rickrude
Favorite Wrestler
randysavage
Re: The Wing Kong Exchange - Looper

Texas Chainsaw 3D

l_1572315_e27ecaed.jpg

After Sally Hardesty escapes the clutches of the Sawyer family, a vigilante mob of enraged locals surround the Sawyer house. After a brief standoff, they burn it to the ground, killing every last member of the family. Decades later a young woman named Heather learns that she has inherited a Texas estate from her grandmother. she decides to bring her friends along on the road trip to investigate her inheritance. On arrival she discovers that she has inherited a mansion, but it comes with a price. In the basement lies unspeakable horror, a killer with a chainsaw and a nasty disposition and now, he's loose.

TC3D1.jpg

It had been seven years since Leatherface and his trusty power tool carved up anyone on screen, which is far too long if you ask me. Even though the films have their ups and downs, I'm a sucker for a good old fashioned chainsaw massacre. You can imagine then, my delight at the prospect of a new film, even if it was only going to be released in the dreaded 3D. I decided to forget about my hatred of that particular format and try to enjoy the movie for what it was and you know it actually worked. While TC 3D doesn't break any new ground in the horror genre, it certainly does in the sense that it boldly attempts to re-invent the franchise while providing some solid back story and an opportunity for future films. Considering it was written by a man that I've previously expressed my undying hatred of and directed by the only man capable of getting a bad performance out of Idris Elba, that's pretty damn shocking! It's not without its share of problems, but at the end of the day it does enough right to be a fun and interesting addition to the Sawyer family's film legacy.

TC3D4.jpg

"There's at least two reasons to watch this movie right here!"

Directed by John Luessenhop and written by Adam Marcus (with Steven Susco, Debra Sullivan and Kirsten Elms...apparently it takes four people to write a movie about a dude with a chainsaw), the film is obviously designed to cash in on the Texas Chainsaw name. However, to their credit, the filmmakers didn't just stop there, choosing instead to break some new ground from a story standpoint (maybe it really does take four people to make it work) while retaining the elements that make the TCM movies so much fun. There's some black humour here, as well as some strong characterization and individual dialogue. Perhaps Marcus (who previously attempted to destroy the Friday the 13th franchise by writing and directing the awful Jason Goes to Hell) needs these others around to prevent him from going off into bizarro world. If that's the case, he should work with them more often because this is easily the best thing he's ever done. Meanwhile, Luessenhop (Takers, Lockdown) handles things properly in the direction department, keeping the pace brisk while not losing his mind with constant 3D effects. In fact, he shows a remarkable restraint given some others penchant for overdoing the 3D stuff, and it never gets in the way of enjoying what's happening on screen.

TC3D6.jpg

"If she was in the kitchen, she'd be the perfect woman."

Current Fuji Favourite Alexandra Daddario (you may remember her from Friday's review of Bereavement) stars as the main character, Heather Miller. She's not the greatest actress in the world, but there's something about her (besides just the boobs, though they are spectacular) that instantly gets you interested. Here she's not asked to do a lot until later on in the film, but even when she's just meandering around she manages to show enough emotion to come across believable. Her friends are generally unlikeable though, which hurts them a bit in my eyes. I mean come on; her boyfriend is cheating on her with her best friend while the other dude that comes along on the trip is a total knob. None of these actors are very good, so I'm not going to bother mentioning their names. On the other hand, some of the denizens of the town they end up in are quite good, including strong performances from Paul Rae (as the mayor) and Thom Barry (as the sheriff). Veteran character actor Richard Riehle (most of you would know him from Office Space) shows up in a small but crucial role, while Dan Yeager does a more than serviceable job as Leatherface. In fact, he's a lot better in the role than Andrew Bryniarski was in the last two films, and I actually liked Bryniarski a lot. Suffice to say, it’s not really the acting that we're watching this film for, it’s the brutal and vicious killings, of which there are several. Thankfully most of them deserve exactly what's coming to them.

TC3D2.jpg

"It's a goddamn Black and Decker ad!"

If you were looking for violence, you definitely came to the right place, since Texas Chainsaw 3D sure doesn’t pull any punches. Right from the beginning we’re treated to some good old fashioned bloodletting in the form of clips from the original film redone in glorious 3D. These actually look pretty cool and for once it’s nice to see 3D utilized properly, as it is several other times during the film. While there’s certainly more than enough violence to shake a chainsaw (har har) at, there’s actually a fairly decent story here as well. Keeping in tradition with the “saw is family†stuff, the writers focus on that aspect several times and, before the film is over, manage to generate some sympathy for the Sawyer clan and Leatherface in particular. I realize these people are actually reprehensible murderers, but at the same time those who attacked them are no better, a point the film attempts to drive home more than once. With this attention to story, some relatively strong performances and enough gore to satisfy that audience, Texas Chainsaw is a slam dunk in the horror department. That obviously doesn’t mean it’s a great film, but it’s definitely a good one and hey, if you’re a fan of these films that’s about all you could have hoped for right?

TC3D5.jpg

"Nothing like getting caught with your pants down...almost."

Texas Chainsaw 3D was the number one film at the box office during the weekend of its release and has since gone on to gross over $37 million. Considering its budget was only about $20 million, it should have no trouble doubling down during the rest of its theatrical run and will probably make another good bit of money when the unrated Blu Ray and DVD’s hit the market later this year. A sequel was greenlit almost immediately, though that later proved to be a false story. However, given the prosperity of this film, the longevity of the Leatherface character and the events added in towards the end of the film, I will not be surprised in the least if that sequel materializes sooner rather than later. I also wouldn’t complain, since, as I mentioned earlier, I love a good chainsaw massacre every once in a while. Hey, is that so wrong? 6/10.

TC3D7.jpg

"Coming soon, a monster and a review so big, it's going to take two days to cover!"
 

Wang Chung

Cowboy Shit
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
20,922
Reaction score
3,814
Points
138
Age
48
Location
Dancing
Favorite Wrestler
hulkhogan
Favorite Wrestler
ajstyles2
Favorite Wrestler
nwo
Favorite Wrestler
boots2asses
Still haven't seen this and if Fuji gives it a decent review its not bad.

I will probably wait til it comes out on DVD
 

Fuji Vice

Hall of Famer
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
25,302
Reaction score
775
Points
118
Age
45
Favorite Wrestler
stanhansen
Favorite Wrestler
brusierbrody
Favorite Wrestler
rickrude
Favorite Wrestler
randysavage
Re: The Wing Kong Exchange - Texas Chainsaw 3D

Still haven't seen this and if Fuji gives it a decent review its not bad.

I will probably wait til it comes out on DVD
Yeah, its not a must see in theatres, I only went because it was free. Still, pretty good for a TCM movie.
 

Fuji Vice

Hall of Famer
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
25,302
Reaction score
775
Points
118
Age
45
Favorite Wrestler
stanhansen
Favorite Wrestler
brusierbrody
Favorite Wrestler
rickrude
Favorite Wrestler
randysavage
Re: The Wing Kong Exchange - Texas Chainsaw 3D

Evil Dead



Five friends gather at a remote cabin to help one kick her drug habit, vowing not to leave until she’s clean. After noticing a strange smell in the basement, they investigate, only to find several dead animal carcasses. There is also a book, heavily sealed, which is eventually opened and read by one of the friends. Doing this unwittingly summons a dormant demon living in the nearby woods, which soon possesses the youngsters in succession until only one is left intact to fight for survival.



"I figured a hot chick would make up for the lack of a title card shot."

Yes, I know I was going to be doing The Video Dead next, but I’m a goddamn temperamental artist and it’s my right to change my mind. Well that and also the fact that I saw this last night and felt compelled to give it a review before moving into the original series next week. So yeah, if there’s any Video Dead fans out there, you’re going to have to wait awhile longer, but at least you’ll have another kind of dead to make up for it. Alright, with that out of the way, it’s time to get down to brass tacks (always wanted to say that) and cover 2013’s remake of the 1981 horror classic, Evil Dead. Produced by the trio that brought you that original and under the direction of a man, who was given their personal blessing, this remake has something for everyone and almost all of it is good. In fact, I’d almost go as far to say that it out-Evil Dead’s the original, which isn’t small potatoes given the classic status of that film. Will it be as well remembered in 30 years? Probably not, since remakes almost never are, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a rip-roaring good time and a reminder of why the horror genre kicks a lot of ass.



"Ain't she a looker?"

Evil Dead is the first feature film from Uruguayan filmmaker Fede Alvarez, and he directed as well as co-wrote with Rodo Sayagues. These two previously collaborated on a short film called Ataque de pánico!, which I’ve included at the end of this review for your viewing pleasure. You should definitely check it out, since it will give you an idea of their all-out assault style of filmmaking and also because it’s pretty cool. Anyhow, Alvarez does an excellent job for a first-time feature director, quickly putting his personal stamp on things and kicking them into high gear immediately. His understanding of pacing is a little off as there are some lulls before the main story takes over, but they are small and not offensive enough to be an issue. More than anything else, I was really taken with his decision to show as much violence as possible, and clearly no less, as hiding things from view seems to have become the norm in horror films these days. Not so here, where everything is on full display, grotesque as it may be. The script is also well-realized given the simplicity of the tale, and there were several humorous touches to the script that allowed it to settle the audience in for the horrors to come. I think it’s safe to say that both Alvarez and Sayagues have a future in the horror business; perhaps a very bright one.



"She was probably hired just for her scream-face."

Jane Levy plays the main character and heroine of the film, and while I haven't seen her work on television I think she's solid here. She really gets a chance to do some fun acting while she's possessed and handles it well. Meanwhile, Shiloh Fernandez (who I vaguely remembered from the movie Red) plays her brother and does a serviceable job. The two of them have some solid on-screen chemistry and it really makes their backstory all the more believable. There are two other girls here as well, played by Jessica Lucas (Cloverfield) and Elizabeth Blackmore, and they’re just demon fodder but at least they’re hot. Of all the performances though, Lou Taylor Pucci's work as Eric is far and away the best. He's initially subdued, but once shit hits the fan this guy really kicks it into overdrive. Not only does he have some hilarious dialogue, he also gets the crap kicked out of him multiple times with each better than the last. My buddy that I saw the movie with said he was disappointed there was no Bruce Campbell character, but I'm glad that was the case. There's no replacing a character like Ash, so I'm glad that for once there was no failed attempt to do so.



"The rats get pretty big around here!"

Being that this is a remake of the original, fans of that film should know what to expect and most of the requisite stuff from that one is represented well here. I was a big fan of the makeup effects on the possessed characters as they were simply gruesome as hell yet still a little kitschy. A quick tangent regarding something I noticed...during a scene that occurred AFTER a long demonic tongue raped a woman, some people walked out. What the hell? You can sit through demonic tongue rape but not a few nails in someone's leg? Note to the producer: next time, have more tongue rape; it really seems to keep butts in seats! If I had one complaint, it was that the ending tried a little bit too hard to reach Dead Alive levels of gore and while it looked cool it paled in comparison. Still, it's not every day you see a demon take a chainsaw to the mouth, so it's definitely not all bad. However, that’s such a minor gripe that it barely even registers as a blip on the radar. More than anything else, Evil Dead comes across as a fantastic love letter to the original and pays proper homage with a great sense of style. I’m pretty sure that’s all you could ask for out of it and so I’m glad that’s what we got.



"He's not afraid of dying, just afraid of doing so still a virgin."

Evil Dead was shot on a budget of $17 million and has so far earned more than $30 million since its release last Friday. Even with the expected 60% drop-off that horror films tend to get after their first week, that’ll still put it near $40 million by Monday, which is really great to see. I should also point out that a sequel has already been announced, proving that you just can’t keep a good demon down. Whether Alvarez and Sayagues return for that one remains to be seen, but regardless I’m sure the series is in capable hands. Do I personally think it’s better than the original? Nope, but that’s more due to my unrequited love for that film than anything else. Do I think that it’s the first great horror film of the year and more than worthy of your time? Damn straight I do, so check it out and be glad that you did. 7.5/10.

[video=youtube;-dadPWhEhVk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dadPWhEhVk[/video]

"Super bonus...Ataque de pánico!"



"Next time...we ain't in Brisco County anymore junior."
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person

Krisis

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2011
Messages
1,096
Reaction score
35
Points
53
Age
36
Location
San Angelo, TX
Favorite Wrestler
chrisjericho
Favorite Wrestler
kofi
Favorite Wrestler
johncena2
Favorite Wrestler
rtruth
Favorite Wrestler
zackryder
Favorite Wrestler
sheltonbenjamin
Favorite Sports Team
dallascowboys
I heard bruce had an uncredited appearance in the movie?

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
 

JakeYourBooty

Below Me
Joined
May 22, 2011
Messages
82,062
Reaction score
37,966
Points
138
Age
48
Location
Wherever Your Mom Is
Favorite Wrestler
scotthall
Favorite Wrestler
kevinnash
Favorite Wrestler
hhh
Favorite Wrestler
bigbossman
Favorite Wrestler
randysavage
Favorite Wrestler
nwo
Re: The Wing Kong Exchange (feat. Evil Dead)

that is something you have to go see for yourself....just make sure you stay til after the credits...


it's a great fuckin flick and not only are they working on a sequel to this but Raimi's & Bruce are working on a sequel to Army of Darkness and a movie that ties this new one's characters with the old ones...awesome possibilities
 

Fuji Vice

Hall of Famer
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
25,302
Reaction score
775
Points
118
Age
45
Favorite Wrestler
stanhansen
Favorite Wrestler
brusierbrody
Favorite Wrestler
rickrude
Favorite Wrestler
randysavage
Re: The Wing Kong Exchange (feat. Evil Dead)

I heard bruce had an uncredited appearance in the movie?

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
Sorry, had to spoiler that since it's in the post-credit's sequence and I didn't want to spoil it for anyone who still hasn't seen it. Anyhow, yeah, he's in it at the very end.
 

Wang Chung

Cowboy Shit
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
20,922
Reaction score
3,814
Points
138
Age
48
Location
Dancing
Favorite Wrestler
hulkhogan
Favorite Wrestler
ajstyles2
Favorite Wrestler
nwo
Favorite Wrestler
boots2asses
I still have not seen this and want to. I will see it soon. Good review Fuji