WS Movie Review Thread

[Lethal]

Movies are an absolute favourite past time of mine, so I thought what better way to share this love than with the fine folk of WS. The aim of this thread is to provide reviews of movies that you have watched. They can be any genre, any year, anything really.

As a general scope for what you'd be asked for, it could be:

* Film Title (Year)
* Synopsis
* Brief description on what you like/dislike
* A rating (scored out of 10)

 

[Lethal]

Olympus Has Fallen (2013)

Synopsis:
The unthinkable happens when heavily armed and highly trained terrorists launch a bold daytime attack on the White House. The building is overrun, and President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) and his staff are taken hostage. Luckily for Asher, former presidential security officer Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) is on the scene. With time running out, it's up to Banning to locate Asher's son before the extremists do and rescue the president before his captors unleash their ultimate plan.

Review:
Everything just seems on point with this film. Climatic opening, crisp cinematography, appropriate tension set. The visuals are stunning and the attack sequence is very violent but very well directed. Then Banning just unleashes his artillery of skills to set about saving the day. Some elements are a little far-fetched though which drags it down a tad.

Score: 8.5/10

 

[Canadian Dragon]

Interview with a Vampire (1994)

Synopsis: Interview with the Vampire is a 1994 American gothic horror vampire film directed by Neil Jordan, based on Anne Rice's 1976 novel of the same name, and starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. It focuses on Lestat (Cruise) and Louis (Pitt), beginning with Louis's transformation into a vampire by Lestat in 1791. The film chronicles their time together, and their turning of ten-year-old Claudia (Kirsten Dunst) into a vampire. The narrative is framed by a present-day interview, in which Louis tells his story to a San Francisco reporter. The supporting cast features Christian Slater, Antonio Banderas, and Stephen Rea.

Review: I waited much too long to see this film, but alas, here we are at last. First off, the casting was splendid. Tom Cruise knocks Lestat's role out of the park, unsurprisingly to me, and perfectly encapsulates the essence of a classic vampire: Arrogant yet supremely charming, full of life yet eternally bored, calm yet vicious and of course equipped with a complete apathy towards killing humans. In contract, Louis played by Brad Pitt is the opposite, spending most of the film struggling between an attempt at retaining his moral code and the insatiable hunger within him. I loved the dynamics between the two and the rising frustration in Lestat as Louis refuses to kill and feed on humans. The film takes a turn with the introduction of Claudia played by Kirsten Dunst as a down in the dumps Louis wanders into her plague filled home and feeds on her, perhaps in an attempt to take her out of her misery. Unfortunately Lestat follows him and gives him the ultimatum that she will either die or he can turn her into a vampire. he choses the latter which would seal their fate late ( I wont ruin the ending for the few that may not have seen it). I also enjoyed Antonio Banderas's Armand albeit a minor complain is I would have loved maybe some more backstory on why he was the way he was. Overall, really great movie with splendid acting, cast and pacing (for a long movie it flew by, pun intended). After watching it, it's also evident that the last 20 years of vampire movies have taken huge influence from many classic scenes in this movie.

9.5/10

short edit: Also, while this is more a commendation of the book and characters, one can see the obvious influence in all three template vampires: Lestat, Louis and Claudia are all vampire archetypes I've seen in movies, books and video games a like. Pretty cool.

 

[Marty McFourth]

Scream 4 (2011)

Synopsis: At the end of her book tour, Sidney visits her home town after ten long years. As she catches up with old friends, her return not only brings back memories but also beckons the return of Ghostface.

Review: Loved this when it came out and still really enjoy it now. I think it's up there with the original in terms of rewatch value. Just a really fun movie with some of the best kills in the series and Wes Craven back at the helm was appreciated/noticed. I would say this was my favourite cast too. A lot of heavy hitters in there and I really enjoy Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere and Alison Brie especially. Always thought the opening was unique with the 'movie within a movie' twist to it as well with the Stab films, and I liked that they actually got some big names for those parts. Namely Lucy Hale, who could have easily been a part of the main cast and I remember thinking she was going to be in it longer. Also probably my favourite killer reveal after the original with Billy & Stu.

Rating: 7.5/10

 

[Marty McFourth]

No One Gets Out Alive (2021)

Synopsis:
After being forced to take a room in a boardinghouse, an immigrant in search of the American Dream finds herself in a nightmare she can't escape.

Review:
First of all, thank you to @Red Dragon for the suggestion. This is one of those movies I kept glossing over when browsing the Netflix library for some reason. Hearing somebody suggest it and say it was good finally pushed me towards checking it out. Very glad I did, starts out pretty slow burn but it's worth sticking with it until the end. Atmosphere I thought was really on point, very eerie and unsettling in some scenes. Soon ramps up too later on, and had me really creeped out. Thought the storyline was very intriguing and unique, goes in quite a few directions. Jump scares were well placed too, so it didn't feel like there was too much of them or that they got old fast. Lead actress I was impressed by. Also I was glad to see Marc Menchaca who plays Russ Langmore in Ozark, he's somebody I'd like to see more of in movies, One of the better Netflix Originals. Give it a shot.

Rating: 7/10

 

[Lethal]

Hard Target (1993)

Synopsis: Chance Boudreaux (Jean-Claude Van Damme), a sailor skilled in martial arts, is employed to guard Natasha Binder (Yancy Butler) as she tracks down her father, an itinerant Vietnam veteran living in New Orleans named Douglas (Chuck Pfarrer). They soon uncover a sinister group of wealthy men who hunt the homeless for sport, paying them $10,000 if they can survive a crosstown journey. When Chance discovers that Natasha's father was one of their victims, he decides to destroy the evil hunters.

Review: This film does a great job at establishing the villains early on through their nefarious scheme. Makes you wonder just how many people, given the funds, would actually partake in something like this. The damsel in distress seemed a little stretched, but Butler's performance helped her more than hold her own and not play the stereotypical "girl needs rescuing" role. JCVD's delivery at times is...interesting, but he more than makes up for that flaw with some most excellent martial arts sequences. The action is good, stunts cool, and some of the kills are over-the-top but satisfying. This film definitely fits the trope of action hero from this time period.

Rating: 6/10

 

[Marty McFourth]

Metal Lords (2022)

Synopsis
The only two kids who care about heavy metal in their high school want to form a heavy metal band but fail to find a bass player. They do, however, find a girl adept at cello. If these three can settle their differences, work together, and stay out of trouble, they could win the upcoming Battle of the Bands.

Review
One of those movies that is just pure fun right from the get go. I found the main characters instantly likeable, plus the cast just having great chemistry. Dialogue flows well and is pretty funny. Soundtrack is amazing, especially if you like Metal music. The plot is simple but fun, and it's paced really well I thought. I could see this being one of those movies I rewatch down the line because it felt incredibly easy to watch whilst keeping you entertained the entire way through. For sure don't sleep on this one if you have Netflix. I enjoyed it a lot.

Rating
7.5/10

 

[Marty McFourth]

Bloodsucking Bastards (2015)

Synopsis
A down on his luck cubicle worker and his slacker best friend discover their new boss is a vampire who is turning their coworkers into the un-dead.

Review
Pretty fun low budget movie with a surprisingly good cast as well, I was especially surprised to see Pedro Pascal in it. Watched it through Plex on a whim, and I've been discovering a lot of gems that way lately I normally wouldn't ever watch otherwise. The plot is really fun, and there's some genuinely funny scenes in it, cast bounce off each other great. Felt the pacing was on point too. For sure recommend giving it a go if you're in to comedy horror at all.
You'll have a lot of fun with it.

Rating
6/10

 

[Marty McFourth]

Overlord (2018)

Synopsis
Towards the end of World War II, American paratroopers set out to destroy a German radio tower. Soon enough, things take a murky turn when they come across a vicious secret.

Review
This movie kicks so much ass. It basically felt like what you'd get if you got COD Zombies as a movie. Lots of action, gory, everything you'd want really from a film like this. It really has been a while since I've enjoyed a zombie movie this much I feel like. It just drops you in to the thick of the action right from the opening scene, it's super fast paced. Never really ever any dull moments at all. Absolute perfect movie if you wanna just shut your brain off and enjoy the chaos. Visually I thought it was awesome to look at as well, I especially liked the zombie designs in particular.

Rating
7.5/10

 

[Lethal]

Die Hard (1988)

Synopsis: New York City policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis) is visiting his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) and two daughters on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party in the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for. But the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high-rise, and everyone in it. Very soon McClane realizes that there's no one to save the hostages -- but him.

Review: All he wanted to do was have a couple of drinks and enjoy his Christmas. But nope. Fuck me what a movie. Classic quotable lines, over the top action sequences, lots of explosions, and some absolutely brilliant acting. Up there in my top 10 movies of all time.

Rating: 9.5/10

 

[Marty McFourth]

The Caller (2011)

Synopsis
Troubled divorcee Mary Kee is tormented by a series of sinister phone calls from a mysterious woman. When the stranger reveals she's calling from the past, Mary tries to break off contact. But the caller doesn't like being ignored, and looks for revenge in a unique and terrifying way...

Review
Decent little movie I'd never heard of. Recognised the lead actress Rachelle Lefevre from Twilight. It doesn't do anything super original or mind-blowing but it's got a good atmosphere to it with a cool simple premise that works well. Found myself pretty gripped by it and interested to see what happens next and most of the performances were good. Definitely one of those movies to stick on a rainy night when you can't find anything else.

Rating
6/10

 

[Marty McFourth]

Darkness Falls (2003)

Synopsis: A vengeful spirit has taken the form of the Tooth Fairy to exact vengeance on the town that lynched her 150 years earlier. Her only opposition is the only child, now grown up, who has survived her before.

Rating: 5 (More like a 4/4.5 without the opening)

Review: One of those times where the concept is better than the execution. I got a soft spot for this movie though because I first watched it when I was quite young so at the time it really terrified me. It took something innocent like the tooth fairy and made it something to be fearful of, many sleepless nights after that. It has a killer first 10 minutes or so but struggles to maintain that sort of quality throughout. If you just took the opening scene and stopped after that, it'd probably be a highly reviewed horror short. It really is like a totally different movie. It gets let down by its performances by some of the main cast which are a bit wooden, although I thought Emma Caulfield Ford was the best plus the young cast at the start. Not as bad as some of the reviews would lead you to believe, but also not a very good movie either. It's just okay, but I love most early 2000's horror just for the atmosphere of that time period alone. I still liked re-visiting it to see if the opening parts still frigthen me, and they definitely still do a good job there.

 

[Marty McFourth]

Just going to drop a bunch of reviews. I watched several movies over the weekend.

Piggy (2022)

Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: Sara is an overweight teen who witnesses a stranger kidnap a clique of girls who bully her on a regular basis. When police start asking questions, Sara keeps quiet as she's torn between revealing the truth or protecting the man who saved her.

Wasn't sure what to expect with this one but the poster got me intrigued. I enjoyed it a lot, very engrossing spanish horror film with a pretty crazy final act. Last 20 minutes or so especially are wild as hell. Performances are really good, especially from the lead. It's not as gory as you might expect looking at the poster, but the journey to getting to that image is worth it. It definitely surprised me with how the plot plays out towards the end. Felt quite unique of a story, and there's a coming-of-age element to it as well. Pretty interesting to learn that this was a short film as well that they made in to a full length.

House on Haunted Hill (1999)

Rating: 5.5/10

Synopsis: A millionaire offers a group of diverse people 1 million dollars to spend the night in a haunted house with a horrifying past.

Not as good as the original. With that being said, I really like Geoffrey Rush's performance in it, he's easily the highlight. I still have fun with it and I'd not seen the remake in a very long time now, so it was due a rewatch. It's fairly enjoyable with some solid scares, good visuals too. For a 1999 movie it's not aged too badly in the special effects area at all. I'd forgot quite a few scenes too, so it still managed to surprise me in some parts.

Deadstream (2022)

Rating: 6.5/10

Synopsis: A disgraced internet personality tries to win back his followers by livestreaming himself at an abandoned haunted house. When he accidentally unleashes a vengeful spirit, his comeback event becomes a fight for his life.

This was a real fun modern spin on the found footage genre. Joseph Winter does a good job coming across like a real internet personality you'd see on YouTube or what have you. Main character is pretty annoying but that's the point and he nails it. Loved the livestreaming spin with the multiple camera angles and having viewer chat comments (which also seemed pretty accurate as to how people would talk/react in an actual livestream). It felt really accurate in a lot of areas, loved the satirical aspects and the scares were awesome, which there's plenty of. I really enjoyed this movie, never feels dull.

The Cottage (2008)

Rating: 7/10

Synopsis: Forced into hiding after their kidnapping plan goes awry, two rival siblings, David (Andy Serkis - The Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Peter (Reece Shearsmith - Shaun of the Dead).

Title and poster don't do this movie justice. At first glance I thought it was going to be a generic 2000's slasher so I nearly passed over it but figured I'd give it a shot. First off, it's a British horror-comedy which I wasn't expecting (and I was pleasantly surprised by). Secondly it has Andy Serkis in it which pretty much just instantly sold me on it within the first like 5 minutes. I was laughing a lot at some of the dialogue, it's so well written, clever and sharp. Andy Serkis and Reece Shearsmith have fantastic chemistry. Very funny, dumb characters, felt a lot like Home Alone just with how much they mess up trying to be criminals. Movie is pretty interesting, starts off like a crime comedy and the last 40-30 minutes are like a slasher but whilst still keeping all the comedic elements. It mixes them well, and the slasher portions are honestly really great. A cool villain and some creative kills. Ending was very fitting and hilarious. Don't sleep on this one, it was dope.

 

[Marty McFourth]

The Clovehitch Killer (2018)

Synopsis: A picture-perfect family is torn apart after Tyler finds a cache of disturbing images in his father's possession. He begins to suspect that the man he trusts most in the world may be responsible for the murder of 13 girls ten years prior.

Rating: 8/10

Very tense movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time, I really enjoyed it. Charlie Plummer puts in a nice performance. Dylan McDermott incredibly impressively, especially the way he's able to become meancing so quickly at the drop of a hat. Story is engrossing, easy to follow and paced well. The way the last 20 minutes or so play out surprised me a lot. Up until then, the movie seems pretty straight forward with you figuring out what the deal is pretty early but it's just I thought unique how it ends. That wasn't how I was expecting it to conclude and it felt like a fresh spin on serial killer type films.

The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007)

Synopsis: In an abandoned house in Poughkeepsie, New York murder investigators uncover hundreds of tapes showing decades of a serial killer's work.

Rating: 7/10

I feel like this is one of those movies you're either going to love or hate. It's intentionally rough around the edges with the filming style, giving it a realistic touch. Much like Blair Witch Project, It plays in to the plot. I also think it depends on how uncomfortable you wanna feel, because boy does this movie just make your skin absolutely crawl. It's so creepy, some of the scenes just linger in your mind for ages. I'm at the side that loves this film because it geniunely creeps me out, and I'm a huge fan of the gritty feeling of a lot of the scenes. It's probably my favourite found footage style, they do such a fantastic job making it all feel real.​

 

[Marty McFourth]

The Midnight Meat Train (2008)

Synopsis: A photographer's obsessive pursuit of dark subject matter leads him into the path of a serial killer who stalks late night commuters, ultimately butchering them in the most gruesome ways.

Rating: 7.5/10

One of those movies a lot of people sleep on but it's one of the best Clive Baker adaptations. You got a really nice cast with Bradley Cooper who's always a solid guy to be leading the show and Vinnie Jones is really menacing, playing the part of the Butcher super well. Some of the kills are absolutely brutal and especially the imagery, amazing atmosphere. Always a fan of horror movies that take place in the subways, it's so gritty, just a perfect setting. For sure recommend giving this one a shot if you don't mind it being quite gory, it draws you in from the start and keeps you hooked.

Splinter (2008)

Synopsis: Trapped in an isolated gas station by a voracious Splinter parasite that transforms its still-living victims into deadly hosts, a young couple and an escaped convict must find a way to work together to survive this primal terror.

Rating: 7/10

Low budget but you never really notice it. The creature design is amazing and the performances are fantastic (especially Shea Whigham). A lot of people sleep on this movie as well, but it's top tier and always one I enjoy watching. Short runtime, paced well. Very interesting plot that takes place in mostly one location, with a gas station being pretty dope for a horror setting.

The Messengers (2007)

Synopsis: An ominous darkness invades a seemingly serene sunflower farm in North Dakota, and the Solomon family is torn apart by suspicion, mayhem and murder.

Rating: 6/10

Critics really disliked this one but I struggle to see why really. It doesn't do anything super original granted (spooky house/ghosts) but it's got a good atmosphere about it with some fine performances that do the job. Most of the cast I dig with Dylan McDermott, Kristen Stewart & Penelope Ann Miller. Makes this an even easier watch. I like the opening scene a lot with Tatania Maslany and totally forgot she was in this, one of her earliest film roles. I think my high point is the visuals which I think are pretty awesome, most of the special effects are great. Always appreciative of great visuals in horror. Worth watching if you don't mind a somewhat generic ghost story.

28 Weeks Later (2007)

Synopsis: Six months after the Rage virus turned half of Britain into zombies, the US Army helps secure London for the survivors after a carrier of the
virus enters the city and the horror begins once again.

Rating: 7.5/10

One of those sequels that is in some ways actually superior to the original. This is coming from somebody who regards 28 Days Later pretty highly too, It's one of my all-time favourite horror movies. Very good sequel, especially the opening scene which is the high point for sure. I'd probably say it's one of the best I've seen with characters forced to make tough but realistic decisions in a survival scenario. Robert Carlyle is really awesome in this. I always thought these films had the scariest infected people with how agile and fast they are.​