I’m all for intermission breaks, but honestly, only if we’re talking about a movie that stretches past the three-hour mark. I need that chance to hit the restroom without feeling guilty, especially since I have this habit of polishing off a massive Sprite while watching, only to go grab another one right after the break.
Growing up, the one movie that actually managed to get under my skin was Ghostbusters—I don't know if anyone else remembers that shot of the ghost-infested photo from the first film, but that thing genuinely terrified me. I was right around that elementary school age, maybe nine or ten, which is funny because I’d already sat through Pet Sematary, The Thing, and a whole mountain of other 80s horror flicks and slashers without breaking a sweat. Those were all fine, but they didn't rattle me. Aside from the sheer terror of Elm Street and Freddy Krueger, nothing else really hit that specific level of childhood dread for me. 🙂
I’ve got the disc sitting right here, but honestly, it’s one of the first things on my "delete" list. Aside from the fact that almost every single frame of FF7: Advent Children could double as a stunning desktop wallpaper, there isn't much else pulling me back to it—in fact, I couldn't even sit through the whole thing this time around. It feels worlds away from the original Final Fantasy film, which was visually striking and actually held your attention from start to finish. Advent Children seems to have been engineered specifically for the hardcore, die-hard nerds of the franchise, a sentiment the creators themselves have basically admitted. If you're just a casual fan, my advice is to stay far away. You'd be much better off heading down to a local gaming lounge, renting a PlayStation 1, and just playing any entry in the Final Fantasy series instead. They're all fantastic.
I made a solemn vow to myself that I’d wipe this movie from my existence the second the credits rolled. Yet, here we are—it’s still sitting there on my hard drive, staring back at me, just waiting for another viewing. And honestly, I might actually give in. It isn't half bad, provided you can look past that one anthropologist who looks exactly like Super Mario and that atrocious American dubbing. Or maybe it is dubbed? Who knows? I often get this sense from Italian cinema that things feel unfinished, like they were rushed through a low-budget production with an aesthetic that just feels off. The soundtrack was particularly grating; it feels completely dated, like it belongs to a different era entirely. On the flip side, the acting is solid, and you have to admit the whole thing carries a heavy sense of authenticity. Most of what you see is quite real—take the slaughtering of the turtle, the monkey, and that little cute rodent from the Amazon. The shock we feel watching animals being killed is probably similar to how those creatures would react if they stumbled upon a traditional pig roast in the rural Midwest. By the way, that turtle slaughter is basically their cultural equivalent to our Sunday pork BBQ. In my opinion, a massive backyard pig roast is ten times more visceral than some turtle being butchered, and anyone who’s ever been part of one would definitely agree. Just as they consider a monkey's brain a top-tier delicacy, folks out in the countryside enjoy devouring sheep eyes. Ultimately, the shock factor comes down to these deep-seated cultural divides. As for the ending, it descends into pure, explicit snuff territory, though that "snuff" vibe bleeds through the entire runtime. There were moments during the film where I caught myself wondering why I was still watching, feeling like a complete degenerate. The final message delivered by Super Mario is noble and instructional, sure, but it’s incredibly predictable; I think I figured out the point within the first ten minutes. Some scenes are genuinely difficult to sit through, leaving you with a heavy, nauseating sensation in your gut. Still, I don't regret seeing it, because finding a mix of snuff elements, individualistic critique, and quasi-documentary style is a rare breed in cinema. I also have to say, it really bugs me when filmmakers try to dress up pure, inhuman torture as some kind of meaningful narrative. At least the Japanese are upfront about it; they have films like Guinea Pig where it’s just straight-up torment without any pretension of a plot—so hey, to each their own.
Honestly, I thought this movie was pretty solid. You've got Morgan Freeman and Jason Lee starring in it, and then you have aliens emerging from... well, let's just say a very unexpected anatomical location. I mean, what more could you really ask for?😕
I don't quite follow. 😕 Both films tackle the Vietnam War. If you’re drawing a parallel to the Heart of Darkness novel that served as the foundation for Apocalypse Now, then you're on solid ground.
If this question popped up on an exam, I’d be staring at the paper completely blank. How am I supposed to choose between the two greatest war—or anti-war—films ever made? Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) gives us that legendary drill sergeant, while Apocalypse Now brings us that unhinged commander leading the Air Cavalry (I love the smell of napalm in the morning... smells like... victory!). The soundtracks for FMJ are brilliant, and the score for AN is equally genius. Is it a matter of the law of character vs the law of character? Vietnam vs Vietnam? Unforgettable scenes vs unforgettable scenes? Do you prefer the cold efficiency of strafing innocent villagers from a helicopter, or the chaotic carnage of a whole swarm of helicopters taking out both villagers and Viet Cong alike? It really comes down to Stanley Kubrick vs Francis Ford Coppola.
Honestly, it would be easier to prove the existence of Mercury using nothing but complex mathematical equations than it would be to settle this debate!
I found the whole movie incredibly tedious. I could see every single "scary" beat coming from a mile away, and the pacing in between those moments was painfully slow. Having watched my fair share of Japanese cinema, I’ve learned they tend to swing wildly between being mindless, boring, or just plain nonsensical, and absolute masterpieces. > definitely falls into that first category for me. Honestly, I think all the praise this film gets is mostly just pure hype; as far as I can tell, it was just one of those early Asian horror flicks riding the massive wave of success generated by >. I really don't get this obsession some filmmakers have with little girls with long black hair. What's the big deal? Someone please explain the secret formula to me so I can start feeling terrified too. When I see one of them peeking out from under the kitchen sink, my first instinct isn't fear—it's wanting to give them > while yelling, "What on earth are you doing under there? Get back to your room!" then blasting a classic rock anthem and playing around with some old flashlights.
Who even calls Wrong Turn horror? To me, it feels more like a teen shocker fueled by convincing makeup and a totally unconvincing script. I see it as the fast-food version of Deliverance, specifically processed for the mindless American youth of the 21st century. Though, I have to admit, it isn't actually all that bad 😳 😬
Man, it’s getting ridiculous how complicated everything has become—sequels, prequels, remakes... It used to be simple: you had a movie title, and then maybe a 2 or a 3 after it, but now it's just a total mess. 😁 😁 😁
I haven't actually sat down to watch the movie, but I did dive into the book. In the novel, there’s this massive meteor shower streaking across the sky, and people are just standing there, staring up in total awe, only to wake up the next morning completely blinded by whatever radiation or light show was happening. But that wasn't even the worst part—those meteors also carried the seeds of these nasty, lethal alien plants, the Triffids. At the time the story kicks off, the protagonist happens to be in the hospital, which makes him one of the lucky few who didn't lose his sight. These plants move pretty slowly, but they are everywhere, and trying to manage or wipe them out when you're effectively blind is a nightmare. In the book, our survivors end up searching for some kind of sanctuary out on a farm... That book is fantastic; it has that same nail-biting tension you get from zombie stories, just with a totally different kind of antagonist. Now, I can't quite recall who took inspiration from whom or who borrowed what from whom, but in my opinion, both works (both King and the Triffids) feel completely original.
Heh, 100 people... I have to admit, the second half of the movie feels like a bit of a letdown in terms of momentum, but as a complete package, it holds its own beautifully. There’s this palpable sense of unease, a tension and a feeling of uncertainty that just radiates right off the screen. I first caught this one on a grainy late-night broadcast, and every subsequent viewing has only reinforced my belief that it’s a solid piece of filmmaking from every angle. From what I can gather, it’s one of those rare films—it isn't even technically a zombie flick—that doesn't just pay lip service to Romer, but actually draws inspiration from another classic: Day of the Triffids; you know, that story about an invasion by, get this, poisonous plants.
28 Weeks Later? Juan Carlos Fresnadillo? It doesn't sound like a bad pairing, though I have to admit, the plot summary over on IMDb isn't exactly blowing me away.
Well, I guess we’re all just getting old, as the old saying goes 😬. I have to admit, the poster looks great. And honestly, H2O is a solid slasher in its own right. As for this new film, it’ll probably end up being either one hell of a wild ride or a total disaster.