Category: Movie Review

Dawn of the Dead

dawn of the dead

George Romero broke unimaginable ground when he made NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD – Movie and changed the horror genre as we know it by giving us the modern zombie. Dawn, the second part of the long running Dead series, brings us a true horror sequel. 4 survivors are on the run during the early days of the zombie takeover. They hop in a helicopter and get as far away from the city as fast as they can. It isn’t long before they start running out of fuel and supplies; the only refuge in site is a shopping mall. It’s up to them to hold up together and fortify the mall, but the question remains why the dead never stop coming?

Dawn of the Dead may very well be Romero’s masterpiece and it was a absolute joy to watch. The acting was great but Ken Foree steals the show as Peter; the four lead actors have great chemistry between them and you do care about them through the movie. The mall is a great setting and brings a lot of tension in both close quarters and the emptiness of it. There are some great, old school Tom Savini gore effects which make any horror film a bit more memorable and there is plenty of zombie attacks throughout the runtime. The zombies look goofy by today’s standard, mostly spray painted gray, but they manage to feel threatening just by the sheer number of them. What I truly love about the movie is all the different beats it’s successfully hits- it’s horror, action, comedy, and has a lot to say about greed and consumerism. Honestly, Dawn of the Dead is a horror must see that’s fun but also pretty smart. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Demons

demons

We’ve all seen a good horror movie that made us terrified of monsters, killers, or what have you but at the end of the day, the terrors are contained on screen. But what if you saw a movie where the monsters weren’t just on screen? Cheryl and her friend Kathy are given free tickets to a movie premiere at the Metropol theater by a masked stranger. The girls ditch class and head to the movies, not knowing what they were in store for. It turns out to be a horror movie at a packed house. But when a girl in the audience gets a cut similar to a girl on screen, all hell begins breaking loose as she begins to transform into a demonic fiend. As the bodies start rapidly piling up, the question is what started the demons and how can they be stopped?

Dario Argento is an Italian horror master and this a good example why. Demons is a fun, blood drenched meta horror show. Seriously, the squeamish should stay away as a lot of the kills don’t hold back. I love the rock score and colorful, claustrophobic setting. There is some beautiful camera work on display. The English dub is pretty corny but it gets the job done. The pacing is just right, fast but knowing when to to slow for some creepy, tense scenes. Some may get bothered at the lack of answers given but honestly I liked that and the downbeat ending. This movie may not be for everyone but damn if it ain’t a fun joyride. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Ju-On: The Grudge

ju on

The Grudge, much like The Ring , was a huge hit when I was a kid. While I heard nothing good about the latest 2020 American incarnation, I wanted to go to the source and experience the film that spawned so many sequels both in Japan and America…

Ju-on follows a series of characters caught in the frightening aftermath of a deadly scene. It begins when caretaker Rika is asked to look in after a catatonic old woman while her family works. During her first stay, she discovers a little boy hiding in the house named Toshio. Things rapidly begin spiraling out of control as the old woman’s children turn up dead and people who’ve gone inside the house either die or go missing, a tragic and malevolent history of the house unfolds and those wronged won’t let themselves be forgotten…

I honestly enjoyed this movie a lot more than I thought I would. I have to say I have to give the music and sounds a huge shout out, combined they do a really good job at building tension without acting as the gaudy jump scares that plague modern horror. Another thing I love, is the camera work and how a lot of things can be seen going on in the background and how there aren’t many ques pointing to it; I actually missed a few and found them rewinding back which was really cool. The imagery and atmosphere are well done; Kayko stands out for me and she grew more unsettling as the movie continued. The only real complaint I have is some of the shadow effects looked cheesy as hell and took me out, plainly being early CGI. In the end, I’d highly recommend this movie but I’m going to warn you, subtitles are a must. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Predator 2

predator 2

In the near future of 1997 ( I’m well aware it’s 2020) LA is a crime infested war-zone as the cops do battle against the raging drug cartels. Harrigan is a reckless cop with a good heart and a strong team. After a violent scene abruptly ends with skinned bodies and a blood bath, Harrigan is hungry for info but the feds bust in and seal the area. After his best friend is found dead, it’s up to Harrigan and his team to find this otherworldly killer who is unseen and leaving mutilated corpses throughout the streets while dealing with a conspiracy of the extraterrestrial sort. Can one man stand against the ultimate hunter?

While not as good as Predator , Predator 2 is still a damn entertaining sequel. I loved Danny Glover as Harrigan as well as a great supporting cast. There is plenty of action and gore with some cheesy goodness; Duke always busted a gut over King Willie’s pimp Cadillac. The Predator gets a huge leap forward with a vastly expanded arsenal including the introduction of its iconic disc, spear, and razor net as well as some great lore towards the end, including the Xenomorph skull mounted on the ship’s wall. The setting is a nice change of pace from the jungles of the first movie. The effects hold up surprisingly well. The only downside I have is there is nowhere near the suspense of the first but at the same time, it’s still a fun movie. In the end, I highly recommend the follow up to Predator. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Greenland trailer 1

I’m almost impressed we made it a few years without a big budget disaster movie. Greenland…doesn’t seem special. There’s been plenty of meteor movies with basically the same premise. I can see it maybe worth watching in theaters but with the huge backlog of movies built up because of the pandemic, I don’t think this one will go far. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Superman: Man of Tomorrow trailer

Superman, the icon and first modern day superhero, is having his origin retold again- this time focusing more on the time before becoming Superman rather than going all the way back to Krypton. I like that we get action from Lobo and Parasite rather than the usual top Sup baddies; Martian Manhunter is always a welcomed presence as well. It looks like a solid origin movie with good animation. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Snowpiercer

snowpiercer

You know those movies your friends tell you have to watch and you almost never do? I know many times you say you will but never do, but sometimes you get the hype? I got it with John Wick and I get it now with Snowpiercer too.

Man is nearly extinct 18 years after the world has become a frozen wasteland. The last of mankind lives upon a train called a Snowpiercer, designed to sustain itself off of the snow and ice. On this ark, every car has a function, and every passenger’s life is dictated by there ticket. The furthest car in the back is the most beaten down of slums while the front most car is the dwelling of the rich, oppressing the poor for their needs. Curtis, along with the rest of the back car passengers have had enough and a rebellion is starting, but can the angry and determined fight to the front?

I’m going to start by say I love this movie and it’s equal measure deep, badass, and brutal. Warning: this is a not a movie for people with weak stomachs or sensibilities. The cast is great, Chris Evans steals the show but Tilda Swinton, Octavia Spencer, and John Hurt are also fantastic. While the setting is a train, the movie never gets dull to look at and it uses it’s setting and premise to the fullest- a feat many movies rarely achieve. The action scenes are unique and memorable. The score adds a lot of depth to the film and is well placed. At 2 hours, the movie moves really well and I was heavily invested the whole time.  In the end, I surprisingly loved this movie and I highly recommend it. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Deathstroke: Knights and Dragons reveal trailer

I’m glad Slade gets some limelight on his own, rather than being a villain in Teen Titans or Arrow. I’m even more excited that it’s R rated so this epic DC anti-hero can stretch and be himself on screen. I can’t wait to see the final result. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Predator

Predator_Movie

There was no time for action and sci-fi movies in the 80’s whether it was Aliens , Robocop , or Terminator the scene was at it’s peak. You can argue which is the best and for me its a close ass tie between Aliens and the original Predator.

Dutch Schaffer is the head of a crew of a special ops rescue team getting reassembled and sent into the jungles of Central America on a mission. Bullets and badassery are on the agenda and delivered as they guerrilla soldiers they came to wipe out have gotten seemingly violent as Dutch and his team find a couple of skinned bodies hanging from trees. The hostages talk of a demon in the trees. Everything seems said and done but members of Dutch’s team are getting picked off one by one by an unseen assailant with some badass tech. Can Dutch and his team survive the mission and face something inhuman?

Predator is a fantastic movie and should be seen by all- yes that’s a short review. You have memorable characters, score, kills, and plenty of badass quotes. The Predator is a Sci-fi action icon and is a great monster. The final battle between Dutch and Predator is one of my all time favorites and the Predator’s dying laugh is truly haunting. The action scenes are powerful and there is plenty of suspense once the Predator enters the scene. In the end, this is an outstanding 80’s action movie I can’t recommend more. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

P.S: R.I.P Little Richard, who’s voice inspired countless artist and set the scene for this badass movie. You will be missed.