Category: Movie Review

Batman: Assault on Arkham

220px-Batman_Assault_on_Arkham_cover

So when I talked about Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay  I said it was basically the interpretation I wanted; in Batman: Arkham Origins we got the hint of Waller and the Suicide Squad that sadly never got to go anywhere in the Arkham verse…until now.

The Riddler is on the loose again and the feds are on his trail as well as his nemesis, Batman. He’s apprehended and sent to Arkham Asylum, but Amanda Waller isn’t pleases; Riddler has some vital information she needs. She assembles Task Force X, aka the Suicide Squad, to infiltrate the asylum and get him. Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, King Shark, and Killer Frost make there way in but nothing is ever easy. Harley and Joker’s relationship is on the rocks after a messy breakup and she’s out for blood, Batman is on there ass, and Waller has ulterior motives than cost them there lives as a plot is unleashed from inside the asylum.

Much like Hell to Pay, this is exactly what I wanted from a Suicide Squad film, unapologetic badassery from some great bad guys as well as Batman being the stoic badass he is. I love watching the clash between  the Bat and the Squad. Riddler was unexpected cool and welcome part of things as well. The movie feels very much part of the Arkham verse with a lot of game accurate voices and character cameos; what bothered me however was trying to place it in the timeline- I personally want to say it’s between Origins and Asylum but I can’t really be sure. The only little gripe I have is the title feels misleading and I feel like this is a Suicide Squad movie first instead of a Bat movie. In the end, if you love the Arkham games, you will have plenty of fun with this movie. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Ratched series trailer

We live in a strange time friends. This strange time now includes a Nurse Ratched origin series, the tyrannical nurse from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. I’m sorta curious where the hell this series is going to take this. I want to watch it for Sarah Paulson and I’m hoping for the best. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Predators

predators

We begin with Royce, a mercenary,  falling from the sky, unaware how he ended up in such a predicament. After avoiding death, he discovers he isn’t the only one. The survivors of the drop land in an uncharted jungle, each armed and each a soldier, killer from there respective field. After a run in with with these four legged alien beasts, they start to question what’s going on when an unseen assailant starts picking them off. Prey for a new kind of hunter on a lien world, how long can they survive the ultimate hunters?

Predator 3 is a mixed bag but I appreciate that they tried expanding the lore and didn’t just repackage the formula of the first 2 movies. I actually like how the characters are mostly hostile towards each other and have pretty cool backgrounds with a curve-ball towards the end; the story reminds me of The Most Dangerous Game featuring the Predator. I like the idea of introducing different Predator clans but the bastard Predator looked kinda goofy with the half mask and under bite. The effects are good for the most part but there are a few questionable moments. My favorite action scene is definitely the sword fight between the Yakuza assassin and the Predator. The ending is fine but I hate how open ended it is. There is a lot of callbacks to the first and the score is a nice updated feel of the original. In the end, Predators is a decent sequel that you may like if you want something a little different from the series. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

 

Shallow Grave

shallow grave

We begin with 3 friends living together in Britain, Alex, David, and Juliette who are looking for a new roommate.After a long train of screwing with there new potential roommates at there expense, they find a solid candidate with cash and no questions asked. After not hearing from him for a bit, they bust into his room, finding him dead and naked in bed. While looking for answers, they find a suitcase full of money and they find themselves going down a series of dark paths leading into insanity all in the name of money, finding out you never know who your friends truly are…

28 Days Later  is one my favorite movies of all time so I really excited to see this after finding out Danny Boyle directed it. After watching it, I’m not sure how I would define it, skillfully blending elements of suspense, dark comedy, soft horror, and a intriguing twist filled plot. The acting is fantastic on top of some beautiful cinematography and score. This movie did keep me on the edge of my seat and I have to admit, I wasn’t sure where certain characters would end up and I like how the plot keeps moving until the very end. The actors have great chemistry and work great together. I loved the movie and it was a great start to sink into the works of a great director. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Candyman puppet tease

I must say, I adore the artistic style of this trailer and I’d love it if more movies got creative with there trailers like this. Honestly, I love how it beautifully connects the horrors of today’s world to the tragic origin of Candyman. I’m now really excited and I hope its a hit. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Halloween Kills teaser

There isn’t much to say except that evil never truly dies, and in this case I couldn’t be more exited. A good tease doesn’t need much and while not even a full minute, this one says a lot. The delay, while a bummer, is understandable given world events but at least we have something to look forward too. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

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.