Category: Movie Review

Our favorites, Day 3:Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th is day 3 of our favorite movies and this one is actually for a very similar reason to the last two days. It is simply a classic with good memories attached to it. Tho I do enjoy that one of the most famous killers in horror movies isn’t in the first movie from his iconic series. And please, don’t give me that ” well they talk about him” or ” they show him as a kid” because you all know what I mean.

The movie itself is not graphically amazing, the script isn’t. There actually isn’t much of a reason for this movie to be what it is. Seriously go back and watch this legendary beast from 1980. Hell just go look at metacritic. The movie gets trashed. A lot. But this cult classic holds special place in horror fans hearts and spawned movies and games. Speaking of games, Friday The 13th: The Game review is free on PSN in October. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

The Dark Knight

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For a long time there was a debate on the greatest superhero movie of our time, either Dark Knight or Avengers . Which ever side of the spectrum you personally fall on, it’s one of those few movies that is simply great.

Months after Batman Begins , Gotham is starting it’s turning point. Jim Gordon and Batman have fought to take on the mob with the new, handsome DA Harvey Dent and have pushed them to near extinction. A tomorrow is on the horizon it seems where Gotham would no longer need Batman; he sees how the people look towards Harvey’s warm, earnest smile for hope- a good man without a mask, the hero Gotham deserves. But what’s standing in the way? In there desperation, the mob turned to a mad man without scruples, without morality and is determined to watch Gotham fall into chaos and Batman become the lunatic he was meant to be: enter the Joker…

This is one of the rare times I believe a movie deserves the praise it gets. Bale again is great as Batman at the height of his reign with a a fantastic supporting cast. Heath Ledger as Joker was terrifying; I’m ashamed to say I was one of the nay sayers who hated on him when it was first announced he would be Joker but the second I saw him I was speechless and he truly changed the game and was a legendary villain. A huge actor overlooked in the movie is Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent and subsequently Two-Face. He absolutely nailed what made Harvey’s fall tragic while maintaining the menace and stature he had in Batman: the animated series . The plot is winding and well paced, full of real suspense and great action and character moments. The score, cinematography, and story are top notch. The movie is damn near perfect in my opinion and it’s a must see masterpiece. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

 

The Hills Have Eyes(06)

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The original The Hills Have Eyes fascinated my dad Duke so he was pretty pumped when the remake was announced. I’m happy to say without Batman Begins and the Hills remake, I don’t think I’d still be trying to write my damn book and that’s honestly one of the best things I can possibly say for it.

During the mid 40’s to the early 60’s the US government tested atomic bombs in the remote parts of the desert. They thought the land was barren but it wasn’t. Families bred, mutated and deformed living in the many caves and ruins of test houses of the desert surviving off of blood and flesh. The Carter family drove through the desert, lost on there way to California much like the original but what we would get is a much more atmospheric, emotional, and brutal tale of revenge…

Already from the beginning of the film with a gruesome set of opening kills and opening credits consisting of old test footage, bits of the deformities we’re about to see, and a great 50’s country song to put it in perspective we know it’s going to be a different beast than the first. The narrative feels much more complete for starters; we spend more time with the Carter family so when they start dying and violated, you really do feel for them. The movie has a great sense of isolation but also feels claustrophobic in all the right spots- in the vastness of the desert you never are really alone. The mutants are a huge improvement over the classic cannibals in that by the time you get a feel for there world, I got a extra layer of pathos to them. The effects on them were great and pretty damn realistic. The does damn good at being a bloody, intense horror movie but’s also a dark badass western. The fights during the second half are some of my favorites, harrowing but never feel like they jump the shark. The music is creepy but also epic, a good fit. The last seconds are sequel bait but also work as a good oh shit ending too. In the end, I loved this movie and I definitely recommend it. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Our Favorites, Day 2. The Exorcist.

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The Exorcist (movie) Here was are for day 2. This movie is a classic and has had a million and one stories around its filming. But only one holds a special memory for me. Years ago when I was a kid I wanted to watch this when it was on television  and my mom said no. My brother and I being not so good at the listening watched it anyway. By this time we had seen a ton of horror movies. See my mom as a little kid had been scared by this movie. Years later watching it wasn’t scared, changed her mind and told us to watch it. I remember because when we yelled “too late” she was a bit pissed at us.

Well for about 5 minutes. See the movie is a classic, and when it was made was terrifying for a lot of people. Now, despite being allegedly based off a true story we have seen far scarier movies. This one however, is still great. Just don’t eat pea soup while you watch. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Batman Begins

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My dream in life has been to always create a superhero story as well as good horror story. As a kid, I looked up to superheroes but none of there movies ever sparked my soul. I almost gave up on my dream, that was until Batman Begins.

Bruce Wayne, young, angry, and self destructive after watching his parents murdered in front of him as a child. Gotham City is rotting from the corruption within, the streets desperate. Caught in his own pain, he abandons his wealth and ventures to the other side of the world , trying to lose himself and learn how to stop injustice with nothing at all. In a jail cell, a man named Ducard offers him a choice- keep wasting his life or push himself farther than he ever could and become a member of the League of Shadows. He gives his all in training but something is missing. Their leader, the mysterious Ras Al Ghul, commands Wayne to take a life to prove he is ready for there movement to put an end to Gotham’s decadence as to make the world a better place. After a epic battle that seemingly destroys the League, Bruce returns home to his last remaining family, his butler Alfred and a plan to use his skills and the technology from his family’s company to become the hero Gotham needs and the symbol criminals fear. Here is how Batman Begins…

Until Batman Begins, I never felt a superhero’s story could feel like a real story. There had been greats before like X- Men and Spider- man 2 and even Tim  Burton’s Batman was classic but none of them resonated with me like Begins. Christian Bale is perfect as all 3 aspects of the character in this movie. I loved how the movie is grounded but mythic by the philosophy of Batman and the foes he faces. The supporting characters are damn great and are very well written. The movie’s writing, score and cinematography are stunning and the story and pacing flow wonderfully. I have little grips here and there like I think Scarecrow could have had more threat to him and more could have been done with the fear images. Many argue how great the movie was, many more say the sequel was far superior but it will always hold a special place in my heart. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Our Favorites Day 1, Nightmare On Elm Street.

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Nightmare on Elm Street Anyone that has followed the blog long-term knows how much I love the nightmare on else street Movies. This one is on the list because honestly not only did it start the whole thing, it is also one of my first horror movies. I don’t even remember who I saw it with. I just remember that first time seeing Fred Kruger and those claws, and the things he did in people’s dreams. Now I can’t recall if I was scared or not, but considering I laughed when Bambi’s mom got shot I doubt I was, but this movie sent me on a life long love of the genre. It isn’t the best horror movie, and it isn’t even the best movie you will see on the list this month, but it is quite possibly the reason this list even exist. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Chanel Zero Season 4 trailer

First I have to say I’m big fan of Creepypastas and I’ve heard really good things about the Chanel Zero series to date. I’m glad that there is a show that’s putting these creative ideas to use. This season, The Dream Door, looks intriguing and actually pretty creepy. If I found it streaming, I’d be glad to check it out. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

The Hills Have Eyes

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Last House on the Left was legendary horror director Wes Craven’s first big film and the impact it had was huge, pushing boundaries and kicking ass. His second major feature to follow would only solidify his status as a renegade of horror.

The Hills Have Eyes, like Last House, is simple but full of layers. The Carter family is on vacation, driving through the desert after receiving the deed to a silver mine as a anniversary gift ( I know, WTF but let’s go with it.) They come by a grizzly old guy who runs a rundown gas station who gives them a short cut, a short cut that leads to disaster as they break down in the middle of the desert with there RV, miles from anywhere. The oldest men set out for help, leaving 2  women, 2 teenagers, and 2 dogs behind. They aren’t alone however. The hills are inhabited by a group of incestuous cannibals that are watching the Carters and when night falls, they strike on family. The father is burned alive, the mother and oldest daughter are killed and a baby stolen leaving the daughter’s husband alone with the teens and 1 dog left. the husband rushes into the desert to face the cannibals and get his daughter back while the kids are left to fend for themselves. Can they survive?

I have a massive amount for this movie and the influence it had and the boundaries it pushed but I cannot lie, it didn’t age great. Back then, Hills struggled not to have an X rating; in 2018 it could pass for  PG-13  I’d d wager if reevaluated. There is almost no bad language, not much blood and no real nudity. I have a glaring issue with the narrative itself. I feel the beginning and end are too abrupt, especially the ending; I feel there should be more to the beginning to either give the characters more time to develop or develop the situation and the end feels like a car crash, you just slam into it. The cannibals mostly feel like the family from Texas Chainsaw Massacre only with a more deformed, Mad Max twist. Michael Berryman, the iconic face of the film, is great and is a genuinely eerie presence on screen. It’s filmed alright and the score is there but nothing memorable. In the end, by today’s standards the original Hills Have Eyes is an ok horror movie that had some groundbreaking ideas for it’s time but has softened with time but worth a watch. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

X Men: Dark Phoenix trailer 1

The long awaited trailer for X Men: Dark Phoenix has come, after delay upon delay, and what do I think? One word: retread. A lot of the content seems like a rehash of X Men: The Last Stand like I feared. Granted, I think it’s the same direction just done better I hope. I like that the classic suits are back, I like that Magneto doesn’t seem to want to control the Phoenix, and I’m glad there is no Wolverine so we can see this story with Prof X and Cyclops. The effects don’t look bad either. My chief concern is Sophie Turner playing Jean Grey and Phoenix after X-Men: Apocalypse but already I see a tiny bit of improvement. I know this won’t be perfect but I pray for the X men to go out on a good swan song before the MCU. May the gaming gods bring you glory.