Film Filter: Off- Ummmm, wow. Apocalypse movies have a funny way of looking profound and intriguing when they're really not, eh?
Pros- I'm reaaaaaallllly reaching here. Let's see...it was nice that the mother threw out the molasses cookies for the reasoning that she didn't want her son to consume an unnecessary amount of sugar early in the morning. That's about all of the positivity this movie mustered. I guess I can give props for symbolism, albeit really forced, obvious symbolism.
Cons- I don't even know where to begin. How about how stupid the father is? He doesn't keep a very vigilant eye on his kid, first of all. He also doesn't seem to notice that there are piles of bodies stacking up in his backyard either. His deranged babysitter keeps giving his son Nathan a stupid book on the symbolic meaning of the number 11, and instead of destroying it, he keeps throwing it out...in the same garbage can. Oh, and he doesn't fire her OR inquire as to why she might be reading him a morbid, sadistic book either. Lastly, he witnesses his son stab his wife, so he rescues his son from his crazy neighbor and then leaves his son alone with his wife in the house? I bet that's not going to end well.
Next, can we just take a brief moment and talk about BAD ACTING. Especially on the kid's behalf. Call up Dakota Fanning for a play-date; she can give you some pointers as to how to not suck as a child actor.
In terms of plot, this movie is about as well put together and interesting as a geriatric chess match. There is not really any in depth background information as to why this is going on and who the eff the people are that are so concerned about him. An interesting, although stupid, twist is that MOST of the people surrounding themselves with Nathan's well-being are crazy devil worshippers, and not holy people trying to inhibit the transformation process. Wouldn't you think, as with most apocalyptic movies, there would be some Vatican members, priests, or spiritual warriors trying to prevent this from happening? Nope, the directors instead sought out the crazy old cat lady next door as their only ambassador. Excellent choice.
Lastly, this movie is not only the antithesis of good, but also of scary. Not just because it's dumb, either. There is not one genuinely horrific, frightening, grotesque, or shocking aspect of this film. Other than the fact that it was made.
Wrap up- Please don't watch this...unless you have a fetish for constantly checking your Netflix movie progress to see how much of your life you have left to waste on this film.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Film Filter: Off- Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
Film Filter: Off- After checking out a top 10 list of highly rated horror films, I ran across this one at the top. Not having seen it, and never having heard of it, I figured I should check it out. Needless to say, I'm glad I did.
Pros- One of the most attractive parts of this film is how unique it is. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and is more of a comedic horror film than one intended to induce fear. In addition to the different spin on the genre, is the perspective that the film takes. Instead of looking through the eyes of the victims, the viewer is seeing the film from the point of view of the suspected antagonists.
Another one of the things that was appealing about this film was the mockery it made of the stereotypical, preppy, college victims that are prevalent in so many horror flicks. It showcased quite a few of the cliche personalities: the dumb bitch, the compassionate girl, the sensible one who just wants to get the f#%@ out of there, and the gung-ho, testosterone filled hero who wants a showdown with the killer, just to name a few.
Lastly, the most memorable positive attribute of the movie is the chronic "wrong place wrong time" scenarios that ensue, causing Tucker and Dale to appear to be menacing serial killers. Even in the beginning of the film they are portrayed to be reclusive, mysterious hillbillies who look dangerous. It isn't until after about a good 20 minutes or so that the audience realizes they are kind-hearted, lovable guys who wouldn't (and couldn't) hurt a fly. It's sort of like the musical Wicked, in that the stereotypical villain gets to share their side of the story. Quite a clever concept, and very funny at that.
Cons- Well, one con is if you're looking for a horror movie. Although this film has elements often found in scary films, it certainly shouldn't be classified as one.
Although this film, as previously stated, is definitely not meant to be taken seriously, I can't be a movie analyst without pointing out some things that are frustrating. For example, when Tucker and Dale are taking care of Allison, the level of communication gets very skewed between them and the college kids. Granted, Tucker and Dale are certainly not rocket scientists, but they'd probably at least have sense enough to know that it looks like they abducted her, instead of trying to help her.
Wrap up- All in all, this movie is very entertaining, especially if you're into comedy. The movie in itself is also pretty well done (with the exception of some poor acting that I deem is most likely deliberate) and also has a sort of sweet moral to it. The feel of it is generally a mix of the aspect of everything going wrong in Meet the Parents with the humorous, gory nature of Shaun of the Dead. Definitely a good movie to watch with friends.
Pros- One of the most attractive parts of this film is how unique it is. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and is more of a comedic horror film than one intended to induce fear. In addition to the different spin on the genre, is the perspective that the film takes. Instead of looking through the eyes of the victims, the viewer is seeing the film from the point of view of the suspected antagonists.
Another one of the things that was appealing about this film was the mockery it made of the stereotypical, preppy, college victims that are prevalent in so many horror flicks. It showcased quite a few of the cliche personalities: the dumb bitch, the compassionate girl, the sensible one who just wants to get the f#%@ out of there, and the gung-ho, testosterone filled hero who wants a showdown with the killer, just to name a few.
Lastly, the most memorable positive attribute of the movie is the chronic "wrong place wrong time" scenarios that ensue, causing Tucker and Dale to appear to be menacing serial killers. Even in the beginning of the film they are portrayed to be reclusive, mysterious hillbillies who look dangerous. It isn't until after about a good 20 minutes or so that the audience realizes they are kind-hearted, lovable guys who wouldn't (and couldn't) hurt a fly. It's sort of like the musical Wicked, in that the stereotypical villain gets to share their side of the story. Quite a clever concept, and very funny at that.
Cons- Well, one con is if you're looking for a horror movie. Although this film has elements often found in scary films, it certainly shouldn't be classified as one.
Although this film, as previously stated, is definitely not meant to be taken seriously, I can't be a movie analyst without pointing out some things that are frustrating. For example, when Tucker and Dale are taking care of Allison, the level of communication gets very skewed between them and the college kids. Granted, Tucker and Dale are certainly not rocket scientists, but they'd probably at least have sense enough to know that it looks like they abducted her, instead of trying to help her.
Wrap up- All in all, this movie is very entertaining, especially if you're into comedy. The movie in itself is also pretty well done (with the exception of some poor acting that I deem is most likely deliberate) and also has a sort of sweet moral to it. The feel of it is generally a mix of the aspect of everything going wrong in Meet the Parents with the humorous, gory nature of Shaun of the Dead. Definitely a good movie to watch with friends.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Film Filter:Off - Fright Night
Film Filter: Off- So I had mixed feelings about this movie before I watched it, as I had been waiting for months to see it. Hoping that I didn't build it up for myself too much, I finally got the opportunity when my ridiculously cool brother bought it for me for Christmas.
Pros- Well, Colin Farrell, for one. I had always thought he was good looking, but there's something about his role in this film that made him sexy as all hell, no pun intended. He did a really great job playing the lustful, charming, invincible antagonist that women just can't say "no" to. It wasn't just his good looks that accomplished that, though. His mannerisms, the dramatic pauses he took in his dialogue, and his facial expressions all embodied the role perfectly; it got to the point where I found myself believing no one else could have played the role better, and that's a good feeling to have when you're reviewing a film.
I also liked that the film didn't have an overtly serious tone about it. It mixed in a good amount of humor, which helped diversify the film a bit and lighten it up considerably. It also made a nice recipe to invite Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin') into the cast for some hilarious comic relief as well.
I thought most of the acting was well done although, with the exception of Farrell's character, most of the other character personalities were pretty watered down and straightforward.
Cons- First off, it was a bit confusing to the average, run of the mill viewer why the vampire features changed so much. Sometimes he would maintain his human features, whereas other times his face would drastically change. I don't claim to know enough about vampiric history to automatically know why that would happen, and I'm willing to assume most viewers would also fall into this category. Feeding versus attacking was one theory I heard, but either way, the movie didn't really go into any detail about it, which was sometimes frustrating.
Also frustrating was Charlie's relationship with his so-called best friend, Ed. Apparently Charlie is sort of popular now that he's dating Amy, so his relationship with his old friend seems a little turbulent. I understand teen drama, and that they could potentially be having a falling out, but when Ed points out that their other friend, Adam, has gone missing, Charlie seems to not really give a shit. Even though Ed was spouting off seemingly nonsensical evidence about vampires, Charlie should have still acknowledged the fact that his friend was MIA, regardless of the circumstances.
Wrap up: This movie is very entertaining and quite funny. Definitely worth seeing.
Pros- Well, Colin Farrell, for one. I had always thought he was good looking, but there's something about his role in this film that made him sexy as all hell, no pun intended. He did a really great job playing the lustful, charming, invincible antagonist that women just can't say "no" to. It wasn't just his good looks that accomplished that, though. His mannerisms, the dramatic pauses he took in his dialogue, and his facial expressions all embodied the role perfectly; it got to the point where I found myself believing no one else could have played the role better, and that's a good feeling to have when you're reviewing a film.
I also liked that the film didn't have an overtly serious tone about it. It mixed in a good amount of humor, which helped diversify the film a bit and lighten it up considerably. It also made a nice recipe to invite Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin') into the cast for some hilarious comic relief as well.
I thought most of the acting was well done although, with the exception of Farrell's character, most of the other character personalities were pretty watered down and straightforward.
Cons- First off, it was a bit confusing to the average, run of the mill viewer why the vampire features changed so much. Sometimes he would maintain his human features, whereas other times his face would drastically change. I don't claim to know enough about vampiric history to automatically know why that would happen, and I'm willing to assume most viewers would also fall into this category. Feeding versus attacking was one theory I heard, but either way, the movie didn't really go into any detail about it, which was sometimes frustrating.
Also frustrating was Charlie's relationship with his so-called best friend, Ed. Apparently Charlie is sort of popular now that he's dating Amy, so his relationship with his old friend seems a little turbulent. I understand teen drama, and that they could potentially be having a falling out, but when Ed points out that their other friend, Adam, has gone missing, Charlie seems to not really give a shit. Even though Ed was spouting off seemingly nonsensical evidence about vampires, Charlie should have still acknowledged the fact that his friend was MIA, regardless of the circumstances.
Wrap up: This movie is very entertaining and quite funny. Definitely worth seeing.
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