Topic: Never Ending Movie Marathon (short reviews)

[samuelrichardscott]

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)

This is the second time I've seen this one and it's an absolute blast. I read one review that stated that it does for slashers, what Shaun of the Dead did for zombie movies and I really couldn't agree more. Tyler Labine is by far the best of the cast members and owns every scene, but Alan Tudyk and Katrina Bowden are also very good. The chemistry between the cast rubs off onto the characters, the script has some very clever and funny moments, there's some great physical comedy and all in all, it's just a fantastic play on the slasher cliches. Highly recommended. 4.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Dredd (2012)

I originally caught this one in San Diego last year and finally got around to viewing it in 3D. When I first heard Olivia Thirlby had been cast alongside Karl Urban I was certainly left unsure - especially because Thirlby suits the 'hipster' crowd very well with great roles in both Juno and The Wackness. However, she pulls it off here and is a strong character. I also really liked seeing Lena Headey as the villain, Ma-Ma. Special effects are very good, the action non-stop, the story is solid and Pete Travis got the tone just right. It makes Stallone a distant memory. Recommended. 4/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Dead Heat (1988)

It's been so long since I gave this DVD a spin that I forgot what fun the movie is. Okay, so it doesn't break down any barriers and it is full of cliches, but Joe Piscopo and Treat Williams are a formidable double act and their characters are well enough written that you forget about its small annoyances, chill out and have a laugh. Also, look out for Vincent Price. It's definately not for everyone but if you enjoy movies like The Stuff or CHUD then it is worth adding to your collection. 3.5/5

[Achim]

It's definately not for everyone but if you enjoy movies like The Stuff or CHUD then it is worth adding to your collection. 3.5/5

I saw Dead Heat in the cinema at the Fantasy Film Festival in Germany many years ago. I loved it at fist viewing and have seen it again once or twice since then.

I'll do the reverse and seek out The Stuff and CHUD based on your comparison

[samuelrichardscott]

The Stuff (1985)

The basic premise of The Stuff is that two old workers find some weird substance bubbling out the ground, taste it and realise it tastes great and is addictive, market it in a similar style to ice cream, and get people hooked. However, it takes over the brains of those who eat it. Starring Michael Moriarty and Andrea Marcovicci, The Stuff is cheesy fun. There's an enjoyable and random plot, some good special effects and a clever punch at consumerism. Recommended. 3.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

The first thing that came to my mind when the end credits rolled was just how much screentime Watson gets - he feels like a main character for the first time rather than a 'sidekick' brushed to the side. I'm not generally a fan of Jude Law but he definately made Watson his role and did very well, as did Robert Downey Jr in the lead. Even his English accent was very good - something that always hits me when an American plays a Brit. The sets and locations looked the part, the tone I thought was just right for a Hollywood adaptation and the set pieces and story were enjoyable. Recommended. 4/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Yogi Bear (2010)

Yogi Bear is one of the poorer family films backed by a major studio that has received a theatrical release in recent years. The CGI isn't as good as similar movies, the story is as formulaic as they come and the cast disappoint. There are some good moments here though, such as the firework display scene. The 3D is very mixed. Generally good, there are a couple of jaw-dropping moments (slow motion flying nachos) but they are almost overshadowed by some scenes that feel very flat. I give the 3D a 3/5 and the film itself a 2/5. Skip it.

[samuelrichardscott]

Rabid Rider (2010)

This 3D short is included on the Yogi Bear 3D blu-ray and involves Looney Tunes characters Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote. Although it was interesting seeing these characters in 3D it did lack the pizazz of the old shorts. There are one or two funny moments, but they are there to enhance the 3D experience more than the actual short itself. Rent it. 3/5

[samuelrichardscott]

The Hot Chick (2001)

There are a lot of great films in the body swapping sub-genre so when you're going to enter this market, you best have a new take or a well written script with a good cast. Or... you might just say screw it, hire Rob Schneider knowing he somehow has a lot of fans and rely on them to turn a profit. That's what The Hot Chick did where Schneider is a thief who swaps bodies with a hot cheerleader played by Rachel McAdams. There are one or two light laughs, but the stereotypical humour was very unoriginal and has been done to death so just wasn't funny. Adam Sandler's cameo was poor but I guess he was just repaying a favour (Schneider has small cameos in many of Sandler's films) and I suppose Rachel McAdams and Anna Faris can be forgiven for this blip on their career as the film is from their earlier days. I can't bring myself to any opinion other than to skip it. 1.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Ha, just noticed. Rachel McAdams in Sherlock Holmes, Anna Faris in Yogi Bear and then both in this. Strange how the days viewings can be somewhat linked.

[samuelrichardscott]

Mean Girls 2 (2011)

In 2004, Mean Girls starring Lindsay Lohan came out to surprising success so it was only a matter of time before we got a DTV sequel which, other than a similar storyline, has absolutely nothing to do with the first movie. This one stars Disney alumni Jennifer Stone as a loner who finds out the new girl is only making friends with her because she is being paid to. At the same time, the two girls go up against the 'plastics', the popular girls who are mean to everybody. Unfortunately, although it isn't a poor film, it loses a lot of the charm that the first one had and has just become another non-crude teen high school comedy. The script is standard, the cast vary from poor to average and the laughs just aren't plentiful enough because it has lost the satirical edge that worked so well in the first. Skip it 2/5.

My review of the Mean Girls (2004):
http://www.dvdcollectorsonline.com/index.php/topic,6328.msg151305/topicseen.html#msg151305

[samuelrichardscott]

The Interrupters (2011)

This documentary takes a closer look at a Chicago-based group called CeaseFire who are violence interrupters. Made up of ex-convicts including armed robbers, gangbangers and murderers who have turned their own lives around, the interrupters volunteer their time in the most dangerous neighbourhoods in Chicago to try and mediate conflicts before they happen and lower the chances of kids going by the 'get them before they get you' mentality. The documentary shows funerals of kids who have been killed, and how the CeaseFire team members are asked by the families to go to the funerals for support and to make a stand. It's dangerous work though, as we see one of the lead members in tears after a team member is shot trying to mediate an argument in the street (he survived). It's hard to watch at times, but definately essential viewing. Highly recommended. 4.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Elite Squad (2007)

Elite Squad follows two police officers from Rio de Janeiro who join the elite BOPE squad - an (allegedly) uncorrupt part of the Brazilian police force in which only 4% of people who start the training (based on the UK's SAS) actually make it through. The BOPE are the police that go into the favelas and are often caught up in gun battles with drug dealers and lookouts. The violence, not only from the dealers but from the BOPE themselves, is extreme and shows the darker side of the police in Brazil (the film is based on one cops experiences and caused outrage from Amnesty International) with them using violence to solve violence, but it tells a damaging story in very way. Anyway, it's a very hard film to explain, but this is highly recommended. 4.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

In the interview with director Jose Padilha, he says that the BOPE department tried to sue him after the movie to get him to remove police brutality until the police governor had them drop the lawsuit because it showed what actually happens. Padilha then says he was threatened by BOPE to tell them which cops helped with the making of the film but he refused to release the names. Interesting stuff. They also got hijacked in the favelas - 4 crew members for two weeks. Sounds like it was a hell of a task.

[samuelrichardscott]

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within (2010)

The sequel sees Captain Nacimento embroiled in a violent and political dispute between government officials and paramilitaries - with corruption amongst leading politicians and high-ranking police being far more prevelant this time round. Like the first, brutal violence is used throughout in the well choreographed set pieces but it's more about how the corruption at the top can destroy a country from the inside. It takes a different direction to the first movie and feels that little more well-rounded and polished that comes with the extra experience gained by director Jose Padilha since then. I for one class this as essential viewing and I now have a new found interest in Padilha's forthcoming RoboCop remake. 5/5