Mini Movie Review: Contagion (2011)

 

Contagion (2011)

A Mini Movie Review by Dave Randal

 Plot: A thriller centered on the threat posed by a deadly disease and an international team of doctors contracted by the CDC to deal with the outbreak.

A movie has to try pretty hard to be overly political for me to call it propaganda.  Contagion does exactly that.  I won't say that it is in your face because most of the movie is very subtle.  Near the end though it  gets pretty obvious that the filmmakers are trashing any bloggers who question the safety standards when it comes to vaccines.  

Movie Review: Bullet to the Head (2013)

 

Bullet to the Head (2013)

A Movie Review by Dave Randal

Genre: Action | Crime | Thriller

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Sung Kang, Sarah Shahi, Jason Momoa, Christian Slater

Director: Walter Hill

Writer: Alessandro Camon(screenplay), Alexis Nolent(graphic novel)

Studio: Dark Castle Entertainment, IM Global, After Dark Films, Automatik Entertainment, EMJAG Productions, Millar Gough Ink

Distributed by: Warner Bros.

Release Date: Feburary 1, 2013

Plot: After watching their respective partners die, a New Orleans hitman and a Washington D.C. detective form an alliance in order to bring down their common enemy. 

I'm a huge fan of Sylvester Stallone and I'm glad to see that he is getting some pretty big movie roles again.  For a while there about twelve years ago it looked like he was just going to disappear.  For the past six years though it seems like he is back on track.  He had a huge comeback with Rocky Balboa (2006) and Rambo (2008).  Both of those movies were really good in my opinion.  I got kind of excited when I heard his new movie Bullet to the Head was going to be directed by Walter Hill who has directed great movies like The Warriors (1979) and 48 Hrs. (1982).  In some ways it almost seemed like this movie had to be good considering who was directing it and who was starring in it.  That is not exactly the case here though.

Movie Review: Warm Bodies (2013)

 

Warm Bodies (2013)

A Movie Review by Dave Randal

Genre: Comedy | Horror | Romance

Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Corddry, Dave Fanco

Director: Jonathan Levine

Writers: Jonathan Levine

Studios: Mandeville Films

Distributed by: Summit Entertainment

Release Date: February 1, 2013

Plot: After R (a highly unusual zombie) saves Julie from an attack, the two form a relationship that sets in motion a sequence of events that might transform the entire lifeless world. 

When I first saw the trailer for Warm Bodies I was pleasently surprised to see a decent original idea when it came to the zombie movie genre.  In the last ten years it seems like the idea of the zombie movie has just become more and more popular.  I'm a huge fan of zombie movies so I say bring them all on.  Sure there are a lot of horrible zombie movies out there, but there are also a few really good ones.  Is Warm Bodies one of those good ones?  Well kind of.

Movie Review: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)

 

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters

A Movie Review by Dave Randal 

Genre: Action | Fantasy | Horror

Cast: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Derek Mears

Director: Tommy Wirkola

Writer: Tommy Wirkola

Studio: Gary Sanchez Productions, Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MTV Films

Distributed by: Paramount Pictures

Release Date: January 25, 2013

Plot: In this spin on the fairy tale, Hansel & Gretel are now bounty hunters who track and kill witches all over the world. As the fabled Blood Moon approaches, the siblings encounter a new form of evil that might hold a secret to their past.     

It is becoming sort of a fad to make movies and TV shows based off old books and fairy tales.  Saying that though I was still extremely surprised to hear that they were making a Hansel and Gretel movie.   When I saw the first trailer I was confused by what I was seeing.  They basically took the old fairy tale and turned it into a shoot'em up action movie.  I wasn't sure what to expect from watching the very bloody red band trailer.  Sure it looked mediocre, but it also looked kind of cool at the same time.

Movie Review: Broken City (2013)

 

Broken City (2013)

A Movie Review by Dave Randal

Genre: Crime | Drama | Thriller

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright

Director: Allen Hughes

Writers: Brian Tucker

Studio: Regency Enterprises, Emmett/Furia Films

Distributed by: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: January 18, 2013

Plot: In a city rife with injustice, ex-cop Billy Taggart seeks redemption and revenge after being used by Mayor Nicholas Hostetler.

 

January isn't exactly the best month for quality movie releases.  In fact January has kind of become a joke when it comes to new releases.  It is pretty much the time of the year where Hollywood just decides to unload a lot of mediocre crap.  I can't say that Broken City is mediocre crap, but it sure isn't a great movie either.

Movie Review: Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

 

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

A Movie Review by Dave Randal

Genre: Drama | History | Thriller

Cast: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Mark Strong, Kyle Chandler

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Writer: Mark Boal

Studios: Annapurna Pictures

Distributed by: Columbia Pictures

Release Date: January 11, 2013

Plot: A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May 2011. 

When I saw the first trailer for Zero Dark Thirty I was pretty worried that it would just be a big piece of political propaganda.  I don't think anyone could seriously blame me for thinking that either.  I'm very libertarian so I'm very much against any movie that would support the ideas of war or force in general.  After watching it though I realized that they kept the political stuff very minimal and I ended up really enjoying it.

Movie Review: Gangster Squad (2013)

 

Gangster Squad (2013)

A Movie Review by Dave Randal 

Genre: Action | Crime | Drama

Cast: Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Emma Stone, Nick Nolte

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Writers: Will Beall, Paul Lieberman(book)

Studios: Village Roadshow Pictures

Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures

Release Date: January 11, 2013

Plot: Los Angeles, 1949: A secret crew of police officers led by two determined sergeants work together in an effort to take down the ruthless mob king Mickey Cohen who runs the city.

Gangster movies are one of my favorite genres.  There is just something about them that I really like.  This might make me look like a total geek but screw it, I even like the Star Trek episode "A Piece of the Action" where they go to a planet with Earth-like 1920s gangster culture. When I first saw the trailer for Gangster Squad I instantly got excited.  I mean it has three of the best actors working today in Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, and Ryan Gosling.  I think because of who was in it I was expecting a little bit more from it than what I saw.

Mini Movie Review: Mulholland Falls (1996)

 

Mulholland Falls (1996)

A Mini Movie Review by Dave Randal

Plot: In 1950's Los Angeles, a special crime squad of the LAPD investigates the murder of a young woman.

I went ahead and watched this movie due to the fact that it is inspired by the same true story that the new movie Gangster Squad is also inspired by.  I was only a kid when it came out, but I was still surprised that I had never heard of it before.  Nick Nolte still had a name at the time, but you could see that his star was definitely falling.

Movie Review: Texas Chainsaw (2013)

 

Texas Chainsaw (2013)

A Movie Review by Dave Randal

Genre: Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Cast: Alexandra Daddario, Dan Yeager, Trey Songz, Scott Eastwood

Director: John Luessenhop

Writers: Adam Marcus, Debra Sullivan, Kristen Elms, Stephen Susco, Tobe Hooper(characters), Kim Henkel(characters)

Studios: Twisted Pictures, Nu Image, Millennium Films, Mainline Pictures

Distributed by: Lionsgate

Release Date: January 4, 2013

Plot: A young woman travels to Texas to collect an inheritance; little does she know that an encounter with a chainsaw-wielding killer is part of the reward. 

In horror franchises there usually isn't a whole lot of continuity.   This is because a lot of horror franchises usually change directors and writers a lot.  The studios want to make more money off these cash cow franchises so usually what they do is hire other writers and directors to suck on the utters for a while.  Texas Chainsaw is one of those movies.

Mini Movie Review: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)

 

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)

A Mini Movie Review by Dave Randal

Plot: On one last road trip before they're sent to serve in Vietnam, two brothers and their girlfriends get into an accident that calls the local sheriff to the scene. Thus begins a terrifying experience where the teens are taken to a secluded house of horrors, where a young, would-be killer is being nurtured.

I'll go ahead and say it right off the bat.  I'm not a huge fan of prequels.  I don't like seeing the events of something when I already know what they are going to lead to.  Sure there are exceptions.  Some prequels don't even have the same characters, but our based in the same universe.  I'm actually alright with those.  When it comes to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, it isn't like that at all.  It has a lot of the same characters and shows a lot of stuff that leads to future events.  Saying that though I honestly didn't mind it too much in this movie.

Mini Movie Review: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

 

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

A Mini Movie Review by Dave Randal

Plot: A group of friends in Texas are stalked and hunted down by a deformed killer with a chainsaw.

When this movie was announced I'm sure fans of the original were just waiting to tear it apart.  I'm sure they felt how dare they remake such a classic and influential horror movie.  The backlash came from both fans and film critics in a fierce way.  All in all though I find my self defending this movie.

Mini Movie Review: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)

 

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)

A Mini Movie Review by Dave Randal

Plot: A rock radio host is victimized by the cannibal family as a former Texas Marshall hunts them.

In the '80s there was a trend that started where everyone saw horror movies start to get a lot more goofy and more comedic.  Most of these were all in the slasher movie genre which was a sub-genre that exploded in the '80s.  Tobe Hooper decided to get in on the action by making a sequel to the movie that originally made him famous.

Mini Movie Review: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

 

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

A Mini Movie Review by Dave Randal

Plot: Five friends visiting their grandpa's old house are hunted down and terrorized by a chainsaw wielding killer and his family of grave-robbing cannibals. 

I first watched this movie a couple of years ago and I remember being a bit disappointed by it.   The movie had such a reputation for being violent that I think I just expected a lot more from it in that regard.  I'm not sure what it is, but if I had to guess I would say I have seen too many torture porn movies like Saw and I believe movies like that have kind of desensitized me to older violent horror movies.

Mini Movie Review: A Christmas Story (1983)

 

A Christmas Story (1983)

A Mini Movie Review by Dave Randal

Plot: Ralphie has to convince his parents, teacher, and Santa that a Red Ryder B.B. gun really is the perfect gift for Christmas in the 1940s. 

When I think about what my favorite Christmas movie is there really is only one movie I keep coming back to.  That's A Christmas Story.  It's amazing to see how the popularity of this movie has grown over the years.  It was a sleeper hit back in 1983 in the box office and it took about fifteen years to obtain the reputation that it has now by playing over and over on TV during the holidays.

Mini Movie Review: Elf (2003)

 

Elf (2003)

A Mini Movie Review by Dave Randal

Plot: After inadvertently wreaking havoc on the elf community due to his ungainly size, a man raised as an elf at the North Pole is sent to the U.S. in search of his true identity. 

I don't think that it is a secret that a lot of people just can't stand Will Farrell and his comedy.  I think I fall on the side of people who do enjoy his comedy although I also understand why people just can't laugh at his stuff.  Elf is a pretty funny movie, but I wouldn't say that it is Will Farrell's best work.

Mini Movie Review: Bad Santa (2003)

Bad Santa (2003)

A Mini Movie Review by Dave Randal

Plot: A miserable conman and his partner pose as Santa and his Little Helper to rob department stores on Christmas Eve. But they run into problems when the conman befriends a troubled kid, and the security boss discovers the plot.

If you are tired of the ultra-happy Christmas movie and want something a little darker then Bad Santa is the movie for you.  Billy Bob Thornton does what he does best by playing a middle aged alcoholic loser who just doesn't care.  His character is a thief who accidentally befriends a troubled little boy who is played awesomely by child actor Brett Kelly. 

Mini Movie Review: The Ref (1994)

 

The Ref (1994)

A Mini Movie Review by Dave Randal

Plot: A burglar is forced to take a bickering and dysfunctional family hostage on Christmas Eve. 

Denis Leary stars in this dark comedy as a burglar who holds a dysfunctional family hostage after a robbery goes bad.  I wouldn't exactly call Denis Leary a great actor, but he is a really funny stand up comic and can rant better than just about anybody.  As an actor he doesn't have a ton of range although I don't think it really matters especially when he plays pissed off ranting assholes like he does here.

Mini Movie Review: Eight Crazy Nights (2002)

 

Eight Crazy Nights (2002)

A Mini Movie Review by Dave Randal

Plot:  Davey Stone, an alcoholic with a criminal record, is sentenced to community service under the supervision of an elderly referee. Davey is then faced with trying to reform and abandon his bad habits.

I have kind of a love-hate relationship with Adam Sandler.  Seeing how bad his movies have gotten I think it would be alright to say that I think most people have developed a love-hate relationship with him and his movies.  I'm not quite sure why, but I had never seen Eight Crazy Nights up until last week. I was only fourteen years old so I'm sure I would have enjoyed it, but I never really felt compelled to get up and go rent it.  Maybe I had some weird self-conscience premonition of the really horrible movies that were to come from Adam Sandler in the future.  Looking back now I think this movie was a bad sign of things to come.

Mini Movie Review: Home Alone 2

 

Home Alone 2 (1992)

 A Mini Movie Review by Dave Randal

Plot: One year after Kevin was left home alone and had to defeat a pair of bumbling burglars, he accidentally finds himself in New York City and the same criminals are not far behind.
 

I can't say that I like Home Alone 2 as much as I like the first one, but I don't think it is a bad movie.  It does what a lot of sequels usually do.  It retreads the story in a much bigger way.  Usually for movies like this you automatically have to take points away for being unoriginal.  A good example of a recent movie that did this was The Hangover Part II (2011).

Mini Movie Review: Home Alone (1990)

 

Home Alone (1990) 

A Mini Movie Review by Dave Randal

Plot:  An 8-year-old boy, who is accidentally left behind while his family flies to France for Christmas, has to defend his home against idiotic burglars.

Throughout the '90s there was always one Christmas movie that I went crazy for.  That movie is Home Alone.  I just watched it again for the first time in years and although it is pretty goofy I still really like it.  The movie was written by John Hughes and starred Macauly Culkin as lovable smart ass eight year old Kevin McCallister.