Day: October 28, 2014

Director: Joe Lynch

Writer: Turi Meyer, Al Septien (Screenplay) Alan B. McElroy (Characters)

Starring: Erica Leerhsen, Henry Rollins, Texas Battle, Aleksa Palladino, Daniella Alonso, Steve Braun, Matthew Currie Holmes, Crystal Lowe

 

Plot: A group of reality show contestants find themselves fighting for their survival against a family of hideously deformed inbred cannibals who plan to ruthlessly butcher them all.

 

Verdict: Bloodier Sequel

 

Story: We follow a celebrity diva on her way to a reality television pilot, where she takes, yeah you got it a wrong turn and becomes our first victim. We get to meet the rest of the cast now as they get set to record a reality show about survival after the apocalypse. We see how selfish the characters are but the real battle for survival starts when the games begin and the cannibals join in.

Larger cast on both sides of the battle helps the film because we get more confliction, more blood and a larger body count. Saying that we do have to get through a whole host are highly unlikable character with the only ones worth supporting are Dale, Mara and Jake. The story gets to poke a small bit at how ridiculous reality television is now. It could have gone for the found footage angle with all the contestants wearing head camera, but it stays well clear which works well for the film. It really comes off as an improvement from the first film storyline wise feeding into the gorier side of the story. (7/10)

 

Actor Review

 

Erica Leerhsen: Nina part of the game who wants to keep herself to herself, but has to learn to join in to be part of the game and survive. She does get captured but after having help to escape she makes sure the family never feed again. Erica gives an ok performance but I feel she gets lost in the leading lady role. (5/10)

 

Henry Rollins: Dale host of the show and ex-army guy, after getting captured early on he used his skills to escape and take out the cannibals before getting to rescue the final two. Henry is the star of the show really, you just want to see his character face the cannibals. (8/10)

Texas Battle: Jake former college football star whose injuries have left him lacking a career, he enters the game for a chance to show off his athletic skills. He is the honest character who helps everyone out even through another shoulder injury. Texas gives a solid performance as the good guy trying to get back on his feet. (6/10)

 

Aleksa Palladino: Mara producer’s assistant who has to take part in the game after one of the contestants doesn’t show up. She starts to enjoy the idea of the game before being betrayed and killed off. She gives a solid supporting performance but never gets a chance to show her skills. (5/10)

 

Daniella Alonso: Amber solider with excellent survival skills taking part in the game. Even with her survival skills she struggles against the cannibals. Average performance as her character should be better. (4/10)

 

Support Cast: Mostly other members of the game, the crew and the cannibal family, they all add to the story in their own small ways. The cannibals becoming a larger villain than we had first time around.

 

Director Review: Joe Lynch – Increases the level of the film with a bloodier side to the story, large body count and a final shot that really is disturbing. (8/10)

 

Horror: More gore, blood and kills raise the horror rating on this one. (9/10)

Thriller: It loses suspense points mainly because you don’t care about enough characters. (7/10)

Settings: Great use of settings to create the isolation for the characters. (9/10)
Special Effects: Great special effects used for all the kills throughout the film. (10/10)

Suggestion: This is one for all the horror fans out there, filled with plenty of blood and gore. (Horror Fans Watch)

 

Best Part: Dynamite kill

Worst Part: Annoying characters

Kill Of The Film: It’s in your back pocket dynamite kill

Believability: No (0/10)

Chances of Tears: No (0/10)

Chances of Sequel: Has four more sequels in the franchise

Post Credits Scene: No

 

Oscar Chances: No

Budget: $4 Million

Runtime: 1 Hour 36 Minutes

Tagline: Dinner Is Served

 

Overall: Improvement on a Solid First Outing

Rating 

Director: Guillermo Del Toro

Writer: Guillermo Del Toro (Screenplay)

Starring: Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez, Maribel Verdu, Doug Jones, Ariadna Gil

 

Plot: In 1944 fascist Spain, a girl Ofelia (Baquero), fascinated with fairy-tales, is sent along with her pregnant mother Carmen (Gil) to live with her new stepfather Vidal (Lopez), a ruthless captain of the Spanish army. During the night, she meets a fairy who takes her to an old faun in the centre of the labyrinth. He tells her she’s a princess, but must prove her royalty by surviving three gruesome tasks. If she fails, she will never prove herself to be the true princess and will never see her real father, the king, again.

 

Verdict: Fairy-Tale Gold Dust

 

Story: Gothic fairy-tales are few and far between and many people who try to add a dark twist to a fairy-tale end up being dull horrors. This mixes an original story with the horrors of war. The innocence shown by Ofelia during the war times is excellent. The story isn’t just about Ofelia adventure as we also get to follow the difference between the different sides during the war. In conclusion this is a beautiful story that will stay with you forever. (10/10)

 

Actor Reviews

 

Ivana Baquero: Ofelia the little girl who is a princess, but only once she completes three tasks, her innocence during the war works to help her adventure look even more fantasy driven. Great performance from the young actress who gives one of the best child performances of all time. (10/10)

 

Sergi Lopez: Vidal the step father who is also the general of the army occupying part of Spain. Vidal is vicious, clever and will not take prisoners. Lopez is brilliant in the villainous role, as he is only the villain in the war side of the story. (10/10)

Maribel Verdu: Mercedes the lead help in the household, who is also involved against Vidal and his men working with the rebels on the outskirts on the village. Good performance trying to play the good person during the war times. (9/10)

 

Doug Jones: Faono/Pale Man Faono is the guide through the fantasy world while Pale Man is a dark character in the tasks she must complete. Both great characters, performed very well. (9/10)

 

Ariadna Gil: Carmen the pregnant mother of Ofelia, who spends most of the film trying to protect her daughter from her new husband. Good performance in the supporting role while her daughter has the adventure.(8/10)

 

Director Review: Guillermo Del Toro – Great direction from Del Toro creating something that will stick with everyone forever. (10/10)

 

Fantasy: The fantasy worlds created is dark, beautiful and stand out. (10/10)

War: The story shines because of the war side of it because it goes against the normal fairy-tale story. (9/10)

Settings: Each setting works brilliantly to help the story get the next level. (10/10)
Special Effects: The effects are great creating the world’s Ofelia has to go to. (10/10)

Suggestion: This is something everyone should watch, it is that simple. (Watch)

 

Best Part: Pale Man scene.

Worst Part: The casual fans will not like the subtitles.

Scariest Scene: Pale Man

Believability: The war side is, while the fairy-tale is an escape during it. (5/10)

Chances of Tears: Maybe a few (3/10)

Chances of Sequel: No

Post Credits Scene: No

 

Oscar Chances: Won 3 Oscars in Achievement in Cinematography, Art Direction and Make Up. Also nominated for another 3 Oscars, including Best Foreign Language Film.

Box Office: $83,258,226

Budget: $19 Million

Runtime: 1 Hour 52 Minutes

Tagline: An imaginative gothic fairy-tale for adults set in Spain during World War II

Trivia:Received 22 minutes of applause at the Cannes Film Festival.

 

Overall: Brilliant Gothic Fairy Tale

Rating 

Melissa McBride

Age: 49

Number of Roles: 23

Biggest Role: Carol – The Walking Dead

Debut Role: Television – Matlock (1993) Film – Mutant Species (1995)

Early Career: While making her television in 1993 Melissa went on to make a string of guest appearance in shows along with television movies. None of these seem to lead to anyone giving her a true lead role in television or film.

Television Roles:

• Matlock (1993)
• In the Head of the Night (1994) 2 Episodes
• American Gothic (1995)
• Profiler (1996)
• Walker, Texas Ranger (1997) 2 Episodes
• Dawson’s Creek (1998), (2003) 2 Different Characters
• Conan (2013)
• The Walking Dead (2010 – 2015)

2000 – 2009: With two performances in ‘The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys’ (2002) and guest appearance in ‘Dawson’s Creek’ it seems like Melissa took a break for the first half of noughties. Making a comeback in a supporting role in Frank Darabont’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Mist (2007) and her character is involved with the arguable the biggest shock in recent film history. This would be her highlight of the first decade of the 2000s.

Break Out Role: Carol – The Walking Dead

2010 Onwards: In 2010 Frank Darabont started a show ‘The Walking Dead’ and he decided to cast three of ‘The Mist’ cast in the show. Carol is still going strong in the show while the others two are no longer involved. Also in 2014 she appeared in the film ‘The Reconstruction of William Zero’.

Next Big Role: Nothing planned

My Favourite Role: Carol from Season 4 onwards, after the group goes through the difficulties with the Governor, Carol steps up to teach the children how to defend themselves and kill the walkers, she also takes drastic steps to try and stop the spread of a virus. Even though Rick exiles her from the group, she makes a return saving the baby. She also ended up being in the most talked about part of the second half of season 4 with the episode ‘The Grove’. With the start of season five she could easily be considered the second best character next to Daryl after her Terminus rescue.

My Least Favourite Role: Carol from the start of Walking Dead, at the start of the show we see her as a weak character, being pushed around by her abusive husband while trying to protect her daughter. She remains very much a background character through season 1 even after her husband is disposed of. In season 2 we spend the first half of the season looking for her daughter before we find the shocking truth, she always kept herself out of the limelight of the other characters apart from her relationship with Daryl which we never really worked out even to this date. Carol comes off very plain and almost character waiting to be killed off during the first three seasons.

Stars They Work With Often: Frank Darabont