Day: June 12, 2015

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Movie Review

Movie Reviews 101 Midnight Horror – The Devil Incarnate (2013)

logoDirector: L. Gustavo Cooper

Writer: L. Gustavo Cooper, Jon Bosworth (Screenplay) Coe Douglas, L. Gustavo Cooper (Story)

Starring: Graci Carli, Rob Luzzi, Emily Rogers, Cindy Hogan, Barbara Van Fllet, Walter j Colson

 

Plot: A newlywed couple encounter the remains of an ancient curse, only to reawaken its dark legacy.

 

There may be spoilers the rest of the review

 

Verdict: Just Another Sleep Horror

 

Story: The Devil Incarnate starts by filling us with an urban legend about one man needing to take a baby from its mother’s womb to keep his family tree growing. We move to a lady being questioned who told the story and as a video recording of Holly (Carli) and Trevor (Luzzi) on their honeymoon in Florida. The couple visit a gypsy to have their fortune told but not being impressed with the one they received they get recommend to Vjestica (Van Fleet) but they will have to wait for Vjestica to find them.

When the couple find Vjestica something happens during the reading leaving Holly in tears and Trevor helpless. That night Holly finds out she is pregnant after an internal bleeding scare, this surprises them both as neither knew. Returning home the couple get their final wedding present, Trevor’s family house but have to live with the parents Marie, Frank and sister Marissa. Holly doesn’t seem to be the same person she was after returning from her honeymoon. We watch how Holly becomes increasingly different leading to the family believing things could be changing and they need to find a way to stop it before the baby comes.

The Devil Incarnate starts pretty solid because we get to hear of the tale which the film will be about. We also know things have gone wrong and are left to work it out. After doing these two events the film decides it will go down cliché after cliché and seriously how obsessed with a card reading can you be? We are left to see very little horrifying action unfold instead it is just a slow mental degrade in Holly which seems to be cure in a one minute scene. I am sorry I cannot find anything good to say about this because it is slow, boring and you simply just don’t care. (1/10)

 

Actor Review

 

Graci Carli: Holly Davidson recently married to Trevor who becomes possessed by something when she finds out she is pregnant. Graci tries to make an impact but doesn’t pull it off. (3/10)

 

Rob Luzzi: Trevor Davidson new husband to Holly who is trying to keep everything calm during the pregnancy while not noticing the changes in Holly. Rob might as well not have even been in the film he does that little. (1/10)

 

Emily Rogers: Marissa Davidson sister of Trevor’s who films most of the film and tries to figure out what has been happening to Holly. Emily is the highlight of the film really because she is the only one solving stuff and actually comes off likable. (6/10)

 

Support Cast: The Devil Incarnate has a supporting cast that includes friends and family who all don’t really do much at all to the story.

 

Director Review: L. Gustavo Cooper – Mr Cooper struggles to make anything original in this film that really does disappoint. (2/10)

 

Horror: The Devil Incarnate is scary or horror filled at all. (1/10)

Thriller: The Devil Incarnate you don’t care you don’t get pulled in. (1/10)

Settings: The Devil Incarnate tries to make the idea be at home but doesn’t do enough to put anything on top of that. (3/10)

Suggestion: The Devil Incarnate is one to be avoiding because it really doesn’t do anything to the horror genre or have an interesting story. (Avoid)

 

Best Part: Marissa

Worst Part: The Rest

What Could Have Been Better? – Actually have a story, scares and an ending.

 

Believability: No (0/10)

Chances of Tears: No (0/10)

Chances of Sequel: No

Post Credits Scene: No

 

Oscar Chances: No

Runtime: 1 Hour 33 Minutes

 

Overall: This is one of the most boring horror films I have seen, it really is a let down to the genre.

Rating 10

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Movie Review

Vendetta (2015)

logoDirector: Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska

Writer: Justin Shady (Screenplay)

Starring: Dean Cain, Paul Wight, Michael Eklund, Ben Hollingsworth, Adrian Holmes, Matthew MacCaull, Kyra Zagorsky, Aleks Paunovic

Plot: A detective pushed beyond his limits will stop at nothing for vengeance. When his wife is killed by a criminal that he put away, Mason, a hard-nosed detective, deliberately gets arrested in order to get revenge. While inside, Mason discovers a new criminal enterprise that those behind it would kill to protect.

There may be spoilers the rest of the review

Verdict: Brutal Prison Action

Story: Vendetta starts with Detectives Mason Danvers (Cain) Joel (Hollingsworth) looking to arrest the Abbott brothers Victor (Wight) and Griffin (Paunovic) cue the warehouse shoot out and the first showdown between Mason and Victor. With the Abbott brothers locked up Mason returns to his wife Jocelyn (Zagorsky). Three months pass and The Abbott brothers are released due to a technicality, Victor goes straight for Mason’s wife being caught in the act killing her.

Mason resists killing Victor and is given as much time as he needs to clear his head, he has the complete support of his partner. Mason makes his plan and it is simple, kill Griffin and get sent to prison. The prison is filled with the men that Mason has put away, but most importantly it has Victor inside. Warden Snyder (Eklund) offers the traditional olive branch to Mason trying to make sure Mason knows he can come to him with anything.

Mason finds out the hard way that Victor is running things from the inside and the outside but Mason also learns of the network of criminals going on from within and while Victor looks like the head of the network there is a person in the shadows who has the real power. Mason starts investigating with his former partner Joel to try and uncover the truth but Mason has a pretty good idea about who is really running things and he must figure out the truth before it is too late when everyone inside the prison is out to get him.

Vendetta is a hard hitting prison drama that adds the inside criminal network to a revenge film. We get what would expect but we also have something very different, usually we would have the patient revenge but this one goes straight for it. We have to go through the web of conspiracy that really doesn’t give us any chance to guess, we also have any twists withdrawn from the film. When it comes to prison films it will be hard to beat The Raid 2 or American History X for intensity levels, this does a good job and using the good elements and doesn’t hold back on the blood through the fights. I was surprised because I thought this will be an average film but in end I was left happy that this surprised me if the impressive story that doesn’t follow the generic course we see in these films. (7/10)

Actor Review

Dean Cain: Mason Danvers is the detective who has been hunting down two criminal brothers the Abbott’s. After they get out of jail they target his wife killing her. Mason a broken man decides he want revenge so after killing one of the brothers he gets locked up with the Victor where he finds a criminal network inside the prison, giving Mason a chance to not only get revenge but bring down the network. Dean gives a good performance that could easily be the performance that could put him back on the map for bigger projects. (8/10)

Paul Wight: Victor Abbott is one half of the criminal brothers who decides that he will go after Mason’s family once he gets released even if it means he actually ends up back in prison. Inside the prison he gets to continue running his criminal empire even if he has to answer to another man in power now. Paul is a man I have seen for years as a wrestler, I have seen he attempt to act and really wasn’t expecting too much from him. I was surprised that he does actually give a good performance that isn’t fully about his size. (7/10)

Michael Eklund: Warden Snyder is the man trying to keep everything under control but his constant condescension tone towards the prisoners shows how in power he truly believes he is. He has a hold on Victor and is using this power to continue to make the money he wants. Michael gets a bigger role for once in a WWE film and he does give a good performance. (7/10)

Support Cast: Vendetta has a good supporting cast that give both Victor and Mason a chance to show their fighting skills as well as their planning ability. They all help as the two try to out play each other inside the prison.

Director Review: Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska – The twisted twins give us an action drama that really doesn’t hold back and proving themselves through another genre. Dare I say they have just done a Tarantino for Dean Cain too. (7/10)

Action: Vendetta is filled with fights in the prison that all build up to something bigger as each fight happens. (8/10)

Settings: Vendetta has the most part of the film inside the prison, nothing fancy but just what the film needed. (7/10)

Suggestion: Vendetta is one for all the action fans to enjoy especially if you want to see plenty of fights. (Action Fans Watch)

Best Part: Cain’s performance.

Worst Part: I really didn’t like the final line.

Action Scene Of The Film: Final sequences.

Believability: No (0/10)

Chances of Tears: No (0/10)

Chances of Sequel: Nope

Post Credits Scene: No

Oscar Chances: No

Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Tagline: Get Ready for Hell in a Cell

Overall: Brutal, fight filled prison action film that is the closest you will get to The Raid 2 prison sequence.

Rating 75

Categories
Movie Review

Knights of Badassdom (2013)

logoDirector: Joe Lynch

Writer: Kevin Dreyfuss, Matt Wall (Screenplay)

Starring: Ryan Kwanten, Steve Zahn, Peter Dinklage, Summer Glau, Jimmi Simpson

 

Plot: Live-action role players conjure up a demon from Hell by mistake and they must deal with the consequences.

 

There may be spoilers the rest of the review

 

Verdict: Fun Comedy But Not Fantastic

 

Story: Knights of Badassdom starts by explaining about an ancient book that brings demons to life and that has been hidden for years but has been found by a group of role playing friends Eric (Zahn), Hung (Dinklage), Ronnie (Simpson) and more. Their ritual is interrupted by some paint ballers who then open the book.  Next we meet Joe (Kwanten) you everyday slacker who enjoys death metal and lives in a castle with the rest of the guys and gets dumped by his girlfriend.

Eric and Hung help Joe get over his break up by getting him high leading to him to pass out and take him to a role playing event against his will. Ronnie still has a grudge with Joe and as he is hosting the event as the gamemaster he is putting thing together. For Joe to be able to compete in the game he must have a ritual performed on him giving him a chance to have a real sword again, but the group ends up summoning a real demon. The missions are lined up and the three friends are joined by the beautiful Gwen (Glau) as they have a fun filled time while the demon starts taking out the people taking part in the weekend. The remaining members of the game players have to team up to beat the demon which has left bodies all over the game.

Knights of Badassdom gets to make light of the idea of role playing events that people do enjoy, it might not be for everyone but the people who do it do get enjoyment which is shown in the film. The film also keeps things very simple with the story of two friends trying to help another get over a girlfriend only for him to meet a new love interest and prove himself in combat. The film doesn’t take itself too serious and is very easy to watch, the fans of Big Bang Theory will enjoy the comedy but otherwise it will look strange at time. This is one story that will be easily forgotten but equal enjoyed. (6/10)

 

Actor Review

 

Ryan Kwanten: Joe the run of the mile slacker who gets dumped because he wasn’t growing up, his friends take him to a role playing weekend only to end up having to fight a real demon. Ryan takes the lead role and fits the reluctant hero idea well without really shining. (6/10)

 joe

Peter Dinklage: Hung friend of Joe’s who makes him go to the weekend and explains the rules, but he doesn’t last as long as we would have liked which is a huge disappoint because he is the biggest name in the dam film. Peter does well for his short time on screen making a laugh happen with every line. (7/10)

hung

Steve Zahn: Eric the sorcerer of the group of friends who upon finding a new book actually brings a real demon to life and has to figure out a way to send it back to hell. Steve shows he is always a good comic relief character here and usually has the funniest lines. (7/10)

 eric

Summer Glau: Gwen the beautiful warrior that looks completely out of place in the event but also proves to be one of the best players in the game. Summer does a good job a continues to show she will always appear in geek themed films. (7/10)

 

Jimmi Simpson: Ronnie Kwok the game master for the weekend who has been planning the event for months but everything that can go wrong will go wrong. Jimmi brings his unique style to this film well and makes the quirky role his own. (7/10)

 

Support Cast: Knights of Badassdom has a supporting cast that is most the rest of the players in the game that all face the demon and most lose.

 

Director Review: Joe Lynch – Joe has openly said he has disowned this film and I would like to see how his vision of the film really went before making him work. (NA/10)

 

Comedy: Knights of Badassdom does have some funny moments but not enough to make it a real comedy of memorable levels. (5/10)

Fantasy: Knights of Badassdom takes us into a real fantasy world of role playing which works for the idea of the film. (7/10)

Horror: Knights of Badassdom enters into the real tongue in cheek world of horror, where things happen but they are just bloody not scary. (6/10)

Settings: Knights of Badassdom ends up putting us into a real isolation idea for the horror with nowhere to run and no one to call. (7/10)
Special Effects: Knights of Badassdom has basic effects you can tell how fake some of it is but that also helps because it makes it all look like part of the role playing. (7/10)

Suggestion: Knights of Badassdom is one to try but I can’t guarantee everyone will enjoy it. (Try It)

 

Best Part: Demon destroyed.

Worst Part: The terrible song to beat the demon.

 

Believability: No (0/10)

Chances of Tears: No (0/10)

Chances of Sequel: No

Post Credits Scene: No

 

Oscar Chances: No

Runtime: 1 Hour 26 Minutes

Tagline: ‘Tis about to get medieval up in here.

Trivia: The main cast went through Live Action Role Playing sessions before filming and Peter Dinklage was declared the most successful out of everyone.

 

Overall: This is a real just simple fun film that never really gets to the full level it could achieve.

Rating 60