October 22, 2016

Movie Reviews 101 Midnight Halloween Horror – Altitude (2010)

Director: Kaare Andrews

Writer: Paul A Birkett (Screenplay)

Starring: Jessica Lowndes, Julianna Guill, Ryan Donowho, Landon Liboiron, Jake Weary, Mike Dopud

Plot: After a mysterious malfunction sends their small plane climbing out of control, a rookie pilot and her four teenage friends find themselves trapped in a deadly showdown with a supernatural force.

There may be spoilers the rest of the review

Verdict: Horror in the Sky

Story: Altitude starts when Sara (Lowndes) looks to put her demons of losing her mother as a pilot to rest as she aims to become a pilot herself, one of her first solo flights involves taking her friends Mel (Guill), Cory (Donowho), Bruce (Liboiron) and Sal (Weary) across country. We get the usual problems between the friends with Sara and her boyfriend Bruce going their separate ways after school, while Sal is being the traditional asshole of a horror film.

During the flight a routine procedure leads to the plane getting stuck in the middle of a storm where they have to make difficult decisions as they could be overloaded. To make matters worse Sal believes he might have seen it something in the storm but the truths of their friendships really come to surface as they have to survive against an unknown beast of the sky.

Altitude is a horror film that puts all of the fear in the sky, where there is no escape from the horrors. We do get the generic storylines around the characters fighting between themselves. We don’t see the creature chasing them through the storm, but the highlight of this film is in the final act where the film really shines. In the end this is just a solid good horror film that is a good watch.

Actor Review

Jessica Lowndes: Sara is our rookie pilot who is following in her mother’s footsteps who died when she was young. She is taking her friends across country before they have to move on with their lives. She has to deal with all of the plane problems alone but only being a trainee she also keeps everything calm. Jessica is good in this role where she is in control.

Julianna Guill: Mel is one of the friends on the plane, her boyfriend is Sal but really she is in love with Cory, she wants to document everything going on during this adventure. Julianna does a solid job but almost gets forgotten during the film.

Ryan Donowho: Cory is one of the members on the plane, he is braver than the rest and in love with Mel, when the problems start happening he risks his life to save the rest. Ryan does a good job for his limited time in the film.

Landon Liboiron: Bruce is Sara’s boyfriend but he has a secret as he was there in the plane when her mother died, he has fallen in love with Sara but never told her the truth about what really happened and never wants to leave her. Landon does a solid job in this role but doesn’t get to levels you would like it to be.

Jake Weary: Sal is the asshole on the plane, he pushes everyone’s buttons the wrong way. He is the one character you take an instant hate towards as he slowly starts to look after himself with what is going on. Jake is good in this performance because his character puts everything in danger and it is always hard to make you hate a character.

Support Cast: Altitude only really has a supporting cast that appears in the flashbacks as we see what happened to Sara and Bruce in the past.

Director Review: Kaare Andrews – Kaare gives us a film that keeps us guessing from start to finish while offering a horror in the air working on so many levels.

Horror: Altitude puts the horror in the air with nowhere to run which is great for the genre.

Mystery: Altitude does leave us in a mystery as we don’t know what is happening through the storm.

Sci-Fi: Altitude gives us a sci-fi twist in the final act of the film.

Thriller: Altitude does keep you guessing to what is going on bringing us to the edge of our seats.

Settings: Altitude keeps all of the action on the small plane in the storm giving our characters nowhere to go for help.
Special Effects: Altitude doesn’t have the best effects but they are on a consistent level throughout.

Suggestion: Altitude is one for the horror fans to try, you may enjoy this by the end. (Try It)

Best Part: Final Twist.

Worst Part: Special effects.

Believability: No

Chances of Tears: No

Chances of Sequel: No

Post Credits Scene: No

Oscar Chances: No

Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Tagline: Fear Is in the Air.

Overall: Horror in the skies that makes you check every window next time you fly

Rating

Jeff Goldblum Weekend – The Fly (1986)

Director: David Cronenberg

Writer: Charles Edward Pogue, David Cronenberg (Screenplay) George Langelaan (Short Story)

Starring: Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz, Joy Boushel, Leslie Carlson, George Chuvalo

Plot: A brilliant but eccentric scientist begins to transform into a giant man/fly hybrid after one of his experiments goes horribly wrong.

There may be spoilers the rest of the review

Verdict: Classic Horror

Story: The Fly starts as Seth Brundle (Goldblum) is talking about his invention that can change the human history to reporter Veronica (Davis). Taking her back to his lab he shows her his teleporters and he wants her to record his moment in history.

Seth wants to be able to make his teleporter be able to teleport living creatures but after failing to teach his teleporters to learn he find himself killing the animal involved. When he finally makes a breakthrough he could well have created something to ease transportation.

When Seth jealous of Veronica’s previous relationship with Stathis Borans (Getz) he has a few drinks and puts himself through the teleporter. Seth’s rash decision finds himself mixing his own DNA with a fly and the transformation has started to take over Seth.

The Fly has a storyline which does challenge the motion of what is best for science as well as asking the questions about what happens if science goes wrong. The story itself is pretty easy to follow and builds upon what the original offered. It would be fair to say the most important aspect of this film was put into the practical effects and trying to make the transformation look as real and shocking as possible but that all helps take away what could have just been a bog standard remake. This story works because of the horror created within the effects and could easily be considered one of the best ever made.

Actor Review

Jeff Goldblum: Seth Brundle is a brilliant but loner scientist who has committed all of his time into his work but with his life’s work almost done he searches for a reporter to help tell his story. when he finally gets his machine to be able to teleport living things he enters the machine himself only to have his DNA mixed with fly only for him to transform into a life size fly. Jeff gives what could easily be his best performance if not his most famous in this role which is filled with pure terror.

Geena Davis: Veronica Quaife is a reporter looking for a story at a science event where she meets and is instantly intrigued with his story. the two become romantically involved as she witnesses the progress and eventually deconstruction of Seth. Geena is great in this role with each reaction coming off how you could see this really happening.

John Getz: Stathis Borans is the editor of the magazine that Veronica works for as well as being the former partner of her. He doesn’t want anything to do with the story but soon gets involved when he learns about the romantic side to their story in an act of jealous. John is good in this supporting role being your typical jealous former partner.

Support Cast: The Fly doesn’t have the biggest supporting cast with most just being involved in an odd scene.

Director Review: David Cronenberg – David gives us a film that is over 30-year-old and still easily one of the greatest and most shocking horror movies ever made.

Horror: The Fly is one of the best if not the true best body horror films ever made.

Sci-Fi: The Fly gives us an answer to what would happen if DNA got wrongly crossed and the horrific effects it can cause.

Settings: The Fly keeps most of the settings within the lab where Seth works showing us just how secretive the work he is working on is.
Special Effects: The Fly has some of the best practical effects you’ll ever see within any film.

Suggestion: The Fly is one of the most must watch horror film you will ever see. (Must Watch)

Best Part: Final Transformation.

Worst Part: It might be too much for some people.

Oh My God Moment: Brundlefly.

Scariest Scene: Baboon scene.

Believability: No

Chances of Tears: No

Chances of Sequel: Has one.

Post Credits Scene: No

Oscar Chances: Won an Oscar for Best Make Up

Budget: $15 Million

Runtime: 1 Hour 36 Minutes