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Movie Review

My Name Is Bruce (2007)

My Name is Bruce: The God of War Rises in a Small Mining Town

My Name is Bruce: The God of War Rises in a Small Mining Town

Director: Bruce Campbell
Starring: Bruce Campbell, Grace Thorsen, Taylor Sharpe, Ted Raimi, Ben L. McCain, Ellen Sandweiss

In a small mining town where one hundred Chinese workers are killed in a cave in the God of war and even bean curd Guan-Di in now the protector of the grave. When Jeff (Taylor Sharpe) and his three friends disturb the grave by stealing an ancient lock on the tomb Guan-Di rises from the the grave and kill the three friends.

Meanwhile Bruce Campbell (playing himself) in on the set of cave alien 2 a sequel to a movie he hated himself. Meeting his agent Mills (Ted Raimi) in a strip club to discuss his career chances. After a few to many drinks he struggles back to his caravan and drinks more before making a phone call t his ex wife Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss). Soon after a knock at the door from Jeff begging Bruce for help to take out Guan-Di thinking its just a movie pitch Bruce ignore Jeff. Jeff ends up kidnapping Bruce taking Bruce back to Gold Lick.

Upon arriving in Gold Lick Bruce is treated as a form of saviour. Jeff a huge Bruce Campbell fans has convinced the whole town Bruce can fight this monster. Meeting the Mayor (Ben L.McCain) Bruce is taken to a town meeting to learn about the monster he will be fighting. Bruce thinks this is just a present from his Mills so he just plays along. Kelly (Grace Thorsen) Jeff’s mum thinks Bruce is a fraud but the rest of the town believe in Bruce.

Upon going out on a hunt for Guan-Di Bruce finds out that Guan-Di is actually real and runs all the way back to his caravan. With the town all out of hope Jeff goes to fight Guan-Di on his own. Can Bruce Campbell be the hero his movies have made him out to be?

Verdict on My Name is Bruce

The B-movie legend Bruce Campbell makes and stars in My Name is Bruce a strong horror comedy that is a tongue in cheek look at his career. This is a good laugh for all fans of Bruce Campbell keeping you interested with his charm and one liners which he became famous for. Very enjoyable film that could have been more successful that is was. Ted Raimi playing multiple characters for extra comic value works well. This is a great entry-level horror movie.

My rating 77%

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Movie Review

Scream 4 (2011)

Exploring the Terror Behind Ghost Face in Scream 4

Exploring the Terror Behind Ghost Face in Scream 4

Director: Wes Craven
Starring: Lucy Hale, Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell, Brittany Robertson, Neve Campbell, Alison Brie, David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Aimie Teegarden, Hayden Panettiere, Emma Roberts, Marielle Jaffe, Marley Shelton, Erik Knudsen, Rory Culkin, Nico Tortorella, Anthony Anderson, Adam Brody

Ten years has pasted since Sidney (Neve Campbell) survived the last murders. Sidney has since written a book about her experience. Sidney returns to Woodsboro for a book signing with her PR lady Rebecca (Alison Brie). Deputy Dewey is now Sheriff Dewey (David Arquette) he is also married to Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox).

Upon Sidney return two students are killed by Ghost Face. Sidney cousin Jill Roberts (Emma Roberts) with her two best friends Kirby (Hayden Panettiere) and Olivia (Marielle Jaffe) get the news along with Jill’s ex boyfriend Trevor (Nico Tororella). Video blogger Robbie (Erik Knudsen) and his partner Charlie (Rory Culkin) complete the school group line up.

With Sheriff Dewey in charge he has a new squad of deputies including his new partner Judy Hicks (Marley Shelton) an old school friend of Sidney. The other two we meet are Deputy Perkins (Anthony Anderson) and Deputy Hoss (Adam Brody).

Using the ‘Stab’ movies as their reference points to how to make it out the situation the Jill, Kirby, Sidney all stay at Kate Roberts Jill mother and Sidney Aunt. Having a squad car with Perkins and Hoss in are they going to be safe?

The list of suspects in Scream 4 is good and will keep you guessing all the way.

  • Is it the reporter who can’t write anymore
  • The Deputy who was ignored at school
  • The mysterious boyfriend
  • The film geeks who film their lives
  • The one who wants to be center of attention

Anyone could be the villain and every corner pushes a different prime suspect before pulling that name straight back off the table. Check out the Scream 4 Victim List for full spoilers HERE.

This movie keeps in the same trend of the original trilogy never taking itself too serious and having little pops at all over remakes. Even giving us the updated rules of the ‘Remake’. Add in the clever opening sequences puts you on the edge of your seat from start to brilliant revelation on the Ghost Face is. If you like the original movies you will like this fourth as it is same sense of tension through out. Even if your new to the franchise this isn’t a bad place to start up from as the back story isn’t important and what is needed to be filled in gets done in the short filled conversations.

My Rating 82%

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Movie Review

Identity (2003)

Director: James Mangold
Starring: John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, John Hawkes, Alfred Molina, Clea Duvall, John C. McGinley, William Lee Scott, Jake Busey, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Rebecca De Mornay, Leila Kenzie, Holmes Osbourne, Bret Loehr,

Dr Malick (Alfred Molina) is doing research about a serial killer Malcolm Rivers. Rivers is going to be put to death the next night and Malick discovers something that could change the punishment of Rivers. Having a midnight hearing with Judge Taylor (Holmes Osbourne) the case is presented.

While the case goes on we go to a motel with a storm raging Larry (John Hawkes) meets a range of different characters looking for a room. starting with George York (John C. McGinley) carrying his injured wife Alice (Leila Kenzie) and step son Timmy York (Bret Loehr). The injury was caused in a car accident involving a driver Ed (John Cusack) and his fallen star actress Caroline (Rebecca De Mornay). After trying o get help Ed meets hooker Paris (Amanda Peet) and young couple Lou (William Lee Scott) Ginny (Clea Duvall). The final arrival is policeman Rhodes (Ray Liotta) and his prison transfer Robert Maine (Jake Busey).

After Caroline gets killed the guests at the motel start to panic to make matters worse Robert Maine has escaped. With this complex characters we are left to wonder who will make it through the night and what is the evidence to get this convected murder a new trial.

This is a good horror thriller using a basic concept leaving a group of people in the middle of nowhere with a killer on the loose. The story is pack full of twists and turns to keep you guessing from start until the big reveal at the end. The storm adds to the tension being built through out the movie.

A true thriller that hides all identities with shocking revelations on all characters a must for the thriller fans with part slasher.

My rating 78%

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Movie Review

Red Eye (2005)

Director: Wes Craven
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy, Brian Cox, Jayma Mays, Jack Scalia

Lisa Reisert (Rachel McAdams) a manager at a hotel in Miami is travelling back home from her grandmothers funeral. Having a big fear of flying doesn’t help her having to catch the red eye flight. We see what customer skills she has when has to deal with a phone call from one of her receptionist Cynthia (Jayma Mays) who made a mistake to one of the loyal customers that she goes on to fix.

Upon arriving at the airport she meets a charming man Jackson Rippner (Cillian Murphy) who befriends her in the terminal, while in the terminal a clumsy woman spills a drink on Lisa prompting her to have to change her top revealing a scar from a past event.

On arriving at her seat on the plane Lisa finds herself sat next to Jackson. Lisa thinks this might be a good flight as Jackson helps her relax on the take off. Things soon change when Jackson reveals a plan to Lisa. If Lisa doesn’t move Charles Keefe (Jac Scalia) to a different room he will kill her father Joe (Brian Cox).

Lisa is now left with her fear of flying and the terror on the plane will Lisa do as Jackson says who and save her father or not?

The suspense is nicely built in this thriller. Not giving names to any other adult on the plane adds to the realism of a flight where you don’t know the people you are on the plane with just a description. Cillian Murphy shines as the villainous Jackson Rippner while Rachel McAdams does a very good job as the career woman who had a big question to ask.

The story is pretty much a routine one with little twists so your are never really left guessing what will happen next but with lots of tension you will be left on the edge of your seat through out. It is also a pretty short movie only just over 80 minutes but still well worth a watch

My rating 82%

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Movie Review

Independence Day (1996)

Director: Roland Emmerich
Starring: Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Robert Loggia, Randy Quiad, Margaret Colin, Vivica A. Fox, James Rebhorn, Adam Baldwin, Brent Spiner, James Duval, Lisa Jakub, Giuseppe Andrews, Harvey Fierstein

First of lets go through the characters starting with David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) a separated cable repair guy in a television company, David has a very religions father Julius (Judd Hirsch) who is a long suffering chess loser to David who simple keep a few steps ahead of everything based in New York. President Thomas Whitmore (Bill Pullman) a young ex fighter pilot who critics slam because of his age. His wife First Lady Marilyn Whitmore (Mary McDonnell) who is on a visit elsewhere in America. On the President’s staff are Constance Spano (Margaret Colin) David’s separated wife, General William Grey (Robert Loggia) a general who believes in peace and Albert Nimzicki (James Rebhorn). We have a small travelling family the Casse’s father Russell (Randy Quaid) who believes he was abducted and a war veteran and his children Migeul (James Duval), Alicia (Lisa Jakub) and Troy (Giuseppe Andrews). Finally we have Captain Steve Hiller (Will Smith) an wanna be astronaut and top fighter pilot who girlfriend is exotic dancer Jasmine (Vivica A. Fox) she also has a son Dylan.

On July 2ND alien spaceships enter the Earth’s atmosphere locating themselves in the world biggest cities. President Whitmore sets up an operation to communicate with the spaceship. While in New York David finds a code in the satellites that shows that in fact the spaceship are lining up like chess pieces for an attack on these cities. David rushes down to Washington to convince the President what is happening. David convinces the President and along with his staff escape seconds before the alien attack.

After the first attack the President relocates to Area 51 learning about a previous alien crash. Major Mitchell (Adam Baldwin) is the man in charge with Dr Brackish Okun (Brent Spiner) leading the research projects on the aliens. President Whitmore arranges to a counter strike a lead pilot Captain Hiller leads his team in battle with little effect. Captain Hiller has a race through a canyon crashing one the the small space crafts and kidnapping one of the aliens.

We are not left to wonder how humanity will survive this attack? Will this mix bunch of characters be able to unite to defeat Earth new common enemy?

Roland Emmerich gives us his first major action picture with plenty of destruction too. With Will Smith doing one of his first lead role as Captain Hiller shines giving one of his best non dramatic performances. The Americas get a chance to be a heroes again in a true action blockbuster that all should see.

The Story is always going to be predictable but it is also very easy to follow, you can also pick up the movie from most points and not feel like you missed too much. This was the top grossing film of 1996 with $306million. With talk of two potential sequels you are left wondering how those could come about tho.

My rating 92%

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Movie Review

Scream (1996)

Director: Wes Craven
Starring: Neve Campbell, Drew Barrymore, Skeet Ulrich, Courteney Cox, W. Earl Brown, Rose McGowen, David Arquette, Matthew Lillard, Jamie Kennedy, Liev Schreiber,

Starting with Casey (Drew Barrymore) home with her boyfriend Steve, Thinking their are alone Casey starts making popcorn when she gets a phone call. The voices on the other end starts asking film related questions being told if she is wrong she will die. She got the question wrong and Ghost Face starts trying to chase and kill her after already disposing of Steve.

The Next day we meet out heroine Sidney (Neve Campbell) a school friend of Casey and her group of friends. The friends are her sex deprived boyfriend Billy (Skeet Ulrich) best friend Tatum (Rose McGowen) and her boyfriend Stuart (Matthew Lillard) and horror fan Randy (Jamie Kennedy). The group learn about the murders the night before and as Sidney is home alone she arranges for Tatum to stay with her.

While waiting for Tatum Sidney gets her first visit from Ghost Face escaping once Billy sneaks in her window and drops a phone. Sidney thinks Billy is the killer and runs into the Ghost Face mask being held by Deputy Dewey (David Arquette) who is also Tatum brother.

Add into the mix a hungry report who already cashed in on the death of Sidney’s mother a year early. Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and her cameraman Kenny (W.Earl Brown) try to keep onto of all which is going on and defending the man found guilty of Sidney’s mother murder Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber). We are now left to figure out who the killer is?

This is Wes Cravens version of a tongue in cheek look at horror slasher movies. Never taking itself too serious but keeping tension high through out the story. With endless movie references from Friday the 13Th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween and many other horror movies.

The story has twists keeping you guessing on who the killer is giving very few clues to who is actually is and question every characters motives. this is a must watch for any fans of the slasher genre giving a fresh take on what we have seen before.

My rating 83%

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Movie Review

Knowing (2009)

Director: Alex Proyas
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Chandler Canterbury, Rose Byrne, Lara Robinson, D.G. Maloney, Nadia Townsend, Alan Hopgood, Adrienne Pickering, Danielle Carter, Tamara Donnellan, Ben Mendelsohn

Starting in 1959 a new school decided to make a time capsule to be opened fifty years in the future. One class is asked to draw picture of things they imagine the future to be like. One child Lucinda (Lara Robinson) starts hearing voices and her message for the time capsule comprises of a set of numbers. Teacher Miss Taylor (Danielle Carter) is worried about Lucinda and when she goes missing a search finds her in a closest with her hands covered in blood.

Fast forward fifty years to the year 2009 John Koestler (Nicolas Cage) an astrophysicist and single father of Caleb (Chandler Canterbury). Caleb is partial deaf and as soon as the time capsule opens starts hearing similar voices. Caleb gets the letter that Lucinda wrote assuming its nothing he keeps it. Caleb uses videos of his late mother to help him fall asleep at night.

John having a drink and watching television and spills some and accidentally puts the glass on the letter unwilling circling some numbers. These numbers surprise him and he sets out on some research discovering that every disaster date and number of deaths on in a series. The morning after John discusses his findings with a fellow scientist and friend Phil (Ben Mendelsohn). Knowing there are three disasters yet to happen John sets out on his plan to find out how true these numbers are.

Meeting Diana Wavland (Rose Byrne) who is the daughter of Lucinda and her daughter Abby (Lara Robinson). John and Caleb start to get to know and start working together to stop a disaster happening. Caleb get haunted by The Stranger (D.G. Maloney) a man who keeps to the shadows and knows things which will be happening. We are left to wonder what disasters will be occurring in the next few months and who is the stranger.

Putting this against other disaster movies this can stand out being as its something different something we didn’t see coming. The action scenes are well constructed from plane crash to the train wreck. Not one of Nicolas Cage’s best performances but he doesn’t need to deliver to the high standards some other action movies he has starred in have asked for. The overall story will keep you guessing right up to the shock ending and must watch.

My rating 91%

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Movie Review

The Bourne Identity (2002)

Director: Doug Liman
Starring: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Brian Cox, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Gabriel Mann, Julia Stiles, Tim Dutton, Nicky Naude
 
Starting off when a mysterious man (Matt Damon) if found by fisherman almost dead in the ocean. The fisherman nurse the man back to health, Finding a L.E.D with a bank number in Zurich the man head for the bank.
 
Upon arriving at the bank and going to get the box that is filled with money currency from all over the world and several passports revealing his name Jason Bourne. Going onto the Embassy the authorities try to capture Jason only for Jason to escape using Marie (Franke Potente) to help him get to Paris.
 
While Jason is trying to figure out who he is the American government are trying to locate him. Conklin (Chris Cooper) is heading the team under Ward Abbott’s (Brian Cox) order to cover up their assassination attempt on Wombosi (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje). Conklin orders Nicolette (Julia Syiles) to arrange hit men to complete the job and take out Bourne. The Hit man include The Professional (Clive Owen) and Castel (Nicky Naude).

Having some close combat fight scenes and a high speed chase in an old school mini around Paris. Jason always keeps calm through out the story what ever the situation he finds himself in,

This edge of your seat action thriller shows how a covert agent can be disposed off so easily by their government. Jason keeps one step ahead through out the film seemly knowing every trick that will be pulled off. Add in the conspiracy theory giving this movie more tension.

A great action thriller 89%

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Movie Review

She’s Out of My League (2010)

She’s Out of My League: A Review of the Director Jim Field Smith

She's Out of My League: A Review of the Director Jim Field Smith

Director: Jim Field Smith
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve, T.J. Miller, Mike Vogel, Nate Torrence, Lindsay Sloane, Kyle Bornheimer, Jessica St. Clair, Krysten Ritter, Debra Jo Rupp, Adam LeFevre, Kim Shaw, Jasika Nicole, Geiff Stults, Hayes MacArthur

Starting with a genuine nice guy Kirk (Jay Baruchel, In the End) who gets put down by his family Dylan (Kyle Bornheimer) Debbie (Jessica St.Clair) and his parents (Debra Jo Rupp, Adam LaFevre) and his ex girlfriend Marnie (Lindsay Sloane) and her boyfriend Ron (Hayes MacArthur). While Kirk just gets on with his life.

Kirk works at the airport with his best friends Stainer (T.J. Miller), Jack (Mike Vogel) and Devon (Nate Torrence) when he meets Molly (Alive Eve) a beautiful woman and with this chance meeting he starts a relationship neither of them are ready for.

Using the idea that everyone has a rating out of ten and we are in a league system we see how Kirk who believe he is a five starts seeing Molly a ten with both friends and family and even Molly’s ex boyfriend Cam (Geoff Stults) making Kirk question how and why Molly is seeing him, We see how Kirk grow into the person who doesn’t need to see a rating system, But the question remains will he learn in time?

This is a nice little rom-com not full on laugh out funny but a nice tale told of being able to judge people not only on looks but personalities. With a great chemistry in the four friends with all different opinions on how relationships could work out.

Having a good soundtrack for all the montage scenes all tunes are catchy and sum up what is going on during the scenes. Having Stainer being in a cover band for Hall & Oats give it an added comic value

My Rating 75%