'The Killing of America'
7/10
Interesting, but dated, pseudo documentary highlighting the deep troughs that America goes through with gun crime, although, the likes of Jim Jones is mentioned too. Made in that 80's "mondo" style, it's obviously sensationalist in its approach, but it retains a certain matter-of-fact impact and considering where the States is today with regards to school shootings and whatnot, even more poignant than it was in 1982. A real "42nd Street" film.
'John Wick'
5/10
Little more than a pop video dressed up as an actioner. Abandon all intelligence or any hope of a sensible plot, as this consists of mumbling actors firing shots at each other for 90 odd minutes. Enjoyable enough at the start and it seems to be a smarter film than that the plot senopsis would suggest. But 'John Wick' soons settles down into its rut and stays there until the end. Not sure if this was based on a comicbook, but it sure feels like one. Ted Theodore Logan's best film, but that's not saying much.
'Hellraiser'
8/10
Hard to believe that this is nearly 30 years old now! Clive Barker (the one time best hope for horror) writes and directs a deliously gruesome and nasty load of nonsense, based off of his story 'The Hellbound Heart'. Again, the old brain needs to be swicthed off and after all, it is a horror film...so, that's part of the territory for many pictures in that field, which allows a bit of forgiveness. The Blu Ray from Arrow shows this off very well and all it's hi-def mushy gore is probably the best it's ever looked. In fact, I doubt most cinema prints looked as good. The film is still beset with some weird anomalies, like American accents in obviously British surrounds, but they aren't completely destructive to the enjoyment of the film. The Cenobites remain the star of the show, even if their on screen appearance is limited to less than 10 minutes. Trashy bollocks, but hugely entertaining and Claire Higgins as the uber wicked Julia is brilliant.
'Hellraiser II'
6/10
A decent follow up, even if its ambition outpaces its budget - really outpaces it. But, anyway, 'Hellraiser II' has a lot to like and the little bit of background story to Pinhead was interesting. It suffers from the "we couldn't get the original actors back" syndrome in a few minor areas, but for the most part the original characters are played by the people who were in the first film, which is great for continuity. Coming back, in more ways than one is Claire Higgins and again she outshines everybody, but Kenneth Cranham gives her a run for her money. Unfortunately, the film drops off in a big way in the last third. As said, this is largely due to budget and not ideas, which are as whacky as any other in the film. There's just not enough shillings to put the ideas on the screen and it shows. However, in the cinematic world of dimishing returns 'Hellraiser II' remains a largely satisfying sequel.
'Carnage Park'
6/10
Low budget grindhouse wannabe that's ok, but feels longer than its 75 minutes. This film tries to channel everything from 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' to Tarrantino, but it probably should have just tried to be its own thing. It's not terrible, by any means, in fact it's pretty good if you're in the right frame of mind. It just doesn't have enough story and it looks low budget in a bad way, if you know what I mean. That clean "digital" look, as opposed to that gritty, grainy 16mm look that defined low budget horror in the 70's. The period in which the film is set and trying to emulate. Performaces are very good, with a standout turn from Ashley Bell. Worth a look, if not entirely successful.
'Dead End'
5/10
Average "weirdy" that feels more like an episode of 'The Outer Limits' than a cinematic screenplay. Another film that feels longer than its running time, because of padding to get it over the one hour-twenty minute line, as were. It also doesn't seem confident in itself to remain serious about its subject and awkwardly includes humour that doesn't really work. One gets the impression that if the film had remained po faced, it would have come off better. The "twist" at the end is so telegraphed that only someone of an extremely low IQ or that has never seen an episode of the aforementioned 'The Outer Limits' or 'The Twilight Zone' won't see it coming. It's ok, but as said, average - on the low end of the scale.
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Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. [click for more]
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