Film Review: The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence)

After the release of the first Human Centipede film (reviewed here), I was quite looking forward to the sequel. But the more I started to hear about it (sandpaper masturbation, a barbed wire rape scene - which thankfully never made it in) the more I started to think it was just going to be shocking for shocking's sake. And, for the most part I was right.

The plot at least was quite original though. Martin (Laurence R. Harvey, in his film debut) is a disturbed loner who works in a parking garage in London. Inspired (and also aroused) by the events of the original Human Centipede film, he decides to start abducting people to take the centipede to the next level: 12 people.

At the same time, he's having problems with his Mother (Vivien Bridson), who blames Martin for his fathers incarceration and is having him see a doctor (Bill Hutchens) for his obvious mental problems. This part of the plot is pretty disposable though, other than to shoehorn in a couple of terribly cliched characters.

With the exception of the lead, the cast are utterly dreadful. Harvey is spectacularly creepy, however as the short, fat, bug-eyed loner. It's his performance alone that at times lends credibility to the film, but the ridiculous plot writer/director Tom Six has devised this time overshadows that before long.

Things just get dumber and dumber as the film progresses. The original had a lot of dark humour, but it kept itself "medically accurate" at least, lending a bit of realism to the affair. But 'Full Sequence', just gets more and more OTT as time goes on, especially when it comes to making the centipede itself.

And it most definitely is shocking for shocking's sake. The inclusion of a pregnant woman as one of Martin's centipede is totally unnecessary and just results in an absolutely disgusting and equally pointless scene near the end.

A saving grace for the film is that it was shot in black and white, which helps with the more gruesome scenes. Still not entirely sure why it was shot this way, but it must have been something to do with getting the film passed in different countries, regardless of what Tom Six may say. But when it came to the scene involving laxatives (told you it was stupid), I was grateful for the lack of colour.

As we all know, the film was banned in the U.K. until it was passed with over 3 minutes worth of cuts to it. Regular readers of this blog will know my opinions on censorship all too well (short version: ban a film, or release it uncut, there should be no middle ground) but the big question is - did the Human Centipede II deserve to be banned?

And I would have to answer in the negative. It's just too stupid and over the top to be taken seriously, even with the outrageous shocking moments. A film like Martyrs can shock and make you think (and that film was released uncut in this country), but the Human Centipede II really has nothing to say other than "Eww look at THIS!".

Tom Six already has the third and final film lined up (Final Sequence, to be filmed in America), and already promises to make this look like a Disney film. I can only assume there will be no attempt at a plot at all.

**
Incredibly creepy lead actor and the odd legitimately disgusting moment aside, this is a rather puerile attempt to outdo the original film. Needlessly offensive in places, but most of all, so damn stupid you can't take it seriously.

Gig Review: SOiL & Puddle Of Mudd. Norwich Waterfront, 27/10/11

Back in the good old days of the venues club nights, before it started aspiring to be a facsimile of every other club in Norwich (albeit a much dingier one), The Waterfront used to play 'Halo' by SOiL every week in it's main room. It was (and still is) one of those songs everyone went nuts for.

So when it was announced that SOiL were going to be playing the Waterfront, and bringing back original vocalist Ryan McCombs (who is currently the vocalist in Drowning Pool) to celebrate the tenth anniversary of 'Scars', the album 'Halo' comes from (an album that was a huge hit, even though it was released on September 11th, 2001), it was only natural to buy a ticket.

Joining them in a revolving headliner double bill were post grunge survivors Puddle Of Mudd. It had been so long since I had heard any of their music I had actually forgotten that I'd listened to their breakthrough album 'Come Clean' a lot, back in the day. So when I spun it again, I instantly remembered some of their great material.

Up first on the headliner bill were SOiL, and even if they were inebriated (and they really, really were) they put on a great performance. The band seemed to have a great connection with each other, and were having a right laugh performing together again, by the looks of it.

The highlight though, had to be 'Halo'. A drum solo started the song up, and McCombs left the stage, only to re-emerge in the crowd, battling to the front row, where he sang the song perched on the guardrail, then proceeded to light up, all with the security guards looking very nervous indeed.

SOiL played...

1. Breaking Me Down
2. Need To Feel
3. My Own
4. Redefine
5. Cross My Heart
6. Inside
7. The One
8. Wide Open
9. Black 7
10. Unreal
11. Halo

Trying to top that then, were Puddle Of Mudd. And I really had no clue how popular they still were! The sold out crowd were pretty heaving during SOiL, but, if anything, it became even more crowded for POM's set. Mostly a female audience showed up all of a sudden (cue the usual attempts to get to the front, as if they have some right to. Here's a hint: get to the venue early and you can), as the band launched into 'Out Of My Head'. 

The some reason, frontman Wes Scantlin (looking like a cross between Kurt Cobain and WWE wrestler Edge) had a serious problem with a former member of his management team. The sound was a bit muddy at the front, so couldn't make a lot of it out, but it sounds like the band was slated badly by this guy, and Scantlin was taking exception. No idea when this all happened, but the way Scantlin was going on about it, it was recently!

Other than that he interacted well with the crowd, but didn't seem to talk all that much other than that, as the band raced through the hits (could not find an accurate setlist at this time): 'Control', 'Drift And Die', 'Famous', 'Psycho'...before attempting an ill-advised cover of AC/DC's 'T.N.T'. I usually avoid covers albums like the plague and this was proof why. But all was redeemed with a glorious double header to finish the show with 'Blurry' and 'She Hates Me'.

Here's a compilation video a friend compiled of POM's set, check it out (and his other videos too!)

SOiL: ****
Puddle Of Mudd: ***1/2


SOiL just take away the evening for me, with a far more energetic set than Puddle Of Mudd. Not knocking them though, but it was a rather fast run through, with a bit of a dodgy cover involved too

Film Review: Paranormal Activity 3

Last year, when I reviewed Paranormal Activity 2 (see here for that), I deemed the sequel 'unnecessary' but did concede that the effective jumps from the original were still there, but maybe not in as high a volume.

The same can be said for the installment in the series, but while the jumps and tension are still there, the film starts to drift further and further away from the original. Which is a shame considering how well the first two gelled together.

The film starts in 2005 with camcorder footage of Kristi (the sister from the second film, again played by Sprague Grayden), still pregnant and decorating the room for the forthcoming baby. Her sister Katie (Katie Fetherstone) shows up, asking if she can use some basement space for some boxes, one of which contains some home movies from when they were kids. Soon after this, Kristi's place is 'robbed' and the box of tapes has gone missing. Cue the video...

A very pristine looking picture on the video too, considering it's supposed to be from a camcorder circa 1988, but never mind. The video is being shot by Dennis (Christopher Nicolas Smith) who is dating the sisters mum Julie (Lauren Bittner.)

Not long after Kristi (played as a child by Jessica Tyler Brown) starts talking about her 'invisible friend' Toby, and all sorts of strange occurrences start happening.

As with the first two films, most of the films tension comes from the nighttime footage (even though the video tapes have to be changed every six hours, but they still manage to capture everything, very convenient), with cameras in the master bedroom, the sisters room and one that is mounted on a fan (which seems to me like the kind of thing Sam Raimi used to do!), so a full view of the kitchen can be achieved.

It's actually the fan-cam that gets the most tension of the film, as it slowly (painfully so at times) pans from left to right and back again. In fact one moment with the camera and probably the oldest 'ghost trick' in the book gets one of the biggest jumps of the film, even though you see it coming a mile off.

As I said, there is plenty of jumps and tension, but what about the plot? That's where the side is let down unfortunately. To give the filmmakers credit (and we will get to them shortly) an attempt is made to explain why a demon is terrorizing the sisters in the first place, but that reason is pretty weak, and I've seen it before. Very recently, too.

But the whole film just seems like an excuse to do it all again, and it does mostly work, but at the end of the day it is just a money making sequel. And money it has made, much like the business PA2 did last year, the third chapter opened in America at $54 million in the first weekend, making it the largest opening weekend for a horror movie. Ever.

So, as with last year, a sequel is inevitable. The fact that the film cost $5 million to make, and has made back over ten times that in the U.S. alone pretty much secures that fact. It's a huge money maker, and I can't see them stopping making them until they stop generating cash. But the more they make, the further away from the original they will become. I can even see the films focusing on different characters and plots altogether in the future, and why not? It works, and it may not be the worst idea in the world to move away from the current characters.

A quick word about the choice of directors must also be mentioned before I get to the all important rating. You may remember back in May I reviewed a film called Catfish (see that here to jog your memory), which was a documentary about Facebook purporting to be real, but there was a lot of debate whether it was real or not.

The directors of that film, Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman directed this newest installment of Paranormal Activity, and it really begs the question about Catfish all over again. It seems quite suspicious that they are now making a fictional movie based on 'found footage', after making a 'documentary' that many thought was staged . At the time I thought Catfish was crazy enough to be true, but I'm having second thoughts about that now...

***
More of the same, with great tension and plenty of the jumps everyone expects. But the plot is wearing thin, and the explanation for the demon was weak to put it mildly. Things need a change up to keep the franchise rolling.

Film Review: Foo Fighters: Back And Forth

Released recently, along with their latest (and best of their career, in my opinion) album 'Wasting Light' comes 'Back And Forth', a look back at the 16 year history of Foo Fighters, from the early days when Dave Grohl was in Nirvana, up till present day. And while it's an at times fascinating look at the band, things really do tail off towards the end.

I've always liked the Foo's, but never exactly been an expert on them. Obviously, I knew Dave Grohl was originally a drummer, and was in Nirvana, and I knew there had been a lineup change or two over the years, but the things I didn't know totally outweighed what I did.

The film starts talking about Grohl's time in Nirvana, briefly touching on Kurt Cobain's struggle with celebrity that led to a drug overdose and his eventual suicide in May 1994. After this it took some time for Grohl to want to play music again, and he didn't want to play drums, so he recorded some song under the name Foo Fighters and enlisted Nate Mendel and William Goldsmith from Sunny Day Real Estate and Pat Smear to play as a band.

The rest is history, and now everyone knows who the Foo Fighters are, one of, if not THE, biggest rock band in the world. But what I didn't know what was the tension and the drama that went on behind the scenes. At one point, the band almost seemed to have a revolving door of members, and the reasons some of them left (or were asked to leave) were quite dodgy.

Another thing that was mentioned I didn't know about was Taylor Hawkin's heroin overdose, really took me by surprise as he always seems like a mellow, laid back guy. But, it wasn't all miserable revelations - the one that really got me was how close Grohl was to becoming the drummer in Tom Petty's band after Cobain died!

But for all the interesting revelations and honest manner in which it was approached, the longer the film went on, the more seemed to be skimmed over. The last two albums before 'Wasting Light' were mentioned briefly, and I was hoping for a look at some of the bands side projects to be looked at (e.g. Grohl's involvement with Queens Of The Stone Age, Probot, etc. or Hawkin's Coattail Riders) but only a brief mention of Queens was given.

I liked how they gave a bit of time to how monumental their gigs at Wembley Stadium were, but the guest appearances from John Paul Jones (which could have led nicely into a bit about Them Crooked Vultures) and Jimmy Page weren't even mentioned, even though they must have been a career highlight.

After that the film just turns into a making of piece about 'Wasting Light' really, about how the songs were made, who guested, etc. Not to say that wasn't watchable, but there was so much more the film could have said, but I guess in the end it was just made to promote the album, hence the name 'Back And Forth', which is the name of one of the songs from said album.

If you're a big fan of the band, you'll probably love it, but I was just left disappointed that a story as interesting as this ended up as a promotional piece.

***
Starts with some fascinating revelations, but ends up as a glorified 'making of' the latest album. A shame.

Gig Review: Bowling For Soup. UEA Norwich. 17/10/11

Of all the times I've seen Bowling For Soup play live, I've never seen them do a headline show. I have seen them at festivals, and even saw (and met!) the guys at an acoustic set/CD signing in London several years ago, but every time they come around to play a entire set, I have always managed to miss it. Until now that is...

Touring the U.K. in support of their new album 'Fishin' For Woo's', BFS touched down again at the UEA (they seem to like Norwich, it always seems to have a tour date here when they are touring the country) and brought fellow punk popper's Orange and Suburban Legends.

I'm going to be brutally honest about the support, I wasn't there to see them and I used that time to talk to some people I hadn't seen in a while, so can't fairly review them, but I do have a few notes about both that it would be remiss not to share.

I am still convinced I've seen Orange before, and I did kind of recognize them, but nothing they did drew me out of the conversations I was having. My brother probably put it best when he said they "looked as generic as they sounded".

Suburban Legends did catch a bit of my attention by the end of their set. The use of trumpet and trombone made for some pretty catchy songs, and the cover of 'I Just Can't Wait To Be King' from The Lion King raised some smiles.

We were more than ready for Bowling For Soup, though. Moving from near the bar to a better spot on the 'dancefloor' (regular UEA patrons will know what I mean by that), we didn't have to wait long till the band emerged, kicking off with 'I'm Gay' from the 'Great Burrito Extortion Case' album, followed by 'High School Never Ends' from the same album.

The crowd were wildly enthusiastic at this point, but that did die down a bit as the set went on. Not at the front, that totally maintained, but from where I was standing, I saw a lot of folded arms and not much excitement being shown.

The band were on fine form, from both a music and comedy standpoint. Anyone who knows of the band must know they are funny guys, and those who don't just need to check out one of their videos. And they were as hilarious as ever at the UEA.

That being said though, I did find the band stopping for a drink (at the bar they had on stage, no less) during 'Punk Rock 101', while the strains of AC/DC's 'Have A Drink On Me' were being piped in over the PA, a bit much to be honest.

That was made up for with a different song introduction at the end, when 'Girl All The Bad Guys Want' was halted for a completely improvised song called 'Do You Want To Suck On My Balls, Gary?'. You can check that out in the last blog I posted, as I was happening to be filming at the time!

It was also worth noting that the band seemed to play (with the exceptions of one or two early ones), every single they have ever released! They also surprised the crowd with covers of 'Stacy's Mom' by Fountains Of Wayne (they covered that song, apparently because a lot of people seem to think it's one of their own songs!), and 'Summer Of '69' by Bryan Adams, which was amazing!

Whilst writing this review I found out that BFS' song '1985' was a cover version too, first recorded by a band called SR-71, and used with their blessing. I guess you learn something new everyday! Or two things, as I had no idea the band do the theme tune to 'Phineas And Ferb' till they played it!

Bowling For Soup played...

1. I'm Gay
2. High School Never Ends
3. S-S-Saturday
4. Ohio (Come Back To Texas)
5. When We Die
6. Emily
7. The Bitch Song
8. Stacy's Mom
9. Today Is Gonna Be A Great Day (Phineas And Ferb Theme)
10. Almost
11. My Wena
12. The Last Rock Show
13. Punk Rock 101
14. No Hablo Ingles
15. Turbulence
16. Friends O' Mine
17. Summer Of 69'
18. 1985
19. Belgium
20. Girl All The Bad Guys Want/Do You Want To Suck On My Balls, Gary?

****

Aside from getting a bit too wacky with the onstage bar, Bowling For Soup put on a fantastic show. Catch them on tour when they are in your town!

Bowling For Soup - Do You Want To Suck On My Balls, Gary? - UEA 17-10-11 - YouTube

Saw Bowling For Soup at the UEA last night, full review to follow, but had to share this. The first airing of 'Do You Want To Suck On My Balls, Gary?'

Great night!

Bowling For Soup - Do You Want To Suck On My Balls, Gary? - UEA 17-10-11 - YouTube:

'via Blog this'

Film Review: Assassination Games

Being such an ardent Jean-Claude Van Damme fan, it's hard to believe I've only reviewed a handful of his films on this blog (No Retreat, No Surrender, Double Impact, Street Fighter, and erm...Breakin'.) Even harder to believe was that I almost missed the release of 'Assassination Games' entirely! I knew it had been made, but not until a few days prior to to it's release did I know it was coming out. A situation quickly rectified!

Van Damme plays Vincent Brazil (the latest in a long line of fantastic character names), an emotionless assassin who takes a job to take out a drug dealer, Polo Yakur (Ivan Kaye.) But another assassin (Scott Adkins) wants a piece of Yakur, as revenge for when he and his men raped and beat his wife (played by Van Damme's daughter, Bianca Van Varenburg), putting her in a comatose state that she has yet to emerge from.

After an initial confrontation, the two assassins decide to team up to take out Yakur, and the corrupt Interpol agents (one of which is played by Van Damme's son Kristopher Van Varenburg - it's a family affair this one) that are backing him. Meanwhile, Vincent helps out the prostitute living next door, starting an awkward relationship between the two, him being so cold and isolated and all.

Like most Van Damme films these days, there's nothing wholly original about the plot, and there's the usual budget cutting setting of Eastern Europe, but like most of his films, I found 'Assassination Games' to be quite entertaining. Van Damme still cuts an imposing figure, while Adkins seems quite the promising hard-man (especially considering his previous resume of stuff like Hollyoaks and Holby City.)

Of course, the bad guys are the total opposite, completely unmemorable, and utterly forgettable, only existing for the inevitable moment when the two leads take them out. I can't really complain about that though, you can't go into these films expecting much strong characterization for anyone save Van Damme and Adkins.

At one point, 'Assassination Games' was due to be a vehicle for Van Damme and Steven Seagal (which would have been amazing), Seagal dropped out and Vinnie Jones was put in the frame (which would have been dreadful), but Scott Adkins was finally cast alongside the 'Muscles From Brussels'. Adkins, of course, is joining Van Damme in the highly anticipated Expendables sequel, as well as the next installment of the Universal Soldier franchise.

'Assassination Games', though was shot very similarly to the (really quite decent) 'Universal Soldier: Regeneration', and looks really good throughout. A true mark on how well it was shot can be seen if you watch recent ITV4 documentary 'Jean-Claude Van Damme: Behind Closed Doors' which featured some behind the scenes footage from the film, and it looked really cheap and nasty, to be honest.

'Assassination Games' will do nothing to change anyone's opinions of Van Damme and his films, but fans should enjoy the kind of solid straight to video actioner he's been doing for the last few years. Next up, will be his big screen return (not counting Kung Fu Panda 2), in Expendables 2, and he really deserves the return to the big time.

***
Nothing original, but some decent Van Dammage. Sure, his recent films may be shot on a budget, but they are full of what his fans want. Can't see the problem with that at all.

Film Review: Pearl Jam Twenty

Looking back on Cameron Crowe's movies, you stumble upon the shocking realization that he has only directed 6 non-documentary motion pictures (Say Anything, Singles, Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous, Vanilla Sky and Elizabethtown.) It was his his second film 'Singles' that introduced a lot of people to Pearl Jam (and many other fantastic bands on the soundtrack.)

But the story of Crowe's latest documentary starts with his own arrival in Seattle in 1989, as the alternative rock scene was in full swing. Over the rest of the United States bands like Bon Jovi, Motley Crue and Poison were hugely successful, but the seeds were being sewn in Seattle with bands like Mudhoney, Soundgarden and Green River and would lead to hugely popular bands like Alice In Chains, Nirvana and the subject of this film: Pearl Jam.

Green River would become Mother Love Bone, fronted by the incredibly talented Andy Wood, and that is where the films story begins. Tragedy would strike Mother Love Bone in March of 1990 when Wood died of a heroin overdose.

From the ashes of Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam were formed. New frontman Eddie Vedder was brought in and things just exploded in terms of popularity, and the rest is history.

'Pearl Jam Twenty' is a great documentary for fans of the band, mixing archive footage with new interviews with all the members, as well as some collaborators such as Chris Cornell. The band are very honest, and the documentary deals with all the downs as well as the ups.

Vedder's struggle with the initial fame, the battle over ticket prices with Ticketmaster and the George W. Bush face mask incident are all dealt with very candidly, and the in the case of the latter two instances, with not much regret.

Also dealt with very candidly, and emotionally was the Roskilde tragedy. At the 2000 Roskilde Festival during Pearl Jam's set, the crowd surged forward, leaving 9 people dead. The entire incident left the band at a real crossroads, so much so that they refer to their career in terms of "pre-Roskilde" and "after".

There's also some good time given over about halfway through to look at the bands relationship with each other, and their rather Spinal Tap turnover when it comes to drummers. It's a great look into these relationships, though. The core of the band has remained solid since they released their first album back in 1991, and not many bands can say that.

Whilst Pearl Jam emerged in the midst of the grunge scene, it's hard to really pigeonhole them with that tag. They are very much influenced by classic rock acts from the 70s like The Who and Neil Young (both featured in 'Twenty') as well as some punkier influences. There's an archive interview with a quite bitter Kurt Cobain, when referring to PJ.

There was no doubting how many doors Cobain and Nirvana opened for bands like Pearl Jam, and while I like some of their music, I always liked Pearl Jam more (and bands like the aforementioned Alice In Chains and Soundgarden.)

It's hard to say whether non-fans will enjoy this, coming from someone who really likes the band. But from a documentary point of view, it's very well put together and it's just a fascinating story about how some guys went from playing tiny shows in bars to becoming the biggest band in America.

*****
I guess if you're not a fan of the band, you could knock a star from this. But I am, so it remains. A fascinating insight into the band, and the people in it. A fantastic and emotional snapshot of the last 20 years.

Thom's House Of Words on Social Networking!

You can now follow Thom's House Of Words on Twitter! Just follow @thomshousewords (I couldn't get the 'of' in there, it would have been too long.)

And find Thom's House Of Words on Facebook! Just search for it, it's in the pages category, and don't forget to like it!

And you can follow the blog itself by clicking on the link on the right of the page, I assume you would be updated of all new posts as soon as they are posted!

Hope to see people on the various places soon!

Film Review: Slaughter High

Released in 1986, 'Slaughter High' was originally going to be called 'April Fools Day'. Unfortunately, the filmmakers were just beaten to the punch by the other 'April Fools Day' (reviewed here) so it was renamed 'Slaughter High'. Not the most subtle of titles, I grant you, but 'Slaughter High' is the far superior April Fools Day set film.

It's not original, and things go a bit awry at the end where as many twists as possible are chucked in the melting pot, but it doesn't try to be different and fail like 'April Fools Day'. It's the lack of originality that gives it a real 1980's goofy charm.

Marty Rantzen (Simon Scuddamore) is a high school nerd, being constantly bullied by his classmates. One April Fools Day, a prank on Marty goes horribly wrong, ending in an explosion in a science lab, leaving Marty deranged and scarred for life.

Ten years later (and still in the 80's somehow), the bullies are invited back to the now-abandoned school (which seems to be located in the middle of nowhere, a strange place for a high school) for a class reunion. It's not long till they realize something is up (actually it does take quite a while, a hilarious beer poisoning finally tips them off) and they find the jester mask wearing Marty is picking them off one by one.

Of course, we've seen this type of film before. But there's something about 'Slaughter High' that makes it hugely enjoyable. Maybe it's because it's so carefree about itself. For example, one of the students is played by Caroline Munro, who was 36 at the time of filming! And while she doesn't look her age, she does look considerably older than the rest of the cast. But it doesn't seem to matter, it's all a part of the aforementioned goofiness of the film.

The deaths are nice and gruesome for those who find that kind of thing important. The beer spiking one is a particular highlight, although you do get some rather bland kills as well.

As I mentioned earlier, the ending gets a bit messy and over populated with twists, but overall 'Slaughter High' is a must see for slasher fans who don't mind a film that doesn't take itself too seriously.

***
Stupid, OTT and corny, 'Slaughter High' has a kooky charm about it that many slashers shot in the 80's wish they had. The ending may ruin the fun slightly, but overall it's a right laugh.

Film Review: Midnight In Paris

When 'Midnight In Paris' was recommended to me, I was told to avoid any plot points, any synopsis of the story, and especially any trailers, and if I did that I'd get more out of the film. And I really think I did. So, with those instructions in mind I am going to review the film without touching on the plot. Well, as much as possible anyway. So, this may end up being a shorter review than usual.

What I can tell you is this: Owen Wilson plays Gil, who has traveled to Paris with his fiance Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her parents John (Kurt Fuller) and Helen (Mimi Kennedy) on a business trip. Gil is a screenwriter who is suffering from writers block while working on his first novel, so is hoping that Paris inspires him with his work.

Not long into the trip they bump into friends of Inez in Carol (Nina Arianda), and insufferable know-it-all Paul (Michael Sheen.) Before long, Inez wants to start hanging around with them, whilst Gil wants to walk the streets of Paris to find his muse. But when midnight strikes, he finds it in a way he could never have imagined.

Wilson's Gil is a very Woody Allen character, you can easily see the man himself play the role. There's no secret that Allen loves Paris, and this is his love letter to the city. It's shot wonderfully, taking in all the sights of Paris, obvious and not, and even how it looks in the rain which is a theme that is returned to at later points in the film.

Even if it seems 'Woody-lite', Wilson is on fine form. He appears in so many below average comedies these days, you tend to forget how much of a likable presence he is on film, and this is a timely reminder. There's alsoa fantastic ensemble cast, with great appearances from Tom Hiddleston, Kathy Bates, Corey Stoll, Marion Cotillard and an amusing cameo from Adrien Brody.

But I really can't tell you any more about their appearances without going into the plot some more, which I'm not prepared to do. But I can tell you that French President Sarkozy's wife Carla Bruni has a small role as tour guide, also. She's probably the most famous woman in France, so that casting must have been quite the coup!

If the film had a downside though, is that it is incredibly predictable. There were several characters in the film where you just know where their story is going to go as soon as you see them. And in turn you know what Gil is going to do as well. It's a shame it's so in your face, but it doesn't detract too much from a wonderfully original, heartwarming and amusing film.

****
I told you it wasn't going to be a long review, but I really don't want to give the game away. The best possible way to see 'Midnight In Paris' is to not know much about it. Just take it from me that it is classic Woody Allen, and you won't regret it.

Film Review: The Way

Wisely distancing themselves from the bizarre behaviour exhibited by fellow family member Charlie Sheen (which, thankfully seems to be abating now), Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen are currently promoting (in a Kevin Smith style tour across America and Canada) their newest venture together, 'The Way'.

Estevez is turning into quite the prolific director. His last film, 'Bobby' was a good ensemble piece, and in 'The Way', he really turns in a fantastically shot and plotted out film (he also wrote it.)

His Dad, Martin Sheen plays Tom, a opthamologist, who is called abroad after the death of his son Daniel (naturally, a small role played by Estevez himself) who has been killed whilst attempting to walk the 'El Camino de Santiago' from France to Spain. Once there, and in the possession of Daniels ashes, Tom decides to make the pilgrimage himself, in his sons honour.

Along the way he meets Joost (Yorick van Wageingen), from Amsterdam who is walking to lose some weight (or so he says), Sarah (Deborah Kara Unger) a grouchy Canadian who has her demons and Jack (James Nesbitt), an Irish writer with a serious case of writers block. Eventually, they become friends and carry on 'the way'.

'The Way' is a very genteel film, very slowly paced, with some spectacular shots of Europe (the film was shot on the 'Camino de Santiago' itself), and features a great lead performance from Martin Sheen.

After the West Wing, it took a while for me to see Martin Sheen for anything less than the President of the United States. Such was the power and brilliance of that show. And in fact, Renee Estevez (who had a small role in West Wing for years) appears at the start of 'The Way' as Toms receptionist. It did remind me a bit of the show.

But this performance is all about Tom trying to come to terms with the fractured relationship he had with his son (told in a few heartbreaking flashback scenes), and also turns into looking at the other reasons he's taking the walk. Hint: he's not just doing it to spread his sons remains across Europe, as it turns out.

The fact that you know Sheen and Estevez are father and son in real life does add to the emotional punch of the film. So much so that even when the 'ghost' of Daniel appears from time to time, it doesn't feel the least bit out of place or over the top.

The films 2 hour, 10 minute running time does start to flag though, especially in the second half of the film. It does show what a long pilgrimage it all is, but if it wasn't for Sheen's presence you'd be losing interest rapidly. But by the time you get to the end of their walk, you don't mind - the films conclusion is as heartwarming and touching as the rest of the film has been.

****
A real labour of love for Emilio Estevez, and continuing to show what a great director he has become. Casting his Dad may seem obvious, but it's a masterstroke at the same time, this is Martin Sheen's best celluloid performance in years. A touch overlong, but this is a heartwarming and gently paced film that you have to check out.

Film Review: Cujo

Sometimes, and especially with horror novels, stories just are better in print form rather than adapted to the big screen. While it's nowhere close to being his best book, Stephen King's Cujo was a fine read, but when it came to portraying the events of it on the big (or small) screen, it just doesn't pass muster.

The story kicks off with lovable looking St. Bernard Cujo chasing a rabbit into a warren, where he is bitten by a rat, thus contracting rabies. After that, the story centers on the Trentons, Donna (Dee Wallace), Vic (Daniel Hugh Kelly) and their son Tad (Danny Pintauro.)

Things soon plunge into the realms of soap opera, as Donna has been having an affair with 'local stud' Steve (Christopher Stone, not appearing that...erm...studly?) and Vic soon finds out, even though she has just broken things off with Steve. But Vic needs some time so he leaves town to try and salvage his advertising deal with a cereal company.

Meanwhile Cujo has been looking a bit threatening, before he eventually starts attacking and mauling people to death. Whilst out in their car Donna and Tad break down, and are subject to a relentless assault by the rabid pooch. For the entire second half of the film. Yeah.

Therein lies the problem with the second half of the film. On paper (literally) a long spell trapped in a car by a dog with rabies sounds good, but it's just seems like one long set piece with the same thing happening over and over again onscreen: character tries to get out of the car, dog makes a lunge, character hysterically gets back in.

Don't get me wrong, there's initially some superb 'jumps' to be had from the dog attack, but after a while it gets very samey. It's just going back to the well too many times.

Also another thing not in the films favour is the dog itself. Obviously, the filmmakers couldn't use the exact same dog throughout the shoot, but it's really obvious that they are different dogs used, and painfully obvious when I noticed a different BREED of dog entirely at one point (a quick check online, and they did indeed use Rottweilers at one point as they seemed more scary.) It just takes you out of proceedings completely.

Maybe it was because this was a time when every Stephen King novel, short story, clipping was being hurriedly adapted into movies no matter what the story, or maybe it was just me not finding as much drama onscreen, but save a few good jumps there's really not much of Cujo to get your teeth into.

**

A couple of good scares aside, this is half soap opera, half repetitive car attack, not helped by the ever changing face of the titular canine attacker.

Film Review: Melancholia

It's never going to be the easiest job in the world, assessing the latest film from Lars von Trier. His last work, 'Antichrist' was a masterpiece, albeit a shocking one, and whilst 'Melancholia' is nothing like it in terms of gory and sexual content, I left the cinema as blown away as I had with Trier's previous films.

A mere sentence long synopsis doesn't really do 'Melancholia' justice. It starts much like 'Antichrist' did, a slow motion montage over music, with this time the lead characters being seen in bizarre circumstances that are all touched upon later in the film (especially in the films second part), culminating in the world being destroyed by a giant planet (the titular Melancholia.) Cheery stuff.

Part One of the film actually starts quite lightheartedly, with Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgard) on their way to their wedding reception, which is being hosted by her sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and her wealthy, almost toff-like husband John (Kiefer Sutherland). Cracks start to appear early, though. Justine seems intent on rebuffing any kind of happiness and the guests are mostly horrific.

You have Gaby (Charlotte Rampling) and Dexter (John Hurt), Justine and Claires estranged parents. Gaby hates the idea of marriage (and seemingly everything else), while Dexter appears to be a randy old goat, with more interest with the ladies he is sat with than his own daughters. Meanwhile Justine's employer Jack (Stellan Skarsgard) has brought along a new employee with him, and if he doesn't get a new tagline for an advert out of Justine by the end of the night, he's going to be fired!

The whole situation at the reception falls into comedy at times, Udo Kier plays the wedding planner who can't even look Justine in the face for spoiling the reception, a brilliant recurring joke, and there's the priceless moment where John attempts to turf Gaby out, only to have her suitcases brought back in by the help. Sutherland's exasperated performance is really quite amusing.

It's not all fun and games, obviously. Kirsten Dunst delivers the performance of her career (I seriously didn't think she'd have it in her) as the bride. It's hard to tell whether Justine is suffering from depression, or just knows what is looming on the horizon (literally), but it's one of the strongest performances of the year, and must be in line for an Oscar nomination next year.

Apart from John and Claire's child, the only likable character in the first act is Michael, and that's more out of feeling sorry for the guy, you have to wonder how he stumbled across this messed up collection of people.

Part Two is set days later (at a guess) where a completely out of it Justine returns to visit John and Claire, and this part focuses on the latter sister and her increasing paranoia that the planet fast approaching Earth will not just be a "pass by", as the increasingly excited John thinks, but the end of the world as we know it. Coming out of her stupor, Justine seems to believe we are all done for and has accepted it, but the time drawers closer, and well...there's only one way to find out what happens.

As expected, the second part is where Gainsbourg shifts into the lead as she slowly agonizes about impending doom, whilst trying to care for her totally zoned out sister. It's another terrific performance from Gainsbourg in a von Trier film, although it's a lot more reigned in than her legitimately disturbing role in 'Antichrist'.

Even with all these irritating, overbearing characters, von Trier draws you into their world until you are totally gripped. Again, being a Lars von Trier film you get all the amazing shots you'd expect. The previously mentioned slow motion montage, and the horse riding sequences (especially the first one) look absolutely astounding. There's more of course, but that would involve drifting into spoiler territory.

In a way, it's very similar to previous von Trier films. A central female character (or characters in this case) and what happens during or after a devasting event. And while von Trier himself may now be refusing to talk anymore (after certain ill-advised comments about himself and Nazi's earlier in the year), I hope he will now just let his films do the talking. When they are this magnificent, the guy doesn't need to utter a word.

*****
A film that will leave you blown away. Amazingly shot, brilliantly acted and even with some moments of levity in the first act. Astounding stuff.

Film Review: Paul

While I was sure it would be an enjoyable enough film, I just couldn't bring myself to watch 'Paul' when it was released early in 2011. Put it down the repeated adverts in the cinema - Odeon had an advert promoting their points card that featured 'Paul' for months before it came out, and it was in front of every single film that was released. When you visit the cinema frequently, you get bored of seeing the same old thing.

Another factor was Simon Pegg's incessant (and bordering on the annoying) posts on Twitter, promoting the film. I know most actors use Twitter for exactly those means, advertising a film, but it really got on my nerves, as well as when 'Burke And Hare' was released on DVD, he didn't even mention it. Not saying that was a great film, but it just seemed all a little strange. I guess once one film is in your rear mirror, it gets forgotten, especially when it didn't do too well!

But, I finally put it on, and as I thought I would, thoroughly enjoyed it. Time heals all advertising-related wounds, I guess you could say.

Pegg and Nick Frost play Graeme (Pegg) and Clive (Frost), two friends who, after visiting the San Diego Comic Con, go on a UFO road trip and encounter an alien (the titular Paul, voiced by Seth Rogen), who needs their help to return home, as a relentless government agent (Jason Bateman) trails them.

The whole film is an absolute blast, and features a who's who of American comedy. The only film that will top this for comedic actors will be when the 'Arrested Development' movie comes out. I mean just look at the names involved, the aforementioned Bateman, his 'AD' co-star Jeffrey Tambor, Jane Lynch, David Koechener, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, the list goes on.

Wiig is particularly good value (as she normally is, to be honest) as Ruth, the love interest for Graeme in film. And that romantic story line is one of the several sweet (albeit foul-mouthed) moments in the film, this is something with a big heart to it as well as laughs.

Rogen is also great as the voice of the alien. So great in fact, it's probably one of my favourite performances by him that I've seen! And Jason Bateman plays the straight man well, constantly hassled by orders from his boss (whom I won't reveal actress wise, just in case you don't know.)

As you'd probably expect from Pegg and Frost, there are tons of in-jokes and references from other films, from the stand out obvious (a rather blatant visual gag to 'Close Encounters Of The Third Kind') to the subtler (note the name of the bar about halfway through the film, and what the band are playing), and countless other nods to everything from Star Wars to The Blues Brothers.

An obvious couple of comparison points for 'Paul' would be 'Shaun Of The Dead' and 'Hot Fuzz', and while this could easily have been the third in that particular 'Cornetto Trilogy', this is directed by Gregg Mottola (Superbad, and the upcoming Aaron Sorkin HBO pilot), and it's a great match. And just because there is no Edgar Wright, you don't need to worry this is up there with the 'Shaun' and 'Hot Fuzz', not the likes of the dreadful 'Run Fatboy Run'...

Obviously, with all the reference points to other films, 'Paul' isn't exactly original. It is your typical road movie, with a E.T. style alien assisting twist, but nevertheless it's just a fun 99 minutes which you really shouldn't take too seriously.

****
Nothing original story-wise, but a fantastic comedic cast and some real heart make 'Paul' a must watch. If you also got sick of it before ever seeing it - now 's the time to come in from the cold!

Film Review: Bad Taste

After watching the sweeping epics that were 'The Lord Of The Rings' trilogy, it's hard to believe that Peter Jackson started out in low budget horror. But just because Jackson's first full length film didn't have much money behind it (at a budget of just $30,000) that doesn't mean it scrimps on ANYTHING.

The population of a small New Zealand town vanish, and are replaced by cannibalistic aliens looking for human flesh to take back to their planet to sell at an "intergalactic" fast food restaurant chain. Only a handful of survivors can stop them.

Not exactly Tolkien, and it's not especially well acted, and on occasions the budget really shows (a lot of the film is just running about in a field), but 'Bad Taste' has the kind of wit and charm that many similar films wish they had.

When I said at the start of the review that Jackson did 'horror', I'm not sure you could apply that tag entirely to this film. Sure, there's plenty of horror to be had, body parts go flying, intestines spill out left, right and center, and at one point an alien played by Jackson himself eats the brains out of half a head with a spoon. It's not exactly stuff for those with a weak stomach or nervous disposition.

But the film is in equal parts action, comedy and sci fi and it does a great job of combining all these genres without getting muddled or confusing.

For the limited budget involved, the special effects are superb. From the gore effects to the aliens when they reveal themselves near the end of the film, they look like they belong in a film that was made for ten times the amount 'Bad Taste' was made for. And as cheesy as it looks in this day and age, the 'spacecraft' scene is also incredibly well done.

Bear in mind that 'Bad Taste' was filmed on weekends only over the course of 4 years and you get a real appreciation for the effort put in. These guys had jobs in the week, and it was only when the New Zealand Film Council saw how good it all looked that they got a cash injection into the project.

You can also see flairs of Jackson's directorial brilliance too, with some really interesting camera work , it's quite reminiscent of the work Sam Raimi did on the original Evil Dead film, which surely was some kind of inspiration to Jackson at the time. While you'd have never thought Jackson would end up heading a franchise the size of 'Lord Of The Rings', or even a 'King Kong' remake, you'd have to see bright things were in his future.

'Bad Taste' is a definite cult classic. While it's not the most seamless or well acted film ever made, it's gloriously silly, endlessly quotable ("I'm a Derek, and Derek's don't run!", "I'll give you an eyewitness description of this, intergalactic wanker!") and has some superb makeup and special effects, considering it only cost $30,000 to make. Worth checking out for horror fans, fans of Peter Jackson and amateur filmmakers everywhere.

****
Going to show you don't need a huge budget to make an entertaining film, Bad Taste is stupid, gruesome fun. And I mean gruesome!

Film Review: The Monster Squad

In the same sort of vein as 'The Goonies', 'The Monster Squad' is your typical 1980's family adventure film, but with the difference being that the titular group of kids are battling the famous horror movie monsters of yesteryear such as Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, The Mummy, The Wolfman and er...Gillman?

A group kids (headed up by Sean, played by Andre Gower) who are huge fans of the monster world find it is up to them to save the day, as Count Dracula (Duncan Regehr) has returned in search of an ancient amulet, that contains concentrated 'good'. One day every one hundred years, said amulet becomes vulnerable to destruction, so it's a race against time to get it before Dracula and the fellow monsters he has brought back with him, find it.

Meanwhile Frankenstein's Monster befriends Sean's sister Phoebe (Ashley Bank), and helps the squad in the search for the amulet.

Like so many other films like this at the time, 'The Monster Squad' isn't afraid to have violent moments, big scares, some gore and plenty of foul language. I've always preferred 'kids films' this way, because anything else isn't really an accurate representation of how kids talk. They swear! And it's always good to be frightened as a kid, never did me any harm!

The kids are all likable, but where the cast is let down for me were the adults. There were some really poorly acted moments with the grown up cast, and I also found Duncan Regehr's performance as Dracula totally bland. Apparently, he is considered by Drac aficionados to be one of the best on-screen Counts of all time, but I can't see it.

The exception to the rule of the adult cast is Tom Noonan as Frankenstein's Monster. Noonan always adds a touch of class to most of the stuff he is in, and it's quite a touching portrayal of the famously tortured creation, even if he was hidden under loads of makeup. And the makeup is superb - all the creatures look fantastic, but it was the late, great Stan Winston on special effects duty, so that is hardly surprising.

For most of the time, the film is a laugh, not taking itself too seriously, with a few nice nods to the classic monster movies. The writing is surprisingly 'OK', considering the brilliant Shane Black had a co-writer credit, I was expecting something slightly more witty, but overall 'The Monster Squad' is well worth a watch with the family, just as long as they haven't been weened on the watered down family films of recent years.

***
Nothing outstanding, but a entertaining film while it's on. Great special effects, a likable child cast, and a nice little performance from Tom Noonan make up for the slight inadequacies from the adult cast and the writing.

Film Review: Drive (2011)

It's safe to say that it's not every day that a film like Drive comes along. Sure, films that sound like the synopsis come along every day, they are a dime a dozen, but it's been a long time since I've seen a film about something so (relatively) simple done with such style.

Ryan Gosling plays an unnamed Hollywood stuntman (and I didn't even notice his character didn't have a name, that's how captivated I was by the film) who has a job on the side as a getaway driver, as he can navigate the roads of Los Angeles like no other. He also strikes up a 'friendship' with his neighbour Irene (Carey Mulligan), and ends up being the wheelman for a pawn shop heist that her recently freed-from-jail husband Standard (Oscar Isaac) has been caught up in. This all ends up with 'The Driver' having a contract put out on him.

As I mentioned at the start, it's not a hugely original story, but the way it is told is stunning, and makes this 'simple story' one of the most engaging films I have seen this year.

Director Nicolas Winding Refn (whose only other work I have seen was the confusing, yet brilliantly acted Bronson) says a lot of influence for this film comes from classics like 'Bullitt' and 'The Day Of The Locust', but even if that's the case, I see a lot more influences than just those movies.

The slow pace of the film, with the sudden bursts of action and violence scream Michael Mann to me, particularly Manhunter, which may not be thematically similar, but contain the same deliberate pacing and 1980's feel.

Now when I say 1980's feel, don't go running for the hills, I'm talking about films like William Friedkin's To Live And Die In L.A. Of course, that shares its setting with Drive, but there's so much more to the comparisons than that.

To Live And Die In L.A. and Manhunter share the same cool and deliberate vibe with Drive (even though Drive is set in the present day), right down to the titles and the synth soundtrack. That's high praise indeed, as both films mentioned there are classics in my eyes.

With that vibe and style comes violence, and Drive does not shy away from that at all. The first truly violent moment in the film (a gunshot), elicited such a reaction with the audience I saw it with, you'd have thought we were seeing a horror film.

And that's a comparison I can make to the rest of the violence in the film. I've not seen many films that aren't horrors with this kind of level of brutality. And it's made all the more potent with the slow, gradual pace of the film, and it's never done needlessly either, when it so easily could have been. In fact, one of the best, and most tender and romantic moments in the film, is immediately followed by the most brutal and it works perfectly.

As a side note, when I went to see it, a family actually walked out of the cinema. Parents and a teenage boy (who must have been under the certificate age of 18), left about half an hour before the end. If you need telling by this point, Drive is not exactly a family night out kind of film.

Ryan Gosling is superb as the nameless Driver, remaining mostly stoic throughout, breaking to occasionally have a flicker of a smile form, or when he loses his patience, and whilst he never really says too much, he's a character the viewer can warm to.

He is backed up by a fantastic cast, including three American T.V. stalwarts who really don't appear in enough films, and should. Bryan Cranston plays Shannon, the Driver's mechanic, employer and apparently, only friend. Shannon cuts a rather pathetic character, already stung once by the mob, now attempting to borrow more money to finance a racing career for the Driver. Cranston is superb with this kind of role, having played a character in a desperate situation to perfection in the superb series Breaking Bad.

The chief mob character in the film is Nino (Ron Perlman, Sons Of Anarchy), an imposing guy, who again, is a character right up the alley of the actor playing him. Perlman is his usual gruff and intimidating self, but there's not much about his character given to the audience, save a superb scene, where he is seen through a window laughing hysterically, while a lady friend stands next to him, bored senseless. No words are uttered, but it tells you so much more than any dialogue could.

Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) also has a small role as Blanche, who is involved in the pawn shop robbery mentioned earlier. It's more a cameo than anything, although she is heavily advertised as being in the film.

Also worthy of a mention is the brilliant Albert Brooks as Shannon's mob contact Bernie Rose. I have never seen a bad Albert Brooks performance, and this is another fantastic one. The guy simply isn't in enough films.

Everything about Drive blew me away, from the performances, to how it was shot, to the music. Films like these in this day and age are a total one-off, and cannot be repeated, no matter who tries it (and mark my words, someone will.) The whole film is effortlessly cool, and, dare I say it, a modern classic.

*****
A very strong contender for film of the year, Drive is a cool, stylish, brutal and touching film that reminds you of some of the great films of yester-year. I implore you to check it out.

Thom Meets Alan Partridge

Alan Partridge is one of the greatest creations in TV history. The socially awkward TV presenter/local DJ has become almost the only thing Steve Coogan is known for (in this country at least) and if that is his legacy, I'd be damn proud.

So when the unbelievable news came in via his Twitter page (@ThisIsPartridge if you're not following him, and it's worth it just for the hilarious list of demands he laid out for the signing) that he would be doing a book signing in the Norwich branch of Waterstones to support the release of Partridge autobiography 'I Partridge: We Need To Talk About Alan', I knew I had to be there!

I always thought Steve Coogan wanted to try and distance himself from his most famous creation so it made it even more surprising was that Coogan was going to be doing the signing IN CHARACTER!

When I arrived the queue was already well down the street, and by the time that people started to go in, it stretched as far as the eye could see, around 400 people if the press was to be believed.

The proceedings were to start with an unadvertised reading of several passages from the book, but while we waited we were treated to some of Alan's favourite songs (which can be found in the book), including 'Alone' by Heart, 'The Winner Takes It All' by ABBA, and 'Knights In White Satin' by The Moody Blues. Lovely stuff.

Then, the man himself emerged via the escalator and let rip a heart "A-HA!" and read some excerpts from his book which were hilarious. If the rest of the book is as funny as what he read to us, we are in for a treat.



After the reading, Alan donned a surgical glove (so he wouldn't catch a disease from an unknown attendee, of course) and began the signing. As we watched him pose for photo after photo (something I didn't think he'd actually do), we just couldn't stop laughing at the facial mannerisms he was pulling. Seriously could have watched him do that all night.

Soon, it was time to meet the man himself, and as he greeted me - "Hello, Thom with an 'H'", I just started laughing, but composed myself enough for a photo and to thank him and shake his gloved hand.



It was a fantastic evening, and I'm looking very much forward to starting the book. And very possibly seeing myself on TV at some point, it was being taped!

Film Review: McBain

I know exactly what you're thinking as soon as you think McBain.



The Simpsons did such an effective job of lampooning Arnold Schwarzenegger and his films, that the name McBain (and his real name Rainier Wolfcastle) are as familiar to some as the 'Governator' is. Of course, the makers of McBain didn't really see the joke and became embroiled in a legal dispute over the name that lasted years, and the film itself became sadly forgotten by most people.

In fact, I hadn't even heard of it until a year or so ago, and it wasn't till recently when Arrow Video (and I'll explain why I'm name dropping them later on) re-released the film that I actually watched it for the first time! And after having seen it, I have no idea how I had been watching this kind of film all these years, and never seen it!

Christopher Walken plays Robert McBain, a Vietnam veteran who owes his life to Roberto Santos, a former lieutenant turned freedom fighter who is killed after trying to overthrow the Colombian President. McBain gets the band back together, teaming up with his former Vietnam buddies (including Michael Ironside in a rare 'good guy' role'), and Santos' sister (Maria Conchita Alonso) to get to Columbia to overthrow the government themselves.

If this sounds like a Chuck Norris film to you, then you are right on the money. It's over-the-top, violent, cheesy and as entertaining as any Norris or Sylvester Stallone film of the time. Sure, Christopher Walken isn't exactly imposing as the titular character, but he's Christopher Walken, and while he doesn't do any dancing, he does shoot the pilot of one plane from another plane! Told you it was over-the-top.

You can put that down to James Glickenhaus, maker of such guilty pleasures as Shakedown (named Blue Jean Cop in the U.K.) and The Exterminator, both films I have yet to see either! This will soon be rectified, based on my enjoyment of McBain.

Here at Thom's House Of Words, I hardly ever mention the specs, or the packaging on a Blu Ray or DVD, but have to put a quick shout out to the good people at Arrow Video. They actually included a booklet in with the DVD, which these days is rarer than rocking horse shit, companies just don't seem to bother anymore.

Prior to this, McBain was only available in this country on the bargain basement Hollywood DVD label, now it has an edition that it truly deserves.

****
A deserved cult classic. Stupid, OTT, exciting...if you like the Rambo films, anything Chuck Norris has done etc., check out McBain as soon as possible. If you don't like it, I may have to offer a full refund!

Film Review: April Fool's Day (1986)

In a time where films must have been desperately trying to find a original twist on the slasher genre, April Fools Day takes a stab (pun completly intended) and doing something different. And that it does, there is definitely no argument here about that. Sadly though, it's predictable tosh that can't even throw up a decent death.

Muffy St. John (yeah, really, played by Deborah Foreman) invites her friends to her parents mansion during Spring Break, but as time goes on secrets from everyone's past are revealed and then they start dropping like flies. Meanwhile, Muffy is acting more and more unhinged as time goes on...

It's one of the many films that I mentioned in my review of My Bloody Valentine (see here), that is a slasher/day of the year or event film. Being released in 1986, it came after the first glut of these but is still seen as a cult favourite by many. Sadly I can't share this enthusiasm.

Even if I was watching this back when it was released I would have seen it all before, and done better. Not only are all the characters totally unlikable (with the possible exception of Thomas F. Wilson as Arch, but that's only down to the 'Biff from Back To The Future factor'), which is normally a trait I can put up with in horror films seeing as they will get picked off in different, but highly entertaining ways, but not even that happens!

The inability to connect in any way with the characters added to the growing lack of anticipation of any gruesome death scenes only serve to slow the film (which is only your usual 90 minute type thing) even further, and as we all know, when a film that short starts to drag, you know you're in trouble!

The aforementioned death scenes are as dull as the rest of the film, devoid of any tension or excitement, which culminates in a massive cop out for the viewer. I'm sure fans of the film would say that the point of the films ending is that it is a joke on the viewer or something similar, but that doesn't cut the mustard for me. I found the ending rendered a pretty pointless film all the more so, and the fact they bolted on a cop out twist ending was even more redundant.

*
An unforgivably dull "slasher" movie, which somehow garnered a cult following. Suppose you had to be there. Don't make the same mistake if you can help it...