The Snowtown Murders

This grisly thriller is based on the true story of Australia’s worst serial killer, John Bunting, and the people he convinced to help him. One of them is teenager Jamie, whose entire family eventually falls under Bunting’s dark spell.

Brian
Rating: 7 out of 10

This film falls squarely in with others I’ve reviewed like Antichrist in that it’s a well made film that shows a picture of hell on Earth in a realistic way and yet I can’t recommend it.  Why? The images in it are filled with real world and all too real horror.  The main character played by Lucas Pittaway is pure frustration to watch.  His whole existence revolves around being a victim.  He is raped by his own brother, pushed around by every single person in his life, and coerced into assisting with murders that horrify and repulse him.  And yet, because he is so weak, he never says no.  As a viewer, it’s never a comfortable experience.  Obviously, considering the subject matter is about some of the worst crimes in Australian history, this comes as no surprise.  But, because this film plays everything off as deadpan real, it gives an uneasy and claustrophobic feel to all of the plot progressions.  We witness graphic tortures, murders, a main character who is pure evil, and a daily routine in a white trash neighborhood that has no glimmer of hope anywhere within its confines.

So, after all of this, why am I rating it a 7?  The performances are excellent all the way around, particularly by Daniel Henshall who plays the deviously charismatic leader of the serial killers.  He tries to make things make sense from his twisted point of view and is methodical in how he gets all these men to kill and torture for him.  Also, the world that is created by Justin Kurzel feels cold, bleak, and all too real.  This is true life horror that couldn’t be further away from the cliche slasher films that most horror enthusiasts are accustomed to.  However, proceed at your own risk.  This is a harrowing film and not one for the squeamish.

Looper

In the year 2042, Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a Looper, a hired assassin for the mob who kills people sent from the future. But what will he do when the mob decides to “close the loop,” sending back Joe’s future self (Bruce Willis) for assassination?

Matt
Rating: 6 out of 10

I expected more from this movie. The concept rocked.

Bad people from the future send people back in the past they need killed through a time machine There is a person waiting for them, called a looper, who shoots them and collects some gold strapped to them. OK, I’m game.

But what happens during this film is a lot of nothing. It’s boring, with unneeded characters who flush out what should have been a short, more action oriented movie. I can’t believe I’m saying that, but yes, it’s true. Looper drags. I expected more from this film, because it got rave reviews. I like Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis a lot. And while they both are good in the film, it suffers from a slow-movie script and a director that was over thinking it a bit. It’s also way darker than I anticipated — maybe I shouldn’t have, based on the premise — but it was.

Not a terrible film, but it drags at parts and left me wanting something different.

Top Ten Horror Movie Villains

Talk about a killer list! This was a tough Top 10 to create. So many great horror movie icons didn’t make the list — Norman Bates, zombies, Frankenstein, the wolfman, Ghostface, and so many more! Enjoy this haunting list of baddies, just in time for Halloween.

10. Chucky
Great character made even greater by the excellent voice acting of the Academy Award-nominated Brad Dourif.

9. Alien
Based on the artwork of H.R. Geiger, this moving falace with acid blood and razor teeth has haunted many a sci-fi fan’s nightmares. The sequel is even better than the original.

8. Jigsaw
Legendary baddie by default based on the sheer amount of sequels. The first in the series is the real gem and they get progressively worse as they go — as is the case with most horror movies. But he’s always creepy.

7. Leatherface
The first film is considered by many to be the greatest grindhouse movie ever made. I can’t disagree. The fear is all the more palpable because of this terrifying character based off a real serial killer named Ed Gein.

6. Jason Voorhees
A derivative character that shares more than a few characteristics with Michael Myers: slow, brooding, speechless, and psychotic. The only problem is he’s not the original killer in the series and he didn’t obtain his distinctive look until the third film. Also, these movies are of inferior quality to the other slasher films.

5. Hannibal Lecter
Hannibal The Canibal is certainly one of the most iconic and chilling characters. He’s dastardly, wicked, smart, disgusting, perverse and vile in every way. And Anthony Hopkins played him to perfection in his Academy Award-winning performance. A sinister, evil character to the core.

4. Dracula
Dracula has been portrayed in countless ways and featured in films made throughout the world, from an axe-wieding Abraham Lincoln to the chilling silent German film “Nosferatu.” He’s an icon of horror that has chilled audiences the world round, and his tale will live on eternally.

3. Freddy Krueger
Freddy is an incredible concept — a demon-like man who haunts your dreams, a child molester who transformed into something greater after being burned alive by angered parents. He’s a bad, bad man who has taken many forms in countless sequels, and Robert Englund brought great energy and charisma to this unique villain that will forever stand as one of the greatest.

2. Satan
He’s the source of all evil, and Satan has been portrayed in countless films. He’s not the first baddie that pops in your mind when it comes to horror, but think about it — The Exorcist, The Omen, Rosemary’s Baby, Angel Heart, The Devils, and the list goes on. The definition of evil and a source of material that will forever inspire filmmakers.

1. Michael Myers
Worse than Satan? Well, maybe not. But he is the king of all slasher movie killers. Michael Myers was born evil and killed from his youth and was one of the first characters to explore the concept that some killers are just born that way. The first two Halloween movies stand as the best slasher movies of all time and Michael Myers is the reason. He’s a ruthless killer and the face of horror movies.

House at the End of the Street

Moving to a new town proves even more stressful for a teenage girl when she learns that the house next door was the site of a double murder. But after making friends with the victims’ son, she realizes there may be more to the story.

Matt
Rating: 5 out of 10

This is a decent little suspense movie. I thought it was going to be a total teen flick, like Jennifer Lawrence did with “The Hunger Games.” But it was slightly better. Not great, but OK.

New girl moves to town, there’s a creepy kid at the end of the street and they become friends. She’s intrigued by him, he’s mysterious, sensitive and they develop a friendship and romance. But things start going awry. He has a sad past, his sister killed their family and he still lives in that house. But dark clues start to bloom up around him.

The movie’s really not all that bad, but it suffers from a majorly slow period mid-way through the film and the ending is a little predictable. Lawrence is very solid as the lead, and she’s a talented actress who has great range. But in the end, this is a forgettable flick.

The Hunger Games

In a dystopian future ruled by a totalitarian regime, resourceful Katniss and her partner, Peeta, represent their district in the lethal Hunger Games — a televised survival competition in which teenage contestants fight each other to the death.

Brian
Rating: 3 out of 10

Have you ever sat and thought about what you thought the future might be like? Will we be driving flying cars? What kinds of video technologies and modern conveniences will change our daily routines? Will we travel to distant planets?

I’m pretty sure your idea of the distant future wasn’t a split society where one half was the “Grapes of Wrath” where poor people hunt their dinner with bow and arrows and the other half was a technologically advanced group of drag queens that all wear makeup and can’t wait to watch young people kill each other in a boring game of “Lord of the Flies.”

The ideas in this film are so derivative of other, more original films and books that executed their material better. It takes the games of survival from “Battle Royale,” the split societies from “1984,” and the TV audience from “The Running Man.” It’s all wrapped up in a package that is completely devoid of any suspense, interesting characters, or drama. I was also shocked at just how bloodless it is. Here we have a gladiator game of survival put together as some form of half-ass peace treaty between two societies that had a war. The idea is to put different members from tribes into a survival game in a world that looks like the dome from “The Truman Show” — another film that Hunger Games rips off. The Truman dome in this film is populated with explosives, bows and arrows, knives, and spears. But somehow, we almost never see any blood. This film is so cowardly and money driven that it sanitizes the material to earn a PG-13. Instead of having a dramatic game of “survival at all costs” we end up with a stupid love story without chemistry. Why?!?! Did the writers not realize that every man for themselves was interesting on its own? Did they also not realize that a sense of danger could have been created by upping the violence? I’m not saying gratuitous violence, but make me feel the hopelessness and despair that this situation would cause. It also doesn’t even get to the games for almost an hour and a half!!! We spend time watching the characters walk around their poor town, talk, get recruited for the games, talk some more, hear about their mission in the games, talk, and talk and talk…….ABOUT NOTHING! There is not ONE piece of memorable dialogue in this crap fest.

I would rate it even lower but the director does execute what’s on the written page well. Also, Jennifer Lawrence is a very capable actress and has a wonderful screen presence. It’s a shame that they weren’t given better material to work with.

Sinister

After moving to a new town, a true-crime writer discovers a cache of videotapes depicting brutal murders that took place in the very house he just bought. As he tries to solve the mystery behind the crimes, a sinister force threatens his own family.

Matt
Rating: 8 out of 10

When my wife and I went to opening night, we each were worried our movie experience was ruined before it began. The theater was full of chatty teenagers. But two minutes into this movie, the audience was dead silent — no pun intended. To me, keeping teenagers quiet is the mark of a great horror movie.

To say this is simply a horror movie is selling it short, though. It’s loaded with mystery and breathtaking suspense that is well paced and intelligent. This movie could make some noise at the Golden Globes — but probably not the Oscars. Ethan Hawke propels the movie with a very strong performance of a man whose ego and drive for success puts his family in danger. There are plenty of jump-out-of-your skin moments, but they’re set up with excellent patience by director Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose). Derrickson shows maturity in directing a truly chilling story that never takes the cheap way out. It’s gruesome at times, but it’s smart. It never shows every bloody detail, which makes it far more frightening.

This is a horror movie, I believe, that crosses genres and appeals to a much wider audience than the teenage crowd who filled the theater where I saw “Sinister.” Think of this movie more like “The Others” or “Seven” than a traditional slasher flick. It’s a fresh new horror tale that’s anything but typical.

 

 

Thin Ice

Midwest insurance salesman Mickey Prohaska (Greg Kinnear) hatches a get-rich-quick scheme that depends on him gaining possession of a rare and precious violin, but his planned score results in wild and unexpected consequences. Alan Arkin, Billy Crudup and Lea Thompson co-star in this meditation on lying and its consequences, written by sisters Jill and Karen Sprecher (Thirteen Conversations About One Thing).

Matt
Rating: 8 out of 10

The only reason I watched this movie is because it popped out of the Red Box by mistake. I literally knew nothing about this movie when I started watching. But the Red Box machine’s mistake became my surprise fortune. Now that’s good movie karma!

Greg Kinnear leads an excellent cast as a truly unlikable human being. He swindles people in business, cheats on his wife, doesn’t take care of his finances or family, and when pushed to his limits, will cover up a murder. This is one of those movies where there’s no good guy to root for. It’s definitely not filmed like an Alfred Hitchcock movie, but the script has the feel of it. Kudos to the Sprecher sisters for writing an intriguing script that unfolds very nicely, keeps the intensity at a great level, and inspires great performances by Alan Arkin, Billy Crudup, David Harbour and Lea Thompson.

This is a movie where nothing goes right, there are no heroes, and no possibility of a positive outcome. Sounds bleak, right? Well, it works very well with the balance of some humor. Bad deeds lead to more bad deeds, and they keep piling up. As the audience, we feel the tension build. the danger grow, and the risks get higher. It’s an entertaining movie, for sure.

The Adjustment Bureau

A congressman (Matt Damon) who’s a rising star on the political scene finds himself entranced by a beautiful ballerina (Emily Blunt), but mysterious circumstances ensure that their love affair is predestined to be a non-starter. Screenwriter George Nolfi (The Bourne Ultimatum) makes his directorial debut with this romantic adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s classic sci-fi short story “Adjustment Team.”

Matt
Rating: 8 out of 10

I have to say that on the surface, I thought this was just another government conspiracy movie. While it’s still a conspiracy flick, it’s a darn good one.

Not unlike “The Matrix,” where they contrived a believable world out of unbelievable circumstances, this film succeeds. The world is completely controlled, well mostly. It sort of takes away the whole free will theory for most people, or at least important people. The entire concept that drives the movie is an adjustment bureau that can control your life. They have a person assigned to you who can guide your thoughts and actions by influencing you with experiences. The love story at the center of this movie, which really compels the film, was such a controlled circumstance. They meet, hit it off, and fall for each other instantly. But the bureau has other plans, despite Damon’s characters pursuit of his lost love.

The movie takes some really interesting twists and turns, with a climactic ending that is satisfying and entertaining. Definitely a solid sci-fi film with a compelling love story, good performances, and a nice pace and tone. It’s patient enough to develop characters while throwing in some intrigue and mystery that propels the film with action and drama.

The Night of the Hunter

 

Bogus “preacher” Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) learns cellmate Ben Harper (Peter Graves) has stashed stolen loot on his property. So after the demented Powell is released, he charms Ben’s widow (Shelley Winters) into getting hitched, and in time, only Ben’s kids stand between him and the money. As he stalks the siblings relentlessly, they seek refuge with the indomitable Rachel Cooper (Lillian Gish), setting the stage for a battle of wills.

Brian
Rating: 10 out of 10

It’s really a shame that the late, great actor Charles Laughton only directed one film in his entire career. The upside of that is that he created one of the best screen thrillers I have ever seen.

When this film was released back in 1955, it was both a critical and box office failure and it was hard to see how when you watch it today. The performance by Robert Mitchum is nothing short of perfection, the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, and the screenplay is filled with intelligence and memorable characters. But, because of its lack of success and a less than warm reception from audiences, Laughton was so heartbroken that he decided to never sit in the director’s seat ever again. He would go on to pass away before the film was rediscovered by art film students in the 1970’s. Today, it has been on numerous top 100 lists, was added to the Library of Congress, and is held in the highest esteem by directors such as Spike Lee and Martin Scorsese.

The story is simple enough. A man robs a bank, shoots two people dead, and returns home with $10,000 and tells his children to never tell anyone where it’s hidden. While in prison, he talks in his sleep and his cell mate (Robert Mitchum) hears about it. Once Mitchum is released, he goes after the family in hopes of finding the money. The premise, while terrific, is not the only thing that will keep your eyes glued to the screen. There’s a real tension here from beginning to end. The Mitchum character not only has self-motivated intentions but he does it through the fog of posing as a man of God. The underlying current of religion being used as a tool for evil deeds is not only subtle, but also extremely effective. Who back in those times would believe the family of a murderer over a man who claims to be a preacher? This sets up a great cat and mouse between the children who know where the money is and the man who has moved in on their lives in hope of taking it away. I wouldn’t dare give away any more details but just know that the mood and style of this film is unmatched within this genre. I have never seen a movie that had a better sense of gloom through its black and white cinematography and its use of sound except Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho.” Shadows are always lurking, evil permeates through Mitchum singing church hymns, and the rivaling between hush quiet and loud anger is felt deeply when you view it. Trust me, if you enjoy a good thriller, I cannot recommend one higher than “The Night of the Hunter.”

 

Cloak & Dagger

A young boy, with a penchant for spy thrillers and video games, finds himself in the middle of real espionage when he’s relentlessly pursued by spies after he comes into possession of a video game cartridge containing top-secret government info.

Matt
Rating 7 out of 10

You know the movie’s old school when the trailer says “Check your local newspaper for locations.”

While “Cloak & Dagger” definitely has some throw-back charm for me, it’s actually a really good movie for kids that I still enjoy as an adult. There are actually guns in a family movie! Bad guys kill people! People die! The hero smokes cigarettes! It’s crazy!

Seriously, though, this movie probably couldn’t be made today, at least not a lot of it, because it would be too violent by today’s standards. But I think it’s what makes the movie feel more real. The boy in the movie, played by Henry Thomas of “E.T.” fame, gets lost in fantasy with an imaginary secret agent who looks just like his dad (who he never sees). The imagination of the secret agent world is in contrast to a very real spy drama around him, which is full of violence.

There are some really evil bad guys and some old-school nostalgia in this film – like Atari cartridges. If you’re a child of the 80s and you have kids 10 and up, it’s definitely worth a revisit to this fun spy movie.