![]() Frontier(s) $14.98 after viewing the film...my thoughts were: wow, this was a really good horror film. The acting was very good, believable (especially the lead actress); the emotional tension / visual blood scenes / physical violence were mixed together well. I even liked the soundtrack, which fit perfectly to create a sense of unease. the plot is somewhat reminiscent of the recent (2003) re-make of the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre". (Group of young people get trapped in an isolated area by a family of psychotics). Also had a few plot elements of "Hostel". I thought the various fight / conflict scenes between the characters was well-done- the sound effects, level of violence, and misery was felt at the gut-level as a viewer. My only complaint: the first part of the film (first 20 minutes) wasn't really needed, and could have been cut out of the film. Rest of the film flows very well. pleasant surprise that horror fans will appreciate.. ![]() Them (a.k.a. Ils) $24.98 Let's see now ... the story is almost non-existent and soon telegraphs its intentions. There's a pretty minimalist approach used throughout, with just a handful of actors, one or two locations, and almost no music. It succeeds in being moderately suspenseful although it does take a while to achieve this. The revelation, although disturbing, is quite prosaic and left me feeling a little cheated given the ominous mystery of what had gone before. So, in summary, this is a simple, moderately effective chiller that doesn't leave much of a mark. Also, although it claims to be based on true events, Googleing the victims' names produced (at date of writing) nothing except information relating to this movie, which makes me wonder ... ![]() Broken (Unrated) $14.95 I really don't get the hype about this film. I ended up trying it after seeing the spectacular film Inside. The covers kind of look like a before and after shot, but that is where the similarities end. This is supposed to be a horror film, but it flat out fails at everything it tries to do. I was sadly reminded of the opening to Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 with the panoramic shots of a forest from flight that litter this movie. This film is supposed to be shocking. It even compares itself to Saw on the cover. Not so much. This is another boring bad guy in the woods holding women captive movie. Nothing new here. What is new is how downright unbelievbable and unlikable all the characters are, and not only "the man," as he is called in the credits. There is whining. There is screaming. There is gore. There is degradation. What there seems to be missing is a point. I know the man is trying to break the women, not kill them. I get that. But, why? And ::spoiler alert:: why does he just give up in the end? And did anyone really expect things to work out in the end of this movie? That just doesn't happen in horror films anymore. It would seem that this Johnny-come-lately of a movie just tries to be too many things at once and ended up as nothing. One star because Amazon doesn't give you the option of no stars. ![]() 13: Game of Death $14.95 Chit is a desperate man. He's lost his job, his car, and his relationship. With his options dwindling, the future looks pretty grim. Then, just when Chit has reached his lowest point, his cell phone rings. Upon answering, Chit is offered the chance of a lifetime. The mysterious, seemingly omniscient caller represents a gameshow that will pay Chit increasingly huge amounts of money for performing 13 tasks. Things start out simple enough, w/ a ridiculously easy request. Of course, each challenge is a bit more difficult than the last, as well as being increasingly unethical or just plain disgusting. Chit is amazingly co-operative, playing along through outrageous stunts that compel him to either commit several criminal acts or lose all that he has accumulated. 13: GAME OF DEATH is a deceptive thriller w/ supernatural overtones. Every piece locks into place, forcing Chit deeper into darkness and ultimately costing him far more than the $100 million dollar grand prize! 13:GOD is a wonderfully black comedy / satire, shredding our preoccupation w/ wealth along w/ our determination to do (almost) anything to attain it. The final is a true heart-crusher that works perfectly. Highly recommended... |
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