TheNewSpielberg

After watching this movie twice a couple of weeks ago, I have to say that this film was one of the most frightening and atmospheric works of modern horror that I have seen so far this year. However, like every single other modern horror film, it relies far too heavily on jump scares and the ending, in my opinion, felt rushed and was a disappointing conclusion to a film that up until that point had been very good as a ghost story. The main reason I loved was because it had the one element that I believe makes an effective horror film or novel; atmosphere. You really felt a sense of the enormous evil that lay within the mansion and just like the main character were constantly on edge and dreaded the dark nights, knowing that the woman in black of the title would have even scarier things in store for you. Overall, I would say that this film was actually very good as a ghost story and despite a few flaws in its structure, it delivers a frightening thrill ride that stays in your memory long after you've seen it. In other words, it is nowhere near as bad as other critics say it is.

First things first, this is NOT another found footage movie, even though the trailer made it seem that way. Instead, it is a pretty atmospheric, creepy and in some spots genuinely frightening piece of modern horror. I enjoyed the film for its creepy atmosphere and mood. However, my only qualms about it concern the fact that at times it seems the filmmakers are trying to make some money off the worst nuclear disaster in history. Also, venturing into the highly radioactive Prypiat doesn't really sound like a fun day out, especially if at night you'll be dragged off screaming by a bunch of zombie-mutants that want to rip your intestines out and feast on your flesh. Overall, its good for an adrenaline rush of fast-paced horror with no intelligence behind it.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Excellent by modern horror film standards, but as a ghost movie it lacks the performances from the actors required to make the events that take place that bit more believable. But all in all, a brilliant rip-off of Paranormal Activity that is sure to become one of the more worthwhile entries in the horror genre of recent years. The scares were effective but to my distaste were pretty much all jump scares, a technique that I feel is very overused and cliche. To make a horror film work, in my eyes, the main components needed are tone, mood and above all atmosphere. This film packs plenty of those but they become less effective because of the damn jump scares. Far more intelligently creepy scenes could have been thought of.

This mediocre piece of film making is one of, if not the worst remake of all time. Over the top acting, a boring and predictable plot as well as some freakishly realistic makeup make this one definitely worth avoiding. The original will always remain the classic.

At first, I was hesitant due to the overlong opening credits sequence but was blown away by the rest of the film. While I normally despise the overuse of CGI in modern cinema, this film is an example of how to use it both properly and effectively. The aliens look amazing and are nearly always perfectly in sync with the human characters. It is also a highly original concept; in most alien sci-fi films, the aliens come to Earth to destroy our planet, but here they want a peaceful co-existence with mankind, at least that is the basic premise of the plot. In other words, the cliche is reversed in that humans are seen as the main villains and not the aliens, due to the fact all the humans want to exploit the alien technology and make billions in profits. The film also sports some homages to earlier films of this genre, most notably Independence Day (1996), due to the huge mothership that is floating above the city of Johannes burg but never attacks or even moves, and of course the human-alien creature the main character gradually transforms into is a direct reference to The Fly, with similar make-up effects and scenes that show the phenomenon up close, without looking away. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the film as far as it went and I await a sequel with great anticipation.

A historical drama detailing the life of Oskar Schindler, who used his money to save over a thousand Jews during the Second World War. Seen as a sort of companion piece to Spielberg's other war epic Saving Private Ryan (1998) , this film is more factual and contains less action so that when you do see it, it is all the more horrifying. I was blown away by Liam Neeson's performance and I now consider it his best role, next only to Michael Collins. Another notable performance is Ralph Fiennes as the evil, cold blooded and militant psycho Amon Goeth, who was hung after Germany surrended for crimes against humanity. My only complaints would be that the accents are sometimes difficult to make out and that it is heavily depressing.

Just saw this movie today. As a standalone horror film, its really not bad. But as a remake of one of the best known classics of all time, it unfortunately falls flat on its face. Jackie Earl Haley as the new Freddy Krueger is pretty good, and does a great voice to go with his performance but I still think Robert Englund will always be the better Freddy. The biggest complaint I have is that instead of using atmosphere and the terror of the unseen, the movie employs a cheap strategy of constantly resorting to jump scares, which become less and less effective as the film goes on. The acting is terrible, but what do you expect from a teen horror remake. All in all, while this is a decent attempt to revive the Nightmare series, I still think that it should be simply left alone. Worth checking out if you're interested.

In my opinion, this is one of the best sequels of all time. Right up there with T2, Evil Dead 2 and of course the Godfather Part 2. Besides spawning a whole line of comics, games and two further installments in the series (mediocre at best, IMO) the movie also established James Cameron, then known for Terminator, as a successful figure in the film industry, with his most notable blockbusters being Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009). All in all, a great watch with some of the best and most suspenseful action scenes in any sci-fi movie.

Pretty good with some decent scares and a great performance from Michael Keaton as the architect mourning his wife. The ghost effects I thought were really cool and the whole serial killer sub plot came totally out of the blue for me. In sum, a decent thriller that is a great movie to watch on Halloween.

At first, I was hesitant towards this movie seeing as melodramas and ballet dancing aren't really my thing. But when I saw it I thought it really was rather good, at least in the wonderfully directed and choreographed dance sequences. It also makes a very effective thriller at times, with some horrific hallucinations that actually shocked me. The acting is over the top and the plot is very overly complicated and confusing, but if you like classical music, ballet and drama at its highest level, go see this film.

I just saw this movie for the first time today and I can now say with complete honesty that it is in my mind one of the funniest movies I have seen so far. I love the comrade between Pegg and Frost, and Seth Rogen was the perfect choice for the alien. The celebrity cameos I thought were cool (look out for Spielberg) and it also shows you at the very end one of the most famous sci-fi locations of all time. In sum, now one of my favorite movies of 2011.

After watching this movie I would have to say that Clint Eastwood is my favorite actor alive today. The man is the epitome of coolness and has had some of the greatest action and westerns of all time to his name such as the Dollars Trilogy, Dirty Harry and of course Unforgiven.

I watched this movie for the first time today. At first, I hesitated before picking up the DVD because I worried that it would go really slowly and become one of those movies that only gets interesting during the last 35-40 minutes. But I was wrong. In this movie, I saw the seedier sides of New York, drug dealing and a truckload of amazing acting all rolled into one hell of an entertaining crime movie. It may not be an all out gunfights, car chases and one liner action epic, but If you like your crime on the realistic side, SEE THIS MOVIE.

One of my all time favorites from the 1980s horror cycle. A scientist's genes are mixed with that of a common house fly and soon he begins to transform into a giant half man, half fly creature. In the meantime he is helped through his deeply horrifying problem by his loving girlfriend. I love the effects, which still look realistic here in 2011 and the music is amazing and sounds more like an operatic piece than a horror soundtrack. All in all, I LOVE THIS FILM!

From the director of the 1992 Alien 3 comes a dark, highly disturbing and gruesome film that is most certainly not for the faint of heart. The film focuses around two New York detectives trying to catch a religious serial killer who bases his murders on the seven sins; lust, pride, greed, wrath, gluttony, envy and sloth. Each murder leaves a clue to the next and this man is highly intelligent in how he plans out his acts of atrocity. However, what really cements the movie is the climax, where one of the detectives has to become one of the sins mentioned above ( No, I am not saying which one it is ). All in all, a horrifying and genuinely scary film that rivals the Sixth Sense in its final twist.

One word: OMG! Wacky aliens, an awesome looking New York City, Bruce Willis and Gary Oldman in one of his strangest performances to date. Also, Milla Jovovich as Leeloo; *wolf whistle*. Also it has great lines, some of which I quote on a daily basis (MULTI-PASS, chicken GOOD!). One of my favorite movies EVER!!!!!!

Just finished watching this movie a few minutes ago. An unbelievable rollercoaster ride that had me hooked from the very start. The only bad things I can think of are the musical choices and Jean Reno's heavy French accent throughout. Gary Oldman is actually scary as a drug addicted DEA officer (catch the joke?). Some parts were very slow, but it IS meant to be more dramatic than action packed.

Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright could be described as the new Three Stooges, having given us so many wonderfully funny treats each year. However, their 2004 "romzomcom" shot them to **** and single-handedly managed to revive British horror. Shaun is a young man working in an electrical store has a rocky relationship with his mum, his girlfriend Liz is on the verge of dumping him and his best mate Ed is a complete slob who spends his days on Shaun's couch playing videogames and drinking beer, When he finally decides to get off his feet and sort his life out, a zombie invasion takes place but Shaun merely sees it as another obstacle. When he rounds up his family and friends and takes them to his local pub to try and survive the night. A real treat for all fans of British comedy and at the same time a gorefest that harkens back to the days of Peter Jackson's Braindead. Bloody brilliant.

Twinkies, zombies, Woody Harrelson playing a total badass and two hot chicks. Plus a nerdy computer geek. What could possibly go wrong. When I first saw the trailer back in 2009, I thought it was just another dumb comedy movie, but instead I was given eye candy every minute, and loved it enough to include it in my countdown of my top favorite movies of all time. Ruben Fleischer should receive a medal. In the words of Tallahassee, time to nut up or shut up!

A fun ride that has a better first half than the second. If this movie had just left out the whole vampire story and just continued with the first half it would have been much more thrilling and possibly become an unexpected success. George Clooney gives a great job and Tarantino, Lewis and Keitel do well also. However, the only reason I wouldn't give this movie full marks is because of the fact that the vampire action reaches levels of pure mindless schlock and forgets all drama, suspense and character. In other words, a good time for horror fans and a bad time for serious moviegoers.

The one successful movie M. Night Shyamalan has to his name, TSS is one of the most frightening, thought provoking and most genius thrillers to entertain audiences in recent years. Bruce Willis gives a cold performance that makes you believe he is a ghost himself. Haley Joel Osment and Toni Collete also give good performances. The twist at the end is utter genius and smacks you right between the eyes , making you think you should have seen it coming all along. The best of its kind.

When me and my friends watched this last Halloween, we were expecting a horrifying movie that would give us nightmares and a lot of stories to tell at school after. Instead what we got was an hour and a half of shaky cameras, mediocre acting and an ending that is more laughable than scary. A letdown for people who are looking for a good movie to watch on the aforementioned holiday.

A confusing and overlong supposed masterpiece that only serious drama fans will dig. Not my cup of tea at all. Eisenberg gives a dull, robotic performance and Justin Timberlake coasts through the movie on the same motivation.

A very strange movie for me, mostly thanks to Mel Gibson as Riggs. He has weird hair, weird accent and his way of taking down bad guys is totally ridiculous. Thankfully, Danny Glover gives a more or less normal performance that really stretches the intentional difference between the two. Gary Busey is also quite strange. Also the end fight between the two is plain silly. Gibson and Busey deck it out in the mud and rain near the end surrounded by gun wielding police officers. Why doesn't Riggs just let them arrest Busey? Questions like these really make you wonder what they were aiming for when they shot this movie. Music is good and there are some good action scenes, but the rest isn't worth watching.

One of the zaniest, funniest, smartest and most entertaining movies I have ever seen. One of my all time favorites as well. John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson give terrific performances.

One of my favorite movies of all time. One of the best feel good movies around and also a dramatic masterpiece. A nice break from the horror adaptations of Stephen Kings books.

One of the most disturbing films I have seen so far in my movie-watching hobbies, Some scenes are incomprehensible if you haven't read the book, but apart from that a classic for its time.

This 1984 horror classic was and still is a milestone in the history of horror cinema and is the best film of Wes Craven's career, in my opinion. The plot concerns a group of teenagers who are having terrifying nightmares about a strange man who wears a fedora hat, striped sweater and has a knifed glove on his hand. When they ask their parents, they get no response and instead an alarmed look. The main character is Nancy Thompson, who after the death of her best friend Tina pieces together the puzzle and finds out that the "strange man" in her dreams is a child killer named Freddy Krueger, who was burned alive at the hands of grieving parents who took the law into their own hands after he was set free from prison on a technicality. As all of her friends are slashed to death one by one, Nancy must find a way to stop Krueger once and for all. It may sound like the stuff of schlock, but it tells it to you in a way that makes you believe the idea is credible. All the actors are good, but Freddy steals the show. His evil laughter, famous one-liners and his sick sense of humor have all become the stuff of legend. Another notable mention is that a certain Johnny Depp had his first screen role thanks to this film. As you would expect from a 1980s horror movie made on a low budget, the effects look dodgy today but that cannot be helped. Add into the mix an atmospheric musical score and some great direction and you have a recipe for one of the most intelligent and terrifying horror films of the 1980s.

2012 is possibly the single most impressive CGI epic ever released in recent years. As the title obviously states, the movie is about the end of the world and it does a damn good job of portraying it. Sure, the acting and all that other stuff is bad but even if you hated Independence Day you have at least got to appreciate the CGI in this one. Its so good that I have given this movie a perfect 10 simply based on the effects.

One of those "so bad its good" films, this 1996 alien bonanza has breathtaking alien effects, decent acting and some great one liners. Will Smith delivers his usual cool and **** performance, while Jeff Goldblum is great as a nerdy computer scientist who is the first to decipher the alien countdown to the attack. Bill Pullman has a small role as the US President, not too much to say other than good job. A lot of people have hated this movie over the years, calling it effects over plot, but what did they expect from the director of the other sci-fi epic Stargate. I like the movie as far as the effects.

A strange mixture of Dances With Wolves and Aliens makes for a an equally bizarre but visually stunning screen epic that unfortunately falls flat on its face when it comes to plot and characters. A crippled soldier is sent undercover disguised as a blue smurf to convince the natives to move out of their hometown so that the government can obtain a rare and valuable substance known jokingly as "unobtainium". Directed by James Cameron, the same man who swept the world with the 1997 epic Titanic. A movie best experienced in 3-D. All in all, good entertainment.

This movie is really just trying to disguise what it is. What it is is just another Batman movie. It added pointless layers of depth to itself so that critics could not write it off as another superhero movie. I liked it when it was just Batman beating the crap out of criminals, and not Batman being a political figure. I usually like Christopher Nolan movies, but he really was overloading this one and makes it complicated enough that the regular audience of Batman films (6-10 yr olds) wont enjoy it and end up calling it boring. In short, great as a superhero movie and confused as a political thriller.

A terrible movie that represents what it is in of itself; a disaster. The acting is atrocious, the gore is all CGI and it ripped off the camcorder premise from The Blair Witch Project, as 5 billion other horror movies did also. A severe letdown for Romero fans.

As much as I love Romero's 1978 classic, I must agree with fellow movie buffs who say that this particular remake was unfairly prejudiced and slandered upon release. The movie sticks pretty much to the basic plot; a group of people hide out in an abandoned shopping center during a zombie apocalypse. That's all there is to it. The acting was good and some of the comedy moments were actually pretty funny (Hollywood Squares, anyone?). Of course, seeing as it was shot in the modern era of the zombie flick, there is just enough blood and huts to satisfy any gorehound. The zombies looked scary and WERE scary simply due to the fact that they could sprint (a cliche started by 28 Days Later). The heavy metal soundtrack really helped the atmosphere of a zombie invasion and went great with zombie-killing. In sum, an underrated horror movie.

A decent rework of the novel. The atmosphere was very sad and the creatures were generally pretty creepy. However, the supposedly intentional fright moments are plagued with jump scares, a technique I feel is lazy and over used, especially in modern horror films. Smith is okay. He's not bad, but he's okay. All in all, an adequate flick.

Watching this movie drew me in and shook me to the very core with a gritty, realistic and bloody vision of WWII that makes you think "was it justified?". I usually think that Spielberg's earlier Schindlers List was superior, but seeing this for the first time has changed my outlook completely. One minor complaint is that too many parts of it feel like a full on action movie that could be viewed as disrespectful to the veterans. All in all, a cinematic experience that isn't afraid to shock.

This movie is possibly one of the wackiest and hilarious films ever released. Sam Raimi returns once again to the horrors of the Book of the Dead, along with star Bruce Campbell, the king of B-movies. The plot is pretty much the same as the original; Ash and his girlfriend Linda venture to a cabin in the middle of a dark and unidentified forest. Ash finds a strange looking book and when he recites passages from it, he ressurects a dark spirit in the woods, and summons all kinds of crazy demons and monsters. The blood flies in some very imaginative ways. Heads get lopped off, demons get blown up and numerous people get zombified. It also has a focus on comedy thats just adds to how entertaining this movie really is. In sum, a great movie to watch on Halloween night an one of the most unique horror films around.

Just watched this last night. Totally blew me away, drawing me in from the very start. Funny, shocking but overall one of the best of its kind. Martin Scorsese delivers a film experience that anyone who calls themselves a buff NEEDS to experience. I liked the way the whole movie is told in chronological order, showing 30 years of mob life in NYC. Possibly the best gangster film I have seen so far.

A silly and over the top remake of the 1963 classic, Eddie Murphy stars as Sherman Klump, a man who is battling his own weight problems. He forms a cliche romantic relationship with a chemistry teacher named Carla Purty. One night, after having a horrific nightmare, he goes to the lab and creates a serum that enables him to become thin and muscular. However, his alter ego is both a blessing and a curse. Overall, a bad script makes the story boring. One of the only reasons to watch this mess is all the fantastic multi-roles played by Murphy, the highlight being Klump's mother, father, grandmother, nephew and brother. Another great gimmick are the mindblowing special effects by makeup supreme Rick Baker. Oh, and also a funny but mean theatrical outing as Buddy Love. The music is mostly 90s pop songs, but I like old music so what the hell. In other words, funny for the most part but generally just another big budget remake that was s**t out by Hollywood.

A group of people go on an exploration of the biggest cave system in the world and have two days to get out before the area floods. Many people die, leaving only four left. The film is cheesy and the as we go deeper into the cave, every area is dull, looking exactly the same and lavished with unnecessary CGI, something I am not a fan of as a film buff. However, scenes that involve the spectacular 3-D effects make this one of the only reasons to see this movie. In sum, good 3d, mediocre film.

German terrorists, a ****, Christmas Eve and LA. When these elements are combined, you get Die Hard, a 1988 rip-roaring action epic that shot Bruce Willis to international fame. The plot is delightfully simple; John McClane is a New York cop who is visiting his wife Holly in LA during Christmas Eve. He meets up with her at her business company's Christmas party. All goes well until a few uninvited guests in the form of creepy terrorists seize control of the building and take all 30 of the guests hostage, demanding a ransom. McClane, in the bathroom at their time of arrival, escapes into the unfinished **** armed only with his standard issue 9mm at his disposal. His main objective; find out what the hell is going on. His only help is a flatfooted cop on the ground played by Reginald VelJohnson of Family Matters. Along the way, he is listening to radio messages between the villains with a stolen walkie talkie in an attempt to figure out their nefarious plan. Alan Rickman is great as Hans Gruber, leader of the baddies, and delivers a performance he echoes in the Harry Potter films as Prof. Severus Snape. One of the best movie villains of all time. This festival of explosions, guns and epic battles was directed by John McTiernan, famous already for the original Predator. He delivers a movie that entertains as well as it shocks. In particular, the sequence in which one of the hostages attempts to save his own life by offering McClane to the terrorists. Correctly anticipating a liar, Hans shoots him in the head. The film was one of the biggest box office hits of the 1980s and spawned three sequels throughout the 1990s and 2000s, firmly placing John McClane as an action hero alongside the Terminator and Rambo. Also, it is the best Christmas movie ever made.

The most successful outing of the Caped Crusader before the 2007 smash hit Dark Knight, the 1989 Tim Burton version offers a straight up comic book movie with a crap load of action, explosions and overall mayhem. Michael Keaton stars as Bruce Wayne, a sly and unassuming businessman who by day deals with documents and contracts and who by night is a one man army, stopping crimes all over Gotham City. He forms a relationship with photojournalist Vicki Vale, played sexily by Kim Basinger, who wants to write a story about the Batman legend and crack the truth once and for all. Meanwhile, a citywide spree of madness and murder is being perpetrated by The Joker, played excellently by Jack Nicholson who is perfect for the role. Quite simply, when it comes to portraying crazy people, he is THE best. As mentioned before, the movie was in the hands of extraordinary artist Tim Burton, four years after his big screen debut with the 1985 comedy Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. The movie looks great, and the DVD quality is top-notch for a movie that is nearly 25 years old. I have to say, this movie in particular is the best looking action movie I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. However, the film does have some flaws, my biggest complaint being a sometimes cheesy soundtrack (Prince). In sum, a truly great film experience that all fans of the genre should check it out.

James Cameron's 1997 movie epic garnered instant acclaim upon release, grossed over 1 billion dollars at the box office (Avatar would beat this record over a decade later) and was given the dubious honor of being the most expensive production of all time. The plot tells of a poor steerage passenger named Jack Dawson who forms a romantic relationship with first class passenger Rose DeWitt Bukater onboard the "unsinkable" RMS Titanic. The film focuses mainly on the relationship between the duo up until the point the great ship strikes an iceberg and sinks rapidly, transforming it into a typical big budget summer blockbuster that tries to be more than just popcorn entertainment. The acting is decent, with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet giving dramatic performances that are fueled by the romance between the two. Billy Zane is also good as Cal Hockley, a wealthy tycoon who plans to marry Rose. Overall, the film is good but one major complaint must be addressed. I think that the film uses one of the greatest tragedies in history to its advantage just a bit too much. Of course, Cameron had been on dives to the real wreck of the actual ship himself during filming and was very much moved by it, but his feelings and emotions towards the events are not portrayed very well on film. As is typical with many Hollywood epics, a small proportion of the what happens during the sinking is historically inaccurate but apart from that it leaves an overwhelming sense of grief upon you. Actually, that grief may be the reason why the film has received so much backlash in recent years, because the first time you see it, men and women will get teary-eyed in the end, but after a number of times it just isn't the same and you wish you were seeing it for the first time instead. All in all, a masterpiece as a standalone disaster film but a tad disappointing as a historically accurate Titanic film. If you wish to see a factual version, the 1958 film A Night to Remember may be more your cup of tea.

Jaws is simply one of the greatest motion pictures of all time. Based on the best-selling novel by Peter Benchley, the film opened to audiences around the world and apart from receiving critical acclaim, grossed hundreds of millions thanks to word of mouth and clever advertising. Three mediocre sequels followed in 1978, 1983 and 1987 but the original from 1975 is THE definitive suspense film. The plot concerns a small New England holiday resort that is being terrorized by a killer great white shark. The corrupt mayor of the town wishes to regard the numerous shark attacks as boating accidents. However, as the bodies mount it becomes clear to police chief Martin Brody that the problem can no longer be ignored. So, with the help of oceanographer Matt Hooper and crusty old fisherman Quint, Brody heads out to sea on a small boat in order to catch and kill the shark once and for all. Once they get on open sea, the film suddenly becomes a straight out action-adventure film, which is a genius move by both Spielberg and the producers, because in the first half of the film, the tension is slowly built up notch by notch so that when the viewer wants the shark dead too, then the characters decide to do the same and the way it gradually makes the transition is brilliant. Also, one cannot review the film without mentioning the iconic musical score by composer John Williams, a frequent choice in nearly all Spielberg's films. The music represents the mindless attack of the shark and it also is accompanied by some traditional swashbuckler music in the less suspenseful moments. The film's other big claim to fame is the fact that it had one of the most troublesome shoots in film history. The three mechanical sharks constructed for the film rarely worked, and when they did it was only for a short while. The reason for having three sharks was so that the filmmakers could exercise their control over the shark. The cast is superb also, with Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss all giving their signature performances. However, the star of the show, as all learned movie buffs know, is really the shark. The film was released on June 20th of 1975 and quickly became the most popular film of all time at that time. It set the record for summer blockbusters since, grossing over 400 million dollars and shooting Spielberg to international fame. Overall, a classic chiller that belongs in every DVD collection. (10/10)