Movie Review - Ghost In The Shell [Live-Action]

Ghost In The Shell

2017

Paramount Pictures / DreamWorks / Reliance Entertainment / Shanghai Film Group/ Huahua Media / Arad Productions / Steven Paul Production / Amblin Partners / Grosvenor Park Productions / Seaside Entertainment / Weying Galaxy Entertainment

Paramount Pictures

4 / 10

There's a problem with re-filming classic and iconic movies and that is perception.  This film fails mostly due to the writers and directors not knowing what they wanted from this movie.  They had a massive budget to craft and create a beautiful and thought-provoking piece of art.  Was the estimated $110,000,000 worth it... NO!  Not one penny of it.

The writers strangely opted to not tell the original story but to create a mish-mash of the Original 1995 Ghost In The Shell Movie and the Second Gig of the 2004 Series, along with the Basset Hound from the less-than-stellar Ghost In The Shell II: Innocence and make it a 12a Certificate (WHY?).  Unfortunately by doing this the messages which the originals gave the audience is lost.  In fact, the idea of "The Ghost" is so heavy-handedly hammered into you I thought I might need a doctor.  If the writers, Jamie Moss, William Wheeler, and Ehren Kruger couldn't come up with a decent original story based on the G.I.T.S. Universe than a straight forward remake would have been better.  To be honest, now that A.I.'s are closer than ever the original story would have been more poignant.

As for the direction, this was lazy, to say the least as director, Rupert Sanders copies some scenes and mixes others together.  All the original shots within the film are pretty unimpressive.

I also hope that the acting and characterisations of the cast were down to Sanders vision of the movie as most of them put in sub-standard portrayals.  The worst of which is Takeshi Kitano who plays Section 9's leader Aramaki.  This character is wily like a fox, though does show quite a bit of emotion on his face and in his voice.  Kitano just feels like he turned up, said his lines, then went home.  It's such a lacklustre appearance that in some scenes I thought Sanders had just inserted a still shot and dubbed the speech over.  As for Scarlett Johansson their's nowhere near enough presence or assurance in her portrayal of the major.  For most of the scenes, she skulks around with her head down.  This is a strong and assured character.  Bad guys and people, in general, should be weary of her.  This could be down to the butchering of her backstory that Moss, Wheeler, and Kruger did.  Not only does it lessen the character but is nonsensical and quite stupid.  The only one who comes out of this film looking good is Pilou Asbaek as his Batou was pretty decent, though the writers again messed up a solid backstory - though not so bad this time.

As for the special effects and CGI, these were okay, though not too impressive.  However, the Geisha sequence is really good, as is the arm tearing sequence, and I really like the doctor's eyes and the PA's fingers.which kept in with the original.  Though the fight sequences were a little strange.  In the Geisha fight scene, the Major hangs too long in the air; then in the Bin-Man Puppet fight there are times when his movement through the air doesn't look right, it's as if the harness wasn't working right and they were pushed for time...  The worst thing though is the streets.  I don't mind that they are garishly lit, as this may be the case, it's the huge holographic people throughout.  This wouldn't be too bad if you can figure out what they were selling but they just appear to be people doing... well, not much at all, really.

Since the original films are still available I would strongly recommend you watch them instead of this.  Even Innocence, which is the weakest of the series, is much stronger in story and characterisation.  However, if you still haven't watched the original, why not?  Find yourself a copy, it is a beautiful and intelligent movie.  Something this should have been.  I cannot understand why they did this to something that was so good, to begin with.  Do they know that the saying isn't "If it ain't broke... BREAK IT!"  Well, it goes to show that it doesn't matter how much money you throw at something... if the talent isn't there, or it isn't used to it's fullest potential, then you will usually get a pile of...

Video Nasty - Cannibal Apocalypse

Cannibal Apocalypse

1980

Edmondo Amati Presents / Jose Frade Producciones Cinematograficas S A / New Fida

Almi Cinema 5 / Cinefear / Replay Video / Video Program Distributors VPD

5.25 / 10

What the writers Antonio Margheriti, who also directed, and Dardano Sacchetti give the viewers of Cannibal Apocalypse is a cannibalistic thriller with a twist of zombie fetish... and it works.

While fighting in the Vietnam war Charlie Buckowski and Tom Thompson are captured and imprisoned in a pit with very little to eat.  During a rescue by Norman Hopper a Vietcong falls into the pit; unfortunately for her, the prisoners are ravenous and start to tear her apart with their teeth as they feast.  Once back in the USA all of the team are subject to psychological tests.  Though it's only when Charlie is released that things start to take a darker turn.  As he's trying to kill time by going to the cinema he has the urge to devour the woman in the seat in front of him.  As she and her amorous boyfriend start to make out Charlie leans forward and takes a bite...  Meanwhile, Hopper who was bitten by Charlie during the rescue is starting to feel the hunger too...    Can the apocalypse be stopped before everybody become infected?

However, it's the rest of the pieces which deter from the film.  The acting, on the whole, is above average, even Giovanni Lombardo Radice (Charlie) performs better than he did in Cannibal Ferox.  John Saxon does a more than passable portrayal as Hopper, a man trying to help his friend while trying to resolve the mystery.  There's even a shining light in the shape of Cinzia De Carolis who is brilliant as the blossoming teenager Mary who has a crush on  Hopper.  Even Luca Venantini as Bobby (Mary's younger brother) gives a few good creepy kid scares.  However, it's Tony King's over-the-top acting as Thompson that hinders the film, as well as the actors representing the bike gang, and most of the extra's.

The direction, though above average could have been helped by adding a little more action as well as tension to the atmosphere of the film as the pace of the story is pretty regular throughout, another drawback to this type of movie.  A few iconic shots and differing camera angles wouldn't have gone amiss either.  However, the bad lines in the film actually help to keep the audience unintentionally entertained.  I loved the scene where the cop transforms into a Cannibal and when his superior officer confronts him, while he's devouring a colleagues hand, he says in a caring tone, "My God son, put it down."  Awesome scene.

This is an enjoyable film and I would definitely recommend it to everyone especially if you like Zombies or Cannibals.  This is, in fact, storywise, one of the strongest Cannibal movies made.  Since it doesn't feel like a horror film, as there's not enough eeriness (which is harder to create due to it being shot mainly in daylight) you can enjoy it in the full daylight - no need to watch at night or in the darkness behind closed curtains.  Well worth one viewing, though you may just find yourself coming back to it again... and again...

Nergling - The Video Nasties Scare - Cannibal Apocalypse

Free Kindle Sci-Fi Short Story

The Last Doctor

A Sci-Fi Urban Mystery:

The Government Rain Mysteries.

By L A Frederick.

Can he escape?

Over the past six months, the Doctor has become riddled with doubt. Is the work he is doing at the mysterious Newton Street facility immoral? Has he gone too far? Is it time to get out of the urban jungle that is New Hampton? Can he even get out with Doctor Zhirkov and Darkmore in charge?

Q - So, what makes the Government Rain Mysteries special?

L A F - I've always enjoyed reading dark, mysterious books that leave me desperate for answers, and the Government Rain Mysteries are my interpretation of the macabre, urban, mystery genres. 

I've forever been engrossed with science fiction that touches on the unexplainable, that baffles, intrigues and gets you turning to the next page hoping to find the answers. With The Government Rain Mysteries, I hope to leave the reader puzzled, gripped and, potentially, a little uneasy and questioning. How is that possible? Why are they doing that? 

The Government Rain Mysteries are a brutal look at an urban setting with gruesome science fiction thrown in to leave the reader confused, gripped and potentially a little scared... 

The Last Doctor: An Urban Mystery- The Government Rain Mysteries Categories:

- Sci-fi Urban Mystery

- Dark Urban Mystery

- Mystery Mutants

- Urban Dark

- Dark Mystery

- Urban Fantasy

- Dark Sci-fi

Click Here To Collect

Movie Review - Plan 9

Plan 9

2015

Darkstone Entertainment

Bounty Films / Gravitas Ventures

6.25 / 10

To be honest, I cannot believe that somebody had the balls to remake Plan 9 From Out Of Space since this was voted the worst film ever made and boasted the worst dialogue and scenes ever put on celluloid.  Even though it flopped it later gained a classic status for its wrongness.  I have to say I have a warm place in my heart for it.

So when I caught the trailer for Plan 9 I knew I had to give it at least one viewing.

The major trouble with the movie is the writer and director John Johnson.  When you take on a project such as this one you have to decide what to keep, what to change, what to eradicate, and what to add and it's here where all his problems arise.  The original is loved because it is so bad on so many fronts so you have to keep some of these bad issues in the movie as well as add some, though you have to make it humourous to keep your audience.  In some of the other reviews, it's been noted about all the fourth wall shout-outs to other films.  I believe this to be intentional and in the "bad" mode, though he may have taken it too far.  Also, there are lots of similarities to Romero's Night Of The Living Dead and other Zombie films.  I believe Johnson took Plan 9 down the zombie road to pay homage to the movie and send up the sub-genre (it's also not a bad thing as there's a lot of Z-lovers out there, so it gives him a ready-made audience - which is what Edward D Wood Jr did).  Though he does keep enough science fiction elements to keep it in this genre.  For me the Z's took second place, it wasn't about them it was about the annihilation of mankind so we could all be used as cheap fuel.

As for the acting, most of it is average, though on Mr Lobo's part I believe this was intentional, and he does gloriously over-act at times.  Whereas, Brian Krause is back on form as the male lead role Jeff Trent.  Though it's James Rolfe as the policeman that gets some of the better, and funnier, lines and scenes.  I found Sara Eshleman as Lucy Grimm a little wooden though again this could have been intentional in homage to the original.  If this is the case then she's a good actress as she does wooden well.  However, it does make for enjoying the movie a little difficult as it's a great excuse for anything which didn't work too well... it was a homage!

It would have been nice for Johnson not to pay homage to the film by trying to add elements to his remake but to make a straight forward sci-fi flick based on the original story.  He proved he can add tension and an atmosphere of dread as is shown with the arrival of the aliens themselves.  They were a nice twist as they came to the town members as human, they clearly weren't.  Johnson even did an okay job with the action when the heroes go after the aliens.  If the same mood and quality had been used throughout we might have had a decent film and not this strange homage.

On the whole, the movie works and is nicely filmed.  I would gladly recommend it as it is a decent "leave your brain at the door" waste of time.  It definitely isn't the worst movie out there... that's the original...  Though this is at least worth one viewing on a cold and wet night when there's nothing better to do.  However, I do believe this film to be of the "Marmite" Syndrome - you'll either like it or loathe it.  It made me smile and laugh more than grimace and frown, so I love it.

Movie Review - It Came From Outer Space II

It Came From Outer Space II

1996 

Duchowny Dow Films

MCA Home Entertainment / Universal Studios Home Entertainment

5.5 / 10

It was Ray Bradbury's name that brought this movie to my attention.  Just before Christmas and before I started reviewing I had watched, and enjoyed, the original.  So there wasn't much choice but to view the sequel... even though it's not.  This is actually a brought-up-to-date remake.

However, even though it has Bradbury's name it wasn't as good as I hoped it would be.  That is probably due to him not having his screenplay filmed.  He actually had four screenplays for the movie and none of them was chosen, not for the original and not for this remake (Harry Essex scripted the original while Ken and Jim Wheat have written this one.)  I've not read the Bradbury versions, though being a fan I can honestly believe they might be better than what we received here.  Since he was still alive when this was filmed I would have asked him to update the script for the modern age.  Had there been issues with the original, his gained experience from 1953 to '96 should have been able to smooth them out.

That said, Ken and Jim Wheat don't do a bad job of bringing this film up to date.  However, they're not too good at characterisation or flow.  Though some of this could be down to the director Roger Duchowny.   What this needed was an injection of excitement and relatable characters.  Most of the people in the town are bleak and depressing; though this is believable, the way they are handled makes them more two-dimensional than possessing deep personalities and was a major cause of my boredom.  Even the likes of Elizabeth Pena, Dean Norris, and Mickey Jones who are good actors and had a few decent scene's still couldn't inject life into the dullness.

The other cause of my dissatisfaction is the slowness of the pace.  This could have been used to create atmosphere and draw the viewer in.  Sadly this wasn't the case and only added to the films dullness.

The special effects are okay for the period and there are some nice ideas though due to the slow pace and the way they were shown their impact is dulled and not fully utilised.  

This is one of those films I would recommend to only the die-hard sci-fi fans and lovers of the original film.  However, if you want to watch a decent film I'd say watch the original as it's much better on every count, especially if you've never seen it.  There's a reason it's a classic and this one is seldom heard of.

Movie Review - Asteroid: Final Impact

Asteroid: Final Impact

2015

Frostbite Pictures

Amazing DC / Marvista Entertainment

5.25 / 10

This film starts off a sound disaster movie with the said asteroid of the title disappearing.  When astrophysicist Steve Thomas (Mark Lutz) wants to use his asteroid tracking site to find the missing rock he finds it's now being used by the military to spy on the populace.  After he blows the whistle he loses his job, his reputation, and friends.  Then after a deadly meteor storm hits America he comes to realise theirs greater issues at hand.   The missing rock has become a dark asteroid, which is undetectable by normal technology, only Thomas' satellite will be able to see it.  However, things only get worse as it may be indestructible also.

This, for the most part, is a respectfully written, directed, and acted film.  Daniel Winters creates a nice story of distrust and the consequences of one's actions, even when they are the in the right.  The actors do a good job of bringing the characters to life and generating a believable universe.  While the director, Jason Bourque,  keeps the pace fluctuating in all the right scenes to create excitement.  The special effects are decent though nothing ground-breaking, they are used well and to their greatest potential to strengthen both the story and film.

Unfortunately, and it's a big unfortunately, the ending lets the story down to the point of breaking the believability and leaving the viewing audience feeling cheated.  It feels rushed, crude, and childish, which is a shame as with a better and more reasonable and realistic outcome this film could have been a rare thing - a TV movie which breaks out of the average mould.

So if you like disaster movies this may be worth watching as long as you remember that the ending needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.  If bad movies bring a smile to your face when something incredibly awful and silly happens then the finale should bring a smile to your lips as it did mine; if not then stay away from the film.

Movie Review - Predestination

Predestination

2014

Screen Australia / Screen Queensland / Blacklab Entertainment / Wolfhound Pictures

Stage 6 Films / Signature Entertainment / Arclight Films

7.5 / 10

This is a very well sculptured and acted time travelling tale about an agent who is on his final mission to stop the fizzle bomber.  Throughout all his travels back in time, the bomber has always appeared to be one step ahead of him.

The Spierig Brothers, Michael and Peter, wrote a nicely crafted and layered story based on the Robert A Heinlein's story "All you zombies".  As directors, they do a fantastic job of bringing the story to the screen and getting the best out of their actors.  I've always rated Ethan Hawke and here he excels as The Barkeep; the agent on his last assignment.  Along with Sarah Snook, who is brilliant as The Unmarried Mother, they add a touch of class to the movie.

This is not an action-packed movie as it relies on the story rather than glossy special effects and fight scenes.  At times, it's slow and thought-provoking as the audience is slowly immersed in an emerging mystery.  The climax makes Oldboy's seem tame in comparison.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this film...

Except for one thing...

From H G Wells' The Time Machine to Doctor Who to Back To The Future to Dr Who there's been one absolute that a time traveller must not do... but they always do...  The paradox.  Unfortunately, if you like science fiction and time travel then you will probably figure out the ending of the film before it comes.  I had an inkling in the first scene.  Then, by the twentieth minute, I'd got most of it figured out.  Ten minutes after that I understood.  Which left two-thirds of the film left to go.

However, this wasn't much of an issue as the film pretty much carries itself strongly throughout and I enjoyed every minute of it, right up to the chilling finale.

This is not a film for everybody, though if you don't mind the slower dramatic style of moviemaking then you should enjoy this film.

Movie Review - Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society

Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex

Solid State Society

2006

Production I G

Bandai Entertainment / Manga Entertainment

8.25 / 10

I don't know if this was intended to be the third season / Gig in the Stand Alone Complex series.  I say this as it could very well have been stretched out into the twenty-six episodes the series runs.  However, the one and three-quarter hour film manages to get the point across admirably, while still getting the audience to think of what may be ahead for the human population.

Togusa is now in charge of Section 9 after Major Kusanagi retired two years previous.  While on a mission, he and his team stumble upon a lead to an Ultra-Wizard Class Hacker the "Puppet Master".  This, in turn, leads them to other conundrums and secrets, including the children that are going missing in the city which nobody knows about.  Not only do Section 9 have to investigate and solve these mysteries but they also have to resolve issues within the team, due to the major's retirement.

Even with the complexities of the story and all the twists and turns within it, the screenwriters Shotaro Suga, Yoshiki Sakurai, and Kenji Kamiyama (who also directed) do a great job to tie it all together in a comprehensible and intelligent way.

For me, this is the best of the three storylines in the Stand Alone Complex series as it holds some viewpoints that are relative today.  We already have puppet masters in today's society and our elderly population is living longer, it's not too far of a stretch to imagine the film's visions becoming future truth, should we start to wonder down the techno-path.  People are already talking about populace explosion...  These are issues to fire up the brain cells.

The animation is on par with the series, which is to say, of a high caliber, though still not up to the beauty of the 1995 original, and this can be said for the direction and soundtrack also.

You do not need to watch the Stand Alone Complex series to enjoy this film as it is a stand alone in its own right.  I would recommend that you at least watch the original Ghost In The Shell before checking this out, though it's not necessary.  You do need to set time aside to watch the movie, any interruptions may affect your overall enjoyment and understanding of the story.  It's also a film NOT to watch with people who don't get the concepts of Cyber Punk Science Fiction...

Movie Review - Terminator Genisys

Terminator Genisys

(2015)

Annapurna Pictures / Paramount Pictures / Skydance Media : Paramount Home Media Distribution

8.25 / 10

Yet another Terminator time-travelling yarn.  This time, because of previous alterations in the past, when this new timeline's John Connor sends Kyle Reese back to save his mother and himself from Skynet he is attacked by an unknown assailant.  Kyle see's this and as he passes back through time he catches some strange images of his younger self.

One of the reasons I loved this movie was the superb homage to the original by recreating some of the opening segments; this was a brave and daring move by the writers Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier, and director Alan Taylor.  This could have gone so wrong... but it was so right.  Even more so, because the humour that appeared in T2 and was missing in the first as it was played more seriously, is here in these recreated scenes.

When Reese lands in this timeline he finds that the Terminator he is following is not the only one on the hunt for Sarah Connor.  From here on it's a race, not to shut down Skynet as that never come to fruition, but the Skynet AI, which has only been delayed and is now branded as Genisys.  A total package app that will allow users to have control over all their gadgets... as will the AI.  This AI will bring on a nuclear devastation as well as give birth to the Terminators.

However, all of this leads to some paradoxes, one of which I really loved, though I couldn't really bring myself to believe it was actually an option.  I don't like spoilers so I won't say anything else, though you'll spot it when it happens.

The special effects are, as always, brilliant and larger than life.  Taylor does a great job of keeping the pace going throughout the film, right from the tribute at the beginning to the reveal at the climax.

Arnie Schwarzenegger is still the Terminator and it was great to see him back in the role, both real and CGI'd.  He brings a nice joyful feel to the character, which is strange saying he's playing an android.  This humour was added in T2 and worked really well, now he feels as though he's part of the family.  A Terminator film isn't a Terminator film without Arnie.  Now they have his CGI image he can keep appearing forever.

However, though Emilia Clarke, did a nice job as Sarah Connor I still preferred Linda Hamilton's strong single-minded character in T2.

I also wasn't too keen on this film's John Connor, played by Jason Clarke, or Kyle Reese, played by Jai Courtney.  Maybe because the original film had such an impact when I first saw it. Michael Biehn was a much better Reese and I could believe the sexual chemistry between him and Sarah... that chemistry is lacking in this film - John Connor may never be born.  Even John Connor's character isn't without flaws, he doesn't appear to be from Sarah's loins or even a "super" soldier created from her extensive training after his birth.

These slight issues could be down to the writer, director, or actor.  However, it doesn't stop the movie from being good fun... and giving plenty of scope for a sequel.

If you enjoy The Terminator films then you will like this one.  I would recommend you to give this a viewing, at least once.  If you've not watched a single Terminator film then don't start here, go back to the original, you won't be disappointed.

Movie Review - Ghost In The Shell - The New Movie

Ghost In The Shell - The New Movie

(2015)

FUNimation Entertainment / I G Production : FUNimation Entertainment

8.25 / 10

Though this sequel prequel is better than the first sequel, Ghost In The Shell - Innocence, it still doesn't match up to the original, Ghost In The Shell.

What the screenwriters John Burgmeier, Clint Bickham, and Tow Ubukata, give the audience is the story of Major Motoko Kusanagi and her perfect machine of paid mercenaries.  I like the idea that she sees her team as a well-oiled machine, each person represents a working part of the machine and every part (man) is required to make her perfect machine.  Since she is a cyborg, I could quite easily see her making this simile.  It's the story of how they were recruited into Section 9.

The story is stronger than the last as the Disney influence is no longer there and the philosophical issues are once again interwoven throughout the story, which helps to give it strength and carry the viewer along.  However, there are not as many twists in the tale.

Also, the CGI is used to much better ability, as it's mixed in with the traditional animation style to help build better effects and ambience.  I particularly liked the scene near the beginning where a child is running through a flowery archway...  The flowers are so bright and vivid it's very dreamlike.

There is so much right with this animation that I cannot pick any faults, except it's just not as hard-hitting as the original... or as stylised.

If you've watched the original then I'd say forget watching Innocence and opt to watch this one instead.  It's soo much better and has a similar taste, tone, and mood to the first.  These two together what a treat, not just for the eyes but for the mind also.

Movie Review - Death Race 2050

Death Race 2050

(2017)

Universal 1440 Entertainment / New Horizons Picture : Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

8.25 / 10

Way back in 1975 Roger Corman gave us the great Death Race 2000 which introduced us to race car driver Frankenstein in a dystopian future where vehicular manslaughter gets the driver points.  In 1978 Corman gave us Deathsport a similar concept and once again starring John Carradine.  In some countries, this released under Death Race 2050, though it wasn't a sequel.

Now in 2017 Corman is back with the real deal.

And what a deal it is.  The Death Race is still running and the United Corporations of America are making the money off the back of the games.  Frankenstein is still unhappy with his role as the favourite and the puppet of The Chairman; all he wants to do is race... he's a racecar driver.  The Chairman, knowing Frankenstein's feelings has arranged for a replacement in a genetically perfect human, Jed Perfectus.  Then there are the rebels who are tired of being controlled by the corporations and decide to fight back by attacking the race and the drivers.

What director and writer G J Echternkamp, along with fellow writer Matt Yamashita bring the audience is a wonderful satire wrapped up in a schlocky B-Movie.  I particularly loved the crappy in car scenes where they go back to the 70's style of screen driving... the actors sit in a stationary car while the landscape plays behind them on green-screen.

There are some nice story elements which bring the film up-to-date.  In this race, the drivers have a passenger.  The passenger is the gateway for the virtual reality ridealongs.  This is a nice addition as it allows for a building of characters, whereas the first movie was more race and kill based.

Malcolm McDowell is brilliant as The Chairman, camping it up whenever possible... and you have to love that hair.  Though it's Manu Bennett as Frankenstein that steals the show.  John Carradine was good but Bennett adds a little more depth to the character and I like his portrayal the better of the two.

If you ever wondered what the great thing about B-movies was or what a makes a good Roger Corman production then give this film a view.

If you like funny films with a story and a point of view then give this a view.

If you want a good night in with a good film... then give this a view.

And sing with Minerva Jefferson and myself...  Drive, Drive, Drive,.  Kill, Kill, Kill.  Drive.  Kill.  Drive.  Kill.  Drive.  Kill.  Drive.  Kill.

Movie Review - Ghost In The Shell: Innocence

Ghost In The Shell: Innocence

(2004)

Bandai Visual Company / Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Dentsu Music And Entertainment / ITNDDTD / Kodansha / Production I G / Studio Ghibli : Bandai Entertainment / DreamWorks Home Entertainment

7 / 10

This sequel doesn't come anywhere near the original in either story, atmosphere, artwork, or provocativeness.  From the onset, the viewer is slammed with a philosophical quandary, this is given by the cyber-coroner and feels so out of context that it appears forced.  Whereas, in the original, it was subtly woven throughout the film and its context. You just don't get that here.

I don't know if this is Disney's influence at work...  The first film was a little convoluted, though, with a little brain power you could figure it out.  For "Innocence" they give it to the audience in black and white.

Then you have the appearance of digital artwork, fused and mixed with the more original.  For most of the time, this works, though it does have less effect on building atmosphere as does the setting and direction of the scene.  The worst scenes containing digital art are the cars driving down the street.  The street backgrounds are dark with a mat lustre, howbeit, the cars are ultra shiny bright metallic.  The reflections flowing over the surface of the car doesn't tally with their surroundings.  This draws the viewer out of the story to register the imperfection of the scene, this hurts the movie as you want your viewer to feel as though they are apart of the story and not a third party just watching.

The story was a nice follow-up, even though I don't think is was told all that well.  Something is happening to the sex-bots!  For some reason, they are malfunctioning and killing their owners and whoever's in the vicinity before committing suicide.  Section Nine is called in as this could be an act of terrorism since robots cannot kill humans or themselves.

Under better hands, this could have been as great as the original film had they decided to entwine the philosophy, the mystery and thriller elements, and mood and ambience into the story and artwork instead of segregating them and lessening the power of the piece.

Worth watching if you've seen the original but be warned it's not as good.

Movie Review - Ghost In The Shell

Ghost In The Shell

(1995)

Kodansha / Bandai Visual Company / Manga Entertainment : Metrodome Distribution / Anchor Bay Entertainment

10 / 10

I had quite forgotten how wonderful, inciteful, imaginative, and beautiful this film is.  Since Hollywood is making their own version of this film I thought I would revisit the original itself.

America will ruin this movie.

What writer, Masamune Shirow (Manga Author), and screenwriter, Kazunori Ito, give the audience in Ghost In The Shell is a deep and thought-provoking story of a world on the edge of great change.  It's the year 2029 and most of the population have been augmented with machinery and computerisation.  People are able to send thoughts through the wires and electronic ether to each other as well as verbally.  Cyborgs are used to help to police the civilisations.

Major Motoko Kusanagi is one of these cyborgs.  She works for Section Nine who are on the trail of The Puppet Master; a hacker who can infiltrate his way into a person's shell and use their ghost to assassinate officials.  Though, The Puppet Master is not what he seems.

As the story progresses and the truth is revealed we asked a question...  What actually represents life?  This looks to be a simple question, however, in the context of the story it expands to absorbing and provocative magnitudes.

This is a story with heart and thought.

What makes this movie and story even more substantial is the animation.  Within this film are some great shots and scenes.  I love the way that even the backgrounds are so detailed and add to the feel and atmosphere of the film itself.

This is a visually stunning piece of work that should be viewed for that fact alone.  In addition, the musical soundtrack of Kenji Kawai is superb as it matches the artwork and feel of the film.  In one montage, Kawai's music and the accompanying images emote a feeling of sadness, despair, and hope in the viewer.

If you haven't seen this movie yet then do yourself a favour and find yourself a copy to watch.  Now in my top ten movies,

Movie Review - Virus

Virus

(2016)

Blumhouse Productions / Busted Shark Productions / Chapter One Films / Dimension Films / IM Global / Miramax : Lionsgate / Entertainment One

7.5 / 10

"Worm-flu hits America..."  I really wasn't looking forward to watching this film with that tagline, though the synopsis and trailer were enough of a hook to fish me in... and I am glad they did.

There's some new illness going around and it spreads with the speed of Speedy Gonzalas.  At first, the news tells people not to worry... then to stay at home... then the airwaves are taken over by the CDC as everything goes to hell.

What you get here is a typical "Teenagers will do what teenagers will do survival story".  the difference being it's pretty strongly directed and acted.

The story by Barbara Marshall and Christopher Landon had me in mind of Stephen King's Cell (also reviewed on this blog) though done better.  Instead of a cell phone signal affecting people, it's a strange infectious disease... or is it?  What the writers do best is to create strong and engaging characters.

Respect to directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman for breathing new life into the genre by creating relatable and realistic characters, adding tension and scares where required, and especially for some very nice camera shots.

Something else which booted the film in my eyes was the absence of an annoying character.  There's usually one character in this type of movie that is irksome and usually lowers the movie; the best example of this is "Snot-Girl" in The Blair Witch Project.  Luckily there's no such character here - thank you.

What you get are sisters Emma and Stacey Drakeford who have been forced to move to the new housing estate in a new city, thanks to their teacher dad's transfer.  The sisters are realistically portrayed by Sofia Black D'Elia and Analeigh Tipton, respectively.  Even though all hell is breaking loose around them it's a story of their relationship and how strong their and their families bonds are.

Even though there aren't many big special effects in the film, what there is are well done and nicely throughout.  The airstrike comes straight to mind as an example as does the "wiggly" ears...

If you like science fiction films about humans fighting an unwinnable fight against unknown forces then this would be worth a watch.  You will also see how Cell should have been done.

 

Movie Review - The Evil Gene

The Evil Gene

(2015)

Mind The Gap Productions / Flutterby Productions : Uncork'd Entertainment

2 / 10

This film doesn't live up to the poster or its own blurbs "Evil is Born Not Made" and "They Tried To Lock It Up".  It also comes nowhere near encompassing the possibilities of the synopsis.  There is an actual gene that causes psychosis and murderous tendencies in its host - that alone offers loads of scope for action, suspense, and tension, none of which appear in the movie.

The people who have the gene are locked up in a prison where a murder has been committed.  Surely this will add tension among the inmates as they're all murderers with a need to kill shut in close confinement.  Nope.

The FBI agent sent to investigate, Griff Krenshaw, begins to believe there may be a demon involved in the murders.  So now we get a supernatural element to add a bit a fear into the mix.  Er... No.

What we get is a bland, verging on boring, film that teeters on the abyss of total pure garbage.

It's a shame the writer, Kathryn F Taylor (who also directed), missed out on even the basics that the story should have given the audience.  Even the actors seem bored and, at times, appear to be wondering what they are doing there.  The worst for this is the beautiful Cameron Richardson, who plays Dr Dana Ehrhart, who puts no effort into her character and her delivery of lines could put an insomniac to sleep.

The only good thing about this story is the twist at the end, though I had figured it out as soon as the possibility was flagged up.

This could have been in so many genres though the film that Taylor gives us falls more into the science fiction side than that of either thriller or horror, though it is very weak.

I would recommend painting the fence or walking the dog in the rain before watching this movie.

 

Movie Review - The Signal

The Signal

(2014)

Automatik Entertainment / Low Spark Films / Signal Film Group : Focus Features / KVH Media Group

6.5 / 10

This is a solid science fiction story based on an extraterrestrial encounter our three protagonists while trying to track down the hacker Nomad, who has been recently plaguing their lives.

The start of the film is pretty slow and the soundtrack does feel a little depressing, given that we are on a road trip with three friends I thought the soundtrack could be a little more happy and carefree as it adds an unnecessary and incorrect feel to the film at this time.  However, as the film progresses the music melds better with the situations and feelings the writers, Carlyle Eubank, David Frigerio, and William Eubank (who also directed), wanted to portray, which is mainly a sense of loss, confinement, and hopelessness.  I really loved the way the Nima Fakhrara built up the entire soundtrack to a climax at the end of the movie, just like an electronic symphony.  Well thought out and respect due.

As previously stated, the film starts slow and I nearly turned off, but I have learnt to at least give a film twenty minutes as this could just be scene setting and character building.  In this case, it was just that.  You learn of the relationships between the three friends, Nic, Jonah, and Hayley; the reason for the road trip and their ongoing trials and tribulations.  This builds a realistic and credible storyline with characters you can relate to and believe in.

All the actors give good performances though it's Laurence Fishburne, who portrays the governmental figure of Damon, who steals the show.  No matter what happens, he always keeps his composure, never overreacting whatever the situation.  It's only Hayley's character, played sparingly by Olivia Cooke, that seems a little flat, maybe the male writers haven't got in touch with their feminine sides yet.

This is a slow burner of a film which builds slowly up to major reveals, action sequences, and the big reveal at the end, which you know is coming because in sci-fi something big has to be revealed.  All of this is handled superbly by the director William Eubank.  Once I got through the beginning I really enjoyed this tale, there are enough strange happenings to keep you enthralled and wondering WTF is going on?  However, there are also disjointed flashbacks, which only serve to confuse, but this may be the director trying to show Nic's confusion of the situation, though, this didn't work for me.

If you love science fiction then this film is worth at least one watch.

Movie Review - Cell

Cell (2016)

The Genre Company / 120dB Films / Benaroya Pictures : Signature Entertainment / Saban Films

3.5 / 10

"Cell" was not my favourite Stephen King book; It was one of my least favourite of his works and for some of the same reasons as this film.

The first thing that made me sigh with apprehension was a film company calling themselves "The Genre Company" - Nice of them to choose a story which doesn't sit well in a genre.  For me, this isn't a Horror film as a lot of the elements of horror are lacking, suspense and tension aren't even a part of this film.  That said, they're missing from the novel as well.  There is only rudimentary aspect of drama in the film as it's too short to build up any characters that you can relate to, and when one of the main characters are killed the viewer feels very little.  So I'm not inclined to call it a Drama.  This is a shame as Stephen King is the master of believable and relatable characters, even when they're placed in extraordinary situations; it's even more of a shame as Mr King also wrote the screenplay.  There's some action thrown in, but again, not too much.  The only genre that suits this film would be Science Fiction; but that would also be a loose fitting.

I liked the idea of a pulse being transmitted through the cell phones and turning the user into a raving maniacal killing machine, this is a fresh take on the Zombie, though King doesn't leave it there, he has them keep evolving into something completely different.

I can understand the people transmitting the pulse as their voiceboxes are manipulated to make the transforming sounds.  However, the scene with the changelings at the University is ludicrous, to say the least.

The main trouble with the story is the lack of reason.  You are never told why the cell phones started transforming people or what the changelings will finally transform into.  Handled correctly it could have given the movie a more ominous feel, but everything is shot in a nonchalant way that it's dull and boring.  If this was what the director Tod Williams had planned, then he was wrong.

I like John Cusack, though I didn't like his performance in the other King movie adaptation "1408" though that was better than this one.  However, I can probably put that down to the lacklustre direction of the movie.  There were only two actors who stood out in this film; Samuel L Jackson as Tom McCort, for once he doesn't give his usual tough guy performance, here he's a normal guy; the other is Stacy Keach who does a good job of portraying a stoic and phlegmatic headmaster of the University.

To make this film worth watching you would have to go back to the drawing board.  I think if you took the Peter Jackson approach to this story and turned it into a trilogy, it would allow you to build the characters and implement the "Road Trip" feel of the book into the film.

I am still waiting for a good Stephen King movie adaptation... will it be IT?  Could it be The Gunslinger?  Living in hope...

   

Movie Review - The Fly

The Fly (1958)

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

9 / 10

"As God is my witness I saw the thing!"

I had forgotten how good this film is.  The last time I saw this flick was so long ago it was on a black and white television.

What you have here is a solid science fiction film with elements of thriller and horror thrown in to keep you entertained.  Right from the start, the story of an experiment in teleportation gone horrifically wrong hooks you and pulls you in with a scene where our scientist has been squashed to less than a pulp by an industrial metal press, and it looks like his wife may be the killer.

The beauty of this movie is that it starts out as one thing, a thriller, and transforms gracefully into another, science fiction.  This transformation in done beautifully thanks to a great writer, George Langelaan who wrote the story and James Clavell who scripted the screenplay; combined by great direction from Kurt Neumann and the excellent acting of Vincent Price, Patricia Owens, and Herbert Marshall.

Patricia Owns as the wife of the scientist, Helene Delambre does a good portrayal of a woman on the verge of madness...  Did she kill her husband?  What was her reasoning?  Why is she so obsessed with flies?

Vincent Price is always so good and is no different in his role as the brother to the scientist, Francois Delambre, who has never married due to his love for his brother's wife; though he loves his brother more so keeps his distance.  Though all the evidence point to her being the murderer of his brother, Andre, he fights for her innocence as he cannot believe she is guilty of such a heinous crime.

Then there's Herbert Marshall who plays Inspector Charas, who sees things in black and white and doesn't deter from the line of the law.  Even after Helene tells her story, he cannot believe it and thinks that she is mad.

So now you have to watch the movie to see the outcome of this dilemma.

If you've already seen the David Cronenberg remake then I would still recommend this as even though the "main" premise is the same the rest of the story is completely different and I believe the original story is stronger.  There isn't a lot of horror in the original version, though the scene with the meowing cat, Dandilow, is truly haunting and sent a shiver or two up my spine.

You should watch this movie at least once in your lifetime.

Movie Review - Hunger Games Saga

The Hunger Games Saga

The Hunger Games - Catching Fire - Mockingjay (Parts 1 & 2)

2012 to 2016

8 / 10

I'm reviewing the entire saga and not the movies individually as it should be regarded as one story.  Even though the movies work in their own right I would advise watching, as well as reading, the entire saga since they are a perfect continuation of a rebellion and their reluctant figurehead Katniss Everdeen "The Mockingjay" played well by Jennifer Lawrence.

The first movie deals with the ignition of the rebellion, the Hunger Games.  Devised by the survivors of the nuclear way, when they say factions taking on factions.  It was decided to hold a "Games" where two members of each district, randomly picked (one male and one female), are forced to fight each other in an artificially created arena, until one walks out.

In relation to the book, this is quite a good conversion (as you would expect as Suzanne Collins helped write the screenplay), though I do feel as though it should have been an hour longer.  Everything seemed too rushed.  The bad thing is that there are quite a few key moments in the book, especially the relationships between Katniss and Rue and Katniss and Peter.  Because there was no time in the two-hour twenty-two minutes runtime to do these relationships justice.  The good thing is that in the next three movies the relationship between Katniss and Peter is done really well.  But not knowing if the first film would do well, they probably thought there would have been a chance that the follow-up movies wouldn't be made.

The acting is okay, Jennifer Lawrence does an amiable job in The Hunger Games and by Mockingjay Part 1 you can see her acting skills have grown as she is more believable as Katniss the reluctant rebel.  The star of the four movies though is the actor portraying Peeta, Josh Hutcherson.  Right from the start, he does a more than agreeable performance showing a quiet shy boy who has always loved Katniss, though from afar, right to the haggard brain-washed mutt of the capitol.  He even has some of the better scenes as his character is also intelligent enough to understand and rationalise the situations around him.  If anything Peeta is the strongest character in the saga.  I also loved Elizabeth Banks' portrayal of Effie Trinkett; it is splendid and as the saga continues she brings a warmth to the character that adds power to the story.  Woody Harrelson does an agreeable rendition as Haymitch.

However, Stanley Tucci is risible as the Television Host Caeser Flickerman, though there is a good chance this is how the character is meant to be - though I didn't read him that way in the book.  I just couldn't get into Liam Hemsworth as Gale, whose character gets more story-time as the saga continues, though he just seemed so two-dimensional and that made me distrust the relationship between him and Katniss.  Then Donald Sutherland (playing President Snow), Philip Seymour Hoffman (playing Plutarch Heavensbee), and Wes Bentley (playing Seneca Crane), just feel as though they've turned up, dressed up, and read their lines, which is a shame as they are good actors.

The direction throughout the four movies is pretty good and at times gives us some great moments.  One of my favourite scene's comes from Mockingjay Part 1, it's the segue that takes part in "The Hanging Tree" song - who would believe that Jennifer Lawrence can hold a tune.  Here you have Katniss and her propaganda team filming the destruction at District 12, her hometown, to the tech guys pushing the footage to all the other sectors and their rebels picking up the song as an anthem, to them singing it on a mission.  Brilliantly thought out and directed.  "The Hanging Tree" is also a pretty decent song, my favourite in the saga.

The story, though rushed in the first installment, is pretty well paced through the remaining movies building tension at the right moments and picking up the pace in the action scenes.

I would recommend this to people who like action films, dystopian futures, and drama.  I watched The Hunger Games and Catching Fire one day and both Mockingjay movies the next.  I believe that watching them pretty much back-to-back is the way to go as it made the experience more enjoyable.

The Hunger Games - Trailer

Catching Fire - Trailer

Mockingjay Part 1 - Trailer

Mockingjay Part 2 - Trailer

The Hanging Tree - Song

The Hanging Tree - Scene