Skyline

Trailers for films are really the hard sell these days. If you want a film that is based on no pre-existing material to make money, you have to make the trailer look good. This is exactly what Skyline did....

Brought to you from the directors of "Aliens vs Predator: Requiem" isn't exactly a great selling point, but at least the films digital effects are created by Hydraulx; the studio responsible for the amazing CGI in "Iron Man 2" and "Avatar" to name a few.

The back story of the production of Skyline is quite interesting; it was written by two people who had never written a screenplay before, the filming took place mostly in the director's apartment block and the entire budget was a meagre $10,000,000! with a beginning like this it's difficult to hate this film. That is of course, until you actually watch it.

The films mediocre plot starts off with a couple; Jarrod (Eric Balfour) and Elaine (Scottie Thompson)going to visit a friend in Los Angeles. A big party is held after their arriva. Jarrod is then offered a job with his long time friend, an offer which his girlfriend isn't happy about. After a long night everyone crashes for the night, but are rudely awoken by what seems to be an earthquake. However, it turns out to be a horde of invading aliens.

After witnessing someone being captured by the aliens things start to become clear. Anyone that looks at the light from their crafts is captured and, well, you don't want that. At this point the movie never really changes its style and the rest of the time is dedicated to everyone arguing over whether to stay put or to run.

Sigh...okay here we go. Let's do this from good to bad, shall we? There are not a lot of saving graces in Skyline, however, the visual effects are quite stunning. Despite everything and anything people will say about the film, the special effects are superb.

Right, now on to the bad. So, remember what I said about the special effects looking great? Well, this is still true, but sadly they are completely unoriginal. Most of the aliens look like something from "The Matrix", which is extremely off putting. sadly it only gets worse from here. the acting is beyond sub par, it is the epitome of terrible and most likely has a description in the dictionary next to the word crap. Each and every character is as annoying and poorly written as the last, leaving the average viewer wishing that the aliens would hurry up and kill everyone. The script is written by two of the special effects team and it would be an understatement to say that it was obvious. They wouldn't know good character development and plot intrigue if it walked up to them and introduced themselves:

"Hi, my name is character development, and this is my good friend plot intrigue. maybe you should consider getting to know us before you write a script. Oh? so you don't want to...? Okay, whatever dudes, don't say we didn't warn you!"

I apologise if that seemed like a little bit of a rant, but it really does anger me that people like them are able to get away with this sort of trash. There are lots of aspiring screen writers who will never have their films made, and yet Skyline is allowed to exist!

My favourite part of the movie (I use the term "favourite" loosely) is when they are attempting to build tension. At one point they have used sheets to try to cover up the windows to avoid being seen. Then the unthinkable happens and one of the sheets falls allowing everyone to be seen. They all gasp and look shocked while the music swells to convey the mood. I, however, feel that it didn't come across quite like the meant it to. Instead of thinking, "Oh my God! They'll be killed!", I burst out laughing, as did most of the people in the cinema.

Nearly there everyone...nearly there. In short, Skyline is not worth seeing. It saddens me that I have actually helped them by going to see it, giving them the opportunity to make more films. Modern day films shouldn't just rely on good special effects, it isn't enough. As specially since every other aspect of the films is utter horse sh*t! Don't waste your time...I imagine having your toenails removed with pliers is actually more entertaining.

I think everyone would be a little better off if they take the film's tag line to heart, and never look up....

Rating 1 out of 5

See it if you liked:
Aliens vs Predator: Requiem
Independence Day
War of the Worlds

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Review by Stephen King

Re-Animator (Road to Halloween)

For the last review I wanted to write about something special, and it just so happened that this film sort of fell into my lap. Screened.com; a website which I frequent, was doing a sort of mystery science theatre 3k thing, where they would watch a film and commentate on it while it was on. So, I got all set up at midnight for the showing, laptop ready to watch the justin tv stream of the screened.com guys and then my TV to put on the main feature. And so, I settled down, got a bowl of popcorn and readied myself to watch "Re-Animator".

Herbert West is a medical student who has discovered something that will change the world forever; a liquid that can regenerate dead tissue, in essence bring the dead back to life. He enlists the help of his house mate to aide in his experimentation. It all starts off with the reanimation of a dead cat; and to be honest that could have gone better. It isn't long before things are cranked all the way to 11 and Herbert starts trying to bring back things other than cats!

In my experience, horror comedy is a very difficult genre to master. Not only that, but it is an mammoth task to base the source material on a famous writer's work; in this case H.P. Lovecraft. However, "Re-Animator" just works on every level it tries. It succeeds in being gloriously camp and hilarious withour making a mockery of the orignal story and yet still manages to be frightfully gory. It even has moments that will give you a good old fashion scare. From headless corpses to re-animatedcats, it maintains a steady story line and keeps you interested, which can sometimes be difficult to do.

Despite being 25 years old now, this film still has a great amount of punch considering it is quite out of date. I think it more thank likely that it just adds to the films charm; the special effects are fantastically absurd and the best part is, no CGI!

To say that this film is a classic would be a gross understatement. What you have in "Re-Animator" is a film that despite being little bit dated still seems to achieve the same effect after a quarter century. In a nut shell, you have a truly timeless horror film. I can't force you to watch anything, but if I could you can be damn sure that this would be on my list. It's funny, a little bit camp, bloody, crazy and a whole plethora of other descriptives. Don't just take my word for it though, give it a watch and enjoy it for yourself.

It seems like only yesterday since I decided to start on "The Road to Halloween". I am not going to lie here people, it has been a long and difficult journey. If it weren't for my love of horror films and the help of a friend, I doubt I would have made it to the end. And yet, here I am on the 31st of October preparing to write about my final review for the month. I just want to thank my girlfriend for her understanding and patience, Kevin Brown for his continued support, all of the people who read my reviews and all the people involved in all the films I have watched. I hope you have all enjoyed this month as much as I have, and from the bottom of my heart I wish you a Happy Halloween!

Rating 5 out of 5

See it if you liked:
Bride of Re-Animator
Beyond Re-Animator

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Review by Stephen King

Sleepaway Camp

The 1980's were a strange time for horror films. It was essentially the decade of the slasher films; from "Nightmare on Elm Street" to "Halloween", or "Friday the 13th", they were all popular. I am a fan of all of the above, but I had never even heard of "Sleepaway Camp" until recently. So I threw caution to the wind and decided to give it a try....

Angela has been living with her cousin Ricky, and his mother ever since an unexplained incident we assume caused the death of her parents. They are both sent to camp for the summertime. Ricky is supposed to keep an eye out for Angela because she doesn't really talk much, or even interact for that matter. As time progresses at the camp Angela is being picked on and Ricky is having to stand up for her. Soon a friend of Ricky's starts a relationship with Angela and she starts to come out of her shell.

Not long after the start of camp however, began a series of incidents. Sometimes - well mostly to be honest - they involve death. The head of the camp seems to have his eyes on Ricky for the crimes, but we know it isn't him. The thing is, that's about all we know. There are a lot of nasty people at the camp and it is difficult to pinpoint anyone in particular. Needless to say the killer is eventually caught; the scene of the film is actually still shocking, even now.

There is not a lot I actually liked about this film, it was poorly acted, not very gory and the plot was generally poor - forgetting the fact that it is sort of a horror staple. The death scenes in the film range from dull to mildly traumatic, but never really shock in the way that modern horror manages to. It is a shame really, as I may have enjoyed the film more had I watched it at a younger age.

A lot of my dislike for this film is most definitely due to it being horribly out of date, as it has not stood the test of time.

If you are looking to watch a film this Halloween that is the absolute cookie cutter mould of a horror movie, then you could certainly choose worse. However, don't expect to be entertained. For me, the only thing that made it worth while was the last screen of the film, but sadly you need to watch the entire film to understand and get to this part.

I would recommend this film for horror film completionists and fanatics only.

Rating 2 out of 5

See it if you liked:
Friday the 13th
Halloween
Nightmare On Elm Street

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Review by Stephen King

Saw 3D (Road to Halloween)

Jigsaw has now been dead for 3 movies but his sadistic games continue on in his now infamous name. A police officer named Hoffman adopted the ‘Jigsaw’ moniker at the end of the 5th movie and has been in charge ever since however the original grizzly yet apt use of traps has long since been abandoned.

Bobby Dagen is a survivor of a Jigsaw game in which he had to suspend himself on meat hooks through his pectoral muscles in order to reach the exit. After this ordeal he’s found a new lease on life and makes numerous TV appearances to promote his book about his ordeal and how he now values life. Jigsaw however isn’t a fan of Dagen’s new found fame and puts him into another game. Meanwhile Internal affairs are closing in on Hoffman while he continues to test people in increasingly horrific ways.

Once again the acting is not a great draw but as always Tobin Bell’s performance is a strong part of the movie; his ability to give an uneasy feeling simply by speaking in his deep gravelly voice stays strong and is made all the stronger in this movie when compared to the rest of the cast.

In the original Saw there were no innocent bystanders; all those who were part of a Jigsaw game were there because they had shown that they were wasting their lives. The eventual aim was to give those who had a strong enough will to survive, a second chance at life but now, 6 movies later elaborate traps are still being set but most of those in the games are not in control of their own fate. On two occasions in this movie, the fate of at least 3 people rested in the fate of a single person.

Jigsaw as a character has been in each movie, slowly being developed from humble beginnings as a disembodied voice to the full character he now is. It is an interesting situation that I find myself in; Jigsaw is a mass murderer who is responsible for the gruesome deaths of countless individuals but on the other hand you cannot say that he doesn’t hold life in the highest regard and has loved ones that he wished to protect. I find myself sympathising with jigsaw, not with what he does but in his reasons he feels people should strive to love their lives to the fullest.

Saw has long been about gore for the sake of gore and this movie is gorier than its predecessors. This movie is gore porn and it appears to not be ashamed of it.
In my opinion too much time is dedicated to close-ups on people screaming in the seconds prior to their deaths, it added nothing except for the first game where the camera flicks between the three people in the trap and the public outside of the trap (the trap was in a very public place) screaming. This had me in fits of laughter and completely detracted from the horror the movie was supposed to be.

This movie is available only in 3D however there are only a handful of moments where it is used and the remainder of the time it serves only to blur details other than what the camera is focused on.

Saw 3D is not the ending you would expect to a horror franchise that started out as well as it did.

Rating 1 out of 5

Watch it if you liked:
SAW VI
My Bloody Valentine 3D
Hostel 2

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Review by Kevin Brown

The Collector (Road to Halloween)

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you were to mix the films "Saw" and "Home Alone"? Well look no further than "The Collector", brought to you by the directors from the later "Saw" films. A little bit of an attractive offer, but will it hold up to the review? Not going to lie...probably not.

An ex convict has found himself a job working for a rich family. He is part of crew working around their house and is actually casing the place so that he can steal from them. The plan was going to take longer, however, his ex wife is in need of cash and fast. She owes money to a loan shark, and needs to make the final payment by tonight, so of course he says he will get it.

He then arranges for the heist at the house to take place that night rather than later. It is fairly opportune that the family are going on holiday anyway, meaning that the house will be empty and all he needs to do is crack the safe. It turns out that he isn't alone at all...in fact someone else has been looking around the house, but not to steal things. He wants someone....

The house has been booby trapped and now the ex con is stuck inside with a killer. The family never made it out, and are being tortured. All he has to do to is survive and get out with the merchandise. Although it isn't that easy.

To be honest I didn't really have high hopes for this film as it isn't coming from the cream of the crop of directors and writers. However, I figured it should be entertaining at least. Turns out I was wrong. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the film, but it is slow going and rather boring for something that should be full of action.

The acting is believable at best, with a great lead performance. Sadly, it turns out that "The Collector" would need more than that to be good. The part that I actually thought would be great was the gore, but it turned out to be generally lackluster and a little bit, well, not scary. Although I have realized I have an aversion to watching people have their teeth chiseled out; the best part of the gore.

For the most part I can't get behind this film. It is an interesting idea, all be it unlikely, but most things are possible. I just expected it to be handled with more care than it was. If you are looking for a cheap and cheerful movie, it should do fine, but it isn't a horror great. Similar in this way to the later "Saw" films that failed to grab my attention. Maybe I have just grown tired of the same recycled stuff, and it's time to grab attention in a new way? I will let you decide. Take notice though...this film will not leave you impressed.

Rating 2 out of 5

See it if you liked:
Kolobos
Saw II
Home Alone

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Review by Stephen King

The Crazies "2010" (Road to Halloween)

This forms part two of a two part review; I purchased a DVD containing both the original and the remake of “The Crazies”. This is the review of the remake but will also draw comparisons with the original.

The Crazies is a remake of the 1973 George A. Romero movie of the same name. It takes place in a small town (around 1260 residents) where a highly infectious man-made virus has entered the water supply. It causes the residents to change from being laid back to rampaging psychopaths with – to begin with – no apparent cause. However, unlike the original, the viewer never sees the military point of view of the situation and isn't even told the name or cause of what is happening in the town until the last 30 minutes of the movie.

The virus is called 'Trixie' (I accidentally called it 'Pixie' in yesterday's review) and was on board a plane bound to a military base where it would be destroyed when the plane crash landed in a lake which was the town's water supply. It was designed to “destabilise a community, in this case the wrong community” and within 48 hours of the outbreak you are either dead or don't have it.

The overall story has been altered from the original but the underlying point about viruses, governments keeping key information from the people and soldiers being ordered to kill unarmed civilians without being given reason are still present. If I had not seen the original I would see this as unoriginal as it appears to be a zombie movie in the same vein as 28 days later however since I know that this story was written 30 years before 28 days later I instead see it as ahead of its time. The use of a government created virus is as relevant today as it was in the original and H1N1 (Swine Flu) happened around the same time this was filming.

The movie builds suspense throughout and makes excellent use of the mutual fear of the town's people and the soldiers as both groups are grossly under-informed of what is happening in the town. 'The Crazies' is a great horror movie that is made all the better by the fact that 37 years after being written it seems like it was written as a commentary of what could be happening now.

No doubt that in 2047 when the next remake is made of this, it will still be relevant.

Rating 4 out of 5

See it if you liked:
The Crazies (1973)
Resident Evil: Afterlife
28 Days Later

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Review by Kevin Brown

The Crazies "1973" (Road to Halloween)

This forms part one of a two part review; I purchased a DVD containing both the original and the remake of “The Crazies”. This is the review of the original.

'Pixie' is name given by the American government to a man made virus that has accidentally entered the water supply of a small Pennsylvanian town. The virus does one of two things – depending on who it infects – it either kills them or drives them irreversibly insane. The army is sent in to maintain a perimeter around the town to stop people getting in or out in order to contain the virus however, there is no known antidote, so they must simply wait it out until all the town's residents either die or go insane.

The movie appears to be low budget but since it is now 37 years old it may simply be its age. The visuals appear low budget however the underlying story still shows through; the movie was made at a time when biological weapons attacks were a concern for America. This fear coupled with the army invading people's homes and rounding them up 'for their own safety' makes the town into the setting for a civilian uprising against the “invading force” that is the army.

The movie jumps around to varying location often, an example of this is when the general is telling someone to get someone onto a plane and to the town it quickly cuts away for a second or two showing stock footage to represent the command being followed, it is done in a style similar to Requiem for a dream. This works well on the few occasions that it is used however overall the movie is spread a little thin and contains far more talking than is necessary.

The army troops are all dressed in protective suits and gas masks which made the majority of the dialogue said by them muffled and on occasion inaudible.

The crazies may have been a good horror movie when it came out but in the near 40 years since it has lost some of its kick.

Rating 3 out of 5

See it if you liked:
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
The Crazies (2010)
Resident Evil

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Review by Kevin Brown