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Reviews
Halloween (2018)
True Halloween fans won't be disappointed.
After a string of ho hum sequels to Halloween from 1978, 1981 was one of my favourite sequels.
The rest were getting a little silly for my liking.
Rob Zombie pushed the envelope.
Then out of the blue, my brother sent me a message online that there will be a sequel, 40 years after the original movie!
I counted down the days, went online, got my ticket and saw this film on Halloween.
True Halloween fans will not be disappointed.
It's back to its roots and delivers an alternate story.
Laurie Strode is back and has waited forty years to confront the Shape. She is the face of trauma.
Once this film gets going, it doesn't miss a beat.
There are new kills that breathe life back into this much loved franchise.
Pieces of the film paid tribute to the past Halloween films.
The look of Michael in this aged mask gives the nostalgia feel to the film.
It book ends the new story line.
Will definitely watch this again.
Scary Movie 4 (2006)
Funnier than Sacry Movie 3
This latest installment in the Scary Movie Franchise was well done.
The jokes are not as half baked or over done as Scary Movie 2 and 3.
The plot is relatively simple - we see the return of Cindy Campbell (she gets finnier and dumber as the movie moves along) looking after an old lady in a house, which is next to Tom Ryan's house, during the alien invasion.
From here, the cast get separated and go their own ways, with funny adventures meeting strange characters.
There is always the usual fart gag here and there, and homophobia (a poke at Brokeback Mountain).
The special effects are pretty funny too. Erections, children zapped by lightning and severed limbs are all about fun.
This film may also leave the door open for Scary Movie 5.
Pimp My Ride (2004)
A fun car show
This is a fun reality show. The basic plot is about someone who has got a rundown car and this guy called Xzibit and his car crew turn these rundown cars into exotic cars.
The best thing about this show is that everyone can enjoy it - no bad language, nudity or violence.
The atmosphere during the show is friendly as everyone who is watching it are amazed by the wizardry of these cars being customized.
Not only are men getting their cars "pimped up", there are more women having their cars decked out in shiny new paint jobs, thumping stereos, smooth interiors, flash mag wheels, and sweet exhaust notes.
One car is pimped up over the 30 minutes of every show. There is the background of the vehicle and the owner, the pimping crew go over how to pimp up the car.
The car doesn't take itself too seriously, as it's all about creativity and imagination (for the automated mind).
No one loses in this show, everyone's a winner. All we need is a pimping crew in Australia........
The Chocolate War (1988)
Where is Forrest Gump when you needed him?
Growing up in high school, our year 10 teacher assigned us to read this book as part of our education.
We also got to (occassionally) watch the movie adaptation of the novel.
I really liked this film as the storyline was good.
The Vigils are a secret gang in an all boys school who assign tasks to students as part of their way of saying " we will not conform to the standards others set, so we go our own way." Then Jerry Renault is selected for a task of not to sell chocolates for a set period of time.
After the time elapses, Jerry still stops selling chocolates and becomes a sort of hero, as he is overcoming adversity and going beyond his boundaries.
If Forrest Gump was around, maybe Jerry could have sold his portion to Forrest and Forrest could have given them away to people as he told stories to strangers on a park bench somewhere.
Look out for an appearance of a young Brendan Fraser (before he was in Encino Man, or The Mummy).
Its an educational film and should be viewed in all schools as part of the learning curriculum.
Killer Fish (1979)
Hungry fish wouldn't eat this trash
I saw this film late at night, every time the commercial came on, there was the image of a skeleton underwater of a dead diver.
The film is basically about the theft of some diamonds and they are dropped into a pond for a second party to pick up.
Unfortunately, some hungry piranha are amongst the diamonds.
The acting was pretty cheesy, "So what took your friend?" "I dunno. It was probably a big snake." The landscape of Brazil was beautiful to watch, even when the model having her pictures taken is good.
It was a B grade killer fish film and will forever be a B grade killer fish film.
Popeye (1980)
Strong to the Finish
Its been almost 20 years since I have seen this film on television.
Pay-TV played it recently and I managed to watch it.
All the memories of it came flooding back.
The film tells the tale of Popeye, a sailor who is looking for his father in Sweethaven and meets Olive Oyl and her family.
The film was pretty violent from my perspective with Bluto losing his temper - this is where anger management would have helped Bluto keep his cool.
Lots of sound effects were added to the film, mostly where there were explosions and fists flying.
I didn't like the tax-man character - always taxing everybody for day to day activities.
Robin William's portrayal of Popeye and Shelley Duvall's role of Olive Oyl was spot on for me.
A fun film - for the Popeye fans.
The Newlydeads (1988)
Just when you thought it was safe to be on your honeymoon.....
Ham and cheese.
Two thoughts of this film when I was watching this.
The ham represents the acting of the actors in this low budget gore-fest, as they ham it up.
The cheese is the plot of this film, mainly swiss and full of holes.
The film opens with a person driving down a road, and the car radio is playing facts from that year. The driver pulls up at a hotel and the hotel clerk falls for the person and finds out she was a he, which leads to the demise of the drag queen, any more than three beers and you would have thought Jackie was a lady, not a guy in a wig, make up and high heels.
When the spirit of the dead drag queen comes back at the hotel clerk's wedding fifteen years later, he is shocked to see he/she and then the body count continues to clock up.
The gore scenes are pretty simple, somewhat borrowed from Friday the 13th films. As the film progresses, you can pretty much guess who is going to die.
I found this film for sale on ebay and watched it on VHS. Interestengly enough, the trailer was featured on another video I saw and the trailer was good, which grabbed my attention.
Laughable yet easy going film.
Friday the Thirteenth (1933)
Pretty good for it's time - even without Jason and his mum
This movie pops up now and again on the ABC in Australia at about 3 am in the morning.
It starts off with the scene of a bus crash in London.
The films has got flashbacks of each character as the film progresses, plus the lapsed photography of Big Ben winding back, to symbolise what events occurred thirteen hours ago, up until the bus crash.
It took me a while to understand it, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.
If Sean Cunningham and Quentin Tarrantino got together and made a film, this may be the result - due to the flashbacks and small stories tying in, and deaths.
I am unsure of the main characters, as it has been a while since I have seen it, but a rare gem indeed.
Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
Horrible
I didn't like this film, it was slow and when it got good, it got horrible.
This film made me feel sick, even though its only a film I didn't like the display of how the fate of the victims occurred.
The special effects were very realistic I must say.
The film is typical of a cannibal film and I didn't like it. There are scenes of live animals been slaughtered and devoured, nudity from the film makers and humans being murdered.
This film was too much for me that I had to exchange it for something else.If you appreciate films like this, you will enjoy it, unfortunately I didn't.
Up the Academy (1980)
Your education at school doesn't need to come out of books
Misfits at a military school? Hmmmm, sounds funny, maybe offensive to some. You have the characters there, the Arab thief, the sex crazy teen, the smart mouth, the pot smoker, and not to forget, the guy who burns things. Throw in a strict no nonsense Sergent, a homosexual Sergent and one sexy ammunition teacher and it makes one crazy film adventure.
I have seen this film and it is funny, because the comedy is revolved around the fact that if you try to work together, things get done.
These band of misfit students at Weinberg Military school have been placed in here because, as Sgt Liceman quotes "because you are outcasts, embarrassments to your families and communities, disgraces." One of Ralph Macchio's earlier performances before the Karate Kid and My Cousin Vinny, with appearances from Barbara Bach as well, this film appeals to teens and young adults.
Great soundtrack keeps the film moving.
Zombie Island Massacre (1984)
predictable and pretty corny
It has been a while since I have seen this film - almost five years. This film is so predictable, all the dumb tourists get to die first, and the cunning tourists fight it out - but where are the zombies? I think i only remember seeing one through the film.
The gore scenes could have been a bit longer, as they were set in the Caribbean jungle, the usual props are there - a pit covered in leaves and the stoners fall in, speared to death by a sharpened bamboo pole. Some of the lighting in the film is a bit dull, too. The soundtrack is one I like (Harry (Friday the 13th) Manfrendini) had added this score of music to the film. Unfortunately, it doesn't cover enough for a film of this type - a real bow-wow. Only true zombie fans would enjoy this film.
Dutch (1991)
Pleasing and above all, honest.
Wow! What a funny film. What I liked about the film was how these two different characters try to get along - both from different backgrounds - be it culturally, economically or living status.
The film gets you thinking - can these two people eventually learn to get along, and above all, make it home for Thanksgiving?
At first, you think the spoiled rich kid needs a good boot in the bum, but all he needed was someone to talk to and have a shoulder to lean on - his dad had left his mum - a broken family. Towards the end of the film, the divorced dad lets a bomb drop - he wants his ex-wife out of her house (he paid for).
I'm from Australia - and this film was titled "Driving Me Crazy". I learned recently that the U.S. called this film "Dutch", named after Ed O'Neill's character Dutch Dooley.
No matter where you go in this world, and whoever you may meet, a friendship can develop - don't forget that.
If you enjoy this movie, please look at the following buddy - road movies:
Midnight Run, The Odd Couple 2, Road Trip, Planes,Trains and Automobiles