gemandeye1 Reviews

Offseason (2021)

Excellent Atmospheric Horror

[9/10 · 13 June 2022]

For those that enjoy truly atmospheric horror similar to those of the late 60s and 70s will love this film. For those looking for gore, action, and cheap thrills this isn't for you. This film had the feel of such independent classics as "Let's Scare Jessica to Death", "Carnival of Souls", amongst others. It also has a bit of HP Lovecraft going for it. It stars one of my favorite horror film actresses that I just wrote a review on for the film Summer Camp (2015), Jocelyn Donahue (House of the Devil, The Frontier). It also stars Joe Swanberg (You're Next, V/H/S), the always intense Richard Brake (31, 3 From Hell), and Melora Waters (The Accursed, The Butterfly Effect) and directed by Mickey Keating (Carnage Park, POD). The daughter of a famous actress receives a letter to return to a town where her monthly was buried due to vandalism of the gravesite. Once she and her boyfriend arrive they find it nearly impossible to leave as they encounter strange people and strange events.

Trivia Fact: This was filmed in my county about 5 miles south of where I live. I just leaned this at the end of the film and loooking it up.

Siege (1983)

A so called hidden gem that should've stayed buried

[1/10 · 22 March 2022]

After seeing some reviews and the description I was sort of psyched to see this one, i was expecting a good ole gory grindhouse crime film from how it was described by many. What i watched was a poorly acted, terribly written, with sub par SFX even for then, and overall boring.

Studio 666 (2022)

This is how to make a horror - comedy rock n roll style

[9/10 · 21 March 2022]

I detest horror-comedies. There are maybe 3 I like or endure. So The Foo Foghters Studio 666 took me by surprise. They knocked it out if the park with this one. The homage to both 70s but mostly 80s horror. Great use of practical effects. Sweet score/soundtrack. Great one liners. Fun Easter eggs. Watch and listen LOUD!

Gaia (2021)

Of the most unique and creative horror films I've seen in years

[10/10 · 23 October 2021]

Gaia (2021) One of the most unique and creative horror films I've seen in a while (IMO).

Elements of survival horror, supernatural, "when nature attacks", trippy thriller at times as if Lars Von Trier (Anti-Christ) and Gaspar noe (Climax) directed certain scenes, and creature feature, all put together smoothly in this film. The cinematography was stellar, acting first rate, and superb special effects. Made in Africa but a mostly English speaking film with some parts in Afrikaans.

Black Christmas (2006)

Have to give this a 10

[10/10 · 7 October 2021]

Seeing such a low IMDB rating I had to give this a little boost. It is far better than the current 4.8 and wayyyyy better than the 2019 politically correct woke atrocity. But in all honesty it is a solid 8 as a stand alone slasher and one of my favorite Christmas horror films. While I prefer the original that broke ground for so many slasher and Christmas horror films to follow (that one gets a true solid 10) I like that this one is not necessarily a remake but in it's own way a sequel which gives more of a back story.. The unrated version is the version I prefer. Merry Christmas in October!

My Son (I) (2021)

Great story, mystery,suspense and stellar acting

[9/10 · 21 September 2021]

First off knowing that Jame MacAvoy was working without script and learning the unfolding of the scenes as they played out was done brilliantly. His reactions were realistic and you can see what a true talent he is. The storyline itself was intriguing and the final moments added some heightened suspense. The rest of the cast especially Claire Foy and Tom Cullen also did a bang up job. This film was dark and brilliant. This is why I prefer many of the crime films and shows that come from the UK and it's surrounding areas. They do not water it down for American tastes and are far more realistic in their approach.

M.O.M. Mothers of Monsters (2020)

One of the most realistic FF out there

[8/10 · 31 December 2020]

Many FF films blend together in my mind. This one has stuck with me due to the realism. I have recommended it to even people that detest FF films and they were blown away. Hope to see more by the director and star.

Bender (2016)

Wasted Potential

[2/10 · 15 March 2019]

The true story and legend of the Bloody Benders is quite fascinating and horrific. This movie barely skimmed the surface nor showed the many proven acts or alleged acts of America's First Serial Killer Family. The acting was wooden. The known stars, Bruce Davison and Linda Purl, have abojt 3 minutes of combined screen time and are not very important roles. I had been looking forward to this movie as there is very little out there on this family if killers besides some short documentaries and in an episode of Supernatural. I was left very disappointed.

The Car: Road to Revenge (2019)

WRONG! NOT A REMAKE OR SEQUEL TO CHRISTINE YOU FOOLS! KNOW YOUR FILM HISTORY.

[4/10 · 29 January 2019]

First off this is not in anyway a sequel or remake to Stephen King's/ John Carpenter's Christine (1983). Evidently you that have said so did not see or year of the much superior The Car (1977). Get your facts straight. The original The Car had style, atmosphere, and good action. This wanna be sequel sacrificed much of that for poor CGI graphics and weak story line. It amps up the gore but it is so fake looking with tge overuse of CGI. I gave this a few extra stars for some decent action scenes and the Car itself. It adds nothing to the original.

Slender Man (I) (2018)

One of the better teen horrors with "realistic" teens

[10/10 · 5 January 2019]

First off I do not understand the users giving this a 1, unless they truly have never watched any of the tens of thousands micro budget-horrifying acting-no script-horrendous camera work and directing films out there. And it is getting monotonous seeing people write "worst movie ever" repeatedly. So my 10 may be inflated to offset these inexperienced film viewers ( I'd have given this a solid 7, maybe 8). Back to my review... First thing that struck me was this movie actually utilized actors that looked and behaved like real teenagers. Unlike many teen based films where they appear in their 30s and act like immature 20 something year olds. While their are so many variations of the Slender Man legend, including the factual murder case that occured in Wisvonsin in 2014, this film did effectively capture a few of those story lines. The use of shadows, visuals just barely seen and the music were also all very effective. The additional hallucenogenic visuals and that of Slender Man himself were also pretty good, sometimes the CGI was a but too obvious. Overall this movie was able to create an atmospheric, supernatural, myth based teen horror without gratuitous violence or nudity often found in movies attempting to attract a teen fan base.

Loving Pablo (2017)

Insult to both historians and movie lovers!

[4/10 · 14 December 2018]

From one of the initial scenes of the plane landing on the highway in Florida (Florida does not have mountainous regions as shown in this ridiculous scene) to Bardim's Spanglish mumbling to no accuracy on the age of the characters to..... oh why bother, the mistakes are endless. These would be something to expect in a very low budget action or horror movie. It's barely watchable despite a great cast and what should have been a great story.

Gotti (2018)

At the bottom of the major motion picture gangster films!

[4/10 · 17 November 2018]

There are truly some awful gangster/ mafia movies out there. Most I speak of are low budget Goodfellas wannabes. This is actually a movie with known actors and director with a respectable budget. So it will get reviewed along the lines the same. This will go down as my least favorite mafia movie of all time (thus far). The actors were miscast, even though Travolta pulls off a few dead on Gotti poses and mannerisms with much help from the wardrobe dept. Otherwise he does not capture the essence of Gotti the way Armand Assante did in the 90s HBO film. Assante may not have looked like Gotti but you forgot that as you watched his amazing portrayal of the real life gangster that many of us growing up in NY at the time watched on the news regularly. Travolta overall fails to pull you in. He basically hams it up. The list of other actors that neither shared any resemblance nor captured tgeir persona is endless, especially John Gotti Jr, Sammy "The Bull" ( this guy was a twig and not built like Sammy at all, nor Angelo Ruggeiro. The pacing and segues were tedious and frustrating. No reason to have Travolta (as the deceased Gotti) talking into the camera to the audience. It was cringe worthy. There was no true depth to any of the characters instead they just jumped to future scenes assuming you know the story line. The script and lines were abysmal at times. While some were definitely taken from actual tapes, transcripts and interviews others were just clumsily added and did not fit with the real conversations that were had by the men involved. I was generous with my 4.

Truth or Dare (2017 TV Movie)

Good spin on a familiar theme.

[8/10 · 15 October 2018]

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie which exceeded my expectations. Going in knowing it was a SyFy movie and the story line of people playing truth or dare I didn't expect much. This is superior for a SyFy movie. Well acted and good special effects with plenty of gore (would definitely get an R rating in the theaters). I enjoyed the fact that they added a supernatural spin to this and not just your typical revenge seeking psycho. I have recommended this to several people who were going to pass on it and they all agreed that it also exceeded expectations and they enjoyed thoroughly. Now I'm not saying it didn't have the typical college kids making stupid decisions and saying idiotic things but all in all it was tolerable being the movie itself was very good on the whole.

The Haunting of Hill House (2018)

Kind of like American Horror Story(Season 1) meets This Is Us, and not in a good way....

[6/10 · 14 October 2018]

The show is well made and well acted. What hurts this show is it's pacing, atmosphere, and liberties. The problem with paving and atmosphere practically go hand in hand. Every time a scene would build up suspense (mostly in the past when the family first moves in) it jumps to the present and into full on family drama. It's like watching 10 minutes of the first season of American Horror Story and then 20 minutes of This Is Us. While both may be great shows they don't belong intertwined. I can see what Director Mike Flanagan was going for and he does bring things in for an explanation but it really hurt the pacing and atmosphere. As far as liberties this is quite a stretch from the novel The Haunting of Hill House or even the movie(s) based on that novel which were at least somewhat a close adaptation. I'm not one of those "oh, the book is so much better " people at all, I actually prefer movies and tv, but the liberties Flanagan and other writers took here were just so far removed they might as well entitled this series something completely different. Besides using some of the names (but not for the right characters) and the fact that it is a haunted house (so are hundred thousand other movies and shows) there is no real similarities. The creative liberties just didn't work here. To touch back on atmosphere separately , atmospheric horror and thrillers are my favorite. If they would have at least maintained the atmosphere and actually added a bit more effectively I would excuse the straying and given this a higher score.

Sanatorium (2013)

Nothing new but a satisfying ending for horror fans

[6/10 · 3 August 2018]

Truly nothing new in the found footage genre. After all these years it's getting to seem like they all blend together. This movie starts out like many before and is a bit monotonous at times as well as over dramatic. However, as the movie builds there are some quite good scenes to satisfy both the found footage fans and horror fans alike. This especially goes for the ending.

Seconds Apart (2011)

One of the best After Dark entries and the best of the AD Originals

[9/10 · 3 August 2018]

One of the best After Dark entries and the best of the AD Originals. This movie far exceeded my expectations. It truly reminded me of some of the classic horror and thrillers of the 70s that relied heavily on atmosphere. While this movie does contain scenes of blood/gore it was the creepy atmospheric presence that made it stand out not only amongst the AD film series but of recent horror films. The acting was fantastic and I was especially surprised at how well Orlando Jones ( known more for his comedic performances) pulled off the guilt ridden, haunted, tenacious detective.

Fertile Ground (2011)

After Dark Original- Good Ghost Story Thriller

[8/10 · 3 August 2018]

Despite the negative reviews I found this AD Original quite engrossing. The acting was solid. While there was no true originality, which is hard tgese days, I think the cast and crew did a good job putting putting together a haunted house / ghost story , depth into madness film. No over the top gore but some good kills and blood in the right places.

Bedlam (2015)

After Dark Original puts out a decent product

[7/10 · 3 August 2018]

While some of the After Dark Horrorfest franchise and their AD originals have had some clunkers most have been above par for the usual overflow of horrendous horror movies flooding streaming sites and the internet. This entry, one of several involving an insane asylum, is not particularly scary but sets out to do what I believe it intended to do. This was more in the shock and torture category. Quite gory at times. Also not straying too far from the truth of what actually occurred in asylums of years past. The abuse, archaic medical/psychiatric treatment and overall barbaric conditions the patients suffered through. While some actors were stiff in their roles others played their parts very well. I never found it boring or disappointed in any way. If you like horror movies set in asylums and/ or the shock and torture type give This movie a shot. There also is some rather amusing "commercials " edited into the film.

Wind Walkers (2015)

Solid acting with the blend of Native American folklore and current horror movie themes

[7/10 · 3 August 2018]

While I see this movie getting trashed, unreservedly so, I have watched so many horrendous horror movies I don't even bother to review. However , this movie, part of the After Dark Horrorfest franchise, is a cut above your typical horror movies. Sure there were some flaws but overall a good horror flick / creature feature. It blended Native American folklore and current horror movie themes along with a psychological element . Good gore effects without going over the top to the gratuitous silly category.

Swiss Army Man (2016)

Disappointed. Tedious. But excellent acting.

[5/10 · 13 March 2017]

I had high hopes for this film. I'm not a Harry Potter fan, however, I think Danielle Radcliffe is an extremely talented actor with quite the range (Woman in Black, Imperium, Horns...)and his role as a dead guy with a personality was fantastic. Paul Dano did a great job as well. The issue with this film was the GAS (flatulence). While the corpse never ran out of gas the use of that sure did. I'm the type that fins well timed fart extremely funny. I love South Park so it's not like it offended or bothered me in that way. It just became old and stale. And who likes old stale gas? The story itself was clever and unique. It just turned into a Weekend at Bernies meets Castaway meets South Park. The clever use of the corpse for survival, both physical and mental, got lost behind the tediousness of constantly using the flatulence. And they would repeat the way they used it making it even less funny. The emotional drama behind it could have been more, well emotional, if it didn't just become silly. Also compliments to some Great cinematography. I notice a lot of rave reviews and some people definitely got more out of this than I did and I am glad they enjoyed it. You may too.

Escape Plan (2013)

Smart start. Good action. Lost points for the clichés.

[6/10 · 13 March 2017]

Overall I enjoyed this movie. I put off watching it after it bombed in the theaters. The other night I was wanting an action movie so revisited thee IMDb site and saw some stellar (10 out of 10) reviews and sad let's give this a shot. Stallone actually acting is one of his better roles in this one. Not on par with Cop Land or Rocky but up there. He balances the tough guy with intelligence with an even easy flow that's believable. Arnold on the other hand, who has never really been known as a great actor even though I think he did his best real acting in Maggie, seems to just walk through his lines and rest on the fact that he's n action movie icon so why put in the effort. Jim Caviezel playing out of character playing a Bond type villain with a bit of corniness, and I say that as a compliment, as he did so very well. THe premise of the movie is great. The attempt at being a smart action movie almost works. Thee were times it just decided to become a cliché of your typical brainless action movie. I like some of those. Stallone's Expendables being one. If this would have stayed on the path of that intelligent action movie this could've been a box office hit and a memorable film. Most people I have mentioned this movie to never even head of it or forgot it totally and they are fans of the genre, Stallones, and/or Arnold's. Sadly, This is an easily forgettable movie. Watch it for the entertainment and quality but don't expect much.

Broken (XIV) (2016)

Disappointing, slow with a decent ending

[4/10 · 9 March 2017]

I originally came across this title when researching REVENGE HORROR films. This was listed as one to watch. It definitely is not a horror film. IMDb dos have it right as a Drama/Thriller. Was there act(s) of vengeance, yes. But I wouldn't classify it as a revenge movie either. This is a psychological drama that for most of the movie is very slow and I don't mean as in slow build up or slow burn. Just slow. The ending did not satisfy the pace it was more like "finally, something happened". The acting is good. So, you're not wasting your time totally watching some micro budget movie with terrible actors or script. The movie just doesn't flow. If you go into it wanting to see a psychological DRAMA, with a hint of a thriller and bit of "vengeance", then by all means you may enjoy this more.

Morgan (2016)

Thinking man's Sci Fi Thriller with Horror Elements

[8/10 · 9 March 2017]

While I can see why people compare this to Ex-Machina and it does have some characteristics similar to other movies, I truly think this one can stand on it's own and does so very well. Very few movies one views, especially movie buffs, can honestly say that they don't see similarities or something that reminds them of another movie. I for one often am looking for a movie that fits a certain criteria. With that you will get the similarities. Plus this was a smart movie meaning not just some action sci-fi for a dumbed down audience. There was some intellect put into this film. The acting in this movie was A-Grade and many familiar faces playing supporting roles. The story successfully blended sci-fi (yes, along the lines of Ex-Machina, Westworld, and even Terminator), with psychological horror (think Legend of Hell House and The Other Ones). Not saying all will but I did predict the ending early on but I'm thinking the makers of this film wanted people to have that thought as a possibility (no spoiler given). The violence, while I wouldn't call it gory, was realistic and very well placed throughout the movie.

Hands of Stone (2016)

Boxing. History. Biographies. Drama.

[8/10 · 9 March 2017]

Yes, this is a boxing movie. However, it's not really just about boxing or a boxer. It is about world famous boxer Roberto Duran and has some fight scenes that are done with realism. The movie pays more focus on the man himself and a spectacular role played by Robert DeNiro As Ray Arcel, world famous fight trainer. The relationship between the two is one many probably didn't know. It also explores the conflict that occurred in Panama, Duran's home country, and how that shaped his views and behavior. It shows both the political side and economic side of the struggle in that country during those times. Edgar Ramirez once again shows his versatility and some how can manage to transform his age depending on the role he plays, as Roberto Duran. The rest of the cast is top notch including John Tuturro, even though not a lot of screen time, as a mafia boss. On that note it also delves into the corruption of the sport from it's inception to it's world wide fame. This is not Rocky or Raging Bull but if y0u like true boxing movies and like history you will no doubt enjoy this film.

Hercules (I) (2014)

Good movie that could have been Great.

[6/10 · 9 March 2017]

This had the makings to be a iconic film in the same genre like 300, Troy, Gladiator, etc. but it just didn't get there. I watched it in 3D which definitely had added a point or two since that was done well. However, the movie itself was just lacking something. They had a great cast. No complaints on the acting. The script was a bit too corny at times. IMO if they would have stayed on task with just blending the myth with the history and not tried to force any silly dialogue in this movie would have been a classic. That and maybe added a bit more intensity ad length to the battle scenes. Many scenes just seem to get cut short. I know there is a director's cut that is just a little bit longer but I' not thinking the few extra minutes are going to make this one. This is not a waste of time by any means. Enjoy it as a simple sword and fantasy movie. Just don't have your expectations set for an iconic epic.