cjsteltz Reviews

The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)

Very Underrated Movie

[10/10 · 15 May 2005]

I am not sure why this movie caught to much bad press. It is a very very solid sci-fi/action movie. Its completely different from the first one but in a good way. Pitch Black was sci-fi/horror not action. The action sequences in this are amazing as well as the fight sequences. Vin Diesel was born to play this character like Arnold to the Terminator. The special effects, fights and action make this movie a balls to the wall fun flick. If you have not seen it because of all the nay sayers, I say hogwash, wow never thought i would use hogwash in a sentence. I've seen this one three times now with different people and everyone who sees it ends up really liking it and asking themselves why they haven't seen it before this. Check this one out for certain.

High Tension (2003)

It was good until....

[6/10 · 14 May 2005]

I really dug the hell out of this movie until the twist ending was revealed. The story gaps were just a bit to large to look past. They would have been better off doing the token it was all a dream ending, it would have been easier to explain the events that were supposed to be occurring but actually were not. Although I will be the first to recommend this one to gore hounds, as there are some pretty intense kills, the best being the staircase and the dresser, and ill leave it at that for the people who haven't seen it. But the ending really really hurt this movie to the point of making it a 80's slasher cliché. But like I said props to the creative killings.

Layer Cake (2004)

Very Good Crime Film

[9/10 · 14 May 2005]

I don't think its fair to compare this to Guy Ritchies films, because, yes it is a very different type of film. At the same time the feel of the movie is derivative of Ritchie in its appearance and "style". That being said Vaughn takes the best of Ritchie and mixes in his own brilliant narrative flare and style to complete this complex film. From the opening monologue to the major 180 degree ending, which ill be the first to admit i didn't see coming, this film oozes grit mixing it with the dark gangster crime reality we have all come to know and love. The best comparison for this film is combining Heat with Lock, Stock. If you like crime dramas and can get over the Guy Ritchie connection, however vague it may be, you will for certain like this movie. I highly recommend it and hope to read your comments about it.