I have to return some videotapes.

A psychological thriller of epic proportions. Christian Bale has surely impressed me with his acting chops in this one. I loved every single second, and although there are a few sexual scenes, I didn't mind. Bale certainly hammed up his part as psychotic serial killer (or is he?) Patrick Bateman, while Willem Dafoe made us wonder if he actually bought Bateman's excuses or was he completely oblivious as he portrays Detective Donald Kimball, who is assigned to the murder case of Bateman's co-worker, Paul Allen, who in turn is played by Jared Leto. To cap off the cast is Reese Witherspoon as Evelyn Williams, Bateman's perky but completely unsuitable fiancee, and Chloe Sevigny as Jean, Bateman's secretary who seems to fancy him.
The movie is a constant rollercoaster, as director Mary Harron takes you through the life of a true American psycho who happens to part of the upper class society. Although we know that Bateman's dad seems to own the company he is working for, we don't actually see him DO any work aside from planning and dispatching his victims with cool, calculated passion.
Directing: perfect. Acting: flawless. Storyline: Riveting. I must say, despite having a dark, gloomy atmosphere althroughout, the film kept me glued to the screen and to Bale's every move. If you're into thrillers and a true-blue Balehead, you shouldn't miss this one.
I wouldn't be surprised if it goes to the American Film Institute's Top 100 Movies of All Time List. ;D

We have to tape everything, Pablo. For fuck's sake.

Since watching the film "Quarantine", I've been on tenterhooks to see this film. And what I got was a messy mash of a so-called horror documentary, which follows the exact lines as the former film. Which isn't surprising, since "Quarantine" was supposed to be the remake of this one. The ONE good thing about this film is that we were given a clearer explanation of what happened, unlike the other film, which left us hanging, in a way.
The shots are eerie, which does add to the terror that slowly builds until the final shot of Angela being dragged away by some unseen force. But due to the shaky camera movements AND that I had to focus on the subtitles as well, didn't make me enjoy the film very much, even for a second time.
The storyline is the same: a reporter and her cameraman are sent to follow a group of firefighters as they go on their nightly rounds. It just so happens that they are sent into an apartment building where an old woman is screaming her lungs out. She appears to be in a state of shock, but when the firemen and police try to calm her down, she suddenly snaps out of her stupor and attacks one of the firemen, savagely biting at his throat. This is where all hell breaks loose, as the tenants demand to know what is happening and the authorities outside suddenly sealing the building shut. When a medical team is sent in to look at the situation, they learn that a virus has spread, and that one of the tenants' dog, Max, suddenly went rabid and attacked the other animals in the local pet store when it was taken in for a check-up. Now, the tenants have to find a way to stay alive, while it is left to the news crew to record every painstaking moment of their stay in the apartment... even if it kills them.
You might want to watch both films and see how the two compare to each other, but all I can say is: if you've seen one, you've seen both. ;)

We're not out on the belt collecting data. And we're not hauling cargo. We are the cargo.

Alien zombies? Check. A kickass female lead? Check. Surreal action and storyline? Check. These are just some of the facets given to audiences in Pandorum, which apparently bombed at the box office. I don't see why - the concept is new, plus the actors gave okay performances. Maybe they didn't like the idea of mixing two franchises (Alien and zombies) together, but I don't really know.
Corporal Bower (Foster) suddenly wakes up in a capsule with hardly any memory of what has happened to him. After a few moments of hysteria, he regains control of himself and remembers bits and pieces of his past. It is then when another capsule is opened and Lieutenant Payton (Quaid) awakes, and experiences the same effects as he did. Together they realize that they are on the spacecraft, Elysium, that carries the last members of the human race (although the last fact didn't come to them until much later). Payton instructs Bower to try and unlock the huge metal door from the outside, and they maintain constant communication via mini walkie talkies. As Bower finds himself outside, he bumps into another space crew member, who seems to be running away from something. He then comes across bloodthirsty cannibal creatures, and after killing a few of them, is rescued by Manh (Le). In the process however, he loses contact with Payton, who is left to ponder on the goings-on outside. He isn't left alone for long, as another capsule opens and out drops another space crew, Gallo (Gigandet). Bower then learns that he and the rest of the crew are what is left of the human race, and that they are on a pre-coordinated flight to a planet said to mimic the living conditions on Earth, were hopefully, Man could start anew. Problems arose when some of the crew mutated and became the cannibalistic creatures Bower ran into later. Joining the crew is Nadia (Traue), who seems to have been awake longer than Bower or Manh, and who directs them to the ship's generator. The moment the generator shuts down, all hope is lost, and Bower is left to work against the clock in order to put the system back together again while dodging the feral creatures who hunger for flesh.
A surprising twist, one which I wouldn't give away, since it's what made the whole movie "work" for me. Science fiction fans, go see this one. If you enjoy Alien and the works of George A. Romero, go see this one as well.

They say that those things are dead. I know that's a bunch of BULLSHIT!

Effing love EVERYTHING about this film. I've been a fan of the zombie genre for years, and this one ranks as one of the best I've seen in ages. It does seem ironic though, that Ving Rhames appears in two zombie films, the other being the Day of the Dead. Still, Zack Snyder definitely blew me away with the way he presented the remake of George A. Romero's film of the same name.
Ana (Polley) is suddenly thrust into a world full of chaos, blood, and cannibalistic creatures as an unknown plague tears through Milwaukee and turns everyone (everyone who gets bitten by an infected, that is) she knows and loves into walking undead. She meets up with Kenneth (Rhames), Michael (Weber), and a host of other survivors, where they stay in the Crossroads Mall for a little over a month. Along with them is Andy (Bohne), the owner of a gun shop across the street who is trapped in the building. During those 29 agonizing days, the survivors learn to cope with each other, even going past a few rough patches and threats of mutiny. When Luda (Korobkina), a pregnant Russian woman, gives birth to an zombie baby, and the undead swarm the outside of the mall in growing numbers, the survivors are forced to make a choice: go out and look for another place to stay, or wait until "shatterproof" doors break and the undead swarm in?
One hell of a ride, definitely. Romero fans are sure to love this one. You may feel the urge to bite your nails in some scenes, but don't worry. It's only normal. ;)

Hell is a teenage girl.

Ho-hum. From the outset, I knew that despite the fact that the award-winning writer of Juno was the one who penned this film, this would be a disaster. The one thing which awed me was the acting of Amanda Seyfried. I liked her in Mean Girls, raised my eyebrows a bit in Mamma Mia!, but here? *claps slowly* She definitely portrayed a geeky best friend to the "hot" Megan Fox, and was the only element in the film which I liked.
Jennifer Check (Fox) is the hottest and most popular girl in Devil's High, while Needy Lesnicky (Seyfried) is a geek. Despite their huge difference in high school status, the two are BFFs, although Needy's boyfriend, Chip Dove (Simmons) insists that Needy seems to do everything that Jennifer asks her to do. While watching an indie rock band, Jennifer and Needy are caught in a fire in the club, after which Jennifer is taken by the band to some unknown location. Hours later, Jennifer shows up in Needy's house, and there is something definitely wrong with her. As the days pass, Needy notices a drastic change in her best friend, and when she learns the horrible truth, Needy is forced to do the unthinkable.
yawn. Yawn. And wait... let me yawn some more. It's like a high school horror film gone badly wrong. At least THAT'S over and done with. :p

Even if you leave this room, you can never leave this room!

I have always been a fan of subtle horror (I recall mentioning this in a few of my previous reviews, so if you truly read my thoughts, then you'll know this), and this is THE best film which exhibits this feature of horror films. There may be blood involved, but the film relies more on the viewers' imagination as to how the true horror unravels in the film. Other moviegoers may feel that Samuel L. Jackson's presence may be lacking, but I say that it's just right. He has had precedence in a number of other films; let Cusack take centre stage this time around.
Mike Enslin (Cusack) is an expert on the paranormal, and when he receives a note about the notorious 1408 room in the Dolphin Hotel, he decides to go there and see for himself if the rumours surrounding the different occurrences are true. Is the terror truth or myth? The reluctant manager of the hotel. Gerard Olin (Jackson), isn't too keen on handing over the keys to the room, even citing a number of horrific instances of people who had encounters with the room; some of which ended in death and insanity. Mike scoffs off these tales, and he fervently insists that he should be given access to the room. Once inside, he begins dictating notes in his tape recorder, but it isn't long before the room begins to work its mysterious effects on Mike.
The film may seem dragging to some, but I found that the scenes where Mike was slowly being caught in the mental trap the room seemed to exert over the people who were brave and/or foolish enough to stay there for more than ten seconds. You might not be a fan of horror film, but this one definitely takes the cake.

The first rule of Zombieland: Cardio. When the zombie outbreak first hit, the first to go, for obvious reasons... were the fatties.

I love this film to death. As you all know, I'm a huge, HUGE fan of zombie films, because it helps me de-stress (weird much?). Now, to have a comedy film involving zombies and the end of the world, well, wow. You'd think that this is a real rip-off and that the actors played their parts poorly, but they didn't. Wisecracks, witty lines, and having a geeky guy being the main character and narrator of the film AND one of the survivors of the outbreak make this film unique, and at times, enthralling.
Columbus (Eisenberg) is a high school geek who is trying to make his way back to his hometown in Ohio, all the while trying to stay alive using 32 rules which he avidly follows as he treks through the perilous Zombieland. Along the way, he meets Twinkie addict and gun toting cowboy, Tallahassee, who has a penchant for Hummers and painting '3' on the sides of the vehicles he uses. At first, the two don't really hit it off, but when they meet a sister tandem of Wichita (Stone) and Little Rock (Breslin), they are forced to work together, especially after the two steal their car and everything in it. However, the four are constantly thrown together, and in the end, they decide to work together - up to a certain point. The four learn more about each other during their travels, and after a mishap in Bill Murray's (Murray) mansion, they separate ways. Columbus, however, is hesitant to leave the sisters on their own, and his hunch proves right when Wichita and Little Rock are attacked by hundreds of zombies in the theme park of their dreams.
This film oozes with originality, and I love the screenwriters and director for that. Plus, they were able to infuse horror with comedy effortlessly, and this feat certainly pulled off. I would definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone. ;)

That's the story of, that's the glory of love..

Brilliant. The subtle horror brought upon by a young girl gave the film an eerie and intense mood all throughout. At first, you wouldn't think that this film is worth tuppence, but as the events progress, each revelation gives you an idea of what the film is about. Frankly, it was one of the best films I've seen which features a child as the film's villain.
Kate (Farmiga) and John Coleman (Sarsgaard) are trying to cope with the loss of their baby daughter, Jessica, who died while she was still in Kate's womb, as well as John's infidelity (apparently he slept with their neighbor). In order to help themselves forget what happened in their past, they decide to adopt. While looking at the girls in the orphanage, John chances upon a girl softly singing while painting. Her name is Esther (Fuhrman), and she easily captures the hearts of Kate and John with her quiet wit, polite demeanor, and unquestionable charm. The first few days of Esther's stay in the Coleman house are peaceful, save for conflict arising between Esther and Daniel (Bennett), Kate and John's oldest child. When people around the Colemans are dying and/or getting hurt, Kate slowly suspects that the little girl she and John adopted isn't as innocent as she seems to be. Unfortunately, John doesn't see it that way, and this causes further friction between the husband and wife, especially when John finds two bottles of wine (Kate has been previously treated for alcoholism). Kate now has to fight for her family, as Esther's shocking past and true identity is revealed.
Fantastic. A horror movie does not need excess blood, guts, and other factors common to such films nowadays. All you need is a good twist (one that audiences would NEVER expect, an eerie atmosphere, and one helluva villain that scares the crap out of you. :p

The problem doesn't seem to be that people are waking up dead, but that dead people are waking up.

Not exactly one of George Romero's best, but it's good for an occasional watch. Probably because it's due to the shaky camera action and the somewhat teeny bopper aura of the film, but it didn't really give a huge impression on me. I prefer the Land or Dawn of the Dead though.
When a group of film students are out doing a class project, a sudden and deadly outbreak erupts all over the world, and during the course of their travels back to their homes, with the slim hope of finding their loved ones alive, one student obsessively records every excruciating detail, in order to provide future generations (or those who are left in the world after the outbreak) proof of what happened. They encounter zombies, plus a whole host of humans, from a mute farmer to corrupt army men. All the while, they are trying to stay alive, as the world slowly turns into a society ruled by flesh eating and savage creatures.
I know this film was supposed to be a documentary, but somehow... no. Not really. I prefer Quarantine (and possibly [REC]).

Weakness compels strength, betrayer begets blood; this is the Law of the Nine Clans.

Ah, yes. This film was surprisingly good, and I have to credit Rain for being able to ease away from his Korean pop singing forte and land a starring role in a Hollywood film. Most of the actors are Oriental (well, what do you expect from a film which involves ninjas?), but the setting is far from China, Japan, or other Asian countries.
Raizo (Rain) is brought into a life which honours strength, physical endurance, and other mystical powers, while at the same time condones weakness and swears off betrayal. He is one of the most lethal assassins in the entire world, and he used to be part of the Ozuna Clan, where he was trained since he was young. He turned his back on his clan when they killed the girl he loved, Kiriko (Sawai), after she tried to escape. Now, he is constantly haunted by memories of his bloody and violent past, which eventually catches up to him when he saves the life of forensic researcher Mika Coretti (Harris), who has accidentally stumbled upon the existence of the Ozuna Clan. Now, she is being hunted by literally hundreds of ninja assassins, and Raizo is the only person standing between her and an early and bloody death.
Excellent fight scenes, and although the blood was a wee bit over the top, somehow it didn't bother me as much. Well, for starters, it looked too fake to be real, as the blood spurts and the extreme fluidity of the blood showed it to be a red dye mixture. In terms of the action... wow. Definitely wow. Although I felt that Harris didn't have a strong character unlike her previous films (such as 20 Days Later and the Pirates films), she was somewhat a good sidekick/damsel in distress in the film. Favorite scenes would be the final showdown between Raizo and Ozunu, as well as the slaughter at the start of the movie.