paul_haakonsen Reviews

Silence of the Prey (2024)

A swing and a miss at a horror attempt...

[3/10 · 20 May 2024]

Of course it was a given that I had to sit down and watch the 2024 horror movie "Silence of the Prey", as I happened to stumble upon it by random chance here in 2024. Sure, I had never heard about the movie, not that it really mattered, as it being a horror movie was sufficient for me to opt to sit down and watch it.

Now, I wasn't harboring any expectations to the movie, as I literally had no idea what I was in for here, aside from it being a horror movie. And I have to say that the movie's cover was the reason why I stopped and took notice of the movie.

The storyline in the movie, as written by Karyna Kudzina and Saro Varjabedian, was semi-adequate. It was a bit of a slow burn, but it proved to be sort of entertaining enough for what it was, provided you can endure the pacing of the narrative. And I have to say that the character gallery and some of the acting performances definitely helped to make the movie all the more enjoyable to sit through. The movie did, however, suffer from a somewhat stale and monotonous narrative, there wasn't much of any forward momentum, nor of anything overly thrilling or scary happening, and that made sitting through "Silence of the Prey" a bit of a drag.

I wasn't familiar with the casted actors and actresses in the movie. I wasn't particularly impressed with the performance put on by leading actress Karyna Kudzina (playing Nina), whom also co-wrote and co-directed the movie, as she didn't have a natural delivery of her dialogue or acting, making it feel shunted and rigid. Truth be told, she acted and looked like a puppet where some puppeteer has a hand up inside in order to make it move and perform. The movie, however, was carried by actor Chris LaPanta's (playing Luther) performance, and actor Monte Bezell (playing Andres) also put on a good performance.

Visually then "Silence of the Prey" wasn't packing a particularly impressive display. The movie wasn't really dependent on special effects and CGI, so that was a good thing, and thus the movie didn't really have an abundance of special effects nor CGI effects.

"Silence of the Prey" came and went without leaving much of a lasting impression. Sure, it was watchable for what it was, but it is hardly a movie that I will be picking up a second time. Nor is it a movie that I would recommend for horror fans to rush out and get to watch.

My rating of directors Karyna Kudzina and Michael Vaynberg's 2024 horror movie "Silence of the Prey" lands on a three out of ten stars.

The Arctic Convoy (2023)

Wow, this was amazing...

[7/10 · 20 May 2024]

With a dash of sheer luck, I happened to stumble upon the 2023 movie "Konvoi" (aka "The Arctic Convoy"). Now, I hadn't heard about the movie, nor did I know that it was a Norwegian movie, as the version I had the chance to sit down and watch was titled "The Arctic Convoy".

And I was quite surprised to find out that it was a Norwegian movie, and I was even more impressed by how intense and well-told this movie was. Writers Lars Gudmestad, Harald Rosenløw-Eeg and Christian Siebenherz put together quite a script and storyline for the movie, which is based on actual events. And with it being based on actual events just made the movie all the more impactful.

I have to say that director Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken really impressed me twice over with this movie. This movie just came out of nowhere and left a big impression on me. And it was an amazingly entertaining and enjoyable movie, given its storyline and the cinematography. It felt like I was onboard the vessel with the crew, and that certainly added to the overall enjoyment of the movie.

I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie. But the actors and single actress in the movie really carried it phenomenally. They put on great performances and it was definitely memorable performances that shined on the screen. I was really impressed with the sheer level of talents that participated in the acting here.

Visually then "Konvoi" was great. It was an intense movie, and it was filmed in a very dynamic way, that made it feel like the audience were right there alongside the crew and part of the action.

If you have the opportunity to sit down and watch "Konvoi", then I would wholeheartedly recommend that you do so. I was really impressed and surprised with how this movie played out and what it turned out to be.

Norwegian cinema really has churned out some interesting movies over the recent years.

My rating of "Konvoi" lands on a most well-deserved seven out of ten stars.

Chicken and Duck Talk (1988)

Enjoyable and feel-good Hong Kong comedy...

[5/10 · 19 May 2024]

Given my love of the Hong Kong cinema, then of course I had to sit down and watch the 1988 comedy "Gai Tung Ngap Gong" (aka "Chicken and Duck Talk") when I had the chance to sit down and watch it for the first time here in 2024.

I had never actually heard about the movie prior to watching it. But that hardly mattered, because it being a Hong Kong movie that I hadn't already seen before was more than sufficient to make me sit down and spend 99 minutes on watching it.

Writers Michael Hui, Clifton Ko, Joe Ma and James Yuen put together an enjoyable and entertaining script and storyline. Sure, it was a late 1980s Hong Kong comedy in every sense of those words, but that was actually a good thing. I was genuinely entertained throughout the course of the entire movie. The movie's story and narrative actually still holds up today, given the small independent restaurants that are found all over Hong Kong, the ones that have way more charm and style that those chain restaurants that overshadow them.

The acting performances in "Gai Tung Ngap Gong" were good, though I was actually only familiar with Ricky Hui on the entire cast list. But I will say that the actors and actresses put on good performances and made the movie all the more enjoyable.

While this wasn't a comedy that had me bursting out laughing, it was still an enjoyable comedy, because it was definitely a feel-good type of comedy. And it was a mixture of the storyline and the well-written characters that made it so.

All in all, "Gai Tung Ngap Gong" is a movie that is well-worth sitting down to watch if you enjoy the late 1980s Hong Kong cinema.

My rating of director Clifton Ko's 1988 movie "Gai Tung Ngap Gong" lands on a five out of ten stars.

The Device (I) (2014)

A watchable, but sluggish sci-fi thriller...

[4/10 · 19 May 2024]

When I sat down to watch this 2014 movie titled "The Device" here in 2024, ten years after it was initially released, I had never actually heard about it. But I stumbled upon it by random chance, and found the cover to be interesting enough to make me stop and take notice. And thus, I opted to sit down and watch the movie without knowing what I was in for.

Writers Jeremy Berg and John Portanova put together a script that was somewhat slow paced, but if you manage to endure, then there is actually something interesting to the storyline. It is just a matter of a test of wills to sit through the rather sluggish narrative.

I suppose that the slow narrative might be off-putting to some viewers, and that makes "The Device" somewhat of a niché movie and an acquired taste. I suppose that hardcore fans of sci-fi thrillers will find enjoyment in this 2014 movie from director Jeremy Berg.

I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in "The Device", aside from Russell Hodgkinson, which is something I do enjoy when I sit down to watch a movie. It was nice to see new and unfamiliar faces and talents on the screen, and the acting performances were fair.

Visually then "The Device" wasn't a movie that made use of an abundance of special effects or CGI. The alien design were actually interesting enough and functional, as they did have an otherworldly and extraterrestrial feel to them. And it was a nice approach to the alien design, deviating a bit from the usual standard representation of 'The Grey'.

"The Device" is a slow burn movie that proved entertaining enough for a single viewing. However, I will never pick up the movie and watch it a second time, as the storyline didn't have the contents for more than a single viewing.

My rating of director Jeremy Berg's 2014 sci-fi thriller "The Device" lands on a four out of ten stars. A fair attempt at a sci-fi thriller, I would say, but one that ultimately caters to the hardcore sci-fi fans.

For Sale (2024)

Devoid of horror and comedy...

[3/10 · 19 May 2024]

Suffice it to say that I had never heard about the 2024 horror comedy "For Sale" prior to sitting down to watch it. But given my love of all things horror, and with this being a horror comedy that I hadn't already seen, of course I opted to sit down and watch the movie.

Writers Jordan Friedberg and Christopher Schrack had every opportunity to impress and entertain me here, because I harbored zero expectations to the movie, as I virtually didn't know what I was in for here. However, I have to say that the movie was stale and monotonous. It was greatly lacking in both horror and comedy genres, making it a rather bland and pointless movie to sit through. And it didn't help much that the narrative was sluggish and nothing much of anything worthwhile happened throughout the course of the 115 minutes that the movie ran for.

Of course I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie. The acting performances were fair, but nothing outstanding or particularly memorable though. While I do tend to enjoy watching movies with unfamiliar talents and faces on the screen, then "For Sale" just didn't win me over.

Visually then you're not in for any memorable treats here, as "For Sale" was a movie that ran on a minimal amount of special effects. Whatever little effects were in the movie were passable, though.

Running at 115 minutes and without nothing interesting happening, it was bordering on being torture sitting through this movie from director Christopher Schrack. It could seriously have benefitted from a generous trim in the editing room. The movie is just too long and slow paced to make it entertaining sitting through.

If you enjoy horror comedies, I wouldn't recommend that you waste 115 minutes of sitting through "For Sale". Some of us virtually suffered through this so you don't have to. You're very welcome.

My rating of "For Sale" lands on a very generous three out of ten stars, and that is based mostly on the production value of the movie.

The Last Kumite (2024)

When you order "Bloodsport" from Wish...

[3/10 · 18 May 2024]

Granted, I wasn't really harboring the biggest of expectations to this 2024 action movie titled "The Last Kumite" when I sat down to watch it. In fact, I had never actually heard about the movie prior to watching it, so I didn't really know what I was in for here.

The storyline and script in "The Last Kumite" was so simplistic that it was bordering on being embarrassing to sit through. Writers Ross W. Clarkson and Sean David Lowe didn't exactly bring much of anything new or interesting to the martial arts genre. In fact, the storyline and narrative in the movie was generic and predictable. You're not in an evening of Shakespearian theater when you sit down to watch this movie; not that I was expecting that, actually.

When you sit down to watch a movie such as "The Last Kumite", of course you want to see the fighting tournament and see some impressive displays of fighting and martial arts. Well, you might want to brace yourself with a hefty amount of patience, if you sit down to watch "The Last Kumite", because you need to sit through 65 minutes of filler dialogue, attempts at character building and training montages before you get to the good part, and with the movie running at a total of 105 minutes, go figure.

There were two familiar faces on the cast list, and that was Cynthia Rothrock and Matthias Hues. I suppose if you were a fan of Cynthia Rothrock then you might find something worthwhile in "The Last Kumite"; I personally can't claim to ever have been a fan of her or her movies. While I do enjoy watching unfamiliar faces and talents on the screen, I have to say that I wasn't particularly impressed with what I saw on the screen here.

The character gallery in "The Last Kumite" was flaccid and one-dimensional. Most of the characters are mere fillers in order to set up Michael Rivers (played by Mathis Landwehr) against Dracko (played by Mike Derudder). In fact, you don't even bother getting to know the names of the characters throughout the movie, because there is zero in-depth characterization of any of them, nor any proper motivation and drives, much less personalities and traits.

Having to wait 65 minutes of boring rubbish before you get to the fights, I have to say that the fight scenes didn't really do much to make up for the long wait. Sure, there were some nicely enough choreographed fights, but it just wasn't sufficient to make up for the boredom of having to suffer through 65 minutes of boredom.

"The Last Kumite" was a boring dumpster fire that simply just managed to get picked up because it has the word 'Kumite' in its title. Yeah, the throwback to the 1988 movie "Bloodsport" that was starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. But "The Last Kumite" doesn't even reach "Bloodsport" to the ankles.

This movie, from director Ross W. Clarkson, was a weak attempt at making a martial arts movie reminiscent of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

My rating of "The Last Kumite" lands on a very, very generous three out of ten stars.

Pandemonium (II) (2023)

Not my cup of tea...

[3/10 · 18 May 2024]

Needless to say that I had never actually heard about this 2023 horror movie titled "Pandemonium" prior to stumbling upon it by random chance here in 2024. In fact, I didn't even know that it was a French movie that I sat down to watch when I opted to sit down and watch it, on account of it being a horror movie that I hadn't already seen.

So in a sense, writer and director Quarxx had every opportunity to entertain and impress me here. However, that was a wasted opportunity, because "Pandemonium" was a dumpster fire of a movie. I didn't know that I was in for a horror anthology here, and had I known that this was an anthology I wouldn't have wasted 95 minutes on watching it.

The movie was off to a great start with the scene with Nathan (played by Hugo Dillon) and Daniel (played by Arben Bajraktaraj) with the crash and the choices of Heaven or Hell. But then the movie quickly went downhill. But give it a watch, perhaps you might find the segments and stories interesting. I just happened to not find the subsequent segments interesting, after the first one.

It should be said, though, that the acting performances in "Pandemonium" were good. I wasn't familiar with a single actor or actress on the cast list, however. But that is actually something I do appreciate and enjoy when I sit down to watch a movie. Just a shame that this was a dumpster fire of a horror anthology.

Visually then "Pandemonium" was okay. There were a minimal of special effects throughout the 95 minutes that the movie ran for. But the effects were adequate for what they were and served the movie well enough.

"Pandemonium" didn't impress me, much less actually entertained me. And it is not a movie that will ever grace my screen a second time.

My rating of writer and director Quarxx's 2023 horror movie "Pandemonium" lands on a very generous three out of ten stars.

Love Bite (2012)

Not much of a bite here...

[4/10 · 18 May 2024]

I happened to stumble upon the 2012 horror comedy "Love Bite" by random chance here in 2024. Needless to say that I opted to sit down and watch it, given my love of all things horror. And I have to say that the movie's synopsis sounded interesting enough.

The storyline in the movie, however, was somewhat disappointing. There just simply wasn't enough of anything happening throughout the course of the 91 minutes that the movie ran for. So writers Ronan Blaney and Cris Cole failed to impress me with what they delivered for director Andy De Emmony to bring to the screen. The narrative was simply lacking tremendously in both the horror and comedy department. And there was a bit too much focus on lewd things, as if the narrative was written by a randy adolescent writer.

I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie, and that is actually something I do rather enjoy when I sit down to watch a movie. And it should be said that the acting performances in "Love Bite" were actually good.

Visually then "Love Bite" wasn't all that impressive. Sure, it wasn't among the worst of special effects movies that I've seen, not even remotely. But the CGI animated werewolf in the movie didn't really look realistic - well, as realistic as a make-believe fantasy creature can get - nor did it look great either. In fact, it looked like something you would find in a late 2000s computer game.

While I did manage to sit through the entire 91 minutes that "Love Bite" ran for, this is not an impressive movie. Nor is it a movie that I would recommend for horror comedy fans, because you have to look long and hard to find horror or comedy here. And it is definitely not a movie that I will return to watch a second time.

My rating of "Love Bite" lands on a very generous four out of ten stars.

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Still going strong...

[6/10 · 17 May 2024]

Right, well as part of watching the old "Spider-Man" movies once again here in 2024, of course I came to sit down and watch "Spider-Man 3" as well. Of course I have watched it before, so it was not exactly a new viewing experience.

The storyline in "Spider-Man 3" is good. Writers Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent put together a script and storyline that definitely was almost fully up to par with the 2002 "Spider-Man" and the 2004 "Spider-Man 2" movies, so that was quite a nice thing, and a good accomplishment from the writers. If you enjoyed the previous two movies, you will also enjoy this third movie from director Sam Raimi.

The movie does have some flaws, and the plot does suffer a bit from prolonged periods of stagnancy. Sure, it was a good story, but there were just parts where the plot seemed to be running in Neutral gear.

And it was nice to see the cast from the previous two movies return to reprise their roles and characters, with that being Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Rosemary Harris and J. K. Simmons. The two villains in this third movie were portrayed by Thomas Haden Church and Topher Grace. And just like in the previous two movies, there was a nice appearance from Bruce Campbell himself.

While were are on the topic of the two villains, then I have to say that I found the Sandman to be a filler character - pardon the pun. But his story arch and motivation was rather weak and he didn't really do much of anything than assaulting Spider-Man. Whereas Venom seemed a bit more interesting and fleshed out - pardon the pun again.

Visually then "Spider-Man 3" is good, and it is quite a step up from the previous two movies. So thumbs up to the CGI and special effects department for that accomplishment. I will say that this movie is definitely the most visually impressive of the three Sam Raimi directed "Spider-Man" movies.

I've enjoyed "Spider-Man 3" every time I've sat down to watch it, and that is a testament to the contents of the script and storyline, proving that the writers really were doing a great job.

My rating of "Spider-Man 3" lands on a six out of ten stars.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Definitely a good sequel...

[7/10 · 17 May 2024]

I opted to sit down and watch the 2004 movie "Spider-Man 2" once again her in 2024, right after having watched the 2002 movie "Spider-Man" as well. Of course I've seen director Sam Raimi's 2004 sequel before, a couple of times actually, but it has been many, many years since the last time.

So it was a nice return to the early Marvel movies, and I have to admit that the storyline in "Spider-Man 2" was, and actually still is, as good as the storyline in the previous movie. So writers Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, Michael Chabon and Alvin Sargent definitely put together and enjoyable and entertaining script and storyline.

It was nice to see Tobey Maguire return to don the mantle of Spider-Man once again. And just like two years earlier, he did it with grace and really carried the movie and the character. "Spider-Man 2" also has Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, J. K. Simmons and Rosemary Harris returning to reprise their characters, which was nice. And Alfred Molina definitely was a nice casting choice for Doc Ock / Dr. Otto Octavius. There were some other nice faces on the cast list, with the likes of Elya Baskin and Daniel Dae Kim. And, of course it was a treat to have Bruce Campbell himself return to the movie, even if just for a brief moment and also Willem Dafoe.

Needless to say that the acting performances in the movie were good.

Visually then "Spider-Man 2" was good. The CGI effects were a tad better than the first "Spider-Man" movie, but still there are some effects that shows signs of not aging well, as the movie is 20 years old already. But all in all, the effects were suitable for the movie taking into consideration when it was made, and still holds up fairly well today.

If you haven't watched "Spider-Man 2", then you should do so. But you should sit down and watch the 2002 "Spider-Man" movie first in order to fully understand some of the events in the sequel.

All in all, a great sequel with a lot of enjoyable moments to it. And it certainly is a movie that you can watch again and again.

My rating of "Spider-Man 2" lands on a seven out of ten stars.

Spider-Man (2002)

Still quite good...

[7/10 · 17 May 2024]

When I opted to sit down and watch the 2002 movie "Spider-Man" once again here in 2024, it was because I haven't actually watched it since it was released. So it was due time to revisit director Sam Raimi's 2002 movie.

The storyline in "Spider-Man", as written by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko and David Koepp, is an enjoyable one. It is a well-written script that is easy for viewers to get immersed into; even for newcomers who aren't familiar with the Spider-Man comic books. And it is also a rather enjoyable and action-packed script, so the viewers are in for quite a ride throughout the course of the 121 minutes that the movie runs for.

But the "Spider-Man" movie is more than just a good story, because the casting in the movie is great. I have to say that Tobey Maguire is rather well cast for the role of Peter Parker and Spider-Man, and he really carries the movie and the role quite nicely. But the icing on the cake in Tobey "Spider Man" is definitely Willem Dafoe in the role of Green Goblin and Norman Osborn; he is just phenomenally cast for the role and brings the villainous Green Goblin to life on the screen with grace and character. "Spider-Man" also have the likes of Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, and J. K. Simmons on the cast list. And there are some great appearances from Bruce Campbell and Randy "Macho Man" Savage as well.

The acting performances in "Spider-Man" are good, and the casted actors and actresses do great jobs in bringing their characters and the story to life on the screen.

Visually then "Spider-Man" is good. The movie is, however, showing signs of being 22 years old, as some of the CGI looks a bit dubious. But the overall impression is good, and the movie still holds ground today.

If you haven't seen director Sam Raimi's 2002 movie "Spider-Man" already, then you definitely should do so, regardless of liking superhero movies or not, because it is well-worth watching. And it is a movie that you can watch more than once.

I have been thoroughly entertained each time I've sat down to watch "Spider-Man". So it certainly is a movie that I warmly recommend, and I am not overly keen on superhero movies in general.

My rating of "Spider-Man" lands on a seven out of ten stars.

Sting (2024)

Enjoyable spider flick...

[6/10 · 16 May 2024]

Now, this 2024 horror movie titled "Sting", from writer and director Kiah Roache-Turner, was a movie that I definitely had been looking forward to watching. I have to admit that there is just something about giant spiders in movies that works for me. And when I first came to know about the movie, it was definitely added to my to-watch-list.

And now that I have watched it, I have to say that the wait was worth it. Writer and director Kiah Roache-Turner put together and enjoyable and entertaining script and storyline. Sure, it was a bit generic in terms of the trope of an arachnid creature from outer space, but it worked, because the movie was entertaining. And that is what matters, isn't it?

I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie, but the casted actors and actresses put on good performances and brought their characters and the storyline to life on the screen in a good manner.

Visually then "Sting" was good. I hadn't expected special effects like that, but, oh boy, was it good. The CGI effects in the movie were good and they made the spider look rather realistic. Creature features like this need proper and believable effects to be effective and entertaining, and "Sting" definitely had that. So thumbs up to the special effects department for that accomplishment.

If you enjoy horror movies and giant spider movies, the writer and director Kiah Roache-Turner delivered a wholesome and entertaining movie. It is without a doubt a movie that I warmly recommend.

My rating of "Sting" lands on a six out of ten stars.

Foil (2023)

A rather unique movie...

[4/10 · 14 May 2024]

Of course I had not heard about the 2023 sci-fi comedy titled "Foil" prior to sitting down and watching it here in 2024. I happened to stumble upon the movie by sheer random luck, and ofcourse opted to sit down and watch it, on account of it being a movie that I hadn't already seen.

Sure, I didn't know what I was in for, aside from what little I read from the movie's synopsis. So in a sense writers Zach Green and Devin O'Rourke had every opportunity to entertain and impress me with this movie.

"Foil" is definitely in a league of its own. The storyline in the movie is one of a kind, which makes it somewhat of a niché movie, and not something that will appeal to just everyone. But I think you should check it out, because it might just be something for you if you enjoy off-beat movies that aren't just mainstream run-of-the-mill movies.

I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie, and that is actually something I do enjoy when I sit down and watch a movie. It is always nice to see new faces and talents on the screen. And I will say that the acting performances in "Foil" were actually fair.

Visually then you're not in for anything grand here. "Foil" is not a movie that is driven by crafty CGI effects, but then again, the movie didn't really need it in order to tell its story.

I found "Foil" to be an oddly enjoyable enough movie, though it is hardly a movie that I will ever return to watch a second time.

My rating of director Zach Green's 2023 movie "Foil" lands on a four out of ten stars.

Most Likely to Die (2015)

Meh...

[3/10 · 14 May 2024]

As I stumbled upon the 2015 horror movie "Most Likely to Die" by random chance here in 2024, of course I opted to sit down and watch it, given my love of the horror genre. Sure, I had never heard about it, but the movie's cover seemed okay enough.

Writer Laura Brennan delivered a rather unforgettable script and storyline. "Most Likely to Die" was essentially just a generic horror movie like so many, many others before it. Writer Laura Brennan didn't deliver anything outstanding, memorable or particularly entertaining. And that made sitting through "Most Likely to Die" a rather bland viewing experience.

Of the entire cast ensemble here, I was only familiar with Jake Busey. The acting performances throughout the course of the movie were actually fair enough, especially when you take into consideration the monotonous material that the actors and actresses had to work with.

What keeps "Most Likely to Die" afloat is the violence and bloodshed throughout the course of the 80 minutes that the movie ran for. There were some interesting enough death scenes to sit through, and it sort of made up for the lack of creativity on the script front.

Ultimately, not a particularly memorable horror movie. I found that "Most Likely to Die" came and went without leaving a lasting impression on me. And it definitely is not a movie that I will watch a second time. Nor is it a movie that I would recommend fans of the horror genre to sit down and watch. If you've seen any horror movies during the 1990s or 2000s, then you've essentially already also seen "Most Likely to Die".

My rating of director Anthony DiBlasi's 2015 horror movie "Most Likely to Die" lands on a three out of ten stars.

The Blood Lands (2014)

Started out great, but...

[3/10 · 14 May 2024]

I had no idea what I was in for here, as I stumbled upon writer Ian Fenton's 2014 movie "White Settlers" (aka "The Blood Lands"). But with it being a horror and/or thriller movie that I hadn't already seen, of course I opted to sit down and watch it.

And "White Settlers" was off to a good start, because I didn't know that it was starring Pollyanna McIntosh. So it was quite a pleasant surprise to see her on the screen.

While the movie stated out quite nicely, and definitely had some potential, especially if it would have turned out to have been a supernatural thriller, it just crumbled as it turned out to be another generic home-invasion type of thriller. In a split second my interest in the movie went from being adequate to nearly non-existing. Sure, I managed to finish watching the movie, but I wasn't particularly entertained.

The acting performances in the movie were fair, despite the fact that I ended up caring so little about the script and narrative. I was actually only familiar with Pollyanna McIntosh on the entire cast list here. But they had a good cast ensemble that performed well.

Visually then you're not in for anything grant. It is a movie that has a lot of scenes in darkness, which grows tiring rather quickly. If I wanted to only watch something partially, I would not sit down and waste my time on a movie that was meant to be entertaining.

I have to say that the titled "White Settlers" made zero sense to me, and the alternative title "The Blood Lands" would have been a much more appropriate title for the movie.

My rating of director Simeon Halligan's 2014 thriller "White Settlers" lands on a generous three out of ten stars.

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

As good as the previous two movies...

[7/10 · 14 May 2024]

Continuing on with the 2006 third movie in the "X-Men" series, a movie that I had watched two or three times before. But I opted to revisit the first three movies again here in 2024, and thus also came to watch the 2006 movie "X-Men: The Last Stand" from director Brett Ratner.

The storyline in "X-Men: The Last Stand" is a bit of a step up in comparison to the 2000 and 2003 sequels in terms of grand scale and ambition. Sure, it was a bold approach, but it worked, because writers Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn managed to live up to the task and delivered a wholesome and entertaining script and storyline. The narrative was good and it is entertaining to sit through this 2006 movie every time I've done so.

Once again, it is quite a treat to see returning actors and actresses reprise their characters and roles from the previous movies, so you know you're in good company with the likes of Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, James Marsden and Rebecca Romijn, along with a few other. However, "X-Men: The Last Stand" adds some new talents to the cast ensemble as well, which is a welcomed addition, with the likes of Kelsey Grammer, Vinnie Jones, Ellen Page and Shohreh Aghdashloo. I've always been rather impressed with Kelsey Grammer's performance in this movie, because he was such an interesting casting choice for a movie such as this.

"X-Men: The Last Stand" also has the death of some characters, which you may or may not like, given your love and knowledge of the X-Men comic books. Of course I am not going to give away who, as it is something you should see for yourself.

Visually then you're in for a treat, just as the previous two movies. The CGI effects in "X-Men: The Last Stand" are wonderful and really add something enjoyable to the overall impression of the movie.

All in all, "X-Men: The Last Stand" is a very entertaining movie, and one that is quite worth sitting down to watch, though you should watch the previous two movies to fully grasp the stakes of the narrative in this third movie.

My rating of director Brett Ratner's 2006 movie "X-Men: The Last Stand" lands on a seven out of ten stars.

X2 (2003)

As good as it predecessor...

[7/10 · 14 May 2024]

Naturally I've watched the 2003 movie "X2" before. But I still opted to sit down here in 2024 and watch it again, as I had the opportunity to revisit the movie as part of watching the first three of the "X-Men" movies once again.

Writers Zak Penn, David Hayter, Bryan Singer, Michael Doughert, Dan Harris and David Hayter definitely put together a storyline and script that managed to live up to the 2000 predecessor "X-Men" movie in entertainment and excitement. And that was quite an accomplishment that made sitting through "X2" enjoyable and entertaining. It is a story that takes the audience on an action-packed ride in both storytelling and character development.

It was rather nice to see so many cast members of the original 2000 "X-Men" movie return to reprise their characters and roles in this 2003 sequel. As well as having new and interesting cast members being added to the movie. The acting performances in "X2" are good. Returning actors and actresses include the likes of Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn and Bruce Davison. And there were some nice new additions to the movie with the likes of Kelly Hu, Alan Cumming and Brian Cox.

Visually then "X2" is enjoyable. The CGI effects are good and realistic and add a lot of flavor to the movie. And with "X2" being a superhero movie, then special effects are a make or break factor. Thankfully then the effects in the movie are good, making it all the more enjoyable and fun to sit through the movie.

If you haven't already watched "X2", then you definitely should do so. While it is not really necessary to have watched the 2000 movie "X-Men" before watching "X2", I would recommend doing so, just in order to get everything taken in.

My rating of director Bryan Singer's 2003 sequel "X2" lands on a well-deserved seven out of ten stars.

X-Men (2000)

Enjoyable even today...

[7/10 · 13 May 2024]

Of course I have watched the 2000 movie "X-Men" before, two or three times actually. So it wasn't unexplored territory as I sat down to watch the movie again here in 2024.

The storyline in the movie, as written by Tom DeSanto, Bryan Singer and David Hayter, is good and well-written. It is a storyline that is easy to get submerged into, and it does have something for just about everyone in the audience. And that makes sitting through "X-Men" an easy and enjoyable task. I like how the writers managed to put together a script and storyline that was driven by the narrative, as well as leaving room for individual characters to shine and grow throughout the course of the narrative.

Something that always impressed me about this 2000 movie is the cast ensemble. Wow, just wow. The cast ensemble for this movie is off the charts. There are so many great talents on the cast list. And it is no secret that it is Hugh Jackman, playing Logan/Wolverine, that is my personal favorite of the characters and the acting performances; he is just simply phenomenal in that role throughout the various movies. "X-Men" has a great list of actors and actresses, with the likes of Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, Tyler Mane, Ray Park and Bruce Davison.

Visually then "X-Men" is great, and the CGI effects definitely help to set the stage in which this movie takes place. The effects look good and realistic, and for a movie such as this, then having believable and great CGI effects is a make or break deal.

If you enjoy superhero movies then director Bryan Singer's 2000 movie "X-Men" is well worth sitting down and watch. And it is a movie that has enough contents to the storyline that it can be watched over and over. I've thoroughly enjoyed it each time I've sat through it.

My rating of "X-Men" lands on a seven out of ten stars.

The Last Shark (1981)

Better than I anticipated...

[5/10 · 13 May 2024]

I actually had a couple of chances to watch the 1981 movie "L'ultimo Squalo" (aka "The Last Jaws") over the years, but always skipped on it. But then as the opportunity presented itself once more here in 2024, I finally sat down to watch it. I suppose it was because it was an Italian produced movie that seemed nothing more than a "Jaws" rip-off that deterred me from actually watching it over the years.

Turns out that while "L'ultimo Squalo" certainly was a movie that cashed in on the massive success of Spielberg's "Jaws", then it was actually still an enjoyable movie. The storyline was adequate, but of course nowhere near "Jaws" in comparison. But it proved to be an entertaining and enjoyable enough movie for what it was. And for a shark movie, then it actually fared better than many of the shark movies that were made from the 1990s and up to now.

So writers Ramón Bravo, Vincenzo Mannino, Marc Princi and Ugo Tucci actually put together a fair enough script and storyline here. And I was certainly surprised with the entertainment value of it, and that it was a wholesome shark movie.

The acting performances in the movie were fair. I wasn't familiar with a single actor or actress on the cast list, except for Vic Morrow. And the character that Vic Morrow portrayed was just a copy-paste rendering of the Quint character, played by Robert Shaw, in "Jaws", to the point where it was actually cringeworthy and embarrassing.

And you just got to love the use of stock shark footage mixed with actual shot footage with the fake shark for the movie, especially since the size proportions between the fake shark built for the movie and the sharks in the stock footage is way off. The shark is way smaller in the stock footage, which just was an amateurish mistake to make.

Not to forget the wonderful puppets that were used as well, where the shark rams a small boat from underneath, or the guy hanging from the helicopter. And while we are on the topic of helicopters, didn't you just love the scenes with the remote controlled helicopter that was supposed to look like a real helicopter? I sure did, as it brought good laughs with it.

If you enjoy shark movies, like I do, then "L'ultimo Squalo" is actually worth sitting down and watching.

My rating of director Enzo G. Castellari's 1981 movie "L'ultimo Squalo" lands on a five out of ten stars.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Enjoyable...

[7/10 · 12 May 2024]

I've watched the 2009 movie "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", but must admit that I had forgotten about the storyline and script in the movie. And thus, as I had the opportunity to revisit it here in 2024, I opted to do so. Though I do remember as enjoying the movie back in the day.

And actually I still do enjoy it today. Writers David Benioff and Skip Woods put together a good, entertaining and enjoyable narrative. Sure, I have no idea what the origin story of Wolverine actually is, as I haven't read the X-Men comic books. But I was definitely entertained here by watching the movie, and the storyline that told the backstory for Logan/Wolverine and Victor was enjoyable.

They had a great cast ensemble in the movie. And while I am not overly keen on superheroes in general, then I will admit that Hugh Jackman does a great job in portraying Logan/Wolverine, as does Liev Schreiber with the Victor character. There are also some other great performances on the screen, from the likes of Ryan Reynolds, Danny Huston, Kevin Durand, Dominic Monaghan and Taylor Kitsch. It was good to see Ryan Reynolds as Wade/Deadpool here, though personally I don't like the way the writers portrayed the character with the change of the character towards the end of the movie.

With "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" being a superhero action movie, of course you have a fair share of action sequences throughout the course of the 107 minutes that the movie ran for. The action sequences are nicely choreographed and executed, and they look good on the screen, adding a lot of enjoyment to the movie.

However, I have to say that "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" was troubled by a bit questionable CGI, especially the claws of Wolverine. And some of the scenes were just cringeworthy given the lousy CGI effects, but at least they brought a chuckle with them.

All in all an enjoyable movie, as it is a superhero-themed movie after all, so you're not exactly in for an evening of Shakespearian theater.

My rating of director Gavin Hood's 2009 movie "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" lands on a seven out of ten stars.

Bloodline Killer (2024)

Bland, generic and ultimately forgettable slasher...

[4/10 · 11 May 2024]

Given my love of the horror genre, of course I had to sit down and watch this 2024 movie titled "Bloodline Killer", as I happened to come across it by random chance. In fact, I didn't even know that the movie existed, so I wasn't sure what I was in for here. But I figured that a movie with another masked slasher couldn't possibly be all bad.

Writers Anthony Gaudioso and James Gaudioso, however, put together a script and storyline that I found to be somewhat bland and generic. It wasn't a particularly innovative or overly interesting story and narrative. Sure, if you're a newcomer to the horror genre, then you would perhaps get a kick out of watching "Bloodline Killer", but having been watching horror movies for 40+ years, this movie just really didn't impress me.

Sure, it was a watchable movie, but nothing outstanding or memorable. It was suitable for a single viewing, but hardly a movie that I will be returning to watch a second time. Nor is it a movie that I would be expecting a sequel to.

The acting performances in the movie were fair, but the actors and actresses were somewhat held back by an interior script that was lacking in the story and character department. There were a couple of familiar faces and names on the cast list, to help make it a bit more bearable to sit through, with the likes of Shawnee Smith, Taryn Manning, Tyrese Gibson and Bruce Dern.

The killer in "Bloodline Killer" was insanely generic and devoid of anything to make him interesting or scary. And the movie suffered terribly from that, because the killer was essentially just another random guy with a mask bought off of Wish. So writers Anthony Gaudioso and James Gaudioso sort of dropped the ball here, especially since there are so many other slasher movies out there with masked killers that shine in comparison to "Bloodline Killer".

Would I recommend you to sit down and watch "Bloodline Killer"? No, not really, especially not if you have seen a fair share of slasher flicks, then "Bloodline Killer" just simply doesn't cut it - pardon the pun.

My rating of director Ante Novakovic's 2024 movie "Bloodline Killer" lands on a very generous four out of ten stars.

Jade (2024)

It was like an action thriller from Wish...

[3/10 · 11 May 2024]

I hadn't heard about this 2024 action thriller titled "Jade" prior to sitting down and watching it. So I didn't really know what I was in for, nor did I really have any expectations to the movie. And that ultimately meant that director James Bamford had every opportunity to entertain and bedazzle me.

However, I am a bit perplexed how it managed for three writers to churn out something as forgettable and bland as "Jade" turned out to be. Writers Lynn Colliar, Glenn Ennis and James Bamford collectively managed to put together a script and storyline that left me with an overwhelming sense of 'was that really it?' when the movie came to an end. Throughout the course of the 88 minutes that the movie ran for there weren't really any ups and downs, despite of the writers trying to put together a thrilling storyline. But the end result was just a rather bland, forgettable and somewhat pointless movie experience.

The acting performances in the movie weren't impressive either, not even with the likes of Mark Dacascos in a support role, as he had nothing much to work with. I wasn't familiar with leading actress Shaina West, but that particular hairstyle she sported for the movie just didn't really fare well on the screen, as it was difficult to look past it. And then there was Mickey Rourke whom looked like he was just melting a little bit more with each second spent in front of the camera.

There was a fair amount of action throughout the course of the movie and a fair share amount of violence, and that alone is the reason while it was semi-bearable to sit through 88 minutes of bland storytelling.

If you enjoy action thrillers then your money, time and effort is definitely better spent elsewhere, because "Jade" just didn't cut it. It was not an entertaining movie, and it is a movie that will never find its way back to my screen a second time. And come tomorrow I am sure that it will have faded from memory.

My rating of "Jade" lands on a very generous three out of ten stars.

Dark Asset (2023)

Really weak storyline, but saved by the action...

[3/10 · 9 May 2024]

Writers Michael Winnick and Terri Farley-Teruel didn't exactly put together a script and storyline that had a whole lot going on for it. It was pretty straightforward, but also way too simplistic. There just simply wasn't enough of neither entertainment value nor much of any cerebral contents. And that made sitting through "Dark Asset" somewhat bland. In fact, you can just zone out, lean back and munch on the popcorn while the bland story progresses on the screen.

There were two familiar faces on the cast list, that being Byron Mann and Robert Patrick. The acting performances in "Dark Asset" were okay, but the actors and actresses weren't given all that much contents to work with in terms of script and character gallery.

What keeps the movie afloat is the action and fight sequences. Though I love how several fully automatic weapons on burst firing modes were unable to shoot through that thin wooden restaurant table that John was hiding behind in the restaurant scene, but hey, at least it provided me with a good laugh.

While I did managed to sit through all 90 minutes that the movie ran for, I have to say that I bet I will blissfully have forgotten about the movie come tomorrow.

"Dark Asset" is a movie that came and went without leaving a lasting impression. And it most definitely isn't a movie that I will be returning to a second time. Nor is it a movie that I would recommend you to rush out and get to watch.

Not the greatest of movies, sure, but watchable enough for the mindless entertainment it was. My rating of director Michael Winnick's 2023 action thriller "Dark Asset" lands on a very generous three out of ten stars.

Aavesham (2024)

This was a massive dumpster fire...

[1/10 · 9 May 2024]

Right, well I had no idea what I was in for here, aside from reading that it was an action comedy. Suffice it to say that I had never heard about this 2024 Indian movie titled "Aavesham" prior to sitting down to watch it.

I found the movie to be a swing and a miss in terms of entertaining me. First of all, I had no idea what the purpose of the storyline was. And it just made zero sense as the movie progressed, and I was struggling to make sense of the nonsense transpiring on the screen.

Running at 2 hours and 35 minutes, I have to admit that I tossed the towel in the ring and gave up after an insanely long, boring and confusing 30 minutes of rubbish.

Of course I wasn't familiar with a single actor or actress on the cast list. But in all fairness, despite of me not enjoying the narrative one bit, then the acting performances were actually fair.

This is no a movie that I would recommend you to waste your time on watching, much less actually invest your money or effort into. It is a movie that will never return to my screen, as I have zero interest in the movie, and just couldn't care less about what the narrative was supposed to be about.

How this movie has managed to land a staggering 8.2 rating here on IMDb, which was its rating when I sat down to watch the movie, is simply just beyond my comprehension.

My rating of writer and director Jithu Madhavan's 2024 movie "Aavesham" lands on a one out of ten stars.

The Haunting of Sorority Row (2007 TV Movie)

Meh...

[4/10 · 9 May 2024]

When I stumbled upon this 2007 horror mystery titled "The Haunting of Sorority Row", of course I opted to sit down and watch it, as I never had heard about it. And given my fascination and love of the horror genre, of course I needed no persuasion to sit down and watch the movie.

Now, I had no idea what I was in for, as I had never heard about the movie. So I only knew whatever little I could discern from the movie's synopsis, and the fact that it was a horror mystery of sorts.

The script in the movie was straightforward, but at the same time also very simplistic, almost to the point where it was dumb. Writers Jed Seidel and Michael Vickerman didn't exactly concoct a particularly terrifying or innovating haunted mystery narrative here. It made for semi-adequate entertainment, sure, but you're not in for anything thrilling, new or particularly scary.

I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie, but I will say that the actresses and actors actually put on good enough performances, despite of the limitations imposed upon them by an inferior script and storyline.

Visually then "The Haunting of Sorority Row" certainly looked and felt like a TV movie, for better or worse.

All in all, not a particularly outstanding or memorable horror mystery. It came and went without leaving any lasting impression. And I will not return to watch the movie a second time, simply as there isn't enough contents to the narrative.

My rating of director Bert Kish's 2007 horror mystery "The Haunting of Sorority Row" lands on a generous four out of ten stars.