Don't be Afraid of the Dark Movie review 2011

Guy Pearce and Katie Holmes star in Guillemero del Toro's new screenplay horror remake, Don't be Afraid of the Dark.

Don't be afraid of the dark is a horror/thriller about a modern day American family who move into a house that is known to have plenty of history about it, but what kind? no one knows!

The father Alex (Guy Pearce) has to live up to the fact that his daughter Sally (Bailee Madison) is now his responsibility after the mother decided she could not look after her anymore. Alex is in the process of revamping the creepy home they moved into with the help of his girlfriend Kim (Katie Holmes).

Kim, who is an Interior decorator (hope I got that right) lends a help in hand with the house design, much to the anger of Sally, who can't seem to face up to the fact that Mammy and Daddy are no longer together anymore.!

The movie has a decent plot. The house they live in gives you the slightest hint of a mysterious past as the previous owner disapeard some years ago. Sally gets scared after hearing strange voices and discovering monster like creatures living in the basement. While loved up couple Kim and Alex are too busy decorating the house, Sally becomes prey for these creatures. The plot is for her to stay alive as these creatures, who feed off human teeth, are desperate for Sally to be theirs.

Don't be afraid of the Dark offers up some very jumpy scenes and scary moments as Guillermo del Toro shares his creepy imagination with us all. The first scene in the movie is typical horror, very old school, which is good might I add. Unfortunately I felt their could of been more of the same after a great introduction, and hoped for scarier parts through-out the movie but kind of let me down there as I love my Horror movies.

As for the cast, was very average, Katie Holms? I didn't feel she was as scared as she should have been. The little girl Bailee Madison is genius in the film and out-shoned Guy Pearce and Katie Holms. There is something about her face that creeps terrifies me sinister in this horror, and she isn't evil, she is sweet and innocent. Kind of like Haley Joel Osmen from The Sixth Sense,...weird looking kid but his face just suited the horror of the movie, in my opinion.

All round the movie was mediocre, not great. I know Guy Pearce is established a while but I wish someone better played the father, Alex. Don't get me wrong he can act, but just didn't think he suited this film, maybe just Horror genre in general.

So Don't be Afraid of the Dark is a good time for a day out or a first date, especially if that person is afraid of watching the bloody Gremlins! At the end of it all it is unfortunate to say it lacks in the Horror genre we would expect. You won't leave half way through it so that's always a good sign for a movie. (Piranha 3D I still do not regret leaving that day, you suck!)  But to watch it again is a big question, for me? No! for you? go see and find out.


6/10


Gerry_Cheesey

What's your Number? Movie Review 2011

(apologies for the text in 3rd paragraphaph)

There's not much that can be said about a movie starring Chris Evans (Captain America) and Scary movie's very own, Anna Faris (Scary movie trilogy I suppose).

Whats your Number? directed by Mark Mylod, the guy who brought us Ali G Indahouse makes an attempt at a romantic comedy.

Ally (Anna Faris) is desperate for true love. She is tired of meeting all the wrong men and is set out to find Mr. Right. The only problem, which is a disastrous one apparently, is that her previous ex boyfriend's have added up to a total of 19. According to Ally, this is a problem because if she does not find the right guy in number 20, she will never find true love.

Introducing Chris Evans character Colin. This guy is your modern day player, well so he thinks. Colin is a neighbour of Ally's who can't seem to keep the women out of his apartment. He uses them for the usual jazz and then tries to ditch them.

Ally (Faris) seems destined for help. So in one scene she catches eye with Colin (Evans) trying to hide from a girl he had slept with the night before. The two have conversation, she ends up explaining how much she needs a man and leads on to think maybe she can track down one of her 19 ex boyfriends, hoping that he has changed for the better and maybe fall in love. Then guess what? Colin offers to help her these ex boyfriends of hers! yipeee!

The two then agree to make the most ridiculous deal ever, Alley to Colin" You help me track down all my Ex boyfriends, and I will help you avoid all yours."

That there folks is the story in a nutshell. How Chris Evans gets any work amuses me. seriously. As for Anna Faris, she has the Scary Movie trilogy, Whats your number? and nothing after that please god.

I did not set out to be too harsh on this movie. It wasn't just the fact Chris Evans is in it, but I am pretty sure that the film set out to be a romantic comedy that ends up lacking the romance. The chemistry between Evans and Faris could not be further apart. The movie lacks in clever jokes and witty humour. In my opinion the comedy was way too easy...just not smart.

Whats your number seemed to me like the writer or director made an attempt of taking characters from previous movies that were genuinely funny, trying to re-enact them with different actors and hoping for the same positive re-action that the previous movies got.

Does that make sense? for example take Kristen Wiig, the main actor from Bridesmaids. She gets drunk in that movie, she isn't the brightest spark but she is hilarious in a way. On the other hand Anna Faris gets drunk in the movie, she isn't too bright either, she lacks a lot of intelligence in a way that should be funny....but its just a let down. In truth she is just a genuine dimwit, and there's me thinking she was putting that character on when she played Cindy in Scary Movie. Oh how wrong was I.

As for Chris Evans, my little brother loves him, for the simple fact he is Captain America. I will be sure to tell him when he is older how wrong he was to think Chris Evans was any kind of super hero.!

My verdict, try avoid....if you want a romantic comedy, so see Crazy stupid love, or if you have seen that and you are just bored?  Still Do not go see Whats your number?....

3/10


Gerry_Cheesey

Warrior Movie Review 2011

Director and writer Gavin O' Connor must have seen the success and positive reception that came with fighting movies over the past few years.

The fighter, The wrestler and maybe going too far back but the blatent obvious, Rocky saga.
For those unnaware of Gavin O' Connor, his last movie "Pride and Glory" (2008) starred Edward Norton and Colin Farrell. It got a positive reception, I found it mediocre.

Warrior starring Joel Edgerton (King Arthur) as Brendan Conlon; a high school teacher supporting two kids. Brendan, a successful wrestler in the past soon struggles to make ends meat as he is faced with the possibility of Bankruptcy.

On the other hand, Brendan's younger brother Tommy (Tom Hardy) is the complete opposite; abandoned by Brendan as a kid, the consequences of come back to haunt Brendan when the brothers meet again 12 years later; through their alcoholic father Paddy Conlon (Nick Nolte).

Paddy is portrayed as a depressive character with a boxing past as well as alcoholic problems. He is deeply hated by both brothers for his lack of support when they were kids, as well as his ungrateful attitude when his former wife and mother of the family was sick.

They say when family collide it is always brutal and in this case, it is. When both brothers hear of an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) competition offering the biggest purse in the history of the sport to the winner, it is indeed by accident the Conlon brothers apply for the same competition.

The perception of Tommy gives off a disturbed past we get to know little about, only his desire to win the commpetition and will destroy anything in his way to pursue it.

On the other hand, Brendan (Edgerton) is mind-set on the prize money but also the safety of his brother as the film slowly develops each characters personalities, blending a concept of mixed emotions, focusing on the will and desire of who wants it more.

A hard hitting drama that I wont say packs a punch, cliche'? but is definitley a movie in its own catagory. Tom Hardy and Joel Egderton were made for the role. Nick Nolte brings his fine acting to the movie and once you hear that voice struggling to get out from the bottom of his juicy throat, you just know something serious is going down!

Overall; Warrior is an all round fantastic movie focusing on the ever growing sport of MMA. A movie not just for fight fans (which I think is Men...mostly!) but for everyone who enjoys a good story full of lifes ambitions and a journey to winning something.


9/10

Killer Elite Movie Review 2011

"May the best man live"....In most posters I have seen that is the slogan that hovers over the title of the movie that is Killer Elite.

When you see Let the best man live? you automatically think wow!, this is a movie about ten men on an Island, given nothing but a hammer and some sharp pencils with no choice but to fight to the death in some sick game cleverly organised by some sick person....hence "Let the best man live" no?

In my opinion that slogan does not need to be attached near Killer Elite because its absolutely nothing to do with having a better man than another man live!

Killer Elite, Directed by a Gary Mc Kendry who in my research hasn't done too many big blockbusters so assuming this is his first. Starring Jason Statham (Snatch, Transporter) as Danny along with his mentor Robert De Niro (Goodfellas, Casino) as Hunter.....yes Hunter, how convenient....

Danny (Statham), once a member of Britain's Elite special Air service (Special Ops) is retired and settled  down in Australia. He is disturbed not long after to find out once mentor, friend and former partner Hunter (DeNiro) is being held captive.

Hunter becomes a hostage in some country with a desert,...think Afghan if I remember correctly.
Danny is then given an option from the leader holding Hunter captive.
He can take a risky contract that includes killing 3 assassins that apparently had something to do with the killing of a son of the leader. The Afghan leader seeks vengence, but is too much of a coward to do it himself!

Sounds easy for a guy of statham's calibre right? I mean Danny, but wait...the catch is that each killing has to look accidental.

The movie quickly takes off with Danny having no other option but to accept the contract if he wants to see his friend Hunter alive again. Its not too long before the killer in the title Killer Elite rectifies itself as Danny sets off taking no hostages in order to save Hunter, who unfortunately is banged up in an afghan cell for most of the movie, looking like a washed up version of the mobster that once was in the classic Goodfellas.

Hot on the trail of Danny's antics is Spike played by Clive Owen (Inside man). Spike is a member of a Military secret society who seems to be the only other guy with a gun attempting to prevent Danny's kill list from happening. When Danny and spike meet on occasions, yes its fun and basically brings the reason I am sure viewers paid to see this movie....for some Jason Statham action.

On the other hand, the movie appears sloppy at times jumping from Australia to Paris, London and the middle East and tries delivering hard drama that just isn't there.

Killer Elite was never going to be a Robert De Niro movie but I have seen other reviews that say different. This is no doubt a Jason Statham movie that was pretty much always going to blow De Niro's name way out of proportion as we seen in release of the trailer. It is a bit of a pity that the movie does indeed hang on to De Niros parts, briefly letting us know through-out the movie that Hunter is still in the film and is alive and kicking in his afghan hell hole!

Which leaves me to the verdict of this movie. Killer Elite is a dream to watch for a Jason Statham fan looking to see the usual jazz. Maybe it was just me, but I did feel a different pursuit from Statham in this movie. It like he took it a bit more serious and less ridiculous, as it is apparently a true story? I could be fooling myself on that one!

I must point out that Clive Owen I felt was worthy in the movie, a real bad ass who I think might have saved the film from worst criticism that its probably already going to get.

Robert De Niro was crummy in the movie as he probably could have requested more of a role on his behalf, but can we criticise him for all he has done? One review I read had critiscised De Niro asking what he was thinking doing the movie....Leave the man alone, he's aloud do what he wants for he his an all time Legend!

Overall Killer Elite was below satisfactory with middle of the road entertainment. If you already know what to expect from a movie featuring Jason Statham (The Schwarzenegger of our Generation perhaps?) well then be my guest. I will be honest I only went to see it because there was nothing better out at the time,...would I watch it again? I am afraid not.

5/10

Gerry_Cheesey