#51 Top Films of the decade! Who will win?

So here it is. The last post of the decade and what a better way to finish it of but to post my top films of the decade and my personal favourite. Now first I want to say is that this is purely subjective. Obviously people will disagree but these are the films I personally thought where the best films of the decade.

Enjoy and comment.

2009 – Drag Me To Hell – Sam Raimi

Why- Raimi returns to horror since Bruce Campbell vs The Army or Darkness. This film was so good you can sign my up for Evil Dead 4.

2008 – Cloverfield – Matt Reeves

Why- Best monster movie of the past few decade. The great publicity and mockumentary style film making all contribute to it being one of the top films.

2007 – No Country for Old Men – Coan Brothers

Why- The brothers strike back with one of the best book to film adaptations ever. The pacing of the film and tension combined with Brolin’s fine performance and Javier’s bad hair equal a timeless thriller.

2006 – El laberinto del fauno (Pan’s Labyrinth) – Guilimo Del Toro

Why- Like Spirited Away, Del Toro shows that fairy tales aren’t just for kids. Even if El laberinto del fauno was certificate 15.

2005 – Kiss, Kiss Bang, Bang - Shane Black

Why- My favourite Robert Downey Jr film which Wikipedia summed up - "crime/black comedy film, whick engages many conventions of the classic film noir genre in a tongue-in-cheek fashion."

2004 – Side Ways - Alexander Payne

Why- A light and very mature comedy which grabbed and surprised me. Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church work great together as two friend dealing with growing old, responsibilities and playing golf.

2003 – Lost in Translation – Sofia Coppola
Why- A beautiful romance which doesn’t involve sex but two sad souls who need each other. Will we ever know what Murray whispered to Johansson.

2002 – Spirited Away - Hayao Miyazaki
Why- Hayao Miyazaki shows that animated films aren’t just for kids. The magical characters and landscapes are timeless more over then any Disney film.

2001 – Donnie Darko
Why- Richard Kelly’s sci-fi horror did very badly in America but well in Europe captured me with the twisted tale of teen angst and a guy in a bunny suit.

2000 – Memento – Christopher Nolan

Why- Memento has the best editing in any movie I have ever scene. The was so impressive it would inspire any new film-maker.

And Film of the Decade goes to-

Hayao Miyazaki’s SPIRITED AWAY

And there you have it folks. I’d like to thank Kid in the Front Row for all his help with my blog (he’s doing a great job) and I’d like to thank the few people who read this and enjoy it. And if you want to join the team contact me for further details.

Oliver J. Hunt and the New Film Blog out...

#50 Rounding the year up

Number 50! Let hope next year I can get it to #100 and beyond! And now onto the one year anniversary of the NEW FILM BLOG which is at the end of the month. And what a year 09 has been for films and my blog. Of course the roads been bumpy but I’m thinking about getting others on board to help the blog through 2010 but we’ll just see.

So here’s the years round up. I’ll be posting my scores, my new scores for the film and the scores for films I didn’t review. Then do my top three films of the year! So lets get going.

Bronson – * * * * *

New score- * * *

Comment- Interesting film which probably no one saw. Think Chopper meets

Clockwork Orange.

*

Curious Case of Benjamin Button - * * * *

New score- * *

Comment- A film about a guy who gets younger every day. Starts of well but looses it’s magic about half way.

*

Drag Me To Hell - * * * * *

New score- * * * * *

Comment- Sam Raimi returns to horror since Bruce Campbell vs The Army or Darkness. This film was so good you can sign my up for Evil Dead 4.

*

Låt Den Rätte Komma In - * * * * *
New score- * * * * *

Comment- Swedish vampire film which isn’t about sex unlike most vampire films. The writer of the Twilight Saga needs to watch this and see what a real vampire looks like.

*

Inglorious Basterds - * * * * *

New score- * * * *

Comment- Tarantino’s back for a good shoot out but still feel a TV show would have been better.

*

Milk - * * * * *

New score- * * * *

Comment- Gus van Sant’s great indie film about a subject which obviously meant a lot to him. Great performances from Sena Penn and Josh Brolin.

*

Slumdog Millionaire - * * * * *

New score- * * *

Comment- Danny Boyle’s interesting film about child slavery, poverty and heart break which was hailed as the heart warming film of the year.
*

Star Trek - * * * *

New score- * * *
Comment- Good but I wasn’t a Trekkie so went over my head. Still better then expected.

*

Synecdoche New York - * *

New score- *

Comment- Rubbish next… ok ok so this film shows Charily Kaufman needs and editor and someone to chain him down.
*

Transformers: Raise of the Fallen - * *
New score- *
Comment- Worse the Synecdoche New York, next.

*

Watchmen - * * * *
New score- * * *
Comment- Great comic. Good adaptation. Better then expected.

*

The Wrestler - * * * * *

New score- * * * *

Comment- Mickey Rourke steps back in the ring for a heart warming story about the road to self victory.

*

Films I didn’t review
*

(500) Days of Summer - * * *

Comment- Got me loving The Smiths and Joseph Gordon Levitt, enough said.

*

Antichrist - * * * * *
Comment- Lars von Trier’s disturbing flick shows audience that cinema can be engaging, challenging and truly disturbing.

*

Avatar- * * * * *
Comment- James Cameron’s ten year brain child was worth the wait. It’s smurfs meet Furngully, in a good way.

*

Funny People - * * *

Comment- disappointment from Judd Apatow but still worth watching.

*

Halloween 2 - * *

Comment- I feel the first of the Rob Zombie Halloween films was in some ways better then the original however this is one of horrors darkest days and not in a good way. Good thing Zombie isn’t making H3.

*

The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus - * * *

Comment- Terry Gilliam is back and with a vengeance. Still felt the end could have had five minutes cut off but still Tom Waits redeemed it all.

*

Last House on the Left - * * *
Comment- The original was on of the grittiest films in history. But did it constitute for a remake? Probably not. However this films a more cleaned up on which I enjoyed to the end.

*

Paranormal Activities - * * *

Comment- Scary film which kept me up all night.

*

Moon - * * * * *
Comment- Duncan Jones’s first film shoots straight into my top five sci-fi films. Need I say more?
*

Pontypool - * * * *
Comment- An Canadian zombie horror where the virus isn’t transmitted by bites but by words.

*

Zombieland - * * *

Comment- Pretty funny zombie flick with twenty minutes without any zombies. And NOT as good as Shaun of the Dead.

And now that that’s out of the way its time for my top five film of 2009!

Top 5 movies of 2009

5. Inglorious Basterds – Quentin Tarantino

4. Avatar – James Cameron

3. Antichrist – Lars von Trier

2. Moon – Duncan Jones

1. Drag me to Hell – Sam Raimi

So what do you think? Do you agree? What was your top films of 2009? Please comment below.

Well I hoped you liked it. There it is. Now onto the bigger picture. Top films of the decade!

* * *

P.S. I saw this video on YouTube recently and thought I had to add it in it is truley incredible. I also had a little of a change around of my list but the #1 stayed the same!

Oliver Hunt

#49 One Night At The Movies Long Ago - A story of paranoia, strange strangers and bad glares.

I was in.

*

At the time, which wasn’t long ago, I was planning on seeing a film with a certificate that was older then me, If only by a couple of months. Now, all my friends had boasted about seeing the dreaded 18 certificate films with ease or without worry. But for me that was different. Being a somewhat paranoid freak I felt that everyone was watching me. The CCTV, the people selling tickets, even the other movie goers.

*

On the drive there I thought of plan upon plan of ‘what if’. What if they look at my boyish charm and rat me out? Do I run? Or keep my dignity as I stroll out without a care (even if I HAD to see this film)? Outside there was the usual Arthouse cinema goes with their beer cups which I just walked past. At my local Arthouse (and where I was sneaking in) there is two places to pay. I only knew one. So I waited behind a crowd for my shot at a prize (the prize being able to see the film). I had booked the tickets online with the plan that once I’m their I can just wipe out a card (my dad’s) and pay for the ticket. But half way to the ticket stall was when the person behind said that tickets could be bought at the confectionary stand. For some reason I followed the two or three people who where in front of me over to the stand.

*

For some unknown reason I felt comfortable. I felt that the plan was going well and it would be in and enjoying the film with in the hour. Then the door to the only screen opened and about a hundred people flooded out all happy after watching the film I planned on seeing. I ignored them so that I wouldn’t hear something I’d regret eavesdropping on. Now when I looked back the lady behind the counter I saw she was looking at me. No not looking, staring at me. As if she knew. Every so after she would look at me trying to suss me out or break my spirit. So I just stood up straight and didn’t let it bother my out side complexion. But on the inside I was stressing. Now it was my turn and to my amazement, she didn’t ask for ID or anything. She just took my (dad’s) card and did everything fine.

*

And that was it. You would think that was the end but it wasn’t. After the screen opened I walked in and sat in my usual place which is in the middle of the room, not to close to the screen but not to far enough and sat down and began to happily read the little free book of up coming films. Then I noticed over my should and man sneaking up to me. I looked over the seat at him when he began to talk to me. Apparently the seat I was sitting on was the best in the cinema because it’s where all the speakers are pointed at. What could I say to this? I thanked the man for telling me and kept my head down. But once the film started I was safe. I was happy. The panic was over. I was in.

*

Oliver J. Hunt

#48 Go watch Movie Buzz!

A NEW POST? WHAT IS THIS? Yeah I’m back from the dead people and here to give a quick post on someone very special to me. Ok not that special but I wait every week (twice a week) for this guy to leave a new video. And by that I guess you guess it’s a video from YouTube. And you would be right. Movie Buzz is a video form Peter Rallis over in the states and ever week: Tuesday and Friday, he posts a new video about the latest movie news, reviews and trailers and all in five minutes. Can you believe it? SO it’s great on those busy mornings before work or school to watch as he puts a smile on your square eyed faces.

Movie Buzz YouTube page

This video below is his one from Tuesday so watch it an catch up before his new video which should go out today. Once you watch I garantee you'll subscribe to him.

Movie Buzz 179: Prince Of Persia Trailer, Roger Rabbit 2, DVDs & More!

Oliver

#47 First Impression on the Hitchcock Storyboard Composer

Source

This is technology… I was linked this by a friend and naturally watched it only to find that this sort of equipment can be used on a iPhone or iPod Touch. Professional looking storyboarding and you can do it on the go. If technology has gotten this good what will come in the future?One of the first things I said to my friend was I would want this on my laptop. It looks great, acts great (from speculation) and can be sent as a PDF file. The company it comes from is Cinemek who appear to make 35mm lenses so for them to make this is right out of left field.If you are a director and have a iPod Touch or iPhone then I recommend you get it. This is from first impressions so I could be wrong but for £11 it seems like a bargin. If I had more for a iPod Touch or iPhone I would definitely get it because it looks like a great app. It’s on the app store now go check it out…

Oliver J. Hunt

New New Film Blog Poster!

Here is the new New Film Blog poster. Each letter is the first letters from a movie title. Can you guess any? I’ll tell you the first on is from… Natural Born Killer’s. Do you like it? Comment.

Oliver J. Hunt

#45 Top Fifteen Comedies

Firstly for the three or four people who read my blog it’s going to become a weekly think. Every Monday around five is when they will go up. If I choose not to do one I will leave a comment saying so.

Recently I have gone cuckoo for comedies because of my latest script and the recent release of Judd Apatow’s new film Funny People. So I thought why not do my top ten comedy list. Then that became to hard so I decided so I made it top fifteen. Why not hay? So here it is.

15. South Park Big Louder & Uncut
Quote – “You're such a pig-fucker, Phillip!”

14. Knocked Up
Quote - “Did you hear that? He’s going to rear your child.”

13. There’s Something About Mary
Quote – “Have you got my ball?”

12. Borat
Quote – “He was a real chocolate face, no make-up”

11. Shaun Of the Dead
Quote - “Who died and made you fucking king of the zombies?”
10 Airplane
Quote – “I am and don’t call me Surely.”

9. Team America
Quote - “AMERICA, FUCK YEAH”

8. Superbad
Quote - “McLovin, I’m sorry I cock blocked you...we should be guiding your cock, not blocking it” 7. Clerks
Quote - “I’m not even suppose to be here today.”

6. Anchorman
Quote – “Everyone just relax, all right? Believe me, if there's one thing Ron Burgundy knows, it's women.”

5 The Blues Brothers
Quote – “It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses.”

4. Clerks 2
Quote – “The fucks Pillowpants?”

3. This is Spinal Tap
Quote – “Well, it's one louder, isn't it? It's not ten. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at ten. You're on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you're on ten on your guitar. Where can you go from there? Where?”

2. The Big Lebowski
Quote – “You're Mr. Lebowski. I'm the Dude. So that's what you call me. You know, that or, uh, His Dudeness, or uh, Duder, or El Duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing.”

1. Monty Python Holy Grail
Quote – “You must cut down the tallest tree in the woods will a Herring.”
Do you agree? Or disagree? Leave a comment of some of your favourite comedies.

Oliver J. Hunt

#44 Review for ‘INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS’

"Tarantinolicious"
* * * * *

Director
Quentin Tarantino

Cast

Christoph Waltz

Brad Pitt

Mélanie Laurent
Screenplay

Quentin Tarantino
Certification

18
Running Time
153 min

This blog contains * Spoilers *!

Ok firstly no one can be surprised about how much I’m going to be biased about this film. I’m a Tarantino buff… ok fanboy. However I am going to give good points and bad points of the movie as best I can. This is my most anticipated film of 09 so if this becomes my film of the year will anyone be surprised? So lets just start.

INGLORIOUS BASTERDS is a story about the assassination of Hitler. Now the film is being marketing as a men on a mission film but it really isn’t that. It a revenge flick. The main story is the Shoshanna arch (if you will) because she’s in the majority of the chapters in which the film is structured. When going in I thought the film would be just Brad and Eli going around killing Nazi’s for two hours. But it’s really not. The trailers have given it no justice. The Basterds are in it for about a third of the film. Either they shot loads and never used it or just bad marketing. Did they think people would only see it if there was Nazi death’s? But why they didn’t show more of the Shoshanna scenes is beyond me?

So the story is about the Basterds, an elite team of Jewish born American’s who get dropped in Nazi occupied France (not that you see it they just appear there). Then after some killings and history lessons they find out that a Nazi propaganda film by Joseph Goebbles called ‘Nation’s Pride' is being premiered in a small Paris cinema run by non other then Shoshanna. So once the Basterds catch wind of this they plan on blowing the cinema sky high but it’s not only them who are planning on blowing it up. Dun Dun Daa…

Now let’s get onto the heart of the controversy. Quentin does re-write history. But A) it’s Quentin Tarantino, are you really surprised and B) the way he re-writes history is an entertaining one. I am going to say what it is because I found it pretty funny. You ready. After the Basterds plan goes down the pan, Eli and Omar grab two MP44’s and go to two on Hitler as the cinema burns down. Eli actually stands over Hitler shooting his face into the floor. It’s quite disgusting but funny because it’s Eli doing the work (him being the director of the Hostel films and Cabin Fever). So that’s it’s. That and pretty much everyone dies in the end. All his beloved characters get killed by the other faction until the end where three if not to of the main characters live through the war.

If there was one word to describe the atmosphere of the film, it would be tense. It’s not just the opening scene where Col. Han’s ‘The Jew Hunter’ Landa is testing and toying with a French farmer to find the last remainder of Jews in the area, but through out the film. Han Landa’s character is such a great one and deserves all the applause he’s been getting. Through out the film there’s a feeling as if your about to get caught by the German’s. whether it’s a Shoshanna scene or a scene with the Basterds. But I guess that’s needed in a WWII film involving Jewish people (The Pianist, Schindler’s List).

I knew I was a true fanboy when I could tell which soundtrack has been in his other films (and which films they have been in). During the opening credits the font and style kept changing which confused me at first but then I realised they are all the styles of the opening credits for all his other films. So to others it looked somewhat strange but to the fans was brilliant. Also Julie Dreyfus is in the film and fans will notice her from Kill Bill vol 1, well I did. And lastly some old voices came back to lend a hand, namely when Aldo Rein is on the phone with someone I noticed its none other then Mr White Hervey Keitel and during the history lessons with Samuel L. Jackson.

Now everyone in the film acted well in my books. The American’s where over the top, the British where quaint and the Germans there creepy (no offense I like German people). There was a few people that stood out namely Christoph Walts, Mélanie Laurent and Daniel Brühl. And they grasped the script perfectly. Everyone really got into character and it felt somewhat believable (especially Mélanie Laurent and Daniel Brühl’s relationship).

Ok, now onto the final paragraph. I could have rambled on for hours but this is it. This was the first Quentin Tarantino film I saw in the cinema and I’m glad it was this over lets say Kill Bill vol 2. It’s a pretty epic war movie but some bits did feel disjointed and you could see it was going to be a twelve hour TV series. But over all Fans are going to go nuts for it. I can see why people didn’t and won’t like it but they’re the people who think ‘The Godfather’ is the best film ever (if you get me). Inglorious Basters won’t be hailed as the greatest war film because everyone knows ‘Apocalypse Now’ is but it is a great night out at the cinema.

I added this little section for the top Quentin Tarantino film and where Inglorious Basterds fell into it.

Tarantino Top List

1. Pulp Fiction
2. Reservoir Dogs
3. Kill Bill vol 1
4. Inglorious Basterds
5. Deathproof
6. Jackie Brown
7. Kill Bill vol 2

Oliver Hunt

#43 Bear With Me! Premature Love Quotes

I haven’t done a post in a long time and the reason is simply I’ve been living the summer up and working on new script. I’ve been posting quote from it and people seem to be enjoying it. So here they are for my small blog community. I’m seeing Ingloriouse Basterds on Sunday at my favourite Art House cinema (and favourite cinema overall) The Duke of Yorks cinema in Brighton, so a review will come for that. And I have something planned to talk about Jack Black and Will Farrel’s acting going to the kids. So keep checking folk….

Here are some quotes from my latest script 'Premature Love' (working title) I have been posting on my Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Thought people might like to read. Comment if you like...

MARCUS – ‘Well we wanna know why you don’t think Donnie is the better Wahlberg?’
JAMES - ‘He made ‘The Sixth Sense’ what it is.’
CAMERON – ‘He was in it for four minutes.’

ALEX - ”Ok, I hate to ruin this little... moment or what ever between you to sexual repressed homosexuals but I have got to go.”
BEN - ”What again? The movies only just started?”
ROB - ”Sexual repressed?”

JAMES - "Jim Morrison is the Jesus of smoking pot. Their music just fits so well with it."
CAMERON - "Wouldn’t that make him the Shakespeare?"
JAMES - "Who cares?"

Becca - "Well look at us. We’re perfect for each other and too fucked up for anyone else. We’re both incomplete."

MARCUS- ”Alex if you wanna bring her, bring her. But if she gives birth on my living room floor, your delivering it.”
ALEX – “Fine. The most unlikely of situations, but whatever.”
MARCUS - ”I’m just saying.”

MARCUS - “Now I know how Swayze felt in that movie.”

ALEX - (still looking for Kathryn) ”Point Break?”

MARCUS-“Point Break no? I don’t feel like a surfing bank robber right now. That film where he fucking stalks Demmi More and Woopie Goldberg.”

ALEX – “Oh shit.”

MARCUS – “What dude? Did you just realise your uglier them Willem Dafoe and Steve Buscemi’s bastard offspring?”

ALEX - ”No.”

MARCUS - ”I’m just asking. You have a Mr Pink and Sgt. Elias thing about you.”

- Premature Love

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#42 Inglourious Basterds London Premiere

I am a massive Quentin Tarantino fan. Everyone knows it. I don’t hide it. So when I heard QT had a new movie Inglourious Basterds coming out not one year ago I knew I had to go to the premiere (I think it went something like that). Well it was Pulp Fiction that got me into loving movies so I felt it was my duty to go. And I am glad I did! I not only saw the big QT but I high-fived him and got my DVD copy of Pulp Fiction signed!

I went up at 2:30 pm and was told I would see anything. And even the rain didn’t stop me from going, I was more determined then Jack Torrance breaking through the bathroom door. Then when we got there we where welcomed be other Tarantino fans. Well we (myself and three other QT fans) got a good spot and began the fun fun waiting game. Two hours we waited. Two slow hours of anticipation and nerves. It was sick. It was like some Auschwitz torched (pun intended). Well for the first hour we got to see how premieres are prepared, which was interesting (I guess). Then the second hour I spent listening to others talk whilst songs from Quentin’s other movies played on a loud speaker. And I could totally say which films each song was in (a little smug comment) which made me feel better about waiting.

Then people stared to come. And everyone in the crowed waited for the main man of the hour. More and more people flocked into the ODEON cinema which was when I realised how much someday I was to be here with people waiting outside my movie just to see me. Anyways, snap back to reality I saw several people who worked at Total Film and where at Cannes Film Festival. That impressed me. I was probably the only person to knew and cared. A man looking like Omar Doom (Death Proof) also walked down the carpet with a very creepy looking lady and after IMDB’ing him I found out he is in the movie so that sort of confirms it was him. So more and more critics and other people where going in when I heard “There he is”. I stood on my toes and looked all the way down the road and saw him. Quentin Tarantino. Sporting a black shirt with normal jeans. I couldn’t believe it was him. A man in front of me (who knew his stuff and obviously did this for a living and by that I mean getting signatures and selling then on) said he would be definitely coming this way. And he did. Just seeing him was enough. But when he got close and I could hear his voice I knew I wasn’t in some dream. When he got to me and my friend I got my DVD signed but that’s to it. I shoved my handed out of the crowed and he shook it. His hands where soft. But then I also high-fived him. And trust me on this. High-fiving your role model is an amazing feeling which can’t be described. Then he moved on.
Also there was Mickey Rourke, Christophe Waltz, Diane Kruger and that woman from Scream. So the majority of celebs who went weren’t even in the film. Brad Pitt wasn’t there but I heard form the guy in front of me that he was busy working which could be Moneyball but only a guess. Eli Roth wasn’t there either which I was most disappointed with. Him being my third favourite director after Kevin Smith (person wise not film). But I went I saw and now I can die happy.

All my picture are on my facebook but I have also made a video with clips and photo’s of the premiere. Check it out below.

Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=507005172&ref=profile

Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/user/ollie18hunt

Twitter
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Inglorious Basterds London Premiere edited by me

Oliver Hunt

#41 MAFIAS 09, I WON!

In short, 'Patrol' my short film won the 'AS Best Film' award. Which I am thrilled about becuase it's acturly the first and only trophy I have won and it's for a short film! So it's all shaping up. After we lost the award for 'Best Setting' (which in all honestly I thout if we won an award it would be that one) I was on a downer. Then they showed the contestants for the 'AS Best Film' and I felt like we had lost becuase of all the raw talent. Put 'Patrol' came through and I'm happy. My acceptance speech and a clip of 'Patrol' (the only clip online) is on youtube and on my page. Check it out...This weeked I begin 'Much Ado About The Universe' so im looking foward to that. Which is a documentry about my cooky friend! So I'll be putting that on Youtube with in the next few weeks.

For those who have noticed I now go by the name of Olive J. Hunt for film related stuff (excluding New Film Blog). I just like the ring to it so that going to be on my work from now on.

Oliver J. Hunt accepting the award for 'Best AS film'


Nomination clip for 'Best AS Film' - Mafia Awards 09


This is the only place on the internet to watch 'Patrol'. Even if it is a slice of it I hope you enjoy.

Blog taken from -
Oliver J. Hunt - NEW FILM BLOG Myspace Bulletin

Oliver Hunt

#40 Review For ‘Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen’ (2009)

* *

Director

Michael Bay

Cast

Shia LeBeouf

Megan Fox

Josh Duhamel
Screenplay

Ehren Kruger

Roberto Orci

Certification

12a

Running Time

150min

*Spoilers*

What do you want me to say? Do you want me to say that I loved Transformers: Revenge OF The Fallen? Not to be mistaken for Transformers 2 because franchises are bad, bad New Film Blog! Well I didn’t. In fact this movie made me sad. If this is the direction cinema is heading. And by that I mean: boring actors, unchallenging script and explosions left, right and centre. Then what’s the point.

After I saw Transformers and as I was walking past other film posters I wondered why I hadn’t seen something like the Hangover or even The Last House on the Left (exactly). Transformers is just a bad film. It’s demographic audience it only 8-16 years olds. The type of audience who is exited but explosions. If your easily impressed like so many are then go see it, what do I care. But if you want something with substance wait till July. Or buy a DVD of a good film.

It’s not hard to see that I hate Michael Bay. Yes his style is CG/American Propaganda but it’s just hard to bare. It’s only Armageddon I can stomach because of Bruce Willis and Steve Buchimi. The rest of his films are boring. He produced the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remakes which I enjoyed. But he looses points for producing The Unborn which is the worst horror I have ever seen. Fact of the matter is this: If Michael Bay is the voice of our generation of film making then I was born in the wrong generation.

To complete my hate of cast and crew Shia LeBoeuf is in this. I dislike the kid because he hasn’t sold me on anything. I haven’t seen Disturbia because I’d rather see Rear Window so I can’t comment of all his acting abilities but he’s just so boring to watch. Then Megan Fox comes on screen and it completes my hate. I don’t find her attractive. So she’s not needed on screen. She’s there for the dads who go to the cinema with their sons. She runs in slow motion twice in the films and no one was looking at the explosions behind her that’s for damn sure. Then the rest of the actors and voices are blurs to me so I can’t comment on them.

The script is terrible. The films two and a half hours long off pure dribble. Nothing about it stood out. The humour was cheap laughs and the rest was just hammy one liners. I think the writers need to be exiled from humanity to go write bad scripts on some other planet. Roberto Orci who wrote the story for Star Trek also wrote this massive step down. It all leads up to the end fight which is granted better then the rest of the film but doesn’t pay off where Megatron and Starscream just run away. To think to end a franchise would be a terrible thing. So there will be a third which I will totally boycott don’t you worry.

Really I haven’t done into depth about this film, but what you going do? I don’t get paid for this so what ever. If your eight years old, like explosion and overrated women on screen go see and enjoy but if you appreciate films wait till Bruno or Public Enemies. Yes the CG where impressive but like the first film the fights are just metal shrapnel rolling about together. Not good. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is indeed better then the first but not good enough it impressed me. The next one should be set in Tokyo. And should have a sort of B-Movie feel to it. Then that would be a good film.

Oliver Hunt

#39 My Top 10 Must See Horror Movies

New blog! Yay! But first I thought I would tell you readers why I haven’t written anything in several weeks. There is two main reasons, among other small things. Ok, actually there where three reasons. Three reasons why I haven’t written. First one is simply laziness. Well it’s either laziness or been to busy and being shattered afterwards. The second is writer’s block. If blogger’s can get it. Well then I got Blogger’s block. And the last is the main one. I’ve been working on a screenplay (and I’m not talking any ol’ screenplay but a 130 page feature length, so I guess that correctifies the first one) and since Monday I sent it out to test readers so I have some time to write a few quick blogs. So lets just jump right into it.

On my absence I fell in love. Her name is Horror and she comes in many forms. Ok, ok, that lame, but it did happen. After a night of frights at my pals house, I have been watching all the best horror films around. I’ve signed onto horror forums. And I can’t stop reading about them. So I thought I would write about some of my favourites. To be honest it’s a predictable and some what generic list but you do get some really bad ones out there but this so this is the definitive list! Ok not definitive but my personal list of the top must see horror films! Let’s go.

10. Alien (1979)
Why Is it here?
Empty space, killer robots and of course aliens, all contribute to why Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror is here. Even though the space ship was beautiful, the alien wasn’t. But unlike other sci-fi horrors or any horror monster movies, in Alien there is only on alien which takes the hole crew out. Now that is scary. It’s is also one of the only franchises that didn’t get worse. It was consistent through out the quadrilogy. I, of course, don’t include the Alien vs Predator movies. Who do you think I am?

9. Jaws (1975)
Why Is it here?
Ba-Duh, Ba-Duh, Bu-Duh. Even though many people disagree that Jaws is a horror film but I strongly disagree with them. It’s the only film that has effected me personally. Along with thousands of other audiences around the world who can’t swing in deep water because of a plastic shark. It’s been said that on the set of Jaws, because the shark was broken they had to use it considerable less. But my thoughts are if they had used it more the scare factor would go down. It was the no knowing up until the final confrontation.

8. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Why Is it here?
First thing first. Notice how there is only one remake on this list which is The Thing. So when I say Dawn of the Dead I don’t mean Zack Snyder’s one but the George A. Romero one. It’s been banned in 17 countries and possibly George A. Romero’s best film. He is the man, he is king of Zombie films. What’s scary about it is it’s sense of realism. There’s no answer for what’s going on. It’s just happening. For a zombie flick it satisfies the gore porn audiences with it’s exploding heads, decapitations and people to get eaten alive without silly close ups! Now that’s want zombie movies need.

7. The Thing (1982)
Why Is it here?
This is definitely one of the scariest films of all time. If I had made a list that was the top scariest horrors of all time, John Carpenter’s The Thing would be in the top three. What makes it scary is the isolation the characters are stuck in, and how no one, not even the audience, know who is a human or is an alien. If no one jumped when that blood test dish jumped out at Kurt Russell then they need therapy to feel real fear.

6. Ôdishon (The Audition, 1999)
Why Is it here?
The Audition is most likely the only film on this list which people haven’t heard of. However Takashi Miike’s tale of love is one of the most disturbing movie of all time. The story follows a male widow looking for love. So after he sets up a fake audition for a Radio show he meets that perfect one. But is she? For the first 90 minutes or so, Miike sets up the character of Shigeharu as the nicest guy right in the world. It’s only up until the last 20 minutes when some of the most disturbing scenes are shown and he becomes the worlds unluckiest man. Let’s just say there’s a ton of metal pins, cheese wire and severed limbs.

5. Psycho (1960)
Why Is it here?
Psycho had to be on this list. The first slasher movie by the master of thrillers Alfred Hitchcock. And for a crack at horror is was and still is on of they best films ever made. Period. For the time Psycho was released woman in movies where seen in a different way. Then Hitchcock came along and showed audiences that actresses such as Vera Mile’s weren’t just a pretty face. Norman Bates is such a chilling character and the twist at the end puts M. Night Shyamalan to shame. And how can we forget the shower scene which has become one of the most icon film moments. Oh, and the score was frightening. Just thought I would slip that in.

4. Saw (2004)
Why Is it here?
Saw is a really clever film with lots of twists and terns. So the franchise has gone down hill since then. I still enjoy them. The original with be remembered for years to come as the story of a killer who never killed anyone. And the sound of the good doctor sawing threw his foot off to save his wife and daughter is pretty messed up. I believe that if Saw had never come along film’s like Eli Roth’s Hostel wouldn’t be here. And when you here the words “I’d like to play a game with you!” you just know your going to need to hide behind your hands.

3. Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Why Is it here?
I love chain saws. I feel that all horror films need a chain saw at one point. And as the title suggests, this movie has it. It was banned in pretty much every country (apart from America where it was a hit) for years and now is recognised as one of the most and chilling independent horror movie of all time. And I fully agree. When Leather Face chased the poor girl down the street chain saw in hands, you had to question the sanity of Tobe Hooper.

2. The Shining
Why Is it here?
“HERE’S JOHNNY!” Those words still haunt me to this day. Staley Kubrick’s epic Stephen King tale about a broken family who retreat to a haunted hotel in the Colorado mountains to look after it for the winter. With a son who’s schizophrenic and telepathic, a murderous father on the brink of insanity and Shelly Duval, they all add to the creepiness of the movie. It’s also my favourite Stanley Kubrick film because of it’s intense soundtrack, great location and the bit with the blood in the elevator. “REDRUM”

1. Evil Dead 2
Why Is it here?
Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead 2 is in my top three favourite films of all time. And one of the Evil Dead films had to be in the list. The reason it’s at number one is the fact that horror movies try to act like the main character is in a nightmare but Evil Dead 2 was a nightmare. In the best possible way. The mix of comedy and horror blend so well in Raimi’s universe. Fantastic if not frantic camera work, a great horror/comedy script, and Bruce Campbell cutting his hand off with a chain saw. What more could you want? Blood gushing out of the walls? It’s got it. Headless ex-girlfriend wielding a chain saw? It’s got it? Being sent back in time to fight the Deadite’s in the medieval times? Oh Hell yeah, it’s got it!

What do you think? What are some of your favourite horror movies?

Oliver Hunt

#37 Review For ‘Drag Me To Hell’

“Superb”
* * * * *

Director
Sam Raimi

Cast
Alison Lohman
Justin Long
Lorna Raver

Screenplay

Sam Raimi
Ivan Raimi

Certification

15

Running Time

98min

Are you ready to be scared? If your answers is no, then I strongly advise you don’t go and see Drag Me To Hell. I personally didn’t think that it would be a scary film but have some bits that might be the light jump. But the Raimi brothers didn’t disappoint. It was a very scary movie. It got to the point where you could expect it but still literally jump out of your seat. And this being the first horror film I’ve seen in a cinema (not including Let The Right One In), I was so happy that it was Drag Me To Hell.

So the story is about Christine Brown (Lohman) as she fights for a job promotion against co-worker Stu (Lee) for their bosses love. However after Christine tries to look good in front of her boss by evicting an old decrypted gypsy woman from her LA house, Christine finds out that you don’t piss off old gypsy women. Then after being cursed in the parking lot of the Bank, Christine begins to discover that hell is a real place and somewhere she’ll be going unless she can save her soul.

This is a bold statement, but I’m going to go as far as to say this is one of the best if not the best film I’ve seen this year. That partially is because I am a Raimi fan-boy however it exceeded all expectations of myself and my co-cinema going.

As every review is saying: if you’re a Evil Dead fan you’ll obviously enjoy it but that doesn’t cut it. I think that every horror fan needs to see this film, at least twice. That’s why I’m planning on seeing it again. I don’t go to see movies twice in the cinema but I’m really looking forward to seeing it a second time.

So as expected the cinematography is up to scratch for a Raimi film. You can tell it’s a Raimi film by the quick zooms, which is a dying camera trick which works perfectly for horror films and the camera turns as they turn 90 degrees to show the atmosphere and strangeness to the frame. If the film was shot in a static way without the quick zooms when Genush (Raver) jumps on Christine, then the scare factor would go way down.

Now the acting. Alison Lohman was a great choice to play Christine, I felt she inhabited the role excellently then Ellen Page would have (Ellen Page was first asked to fill the role). Justin Long who plays Christine’s loving boyfriend also did an amazing job. I personally didn’t like him before because Jeepers Creepers left a bad taste in my mouth but after this he seems like he can actually do a good film (yes Die Hard 0.4 was terrible and you know it). But the script was written so well that Christine and Clay (Long) seem like the two nicest and normal people in the world so then the horror comes in you generally feel bad and connected to them. And the first time we see Genush I thought she seemed like a lovely old woman. Which leads me onto Lorna Raver. She acted a horrible mean ol’ hag so well she was believable. If I saw her walking down the street I would turn and run for my life. The only thing I was disappointed with was that Bruce Campbell didn’t have a cameo which made me sad but that was it’s only floor.

So after the last film I saw was Synecdoche, New York, it’s really nice to see a film that was made right. Kaufman take notes from Raimi. To be honest I think Raimi shouldn’t work on superhero films anymore and work hard on that Evil Dead 4 script. The mix of horror and humour work so well that it’ll keep incising new audience who might not see it. If you don’t see this flick, Raimi will drag you to hell!

Drag Me To Hell 720p HD trailer

Oliver Hunt

#37 Review For ‘Synecdoche, New York’

* *

Director
Charlie Kaufman
Cast

Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Catherine Keener
Samantha Mortan
Screenplay
Charlie Kaufman

Certification

15

Running Time
124 min

*Spoiler Alert*

As you can tell, this is my lowest rated film of the year so far. And what you might be able to see with this film is that there will be a division between reviewers. Personally I felt like two stars was the maximum amount of stars I could give it. This film is just one of those films that people love or hate. And I hated it. I even drew a picture of the director Charlie Kaufman and what he means to me. Lets get started.

Synecdoche, New York follows the life of Caden Cotard (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), a manic depressant play writer. Left by his wife and finding little comfort in therapy and after some loveless relationships gets grant money to do whatever he wants. Hiring a huge cast he sets out to make a play about the “brutal honesty” of his life.

So the film, from the outside, looks to be an intellectual roller-coaster ride of surrealist film making. And it is. But it was just done horribly. First thing I want to say is that I loved Spike Jonze’s Being John Malkovich which was writing by the Kaufman him self. So I don’t have a vendetta against him, I was actually looking forward to this film and expected it to be a defined five stars. The negatives out way the posterities by a lot so its such a shame to see a film with great potential.

Ok so why is the film bad you ask? Well to start with, all the scenes in the film aren’t longer then five minutes. The film rushes along as if it is trying to get to something important. Which I guess was the indoors city. There was so much to take in, I have forgotten a vast majority of the story. Also because the story rushed by it as hard to keep up with characters. Sometimes there are years between a scene, which aren’t notified so we only find out the time skip though a slightly old Caden. To me that’s poor film making, if you rely on the audience to notice the gaps between the years. After Caden’s first wife Adele leaves him with his daughter of four Olive to run away to Germany to pursue a life of art, then the hole film goes to pure madness (and not the good Evil Dead type madness). You can’t tell whether Caden is in Germany or in New York. And New York isn’t even mentioned or notified it’s just there in the distance.

Then the film becomes twisted as Caden watches his naked tattooed daughter dancing in a strip club for him. The film just dissolves into “what where you thinking”, like when Caden’s PA (or love interest of the time) buys a burning house which isn’t a metaphor for something, the characters even talk about it. What’s that all about? Towards the end of the film it just gets stupid as the actors of the real characters get actors them selves, it just becomes a world in a world in a world in a world. And the end fifteen minutes are rushed and ridicules. Some noise is heard outside and when he goes out the next day people are dead. Not explained why. They’re just dead. It was a terrible ending to a bazaar film

I decided to draw a picture (above) of Charlie Kaufman with the screenplay for Synecdoche, New York. Notice how pages of madness come out of his massive head even though the script is written. The film just felt like several scripts stuck together, but was accepted because it’s a Kaufman script. He’s always been know to write weird screenplays but this just shows that he should stop. What Kaufman is in need of is an editor and a producer who will tell him what not to do. This film is just a product of too much freedom. If toned down and had the fat trimmed off a lot of it, it could have been a more enjoyable film. Synecdoche, New York was the first time I’ve considered walking out because the film out stayed it’s welcome. I has hoping he died because he did nothing. And he wasn’t a character to sympathise with because he was so unlikable and boring.

Ok now something’s I like about the film. For a start Phillip Seymour Hoffman was very good in it. It could even be seen as his crowning achievement because even though I disliked the character he acted surprisingly well. That’s the first star. Now the second star is for the cinematography. For a debut film it was pulled off well. Even though I hated the film I was admiring the camera work (not the editing). And that’s the only two pluses, I am not even going to go into it. That’s it.

Being honest I just think this is a cult film. In twenty years I could look back and be like what was I thinking it’s a brilliant film. But now I just thought it was poorly executed. And as I said yes earlier it will get divided opinions among reviews so it’s something you as the reader are going to have to watch yourself and decided if you like it or not.

Depressant. Green poo. Small canvases. Stalkers. Germany. Lesbians. Suicide. Death Of A Salesman. Incestuous strip tease. Pink box. Breaking and cleaning. That doesn’t make sense and neither does this film.

Oliver Hunt

#36 Cannes Film Festival Is In Full Swing: Day 2

A few posts back I listed the films that would be at this years top French film festival. This post is all about what I have heard about the films from sites like Total Film and Empire Online among others. Hopefully someday I’ll be there with either a film of my own or reporting on future films. Well lets get started with the film that open the festival.

Well Pixar’s Up was the first film to be shown and is SUPER 3D! Well from what I heard it sounds pretty good. Apparently from an video review on Total Film, the first twenty five minutes is the best thing Pixar has done. But hold the phone. Didn’t people say that about Pixar’s last box office hit Wall-E? The answer being yes. But what seems to happen with Pixar film is that they want to look like grown ups (pun intended) but sell out there films after forty minutes of so with cheap childish jokes. I guess the target audiences are seven year olds but come on. At least make one Arthouse film. Pixar could be the western Studio Ghibli. Think about it.

Secondly, Humpday was shown today. Humpday starts Mark Duplass and someone homeless looking guy, as they do gay porn which is “so gay it’s not gay” or something. Anyways it’s the latest mumblecore film to come out of America so I’m going to try see that somewhere (if it comes to England). I also like the Duplass brothers who are best known for their mumblecore films; The Puffy Chair and Baghead, which I recommend. Apart from four people walking out the film is said to be good. The sex scenes are also not graphic like Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain so I can’t see why people would walk out?

On the 24th May, the jury announces the winners so check back around then to get my thoughts on the winners plus news on the other films.

Oliver Hunt