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An error has ocurred. Please try againFor the other end of the scale, see my other list - Horrible Horror @ http://www.imdb.com/list/edit?list_id=1rWvYIt0bYQ
For the other end of the scale, see my other list - Honorific Horror @ http://www.imdb.com/list/edit?list_id=wz5iQ80yZ8Y
Reviews
December Boys (2007)
A charming effort of reliving a wonderful story
Let's kill the elephant in the room. This film would not have been even moderately successful without the unusual and often awkward inclusion of Daniel Radcliffe. December Boys is Radcliff's first non-Potter film since he was twelve. While I understand that a quirky Aussie production would gain positive attention for the soon-to-be washup, Radcliffe simply wasn't the right man for the job. Enough about that wizard though.
December Boys is a heart-warming story of four brother-like orphans fighting for the affection of hopeful adopters. Although there is little diversity in their characters, Misty, Maps, Sparks and Spit engage in cute rivalry, betrayal and camaraderie.
The film tackles some simple themes in a charming manner. The boys learn the true meaning of family and the equal importance of friendship. Radcliffe's character, Maps explores the strings of his heart, teased by the young character portrayed valiantly by Teresa Palmer. This romantic sub-plot was underdeveloped, but provided a wonderful contrast to the boys' bleaker aspects of life. Unfortunately, misplaced religious motifs proved distracting and unnecessary.
Visually, December Boys is a glorious achievement. Set in an enchanting, isolated beach community in Australia, sepia overtones enhance the film's sense of age. In several scenes, I found myself in awe over the vast, blue waters and the fringing green cliff-sides.
Danielle Radcliffe, through no fault of his own, is the greatest downfall of this quality film. Though a slight let down, December Boys is a worthy watch for lovers of simple, honest films.
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Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Slightly overrated, but a brilliant milestone
I am almost embarrassed to admit that it has taken me this long to watch George A. Romero's directorial debut, often attributed with revolutionising horror and reinventing zombies in film. Better late than never, they say.
If only the film's characters were afforded precious time. Ben, the struggling leader of seven survivors are thrown into the refuge of a farm house surrounded by a growing pack of zombies. Although the characters are completely flat and lack any development, the mix of stereotypes and qualities provides an entertaining mix.
The viewer cannot help but pity the poor, helpless survivors. Frequent broadcasts reveal an ongoing national resistance, with the help of doctors, NASA and the police force. Conversely, our survivors are isolated with nothing more than a shotgun, a few slugs and an array of very hate-able useless individuals who slow down the overall progress of the group.
Another welcomed theme throughout the movie was the gradual reclusion of Ben. Venturing from the country, he seeks refuge in the farm house and is eventually driven to a dim basement shared with a monster child. By this stage, sheer desperation is the only thing left to cling to.
Entering this film, I knew that the previous viewing of countless zombie films would provide prejudice. Half of the fear of living dead in film has always been, at least for me, their visual awe. A man chasing another man is generally nothing special, but it is when he only has half a face. With that said, I was amazed at the genuine terror invoked through the almost cosmetic- free walkers in Night of the Living Dead. Accompanying great strides and power in numbers was a score that provided real shock-value.
Put down your 28s and Walkin Dead discs and pull out the godfather of zombie films. It won't create nightmares and it can be safely watched at night on your own, but it is a decent film nonetheless. Considering the era and available technologies, Romero should be regarded as a genius.
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The Omen (2006)
Die protagonist, die!
I should start off by noting that I never saw the original, so I'm reviewing this film completely objectively. With that said, this is just another one of those overdone modern horror movies that are so poorly executed and contain such dry acting that you are cheering for the character's death the whole way through.
The plot is a strong one. Some of the best horrors out there - The Exorcist in mind - have strong religious overtones. And no one can deny how creepy a scary child villain is. The concept of an evil son is really riveting throughout the whole movie and pushes the boundaries of 'family before all else'. As Damien grew worse and worse throughout the movie, I kept asking myself if I could really take a child's life under such circumstances. Would we really have the willpower?
Unfortunately, a good plot instantly dies with bad characters and acting. The kid and photographer are the only good, believable characters. When I think of Julia Stiles, I think of The Bourne Ultimatum and Dexter where she does colourless performances. It's very much the same in The Omen, but her barren palette suits the character well.
(SPOILER ALERT FOR THIS PARAGRAPH). I hate nothing more in a horror movie then unbelievable characters. The priest is just ridiculous. If you are trying to convince someone that their son is going to cause Armageddon, perhaps use less religious fear-inducing rambling and a little more logical English. He might have been a bit crazy, but no one is that stupid. But what really lost it for me is the terrible character of Robert Thorn, the great Ambassador and the even worse actor who plays him. I absolutely lost it during the car scene where Damien savagely attacks his mother. There is no possible way that a man of his intelligence would dismiss it as easily as he did. Furthermore, he chooses to smash through the gate when he could have easily told the guards that he needed to take his son to a doctor. None of this is helped by Schreiber's impossibly boring acting. When he should be crying, he has a straight face. When he should be laughing, he has a straight face. No matter how professional his character's role was, he went through an emotional roller-coaster with one ridiculous expression.
Otherwise, the film has a couple of neat death scenes and frightening moments coupled with impressive cinematography in the house. It obviously has a strong plot with a lot of potential. Until I see the original version, I am left with a quality horror reduced to a modern cringe-worthy failure through unbelievable characters and acting drier than sandpaper.