Home Invasion (David Tennant, 2016)

Cast: Natasha Henstridge, Jason Patric, Scott Adkins, William Dickinson, Kyra Zagorsky, Michael Rogers, Christian Tessier.

Summary: When a wealthy woman and her stepson are targeted by a trio of expert thieves in their remote mansion, her only from of help comes from a call with a security systems specialist. But as the intruders becomes increasingly hostile and the connection wavers, will she trust him to be her eyes and navigate her to safety.

Genre: Thriller

Watched: July 23rd, 2017


Chloe (Natasha Henstridge) is a lonely housewife who is now responsible for looking after her stepson following her husband's decision to go AWOL and after an evening at home the two are specifically targeted by a group of expert thieves Heflin (Scott Adkins), Victoria (Kyra Zagorsky) and Astor (Michael Rogers).

I really liked the opening scene especially when the trio finally enter the house, but that was pretty much where it ended for me.
Firstly the acting was incredibly questionable especially when it came to Henstridge, everything she did felt way too over the top, especially when she's on the phone to Mike (Jason Patric), the security operator at the home security company. She speaks way too loudly for someone who's trying to escape a group of burglars in her house.
Then there's Jacob, a massive brat who deserves more then the slap Chloe gave him, preferably a swift kick up the backside.

The thing that really annoyed me though was the macguffin. A macguffin is a plot device in the form of some goal, desired object, or other motivator that is pursued by some of a films characters, often with little or no narrative explanation. We're told that Chloe's husband stole something from the trio and it has been hidden in a safe somewhere in his house, eventually they find the safe and begin cracking the code to get in... but then the film finishes before whatever it is in the case is revealed.
This is used in tons of films and tv shows but unfortunately here it doesn't work and it makes it feels as though the writers didn't actually think that far ahead to decide what was actually in the safe.

Rating: 4
One Final Word: Rubbish

TV | The Mist (2017)

Cast: Morgan Spector, Alyssa Sutherland, Gus Birney, Danica Curcic, Okezie Morro, Luke Cosgrove, Darren Pettie, Russell Posner, Frances Conroy

Summary: After an eerie mist rolls into a small town, the residents must battle the mysterious mist and it's threats, fighting to maintain their morality and sanity.

Genre: Drama, Thriller, Horror

Season(s): 1 (cancelled shortly after Season 1)

Watched: November 2017

I watched The Mist back in 2010 when I did my 100 Films Challenge (read my review on The Mist (2007)) and I absolutely loved it, so when I heard that there was going to be a TV show I was super excited.
Unfortunately I didn't like the show as mush as I wanted to. A lot of things happened that I didn't understand and that I just couldn't get my head around like the rape storyline between Alex (Gus Birney) and Jay (Luke Cosgrove).

Alex is allegedly raped by Jay at a party she attended with her best friend Adrian (Russell Posner) and when the mist hits the town Alex and her mother Eve (Alyssa Sutherland) discover they are trapped in the mall with Jay. For me this is where things stopped making sense as the two somehow get closer throughout the course of the show, shown in scenes such as when Jay tries to prove his innocence by asking Alex to let him touch her, when Alex helps to bandage Jay's wound after he rescues her from a fire and they even go on a "date" where they kiss!
The one thing that is never made clear while all this is happening is does Alex still believe that Jay raped her? Not once does she ever say to him (or anyone else) that she doesn't think he raped her and yet she does all of the above.
Not only that but Jay himself doesn't even question her! If you're so adamant that you didn't rape someone and are so eager to prove your innocence, why are you kissing them, why would you not question them. Do they no longer believe you raped them, does she not know who did it, or was she lying for some twisted reason.

I also didn't get Alex's mother Eve. She hates Jay and doesn't want to see him anywhere near her daughter but when she sees the two get closer she decides that the best thing to do is to kidnap him and lock him away in a secret room.
I however would like to know why she never questions her daughter, especially after she sees the two getting closer. A mother would surely wonder why her daughter was spending time with the person who she says raped her, does she no longer believe he did it, did she lie or is she being manipulated.

There are a whole load of other reasons as to why I didn't really like the show, most of which can be found in Chris Scott's review: First Season of 'The Mist' Should Also Be The Last, which I loved although I do have to say I am very petty so I was more than happy to see Kevin drive his truck into the supermarket. Despite the fact that I felt it strayed to far from the original story, although I did like that there seemed to more hints about where the mist came from.

I definitely think that it had potential (if it was written differently and had different actors) but boy am I glad it was cancelled.

Rating: 4/10
One Final Word: Not Impressed

Chained (Jennifer Lynch, 2012)

Cast: Vincent D'Onofrio, Jake Weber, Eamon Farren, Evan Bird, Conor Leslie, Julia Ormond

Summary: Bob, a cab-driving serial killer who stalks his prey on the city streets alongside his reluctant protégé Tim, who must make a life or death choice between following in Bob's footsteps or breaking free from his captor.

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Watched: June 17th, 2017

When Brad (Jake Weber) drops his wife Sarah (Julia Ormond) and son Tim (Evan Bird) to the cinema, he urges the two to take a taxi home instead of riding the bus. Just as they call for a taxi, driver Bob (Vincent D'Onofrio) arrives in his taxi and they decide to jump in.

Only Bob doesn't take them home.

Instead he abducts the two and takes them to his secluded home where here kills Sarah and forces Tim, who he renames Rabbit, to be his slave/accomplice and keeps him chained to stop him from escaping.
Fast forward several years Rabbit (Eamon Farren) is now a teenager and Bob decides it's time for him to come of age and become a man by becoming a killer like him.

I liked this film, I thought the idea was very interesting as it's very rare to hear of killer keeping their victims alive as their slave/accomplice, so I was looking forward to see how it would be done.

I did have one big issue with the film and that was with Vincent D'Onofrio's portrayal of Bob. I wasn't sure at first if there was something wrong with him because the way he spoke made him come across as a slightly intellectually disabled. His accent was off putting and I thought the moments where he shower Rabbit kindness (rarely) just didn't fit.

All in all I enjoyed this film especially the last 15-20 mins and I thought the final twist was brilliant (don't worry I won't spoil it for you).
On a side note this film is another that makes me realise that I love all my loose ends in a film to be nice and securely tied.

Rating: 7/10
One Final Word: Good

Split (M. Night Shyamalan, 2016)

Cast: James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Betty Buckley, Brad William Henke

Summary: Three girls are kidnapped by a man with a diagnosed 23 distinct personalities. They must try to escape before the apparent emergence of a frightful new 24th.

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Watched: February 3rd, 2017

Before Split I had only ever seen three M. Night Shyamalan films, The Sixth Sense (1999), The Last Airbender (2010) and The Happening (2008) (which I'm a little obsessed with).
Yep that's right people, I haven't seen Unbreakable (2000) *GASP*. I did try to watch it when I was younger but I couldn't get in to it, but never fear, it is on my list of films to watch (it's a very long list though).

I knew the film was going to be good as soon as I saw the trailer but I actually had no plans to watch it because I thought it would be too scary for me (I'm a bit of wimp), but after seeing the trailer during pretty much every TV advert I decided to go see it.

The film tells the story of Kevin (James McAvoy), a young man with dissociative identity disorder. Treated by his psychiatrist Dr. Karen Fletcher (Betty Buckley) he appears to be stable, that is until Dr. Fletcher notices that something isn't quite right.

In his mind Kevin's multiple personalities sit in chair in a room each waiting for their turn in the light aka controlling the body. "Barry", the dominate personality, is in charge of deciding who goes into the light but it slowly becomes clear to Dr Fletcher that Barry may no longer be in charge.
We later discover that 'Dennis', a personality with obsessive-compulsive disorder and "Patricia", two personalities that are usually kept in the dark to protect Kevin, have somehow broken through, overtaking Barry as the dominant one and kidnapping 3 teenage girls.
We had a pretty awful start to our cinema trip which meant that we missed the first 5-10mins of the film. I was super annoyed and very hot (we ran from one side of the cinema to the other after they sold us tickets to the wrong screening) and I struggled to get into the film for the next 15-20mins.

When I was finally able to relax I thoroughly enjoyed this film and it was definitely nowhere near as scary as I thought it was going to be (although I was definitely freaked out at times). There's a point where the plot seems unimportant and your focus is turned on the characters instead, which I quite liked.

I enjoyed Anya Taylor-Joy's performance as Casey but for me the stand out is definitely McAvoy, to be able to play each individual personality so convincingly, just wow, I thought he was brilliant. I've only seen him in two other films but I think after this I definitely have to watch some more of his work.

Rating: 8.5/10
One Final Word: Brilliant!

10 Cloverfield Lane (Dan Trachtenberg, 2016)

Cast: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr

Summary: After getting in a car accident, a woman is held in a shelter with two men, who claim the outside world is affected by a widespread chemical attack.

Genre: Mystery, Horror, Drama, Thriller

Watched: January 8th, 2017

I absolutely loved Cloverfield (2008) when I first saw it. I still do, it's one of my Most Rewatched Films.
After I watched it I was hoping that there would be a sequel but I couldn't find any information about one on the internet.

Fast forward 6 years and I started hearing about 10 Cloverfield Lane. I automatically assumed it was the Cloverfield sequel I had been looking for but I later found out (after we had watched it) that it isn't actually a direct sequel but rather what J.J Abrams is calling a "blood relative".

Onto the review!

We're thrown straight into the story as soon as the film starts with Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) driving through the countryside late at night following an argument with her boyfriend. As she listens to news reports on her car radio regarding black outs in major cities her car is struck.

She wakes up to find herself in an empty room chained to the wall, where her captor Howard (John Goodman) informs her that they are locked in his bunker deep underground following a chemical attack.
This film is a lot darker and much more sinister then what I was expecting. With Cloverfield you were able to see pretty much everything that was happening, but 10 Cloverfield Lane is definitely more about what you can't see.

With Cloverfield we were literally in Hud's (T.J. Miller) shoes throughout the film, even without the camera 10 Cloverfield Lane is also able to make us (the audience) feel as though we are Michelle.
Like Michelle we don't actually know what's happening outside, we only know what we've been told by Howard and Emmett (John Gallagher Jr) and again like Michelle we don't know these people so we're not sure if we can really trust them.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is brilliant as Michelle but for me it is definitely John Goodman who really steals the show.

I've heard quite a bit about the way the films ends and how a lot of people aren't happy with it. I did think it was a little random and at the time I didn't think it fit very well but when I think about it, for me it doesn't take away from the rest of the film. It's definitely a film I would happily watch again.

Take a look at these interesting articles I found about the film and it's ending: The 10 Cloverfield Lane Backlash is Missing the Point and Why the Ending of 10 Cloverfield Lane Sucks

Rating: 8/10
One Final Word: Excellent!

Frozen (Adam Green, 2010)

Cast: Emma Bell, Shawn Ashmore, Kevin Zegers

Summary: Three skiers stranded on a chairlift are forced to make life-or-death choices which prove more perilous than staying put and freezing to death.

Genre: Thriller

Watched: November 9th, 2016

Although the description sounded interesting when I first read it, it also sounded as though the film was going to be quite slow paced and a little boring.
It turns out that it definitely wasn't as slow as I thought it was going to be and I ended up really enjoying it.

I did struggle with the first few scenes. I found that I wasn't very interested in the 3 characters, who they were or what they were doing and it was only just before the trio are left stranded is when my interest began to grow. I think this was mainly because there are a couple of moments that clue you into what's going to happen to the trio.

For me the film really comes into its own when the trio are left stranded on the ski lift.
The trio at first think it's a joke until the lights of the resort are turned off, only then do the trio begin to panic as they know that the slopes will be closed for the next week.

Knowing that they won't survive the trio try to come up with a plan to save themselves.
I really enjoyed the performances from all 3 actors but the stand out for me is Emma Bell who plays Parker, although there are a few iffy moments overall she does a fantastic job.

There's a moment shortly after realising they've been left suspended on the ski-lift where Parker begins to panic and she reveals her worries about what will happen to her puppy if she dies on the lift and he thinks that she has abandoned him.

It probably seems kind of ridiculous to some people that she is more worried about her pet at home then she is about being stranded 50 feet above the ground with absolutely nobody around. I think it makes everything seems a little bit more real because you never know how you would react in a similar situation, and I think there are probably a few people who would end up having this thought in a similar situation.

This is definitely a film I would recommend and one that I would happily watch again.

Urge (Aaron Kaufman, 2016)

Cast: Justin Chatwin, Ashley Greene, Alexis Knapp, Bar Paly, Chris Geere, Pierce Brosnan, Danny , Masterson, Nick Thune

Summary: A weekend getaway takes a dangerous turn when a mysterious nightclub owner introduces a group of friends to a new designer drug. Stripped of their inhibitions, they start living out their wildest fantasies - but what starts out as a fun night of partying quickly turns deadly.

Genre: Thriller

Watched: November 20th, 2016

This was the second of November's films that had me thinking "um what?" long after the film had ended.

Neil (Danny Masterson), an arrogant millionaire takes his group of friends to his mansion on an executive island. Once settled in, the group decide to visit the club Volcano where things really started to get weird, well that's if you don't consider your friends seeing you have sex through a large window weird.

At Volcano they encounter the "Red Bastard", a man wearing some sort of red long johns with a bunch of balloons underneath. This would have been enough for me to get up and leave, but no they decide to stay and have a piece of what everyone else seems to be having.

"Urge", a glowing blue inhalant that strips you of your inhibitions. The only catch is that you can only do it once in your lifetime. I think from here on its pretty obvious that these are the type of people who play by their own rules, so of course they're going to do it more than once.

I have to say I wasn't expecting the descent into madness to be quite as graphic as it was, but then considering some of the earlier scenes I probably shouldn't have been so shocked.

I enjoyed the first few scenes but as the film goes on the story just gets stranger and stranger and there were times when I got completely lost and it felt as though I had missed something important, and there were often times where there was so much going on I struggled to remember who the main people were.
I also wasn't a fan of the ending.

It isn't the great but it was miles better than #Horror.

Rating: 5/10
One Final Word: Huh?

#Horror (Tara Subkoff, 2015)

Cast: Chloë Sevigny, Timothy Hutton, Sadie Seelert, Haley Murphy, Bridget McGarry, Emma Adler, Mina Sundwall

Summary: Six preadolescent girls face a night of terror when the compulsive addiction of an online social media game turns a moment of cyber bullying into a night of insanity.

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Watched: November 20th, 2016

This was the first of the November films that had me absolutely baffled, from the word go I was completely lost and it was just awful.

The first thing that caught my attention was the strange casino like sound effects from a social media game the girls are playing. The sounds were never actually explained so at the time I wasn't aware that they were coming from a game, and they happened way too often.

The second thing that I didn't like was the acting. I've been a fan of Chloë Sevigny ever since seeing the show Hit & Miss and although the script doesn't do her any favours her performance is still okay.

It was really the girls' performance that made the film worse for me. It was absolutely awful and at times it was almost painful to watch, so much so that I considered giving up and watching something else on more than one occasion. I think they could have been so much better if the script hadn't be so incredibly poor.

We spend a ridiculous amount of time establishing that these girls are absolutely disgusting examples of human beings. Forget being spoilt, self-indulged, social media obsessed brats, these girls are so horribly mean to other that I actually wasn't sure if I wanted to keep watching.

I read a review somewhere that said: "They made attempts to create sympathetic characters, giving some of them ham-fisted back stories regarding suicide, or just having them be taunted for weight."

If this is actually the case and the director is actually trying to make me feel sympathy towards anyone of those girls it absolutely did not work.
We all know that there are many cases of bullying that have happened in similar ways where a group of friends bully each other or just one of their own; however nothing about these people feels at all genuine enough for me to feel sympathy for any of them. Even if they were genuine and these things had actually happened to them, I still don't think that I could feel anything but disgust for them.

Despite the poor acting/script, this app that the girls are using is definitely at the top of the list of things that I didn't understand in this film. Not only were the sound effects I mentioned earlier driving me crazy but the ridiculous graphics that pop up on screen what feels like every 2 seconds had me wishing that the film would just hurry up and end.

You would think that I wouldn't recommended this to anyone considering how much I disliked it but I really want people to watch it so that I can get their opinions about it! Let me know if you do or if you have seen it!

Rating: 2/10
One Final Word: Huh?

The Gift (Joel Edgerton, 2015)

Cast: Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall, Joel Edgerton

Summary: A young married couple's lives are thrown into a harrowing tailspin when an acquaintance from the husband's past brings mysterious gifts and a horrifying secret to light after more than 20 years.

Genre: Thriller, Mystery

Watched: September 2016

The Gift is Joel Edgerton's directorial debut and I have to say he does a pretty impressive job, not only as director but also as an actor.

I don't think I've seen him in anything before this but I think he does an absolutely fantastic job here. He does creepy incredibly well but somehow still manages to make you like him.

Then there was Jason Bateman. I've seen Hancock and I really enjoyed his performance, I think it was the perfect blend of comedy and drama for him but I didn't think he would be any good in something so serious.
I was definitely wrong about that. Bateman absolutely proves himself for me and does an excellent job as Simon.

Although the film is about Gordon (Joel Edgerton) and Simon (Jason Bateman), it is definitely Robyn (Rebecca Hall) who comes across as the main character and is fantastic in this role.
I love the interaction between all three characters, but thing I loved the most was that I spent the majority of the film trying to figure out who the bad guy actually is.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and I even loved the ambiguous ending. I was 100% rooting for Gordon and I really wanted him to get some sort of revenge, but deep down I think he's actually quite a nice guy and that he wouldn't really go that far. Or would he?

Rating: 9/10
One Final Word: EXCELLENT!

Hush (Mike Flanagan, 2016)

Cast: Kate Siegel, John Gallagher Jr., Samantha Sloyan, Michael Trucco

Summary: A deaf writer who retreated into the woods to live a solitary life must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer appears at her window.

Genre: Thriller

Watched: May 21st, 2016

Like most films I've watched this year I found this gem on Netflix (it really has become my favourite things this year!), and after seeing the poster and reading the description I knew I had to see it.

There have been plenty of home invasion films like this, but this film is made a lot more scarier just by having a deaf protagonist.

I love how as soon as the film starts we're put into Maddie's (Kate Siegel) shoes with the films incredible sound design. As we watch Maggie cook dinner we can hear everything from the onions being sliced to eggs sizzling away in the pan, before zooming in on Maddie's face and the sound falling away.

I remember thinking around this point I wonder who the deaf character is because I could hear everything around me, which I know is a ridiculous thought to have. Just because I can hear what's happening around me, that doesn't meant that the person beside me isn't deaf.

I probably should have realised that Maddie was deaf when the sound fell away the closer we got to her face, but it was so subtle that I didn't realise it was missing until it came back in.

Even then I didn't realise that I still didn't realise Maddie was deaf, it was only until she began signing with her next door neighbour that I made the connection.

I thought this film was brilliant and I loved the story. I really enjoy films that get you talking and thinking about what you would do if you were in that situation and this is definitely one of them!

Rating: 9/10
One Final Word: Very Good

Last Girl Standing (Benjamin R. Moody, 2015)

Cast: Akasha Villalobos, Danielle Evon Ploeger, Brian Villalobos

Summary: She survived a brutal massacre, but lost her life. What happens to the final girl after the credits roll?

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Watched: August 28th, 2016

This film instantly caught my eye and it was all because of the title. As a former film student I remember being taught a little about the theory of the last girl in one of my classes.

The final girl is a trope that is seen in horror films, more specifically in slasher films where a series of victims (normally a group of friends) get together and are killed off one by one, by the killer. The last surviving member of the group who is most typically female survives, and either goes on the kill the killer or to escape.

I absolutely love the whole idea of what happens to the final girl after the credits roll, even though it's something that has been done a number of times before Last Girl Standing definitely put its own spin on it.
Last Girl Standing is different from many slasher films because it starts the way a sequel would. The film begins with what would be the end of the first film, where Camryn and her friends are attacked before she becomes the final girl who then goes on to kill 'The Hunter'.

I really enjoyed this film, to be honest I wasn't 100% sure I would when it first started but it definitely started to grow on me. For me the beginning and the ending were the best parts, it was the middle section of the film that I struggled with.
When Camryn was attacked in the shop I was with her 100%, I just had a feeling that something bad was going to happen and I was hoping and praying that she would get out in time. However as time went on I found myself starting to dislike Camryn just a little bit and I found myself struggling to identify with her the more stressed she became.

I've read a few reviews and they've all said that the film was predictable and that they could see the ending coming a mile off. Maybe because I normally avoid watching slasher films (horror films in general to be honest) I did not see the ending coming and I didn't think it was predictable one bit.

Rating: 7/10
One Final Word: Very Good

Film | In the Cinema - October #2

October 22

Love, Rosie - Rosie and Alex have been best friends since they were 5, so they couldn't possibly be right for one another...or could they? When it comes to love, life and making the right choices, these two are their own worst enemies.


October 24

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day - Alexander's day begins with gum stuck in his hair, followed by more calamities. Though he finds little sympathy from his family and begins to wonder if bad things only happen to him, his mom, dad, brother, and sister all find themselves living through their own terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

The Book of Life - Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart, embarks on an adventure that spans three fantastic worlds where he must face his greatest fears.

The Babadook - A single mother, plagued by the violent death of her husband, battles with hr son's fear of a monster lurking in the house, but soon discovers a sinister presence all around her.

This Is Where I Leave You - When their father passes away, four grown siblings are forced to return to their childhood home and live under the same roof together for a week, along with their over-sharing mother and an assortment of spouses exes and might-have-beens.

Fury - April 1945. As the allies make their final push in the European Theatre, a battle-hardened army sergeant named Wardaddy commands a Sherman tank and her five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Out-numbered, out-gunned, and with a rookie soldier thrust into their platoon, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.

Jimi: All Is By My Side - A drama based on Jimi Hendrix's life as he left New York City for London, where his career took off.

Serena - in Depression-era North Carolina, the future of George Pemberton's timber empire becomes complicated when it is learned that his wife, Serena, cannot bear children.

The Knife That Killed Me - A journey through the memories of teenager Paul Varderman as he reflects on the events leading to the fatal moment his life is cut short.


October 29

Horns - In the aftermath of his girlfriend's mysterious death, a young man awakens with strange horns sprouting from his temples.


October 31

Mr Turner - An exploration of the last quarter century of the great, if eccentric, British painter J.M.W. Turner's life.

Ouija - A group of friends must confront their most terrifying fears when they awaken he dark powers of an ancient spirit board.

Night Crawler - A young man stumbles upon the underground world of L.A. freelance crime journalism.

Charlie Countryman - While travelling abroad, a guy falls for a Romanian beauty whose unreachable heart has its origins in her violent, charismatic ex.

Contagion (Steven Soderbergh, 2011)

Cast: Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne, Marion Cotillard, Gwyneth Paltrow and Bryan Cranston

Summary: Healthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a worldwide epidemic as the CDC works to find a cure.

Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi


I had been wanting to watch Contagion for a while but as usual I never got round to it, until I went to visit one of my friends who just happened to have two copies of the dvd lying around one of which she gave me!

Whenever I watch films about the spread of viruses, or films like The Day After Tomorrow (2004) I always think about what I would do to survive and this was definitely one of those films.

This film tells the story of a surface transmitted disease that makes you question your own personal habits, more specifically what you do with your hands. How many times a day you touch your face? I'm pretty sure the majority of people don't know the answer, I know I don't but I'm going to guess it's a lot, it’s a natural habit that we do unconsciously

Contagion is another one of these films much like Carriers (2009) where the spread of panic is almost as bad, sometimes even worse than the spread of the actual disease itself.

This film has quite an ensemble cast and for me it feels as though most of the characters aren’t really explored, you get a small glimpse of them and that’s pretty much it. For me it feels like maybe the most explored is Jude Law’s character Alan Krumwiede, the almost villain who campaigns to get people to forgo the vaccinations in favour of his herbal remedy.

And another note- I think this poster’s very cool, I love the way the title is spelled out.

Have you seen Contagion? What did you think?

My Rating: 8/10

Mirrors (Alexandre Aja, 2008)

Cast: Kiefer Sutherland, Paula Patton, Amy Smart, Jason Flemyng and Ezra Buzzington

Summary An ex-cop and his family become the targets of a mysterious evil force that is using mirrors as a gateway into their home.

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery

The first time I watched this film I wasn't too sure if I liked it or not because as we all know I'm not one for horror films, although suprisingly I'm not too bad with gory horror films.

Like I expected Mirrors totally freaked me out so watching it again at night probably wasn't my bestest idea ever and it's definitely safe to say that I totally thought twice about looking in any of the mirrors in my house the next morning.

I love, love, love Kiefer Sutherland and I have done ever since I first watched Stand By Me (1986), and I think he does a pretty good job in this film.

However I did find that the storyline was a little hard to follow at times (which is part of the reason why I had to watch it twice). I think starts off really well and it was easeir to follow the second time round but there were definaitely parts that I thought could have been better.

Again we all know I love a good special effect and this film definitely has some brilliant effects that leave you wondering how they did it.

My Rating: 6/10
One Final Word: Great

Devil (John Erick Dowdle, 2010)

Cast: Chris Messina, Logan Marshall-Green, Jenny O'Hara, Geoffrey Arend, Jacob Vargas, Bokeem Woodbine, Bojana Novakovic

Summary: A group of people are trapped in an elevator where one of them is not what they seem.

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery


I actually got this film confused with Blackout (2008) when it first started and then I realised after a few minutes I actually had no idea what I was watching so I wasn’t sure about what to expect.

Now if you know me or if you've read some of my other reviews post you'll know that I don't really watch horror films because I'm a total wimp, so of course I was a little nervous about watching the film especially since I watched it at night all by myself.

I loved how the film starts with something you really were not expecting to happen, like at all and how everything that follows seems to be somehow linked to this first event.
I really liked the mystery surrounding the whole event and each character, everyone's under suspicion and no one is safe and I loved the use of unknown/not well known actors (I've only heard of a couple of them), which for me makes it just a little bit more realistic.

I know people have questioned a few of M. Night Shyamalan's films such as The Happening (which I think is pretty cool) and The Last Airbender, but if this film is anything to go by The Night Chronicles trilogy looks set to be pretty good. (Edit: Or maybe not because 5 years later the second film hasn’t come out.)
Personally I think this film is great, the fact that the director is able to keep people interested and in suspense when the majority of the action takes place in one small room is a good sign.

A few days after watching the film I was waiting outside an elevator with my family for a good 15 minutes not knowing that a mother and child were stuck inside screaming and banging for help.


"If the Devil is real, then God must be real too."

My Rating: 7/10
One Final Word: Very Good

Compliance (Craig Zobel, 2012)

by guest blogger Jay Kennedy.


Cast: Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker, Pat Healy, Bull Camp, James McCaffrey and Ashlie Atkinson

Summary: When a prank caller convinces a fast food restaurant manager to interrogate an innocent young employee, no-one is left unharmed. Based on true events.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

What would you do if someone told you that the law would back you up? How far would you go, knowing, it's cool, totally legal dude! Compliance is that story. Terrifying enough and what follows makes this film a horror story.

So we have burger flippin' teens taking orders from a manager who's taking orders from a regional manager, doing their everyday thing that happens in a mundane burger joint. Then the phone rings. It's a police man calling to inform the manager that Becky, the plucky counter girl, has just swiped cash out of a purse and to help in the investigation, management must detain her.

So what do you do? That's the movie for the next 90 minutes. What would you do if you were handed off the phone and the officer said, you have to strip search this person. You have to remove her under pants. You have to make certain she obeys you.

It's shocking, terrifying and worst of all, based on true events. It's a busy night in the burger place, so the phone is passed from one employee to the next, to the next until a major crime occurs and you are left staring at the screen, jaw agape horrifyingly uncomfortable.

The films actors are all fantastic. The premise, though simple, is completely brilliant. And don't be surprised to find yourself thinking, what would I do, then screaming "STOP! STOP! STOP!" at the screen more than once. This is more than a film, it's a study in what we do when we think we're in the right and our asses are on the line. See this movie and be as amazed as I was.

Perfect for: Guys & Gals with half a brain
One Final Word: Dyn-O-mite


Jay Kennedy is the author of WUT UP MOVIES and is a lover of all things film! Basically he’s just another fan like you! Along with writing reviews he loves to rhyme off Top 10 lists and his favourite flick of all time is Jaws!

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Hanna (Joe Wright, 2011)

Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Jason Flemyng, Jessica Barden, Michelle Dockery, Eric Bana

Summary: A 16-year-old who was raised by her father to be the perfect assassin is dispatched on a mission across Europe, tracked by a ruthless intelligence agent and her operatives.

Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller

Back in August (I know, that was a while ago now) I finally got round to watching Hanna after having it on my shelf for months, and I absolutely loved it!

For me Saoirse Ronan was perfect as the teenage assassin Hanna. Usually cool, calm and collected, her emotions are completely believable when she is put into totally unfamiliar surroundings, especially when she begins her journey and when she meets the outgoing British family on their holiday.
Personally I love Ronan as an actress especially after seeing her in The Lovely Bones and Atonement, which is also directed by Joe Wright.

I have to say that my favourite scenes are the ones with the abandoned theme park and the amazing Brothers Grimm, Hansel and Gretel themed house.
The film also features the soundtrack debut of The Chemical Brothers which I think is pretty cool after watching Tron Legacy, which of course was the Daft Punk’s soundtrack debut. Just in case you’re wondering, yes the Daft Punk soundtrack is brilliant.

Finally Ian Nathan sums up the film perfectly for me in his Hanna Review saying its “Hans Christian Andersen refitted with glocks, smart phones and satellite surveillance”

My Rating: 9/10
One Final Word: Brilliant

The Brave One (Neil Jordan, 2007)

Cast: Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Naveen Andrews, Nicky Katt

Summary: A woman struggles to recover from a brutal attack by setting out on a mission for revenge.

Genre: Crime. Thriller, Drama

Like most reviews I'm going to start off by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I can normally watch films with acts of extreme violence but the opening attack scene is one I struggled with. Don't get me wrong the scene is done fantastically but I struggled because it is an extremely aggressive, unprovoked, random, cruel and vicious attack forever changing the lives of those it involves.
I couldn’t actually bring myself to watch the whole thing so I skipped most of it.

I absoluely loved Jodie Foster in this role, I truly felt for her character Erica Bain and the pain she was going through. Everyone deals with their grief in different ways and although her way is just a tad bit extreme she does what she feels she has to do.
I'm actually quite a fan of Miss Foster Panic Room and Flight Plan are two of my favourite films.

I think the thing I loved most about the film is the understanding/relationship that develops between Erica and Detective Mercer played by Terrence Howard (who I think is pretty hot). Had the attack not happened they most likely would never have met, the chemistry between them is unmistakable and I like to think that after everything that's happend they will always be there for each other.

My Rating- 10/10
One Final Word- Excellent

The Ruins (Carter Smith, 2008)

Cast: Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone, Shawn Ashmore, Laura Ramsey, Joe Anderson

Summary: A group of friends leisurely Mexican holiday takes a turn for the worse when they, along with a fellow tourist embark on a remote archaeological dig in the jungle, where something lurks among the ruins.

Genre: Horror, Thriller


“This doesn’t happen. Four Americans on vacation don’t just disappear”

I happened to catch this film on television one night just as the title came up and I thought I have nothing else to watch so I might as well give this a go and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

As you know I’m not a horror film fan so if I had known what is was about I probably wouldn't have watched it, but I'm glad I did. It's definitely your typical American's abroad horror films, with the hot young Americans, exotic location and lots of suspense.
At first I thought that the plot was somewhat unbelievable and that the film could've been better but when I watched it again I realised that I actually quite liked the story, I think it's interesting. The whole idea of the films villain is quite strange but it's done so well that I totally believed it could be real.

All in all I really liked this film, I love Jena Malone she does a really, really great job. Now I'm thinking that I should go and read the book.

My Rating: 7/10

Right At Your Door (Chris Gorak, 2006)

Cast: Mary McCormak, Rory Cochrane, Max Kasch, Tony Perez, Scotty Noyd Jr.

Summary: A series of dirty bombs are set of in Los Angeles, jamming freeways and spreading a toxic cloud.

Genre: Thriller, Drama

I really loved this film but it also freaked me out, films that deal with the threat of the unknown don't always do but this threat seems more possible then some of the others. I like how it's a film where you're not actually situated in the center of the disaster but rather on the outskirts looking in, waiting for it to reach you.

Everything happens so fast. Within 7 minutes the story gets going and is largely set in a single location. I think that one of people's worst fear/nightmare has to be not being able to get in contact with someone you love during a disaster such as this, and this is shown so well in the film. You can see the frustration, the helplessness Brad (Rory Cochrane) feels unable to contact his wife and unable to leave his house.

I think this film is one that makes you question if you would have done the same things as some of the characters, how would you react in such a situation, how far would you go to save a loved one.

There were definitely somethings that I didn't get the first time like who people were and there are some people I want to know more about like Rich.

All in all I thought the performances were very good, and as much as I love this film I don't think it'll become one of my most watched because the whole concept terrifies me.

My Rating: 8/10
One Final Word: Possible!