I Still Like M. NIght Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs, and Lady in the Water)

I wrote this review up months ago and forgot about it. I don't know if that means anything, but I guess you could read into it a little. Everyone thinks M. Night sucks now and have wrote him off (kinda like me forgetting this review.) The man has cranked out some hits and I'm about to revisit them.

The Sixth Sense
(1999) [Trailer]
Director: M. Night Shyamalan [IMDB]

Synopsis: A doctor starts seeing a child with a secret... he likes jam bands.

1999 was an insane year for movies. There were a tone of rad titles that dropped that year and among all of them, The Sixth Sense was one of my favorites. I think everyone has seen this film, but what I don't know is if everyone has rewatched it. It has a really different vibe once you've seen it and know what to expect. The performances, especially from Haley Joel Osment and Toni Collette are great. The story has a Hitchcockian vibe but is still feels original and unfolds at a perfect pace... and there's even a few horror notes in there which work fantastically. Bravo M. Night... bravo!

Unbreakable
(2000) [Trailer]
Director: M. Night Shyamalan [IMDB]

Synopsis: A lone survivor of a cataclysmic train wreck learns there might be more to his escape than he thought after he meets a local comic book nerd.

I recall checking this film out in the theaters and loving every minute of it. I honestly couldn't remember a lot of it before this rewatch and was unsure if it would hold up. It's still pretty good, not great, but a lot of fun. I like the concept behind this film and it still feels extremely original and fresh 13 years later. Unbreakable is a unique twist on a super hero flick and one I think would have been cool to see a sequel for. I wasn't a huge fan of how quickly the ending unfolds, I think Shyamalan could have took it in a better direction, but ultimately this film is a winner in my book.

Signs
(2002) [Trailer]
Director: M. Night Shyamalan [IMDB]

Synopsis: Are mysterious signs being formed out of corn crops a hoax or a message from aliens? Signs takes a deeper look into this phenomenon.

Signs was pretty thrilling when I first saw it, I remember my arm hairs standing up when they first showed that Alien crossing the street in Central America. After this sitting, it still holds up for the most part I suppose. The cast were great and pulled off the material given to them with ease, but the story seemed a little weak to me. The crop circles are a small part of a grand idea, but I think that idea could have been more localized and contained, instead of trying to make Signs into a full scale invasion movie. I also felt like the ending was extremely abrupt and crisis resolves itself in an really unsatisfying way. I still like the film, I just think M. Night could have produced something better.

Lady in the Water
(2006) [Trailer]
Director: M. Night Shyamalan [IMDB]

Synopsis: A modern day fairytale unfolds as the residences of a Philly apartment deal with a mysterious visitor from their swimming pool.

I think this was the film that really started the ball rolling on the M. Night hate express. I know a lot of people loathed it but I still think it's a good film and after my recent viewing I still stand firm on that. It definitely has its flaws but I really appreciate the idea Shyamalan had with it and the execution of that concept is unique. I think the framing device in the intro and the old Korean lady were quasi lazy attempts to move the story along and it seems like there could have been a better way to handle it. Regardless, the story is fun, the characters were interesting, and the setting was incredible.

You're Next

You're Next
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Adam Wingard [IMDB]

You're Next has been getting a slew of impressive reviews but barely made any noise at the box office this past weekend. I really wanted to squeeze in time for its opening but couldn't get around to it until yesterday, when my good friend and movie going buddy Doug accompanied me to the cheapo theater in queens... I love the cheapo theater.

Synopsis: A family reunion goes south quickly as they soon come to find out they've been targeted for extermination by home invaders.

You're Next was a banger and really exceeded my expectations, which weren't really low... so that's good right? It's dabbles in the slasher and home invasion genres but offers a pretty unique twist which was refreshing (I won't go into it... you know... spoilers and stuff.) If I had went into this movie and received another Funny Games or The Strangers, I would have been let down. Not that those are bad films, they rule, but I wanted something fresh and You're Next delivered. Two things that really impressed me, besides the spoiler stuff I can't get into, were the score and pacing. The score rings out nods to some of the best 80's synth scores around, think Carpenter meets Tangerine Dream, it was a real treat. With the pacing, right out of the gate You're Next offers up a brutal scene that hooks you, then works itself through another hour and a half of good times without seeming boring or stale.

There were a few issues acting-wise but other than that I can't think of any real negatives that spoiled the experience.

I'd definitely spend some time with this film, especially if you're a horror fan.

Sharknado

Sharknado
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Anthony C. Ferrante [IMDB]

Unless you're internet illiterate you've probably heard about SyFy's newest smash hit Sharknado. Sharks seem to be all the rage, they even have their own week now, so why not capitalize off that and make a movie about them forming a tornado of death. Seems legit. 

Synopsis: I think you can figure it out.

This movie is terrible. I strongly considered not wasting my time with a review, but after a couple of days away from it, I felt I should belt out a few words. I am a firm believer in the "so bad it's good" credo and I know many films that would fall into this category... Sharknado is not one of them. The casting is sad, the performances are even sadder... is that a word? I mean, Tara Reid is a mother of two fully grown adults, Tara Reid... the girl from American Pie, who is only in her 30's. 

Sharknado could have been hilarious, but its overly serious tone and bad CG just did nothing for me. There will be those who tell you "It's about sharks, in a tornado, come on... it's great." They would be lying to you. Save your time and watch Leprechaun.

The Conjuring

The Conjuring
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: James Wan [IMDB]

I desperately wanted to dig into this film after initially seeing the trailer. I loved James Wan's last movie, Insidious, and was curious to see his follow up. My friend Doug (and everyone else) was really hyping this up, he loved it so much he went to see it again with me tonight. So here it is... my review.

Synopsis: Based off a true story, husband and wife demon hunters are dispatched to a house in rural Rhode Island to help a family of 7 battle evil spirits.

This is by far one of the scariest films I've sat through in recent memory... which is a good thing. If you're into the horror genre, this is a must see. The Conjuring takes the supernatural subgenre and plays within it perfectly. Movies like The Exorcist and The Shining are easy comparisons, but for good reason because The Conjuring holds its own with those titles. I felt there was nothing cheesy about the film ... it's well crafted, paced perfectly, and terrifying. Doug had mentioned before going into it that the acting was the best he had seen in a horror movie... and he's right... it's up there. Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, and Lili Taylor are all excellent, it was also awesome to see Peter from Office Space... I love that guy.

The technical elements of the film were also a huge plus. The cinematography was on point and the sound design was eerie as hell. There's one frame that stuck with me of a young girl standing at the top a staircase... it  was something straight out a Kubrick joint. The fact that everything, including the wall paper in the staircase scene, is set in the early 70's also gave the film a nice breath of uniqueness.

I'm trying to think of something negative to say about The Conjuring and honestly I can't. The ending is a little happy, I guess that's bad... or good... I don't know. It doesn't matter... go see the damn thing.

Only God Forgives

Only God Forgives
2013 [Trailer]
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn [IMDB]

Nicolas Winding Refn is one of my favorite directors working today and to say I was excited to see his newest film, Only God Forgives, would be putting it lightly. Based off the trailer and the director's prior work, this film was one of my most anticipated for 2013... let's see if it was a winner.

Synopsis: Ryan Gosling (so hot right now) is working as a drug smuggler in Bangkok's seedy underground. His brother turns up dead and with some coaxing from his mother, he sets out for vengeance.

As with all of NWR's movies, this is not for everyone. It's slow paced, lacks a lot of dialogue, violent, and leaves things open for interpretation. It's exactly what I hoped it would be. The Gos was awesome, the score was on point, and out of everything Nicolas has produced... this is by far the best looking of the bunch. The colored lights against darkened sets (think Dario Argento) used throughout Only God Forgives lends itself to the horror genre and offers a very creepy vibe which I absolutely loved. The story is pretty straight forward and simple, but I think Nicolas Winding Refn has other hidden themes that the viewer is left to put together. I have an interesting theory about the police chief Chang, but I'll save it, as it would be considered a really big spoiler... once you see Only God Forgives we'll talk about it okay... cool.

This is a slam dunk for me... also a film I'll definitely buy and rewatch. It's in theaters now, so check it out. Or don't, do whatever you feel like.

Stoker

Stoker
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Chan-wook Park [IMDB]

I missed Stoker back in March and have been meaning to check it out ever since. I really enjoyed what I've seen from Chan-wook Park (Oldboy and Thrist) and now that he has crossed over into English films, I wanted to see how he'd hold up.

Synopsis: After a young girl and her mother lose their father and or husband, his mysterious brother... the young girl's uncle and the mother's brother in law... comes to stay awhile. Confused yet? Good.

The immediate movie that comes to mind while watching Stoker is Shadow of a Doubt, which I reviewed not too long ago. Stoker has an obvious Hitchcockian vibe going on, but it's a little more dark and artsy. I loved the cinematography in this and I found Park used that element to help ratchet up the creepy factor in certain scenes. One cool shot has Mia Wasikowska (the girl) combing Nicole Kidman's (the mom) hair and then you see the hair flow into a grassy field where Mia is hunting with her father... it was pretty awesome.

The story and characters are pretty interesting and just like with everything I've seen from Park, it definitely has a twisted ending which was pleasing. Stoker is available on VOD or blu-ray, I'd recommend picking it up, it's definitely a solid film.

Pitch Black & The Chronicles of Riddick

I've always heard a lot of good things about these movies (my brother actually reviewed Pitch Black awhile back) and I have been meaning to check them out at some point. I found the limited edition steelbooks at Walmart on the cheap so I scooped them up on a blind buy to give them a poke.

Pitch Black
(2000) [Trailer]
Director: David Twohy [IMDB]

Synopsis: A space ship crashes on a planet that seems to be soaked in non stop sunlight... the marooned passengers soon realize when night fall comes they're not alone.

I was reluctant to see this movie in the past based on one major factor... Vin Diesel. Unlike my brother, I am not a huge fan of the dude, but I've changed my tune after watching Pitch Black. I thought he did a rather good job with the character and seemed to be really comfortable with the roll.

I was very into the setting and story of this movie. I love sci-fi and horror pressure cookers... where the characters are trapped in a single location and have to escape some ominous force. Pitch Black takes that motif and executes it with great precision.

My main complaint would be with some of the aesthetic choices of the director. At times the editing seemed dated and felt like a cheesy 90's music video.

I'm pretty glad I picked this movie up, it was worth it and I could definitely see rewatching it in the future.

The Chronicles of Riddick
(2004) [Trailer]
Director: David Twohy [IMDB]

Synopsis: The follow up to Pitch Black finds Riddick up against a horde of intergalactic bad guys called the Necromongers.

This film feels completely different from Pitch Black and that's not a bad thing I guess. Where Pitch Black felt like a low budget genre flick, this feels like a huge summer block buster. The look of the film reminds me of Dune in a lot of ways and the Necromongers are very similar to the Borg... only less robotic.

Unfortunately there's not a lot of character development and the story gets to be a bit overloaded at times, but ultimately the end of the ride was worth it.

After rolling through these films I gotta say... I'm really looking forward to Riddick later this year.

The Loved Ones

The Loved Ones
(2009) [Trailer]
Director: Sean Byrnes [IMDB]

I had heard lots of good things about The Loved Ones before going into it, so I bumped it to the top of my Netfix queue on behalf of a few friends who had recommended it. It has been sitting at my house for over 2 months, along with two other discs from them that I need to watch and return. Ever since Netflix instant my physical discs have been getting the short end of the stick, so I'm gonna try and navigate through these damn things.

Synopsis: After asking a stoner named Brent to prom and getting rejected, Lola decides to take what she wants by force. With the help of her father she throws her own prom and guess who's invited?

The Loved Ones is an interesting movie, I suppose I should tell you why... that's why I get paid the big bucks. It's a horror film, but I didn't find it scary... just really fucked up. It's like a torture film if anything, but the first half of it plays out like a drama as well. It's strange and unconventional... if some of the cast from Dazed and Confused met the family from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre you'd kind of be somewhere near the feel of this film. I definitely liked the movie but there were things that didn't work for me, the build up and some of the characters involved seemed unnecessary. There's also the casting of Lola.... while she did a fantastic job in the role, she just didn't seem like the kind of girl who would be this weird outcast hell bent on torturing her dates.

The Loved Ones is an interesting movie and worth a view, I may even pick it up for a future rewatch to see if it gets any better with time.

The Lords of Salem

The Lords of Salem
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Rob Zombie [IMDB]

Rob Zombie is hit or miss in my book. I really loved Devil's Rejects, but I hated House of a 1000 Corpses. When I saw the trailer for The Lords of Salem a few months back, I gotta admit, I was really interested in checking it out. I may not love everything Mr. Zombie cranks out, but he's currently one of the more unique voices in horror working today, so I'll give him my time.

Synopsis: Heidi is a radio DJ who stumbles across a record that plays the hypnotic tune of the Salem witches. After a few plays she starts to fall into its spell.

Before watching this film I had heard a lot of mixed reviews on it, more than I normally get for most films. It seemed that most people either liked it, or hated it.... for me it was a slam dunk. It's not perfect, but it's pretty awesome for what it is. Rob Zombie definitely doesn't hide his influences on this. You get a heavy vibe from Kubrick, Lynch, Jodorowsky, and Polanski in the film. The Lords of Salem feels very unlike any of Rob's other films, but in a good way. It gives off the feeling that he's growing as a film maker and this is a step in the right directions for me. Visually it's a mind fuck and it packs some amazing shots. There's a few scenes that raised the arm hairs a little.

I can't really think of much I didn't like about this film. Maybe the story could have been cleaned up and made a little stronger... but I'd say for fans of horror, especially of the  psychological sub genre, get on this. It's a winner in my book.

The Fury

The Fury
(1978) [Trailer]
Director: Brian De Palma [IMDB]

Variety is the spice of life. Going from films like From Beyond to To the Wonder to The Fury keeps things interesting for me. One ingredient I haven't skimped out on in this gumbo of movie reviews I make is Brian De Palma. He has gotten some love from me here at WFR and for good reason. His films are truly entertaining and always aim to please. Recently I picked up this Twilight Time release for way too much money... so now, I'll tell you if it was worth it.

Synopsis: A man must fight against a secret government agency holding his son capivate because of his psychic abilities.

The Fury was a pretty awesome film. It has that cool late 70's vibe to it and resonates a strong Hitchcockian vibe to it... only with more blood. Kirk Douglas, John Cassavetes, and Amy Irving were all really good and Andrew Stevens has a very gnarly protruding forehand vein. I loved the use of gore in The Fury, while not extremely prevalent, when it's there it's effective... with the ending being the cherry on top.

Plotwise, there were a few things that felt hard to digest and some pacing issues, but overall this film is a winner in my book. If you don't feel like dishing out the absurd $30 price tag that Twilight Time releases have, go download it... it's worth a poke.

More Hitchcock: Rebecca, Notorious, Strangers on a Train, Dial M for Murder.

If you follow my musings here at the Williams Film Review, you may know that I recently crushed an insane Hitchcock marathon. 14 titles, the most of any film marathon I've done on here and you know I love a marathon. At the end of that review I said something about Hitchcock being one of the greatest of all time and that I was going to pick up more titles to review.... so here you go.

Rebecca

(1940) [Trailer]

Director: Alfred Hitchcock [IMDB]

Synopsis: A wealthy Englishman remarries a young bride who's having a hard time filling the shoes of his deceased wife.

This films does a fantastic job of taking you in one direction then throwing you for a loop. You know how people say M Night Salami always has a twist in his movies, well Hitch did it first and did it better (not that I hate M Night.) I love how the film opens with the dark, yet hypnotic, recalling of a dream.

I really liked watching this and it holds up exceptionally well for it's age.

Notorious

(1946) [Trailer]

Director: Alfred Hitchcock [IMDB]

Synopsis: A young "party girl" whose father is charged with being a traitor, breaks rank and helps the government spy on some german's down in Rio.

I really enjoyed Ingrid Bergman in this film. She's someone whose situation is a bit sticky and I started to feel myself empathize with her. Nowadays girls are loose and easy, no one gives a shit. Back in the 40's, if you drank and had a few different relationships, you're a slut... jeez.

Anyways the film, it's good. Nothing monumental, but still a really interesting watch. Claude Rains is up in there too... love Claude Rains... love em'.

   

Strangers on a Train

(1951) [Trailer]

Director: Alfred Hitchcock [IMDB]

Synopsis: Robert Walker plays a crazed rich kid who tries to lure Farley Granger into a plan to kill both his father and Farley's wife.

If this film were made today you could cast Kevin Spacey as Robert Walker's character and Keanu Reeves could play Farley Granger's character and you'd have about the same outcome in terms of performance. There's a lot of really cool scenes in this film... some note worthy moments are: the view of the murder from the reflection on the glasses, this scene, and the merry go round scene at the end. Farley Granger is pretty bad at times and brought the film down a little for me, but other than that it's a pretty entertaining ride.

Dial M for Murder

(1954) [Trailer]

Director: Alfred Hitchcock [IMDB]

Synopsis: A wealthy women still has feelings for her old flame, when her husband finds out he concocts a plan to murder her.

This film is so precise and thorough. There's a lot of work that goes into planning the perfect murder and for those of you who think you've got yours mapped out, you should probably watch this film first. It's a great deductive piece and Hitchcock presents it in a highly entertaining way. All the players were great and pretty believable in their roles.

It's not a perfect film, but pretty close and definitely worth a poke if you're into CSI and shit like that.

WIlliam Friedkin Marathon: Sorcerer, Rampage, Blue Chips, Rules of Engagement, The Hunted, Bug.

William Friedkin has received a lot of love from me on the site. He is the man and I continually enjoy everything I see by him. I noticed recently that a crop of his movies have appeared on Netflix instant, so I watched them... and gave a brief run down with my ratings... because that's what I do here at WFR!

Sorcerer
(1977) [Trailer]
Director: William Friedkin [IMDB]

Synopsis: 4 men with checkered pasts are hired to transport highly volatile dynamite through a Nicaraguan forest.

This film is a definite pleaser in my book. Whoever the guy is that's in charge of the explosions in Sorcerer should be given an Oscar. Also the score-- it's incredible. There was a little lag towards the beginning and it took some time for the story to gain momentum, but when it gets going it rules. The truck building scene was awesome, I feel like I could build one now.

There's tons of suspense as the crew travels through the jungle. Two stand out moments for me were... the truck driving across the Temple of Doom bridge and the jerry-rigging of the C4 to blow up the tree.

Rampage
(1987) [Trailer]
Director: William Friedkin [IMDB]

Synopsis: A delusional young man goes on a killing spree. He's taken to court and tries to get off on insanity.

This film's main problem is... it's boring as shit. Seriously... it was so slow and really hard to finish. It stars Michael Biehn from The Terminator, he was probably the best actor of the lot. I don't know what else to say here.... this is definitely a pass.

Snooze city.

Blue Chips
(1994) [Trailer]
Director: William Friedkin [IMDB]

Synopsis: Nick Nolte is a college basket ball coach looking to build a winning team.

Nick Nolte plays a pretty typical coach, or at least what I think one should act like, so I guess that's good. There's a lot of poor acting from all the players and a few believability issues. When Nolte goes to visit Shaq for the first time, he takes a boat, travels through a swamp, then hikes through a field. When he arrives to the town Shaq lives in, it has a street running right through it... why didn't Nolte just drive there? Blue Chips is a pretty average sports drama, not horrible, but not great either.

Rules of Engagement
(2000) [Trailer]
Director: William Friedkin [IMDB]

Synopsis: Tommy Lee Jones defends Samuel L Jackson after he gives orders to attack a group of Yemen protesters.

I was prepared to be disappointed after seeing the ratings score for this film, but it wasn't that bad. There were a few predictable moments but all the performance and pacing were good enough to give it a pass.

The scene where Samuel L Jackson kills the Viet Cong guy was pretty rad and the surge on the US embassy was pretty gripping.

This was a nice blend of a court room drama and war flick, absolutely a decent time waster.

The Hunted
(2003) [Trailer]
Director: William Friedkin [IMDB]

Synopsis: Benicio Del Toro is a crazed ex military assassin and his mentor (Tommy Lee Jones) is brought in to track him down.

This movie could have been so much cooler. It started off and had a sort of Rambo meets Deerhunter vibe going for it, but somewhere along the way it derailed a little. It wasn't awful or anything, just kinda bland.

Two things. The opening scene with the wild wolf caught in a snare and TLJ just walks up and frees it... it's absurd. Also... at the end when Del Toro is being chased by a shit ton of FBI, he finds the time to stop and forge a blade out of iron and fire???? It might have been one of the most ridiculous things I've seen in a serious movie.

Bug
(2006) [Trailer]
Director: William Friedkin [IMDB]

Synopsis: Two people with a lot of baggage hook up and then start to believe the government has bugged them?

Bug is a weird film. It feels dirty, kind of like Killer Joe did. There's some really cool camera work and sound design throughout this. As always, Michael Shannon plays a great crazy person. The film takes awhile to roll out, but when it does, it unfold very quickly. The last 20 minutes are bananas.