Horror Movie Reviews: Chris Reviews 28 Days Later

28 Days Later (2002)
Director: Danny Boyle
Starring: Cillian Murphy and Naomie Harris
IMDB: 7.7
RT: 87
Box Office: $82.7 Million (Worldwide)

Summary- 

After animal rights activists let out infected chimpanzees, a virus sweeps across Great Britain. Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up 28 days after the outbreak to an abandoned London. He meets Selena (Naomie Harris) and together with Frank (Brenadan Gleeson) and his daughter they attempt to find somewhere safe from the infected people.


Review (SPOILERS!)-

I am pretty new to the Zombie genre. I have always had an interest in post apocalyptic films because its a genre my dad likes a lot but I had never seen many zombie films. The Walking Dead was really what sparked my interest and now I really want to dig into this genre. 28 Days Later was a film I had always heard great things about and it looked interesting from the few scenes I had seen.

The films opens with some animal rights activists breaking into an animal testing facility. They plan to release some chimpanzees despite a scientist warning them that they are infected with "Rage". The chimpanzees get out and attack the people and after they are bitten the people turn into blood puking, crazed zombies. It then cuts to "28 Days Later" and Jim waking up in a hospital bed. He gets out of the hospital and starts wandering the streets of London and there is no one in sight. I really liked the cinematography in the opening few scenes but the intentionally bad video quality really bothered me. All of the colors are very muted and the whole film looks like it was shot on a SD Sony Handycam or something. I was able to get passed that later in the film but initially it really bothered me.

Jim wandering through London

After wandering around for a bit he goes into a church and sees bodies laying everywhere. He attempts to talk to the people in there and they try to attack him. He starts to run and is rescued by Selena and another person. They explain the situation to him and then come with him to his house as he wants to know what happened to his parents. He finds out there dead and then during the night they get attacked by some of the zombies and the other guy gets bit and Selena kills him instantly. You find out that it only takes about 15 seconds to start to turn. I really liked that element of the film. It makes encounters with these zombies a lot more intense in that if someone gets blood in their system you have to kill them right away, there is no time to grieve about it.  The first act wraps up with Selena and Jim being rescued by Frank (Brendan Gleeson) and them hearing about a safe zone over the radio and deciding to go for it.

Manchester on Fire

 As they make there way to this safe zone there are a couple of very interesting scenes that I liked. My favorite is when they attempt to go through a tunnel and encounter a huge pileup of cars. They plow through them and get to the other side but get a flat tire. Then hoards of rats start coming towards them as they are running from the zombies. I think that is the most intense tire changing scene I have ever seen as they manage to get the tire changed right as the zombies get to the car. There are also some more lighthearted moments such as the time they go to the grocery story or when they eat lunch and watch the horse running in the countryside. There is a nice balance of horror and happiness although I think I might have preferred to keep the tone darker throughout the whole film. When they finally reach their destination it appears to be abandoned which upsets Frank who is subsequently infected with a drop of blood that gets in his eye. Right as he is starting to change he is shot dead and they are rescued by some military personnel. This begins the third act as they are brought to a house that has become a military stronghold.   

 

The third act is where a lot of the action takes place as we not only see how this military unit fights the zombies but also fighting among the non-infected. I don't want to spoil it too much if you have not yet seen the film but suffice it to say the military guys are not good either. This leads to a violent but somewhat confusing climax. That being said there is a happy and satisfying ending to the film.

Final Thoughts-

If you really want to dig into this film you can find a lot of social commentary and symbolism. For instance when Jim wakes up in the hospital he is completely naked which is supposed to represent him being born into this world. He is innocent but is exposed to horrible violence from the infected and in the third act he becomes violent himself in order to save the people he cares about. Its an interesting social commentary and makes this film a bit more interesting than I thought it was immediately after watching it. That in combination with the solid direction and writing make this an above average horror film for me. Sure I'm not crazy about the video quality aesthetic but that does not detract enough from the film to prevent me from liking it. 

MY RATING-

3.5 out of 5

-Chris "Da Franchize" Hart  

Action Movie Reviews: Chris Reviews Escape Plan

Escape Plan (2013)-
Director: Mikael Hafstrom
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone
IMDB: 6.8
RT: 49
Box Office: $137.3 Million (Worldwide)

Summary-

Ray Breslin (Stallone) is an expert at breaking out of prisons. He has a company that is usually hired by the Federal Bureau of Prisons to test their security. He gets an offer to test a secret prison called The Tomb that contains the worlds most dangerous people captured by the CIA (Terrorists etc.). He is framed and trapped in this prison that was designed based on his ideas of how to make prisons more secure and must work with Rottmayer (Schwarzenegger) in order to escape.


Review (SPOILERS!)-

This was a film that I missed in the theaters but was initially very excited about. Unfortunately after some lackluster reviews I put it on the back burner in terms of movies I needed to watch. I wish I hadn't because I really dig this film!

The story starts with Ray Breslin as an inmate in a Prison. He gets himself put into the isolation cell after he starts a fight in the prison yard and begins to work out how to escape. It doesn't take long for him to get out and meet up with his employees Abigal (Amy Ryan) and Hush (50 Cent). After his business partner Lester Clark (Vincent D'Onofrio) explains to the police and the Warden of the Prison what happened, Breslin explains how he escaped. This whole sequence is pretty well paced and quickly establishes everything you need to know about the characters and the situation. I really liked the concept right off the bat even if the actors where a bit stiff.

After everything is established Breslin is offered a very lucrative job to test out a special prison that's privately funded to house some of the worlds most dangerous people. It immediately seems like a bad idea but Breslin goes for it anyway. When he meets the employers things go bad very quickly and he is drugged and wakes up inside the prison. This prison seems very intimidating as all the cells are glass and its in the middle of a large warehouse type room with tons of guards.

Kind of like Magneto's Prison in X-Men

The guards at this prison are brutal as you immediately see them beating the fuck out of people. I guess this is what Guantanamo Bay is like cause it seems like their are no rules for the guards. He then meets Hobbes (Jim Caviezel) who is the soft spoken, clean cut but harsh Warden. Once he gets released into the common area you see all of the typical prison movie tropes (different gangs etc). This is when we get introduced to Rottmayer who immediately takes interest in Breslin. This is where the film really starts to get interesting as Breslin has to figure out the layout of the prison and how it operates. Initially it seems like Rottmayer is to willing to be Breslin's friend which bothered me but there is a reason for it that is revealed at the end. Warden Hobbes realizes that it is Breslin who has brought into the prison and is exited because he based the designs of the prison on the book thathe wrote about prison security. This adds another challenge on top of simply breaking out of the prison.  

Action Legends conversing

The middle act of the film is mostly about Breslin trying to figure out where this prison is which becomes another complication to the story. Then the usual tropes of a prison film of planing the escape which Breslin says there are three important factors to; knowing the layout, knowing the routine and having help from the outside. Throughout the course of this middle act they figure out all three of those which sets the film up for a big finale. The main issue I had with this part of the film is that they have another plotline about Warden Hobbes wanting information about some CIA target that Rottmayer worked for. I didn't really care about that aspect of the story and simply wanted them to focus on the prison escape. That being said at the end of the film you realize that the plot point about this CIA target is pretty important.

Warden Hobbes

The final act where they escape is where all of the action is in the movie. While I think the overall escape plan is murky and not particularly creative it is still pretty exciting. There is a short but brutal fight that I liked between Breslin and the Warden's Henchman who gets thrown down a flight of metal stairs. There is also some shoot out scenes throughout out the prison as they are trying to make their escape. Once they get to the outside of the prison Rottmayer has some friends who come to rescue them in a helicopter which provides Schwarzenegger and opportunity to mow down some bad guys with a machine gun. If your into these types of movies these are the moments that you are waiting for. Then of course you have to have the moment where they kill the bad guy and say one liners. (Schwarzenegger "Have a lovely day asshole!") Once they escape the prison they quickly tie up all the lose ends although I think that is the most forced part of the whole film.

Final Thoughts-

This is clearly not the most original film or even a particularly well written one but the script is good enough to keep you interested. The characters are pretty flat but luckily when you have Stallone and Schwarzenegger you don't need dynamic characters, they just play themselves and we love them for it. The two of them carry this film and make it fun enough to be memorable. I think this is equal to if not better than either of their last solo films (Bullet to the Head, The Last Stand) and is worth watching for all action film fans!

MY RATING-

3 out of 5 

-Chris "Da Franchize" Hart

Chris Reviews Monuments Men

I had put this on my list of most anticipated movies of 2014. Unfortunately it got pretty bad reviews so I did not go out and see it right away but I finally got a chance to see it last night. Is it as bad as the critics say or is it an entertaining World War 2 drama?

The Good-

I really liked the concept of this film in theory and the cast looked pretty good as well. I can always find a way to enjoy some aspect of a World War 2 movie and this film is no different. There are a couple of very interesting scenes that will bring you back into the film if you start to get bored. If you are into art there is a lot of interesting stuff in this for you as well. I have no doubt there will be a group of die hard fans of this movie for that reason alone. The soundtrack is also pretty interesting although a bit minimalist for a World War 2 film.  



The Bad- 

Overall this is just a really dull film. The pacing is very slow and it never really builds to anything. Most of the movie is just people wandering around war zones looking for art and occasionally getting killed but without any intensity or emotion. I can handle a slowly paced movie but that was not the only problem. The main issue with this film is that despite having a few interesting scenes it never comes together to make a cohesive story. Another issue is that despite having a pretty good cast the acting was very mediocre although some of that was a result of bad writing. There where numerous dialogue scenes that felt very awkward and forced and the actors where very lethargic and it seemed like they where just going through the motions.

Summary-

This is a film that had a lot of potential as an old school World War 2 men on a mission movie. Instead it is an awkward, slowly paced drama about art that just happens to take place during World War 2. It's not a horrible film, just a disappointing and forgettable one.

MY RATING-

2.5 out of 5

-Chris "Da Franchize" Hart  

Chris Reviews Robocop

The original Robocop is one of the best Sci-fi/Action movies of all time and is my personal favorite movie. So obviously there was little chance that a modern remake was going to top the original for me. The real question was whether I hated it or not. Is this just another terrible remake that has become so common in the film industry today or a solid restart to a Robocop franchise?

The Good-

Well the first bit of good news is that the film is not terrible. Director Jose Padilha (Elite Squad) proves that he knows how to do action as the film is littered with slick looking action sequences. The film also attempts to tackle the drone issue albeit clumsily. I actually really liked the opening scene where it shows how the United States has used robots and drones to pacify the rest of the world and specifically in Tehran.I also enjoyed Samuel Jackson in this who is fun as the host of a TV show that is constantly pushing for robotics to become legal for police use in the United States.

The Bad-

The cast is pretty bland overall with the exception of Samuel Jackson. Joel Kinnaman is pretty lame and generic as Alex Murphy and the film spends a lot of time with him and his family. They go to great lengths to show Alex Murphy before and then his transformation into Robocop. This seems like a great idea on paper but it feels really forced and is made worse by the boring performances by Kinnaman and his family. The worst aspect of this film though are the villains. It seems like the writers couldn't make up their minds about who they wanted to be the villain. There is the bad arms dealer guy who has zero development and you know nothing about him except for being told he is a bad guy. Then you have Michael Keaton as the CEO of OCP who seems like he is trying to help but then he instantly turns bad. His motivations are very simplistic but they are constantly changing and the character really just doesn't make any sense. There is also Mattox (Jackie Earle Haley) who is in charge of the drones at OCP and hates Robocop because he is human. I think that is my main issue with this film in that they tried to make it all about Murphy's transformation into Robocop and then put no thought into the actual crime story. The story essentially becomes a 5th graders interpretation of the original movies story.

Summary-

I tried really hard to look at this movie objectively and not in comparison to the original. From that perspective this is a middle of the road modern action film that will likely entertain the average moviegoer as it hits all the beats it should. From the perspective of a huge fan of the original this is a forgettable attempt to remake a classic. You can't remake a Paul Verhoeven movie, he has such a unique style and skill at social satire that can't be matched. They tried to do it with Total Recall in 2012 and this film doesn't get any closer to achieving that goal. Instead of paying the 8 bucks to go see this in theaters, go to amazon and buy the remastered version of the original on blu-ray.

MY RATING- 

2.5 out of 5

-Chris "Da Franchize" Hart    

Chris Reviews The Lego Movie

There are always those movies that come out and catch you completely by surprise. I remember hearing about this film last year and I just rolled by eyes and thought it was going to be another corporation trying to make a movie that promotes their toys. Then a few days ago the reviews started to come in and they were glowing and helped convince me to give the film a chance. Was it a beginning of the year surprise or just another corporate cash grab? Obviously you should read below to find out......

The Good-

This is a surprisingly good animated film! The story is pretty damn good as far as kids movies go and there is enough social commentary  to make it more than just mindless entertainment. It really tries to push across the idea that everybody is creative and useful in their own way and that even when other people may seem weird we shouldn't criticize them. At least that's the message that I got out of the film. There is a lot of other messages that you can pull out of it as well and there are quite a few adult jokes to keep the parents entertained. In fact there were times that this felt more like a movie for adults than kids as some of the themes were pretty mature. I also really enjoyed the voice acting by Chris Pratt, Morgan Freeman, Will Ferrell, Charlie Day, Elizabeth Banks and Will Arnett not to mention the numerous cameos. Not only was the story and voice acting pretty good but the visuals were excellent as well. The animation was slick and there were some pretty engaging action sequences.

The Bad-

This is still a movie about Legos and I could feel myself being urged to buy some, so don't think that this movie was not a cash grab because it is. I also felt like the film got a bit preachy at times and handled some of the themes clumsily but that's about the only problems I have with this film. 

Summary-

It's always nice to have a movie that you thought was going to be terrible be surprisingly good. If you enjoy animated movies and are looking for something that is well written, funny and has a message than you definitely should check this out. The Lego Movie is well worth a watch for people of all ages!

MY RATING-

4 out of 5

-Chris "Da Franchize" Hart

Chris Reviews Her

This is the first movie I've gotten a chance to see in theaters this year. I only heard about it a month ago when I saw a trailer before Saving Mr. Banks and the premise of a man falling in love with a operating system really intrigued me so it instantly went on my watch list. My interest only increased when I heard very good reviews from friends and seeing that it had been nominated for several Academy Awards including Best Picture. So did this live up to my expectations or was it another over hyped and mediocre oscar nominee? Keep reading to find out.......

The Good-

This is an extremely well written film that goes pretty deep in its exploration of human relationships. While I cannot personally relate to everything the film goes into, I still found it very engaging. I also really enjoyed the performances, especially Joaquin Phoenix who gives a very authentic performance that the viewer can really relate to. The writing and acting  really help accentuate a very good science fiction story. It is a very minimalist Sci-fi film from a visual standpoint but it seems very realistic as all the technology in the film feels like a natural progression from what things are like now. That is what I think this film does the best at in that it tells a good Science Fiction story while also being able to hook people who would not normally be into the genre.

The Bad-

The only problem I could see people having with this film is that it's very dialogue driven and is paced fairly slow. This is definitely more of an Indie Sci-fi/Drama so the average Transformers fan is not going to like it. 

Summary-

I definitely understand why this got some award consideration and why everyone I have talked to about it has liked it. If you are looking for a film that has a little bit of Sci-fi, a little bit of Romance and  something to say about humanity then you should definitely check this out. Overall a great film that is a good start to my 2014 movie going experience!

MY RATING- 

4 out of 5

-Chris "Da Franchize" Hart

Most Anticipated Movies of 2014

Now that we have begun 2014 I wanted to post my 12 most anticipated films of the year. Hopefully I will be much more satisfied with this year than last year!

Interested In (But didn't make the top 12)
-Her- Jan. 10th
-Robocop- Feb. 14th

-Million Dollar Arm- May 16th
-A Million Ways to Die in the West- May 30th
-Edge of Tomorrow- June 6th
-22 Jump Street- June 13th
-Jupiter Ascending- July 25th
-Guardians of the Galaxy- August 1st
-Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- August 8th
-The Equalizer- September 26th
-Gone Girl- October 3rd

12. Sabotage-
Director: David Ayer
Release Date: April 11th

I'm always on board for an Arnold action movie and David Ayer (End of Watch) has proved to be proficient at making crime movies so that's enough enough to peak my interest.   

11. Noah-
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Release Date: March 28th

Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) is a very skilled filmmaker so I will be interested to see his take on a this story and I always like Russell Crow. That being said I could see this either being really good or really bad. 

 

10. Need for Speed-
Director: Scott Waugh
Release Date: March 14th

I don't think this is going to be a particularly good movie but that's not what I'm expecting. This looks like it could be a fun B-movie that provides some cheesy Fast and Furious type action.

9. The Monuments Men-
Director: George Clooney
Release Date: February 7th

George Clooney has proved to be a solid director and his latest project looks to be a ton of fun! A WW2 action film about a group of guys trying to save valuable pieces of art from the Nazi's sounds like a fantastic premise and it features a stellar cast.

8. The Grand Budapest Hotel-
Director: Wes Anderson
Release Date: March 7th

I'm on board for anything that Wes Anderson makes, he is without a doubt the best comedy filmmaker in the industry today.

7. Sin City: A Dame to Kill for-
Director: Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller
Release Date: August 22nd

The first film is in my Top 100 so of course I'm excited for the follow up!





 
6. The Expendables 3-
Director: Patrick Hughes
Release Date: August 15th

The second film really rejuvenated my interest in the franchise after a lackluster first film. Patrick Hughes (Red Hill)  is an intriguing up and coming filmmaker and the cast is even more stacked with the additions of Antonio Banderas, Wesley Snipes, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Kelsey Grammer and one of my all time favorites Robert Davi!

5. X-Men: Days of Future Past-
Director: Bryan Singer
Release Date: May 23rd 

This is arguably my favorite franchise of the super hero genre so no matter what I was going to be intrigued. The fact that this features both casts and Bryan Singer is returning to direct only increases my excitement!




4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Director: Anthony & Joe Russo
Release Date: April 4th

I think I enjoyed the first Captain America film better than all of the other Avengers films which is saying something. Not only that but "The Winter Soldier" is my favorite Captain America storyline as well!




 
3. Godzilla-
Director: Gareth Edwards
Release Date: May 16th

I love monster movies and I love Godzilla and thus it is one of my most anticipated movies. Director Gareth Edwards is an exciting up and coming filmmaker who's first film Monsters is a prime example of a great low budget Sci-fi film. Based on that film and the way they have been marketing the film it seems that we will have a dark, serious and visually stunning film that could be THE movie of the summer!

2. The Raid 2: Berandal-
Director: Gareth Evans
Release Date: March 28th

The Raid is one of my all time favorites. It may have been a simple story but it is one of the most intense and superbly choreographed martial arts films I have ever seen! Gareth Evans showed that he knows how to make an action movie and the follow up looks to tell a much larger story with equally impressive choreography!




1. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes-
Director: Matt Reeves
Release Date: July 11th          

Planet of the Apes is one of the best Sci-fi film franchises of all time and the original 1968 film may be the best Sci-fi film of all time. So when the franchise was resurrected by Rupert Wyatt in the excellent Rise of the Planet of the Apes I was thrilled. Now the follow up looks to up the ante as a dark post-apocalyptic epic that will feature a final showdown of man vs. ape!




-Chris "Da Franchize" Hart