WildCinema Presents Movie Review: Among Friends (2012)

WildCinema Presents

Movie Review: Among Friends (2012)

The Lowdown:

After debuting on the festival circuit last year, scream queen Danielle Harris's directorial debut finally gets a general release on DVD and VOD and its a hell of a lot more fun than it has any right to be.

Among Friends tells the story of a group of friends who get together for an 80s themed murder mystery party that quickly turns sour when they are each tortured and forced to pay for the secrets they keep. The concept is hardly original but its executed with playfulness and a solid degree of tension in which the audience never quite knows whats going to happen next, making it a thrillingly exciting watch the first time around.

Sadly though the cinematography does leave a lot to be desired, it just screams straight to video from the get go, not that that's a bad thing by any means, the concept and execution are all great and the movies a hell of a roller coaster ride, so its a shame the overall look of the film dosent look more cinematic and grand as i feel this could have at least made a great cult classic in the years to come, but the vast majority of people will sadly dismiss this as B movie trash now which is a shame, but dont let the overall look fool you, this is a smart and fun little throwback to 80s horror.

Also worthy mentioning is one scene in particular that fans of Danielle Harris will get a kick out of in which a Dinner guest tripping on mushrooms thinks she's on a movie set and spots Ms Harris in the clown costume she donned in Halloween 4. Its a nice little tip of the hat from Danielle to her long time fans

Final Verdict

Although not breaking any new ground or offering anything unique into the DTV horror genre. Among Friends offers just enough thrills and gore to be worthy of a rental.

Rating

A solid 2 out of 5.

 

Could Ryan Gosling Be The New Batman?

Could Ryan Gosling Be The New Batman?

The dust hasn't even settled yet on the news that Batman is set to make an appearance in the new Superman movie due in theaters sometime in 2015, and already the internet is in a frenzy with casting speculations galore. Of all the actors rumored to be in the running to play the Dark Knight perhaps the most interesting choice is none other than Mr cool himself Ryan Gosling.

Perhaps best known for his portrayal as "Noah" in the overly sappy The Notebook, Gosling has been making the transition from pretty boy to on-screen bad ass for quite sometime now, and his latest film Only God Forgives looks to solidify that transition. The question however still remains, would audiences and comic book fans be willing to accept Gosling in the role? He certainly has the charm and charisma to pull off the Bruce Wayne side of things, as for Batman, that remains to be seen. For now we all just have to wait and see who is actually cast, no doubt about it though, after Christian Bale's stellar performance in the Dark Knight trilogy the next Batman has mighty big shoes to fill.

So whats your take on it, do you think Ryan is a suitable candidate for the caped crusader? Lets us know your views and who you would like to see pick up the Batman mantle in the comments section below!!

Other Articles you may enjoy:

Top 5 Superhero Movies Ever Made

The Future of the Terminator Franchise

Top 5 Nightmare on Elm Street sequels

Top 5 Halloween Sequels

Fatal Call - Movie Review - Wild Cinema

WildCinema Presents

Movie Review : Fatal Call

 

 

The Lowdown

Its been a busy year for Screen favorite Danielle Harris, with a handful of movies still set for release sometime in the near future, Fatal Call A.K.A Call Me On Tuesday, marks a departure from her usual "scream queen" fare, one that is sure to both surprise and delight many a fan, as Danielle lights up the screen as the seductive but conniving  Amy Hannison.

Jason London stars as Mitch, a smalltown guy who's affair with a beautiful woman has disastrous consequences as he fights for his life and to clear his name. The plot reads simple enough on paper, but there are terrific twist and turns as the film progresses that are played out and executed effectively, taking this from Z grade Thriller, to a pretty fun and engaging B movie.

I was both surprised and delighted by the casting decisions, not only do we get great perfomances from Danielle Harris and Veteran Jason London, but Kevin Sorbo of "Hercules" fame is along for the ride, as well as Scary Movies, Lochlyn Munro, this isnt your typical B movie no name cast and the film is all the better for it.

The writing and directing for the most part is really well done and director/writer Jack Snyder does a great job of capturing the tone of early 90s erotic thrillers, as the movie at times feels like a throwback to the days of Shannon Tweed thrillers albeit with a lot less sex and more emphasis on the storyline. 

The only minor complaint i have is towards the middle of the movie it starts to drag on a little, but that is quickly rectified with a fantastically tense sequence featuring Jason London's character Mitch sneaking into Amy's house to acquire some evidence to clear his name. Its a well written and directed sequence that perfectly and effectively notches up the tension and will have viewers hanging on the edge of their seats. 

Final Verdict

 For fans of Femme Fatale films and Steamy late night cable thrillers, Fatal Call is neither anything fresh nor groundbreaking. But that said, it does provide a handful of tense thrills, a standout being the nightclub chase and car park showdown, an engaging storyline with plenty of twists and turns to keep even the most jaded movie goer satisfied, and great performances from Kevin Sorbo, Jason London and the ever beautiful Danielle Harris, who shows terrific range and sexuality, we dont usually get to see from her. Fatal Call is the perfect movie for a Friday night when all you want to do is put your feet up and relax.

Rating

An unusual acting turn for Danielle Harris, solid directing and writing earn this a 3 out of 5.

Its worth checking out and despite its DTV movie production values, is an engaging treat from start to finish.

Also check out some of our other articles:

VHS NOSTALGIA #1

Movie Review:  Hansel And Gretel

Movie Review Hatchet III

The Top Five Superhero Movies Ever Made.

WildCinema Presents

The Top Five Superhero Movies Ever Made.

Once upon a time super hero films were considered a box office risk with only a handful being made every couple of years. Days gone by were not very kind to comic book fans, Thankfully the times have changed. Superhero movies are now big business, in no small part thanks to the success of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy and Marvels Avengers. 

 Read on to find out the best Superhero films ever!!

5. Blade (1998)

                                                                                    

   

Marvels first success at the Box Office was with 1998s Blade. Featuring a pounding soundtrack and some of the best action ever committed to celluloid its easy to see why this was a bona fide hit.  

Wesley Snipes plays Blade, a human-vampire hybrid who is hunting vampires after the death of his mother. This is not your typical Marvel film, its violent, loud, and bloody.  Blade comes highly recommended for fans of both vampires and superheroes. 

Buy at Amazon :   Blade [DVD]                  

4. Superman (1978)

 

Forget Man Of Steel for a moment, for the longest time this was the definitive Superman movie and in my eyes it still is. Made long before the cgi era Superman is a tour de force in pre cgi visual effects. It even won a special award for its visual effects, its that good. 

Superman was and remains a fantastic success in film making. Its easy to see why it was Warner Bros highest grossing film at the time. Do yourself a favor and check out the best origin story of one of the worlds best loved Superheroes. Is it a bird? is it a plane? No its Superman!!

Buy The Superman Collection at Amazon: Superman Collection [DVD] 

3. X-Men (2000)

If Blade got the ball rolling for Marvel then 2000s X-Men knocked that ball into the stratosphere. Starting out life in the early 90s as possible James Cameron project and was scrapped until  further developments were made in 1996. Released in 2000 X-Men paved the way for the slew of superhero films we now see released regularly, featuring dazzling special effects and a detailed plot, superheros have come a long way on the big screen. Be sure to check this one out to see where the 2000s superhero boom started. Upon release X-Men was the ninth highest-grossing film of 2000.

Buy the X-Men Quadrilogy at Amazon : X-Men Quadrilogy [DVD] 

2. The Avengers (2012)

Depending on your personal preference in Superheroes, this next entry may well be your favorite. 

2012s The Avengers is an absolute behemoth in the Comic Book genre. It was a Box Office juggernaut when released in May 2012 crushing all competition bar none. State of the art cgi, an assemble of marvels greatest heroes, and more destruction than a Micheal Bay movie, The Avengers is the elite in Comic Book action. The upcoming sequel is sure to be just as worthwhile.

Buy The Avengers at Amazon: The Avengers [DVD]

1. The Dark Knight (2008)

2008s The Dark Knight is a Genre Bending masterpiece. And is generally considered the greatest comic book film of all time. But its much more than a superhero film. Its themes are vast and deep. Playing more like a tragic play and a crime thriller than an average camp superhero romp, this is the mac daddy of the superhero genre. I cannot recommend this film enough. Featuring one of the greatest villains of all time, Heath Ledgers Joker, this film will no doubt remain at the top for years to come. Fantastic character development, a fantastic villain and explosive action make this a must see.

 Buy The Dark Knight Trilogy at Amazon : Dark Knight Trilogy [DVD]

 

 

 

Honorable Mentions:

Batman (1989)

Batman Returns (1992)

The Toxic Avenger (1984)

DarkMan (1990)

Daredevil (2001)

Spiderman (2002)

Watchmen (2009)

 

 Well there you have it, our top five superhero movies of all time. What are your favorites?

Let us know in the comments below and please share this with your friends so we can find out theirs!! Thank you for reading and don't forget to subscribe to stay in the know-how!!!

Evil Dead (2013) Mini Review

WildCinemaPresents

Evil Dead (2013) Mini Review

Here at WildCinema we love a good horror film. We love Evil Dead. So this pickup is a no brainer really. Ill cut to the chase, we live in the era of the reboot at the moment, Hollywood is churning out remake after remake of all our favorite movies, and lets be honest, most remakes suck the big one. Uninspired PG-13 drivel for the most part i know. But my friends Evil Dead is here to restore your faith in remakes somewhat, because it rocks!!

Internet trolls are divided on this film as it dosent feature the infamous Ash from the original trilogy. But dont let that put you off, this is a rip roaring good time, and quite possibly one of the best remakes ever. Featuring realistic practical effects over cgi, violence hasn't looked so brutal in a long time.

I'm going to keep this review short, this movie lived up to my expectations, fans of the original three should check this out as it is a really well done remake, and people who want a perfectly executed R-rated scare should also check this out. Not for the faint hearted mind you!!

Buy now at Amazon:

Evil Dead [Blu-ray] [2013]

Movie Review: Texas Chainsaw (2013)

WildCinema Presents

Movie Review: Texas Chainsaw (2013)

                     Director: John Luessenhop

                                       Starring: Alexandra Daddario, Tania Raymonde 

 

The Lowdown:

Billed as a direct sequel to Tobe Hooper's terrifying 1974 orginal, Texas Chainsaw had pretty big shoes to fill to say the least. Does it deliever. In short, no.

 Alexandra Daddario plays Heather Miller the last of the Sawyer blood line, who inherits the family home. Heather and her friends head up there to check the place out, little do they know our buddy leatherface still lives there and is ready to pick them off one by one.

What should be an absolute riot turns out to be a badly directed, poorly written mess of a film. Riddled with contradictions that make it inconsistent with the original to say the least, Texas chainsaw feels like it was put together to make a quick buck, and it shows.

The film also misses opportunities to go bat shit crazy and give us the bloodiest TCM yet. Take for example the sequence where Leatherface pursues Heather through a carnival, this was a brilliant oppurtunity to have Leatherface rack up a serious body count killing everyone who gets in his path, but instead the filmmakers chickened out, i guess mediocrity is in this season.

The one thing the film has going for it is eye candy. Its looks great and there are some nice looking ladies in the form of Alexandra Daddario and Tania Raymonde. Raymonde being the hottest in my humble opinion, sorry Daddario fans. Anyways the film is nice to look at, but little else. 

This was a great opportunity to bring back Leatherface and bring him into this decade, bigger, bloodier and nastier. But sadly it just dosen't deliver.

Final Verdict:

Lousy writing, lousy direction, and a "twist" ending that hasn't been fresh since Halloween 4, this one is a stinker. See it, if only for the sight of Tania Raymonde and Alexandra Daddario, because everything else stinks

Rating:

This is a low blow for fans of the original. For a real sequel to the original check out the underrated Texas chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) its leaps and bounds better than anything here. 1 out of 5 stars.

Movie Review: Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)

WildCinema Presents

Movie Review: Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)

                

                               Director: Tommy Wirkola

                              Starring : Gemma Arterton, Jeremy Renner

                           

  

The Lowdown:

With a name like Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters you might be forgiven for thinking you stumbled upon some lost 80s b movie classic. Sadly thats not the case. But whats presented here is a nice enough combination of guns, horror and female eye candy to entertain any man on a friday night.

The plot is paper thin and the action vfx heavy and frequent. But if that's how you like your entertainment you're in for a treat, the film follows Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton) as they hunt a big bad witch who holds the key to their past.

The action is quite bloody, to be honest i wasnt expecting much gore as films are pretty tame these days, but Hansel and Gretel goes all out. Exploding heads, severed limbs and buckets of the red stuff, this isnt the Fairy tale we all heard growing up. This is that fairy tale on steroids. And at times its a lot of fun. 

Gemma Arterton stood out initially to me. She could have a career playing kick ass action heroines clad in tight leather if she so wished after this and i dont think anyone would complain.

Overall this is a feast for the eyes, VFX and witch design are fantastic, action is first rate. Its worth a look.

Final Verdict:

Boasting impressive visual effects and eye candy Hansel and Gretel is a fun way kill 2 hours.

Rating:

Gemma Arterton in tight clothing earns this a 2.5 out of five.
 

Buy at Amazon Here : Hansel and Gretel 

Movie Review: Hatchet III (2013)

WildCinema Presents

Movie Review: Hatchet III (2013)

                              

                             
                                 Director: BJ McDonnell

                                 Starring:  Danielle Harris,  Kane Hodder, Zach Galligan

                                 Hatchet III IMDB Page :  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1870419/

      The Lowdown :

What some might consider Straight to DVD schlock-fest we at wild cinema consider highly anticipated sequel. 2010's slasher throwback Hatchet II left us all wanting more. Was Victor Crowley dead? Would Danielle Harris ever show us what we all really want to see...her sweet little naked body? Thankfully Hatchet III answers those questions and more.Literally following on from the last frame of its predecessor Hatchet III wastes no time in spilling the red stuff, in the first 5 minutes horror veteran Danielle Harris is covered head to toe in the blood of Victor Crowley who is dispatched via chainsaw to the groin which then rips him in half - ouch! Our heroine then walks into a police station to confess to killing Crowley and in the process is thrown in jail, stripped naked, and showered down Rambo style. 

The plot is pretty much the same as the previous two movies, a group heads into the swamp only to be dispatched one by one in inventive and often downright comical ways by Hulking maniac Crowley. Can they stop him for good this time? The movie flies by at a breakneck pace and theres rarely a dull moment, featuring lots of inventive gore and humor, long time fans should pretty much know what they're in for.

 Surprisingly however this time around for better or worse there is a distinct lack of nudity. Whats a slasher throwback without a few perfectly perk bussoms? Sigh. Perhaps to make up for the lack of boob there are quite a few familiar faces in this one, Zach Galligan of Gremlins fame plays the sheriff, Caroline Williams of Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 fame plays his estranged wife, we even have Roach from Wes Craven's People Under The Stairs in this, its like a horror fans wet dream - well not quite, but almost.

Hatchet III for the most part is a step up from Part 2 and should satisfy fans blood lust until the inevitable Hatchet IV. You heard it here first kids, Hatchet IV: Marybeth Strikes Back.

Final Verdict:

Slightly darker in tone than its predecessors Hatchet III delivers scares, gore, familiar faces, and a pretty nice side view of Danielle Harris's tooshie. Horror fans should be pretty pleased with this one.

Rating:

Pretty much how horror sequels should be done. 3 stars out of 5 for this.

Hatchet III will be available from all online retailers soon. In the meantime why not catch up with its predecessors in these great deals from amazon.

 Hatchet: Hatchet [DVD]

And Hatchet II: Hatchet 2 [DVD] 

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Tags: hatchet 3, review, danielle, harris , horror, movie, blog, wild cinema, kane hodder, slasher, 2013

Movie Review: The Last Stand (2013)

WildCinema Presents

Movie Review: The Last Stand (2013)

                

             

                                     Director : Kim Ji-woon  

                                     Starring : Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jaimie Alexander

                          

The Lowdown:

Arnold Schwarzenegger is back in his first starting role since 2003s Disappointing Terminator 3: Rise of the machines. Does he still have what it takes to be a leading man at the age of 65? Don't be an idiot, of course he does.Arnold plays Ray Owens, the sheriff of the small town Summerton, who finds himself gearing up for battle to stop a dangerous felon passing through his town and reaching the Mexican border.

The Last Stand is the perfect comeback vehicle for Schwarzenegger and features top notch action and surprisingly enough some decent gore. But the only downside of the movie is it takes a while to get going.and at times it feels like Arnold doesn't get enough screen time.

 His Co-stars do an ample job, Jaimie Alexander in particular gives a good performance as one of Schwarzenegger's deputies who isn't quite ready for the ensuing battle but nevertheless steps up to the plate. There's also a love story thrown in for good measure but that's not why we came to see this is it, we came for the action and one liners and on that front it delivers.

When the action kicks in Schwarzenegger is back to what he does best, firing big guns and sprouting off humor laced one liners. Notable ones this time being "Welcome to Summerton" after dispatching loads of bad guys with an antique machine gun and "I'm the sheriff" after putting a bullet through a guys head who asked who the hell he is. The Last Stand also features Schwarzenegger's finest hand to hand combat fight which is quite a feat considering he is 65.

Fans of Johnny Knoxville may be disappointed to find out Knoxville s part is no more than an extended cameo but he does a fine job with the material he is given.

Final Verdict:

While not on par with Schwarzenegger's classics such as Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Predator , The Last Stand is certainly a much better film that the box office numbers would have you believe. Filled with impressive action, witty one liners and thrilling car chases,

The Last Stand is a great film for old school action junkies and Schwarzenegger die hard's alike. Its a perfect way to "Let off some steam".

Rating:

Ignored by the general public, The Last Stand is Schwarzenegger back doing what he does best. Ignore the naysayers its a blast. Here's to Arnie kicking ass till hes 85! 3 out of 5 Stars.

But at Amazon : The Last Stand [DVD]