Final Destination 5 (2011)

Honestly? For real? Number 5? Really? Gee, I guess theres a lot of people out there who'd want to see the same kind of movie 5 TIMES, with a KNOWN ENDING. I guess us humans really do have short attention span. 

The Skinny: Place - suspension bridge / Event - lotsa people die when it collapses / Hero created - dude and pals escape inevitable death due to future sequence in the mind's eye, also known as "premonition" / Outcome - death comes after them, in a big way. The only difference: movie poster. Yaaaaawwwwwwnnnnnnn ... *stretches arms and falls back to sleep* But WAIT! Wake up!! Its in THREE DEE!! Hoowee! (erm, like the previous one as well ...)

The Helmer: Steven Quale - Final Destination 5 (2011), Aliens of the Deep (documentary) (2005), Superfire (TV movie) (2002), Darkness (short) (1998). 

The Casts: Tony Todd, Nicholas D'Agosto, Emma Bell, P.J. Byrne, David Koechner, Courtney B. Vance, Ellen Wroe, Miles Fisher, Time Fellingham

Tagline: Death Has Never Been Closer 

Release Date: 25th August 2011 (Malaysia)

The Prediction: Could it just be me but I don't quite like sequels when it goes beyond number three and reaching midway before it touches 2 digits. Why? Because it tells me two things: 1: the big studio boys are too lazy to get creative and grow some stones in looking for, and bankrolling a NEW decent horror movie, and 2: its all very convenient; slap together a bunch of screaming kids, find new ways to kill them, make some buckaroos, prepare for part 6. It smells too much of lazy sunday afternoon hangover decision being put together in a desperate attempt to make surefire money. What do I PREDICT? If you like the franchise, and you're cool about watching it for the 5th time, then go for it. Otherwise, go watch Little House on the Prairie, all 28 seasons. Or maybe read a book. What? That thing made of paper and opens up page by page ... no, it doesn't come with a switch, or a button at the bottom centre of it.

Official Trailer

Official Movie Site

KL Gangster (Malaysia) (2011)

A flashy, fast-paced, violent gangster movie with all the right moves. Almost. 


The Skinny: Ex-convict Malek chooses the life of honest living upon release from a 5 year prison stint, only to be drawn back into the violent life of gangster-living. To complicate matters, his younger brother is keen to draw him into an epic showdown between two rival gangs in their bid to control the city of KL. 


The Helmer: Syamsul Yusof -  KL Gangster (2011), Khurafat: Perjanjian Syaitan (2011), Evolusi: KL Drift 2 (2010), Bohsia: Jangan Pilih Jalan Hitam (2009), Evolusi: KL Drift (2008). 


The Casts: Aaron Aziz, Syamsul Yusof, Azizan, Ridzuan Hashim, Adyputra


The Review: The short but impressive directing / writing history of the young Syamsul Yusof is something to marvel at, having gone beyond the range of his father's melodrama to jump both feet forward into cracking good actioneers. His choice to dabble into all things KL, be it illegal racers, gangsters or young women with loose morals is a smart move as it does appeal to the urban Malays, something which does not happen on a daily basis. This movie displays pretty decent fight scenes and quite awesome stunts. All very nice and satisfying for those in dire need of local eye-candy. Okay, now the bad news: its all flash and bang with poor scripting and ineffective acting. Why must the players be shouting ALL the time? Continuity is pretty hodge-podge with an ending that hangs conveniently on a narrated outcome. If only there was more depth to the story and a bit more human development of the key characters. However, it is an improvement from his previous films, and for him to improve further his scripts MUST be polished further. What begins as a great opening scene, kinda deteriorates into a series of set-pieces designed to get flashy bite-sized action scenes. What gets me is the posing done by all except for Aaron Aziz; each character is two-dimensionally simple with no second degree depth. Which is a pity as the storyline, although pretty much done to death (ex-con wanna go straight but is pulled back into a life of crime), is still very much compelling. 


Trailer

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011)

And so the empire-sized meglodon-like, licence-to-print-cold-hard-cash epic of JK Rowlings Harry Potter series comes to a close ...  


The Skinny: Harry Potter and pals fights to the death with the eviiiiiiiil Lord V in an epic battle the likes of which wizard-story-reading-fans have never, ever, ever seen in their entire wizard-story-reading-fans reading life! Bring it on Lord V!


The Helmer: David Yates - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2011), Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), The Girl in the Cafe (TV movie) (2005), Sex Traffic (TV movie) (2004), State of Play (TV series) (2003), Rank (short) (2002), The Way We Live Now (TV series) (2001), The Sins (TV series) (2000), The Tichborne Claimant (1998), Punch (short) (1996), The Bill (TV series) (1994 - 1995), Moving Pictures (TV documentary series) (1994), Good Looks (short) (1992), Oranges and Lemons (short) (1991), The Weaver's Wife (short) (1991), When I Was a Girl (short) (1991). 


The Casts: Daniel Radcliffe, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Emma Watts, Alan Rickman, Rupert Grint, John Hurt, Helena Bonham Carter 


The Tagline: It All Ends 


The Prediction: This looks really good actually; epic scale with no-going-back demolition of huge, cultural architectural structures, with deaths of loved characters. This is the big one - where Harry faces off with his enemy Lord Voldemort, to the death! 


Trailer
Official Website
Harry Potter Books
JK Rowling's Official Site 

Juan of the Dead (2011) (Cuba) Juan de los Muertos

Apparently this is Cuba's first horror movie, and looking at the trailer, its one helluva horror movie seemingly epic-like. Which is always good in my books. 


The Skinny: The zombie apocalypse has reached Cuba and it is up to Juan to take out your loved ones. The living dead, loved ones that is. Zombie horror comedy ensues. 


The Helmer: Alejandro Brugues - Juan of the Dead (2011), Personal Belongings (2006)


The Casts: Alexis Diaz de Villegas, Andrea Duro, Jorge Molina, Blanca Rosa Blanco 


The Tagline: 50 Years After the Revolution, A New Revolution is About to Begin ... 


The Prediction: I'm basing my prediction purely on the trailer and I'm saying it looks good. Disregard the title is a rip-off of Edgar Wright's "Shaun of the Dead", or even its similar premise: 2 best friends face-off an entire zombie horde, and just enjoy the movie or what it is. It looks big, promising and very chucklesome. So yeah, this movie looks set to rock. 


Trailer from Twitch.com

Official Website

Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol (2011)

I did a semi-review here last year on this movie, but since its coming up pretty soon in about 5 months time, thought i'd update the prediction plus trailer. You know you wanna ... 


The Skinny: the IMF team (no, not the one with money and shit), but the Impossible Mission Force headed by Ethan Hunt, is, once again, not unlike the first movie installment with John Voight, on the run from the United States government and practically everyone else when they're being framed for the bombing of the Kremlin. Its up to the team to clear their name and bring bad dudes to justice. By kicking ass, blowing up stuff and driving real fast. Nice. 


The Helmer: Brad Bird - 1906 (2012), Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011), Ratatouille (2007), Jack-Jack Attack (short) (2005), The Incredibles (2004), The Iron Giant (1999), The Simpsons (TV) (1990 - 1991), Do the Batman (short) (1990), Amazing Stories (TV) (1987).


The Casts: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Tom Wilkinson, Anil Kapoor


Release Date: 16 December 2011 (USA)


The Prediction: This is the big one for 2011, not robots, not wizards, not a buncha guys waking up in Thailand getting wasted. Nope, this is the Mac Daddy for 2011. What do we have here? Incredibles director Brad Bird who hits a 10 for ALL his movies, Tom Cruise, action-stamped franchise, hot tamale Paula Patton, bad-boy Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, gadgets, cars, stunts and a very decent story line. Thats what we have here booyah! My prediction? My prediction?! Do you NEED a prediction??!!


Trailer

Wikipedia on Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Adam Chaplin (2011) (Italy) (Horror)

Once in a while a movie comes out that redefines cinema for that particular country. With Korea, the seminal arrival of "Shiri" marked the beginning of its golden cinema age; for Thailand, it can be said to be "Ongbak" which displayed awesome kick-assory, and for Italy, it is a recall of its great horror past with this little gem of a film. 


The Skinny: Local dude's wife gets killed to death and so the dude gets upset and summons a demon to assist him in getting bloody vengeance. Bloody manga-sh!t goes down. 


The Helmer: Emanuele de Santi 


The Casts: Emanuele de Santi 


The Prediction: This is a marriage of convenience for Japanese anime dripped in gore, with real life action. Looking at the trailer, it seems to depict a return to Crow sensibilities, something thats not been seen for a bit, and is very much welcomed. I'm quite partial to goth, but goth + gore? I'm in love. This is set to be epic, and will be leading a pack of wannabes and groupies. I have high hopes for this Italian number, only because the whole set up looks very very promising. 


Trailer: The Thief Sequence

Horror movies.com

Red Hill (2010) (Australia)

You'd probably find this movie at your corner DVD store, as it has been released since last year. It'll be hidden behind Bruce Willis' "Red", or even the pseudo horror movie "Red Riding Hood". Whatever it is, I believe this is the better of the "Red" movies currently available on DVD and Bluray. 

The Skinny: Newly installed constable Shane Cooper jumps right into action on his first day at work in a small rural Australian town called Red Hill in outback Victoria, when an escaped convict rolls in town to exact bloody vengeance. 

The Helmer: Patrick Hughes - Red Hill (2010), Signs (Short) (2008), The Lighter (Short) (2001), The Director (Short) (2000). 

The Casts: Ryan Kwanten, Steve Bisley, Tommy Lewis, Christopher Davis, Kevin Herrington

The Review: I'd say this is a new perfect film, and an even nearer perfect revenge movie. From the dialogue to the acting to the directing to the editing to the cinematography. What starts out slow and even-paced escalates to a very fast technical and methodical execution from scene to scene; each action getting an equal an devastating reaction. The escaped convict, the almost-silent Kevin Herrington plays the part of a single-minded hunter out to take down the men who destroyed his life. It is both brutal and upon a second viewing, very much justified as the hunted are shot, and decimated at point blank range. I like the sensibilities of the ending as the decision Herrington takes is one which all of us would take; it is not morally sound nor is it poetic, its just an angry man doing what he's been planning to do for the past 10 years, and to do it right. 

Trailer

Review by Slant Magazine