YOUTUBE REVIEW: Don't Look In The Basement

DON'T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW (Youtube)

RATED: R

RATING: ***/*****

SYNOPSIS: (Via IMDB) Nurse Charlotte Beale arrives at the isolated Stephens Sanitarium to work, only to learn that Dr. Stephens was murdered by one of the patients and his successor, Dr. Geraldine Masters, is not very eager to take on new staff. Charlotte finds her job maddeningly hard as the patients torment and harass her at every turn, and she soon learns why Dr. Masters is so eager to keep outsiders out.

THE PRO'S: VERY eerie, some actually good performances, oozes cheesy 70s fun, likable lead characters.

THE CON'S:  Other performances are hit-or-miss, hasn't aged well, opening is cringe-worthy

THE REVIEW:

Now, this is one I've meant to look at for a while. And though it's not my favorite 70s movie like I thought it might be, it definitely was a boat-load of fun, and definitely worth a look. If only to see one of the creepiest premises I've ever seen play out.

The movie follows Charolette Beale, who arrives at Stephen's Sanitorium following the accidental death of the head doctor. Put to work as a nurse, she soon learns the patients run free, and becomes at-odds with new head doctor Geraldine Masters. What Charolette doesn't realize however, is the pressure of the new job is the least of her worries as the chaos surrounding the asylum begins to escalate.

On the surface, DLITB is just your run of the mill 70s grindhouse film. But while it is in a lot of ways, the movie also has a lot going for it. Mainly, its awesome atmosphere. Though the opening is really, really silly and off-putting the rest of the movie is the opposite. From the title card to end the movie creates a sense of dread and tension that simply is unsettling and disturbing. And I found myself very much on edge throughout. 

What's more, the characters within the movie are so much fun. With Masters, Charolette, and Sam (a labotomy patient with the mind of a child) all being well-acted, written, and their portrayals very solid. While a lot of the other actors are hit-or-miss, in the case of these three, they carry the movie excellently. And while most other actors don't do a very good job, I have to say, each character has a very distinct voice. And while it is very cheesy sometimes, each is just likable and crazy enough for me to  enjoy them.

The story itself is cheesy seventies fun, it's nothing deep, but it is scary. And for that matter, the movie has a plethora of twists to keep things interesting, and the viewer on their toes. The only thing I do want to add here is that many aspects of the film's story show it hasn't aged well, sadly. And though it is still fun to watch, some things just wouldn't sit right in present day, and therefore the movie is best viewed as a period piece.

The last thing of note to say is that I really enjoyed this movie, like I really, really enjoyed it. And if nothing else, I recommend it to horror fans because it's just a movie that you can really get into. It's equal parts funny (for the wrong reasons) and scary enough that it makes for a fun popcorn flick on a quiet night.

And so....

IN CONCLUSION:

Don't Look in the Basement is A LOT of fun. It's a very flawed movie, but its atmosphere and likability both character and story-wise saves it from being anything "bad". If you're into fun, cheesy, sometimes eerie old horror movies, give it a look. And if you like this one, a sequel is on the way from the original director's son, later this year!

3 OUT OF 5 STARS
RECOMMENDED

 YOU CAN SEE THE MOVIE NOW BY CLICKING THE PLAYER BELLOW: 

AMAZON INSTANT-VIDEO REVIEW: The Guest

THE GUEST 

RELEASE DATE: AVAILABLE NOW (DVD, BLU RAY, ON-DEMAND)

RATED: R

RATING: ****/*****

PREMISE: (VIA IMDB) A soldier introduces himself to the Peterson family, claiming to be a friend of their son who died in action. After the young man is welcomed into their home, a series of accidental deaths seem to be connected to his presence.

THE PRO'S: Fun, fast-paced, action packed, full of suspense, darkly humerous, great character development.

THE CON'S: Somewhat dull set of parents, slightly ridiculous plot points.

THE REVIEW:

So after hearing some really good things about this film, I decided to finally check it out. Especially given the director is attached to one of the American  adaptations of one of my favorite stories: Death Note. And I am so, so glad I gave this interesting little thriller a chance.

 The Guest tells the story of the Peterson family, who receives an unexpected "Guest" at their door. The man, David, claims to be a friend of their son who was killed in action. And while David appears charming and charismatic, underneath it all lies a dark, dangerous secret that sends the life of the family's eldest daughter into a tailspin of chaotic proportions.

Now while The Guest might seem like a run-of-the-mill horror movie, I can assure you it's not. Actually, from the get-go the film is an intense, slow-burn thriller that pulls you in deeper and deeper as it goes on. This is thanks to some masterful storytelling from both the director and writer, who bring a mystique and excellent level of suspense to it. Both aspects here are absolutely seamless and give this movie serious bonus points.

But even moreso, the driving force of the movie is the performances by lead actors Dan Stevens and Maika Monroe. Having seen both only  a few times before, the more I saw them in this movie, the more convinced I became that they are destined to be future stars. Dan Stevens portrayal of David is fantastic, finding an excellent balance between cunning psychopath and likable stud. While Maika's performance as the eldest daughter is believable and intense.

On the downside, one flaw the movie DOES have is that the parents are not well cast at all. And I would say even bring down some of the better performances in the movie when  two of its main stars are not doing a good job. But that's okay, they are simply two bad apples in a fantastic bunch, after all.

The way the story moves along is another huge plus for me. Not only did the movie keep me on my toes, but it's unique blend of action sequences and horror movie suspense simply rocked. The movie, even when there's nothing outright "bad" happening it, manages to create an excellent amount of tension and ultimately works better than most action-thrillers in theaters these days, at least for me.

That said, there are some fairly silly plot points that ultimately could have been much better handled. A few things had me shaking my head, and just felt like they were pushing things a little too far. It was this reason I ultimately could not give this movie a perfect score. Simply put it needed to shed these bits for me to feel it's worthy of that.

This said, overall...

IN CONCLUSION:

The Guest is a smart, fun action-thriller that is well worth the look. With excellent writing and direction, as well as performances from the two main stars. I cannot recommend it enough.

 4 OUT OF 5 STARS

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

REVIEW: Avengers: Age of Ultron

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

RATED: PG-13

RATING: *****/*****

 SUMMARY: (Via-IMDB) When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth's Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for a global adventure.

THE PRO'S: Stunning special effects, awesome use of its characters, absolutely complete and utter fun, fantastic use of its villain

THE CON'S: Some plot points seem unecessary.

THE REVIEW:

Ah, Marvel Movies, how I love thee. It's no secret I'm a huge superhero film fan, so I have been extremely pumped to see this movie. Not even some lackluster reviews could deter me, and I'm glad they didn't because this movie was just AWESOME.

NOTE: If you haven't been following these movies, the synopsis for this movie DOES contain spoilers for previous films in the series. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

The film picks up sometime after the events of "The Winter Soldier". The Avengers, now a fully functioning team, have just come off hunting down the remnants of HYDRA and Tony Stark and Bruce Banner are hard at work on a peacekeeping program: "Ultron". Unfortunately, their use of Loki's Sceptar from the first film to jumpstart the program has unforeseen consequences. And now, a self-aware, and extremely twisted "Ultron" has been unleashed upon the world, beginning a new struggle for our heroic team. 

ANY SPOILERS FOR THE UNIVERSE END HERE. The review for the movie itself is SPOILER-FREE both for the movie and the universe.

What results is a fun, action-packed thrill ride that totally kicked so much butt. I think this movie definitely topped the original for me for a few reasons. And one of them is that as a villain, Ultron is absolutely awesome. I genuinely love his attitude and his character, played by the great James Spader, is well-acted and done. As much as I love Loki, he is also the most formidable and interesting of the characters the Avengers have faced, and I think he even upped the ante and stakes to a point that made it awesome.

And that's another thing this movie gets right: the new kids on the block. With a movie that introduces SO many key players into the mix: Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Vision, it does them all so well. All three are given an excellent amount of screen-time, and each is developed so well you can't help but love them all. This film even managed to finally make a Scarlet Witch fan out of me, despite my "meh"-ness at her in the past. She was probably my favorite new character in the movie, followed by Quicksilver, and Vision. 

As far as acting goes, everyone gave great performances. I was especially impressed with Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who both pull off believable Russian accents and superb acting in their roles as Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Everyone else gives off the same, well-done performances we are all no doubt used to. While Jeremy Renner, who is given FAR more to do here as Hawkeye continues to impress as an actor and make great strides.

But of course, the biggest part of the movie is the action. And does  it deliver? Oh yes, it DEFINITELY delivers! The movie is action-packed from beginning to end, with some amazing acton sequences and special effects abound. You're sure to love it if you're an action fan, there's plenty of it, and the effects only add to it.

The only minor complaint I have, without giving spoilers, is that some plot points seem forced or silly. There aren't many, but there are moments that just seem off or sort of like "Why do you need to be in here though?". But they are few and far between and easily overlooked at least.

So....

IN CONCLUSION:

"Avengers: Age of Ultron" is yet another hit from Marvel! It's a fun, action-packed, well written, and acted summer blockbuster. I will definitely be excited to see what Marvel brings next in Ant-Man and Phase 3!

5 OUT OF 5 STARS

MY HIGHEST RECOMMENDATIONS