Evil Dead

Through the history of horror films, somewhere along the way the word "terrifying" has had it's meaning changed from "to fill with fear or alarm" to "bucket and buckets of blood". Because of that, the remake of the 1981 cult classic "The Evil Dead" has been deemed "The Most Terrifying Movie Ever Made". Even with the new meaning, that critic must not have seen "Dead Alive".

Dropping the "The" from the title, "Evil Dead" is an "edgier" and "more terrifying" version of the 1981 film. It's "ground-breaking" style has paved a "new way" for the future of horror movies.

You might notice I used a lot of quotations in those two sentences. That is because the hype around this movie is all for not. There is nothing new or groundbreaking about this movie. It is the same gore-porn that we have all come to know and tolerate (or detest) since it became the norm when they installed the ratings system.

Now, that's not to say this movie is terrible. It's not. It's entertaining. But there is nothing to special about it at all. The acting isn't good. The writing is sub par. The special effects are on par with modern horror movies. But it's all so very predictable. And no, that's not because it's a remake. If I remember correctly, its actually quite different from the original if you forget about the tree-raping, basement prisoner that possesses the young lady, and the book of the dead and what not. Granted it''s been over half a decade since I last saw the original.

I know, I hate Mondays too.

What's really impressive is that director Fefe Alvarez got the job as director by making a youtube video. in his home country of Uruguay. And being made for only $300, it's pretty good.

Instead of getting fined for using copy written music,

he gets a Directing contract.... jerk.

Anyway, "Evil Dead" is what it is... a gory, horror film. If you want to see something like that, you'll like it, or at least enjoy it. If you don't want to see something like that, don't see it.

My Grade: C+

Dead Man Down

An amazing opening scene to begin, followed by your typical revenge flick, "Dead Man Down" is nothing spectacular. But it is also worth the watch, if you're looking for a good action movie.

Set in New York, but also painfully obvious that some scenes were filmed in Philadelphia (1:55, Philadelphia City Hall can be seen through the window) "Dead Man Down" tells the story of a man who works for the mob. He is approached by one of his neighbors who threatens to send the police a video of him killing a man if he doesn't agree to help her kill the man that left her face scarred in a drunk-driving accident. Being a criminal and not particularly caring for human's he agrees.

You mean to tell me, I get off scott-free if I do

the same thing I do everyday? Deal!

But everything becomes complicated when he starts falling in love with the woman. Not really. Just ads spice to his life. What really gets complicated is when she finds out he actually only joined the mob to get close to the same man that killed his family, to keep them from testifying in a trial against him. But for some reason, his boss doesn't know what the man who was going to testify against him looks like. So it makes it quite easy for him to be accepted into the gang.

Like I said, this film is nothing special. It is filled with clichés and half-thought plot-points. The acting, cinematography and writing is good enough to keep the movie flowing, but it's nothing to write home about. Frankly, had it not been filmed in Philadelphia, I might not have seen it. But if you are bored one day, and have nothing to watch, "Dead Man Down" is a good time filler.

My Grade: B-

Killing Them Softly

I had such high hopes going into this movie. Brad Pitt starring and Andrew Dominik directing. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is my favorite movie and has been since I saw it in 2007. (If that seems random, Brad Pitt Starred in that and Andrew Dominik directed). But this movie just didn't meet my expectations.

With undertones of the Recession being shoved in your face at every scene and nothing really quite flowing, Killing Them Softly is about greed and the effect the recession has on Mob bosses and their employees. Interesting concept, but it comes off as everyone just being a whiny little bitch (excuse my French).

When three nobodies rob a mob controlled game and frame one of the card sharks for it, The mob bosses bring in an enforcer, played by Brad Pitt, to control the situation. And he does. But the entire time, everyone is just complaining about the recession and how it has affected times. But they're mob bosses in a non-Martin Scorsese gangster movie, so you don't care about them.

This is another case of a movie trying to be something that it's not. It couldn't decide what it wanted to be. It wanted to be a gangster movie but also have a deeper meaning, while also pointing out how bad President Bush was (We get it. He's the reason your life sucks, now move on!).

If this film had just been a gangster movie about a hit man hired to take out the idiots that knocked over the card game, it could have been great! But that wasn't enough.

This movie wasn't completely bad, though. It had great acting by everyone involved, and very good cinematography. Although, the writing and story left something to be desired.

My Grade: C

But, as always, form your own opinion. You may enjoy this movie more than I did.

ATTENTION! I WILL BE RELEASING THE NOMINATIONS FOR THE MIKEY AWARDS JANUARY 10th COINCIDING WITH THE ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS! I WILL POST THE WINNER ON FEBRUARY 24 DURING THE OSCARS!