vnums Reviews (7)

Haunting of Winchester House (2009 Video)

Give it a chance

[6/10 · 8 October 2009]

There isn't a whole lot to say about the film so I'll get right to the point. The acting was by far the worst part of it. The performances were forced, uninspired, and a pain to watch in some places.

That being said, the film at first seemed to be pretty much a mish mash of every other haunting movie, same scare tactics, same suspense builders, same basic idea of ghosts with unfinished business, etc. At first. After the film got going it was obvious that the writers were trying to take things in a different direction, and while overall the film will most definitely be buried amongst all the other "ghost movies" and "haunted house" movies, there was still an original idea or two to be found, and for a fan of the genre it was still worth a view to the end. Most of the plot you could see clear ahead for miles, though, and again the acting really detracted from scenes that would have otherwise been more intense. The script was a bit awkward in spots as well, so I can't blame the actors entirely.

Anyway, if you're teetering on the edge as to whether or not to spend the time or money on the movie, I'd recommend giving it a shot. If you haven't seen many horror films it's definitely worth a watch, and if you have, you might be pleasantly surprised.

The Cell 2 (2009 Video)

Nothing New Here

[3/10 · 7 June 2009]

I read some of the other reviews, and at the time I went to see it the votes from other IMDb users were up there (over 5 stars average). I must say I wish I hadn't been exposed to it.

Let's start with the acting. It was so incredibly dry, unemotional, and boring that even if the script was good (which it most definitely was not), it wouldn't have helped. I was not drawn in even a bit by any of the characters in this film, and in a film of this genre you sort of need to be to enjoy it.

Then we have the villain, who was so contrived and boring that it took all of the anxiety and depth away from the film. The so-called "heroes" were an absolute pain to watch as they fumbled over their lines and delivered a performance memorable only for its lack of talent.

The "special effects" were reminiscent of early 90s power rangers episodes, I think that's enough said there.

The actual plot was annoying and underdeveloped. The general idea had some merit to it, but the angle they took with the hero/villain interaction ruined it for me, just too far-fetched for this kind of movie. The direction as well made this feel like a home made film, and not in a good way. It was just scene after scene of amateur shooting. I'm not a film buff by any means, and even I thought it was horrible. They even showed you some "behind the scenes" shots at the end, so make sure you stay tuned through the credits....wow.

You'll notice I gave this film 3 out of 10 stars... that's because the last 10-20 minutes of the film might have warranted 4-5 stars, whereas the first 90% probably 1-2 stars, so I averaged them. Though to be fair I'm not sure if the end was better than the beginning, or if I was just getting excited that it was almost over.

Also of note: I haven't seen the original "The Cell", so no, it's not like I went into this expecting a similar movie to the original, I had no basis for comparison.

Anyway, if you decide to watch this regardless of my warnings above, I'll leave the "I told you so" here for you when you're done. Otherwise, you can thank me later.

The Eleventh Hour (2008)

Better than you would expect!

[8/10 · 24 January 2009]

This film doesn't have much in terms of a cast, budget, or acting, but what it lacks in those areas it makes up for by being fun to watch.. somehow.

You can tell right off the bat that the film is low budget, not a Hollywood blockbuster, and doesn't feature any big names. The acting is dry and terribly forced in some places, but it doesn't detract from the overall pace or excitement of the film. The action sequences are pretty much non-stop, and you're never left with long patches of dialogue or drawn out scenes with no action -- which, I'll be honest, for this film is a good thing.

Anyway, you're presented with a fast-paced action ala one man against a slew of "bad guys" (who this time happen to be North Koreans) in a race against time to save a loved one. It's a pretty typical story, but off skew just enough for it to be enjoyable and not entirely akin to 25 cent action movies from the bargain bin. This, coupled with the abundance of well-choreographed action scenes makes this film a fun ride.

Bottom line, if you go in expecting this to be an amazing, thought provocative action film with densely woven plot lines, you'll be rather disappointed. On the other hand, if you go in thinking this is going to be some kind of cheese fest (see "The Marine"), you'll be more than pleasantly surprised. It is the best it can be for what it is, if that makes any sense.

Borderland (2007)

A pretty good film for this genre

[6/10 · 6 April 2008]

"Based on true events" is rather ambiguous at best and I think if you go into this film believing it's ALL true it will be quite an experience, however I find that the story too well follows a classic plot to be an entirely true story.

Three guys take a trip to Mexico that goes all wrong when they run into a cult of violent murderers. That's pretty much the gist of things.

The acting is actually rather decent and the story is well told and even believable to some degree and it kept my attention all the way through and proved to be one of the better films I've seen in this genre. I actually had to remind myself half way through that this was supposed to be a gore-filled horror film. There was nothing new in terms of blood, guts, and gore, and there really wasn't a whole lot of it given the length of the movie, but what's there gets the point across well.

Some people have referred to it as "goreporn" also which it really isn't. I'm glad at least some writers feel that gratuitous sex/nudity take away from a story when unnecessary.

Bottom line: If you go in expecting the same garbage this genre pumps out yearly, you'll be quite pleasantly surprised. If you go in expecting a masterpiece in horror theater, you'll likely be disappointed.

Boarding Gate (2007)

Not For The Average Joe

[2/10 · 3 April 2008]

If you're an average guy like me and enjoy good acting, good plot, good scripts, novel ideas, or being entertained, you might want to skip this one. I was honestly bored from the opening credits to the very end, but tried to give the film a chance, and watched it all the way through -- only to be disappointed at every turn.

The acting was unbelievably sub par, but I'm not sure if the actors themselves are to blame or if it was the ridiculously wooden and horrible dialog coupled with an even worse script. The plot is very vague and underdeveloped and I think the audience is supposed to derive some kind of deeper meaning from it, or be able to look past it in some way, but honestly to do so would be a waste of time.

The film has a kind of crude sexuality to it which doesn't serve any purpose other than to show off some tattoos and lingerie. No one seems to have any motivation except making money off of some kind of "investment" deal that is never really explained. The connections between the characters aren't terribly clear, and there is little to no character development.

This is either some kind of sub-culture film meant for a very specific audience to enjoy or absolute crap, but you can decide for yourselves.

I gave it a 2 because it is definitely one of the worst films I've ever seen, but probably not THE worst.

Virgin Territory (2007)

Drama, Adventure, Comedy, Romance? Not really...

[3/10 · 1 April 2008]

I laughed (out loud) once. I hardly think that constitutes a 'comedy' for me.

There are a few witty one-liners, and a touch of situational humor, but most of the humor is pretty stale and dry. I think they were trying for something along the lines of The Princess Bride, but missed the mark entirely.

There were a few sword-fights, but that hardly supports an entire 'adventure', and the plot was utterly formulaic and you could see 10 minutes ahead of the film at any given point.

As for the romance, well, the ONE romantic idea present in the film just wasn't enough to qualify it for a romance film either.

My hat is off to anyone who can find an ounce of drama in this movie either...

So, what is it? Something to pass the time if you literally have nothing else to do. As I mentioned before, I'd recommend watching the Princess Bride if you haven't, or watching it again, rather than watch this.

I gave it three stars because the acting wasn't terrible, there were those witty one-liners, and I did manage to laugh once.

Rest Stop (2006 Video)

A better than average horror film in my opinion.

[8/10 · 19 January 2007]

One shouldn't expect much from most horror films in terms of acting or plot lines, and this one certainly didn't have much of either. Most of us, however, watch horror films in the hopes that we'll be at least unnerved or on the edge of their seat for a bit of it. This one delivers in that regard. There were a few places where, had you seen more than a few of these kinds of movies, you knew exactly what was going to happen, but I was also pleasantly surprised by a few things. Lots of blood, lots of gore, lots of squirmy scenes, so if you have a weak stomach this one isn't for you. I also think the film ended just where it needed to after it got it's point across.

I've watched quite a few horror movies in the pursuit of the ultimate scare which I have yet to find, however this one brought me a bit closer. It's definitely a fun way to spend an hour and a half in my opinion. Worth a watch.