Ed's Review Dot Com

Alliance Films, Automatik Entertainment, Blumhouse Productions

Ethan Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio, James Ransone, Fred Dalton Thompson, Clare Foley, Juliet Rylance, Michael Hall D’Addario, Victoria Leigh

Ellison (Ethan Hawke) is a writer with one huge hit under his belt. But so far he’s been unable to repeat the success. He writes books about murders and serial killers. So now he’s moved his family to a new home to write a story about a missing daughter and the rest of the family hung from a tree in the back yard. But as Ellison makes a chilling discovery in the attic, and begins to see strange things in the house, he learns that there may be more cases involved and something much more frightening behind it all.

Sinister is a film made for big screen and a crowd. There are some really scary moments, the loud noise in your ear at the right time kind of scares, but they are appropriate for the story. This is a “found footage” film in one kind of way, but the film is shot with real Hollywood camera equipment, and things like tripods and spooky lighting. There is no shaky handhelds here that make you sick in your stomach. The suspense if enormous, and you are on the edge of your seat all the way through. It has the classic horror movie bits, like the college professor who is an expert on the occult, and the local cop who wants to be part of the action, but they are not the major part of the story, and add instead of distract from the plot. Basically it’s Ellison on his own, trying to solve the puzzle and protect his family who all seem against him.

The plot is good, and it is really scary. I recommend this for horror film lovers, as a good scary movie. It has a lot going for it, and is really creepy. A word about the score. This is one of the best I’ve seen in many years. It’s an unusual score, but it really suits the film, and I found it to be very appropriate and it ads a lot to the film. This is a scary movie! Hit this before Halloween, and enjoy getting frightened in a big, big way!

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Gravitas, Provident Films,

Rachel Hendrix, Jason Burkey, Jasmine Guy, John Schneider, Shari Wiedmann, Tracy Miller, Lance E. Nichols

College Freshman Hannah (Rachel Hendrix) is suffering growing pains like any other late teen, but she has additional issues with epilepsy and asthma, among others. Her parents take her to the doctor where she learns a shocking secret about her birth which may be related to the illnesses she is suffering. She joins up with a bunch of her friends and heads on out on road trip to find whatever truth she can about her origins and the secrets that she never knew.

I had no expectations coming into this film. I was blown away. In fact, I was so impressed that I had to watch it twice before returning it. This film touched me to the core, mostly due to the strength of the story, but also for the excellent acting by Rachel Hendrix and her parents, especially Dad, played marvelously by John Schneider. When it became apparent what the subject of the story was, I expected it to turn preachy and pushy, but it did not. It was very fair handed, and very sensitive to the people who have real life stories like this. It was so strong, that I found tears rolling down my cheeks at the end. What a marvelous story this is, and such a very, very well done film. I highly recommend this movie as one that is very touching and reaches to your heart. I don’t want to say much more about the content, as the less you know going in, the better, not that it is highly surprising or anything, but the impact of the story is much better if you have less info going in. I really enjoyed this very much, and I recommend you check this one out. It’s definitely one that will change your heart. Very well done.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

New in theaters this weekend Friday October 12, 2012

• Argo
• Sinister
• Here Comes the Boom
• Seven Psychopaths
• Smashed
• Atlas Shrugged: Part II
• War of the Buttons
• Nobody Walks
• Middle of Nowhere
• Grave Encounters 2

There are a bunch of new films debuting at the theaters this week. “Argo” is Ben Afflecks new drama based on the true story of how six of the hostages from the embassy in Iran were rescued by the Canadian embassy. I remember this story in the news, and actually have a letter from the Canadian government in response to a thank you letter I sent them for the assistance in rescuing these folks. Here is the story of how it was done. “Sinister” is another of these found footage films about an evil presence that is terrorizing a family. Good Halloween stuff! “Here Comes the Boom” is another wide release about a high school which is in financial trouble, and in order to save the extra-curricular sports program, a teacher turns to the only thing he knows how to do to save the programs, extreme mixed martial arts fighting! This is a comedy featuring Kevin James. “Seven Psychopaths” is a funny film with a lot of stars about a screen writer who gets mixed up with the mob, and requires his friends to band together to try to pull him out of trouble. “Smashed” is a story of a couple who are heavy drinkers who’s life together is put to the test when the wife decides to sober up. “Atlas Shrugged Part 2” is the sequel to the science fiction film “Atlas Shrugged”. It is about the world on the brink of disaster due to a failed economy and the fight to save the world from the evil corporations. “War of the Buttons” is a French WWII movie about a Frenchman who is concerned about a young Jewish girl who is in danger from the Nazis and it causes him to take a closer look at what’s going on around him. “Nobody Walks” starring John Krasinski is about a family who is threatened after taking in a young woman so she can finish her art film. “Middle of Nowhere” tells of a lady who drops out of medical school when her husband is incarcerated for 8 years. Finally, “Grave Encounters 2” is a bit of a homage to the original “Grave Encounters”. The original film was about a psychiatric hospital where horrible events took place. Well a film student has become obsessed with the film, and especially those who don’t believe that it’s real, so he sets out to try to validate the things that happened in the first film.

Last Weeks top Box Office:

1 – Taken 2
2 – Hotel Transylvania
3 – Pitch Perfect
4 – Looper
5 – Frankenweenie

Fairview Productions, Tonylyn Productions Inc.,

Steve McQueen, Aneta Corsaut, Earl Rowe, Olin Howlin, Alden “Stephen” Chase, John Benson, George Karas, Lee Paton, Elbert Smith, Hugh Graham

Steve Andrews (Steve McQueen) and Jane Martin (Aneta Corsaut) are out on a date, when Steve gets in a little trouble being goaded into a race by some other teens. After dealing with the cops, Steve and Jane notice a meteor that hits not too far away. Little do they know, a glob-like material has landed and starts growing. It grows, feeding on human flesh, and no one knows how to stop it, in this horror classic from 1958.

This was one of the earliest of the more modern horror films with science fiction themes. Before long, radiation was creating giant cockroaches, ants, rabbits, mice, etc. were crawling out of the desert to eat people. But this one is simple jelly blob of goo. This film is short on the real blood thirsty horror that was to follow, but is a great classic 1950’s horror film. This is truly a classic film, and one that’s well worth watching again after all these years. I know it’s been at least 40 years since I’ve seen it, and I really enjoyed watching Steve McQueen playing a teenager in this film. The sets are cheesy, and the dialog is straight out of a 50’s B movie, but this is one of the first films I remember seeing of the “the kids know what’s going on, but none of the grown ups will believe them” themes. They play this to he hilt here, and there’s no way they can convince anyone over 30 that there is really a monster killing people. No one believes kids when they witness something like this. This was done will in lots of other films, and adds a lot of suspense to the film, since we know they’re telling the truth, but no one else will believe them.

All in all, at Halloween especially, it’s nice to go back and catch a 54 year old film! I enjoyed it. Look for it on TV, Cable, or On-Demand.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Europa Corp., Grive Productions, Canal+,

Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, Maggie Grace, Rade Serbedzija, Leland Orser, Luke Grimes, Jon Gries

Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is a retired special ops guy, minding his own business. He had a rough year, rescuing his daughter from a bunch of white sex slave traders, and he killed a bunch of them in the first film. This one picks up with the father of the thugs from first movie burying most of his family. They want revenge, and when Bryan and his family are in Turkey on a business/vacation, they strike, trying to capture him and his wife and daughter for revenge. But they don’t know who they are tangling with, and Bryan doesn’t want to be taken, nor does he appreciate their attempt to take his family. This unleashes one hell of a chase.

This is a non-stop action adventure that doesn’t let up. Liam Neeson is perfect in this role. The stare and the focus in his face as he tracks these guys down is unreal. What follows is some of the most outstanding car chases, foot chases, and battle after battle with these guys. This is some of the best action scenes I’ve seen in many years. But aside from that, this is a well done film in every way. The main complaint I’ve heard on this film is that it’s just like the first one. Well, I guess that is true, but it’s still pretty good. After all, this is what the franchise is about. Certainly if you enjoyed the first one, this one is much more intense and you’re going to like this one too. The locations in Turkey are spectacular, and the chase scenes over the roof tops of Istanbul is simply spectacular.

For fans of action films, this is as good as the come, and Liam Neeson is absolutely perfect for this movie. I recommend catching this one in the theater while you can!

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog