Ed's Review Dot Com

20th Century Fox,

Sadie Katz, Anthony Ilott, Aqueela Zoll, Rollo Skinner, Billy Ashworth

Danny (Anthony Iilot) suddenly inherits a run down resort in Hobb Springs, so he and his friends head out to investigate his good fortune. But while there they run into a bunch of inbred locals who hang around the place. Turns out they are long lost relatives and they try to turn Danny against his friends and to join their family, and they help by killing and eating his friends one at a time.

This is the 6th film in the Wrong Turn series, and by far the weakest. The story is lame, and the concept has been rather stretched. After all, the original idea what someone who accidentally ended up taking the wrong road and ending up where they definitely shouldn’t be, but in this one, they know where they are going. Perhaps you could say it was a wrong choice, but they chose to go there. The kills are very graphic and the unrated version is rather nasty, but the story is just kind of lame. I was bored though this, and it took about 3 tries before I could make it through the whole film without falling asleep. I am a fan of horror, and usually not too hard to please, but this one is pretty bad. You might find this on late night cable, and if you’re a fan of the franchise, feel free, but I don’t recommend wasting the time on this one. Just sex and gore, blood and guts and disgusting people. Not worth it.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

20th Century Fox, Dayday Films, Gotham Group,

Patricia Clarkson, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Will Poulter, Kaya Scodelario, Aml Ameen, Dylan O’Brien, Ki Hong Lee, Jacob Latimore

Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) awakens in a sort of elevator in the middle of a lush meadow, completely lost and with no memories. He is terrified to be surrounded by a group of boys he doesn’t know. When Thomas settles down, he finds that the boys have been trapped here for several years, and every month a new boy arrives, but no one knows what is going on. The are surrounded by a giant maze that has a great door that opens during the day, but closes at sundown every night. Led by the first boy, Alby (Aml Ameen), Thomas learns that during the day the boys explore the maze, but anyone who does not get out before the door closes never returns. Despite their terror, Thomas is determined to understand what is happening to them, and why.

This is a very suspenseful and tense story. The closest thing I can think of it that gave me the same kind of willies was The Village, M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller about a group of people safe in a clearing, but surround by a wilderness full of monsters that will kill them if they venture out. This is a similar kind of story, although you’ll find similarities with Hunger Games as well, as they have to use their wits to survive. The suspense is intense, and will keep you on the edge of your seat. The story is very simple. Either get out through the maze, or stay safe forever in the glade, and each one has to find in their heart which to do. One thing for sure, when Thomas arrives, things will never be the same again. The acting is excellent, and this gang of misfits makes us care what happens to them. The mystery of why anyone would do this is also captivating right up until the last moments. The sound is very well done, and the sets, especially the maze itself is masterful. This will definitely keep you interested. Many complain that the end is rather abrupt, and with all the challenges they go through to get to the end, it probably is a bit short. They definitely set us up for a sequel though, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I found this a really excellent thriller. The monsters may be a bit too intense for the under 14 crowd, and they may have nightmares from the awful things that happen, but for older kids and adults alike, if you enjoy a really good sci-fi thriller like the ones Tom Cruise and Will Smith have been trying to do and can’t pull off, not only does this movie pull it off, but in a splendid journey all the way. I highly recommend this film, probably my favorite of the summer, and I’m glad I chose to go see this in the theater. I was not disappointed at all, and I can recommend it. If you’ve seen it, feel free to comment and let me know if you agree. For me, this was very well done.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

20th Century Fox

Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell

I really enjoyed this movie.  I have been anxious for it to arrive on DVD since I heard about it at the Oscar’s last year.  I wasn’t disappointed.  Jeff Bridges isn’t always on top of his game, but he did an amazing job in this movie.  Heartwarming,  it was very “A Star is Born“ish in a way, and all the way through Jeff reminds me of Kris Kristofferson in a lot of ways.  But the story is very complex.  I loved the way Colin Farrell played his character.  He should have been very stuck up, proud of what he was, and eager to step on poor Bad (Jeff Bridges) on the way up, but he wasn’t.  He appreciated, and he cared, and he was a genuine nice guy.  This makes you get angry with Bad, but watching him struggle, you turn from disliking him to pitying him, to rooting for him.

Jeff and Colin did the singing in the movie, with the help of a singing coach, and they did a way better than expected job of singing the music in the film.  It was quite believable and it was a nice touch that they did their own.  The music was good, especially if you have a hankering for horsey tunes in the first place.  It’s good country.  But my wife who is NOT a country fan, still loved the movie because of the strength of the story.

It’s a story that’s been done before, and done very well, but this one is a bit unique, and really gives a feel for how hard it is to give up you life to live on the road driving from town to town to simply sing your old songs with a pick up band of local kids.  It’s got to be a hard life that many musicians know.

I recommend this movie as one of the best rentals I’ve had in a while!