Tag Archives: 2015

Action/Thriller, All Movie Reviews, Quickie Reviews (<400 Words)

Octopussy (1983) Movie Review

 

When MI6 agent 009 (Andy Bradford) arrives dying at the British Embassy with a gold Faberge egg, which turns out to be a fabrication, MI6 sends agent 007 James Bond (Roger Moore) to seek out the real egg’s owner. It turns out that the egg can be traced back to Soviet general Orlov (Steven Berkoff).

 

octopussy-roger-moore-james-bond-1983-movie-review-spy-thriller-action-film-maud-adams-spectre-2015

 

Octopussy breaks the fourth wall in the strangest way possible when Bond meets a connection in India. The agent in the field, disguised as a snake charmer, plays the Continue reading Octopussy (1983) Movie Review →

All Movie Reviews, Comedy, Halloween Horror, Horror, Indie Films, Leave it, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015) Movie Review

 

Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse opens on Blake Anderson from Workaholics (here simply Ron the Janitor) dancing to an Iggy Azalea trap beat. Marvelous. Ron then single-handedly starts the zombie apocalypse. Double marvelous. The dramatic irony and use of space in this opening is great. It might be the best scene in the entire movie comedy-wise.

 

scouts-guide-to-the-zombie-apocalypse-tye-sheridan-sarah-dumont-david-koechner-cloris-leachman-blake-anderson-workaholics-horror-comedy-film-2015-movie-review

 

We then see a dated-looking boy scout recruitment tape led by the comedic styling of David Koechner. Scout Leader Rogers’ (Koechner) Boy Scout Troop 264 is comprised of three archetypal scouts: the brown-nosing overachiever Augie (Joey Morgan), the apathetic burnout Carter (Logan Miller), and the reluctant leader Ben (Tye Sheridan).

 

When Ben and Carter decide to ditch Augie for a rave that appears to take place in a warehouse (although it is labeled as a rec center, but this is all besides the point), the two boys stumble upon Continue reading Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015) Movie Review →

Action/Thriller, All Movie Reviews, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

Moonraker (1979) Movie Review

 

In the Moonraker cold open, a Moonraker space shuttle is hijacked while en route to the United Kingdom on top of a jet plane. In response to this, M (Bernard Lee, in his final outing as the MI6 head) calls for James Bond (Roger Moore). Bond, who is already on his way to London on a plane, is attacked by the plane’s crew and thrown out by assassin giant Jaws (Richard Kiel). The action scene in the air is fine, but everything surrounding it is disjointed and absurd.

 

moonraker-james-bond-roger-moore-spy-thriller-action-film-space-richard-kiel-jaws-holly-goodhead-lois-movie-review-1979-spectre-2015

 

Upon safely arriving in London, Bond is instructed to travel to California to meet with Drax (Michael Lonsdale), the wealthy owner of the stolen Moonraker. Our main villain for the proceedings, Drax is Continue reading Moonraker (1979) Movie Review →

All Movie Reviews, Comedy, Halloween Horror, Horror, Indie Films, Like It, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

The Final Girls (2015) Movie Review

 

The Final Girls opens on a fake movie trailer for a B-movie horror movie called Camp Bloodbath. It is a solid comic send up to 80’s slasher franchises such as Friday the 13th.

 

the-final-girls-malin-akerman-taissa-farmiga-thomas-middleditch-alia-shawkat-horror-comedy-film-2015-movie-review-angela-trimbur

 

Then we see the star of the film, Amanda Cartwright (Malin Akerman) and her daughter Max (Taissa Farmiga). She’s washed up but is just glad that she has her daughter in her life. Then, you know, she dies. Continue reading The Final Girls (2015) Movie Review →

Action/Thriller, All Movie Reviews, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) Movie Review

 

When Soviet and British submarines disappear, the KGB and MI6 make moves to investigate. Super spy James Bond (Roger Moore) is led to Egypt, where plans for a submarine tracking system are apparently on the black market.

 

the-spy-who-loved-me-james-bond-007-roger-moore-richard-kiel-jaws-barbara-bach-triple-x-movie-review-1977-spy-thriller-action-film-2015-SPECTRE

 

Bond’s travels turn into a cat and mouse game as he searches for contacts, only to find them murdered just prior to his arrival. The killer, Jaws (Richard Kiel), is one of the most Continue reading The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) Movie Review →

Action/Thriller, All Movie Reviews, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

Live and Let Die (1973) Movie Review

 

At a meeting of the United Nations in New York City, a man is killed mysteriously by a strange noise emitting through his ear-piece translator. In New Orleans, a man is stabbed and tossed into the middle of a funeral parade that just happens to be for him. In the Caribbean, a man tied up by locals is tied up and bitten by a poisonous snake during a ritual. Three men dead, and all three agents of British spy organization MI6.

 

live-and-let-die-james-bond-roger-moore-jane-seymour-yaphet-kotto-baron-samedi-skull-1973-spy-thriller-blaxploitation-action-movie-review-2015-SPECTRE

 

Enter James Bond (Roger Moore, in his first outing as the franchise spy). MI6 head M (Bernard Lee) and his assistant Moneypenny (Lois Maxwell) appear at Bonds doorstep to address the issue of agents dropping like flies. The scene is a comedic game of hide and seek, as Bond steers M away from discovering the naked woman in Bond’s bed. This, and the clever use of a magnetic watch, makes the entrance of Moore as Bond light and fun.

Continue reading Live and Let Die (1973) Movie Review →

All Movie Reviews, Comedy, Drama, Leave it, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

Steve Jobs (2015) Movie Review

 

Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs depicts the life of the computer innovator through three separate product launches, all depictions taking place seemingly moments before the show is set to begin.

 

steve-jobs-movie-2015-biopic-michael-fassbender-danny-boyle-aaron-sorkin-kate-winslet-katherine-waterston-sarah-snook-movie-review-drama-Oscars

 

When we first see Jobs (Michael Fassbender), it is with immediacy. Immediately frustrated. Immediately aggressive. Immediately demanding. All of this surrounding a simple issue: Continue reading Steve Jobs (2015) Movie Review →

All Movie Reviews, Comedy, Halloween Horror, Horror, Lists

Top Ten Horror Movies of the Past Ten Years

 

We’re well into October, the month dedicated to one of my personal favorite genres: Horror. As such, I am in the middle of a series of top ten lists highlighting some of the best horror films out there.

 

For this list I am going back to the year 2005 and recounting the single best horror film from each year of the past decade.

 

 

2005: The Descent

the-descent-british-horror-film-best-horror-movie-2005-2015-list-top-ten-halloween-october

This movie is terrifying. And, in a strange way, it feels like it would have been equally terrifying without the mutant cave cannibals. When six spelunkers get trapped inside a cave, they have to search for a second way out. Only, you know, there are mutant cave cannibals around. Before these pale monsters show up, though, there is still Continue reading Top Ten Horror Movies of the Past Ten Years →

Action/Thriller, All Movie Reviews, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

Diamonds Are Forever (1971) Movie Review

 

The cold open to Diamonds Are Forever depicts an angered James Bond (Sean Connery) roughing up a series of people in his search for terrorist supervillain and now arch-nemesis Blofeld (Charles Gray). He finally does find him and, seemingly, kills him. Whatever the case, Connery feels very tired in this scene when it comes to his line delivery.

 

diamonds-are-forever-james-bond-sean-connery-mr-kidd-mr-wint-henchmen-spy-thriller-spectre-blofeld-movie-review-1971

 

Following this exacted revenge, Bond is tapped on to impersonate a diamond smuggler. From this job, he encounters a strange cast of characters, including Continue reading Diamonds Are Forever (1971) Movie Review →

All Movie Reviews, Comedy, Halloween Horror, Horror, Lists

Top 10 Horror Movies You Haven’t Seen

 

October is upon us, and the tidings of the season are centered on one glorious, oh-so-beautiful word: Horror.

 

To pay homage to the genre that dominates the Halloween season, here are 10 horror films that you may have never heard of. In my opinion, these movies are under the radar and deserve a higher viewership.

 

Trick ‘r Treat

trick-r-treat-horror-anthology-best-movies-you've-never-seen-anna-paquin-brian-cox-dylan-baker-top-ten

There are plenty of anthology horror films out there, and some are better than others. What hinders most of them is the jerky narrative structure in which the segments do not have a cohesion to a larger arc. Trick ‘r Treat is different. Taking place in a small residential town, each segment of the film involves characters in the town on the night of Halloween. The characters’ stories overlap with each other, and the viewer is able to see Continue reading Top 10 Horror Movies You Haven’t Seen →