I got chills watching the re-mastered Tobe Hooper classic run through the opening credits of this latest entry to Leatherface's legacy however, nothing that followed even came close to that. I really wanted to like this film but there was just far too much to overlook, even in a "so bad it's good" fashion. Every horrible cliche in the book comes out here. So much so that it feels like you're watching Scary Movie 5...[more]...

I don't know why every character needs a back story but apparently people like origin stories, or they wouldn't keep making them. I just don't know who those people are. And while I love the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and any excuse to get Leatherface more time on the big screen, this is definitely one of those instances where the more mystery there is about a character, the better.

That goes double for R. Lee Ermey's character developed in the 2003 Texas Chainsaw Massacre. He's incredibly unnerving and terrifyingly effective in his role but when they explain how he got his sherif outfit, it doesn't really add up that he was able to kill an entire police force without repercussions for that long. It just kind of dampers the entire film.

Which, all things considered, isn't all that bad. It's a harmless affair that isn't really striking in one way or another. Ultimately, it just feels unnecessary. It could have just as easily been a sequel rather than a prequel. But whatever. It's watchable, just not memorable.

Without question, this is the best film Platinum Dunes has shat out over their past decade of defiling horror classics and is in large part why I was so disappointed with every production that followed this. It doesn't attempt to outdo the original in any way and adds a lot of incredibly fun and creepy folklore to the source inspiration...[more]...

The third film in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series attempts to revert back to the serious tone of the original film but without the dark humor sprinkled throughout, the film lacks the forward momentum that the first two films had. All of the suspense is gone because we know what's coming, so the long build up only hinders the film rather than enhance the payoff as it's intended.

Easily the acting highlight of this picture was a young Viggo Mortenson playing an out of his mind, and at times pretty damn scary, member of the cannibalistic family. But other than that, most of the scares rely on the gore and newly improved / oddly shiny and long chainsaw. Neither of which is very effective.

The direction is pretty pedestrian and predictable, as is the storyline itself. Leatherface started out as a revolutionary of the genre and now it seems he's fallen to the ranks of the rest of the horror icons, serving only as a figurehead in subpar sequels to sell merchandise.

As you can probably guess from the Breakfast Club parody poster, this follow up to the 70's horror classic is a much lighter affair. Tobe Hooper returns as the director but the tone is nowhere near the original's. It's almost more of a dark comedy this time around. However, if you're fine with this not being a straight horror flick, you can definitely find yourself having a good time with this movie...[more]...

A lot of films get credit for originating the 'slasher' sub genre but I think without a doubt the three most prominent forefathers of modern horror are Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, Bob Clark's Black Christmas, and Tobe Hooper's original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The gritty DIY filmmaking approach makes this film even more raw and unnerving than it's brutal subject matter, making it a staple in modern horror history...[more]...

Siskel and Ebert condemned the original Silent Night, Deadly Night as one of the most despicable movies they'd ever seen but I think they may welcome a second viewing of the first film as opposed to sitting through 2012's Silent Night more than once. It's a cheap lowbrow slasher with dreadful acting from everyone involved (you too McDowell) and an incredibly weak plot line...[more]...

The last time Stoller and Segel teamed up we got ourselves one hell of a hilarious and heartfelt romantic comedy which brilliantly matched side splitting characters with emotionally invested situations. The Five Year Engagement, much like the titular Engagement between Segel and Blunt, is stretched far too thin and spends too much time trying to build a dramatic relationship with some ridiculously cheesy attempts at humor. Not consistently funny enough to be a comedy and not serious enough to be a drama, the Five Year Engagement finds itself in romantic comedy limbo...[more]...

I don't know why you'd expect this film to be a comedic "Avengers". Vaughn has been in a rom-com slump since the Break Up, Jonah Hill is only good in supporting roles, and Ben Stiller wore out his welcome along time ago. But in contrast to that giant bitch fit and the slew of negative feedback this film received upon it's release, I actually enjoyed this film quite a bit...[more]...

Sinister looked like it had great potential. The story was phenomenal and Ethan Hawke was as brilliant as ever. But nothing about it scared me. The aesthetics of it all felt off and the weird slow motion kids just didn't work. It felt like it would have been much better off as a Stephen King short than a feature length film...[more]...

I really can't recall another film in which the ending cheapened the entire experience so much that a potentially great story is turned into nothing more than an exercise in mental masturbation. It's such a cop out twist ending that it's simultaneously unbelievable and infuriating once the credits roll that the filmmakers actually presented this as an acceptable way to wrap up everything this film was building towards.

And what it was building towards felt awesome. The performances from Cillian Murphy, Elizabeth Olsen, and especially Sigourney Weaver are phenomenal. The characters are incredibly well developed and the storyline about faith and exposing what people want to believe felt like it was all moving in an incredibly interesting direction.

However, once you're finally left in the climactic confrontation between Murphy and DeNiro in which you hope all the answers and symbolism is about to be wrapped up in some ingenious way finally hits - you get the biggest insult imaginable. It leaves so many plot holes unexplained and feels like the script was written into a corner and chose the easiest possible way out. A slap in the face to the audience's intelligence and an instant defamation to a potentially deep and thought provoking thriller.

I'll admit it, I'm an Adam Sandler apologist. I love the guy. Seeing what he's capable in stuff like Punch Drunk Love and Reign Over Me only furthered my support for Mr. Happy Madison. However, there's no denying the dry streak he's been on as of late. Outside of the aforementioned Reign Over Me and the criminally underrated Funny People, Sandler hasn't made a decent comedy since Mr. Deeds (which is disputable as well). And while That's My Boy isn't a return to glory for the once great comedian, it's certainly a huge step in the right direction...[more]...

I love Aubrey Plaza. She's adorable. She's hilarious. I'm glad she finally got a starring role. It's just a little disappointing this movie wasn't better. But it's really not her fault, so I hope to see her in something else soon...[more]...

Cameron Crowe did a phenomenal job of capturing the 1980's generation in writing Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Say Anything but his attempt at doing the same with the '90s in Singles lacks the heart and characters that made his previous efforts classics of their time...[more]...

Logan's run is kind of brilliant. The story alone is ripe for a remake and if the rumors are true surrounding Nichols Winding Refn's take on this, I can't fucking wait. The film appears to be a "big budget" special effects film of its time but honestly, the effects are the only thing holding this back from being a classic take on modern society...[more]...

Why is it so hard to make a good holiday movie these days? The eighties had Christmas Vacation, Christmas Story, Gremlins, Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Hell, even the nineties had Home Alone. But other than Elf, the 00's had more misses than hits in the holiday genre. And while Polar Express isn't as bad as most of them, it's still a gleaming example of the mediocrity that flourished in a decade without any Christmas spirit...[more]...

Boy am I glad to see Robert Zemeckis doing something other than that motion capture stuff he was stuck on there for a while. And Flight was just the right movie for him to make his return to Oscar caliber dramatics. And even though the story drags far too long, the film is still quite entertaining. If for nothing else, the heartbreaking performance by Denzel Washington...[more]...

Stuff like this creeps me out. Dummys, dolls, that clown from Poltergeist. I don't know why. Logically they're small, so in real life you could just punt the bastard out the back door or chuck him in a wood chipper and be done with it. But it still freaks me out. I don't care...[more]...

When I heard the premise and casting of Kevin Bacon, I was fucking all in on this movie. This is just the kind of role I pictured Bacon thriving in. But after finally seeing it, I think he may have been one of the film's biggest flaws. His performance, especially immediately after his son is killed, is so bad it takes you out of the movie. Sorry Kevin...[more]...

Silent Night, Deadly Night is actually a pretty well written slasher. The character's development is incredibly well done right up to the point where he actually begins his killing spree. Then the film devolves into the typical 80's slasher stereotype and the storyline goes completely out the window...[more]...