Mel’s 5 Second Review: Jennifer’s Body

Jennifer’s Body
(2009) Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, Adam Brody, Kyle Gallner, Sal Cortez, Ryan Levine, Juan Riedinger, Chris Pratt, JK Simmons and Amy Sedaris

jennifer's body

Looking past Megan Fox’s “acting”, I actually quite enjoyed Jennifer’s Body. No, obviously, it’s not Shakespeare, but really, it wasn’t trying to be. This a story about a teenage girl who gets possessed by an evil spirit and starts eating the high school boys, for heaven’s sake. What on earth were you expecting? Taken as what it is, it’s quite a fun little film. The perfect popcorn flick. With the added bonus of a lot of eye candy. Seriously, where do all these kids come from? There were no Megan Fox’s or Amanda Seyfried’s, or Kyle Gallner’s even, in my high school! But I digress… So yeah, put your brain on pause, make a giant bowl of popcorn and give it a whirl. It’s a fun 7.5/10.

This movie is currently streaming on Netflix. Enjoy! ๐Ÿ™‚

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M.

Mel’s 5 Second Review: The Haunting in Connecticut

The Haunting in Connecticut
(2009) Virginia Madsen, Kyle Gallner, Elias Koteas, Martin Donovan, Amanda Crew, Sophi Knight, Ty Wood, Erik Berg, John Bluethner, John B Lowe and DW Brown

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For a film with such a generic title, it was pretty darn good. Great story (that I don’t believe for a second is true, but that’s besides the point), great acting, great everything. Scary too. It’s strange sometimes the things that end up scaring you the most. I can watch lots of different kinds of horror and not be fazed, but every so often, one film comes along that just hits every nerve just right (or should that be just wrong?) But I’m glad I discovered it nonetheless. Now that I’m massively creeped out though, it’s time to watch a chick flick. Or a kid’s film. Or funny cats on YouTube. Anything to change my mind from those creepy freaking ghosts! hehe. I give it a great 8.5/10.

This film (and its sequel, which I still haven’t seen) is currently streaming on Netflix if you’re in the mood for a scary good time! Enjoy! ๐Ÿ™‚

M.

Mel’s 5 Second Review: Dark House

Dark House
(2009) Jeffrey Combs, Meghan Ory, Diane Louise Salinger, Matt Cohen, Shelly Cole, Danso Gordon, Ryan Melander, Bevin Prince, Erin Cummings and Ian Reed Kesler

Dark_House

A campy, scary good time. Jeffrey Combs, even after all these years, is still awesome! The effects aren’t all that great, the acting is pretty shaky overall, but the story is interesting and, best of all, it’s got that late 80’s, early 90’s charm. Who says camp is dead?? Hehe ๐Ÿ˜€ A very fun 7.5/10.

This movie is currently streaming on Netflix. Enjoy! ๐Ÿ™‚

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M.

Mel’s 5 Second Review: Fright Night

Fright Night
(2011) Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, David Tennant, Imogen Poots,Toni Collette, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Dave Franco, Reid Ewing and Sandra Vergara

FRIGHT NIGHT

Everyone seems to have hated the remake of Fright Night, but I enjoyed it. No, obviously it doesn’t hold a candle to the original, but I was still entertained. Plus David Tennant and Colin Farrell on the same screen? Really, what’s not to like there? hehe. I was a bit upset by what they did to Charley’s character (making him the type of guy who would dump his best friend for a blonde piece of tail), I found it made him much less sympathetic, and made his final scene with Ed much less poignant than it should have been. But despite Colin Farrell’s sexiness, it’s really David Tennant who steals the show. His Peter Vincent was a perfect modern updating of the character. I give it a solid 7.5/10.

The film is currently streaming on Netflix. If you haven’t seen it, go ahead and give it a chance. If you don’t sit there comparing every detail to the original, I’m sure you’d be pleasantly surprised.

M.

Mel’s 5 Second Review: The Innkeepers

The Innkeepers
(2011) Sara Paxton, Pat Healy, Kelly McGinnis, George Riddle and Brenda Cooney

innkeepers

Nice quiet horror film. Takes it’s time getting anywhere, but the ride is fun nonetheless. The acting is much better than I’d expected for such a low-budget indie film, and that was a pleasant surprise. I was hoping that it’d be scarier than it was (my heart-rate barely changed, hehe), but it was still a pleasant watch. I give it a solid 7/10.

This movie is currently streaming on Netflix. Enjoy! ๐Ÿ™‚

M.

Mel’s 5 Second Review: The Fourth Kind

The Fourth Kind
(2009) Milla Jovovich, Will Patton, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Corey Johnson, Enzo Cilenti, Elias Koteas, Eric Loren, Mia McKenna-Bruce, Raphaรซl Coleman and Charlotte Milchard

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So, this is a pretty big meh. Had a few good scenes, but nothing spectacular. Also the “actual footage” thing only works when said footage is real. The “real” Dr Taylor is played by an actress named Charlotte Milchard. That kinda kills the whole credibility thing. I had heard that the film was really scary, so my expectations were pretty high when I started watching it. Needless to say, my expectations were nowhere near met. A very disappointing 5/10.

This movie is currently streaming on Netflix, if you don’t wanna take my word for it.

M.

Mel’s 5 Second Review: Stigmata

Stigmata
(1999) Patricia Arquette, Gabriel Byrne, Jonathan Pryce, Nia Long, Thomas Kopache, Rade Serbedzija, Dick Latessa, Portia de Rossi, and Enrico Colantoni

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The critics hated this film, audiences were torn (it’s one of those love it or hate it types), and me? I was on the love it side, all the way. In fact, I loved it so much that I named one of my cats Frankie! hehe There isn’t anything I didn’t like about the film. The actors were great (not Daniel Day-Lewis or Meryl Streep great, but still very good), the story was interesting, the visuals were beautiful, and, to top it all off, it’s got a bitchin’ soundtrack, featuring Chumbawamba (no, not thatย song), Massive Attack, Bjรถrk and David Bowie, and with aย score written in part by The Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan. It’s a great movie with a great message. Plus, it’s got Gabriel Byrne playing a disturbingly sexy priest. He alone would have made the movie, so the fact that it’s awesome is just plain gravy, hehe. So, obviously, it gets a big ol’ 10/10 from me.

This movie is currently streaming on Netflix. Enjoy! ๐Ÿ™‚

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M.

Mel’s 5 Second Review: Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow
(1999) Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Jeffrey Jones, Casper van Dien, Richard Griffiths, Michael Gough, Marc Pickering, Lisa Marie, Ian McDiarmid and Christopher Walken

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I absolutely adore this film. This is Burton and Depp at their very best, when the creative mojo was still mojoing, and they were still making terrific pictures together. The scenery is dark and brooding, the characters are all captivating, and Johnny Depp is, of course, absolutely gorgeous (as is his co-star Christina Ricci). I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve watched this film, but I wouldn’t even be surprised if it was in the three figures. And my enjoyment of it has never faded. If you haven’t seen this and and are looking for an atmospheric horror flick, but don’t like a lot of splatter, then I reccomend this to you very highly. It walks that tightrope line of bringing some dark humour to the film, without making it silly. Harder to do than you might think, judging the number of really effective horror comedies out there (not that this is a comedy, but anyways..). If I could give it an 11, I would, but as it is, it gets 10/10.

This film is currently on Netflix. Enjoy!

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M.

Mel’s 5 Second Review: Frailty

Frailty
(2001)Bill Paxton, Matthew McConaughey, Matt O’Leary, Jeremy Sumpter, Luke Askew and Powers Boothe

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I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first popped this film into the machine. I hadn’t seen a trailer and was just going by what was written on the box. I’m happy to report that it blew all of my expectations (or lack thereof) right out of the water. It was absolutely brilliant. Well written, incredibly acted, a wonderfully creepy story with a killer twist, before twists were a dime a dozen. If you haven’t seen this little gem, I highly reccomend it. It gets a 10/10 from me. Just wonderful.

This movie is currently on Netflix. Enjoy! ๐Ÿ™‚

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M.

Mel’s 5 Second Review: Maniac

Maniac
(2013) Elijah Wood, Nora Arnezeder, Megan Duffy, Jan Broberg Felt, Joshua de la Garza, America Olivo, Liane Balaban, and Genevieve Alexandra

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The “see through the eyes of the killer” aspect was interesting, and well done, but unfortunately it was the only thing this picture had going for it. I spent the majority of my time humming and hawing. Elijah Wood was amazing, as usual, but I dunno. The film just didn’t grip me. I didn’t care about the characters, and, biggest turn off of all I guess, I just don’t really like these “violence for nothing” films. Which is a little strange, considering how much true crime stuff I watch, but in movies, I just really need a reason more than just insanity. So for me, it gets 3/10, and that’s cause I’m feeling generous, and I like Elijah Wood.

This movie is currently on Netflix. Watch at your own peril.

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M.