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tony-allen887
Reviews
Venom (2005)
Swamped
A few title changes, a few release date shifts and a trailer that debuted about a week before the films tiny release. Things didn't bode well for the film finally known as Venom.
First things first, Venom is nothing special. It's a run of the mill horror movie where the kids get bumped off after going to investigate the usual bumps and clanks in the darkness. The voodoo idea is nice but never fully realized. Of course films like this live and die on their villain. Ray is pretty poor thanks to the way he's shot. He has no personality and you never see him in full light.
The death scenes are tame with suggestion rather than actually seeing anything. There are a few decent ideas and I will give Director Jim Gillespie some credit for at least being able to shoot a film and create a nice atmosphere. Since 'Summer' the guy has got some bad luck with D-Tox and now this. From what I've seen he's a better director than the material he get's given.
By all means give it a look, it's 80-minutes of mindless entertainment but you'll probably forget straight afterwards.
Mindhunters (2004)
Hmmmm
Mindhunters was due for release in 2003, 2004 went and still the film has yet to see the light of day except in a few countries. It's a difficult movie to gauge as I was expecting a complete turkey.
However this movie is entertaining but be warned it has more holes in it than swiss cheese. Renny Harlin returns to Deep Blue Sea territory with a film that moves quite quickly from one set piece to another, never giving you time to think. That's just as well as every exotic death scene is quite thrilling but ultimately you have to ask how someone could have planned for the unknown and managed to pick off their victims by knowing exactly where they'd be and at what time.
On the acting side there's nothing special to shout about although Kathryn Morris comes away with some credit. Johnny Lee Miller's accent is grating.
I can see why this hasn't been released as critics will rip it apart. But then that can be said for most movies in it's genre. If you like dumb thrillers then it's worth a look.
If Only (2004)
A Bad Movie?...If Only!
Usually when a film sits on a shelf unreleased in countries such as the US and UK it usually means it's a real stinker and one which will never make any money.
If Only is a surprise purely because it's not a disaster. In fact it has a lot going for it. The film deals with losing love in tragic circumstances but then getting another chance to do things differently. Obviously it's fantasy but it's a compelling story that makes you think more after you've seen the film.
Jennifer Love Hewitt is sparky and very likable in the female lead while Paul Nicholls makes a good leap from the TV screen to the big screen. Together they have good chemistry and there are moments that make you smile, at other times you're feeling for the characters.
On the negative side some of the script is clunky when it comes to portraying the British, there's also some holes concerning time where our characters take a train to the lake district from London and spend several hours there before being back in London for 7pm. In reality that just wouldn't be the case. It also doesn't end when it should and instead tacks on a several months later scenario.
Ultimately If Only is a nice way to spend 90-minutes. I honestly believe that is this movie had been picked up and marketed to women around valentines day then it could have been a modest success. It's certainly better than some of the trash that get's a mainstream release these days.