Hugo (2011)

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This film is based off the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret written by Brian Selznick. Through unfortunate circumstances, Hugo Cabret is an orphan living alone in Gare Montparnasse railway station in Paris. Hugo spends his time working on the clocks in the station, working on an automan left to him from his father, and avoiding the station inspector. He meets a young girl, Isabelle, who holds a secret that will change his life forever. 

This film was directed by Martin Scorsese. This film is on the top ten list of several critics, and it is easy to see why. I was unable to view this film in 3D. This film makes reality into fantasy, and filmmaking into an art form. The reality of this film is present with innocence and magic. The story is unique in that Hugo is as much and adult as a child. It also uses a lot mechanical functions to tell its heartfelt messages. Each of the characters is given a small story that aids the plot. The backdrop of a classic train station was great. Instead of using the public areas of the train station, it keeps to the back and hidden areas. This film does use a lot of repetition to enforce the small details leading into the plot of the story. It is great to see hints of classic cinematography used in a film about the preservation of film. It is also shows a lesson on the preservation of classic films, and how there is magic in film. There are also some adorable dogs in this film. Asa Butterfield played the role of Hugo Cabret. He was great in this film. He gave his character so much heart that it gave the film its innocent emotion. Chloe Grace Moretz played the role of Isabelle. She did great in creating this childlike character. She gave the film its wonderment.

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! It is a great family film. Even with its repetitiveness, it tells a story with heart and wonder.

Answer to last blog: Director Nimrod Antal, Vacancy, directed the film Armored.

Que: What two actors featured in this film were in Harry Potter films?

Ray Winstone and Emily Mortimer 

Richard Griffiths and Frances de la Tour

Richard Griffiths and Emily Mortimer
Ray Winstone and Frances de la Tour

Vacancy

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A couple, Amy and David Fox, get stranded at an isolated motel. They quickly find hidden cameras in their room. If they can't escape they will become the victims of a snuff film.

This film was directed by Nimrod Antal. This film features more of its story than anything else-making it more of a thriller. This film doesn't have a lot of gore in it. It also doesn't feature any sex, or even nudity. There are also very few deaths. This makes it a bit of release from other recent horror films. There aren't any creepy scares, and very few jump in your seat scares. However, there is still something unnerving about it. This is a horror film made for people who don't enjoy hardcore horror films. I will also give the film props for having a really awesome poster. Kate Beckinsale played the role of Amy Fox. A change from her popular role of Selene. She was great at playing the damsel. Luke Wilson played the role of David Fox. This film allowed his character to do something different. He was allowed to think logically. He was good in this role. Frank Whaley played the role of Mason. He was great at creating a new image of the villain. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It is a good film that offers a break from nudity and gore. It might not have any over the top frights, but its good for non-horror fans to get scared. 

Answer to last blog: Actor Jaime Bell, The Adventures of Tintin, starred in the film The Eagle.

Que: What other film has director Nimrod Antal directed?

Armored
District 9
Up in the Air
The Hurt Locker

The Adventures of Tintin (The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn)

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This film is based off the comic series, titled The Adventures of TinTin, by Herge. Intrepid reporter Tintin purchases a replica of the infamous Unicorn ship that had gotten lost at sea. After the death of an FBI agent on his doorstep, Tintin is pulled into the strange mystery of the Unicorn ship with Captain Haddock. 

This film was directed by Steven Spielberg. This film combines three of the comic albums into a single story, which is why it has large amounts of information. It even has some that feel moderately unnecessary. Luckily, none of it is truly useless, because all the small details that are left ambiguous enough to aid in telling the film. This lively and ambitious film has a childhood spirit of Indiana Jones. There is constant tension and action in this film-great for children with short attention spans. Unfortunately, I did not get to see this film in 3-D. This film is told through computer animation and the use of a mocap. Even though the animation looks great, and brings a new layer to the backdrops, it doesn't give much for facial expressions. The character interactions also feel highly limited. Jaime Bell voiced the character Tintin. He was great in his role. He was able to keep his character mature, but full of childlike hope. Andy Serkis voiced the characters Captian Haddock and Sir Francis Haddock. He was great creating both voices-even if there was no actual difference between the two characters. He made the drunken character lovable. Daniel Craig voiced the characters Sakharine and Red Rackham. He was great in his dual roles. It was great watching him oppose to two main characters.

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! It is a great animated film for children, and even older audiences.

Answer to last blog: Director Daniel Stamm directed the original The Last Exorcism.

Que: What other film has actor Jaime Bell also starred in?

Drive
The Eagle
The Descendants
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

The Last Exorcism Part II

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This film is a sequel to the film The Last Exorcism. Nell Sweetzer begins to rebuild her life after traumatizing events. The evil force that once possessed her has returned with an even more horrific plan.

This film was directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly. This film does not present itself in found footage material like its predecessor.  However, this film does keep the same idea of keeping the truly horrific and graphic images to the audience's imagination. The story is basic. A girl is being haunted by a demon, so girl tries another last exorcism. Unfortunately, the exorcism itself was anticlimactic and very short. Apart from it being the title of the film, it felt unnecessary. The ending was fun to watch even if it did look highly computer animated. This film does play off the familiar horror tactics, and fails to bring anything new to the genre. Ashley Bell returned to the role of Nell Sweetzer. She was great reprising her role with the same level of creepiness as before.

I give this film 2 out of 5 stars! It has the potential, but fails to build up any real horror.

Answer to last blog: Director David Cronenberg, Cosmopolis, directed the film The Fly.

Que: Who direct the previous The Last Exorcism film?

Matt Reeves
James Wan
Joe Johnston
Daniel Stamm

Cosmopolis (2012)

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This film is based off the novel, of the same title, written by Don DeLillo. Eric Packer is a 28 year old currency speculator and asset manager that has become a multi-billionaire. He is driving through Manhattan, in a high tech luxury limo, to get his hair cut. However, his ride is troubled as a large threat is attempting to murder him. His ride is slowed with the arrival of the president, the death of a rap artist, and an anti-capitalist movement. This leads him to several meetings with his estranged wife, several sexual affairs, and  several conversations with people about life and beliefs.

This film was directed by David Cronenberg. This is definitely made for the cult fans of the novel. People with an interest in strange films, or highly speculative stories, will enjoy this film. Others will find it dull and highly unusual. The story is a type of odyssey. The simplification of the plot is that a young man with a fear of death is trying to find meaning in his life. Its complexities come from the unusual conversations he had with everyone involved in his life. Each of the conversations tackle very different subjects. Apart from finding knowledge in these conversations, the characters behave highly abnormally. They often speak in one manner, but do the opposite. The purpose of the drive is silly, but the hidden truth behind it is impressive. The ending is cliffhanger for speculation. Although, it is humorous to see how much damage a luxury limo can sustain. There is a lot of sex in this film, and some small amounts of violence. This film uses a surprisingly impressive cast for this film. Robert Pattinson played the role of Eric Packer. He is great for this role. He begins a little too dry, but grows more passionate as the film progress'. This really pulls him into another realm of acting. Unfortunately, most of his fan girls will only watch it for his characters nudity. 

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! Even if this film is dull, its complex story makes it unique. This film does apply more to cult followers of the novel. 

Answer to last blog: Actor Kyle Gallner, Red State, starred in the horror remake A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Que: What other film has director David Cronenberg directed?

Aliens
A Room with a View
The Fly
The Mission

Red State (2011)

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Three friends (Travis, Bill-Ray, and Jarod) follow an online advertisement for a night of sex. Instead, they find themselves trapped in the hands of murdering religious zealot family led by Abin Cooper. While they are attempting to survive, police forces arrive to take done the family of the Five Points Trinity Church. 

This film was written and directed by Kevin Smith. There was some controversy over the independent films distribution rights. This film offers a unique perspective on highly religious bigots and how the government handles these situations. In many ways it feels like an attack on government and church. It begins with a good horror perspective. But with its several moments of dark humor, it fails to work as a horror, or even a thriller. It ends as a comedic mishap. Beginning one way, and ending in a very different direction, made the film feel kind of unfocused. This film, particularly its ending, keeps it from reaching an either good or bad impact. At most this film feels mostly preachy. Visually it is a good film to enjoy. There is plenty of violence in this film. Kyle Gallner played the role of Jarod. He was good in his simple role. As the film progressed, his character felt less and less important. Michael Parks played the role of Abin Cooper. He was great in his role of a zealot preacher. He was able to present an accurate portrayal of an inner madness. Kaylee Defer played the role of Dana. She was good in her small role. 

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a good general film about the dangers of a church and state. But it does feel lost to its own preaching and humor.

Answer to last blog: Actor Michael Chiklis, Parker, lent his voice to the animated film Spirited Away.

Que: What horror movie remake did actor Kyle Gallner star in?

A Nightmare on Elm Street
Friday the 13th
Halloween
The Crazies

Parker (2013)

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This is adapted from the novel Flashfire written by Donald E. Westlake. Parker is a thief with a strange code of ethics. After his team double crosses him and leaves him for dead, Parker decides to hijack the crew's latest heist. Parker finds himself taking in the assistance of Leslie Rodgers for this job.

This film was directed by Taylor Hackford. This film is very generic and predictable for a crime thriller film. The story is changed up by creating a thief with Robin Hood like ethics. The villains are highly predictable, and easily understood. The main bad guy that everyone fears, in the end, appears way too weak. With a highly powerful main character, that can never actually be stopped (no matter the injury), there is no reason to fear the villains. Leslie is the brought in purely for comedic relief and eye candy. Without any real danger, and clean cut violence, the film becomes a bore rather quickly. However, there is plenty of blood in this film. The action, even if it is clean cut, is good on screen. Interestingly, there is nudity in this film, but it only hints at sex. However, the actors did fit their roles really well. Jason Statham played the role of Parker. Bringing his action star into this film was great. He made the character believable on some level, and invincible. He showed the character's determination through all forms of bodily damage. Jennifer Lopez played the role of Leslie Rodgers. She was good in her generic role. She kept her character non-glamorous, but very comical. Michael Chiklis played the role of Melander. He was great as the villain opposing Statham.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a decent action film full of comedy and violence. This film is highly generic and predictable.

Answer to last blog: Actor Michael Pena, End of Watch, starred in the 2011 film The Lincoln Lawyer.

Que: What animated feature did actor Michael Chiklis lend his voice to?

Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Metropolis
Haunted Castle
Spirited Away

End of Watch

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This film follows police officers Brian Taylor and Mike Zavala on their daily grind in LA. These two partners and friends find themselves trapped in criminal forces beyond their control.

This film was directed by David Ayer. This film is shot primarily documentary style. It appears to be shot from the perspective of Taylor. But it gets confusing when other segments are thrown in not filmed by Taylor. They're pulled in to help explain more of the story. Telling the story through this perspective does make it feel more realistic, but it gets confusing as to where all these other shots came from. The story is simple, two cops facing a dangerous gang that is involved with a drug cartel. Dominantly following these two characters pulls you into their story. There is something about the way the story is done that makes it feel honest. There is some sex, a lot of violence, and lots of swearing in this film. Most of the dialogue contains some type of swearing. The action in this film is mostly shootings, but it feels more realistic. Jake Gyllenhaal played the role of Brian Taylor. Michael Pena played the role of Mike Zavala. They did great bringing an unexpected emotional light to their characters. It is easy to see them as close friends. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It is a good police drama film. There is plenty of honesty in the film.

Answer to last blog: Actor Dakota Goyo, Dark Skies, starred in the film Thor.

Que: What 2011 film did actor Michael Pena star in?

The Lincoln Lawyer
Drive
The Tree of Life
Moneyball

Dark Skies (2013)

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The Barrett family's peaceful life in the suburbs is falling apart when someone begins breaking into their home. They are soon confronted by a strange alien force that is coming to take one of them.

This film was directed by Scott Stewart. This film is meant to be a science fiction horror thriller based around UFO conspiracy theories. This film doesn't have much in the way of horror, because the techniques have been overused. In some aspect the techniques aren't used in the appropriate places to create real scares. The film is also too predictable to be a thriller. If you really follow the story it is easy to figure out what will happen. As an average alien abduction film it is good. It shows a happy family that fell into some unexpected hard times, and how they manage to stay together through these hard times. This film doesn't have any gore, and very little blood. There also isn't any sex in this film, but there is hints. There are brief moments when you get to see the aliens. They look unusual in the film, but a little creepy. The cast did a good job playing the average family roles. Keri Russell played the role of Lacy Barrett. She was good in carrying the film. Josh Hamilton played the role of Daniel Barrett. He was good in his general role. Dakota Goyo played the role of Jesse Barrett. He was good in this role of a troubled teenager. Kadan Rockett played the role of Sam Barrett. He was good in this role for his age. He did offer the film some actual creepiness.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a good general film about UFO conspiracies. However, it can't live up to being a horror, or thriller, film.

Answer to last blog: Actor Anthony Mackie, Pain and Gain, also starred in the film Real Steel in 2011.

Que: What Superhero film did actor Dakota Goyo star in?

Iron Man 3
Thor
The Avengers
The Green Lantern

Pain & Gain

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This film is based on the novel Pain & Gain: This is a True Story written by Pete Collins. It exploits of the Sun Gym Gang. Daniel Lugo leads two idealists, Paul Doyle and Adrian "Noel" Doorbal, to kidnap Victor Kershaw in order to extort his finances and properties. This kidnap quickly goes wrong after Kershaw discovers his attackers identities. 

This film was directed by Michael Bay. This film, like most other films, changes the small details of the story while keeping the major events. Like the use of one characters to replace several others. These changes has create controversy, because they tend to make the killers appear more sympathetic. This film's story is moderately honest and thought provoking. It plays off people wanting an easy route to living the American dream. Even if there is some sympathy made for the killers it is kept minimal. It can get confusing as to who the main character is meant to be in this film, because most of the characters have an opening and closing monologue. In truth, the characters history did not need to be explained for every monitory important character. This film has a lot of violence masked in comedy. The films cinematography gives it more of a documentary comedy feel. Oddly, there is also a lot of comedy used from homophobia. A lot of the characters are hard to like, because of their on screen personalities. Mark Wahlberg played the role of Daniel Lugo. He created the perfect image of an idiotic over achiever. However, there is ultimately nothing appealing about his character; even though the rest of the characters claim him to be likable. Dwayne Johnson played the role of Paul Doyle. He was perfect for this unusual comedic role. Anthony Mackie played the role of Adrian "Noel" Doorbal. He was good, but failed to stand out from the rest of the cast. Tony Shalhoub played the role of Victor Kershaw. He was great in one of the most unflattering roles. He had the difficult job of creating a horrible victim. 

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a decent film depicting a dark mark in Miami history. It does offer some food for thought, but it misuses of comedy to lighten its dark tone.

Answer to last blog: Actress Juno Temple, The Brass Teapot, also starred in the film Mr. Nobody.

Que: Which of these films did actor Anthony Mackie star in the year 2011?

Man on a Ledge
Real Steel
Eagle Eye
Gangster Squad

The Brass Teapot

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This film is based off a short story written by Tim Macy. A young impoverished couple, Alice and John Macy, come across a strange brass teapot that gives money when either one of them becomes injured. They quickly learn that there is something much darker at work when the teapot begins to demand more.

This film was directed by Ramaa Mosley. This is the director's first major film. This film is marked as a comedy. But it follows a very dark plot that is lightened with comedy. Its comedy is purely slap stick. The moral of the story is obvious-greed is bad. Since the humor is so slap stick, it is hard to see the dark moral. This films story does great in using modern economic problems to propel its story. It also asks the question how far an average person is willing to go for money. Although, it is impressive how much damage they did to themselves with very little scaring or disfigurement. It is also impressive that they managed to remain married by the end of the film. There is a lot of violence in this film, and some sexuality. The characters are well defined, and are humorous in their own nature. Juno Temple played the role of Alice Macy. She was good showing her characters spiral into greedy madness. Michael Angarano played the role of John Macy. He was good in keeping the moral of the story present. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It is a well thought dark comedy film. Apart from screaming its moral story, it is full of comedic heart.

Answer to last blog: Actor Matthew Fox, Alex Cross, also starred in the popular television series Lost.

Que: What other film has actress Juno Temple starred in?

The Hurt Locker
(500) Days of Summer
A Series Man
Mr. Nobody

Alex Cross (2012)

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This film is based off the character Alex Cross created by James Patterson, and is the character's third film appearance. Psychologist and police lieutenant Alex Cross is called in to investigate a murder and torture incident of a young woman. This pulls Cross and his team, Thomas Kane and Monica Ashe, into a pursuit of a deranged killer nicknamed Picasso. Only now, Picasso makes his attack personal by murdering Cross' wife and one of his associates. 

This film was directed by Rob Cohen. This film was made to be a an action and crime mystery film, but there is no real mystery to it. The villain is quickly identified and established. There is also no breadcrumbs to provide the mystery of who hired the assassin was. That being said the story is highly predictable for these types of films. However, for a twist it ends on a surprising dark note. Unfortunately, it leaves an uneasy look at the character who was made to be the perfect hero. There is some major violence in this film, but a lot of it is hinted at. This violence did lead to some controversy with United Airlines. Anyway, there is a lot of fast paced action that suits the film. There isn't much emotional connection created for the characters, and many of them remain too stereotypical. Tyler Perry played the role of Alex Cross. He gave Alex Cross a softer feel. Edward Burns played the role of Thomas Kane. His character constantly gave the impression that he was unneeded for anything. Matthew Fox played the role of Picasso. He was good as the deranged killer. Unlike most modern films, he gave no reason to like his character.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a good general detective action film. It only fails in that there is no sympathy for the characters and the story is predictable.

Answer to last blog: Actress Leven Ramblin, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, also starred in the film The Hunger Games.

Que: What popular television show is actor Matthew Fox from?

Supernatural
Lost
Game of Thrones
Walking Dead

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

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This film is based off the series Percy Jackson & the Olympians: Sea of Monsters written by Rick Riordan, and is a sequel to the film Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief. Years ago, Thalia (daughter of Zeus) sacrificed herself for her friends safety. To save her, Zeus turned Thalia into a tree that provided a protective barrier around camp half-blood. Luke, son of Hermes, has returned to camp half-blood and broken the magical barrier leaving Thalia to slowly wither away. Percy and his friends (Grover and Annabeth) and his cyclops half brother (Tyson) must find the golden fleece to rescue Thalia and stop Luke.

This film was directed by Thor Freudenthal. Fans of the novels may not enjoy this film, because it does not remain wholly faithful to the novels. This film takes on a much darker story than the previous. Many of the films sequences and monster keep that dark tone. It also relies heavily on fast paced action with limited dialogue. The few lines of dialogue are used to explain small needed details and minimal heartfelt messages. There is little character development for the secondary characters apart from the obvious. The plot does feel calculated in its delivery. This keeps true to using ancient greek mythology in new ways. There a lot more mythical creatures used in this film. Therefore, a lot more computer animation was used. The computer animation was well done for the film. The creatures were given some unique stylizations. Unfortunately, the returning characters were kept to minimal because more time was spent on creating the new characters. 

Logan Lerman returned to his role of Percy Jackson. He was good in his generic hero role. Leven Rambin played the role of Clarisse. She gave the series a lovable and dispicable character. Douglas Smith played the role of Tyson. He gave the film some heart. Even if his character was highly predictable. Jake Abel returned to his role of Luke. He was a good villain to oppose Jackson. However, his character continues to be a villain for the sake of being a villain. Alexandra Daddario returned to her role of Annabeth. Her character almost felt non-existent in this film. She was lifeless and without purpose. Brandon T. Jackson returned to his role as Grover. His small role felt unimportant to the film. Which unfortunate since he is Percy Jackson's best friend.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a good action packed film for younger audiences. There are several dark sequences that might frighten some viewers.

Answer to last blog: Peter Chung directed the animated feature The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury.

Que: What other film has actress Leven Rambin starred in?

Twilight: Breaking Dawn
The Hunger Games
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

Riddick (2013)

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This film is the fourth installment to Riddick franchise. Richard B. Riddick finds himself stranded on a sun-scorched alien planet. Riddick fights alien creatures in order to survive. As a last minute plan, he sends out a distress beacon for a shuttle. One carries a bounty hunter, Santana, and the other carries a man from his past, Boss Johns. Riddick must escape before large amounts of rainfall cause rise to several volatile alien creatures. 

This film was directed by David Twohy. He is the director for the original two live action films. This film's story returns to the basics that audiences are familiar with and enjoyed with Pitch Black. However, it fails to inform audiences about the past events that actually occurred in the previous three films. This leaves the opening of the film confusing to newcomers of the series. The story as more mention of sex than any of the other previous films, but it is only hinted at. The story also presents more of a softer side to Riddick than the others. Riddick does maintain his carnal anger that leads to plenty of film violence and action. Riddick also continues to find ways to break most all of the rules of natural physics. Most of the action is kind of a blur, but it is thrilling to see on screen. There is a lot of computer animation in the film, but it works well. The planet it well created. The monsters are familiar to the monsters from the film Pitch Black. The dog was not only adorable, but well created. The limited dialogue used doesn't open the characters from being the stereotypical action film characters. Vin Diesel returned to his role of Richard B. Riddick. He was great reprising his role. Unfortunately, he spent a lot of time growling and pissing people off. Matt Nable played the role of Boss Johns. His character was too unfavorable to be liked. Jordi Molla played the role of Santana. He was a little too obvious being the butt hole character, but he was great at it. Katee Sackhoff played the role of Dahl. She was the sexuality in the film. However her character did offer the twist of being a bad-ass fighter.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a good action filled science fiction flick with limited dialogue and character development. 

Answer to last blog: Kim Henkel co-created the original Texas Chainsaw film with Tobe Hooper.

Que: Who directed the animated film The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury?

Andrew Adamson
Brad Bird
Bibo Bergeron
Peter Chung

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

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This film is a remake of the 1974 film, of the same title, created by Tobe Hoooper. Five friends, Erin, Morgan, Andy, Pepper, and Kemper pick up a traumatized hitchhiker who commits suicide. They seek the aid of the local Sheriff. They are quickly pulled into an abandoned town with a murdering family and a chainsaw wielding psychopath. 

This film was directed by Marcus Nispel. This film is the darker and grittier remake of the original 1974 film. This film changes a lot of the original story. This film's horror doesn't just come from the iconic horror character Leatherface, but also from the family. It keeps a lot of the familiar themes from the original, but leaves out the dark humor. It also creates an all new set of horror characters that carry onto the prequel.The story does build more of a connection with it characters, and offers a warning about helping strangers.  It also plays off the ideal that this is based off true events. This film is violently gory, but with little nudity. The most nudity in this film is a white shirt that might as well not be there. Jessica Biel played the role of Erin. She did good in creating the heroine. Andrew Bryniarski played the role of Thomas Brown Hewitt/Leatherface. He was great in re-creating the iconic image. R. Lee Ermey played the role of Sheriff Hoyt. He was great in creating a villain to control Leatherface. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It is a good horror film for modern audiences. It also brought back a familiar icon, and led to several new modern horror remakes.

Answer to last blog: Actor R. Lee Ermey, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, also lent his voice to the film Toy Story.

Que: Who was the co-creator of this franchise with Tobe Hooper?

James Wan
Kim Henkel
Wes Craven
Debra Hill

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

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This film serves as a prequel to the 2003 film,The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and is part of the Chainsaw franchise created in 1974 by Tobe Hooper. Dean and Eric are on one last road trip with their girlfriends, Chrissie and Baily, before having to join the Vietnam War. On their way they get into an unexpected accident that calls the attention of the local sheriff. They soon discover that in this secluded town no-one is safe, and come face to face with the rising of the monster Leatherface.

This film was directed by Jonathan Liebesman. This film follows the events of the 2003 remake instead of the original franchise. Following the darker grittier story, it explains how the familiar characters became what they were. This film spends more time explaining how everyone became themselves than it does building up true horror scares. The story also continues to play off the ideal that this was based off real events. The ending was odd. It had a hopeful ending that turned bloody way too fast. There is a plenty of bloody gore, and chilling violence. It also present the family in a different light while keeping Leatherface almost inhuman. There is some minor nudity in the film, but not much. Jordana Brewster played the role of Chrissie. She was good in her role as the heroine. Her character was kept limited by the story. R. Lee Ermey played the role of Uncle Charlie Hewitt/Sheriff Hoyt. He was great in his role. Unfortunately, his character out shinned the villian icon. Andrew Bryniarski played the role of Thomas Brown Hewitt/Leatherface. He did good in creating the beginning of the iconic character.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! This film is a good start for the franchise. It gives the villains more of a backstory for the remake.

Answer to last blog: Director John Luessenhop, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D, also directed the film Lockdown.

Que: What other film has actor R. Lee Ermey starred in?

Casper
Die Hard with a Vengenance
Toy Story
Heat

Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013)

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This is the seventh sequel to the 1974 film created by Tobe Hooper. Heather Miller travels to Newt, Texas with her friends to collect her inheritance; a house. However, she quickly discovers that the house and the town are filled with secrets. Including a chainsaw wielding killer known as Leatherface, or Jedidiah who is part of the reward. 

This film was directed by John Luessenhop. This film directly follows after the events of the original 1974 film. Therefore, this film's story is very different from the 2003 remake and the 2006 prequel. This film attempts to maintains some of the dark humor from the original. It attempts to turn Leatherface into an anti-hero. By doing so the film turns more into a family blood feud than anything else. Most of the characters remain stereotypical to horror genre, so there is no real characterization. The two main female leads spend the majority of the film always close to completely nude, and the male leads are there to be there. The story does keep the familiar themes with the franchise. It was great seeing this film pay homage to the original with old scenes used to open the film. With that being said, obviously this film has a lot of gore and sexual nudity. There are some jump scares if for 3D viewers, but not enough general scares. There is a chilling factor. Most of the major violence looks too computer animated to be believed. Alexandra Daddario played the role of Heather Miller. She did good in shattering any innocent image she had. For the most part she plays the character close to nude, and falls at every chance available. Dan Yeager played the role of Leatherface/Jedidiah. He was good in his role as the villain, but he lacked that terrifying on-screen presence. 

I give this film 2 stars out of 5! It fails to provide any real horror movie scares. The lack of characterization makes it hard to feel for them. There are some good scares for 3D viewers, and it carries a lot of the familiar themes from the original.

Answer to last blog: Actor Robert Sheehan, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, also starred in the film Season of the Witch.

Que: What other film was directed by John Luessenhop?

Memento
Battle Royale
American Psycho
Lockdown