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Dawn Of The Dead 2004

Certificate 18

Released on DVD to Rent or Buy

Starring Ving Rhames and Sarah Polley

Screenplay James Gunn

Directed By Zach Snyder

Sorted Quote:

"How do you think your God will judge you? Well friends...........now we know.

When there is no more room in hell......the dead.....will walk the Earth."

After the Dawn Of The Dead, nothing will be the same. It seemed like a normal morning, but in true Revelations style, an unknown virus has begun to destroy mankind. Rotting corpses walk the streets. Void of emotion and soul they act purely on the instinct to devour living flesh.

Fatal bites spread the virus killing or infecting all. The extinction of man is at hand. Armageddon has begun.

Different pockets of survivors descend upon an abandoned shopping mall knowing it to be easily defensible and filled with all the supplies they need. All competing for survival and hoping to be rescued, they defend the shopping mall from the ever growing crowd of zombies outside. The different survivors, with clashing personalities and backgrounds must try and cooperate if they are to survive. Heroes emerge and true colours are exposed. With all the infected culled, the reality fades and they all sink into the false security they have created. With nothing to do but wait for a rescue, they lose themselves into the malls comforts and the illusion that everything will return to normal in time. As the weeks pass, they slowly realise that they have been abandoned and they must escape....and not just from the mall.

Utilising all they can, the survivors risk it all on one last grab for freedom.

Zach Snyder directs this superb return to form bringing the circle of zombie movies into the twenty first century. Recent movies such as the haunting 28 Days Later and the computer games based House Of The Dead and Resident Evil have spawned a new breed of zombie, we now have a darker and deadlier foe.

George A Romero, godfather of the zombie, oversaw this remake of the 1975 classic, the second in his trilogy.

This movie takes the story in a different direction. This was a relief as a clone of the original has never been required from the fans, it stands the test of time and I feel always will. Certain aspects remain the same, i.e. it is never explained why or how the outbreak occurs. This retains its biblical applications, essential in Romero's working of the genre. We have a larger cast, only four in the original, so we are able to explore its relationships and values. Different members seem to encompass different elements of society giving us an insight to the global backdrop.

James Gunn script is full of wit and satire and deals with its 'classic zombie movie moments' with respect and insight but shifts the movie from horror to a very bloody and gory action movie. Fans of carnage will not be disappointed. Certain 'horror-based' moments keep the tale intact but serious fire power keeps the cast alive! It amazes me how easily all Americans, gang members and housewives, handle weaponry in the movies.

A rock soundtrack keeps the films pulse beating, from its throat grabbing opening scene to the desperate and racy climax. Tip: Keep watching through the closing titles...it aint over till its over!

I loved this film. I'm a sucker for zombies and shotguns and always will be!

Rumours of the remake of The Day Of The Dead are as follows, at time of writing this review.

Taurus Entertainment, a low budget company, holds the rights to the remake, of sorts, apparently set in a hospital. A deal has been signed with Universal to provide stars and post production has started. Shooting to start in new year.

DARK EDGE

The Grudge

Certificate 18

Showing in Cinemas Nationwide

Starring Sarah Michelle Geller

Directed By Takashi Shimizu

Pruduced By Sam Raimi

Sorted Quote

"It is said in Japan, that when someone dies in extreme sorrow or rage, the emotion remains and can leave a stain upon that place.The memory of what happened will be kept there. Death becomes a part of that place, killing everything it touches. Once you become a part of it, it will never let you go."

Evil controls a house where two horrific murders took place. From the moment you enter the house, whether innocently or accidently, you are marked. Vengeful spirits, Ju-on, will begin a terrifying revenge which will never stop. All who have been exposed to the house will fall victim to the terrible rage of the Ju-on.

This film is based on an old Japanese theory that once something evil happens in a place, then that place becomes scarred and evil will control it forever.

The Grudge brings Japanese mainstream horror to western eyes and nerves. Being a horror film fan, I feel there is all too few western horror movies so it is essential to explore world cinema. Thank god for the Italian films of the eighties! In the late nineties, I found myself drawn to Japans films, that were producing some class films. I found an instant appreciation for the work of Hideo Nakata, the genius behind the Ring trilogy and later the astounding Dark Water, which I still believe is aguabley the best ghost story ever made. Ever since including such titles in my personal collection, I have felt that the American market lacked a certain depth. I hope this film can provide a platform for more American movies with teeth! Well done Sam Raimi, the genius behind The Evil Dead and the Spider Man movies, who recognised and produced this instant cult classic.

The Grudge, which is a remake of the Japanese 'Ju-on: The Grudge', made only a year ago, 2003, definately delivers. The direction is fantastic and flows with enough energy to pump the blood and get the adrenalin going. The soundtrack is disturbing with enough eerie sounds to slap you in the face if you dare lose attention. The horror is not overplayed, this is not a slasher movie, too many death scenes would have diluted it. It draws you in and keeps you focused and in check for the full ninety minutes, then leaves you sutibly edgy. As with all remakes I would, and I always do, advise you to check out the original. There is always something more.

watchtheskies

DARK EDGE k horr

Ginger Snaps Unleashed

Certificate18

Released on DVD to Rent or Buy

Starring Emily Perkins and Katherine Isabella

Directed By Brett Sullivan

Sorted Quote

"My best case scenario is hair everywhere but my eyeballs, elongation of my spine till my skin splits, teats and a growing tolerance, and affection for the smell and taste of faeces...not just my own, and then excruciating death"

Brigitte has left Bailey Downs. Gingers spirit is still with her. The bond keeps them together, even after Brigitte released her from the curse, even death won't keep the sisters apart. Her impending painful transformation into a werewolf looms and the only thing that seems to delay the change is constant injections of Monkshood, a derivative of Wolf's bane. To add to her problems, another werewolf is chasing her, intent on mating. After overdosing Monkshood, she is found and mistaken for a drug addict and sent to a rehabilitation clinic. She desperately tries to stay alone but becomes the focus of attention for a strange and disturbed young girl named Ghost. Ginger eerily taunts her and she is unable to get Monkshood forcing her transformation to accelerate. The curse continues.

The Dark Canadian werewolf saga continues and Ginger Snaps Unleashed follows seamlessly from its predecessor. It is hard to believe there has been three years gap. Ginger Snaps broke make werewolf movie rules including transformation. Here we toy with the idea that, once you have been bitten, you will become a wolf forever, not just when the full moon shines. Gingers transformation was a gritty one, her mental change, i.e. coming into heat confused with her growing bloodlust, took her from death obsessed geek to psychotic killer. The discovery that Monkshood slows down the change plummet the film to an even darker level with constant injections creating a sleazy and uncomfortable atmosphere. Certain changes allowed for humour, hiding her ever growing tail made me giggle nervously but this was only mild relief from a truly dark and sinister movie. One highly recommended.

The second story is no less gritty. The script is very cleverly written and feels more like the next chapter in the book. Director Brett Sullivan continues John Fawcett's work creating an equally creepy and unpredictable sequel. The soundtrack is haunting and hypnotic and the clinic, where most of the film is set, creates a truly raw environment with dark unused areas perfect for its sleazy moments.

This is another fantastic movie, overlooked by Hollywood, not getting the credit it deserves. Just like Lucky McKee's groundbreaking film May that was overlooked but enjoying cult status now. Snaps was only shown in Cinemas in Canada and selected theatres in America. The Third Snaps movie, Ginger Snaps Back, is released on DVD early next year. It was filmed back to back with the second and is a prequel set in the nineteenth century. I eagerly await its release.

DARK EDGE