Brian's Review - Attack the Block

If only the aliens roared with a British accent.

Released: 2011
Genre(s): Horror, Sci-Fi, Comedy

Every now and then, some writer or director manages to effectively mix two of my favorite genres together to create the potent (and incredibly enjoyable) cocktail of horror-comedy - when a movie can find that delicate balance of providing wild thrills, while managing to not take itself too seriously, the end product is pure entertainment. "Attack the Block" is one such film, effortlessly transitioning between amusing, quip-heavy dialogue to scenes of intense action and then back again. While the frights are a little underwhelming, with most being provided in the form of predictable jump-scares, the mere wit of this movie, acted out flawlessly by its cast of talented British youths, is enough alone to check this entry out. Whenever a horror-style movie can inject a healthy helping of genuine heart into itself, it makes watching it all the more interesting: feeling for the main character and his pack of teenage ruffians is not hard once the strife they're placed in gets heavy enough to bring out their inner vulnerabilities. This isn't done in any cheesy or forced way, but rather subtly through the group's interactions with one another and individual mannerisms. As the characters begin to unfold a bit, the human element of this movie strikes hard. This causes obvious parallels between this film and "Shaun of the Dead" - coincidentally produced by members of the same team responsible for "Attack the Block" - which managed to splice in some rather somber moments between all the zombie-bashing and goofy dialogue. While "Attack the Block" proves to be a wickedly gratifying watch, I'd be overselling it if I were to call it "genius" or even try to argue that it holds some importance in the history of movies. Regardless, it's a film that can appeal to a large spectrum of movie-lovers, who may find their time spent in the British slums to be far more fun than expected.

Rating (out of 5): 4

Brian's Review - Devil's Playground (2010)

The British like parkour so much, even their zombies are doing it.

Released: 2010
Genre(s): Horror, Action

Zombie movies are a dime a dozen, flooding the film industry with straight-to-DVD-caliber slop, and rarely managing to stand out in a crowd of copycats: yes, the zombie genre has become a horrible caricature, an unfortunate parody, of the very subject matter it addresses. At first, British zombie entry "Devil's Playground" feels fairly run-of-the-mill, with a misguided medical corporation accidentally unleashing a biochemical that causes a fatal epidemic (see: "Resident Evil"), which causes super-powered zombies to ravage London (see: "28 Days Later"), and leaves humanity's last hope resting in the genetics of a single person who shows immunity to the disease (see: "I Am Legend"). While this film definitely draws heavy inspiration from the movies that came before it, the high-quality execution of "Devil's Playground" allows it to transcend the typical, ripped-off mash-ups that saturate the market. The action here is fast-paced and brutal, and the unbearable hopelessness of the survivors is almost palpable at times, as they are seldom offered a reprieve from the onslaught of zombie attackers. The acting is above-par as well, so supporting the survivors' efforts is made much easier, despite characters falling into the typical zombie survivor group archetypes (i.e. badass zombie slayer, too-scared-to-do-anything-but-scream girl, only-out-for-himself guy, etc.). The story isn't anything to write home about, with a simplistic script and minor plot developments serving as basic connectors between scenes of zombie action, which honestly is absolutely fine: the writing doesn't try too hard to be something it's not, and as such, never gets in its own way. This doesn't mean "Devil's Playground" isn't without emotion, as I actually found myself caring more about the fate of these characters than I typically do during a zombie flick, which shows that the meager, backstory drama this film addresses was adequate enough to get me involved without feeling too forced. If there was one major thing I disliked about "Devil's Playground" it's this: why the hell do the zombies do parkour stunts while chasing after their victims? It's unintentionally ridiculous to watch, and I almost laughed out loud a number of times during some very brutal action sequences because of it. Regardless, "Devil's Playground" is tense enough and wild enough to be worth at least a single viewing by any zombie movie fan looking for at least a faint glimmer of light in a sludge-drenched genre.

Rating (out of 5): 3.5

Brian's Review - The Woman in Black (2012)

This haunted house only looks the same on the outside.

Released: 2012
Genre(s): Horror

It's true that haunted house movies are a dime a dozen within the horror genre. While a timeless idea, most modern representations are stale, flavorless, and recycled. Ghosts are not a new addition to this formula. Old, dead women wearing black are not either, for that matter. Somehow, despite utilizing these same, overly-familiar elements, "The Woman in Black" pulls off a very refreshing - and incredibly creepy - presentation of all the things that made us sleep with nightlights on as children. Unfortunately, I have never had the pleasure of seeing the original, made-for-TV movie from 1989 that this film is supposedly a remake of. However, it's my most sincere of hopes that it sets up an atmosphere as bleak and hopeless as the 2012 version does right from the start. This gray negativity only gets heavier as the film progresses - there are some genuinely dark and twisted plot developments here that push the film well into the realm of disturbing. While "The Woman in Black" relies a little too heavily on some cheap jump-scares in the beginning, the true genius of this film lies in its continued mounting tension - half the time I found myself so anxious from the anticipation of a potential scare that I ended up psyching myself out. However, as more and more of the story unfolded, the terror became more cerebral, bringing with it the familiar spine-chilling, yet equally exciting, feeling only a really good horror movie generates. The acting is solid by the entire cast; in fact, I completely dismissed Daniel Radcliffe's association with Harry Potter for the duration of the film. Good acting, a story that's not overdone or over-explained (which would otherwise eliminate any fear of the unknown), and some truly nail-biting scares: yes, it may not be completely original, but as far as haunted house titles go, this is one you can't miss.

Rating (out of 5): 4

Brian's Review - The Masque of the Red Death

Old school horror for the classic film lover.

Released: 1964
Genre(s): Horror

Like most classic horror movies, "The Masque of the Red Death" views more like a theater production than the movies of the modern day. The great Vincent Price stars as a grandiose and convincingly-evil prince in this classic adaptation of a classic Edgar Allan Poe story. The acting here is great for the era, although those who dislike older films may find it overdone and unrealistic - theater buffs and classic movie lovers will rejoice though. While the "horror" element here may feel a bit tame or mild by today's standards, the plot itself is by no means outdated - everything from the setting to the sound effects creates a spooky tone for what truly is a creepy storyline. Regardless, I'd only recommend this one to those who appreciate old film or Edgar Allan Poe's works.

Rating (out of 5): 3