The Greatest Movies of All Time - Twelve Monkeys

We all have one. That movie. That one movie we love more than any other. A movie we've seen more times than we can count. Then there are  those movies most people can agree are the greatest. Critics and movie goers alike will praise this films forever as being ground breaking, well made, well written, darn near perfect. On IMDB there are 250 of them. Listed in orders of rating from most loved. These films range in genre, budget, decade and country of origin. There are even quite a few children's films listed. I endevour to watch each and every one of them before I die. I've seen a good chunk of them of course. Some of them are personal favourites of mine and it did delight me to see my ultimate favourite film listed as well as the one I personally think is the greatest movie of all time. I will not be going in order because I do have to feel like watching something so I will begin with.....

Twelve Monkeys - 1995

Director - Terry Gilliam
Starring - Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe and Brad Pitt

Listed quite low on the list, in the bottom 50ish is this cult classic. Often praise has included it's difficult to follow but very clever storyline and excellent acting. A tale of time travel and preventing the apocalypse. Bruce Willis stars as the convict, James Cole who is sent back in time to collect information about a deadly virus that has wiped out most of the population of the planet. Generally, not taken seriously and pegged as a crazed lune, Cole's frantic rants lands him in a mental institute and causes him to take desperate measures such as kidnap and murder.

This is a great movie, it's funny, clever, violent and overall a bloody good time. Willis is excellent as ever. The supporting cast are also worthy and Brad Pitt's performance is simply, genius. I'm far from a fan of Pitt in general but he nails it here. I enjoyed it's none linear story and even though I had the ending spoilt for my a long time ago, I really did enjoy it's build up and inevitably bleak ending.

It's shot beautifully and has a nice gritty feeling that many a film from the year 1995 particularly boasted.

There isn't a lot to say about classics like this. The chances are, I'm one of the few classic film lovers who haven't seen this one. It's a wonderful blend of dark humour, bleak setting and excellent acting solidifies its place on this list.

Would You Rather

Directed By - David Guy Levy

Starring - Brittany Snow
Geoffrey Combs

When a young woman who takes care of her sick brother is told she can get enough money to pay for his treatment and fast track on the donor register by a very rich, but bored aristocrat she is unsure but ultimately agrees. When she gets there, she is horrified to learn she has agreed to a deadly game of would you rather. Winner gets everything they want and need while the losers face the ultimate penalty.

I'm not sure how i feel about this one. Overall it's OK I guess but generally it's predictable and a bit of a let down. When your cover shows a razor going into an eye is kinda false to then not show me the razor in the eye! The story is OK, it's plausible at least and it plods along at a decent pace. The host is of course charming and sinister and nothing short of a perfect Geoffrey Combs villain that lets face it, he couldn't really get it wrong! His son is a twat, I know he's not supposed to be likable but he's just a moron and doesn't do nothing for me. It'd be better off if the son character just simply wasn't there. The guests are sometimes likable and sometimes not but none of them are particularly deep or interesting and none made me sad that they had to die. That's the problem, give me something please! I want to feel something for the characters but they're just dull and void of any personality for the most part. Therefore when they do get zapped or hacked or shot or a razor in the eyeball, I just don't care. Brittany Snow plays her part well I guess but again I don't really care that much for her. I can see what they were trying to do and she is likable but I just didn't feel strongly enough about her.

The ending, for fucks sake make it interesting! Stop giving me the same predictable ending. As soon as I seen sick brother, sister risking all for him blah blah I knew the ending! And I'm not one of those who knows the ending to them all. I never guessed who Keyser Soze was, I certainly had no clue that that guy was already dead in that movie I won't spoil the ending for... But this twist wasn't so much a twist but an obligatory ending that would have shocked me more if that didn't actually go that way. But it did and that's why this movie doesn't do it for me. Too darn predictable, which is a shame because I really liked the premise.

In short, it's alright. Killed an hour and a half where I was supposed to be doing something else but nothing more.

Til next time...

UV..x

The New Horror Fan's Guide

It occurred to me when doing some reading over my old blog posts that I have almost always wrote for the seasoned fan. Those of you who can handle excessive gore, taboo story lines and extreme violence. Personally, that's where my heart lies so I thought what about those of you who are just edging into the genre?

There are a good number of sub genres within horror to suit everyone. Whether you like your villains supernatural or human, monster or man it's hard to know what you want to watch and exactly how much you want to see.

SLASHERS!

My favourite sub genre of horror and my personal gateway drug. I like my killers human. Monsters don't live under the bed in these movies, they live next door.

During the 80's there were strings of slashers with similar plots, Birthdays, Valentines Day even high school proms were not safe from a man wielding an axe or a very sharp knife and a whole generation of teens were terrified to go camping near lakes or in the woods. In my personal opinion, the 80's is a great place to start with slashers. Most of the greats came out at this time and as most of these are considered classics 30 years on they're easily available either on Bluray, DVD or on your video on demand services. The biggies include Friday 13th, Sleepaway Camp and my personal favourite Nightmare On Elm Street which proved even in your dreams you're not safe. Avoid films like Scream until you've seen plenty of the classics. Scream is an excellent film but a lot of it's comedy and moments of brilliance come from homages and outright mickey takes of classic slasher tropes and if these are new to you, not only won't you get the jokes, but you just won't enjoy the movie for what it is.

GHOSTS & POSSESSIONS!

Haunting movies come in many forms and there's a vast amount to choose from. A good place to start is again going back in time. A classic and favourite of many a horror fan is The Exorcist. Hailed for terrifying even the most hardened horror fans it still stands up today. Personally, I don't find it *that* scary but for it's time it's pretty terrific! Other more modern hauntings you could check out are The Others, The Sixth Sense or Haunting In Connecticut. A good series to give a go is Paranormal Activity. It gets a lot of stick and quite often unfairly. Another great movie that is found footage is The Blair Witch Project.

If like me, you enjoy foreign cinema and don't mind subtitles, Asia has some of the best ghost stories. A few I highly recommend are The Ring, Ju-On and Shutter. All 3 have been remade, however unless you just cannot bare to watch a movie with subtitles or don't like dubbed I wouldn't recommend them over their superior Asian originals.

VAMPIRES!

Another sub-genre I love is Vamps! There are literally thousands to choose from and you're not going to go too far wrong with many of the most popular. My personal favourite is The Lost Boys. It features excellent acting, a great storyline and the soundtrack is one of the best movie soundtracks to have ever existed! Other greats you should try are Fright Night (Both the original and the remake are pretty good but the remake is definitely inferior) and 30 Days Of Night! There are far too many to name all of the best but these are a good place to start and are different enough from each other so you don't feel like you're just watching the same movie. There are also some great vampire themed shows you might love. True Blood and Vampire diaries are both highly rated and enjoyable. Vampire diaries being more aimed at young adult viewers and True Blood being more "adult". My favourite vampire themed TV show is, and always will be Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

The touchy subject of Twilight... Yes it's a vampire movie. No I don't like it at all, but it isn't aimed at me however, if you enjoy teen drama as well as some vampire action it's worth a try, particularly for younger, female viewers.

ZOMBIES & RAGE VIRUS!

Firstly, some housekeeping! If you ever find yourself on a horror community on a social networking site or dedicated website forum you will inevitably come across the argument of the differences between zombie and rage virus movies. It is a general understanding that zombies are the dead rising as undead beings while a rage virus is a disease or -as the name suggests- a virus spread between living humans altering the host and causing them to kill, bite or eat other none affected humans. It really doesn't matter all that much but it does cause some animosity sometimes.

Right, onto what you really care about. Firstly, if you want to start somewhere go for -again- classics! Night Of The Living Dead is the grand-daddy of all zombie movies. Romero's Living Dead series continued with other greats such as Dawn of The Dead and Day Of The Dead. Many many "Of the Dead" movies have followed by other creators but, in my opinion, Romero's are the best of the bunch! 28 Days Later and it's sequel 28 Months Later are amazing rage virus movies and both are part of my regular viewed Blurays. Others you may want to try are The Crazies (both original and remake are excellent). If you've been taking any notice of TV this past few years you'd have heard of The Walking Dead. This is THE zombie TV show. Horror fans and none horror fans both enjoy it equally and while it's more a survival show where the zombies are not the main part, especially in later seasons, it is definitely one to watch! AMC's greatest show (unless you want to bring Breaking Bad into the equation but we won't start that one right now)

A mention for the younger viewers out there, Warm Bodies is an excellent Zombie movie, similar to Twilight in theme and great fun. I really enjoyed it and would happily watch it again and again.

WEREWOLVES!

Not a genre I know in and out, it's not a genre I have enjoyed all that much, however there are some stand out movies that I recommend to everyone and anyone.

American Werewolf in London is a great one to start with. A timeless classic with some of the best effects for it's time. It also has a great subtext. Another I have always had fun watching was Dog Soldiers. Ginger Snaps was probably the first memorable horror I seen when I was a teen and I cannot recommend it enough. This is a great movie especially for young adult viewers. It has a wonderful sub-text aimed at the younger, female horror viewer.

COMEDY!

So we all like to kick back and relax sometimes and sometimes relaxing requires a good laugh. Horror comedy is iffy but there are a few comedic horror movies that are simply hilarious!

Firstly, if you haven't seen Shaun of The Dead, DO IT! NOW! Seriously, this is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen and I enjoy it more and more each time. Mostly it is tame and generally not all that gory or scary however some scenes are so out of the blue gory! Definitely one to see. A recent favourite and sadly over looked comedy horror is Tucker and Dale Vs Evil. Again, hilarious! I don't want to spoil this one for
you, I believe it should be watched without any hint of it's story or content. It makes it all the more enjoyable. Tucker and Dale is another I enjoy more and more no matter how many times I've sat through it. Other comedies you could check out are the earlier movies in the Scary Movie franchise but some jokes and scenes are lifted directly from earlier classic or recent (to the time) movies so if you haven't seen them it can be a bit confusing. Another I've recently enjoyed, was A Haunted House. A spoof of the box office hit franchise, Paranormal Activity. If you enjoy some smut and a good fart joke, this is one for you.

So I think I've given you enough to be getting on with. These movies are mostly movies that I personally enjoy and it should be noted that taste is subjective and what I love, many others will hate. Saying that, I'm sure something in here will be for you. Also, feel free to leave your suggestions below! The thing I love about the horror community is we love to help each other discover gems and there will be a lot of movies I've not included here that I either didn't love, hadn't seen or just forgot about!

Peace out! 

UV...x

The Paranormal Activity Series ~ Paranormal Activity (2007)

Directed by: Oren Peli
Starring: Katie Featherstone and Micah Sloat (As themselves)

Paranormal activity is possibly one of the most popular and talked about series’ for a while or at least when it comes to ‘mainstream’ series’. Generally, mainstream movies get a bum deal as far as ratings go especially in the horrorverse and in my personal opinion, Paranormal Activity fared no better.

Paranormal activity is a ‘Found footage’ film, meaning it uses hand held camera work to make it appear the tapes were discovered and used to make a true story movie of real footage. This isn’t a new thing. We’ve been using this technique to tell raw and realistic stories for a good few decades and the sub-genre features some of the most iconic movies of modern time such as Cannibal Holocaust and The Blair Witch Project to name the most popular. PA tells of a couple, Katie and Micah haunted by some sort of entity, Micah sets up cameras around the home to capture the events. Slowly we discover that this isn’t new to Katie and she has been subject to these hauntings since childhood.

Not dissimilar to most haunting stories, PA uses classic haunting tricks. Plates smashing, doors slamming, duvets being removed while the couple sleep, you know the deal. Sadly, it comes across as old hat for those of us who have seen a lot of horror movies. However, the feel is menacing and we know this isn’t Casper we’re dealing with but a malevolent and angry being targeting the couple for an unknown reason. It is understandable how many viewers would have been convinced that the footage was genuine and the simple effects are realistic and not over played. If anything, it can get a bit dull. Lots of sleeping! The story plods along at an easy pace most of the time and when there are revelations they’re not over the top or completely unbelievable but like I mentioned, you can get bored watching two normal people doing normal things such as sleeping and housework and it’s tempting to fast forward sometimes to get to some good bits. There’s the usual face in mirrors trick or doors creeping slowly open when no one is home or awake but frankly, I need more to get my heart racing.

Overall Paranormal Activity isn’t a bad film, just not a great one either. There are far better and more terrifying found footage and haunting films about and if someone asked me to choose one for them, this wouldn’t be my first suggestion, but if it was someone new to horror I’d probably be more inclined to say “try this”. It’s not too scary, but scary enough and will leave some new horror explorers wanting more and hopefully look for more like it and find themselves stumbling on some great horror that will get them hooked for life!

Rating? Meh, maybe a 5 or 6/10. 

Review - Stoker

Director - Park Chan-Wook
Starring -Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode

After the death of her father Richard Stoker, India Stoker meets her estranged uncle Charlie but while her mother is falling apart India becomes infatuated with Charlie and slowly uncovers what his motives for moving in with them really are. 

I was worried about this one. Park is my favourite foreign director and Oldboy is my single favourite foreign movie to ever be released. Stoker is Park's very first English Language movie and was written by Wentworth Miller and amongst the crew of producers Ridley and Tony Scott appear. Why was I worried when there's such an impressive array of names? How can anything ever live up to the success of Oldboy? I should be ashamed of myself for judging so quickly because Stoker is certainly the most impressive thriller I've seen in a long time.

Casting is perfect. Goode plays the mysterious, charming and handsome Charlie. He reminds me of Hannibal. Charming, handsome and talented but dark, mysterious and sinister. Wasikowska was slightly less impressive. Mostly because she's played this character as a strange loner before. However, her performance was fitting. India is an odd character. It's difficult to put your finger on her. Kidman is as always, dramatic and she is simply a pro.

Stoker is typically Park. The recurring patterns and colour themes of reds, greens and yellows. Looking back at Oldboy and the theme of purple and Lady Vengeance had black, white and red. The theme of insest and long lost family members and **following spoiler is in white, highlight the text to see** a child or infant death in tragic circumstances. These little things made me smile at the familiarity of the themes. The cinematography as a whole is beautiful. The scenery is captured in vivid colour, little flashes forward and back gives a certain style to the movie.

I am struggling to find faults with this. Perhaps it wasn't as violent as some would want from the ultra violent Park but I think any extreme violence could have spoiled it. That's for a viewer to decide. For me, perhaps it could have been a little more explicit. There is a sexual electricity between characters throughout some may find a little in your face at times.

I suggest anyone who is a fan of Park get out and watch it. I will be buying it as soon as I can. I did take a little look at Bluray features but they are limited on the rental copy. I do suggest Bluray for this one. The colours and sound deserve it.

My Rating - 9/10 Will Park ever disappoint me?

Review - Insidious Chapter 2.

I know, I know. I've been slacking, between kids birthday, new schools, a new addition to the family on the way and an old one moving in I've not had time to breath never mind watch and write. So I do apologise I will try to be a bit more punctual and go back to posting at least weekly. Housekeeping aside, I have gotten back onto the horror wagon with Insidious Chapter 2!

Director - James Wan
Starring - Patrick Wilson, Rose Byr
ne, Barbara Hershey.

After the ordeal of the previous chapter, the Lambert family take some time to recover at Josh's mothers house. When things start happening Renai is convinced its not over. The family call on Carl, Specs and Tucker, Friends and former colleagues of the ill fated Elise Rainer and discover the horrific truth about Josh's history and what has been haunting him and his family all this time.  

I really enjoyed chapter one. I'm not a huge fan of ghosts or hauntings. Slamming doors and wrattling crockery just doesn't do it for me. However, Wan created something much more. It was everything I looked for in a ghost themed horror movie so when I heard there would be a chapter 2 I was excited to have all those loose ends and questions dealt with and hopefully get some good scares in too. 

The acting was wonderful. It's so nice to actually believe that the characters are scared. Patrick Wilson was creepy while being sympathetic in his own tragic way. Byrne was believable and her fear seems genuine, sucking me right into the terror. Specs and Tucker returning was the highlight. They're like the frog brothers of this generation bringing some light comedy to ease tension and give that false sense of security. The actual haunting going on was terrifying! While we do have the usual babies toys playing to themselves, radios switching on, doors opening on their own etc there is plenty of visual scares too. Plenty is left to the imagination but there are payoffs. The ghost haunting them is a tragic little character and his reasons for his crimes in life and death seem justified. You'll see what I mean if and when you see it. I don't want to give too much away but a certain maternal character is terrifying even alive. 

I definitely think everyone should give this a chance. Infact give Wans ghost stories a chance. All three (Insidious chapter 1 and 2 and The Conjuring) are terrific and put the horror factor back into the genre. Wan has proven that even though, Saw was and still is one of my favourite movies despite it losing its soul later on he can do better than the "Torture porn" a lot of horror fans dislike. I would even say none horror fans get on this. Everyone loves to be scared and this is perfect date movie to get the girl (or boy) cuddled up to you or even to watch alone in the dark. 

My Rating - 9/10!

The Human Centipede

Director - Tom Six
Starring - Dieter Leiser

Many a time I've gone to watch and each time I've remembered the storyline and thought.. "Really?"... But as Lovefilm has kindly added both films from the incomplete trilogy I got into bed with some chocolate (yeeeah I'm hardcore that way) and switched on.

The storyline is likely to be well known but for the sake of those who live under rocks.. A mad doctor, renowned for being a pioneer in separation of Siamese twins kidnaps two young women, a trucker and later a Japanese tourist to create a new project. The project is to sew three people together, anus to mouth. Why? Because he's mad obviously!

First off the acting of the two girls is terrible. Thankfully they are the middle and end piece of the creation so we don't have to hear them talk for long. The doctor who is frankly brilliant makes the movie bearable. When he describes to his patients what he'll be doing you actually shudder. He's just terrific! Kudos should also go to the Japanese guy. His final moments include a monologue which was delivered with near perfect conviction. Six's biggest mistake was including serious moments of perfection in a film that even he didn't seem to take seriously.

Now I'm under no illusion that the film is serious. There is an obvious dark humour running through it. There is a gross out factor, but like many others, I thought it wasn't explicit enough. It doesn't help the movie is incredibly over hyped by its fans, the people who disliked it because of its gross out factor and the director himself. If I had gone in blind, it'd probably had more of an effect. Maybe those people who did hype it up were the lucky few who hadn't heard so much about it.

Gore is minimal. For a film about people crapping into each other there isn't even any of that. Not that I'm complaining. However, for an "extreme" horror, there is little extreme about it. I wasn't all that grossed out like I wanted to be. Cinematography, it's fairly basic. Nothing really special here. Acting as mentioned before is pretty shocking but I'll give credit to Dieter Leiser (The doctor) for creeping me out during his explanation. There is very little to like here really. I did enjoy some of the dark comedy but it isn't a redeemable feature for the rest of the movie.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)

It's been a while since I wrote horror, read horror or even really watched horror therefore coming here has been pretty left out. Personal life and crap in the way. Anyway, I decided its time for a come back. But as horror is living on the back burner at the moment I've decided to review a none horror for now. However, the love of violence is still here.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Directed by - David Fincher
Starring - Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig, Stellan Skarsgard.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is probably one of this decades most read thrillers. While every other woman was captivated by the Shades of Grey novels I was unable to put the first Steig Larsson's fantastic Millennium Trilogy down. The books have sold billions of copies all over the world and Sadly Larsson passed away before he could see the storm his perfectly written trilogy had created or the franchise it had become. David Fincher's version is not a remake of the Swedish adaptation but a stand alone adaptation of the book.

The story centres around Mikael Blomkvist, a disgraced journalist and editor of Millennium magazine. After his career and credibility is all but destroyed by a libel scandal he is hired by the ageing Henrick Vanger to investigate the disappearance and possibly murder of his great niece during the 60's and the prime suspects are member of her own family. Reluctantly Blomkvist agrees and during his investigation he comes across the talented but socially awkward hacker and private investigator, Lisbeth Salander. Together they discover that there is a far more sinister reason for the girls disappearance than anyone ever imagined.

Clearly Fincher knows the book well and adapted is near on perfectly. While the Swedish version from 2 years earlier is a fantastic film, Fincher as usual, has put his all into keeping his adaptation as close to the original material as is possible. I am a fan of Finchers work and rarely can I pick faults. The casting is perfect. At first I thought Daniel Craig would be far too high profile as Bond to ever be able to play Blomkvist convincingly without me waiting for him to shoot someone with a pen but Craig really pulls it off. Rooney Mara is excellent as the cold, emotionless Salander. However, I do still prefer Noomi Rapace in the role. In my opinion, Rapace is Salander so Mara had big shoes to fill and while she filled them well, Rapace was more captivating.

Cinematography wise, its basic for Fincher but set against a beautiful Swedish backdrop its easy to appreciate its simplicity. The opening is a work of art though and something akin to a Nine Inch Nails video and quite usual for Fincher. His openings are always stunning on their own.

Overall I do still prefer the Swedish adaptation but Fincher as always has impressed me. I really enjoyed it and felt it stayed true to the almost perfect material it was working from. I do hope he continues the trilogy at some point. It would be a shame not to.

Book Review - Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z Bright

So I don't usually read horror novels or stories. I'm a visual person but every now and then a book is so well written and the horror so well described I can visualise is as easily as if I was watching it on screen. Only time this has really happened with a horror is Stephen King so when a friend brought round some books for me to try, mostly crime and I found a book by "Poppy Z Bright" amongst them I thought why not.

Exquisite Corpse is the story of two serial killers. One a London based gay necrophiliac who escapes from the confines of his prison cell and travels across the pond and the other a gay cannibal with a liking for young tourists and runaways in New Orleans.

The first killer, Andrew Compton tells his story from the first person in past tense. Getting us deep into the mind of a psychopath. The depth Bright goes into to describe who he is and what he does is intense. Stomach churning accounts of how he murders, rapes and tears apart (in that order) his victims made me nauseous I could smell the blood and other bodily fluids. Compton is complex. The almost genuine love he feels for his victims is poetic and twisted.

Jay, our second killer is told from the third person and while his character is less complex and in depth as Compton he's still an interesting person. Jay is a wealthy man who uses his money to entice young homeless boys to his home where he drugs them, has sex with them and eventually kills them. Eating some, storing others for later use. Eventually the killers meet causing the perfect storm, you can see where it's going to go.

The theme seems to be HIV and Aids amongst gay men in the 80's. All the characters are male, gay and most of them HIV positive. One character, a complicated man named Luke life has been destroyed by testing positive for the virus and as during that time little was known about its cause or effects Luke is angry and in pain mentally and yearns for his ex lover, Tran, a Vietnamese homosexual who is a disgrace to his traditional family.

As far as horror goes, it's not supernatural but pure human destruction. The scariest kind. The story is captivating, devastating and brutal. The descriptions of the characters actions are vivid and in depth. During the climax if I hadn't been in the bath while reading I would have needed a scrub down afterwards!

I highly recommend this book for those intrigued by the criminal mind. It is written like an erotic novel but there is nothing titillating only provocative. I will be seeking out Brights other books but after reading Exquisite Corpse I will have fairly high expectations.

August underground Part Three! (Finally!)

So its been a few weeks since i watched due to health, personal and other crap. So finally here is my review for August undergrounds Penance.

The trilogies finale at last. This is something else. Forget what you saw in the first 2, the 3rd and final part is a whole new level of nasty. You really have to really drop all morality while watching in order to sit through. And many a person has had to watch in parts. I hate doing that so I sat through it from opening to closing without stopping. I won't lie, I did kind of know what to expect. I knew the first 2 were tame compared to this one. Vogel really has outdone himself.

The story is pretty much the same. Now we have Fred and his girlfriend only. How much time has passed since part 2 is unknown. There is no real indication as to what happened to the brother but you can kind of put 2 and 2 together from the ending of Mordum. The atmosphere is very different. As always we see Fred and the girl doing couple things. Messing around, professing their love to each other. Being together like any other "normal" couple. As the film goes on and we see their crimes take place - much more explicit this time I should add - we feel a depressive atmosphere now. It isn't fun and games anymore. There are problems with Fred, personal issues we clearly get to know. He and the girl are not the same as they were previously, the love is dying. During a particularly disturbing and brutal home invasion scene, which I will admit, did get to me we see these issues clear as day. While Fred has become impotent and he needs more sick stimulation, his girlfriend has lost it. She goes from looking rather fresh faced at the beginning to looking tired, depressed and resembling a long term drug abuser. They come to blows eventually and the finale, what I really did not expect is intimate, distressing and just plain sad. To compare it to your run of the mill, emotionless torture porn is inaccurate. There is a lot more going on. Psychologists would have a field day with it. Fred and his girl would make perfect subjects for a psycho-sexual analyst and you can literally choose any scene and pick it apart to read between the lines.

The violence has escalated. A disgusting shot involving a fetus almost, (ALMOST) made me gag. There is a lot of internal organs to be seen. The home invasion scene - taken place during Christmas eve to add insult to injury - is explicit and brutal. Being shot in HD rather than the degraded footage from the earlier films is a bit disappointing. It was one of my favourite elements and gave it that sordid realistic underground feel I love but we do get to see all the blood, tissue and violence in all its glory and it shows off Toe-Tags FX team's amazing talent fully and I can appreciate it even more. I am again, extremely impressed!

Penance is definitely the highlight of the series. It is brutal, emotional and disturbing and while some changes were made, for better and for worse, the film stays true to its predecessors. Watching the self destruction of the serial killers is powerful. The way they go from youthful and excitable to tired and miserable is harsh. If they weren't who they were we'd feel sorry for them. Vogel, you've turned me! I was pretty negative towards this kind of horror before watching the series but now I've experienced it, I take back anything I've ever said!

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Overall, the series hasn't been enjoyable. I am glad I sat through them and each one in full (Yeah I can now show off that badge of honor!). It certainly is an experience, but not one I'd recommend unless you know what to expect to an extent. This isn't a walk in the park and it is the epitome of extreme underground horror. While I wouldn't make them a regular watch I cannot fault them for being so bold. The talent among Toe-Tags is undeniable. Credit where credit is due, I am pleased, although not pleasantly, with the films. If you're an avid extreme horror fan and have doubted that August Underground is anything more than a torture porn for the hardened, give it the chance it deserves!

You can buy all 3 AU DVDs from the Toe-Tags website in the US from - http://www.toetag.biz/
Alternatively, you can find them on amazon, but expect a hefty price tag...

August Underground Trilogy - Part 2

Last night I wrote about the first in the trilogy of the extreme indie movies, August Underground. Not one to turn down an opportunity for something to actually effect me it only felt right to give the second a look!

August's Underground Mordum. 

Vogel returns as the sick and twisted camera killer with two new buddies. His girlfriend who can only be described as a complete fucking psycho and her brother a long haired man child who takes sexual violence to a whole new level. This time around Vogel has something to really show us. While the first wasn't all that violent or visually disturbing and relied on humiliation to really unsettle us, Mordum is out there. It's again presented as a degraded VHS tape that's been way over used, we still get mundane stuff, the trio with their mates drinking and being stupid, going to see gigs, getting piercings, messing around together. This time however, it's more chaotic. The girlfriend who is unhinged and to be honest a ticking time bomb, her brother a simple mind. Childlike and obviously disturbed. I really cannot imagine what their back story would be if they had one. As well as being in a relationship with Vogels character, the girl is having sex with her brother! Disturbing enough for you?

Violence in this one is stronger, and more sexually motivated. Simulated blow jobs with severed penises, necrophilia, rape its all there and it's not pretty. One scene involving the gaping stomach wound and the brother's weird fetishes almost made me vomit in my mouth a little! A very late scene involving a small child is pretty nasty. The dialogue during was sickening and indicated there really is more to why they are like they are, the girlfriend in particular. One thing is, this will offend people. Not everyone but the majority of people, even a lot of horror fans will be upset by this. Children, babies and animals are killed even though this is mainly off screen and to avoid the animal death just don't watch after the credits.

Again the effects are spectacular. Realism is achieved perfectly. It's exciting as a horror fan to see such amazing effects even from 2003. If they can do it with barely a budget then Hollywood certainly can! The characters are realistic. I've met people like them, probably don't go around kidnapping and killing people but on the outside these characters are people we know and are generally normal apart from their hobbies.

I was disappointed in a few things. I thought sometimes it was too chaotic. Everyone these people know are killers of some kind. A guy later on in the film has quite the party piece in his basement and we are treated to witnessing his own sick killing. There is a real escalation from 2 mates pissing around to 3 people who are now seasoned killers. I don't know how much time is supposed to have passed between the first film and the second. I think it concentrated too much on the two new faces I kinda missed seeing more of Vogel! It isn't until the end when he quite obviously loses it with his girlfriends brother we see him properly or at least his other scenes just weren't as memorable as the other two. I also thought the sexual element was too much sometimes. However, Vogel and co wanted to gross me out and appall me and that they did. Again.

While I "prefer" the first, again I didn't enjoy it but this one is certainly more effective in what it sets out to do and hasn't put me off finishing the trilogy.... Part 3, August Underground's Penance coming soon.... Watch this space!

August Underground Trilogy - Part 1

Its not often curiosity gets the better of me. I'm not a person to give in just because a film has a hype. Not many films get the same controversy as the August Underground Trilogy. When I first heard of it, I was skeptical given the way people described it. "no plot, lots of violence". It's pretty off-putting when even the most open minded horror fans describe it this way. I figured it must be pretty nasty, given the story that while Fred Vogel was travelling to Canada with copies of the films, they were seized and he was kept in a cell for 10 hours before they dropped the charges. On reading another person's review lately (you can read Dani Carnage's review HERE!) I thought sod it, got a copy and went for it.

August Underground: 

First things first, there is no plot. That is true, the film follows two killers. One behind the camera who we never see, only hear his sick giggles of enjoyment and excitement. The second killer played by Fred Vogel who also produced, wrote and directed the film is the star of the show and despite him playing a complete psychopath he's actually oddly likable in the same way as we all love Captain Spaulding in The Devil's Rejects. The film is highly degraded, like it was watched a lot, gives it that hush hush feeling about it. Like its been passed about by friends and collegues then discussed in hushed whispers. I love this! The authentic feeling that this is a well kept secret only the hardcore horror fans are privy to. Sound is pretty good. It's to be expected that the sound would be as distorted as the visuals but its actually quite clear. Now for the gory details, literally. Actually, August underground is not as shocking and gory as i'd come to expect. However, the effects are stunning. If I didn't know better I'd have questioned if it was in fact a truly authentic snuff.

Now I know I said this was absent of a true plot, the reason is it's supposed to be real. I'm yet to see a home movie with a well written story and strategically placed plot devices. This isn't Hollywood, this is raw underground with a shoe string budget. I wonder exactly how much was written in a professional script or if most of it was ad-libbed. The conversations seem natural. Clearly, Fred and his co-star are friends in real life. Their dynamics as a duo are spectacular. Just another thing to add to its realistic feel. There is also a lot of mundane shots, them being jokers in a store before turning on the customers by assaulting and humiliating them. Going to see bands play in local clubs, before being kicked out for fighting, just messing around together and with friends. While they can't seem to go anywhere without causing some sort of trouble they're pretty normal apart from the naked women and dead bodies in their basement.

To say I enjoyed this film would make me look pretty sick. There's no way a sane person can enjoy August Underground. Instead I feel impressed, I didn't "like" it but the film was so well done I have a great respect for all involved. Vogel definitely has talent. What I thought would just be a pure endurance film turned out to be a whole lot more. Dig deep enough you can see this may be missing the important factors like story and coherence but instead it's a character study through the eyes of a serial killer.

I am glad I was persuaded to give it a go. I had completely misjudged it, shame on me!!

Next up.... August Underground's Mordum.

UV supports Indie! - Legitimate (screener)

This week I had the pleasure of being contacted (Thanks to a friend) by a new and upcoming director, Izzy Lee. I had the privilege to see her screener of "Legitimate".


The film opens with a quote "if it's legitimate rape, the female body has ways of shutting down" (Todd Aken). At this point, I knew I was going to see something here. As a politician is led to his chair, given his usual drink and given a show from a beautiful stripper, bound in rope, becoming unbound as she dances. The politician seems to fall asleep, most likely drugged. Waking for a moment we're shown 3 women holding something grotesque in a jar. When he awakes again outside, confused we're treated to our punchline. 

It's difficult to make a point when you only have a few minutes to do so. Izzy Lee makes her point right from the off. The undertones of female empowerment are subtle even during the dancing. As the dancer get more into it she is unbound. From what I could get, freedom from male oppression. The punchline is where you really get the point. I did let out a chuckle. It tackles sexism and the vile view of rape that sadly, some people still have. While doing this, it doesn't become a feminist tirade. Instead, taking someones view, and twisting it so the shoe is on the other foot. I doubt the use of a politician character was accidental either. 

The filming felt professional, effects clever, while absent of real gore. 

I am thoroughly impressed with this short. It was intelligent without being pretentious. I like that. I look forward to what Izzy Lee gives us next!

I really have to see more! 

An Extreme World - Battle Royale

When talking about Asian cinema, Japan is pretty hard to ignore. With directors leaving their mark with crazy storylines, awesome gore and twisted humour that makes us rub our eyes in disbelieve and ask ourselves, "what the hell am I watching?!" it's easy to see why J-horror is so popular. Now I'm a fan of more sensible stuff, things need to be on the right side of bonkers for me to enjoy but one film I enjoy again and again and features some disturbing and graphic imagery without being absurd is Battle Royale.

Battle Royale - Japan

Directed By - Kinji Fukasaku
Starring - Takeshi Kitano, Tatsuya Fujiwara, Aki Maeda.

Based off a popular Japanese manga, Battle Royale is set in the near future. Petty crime is common place and the youth of the country and wild and unruly. To deal with the problem the "Battle Royale Law" was created. The law states that each year a class of children, in their final year of schooling will be put on an island, given a bag with a weapon and some essentials and the last one standing will win. How do they win? By killing each other!

I've not long discovered Battle Royale. I went out as soon as I'd seen it while it was showing on Lovefilm instant and bought it. The story is basic, a simple kill or be killed story made fresh with side stories of love, friendship and betrayal. The film follows Nanahara and his friend, who is apparently in love with him (along with every other girl in the class apparently) Noriko. They are joined by an older boy, Kawada, who later reveals how he has played before and was the survivor. The only villains are Kiriyama, a bat shit crazy kid who volunteered for the game who silently blows one student away after another without feeling and Kitano- Sensei played by the fantastic Takashi Kitano. Kitano is the life and soul of this film. He's funny, bitter and sometimes moving. A deep sadness hides behind those eyes and it is revealed later on why.

The acting in this film is ridiculous. The characters that matter and are well acted and their lines well written. Otherwise it's hammy, over the top and sometimes just blatantly funny. Somehow, Battle Royale gets away with it! Usually bad acting will ruin a film for me but strangely, it enriches it and gives it a little more body. It doesn't take itself too seriously and I love it for that reason!

Cinematography is stunning. Wide and long shots of the beautiful scenery splattered with the blood of children. The score is perfect, a range of well known classical music. Almost unsettling given the violence that is going on. What makes it extreme is not it's graphic visuals but the way the film is showing children killing children. What is more senseless? The fact its entertaining seeing young people shooting and slashing at each other unsettles me.

Battle Royale isn't flawless. It's fun, violent, gory and has a re-watch factor which makes it worth every penny. The least extreme in the series and some might say it doesn't fit in with the likes of Martyrs but hey, I think its a pretty violent and extreme flick, maybe the best gateway drug there is before taking on the more extreme titles. I know it was mine!

My rating.
7/10

Review - Wilderness.

Directed By - Michael J Bassett
Starring - Sean Pertwee, Alex Reid, Toby Kebbell, Stephen Wight.

A juvinile prison guard takes several of his young inmates to a deserted island where they find themselves hunted by a man with a crossbow and his pack of blood thirst dogs.

Another film I stumbled upon quite a while ago on netflix. I seen it was British and starred a few actors and actresses I knew so gave it a whirl. It opens to a young prisoner being beaten by his fellow inmates. The first scenes display a campaign of bullying against the young man, Davie and his only friend inside, Lesley until Davie finally cracks and is found dead by the newest inmate, Callum (Kebbell). After Davies father visits the prison the governor demands the senior warden (Pertwee) takes them to "the island". At the island they seem to bond, or not so much at camp before they find a group of female inmates and their warden (Reid). When Callum finds a homeless man dead and rather torn up he is accused of the murder before the group are attacked by a mystery man with a cross bow and several nasty dogs under his command.

This isn't a complex film. No twists for you to see coming or complicated story lines. Simply just twisted justice and lots of killing! There are some great kills, a man is eaten alive by dogs, a girl hung from a tree and set alight by a cool booby trap. You can completely switch off and enjoy this film for what it is. Some people might find it a bit cliche, and honestly, sometimes it is. Despite that, it's a good time. Character development is there, but there is little of it but it doesn't feel like you're missing out on anything. You know who you want to feel sorry for and you know the ones who deserve their fate.

Cinematography wise, its basic but effective. A nice bloody POV shot of the dogs ripping into someone is the highlight for me. Lots of long shots show off the idyllic scenery.

In short, Wilderness is a fun flick that can be enjoyed without thinking too hard. A nice refresher for me personally given the subject matters of other films I've been watching lately. I really enjoyed this film, it's not without its flaws. Some parts are a bit hammy and could have been written better and sometimes it does get a bit cliche. However, I still felt it worthy of a buy and now sits on my shelf.

My rating. 
 7/10

Review - Peeping Tom.

Directed by - Michael Powell
Starring - Karlheinz Bohm.

Mark Lewis is a strange man. He loves being behind the camera and works in a filming studio. His sexual repression is only released by the murder, and filmings of said murders of young women. Watching their fear as he goes. When he meets a woman who shows the affection he's craved his entire life Marks life changes and his secrets become harder to conceal especially from his new love interests blind but all seeing mother!

Made in 1960 when a certain Hitchcock horror movie was reaching great success, Powell's Peeping Tom was greeting with much less appeasement. Critics tore this film a new one. Powell never really had any success after that and the film was not appreciated until many years later. Now it is seen as a classic and praised the way it should have been 50 years ago.

Voyeurism is the main theme, at the time this was probably a taboo subject, even for a horror movie. While Peeping Tom wouldn't be classed as a horror movie to today's standards, the idea of having someone shove a camera in my face as he pokes a sharpened tripod leg into my throat is pretty horrific to me!

The best thing about this film is it's character development. At first glance Mark Lewis could be seen as just your run of the mill pervert but delving deeper, and seeing what his childhood and life is like, he become a sympathetic character. Craving some female influence and love. His father's treatment of him and how he used him in his own cruel experiments is difficult to comprehend.

The cinematography is beautiful to the eye. Every scene is crafted well, every line written and delivered is perfect, the violence is very tame for the average or hardened horror viewer of today but put yourself back 50 years you can feel that these scenes would have shocked an audience to the core. The only issue is the way the story just plods along. It can feel quite slow at times. This could be because I've become used to todays fast paced slashers. Even so it's enjoyable to watch.

I loved Peeping Tom from the first time I seen it years ago. It doesn't get the reception is deserves.

My rating

8/10

An Extreme World - Martyrs

Extreme world horror is becoming more and more popular with the western world becoming desensitized to violence. Child abuse is reported on the news daily, as is domestic violence, rape and murder. Is it any wonder we turn to film to get away from the real life horrors going on daily. France again has used all these nasty real horrors to their advantage to create realistic and horrific cinema that makes us need a bath afterwards. Martyrs is the first film to do this to me.

Martyrs - France.
Directed by - Pascal Laugier
Starring - Morjana Alaoui and Mylene Jampanoi

Martyrs is a film I heard a lot about before eventually getting the opportunity to watch. I knew from reviews and chatter in horror forums that I was going to go into something horrific and would be taking on something that even I questioned if I was ready for.

Martyrs begins with a young girl, Lucie, of around 12 years old escaping from a warehouse wearing a filthy vest top, knickers and covered in dirt and blood screaming with terror and relief. She is taken to an orphanage where she is taken under the wing of Ana where she is taken care of. Lucie is haunted by something monstrous and terrifying which physically harms her as well as mentally torturing her. Later on, when Lucie and Ana are adults Lucie takes revenge on the people who hurt her in a bloody and shocking manner. Nobody is spared. Still haunted by the mysterious creature, which frankly, is a grotesque work of sfx art. Its only in the final act of the film we see what Lucie was subjected to and it's then the film take the most brutal and sinister turn.

To say Martyrs is down beat is an understatement. Nothing in this film brings any rays of light, no relief from the tension. Things just get worse and worse. The story starts out as a simple revenge plot we're all familiar with but as things progress you just know nothing will work out well in the end. No happy endings here and as the final part of the movie turns into an exercise in endurance, it could have been easy for the film to get boring and tedious as the violence against one of the characters gets progressively worse but the story is enough to prevent this film from becoming just another Hostel. For me, it wasn't the violence that was difficult but the claustrophobia of the entire film taking place in just a handful of settings with much of the final half an hour being in a dark and dingy cell. I felt dirty watching and I felt a desperate need to make the violence stop. I wanted to reach into the TV and stop it from happening! The director does a great job of drawing us in enough to feel almost like we are taking part but sitting and watching. The ending with undoubtedly have you questioning for days after watching.

One thing that is overwhelming in the film is the score. The music is slow, upsetting and sickly. It adds to the nihilistic feeling beautifully. Filmed almost like it's in first person. Like you are following their every move. The actresses are beautiful and play their parts with conviction. The effects in martyrs are scarily real. The creature that haunts Lucie is so realistic, it's hard to tell if it's real or imaginary. whether we are watching one woman driven crazy for the hell she has lived with or a classic vengeful ghost story reminiscent of Japanese supernatural horrors. It's this ability to blur lines that makes the film so successful.

One thing I can say for sure, Martyrs is the most difficult film I've ever sat through. I have done it twice and it wasn't any easier second time round. Infact, it was harder. This film for me is the best of the bunch in the French new wave category.

My Rating.


10/10

An Extreme World - Kill List

The UK get a bad rep for horror really. There isn't a great deal of money being put into british film but with Film4 and the National Lottery funding independent directors have been bring some excellent british cinema. We also have some great horror directors around. Recently, we've started seeing a more extreme side to us. The latest being Kill List.

Kill List - UK
Directed by Ben Wheatley.
Starring Neil Maskell, MyAnna Buring, Michael Smiley.

I will hold my hands up now, I hated Kill List on first view. I found it confusing, dull and I didn't feel the payoff was worth it. However, after much convincing from friends and other horror fans I decided to give it another shot. It's currently on lovefilm free with my subscription so wasn't losing anything. Second time round, Kill List is a whole different experience. Yes I know what's going to happen but I also notice so much more!

Maskell's character Jay, a hitman, hasn't worked in 8 months since something went wrong on a job in Kiev. You get the impression that he is both mentally and physically affected by the job. When money runs out and pressures get on top of him, Jay agrees to do one last job with his friend and partner so he can live comfortably with his wife, played by MyAnna Buring and his young son.

It starts out as a bit of a domestic drama then a hitman movie. On first view, the horror just doesn't seem to play any part until the final 10-15 minutes. On second viewing I started to notice the overall feel. That nasty vibe where you know things just are not going to end well for anyone here. Religion plays a huge part here. Jay obviously is not a believer in any sort of organised religion. I got the feeling he had been at some point but history had caused him to lose that faith. Smileys character seems less skeptical and spends some time apologising for his partners behaviour. Right from the get go you know this job isn't what it appears to be. When the deal is sealed with blood being spilled. The thing that stands out for me on the first and second viewing was the explicit kills. One kill involving a hammer is just so brutal I was not expecting it. It appears all the effects are practical too! A welcome change from the CGI infested industry at the moment.

Storywise, Kill List plods along nicely, some bits feel long and drawn out on first watch but on second watch you realise it's importance. The scenes of family life, violence and friendship are all there to give that ending the kick that it needs. Cinematography is very well done. It feels gritty and realistic. Conversations don't feel forced and scripted. Some scenes you just want to see more and questions are left unanswered but the fun is in wondering, making up your own conclusion. Wheatley never spoon feeds.

Quite frankly, I regret ever slating Kill List. It is a great piece of british cinema and Britain needs more exposure in the horror world right now!

My Rating. 

 7/10

An Extreme World - Inside

When concidering world cinema and the new extreme horror, you cannot forget about the French. French new extremity is making waves allover the world with themes of vengeance, jealousy and abuse. Their talent for shocking while telling truelly emotional stories is second to none.

Inside - France
Directed By Alexadre Bustillo and Julien Maury
Starring Beatrice Dalle and Alysson Paradis

I had this sitting on my watchlist for a long long time. It's been at the top a few times and I've skipped it to watch something else. The theme of pregnancy is a controversial one especially for people who are parents themselves. Often scenes of pregnant women and babies being sexually abused, murdered, tortured and killed are the scenes which put many people off a lot of horror movies. One thing's for sure, Inside touches on a lot of hard subjects. Pregnancy, grief, infant death and impending birth.

Inside starts off with a car crash in which a pregnant woman loses her husband in the process. Cut to 4 months later and Sarah is due to have her baby any day. When a woman knocks on her door she turns the woman away. But the woman won't leave and invades Sarahs home, tormenting her throughout the night and murdering those who try to help. What does this woman want? Sarah's unborn baby!

It is undeniable that Inside is one of the most bloody films I've ever seen. It is also one of the most disturbing. The relentless "La Femme" terrorises Sarah is some of the worst ways imaginable. The death scenes are brutal, and we see almost everything. With a certain infamous ending that is so explicit it had me squirming. The storytelling of Inside is perfect. The focus of our sympathy is always on Sarah, with shots of the baby in utero giving us a new perspective of the unborn child and the pain and suffering he goes through too. These parts, although the CGI is quite obvious, can be extremely difficult to cope with. One scene where Sarah is hit repeatedly in the stomach shows the baby's reaction. This is so raw and the thought of a defenseless unborn child being put through this torment is painful to watch but I could never look away. Surprisingly, for something so extreme, never does it feel forced or over the top. The violence seems realistic and sensible. While some scenes are extremely difficult to deal with unlike some extreme movies they don't feel hamfisted and silly and although the violence is almost constant it doesn't get tedious or boring. Whenever you think Sarah is safe La Femme takes it to another level. La Femme eventually does reveal her story to Sarah. It's heartbreaking what she went through and her reasoning for wanting to take the baby from Sarah, she is obviously going through a complete mental breakdown. There is a scene where she seeks comfort from a cigarette while screaming in what seems like physical as well

as emotional pain. We don't get to feel for her for long though as she continues to kill anyone and anything that gets close to Sarah.

With much of the film being shot inside a blood soaked bathroom, it gets very claustrophobic. There isn't much in the way of light either. The hardest part of any film that takes place in just one or two rooms is the feeling of being trapped, covered in dirt and blood. It makes you want to clean yourself after watching.

In short, Inside is shot beautifully. The camera work is amazing. Nothing feels rushed or hamfisted. The score is one made up of fast guitars or slow gentle piano. So haunting.

My Rating
8/10

An Extreme World - I Saw The Devil.

Extremes in horror isn't a new concept. Boundaries have been pushed since horror began. At first it was monster movies, then Romero blew minds with his Night Of the Living Dead during the late 60's. Later the 80's saw the moral panic and the birth of censorship in the home. The BBFC were given more power to control just how much violence was allowed on video. The birth of the internet made it possible for underground extreme cinema to become what it is today. I began to explore extreme cinema at the same time as foreign cinema. They seem to go hand in hand. France, Japan and Korea have given us some of the bloodiest movies in the past decade. A new era of terrifyingly real effects and shocking storylines which hollywood and mainstream audiences could never handle. In celebration of this new wave of extremities I've been watching some of the best examples.

I Saw The Devil - S.Korea.
Director - Kim Jee-Woon
Starring - Byung-Hun Lee, Min-sik Choi

A serial killer, Kyung-Chul has been running around and police are stumped on how to catch him. The sadistic killer makes the mistake of abducting, torturing and murdering Agent Kim Soo-Hyeon's pregnant young wife which sets off events where said Soo-Hyeon goes against his moral codes to seek revenge.

I Saw The Devil is brutal, raw and tragic. The violence is extreme. The blood flows in buckets. No one is safe here. Sexual violence, dismemberments, stabbings and torture are all present. Some scenes are so nasty its hard to keep watching, at the same time you cannot look away. At first the violence feels justified. After all you've just watched this sadistic killer -played by Oldboy's Oh Dae-Su actor, Min-Sik Choi- murder a pregnant woman, dismember her and leave her body for a heartbroken man to find. He doesn't deserve mercy. If it was simple as torturing and killing the man it would have been rather easy to stay on side with the agent but he doesn't. He catches, tortures and releases. Not once, not twice but several times. It's like watching a cat play with a mouse. It becomes cruelty. However, sides do not switch. While Kyung-Chul is running, he still kills. He does not become a victim. Eventually, it's two monsters facing against one another. Neither of them is a hero, they both become villains. It's just a case of deciding who is worse.

Cinematography wise, I saw the Devil is so beautiful it's startling. Such a mean spirited film can come across as attractive to the eye. Everything passes expectation. One scene where the killer stabs 2 men to death inside a car is stunning. As the camera circles the three men you see every reaction, the sound of the knife stabbing into them almost nauseating. The violence, although strong does not come across as over the top or forced. The finale is spectacular. Every time it rocks me.

I Saw The Devil is not for the faint of heart. It's brutal, shocking and nasty. It is very long. Runtime, almost 2 and a half hours but it does not drag or feel long. The pace is quick, barely a moment to breath.

My Rating10/10