Interview With a Vampire

Movie: Interview with a Vampire (1994)
Starring: Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, & Kirsten Dunst

I have one word for you - AMAZING! I was not sure what to expect but being a vampire fan I figured that I would at the very least be entertained. I was so much more than enthralled, however, I was completely captivated!

Interview with a Vampire follows Louis (Brad Pitt) as he gives an interview to a reporter about his life as a vampire from his "birth" to present day. His life covers centuries and most of that time is spent in the company of Tom Cruise's character,Lestat. Along the way they meet Claudia (Kirsten Dunst)....A family is born :)

What I Didn't Like About This Movie:

- Some scenes were too long but nothing was overly done....there are just maybe one or two scenes that I wouldve liked to have seen cut down but I understand that they were important, too....so yeah....

What I LOVE About this Film:

- Kirsten Dunst was twelve years old when she played the role of vampire Claudia in this movie....Her performance is breathtaking....I really have no words for it. I was unbelievably impressed!

- I pretty much dislike Tom Cruise in most things....not because he is a bad actor, but just because he is annoying to me. In this movie, however, I could not have seen anyone else as Lestat. He did an amazing job.

- Brad Pitt never disappoints me. You give him a job to do and he does it way beyond anyone's expectations. While this is not my favorite of his roles (my favorite of his roles is Mickey O'Neil in Snatch) I still was taken completely in by his performance. Fascinating....

- I loved the humor in this movie lol It was a very dark film but at the same time it had some pretty funny parts in it....mainly provided by Cruise's character.

- The wardrobe and makeup were fantastic!!!

- I loved seeing New Orleans back in the 1700s and then progress on through present day. It was interesting to watch the changes take place as time passed.

Rating:
I loved this movie and as vampire movies go this is my new favorite. Very well done!! Five out of five hearts! :)

<3<3<3<3<3

Jason Goes To Hell

Movie: Jason Goes to Hell (1993)
Starring: Kane Hodder

I am a huge fan of the Jason movies, however, I am also a firm believer in that every good thing must come to an end....and this series should have ended before this movie was ever made....it dragged out for so long that you come to expect the same things in each movie, and that's exactly what you get. In this Jason movie we learn the secret to how Jason is able to seemingly live forever.....it's interesting but after the first little bit I was ready for this one to end.

What I Liked About This Movie:

- There were some "OMGOSH! NO WAY!" moments as far as just being sick and twisted....other than that, though, the movie was no that interesting.

- Some of the effects were very well done and the makeup was great overall...

What I Didn't Like About This Movie:

- It was shot in Lifetime movie format....you may or may not know what I am talking about.....but when the movie first came on I really felt like I was watching Lifetime with the cheesy low budget opening credits.

- The idea was good but it dragged on forever leaving me bored and wanting it to be over.

- Way, WAAYY too predictable.

- You hardly ever actually see Jason in this movie....I understand why....but still it's annoying and takes away from the whole "Jason experience"....

- The whole movie dragged on but the ending especially seemed to go on FOR AN ETERNITY!!!

Rating:

- Overall this movie was horrible....aside from one scene and a couple of "No way!" moments, I hated all of it. I give it 1 out of 5 hearts <3

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle

Movie: The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992)
Starring: Annabella Sciorra, Rebecca De Mornay,& Matt McCoy

When this movie came out, I was ten years old. I remember being so jealous that my older sister could watch it and I couldn't. Overall, it was worth the wait :)

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle deals with a psycho nanny out to get her revenge on the woman who has ruined her life. I dont know what it is about psycho nanny movies but they pull me in every time. This one was no exception.

What I Liked About This Movie:

- The script was well written and kept my attention. I was not left feeling bored rather I was left wanting to know what was going to happen next.

- This movie made me appreciate technology moreso than I have in a long time. There are several times throughout the movie when someone DESPERATELY needs to get a hold of someone else and if they can't get a hold of them at work or at home then they are pretty much screwed and have to just sit and wait it out. Also, an important document is lost that had there been a computer to save it on, this would not have happened. A death in the movie actually could have been easily prevented had a cell phone/text messaging been available, for crying out loud!! Plus, there's no internet to just hop onto to do extensive research on your nanny....Frustrating but I was glad for the reminder of how lucky we are nowadays :)

- This movie is timeless...it's something that I enjoyed watching today as much as I probably wouldve enjoyed watching it when it first came out (had I been old enough to really "get it" ;)

- The only guy on Designing Women is in this movie....it's the only other thing that I've ever seen him on and he did a great job! :)

- The "creepy" factor is pretty high in places in this movie....and actually, this movie is pretty believable. I could see this happening in real life.

- I've never been a huge Julianne Moore fan, however, she plays a great role in this film as Claire (the mom's) best friend! I love her attitude! :)

- They did follow-ups/fill-ins on characters who had gone away....I always like this in a film. It seems odd to me when in some movies characters will all of a sudden just be gone and you never hear another word about them.

- The characters were well developed in this film. And actually at times I felt myself feeling very sorry for Peyton (the nanny), even if she was a total psycho. She's had a rough time :/

- **SPOILER ALERT** Claire punches Peyton in the face in one scene OUT OF FRIGGING NO WHERE!!! and it's the best thing I've ever seen in my whole life! HAHA WOW!!! I've never seen somebody fly that far across a room just from being punched in the face.....IT.WAS.AWEESSOMMMMEEE!!!! :D

- The ending is pretty hardcore and amazing. I wouldn't have changed anything about it! :)


What I Didn't Like About This Movie:

- Too many boobs. Sorry. They're just everywhere. Between all of the breast feeding and breast exams I was completely boobed out by the end of this movie.


- I wished that more people had figured out who Peyton really was and had been murdered....I know that sounds horrible!!! lol....but I mean, if you're going to have a movie about a psycho, go big or go home.

- Okay, this got me.....Claire literally just met Peyton out in the street and invites her into her home. Within just a few minutes she is alone with the baby and within a day she has moved into the house. I dunno, that's just almost like asking for it :/

Unexpected Surprise:

- So while I was watching this movie, the couples oldest child (Emma) who is about six in the movie kept looking more and more familiar to me. I IMDB'd her name (Madeline Zima)and realized that she is in one of my more recent favorite movies A Cinderella Story, starring Hilary Duff. I always think that its neat to run across an actor that you like in a movie that they were in when they were small :)

Rating:
Overall the storyline was great and well thought out. It kept my attention, I just wish that more people had been killed and that there were some more psycho moments :)It wouldve made things a little more intersting...Not bad, though... I give it a 4 out of 5 hearts.

<3<3<3<3

Mortal Thoughts

Movie: Mortal Thoughts (1991)
Starring: Demi Moore, Bruce Willis, & Harvey Keitel

Given the fact that I have been mislead by the summary of the last few movies that I have watched, I was skeptical about this one. I was drawn to it initially because of the cast. I had never seen Demi and Bruce in a movie together that I can remember so I was interested to see how they played off of each other on film. While I began watching the film with reservations, I am happy to report that I LOVED IT!!!! :)

In Mortal Thoughts, Cynthia (Moore), goes to the police to report what she knows about her best friend's abusive husband's (Willis) murder. Cynthia watches as her own life begins to fall apart as she sits down with police to remember that fateful night...The tagline says it best: "Murder is a secret that should never be shared..."

What I Didn't Like About This Movie:

- There really was not that much that I disliked about Mortal Thoughts....the main thing would be that some scenes went on a little longer than maybe was necessary but it wasn't excessive. My interest was still kept. I watched this movie during a marathon and it was 3/4 of the way through when I started to feel hungry....but I REFUSED to stop the movie to get anything to eat!! lol It definitely kept my attention throughout!

What I Liked About This Movie:

- It was well written! FINALLY! After watching a handful of duds in back to back it was great to finally see a movie that was well thought out!

- The acting was amazing!!! Bruce and Demi together do not disappoint!

- I liked that during the beginning credits of the movie they use old home videos/photos to establish that Cynthia and her friend have been friends since they were babies rather than have a longer, more drawn out beginning in order to let us know their history. It saved so much time!!

- I wanted to mention Bruce specifically....He had to play a character that was VERY violent towards women and while he is an amazing actor I would feel that for any decent man that role would be a stretch and would have to be very hard to wrap your mind around. I applaud his performance as one of the best low lifes I have seen in a movie in awhile! Bravo! :)

- I always love Harvey Keitel as an investigator :)

- As I mentioned before, the movie went along at a great pace....I couldn't stop watching it for a second and I was happy to see that it included twists and some very shocking outcomes!!!

- The ending was NOT what I expected....but it was interesting....I still don't know how I feel about it....but I didn't hate it :)

Rating:
I had never heard of this movie before I saw it listed on Netflix....It is a movie that I could see myself watching again. I give it 4.5 out of 5 hearts! :)

<3<3<3<31/2

Presumed Innocent

Movie: Presumed Innocent (1990)
Starring: Harrison Ford

You know that nightmare where you are sitting in the most unbelievably boring class listening to a professor lecture in monotone. You stare pleadingly at the clock, praying for the class to just END. What feels like an hour later you look at the clock again and find out that it's only been about 3 minutes.....That is what it is like when you are watching this movie.

Presumed Innocent is about a prosecutor (Ford) who is assigned to investigate the murder of one of his co-workers. His fingerprints ultimately turn up at the scene of the crime and he has to admit that he has been having an affair with her. And that is just the beginning of his problems.....Sounds interesting, doesn't it? Sure. That's why I watched it. However, not everything is as great as it seems at face value and that is certainly true for this movie.

What I Like About This Movie:

- As with so many movies that I have seen, I liked the idea of the movie, however, it was FAR too long and did not hold my attention. It really could have been a good movie....they even had a great cast starring Harrison freaking Ford!! But even Ford's flawless performance was not enough to fix a horrible script.



What I Did Not Like About This Movie:

- WAAAYYY too long....It was an absolute chore to try to make it through to the end of this movie.

- The ending was really stupid....I'm not going to spoil it for anyone who plans on watching it but it just was far too predictable for me....

- His wife annoyed me in this movie....She put up with WAY too much from him and it just seemed unrealistic to me....I guess that's just because I know I wouldnt put up with even one percent of what she did....

Rating:

- This movie gets 1 out of 5 hearts for having a good basis but a horrible result.
<3

The Dead Next Door

Movie: The Dead Next Door (1989)
Starring: Pete Ferry

Okay, I am probably the biggest zombie movie fan ever. I realize that they are made mostly to be cheesy.....but this one was over the top for me. There was absolutely no plot whatsoever....The only thing that I liked about the movie was the zombies are some of the BEST that I've seen as far as makeup/special effects. However, that is the ONLY thing that I liked about this movie which is why I am not even going to bother doing this review in my usual format.

I wanted to watch this movie for two reasons: 1) It's about zombies and 2) it's reported to be the most expensive 8mm film ever made.....I'm not a fan of 8mm films, however, I wanted to see what this one was like.

There is no storyline to follow....I just...AGGGHH!!! I have no words....I'm so disappointed. My only advice to you on this movie if you ever plan to watch it is this: Get really drunk first. I mean REALLY drunk. Because maybe then you could at least watch it and probably get a good laugh out of it if nothing else :) Otherwise, I would not ever advise wasting your time with this film.

Rating:
I give this film 1 out of 5 hearts and that is ONLY because the zombies were AWESOME!!! Especially for it only being 1989. They were better than some of the ones I have seen in more recent zombie films. However, if it were not for that I would have given this film zero hearts.

<3

The Dead Pool

Movie: The Dead Pool (1988)
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Liam Neeson
Featuring: Jim Carey


When I saw the list of who was in this film, I HAD to watch it!! I'm a huge Clint Eastwood fan and was very interested to see what kind of a role Jim Carey played. The acting was superb, however, the movie itself was too long.

Clint Eastwood comes back as "Dirty Harry" Callahan in The Dead Pool. In this film, an underground sports pool of sorts is going on with bets placed on which celebrity is going to die next. Celebrity's names are crossed off one by one while Dirty Harry racks his brain trying to find the killer(s). But will HE be next?

What I Liked About This Movie:

- JIM CAREY! His role in this movie was great. Jim does not play his usual "funny man" role but rather a drug addicted rocker. The first few seconds that we see Carey in the film, however, he is up to his usual routine of dancing around and busting out some of his signature moves/expressions. His look is different from any other look that I've seen him have in any of his other films. When he's not dancing around trying to make a music video, he is serious and almost dark. Amazing performance!!

- Liam Neeson's killer rat tail!

- Clint Eastwood, as always, was amazing :) He never disappoints me in his delivery.

- Cheesy one liners....I dunno, I'm a sucker for 'em :)


What I Did Not Like About This Movie:

- The idea behind this movie is awesome!! However, this movie was FAR too long....Had it been shorter and stayed more on track I probably would have liked it better. I found myself getting bored and just wanting it to be over.

- One thing that would have made this movie better for me is if Jim Carey had been in it LONGER. His character was only in the movie for maybe 6 minutes TOPS. This disappointed me as I would have LOVED for them to have developed his character more. In the short time that he was on screen you could tell that he really had a strong grip on his character...I just wish that he had had more screen time to allow us to be more connected to him.

- By the end of this movie, I was lost. When the killer was revealed I did not even know who he is or what he was talking about when he was telling why he had started killing people. The movie most definitely peaked when Jim Carey was on the screen and that, unfortunately, was very near the beginning of the film.

Rating:

I enjoyed the idea of this movie, I just wish it had stayed on topic more. It lost me by the end and I wanted a lot more Jim Carey!! Overall, I give it a 2 out of 5 hearts. Not that great, except for Jim and of course Clint Eastwood.

<3<3

Taken

Movie: Taken (2008)
Starring: Liam Neeson

I was very excited to watch this movie when I first heard about it. I'm happy to say that it did not disappoint :)

Taken is about a man, Bryan, who has spent his life focusing on his career as a spy at the cost of his marriage. Stuck in the middle is his daughter, whom he adores, and is trying to make up for lost time with now that he is no longer working. Protective and devoted, he is leery when his daughter says that she has been invited to spend the summer with her friend in Paris. He ignores his intuition and he decides to sign the papers to give her permission to go abroad......it's a decision that he soon regrets.

What I Did Not Like About This Movie:

- Bryan's ex-wife, Lenore, (played by Famke Jansen) is the biggest most ignorant bitch of a mother on the planet. When Bryan is being logical about being worried about his SEVENTEEN year old daughter spending an entire summer abroad, Lenore just keeps yelling at him about being a "bad father" and about being a control freak. Oh! OHHH! I'm sorry....excuse him for worrying about his daughter rather than be like you and say "Yes! Go! It'll give me the whole summer to focus on myself! Pedicures and drunken binges!! Yayyy!" And on top of this, Lenore keeps important details about the trip a secret from Bryan. Hmmm....maybe the fact that your marriage failed isn't so much about him working but more because you're just a mega-bitch who uses bullying and verbal insults to get your way :/

- Something happens to one of the main players in the film and then it is not ever mentioned again. I would have liked it better if at the end of the movie they mentioned this person again to kind of tie up some loose ends to let us know whatever happened to them. That is really my main dislike about this movie....

- Way too much of the movie was just too convenient for me....It wasn't very believable that things could actually turn out that way BUT that is why it's a MOVIE! This didn't take away from the experience for me, though....just....I dunno....yeah....too convenient.

What I Liked About This Movie:

- ACTION! ACTION! ACTION! From very early on in the film, once things get rolling, it's non-stop action and is full of plenty of violence and badassery! :D

- Liam Neeson is a MACHINE!!!!! That is all I'm going to say! This guy is amazing in this movie!! I cant even imagine how many hours of training he had to complete to be able to pull of some of the moves that he does in this film....UNBELIEVABLE!

- The storyline is great and it deals with an issue that is not really talked about enough (human trafficking). It keeps your interest throughout and I personally was never left bored.

- The best dinner scene ever....EVER.....in ANY film, is in THIS movie! haha You'll know what I mean when you watch it :) NO MERCY! I love it. This scene just shows that Bryan will stop at nothing to get the information that he needs in order to save his daughter's life.

- I actually learned some good tips from this movie on what to do and not do when put in a situation of possibly being kidnapped and also on just how to be smart in not giving out too much information about yourself to people that you do not know. Most of what got the girls in trouble had to do with them being young and immature but it could really happen to anybody who is just not being careful and not on guard.

Rating:
- I give this movie 4.5 out of 5 hearts. I liked it very much but there were some holes in the storyline that took away from the overall movie for me in the end. <3<3<3<3

Paris, Texas

Movie: Paris, Texas
Starring: the dad from Pretty in Pink - Harry Dean Stanton


Okay, this movie was just weird....First of all, the reason that I was first drawn to it is that it was STARRING Harry Dean Stanton. Usually he just plays supporting roles or just very small roles (like the old man in the bar on You,Me, and Dupree)...I was curious as to how he would handle the lead. He actually did an amazing job with what he was given to work with. I didnt know what to expect from this movie but it left me with a numb feeling lol It was kind of like the feeling that you get after someone says something SO stupid that you are just complete taken aback by it....your brain is jumbled up and you are shocked that that kind of ignorance exists in this world....yeah, that's how I felt when it was over....I just sat there staring at the tv thinking "What in the world just happened?"

The movie is about a man who has been wandering through the desert for four years after leaving his wife and son. His brother ends up finding him randomly....I mean seriously, VERY randomly....like just driving down the road and "oh THERE you are!" after four years kind of random..... So the movie takes you through his journey of trying to remember his family as well as trying to reconnect with people from his past.

What I Did Not Like About This Movie:

- This movie had the potential to be very good but it was SOOO SLOW that I had a terrible time focusing on it. The script was full of so much garbage that it took away from the main point. It was almost 3 HOURS LONG!!! It could have been better if they made it HALF as long only focusing on the important things.

- The little kid in the movie was not very likable and it made me not feel sorry for him that his dad didn't remember him.....I would probably want to wipe him from my memory, too. He was just super annoying and whiny. Near the end of the movie, however, he becomes more likable but by then I had already decided that I didn't like him so it didn't matter :/ lol

- Maybe it was just me but throughout this movie I was left wondering what in the world was even going on?! It moved at a snail's pace......but then at the end, everything is EXPLAINED to you in the absolute LONGEST SCENE in ANY MOVIE, EVER! I hate when a movie is so confusing that it necessitates an ENTIRE scene to just explain what you just watched! Literally, the main character just sat there in a chair explaining basically EVERYTHING! If I can't just watch the dang movie and know what is happening then it just makes for a bad movie in my humble opinion....I understand a little mystery, that is great. But for the entire movie to make no sense and to have to be explained to me by the actors is ridiculous.

- The aunt in the movie had a really annoying accent....it was unbearable to listen to at times :/ ugh

What I Liked About this Movie:

- The way that this movie was filmed and the different artistic liberties that were taken made it almost seem as if it were filmed 2 years ago, not 26 years ago. They used a lot of symbolism in the movie, which I enjoy.

- The character development of the main character was not that bad.....it was a little weird and a little bit too fast for me but still....They had good ideas for this movie, it just did not come together well....

Rating:

I probably will never watch this movie again unless I am being tortured in a foreign country somewhere which in that case I am sure that they have this movie ready and waiting to be played in cycles. I give it 2 out of 5 hearts....I would give it one but I'm giving it 2 simply because it was ahead of its time in the way that it was filmed....it still looks modern....♥ ♥

Serendipity

Movie: Serendipity (2001)
Starring: John Cusack & Kate Beckinsale

Okay, if you know nothing else about me, one thing that you should know is that I am one of the biggest John Cusack fans that you will ever meet. That being said, this movie is my favorite of any movie that he has ever done!

Serendipity is not just a love story...it's way more than that. It follows the lives of Jonathan Trager (Cusack) and Sara Thomas (Beckinsale) after they have a chance meeting in NYC one day where they fall in love. Years go by, they're both engaged to be married, but they never quite forgot about eachother....and that's where the search begins....



What I Don't Like About This Movie:

- Nothing. Sorry :P I just can't think of anything. It is one of my favorites of all time! :)


What I Like About This Movie:

- From the very beginning, I am in love. The very first song that you hear in this movie is my favorite Christmas song :) ("Cool Yule" - Louis Armstrong)

- The storyline is amazing and has a great pace.

- The movie is set in NYC, which is one of my favorite places on earth (that I've been to so far). This movie makes me want to be there at Christmastime so bad I cant stand it! :)

- This movie is why I own a copy of "Love in the Time of Cholera" By: Gabriel Garcia Marquez with my name and phone number in the front! (you'll understand when you watch! lol)

- The music in this movie is breathtaking....I love the soundtrack and have listened to it over and over again!! The songs are just so beautiful and unique....

- The tagline to this movie is "Destiny...with a sense of humor"...I could not have said it better myself. The movie could have been made to be serious but I'm so glad that it wasn't! Sara's best friend is Molly Shannon and Jonathan's is played by Jeremy Piven and they keep you laughing throughout! :) John Cusack's delivery of each and every line is PERFECT and adds to the comedic aspect of the film. And Sara's fiance' is hilarious without even meaning to be lol If you watch this movie, the part where he is watching a music video that his band made is one of my favorites...

- This movie really fills you with hope for true love and the power that it has to make everything work out the way that it is supposed to in the end....

- It's a movie that I think that everyone should see....I know several guys who even love it so it's not just for girls by any means....It is hard to even write a review on this movie....it's just one of those movies that you have to SEE to really understand anything about it....it can't really be explained....Anyone who has ever really truly been in love and felt it in the deepest part of themselves and then lost it will be able to relate to this movie so well! And anyone who hasnt - this movie gives you HOPE! <3

Rating:
I give this movie a 10 out of 5 stars!! And you know when I do that it means that it's in my absolute TOP favorites of any genre :) AMAZING!
<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

Full Metal Jacket

Movie: Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Starring: Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D'Onofrio, & R.Lee Ermey

Let me start off by saying that I am not a fan of most war movies so I was not sure how I was going to feel about this one. However, this movie does not really focus on the "war" part. Instead it focuses more on the characters themselves and how they interact with each other and personal challenges and changes that they face throughout the war.

Full Metal Jacket follows a young man, known to his friends as Joker, from his very beginning day of training in the Marine Corp and up through Vietnam. The movie is split up into two segments: the first segment follows Joker, another soldier called Pyle, and others as they are put under the harsh training of Sgt.Hartman (played by R.Lee Ermey). The second part covers Joker as he is sent into the war as a correspondent. You see how Joker himself changes from beginning to end based on his experiences.

What I Did Not Like About This Movie:

- Some of the slurs in this movie are really bad, however, I realize that they are relevant to the times of when the movie was suppose to be set. Just be warned that this movie may be offensive to some viewers :)

What I Liked About This Movie:

- I liked that this movie had a little bit of everything....It was funny in parts, sad in others....it had action, drama, everything that makes a movie GREAT! It covered all the bases! :)

- I LOVED the character development in this movie!!! It was the best that I've seen yet! The movie specifically follows Joker's development throughout but I also really thought it was interesting to see how Pyle was effected by his surroundings and how he changed.

- There was one scene in particular that was a turning point for Joker that was very dark. I just loved how it was shot (no pun intended). There was also another darker scene that I would consider a turning point for Joker that was dark....i loved the blue lighting used in that scene and the music....just very creepy....

- R.Lee Ermey is HILARIOUS as Sgt Hartman!!! He did such an amazing job but I don't know if that's to say that he's an amazing actor since playing this role was not a far cry at all from what he does in real life. Either way, though, I loved him in this movie!! I thought he did a great job! :)

- I loved the relationships between all of the guys....and Animal Mother was my fav soldier! :) This guy was outta control but in the best, most entertaining way possible!

Rating:
I give this movie a 4 out of 5 stars. Certain aspects of it were a bit too violent for me but it's a war movie so that is to be expected! Overall, though, the storyline is great, the character developement is amazing, and it has something for everybody :) Not bad at all....

<3 <3 <3 <3

The Strangers

Movie: The Strangers (2008)
Starring: Liv Tyler & James Hoyt

This movie is one of my more recent thriller favorites. The thing that I like most about this movie is that it is believable. At the beginning of the movie you are told that it is based on a true story. That statement is both true and false. The Strangers draws inspiration from two separate true events, including the 1969 Manson murders as well as a crime that happened in the director's neighborhood when he was a child. The book "Helter Skelter" also played a role in the storyline of this film. Some have wondered if the film is also loosely based on the Keddie murders, which happened in 1981. The filmmakers have neither confirmed nor denied this.

The Strangers is about a couple, Kristen and James, staying in an isolated vacation home after attending a friend's wedding. In the early hours of the morning they receive a knock on the door from a strange visitor. Little did they know that this odd occurrence was just the beginning of the longest, most terrifying night of their lives when their home is invaded by three strangers, all wearing creepy masks. It is in these early morning hours that Kristen and James learn just how far they will go in order to survive.

What I Don't Like About This Movie:

- As I have in the past, I will list this in my 'What I like..' section as well as the 'What I Don't Like...' section. **SPOILER ALERT!!** I both love and hate the ending of this movie. I love it because it is not your typical Hollywood ending. I hate it, however, because it is truly horrible and heart wrenching. I absolutely cannot bear to watch it. I watched it the first time that I saw the movie but every time since I always stop it right before things come to a head and then I'm done. We each have our own level of what we can take. We each have things that bother us more than others.....the ending of this movie is one of those things for me

- James and Kristen do not listen to each other and this is annoying for me. This is the only part of the movie, at least for me, that did not seem that believable. At one point, before they realize that someone is actually in the home, Kristen sees someone outside and tries to tell James about it and he does not believe her. She is visibly shaken by what she has seen but James does little to comfort her. He basically from the beginning just tells her that she is overreacting. Maybe it's not so much that it's not believable for me (because I realize that this is how some couples are with each other), but for me it was an annoyance.


What I Liked About This Movie:

- I don't even know where to begin....First of all, something small: THE MUSIC. I love the soundtrack to this movie!! It does not contain your typical thriller movie music. All of the songs in the movie are very laid back and comforting but creepy at the same time. They couldn't have picked better songs to go with each of the scenes. They all fit perfectly. They would not have been my first choices but that is what I like about it. They're unexpected but they work so well.

- The suspense in this movie is unbelievable!! You are kept on the absolute edge of your seat from very near the beginning of the movie until the end credits begin to roll. You never know when the killers are around or where they could be because they are literally all over the property at different points in the movie. Some of the scariest parts in the movie are when James and Kristen can see the killers but the killers either don't know that they are there OR they know that they are there and it's all part of the game for them. Either way, AMAZING!!!! If you like to be scared then I suggest watching this movie at home alone, late at night, with all of the lights off! You will not be disappointed!

- In many thriller type movies the filmmakers will go over the top with blood and gore and screaming and big chase scenes....They will add action and a lot of noise to get a reaction from their audience. This movie is the complete opposite. The filmmakers have used subtle sounds and brief imagery to bait their audience in. From anything as small as a wind chime on the porch to a creak of the floorboards....it leaves you constantly wondering "Is that them?"....The knocks on the door are even creepy in the way that they were delivered....and the way that the killers speak is almost a whisper at times.....I felt that this helped me to better put myself in their place because these are all sounds that most of us have heard late at night. Our hearts start to beat fast, our eyes dart around, and we wonder to ourselves "What was that?! Is someone there?!" You have that same feeling throughout this movie!! :)

- As I mentioned before, one of the things that I like the MOST about this movie is that it IS so believable. It was believable to the point that after watching it I started Googling Kristen and James' names because I wanted to know more about what happened. As with the subtlety and familiarity of the sounds used in the film to instill fear and suspense into the audience, I found the believability of the story itself to be the most terrifying thing of all.

- The pace of the movie was great and the storyline flowed very well.

- The acting in this movie is fantastic! Liv Tyler is such an under appreciated talent. I wish that she did more thriller type of movies because she can act scared with the best of them!!

- I told you that this would be in both the 'like' and 'dislike' categories....I loved the ending of this movie!!!! It was perfect. If it had ended any other way it would have taken away from the entire film....

- I like the irony of the setting as compared to the situation/circumstances....The home in the movie is very warm and cozy looking....It actually relaxes me even just thinking about the laid back,comforting feel to the place....but then you have a situation happening within it that is ANYTHING but.....

- While we are on the subject of irony, I absolutely LOVE the different looks of each of the killers in the movie!!!!! Two of the three masks that they wear are very playful and childlike, which adds to the creepiness of the film....And on the subject of the masks....the wardrobe throughout this movie is great....Every character in the film seems to be unified in their dress....And speaking of dresses (lol), Liv's dress at the beginning of the film is gorgeous :)

- If I could only tell you ONE thing to note before watching this film it would be this: When you think there is nothing going on and everything is quiet and the killers are nowhere to be seen.....look a little closer ;)

- I love that the filmmakers took so many chances with this movie!!! They did not use your typical music for a thriller movie, they did not go heavy on the action, they did not go for the blood and gore that most do, and they did not make the ending what I believe most people would have wanted the ending to be....They chose subtlety over "in your face" horror....If I could liken this movie to anything it would be the absolute softest touch followed by the biggest punch in the face that you have ever had in your life. This movie goes there and I respect any filmmaker who is not afraid to stray from the norm!!

Rating:

This is the type of movie that I can watch over and over and over again (and I have!!) I easily give this movie a FIVE out of FIVE hearts and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for an AMAZING thriller!!!

<3<3<3<3<3

Texas Chainsaw Massacre II

Movie: Texas Chainsaw Massacre II (1986)
Starring: Bill Moseley, Dennis Hopper, and Caroline Williams


I do not even know where to begin explaining how AMAZING this movie is!! I am a parnormal investigator so it takes a lot to scare me....I have pretty much seen and heard it all....but this movie had me absolutely terrified from beginning to end! If you know anything about me, you know that I love a good horror movie but I am very hard on them in my reviews for the most part....this one is definitely a MUST SEE for anyone who loves the horror genre. If you love this movie, as I do, you should definitely check out Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpes (Rainn Wilson is in it...you cant beat that;) and The Devil's Rejects, which pay homage to this horror classic. If this is not the most twisted and messed up movie (but in the most terrifying and best way possible) that you have EVER seen in your entire life then you must truly be made of steel.

In this movie, a Texas radio host is doing her show one night when two hoodlums call her raising hell while they're out driving and causing trouble around town. While on the phone with her, Leatherface and the rest of the Sawyer clan (famous for their killings in Texas Chainsaw Massacre I) show up where the boys are and saws them to pieces while the radio host and her entire radio audience listen on. The local sheriff, who has his own history with Leatherface and his clan, asks the radio DJ to play the recording of the attack on her show a few nights later in order to try to make the killers come out of hiding....and boy do they ever....

What I Liked About This Movie:

- EVERYTHING!

- The story line of this movie moves at a great pace. It has just enough suspense but it is never to the point where you get bored waiting....

- Leatherface and the rest of the his clan are all AMAZING! Their costumes, their accents, their makeup, EVERYTHING about them makes the whole movie a scream!!! They are all absolutely terrifying but also can be funny with how absolutely ignorant they are lol

- You cannot talk about this movie without specifically mentioning Bill Moseley and how absolutely amazing and what an unbelievably talented horror actor he is!!!! In this movie, Bill Moseley plays Chop Top Sawyer, one of the members of the infamous Sawyer clan. From his very first scene in the movie you know you are dealing with an actor who is not afraid to cross any boundaries!!! From his very first scene, he is terrifying and disgusting in all of the best ways. As I mentioned before, Rob Zombie made House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects in homage to these films....in both of these films you will be able to see Bill Moseley at it again pulling all the stops as Otis! He is one of the most versatile horror actors as far as his appearance...I know that you can do a lot with makeup but my goodness....he looks like a COMPLETELY different person in every film that he is in! I cannot say enough about his performance in this film....he is one of my favorite actors of all time! He is one of the most under appreciated talents of our time! http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0608405/

- This movie does not even look like it was filmed in 1986....it looks so much like the cinematography that was used in The Devil's Rejects/House of 1000 Corpses that I feel more like I'm watching a 21st century horror movie, rather than one filmed 24 years ago.

- The blood and gore in most horror movies is usually very cheesed up....this movie, however, makes it all very realistic!! I was very impressed with every gore scene. I was left cringing throughout!

- While the killers are each very similar they each also have their own unique qualities....Chop Top is the just crazy off the wall one who truly gets enjoyment out of all aspects of human suffering, Leatherface is the one who has somewhat of a heart and even a bit of a conscience over what he and his family are doing....he understands that it is wrong but he wants to please his family, Grandpa is just disgusting. Period., etc. I love how different yet united they all are.

- Decaying human corpse body shields!!!! 'Nuff said!!!

- The music throughout the movie is great. Especially the song playing during the ending credits. I have always loved it when horror movies end with a cheery-sounding song :)

- Their home where they keep the bodies and their "chop shop" is so intricate in its design! So creative and so terrifying!!!!

- Those of you who know me know that my biggest fear is cannibalism. So most of the time when a movie includes cannibalism it is an automatic ratings dropper for me. However, it was tastefully done (excuse the pun) in this film so it actually upped the rating for me! :) One of the most disturbing scenes of any film that you will ever see in your entire life is in this movie. That is all that I am going to say....I dont want to spoil any of the fun for you ;)

Memorable Quotes:

Chop Top Sawyer: Who are you?

Sheriff: I am the lord of the harvest!

Chop Top: What's that? A health food bunch?

haha :)

What I Did Not Like About This Movie:

- It had to end sometime :( Truly amazing! I love a movie that is not afraid to "go there". Easily in my top 5 favorite horror films of all time....possibly even of any film genre.

Rating:

- Out of FIVE hearts, I am giving this movie TEN...that is how much I loved it! :)
<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

Clash of the Titans

Movie: Clash of the Titans (1981)

Okay, let me start off by saying that I am in no way,shape, or form a fan of most Sci-Fi (especially cheesy, 80s Sci-Fi) which makes it a miracle that I made it through this entire movie without falling asleep. However, part of this process is to expose ourselves to movies/genres that we may not have otherwise watched. That being said, my review should be taken with a grain of salt. It was good for what it was and overall I was actually impressed with how much I did not completely hate this movie :)

What I Liked About This Movie:
- I have had a long time interest in mythology and it was interesting to see certain aspects of that played out.

- The wardrobe was impressive, especially for it to be 1981.

- The movie had a little of everything. Action, humor, romance, revenge,Adventure, etc. It had something for everybody.

- This will be on both my "like" and my "dislike" list....the special effects were so bad that they were HILARIOUS :) However, I tried to put myself back into 1981 and for that time period the special effects were actually VERY good!

- Every creature in the movie brought something new and different to the table....None of the creatures even resembled one another in their movements or behavior. So I loved the creative aspect shown in that....

What I Disliked About This Movie:

- As I said, this would be in both my "like" and "dislike" section.....The special effects were VERY bad lol....I realize that at the time they were probably pretty amazing and believable. However, I have been spoiled by modern technology and therefore found the effects to be laughable. This was bad and hurt my experience with the storyline because a serious scene would come up where there was a fight with a creature that looked like it came out of a box of Cracker Jacks and instead of having the reaction of "Oh no! I hope he kills him! He's so scary!" (which is I'm sure what the director would have wanted)...I instead had the reaction of "omgosh! That's HILARIOUS! haha!". It was campy but in the best way....It wasn't really meant to be, it just became that way....which is kind of a shame because like I said before, the creatures were all pretty amazing and creative even for that time period.

- Their manner of speaking in this movie made it hard to follow the storyline at times.

- The acting was actually really great in this movie....but there were times when some of the actors were WAAAYY over-acting :/ It added to the cheese factor.

Something That I Found To Be Interesting:

The movie was rated PG, however, MAYBE 6 minutes into it, there was full on boobage-BAM!- Right in your face.....And right after that it showed a totally naked lady walking down a beach. It was just interesting to see how our rating system has changed through the years! That would NEVER be rated PG now....

Rating:
- I did not LOVE this movie but I will give it 2 out of 5 hearts and that is only because of the effects & acting <3 <3

Blade Runner

Movie: Blade Runner (1982)

This movie was interesting but it didn't keep my attention. It dragged on forever and I was pretty much confused and bored throughout all of it. I knew what the basis of the story was but there seemed to be a lot of unnecessary garbage that just took up way too much time. I loved seeing 1982's take on 2019, though :) It seems like they spent a lot of money on special effects and very little time on their script.

What I Liked About This Movie:

- I liked the whole concept of the replicants (robot people, basically)....It was an interesting theory and could have been a great movie....and actually A LOT of people LOVE this movie.....I just thought that it dragged on so much that it took away from the main point.

- There was a part in the movie where Harrison Ford was pretending to be some nerdy guy and he did the best nerd voice ever haha.....He always seems to be so serious that it was just kind of neat to see him do something a little silly :)

What I Did Not Like About This Movie:

-Daryl Hannah's hair made me itch all over and want to take a bath every time I looked at it.

- While the special effects were kind of cool, why is it that in every movie about the future EVERYTHING is NEON?! lol They had umbrellas made out of glow sticks for crying out loud. I cant take that seriously lol

- MORE BOOBS! Goodness, I have watched 3 movies so far for the Movies of the Month and every one of them I've had to deal with boobs in my face. What is this?!

Interesting Observation:

- They had flying cars in this movie and they were huge....I just thought it was interesting that in '82 they thought that our cars would have become bigger in the future when in fact they've become smaller.

- Coca Cola was obviously a huge backer of this film because periodically throughout the movie Harrison Ford would fly his car beside a HUMONGOUS glowing, blinking, neon sign that said: Enjoy Coca-Cola......shameless :)

Rating:

I give this movie 1 out of 5 hearts.....Just couldnt get into it :/ ♥

Terror Train

Welcome to Flick Chick Reviews! I hope that I can provide you with reviews for the movies you are looking for as well as some that you did not even know existed. My first review that I will post here is a review that I wrote this week for My Month of Movies, which was put together by my friend and fellow movie fanatic, Dan Barbour. This review is for the movie Terror Train (1980) starring Jamie Lee Curtis and David Copperfield. Enjoy and happy "flicking"!

Terror Train was everything that you would expect from an 80s horror movie but it still stood out from the rest for me. Despite the beginning of the movie dragging on for what seemed like an eternity, it still managed to keep just enough of my interest to make me want to see what happened next. Once the movie got moving, though, it was full steam ahead!

What I Did Not Like About This Movie:

- The overall character development was not very well done. I did not necessarily feel connected to anyone in this movie on any sort of level. Therefore, when they were killed it got an "Eh....*shrug*" or "Now who was that guy again? Oh well...." reaction from me. The only character in the film that I felt was developed well was Jamie Lee's. That girl can act! Why she is stuck doing Activia commercials now is beyond me.

-I liked the idea of this movie. It was creative, however, it was not well thought out. It lacked depth to the point that a four year old could have watched it (not that I would recommend that lol) and understood every single thing going on because everything was taken at face value and was very simple in its presentation. The script had more holes in it than a golf course covered in swiss cheese and doughnuts. This didn't make me not want to watch it.....it just left me feeling like I had been hungry, grabbed the first thing that I saw, ate it, was full, but not satisfied. It does the job of scaring you in parts but its simplicity made it not enough. I could have walked away for 5 minutes at a time throughout the movie and come back and still known exactly what was going on. The ending, however, makes watching the first 3/4 of the movie worth it, though :)

What I Liked About This Movie:

- I absolutely loved the versatility of the killer in this movie! The basis of the movie is that a group of college medical students throw a costume party on a train to celebrate their graduation. What they do not know is that someone from their past wanting revenge has boarded the train with them and uses their own costumes as disguises as he kills them one by one. This made the killer in this movie stick out from other movie killers who have a distinguishable look throughout (ie. Freddy or Jason). This made the movie itself more interesting and even fun in parts!

- The ending of the movie is as fast as the beginning is slow. The beginning drug on for awhile but once things started to pick up it really got interesting and I could not take my eyes away! I would suggest watching the movie just so that you could enjoy the last 20-30 minutes! It does not disappoint. Just when you think that you've known all along what was going on you get slapped in the face with a surprise in the end :)

- David Copperfield does magic throughout the movie, which I am sure was added in to hold the viewers interest (and it worked!).

Gross Out Moment:

- The part where one of the guys takes a random girl's high heel and starts drinking out of it. These are medical students. Have they not heard of foot fungus? You don't know where her foot has been. Gross.OUT!

Things to Note:

- I can't recall a single cuss word, which is a miracle in a horror movie.

- Brief female nudity.

Overall Rating:

As fas as 80s cheesy horror movies go it was alright....Not TOO bad. I'm giving it a higher rating just for the ending.

Three out of Five Hearts: ♥ ♥ ♥