MOVIE REVIEW: The Green Inferno (2015)

The Green Inferno (2015) 

Adventure, Horror

Directed By: Eli Roth

For the fans of Eli Roth, the release of this movie had been long in the waiting. After having supposed to have been released last September before getting pulled last minute by its distributor, fans of his work have been eagerly awaiting his return to the director's chair. After Blumhouse saved the project and got it a release we are now finally able to see the film, a whole year after we originally thought we were. Aside from the building anticipation, fans were excited to see how he would pay tribute to the classic exploitation cannibal tribe films, like Cannibal Holocaust. As a fan of most of his previous work as a director (Hostel II is just a bit too wacky for me I guess) I have been quite excited to see this film and as a fan I must say I am a bit underwhelmed. 

The Green Inferno follows a group of college activists down into the Amazon rainforest as they set out to save an indigenous tribe from being wiped out by a corporation, who are seeking the lands natural gas. The story centers on Justine (Lorenza Izzo) who joins the activist group as a way to prove to herself that she actually cares. When the stunt ends up putting her life in danger she can't wait to just get back home, unfortunately for her the small passenger plane carrying them out of the rainforest crash lands right in the middle of it. Those lucky enough to have survived the crash are quickly abducted by the local tribe, who they quickly find out are cannibalistic in nature. Now those still alive must find a way to escape their village before they are ceremoniously eaten by the entire population. 

This bonkers movie has Eli Roth's stamp all over it, unfortunately he doesn't find a way to elevate it to a higher level than his previous work and it ends up feeling like a bit of a retread of Cabin Fever and Hostel. That isn't a complete knock on the film though as there are certain moments and characters that embody the best of what he has done as a genre filmmaker. He makes sure to use practical effects whenever possible and with amazing work from KNB Effects the death scenes are more than satisfying, for the most part. 

Where it falls off the rails is in the handful of scenes peppered throughout the 100 minutes that simply feel like they are from another movie entirely. In the past Eli has been able to seamlessly blend schlocky B-movie horror with the intelligent and serious side we see in some of the best genre films. He attempts to do the same again here but it fails more times than it works, the scenes that feel forced can take you completely out of the movie if it doesn't fit your taste. Not to mention that this is somehow his least gory film to date, a little disappointing considering the subject matter.

This is hardly a failure for Roth however and is sure to please his hardcore fans. It has blood and carnage and really stupid young adult characters that you can't wait to get killed. He once again plays perfect satire with his choice of characters, each one specifically poking fun at their tropes. He uses the film to slap ignorant college activists in the face with reality as to what they are actually doing, and to the whole "activism" movement as a whole. In this respect the film succeeds entirely and at times is saved because of it. 

I enjoyed the movie as a whole and was simply happy to be able to see a movie like this on the big screen, it is still a solid exploitation movie that we don't really get to see these days. It's disappointing it didn't have a bigger opening as we need more genre films like this to get theatrical releases but ultimately it makes sense. Roth caters to a specific crowd, and as loyal as that crowd is it simply isn't large enough to make a movie like this a smash hit.  I left the theater feeling satisfied but ultimately a little underwhelmed. He has a few tendencies he needs to grow out of to take his films to the next level, hopefully we see that with his other film being released this year Knock Knock. If you have been wanting to see this film I urge you to go to the theater, seeing it loud and large will top whatever experience you would have watching it at home. 

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

MOVIE REVIEW: The Martian (2015)

The Martian (2015)

Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi

Directed By: Ridley Scott

It is fairly simple to see why this movie has been at the top of everyone's "most anticipated" lists of this year. With Ridley Scott directing and with an adapted screenplay from Drew Goddard this movie has all the makings for a groundbreaking science fiction movie, and that is exactly what we have been given. People have been a little low on Scott since his last few movies were not his best work (I still stand as an unabashed lover of Prometheus) but what he brings to screen this time around embodies everything he does best as a director. The Martian is a highly intense, edge of your seat science fiction epic that is absolutely gorgeous to look at and maybe the best time you will have in a theater this year. 

The film follows Mark Watney (Matt Damon), a NASA astronaut/botanist who is left behind on mars after a manned mission goes off the rails due to a massive storm. He is presumed dead and the crew leaves without him, only to find some time later that he is actually alive and as well as can be on Mars. Watney knows that his chances of survival are slim and that he is going to have to "science the shit" out of everything in order to survive long enough to be saved. Meanwhile back on Earth NASA is doing whatever they can to find a plausible way to save this mans life, and get some good press while doing it. As with all space travel, huge problems arise and by the time his rescue mission comes around his task seems more fantasy than reality. 

This movie proves that Ridley Scott has still got it, watching this film it felt like he's never missed a step. The man who brought us two of the greatest science fiction movies of all time (Alien, Blade Runner) has now given us one of the best of the modern century. In true Scott fashion he has made the most beautiful film of the year that begs to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Every shot on Mars is absolutely stunning to the point where you would think we have actually had men on mars for decades. In fact, this is so well done that there truly are moments where this seems more like factual account of reality than a work of fiction. 

For those that are not aware, The Martian is an adaptation of a novel written by Andy Weir and if you know about Hollywood, book adaptations are never easy to accomplish. What is written in a book is typically quite difficult to translate to screen and that is why Drew Goddard deserves as much praise as anyone for this film. His adapted screenplay works amazingly and that is mostly because of the masterful dialogue written for the film. Considering how much explaining they do of science almost no one in the audience knows anything about, this film is as fluent as can be. You understand what they are talking about and why it would work that way. Somehow Goddard brought rocket science down to a level that we can all comprehend at least the basics. If that isn't incredible enough he managed to also capture true comedy within the script that seems to fit so well with the characters and story that you never once question why it is there. 

The film is truly an ensemble cast, featuring a whole slew of names that any casual fan would know but it is Matt Damon who is the focal point of the movie, and his performance that elevates the film. His portrayal of Mark Watney is one the best performances he has put in his entire career, which is saying a lot if you follow his work. He is charismatic, funny as all hell, and when it comes down to it, highly emotional and it makes for a wonderfully rounded character. In the laundry list of supporting actors, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, and Donald Glover stand out as the most interesting and complex characters though everyone adds a nice bit of their own flavor throughout the film. 

On the surface, The Martian is a simple survival film in the most exoctic location of all. When you dig a little deeper though this film really focuses on so much more, like the politics of NASA and why just going into space isn't really all that easy. It shows the bond of friendship and the power of human will when faced with unbeatable odds. This film is inspiring and hopeful, unlike so many other movies set in the near future. It wants us to believe that we can still do good and that we will do good, and most of all it begs that space travel and exploration isn't dead, but simply awaiting the next step. If you are going to check out The martian this week, see it on the biggest screen possible and revel in the majesty of this film. 

As Always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Cabin Fever (2002)

Hey everyone! Friday is here again and with it comes another 'Flashback Friday' and since it is now officially October let's take a look back on a kick-ass little flick that started the career of a modern horror icon, Eli Roth.  With his newest film The Green Inferno in theaters now this marks the first time he has sat in the director's chair since the Hostel franchise. Roth has a particular kind of style and you either love it death or can't stand it, I have never seen horror fans have such polarizing opinions on a genre filmmaker. I personally am a fan of his work, despite critics calling his movies cheap torture porn I believe he finds a way to blend modern horror sensibilities with the goretastic style of old exploitation and B horror movies. So to celebrate his return to the director's chair I decided to look back on the film that gave him his start and is still one of the best projects with his name on it to date, Cabin Fever. 

Cabin Fever (2002)

Horror, Comedy

Directed By: Eli Roth

31 Days of Halloween: October 1-7

That magical time of the year is here! thats right, it is officially October and that means the road to Halloween has officially begun. To help celebrate the best time of the year I am going to be running a weekly column called the '31 Days of Halloween'. What it is is quite simple, this is my list of the 31 essential horror films to watch this October to get you into the mood for the season. Now, I will be posting plenty of other reviews and Netflix posts and many other things as well centering on great Halloween time movies however, these 31 are the films I believe should be top priority this year. Rather than just plop three dozen films on you right now though I have decided to break it up week by week to make your decision making a little easier. I have put together a variety of movies spanning multiple decades and featuring all different kind of horror and genre films all that I believe fit the feeling of this wonderful time of year. So grab your Reese's Pumpkins, crack a pumpkin brew and turn of the lights because it's officially October you sons of bitches! 

Here's to Halloween: Digging up the Marrow (Review)

Hey everyone! I'm back with another installment of "Here's to Halloween" and it is the first official one of the month of October. This time around I have a review for Adam Green's newest movie. You know him from such films as Hatchet or Frozen and with his newest film Digging up the Marrow he adds a whole new flavor to his filmography. Playing as a sort of creature feature that is made for genre fans this is a great watch for the Halloween season. Below is my full review of the film, if you like what you read then I suggest giving it a rent on VOD, tis the season after all!

Digging up the Marrow (2015)

Horror, Fantasy, Mockumentary

Directed By: Adam Green 

Through his nearly ten years in the business Adam Green has created a small cache of genre films, each more different than the one that came before it. Spanning from his debut film, the original throwback slasher flick Hatchet, to contained thriller Frozen (No, not the princess movie) he has made sure to show true variety in each film and is sure to never repeat himself. His latest film Digging up the Marrow keeps with this trend as a horror-comedy kind of mockumentary that feels like nothing we've seen before. With a clever story and incredible creature design from Alex Pardee this film is made for and by the people who live and breathe horror.

Using the "mockumentary" style of filming the movie blends true life testimonial with a fantastical creature feature element. The film stars Adam Green and countless other genre icons as their real life personas as they live their lives as horror filmmakers. When Adam receives an odd letter from a mysterious man named William Dekker (Ray Wise) who claims that the monsters we fear are actually real, they decide to follow up on it and shoot a small documentary around the events that would unfold. Dekker is reluctant to let them film at first but when he finally opens up he shows his true colors. Not only does this man claim that monsters exists, he apparently knows exactly where to find them. 

Green and his crew are hesitant to buy into his theories, even though it is his childhood dream that these creatures exists. Even after they begin to be shown what is seen as hard evidence of their existence they have a hard time figuring out if this guy is legit or if he is just looking for some attention. These guys are determined to get a film out of this though and keep pressing and before long they witness events that can't be explained by common sense. It is now up to Adam and his cinematographer Will Barrett to figure out what, if anything, is real and why Dekker has decided to show them. 

They treat the material as if they were filming a true documentary and because of it the movie feels real and at moments truly terrifying. Green cleverly mixes in interviews and clips with other genre film makers in with the the scripted fictional ones to add familiarity and ground it in our own reality. This allows the audience to forget at times that they are watching a piece of fiction and not a real documentary and to feel that what they are seeing on screen is real. 

What makes this flick a treat for genre fans however is Alex Pardee's creature designs. Whether it be the simple drawings Dekker shows throughout the film or the actual physical monsters, each and every one is more unique than the next. These monsters are totally original and look like nothing else you have seen in another horror movie. They are gorgeous, absolutely horrifying and simply cool as all hell monsters that will hit the sweet spot of any genre nut. 

If you are a fan of Adam Green's work, whether it be Hatchet, or Holliston or even The Movie Crypt podcast than this is a must see. The film has his stamp and style all over it as the film centers on him and his production company. Even if you aren't a huge fan of his previous work or don't even know who he is, this is a fun and clever take on not only the mockumentary but also the classic creature feature. The film is available on all VOD outlets to rent for as little as $2.99 and with it being October there is no better time than now to check this out. 



As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!