murder | the m0vie blog

Non-Review Review: Shelter

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Darren

Shelteris a horror with an intriguing original premise. However, it’s also packed with tonnes of other premises, some of which are remotely interesting, while others are quite mundane. It’s an uneven film, which actually works best when it paces itself more as a thriller or a mystery than an out-and-out horror, but there are weaker choices out there.

Psyche!

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: arts, Dissociative identity disorder, film, gillian anderson, Horror film, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Julianne Moore, Movie, murder, non-review review, review, sam raimi, shelter, shelter (movie) | Leave a comment »

Non-Review Review: Snuffed (aka Killer View)

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Darren

I had the pleasure of seeing a screener of Snuffed (aka Killer View), the indie horror from writer and director Brian James O’Connell. It’s a nifty little horror thriller, that is effective and deeply unpleasant in all the right ways, with an especially fascinating little hook. The basic premise is that an amateur reporter has hooked up with a practicing serial killer, documenting and interviewing the man as he goes about his business – discussing matters of philosophy, personal preferences and even practical matters. Filmed on a low budget with a small cast, it’s a well-made film which easily distinguishes itself from the rake of serial killer films out there.

Brian O'Connell (Director) instructing the actors during a scene.

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: arts, brian o'connell, crime, film, horror, Killer View, Movies, murder, noah key, non-review review, review, serial killer, Serial Murder, snuffed, snuffed (aka killer view) | Leave a comment »

Putting a lot of Sloth into it: Sloth in se7en…

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Darren

A few months back, I watched the film se7en twice in quick succession, as I knew two people who hadn’t seen it, and thought I might join them. The film actually rewards repeated viewings, which is nice, but I couldn’t stop a particular question from popping into my mind as I watched the film again. The murders in the film, as the title implies, all follow a fairly basic theme, with each based around one of the seven deadly sins. However, I had a bit of difficulty making “sloth”stick.

Dead tired...

Continue reading →

Filed under: Movies | Tagged: crime, film, john doe, kevin spacey, Movie, murder, se7en, serial killer, seven, Seven deadly sins, Sloth | 41 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Wild at Heart

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Darren

I’ve always had a soft spot for David Lynch, if only because – much like David Cronenberg – you always got the sense that his artistic vision was pretty unfettered by concerns about broad appeal or studio policy or anything like that. There’s a wonderful sense of freedom, in how he works. There’s a great quote from the guys at Pixar that they don’t make movies for kids, they make movies for themselves – if other people happen to enjoy it, well… that’s great too. That sums up a lot of what I respect about Lynch. Wild at Heart isn’t perhaps one of those moments where Lynch’s interests manage to overlap with truly great cinema (as they do, I would argue, for Mullholland Drive, Blue Velvet and The Straight Story), but it isn’t so completely scattershot as to be impenetrable, either.

Dancing in the... highways?

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: Angelo Badalamenti, arts, david cronenberg, david lynch, elvis, elvis presley, film, Harry Dean Stanton, Movie, murder, music, nicolas cage, non-review review, review, Sound Files, Straight Story, wild at heart, willem dafoe | 7 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Burke & Hare

Posted on February 25, 2011 by Darren

I quite like black comedy. There’s definitely a place for the more bitter strain of humour on the big screen, and there’s no denying that the British do black comedy wonderfully – it’s like a national trait of some kind. However, there’s something even deeper and more unpleasant than the black comedy at the heart of Burke & Hare. As I watched it, I couldn’t quite get the fact that it was based on two very real serial killers who (to this very day) have made a lasting impact on Scotland’s political and social history. There’s something very trite about turning their story into a black romantic comedy with a soundtrack from The Proclaimers.

They haven't a leg to stand on...

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: andy serkis, black comedy, burke & hare, burke and hare, Burke and Hare murders, crime, film, john landis, Movie, murder, non-review review, review, serial killer, Simon Pegg, The Doctor and the Devils, timothy dalton | 9 Comments »

Non-Review Review: The Player

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Darren

I love The Player. I really do. When I was in college, I used to organise movie screenings – we’d show The Player once a year and it would always pack out. It was just one of those films that everybody had heard nothing but good things about, but never got a chance to see. Indeed, I would go so far as to say The Player, with all its wacky fourth-wall meta-ness, is my favourite Robert Altman film.