Reviews

Although the film is called 'House 3' and it is part of the 'House' franchise, it shouldn't really be compared to the previous two films, as this was meant to be the start of a new trilogy. If compared to the previous films anyway, this would be my favourite in the series.

Yes, 'House 3: The Horror Show' is laden with clichés of the genre. (I mean, how many times in horror movies did a cat account for a fake jump scare!!). Even so, the presence of Lance Henriksen and Brion James makes this film stand out. I absolutely loved Lance in the role of Detective Lucas McCarthy, the film's protagonist. His performance here reminded me so much of his performance of Ed Harley in 'Pumpkinhead', which happens to be my favourite performance by the actor. I must also mention Lance is looking mighty fine and in great shape!

Lucas is the man who captured brutal serial killer Max Jenke (Brion James), and he is still haunted by nightmares. Max is sentenced to death by electrocution, but the execution doesn't go smoothly, and before Max dies, he vows to tear Lucas' world apart.

Professor Peter Campbell (Thom Bray) is convinced Max will return, and intends destroying his spirit. Max is indeed a creepy villain, and the film has a 'Nightmare on Elm Street/Prison/Poltergeist' feel to it. This was by all means the Lance Henriksen and Brion James Show, and I enjoyed it!

The first story is 'Terror in Topanga'. A Patient escaped from a mental institution and is terrorizing Topanga. Despite the warnings - and against her husband's will - Lisa goes to the store late at night to buy cigarettes. When the chance of encountering the killer becomes a reality, fear sets in. To make matters worse, her car is low on gas. This segment, I suppose, is trying to warn chain smoker's of their addictive habit.

The second story is 'The Bishop of Battle'. J. J. Is a gamer and obsessed with getting to Level 13 on a game called 'The Bishop of Battle'. The 13th level is said to be a myth, but J. J. is determined to beat the game. However, Level 13 is an entirely different game... (pun intended).

The third story might be seen as Christian propaganda. It sees a priest starting to question his faith, and decides to leave the parish. When he goes on a road trip and encounters a black Chevrolet truck, it becomes a life-threatening ordeal. The truck personifies evil and puts the priest's faith to the test. This was actually my favourite story thanks to the foreboding atmosphere and effects.

The final story is 'Night of the Rat. Claire is convinced there are rats in the walls. Her husband Steven refuses to spend money on an exterminator and insists on dealing with the problem himself. He sets traps, but their problem is much bigger than expected... (again, pun intended).

The film as a whole wasn't that bad and I found it entertaining enough to keep me interested throughout.

On the same night George Miller wanted to commit suicide by jumping off a building, another man, Vito Minelli, was tortured to death by a group of people. George survived, but Vito's vengeful spirit entered his body.

After receiving psychiatric treatment from Dr Jennifer Curtis, George is finally going home. However, he now starts having nightmares, and his body is used by Vito's spirit to avenge those responsible for his death. The victims die in horrible ways.

George firmly believes he is somehow responsible for the murders, and confides in Jennifer, but she doesn't believe him. The police is also having a difficult time understanding how the victims died. There's an interesting turn of events later in the movie.

The film also concentrates on human drama, and focuses on George and the people around him. His best friend is a hooker named Angel, who longs to be George's girlfriend. I actually enjoyed the relationship (and I use the word loosely) between them.

I liked the movie and thought Dennis Lipscomb did a great job as George. I just don't think I'm going to remember the movie by its title.

The film starts with two guys playing a prank on unsuspecting lovers, only to die a horrible death in a gory display shortly thereafter. This already set the mood for what was to come...and (as sadistic as it might sound) I was looking forward to it!

The house is built on church ground, and said to be haunted. Inspector Sturgess visits the scene of the crime, and is accompanied by Reverend David Thompson. The house is soon to be rented to Reverend George and his family, and David oversees the restoration. However, this does not go without incident.

As we soon discover, a witch named Elondra Sharack was executed in 1692 for murdering a young girl. Elondra is the self-proclaimed bride of Satan. During her execution, she cursed the land, and is now haunting the house. 'Superstition' is relentless in the sense it never allows the viewer time to catch his breath, as there is always something happening. Jump scares are plentiful and the witch is a creepy and merciless creature.

As a fan of 80s horror, how did I never hear of this movie? It was actually darn good. There never is a dull moment in this slasher horror, and I certainly was entertained! The film is also well acted.

Colt Seavers is a stuntman, and has been performing stunts for action star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) for several years. Colt has a crush on camera operator Jody (Emily Blunt). When Colt is seriously injured when a stunt goes wrong, he leaves the industry.

18 Months later his producer Gail (Hannah Waddingham) convinces him to return. Jody - now a director - is directing her movie 'Metalstorm', for which Colt will be doing the stunts. Tom Ryder stars in the movie. However, things get complicated when Tom suddenly disappears, and Gail asks Colt to find him. What seems simple at first turns into a life-threatening ordeal for Colt as he gets involved in murder, with thugs on his trail.

'The Fall Guy' is a lighthearted movie and the potential life-threatening moments are presented as comedy, so the film is never to be taken too seriously. For most parts, I think it worked well and there were many funny moments (although never really hilarious). I enjoyed the film's presentation in general with the film boasting some fantastic visuals, action sequences, and off course stunts. This film is laden with incredible stunts from beginning to end. What I loved most, was the return to practical effects instead of CGI. Hats off to director David Leitch!!

It was also exciting watching the characters making a movie. It gave a good insight into the making of a movie, and being on a movie set. (Yes, fortunately I have been and could relate). The film has an awesome soundtrack and I loved the way 'I was made for loving you' by Kiss was transformed into an exciting film score.

There's more than enough action and adventure to keep the viewer engaged and I also thoroughly enjoyed the film's climax. So, fasten your seatbelt, sit back, grab the popcorn and enjoy!

What attracted me to 'Everything Puppies' was its title. I love dogs!! Being a Hallmark movie, it is cheesy, but that's what you expect from Hallmark - and I'm not being critical by saying it. They are cheesy, but they're feel-good movies serving as lighthearted entertainment. This is what I expected going into the movie. And I wasn't disappointed.

'Everything Puppies' is a cute little movie and the puppies are adorable! Ok, so they're not given all that much screen time and the movie doesn't actually revolve around the puppies. The story is about Scarlett, an entrepreneur who designs dog toys, and makes healthy dog treats. Together with her friend Gina they start Puppy Palate.

Getting into the corporate world is tough, as they soon realize. Then they meet Alex - general manager of a Paws and Wellness Emporium store, who decides to give them a chance. Oh, Alex! Stephen Huszar stars as Alex, and he is a handsome hunk of a man with a great body!

Erm, before I get sidetracked here, the film follows the business relationship between Scarlett and Alex, which predictably transforms into a romance. Off course, there are obstacles challenging their relationship, but I really enjoyed Alex as a sincere and very likeable character. I must be honest, I didn't always find Scarlett all that likeable and even questioned her reasoning and actions at times. The film in general is not realistic, but then again, it's not meant to be taken seriously.

Well, if the characters doesn't always leave you smiling, the puppies certainly will! I do think 'Everything Puppies' will appeal more to the female demographic (chick flick), but it served its purpose for what I was in the mood for at the time.

There's no way you're going to watch 'Fighter' and not compare it to 'Top Gun' (providing off course you've seen 'Top Gun'). In fact, this film is so similar to 'Top Gun: Maverick', especially, that it might be considered a Hindi remake. There are moments when Hrithik Roshan looks like a spitting image of Tom Cruise with his jacket, shades, and riding a motorcycle! (Speaking of Hrithik; oh that sculptured body!!)

The best combat pilots in the Indian Air Force are members of the Air Dragons unit. Squadron Leader Shamsher Pathania - or Patty - (Hrithik Roshan) is the best pilot, and his attitude confirms this. His best friend is Taj, and together with the rest of the members they are a close-knit circle of friends. They are introduced to Minal Rathore - or Minni - (Deepika Padukone). Her Dad never wanted her to become a pilot, as he views it as a man's job. The film quickly establishes a romance between Patty and Minni. I suppose they feel the viewer roots more for the characters if there's a romance...

The antagonist is Pakistani terrorist Azhar Akhtar (Rishabh Sawhney), who intends destroying the Indian Air Force. He is a so-called freedom fighter in the name of Kashmir. There's plenty of action as war ensues between Pakistan and India.

For most parts, the action sequences were entertaining. My biggest criticism here were the explosions, which were so obvious CGI. I also found the film a bit sensational (and not always realistic), but overall it was entertaining enough to satisfy my needs for an action film. 'Top Gun: Maverick', off course, is far superior, but let's not be too critical. At least India tried. Oh, and the Indian film makers do love their slow motion effects and musical segments in their films, don't they!

In Hindi.

Would I watch it again? I don't think so. I'd much rather spend time watching 'Top Gun: Maverick' again. I also found 'Fighter' far too long a movie.

From what we learn throughout the movie, Dr Anton Phibes' wife was treated by nine doctors, but they failed to save her life. Not able to speak after a car crash, Phibes invented a way to have his voice heard by using a speaker, or rather what appears to be a gramophone. Horribly scarred, he uses prosthetics and make-up to appear normal.

Out for vengeance, Phibes kills the doctors one by one in the most horrific ways. I must be honest, these killings were highly improbable and by no means realistic, but this is a horror comedy after all and many of the kill scenes were more funny than horrible. I believe this was done intentionally. Being a lighthearted film, it goes with the territory.

The detectives trying to crack the case mostly serve as comic relief characters and therefore not to be taken seriously. They discover Phibes is killing the doctors according to the Ten Plagues of Egypt, and must now try to protect the doctors who are marked for death.

I already hate spiders; I'm now going to hate them even more! (Let me clarify quickly: I never used to hate spiders - not until I was bitten by one and experienced the worst pain ever, and thought I was going to die.)

A Glowing object falls from the sky and crashes into an apartment building. It brings with it a seemingly harmless little spider, which 12-year old Charlotte finds and decides to keep as a pet, and calls it Sting. She keeps it in a jar and feeds it insects. Little does she know the spider comes from space, and is no ordinary spider. Surprised by its growth, she asks neighbour Erik for a bigger container.

Charlotte lives with her mother, baby brother and stepfather Ethan . I really enjoyed Ryan Corr as Ethan, who is the building supervisor. There were moments when I felt so sorry for this character, as a guy just trying so hard to do his best. He was my favourite character in the movie. I also enjoyed Charlotte's grandmother, who suffers from Alzheimers. Together with exterminator Frank, she allowed for the comic relief.

Speaking of comic relief, 'Sting' is not an all-out horror film. There are many funny moments in the vein of 'Arachnophobia'. But, having said that, as the film progresses and the spider grows and starts attacking people, the humour makes way for nail-biting suspense. In fact, this was a lot more suspenseful than anticipated. I also never expected the film to have such emotional depth in the form of family drama.

'Sting' is definitely one of the better spider movies out there. The effects are great, I enjoyed the characters, there's humour and tension at the appropriate moments, and in general this is just one hell of an entertaining movie. Very well made indeed!

While the film's logline suggests 'Sputnik' to be another 'Alien' wannabe, it couldn't be further from the truth. 'Sputnik' has a completely different storyline and is unique in its own right.

On re-entry from space, something went wrong for two cosmonauts. One of them died, and although the other one seem unharmed, we soon discover the truth - a fate almost worse than death. Konstantin doesn't understand why he is kept in quarantine and not allowed to leave the base. Camera footage reveals an alien creature leaving his body at night, discharging a toxin in the process that leaves Konstantin asleep, hence he is not aware of the creature.

Psychiatrist Tatyana is about to be dismissed from her practice for negligence when she is approached by Colonel Semiradov, who assigns her to study Konstantin. Tatyana is a strong character and well performed by Oksana Akinshina. While conducting her research on Konstantin, she too discovers his fate, and learns Konstantin and the creature are becoming symbiotic.

The film therefore becomes a race against time to save Konstantin, while Semiradov emerges as the antagonist. The film features good visuals effects, with a creepy creature design. I rather enjoyed this.

'2001: A Space Odyssey' depicts the world from primitive times to the moment computers start thinking for themselves, and becoming superior to Man who invented them. This film will not satisfy every palate, and the ending is like poetry that needs to be analyzed.

The film starts off in prehistoric times, and almost looks like a documentary - without narration. It then jumps ahead to the space era. Here, Dr Floyd from the National Council of Astronautics travels to the Clavius base on the moon. The purpose of his visit is to gather additional information to the possibility of an epidemic at the base.

However, we would never know the results of his investigation, as the film then jumps ahead 18 months and we meet Dave and Frank on a mission to Jupiter. Their ship is controlled by a super computer called HAL. When Dave and Frank become concerned about HAL and plan to disconnect it, HAL takes matters into its own hands.

'2001: A Space Odyssey' is a symphony of beautiful visuals and colourful imagery. Stanley Kubrick's vision of space travel can be considered the pioneer of sci-fi movies. The film also takes its time showcasing these marvelous visuals, accompanied by a classical score. '2001' looks incredible considering it was made almost six decades ago.

However, the film concentrates so much on the visuals that it is insanely slow moving. You can easily use the fast-forward button at times and you won't miss a thing! Every...scene...is...just...so...slow... Apart from this, it also really wasn't all that interesting. The story could have been told in about half the time. And can someone please explain that strange ending? I can't imagine people were satisfied leaving the theatre back in 1968...

Despite being an extremely well made movie, '2001: A Space Odyssey' was just way too slow for my liking, and I became bored. The visuals alone was not enough to keep me interested, and I was relieved when the credits rolled.

I have to mention this at the beginning of this review: if you have Arachnophobia, I definitely don't recommend 'Infested'. Ever since I was bitten by a spider a while ago and experienced the worst pain ever, I hate spiders, so I don't know why I still watch movies about spiders...

Kaleb lives in a run-down apartment building. He has a history of theft and dealing with drugs, but now he makes an honest living selling shoes. He collects exotic pets, which he keeps in his room. One day he buys a small spider. From the film's opening scene, we know this is no ordinary spider, so this creates nice tension.

When the spider gets out of the temporary box Kaleb keeps him in, all hell is about to break loose in the building as the spider multiplies, and grows. (No spider on earth can reproduce or grow at the rate the spiders in this film do, so yeah, it is exaggerated for the sake of suspense. Just don't take it too seriously and you'll have a jolly good time.)

Well, erm, I don't think "jolly good time" is the correct term to use here. Honestly, some of the scenes were so suspenseful that I could hardly stand it! The director understands (our) fear. He knows what creeps us out and the tension gets under your skin. 'Infested' is one of the most suspenseful spider movies I've seen!

If you think the spider effects look realistic, this is because 200 real spiders were used for the film! Sure enough, some spiders were CGI, but fact remains there were actual spiders on set for the actors to interact with. This added to the realism of the film.

Although this is not a gory film, this will be a difficult watch for some viewers. As mentioned, if you suffer from Arachnophobia or have a distinct dislike in creepy crawlies, it might be best to avoid 'Infested'. As the film progresses, there are more and more spiders and the film becomes incredibly tense. This is a very well made film, and I enjoyed the fact the film also concentrated on the characters, allowing us to root for them. Despite being exaggerated towards the end, this is still one of the best spider movies out there. Watch it if you dare!!

Jeff (James Stewart) broke his leg taking photographs on a race track. Now he is stuck in his apartment with his leg in cast. All he can do to pass the time is to watch the neighbours through his window. His girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly) visits him, as well as nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter).

Having watched a guy look after his bedridden wife for a while, Jeff is alarmed the one night to see the man acting very suspiciously, with his wife missing. Convinced the man murdered his wife, Jeff calls his detective friend Tom Doyle (Wendell Corey) to investigate. However, Tom doesn't believe a crime has been committed and believes the woman went away for a while.

Lisa, who also was reluctant to believe Jeff at first, also becomes suspicious of the man and they decide to investigate themselves. The film is mostly set in Jeff's apartment and we see events unfold as he does. The viewer never really know what actually happened and whether a crime was indeed committed, and we discover the truth as Jeff, Lisa and Stella does.

The film has a good production design. I liked James Stewart in the role of Jeff, and enjoyed the film's simple yet captivating premise.

Young Abigail is a ballet dancer, and she is from a wealthy family. Her dad is a very powerful man. Hired for a 24-hour job by a guy named Lambert, six criminals kidnap Abigail from her home. The intent is to ask a $50 million ransom. To protect their identities and due to the nature of the job, the criminals are given fake names.

Abigail is taken to a secluded mansion (and I must say I enjoyed the setting in this big old house). Joey (Melissa Barrera) is instructed to look after Abigail, but after the young girl remarks "I'm sorry for what's about to happen to you", Joey gets spooked. When she tells Frank (Dan Stevens), he insists Abigail reveals who her dad is...and things start getting out of hand from there.

I absolutely LOVED the first half of this movie. The mystery element allowed for a few unsettling moments. Even though I knew this to be a vampire movie, it was still unpredictable. I found it to be a fresh take on a very familiar genre. I was captivated, on the edge of my seat and glued to the screen.

Being a vampire movie, you know someone is bound to be bitten by a vampire, and will become a vampire themselves, so no spoilers in mentioning this. Only, when the characters start turning, the film became all too familiar and became standard genre stuff. Even so, it was still entertaining, but I definitely enjoyed the first half much more.

Be warned, this film gets gory and bloody! And I mean bucket loads of blood!! It's best to finish your popcorn and snacks before the third act. This is not the kind of movie I expected Dan Stevens to do, but I must say I rather enjoyed this different role for him.

In general, this is a nice addition to the vampire genre. It has a good script, good score, good sound effects, good make-up, good photography, and I thought 15-year old Alisha Weir did a wonderful job as Abigail.

In real life Roy Haylock is a drag queen who goes by the name of Bianca Del Rio. He stars in 'Hurricane Bianca' as Richard Martinez, a homosexual school teacher. When he is taken for a ride and his colleagues and students at the new school are nasty to him, Richard becomes Bianca Del Rio to get revenge.

'Hurricane Bianca' has a simple premise, but I thought it was well executed. Although mostly slapstick, some of the jokes and events in the movie were actually funny. I enjoyed Bianca Leigh as Karma Johnstone, who becomes Richard's mentor in a way. She was also the most fleshed out character with an interesting back story.

I also enjoyed Denton Blane Everett as Coach Chuck, a real stud-muffin who falls for Bianca! The 'romance' interest between Chuck and Bianca allowed for many hilarious - and awkward - moments.

The make-up is really well done, and is almost identical to Roy Haylock's real-life Bianca persona, so I won't be surprised if he did the make-up himself. I also liked the costumes. The film in general was predictable, but it was kinda fun seeing Richard get his revenge.

Trust Guy Ritchie to bring us a completely unique presentation of a serious matter. 'The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare' is based on fact and tells the story of Operation Postmaster - a secret mission - which was carried out in 1942. Many people lost their lives during this operation (which off course is exaggerated in the movie) and yet the film has a lighthearted narration which sees the soldiers cracking jokes whilst killing the enemy. This is indeed a very different approach but it allowed for a highly entertaining movie which is not to be taken too seriously, and that was funny and enjoyable instead of nail-biting suspense.

I absolutely loved Henry Cavill here, in the role of Gus March-Phillips, who leads the operation. In fact, the entire cast was just brilliant and I also thoroughly enjoyed hunky Alan Ritchson as Anders Lassen. This character was so inventive when it came to killing people, he was an absolute delight to watch!

So, Gus March-Phillips is recruited to lead Operation Postmaster - a mission to cut off supplies to the German submarines in Nazi-controlled waters. Gus selects his own team, which consists of Henry, Freddy, and Anders. On their way, they rescue Geoffrey from captivity, and include him in their team.

Then there are agents Marjorie and Heron, who is sent to the island of Fernando Po, so Marjorie can get close to Nazi Commander Heinrich Luhr in order to get information from him.

The film follows the team as they execute their daring and ambitious plans. With every obstacle, they have to devise a new and more daring plan, and it was a lot of fun to watch! There was a bit too much killing for my liking, but the action sequences are fantastic and in general the film is thoroughly entertaining. The cinematography is good, and the Oscar-worthy score is AWESOME!! This was one of the best film scores I've heard in a while.

From an entertainment perspective, 'The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare' delivered!! The film's climax is action all the way! I loved it.

Mike Henry is a delicious specimen. Any Tarzan movie starring this hunk of a man is worth watching, even if just to marvel at that great physique. Together with that soothing voice, he is a gentle giant (similar to Clint Walker). When not dressed in his skimpy jungle attire, Tarzan is a distinguished gentleman. Either way, he is a sight for sore eyes! Mike Henry is also - to my knowledge - the only hairy-chested Tarzan. Oh, and those muscular legs!

But enough of Mike Henry for now. 'Tarzan and the Valley of Gold' is an action adventure that revolves around the legendary city of gold. When a young boy who knows the location of the city is kidnapped by the ruthless criminal Vinero, it is up to Tarzan and his animal compadres to save the boy - and the city.

More often than not Tarzan reminded me of James Bond. His antics were reminiscent of the secret agent, and at times Mike Henry even looked like Sean Connery from his 60's Bond movies. He was not the stereotypical jungle man as we've come to know Tarzan, and he had a wide knowledge of...well, almost everything!

'Tarzan and the Valley of Gold' is not always believable, but from an action adventure perspective, it was very entertaining. This is a good option for a family friendly movie night. Kids will love the animals and the call to adventure.

'I, Madman' is not to be confused with 1981's slasher movie 'Madman'.

'I, Madman' happens to be the name of a novel...in the movie, that is. Virginia, who works at a book store, is obsessed with writer Michael Brand's work. In search of his book 'I, Madman' she one day arrives home to find the book in front of her apartment.

Much of the events in the film is the visualization of the story as Virginia reads it. But when people start dying, the villain in the book becomes very real to her and the lines between fact and fiction starts to blur. Virginia's boyfriend is Richard, a cop who investigates the murders. When Virginia tells him she knows when the next murder will take place, he disregards it as her obsession with the novels - especially with her having a habit of scaring herself whilst reading the novels. Virginia believes the killer to be author Michael Brand himself.

The villain is a truly creepy character and looks like an antagonist straight out of your worst nightmare. The make-up is very well done. In general, I rather enjoyed this movie and thought it wasn't half bad.

Kay is an artist whose recent work is being criticized for being too abstract. Her inspiration comes from nightmares she's having about a beast pursuing and attacking her. Together with her husband David, her brother Eric and his wife Brooke, the four of them go on vacation to a secluded island.

Kay is still plagued by nightmares and this causes tension between her and the rest of the party. However, things soon take a horrible turn which sees them fighting for survival.

The early 80's saw the release of dozens of slasher movies. 'The Slayer' might sound like an all-out slasher movie, but the film is unusual in the sense that we never get to see the antagonist. Even when the killings start, we don't see the killer. There are also only four characters in the film, so not really a slasher in the true sense.

Due to the small cast we got to know all the characters better, allowing us to root for them. There were a few nicely done suspenseful moments as well. In general, though, the film might disappoint fans of the genre for lack of gore, and an unseen villain.

I know I'm in the vast minority here - and you can crucify me for saying this - but I hated this movie. Quintin Tarantino's movies require an acquired taste, and I guess I haven't acquired that taste yet. I found this utterly boring and quite annoying, actually.

So, most of the film is set in a warehouse. The Reservoir Dogs are a bunch of thieves. A Heist - which is not shown to the audience - went wrong, and now the thieves are trying to figure out which one of them is the "rat", who alerted the cops. They suspect one of them is an undercover cop, so the film sees the men talking, yelling, swearing, talking, yelling, swearing, talking, yelling, swearing...oh, whatever, I hated this! I swear, almost the entire movie revolved around these men arguing about who the rat is!! Ugh, enough already; this is so not my kind of entertainment!!

I mean, need I say more? There was nothing else happening here, and very little was actually shown to the audience. For most parts, the viewer had to envision what happened. I quickly loose interest in movies with too much dialogue. Add a couple of swear words in every single sentence and I'm tempted to hit the STOP button on my remote.

When they had that 5-minute conversation in the beginning of the movie about tipping in a restaurant, I should have stopped already. I don't normally enjoy neo-noir crime movies. Did I enjoy 'Reservoir Dogs'? Well, the answer to this is obvious: it's a resounding NO!!

If you've been following my blog, you'll know by now I'm no Godzilla fan. Yet, every time there's a new Godzilla movie I find myself watching it - maybe hoping there would finally be one that I enjoy. And such was the case with 'Godzilla Minus One'. I think the biggest reason I enjoyed this blockbuster 'Godzilla' is the fact it was not made by Hollywood. I also enjoyed the fact this movie was not set in modern times. Another reason I enjoyed the movie more than the American versions, was the fact I liked the characters. (Most of the characters in the Hollywood films are bland and one-dimensional).

'Godzilla Minus One' starts in 1945 during World War 2. Koichi Shikishima is a Kamikaze pilot who abandoned his duties and pretended his plane was faulty. When Godzilla attacks a military base and Koichi freezes up when ordered to shoot the creature, Koichi is blamed for the deaths of the soldiers. This, together with the fact he abandoned his initial mission, sees Koichi being branded as a coward.

Returning home, he finds the city in ruins, having been bombed. He meets Noriko, who found a baby and now cares for it, and reluctantly allows her to stay with him because she has nowhere to go. Koichi finds a job disposing of landmines that were planted in the sea during the war.

Although a monster movie, the film also concentrates on character development and human drama. This allowed me to root for the characters in their fight against Godzilla. Godzilla is a giant, ugly sea monster and the film showed no mercy when it came to destruction and human casualties - just as it ought to be when a giant prehistoric creature attacks a city.

After causing unimaginable destruction, the authorities must now devise a plan to kill the monster. While the film's first half was pretty much character driven, the second half delivers more action as the fight against Godzilla ensued. I absolutely loved the film's toned down score (as opposed to the loud and bombarding score of most of the Hollywood blockbuster movies). In fact, the score was absolutely stunning. The visual effects are also incredibly good!

The film is also a display of heroism in the face of disaster, and an enemy almost impossible to defeat. I must be honest, I did find Godzilla's ability to produce heat rays causing atomic bomb like destruction maybe a bit too much, but that's just my opinion and it was still all good. This is a very entertaining movie.

'Night School' might give the wrong impression the film is set at a night school. It is not; neither are the murders committed at the school. As it turns out, most of the victims are all from Wendell College, the night school.

I'm surprised by how good this 80's slasher actually was. It has style and substance and made for an interesting whodunit murder mystery.

The film starts with a young teacher being beheaded at school after everyone had gone home already. Lt. Austin (Leonard Mann) is called to the scene. As he investigates, more murders take place - the one more bizarre than the other. They all have one thing in common, though: each victim's head is found submerged in water.

We meet Professor Vincent Millett (Drew Snyder), who has a personal interest in the girls at the college. Eleanor (Rachel Ward) is one of his affairs. Thought to be Vincent's only love, she is insanely jealous of him. Their relationship is taken to the next level when she announces she is pregnant.

Wendell College administrator Helene Griffin also has an interest in the girls (erm, make that a personal interest, as well), and then there's the somewhat mysterious Gary, a peeping tom with mental issues, who works at a restaurant.

The suspense is well crafted. All the characters in the film served a purpose, and were not merely added to become victims. Most of the characters were well fleshed out, and I rooted for them. Although it might seem obvious at times who the killer might be, there are interesting reveals during the final act. 'Night School' is actually a darn good movie that I somehow missed back in the day.

By the time the film ends, it feels like a good movie. I however can't deny the fact that 'American History X' was mostly an unpleasant viewing experience. With all the racist remarks and foul language, it really was not a pleasure to watch. I've said this so many times before but can't stress it enough: I hate any kind of racist depiction in movies. In this day and age I don't want to be reminded of racial issues. We are - or should be - all equal.

What I admire about the film, though, is its good script, good character development, good photography, and good performances by the entire cast. Edward Norton, especially, was fantastic, and he owned every scene he was in.

Edward Norton stars as Derek, an arrogant neo-Nazi who was jailed for cold-bloodedly shooting hijackers. Derek's younger brother Danny is a kid with an attitude, and is quickly following in the Derek's footsteps.

When Danny's history teacher asks him to write a paper on Derek - called American History X - Derek's life is told through backflashes (shown in black and white) as Danny writes the paper. With Derek now being released from prison, he is a changed man. His girlfriends and friends are still part of a gang destined to 'set things right' in America.

'American History X' deals with many different issues - mostly racism - and due to its subject matter, I did not really enjoy the movie. This is not my kind of entertainment. As mentioned, the ending almost made me believe this was a good movie in its entirety, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.