Sorry you've had to wait!

I've been pretty busy (working, eating, sleeping, watching DVDs/Blurays etc) and haven't been reviewing as much as i hoped i could. Let's see what i've seen:

Miracle on 34th Street (1947). I really enjoyed this movie as everyone gives a stellar performance (including Edmund Gwenn who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Kris Kringle). In fact this was such a good Christmas movie that it almost makes you believe in Santa Clause. I saw the remake a while ago and found it... Well i just didn't get into it, maybe because the acting wasn't good or because the script wasn't. Maybe both.

Scream 2 (1997). Funny, fairly suspenseful, good death scenes and great to watch while enjoying some junk food. it's not as good as the first, but definitely a worthy successor, all of the principle cast return and we even get to see Sarah Michele Gellar get killed (i just found it very funny because i could just see Buffy kicking Ghost Face's ass).

Reefer Madness (2005). This is quite possibly my favourite musical of the last decade, it is hilariously over the top, deliciously camp and is home to wildly inventive songs, it is rare that a musical doesn't go by without at least one forgettable song (usually there just to fill in time) but this movie had none. It was brilliant. It stars Christian Campbell, Kristen Bell, Alan Cumming (Amazing), Amy Spanger, Ana Gasteyer and Steven Weber. Plus we get the added bonus of Neve Campbell (i say bonus because A: i didn't know she could sing or dance and B-  I just plain wasn't expecting to see her). Another great thing about this movie is that no other film in the history of the world has a list of characters that includes The Statue Of liberty, George Washington, Jesus, Uncle Sam and The Devil. None. At. All.

Heroes: Season 1. I enjoyed this show back when it was on but halfway through season 3 i just gave up on it, they kept the lame characters around too long (i wish they'd killed Claire slowly and painfully) and didn't spend enough time developing the more interesting ones. But Season 1 is astoundingly good and has what almost every other season lacked: a sense of humour. They didn't have one character that was there purely the comic relief, instead the comedy was a bi product of the characters and their personalities. Season 2 suffered due to the writers strike but it did hold good ideas, then in season 3 they just kind of lost it. I can't comment of season 4 as i haven't watched all of it yet.

The Descent (2007). A well shot suspense thriller (i don't really see it as a horror movie) that gives us a real sense of claustrophobia and fear for the characters who are trapped in a cave and then hunted by the (really gross) inhabitants. Unlike most of these kinds of movies this one got a genuine fright out of me (if only one). Recommended.

Halloween (1978). Enjoyable but very unscary movie that is everything that Scream satirizes, from the obligatory nude scene to the 'have sex and you will die' rule. The main score is chilling, Michael's mask is miles better than it was in the remake and PJ Soles says 'Totally' about ten times in one scene. Not even in exaggerating that one. Great popcorn flick with good direction but John Carpenter, however the acting is mediocre. Totally.

Now for a film i am very excited about: Les Miserables. I love the music, it's beautiful. I haven't seen the musical on stage and i know that I probably never will, so that is why i am excited for this movie. It is to star Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, Aaron Tveit, Russell Crowe, Eddie Redmayne and (i don't think it's official yet) Amanda Seyfried. I heard that director Tom Hooper wants to hire Tayor Swift for Eponine to which i say "NO!!!!!!!!!!!" I don't hate Taylor Swift, she's a good country/pop singer and seems like a nice person. But i don't think she could pull off the demanding score or the acting required. The rest of the cast i wont complain about because to be honest i'm happy with them (although i can understand the skepticism about Hathaway and Seyfried.) Seyfried isn't really known as a singer, i know she is trained as one (at least that's what i read somewhere) but the fact that she doesn't use her voice much - besides for Mama Mia which wasn't really that good of a film- is probably troubling people. Oh well, i just hope that it's a good movie. Because that's all i want.

"Like Montague! That's not even a real word i looked it up in two different dictionaries" Mary lane (Kristen Bell) Reefer Madness

I know what you did last summer (1997)

Here is a fairly well known teen slasher/horror of the nineties, along with Scream (1996) it is probably one of the most recognized of it genre for that decade. Although it has it's cliche's and isn't scary it should be noted that unlike some other slashers that came before it (and after), it has a good mystery that holds the audiences attention- much more so than the murders depicted in it.

This is a twist on the old escaped mental patient with a hook for a hand thing. Only the escaped mental patient is replaced by a fisherman that four high school friends accidentally 'kill' during their final summer together (they have just graduated high school). and his weapon of choice is, (surprise, surprise) a hook.

The friends i referred to above are played by: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe. their acting isn't that great, JLH is the same in most movies, Prinze is a mediocre actor of nineties 'young star of the moment' variety, Gellar is tolerable and probably the least annoying character. of course, that doesn't stop her from being a run of the mill one. Phillippe is dangerously psycho as Barry and i really wanted him to get killed ASAP. Howver the actors capably inject humour into their otherwise plain characters, seen best when they aren't having attempts made on their lives.

The movie's plot isn't very good, there have been movie before and since with similar plots, but the way it seems to reference is familiarity sets it apart from other slashers (except Scream of course). if they didn't just reference the familiar mold of the story but instead attempted to break away from the cliche's then it would have been a much bolder and perhaps better movie.

for a night in with friends this is a good movie to watch because it's not gross or scary- so you wont go to bed with nightmares- but it manages to maintain our interests until the final face off (until the sequel).

"We should have a plan, Angela LansBury always had a plan"Helen (Satah Michelle Gellar), I know what you did last summer