Cabin Fever

This debut film from Hostel director Eli Roth wasn't quite as bad as I expected, but my expectations were so low that that's not really saying much. While I like Roth alot as a person, I just wasn't too crazy about this film. When I was at Wal-Mart one day with a few dollars in my purse and the compulsive shopper in me took over (which it so often does), I decided to buy this on DVD. Seeing it was in the bargain bin for only $5, I didn't think it would be any big loss if the movie was terrible. I wasn't, well, completely wrong I guess. We have a group of rowdy teenagers stay at a cabin to drink, fornicate, smoke pot and drop f-bombs in every other sentence. Hmmmm, five young people going into the woods, sound familiar? Oh my gosh it's Evil Dead!! One night after the "weed", a sickly man comes to the door all bloodied and weak. The crew decides to lock him out of the hut, which doesn't seem to sit too well with him. He becomes Hostel (hahahaha) and spills blood all over the crew's truck. "So totally disgusted", they beat him with bats and even set him afire. While the human fireball runs back into the woods, the friends feel guilty and scarred that they've killed him. Wow, that sounds familiar too doesn't it? Oh my gosh, it's I Know What You Did Last Summer!! Little do the children know that there is an infection in the drifter's blood, and those who come in contact with it are taken over by the disease themselves. With the striking similarities to the two films I mentioned, I think maybe the credits should have read "directed by Eli Roth, Sam Raimi, and Jim Gillespie". Definately nothing more than a teen slasher flick with the usual mix of alcohol, boobs and noogie. But at least it doesn't take itself too seriously, which is something about Mr. Eli Whitney...um I mean Eli Roth's directing I did respect. While it was an alright way to spend a boring Friday night, I couldn't help but think to myself "at least I'm not watching "The Hills Have Eyes". (* 1/2 out of ****)

Wolf Creek

It has been many a moon, dear readers, that I have been as satisfied with a recently released horror film as I have been with this Aussie gem. Ignoring the usual slasher-flick cliches (tramps die, virgins live, teen sex ends immediately in a slaying blah blah blah) "Wolf Creek" takes on a more gritty, no-nonsense approach to conveying it's scares. You also get to know the people in the first part of the film, which is mostly a character study. They're not supermodels, jocks or prom queens, they're just three regular people you'd know from college. These young friends go on a trip through the desolate Australian outback, and whilst exploring the rugged terrain, their car suddenly dies. Later that night, out of the blackness, Mick emerges. No not Mick Jagger, Mick Taylor, and no not the other member of The Stones, the gruff yet hospitable bushman who offers to give the travelers a tow. Isn't that nice? Since logic is ever absent in the clan, they agree and let Mister Mick pull their car by his truck through pitch darkness to a location they've never been to. Bad idea, geniuses. When they reach their destination they find it's all too true that I was right and they should have listened to me. While, in my opinion, it is not as grisly/brutal/demented as people have said, I will say there is nothing pretty about the film. Definitely not tongue-in-cheek and not recommended if you've never seen a horror film. But alas, most horror fans should find the film a treasure in the sea of sequels and snooze fests recently produced by the genre, and pulls it up from halfway down the drain to about a quarter. John Jarret is also perfectaly suited for the role as the deranged killer. Wonderful scenery, camera work and performances make this one of the best horror films I have seen in a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time. (***out of ****)

JU-ON

This intelligent psychological thriller by Japanese director Takashi Shimizu is a nice break from all those stupid, over-budgeted, over-stylized slasher-remakes that are all the rage, even if this director did remake this film, known to us as "The Grudge", but that's a separate story. There is a brutal murder in a home, and a family is the victim. Their death leaves a rage of a spirit, hence the "grudge", on the property, which can never be gotten rid of and will never leave. The unsuspecting imbeciles who cross the grudge's path fall prey to it's deadly power. Sounds kinda stupid, but makes for some very interesting entertainment. If you're as sick as I am of all the lousy rip-offs I mentioned before, you'll welcome this with open arms. Watch to the end scene and you'll get the creeps. In Japanese with English subtitles. (***out of****)