Film: Charlie's Farm

Four friends head off on a road trip but when they mention their intended destination to the locals they are met with strong advice to turn around and go home. Do they listen? Of course not.

American Pie's Tara Reid heads the cast of this Australian slasher flick which also features former WWE wrestler Nathan Jones and Jason Voorhees himself, Kane Hodder.

This is standard slasher movie fare but there are some nice touches of humour and performances from all involved that elevate it above the usual straight to DVD efforts.

Horror fans will also be pleased at Hodder's mask free turn and the fight between him and Charlie (Jones) is a highlight.

Available on DVD now.

Ric's Rating: Good.
 

Film: Greyhawk

Mal is a blind war veteran who meanders through life on a daily dose of alcohol, tobacco and the services of local sex workers. The only positive he has is his relationship with Quince, his guide dog.

When Mal’s army compensation comes through he decides that it’s time for a fresh start for him & Quince and he immediately makes plans to leave the dour Greyhawk estate where they live.

Unfortunately the pair are separated during a routine game of fetch and Mal finds himself alone and vulnerable, but determined to find his loyal companion.

After an excellent start this intriguing tale of one man and his dog becomes just another trawl through the type of tough council estate that we are all pretty used to seeing in urban thrillers nowadays. On his travels Mal encounters a variety of characters, some good and some downright nasty.

Alec Newman (A Lonely Place To Die) is excellent as the former soldier who refuses to give up on his only friend but the procession of surly tracksuit wearing street thugs does become slightly tedious. Some relief does come in the form of Zoe Telford as Paula, a long suffering Mother who does her best to help.

Greyhawk is available on DVD in the UK from 25^th May 2015.

Ric’s Rating: Good 

Film: Road To Paloma

Jason Momoa (Conan The Barbarian) makes his directorial debut in this off-beat road movie.

Momoa is Wolf, a native American on the run from the law after exacting revenge on those responsible for the death of his Mother.

Unfortunately we don’t see these events and the film concentrates on the relationship between Wolf and fellow traveller Cash as they embark on their journey. The casting of Momoa’s wife, eighties sex symbol Lisa Bonet, only seems to confirm this as somewhat self-indulgent as her character adds little to proceedings.

Watching this film I have learned that there may be nice scenery on The Road To Paloma but you’ll spend the entire journey waiting for something to happen.

Available on DVD and Blu-ray now.

Ric’s Rating: Dodgy.

Film: Enemy

Jake Gyllenhaal (Donnie Darko) is Adam, a mildly depressed college lecturer who happens to spot that a little known actor looks just like him.

When Adam decides to get in touch with his lookalike it sets of a series of events that don't look likely to have a positive outcome for anyone involved.

Even though Gyllenhaal delivers a compelling performance this film moves at an incredibly slow pace and the interaction between his 2 characters is all a bit lacklustre until the last 15 minutes.

Unfortunately if you stick around that long you'll witness an incredibly silly ending.

Enemy is available on DVD and pay per view tv services now.

Ric's Rating: Poor.

Film: Mea Culpa

When his young son witnesses a gangland killing a disgraced former cop enlists the help of his old partner to track down those responsible.

This French thriller features a powerhouse performance from Vincent Lindon as Simon, a man troubled by his past who is also struggling to come to terms with his current standing as an estranged Father.

When it all kicks off the action is ferocious and there are a few twists and turns along the way ensuring the story remains gripping throughout.

Mea Culpa is my first World Cinema movie of 2015 and it has served as a timely reminder that we shouldn’t limit ourselves to only Hollywood (or even English speaking) productions.

Ric’s Rating: Highly Recommended.

Film: Gone Girl

When a seemingly happily married woman (Rosamund Pike) vanishes without a trace suspicion quickly falls on her husband (Ben Affleck).

The couple’s happy façade is soon exposed as a sham as we learn their troubles through a series of flashbacks. When we return to present day proceedings events take a surprising turn as nothing is what it appears to be.

Saying any more would risk spoilers but rest assured that this is a compelling tale that makes it easy to see why the book of the same name was a bestseller. Affleck and Oscar nominated Pike are excellent and there is decent support from Neil Patrick Harris (Starship Troopers).

Seven director David Fincher delivers a series of twists and turns that should delight anyone who hasn't read the book although the finale did feel like a little over-stretching of the imagination.

Ric’s Rating: Highly Recommended.    

Film: Starred Up

A troubled young man is transferred from juvenile detention to adult prison where he finds himself being shown the ropes by another inmate, who just happens to be his Father.

This UK prison drama was lauded by critics and even scooped a few awards but besides one or two decent performances this is pretty run of the mill stuff.

Attempts at rehabilitation consist of joining some sort of peer group where the members repeatedly vent their anger and then come out high-fiving each other as if to say prison life ain’t that bad.

More background on the main characters may have helped but what we are left with is a series of violent incidents leading to a pretty unsatisfactory conclusion.

Starred Up is available on all the usual formats now.

Ric’s Rating: Dodgy.   

Film: Homefront

An undercover cop (Jason Statham) retires to the country with his young daughter but the past soon catches up with him in this action thriller scripted by Sylvester Stallone.

A schoolyard dispute escalates into a family dispute and Broker (Statham)  learns that in this town these things are best put to bed as quickly as possible  so he grudgingly apologises to the parents of the other child. Unbeknown to him they have already involved the local drug dealer (James Franco) who finds out that there are some very unsavoury characters on the look out for Broker.

A wonderful supporting cast that includes Clancy Brown, Frank Grillo and Winona Ryder help elevate this above the usual action movie standard. When it all kicks off Statham cements his status as a bona fide action star but he is also competent as the doting Father. Special mention has to go to James Franco who steals the show as the menacing Gator.

With engaging characters, a real sense of dread and some excellent action scenes Homefront is a must-see for any fan of the genre.

Ric’s Rating: Highly Recommended  

Film: Big Bad Wolves

A meek schoolteacher emerges as the main suspect in a series of grisly child murders in this black comedy from Israel.

Following a run-in with local police the schoolteacher is freed and the cop on the case finds himself suspended. Convinced he has the right man the cop decides to kidnap the suspect but soon has to co-operate with the Father of a murdered girl who is out for revenge.

The duo take the suspect to a remote house for interrogation but things don’t go as planned when the grieving Father becomes the subject of his own elderly parents’ attention.

This film features the harrowing subject of child abduction and murder but amazingly manages to be hilarious at the same time, without detracting from the serious nature of the issue. The introduction of the Grandad adds much to the comedy element, bringing real-life family dynamics into a potentially lethal situation.

Funny and disturbing in equal measures, it’s easy to see why Big Bad Wolves was called the film of 2013 by none other than Quinten Tarantino and a US remake is no doubt inevitable.

Do yourself a favour and see the original before that happens.

Big Bad Wolves is available on DVD in the UK from 28^th April 2014.

Ric’s Rating: Essential.    

Film: Riddick

Vin Diesel returns as Richard B Riddick, the anti-hero from Pitch Black, in the third instalment of this sci-fi action series.

This time around we join Riddick on an unknown planet populated by various types of lethal creatures that see him as their prey. As the daily struggle for survival continues two rival sets of mercenaries turn up looking to claim the bounty for the notorious criminal, and it’s doubled if he’d dead.

Pitch Black was a fantastic film, a low budget but effects laden sci-fi adventure that gave Diesel the opportunity to be at his snarling best. The sequel, The Chronicles Of Riddick, was largely forgettable.

Unfortunately that is also the case here as Riddick sets about dispatching the mercenaries one by one without any great action scenes or real moments of tension. I also have little doubt that the budget for this film was substantially larger than that of the original but it manages to look much worse. The scenes involving the motorcycle/hovercrafts are reminiscent of old time films with actors sitting in cars while the same background is repeated again and again.

Riddick is available on DVD now but only die hard fans of the character will enjoy.

Ric’s Rating: Dodgy. 

Film: The Seasoning House

During the Balkans war of the early-mid nineties a young deaf / mute girl is taken from her home and after witnessing the murder of her Mother she is moved on to a house used for prostitution.

Evil pimp Victor is attracted to her silence and decided to appoint her special duties which include administering drugs to the other girls, general housekeeping and of course being available for Victor whenever he wishes.

Things change when another of the girls begins to communicate through sign language and the soldiers who killed her Mother turn up.

A violent quest for revenge follows which features some particularly vicious scenes.

The Seasoning House adequately presents the feeling of hopelessness and defeat that the captured girls feel as well as the brutality of both their customers and their benefactor but despite the almost overwhelming gloom this remains compulsive viewing.

Fans of Hostel and Saw will enjoy.

Ric’s Rating: Good

Film: No One Lives

A young couple travel across rural America as they move to a new home. Along the way they encounter a violent group of Rednecks but it looks like these guys have picked the wrong person to mess with.

A series of brutal killings and cheesy one-liners ensues with Luke Evans (Fast & Furious 6) perfectly cast as the seemingly unassuming traveller who turns the tables on the outlaws.

Director Ryuhei Kitamura’s previous work includes the under-rated The Midnight Meat Train and anyone who enjoyed that film will like this one too. It’s a crazy mash-up of films like Wrong Turn, Friday The 13^th and Saw so most horror fans should be satisfied, although after the initial surprise it delivers no more twists.

No One Lives is available on DVD in the UK from 23^rd September 2013.

Ric’s Rating: Good 

Film: Citadel

Following a brutal attack on his pregnant partner, Tommy (Aneurin Barnard), is reduced to a nervous wreck who can’t leave his house, but he must overcome these fears if he wants to keep his baby daughter.

This UK horror film opens with a scene so nasty I wasn’t sure I could continue to watch but Aneurin Barnard’s performance as the distraught Tommy is so compelling that I just couldn’t switch off.

Tommy consults guidance councillors and the local Priest (James Cosmo) in a bid to tackle his fears but they are soon realised when his daughter is taken and Tommy is forced to take action.

Like a lot of horrors these days Citadel starts really well and, in this case, the tension continues until the true identity of the hooded villains is revealed. It’s all a bit silly after that but this remains an enjoyable British horror.

Citadel is released on DVD in the UK on 30^th September 2013.

Ric’s Rating: Good  

Film: Dark Skies

Something strange is happening in the Barrett family home. There are noises during the night and wife & Mother Lacy even wakens up to find an elaborate structure made out of household items. Are the children suffering from a sleep disorder or is there something more sinister going on?

Soon young Sam mentions “The Sandman” who comes to his room at night and events spiral out of control when both parents begin to have seizures. All of this does teenager Jesse’s blossoming love life no good at all.

The title probably gives away the cause of these events but I’m not going to do it here as the less you know the better.

The tension mounts gradually and there are some very creepy moments leading to a nerve-shredding climax with a nifty twist.

Dark Skies is available on DVD in the UK from 5^th August 2013.

Ric’s Rating: Highly Recommended.

Film: Maniac

From the brutal opening scene this re-make of the 1980 film leaves the viewer in no doubt what this is all about. I suppose the title is a bit of a clue as well.

Elijah Wood (The Lord Of The Rings) is Frank Zito, a loner who lives in the run-down shop previously owned by his Mother. Their business was restoring mannequins but these days Frank spends more time talking to the dolls than repairing them.

When he isn’t interacting with the mannequins Frank goes cruising for victims who are despatched with increasingly graphic and violent methods, ending with Frank’s own peculiar fetish.

A professional photographer asks if she can use the mannequins in her exhibition and an uneasy friendship begins. Of course Frank’s distorted view of reality soon becomes apparent leading to trouble for all involved.

I haven’t seen the original but I imagine that this is a pretty close re-make. There are many scenes saw through Frank’s eyes and the soundtrack has a seventies slasher movie feel to it. Elijah Wood proves that his creepy turn in Sin City was no fluke as he delivers another convincing portrayal of a deranged killer.

The extreme violence here will put people off and despite the explanation of how the main character came to be what he is there is a distinct lack of any redeeming features.

Maniac falls into the category inhabited by films like Irreversible and the I Spit On Your Grave re-make in that it isn’t exactly a pleasant experience but I have to admire the gutsy presentation of horrible events and the exploration of a disturbed mind.

Ric’s Rating: Good.       

Film: Slice & Dice: The Slasher Film Forever

This documentary film explores the history of the slasher movie. Love them or hate them you simply can’t ignore them and everyone has a favourite slasher movie bad guy. Freddy Kruger, Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees have been with us for around 30 years and survived countless rubbish sequels and re-makes of varying quality.

Slice & Dice explores the origins of the genre. Psycho features heavily and the “video nasties” of the late seventies / early eighties are also covered extensively. Contributors include Corey Feldman, Tobe Hooper and Tom Holland along with recent slasher type directors Patrick Lussier and Jeffrey Reddick.

Unfortunately this is a bit too laden down with clips. There are countless showings of beheadings and various other death scenes and these too vary greatly in quality. From grainy straight to video flicks like The Burning to recent re-makes like My Bloody Valentine 3D.

This is more aimed at the slasher movie connoisseur than the casual fan but the feature packed 2 disc set does contain some fantastic footage that helps increase the value of the package on offer.

Slice & Dice: The Slasher Film Forever is available on DVD in the UK now.

Ric’s Rating: Good.    

Film: Movie 43

Three teenagers trawl the internet for the elusive Movie 43 and in the process discover a plethora of weird videos.

The film takes place entirely in the boys bedroom with all the videos featured being viewed on-line. The sketches include Kate Winslet and Hugh Jackman on a blind date, a young couple attempting to share a “special” moment and Halle Berry and Stephen Merchant playing a game of Truth or Dare that knows no bounds.

Despite boasting a star-studded cast this was universally panned on its release and it’s easy to see why. Most of the jokes are either in bad taste or very offensive but what has to be pointed out is…….some of them are funny.

I won’t spoil what the sketches are about but the word “gross” just doesn't seem to cut it here. There were quite a few times when I was either uncomfortable or about to switch off but then something pretty funny would happen to ease the tension.

Movie 43 is definitely not for everyone but if you can imagine some of the funny but borderline sick videos available on-line then you should be able to handle it.

Available on DVD and Blu-ray now.

Ric’s Rating: Dodgy       

Film: Entity

A British tv crew head to remote Russia to explore the place where 32 bodies were discovered.

A renowned psychic (Dervla Kirwan) is part of the crew and she soon begins to see visions of the dead who lead her and the team to an abandoned building.

Needless to say this was the scene of some pretty horrific crimes and some strange forces still linger.

Fans of Paranormal Activity may enjoy Entity but if, like me, you are tired of the whole found footage / shaky camera genre then any interest in this will quickly evaporate.

Entity is available on DVD in the UK from 24th June 2013.

Ric's Rating: Poor

Film: Hidden Face

A successful orchestra conductor is shattered when his girlfriend leaves him for no apparent reason after moving into a new house.

Time moves on and he finds a new lover but she doesn’t like being left in the house alone as she is convinced she can hear strange noises.

This superior Columbian drama tells its story by way of two different time-lines. We begin with the new relationship but soon go back to previous events with the original partner, leading to a brilliant finale that cleverly joins both stories.

Every so often a film comes along that greatly exceeds expectations. Hidden Face is such a film.

I knew little of it prior to watching it but I was expecting a ho-hum ghost story. Little did I know I was about to be treated to the best foreign language film I have seen in a long time, and thankfully there isn’t a ghost in sight.

Original, imaginative and totally compelling with great performances from the three main characters, Hidden Face is the type of film that I implore people to see.

If you have any reservations about subtitled movies try this and you’ll never look back.     

Hidden Face is available on DVD in the UK now.

Ric’s rating: Essential.

Film: Sacrifice

A ruling Chinese dynasty is overthrown and all family members are slain but unbeknown to the new tyrant a newborn baby boy is smuggled to safety.

The young heir is raised by a man who sacrificed his own son to save him and soon begins to learn the ways of a warrior. Eventually he will attempt to reclaim his kingdom.

This Chinese historical epic has some fantastic battle scenes, especially the opening one, but they are too few and far between to maintain the excitement.

The youngster also seems to remain a baby for far too long and there are endless flashbacks to the events leading to his escape.

Sacrifice looks fantastic but it’s aimed so much at the Chinese market that it lacks broad appeal, although fans of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and House Of Flying Daggers may enjoy.

Sacrifice is available on DVD in the UK now.

Ric’s Rating: Dodgy.