Every Sunday, Gill delves into his archive of over 800 movie reviews and randomly selects three for your enjoyment! Here are this week’s…
Monsters
Considering this movie was made using equipment that you can buy at Future Shop, including the computers used to render the monstrous, towering alien squid, this is a pretty impressive accomplishment. While the film itself may not be of the highest calibre, the fact that this was made on the cheap makes it really cool to watch. Since it’s all shot on location, everything feels very authentic and realistic. Monsters takes the political commentary of another alien invasion movie with a twist – District 9 – and ages it to the point where human beings have just accepted that the aliens have landed and must learn to deal with it, even though the aliens in question are 100 foot tall cephalopods. Monsters is a very cool, very interesting film, and though it may not be the best example of filmmaking in general, Gareth Edwards has done a remarkable job of making something neat out of very little.
3.5 out of 5
Paranormal Activity 2
Strangely, even though the “realism” of the first Paranormal Activity movie has long worn off since its release, the sequel manages to not only recapture that suspenseful, “found footage” feeling, but is actually the better movie. Paranormal Activity 2 is the refined version of all the stuff that made Paranormal Activity great, but unlike its predecessor, Paranormal Activity 2 actually has an arc to the plot. There are hints and clues as to the nature of the unseen force that’s tormenting the people at the core of the movie. The suspense is more palpable, and the scares are much bigger. All in all, I enjoyed this far more than part 1, and I kind of wish that it had come first, because I think that attached the number 2 to its title unfairly relegates Paranormal Activity 2 to the bargain bin of horror movie sequels, as many people will dismiss it outright as being just another attempt to make money off a cheap but decent horror flick.
4 out of 5
Exit Through the Gift Shop
One of the best documentaries I have ever seen, Exit Through the Gift Shop offers a unique glimpse into the rebellious world of street art. A story about a crazy, video-obsessed man who stumbles onto the street art scene entirely by accident, and narrated by notorious trickster and rockstar graffiti artist Banksy, this movie is fun, engaging, compelling cinema from start to finish. The fact that the whole thing might just be another Banksy prank only makes it cooler, and I find myself coming back to Exit Through the Gift Shop again and again, hooked by the mythology of the world of street art and the playful, winking nature of the whole experience. This is a movie that demands repeat viewings.
4.5 out of 5
See you next Sunday for three more thrilling short reviews!