Film Reviews by SY

It’s impossible to talk about ‘Day of the Dead’ without comparing it to its older brother ‘Dawn of the Dead’. The makeup and special effects of the zombies have had an upgrade but they seem to have lost some of their super strength. Ammo is running scarce but all the characters are happy to waste unnecessary amount of bullets (which really shattered the believability for me). I also wasn’t too keen on the idea of zombies having emotions. All this sounds like I didn’t like ‘Day of the Dead’ but make no mistake, I enjoyed it. The claustrophobic living situation and intense infighting will have you on the edge of your seat. 

This film may not have the finest acting or the most logical story but there’s never a dull moment. Fun and serious at the same time. It feels a bit like the love child of Grease 1978 and Warriors 1979 (even though it preceded both of them and is far grittier). A great film!

4 STARS

I really enjoyed this movie and didn’t want it to end. Non-stop action from the get go with fun practical effects used to depict the gore and violence. I found the film really immersive and particularly liked Ken Foree’s character Peter (you always felt safe with him). One of the best films I’ve seen in while.

5 STARS

I’m a big fan of Universal Monsters so I was excited to finally see this much loved film.

The acting is great and the fact the original 1931 Frankenstein set has been reused for this parody really adds to its authenticity.

The rave reviews made me think I would be rolling on the floor with laughter but alas I only achieved light giggles. I found these expectations spoiled the film for me, so be warned!

3.5 STARS

I’ve seen (and liked) a number of sexploitation films and thought this looked fun, but it was truly boring. Relies solely on nudity to carry the film and doesn’t have anything else to offer. 

1 STAR

‘Ball of Fire’ is a slow starter but once it picks up the pace there’s no letting up the madcap shenanigans. I found the old intellectuals to be cringeworthy but this was more than made up for by Sugarpuss and her gangster boyfriend.

3.5 STARS

Visually stunning and unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Somehow Zeman has managed to blend the aesthetic of wood engraving with live action. You can’t help but try to pick apart the techniques being used, which is made all the more possible thanks to this HD (Blu-ray) release. In contrast I found the plot to be thin and had completely lost focus by the end, so my rating is almost entirely based on the film’s technical brilliance. But technically brilliant it is.

Very stylish. Great use of black and white with beautifully designed shots. But hammy acting and a shallow plot. 

3.5 STARS

I decided to watch this as it’s one of Quentin Tarantino’s favourite movies. It’s easy to see the influence it’s had on his work. It’s much more sophisticated than I expected. A bizarre mix of both screwball comedy and thriller. The viewer is shown multiple endings, so they never know what’s going to happen next. It’s fair to say this film surprised me and was like nothing I’ve experienced before (screwball or otherwise).

4 STARS

I really like the premise of this film but i found it a bit flat, especially the ending. A good film that I think had potential to be better. 

3.5 STARS

I decided to watch ‘Black Sunday’ after reading it was one of Tim Burton’s favourite films. The trailer really doesn’t do it justice. I assumed its unique selling point was the ‘so bad it’s good’ factor but it turned out to be the suavest horror film I’ve ever seen. I could barely focus on the plot for being completely stunned by the style oozing from every shot. The kind of film you want to watch multiple times.

5 STARS