HACKED 2 PIECES: A weekly look at the news by Reviews Editor Ross Hughes

Its amazing though despite the difference between the two fans how these two films have got so much in common.  Both were released around the same time as each other, both opened up with mixed reviews, both have taken the same at the box office, and now both have been released on DVD the same time.  Of course Insidious was the biggest winner with the profit, it was made for  $1.5 million and took a staggering $91,980,206, a massive turn over that made the studio sit back very happy.  Scre4m of course has been labelled this huge flop that really makes me angry and frustrated.  Let’s make it clear once and for all it was not a flop!  So far it has taken $97,035,182 worldwide but of course it has a $40 million budget to take out of the overall figure.  The biggest shock with Scre4m is how badly it done in America,  its there that the film failed to perform but the overseas sales has made the studio know that there is still an appetite for a possible 5th film.

The biggest stir I have created this year is the reviews I done for these two films.  I was told my three star rating for Insidious was too low and my four star rating for Scre4m was too high, so this week I got them both out on rental and watched one after another.  Was my initial thoughts right?  Or did I make a mistake with my ratings?  Let me tell you!

Insidious was the first film I put to the test, and already my initial thought was how right I was originally.  The film on second viewing does not hold up that well.  Now if  you seek out my original review you will read the praise I put on the opening half hour.  I still admit and say for the first half of Insidious I was glued to my seat trembling with fear until it all fell apart.  Well on 2nd watch the film loses even more appeal because you know where the scares are coming from.  The film fails to grasp you like it did before because you know what is coming and again the last quarter just comes across as a poor man’s rip off of all things Elm St.  Harsh, well not really, but before fans think I am going to score it even less well they are wrong.  The film is still an enjoyable horror fest.  Stupid and dumb at times but still a very good watch.  Its a kind of film that I would love to show to newcomers because they will probably be terrified over the first half, and that is what appeals to me about Insidious.  I can imagine myself on a few occasions having friends over and asking “do yoi want to watch a scary film?”, they nod and soon they will have their hands over their faces.  Insidious is perfect for first time watch, also for the new generation who love their scares cheap, so while the film still does not work for me completely, I do admire the attempt for old fashioned scares and for that my score stays the same.   Rating:

Scre4m is the one film that I did love at the cinema.  I came out of there feeling high and I was stunned to see the negative reviews that followed.  I have also noticed a trend from some well established critics who originally gave this 4 stars but have changed it to 2 stars for its DVD release.  Were they wrong on first watch?  Was I? For a start I went to the cinema on the day of release at the 11.30am showing and the cinema was packed.  The atmosphere was electric and it really felt like 1996 all over again.  Looking back the people who sat with me that day were probably like myself Scream fanatics who have been waiting for this moment for years and were there so happy that this moment had come.  It was easy then to be carried away by the moment, the atmosphere itself was so good that it would hide the flaws of the film!  On second watch I did notice things that did not quite work.  Yes the beginning was still awesome and the first proper kill scene is one of the highlights of the year, but I noticed more things wrong this time.  For a start Scream films have always benefited by the duo of Gale and Dewey so I can not understand for the life of me why they were separated for most of the film.  Sydney herself at times seemed like a spare part, only there for the sake of it and not really an integral part of the story.  The lack of the Scream theme also annoyed me more this time around.  It just did not feel like a Ghostface flick at times and if they wanted to start afresh then why did they bring the old trio back?.  Despite all this though Scre4m is still a great slasher film.  The death scenes are gory, there are killer one-liners “Fuck Bruce Willis”, and of course the character of Kirby is one of the franchise best creations, maybe I was a tad too high with my 4 star rating but its still a

Rating:

and a well deserved one!

So once again in my opinion Scre4m comes out on top, but if you agree with me or not, you will nod your head in approval when I say that these two films have been great for the genre because its got fans talking again and believe me there will be an Insidious II and a Scream V or like I call it 5cream, because both films have made a profit which do not include DVD sales and in this day and age money talks, the studios will want a repeat of the success even though what we may see this time is Insidious being made for a little bit more, while Scream gets made for a little less and at the end of the day, everyone wins!

No not the picture but the news I brought you last week about this amazing Argentine trailer that is sweeping the internet!  If you have not seen it yet check it out here: https://horrorcultfilms.co.uk/2011/08/all-new-stunning-back-to-the-future-clip-even-though-we-have-no-idea-what-the-heck-its-all-about/

It shows our favourite Doc Brown and his amazing Delorean back in action even though no one knows what the heck is going on.  Rumours are is that its a new viral video for a mobile phone company but just seeing him all back in action and not looking a day old makes we want for an all new Back To The Future adventure.  I love the films, I must have watched them over and over when I was a child and while I can understand the reasons not to do it, I do argue with the reason why they can not because the Delorean was smashed up at the end of the third!

How I see it is when the Doc said goodbye to Marty at the end of Part one, he went off on his own adventure.  Yes he came back for Marty which set off the chain of events for Part II and III, but surely the Doc did not just go Back To The Future to see what the older Marty was getting up to?  I mean what if the Doc left at the end of the original and had an adventure all on his own, I mean he has a time machine, its totally possible and logical that this happened.  You could easily make a separate adventure that at the end would tie up the scene that ends part one and begins part two.

What do you think?

Last week I commented on how no one can play Freddy and Pinhead apart from the original people but it seems that even more insane news comes to our HCF Office.  Next year Mad Max returns to filming for his long awaited Fury Road but there is no sign of Mel Gibson returning in the role that made him a worldwide star.  Ok his personal life has ruined his career and right or wrong I am not here to judge but despite the presence of Tom Hardy in the role, I really do not want to see a Mad Max film without Mel.  Its Max for feck sake, an iconic role and this fourth film does not thrill me like it would if Gibson was to return.  Also news this week of Ghostbusters III is on its way would have normally made all fans everywhere wet themselves with excitement.  Of course all this was followed by the news that Bill Murray may not return which has left the third film have a huge cloud all over it!  Without Bill then there is no point of making this film and while they say that one man does not make a film, this is Murray and Ghostbusters and I would rather not watch a sequel without his Peter than finally get to see a third one.  Strong statement to make but Murray made even the poor sequel worth the watch!

Its been two weeks since I have seen the quite splendid Super and for some strange reason I still can not stop thinking about it.  I lay in bed with images of the film going around and around my brain and I really do not know why………….

 THE ONE DELIGHT OF SUCKER PUNCH

THE WEEKLY BEST MOVIE IN GAG, (Always worth a giggle)

This guy comes into a bar, walks up to the bartender. Says, “Bartender, I got me a bet for you. I’m gonna bet you $300 that I can piss into that glass over there and not spill a single, solitary drop.” The bartender looks. I mean, we’re talking, like, this glass is like a good ten feet away.He says, “Now wait, let me get this strait. You’re tryin’ to tell me you’ll bet me $300 that you can piss, standing over here, way over there into that glass, and not spill a single drop?” Customer looks up and says, “That’s right.”

Bartender says, “Young man, you got a bet.” The guy goes, “Okay, here we go. Here we go.” Pulls out his thing. He’s lookin’ at the glass, man. He’s thinkin’ about the glass. He’s thinkin’ about the glass. Glass. He’s thinkin’ about the glass, glass. Thinkin’ about his dick. Dick, glass, dick, glass, dick, glass, dick, glass, dick, glass, dick, glass, dick, glass. And then, *foosh*, he lets it rip.

And he pisses all over the place, man. He’s pissin’ on the bar. He pissin’ on the stools, on the floor, on the phone, on the bartender! He’s pissing everywhere *except* the fucking glass! Right? Okay. So, bartender, he’s laughing his fuckin’ ass off. He’s $300 richer. He’s like, “Ha, ha, ha, ha!” Piss dripping off his face. “Ha, ha, ha, ha!” He says, “You fucking idiot, man! You got it in everything except the glass! You owe me $300 punta.” Guy goes, “Excuse me just one-one little second.” Goes in the back of the bar. In back, there’s a couple of guys playing pool. He walks over to them. Comes back to the bar. Goes, “Here you go, Mr. Bartender, 300.”

And the bartender’s like, “What the f**k are you so happy about? You just lost $300, idiot!” The guy says, “Well, see those guys over there? I just bet them $500 a piece that I could piss on your bar, piss on your floor, piss on your phone, and piss on you, and not only would you not be mad about it, you’d be happy.”
– Desperado

Fred: I met a really conceited actor the other day. Harry: Why do you say he’s conceited? Fred: Well, every time there was a thunderclap during the storm, he went to the window and took a bow

Matt Wavish met up with director Jonathan Martin and chats about his film An Evening With My Comatose Mother, and many other things in a rather excellent intervewi and another proud HorrorCultFilm Exclusive…..read it here:

Seems I am only a few who did not lavish the praise on Fright Night, with some well established critics given it three stars!  Sorry but my love for the original holds no bounds and while the re-make tries its best, too many changes to the concept made me weep more than proud and its another re-do that I will add to the forever growing “pointless!” list!

Until next time guys