Hostel

Synopsis:
HOSTEL tells the story of two adventurous American college buddies Paxton and Josh who backpack through Europe eager to make quintessentially hazy travel memories with new friend Oli, an Icelander they've met along the way.

Paxton and Josh are eventually lured by a fellow traveler to what's described as a nirvana for American backpackers - a particular hostel in an out-of-the-way Slovakian town stocked with Eastern European women as desperate as they are gorgeous. The two friends arrive and soon easily pair off with exotic beauties Natalya and Svetlana. In fact, too easily…

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Hostel doesn't do much to glamorize backpacking in Eastern Europe but if you're looking for graphic unadultrated sex and violence, this is a must see.

To tell you the truth I wasn't sure what to expect. Although I'd heard many things about the movie I was afraid that it would turn out to be all hype again. I was pleased to find that IMO this was one of the best horror movies I've watched to date. There were times where the film had my heart racing... wondering how things were going to progress. Times where I caught myself staring at the big-screen in awe... wondering how the special/effects artists made everything look so real =D. Also wondering what atrocities they'd splash on the screen next, hehe.

Anyways, enough of my rambling, go watch it!

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

When I was young, very young, I remember reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I even vaguely remember watching a TV show based on the story... vaguely.

As soon as I saw that they were making this into a movie I was intrigued... was wondering how the world would turn out, how realistic the characters would be... TBH... i was wondering what the hell the original story was about... heh :D

I was afraid that the lead-in to Narnia would end up being drawn out but to my surprise it wasn't. The story begins by introducing Peter, Edmund, Susan and Lucy as their town is being bombarded by the German Luftwaffe. Very shortly after they are tagged and shipped off on a train destined for a country mansion away from the city bombings.

During a game of Hide-and-seek Lucy discovers the wardrobe and ends up in Narnia... that's when the story really begins :)

I was also worried that since the movie is rated PG the battles would lose some of the action excitement/realism of other movies. I'll admit I would have like to have seen a few more graphically intense scenes, but thinking back, I'm sure you'll agree that it doesn't really have a place in a movie where the main characters are 4 young siblings.

The Chronicles of Narnia is definitely worth watching on the big screen. If you have the time/chance, go for it... you won't regret it! I didn't anyway. I guess that's all that matters :p

Wolf Creek (2005)

Hmm... not sure what to make of this one. Wolf Creek is a movie 'based on actual events'... and being that these events took place in the outback of Australia, I had heard nothing of those events prior to hearing about the movie.

The antagonist, Mick, is based on two convicted Australian killers, Ivan Milat and Bradley Murdoch. I'm sure that this movie's events stay truer to the actual events than those of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Eddie Gain (who didn't even own a chainsaw), but that was probably part of the reason I found it slowwer than I would have preferred. Yes, I know many horror fans are put off with the direction that Hollywood has taken the horror movie genre, but personally, I don't mind mindless slasher movies. This, of course, is coming from an 80's b-horror movie buff =p.

The introduction of the characters (Liz, Kristy and Ben) and overall build-up to the 'horror events' is way too drawn out. And when they finally get to a point where something happens, we're (kinda) left wondering how things got there in the first place (mind you, they may have explained it somewhere further along the movie.. while I was zoned-out for a bit). Events slowly unravel themselves.. still, not enough action for me. Some parts are definitely not for the faint hearted.. which was a plus. Kudos for the special effects.

Wrapping things up, if you're looking for action/suspense/cheap thrills then this movie is probably not for you. On the other hand, if you're just a horror movie fan in general and you're looking for realism then you shouldn't be too disappointed with this one. If anything, I say, wait for it to come out on DVD. Cheers.