I decided to change it up a bit from writing about my personal life and posting stills that I take from movies (I have WAY too much time on my hands) so I’ve decided to start doing an occasional blog called You Have Got To See This Movie where I do a short review on a movie that I SUGGEST that you should go out and at least rent it if you haven’t already seen it. Today I figured I’d start it off with a double feature, and may even continue to do so in subsequent blogs.
I picked up Neil Marshall’s Doomsday a few months ago as a used dvd, and I had the pleasure of seeing it in the dollar movies with Vanessa. Neither of us were prepared for the awesomeness that we were about to view when we sat down in the theater chairs. It’s essentially a British re-imagining of Carpenter’s Escape From New York, and it’s a great one at that. It even has a climax that George Miller would be proud of.
Rhona Mitra is the Snake Plissken of this tale, complete with eye patch and even has a false eye that she can use to see things around corners and record through a watch that she always wears. It’s even got a score that is straight vintage Carpenter synth. The action alomst never stops and it’s surprisingly gruesome. I can’t believe I didn’t want to check it out in the first place, since Neil Marshall has an excellent track record. Dog Soldiers is a film I tend to watch at least once a year, and The Descent succeeded in scaring me where other films have failed.
The movie deals with a virus called Reaper that infects Ireland, so a wall is put up to protect everyone else from the infection. The infection is thought to be contained, but in 2035, it shows up in London, and Rhona Mitra and a crack group of soldiers and scientists are sent into the quarantine zone to find a cure, since the government has photos of people still alive in Ireland.
If you want to sit down and watch a sci-fi action flick 80’s throwback, then surely at least RENT THIS MOVIE. I’ll even go as far as saying make it a BLIND BUY. You won’t regret it if you like good action.
Running Scared is a film that I sadly missed out on theatrically, and heard the good word of mouth on the CHUD message board, so I rented it when it was released and not only got an action movie that piled on the surprising violence, but got damn creepy in certain key scenes and had what could be Paul Walker’s one great performance that got him a day pass from the Keanu Reeve’s school of acting.
The whole movie’s plot deals with a damn gun. I will not shit you about that. Walker’s character is supposed to destroy it, doesn’t and a young friend of his son takes it and A LOT OF CARNAGE ensues. Just about every character is some sleazy pervert, and Chazz Palminteri plays a corrupt cop. Not just any corrupt cop, but one who hangs out at full nude bars sipping Mai Tai’s.
The movie piles on shocking moment after shocking moment, that when it gets to a subplot dealing with snuff, you know that it had to be coming, because just about every other shocking thing, save for shooting a kid (this damn near happens too) has occurred in the film.
Running Scared is essentially an action film, but it throws in a lot of shocking moments that are sure to un-nerve people, so if you plan on showing it to someone, make sure you view it first if you haven’t seen it so you know that they will be able to handle it. Fans of Vera Farmiga will be happy seeing it. Fans of Elizabeth Mitchell will watch in shock.
Of the two films, I’d most certainly say that Doomsday is the more fun “watch with a group of friends while throwing back some cold ones” film than Running Scared.
Rene’s song of the day: “Susie Q” by Creedence Clearwater Revival