They’re not just zombies. They’re Nazi zombies.
There may not be a better tag line written for a film in a long time. Fans of the 2009 hit Dead Snow, will immediately latch onto this epic sequel, Dead Snow; Red VS. Dead. This pull no punches zombie flick is a, for the lack of a more eloquent phrase, balls to the walls comedic gore-fest. If you’re a fan of genre flicks like Evil Dead and Shaun of the Dead, you’ll love this. Frankly, you don’t even have to have seen the original to adore the sequel. Dead 2 is almost entirely in English, unlike the first. (subtitles provided in the necessary areas are not distracting at all) Read More →
Sometimes when you see a film, from the outset you know it’s one you want to see – maybe because you like the lead actor, it’s the passion project of a director you respect or it has a message that is missing in other films. Livi Zheng‘s Brush with Danger is one of these films. Her first feature as a director that was written by her brother and co-star Ken Zheng, Brush with Danger tackles a hot-button topic in illegal immigration to the US from Asia. There are a million ways to approach a subject like this – going the character study route a la Cary Fukunaga‘s gorgeous Sin Nombre or showing the dark side of the immigrant experience like Stephen Frears‘ Dirty Pretty Things or even the battle-infused experience of Scorsese‘s The Gangs of New York, all of which were incredibly successful in telling their tales and engaging their audiences. It is unfortunate that Brush with Danger falls flat almost from the opening shot and doesn’t live up to the promise of an interesting premise. 
As you watch Jason Stone‘s thriller The Calling, it may be hard not to recall David Fincher‘s Se7en. Both are steeped in biblical lore and both feature a serial killer, although that could up for some debate in the former. But that’s where the analogy wears off. The Calling is based in the cold expanse of the Great White North – Canada – not the hustle and bustle of the big city (presumably New York) in Se7en. Its lead detective, Hazel Micallef (Susan Sarandon doing her best Marge Gunderson), is the exact opposite of the wise sage that was Somerset (Morgan Freeman) – she is broken and conflicted, a drunk and a pillhead who is seemingly indifferent to doing her job. Her partner Ray Green (Gil Bellows) isn’t anywhere near as apathetic as Hazel and operates by the rules, which is a point of contention between the two throughout the film. An odd couple, if you will. 
Sometimes movies are anchored in the minds of those who watch them, so much so that they become a permanent part of the landscape of when they were watched or released. I first saw The Big Chill when it hit home video back in 1984, but I had already soaked in an integral part of the film as my parents played the soundtrack (on vinyl of course) at home on a regular rotation (and usually at parties they threw). I was immersed in the film and although its subject matter was rather advanced (suicide) for someone of 9-years old, I truly think it is a film that had a profound effect on me without me really realizing it. So when I had the chance to review Jesse Zwick‘s 
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