J*A*S*M

Cube Zero is a much better sequel than Hypercube. Of all the entries in the series, this one has the darkest rooms and the view from the “other side” of the Cube helps the story a lot. The actors are good enough (with the exception of the man with the robotic eye, he was supposed to be scary, but he wasn’t…). I also liked the ending, because there is one (unlike the first part) and it’s not stupid (unlike the second part). I’m quite satisfied, though the soldiers with the green eyes ruined the impression a little.

A very bad sequel to a good first part. The interiors of the Cube look good while they are static, but the moment they start moving that impression is gone. The special effects aren’t good and the collapse of the Hypercube is even worse. The story is a copy of the first part, likewise with the characters (the actors are also very wooden). What ruined everything was the ending, up until then it was at least three-star worthy.

I get why this film has cult status, but for me it’s not worthy of a full score. The first half was great, but the second has several dull moments, the plot gets stuck somewhere and all I could do was wait for an ending that was clear. The final disintegration of the demons didn’t have any atmosphere due to the not very good special effects. It needs a remake, those special effects today don’t work as they should.

If there’s one horror subgenre where I can be almost certain I won’t be disappointed, that’s hixploitation. The carnage by a fairly small gang of native, usually inbred rednecks is almost always fun, and Timber Falls is a new addition to this group. The basic storyline won’t surprise with its originality (after all, all these films have to be about basically the same), what’s important is the execution of the bloody scenes, the atmosphere and the charisma of the villains. So, the bloody scenes are plenty, they look realistic overall and the main cutting weapon is also pretty cool. The atmosphere of a deep forest and dark underground spaces (that’s pretty much where all the film takes place) is hard to ruin, so there was no problem here, either. The problem lies with the villains, only the youngest of them looks terrifying, and barely so. After the recent Storm Warning, they were quite disappointing. I can recommend Timber Falls to those who enjoy this subgenre (quality-wise is comparable to Wrong Turn).

The best horror film I’ve seen lately. An amazingly atmospheric affair (I watched it alone at night) with a gripping ending that never bored me for a second (as I somewhat expected). The actors are very good (even the kids) and the spook is impressive. The ending was also good, it’s somewhere between a happy and bad. I can wholeheartedly recommend this unknown movie, it’s a must-see for horror fans. I really don’t understand how anyone can give it only one star.

I suddenly fancied rewatching a film that I remembered as excellent and original sci-fi horror and I was quite unpleasantly surprised. Cube is undoubtedly original, but the transition of that premise to the screen was not painless. The script tries to work with the psychology of the characters, but without much success. Actually, the bullshit it forces the characters to say is something I hadn’t seen in a long time. And on top of that, the actors are really awful (the black cop is so bad that it was funny). It was a real disappointment the second time around, the points are mostly for the idea and the atmosphere. 7/10

The first half is excellent, with a very good portrayal of a depopulated New York, Will Smith is brilliant and we don’t get to see much of the infected. But in the second half, when they start showing up more often and in their full glory, the quality declines because their CGI look is really not good. Also, the screenwriter deserves to be punched in the face for that ending. The rating is between 3 and 4 stars.

When Kraus is having a good day and is not showing his guests his personal antipathy (especially the political ones), it can be a lot of fun. But when those conditions are not met every now and again, he’s almost cringe-worthy. That also applies to his son’s musical numbers.

I’m also Czech, but a boor. Brilliant.

Repsekt! Or R35P3K7!?