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2/10
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Sometimes They Come Back
(1991)
|
Brandon Ciampaglia
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Sometimes They Come Back is a film that had the potential for greatness but never really seemed to get on track. The acting was solid, the special effects were effective, but it was the story that never caught on.
Posted Jan 15, 2020
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6/10
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Will Ferrell: You're Welcome America - A Final Night with George W Bush
(2009)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Ferrell does a fine job spinning the presidency on its heels and he provides a generous dose of laughs (the bit where he gives the audience nicknames is a hoot and the product of improv genius).
Posted Jul 31, 2019
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8/10
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The Haunted World of El Superbeasto
(2009)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
A seriously entertaining, original, visual mind warp.
Posted Aug 06, 2016
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5/10
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Dark Shadows
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Dark Shadows should have been a return-to-form for director Tim Burton, but with a bloated budget and way too much room to play, Burton delivers yet another wasted effort.
Posted Oct 05, 2012
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|
7.8/10
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Resident Evil: Damnation
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Resident Evil: Damnation is the best Resident Evil film to-date.
Posted Oct 05, 2012
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5/10
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The Tall Man
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
The Tall Man is a fine thriller that tragically falls off the rails, spiraling into dark, morally corrupt territory.
Posted Oct 05, 2012
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7/10
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The Revenant
(2009)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
The Revenant is a refreshing spin on the vampire/zombie genre and a true hidden gem.
Posted Oct 05, 2012
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|
4.5/10
|
Werewolf: The Beast Among Us
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Werewolf: The Beast Among Us is hardly the disaster many feared, but its not very good, either.
Posted Oct 05, 2012
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|
5/10
|
Starship Troopers: Invasion
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Starship Troopers: Invasion is quite reminiscent of a video game cut scene, sans the joy of any actual gameplay.
Posted Sep 26, 2012
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7/10
|
Halloween II
(1981)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Halloween II isn't a knockout sequel, but it's a solid, if slightly slow, follow-up to the original horror classic.
Posted Sep 26, 2012
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|
8/10
|
Halloween III: Season of the Witch
(1982)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Halloween III: Season of the Witch might have been hated back in the day, but it simply doesn't deserve the anger and animosity nowadays.
Posted Sep 26, 2012
|
|
9/10
|
Titanic
(1997)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
A staggering film, layered with melodramatic romance, tragedy, intensity and breathtaking production design.
Posted Sep 26, 2012
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8/10
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Ghosts of the Abyss
(2003)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
A bit slow-going and strangely emotionless at times. But Bill Paxton's nervous expressions add humor, and the film's jaw-dropping glimpse at the Titanic are powerful, to say the least.
Posted Sep 26, 2012
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|
9/10
|
The Cabin in the Woods
(2011)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
The Cabin in the Woods is nothing short of brilliant.
Posted Sep 26, 2012
|
|
7/10
|
High School
(2010)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
High School definitely won't be everyone's flavor of pot comedy, but it's certainly a fun trip and a clever spin on the genre.
Posted Sep 26, 2012
|
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9.5/10
|
Marvel's the Avengers
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
The Star Wars of a new generation.
Posted Sep 26, 2012
|
|
6/10
|
The Victim
(2011)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
The Victim is a labor of love, and despite the thin narrative and low-budget shortcomings, the film makes for an interesting midnight movie. It's a bit light on humor, sans the film's amusing finale, but there's just enough here to keep genre fans smiling.
Posted Sep 20, 2012
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7/10
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Safe
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Editing is wonky, and the story leaves much to be desired, but Jason Statham genuinely shines in this rugged, violent action-thriller, with a body count that rivals classic John Woo.
Posted Sep 11, 2012
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|
2/10
|
Piranha 3DD
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
An absolutely awful sequel that flushes any potential this franchise might have otherwise had.
Posted Sep 10, 2012
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|
1/10
|
Jersey Shore Shark Attack
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Appallingly cheap on every conceivable level, Jersey Shore Shark Attack is like watching a bad porno without the satisfaction of seeing any actual sex.
Posted Sep 10, 2012
|
|
6/10
|
Snow White and the Huntsman
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Snow White boasts some clever visuals and engaging action, but the story feels forced and better fit for a SyFy movie of the week.
Posted Sep 07, 2012
|
|
9/10
|
The Five-Year Engagement
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
A bit overlong, with a surprisingly moody middle act, but writer/actor Jason Segel and director/co-writer Nicholas Stoller continue to perfectly balance the laughs with the drama.
Posted Sep 05, 2012
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|
5/10
|
Battleship
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Direction is sharp, but the dull assembly line story damages this hokey action picture that's occasionally so bad it's good.
Posted Aug 28, 2012
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|
3/10
|
Freelancers
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Freelancers is a dull, lifeless cop drama built on cliches, powered by throwaway supporting performances from Forest Whitaker and Robert De Niro.
Posted Aug 22, 2012
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|
5/10
|
The Dictator
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
A few laughs here and there at the expense of offensive stereotypes, The Dictator mostly repeats jokes we've seen in other, better Sacha Baron Cohen films.
Posted Aug 21, 2012
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|
8/10
|
The Hunger Games
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
The Hunger Games may be a flawed beast, to be sure, but there's plenty of subtext to glean from the narrative, and a slew of wonderfully rich characters worth investing in.
Posted Aug 20, 2012
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8/10
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The Raid: Redemption
(2011)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
The Raid: Redemption boasts an outstanding showcase of martial arts and stuntwork. The story might be thin, and the fighting a little repetitive, but The Raid is a knockout low-budget actioner.
Posted Aug 13, 2012
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9/10
|
Detention
(2011)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Detention is a hypnotic hipster acid trip - a brazenly irreverent jolt to the system that screams cult gem.
Posted Aug 09, 2012
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4/10
|
Dr. Seuss' the Lorax
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
A mostly harmless, cute and cuddly pop-infused babysitter for the ADD generation, but a wretched adaptation of Seuss' classic work.
Posted Aug 07, 2012
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6/10
|
House of My Father
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Pretty much one long sketch painfully stretched to feature length - Casa de mi Padre would have been better served as a short film series on Ferrell's Funny or Die website.
Posted Aug 07, 2012
|
|
3/10
|
Age of the Dragons
(2011)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Watch the opening sequence, skip everything that else that follows.
Posted Aug 06, 2012
|
|
9/10
|
Total Recall
(1990)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
A wickedly violent, action-packed old school piece of warped, twist-filled sci-fi and Schwarzenegger cheese. You'll wish you had three hands to hold this one.
Posted Aug 06, 2012
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6/10
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Silent House
(2011)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Interesting one-take cinematography and a great performance by Elizabeth Olsen are very nearly ruined by a muddled story that leaves little room for replay value.
Posted Jul 23, 2012
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5/10
|
Intruders
(2011)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Intruders is a slow-going psychological thriller with very few thrills and little intrigue.
Posted Jul 19, 2012
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|
6/10
|
Lockout
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Lockout is a film derivative of several notable genre classics, but the film does offer some entertainment value.
Posted Jul 17, 2012
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7/10
|
American Reunion
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
American Reunion is one last slice of pie worth having. It's a tasty treat to the many fans who made this franchise what it is.
Posted Jul 10, 2012
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|
6/10
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God Bless America
(2011)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
God Bless America is an angry film, with some good points and plenty of amusing satire, but it's ultimately bogged down by dull pacing and way too many rants and monologues.
Posted Jul 03, 2012
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|
8/10
|
The Artist
(2011)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
The Artist is superfluous, but charming through-and-through, painted with lively performances, staggering cinematography and a lovely spirit of nostalgia.
Posted Jun 29, 2012
|
|
7/10
|
Wrath of the Titans
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Certainly sloppy, but visually rich, exciting and, thanks to several great supporting roles, a better, more character-driven tale that tops the original despite a more intimate feel.
Posted Jun 29, 2012
|
|
8/10
|
21 Jump Street
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Slick and funny as hell, 21 Jump Street is one of the best comedies of the year.
Posted Jun 27, 2012
|
|
9/10
|
The FP
(2011)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
The FP is a mostly serious, straight-faced spoof of misogynistic gangland B-movies and sports dramas, and rarely does it fail to deliver sparks of originality and sly comedy.
Posted Jun 22, 2012
|
|
6/10
|
Project X
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
An enjoyable, if very sloppy, jaunt into total anarchy, Project X isn't a film about morals, but what happens when all rules are thrown out the window.
Posted Jun 19, 2012
|
|
7/10
|
Wanderlust
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
The parts are often funnier, and more memorable, than the whole, but there's enough here to keep David Wain fans smiling.
Posted Jun 18, 2012
|
|
5/10
|
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
(2011)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
The mystery and fun of the first feature is replaced with a bland miscast villain and slam-bang action nonsense, none of which is very impressive.
Posted Jun 15, 2012
|
|
9/10
|
A Necessary Death
(2008)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
A Necessary Death presents a wholly original, fascinating and curiously terrifying documentary that's likely to either captivate or revolt audiences.
Posted Jun 12, 2012
|
|
5/10
|
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
(2011)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Ghost Rider only excels when it embraces the gonzo direction of directors Neveldine and Taylor. Sadly though, the film seems to be pumping its brakes more than riding with a vengeance.
Posted Jun 12, 2012
|
|
7/10
|
Meatballs
(1979)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
A bit slow and meandering, and unfunny when Bill Murray is not on screen, but Meatballs is worth it for the camp atmosphere and Murray's comic genius.
Posted Jun 11, 2012
|
|
8/10
|
Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
While few newcomers will likely attach to Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker, the film provides a real treat for longtime fans of this franchise.
Posted Jun 07, 2012
|
|
6/10
|
John Carter
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
John Carter is a visual delight at times, but the classic story is tiresome and the characters are largely unmemorable, leaving a cold, only occasionally thrilling experience.
Posted Jun 07, 2012
|
|
5/10
|
Underworld: Awakening
(2012)
|
R.L. Shaffer
|
Underworld: Awakening boasts some fun stylized action, and Kate Beckinsale back in that skin-tight outfit, but it also continues the franchise's streak of frustrating mediocrity.
Posted Jun 06, 2012
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