Reviews by Kyle Ellis

This movie is one of my all time favourites, it is just beautiful and very underrated, if a little short. The songs and score by Alan Silvestri,were very good, and some of the comments were unfair. Batty rap was wonderful, with great ad-libbing thrown into the mix. Toxic Love matched the character of Hexxus wonderfully. Hexxus is slimy and untrustworthy, shown perfectly in the song. A Dream Worth Keeping was my favourite song, and was essential for the relationship of Zak and Crysta. The lyrics were beautiful, and matched the animation surprisingly well. The animation was also beautiful, very colourful and vibrant. The forest was expertly animated like a fairytopia. I remember when I first saw it when I was 9 and being terrified of the villain. Speaking of Hexxus, the character was animated by Kathy Ziellinski, who also animated Frollo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) and the Cobra (Aladdin). The voice talents were excellent too. Zak was a nice romantic interest, and Crysta-one spunky vivacious fairy- was excellently voiced by Samantha Mathis. Hexxus was chillingly voiced by the quintessential Tim Curry, and Robin Williams was hilarious as Batty Koda. As for Magi Lune, I mistook her for Angela Lansbury when I first saw the film, and she is a truly fascinating character. The ending was so powerful and poignant, and I love this movie so much, and I am 16. The film also has a good message and a nice story, that isn't at all preachy. The movie's only qualm is that it is too short, and I would've liked Hexxus to be developed a little more. Other than that, I strongly recommend FernGully, and Once Upon a Forest. 9/10. Bethany Cox.

As far as remakes go, House on Haunted Hill is neither among the best or worst ones. For me, it sits somewhere in the middle. If I were to say which is better out of this and the original, I'd say the original(though that is not perfect either) mainly because of Vincent Price. On its own terms though, this is pretty good. It is flawed though, the characters are never really developed, and while I admired that there was an attempt to expand the story while some of it was effective there were other parts where it felt padded and didn't really go anywhere. Taylor Diggs and Peter Gallagher's performances read too much of both actors playing themselves. But the biggest let down is the ending, which felt fake and so abrupt that you are left with a that's it? sense. On the plus side, it is stylishly filmed, has a good atmosphere and some creepy and fun moments. Geoffrey Rush seems to be having the time of his life and it really shows. Famke Janssen puts her beauty and steel to good use without feeling bland, and while he has next to nothing to say Jeffrey Combs' physical acting really speaks volumes. Overall, not a bad remake but has its flaws. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Okay, I do think that Vincent Price has done better overall movies(Theater of Blood, Abominable Dr Phibes and Witchfinder General). But I cannot deny that as always, coming from someone who was supreme in this film genre at this particular time, he is brilliant with a charismatic presence and great deadpan delivery that will give you chills and excitement at the same time. He is well supported by Carol Ohmart, Alan Marshal, Richard Long and especially Elisha Cook Jnr, who plays the paranoid drunk with real exuberance. There are many other joys to House on Haunted Hill than the cast. I for one love the Gothic production values, as well as the suitably creepy atmosphere, haunting music and witty script that is in perfect keeping with the tone of the horror movies of the time. The story apart from the short length and one or two meandering subplots is very clever with some memorable moments such as decapitated heads, witches and acid vats as well as a fun twist. All in all, spooky slick fun with a great atmosphere and performance from a genre icon. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I really like Tim Burton- Edward Scissorhands, Big Fish, Ed Wood, Batman, Beetle Juice and Sleepy Hollow are all great movies. The thing is this remake(or re-imagining if you like) is not, in fact this could very well be Burton's worst movie, even worse than Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and that could have been much better. Tim Burton, what has happened to you? Before I get to the many negatives of this film, I will say the apes are very well done. Their mannerisms and the way they move are perfectly convincing. Plus Danny Elfman's score was pretty good, it's no Edward Scissorhands or Big Fish but it's good enough. And the scenery and special effects are fantastic.

However, that is all the praise I can give it. I am briefly going to say it is vastly inferior to the 1968 classic, which was much more exciting and much better written as well. The script is awful, not quite Pearl Harbor kind-of-awful, but some of it is lame and unintentionally cheesy. The story takes a while to get going and meanders all over the place, not helped by pedestrian pacing and drawn out scenes and very rarely gets interesting. Plus is it me, or does the film get unnecessarily loud at times? Tim Burton's direction was also a disappointment, usually his films are full of heart, that's what made Edward Scissorhands especially such a gem, but here he seems lost, bogged down might I say. On top of that, the character development is non-existent, as is the chemistry between the actors and the characters are extremely clichéd, especially Kris Kristofferson's character. And the acting didn't fare that much better, Mark Wahlberg is a bland lead, while Estella Warren acts like a zombie throughout. Then we have Tim Roth trying hard and giving the only credible performance as Thade, and Helena Bonham Carter wasted as sympathetic Ari, while Paul Giamatti is useless. Not even the talented David Warner can save this film. And don't get me started on the ending, what a bummer, so predictable and obvious.

Overall, a case of all style no substance. Definitely not Burton's finest hour. 3/10 Bethany Cox

For me this is one Disney's best and perhaps one of the more underrated live-action classics. It is a film that makes me smile and happy every time I see it. The special effects are marvellous and hold up surprisingly well today, for me only the banshee is a disappointment, but compared to the rest that's relative. The scenery is absolutely lovely and captured by some splendid cinematography, and the music is always delightful and catchy in how it sticks in your head, and I mean this in a good way. There is also a sweet and imaginative story and witty and charming dialogue. The acting is great, Albert Sharpe is wonderful and Janet Munro is good value. Sean Connery, before the time of James Bond, is dashing and likable, his singing is not great as such but I also don't mind it. In conclusion, this little film is a sheer delight. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Resident evil 4 is a masterpiece, it's easily one of most recognizable games in the series and for a good reason, the game is insanely fun and replayble, aged pretty well and it's almost on every platform possible.

This game not just horror games at the time but it literally ruined the franchise because of how amazing it was and the two games following it's formula were nowhere near as good as this, it took capcom more than a decade to figure out how to do it right again and re 7 though flawed, definitely was the best thing that came out ever since 4.

The only minor annoyance i have with this game is ashley, the girl you have to rescue... talk about one of the worst npc's ever, you won't forget her screaming (leon heeeelp) anytime soon after playing but technically speaking at least she's smart enough to get behind you while you're shooting so not a big issue and thankfully she's not around you for majority of the game.

It has charming characters (the game not taking itself too seriously) , amazing villains, great action (not as over the top as re 6) horrific atmosphere and of course the merchant makes this game among one of if not the best in the series and the amount of nostalgia that comes after this is just unbelievable.

10/10 one of the greatest games of all time.

Words cannot describe how much this game was worth the wait. Hats off and a standing ovation to the creators and staff of this game! Absolutely out of this world! WHAT A GAME!! Totally lives up to the original. Overwhelmed with the added nostalgia. Made me proud to be a Resident Evil fan for 23+ years. Deserves lots of awards! Well done!

Greetings from Lithuania.

"Resident Evil HD Remaster" (2015) is probably the best remake I've ever played. Because i have played the original like 3 times, i did remember many of things, alto ugh last time I've played the original was back in 1997, so it was like 19 years ago. Still, the locations felt so familiar because it kinda have imprinted in my memory. I beat this 2015 version in like 3 days, but i'm pretty sure i will return to it one day to beat it with a different character - it is that good.

Overall, the only minor complain about the game itself it related to controls. I played with alternative controls (not classical "tank" system), and sometimes (many, many times to be honest) i was stumble around the corners, or moved into the wrong direction - many times. Nevertheless this game is soooo good, that even kinda awkward controls didn't left to me not wanting to more - to visit each and every room. Amazing game on all accounts.

Anyone who liked Resident Evil & Resident Evil 2 will LOVE this game. It is the perfect third installment to the Playstation series of games. I especially like the part of the game where you actually get to shoot zombies as they rise out of the graveyard. Game lovers cannot go wrong playing this one. I can't say enough good things about these games!!!

The quest of video games to be more and more like the real-life equivalent of the situation they are depicting is one stretching back as far as the late 1970s, when such titles as Galaga were over the horizon. Indeed, in the mid-1980s, one game based on a laserdisc and knowing which button to push when was hailed as raising the interactive bar to something we had never seen before. While video games based upon films were frequently made, and even sold in great numbers, Capcom set the standard when they took George Romero's Night Of The Living Dead and used it as the basis for Biohazard, or Resident Evil as it is known to English-speaking audiences (presumably because the original name was previously copyrighted outside of Japan).

Resident Evil 2 picks up a little after the original game in the series. The virus that the evil Umbrella corporation has been researching managed to get out into the open, and people have been dropping dead like flies as a result. The story begins when two central characters are separated in a car crash, and both try to survive long enough to work out what on Earth is going on in Racoon City. It sounds like a very basic, even threadbare plot, and to tell the truth, it is. But therein lies the charm of Resident Evil and most all of its sequels. One can go anywhere, do anything, kill anything, and apart from the frustration of winding up with nowhere to go at times, the game will not penalise the player for it. In this day and age where racing simulators are nothing more than knowing which lever to jerk when, it makes for a nice change.

Of course, as the main influence makes clear, the player soon finds themselves battling with undead citizens (and worse) throughout the course of the game. Those who like to kill everything in sight may find the going a little tough, as the game rewards the player for knowing what to kill and when. A zombie in a wide, open area does not require immediate shooting, but a licker in a confined space should be put down as quickly and quietly as possible. Knowing the difference can literally decide whether you complete this game or not. But if one does get into a situation where they are low on ammunition and are not sure where they are meant to go, they can simply keep exploring until a solution presents itself. Such is the quality of the artwork on offer that it takes a while for this to become boring.

One criticism of the game that is perfectly valid is that the zombie models only seem to have four varieties. Occasionally, different types will appear if certain conditions are met, such as not picking up any items during the trip to the police station, but for the most part, it is a rather generic bunch. Another problem is the save point system, which can make the quest seem repetitive at times if resumed. However, the fun of the game truly lies in revealing threads of the plot, which, while occasionally cliché, is put together like an elegant series of Chinese boxes. Questions are raised constantly, and half the fun is in finding the answers. In a complete contrast to the second feature film, the motions and attacks of the enemy are completely consistent, and even make sense from a biological point of view. One other criticism I have that applies to all of the Resident Evil games I have played to date is that in so-called tense moments, when a mass-attack by zombies or other terrors begins, one can often tell when they have completely beaten off their opposition by when the background music calms down. Although I am not entirely sure that is a bad thing.

The replay value of the game is heightened by the ability to complete one character's quest, save the results, and use them on the other's. What one does in one game directly affects what happens in the other. Decisions such as who should take the submachine gun, for example, are of great importance in the game, as are such things as opening doors or killing certain major enemies. Getting into the underground lab towards the end of the game is quite a chilling moment, too. Notwithstanding the fight that takes place on the way down, this deserted research lab is enough to put the wind up any a dedicated viewer of horror films. A contrast, as it were, to the godawful second film adaptation.

If I were giving Resident Evil 2 a score, it would be ten out of ten. Sure, it is looking old considering it was originally released on the PlayStation and Dreamcast, but unlike the vast majority of games, it has the ability to withstand the test of time. It is well worth hunting around the stores that specialise in second-hand or liquidated stock for.