Reviews by Kyle Ellis

Movies: 101 Dalmatians

First Appearance: 101 Dalmatians, a 1956 novel by Dodie Smith

Voiced by: Betty Lou Gerson


About as subtle as a Simon Cowell critique, the clue to the true nature of Dodie Smith's great villainess can be found in her name, like Dr. Evil, or Truly Scrumptious, or former Celtic defender Rafael Scheidt. In other words, beware a woman named de Vil, who smokes liberally, cackles malevolently at the drop of a hat, swans around in a car that has a King Kong-sized carbon footprint, and wants to make a fur coat out of the skins of gorgeous little Dalmatian puppies. Oh, and she's called Devil. But it's the OTT nature of Cruella capitalism run rampant, greed gnarled into a snarling mask of hatred - that makes her so memorable, and has sustained the character through animated sequels, live action movies (where Glenn Close had an absolute blast) and even on Broadway. If she doesn't scare you, so the song goes, no evil thing will.

Stroke of genius

Her unique approach to keeping her two henchmen, Jasper and Horace, on her side, constantly slapping them, threatening them and berating them for (admittedly catastrophic) failures. Someone needs to give her a reality show, quick smart.

Fun fact

Forbes ranked Cruella as the thirteenth wealthiest fictional character in 2002, with a net fortune of $875 million. She could buy a Dalmatian farm at that rate.

Movie(s): Peter Pan (1953)

First Appearance: JM Barrie's Peter Pan (1904)

Voiced by: Hans Conried

Maybe it's because Captain Hook started out on stage that he's so darn good at getting us all cheering and yelling at the screen - for the other guy. A villain more adept at sneering you'd look hard to find, and as cold-blooded killers go it's hard to top him. But he's also a man of culture and some pretentions to finesse, making his all the scarier when he decides to just go for the throat. And it's a testament to this film that, while the character's been played a thousand times, this one feels like the original. Maybe it's that dashing red coat - we do love a man in uniform.

Stroke of genius

The gibbering panic that overtakes the otherwise snarling bad guy whenever the sound of ticking comes near.

Fun fact

This was the last Disney film that all nine of the legendary animators the Nine Old Men worked on as directing animators. After this, they were spread across different concurrent projects at any given time.

Have an appreciation for horror, and that was one of two main reasons why 'Child's Play' was viewed in the first place. The other was, having been on a roll reviewing whole horror franchises recently, to see all of the 'Child's Play'/Chucky films featuring one of horror's most iconic villains Chucky the killer doll, wanting to see whether the character did deserve his horror icon status.

Chucky definitely does deserve this distinction and a case of the character being better than the films. The 'Child's Play'/Chucky films are very variable, with this first film being by far the best if not perhaps the most well known of the series. This is not nostalgia talking, all the films were seen recently although there had been the intent of seeing them for a long time, and they would have been seen earlier than this if music commitments and a long watch and review list allowed me to. Don't be fooled by the premise, sure the premise is intriguing but it did sound cheesy, goofy and reminiscent of a formula slasher film.

Actually what could and should have been a cheesy, goofy and formula slasher as the premise indicated turned out to be a hugely entertaining, surprisingly creative and genuinely scary film, important in introducing one to as said one of horror's most famous and iconic characters.

Not an awful lot wrong here surprisingly. Perhaps Alex Vincent tries a little too hard in places, though mostly he does a decent job considering his age.

But the only major fault is for me some of the pacing, with the first part of the film being on the sluggish side and one wishes that the point was gotten to earlier.

However, 'Child's Play' looks slick and suitably ominous, with terrific special effects that blend very well, look eerily life-like and move easily, while the music looms eerily. Tom Holland's panache-filled direction is one of 'Child's Play's' biggest strengths and one of the main reasons why the film avoids falling into all of the traps that it could have done and what instead elevated it into a greater level. The script is darkly witty and clever with one-liners that are smart, frighteningly sarcastic and entertainingly twisted. The reveal is not one to forget and likewise with the nightmarish climax.

Once 'Child's Play' gets going, it is non-stop entertainment value and atmospheric creepiness, with the attack scenes/kills and set pieces being creative and genuinely unsettling. Chucky is an unforgettable creation and one that the writers and effects team had a ball with (as well as Brad Dourif of course). The other characters were ones worth caring for and the acting is good from Catherine Hicks and Chris Sarandon. The biggest acting plus though is Dourif, the personification of malevolence.

In summary, lots of fun and scary. Definitely recommended. 8/10 Bethany Cox

There has been a time that I wasn't really that fond of horror films, finding some had cheap excessive gore, bad acting and scripting and a lack of genuine thrills and suspense. I couldn't have been more wrong, some of the best of the genres are anything but these. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of the best, it screams horror classic from the character Leatherface to the many times it's been imitated/parodied but never equalled. I think the use of the documentary-style realism is masterful, and the fact it is low-budget makes no difference to me, in fact to me this adds to the gritty, harsh and creepy tone this film conveys. The gore is not at all excessive, in fact its count is quite low, and when it is used, it never feels cheap or gimmicky. The script is razor sharp, the story is compelling and Tobe Hooper's direction is probably Texas Chainsaw Massacre's strongest asset. I was fine with the acting as well, Leatherface is genuinely unnerving. In conclusion, a classic. 10/10 Bethany Cox

There was once a time where I wasn't crazy about horror but over-time I have grown to appreciate it. Halloween really is a true classic of its genre, it is genuinely scary, taut and is pretty much the only movie of the franchise in my opinion that is not only truly effective after all this time but also where everything works.

Halloween is very well made for starters, with atmospheric lighting and camera angles definite things to like. The score is resolutely haunting, the story is tightly paced and compelling, John Carpenter's direction is superb with some inspired, efficient techniques and while I have heard better the dialogue is good enough with some sharpness and nothing really that stands out as too cheesy or stilted.

The acting is very good, and the characters especially Michael Myers are iconic. Jamie Lee Curtis is more than just a pretty face, her acting seems very genuine and she gives her character welcome gravitas. Donald Pleasance is excellent too, while Michael Myers as a character is the personification of terror.

Halloween also works so well because of its atmosphere. It doesn't rely on excessive and cheap gore to make its point, or frenzied camera angles and the like. What it has is real suspense and genuine jolts especially in the last twenty minutes.

All in all, a true classic. 10/10 Bethany Cox

What can I say really about Nightmare on Elm Street. It has been said that it is a horror classic, Freddy Kreuger is iconic and it is an all round great film. I have to say, I agree. Is it a perfect movie? Not quite, the characters are not that well developed, but actually with everything else done so well that is a small gremlin. The film is shot in a non-cheap and atmospheric way with good editing and lighting that is never too dark or dim. The music also helps to enhance the mood without being too obvious, the script is smart, the story is compelling but what Nightmare on Elm Street really succeeds in doing is how it incorporates its scares. There is gore, but it is not used in a cheap and excessive way, and there are some genuinely suspenseful touches. The ending is surprising and very shocking. The acting is good, this is all about Nancy and she is very believably played. Johnny Depp went on to do better things but he's also fine. I'll remember Nightmare on Elm Street though for the terrifying performance of Robert Englund, Kreuger is now an iconic villain and after you see how Englund interprets him you would say justifiably so. And Wes Craven directs efficiently. Overall, the first of the series and the best and most iconic of the series. The sequels were mixed with a lot of gore and silliness and not much heart and suspense and the remake is not worth bothering with. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Based on the graphic novels by Frank Miller (who also co-directed and wrote the screenplay) Sin City tells three stories of crime, corruption, and redemption set in the fictional town 'Basin City'. The first story details the quest of Marv (Mickey Rourke) who searches town for the man who murdered Goldie (Jamie King), the woman he believes to be his one true love. The second tells of Dwight (Clive Owen) who must cover up the death of a corrupt police officer (Benicio Del Toro) in order to avoid a war between the cops, and the girls of old town, led by Gail. (Rosiaro Dawson) The final story shows Hartigan, (Bruce Willis) a beat up retired cop framed for a crime he didn't commit, trying to save the life of a girl whose life he saved at a young age, who grew up to become a stripper, (Jessica Alba) while all the while being tracked by a mysterious stranger with a grotesque appearance. (Nick Stahl)

It's a churning vat of old fashioned pulp style stories, each one more dark and edgy then the last. And yet, Sin City itself is morbidly fascinating; if you don't mind delving through the haze of sleaze, violence and corruption you'll find a really compelling story underneath the hard exterior. Sin City exudes the essence of classic film noir, except combined with over-the-top violence, characters and dialogue to maintain that comic book feel. Giving co-director status to creator Frank Miller and allowing him to write the screenplay was perhaps the wisest move director Robert Rodriguez ever made, because Miller's gritty influence shines through, perfectly capturing the mood of his original creations.

And the visuals... extraordinary. The entire film is shot in black and white, except for certain items which appear in colour. (a red dress, red blood, although sometimes the blood is stark white, and not to mention Nick Stahl's character, Yellow Bastard, who is, indeed, yellow) Rodriguez is also smart enough to use a greenscreen backdrop, so as to recreate Miller's gritty, moody sets by computer animation instead of trying to create them first hand. And it works, wonderfully - the sets perfectly set the tone for the rest of the movie: dark, bold, over-the-top and quality work unlike any other. Add the characters' noirish costumes (almost every male character sports, as Marv puts it, a "damn fine coat") unique appearances, (it says a lot for the quality of the movie when a character like Yellow Bastard doesn't seem out of place) and movement (take note that if the movie was paused at any given point, the frame would look like a panel from a comic book) and Miller and Rodriguez perfectly nail the comic book feel.

It also helps that a wonderful cast has been assembled to bring life to the mayhem. Spot on performances abroad here, but the standouts in my opinion were Elijah Wood, who was truly chilling as Kevin, the silent, cannibalistic serial killer; Nick Stahl as Roarke Junior/Yellow Bastard, a truly creepy and disgusting character; Clive Owen, playing against type as Dwight; (who isn't exactly a sophisticated, British gentleman, but then again, no one in this film is) Mickey Rourke as Marv, managing to turn out a stunning performance, even with his face buried under several layers of latex; Benicio Del Toro almost unrecognizable as corrupt cop Jackie Boy and a welcome appearance from Michael Clarke Duncan as Manute, an enforcer specializing in inflicting pain. The hard edged ladies also do a great job, with Jessica Alba, Rosiaro Dawson, Carla Gugino, Jamie King and the rest all giving great performances.

It's all in the style of such films as Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, so it may be wise to use those films as guidelines of what to expect in terms of content. It's true that Sin City is not for everyone: the violence is brutal and unflinching, most characters are disreputable, manipulative and sleazy, and the whole feel of the film is undesirable, and not too cheery. But if none of that deters you, Sin City should be known as a must see, for the superb visual stylistics if nothing else. But the style and feel of the comic books is perfectly captured and thrust into our faces. Frank Miller must be proud.

-10/10

For me this is one of Studio Ghibli's more realistic films, and it is also one of the more beautiful ones too. Not to mention underrated, in my opinion. It isn't a favourite, but I still admire it hugely and think it is very re-watchable. The story is well structured, and has a real sense of realism about it. As said, there is no visible magic or fairytale like characters, the magic is in the story and in how it is told. It is also quite a nostalgic story too I feel. The animation is very good, and the music is lovely. The dialogue is respectable enough, and the characters are immensely likable and never fail to engage. And as usual the voice work I have no qualms with. Overall, very beautiful film. 9/10 Bethany Cox