Snowbeast (2011)
Although not a remake of the Seventies Yeti classic, it may as well be.
The monster is hilarious as you can see to the left and you can even see where the zipper runs up it's spine. I'm a sucker for any movie with a Sasquatch/Yeti so despite this being awful on pretty much every level I was kept entertained for it's running time. Expect to see it turn up on the SyFy network sometime soon.
5/10
Jack Goes Boating (2011)
Philip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut borrows heavily from indie flicks like "The Station Agent" and the Hoffman starring "Love Liza" but lacks any of the wit and charm of those titles. He plays a thirtysomething who is working up to his first ever date but his character just isn't affable enough for us to root for him with the enthusiasm the other characters display. His directing is competent enough and doesn't have the stageyness that can often plague the work of thesps who move behind the camera, but he needs better material if he plans to pursue this line.
4/10
Yellow Brick Road (2010)
This movie has a great premise; in the thirties the residents of a small town disappeared after wandering on a trail. Now a documentary team discover the location of the trail and set off themselves to investigate, becoming more and more unhinged as they go. This promising idea is ruined by amateurish acting and directing and awful effects. A rare case of a movie that could be improved with a big budget remake.
2/10
Hugo (2011)
I missed this at the time of it's release but it hung on in cinemas so I was able to catch it at the end of January. It's shot beautifully and movie geeks will enjoy the recreations of early film-making but the script struggles to weave everything together well enough to make this anything more than a curiosity piece. Despite the marketing campaign I imagine kids would be bored senseless by this.
5/10
OSS117 Cairo Nest Of Spies (2006)
Before "
The Artist" made him the current critic's darling, Michel Hazanavicius made this fun homage to the spy movies of the sixties. As with his latest work this looks just like it was shot in the period it references. "Austin Powers" fans should avoid, the jokes are far too esoteric and referential for mainstream audiences. The running time could be pruned a bit but it's an enjoyable diversion.
5/10
11/11/11 (2011)
There's been an annoying trend in horror lately involving characters rediscovering their faith. It's hammered home in this tale of an impending apocalypse and the conflict between an atheist and his Christian brother. The school of "flash/screech/bang" horror is where this one pitches it's tent. Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman who gave us Saw 2, 3, and 4, but the gore is eschewed here for a brooding atmosphere which he fails to pull off.
2/10
Scooby Doo & The Loch Ness Monster (2004)
The modern Scooby Doo movies can be hit and miss but this is a really enjoyable entry for my favorite animated series. The team visit Scotland to hang with Daphne's cousin (I knew she must have celtic blood with that fiery red hair) and take part in the highland games. Of course they run into the fabled monster and discover there's more than meets the eye. There's a nice sub-plot involving Scooby and Shaggy uncharacteristically refusing to eat because
Scottish cuisine is so bad.
6/10
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