Rogue [2007]

"Move along...nothing to see here"

Synopsis:  An American travel journalist partakes in an Australian outback river tour to voyeur the crocodile in it's native habitat.  When the trip takes an unplanned detour the boat and it's passengers come face to face with the largest and most fierce man-eating croc the tour has ever seen.

Review:  Greg Mclean's follow-up to the arguably triumphant and successful debut, Wolf Creek, has more misses than hits and can easily be described has a significant and utter failure.  The first third is a wasted effort of scenic landscape shots, character development, and storyline buildups; none of which have bearingin later thirds.  The viewer is told that the crocs can hunt intelligently, propel their entire bodies straight out of the water using their powerful tails, and will rip you to shreds if unable to swallow you whole...none of which happened.  The dark and murky night scenes was shot beautifully but used little to no underwater shots, a successful trademark in any water creature features.  I can only assume that Mclean was trying to demonstrate he had real filmmaking skills, the postcard shots and the strange u-turn character driven finale, but both will be lost in translation.

5/10

Stuck [2007]

"...emotional and survivalistic, humorous and disturbing, a recipe for the uncomfortable pleasure we all love."

Synopsis: A young woman heads home after a drug-popping liquor-filled night at the club and en route introduces her windshield to a recently bad-luck stricken down and outer. Instead of taking him to the hospital (where she works) she chooses to leave him (and the car he's attached to) in her garage to bleed out. Cue the shit to hit the fan.

Review: Far from Gordon's best, far from original ("The Hitchhiker" from Creepshow 2), far from perfect, but not far off my favourites of '07 list. Stuart Gordon once again proves why is considered a "Master of Horror". Gordon pulls the best out of his actors, which allows the film to be sturdily placed upon their shoulders, and makes the most of a simple script, by making the situation as real and relatable as possible. The film does not drag and fits tightly into a perfect running time. This is a must for any situation film, a rule, nowadays, that is rarely followed. The tones are very emotional and survivalistic, humorous and disturbing, a recipe for the uncomfortable pleasure we all love. Highly recommended.

8/10

The Other Side [2006]

"The Other Side leaves no detail unattended, no shot unexplored, no plotline untravelled, and no viewer unentertained."

Synopsis: Sam North is dragically murdered and sent to hell where he escapes the clutches of Hades' tight hold and returns to the world of the living. He and other escapees must elude three reapers attempts at returning them to "The Pit" all the while solving the mystery of his missing fiancee.

Review: A brilliant no-budget product of a determined and talented young newcomer, writer/director/editor Gregg Bishop. A cross between The Matrix and Constantine, The Other Side is a high impact and exuberant energy filled outing that proves that there's hope and life left in the stagnant U.S. independant filmmaking scene. From start to finish we're treated with refreshingly witty humour, buckets-of-blood and exploding gun-shot-wounds, well-written plot-twists and an unknown, inexpericenced, yet capable, acting. The Other Side leaves no detail unattended, no shot unexplored, no plotline untravelled, and no viewer unentertained.

9/10