Movie Review: The Raven (2012)

When I first heard about The Raven, I was certainly intrigued. The idea of a murder thriller based on the writings of Edgar Allan Poe is definitely a solid idea that should offer plenty of intriguing setups for the villain and problems for our protagonist to overcome. The problem is that the execution is not good at all. The end result is a movie that is lifeless, bland, and left me wanting a whole lot more.

Single Minded: Children of Bodom - "Shovel Knockout"

Children of Bodom is one of those bands I have always meant to pay more attention to. They have been around long enough and had enough success that the idea of listening to them should be a no brainer. For one reason or another I just haven't. They are now prepping a 15th anniversary CD/DVD release, perhaps it is time I pay more attention.

Single Minded: Job for a Cowboy - "Imperium Wolves"

Job for a Cowboy is a band I did not really care for much when I first heard them. It also didn't help when they headlined the Radio Rebellion tour some years back over the likes of Behemoth and Gojira (both of which I consider to be much better). Anyway, they have slowly won me over, if only a little. Their style has been evolving and their latest album, Demonocracy, is easily their best effort to date.

Single Minded: Miss May I - "Hey Mister"

Miss May I is a name I keep seeing pop up lately. Maybe it is just because I am noticing their press releases, I don't know. Anyway, "Hey Mister" is the first track I have listened to by them and I cannot say it encourages me to really look into them. It just feels redundant and common. They don't have that spark that indicates something special. It just doesn't do much for me.

Single Minded: Despite Exile - "Perfection Neutralized"

I cannot say I have ever heard of Despite Exile. What I can say is that only having heard one song, I want to hear more. The band hails from Italy and released their debut album in 2011. This track comes from their forthcoming 3-track EP. If the rest is along these lines, they are definitely a band I want to get to know a litle better.

Movie Review: The Five-Year Engagement

It was only a few month ago that I was writing about a little movie called Like Crazy. It was a pretty interesting cinematic romance that doesn't follow the typical romantic comedy guidelines. This movie gave us an intimate look at a living, breathing relationship whose very existence is threatened by life itself. The reality of individual life paths come crashing down on this union. By now, I am sure you are wondering why I am talking about an Anton Yelchin film. Simple, The Five-Year Engagement follows a similar path to romance, albeit in a more absurdist fashion. It is a funny movie that touches on definite realities of trying to make a relationship work and I liked it quite a bit.

Movie Review: Safe

It's kind of funny. This year has seen me lamenting the death of the B-movie more and more, coincidentally coinciding with me shifting gears as a movie aficionado. Now I have been confronted with a series of films that seek to evoke the feel of the B-movie without trying to be an homage to the genre. The latest of these movies is the Jason Statham action vehicle Safe. Here is a movie that of it had been made a quarter century ago would have starred Steven Seagal. As a matter of fact, as I left the theater I had a desire to watch some old school Seagal (which I did, I watched Under Siege).

Blu-ray Review: The Red House (1947)

When people talk about classic noir films, I have to say that I have never heard the title The Red House mentioned. To take that a step further, I had ne'er heard of the film to begin with. I suspect that probably says more about my knowledge of older films than it does the pantheon of great films. I guess it is better to be a little late to the party than to not have made it at all, right? There are countless classics, known and unknown that I have yet to discover and I must say that while The Red House may never be counted among my favorites, it is certainly a solid film that is definitely worth spending some time with.

CritCast 16: Anniversary Edition.

This weekend marks the 8th anniversary of Critical Outcast's first review. To commemorate the occasion I am getting back into my videos...