Dracula:The Dark Prince DVD Short Review

2 stars for this pretty but lacking in substance take on the story of Dracula. 

Dracula: The Dark Prince is an action/ fantasy, directed by Pearry Reginald Teo (The Gene Generation, Take Me Somewhere Nice) and is loosely based on the Dracula myth, featuring Van Helsing (John Voight - Mission: Impossible, Heat), the renowned vampire hunter.

In this new version of the story, Dracula (Luke Roberts - Ambition, Holby City) is a former warrior of God, who turns to the dark side following the brutal murder of his lover. Having been cursed to spend eternity ruing his actions, he sets out to find the Lightbringer, a mythical weapon. Legend has it that Lightbringer may only be wielded by direct descendants of Cain and Abel, and dependent on the bloodline, can bestow either life or death.

Find out how to go wrong with such a simple premise over at Road Rash Reviews

Hell Comes To Frogtown Short Review

3 stars for this surprisingly watchable B-movie.

Hell Comes To Frogtown was first released in 1988 and was directed by Donald G. Jackson (Roller Blade, Twisted fate) and R.J. Kizer (Inception - ADR Editor) and written by Randall Frakes (Devil's Prey, Instinct to kill).

This film stars Roddy Piper (They Live, Wrestlemania), a professional wrestler for the both the NWA and WWF, who plays our hero, Sam Hell.

After a global nuclear war and heavy use of biological weapons, the world is a desolate place, where humanoid mutant amphibians have evolved to sentience and the human race itself is under threat due to the infertility caused by radiation.

Sam Hell is one very valuable commodity, a fertile (and enthusiastic) male, whose talents are desired by a group of warrior nurses, who are trying to bring together fertile males and females to preserve the species. Having tracked down their man using the trail of pregnant women he left behind, the nurses bring him in to do his duty.

Read the rest of the review over at Road Rash Reviews

Hellgate Dual Format Short Review

0.1 star for this atrocious "horror" film.

Hellgate was first released in 1989. It is written by Michael O'Rourke (Moonstalker, Deadly Love) and directed by William A. Levey (Blackenstein, Skatetown, U.S.A). It is an eighteen certificate, although it is quite difficult to imagine why.

This is the story of Josie, played by Abigail Wolcott who was, quite magnificently, never in another film after this one. I can only assume that she watched Hellgate and subsequently died of embarrassment.

Josie is abducted from a diner by a motorcycle gang and brutally murdered. One of her Father's employees discovers a mysterious crystal in a mine, which can re-animate the dead. Having resurrected a plastic bat on a string, he takes the crystal to his employer who comes up with a cunning plan to resurrect his dead daughter and use her to lure men to his ghost town, Hellgate, so that he can kill them.

Read the rest of the review of this fabulous film over at Road Rash Reviews

The Complex DVD Release Short Reveiw

1 star for this extremely disappointing Japanese horror.

The Complex is directed by renowned director Hideo Nakata (Ring, Dark Water) and as such I was expecting great things. However, this is his first film for almost a decade and shows no sign of his former brilliance.

The film is set in an old and dilapidated Japanese apartment complex, into which Asuka (Atsuko Maeda - Seventh Code) moves with her family.

As her friends at nursing college take great delight in telling her, the complex has a reputation for being haunted and she soon begins to see the evidence of this, hearing strange scratching noises behind her bedroom wall and an early morning alarm that won't stop.

Asuka finally plucks up the courage to enter the apartment next door, where she finds the dead body of her neighbour, who has been scratching at the wall.

Find out more about this embarrassing attempt at a horror film over at Road Rash Reviews

Sword Art Online Part 2 Short Review

5 Star SAO turns up the heat.

It's been 2 years since SAO went online and Kirito has reached level 74, the highest level anyone has really gone to, as now it seems that only 500 of the 6000 people in Aincrad are actively clearing levels to end their entrapment.
Whilst on level 74 Kirito finds and kills a Ragout Rabbit which is a S-rank animal which is the tastiest of all animal types. He heads back to Agil's store where he plans to sell the meat, but in the store Asuna shows up and informs them that she has topped-out her cooking skill and Kirito decides that it would be a shame to waste such a good ingredient.

This does not sit well with Asuna's escort Kuradeel, who does not trust Kirito as he is a Beater. Asuna ignores him and the pair head for Asuna's home on level 61. They discus the way everybody has settled into their lives in the construct.

For Full 5 Star Review Please click Road Rash Reviews

Available to Buy on DVD and Blu-ray from 27th Jan.

The General Short review

4 Star Keaton at his Best.

Lovingly restored in 4K by the Cohen Film Collection is back in the Cinemas.


Johnnie Gray, (Buster Keaton, Sherlock Jr) is the engineer on the steam train 'General'. it's spring 1861in the small town Marietta when the Western and Atlantic Flyer steams into town, there is a kerfuffle within the citizens as war has been declared with the North and the start of the Civil War and Johnnies girlfriend is eager for him to enlist.
Johnnie rushes to enlist and be the first in line and when he gets to the kiosk he gives his name and occupation as the engineer of the steam train, the man behind the screen thinks hard then asks his superior who tells him that he is to valuable to be given a gun and his application is to be rejected.
Johnnie is thrown from the building with being told of his importance, dismayed he goes to Annabelle, (Marion Mack, The Carnival Girl) who tells him bluntly that until he is in uniform she will never talk to him.

For Screenings and the full review please click Road Rash Reviews

Wings Short Review Dual-Format.

5 Stars of First World War aviation, rivalry and friendship.
A classic from 1927, remastered in 1080. This epic story of love, rivalry and World War from the brilliant talent of William A. Wellman, (A Star is Born) who went on to direct 83 films with many nominations, but this film stands in history as the first winner of the Best picture Oscar, the only silent film to do so.
This film is more American than apple pie, but can be forgiven due to what it took to make it. (see Special Features disk).
Jack Powell, (Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, My Best Girl) dreams of speed and taking to the sky like a shooting  star, so he strips his car down to the bare bones to get the best speed, so that he can take out his dream girl, Sylvia Lewis, (Jobyna Ralston, College Days). But the girl next door has her own designs on Jack, Mary Preston, ( Clara Bow, It) is a game girl and she helps Jack strip down his car not knowing that it will be Sylvia that will be riding by his side. Much to the annoyance of the well to do David Armstrong, (Richard Arlen, Island of Lost Souls) who already has the affections of the lovely young Miss Lewis.

For Full review please Click Road Rash Reviews

Available to Buy on Dual-Format Now.

Goats DVD Release Short Review

4 stars for this quirky and unique coming of age film.

Goats is based on the novel by Mark Poirier (Smart People, Hateship Loveship) and is the directorial debut of Christopher Neil.

This is the story of Ellis Whitman (Graham Phillips - The Good Wife, Evan Almighty), a fourteen year old boy living with his unorthodox family in the foothills of Tucson.

Ellis lives with his neurotic mother Wendy (Vera Farmiga - Source Code, The Departed) and Goat Man (David Duchovny - The X-Files, Californication), a local goat-herder who tends the family pool and garden (growing enormous amounts of marijuana on the side) and is, in return, allowed to live with them.

There is nothing Goat Man and Ellis like more than to take extended hikes with their goats, Freda and Lance and smoke large amounts of dope, so when Ellis makes the decision to leave Tucson and head to Gates Academy on the East Coast there are a lot of changes for everyone to adjust to.

Find out what else we thought about this excellent film over at Road Rash Reviews

Dragon Ball GT Short Review

4 Star Super Saiyan's vs the rest of the galaxy.

This is the third instalment of the DragonBall and GT takes place in the same universe as series two but it does not follow the manga but has all the old characters. First aired in 1996 and in the US  2003.

Goku and Uub have been training inside Dende's lookout and as they wreck the place Emperor Pilaf uses this as a distraction and climbs into the inner chambers where he discovers the Black Star Dragon Balls, he dreams of what he do with that power as Goku and Uub say their fond farewells.
Goku stumbles upon Pilaf who has summoned the dragon, he is annoyed at being interrupted and finding a grown up Goku and the trouble that would be in fighting him inadvertently wishes that he was small again.

Oops.

With the bargain struck the dragon leaves and the dragon balls disappear.
Unperturbed at being young again he resolves to grow up again, much to the dismay of his wife and children. But this feeling is shattered when King Kai informs them that if the seven dragon balls are not returned to the planet where the wish was made, it will explode.

For Full Review please Click Road Rash Reviews

Available to Buy on DVD Now. 

"Computer Chess" Dual Format Release Short Review

2 stars for this exceedingly bizarre retro style film.

"Computer Chess" is written and directed by Andrew Bujalski (Mutual Appreciation, Funny Ha Ha), who is known for his strange film making ideas. This is certainly no exception.

The film is set in the early 1980's and revolves around one weekend at a conference where the current big names in programming bring their chess computers to do battle with those of their rivals.

We follow the various teams through their stay at the hotel and their endeavors in the competition. There is also another convention taking place at the same hotel, a new-age self-help group, whose presence should lend more humour to the piece, yet somehow manages not to.

Find out more over at Road Rash Reviews

Any Day Now Short Review

5 Stars of Them against Us.
 
Alan Cumming (X-Men 2) plays a blinding role as Nightclub lip-sync artist Rudy Donatello and your heart will melt when you get to know Marco, (Isaac Leyva) a newcomer to film.


Directed and co-written by Travis Fine, (The Thin Red Line), he has the era and the filming style bang on as the belts were high, the collars were wide and the ties were a breakfast.
The scene is set in West Hollywood California 1978 the time of intolerance and the words "gay bashing" were De rigueur and nobody batted a false eyelash at the discrimination.

Rudy enjoys his job, lip-syncing with his friends Johnny Boy, (Doug Spearman, Cradle 2 The Grave)and PJ, (Randy Roberts, One Life to Live) but struggles to pay his rent with his earnings. The apartment block he lives in is not the most salubrious and his neighbour Marianne, (Jamie Anne Allman, The Killing) is a drug addict and plays loud music all the time which annoys Rudy greatly as it will hurt the hearing of her son Marco, Isaac Leyva, who has Down's Syndrome and is prone to lock people out as he cuddles his favourite toy, a 'blond doll'.

For the full Review please click Road Rash Reviews

Available to Buy on DVD and Blu-ray Now.

You're Next DVD and Blu-ray Release Short Review

4 stars for this refreshingly different slasher film.

You're Next is directed by Adam Wingard (V/H/S, Pop Skull) and written by Simon Barrett (V/H/S, Dead Birds).

It tells the story of the Davison family, reunited for the wedding anniversary of their parents, the four siblings - three brothers, one sister and their respective partners gather at the newly acquired and extremely secluded family mansion for a weekend in the country.

As a mysterious masked gang who are working the area turn their sights to the family home, will they make it through the night?

Read more over at Road Rash Reviews

The Frozen Ground DVD Short Review

4 Stars of a True life Serial Killer.

Written and Directed by Scott Walker. This his first foray into Directing a feature film and one with such a serious subject matter and it is done with respect to the victims and their families.

The result is a compelling watch.

The story starts in Alaska 1983 when screams coming from a room and when the police breakdown the door they find a young girl handcuffed in the bathroom.

For Full Review please Click Road Rash Reviews

Available to Buy on DVD and Blu-ray Now

Eureka Seven: AO Part 1 DVD Release Short Review

3 stars for this futuristic sci-fi anime.

Eureka Seven: AO Astral Ocean Part 1 is the sequel to the original series, Eureka Seven. In this universe, the history of mankind has been drastically altered by the arrival of the Scub coral, which in turn attracts "Secrets" (called "G-Monsters" by the Okinawans).

These enormous geometric beings wish to destroy the Scub coral and in the process cause an explosion of great magnitude, known as a Scub Burst. These cause massive damage and loss of life and so an organisation has been set up, known as Generation Bleu. Their aim is to remove the quartz from the heart of the Scub coral, thus making it undetectable to the Secrets. Eureka Seven: AO is set in 2025, in the prefecture of Okinawa and deals with the ongoing battle between Generation Bleu and the Secrets.

Find out more about Eureka Seven: AO Astral Ocean over at Road Rash Reviews

The Taste of Money Short DVD Review Cert 18

4 Stars of Money is the root of all Evil, South Korean style.


This is Director Sang-Soo Im, The Housemaid) 7th outing, and he created controversy and hype in his home country with his portrayal of the ultra rich and their links to corruption and crime.

Mr Joo, (Kang-woo Kim, Rainbow Eyes) has been working diligently for ten years for one of the richest families in South Korea and now he has been appointed to the household, to be a bag-boy, chauffeur and general help around this amazingly appointed home.
Mr Joo follows the Company President Yoon, (Yun-Shik Baek, The Presidents Last Bang) into the secret family cellar where there pallets of cash stacked six foot high.
Where he fills up two travel cases and is told to help himself to a bit of cash as everybody else has, but after his boss leaves he throws it back on the mountains of readies.

For the Full Review please click Road Rash Reviews

Available to Buy on DVD Now.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 gets some posters

It’s great to be Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield). For Peter Parker, there’s no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with Gwen (Emma Stone). But being Spider-Man comes at a price: only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city. With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: OsCorp.

Swinging into UK cinemas From April 18, 2014

Bleach Series 12 Part 2 Short Review

4 stars for the second part of the Zanpakutō Rebellion arc.

This thrilling second installment takes place directly after the events of the first one (Bleach series 12 Part 1 - so best to watch that before reading this).

Part 2 comprises episodes 242-253 of this anime-only story arc and continues the battle between the rebel Zanpakutō under the command of Muramasa and the captains and members of the Court Guard squads.

As the fierce battle for control of the Seireitei rages on, Ichigo and Rukia struggle to come to terms with the betrayal of her brother Byakuya and his Zanpakutō Senbonzakura.

Read what else we thought about this latest anime release over at Road Rash Reviews