2014 Movie Ranking #20 - #11

Almost done! 20 movies will now become ten.

#20

The Pact

Considering I had never heard of this before, I expected it to be terrible. But it actually turned out to be one of the better scary movies that I watched in 2014. Since I watched this so early in the year, specific plot details are fuzzy for me. But this was a really solid scary movie that never came close to being too cheesy or unbelievable. There are supernatural elements to the movie like in the Ring or the Sixth Sense. But there is also a very human element to it to, as you will see at the end of the movie when the big bombshell is dropped. The plot twist is very clever, and the whole movie had me guessing and completely unsure of what was going to happen next. Horror movies don't often engage your brain as well as this one did. So high marks for that.

#19

Vile

Intricate plots and detailed character development can make a movie great. But sometimes I like to put those things aside and just see people getting hurt. If you are into the occasional gruesome violent torture movie you should love this. It's very similar to something like Saw, but it is different.

A group of people wake up in a house with these bizarre machines attached to their necks. Apparently the human body produces some kind of secretion when it feels pain, and that secretion can be used as a miracle cure drug. Some mysterious villain has locked up these people with the intent that they must inflict pain on one another to produce a high level of this drug. When they are done, they can be free to leave. So of course this group of random strangers must torture and inflict bodily harm on one another until enough of this secretion is made where they can leave. What can go wrong? Suffice it to say, some people go overboard with the torture. Some die. People fight. It is not the deepest movie in the world but it is both unsettling and somehow at the same time a lot of fun. I liked it a lot.

#18

Seven

This is one of the best and most clever serial killer movies ever. Someone is killing people based on the 7 deadly sins, and it is up to a retiring cop and a rookie transfer to solve the case. This is a very dark and brooding movie. It is violent and a little disturbing at times, but also brilliant in the way the crime scenes are set up, and how the clues all tie together or lead to the next scene. The characters are memorable, and the twist with the killer being Kevin Spacey (who was hidden from the advertisements and opening credits) is awesome. And of course the head in the box scene is one of the most iconic in serial killer movie history.

#17

Back To The Future II

I always used to like this Back To The Future film the best out of all of them. Who doesn't like seeing the future and a preview of what things may be like for us? While the future isn't anything like as predicted, it is still a lot of fun and probably the best part of the movie. Plot wise, it is just as complicated as the original, and I do enjoy the story of the sports almanac, and Marty revisiting the dance again. The only thing I didn't like about this movie is that it is a little bit "dumber" than the first. The jokes aren't as funny, the story is not as coherent, and something just seems a little off in tone from the original. But it is still a great movie.

#16

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

To me this is without a doubt the best of the "old" Star Trek movies. The characters feel like old friends, and the plot is just good old unadulterated fun. This movie doesn't take itself too seriously - and its lighthearted feel along with the cohesiveness of the cast and the fish out of water humor that accompanies the crew visiting the past just makes this really enjoyable to watch. Even if you don't like Star Trek, you might like this movie. Which I can't say for any of the other films in the series.

#15

Galaxy Quest

I had never seen this before 2014, and I was pleasantly surprised. I thought this would be a kids movie, but it was not. I love Star Trek, so I found it amusing that this film is kind of based upon a show that was very similar to Star Trek. Tim Allen was even in the role of the Shatner-esque character that the other cast members didn't like. 

Actual aliens who have seen the show "Galaxy Quest" come to Earth and recruit the cast members of the show thinking they are real heroes, to help them fight a ruthless villain. Hilarity ensues. Its not only an interesting movie because I love Star Trek and was intrigued by the theme, but it is genuinely funny as well and has a lot of laugh out loud moments. And it is not dumb humor like Men in Black or generic like the 5th Element either. I thought it was great.

#14

The Terminator

I grew up watching this movie as a kid so it holds a special place in my heart. The Terminator is a legit scary villain - and I was really able to get into the movie when watching this. Headphones on, in the dark. This was awesome. The director did a really good job tapping the characters' raw emotion in this film. Sarah Connor is legit scared for her life, Kyle Reese is desperate to get anyone to believe him. And there is this looming sense of dread knowing that the Terminator is out there and will stop at nothing to kill them both.

Great movie, very intense. Definitely ahead of its time. For the longest time I liked its sequel better, but now I have changed my mind. Its not all explosions and chase scenes and gun battles. It feels more real and legit than that.

#13

The Blair Witch Project

I had originally seen this quite a long time ago, and didn't really get what the fuss was about. I did decide to give it another shot, but this time I would go all in. Watch this in the dark, with headphones on. No distractions. I would be immersed.

And it worked. There are a lot of small audio clues that really add to the tension of the film, that you may otherwise have missed. The characters are believable, and the whole thing just feels authentic and really well done. My heart was racing along with theirs, and I was really able to get into the movie. Watching this the way I did was a great experience.

#12

The Big Lebowski

I always used to get a big reaction when I would tell people that I had never seen the Big Lebowski before. "What? No way, you have got to see it!" It was kind of fun.

Unfortunately I can't say that to people anymore, as I have now seen it. Fortunately, it is every bit as good as people have made it out to be. Okay, maybe it is not like SO awesome as I have heard, but it is still very good and I can see why people love it. I was entertained from beginning to end. Not only was it funny but it's one of those movies that makes even the most ordinary things seem interesting. It must be the way the movie makes you look through the eyes of the characters. The characters here are fabulous, and each uniquely distinct and funny in a different way. 

The cast definitely makes the movie go - and everyone just clicks perfectly. When this ended, I wanted more.

#11

The Human Centipede 2

I know you may be surprised to see this rank so highly, but I thought it was terrific. If you are squeamish at all, do not watch this movie. If you are like me and have been looking forward to the darkest, most disgusting gross out film of all time, you have come to the right place. Everything about this movie is just creepy and sick. As mentioned in earlier reviews, I look for movies that invoke a strong emotional response, and this one hit the jackpot. Although everything happening on screen is so vile, you just can't take your eyes away. If you like blood and guts and suffering, this may be the ultimate movie for you. Although I recognize it is probably not ever going to be considered a great movie, it is unique and definitely left a lasting impression on me. I was riveted.

Video Game Review #5: Contra

Contra

Nintendo Entertainment System

Contra was released for the NES in 1988. Let me take you back. Ronald Reagan was in the Oval Office. Michael Jackson and George Michael dominated the radio waves. Eddie Murphy was coming to America. I was a mischievous 6 year old kid in first grade.

I can't tell you when the first time I played Contra was, but I vividly remember marathon sessions playing this game with my uncles and brother at my grandmother's house. So this game does have a certain sentimental value to me. Beating this game in just three lives seemed impossible back then. Hell, even using the infamous up up down down left right left right b a b a start code to get a free 30 lives was not a guarantee that you would complete this game.

I did beat this game as a little kid, though. It felt like such an accomplishment. Some people were never able to beat this game at all, so rock on little Dan!

Contra's storyline is not important, but it revolves around two heavily armed soldiers going to war against aliens and enemy soldiers. Since I do not own the instruction manual and have never looked up the story before, I prefer to make up my own story. In it, an alien vessel has crash landed on a tropical island in a small South American country, and the government of said country has taken control of the island by force, attempting to learn the alien secrets to become a global superpower. The heroes are two Americans sent in to penetrate the island's defenses and destroy the alien threat at its core.

Which probably isn't too far from what the plot actually is, really.

But like I said, the story isn't important - what matters here is the fast paced, guns blazing game play that this title is known for.

Contra is a side scrolling shooter for the NES that can be played with one or two players. Occasionally the action shifts a little, and you get some nice behind the back corridor shooting levels as well. Contra is infamous for its unforgiving difficulty level for new players.

Enemies come at you from all angles. Bullets fly everywhere. You get hit, you die. You touch someone, you die. You fall off something, you die. And I would be remiss to not mention the infamous scrolling deaths that the waterfall stage in this game is known for. Play with a second player, and if either one of you climb too high and you force the screen to scroll up, it could kill anyone at the bottom that would happen to bumped by the edge of the screen. It always seemed so unfair if it happened to me.

Everywhere you go in this game, death awaits you.  Contra is like the total antithesis of Jurassic Park. Death... finds a way. Which is what makes the challenge of beating Contra without cheating such a worthy task.

Which brings me to something that absolutely must be clarified beforehand with this blog entry and future blog entries. I absolutely DO NOT CHEAT in games. I have disdain for cheat codes and gimmicks that help you get through tough spots in games without actually doing the work yourself. If you can't beat the game without circumventing the rules, then you suck and probably shouldn't be playing the game.

That being said, I recently attempted to play through this game with a few friends of mine. I had attempted a single player run shortly before playing with these friends, who came in cold after having not played Contra for years and years. So I am not going to boast and say that I am this great player. But still, when you are playing something with some friends, and they die immediately, you are going to get stuck playing by yourself. And that's no fun just sitting there and playing while everyone else watches. We gave it a few shots without the code, but for the sake of my pals, I allowed it to be entered just this one time. So, you know, we could actually make it past level one.

As mentioned before, this is a game that I played as a kid, and that carries some sentimental value. Playing it all these years later definitely brings back memories. The toughest parts of the game for me were the hallway levels, where the viewpoint shifts to a behind the back perspective. This was cutting edge for its time. Most games back then were either side scrollers or took place from an over the top perspective. To go from side scrolling to a 3D like stage where you could go back and forth and up and down was a big thing.

To me, these stages are so difficult simply because there is more crap to dodge. In these levels, you have to take out wall panels or wall mounted guns in order to advance from one section to the next. Sounds simple enough, but consider that there seems to be about three times the usual amount of bullets in the air... along with having to dodge grenades and these weird rolling red explosive things. Stay put for too long, and you are toast.

One thing that I had never noticed about the hallway levels before was brought to my attention by said friend. Why are the enemies jumping? They jump, hop, and skip down the hallway, casually taking shots with their guns while lobbing grenades your way. It looks ridiculous. Can you imagine a serious action movie, where the villains are leaping and prancing down an alley while opening fire and throwing grenades at the hero? No. I mean, it would be great. But no.

Level design is one of the great things about the game. From the jungle, to the snow base, to the alien lair, each stage has its own distinctive look and feel. The bosses at the end of each stage are unique and require different strategies to figure out. The graphics are bright and colorful. This game may not look like much to someone who has grown up in the era of today's current generation consoles. But back in 1988, and even a few years beyond, it didn't get much better than this. It looks old, sure, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I'd say this is one of the few NES games that actually looks better than its arcade counterpart.

I love the colors. I love the artwork. I love the effects. Visually I think this game is fantastic and one of the best the NES has to offer.

Contra has a great soundtrack. When you think classic NES soundtracks this game is one of the first to come to mind. So many classics to be heard. As I played this game each and every one of these songs triggered some kind of fun nostalgic memory. I love it.

Sound effects are wonderful, too. This game has such an iconic sound to it. It is fantastic and as close to flawless as you can get for the NES.

Contra's legacy is its (according to some) daunting difficulty level. I will admit, if you are a new player, or if it has been a while since you have played the game, this can be a challenge. If you are not constantly aware of your surroundings and ready to move at the blink of an eye, you will fail. There is little to no room for error here.

That being said, it is not a long game to complete. If you play it from beginning to end, it will not even take you an hour. I can't speak for everyone else, but I did not find this game THAT hard. I think that tales of its difficulty have been vastly exaggerated. Give the game a try. You'll die a couple times. Burn up your continues. Have to start over again.

But once you get the feel of things, it is not that difficult. The levels are very linear. The enemies always appear in the same place. Once you figure out how to defeat each stage's boss, it is a walk in the park. There are definitely a lot of x factors which I think contribute to tales of the game's difficulty. Stray bullets, respawning characters, those situations where you are completely surrounded with nowhere to go. But it is nothing that can't be conquered with fast reflexes and a little perseverance.

On my single player playthrough, I did not use the cheat code. I burned up some lives and I had to use some continues (mainly on the aforementioned corridor stages) but I did beat the game. That's right, one play through and I was done. I had already played this title over twenty years ago when I was a little kid, true. But although I have a lot of experience, especially with classic NES games such as this, I am by no means some super skilled gamer. If I can do it, literally anyone can.

(Getting the spread gun and constantly firing ahead as you go doesn't hurt either. And stay away from the laser gun. It SUCKS!)

Any younger players who would like to check out a little piece of history should play this game. It may not look like much, but if you appreciate games and gaming in general, you should appreciate this. Throw away the story. Throw away the fancy graphics. There are no experience points. You run, you shoot, you kill. And you try not to be killed. This is pure and classic gaming at its finest. Simple and fun carnage.

If you have played this game in the past, or grew up playing games like this such as I have, you will get a kick out of Contra. It is a wonderful title for the nostalgic gamer. It's bright, it's fast paced, it's a blast. Yeah it can be a little challenging, but not overpoweringly so. On the flip side, it is very short and does not offer much short-term replay value. That said, I still find this game fun to come back to every couple years or so.

All in all, this is a classic NES game that to me is one of the defining titles of the console. Whether you grew up playing the game or are only checking it out now, there is no denying that the game is flat out fun.

Play it by yourself, play it with a friend. Cheat, don't cheat. It doesn't matter to me. But you need to play this game. If you haven't played Contra, you are missing out on a huge part of gaming history.

THE GRADE: 

A

A complete index of all my game reviews can be found 

>HERE<

< Video Game Review #4: Vectorman

Video Game Review #6: Back to the Future: The Game >

Video Game Review #4: Vectorman

Vectorman

Sega Genesis

To me, Vectorman was the last great game for the Sega Genesis. It is true that there were other games released after this. Vectorman even had a sequel, which I did not enjoy as much. But to me this game represented the last great hurrah on the Genesis console.

This game was released in late 1995. 32 bit consoles such as the Saturn and Playstation were already on their way in, so everyone knew that the Genesis and Super Nintendo didn't have much longer to survive. Still, a few great games were released for these systems. Vectorman stands as one of the best.

I got this game for Christmas of 1995. I popped it in when everyone had gone to bed, and I immediately fell in love. The game was a big challenge to me back then, and I don't think I even got past the train level that first night. Of course, over the course of the next few months, I would master and dominate the game, but that initial difficulty is something I still remember to this day.

Vectorman's story is as simple as they come. In the future, robots have been tasked with cleaning up humanity's mess as pollution has overrun the planet. One of these robots goes mad and seizes control of the operation, vowing to kill any humans who may cross his path. Vectorman, a humble barge driver, takes on the role of hero as he fights to take down the evil Warhead and restart the clean up project.

Vectorman is a 2D side scrolling shooter that is about more than just fast reflexes - you have to use your brain if you want to beat this game.

First thing you'll notice when you play this game is how expansive its stages are. There are items and weapons hidden all over the place and multiple ways to make it through each level. Enemies are everywhere, and if you just try to rush through things you are going to find yourself dying quite often. I find progressing slowly and carefully through each level worked the best for me.

In addition to its side-scrolling gameplay, there are also some mini stages thrown in to offer some variety. Vectorman morphs into things like trains, frogs, and tornadoes that love to disco in these short little side stages. Most of them just have you fighting a boss-like character in an atypical way, but they are a lot of fun and their implementation into the main quest is seamless.

This is a challenging game, but fair. It's not like Battletoads or any of those kinds of games that feel impossible at times. Anyone can persevere through this game, it just takes a little trial and error.

Compared to the graphics of today, Vectorman may not look like much. But considering this was released about 20 years ago, it doesn't look bad. By 1995's standards, this game was drop dead gorgeous. Fans of Sega Genesis would often hear how the Super Nintendo had superior graphics. Whenever a game was released on both consoles, the SNES version undoubtedly always ended up looking better. Richer graphics, more color. As the sole Genesis owner among a group of friends who all had Super Nintendos, I never heard the end of it. But Vectorman is different.

The enemies are various, uniquely designed, and wonderfully animated. Vectorman himself has a much more fluid look and feel than the herky-jerky 5 animation characters in most 2D side-scrollers. Flags ripple in the wind. The backdrops, such as sunsets, waterfalls, dark laboratories, and underwater bases are all eye popping and make this world almost a character in and of its own right. Even certain effects such as lightning and falling water are all light years better than anything seen on the Genesis up to this point.

From the opening scene where Vectorman is hanging out on the Sega logo (you can even move him around and discover a secret in the top corner) you immediately can tell that this game is going to be special. The level design doesn't also disappoint. Each stage is unique and has its own special look and feel. Bosses are big and creative. Visually, Vectorman is one of the best on the Genesis.

In addition to its graphics, Vectorman has some of the best music on the Genesis. It ranges from fast and upbeat to slow and somber. It really captures the feeling of a world taken over by robots quite well, while also being a lot of fun to listen and groove along to at the same time.

The sound effects are fantastic, everything from the sound it makes when you jump to the sound when you blow up a TV monitor with your weapons. There's even the occasional sound clip of Vectorman saying "whoah!" and other small things like that, which really added a lot of personality to the game.

You can just tell as you play that the makers of Vectorman really put a lot of work into the game. They wanted to send the Genesis off with a bang, and they did just that. Great stage design, graphics, animation, controls, boss battles, great music.... this game had it all. There is even a steep learning curve that prevents people from jumping in and mastering this game on their first play through. Unless you put it on easy. Don't put it on easy. That's cheating.

To when I first got this game as a 13 year old twerp back in 1995 to the present day, Vectorman still holds a special place in my heart. Picking it up now after such a long time, that difficulty level definitely hit me once again. But after failing miserably on my first attempt to beat the game, everything came back to me on my second try. I blazed through the game racking up extra health and lives galore, and the forces of evil were no match for me.

If I had to say anything bad about the game, maybe it would be the length? Yes there is an initial learning curve with the difficulty, but once you get rolling the main quest itself is really not that long. It took me somewhere in the range of an hour on that second play through to beat the game, give or take a few minutes. Maybe if there were unlockables or some kind of second play through option, that would add a little more replay value to the game. There are some hidden items in the game, but they basically only add up to giving you more lives and points.

Now that I have beaten this game again in my advanced old age, I feel satisfied and won't probably pick it up again for a long long time. But still, I am hard pressed to be able to say much bad about this game. It's a fun game, and you can tell there was a lot of care put into the making of this title. Playing it again brought a rush of nostalgia back to me. This was the last game I ever got for the Sega Genesis, and I couldn't have asked for a better way to say goodbye to the system.

THE GRADE: 

A-

A complete index of all my game reviews can be found 

>HERE<

< Video Game Review #3: Resident Evil 4

Video Game Review #5: Contra >

2014 Movie Ranking #39 - #21

One more update before the final 20.

#39

Raiders of the Lost Ark

The Indiana Jones movies are good for a rewatch every few years or so. Raiders of the Lost Ark always used to be my least favorite of the original movies. Over the years it has grown on me though. All the historical stuff that I used to find boring, I find interesting now. There are great characters, as well as some iconic scenes like the boulder rolling, the snake pit, and of course the melting dudes at the end. 

It is a little slow in parts and I found my mind wandering at a few points in time. That's the only reason it doesn't rank higher than this.

#38

X-Men: First Class

After watching X-Men, Days Of Future Past, which I thought was amazing, I thought it was only natural to go back and check out X-Men First Class to see if I could pick up anything I had missed the first time around (I watched this a few years ago, I think).

This is definitely more light hearted than its sequel. That said, I actually preferred Days of Future Past. But I still like this one too. It is interesting to see the formation of the X-Men. The actual plot with all the spy/Cold War crap in the background wasn't that interesting to me. What I liked the most about this movie was the actual mutant stuff, and the early relationship between Xavier, Magneto, and Mystique and the original X-Men.

#37

Turner and Hooch

There's no crying in baseball! Oh wait, wrong movie. I used to watch this movie to death when I was a kid, but it literally has been over 15 years since I have seen it. I thought maybe the magic would have been lost somewhere in the transition, but it had not. 

This is a really fun movie, and personifies the era in which it was made perfectly. It is funny, it has a solid storyline. Tom Hanks of course is awesome, and his relationship with Hooch is interesting to watch, especially as it goes from extreme hate to love. I didn't cry at the end because I knew what was coming, but I did as a child. Solid movie.

#36

Fruitvale Station

With all the recent events across the US recently I didn't know if I would like this movie or find that it was done in poor taste. I actually did like it. It was very well done, and did a good job at making the dude who gets shot seem like a very sympathetic character. He was a normal guy and not a gangsta or trouble maker and that is what makes the ending so powerful. Again - I look for movies that trigger emotional responses when making this list - and Fruitvale Station definitely fits that description.

#35

Neighbors

I saw this as the second half of a double feature when I went to go see X-Men Days of Future Past at a drive in theater. Not knowing what to expect, I actually enjoyed this. It's nothing too incredibly deep or mind blowing, but it is consistently funny from beginning to end. There are a lot of great gags, hot chicks, and of course the story is pretty good as well. I was thoroughly entertained when these types of movies usually fall flat when I watch them.

#34

Thor 2: The Dark World

I watched this twice in 2014, actually. The first time was when it came out on DVD. The second time was when I was watching Agents of Shield on Netflix. It got to an episode that picked up where Thor 2 left off, and I wanted to re-watch the movie to refresh my memory.

It's a pretty fun movie with some nice twists. Unlike the first movie which was a little more light hearted and funny in parts, this one is dark and takes itself very seriously. There are also many more action scenes, which are all pretty exciting and well done. It just lacks a little something in the "fun" department for me, which is the main reason it isn't ranking any higher than this. Props to the movie with the fake Loki dying twist, I never saw it coming what actually happened. And the special effects are great. I liked it a lot.

#33

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

There is no denying that this is a fun movie with many iconic moments. It is not as "history rich" as the other Indiana Jones movies, so it is never slow moving and never boring. It is pretty fast paced and fun, but it never feels like there is too much action and it needs to slow down. This movie balances fun and adventure along with exploration and mystery perfectly. 

Some of my favorite scenes are the minecart ride, the heart ripping out scene, the gross dinner, and of course the bug room. There is just so much good stuff in this movie. The only thing keeping it from ranking higher is the "I have seen it way too many times" factor.

#32

The Night of the Living Dead (1990)

I prefer the original black and white version of the film, but every few years or so I will pop this in to see how it stacks up to the original. It actually stacks up pretty well. If you are looking for a direct port of the old movie into color, this is not for you. This version of the film makes all kinds of changes to the story. Which is pretty interesting to see actually because it is not like watching the same movie twice. Both this and the old version offer a unique view of the events of the night of the zombie attack. I enjoyed this a lot. 

#31

The Addams Family

This is one of those movies that never seems to get old for me. I was never a fan of the Addams Family TV show, but for some reason I love the movies. The family itself if awesome, and a lot of the dark gruesome jokes about pain and death and how they love it, I find hilarious.

It is a cool movie visually - the house itself and all its mysterious chambers and creepy effects are great. It is funny, and I like the story with the fake Uncle Fester infiltrating the family for their money, only to turn out to be the real Uncle Fester. Great characters, off the wall jokes, solid story. This movie is a classic.

#30

Rocky

Can you believe I made it to the age of 32 without seeing Rocky? I figured I would like this movie, but it was different from what I had expected. The charm of this movie isn't in the boxing ring, but outside of it. Rocky is a somewhat slow but kind hearted man, and watching him walk around and talk to people and jive with them is surprisingly fun. Even if you took away the boxing and it was just his courtship of Adrian, I would still watch it. 

I liked the build up to the fight, and then the showdown with Apollo Creed. Even though he didn't win, it felt like a win because he performed so much better than anyone expected. I actually thought that it would have made a better movie if he had won, but then victory wouldn't have tasted so sweet in Rocky 2. 

#29

The Human Centipede

Just the name The Human Centipede is enough to make some people's skin crawl, and I can see why. The really gross stuff doesn't happen until later in the film, but the whole movie is very dark and creepy. Knowing what is coming almost makes it worse. True, it is very low budget - and it can tend to be a little slow early on. But those flaws weren't enough to ruin it for me.

When the actual "centipede" part of the movie happens, it is just as disturbing as you would think it would be. And to think this movie is actually tame compared to its sequel. I like movies that can trigger an emotional response, and this movie definitely achieved that goal. 

#28

Divergent

I wasn't a HUGE fan of the Divergent book series. Sure I read them, and they were easy to read and decent fun in parts. But the first book where the characters are in training to be Dauntless was the worst of the three. It seemed a bit too middle heavy, and all the good stuff didn't really start to happen until the end.

How would it translate into film? Surprisingly well. The movie moves along at a pretty quick pace, and none of the boredom from the books ever begins to trickle in. I thought it was pretty fun, and I enjoyed it even more than the book - which is rare. The parts that I was particularly interested to see (the dream sequences while testing) were pretty cool and did not disappoint.

#28 TIE!

Frozen

Surprise! I forgot to write down Frozen on my movie list somehow, so obviously it got left off when I started writing this blog. Rather than mess up the numbering and having to go back and edit all my previous posts, I will just put it as a tie. This is probably where it would have ranked anyway, so no harm no foul, right? Yeah, like anyone is reading this anyway.

So I am generally not a fan of Disney movies or any kind of animated movie with music in it. But surprisingly I actually liked this. It's all about the story and the characters for me. It doesn't hurt that it is funny, and that it looks freaking beautiful too.

Oddly I didn't mind the music either. There are some cringe worthy songs, but they rarely drag the movie down or make it boring for me. And yes I will admit I really like "Let It Go" and still haven't gotten sick of it yet.

#27

Hot Fuzz

I had originally seen this several years ago. When watching this again in 2014, I didn't remember much about Hot Fuzz other than that I had liked it. Would I like it again after all these years? Yes.

This is a really funny movie, but it is not "stupid funny". Well some of the jokes can be crude, but they don't ruin the movie. The storyline is actually quite good, and there is a big mystery that is cracked at the end. I just found the whole movie to be very well done. There are a lot of action movie moments, but clearly this is a comedy at heart. Clever, funny, and a strong story. I liked this a lot.

#26

The Naked Gun

To me this is the ultimate Naked Gun movie. If you watch all the sequels, they are a bit too "try hard" and use a lot of the same jokes over and over again. But everything seems so fresh and so natural in the first movie. I am usually pretty emotionless when watching movies, but this had me laughing more times than I cared to admit.

And for that, it more than earns its high marks.

#25

Wrong Turn 2

I wasn't a big fan of the first Wrong Turn, nor have I seen any of the sequels past part two. So how does this rank so highly on my list? Because its fun, that's why.

From the moment Kimberly Caldwell is split in two, to the moment the end credits started rolling, I was very into the movie. It is everything you want a fun horror movie to be. Lots of gory action, good characters, and a sense of humor. The story is interesting too with the reality TV twist on things. This was surprisingly good to me, considering I had seen this several years back and didn't like it much. I don't know what I was thinking.

#24

Six Degrees of Helter Skelter

When this documentary first started, I thought it was kind of lame. It takes you all over California, showing you locations that where important things in the Manson case happened. Sounds cool, but the first few visits were kind of inconsequential places that I didn't care about, like Sebring's old house, which really had nothing much to do with the murders or the Manson cult.

But as this progressed, we got to see a lot of the really relevant locations. I thought it was pretty fascinating. I had only read a couple of Manson books, and to see a lot of the locations where the cult gathered and where some of the murders had taken place was very neat. It's so much different reading something vs actually seeing it, and this was quite fascinating to me. 

#23

Captain America: The First Avenger

I think this is the third time I have seen this movie, and every time I like it a little bit better than I thought I would. Cap definitely has one of the best origin stories of the Marvel heroes, going from scrawny Steve Rogers to war hero Captain America. The characters in the film are great, everywhere you look is a fabulous actor, whether it be Stanley Tucci or Tommy Lee Jones. The Red Skull is a great villain too, and I hope somehow they can bring him back for future movies. 

This whole movie is just good, unadulterated fast paced fun. It may be my favorite of the pre-Avenger Marvel flicks.

#22

The Karate Kid

This is another one of those timeless classics that I had never gotten around to watching until the ripe old age of 32. People used to call me Daniel-san in school and I absolutely hated them for it. Now if they did, I probably wouldn't mind it.

Everything about this movie screams classic. No doubt if I had seen this as a youngster I would have loved it. Daniel-san is a very relatable character, and the kids who bully him are great villains that you want to see eat it. And eat it hard. The training with Mr Miyagi is awesome. Of course, Daniel wins the karate tournament at the end and kicks everyone's butt who ever did him wrong. It's kind of like Rocky with kids, but better.

#21

The Starving Games

I know that in all actuality, this is probably a horrible movie. The budget isn't great, the acting is bad. The jokes are... interesting. But something about it I just found hilarious. This movie follows the plot of the Hunger Games pretty closely, spoofing it with tasteless joke after tasteless joke every step of the way.

Not only does this spoof the Hunger Games, but it also pokes fun of other pop culture icons like the Hobbit, Avatar, and Taylor Swift. It's a very random movie, but for some reason, it works. My wife thought it was terrible, but I enjoyed it immensely. I don't know why I enjoyed this as much as I did. But I did. I want more.

Video Game Review #3: Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil 4

GameCube

It seems silly in retrospect, but back when I first heard that they were changing the classic Resident Evil formula, I was not happy. From the moment those dogs came crashing through the windows in the first game of the series, I had been hooked on Resident Evil's unique blend of exploration, puzzle solving, gun play, and big time scares.

True, the series and its tank-control formula had been getting a little stale. Both of Resident Evil's sequels as well as RE: Code Veronica all handled and felt pretty much exactly the same. So maybe a change wouldn't be that bad after all. Still, I was apprehensive.

Turns out I had absolutely no reason to be. 

This game puts you in control of Leon Kennedy. You will remember him as the zombie blasting cop from Resident Evil 2. Years have passed since the Raccoon City incident, and he now works as some kind of special forces operative. He has been sent to a remote village in the middle of Spain to discover the whereabouts of the President's daughter, who has been kidnapped.

After his partner is killed in action, you take control of Leon in the middle of the woods. After a little exploration you discover an old house, with a not so friendly local inside. This game is also a departure from previous games in the sense that zombies as we know them are no more. The enemies you encounter in this game are regular people who have been infected by the Las Plagas, a virus that possesses people and controls them to commit murderous acts.

Over the course of the game you explore the origins of this mysterious plague while also searching for the President's daughter, Ashley. Your journey will take you through foreboding forests, cemeteries, ancient castles, haunted lakes, the obligatory overrun laboratory, sewers, cave systems, mine shafts, and many more fully detailed locales.

Resident Evil 4 is so different from its predecessor that it is barely distinguishable as being a Resident Evil game. The action takes place in a fully 3D world, from a behind the back or over the shoulder perspective. Emphasis in this game is placed more on shooting and action, but this is still Resident Evil at heart. You save at typewriters, you use green and red herbs, you combine items in your inventory, etc.

On your search for the President's daughter, you encounter many of the aforementioned infected. In one of the early sequences of the game (a sequence that personally made me fall in love with this title) you must wipe out an entire village of the infected. Villagers swarm at you from all directions. And these aren't just mindless drones like the zombies in previous installments. They use weapons such as grenades, knives, pitchforks, (as well as their teeth) to try to take you down. Enemies react to where you shoot them on their bodies, which is awesome. Shoot someone in the leg, and they are apt to fall down where you can take them out on the ground. Or go for a headshot, which will either kill them, or make them stagger around covering their eyes defenseless for a few precious moments.

As if the carnage of destroying an entire village of infected civilians isn't sweet enough, just wait until the chainsaw wielding maniac with the bag over his head comes out. Such a shocking moment for me when I first played this!

The enemies you encounter aren't simply just infected villagers either. In true Resident Evil fashion, expect to encounter dogs, ogres, mutated lab experiments gone wrong, as well as some really big, really bad bosses. In addition to the traditional knife and handgun you start out with, you also get a lot of pretty cool weapons as well, like grenades, shotguns, magnums, sniper rifles, rocket launchers, and much more. The creative ways you can kill enemies in this game are limitless. Shout out to my homey the Merchant. You encounter this guy a lot. You can trade in treasures that you find for money, which you can use to buy items or upgrade your weapons.

While this doesn't really feel like a traditional Resident Evil game, nor is it really that scary at all, the thing that makes this title stand out the most is that it is just flat out FUN. It's fun to explore. It's fun to wipe out hordes of enemies at a time. It's fun to kill enemies one by one. It's fun to collect things. Even when you collect Ashley later on in the game and have to escort her around, it's still fun and not tedious at all. If you are at all into gaming, I don't see how you don't love this game and have a great time playing it.

The graphics are amazing, even by today's standards. To think this game is 20 years old at the time of this review is pretty incredible. The characters look terrific, the animations are great. The environments are dark and creepy. Everything from the detail you see in the castle interiors to the lighting and reflective effects are all really wonderful.

The way to play Resident Evil 4 is in the dark, with your headphones on. While it is not as scary as the previous games in the series, this is a highly atmospheric title, and in order to get the full experience of playing the game, it is best to jump in. All in. The work that has been put into the details of this game is unprecedented. This is a world you want to be immersed in.

The sound effects and the eerie music combined with the detailed locales really suck you in. Audio clues also can tell you when an enemy is lurking nearby, which you may miss if you are not paying close attention.

The world of this game is so dark and unique. Wind howls, water drips, crows let out their cries in the distance, enemies whisper to one another as they stalk you. I feel as if to get the full experience with this game you really need to take my advice, like I just said above, and play this with headphones on.

While this game's storyline isn't fantastic it is still enough to keep you going. What really fuels Resident Evil 4 is its immersive environment and its fabulous gameplay. There are only a few titles that come to mind before Resident Evil 4 when I think of games that are just flat out fucking fun to play from beginning to end. There is never a dull moment in this game. I could fire this up at literally any time and have a wonderful time with it.

This is one of the greatest games of all time, and the fact that it still holds up SO strongly is a testament to its staying power. This is about as close to sheer gaming perfection as you can get. If you are new to gaming, or perhaps just really young, and have never played this game before, don't let its age deter you. You must play this. Even if you have never played a Resident Evil game before, don't be afraid to jump in. Little knowledge of past games is not necessary at all, as this is basically a reboot that starts things fresh and new.

Resident Evil 4 is one of the best games you will ever play, and I will stand by that till the day I die. I  have no choice but to give this a....

THE GRADE:

A+

A complete index of all my game reviews can be found 

>HERE<

< Video Game Review #2: Nights into Dreams

Video Game Review #4: Vectorman >

2014 Movie Ranking #59 - #40

#59

Batman Begins

This would normally rank much higher on my list. I love this movie, it is fantastic. But it is getting to the point where I have seen it too many times now and it has lost its excitement for me. I think I have seen it at least ten times now. I need to put it away until 2025 and not watch it again, and maybe it will be like seeing it again for the first time.

#58

Scream 4

I tried watching all of the Scream movies in 2013, but I didn't have time to get around to this one until the next year. So this will be the only Scream to appear on this ranking. It's not my favorite of the series, but it is actually pretty good. I like how they were able to keep the formula alive, keeping the old characters in the story, while introducing a batch of new ones as well. This had the potential to be a disaster (see the Star Wars prequels, or that Crystal Skull Indiana Jones movie) but I liked it.

#57

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

My wife and I started rewatching all the movies in the Harry Potter series back in 2013. But for some reason, we stalled at Order of the Phoenix and only watched the first half of the movie. When I brought up the subject of finishing the second half of this movie to her in 2014, she balked at the idea. She hates Dolores Umbridge. So I watched it by myself, and had a good time. The second half of the movie is my favorite part anyway. I rank it this low because I couldn't in good conscience rank half of a movie above some of the films to come. We never did get around to finishing the series. Maybe we will have to do it this year.

#56

Odd Thomas

Im a fan of the Odd Thomas book series. I actually saw this in 2013 and thought it was hokey and generic. I wasn't a fan at all. Something prompted me to pick it up again in 2014 and I gave it another shot. Knowing what to expect from the movie, I had fun. Sure it will never be a classic film, or even a cult classic probably. But it is fun and enjoyable, and I enjoyed it for what it was. Still pissed they didn't include Elvis though.

#55

Star Trek III: The Search For Spock

People like to say this movie sucked, but I enjoyed it more than most of the other Star Trek films I watched last year. This picks up right where the second left off. There is a lot more action and I was never bored at any point during the movie. There are some great scenes like Kirk's son dying, as well as Spock's return. Sure, it isn't perfect, but I had a lot of fun

#54

Rocky IV

As I mentioned in an earlier update, the Rocky movies for the most part follow a pretty predictable formula. And Rocky IV is no exception. That said, it is still a lot of fun. The Russian dude killing Apollo Creed in the ring is something I didn't see coming, and added a new dimension to the story line. I also thought it was cool how the Russian audience kind of got behind Rocky over their own guy at the end of the movie.

#53

The Hole

This has been on my Netflix queue for ages and it was always something I would pass over when looking for something to watch. I don't know what prompted me to finally watch it, but when I did - I was glad I did. This was better than I expected. The mystery of the hole, along with some of the scares that happen as a result of it were pretty cool to me. I had fun with this one.

#52

Manhunter

Red Dragon appeared earlier on the list, and I had some harsh things to say about it. When I think of the case of the Tooth Fairy and Will Graham, Manhunter is the definitive version that comes to mind. It is an older movie, and some of the music and atmospheric effects are bizarre. Also, there is some really corny dialogue coming from Will Graham, especially when he is by himself analyzing crime scene clues. "Didn't you, you son of a bitch!!!" is a favorite of mine.

But if you can get past the 80's cheese, this is a really good movie that I enjoyed a lot. 

#51

Carnival Of Souls

I watched this first several years back, and didn't like it much. I thought it was kind of boring and stupid. Watching it now, though - I liked it. The spooky atmosphere of the movie is palpable, and for it being an old movie, there are some decent scares. I had a good time trying to wrap my mind around what was happening. While I generally tend to dislike movies where the ending is open to interpretation, I didn't mind it here.

#50

Trick 'r Treat

This movie is a throwback to the old Creepshow films of the 80's. It takes place on Halloween, and tells the story of all these bizarre/haunted happenings taking place in a small town during the night. The stories all tie in together, and are very clever and interesting when looked at from an individual basis as well. I thought this was fun, and there were some nice twists. I enjoyed a lot of people in the cast too.

#49

Hostel

I had forgotten how little of this movie actually deals with death and torture. It seems like the majority of the film focuses on these party going youngsters traveling Europe and getting drunk and having sex. When one of them goes missing, it kicks off the whole torture porn section of the movie. But that doesn't happen until over halfway through the film. I like boobs and stuff, but I would rather seen more people getting mutilated instead. Does that make me morbid? I think probably so. I still liked it though.

#48

Goldfinger

This is the first Sean Connery Bond movie that I actually liked. I watched Dr No in 2013 and was bored. You saw how low From Russia With Love ranked on this year's list. After that movie, I actually was kind of thinking about passing on the rest of the Bond films.

I am glad I didn't. I really enjoyed this. This is a fun movie, with a very interesting plot. Auric Goldfinger is a great villain, but his hat throwing little Chinaman Oddjob is even more awesome. Does saying Chinaman make me racist? I don't care. I liked this movie a lot.

#47

Snowpiercer

This movie is kind of a tale of two halves for me. At the beginning of the movie when they were introducing the characters and kind of setting up the mythology of the train, I was really into it. The arm out the window torture scene was awesome. As the rebels advanced through the train car by car and we got to learn more about what was really happening, I thought that was neat too. And that villain... yikes. I don't know who she is but she is ugly as hell and totally awesome in her role.

The second half of the movie though, with all the endless fight scenes and Ed Harris and the train crashing and all of that didn't interest me as much. So if the outside is cold enough to turn someone's arm into solid ice, why would it be okay for the train to crash and for everyone who survived to be okay? That bugged me. And I love Ed Harris but his scenes were the most boring in the film for me.

#46

Cloverfield

This movie is good for a rewatch every few years or so. I think watching Blair Witch Project (which you will see appear later) made me think of firing this up. 

I actually liked the beginning of the movie as we got to know all of the characters. It made the "event" when it finally happened seem much more believable and real. It is very easy to put yourself in their shoes when the shit starts hitting the fan. It is in New York, and I am sure the first thought to come to mind is terrorists. The whole early part of the movie is very believable.

My problem with the movie mainly is the decisions some of the characters make. And some of the scenarios were pretty far fetched, like climbing the building and jumping over to the next one, and the whole helicpoter part. I know I shouldn't say farfetched when the whole movie revolves around a giant monster attacking the city, but hopefully you know what I mean.

#45

Braveheart

If I were to rank my favorite movies of all time, Braveheart would be right up near the top of my list. I watched this movie to death when I was in high school and it made me weep like no other.

It is still a fantastic movie, but having seen it so many times takes a lot of the emotional impact away. There was no weeping watching it this time around. But I was still very interested, and noticed a lot of things I hadn't noticed before. I was also particularly interested in some of the political goings on with the king and his son and his wife and the nobles, which always used to be the most boring part of the movie to me. The fights are epic, the speeches are inspired. This is really a great film. But I can't let my past thoughts effect the ranking. It just didn't feel the same to me without that emotional impact. 

#44

Banshee Chapter

Thanks Brett Johnson for suggesting this on Facebook, because I liked it a lot. So many so called scary movies out there do a lot of things right, but when it comes to actually being scary - they fall flat. 

This movie is kind of the opposite. It is not a great film, and the production values are kind of crappy. But the story is really good, and I was able to get into it a lot. The thing that sets it apart for me is that it is actually scary. There are so many "jump" scares in this movie, it is crazy. Every single time you start to feel comfortable, something happens and scares you out of your skin. You would think after the first couple of times that you would catch on, but for some reason it works. I haven't been as on edge watching a horror movie in recent years than I have with Banshee Chapter.

#43

Grumpier Old Men

If there are only two movies in a series, is it still considered a series? I don't know. But I loved the first Grumpy movie a lot and watched it repeatedly as a kid. The second movie doesn't hold as much sentimental valule for me, but it is still good. A lot of the gags are recycled, and the ones that aren't are not as funny as in the first film. But I like the story, and of course Jack Lemmon's dad is amazing. His scenes are always terrific, and the part where he dies really hits hard. I could care less about the love story aspect to this movie - Lemmon and Mathau are at their best when they are butting heads and while this isn't as good as the first film it is still pretty funny.

#42

The Jeffrey Dahmer Files

I kind of just threw this on in the background while I played Candy Crush on my phone, but in a rare turn of events, something on the TV actually distracted me from playing the game, and not the other way around.

Being from Milwaukee, I have an interest in the Dahmer case and find it all morbidly fascinating. Seeing some of the places and hearing interviews from people who knew Dahmer or were involved in the case was really interesting to me, much more so than reading about it in a book. I actually put aside the game and focused on the movie, which held my attention the whole way through.

#41

My Week With Marilyn

I have never seen a Marilyn Monroe movie, nor have I ever had much of an interest in her before. But to me this looked good, and it was good.

Watching this, I can see why people were so fascinated by her. Having never seen a Monroe movie, I can't say if Michelle Williams did a good job portraying her, but I hope she did. Despite her eccentricity, apparent airheadedness, and her obvious flaws, she was still a commanding presence and almost a mythical shining figure to the "regular" people she encountered in life. I really felt for the poor sap in this movie that thought he had a chance with her, and how just this small week long encounter could have changed his life forever. Props to this movie for taking a subject I didn't have much interest in and completely getting me to invest in it.

#40

Grumpy Old Men

As mentioned in my write up of the sequel, I watched this a lot as a kid. A lot lot. So it holds sentimental value for me. It is just a really good movie. It is funny, has great characters, good gags, and some emotional moments. Having seen it after having not seen it in years and years was a treat.