DVD Collectors Online

Into The Mirror, a review by Jon

Into The Mirror
2 out of 5

Thanks to Lovemunkey for the recommendation in response to a post about the remake starring Kiefer Sutherland. But on reflection (snigger!), I couldn't see the attraction.

Mysterious deaths threaten the reopening of a shopping centre, closed after an accident the year before. A former detective works as a security guard while trying to come to terms with a past tragedy and believes there is a supernatural element to the killings. His former colleague tries to follow a more conventional explanation and between them they uncover corruption behind the supposed accident.

Lots of fantastic ideas that continually run out of steam. The two deaths early on were promising, but literally nothing happened after to build on them. Especially as I thought it was going to focus more on them having issues with guilt (a metaphor for having to deal with their own ghosts), but that seemed to get left behind and the actual resolution was more contrived or detached.



But whatever the reason, the execution (of the scene and the character!) was excellent. The atmosphere is fantastic, so why wasn't it used more? When the premise suggests "security guard" and "scary mirrors" I thought there might be at least one scene of him wandering around dark, empty corridors after hours with just his torch and reflection for company. Never happened! 

I did like the idea of the split personality theories and obviously a lot of work was put into that angle, but at the end of the day, they were making a horror film and forgot to make it scary. The premise gives the story a huge margin for shocks, but by the end I was sure I was just watching a decent police detective story where someone tried to shoehorn in a supernatural element and really it was just getting in the way. Motivation was weak, resolution weaker.

The final scene encompasses all the problems I had with it. It's creepy and effective, but a step behind the story and it didn't fit in entirely with what happened:
I'm more than willing to accept I've missed the point, leading to my confusion. But that's what second viewings are for and sadly, there wasn't enough going on and the characters were too thin to support putting it on again. I know from the Trailer Park thread that Lovemunkey holds this in very high regard, so I'd love for him to give me a reason for repeats! 

These themes seem to crop up a lot in Korean film. If you like this, I would recommend Some (which resembles this as a detective thriller with a supernatural element) and A Tale of Two Sisters.

Speaking of the trailer for the the remake, after seeing this, I really don't know what to think. Obviously they're increasing the horror, which should make it more entertaining (and Kiefer does seem to be on his own a lot, which as I said before, is surely the point), but the original story did have some substance and strong ideas about dual personalities. In typical Hollywood fashion I can see them turning this into a gore-fest with a really weak reference to duality. Which would be a shame. There's a bloody good film stuck in here somewhere! Romero could have pulled it off, but although I like Aja's version of The Hills Have Eyes, I don't think he has the same touch.

(From Into The Mirror (Geoul Sokeuro) on August 2nd, 2008)

Shadow Puppets, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: Shadow Puppets
Year: 2007
Director: Michael Winnick
Rating: NR
Length: 103 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:
Jolene Blalock as Kate
James Marsters as Jack
Marc Winnick as Charlie
Diahnna Nicole Baxter as Stacy
Natasha Alam as Amber

Star(s) of TV Series:

Star:	Movie Character:	TV Series:	Season(s):	Series Character:
Jolene Blalock	Kate	Star Trek: Enterprise	All	T'Pol
James Marsters	Jack	Buffy the Vampire Slayer Angel	2,4,6,7 5	Spike Spike

Plot:
Jolene Blalock (STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE) James Marsters (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL) and Tony Todd (CANDYMAN) star in this creepy chiller about a group of strangers who awaken in a locked asylum ward with no idea of who they are or how they got there. They are half-naked, cold and frightened. And they are not alone. Who has erased their memories? Why have they been imprisoned? And what is the supernatural force that is slaughtering them one by one? The answers wait deep in the darkness where a beast hungers to feed, escape is virtually impossible, and the shadows of sanity may hide the most shocking revelations of all.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Bonus Trailers
Featurettes
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:
This is a cool horror. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Actually I enjoyed every minute of it. While watching this one all I could think of is how it felt like some of those survival horror video games I used to play.  Jolene Blalock played a very strong character in this movie... and there is nothing I enjoy more in a horror movie then a strong female character. I have always hated the women in horror movies that does nothing but scream and running scared... without even thinking of what they are doing or where they are going. I really liked all the characters in this one. Along with the 2 TV stars above... this one has Tony Todd... another person I have become a fan of over the years. If you haven't yet... you should give this one a try.



(From Weekend Movie Marathon: TV Stars in the Movies on March 5th, 2010)

Xena: Warrior Princess Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

17. The Royal Couple of Thieves
Xena's asked to steal back a pilfered chest containing the world's most powerful weapon, so she enlists the help of Autolycus, the self-proclaimed King of Thieves.

My Thoughts:
This is the first episode of Xena that Bruce Campbell appared in as the King of Thieves. It is a fun episode. There is plenty of comedy involved.

My Rating:

18. The Prodigal
Gabrielle returns to her home town, only to find it under attack by a greedy warlord, and under the protection of a faded warrior, who's lost his self-confidence.

My Thoughts:
Another episode that I like. Even though Xena is barely in this episode. Only a short scene in the beginning and a short scene in the end. But I enjoyed seeing an episode that focused more on Gabrielle.

My Rating:

19. Altared States
Xena and Gabrielle agree to hide a 12-year-old who has run away from home after learning that he was to be sacrificed in the name of a new "Supreme Diety."

My Thoughts:
This episode has a great beginning! Xena and Gabrielle bathing in the lake... Xena teaching Gabrielle how to fish by just grabbing the fish while in the water with them. Coming nude (or so it looks) out of the water in front of the men she was going to fight as well as the teen boy that she was going to save. All I could think is "Lucky Kid" even if they really were in bikinis or not. The main episode is good... an interestings story.

My Rating:

20. The Ties That Bind
Xena saves a mysterious warrior, who later professes to be her estranged father. But the reunion is anything but happy, as Xena tries to find out if the man's claims are true.

My Thoughts:
While still a good story... I didn't care for this one quite as much as the others. I just think the story they were telling could have been done a little better.

My Rating:

(From Xena: Warrior Princess Marathon on December 15th, 2009)