Evil Dead (2013)

Genre: Horror
Directed by: Fede Alvarez
Cast: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci
Time: 92 minutes

 

In this reimagining of the original Evil Dead film from 1981, five friends get together in an isolated cabin in the woods to help one of them kick a nearly fatal heroin addiction cold turkey. Soon, members of the group are overtaken by an evil spirit after a mysterious book is found in the basement.

I really enjoyed this remake. The acting was quite good for the genre, and the special effects were cool. It was a fun gory piece of entertainment that packs the scares. I enjoyed this one much more than the original.

Rating: ««««

National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Walt Becker
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid, Kal Penn
Time: 93 minutes

 

Van Wilder is a seven-year senior at Coolidge College, always making sure to do enough not to graduate and to keep on being the life of the party. When his rich father decides to stop financing his pointless studies, Wilder has to find some ingenious ways to keep on paying his tuition. In the meantime, Gwen Pearson, a reporter for the college paper, gets tasked with writing a story on Van Wilder.

This film is full of toilet humor. It is amazingly crass. Some of the stuff misses the mark, but other moments are quite funny, albeit very stupid. Ryan Reynolds manages, with his natural charm on screen, to elevate this material up to fun entertainment level. Sure, this film did not revolutionize anything, but it is cool while it lasts.

Rating: «««