James' Movie Blog

  In the middle of the 1960s, the television company ABC acquired an import of a British television series entitled 'Dark Shadows', which ran until 1971. Now, nearly over 50 years later, director Tim Burton attempts to bring the TV series to the big screen in an adaptation of “Dark Shadows”. And what's the final result? It's a disappointing mess. It tries too hard to call itself a comedy, yet there is a hard seriousness to it. Though to be fair, there are some things that do make the movie work. “Dark Shadows”, while having a few good factors about it, doesn't try to imitate the original series that it is based off, and becomes something else entirely. The plot of the film revolves around Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) who has been cursed by a witch (Eva Green) by becoming a vampire due to rejecting her love. Barnabas returns to his home of Collinsport, Maine nearly 200 years later, and finds it in ruins. Barnabas must find a way to reverse the curse that was besto...

We all enjoy a good game; whether it is with either friends or by ourselves, a game brings out a lot of fun in all of us. But what if the game we are playing suddenly takes a dark turn? That's where the movie “Game Night” comes into play- no pun intended. This is a movie where the concept of throwing a game can take a deadly turn for the worse. Sure, there are some problems with the film in general, but for the most part, the movie is certainly entertaining. “Game Night” takes an interesting and compelling idea, and surprises you all the way through. The story follows a couple named Max and Annie (Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams respectively) who are both competitive at gaming. More specifically, board games and other exciting adventures. Once a week, Max and Annie get a bunch of friends together to have a fun game night. That all changes when Max's brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) comes into town and wants to play, too. However, Brooks wants to spice things up a bit, a...

Who doesn't love a good scary story? A scary story gives the viewer/listener something to keep them on their toes, and their heart pounding. But what if you take those scary stories and turn it into a visual medium like movies or television? That's where our feature film “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” comes into play. Based on a series of books by Alvin Schwartz and directed by André Øvredal, the film is a compilation of some of she short stories featured in the books with a tying narrative. But the big name is Guillermo Del Toro, who could be considered a master of horror in his own right, who is both co-writing and co-producing the film. While the film does have some issues, it is quite entertaining in its own right to hopefully become a horror classic. “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” is a unique set of stories that will keep you up during the night with the lights on. Please note: this review is coming from someone who has not read the stories by Schwartz. ...

With superheroes, everyone imagines them to be, well, heroes. But what if the intention of the hero was to be evil? That is where the film “Brightburn” comes into focus. While it may not be a true superhero film, it combines the suspenseful nature of a thriller with that of a comic book. There is more mystery in this film rather than action, and I think that what makes this movie stand out the most. “Brightburn” is an exploration of what a being from another world could accomplish, had they gone the darker path. The story follows a couple named Toni and Kyle Breyer (Elizabeth Banks and David Denman respectively), who are trying to conceive a child. Then, a spaceship falls out of the sky, and carries a baby boy, whom the couple names Brandon. As the years progress, Brandon (Jackson A. Dunn) becomes a sweet and innocent boy. But on his twelfth birthday, things take a turn for the worst, and Brandon starts to those he finds wronged him, leaving his parents wondering if picking him...