A Year in Film with Brian Salisbury

Apollo 18 (2011)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell

I'm not exactly sure how one goes about so epically fumbling such an interesting concept for a horror film, but the folks behind Apollo 18 sure figured it out. Its biggest crime is that its scant 86 minute runtime is stretched to a seeming eternity by its stagnating plot. It also petulantly insists that its found footage nonsense is real, apparently unaware that IMDB exists and anyone with the internet and fingers can verify its deception.

Rating: 4/10 Atkins

The Debt (2011)

1st View
Format: Awards Screener
Venue: Rivendell

Taught, suspenseful spy thriller with classic espionage trappings, but clearly adopting post-Bourne modern spy film sensibilities. I loved it.

Rating: 8/10 Atkins

New Year's Evil (1980)

Revisit
Format: Netflix WI
Venue: Rivendell

One of my favorite holiday slashers. Cheesy as all get out, but so entertaining despite itself. I seriously dig that theme song!

Rating: 6/10 Atkins

Final Destination 5 (2011)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell

Largely more of the same from this tired, stale formula. I will say the effects look much better than they did in the fourth installment, but the dialogue and white-washed characters are no less obnoxious. The only thing that saves this entry from being entirely forgettable is its clever ending.

Rating: 5/10 Atkins

Cowboys & Aliens (2011)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell

I had heard so many people shit on Favreau's Cowboys & Aliens, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. It has moments of absolutely irreconcilable absurdity, and it is a bit poorly paced, but it's a lot of fun. That is all I ask of a movie called Cowboys & Aliens.

Rating: 6/10 Atkins