‘Escape from Cannibal Farm’ is a slasher horror film inspired by ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ set in the English countryside, where an upper-class family go for a camping trip together. These unsuspecting victims are trapped by cannibal farmers (obviously), and they have to attempt to escape the chainsaw-wielding madman. I’m very surprised by how much I genuinely enjoyed this film despite being hesitant at the start, with a melodramatic backstory behind the farmers. However, after this the banter between the main cast of the family managed to charm me, and actually made me laugh a few times. The dialogue was engaging and there’s good performances all round; although I have to admit, the character of Everett Blackheart (Peter Cosgrove) was unintentionally hilarious to me because he sounded just like Papa Lazarou from ‘The League of Gentlemen’. Kate Davies-Speak’s performance as Jessica is my favourite overall, particularly as her character develops.

The humour used at the beginning of the film also helps to contrast with the tension between the family members and the horror later on. Furthermore, it doesn’t feel like it takes too long to get to the action, but also allows enough time to develop the characters before the gory stuff gets going. Despite clearly taking influence from ‘Texas Chainsaw’, it’s still very much its own thing and isn’t a copy. There’s still originality, and enough good twists that don’t seem completely insane within the context of the film.

Finally, it finishes strong with a good ending that I didn’t really expect. It easily could have just had the survivors escape and let that be it, but it goes a bit further and even left me wanting a sequel. Overall, this is a well-made slasher that is unique and doesn’t rely on the influence of its predecessors. The characters were able to be given plenty of development thanks to Charlie Steeds’ script, and he makes it actually worthy of a re-watch.

Pixar is back! and after a few sequels of previous much loved franchises we are treated to a very original tale of family, loss and the land of the dead full of Mexican history and tears to boot. The question on The table however is this....Will we remember (pun intended) this film in a few years time like The Good Dinosaur? or will this be classed as the next Inside Out?

Coco follow the story of Miguel, a young boy in a family of shoe makers who has banned music in their family due to his great great grandfather leaving the family forever to get involved in the music business. The Great Great Grandfather in question is no other than Mexcian musical superstar Ernesto De La Cruz, a legend to Mexican music culture who got his BELL RUNG when he was crushed to death by a huge bell while on stage performing. With his passion to be a musician, and his anger to towards his family for denying him his dream Miguel runs away from home to take part in a talent show in town. Without a guitar the boy decides to break into De La Cruz's burial chamber and borrow his famous guitar, only to be transported to the other side. Now Miguel is one of the dead as he meets the dead relatives him and his family pay their  respects to ever year.

Miguel and his family of the dead head to the land of the dead, a vibrant city where the fallen reside. He is told he must get the blessing of his family to go back to the human world or he will never be able to leave, but his family want him to stop with his music which lead Miguel to run away in search of hi great great grandfather. On his escape he bumps into Hector, a down and out trying to make his way across the bridge to see his family. But no one has put up his picture, which means he can not leave. Miguel promises to put up Hectors picture up in the human world on the condition he helps him get to De La Cruz. This leads to a journey of heartache, music and friendship in the way Pixar does best, even including a lovable dog in the form of Dante, who I LOVED!

The Music is beautiful and fun, the colors are as vibrant as a day of the dead skull but what Coco does well here is discussing the theme of death and being forgotten (the scenes with Hector and his past will bring a tear to your eye I promise you) and the want and the urge to be remembered by your loved ones. Most of us have lost someone we love, and we all know how important memories are and Coco shows the importance of passing down those stories and memories of those who have left us. Remember Me is a beautiful song, and when Miguel sings this in the films final act it is heartbreaking and yet beautiful all in one moment.

This does for the idea of death what Inside Out did for the feelings of growing up. It is a life lesson on what is important in life and there for how important our memories are. Will Coco be remembered as well as Inside Out? I'm not sure it will and I blame this more on when this was released other than the film itself. If you was to release Coco during the summer blockbuster season and instead release Incredibles 2 in this slot then I would honestly say Coco would destroy all of this years animated films.

You need to see this film, if you see nothing else this month see this!

I have been sitting on this review for a few weeks now. I have kept trying to go back and write it but after days of trying to review Logan Lucky I found myself with very little to say about it. That is not me saying it is a bad film it is just here is nothing that new here that got me thinking anything major about it.  It is a heist film. It is a heist film that takes the same storyline we have seen a million times before and does it again with slightly different characters.

How many times have we seen a group of people down on their luck after losing their job who decide to steal from their former employers to get 'what is owed to them'. It is fine, it is a perfectly good plot device but you know the outcome. They hatch a plan, the plan almost goes wrong, they get the money, the police are dumbfounded and the robbers get away with it. 

Now while the story is the same the acting is actually what puts this film above others like it. Channing Tatum and and Adam Driver worked well as the brothers in arms, or arm in Driver's characters case, and 007 star Daniel Craig worked well as the unhinged bomber Joe Bang and he delivered some of the films funnier moments including the bomb in a carrier bag scene.

As a whole Logan Lucky is a fun watch. The acting is good,  the story, while following the usual traits, is well put together and as heist films go this is one of the better ones out there. Give it a go, let me know your thoughts

Netflix is helping make horror great again! you can fight me on this fact but over the last few years the streaming power house has released films like Hush, which was our top film of 2016, The Babysitter and now The Open House.

Starring 13 Reasons Why's Dylan Minnette The Open House follows the story of Logan who, after his fathers tragic death, has to move into his aunts empty house with his mum. The only drawback of staying in the house is every Sunday they have to leave for a few hours due to an Open House. Big house in the middle of nowhere......strangers coming in and out......creepy dungeon like basement setting..... whats the worse that can happen? Well alot of things in fact.

Strange things begin to happen around the house from the moment Logan and Naomi get to the house. There is the obligatory horror trope of the odd neighbor. strange noises in the night things going missed and a bad case of the boiler going off all the time. Naomi thinks it is Logan playing up, effected by the death of his father but we, and Logan for that matter, know differently. The film throws many potential culprits in the way, the creepy neighbor, the boiler man and Chris, a friendly store clerk who takes a liking to Naomi all perfectly placed to keep you guessing throughout. 

The slow build works well in the film, it can so easily lead to being too long normally but directors (and writers) Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote have structured this so well that at no point will the film leave you looking at your watch. The Direction as a whole was expertly executed, from the creepy basement scenes  with the matches to the imagery used around Logans glasses and vision that leads well into the films finale, and bloody hell what a ending. I loved this ending, didn't see it coming as I was sure I knew how it would end (No Spoilers).

The Open House is another film worth buying Netflix for. This is a must see and a great start to the horror scene for 2018.

‘The Cutlass’ is a drama/thriller based on a true story about Joanna (Lisa-Bel Hirschmann), a tourist in Trinidad who is kidnapped for ransom. Although it is marketed as a thriller, it doesn’t feel particularly tense enough to be considered one. The film is very well made overall with beautiful locations, professional cinematography and music, as well as good acting, but I still mostly feel indifferent towards it as a whole and can’t quite figure out why.

While the acting is good – especially from Hirschmann considering this is her first feature role – I didn’t care much about the characters and felt distant from them. Everything is reserved. There is one scene where the writing did make somewhat of an impact (despite the writing letting the film down at times with inconsistent narration), in which the kidnapper, Al (Arnold Goindhan) is talking to Joanna about what it means to really be poor. It highlights some important issues and feels authentic.

Overall, while this is without a doubt a competent film and is very well made in regard to the visuals, I found it difficult to connect with. However, this seems like something that could be widely enjoyed by lovers of drama, and to those who like low-key, reserved dramas in particular.