Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret - 2013 ***

Really creepy movie, about a woman named Jodi who becomes obsessed with a religious man she meets named Travis. Travis isn't after any sort of commitment unless it's with someone from his church (although he's happy to jump into bed with her as much as possible) and this leads to mixed messages, added to which his friends aren't all that keen on her either. Jodi obsessively believes they are meant to be together forever and hopes they will get married, and Travis already has his eye on a new woman he feels he is more suited too. It's just that by the time he gets round to telling Jodi about his true feelings, she is already in too deep and he has no escape. 

Disturbing and I'm not sure how realistic it is. 

Compulsion - 2013 ***

I don't know what I was expecting with this film, but whatever it was, it didn't happen. In fact nothing happened. The most shocking thing according to film critics was how much padding Heather Graham was wearing to 'big herself up' into a typical 1950s housewife. Apparently the look made her 'a bit overweight' which scared the living daylights out of me, as there is nothing overweight about her and makes you worry about the American size system. 

A woman obsessed with food spends her days cooking amazing meals for her grumpy, parrot obsessed boyfriend who couldn't be less interested in her if he tried. An anorexic, former child star moves in across the hall and doesn't speak to anyone for love nor money. 

Gradually the pair open up to each other and form a bond that proves fatal.

A strange film, very weird and quite surreal, just appeared to move a bit slowly. 

(HORROR) Devoured - 2012 ***

Not a bad movie. A young mother is working in America to earn enough money to send back to her mother to pay for her son's operation. She works the night shift cleaning in a restaurant and finds the work boring and demeaning, as well as come across some unpleasant characters who try to take advantage of her. Before long she starts to see things that aren't there in the dead of night, alone in the restaurant, and is unsure whether she is going mad or not. Lead actress was a good choice. 

(NOIR) The Big Bluff - 1955 ***

For a 'typical film noir' The Big Bluff  is quite good. Produced by Billy Wilder's overlooked (and much less talented) brother W. Lee Wilder might've given it a bit of credit. Alas it did not. And acting-wise it was rather shoddy, which spoilt it tremendously.
After a chance meeting and quick marriage, a wealthy fortune hunter hopes to cash in on his terminally ill wife's inheritance, but when he discovers that the 'last holiday' they are taking together is actually improving her health considerably, he and his lover have to resort to other startling tactics to get the money.
I like how the idea of 'The Big Bluff' is actually the bluff of the marriage and the relationship which the would-be killer has to keep up the pretence of for a lot longer that originally hoped.
Apart from that however, it's predictable and not very strong.

The Sadist - 1963 *

If it wasn't for the plot, 'The Sadist' would've fallen by the wayside a long time ago. It was notably the first film to be based on Charles Starkweather and Caril Fugate, the loved up couple who went on a killing spree in the late 1950s in Nebraska.
Here we have 'The Sadist' and his moronically monosyllabic girlfriend, holding up three teachers who come into car trouble at an old junkyard. The whole film is basically 'The Sadist' grinning and laughing and pointing a gun at the hostages, while his girlfriend 'Jodeee' sits on a wall merrily swinging her legs and swigging coca cola. The Sadist appears to be cross-eyed, as well as sporting a crop of remarkable 'Beach Boyesque' floppy hair so his whole appearance is all the more terrifying. If he's trying to portray James Dean, he's failing miserably.

The Black Widow Murders: The Blanche Taylor Moore Story - 1993 **

Blanche Taylor Moore is a well known name in America. And this story chronicles the murders committed by her of two of her husbands as well as her father, all by arsenic.
I found Elizabeth Montgomery to be infuriating as Blanche, which probably proves what a good job she was doing. I definitely didn't ever feel sorry for Blanche as a character or a human being. She got what was coming to her, and had no remorse for any of her actions.
I have seen better 'straight - to - television movies about murders and their perpetrators and so wouldn't rank this particularly high on my list, despite the subject matter.

Carrie - 2013 **

I can't say the original film is one of my favourites, but it still had a certain quality that was utterly absent here. The main star was captivating as Carrie, but nowhere near as perfect for the part as Sissy Spacek was. The film is supposed to include a religious and psychotic mother who constantly grinds Carrie into the ground, but this didn't seem to be present here. Julianne Moore was moderately harsh and unkind, but no way near on the same level as Piper Laurie. I thought it was important for the mother to be unhinged so that it enhances Carrie's pent up angst and aggression but it wasn't to be here.
Certain scenes were good, but nothing topped the original shower scene or the prom one. Maybe too tame? Either way, it's best to see the original and maybe watch this only if nothing else is available.

Deadly Matrimony - 1992 **

A gentle woman named Diane marries a businessman who is part of an organised crime racket. He starts to abuse and mistreat her eventually murdering her. It is up to the police to convict him of the crime.
Horrible story. B

Why My Daughter? - 1993 **

Based on the true story of a mother working tirelessly to avenge the death of her daughter Diana who was dragged into the seedy world of prostitution by her boyfriend - turned pimp. Very gritty and painful to watch. The actress playing the mother is pretty irritating however.

(HORROR) Demons Never Die - 2011 *

Firstly, what is Tulisa doing in a film? She has as much talent as a table leg. The poster is misleading, making out that she has a bigger part than she does. I don't think it will upset too many people when I say (*spoiler*) that she is the first to die horribly.
When her death is announced at school, a group of students, all intent on committing suicide, decide they have to act quickly so that they can also 'go out all guns blazing' so to speak. The whole story is like some nightmarish "Kidulthood" where teens spend days either being bumped off by a deranged psycho in a Darth Vader style mask or wandering around planning whether they want to jump off a building or not. Then there is the added 'love story' that takes shape between two of the weirdest students. The girl proclaiming proudly that at 17 she is still a virgin and likes being one, before yanking the guy up from his seat and dragging him home to have a long drawn out and frankly embarrassing sex scene.
Much more hilariously bad acting follows, including a hideous game of twister where all the drunk teens roll around on top of each other  whilst downing huge bottles of vodka. Accompany this with the wonderful music from, you guessed it, Tulisa, screeching her heart out and you have this film.

Willing to Kill - The Texas Cheerleader Story 1992 ** 1/2

Based on the true story of obsessive mother Wanda Holloway who, after becoming desperate for her daughter to qualify in the cheerleading trials, hires a hit man to murder the rival girl's mother. Relentless and hard hitting, this shows what lengths some people will go to come out on top and 'live through their children'. The sad part of this film is that the person who suffered the most was always going to be the daughter.

Burke and Hare - 2010 ** 1/2

Why Isla Fisher is in a film about Scottish body snatching I have no idea, she has one of the worst accents I have ever heard. This film isn't meant to be too much of a 'homage' to the two men, more a general romp around with a few laughs chucked in. Despite being labeled 'outrageously funny' by the Daily Star (hardy a reputable newspaper at that) it really isn't, and although I raised a smile a few times, most of the film was just too silly to be taken seriously.

A Friend to Die For (Death of a Cheerleader) 1994 ****

I remember watching this movie a few years ago and it really got to me. Since then I've read in detail the background of the real life case and felt I wanted to watch it again to see if it was still as powerful. It was.
Tori Spelling plays the unpleasant but utterly popular high school cheerleader who becomes the object of newcomer Kellie Martin's affection, leading to tragic consequences.
It's quite a relatable film in some way, especially the overwhelming desire to 'fit in' at school that makes us do crazy things. Obviously the events in this film are rare, but the pressure nowadays to not be perfect or look a certain way can have a very negative effect on some people.

(HORROR) Funhouse - 1981 *

Absolutely awful film. One I had waited so long to see and then when I got to see it I realised how bad and tasteless it was. Not so much scary as thoroughly stupid and incredibly boring. A waste of time. When you think of how genuinely scary other films such as 'Halloween' were in the next few years it's such a let down. Offended on Tobe Hooper's behalf.

What a Carve Up - 1961 **** 1/2

Loved this film. Saw it years ago and was recently lucky enough to get it on DVD due to a birthday Gift card.
Kenneth Connor and Sid James play friends who are summoned to Kenneth's uncle's estate after they learn of his sudden death. The evening unfolds in a terrifying way when other members of the strange family appear and get bumped off in quick succession.
Very funny and enjoyable.

Shock - 1946 **

One of those films that you imagine is going to be better than it actually is. 'Shock' doesn't really deliver, but is still fairly entertaining for it's length and cast. Lynn Bari plays a young wife who goes to a hotel to await her husband who is coming back from the war. After falling asleep she wakes up in the middle of the night and goes to the balcony where she witnesses something horrific in the adjoining room. A murder! Going into shock, she is taken to a psychiatric hospital where she is treated by a menacing Vincent Price who she soon realises is the murderer she saw through her window. Will anyone believe her? Sounds a good story doesn't it, but it comes across like its been done before.
Not a strong contender and despite it's labelling as a noir I don't think it can really be called one.

Maria Marten: Murder in the Red Barn - 1935 ***

Not a bad movie, but the quality was awful. I'm very interested in the real life case that this movie is based on, so had been looking forward to seeing it for a long time.

For those of you who don't know, Maria Marten is the town beauty in early 19th century Suffolk, and is chased by many men.

She begins a relationship with one man and soon discovers that he has a temper on him which may lead to her demise.

Tod Slaughter is great as usual, suitably cheesy but also very unhinged looking. For more information on the real case (obviously parts of it have been changed in the film) go to wikipedia.

The Suspicions of Mr Whicher - 2011 ***

I wouldn't agree that this production was a classic, although I suspect that the book itself was probably much more detailed and interesting. Paddy Considine as Mr Whicher was very good as a sort of 1860's Sherlock Holmes who finds all the clues that people miss despite being ridiculed and very unpopular with the crowds of the time. The story is based around the true events that happened in Road Hill House in 1860, where a 3 year old boy named Saville was brutally murdered by an unknown person, his body dumped in a privy outside the family home. The results are somewhat bizarre, and at times it seems that the film hasn't really progressed from the beginning to the end. I understand that the dramatisation is being very precise in the facts, and none of the names or events have been changed, but it was a bit of a shame that *SPOILERS* you never know the true identity of the murderer. As a big fan of Victorian murders I was surprised that this book and film have become so immensely popular over the last year. I would very much now like to read the book to see if my opinion about the story is justified.