Skip to main content

Jason and Shawn versus 6 Degrees of Hell and Gut

6 Degrees of Hell

Jason: I'm of two minds on 6 Degrees of Hell. On the plus side, it's a fun horror ride with a cool concept and batshit crazy conclusion when, well, all hell essentially breaks loose. There's some groovy stuff that goes on in this flick. I really like the Hotel of Horror, and the thought of being trapped in a creepy amusement park ride that suddenly comes to life is frightening.

On the down side, screenwriter Harrison Smith is trying to do too much. There's too many characters, flashbacks within flashbacks, and unnecessary plot points. This is a case where less would have been more. And too bad the budget was low, because this is a movie that screamed for more blood and gore.

As for Corey Feldman, he's this film's Sam Loomis, only with less to do. He spends the movie talking with a cop and, although I liked those scenes a lot, I wanted more of him. There should be a Kyle Brenner movie! Fans of his might be disappointed, because he doesn't have a lot of screen time. Be warned.

What to give our feature from The Month from Hell? I liked screenwriter Harrison Smith's The Fields a lot more, but still enjoyed 6 Degrees of Hell and would watch it again with buds over beer. I will give it a Good in the end.

Shawn: Here's a high-expectation movie given the interviews we had with everyone involved, including THAT Corey Feldman. It also claimed to be the Scariest Movie of 2012. Nope. Not even close. I watched a two-minute short called Mama that was scarier.

That said, it was probably WAY scarier for the actors, as they were in a "supposed" haunted hotel. For real. So that probably added to the hype.

The actors were fantastic, all but one. 'Nuff said.

Anyway, I liked the movie for one watch for sure, but was let down. Big time. It was almost more campy to me than scary. Still, it ranks a Bad in my books.

Gut

Jason: Gut's a hard movie to review. It's technically well made and is definitely not without interest. But I'm still not sure how interesting it really is. The film is slow, and not a lot happens except for long sequences of these characters' boring jobs and lives. But there's a lot more going on here than meets the eye.

For one, what's up with our two main characters? I got the impression that Dan, the weird guy, had a lot more invested in this friendship than Tom. A little too much, if you know what I mean. It was creepy.

Co-writer/director Elias does a good job of keeping us guessing about what's really going on. Is Dan making the videos or not? And although I kinda saw the ending coming -- there really was no other outcome -- it still left me feeling like I was punched in the, well, gut.

The performances are serviceable but not exceptional, the snuff sequences unnerving, and the ambiguity of it all frustrating but compelling. I wasn't bored by Gut, but not thrilled by it either. Yet I was still affected by it. How's that for ambiguity?

God damn it, I have to give it a rating. This would be a hard movie to sit through again, but then again I might in order to introduce what really is a little decent film to others. Fuck it, I'm giving Gut a Bad. Had it been faster paced and more clear cut, it'd rate it higher.

Shawn: I'm not even sure if Jay was speaking English, so I'm going to break it down in layman's terms. Gut is weird as fuck. Totally weird. Don't even know if I get it. However, after all is said and done, I dug the watch.

I loved that it seemed to be scored with just a guitar and amp. It was very ambient music. Loved that.

The movie moved pretty slow, but it was shot well. Twisted? Not really. I've seen worse. But it was good for a watch. I won't watch it again, so it gets a Bad.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

#CocktailHour: Slushtail

  Summer approaches, inspiring thoughts of sunshine, backyard parties, and having a tip and sip with friends.  With that in mind, I bring you this week sunny beverage. To make a slushtail, mix a can of frozen orange juice, a can of frozen lemonade (or limeade), a can of pineapple juice, a couple cups of black tea (or English Breakfast), and two cups of bourbon- such as Southern Comfort, in a pitcher.  When it's all nicely mixed, put it in the freezer until it's a nice slushy consistency. Scoop the slush into a cocktail glass, and pour in some Sprite or 7-Up.  Add a little umbrella for some frivolous fun, and a straw. Voila!  Ready to enjoy. This is a very refreshing drink.  The fruit juices, Sprite, and bourbon- when chilled makes for a great punch-like drink.  The bourbon doesn't overwhelm juices.   In fact, they are all nicely balanced in terms of flavors.  The sourness of the citrus fruits contrasts well with the slightly sweeter Southern Comfort.  It was refreshing enou

Unlock your fate with The Puzzle

When my dad wasn't working, building stuff or being my dad, he was making puzzles. It was a guaranteed way for him to unwind. So it was with great interest that I sat down to watch Italian filmmaker Davide Melini's award-winning short The Puzzle. You see, the mother in the five-minute film likes to relax with puzzles just like my dad. Unfortunately, her good-for-nothing son keeps harassing her for money. Losing herself in her favourite passtime, the mother soon discovers that completing this puzzle might unlock a nightmare. The Puzzle has been an official selection at more European film festivals than you can shake a stick at, and was voted Third Best Italian Film at the Rome International Film Festival in 2008. Having watched it, I'm not surprised. It's a tight little film that hits you hard in the final few seconds. You can tell Melini cut his teeth as an assistant director for legendary Italian filmmaker Dario Argento. But enough chit chat on my part. See if yo

The Animated Addict: "The Adventures of Tintin" (2011)

If you're a 40 + white dude, like myself, you may remember a comic series called " The Adventures of Tintin ".  I know I remember them.  This series, dating back to 1929, got turned into a animated feature film by Steven Spielberg in 2011. After buying a model of ship called The Unicorn, teenaged journalist Tintin finds himself on adventure that will take him from the high seas, to the low deserts, and from the distant past to the present.  With his trusty dog, Snowy, by his side, Tintin uncovers a story connecting two men across the centuries.. . The story is really quite good.  It's well crafted, and high paced- with just enough slow moments to build and develop the world and the characters.  This is the sort of adventure story you'd find in the old serials of the 1930's and '40's.  In fact, it felt like it was the sort of tale that you'd find Indiana Jones undertaking.  I found myself swept up, and swept along as our hero swung from one e