Film Haven Reviews

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are finishing up our "Spider" theme with the most middling entry in the bunch, Sting (2024). I hated ending on a movie that wasn't as good as the other two but, hey, that's how it goes sometimes. The biggest problem with the film was less than ideal pacing and critically bad acting from its lead, which sullied alot of the poten...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are continuing our "Spider" theme with the creepy crawly French film Infested (2023).  This movie was surprisingly effective in producing scares and chills within a swarming spider creature feature. After last week, I had assumed spider movies would be better served as part comedy, but this film proved me wrong as it went completely stra...

Welcome back to Flim Haven Reviews!!! This week we are starting the "Spider" theme with a early 90s classic, Arachnophobia (1990).  This film was surprisingly light and fun for a movie about killer spiders taking over a town. I really enjouyed the dry humor of Jeff Daniel's character as well as the science behind the special spider taking over the town. I gave this film a 7/10 for n...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are finishing our "help me with my homework" theme by talking about the political epic drama Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939).  This is the first film of the podcast I have given a perfect score to. I gave this movie a 10/10 for combining incredible concept, with genius level script writing, academy award worthy acting, and impressive...

Welcome back to Flim Haven Reviews!!! This week we are continuing our "Help Me With My Homework" theme by talking about the gangster classic The Public Enemy (1931).  This film was thick with commentary, especially considering it was made while prohibition was still in effect, and it also showcased just how far cinema had come since the birth of the "talkies" in 1927. I gave th...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are starting a new theme call "Help Me With My Homework!" where you guys help me get through my current class on The Great Depression, by diving into the movies that I have to watch for the course! Today we are starting off with the incredible Wings (1927).  This film is beyond innovative and showcases cinematography that is impressive e...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are finishing up our "Deep Sea Diver" theme with the more recent nautical film Underwater (2020).  This movie was much better than the critics gave it credit for, but it still wasn't perfect. There was a great sense of atmosphere and the special effects and cinematography were very well done. I also appreciated the references to Ali...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are continuing our "Deep Sea Diver" theme with the body horror creature feature Leviathan (1989).  This film is an almost carbon copy of other films like Alien (1979) and The Thing (1982) but with a deep sea tilt to it. It also has an interesting twist on the monster, with it being a sort of intellegence consuming mutated fish. I gave th...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews! This week we are starting a new theme of "Dead Sea Diver" movies with the technologically advanced film, The Abyss (1989).  Being directed by legendary director James Cameron, this movie of course had incredible technical features and also pioneered some very realistic looking CGI (for the time), however, the fun tidbits about the making of the movie,...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are ending our theme of "rubber reality" with a very strong entry Dark City (1998). This film was such a treat from all angles. I am giving it a 9/10 for great acting, amazing set design, a perfect blending of practical and visual effects, and an incredible sci-fi storyline that perfectly embodies the ideas of this theme. I can't ra...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are continuing on our "rubber reality" theme with the H.P. Lovecraft inspiried In the Mouth of Madness (1994) This film had lots of greatness in it, especially with the atmosphere and the high strangeness that it exuded, however the acting was pretty horrid and the story lacked a substence that, compared to the last episode's film J...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are starting a new "Rubber Reality" theme with the ultimate mind bending movie Jacob's Ladder (1990).  This was a pleasantly surprise as I was expecting more of a horror movie, and instead got a very enriching drama with a heavy dose of mystery. I gave this film an 8.5/10 for being so well crafted and having a narrative/concept that...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are sadly saying goodbye to our "90's Nostalgia Theme" and we are ending on a good note with The Shadow (1994).  This film was a mess, but it was a fun mess at least! The plot was ridiuclous and at many points, non-sensical, but the production design and art design was incredible, and the feel of the film was fun and comforting. I ga...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are continuing our "90s noir nostalgia" theme with the colorful and inventive Dick Tracy (1990) This film was a pleasent surprise for me! After the slightly disappointing Darkman (1990) from last week, I was expecting to be let down but was happy to be completely wrong about that assumption. I gave this film an 8.5/10 for doing pretty mu...

Welcome back Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are starting a new (tentative) theme of "90's Noir Nostalgia", and we are kicking this theme off with the Sam Raimi film Darkman (1990).  I was honestly a little underwhelmed by this film. I wanted to like it alot more than I did, and while there was some redeemable qualites to it, ultimatley it just felt like another origin story movie...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are finishing up our "70s Car Chase" theme with the ultimate car chase scene movie Gone in 60 Seconds (1974).  This was a tale of two films as the first half was a pretty boring/mildly interesting car heist movie, and then the second half completely derails the narrative to have a 45 minutes car chase scene. I would be mad if the scene w...

Welcome backt to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are continuing our "70's Car Chase Scene" theme with the good ol' boy classic White Lightning (1973).  This was such a fun movie to watch and perfectly embodied the genre of Deep South Car movie. A young Burt Reynolds really sells the rough around the edges country hero and Ned Beatty plays a pitch perfect antagonist as the She...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are starting a new theme of "70's Car Chase Scenes" and there is no better movie to kick this theme off with than the iconic film The French Connection (1971).  I had no idea what this film was about other than a detective trying to bring down an organized crime ring, I also, of course, knew that there was a very famous car chase sc...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are finishing up our Arthouse Cannibalism theme with the very strange but engaging Dumplings (2004).  This film was a complete surprise for me. It has some very tough subject matter as the nature of cannibalism in this movie is particularly heinous, but there is so much enrichment to be found within this tight 90 minute film. I gave this an 8.5/10...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are continuing our "Arthouse Cannibalism" theme with the disturbing but beautiful Bones and All (2022).  It is so interesting how beatiful this film was while also being deeply disturbing and being about one of the most taboo acts in human society. I loved how cannibalism was used as a thematic vessel to discuss very common emotions like...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are starting a new theme of "Arthouse Cannibalism" which sounds super gross but this first film at least is not so bad! We are starting the theme off with the very "refreshing" movie Fresh (2022).  This film is really firing on all cylinders for me. It has amazing style, an interesting story arc, a dash of baked in humor, and a...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are closing out our Home Invasion Thriller theme with the influential When a Stranger Calls (1979).  Unfortunately, just because a film is influential doesn't mean it is essential, and that is sadly the case with this film, as its boring middle half brings the entire film down and makes it basically not worth starting in the first place. I wou...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reveiws!!  This week we are continuing our theme of Home Invasion Thrillers with the very supernatural/psychological Silent House (2011).  This one is unique in that is shot in real time, being made to seem like everything was shot in one take (despite having a few cuts hidden throughout the film) and the hint of supernatural and pyschological elements made it mysterious...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we have Allie back in the studio to co-host the new Home Invasion Thriller theme! And we are starting that theme off with the well made Panic Room (2002).  This film had a great sheen to it while also boasting incredible performances from the A-list actors in its cast list. It also had a well formed plot and tons of tension to boot. We gave this a 7....

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are sadly saying goodbye to our Godzilla theme by talking about the original film from 1954!  I knew this was going to be a good movie, but I still was so impressed by the dark themes and the serious tone compared to the later films in the franchise. I was expecting to hold back some laughter from the "guy in a suit" version of Godzilla,...