Film Haven Reviews

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are continuing our theme of "Godzilla" movies with the politically poignant Shin Godzilla (2016).  The Godzilla in this movie is WEIRD, at first, and then he gets INTENSE. It was really cool to see a Godzilla movie where he evolved into different forms, it was also interesting to see Godzilla as a force of nature, equivalent to a natural...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are starting a new theme covering a classic monster, THE KING OF MONSTERS, Godzilla. We are starting this theme off with the newest Godzilla movie Godzilla Minus One (2023).  I was blown away by this incredibly well made Japanese film. To me, it seems the Japanese (obviously) make the best Godzilla movies and a big part of that is because in their...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are finishing up our Ingmar Bergman theme with his most famous film The Seventh Seal (1958)  I was pleasantly surprised that this film was set during the Black Plague and it's dedication in terms of set and costume design to that era was refreshing and immersive. I gave this film an 8.5/10 for an engaging story set during a unique time and a p...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are continuing our Ingmar Bergmen theme with the thought provoking Through a Glass Darkly (1961)  This film was a surprise for me. After watching the very experimental Persona (1966) last week, I wasn't expecting to get such a succinct and tangible experience. The narrative was easy to follow and the characters had great depth to them. The the...

Hey everybody! Got a different format today I'm ranking all the horror movies from 2023 that I saw this year!  Here are the rankings  Exorcist: Believer (5/10) When Evil Lurks (5/10) Dark Harvest (5.5/10) It Lives Inside (6/10) Cobweb (6/10)  Renfield (6/10) The Boogeyman (6.5/10) Infinity Pool (6.5/10) Nun II (6.5/10) A Haunting in Venice (7/10) Last Voyage of the Demeter (7/10) Five Nights...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are starting a new theme of Ingmar Bergman films and we are going to be going in reverse chronological with one of his most acclaimed films: Persona (1966)  This film was quite a psychological ride. You don't ever really feel like you know what exactly what's going on, but that's also not necessarily a bad thing. As it turns out, Be...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are finishing up our hard to define theme of Modern Murder/New Age Social Commentary movies with the very socially awkward: All My Friends Hate Me (2022) This film was very hard to watch for me, as I feel I related to the main character so much that at times I literally felt his pain and therefore didn't necessarily "enjoy" my time w...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are continuing this theme of New Age Murder Movies with the darkly funny Shudder Original: Sissy (2022) This film was highly unique for it's slasher killer was also its main character, and a relatable one at that, which is something you don't see very often. I gave Sissy an 8/10 for its great thematic plot, rife with poingant social comme...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are starting a new theme (kind of) with Modern Murder Mysteries, even though this week will probably be the only movie that actually fits that theme (its a long story). Today we are talking about Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022). Also as a side note I was recently on the Just James Horror Review Podcast where I did a super fun interview with Just James....

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are saying goodbye to our Sci-Fi Mystery theme with the Black Mirror-esque film: The Signal (2014) Similarly to last week, this film is on an extremely low budget for how good the quality is, and with actors like Olivia Cooke and Lawrence Fishburn in it, there is alot to love both thematically and technically. I gave this film a 7/10 which is lower...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are continuing our "Sci-fi Mystery" theme with the low budget but still effective: Coherence (2014) This film is way too good for being such a low budget venture, the acting is pretty good, the cinemtagraphy is great, and the concept is fascinating. I gave this a 7.5/10 for providing a mystery filled brain buster that will have you guess...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are starting a new theme of "Sci-Fi Mystery" with the small indie film: Spring (2014)  Despite being a pretty low-budget production, this film has wormed its way into my brain ever since the end credits rolled. Its a unique journey and one that offers up many interesting ideas about Life and Death and the nature of Infinity vs. the finite...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are sadly saying goodbye to Spooky Season with our last Nosferati entry: 30 Days of Night (2007) Luckily we are ending this theme on a bang! I hadn't seen this film since it first came out and not only does it hold up, but it seems to have only gotten better with age. There hasn't been another film to come out since that scratches the sa...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are continuing our theme of "Nosferati" with the very on brand: Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979).  This Wernor Herzog film was very avante garde and had alot more impressionistic tones than other more traditional takes on Dracula. Unsurprisingly, it takes most of its inspiration from the 1922 film of the same name. I gave this film an 8/10 fo...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reivews!! Today is a very special HALLOWEEN episode for everyone!! Ands its extra EXTRA special because I have a guest on the podcast for the very first time!  Today I have my girlfriend Allie join me on the podcast and talk about one of our favorite horror franchises: Child's Play!  I will put each of our rankings here for reference! Sawyer:  1. Bride of Chucky (19...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reivews!! This week were are starting our new Nosferati theme with the critically downplayed The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023).  I wanted to reveiw this film because I thought it deserved alot more credit than it was given. The flim wasn't perfect by any means and some of the complaints it has recieved has a kernel of truth to them. However, those complaints hav...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are sending off our Werewolf theme with one of the movies that started it all: The Wolf Man (1941)  I wasn't as impressed with this film as I had hoped I would be. I knew it wasn't as good as other Universal monster films like Frankenstein (1931) but I was still expecting a little more. I gave this film a 6.5/10 for having some great grou...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews and thanks for joining me on this very special episode!!  Due to Friday the 13th being in October this year (wohoo!!) I have decided to rank each film in the franchise and discuss my rankings in a special extended episode!  For reference I will put my listings here!  11. Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday  10. Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning  9. Friday...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are continuing our Werewolf theme with the tonally uneven film: The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020) I was hoping to enjoy this film more, and despite some beautiful scenery and competent cinemtography, the writing and directing created a mess of a film that tried to be a comedy, horror movie, and a drama all at the same time, and ultimately failed at al...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are starting off spooky season with a new theme of Werewolf Movies and I can't think of a better movie to start with than today's episode: Dog Soldiers (2002). This is the film that Niel Marshall (of The Descent fame) cut his teeth on and its one of the best werewolf movies I've ever seen. This is survival horror at its best and I wa...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are saying goodbye to our Trucker Movies theme with the fun and entertaining Every Which Way But Loose (1978) This was exactly the kind of film I was looking for when picking this theme. The humor was sometimes not as funny as they wanted it to be, but it was still 10 times funnier than my last episode, Convoy (1978). Having Clint Eastwood as the l...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!! This week we are continuing to "truck" along with our Trucker Movie theme with the Kris Kristopherson vehicle Convoy (1978)!  I wasn't expecting to be all that impressed by this film, but I was at least expecting to have fun, and unfortunatley, Convoy wasn't as fun or as memorable as I would have hoped. It had its moments and it is certainly...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we are (finally) embarking on our unpopular but inevitable theme of "Trucker Movies" and to prove this theme is not as boring as people might think, we are starting off with the directorial debut of the great Steven Speilberg: Duel (1971).  This film was not as action packed as I was expecting, but what I got in return was a psychological t...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we say goodbye to our Time Thrillers theme with the surprisingly fun Frequency (2000)! This film amazingly blended the genres of mystery, sci-fi, true crime, and drama in a way that seems impossible. If you can tune your own emotional frequency to this film's melodrama, then you will find yourself on a sweet and wild ride that you will certainly...

Welcome back to Film Haven Reviews!!! This week we continue our Time Thrillers theme with the sleeper Spanish classic Timecrimes (2007).  This film was a steady step up from last week's Triangle (2009), and while not being anything too mindblowing, it does an excellent job of keeping your interest and having everything come together in a clever and satisfying way. I gave this film a 7/10 for...