nathanjamesemerson Reviews

Shark Waters (2022)

Not the best, also not the worst

[3/10 · 9 September 2023]

What's up with the fathers who comes to their daughters rescue in Asylum movies?

First there was Michael Madsen in SHARK SEASON who was delightfully hilarious and dreadful with his decisions, not too mention his acting

Now there is Jim Fitzpatrick in SHARK WATERS

What kind of father who knows his daughter has been attacked by a large numbers of sharks, comes to rescue her in the smallest rubber boat know to man?

I know that's in the script but come on. I laughed out loud when I saw him rock up with his befuddled looking friend in it. And what makes it funnier is you can clearly see it's being towed during filming as the motor is not even turned on and making waves

The acting is pretty decent besides Jim Fitzpatrick, who was absolutely dreadful in this movie. I have seen him in other things and he was great. Like Michael Madsen in SHARK SEASON, he decided to not even bother

The CGI effects are as bad as to be expected. The blood in the water effects are truly horrendous and hilarious to see

Other then that, it wasn't the worst hour and a half I spent.

All Together Now (1991–1993)

THE Best Aussie Comedy Show Of All Time

[10/10 · 18 July 2022]

This show is one of the funniest shows ever made here in Australia

It is just as hilarious in 2022 as it was when it aired in the 90's

An amazing ensemble cast lead by the legendary Jon English

It is a disgrace that this show is not shown on repeats in Australia to this day. The DVD's are even hard to come buy. Luckily I ordered two complete sets to kee forever

Highly recommended.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021)

Ignore the haters

[7/10 · 16 July 2022]

People like crying and whinging about this movie

Despite its flaws and the fact some characters from the games deserved better treatment, it is still the most accurate film adaption of the Resident Evil franchise.

People have seem to have forgotten how bad the last three Resident Evil movies down by Paul WS Anderson were. In particular Resident Evil The Final Chapter. THAT movie was not just an abomination to cinema but should also be classified as a crime against humanity

Yet people hate on WTRC not realising it did more on a lower budget then what the bigger budget movies did.

My only dislikes were that there should have been more zombie action and they should have done better with the character of Leon.

I would like to see a sequel to this but I don't see it happening with the bad reviews it had received.

Resident Evil (2022)

Not as bad as I thought

[7/10 · 16 July 2022]

I will admit, when I first heard about this show and the direction they were taking the franchise, I was disappointed

But after watching the series I must admit I was wrong

Could things have been down different? Of course.

Could it have been more faithful to the games? Yes

But aside from the CGI movies, no live action version of Resident Evil has been close to the games. The closest we got was Welcome To Raccoon City. I actually enjoyed that despite the bad reviews.

But back on topic. The Netflix show is not as bad as what others are saying. The acting is pretty good. Lance Riddick is always amazing. The story was decent enough and it had some callbacks to the video games.

I would have loved to have seen a more accurate depiction based on the first game itself continuing the series based on each sequel. I am 42 and have been a huge fan and collector of the games and merchandise since I was 16 and the original game came out in 1996

But alas it doesn't seem film makers/ tv show creators know how to successfully adapt the franchise closely to the source material

Regardless, I knew this show wasn't going to be what I always hoped a tv series would be. So I went in with an open mind. And I enjoyed it.

People whinging about it have obviously forgot how horrible Resident Evil The Final Chapter movie was. Now that movie was an embarrassment to the RE franchise as a whole

Anyhow, ignore the bad reviews and go into the show with an open mind. You might enjoy it. If not fair enough. But ignore the bad reviews until you watch it yourself and form your own opinion.

Terror in the Woods: Sasquatch/Asylum (2017) Season 1, Episode 2

Great first half, abysmal second half

[6/10 · 6 May 2022]

The first half of the episode featuring Bigfoot was great. The second half was ok but the male actor in the reenactment was dreadful and the story wasn't even remotely frightening.

Shark Season (2020)

Wow....what garbage

[2/10 · 20 August 2020]

This ranks alongside Snow Shark Ancient Snow Beast and House Sharks as the worst shark movies ever made.

I love shark films. Even the cheesy low budget ones. But this was garbage.

Michael Madsen literally phones his performance in. And in the most wooden way possible.

He has phone conversations with some random guy in a boat who has no relevance to the movie whatsoever. And most of the time you see this guy from his back. It was obvious that this guy was not an actor. The conversations he has with Michael Madsen are hilarious. Each conversation has them repeatedly say the same things over and over but with some dialogue changes. It is extremely bizzare.

Now to the blonde lead of the movie. You will see her space out of lot with some really strange facial expressions. You don't know if she is trying to look shocked, struggling to remember her lines or holding in a fart.

Not too mention the out of place 10 minute conversation she has with the other girl about love and drama while stuck on a rock escaping the shark. There are more important issues for them to be concerned about then that crap in their situation.

The shark is the typical z grade quality CGI. In some cases each time you see the shark you hear some weird wooshing/growling sound. And ironically, the shark is the best actor in the film.

The only good thing about this movie is that it's funny. And that was not the intention of this film.

Make sure to listen to Michael Madsens horrible phone message to his characters daughter 'This is me....calling you..... something along the lines like that. Awful

UPDATE - Changing the movie title to DEEP BLUE NIGHTMARE on Lifetime is not going to change how bad this movie is. I don't know why they bothered changing the name

Unearthed & Untold: The Path to Pet Sematary (2017)

Brilliant documentary

[10/10 · 8 April 2019]

A documentary about the 1989 movie Pet Sematary made by fans, for fellow fans.

A brilliantly in-depth documentary with interviews with a majority of those involved with the movie. Including actors Dale Midkiff, Denise Crosby and director Mary Lambert.

A must watch and a must have for every fan of the classic movie based on Stephen King's novel

Pet Sematary (2019)

Another great film adaption

[6/10 · 6 April 2019]

Just to clarify this right off the bat. This movie is NOT a remake. It is another film adaption based on the 1983 novel by the master of horror, Stephen King. I get sick and tired of people saying 'another useless remake' etc etc. But this film is not. The same as with IT : Chapter One from 2017.

Now that is out of the way....

Jason Clarke and Amy Seimetz are amazing in there roles of Louis and Rachel Creed. And Jete Laurence who plays there young daughter Ellie also puts on an amazing performance for someone at her young age. John Lithgow also stars and nothing needs to be said about him, as he is great in everything.

It's a shame the morons behind the marketing spoiled one of the biggest changes in the movie trailers. Whoever gave them the go ahead to release such a spoiler filled trailer should be fired. The movie is set up perfectly to have that come as a major suprise, and it would have been if the idiots didn't spoil it. If I were the directors I would have been furious.

And speaking of changes, the changes do work in the film. If you are a fan of the novel or of the first adaption from 1989, don't go in expecting it to be the similar to either.

The film is bleak and dark which of course is what the subject matter is about. Life, love and death are the themes. The film has some jump scares but nothing too jarring or constant. The film is not too graphic, as what others will lead you to believe.

I really enjoyed this film. I still prefer the first film adaption a little bit more as I have watched it probably around 100 times since it came out in 1989. But I assure you, I will be watching this adaption many many more times over the years and I can't wait to buy it on both DVD and Blu Ray

Pet Sematary II (1992)

Not a classic film, but a decent sequel

[7/10 · 6 April 2019]

The Micmic burial ground returns in the sequel to the 1989 horror hit PET SEMATARY.

Jeff, a young teenage boy moves with his father to the town of Ludlow, after the death of his mother.

It is not too long before Jeff learns about the dark power that the burial ground beyond the Pet Sematary holds.

This movie is more graphic then the previous film, but it is not too over the top. Edward Furlong does a passable job as young Jeff. Though his high pitch squeals and screams are annoying. Other then that, he does ok. Anthony Daniels is always good in everything he is in. Clancy Brown is the highlight of this film. Watch the film and you will see what I mean.

It's a shame a third instalment wasn't made. Despite some bad reviews, this movie is quite good.

Pet Sematary (1989)

Fantastic Film

[10/10 · 6 April 2019]

A brilliant adaption of Stephen King's bestselling novel from 1983.

This remains one of the most faithful adaptions of Kings works.

Dale Midkiff and Denise Crosby are wonderful in the roles of Louis and Rachel Creed. The parents of two young children who move to a new home near the woods which holds deep and dark secrets.

Fred Gwynne is brilliant in the role of Jud Crandall the kindly neighbor who introduced Louis to the power of the Pet Sematary.

I first saw the movie at an age when I probably shouldn't have seen it and it terrified me. But not for long, as it began my love for any works of Stephen King.

I highly recommend this movie.

Rad (1986)

Just bring it out on DVD and BLU RAY already!!!'

[10/10 · 7 October 2018]

It should be a crime that this movie has never been released on DVD and BLU RAY.

The only way to watch this these days is via VHS or clips on YouTube. Luckily I have a VHS copy. And good luck finding one cheap on EBay and the like. It's bloody expensive.

Despite not making much money at the box office, RAD is still a fantastic movie and is the BEST BMX movie to date.

The stunts in the film are still amazing today. Some of the stunts were seen for the first time when this movie was released.

The story is pretty simple. Local boy Cru Jones wants to enter Helltrack and compete in the race. Along the way he falls for a girl, his mother doesn't want him to race and he has rivals who want him out of the competition altogether.

Bill Allen and the beautifu Lori Loughlin are great and believable in there roles. The rest of the cast are great as well. The soundtrack is classic 80's featuring songs by my fellow Aussies John Farnham and Real Life.

Highly recommended. And hopefully one day those who own the rights pull there finger out and finally release it

Round the Twist (1989–2001)

The Greatest Aussie Kids Show Ever

[10/10 · 30 September 2018]

Round The Twist has to be one of the most bizarre yet extremely fun kids show ever created. And it was all done here in Australia.

The first two seasons episodes are based on the stories of Paul Jennings known for his quirky yet weird hilarious tales.

Season 1 is really the standout season. It is the best cast line up of all four seasons. There is a lot of cast changes for the remaining three seasons. Season 2 is pretty good as well. Seasons 3 and 4 have there moments. But Season 1 will always be the best.

I give this 10/10 just for Season 1 alone.

Great for the kids and great for those of us who grew up with the show in the late 80's and 90's.

Lethal Weapon (2016–2019)

A great television adaption of the hit movie

[10/10 · 28 September 2018]

As a big fan of the movies I was hesitant when I heard they were adapting it for television.

For a start I have never been a big fan of Damon Waynes and I never even heard of Clayne Crawford.

But any doubts I had changed after I watched the first show, I was hooked. Both actors were great in there roles of Murtaugh and Riggs. Waynes played the role of family man and by the book cop Roger Murtaugh perfectly. And Crawford nailed the role of Riggs, the cop devastated by his wife's recent death and slightly over the edge with his grief.

And the supporting cast were just as wonderful. Each having a little story of there own and just as likeable as the main characters.

The action scenes are well shot and you will forget you seeing this kind of action on the small screen. The humour is funny throughout and the chemistry between them all (it seemed at the time), was perfect.

They are now up to series 3. I won't get too much into what happened but to say that Clayne Crawford who played Riggs is no longer on the show. He was replaced by Sean Williams Scott who is famous as Stifler in the American Pie movies. I am saddened that Clayne is no longer in the show. He played a fantastic part.

So do not let any negative comments get you down. There are too many cry babies and idiotic whiners carrying on. It's a tv show for crying out loud. Sometimes things happen.

The show is still as great as ever. Sean Williams Scott as former CIA agent, now cop Wesley Cole fits into his role nicely.

Don't give up on this show. It is a fantastic fun and a hell of a ride

Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)

The final movie in the Lethal Weapon series

[9/10 · 28 September 2018]

As a finale to the Lethal Weapon series, this movie ties them all up nicely.

The gang is back along with some new characters and a new villian in Jet Li.

Family plays a big part in this film. Both Riggs and Murtaugh contemplate life and there futures. While unknown to them both, babies will be in there somewhere as well.

The action scenes are at there usual wonderful standard and there is more humour in this film then all of the others. But it works.

All of the actors are at their best and it was interesting to see Jet Li in a villainous role as it's not something he usually does.

As much as I would love to see another film in the series, this movie wraps it up perfectly and it doesn't really need a sequel.

This is a rare franchise where all the entries were top notch films

Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)

Lethal Weapon 3

[8/10 · 28 September 2018]

Mel Gibson, Danny Glover and Joe Pesci are back in the third film of the action packed Lethal Weapon series.

The action is as fast paced as ever, bullets are flying and the wisecracks between the characters are back.

Not as great as the previous entries in the series but the movie is a solid entry in the Lethal Weapon franchise.

This is also the first in the series where Rene Russo appears.

My only issue was the villains motivations were not that great. He was a great actor but was not the greatest bad guy they could have faced.

As usual the chemistry between all the main actors is still rock solid and they slip back into there roles comfortably the third time around.

Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)

The perfect action duo return

[9/10 · 28 September 2018]

Mel Gibson and Danny Glover return in the sequel to one of the greatest action movies ever made.

Some people say this is the weakest in the series, but I rate it over Lethal Weapon 3. The action scenes are spectacular and when Mel Gibson goes out for revenge against the bad guys at the end, it's full of tension and you root for him and Danny Glover to take them all down. And the chemistry between both actors is still great as well as the supporting characters who return from the previous film

The movie has several memorable scenes, most famously the toilet bomb scene.

And Joe Pesci enters the series as the annoying but likeable Leo Getz. But anything Joe Pesci does is always fantastic.

So if you are a fan of the first movie then you owe it to yourself to watch this film and the following sequels

Lethal Weapon (1987)

One of the greatest action films ever made

[10/10 · 28 September 2018]

Not much needs to be said about Lethal Weapon....besides it being one of the greatest action films ever made.

There have been a lot of great buddy cop movies, but none compare to the chemistry that Mel Gibson and Danny Glover had in the 4 movie series.

The action scenes and stunts are spectacular. The comedy (through brief in the first movie) is also great and well timed.

Mel Gibson was amazing as the gung ho cop who thinks he had no reason to live after his wife dies. His emotional scenes were brilliant. Danny Glover was also amazing as the by the book cop and wonderful family man.

Even though both men are opposites they are perfect partners which leads to them not being friends but as a family as well.

Gary Busey is also chilling as one of the main bad guys Mr Joshua. The whole main cast and supporting cast all delivered wonderful performances in the movie.

This truly is an action classic not to be missed

Boar (II) (2017)

A great Aussie horror film

[6/10 · 25 September 2018]

First let me set the record straight. Despite this movie featuring a killer Boar, that is where the similarities with Razorback ends. So let that end right there. There is no need for a comparison. And face it, Razorback was an ok film, this is far superior

Chris Sun has made a truly amazing film with Boar. Not only does he have the legendary actors John Jarratt (Wolf Creek) and Bill Moseley (Texas Chainsaw 2, The Devils Rejects) but he also have other famous stars from Australia in the film. My overseas friends may not know them, but they are familiar here and I was happy to see them on screen. Not too mention I love Nathan Jones. I loved him in Charlie's Farm. And that is another Aussie horror movie I recommend. And it is also directed by Chris Sun.

The movie was shot only a few hours away from where I live in Queensland. And believe me it is great for me to see parts of places where I have been end up on film.

The film is a horror/comedy. There are inventive and gorey kills and the practical effects for the Boar are really well done.

You will laugh, you will be frightened and more importantly you will have a great time watching the movie.

Wolf Creek (2016–2017)

A fantastic series based on the feature films

[10/10 · 25 September 2018]

If you loved or liked the movies you will find plenty to enjoy in the series.

Both seasons have six episodes each. And each tells a different story featuring outback serial killer and larrikin Mick Taylor. You don't need to see one season to enjoy or understand the other. If you see Season 2 first you will understand fully what is happening as there is only one very quick mention of something which occured in Season 1. There are seperate stories

All of the actors in both series are great in there respective roles. Some you may find annoying but that is there character.

And John Jarratt nails it on the head again as Mick Taylor. John Jarratt is truly a legendary actor and he is great in every role he is in. From Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Last Outlaw,Stalkher to Shiver, he is truly a talented actor.

Like the movies, the show is violent but not in an over the top way like it was in Wolf Creek 2. You root for both the characters trying to survive as well as Mick himself. And also like the movies, you get to see some beautiful scenes of the Australian countryside and surrounds. I am an Australian and seeing the shots in this makes me feel proud knowing how beautiful my country really is.

I hope we get a third film or a Season 3 sometime soon. There are still plenty of stories to tell.

And if you can track down the books 'Wolf Creek - Origin' and 'Wolf Creek - Desolation Game' get them. They are prequels to the movies and television series and you find out how Mick got to be the way he is

Wolf Creek 2 (2013)

A great Aussie sequel

[10/10 · 25 September 2018]

If you enjoyed the first Wolf Creek then chances are you will really like this film.

From the beginning we get to see serial killer Mick Taylor in action, and it does not stop. Mick now has his eye on a British guy who interfered with one of his kills and he stalks the man across the countryside.

The violence has been upped in this film, and is over the top (in a good way). Despite being a horror film, some laughs are had throughout the movie with Mick's sense of humour.

John Jarratt is amazing again in the role of Mick Taylor. Even though he is twisted as all hell, there is something still likeable about him. I know that sounds strange lol.

The movie does not let up and the pacing is brilliant. It leaves us a few moments of quiet peace where you think the British guy is safe and then Mick appears out of nowhere.

So check this movie out if you enjoyed the original and also check out Seasons 1 and 2 of the television series which followed which also has John Jarratt reprising his role

Wolf Creek (2005)

The BEST Australian Film

[10/10 · 25 September 2018]

Wolf Creek is one of my personal favourite horror films. And it was filmed right here in Australia.

The movie itself is terrifying with the portrayal John Jarratt does with his serial killer character Mick Taylor.

He is quite convincing as the nice Aussie roustabout who hides a deep secret. He kills tourists for fun.

I met John Jarratt earlier this year and he was one of the nicest guys I met. Nothing like his character at all. Well duh. Shows you good an actor he is to go so far into a role playing someone truly evil.

The supporting cast are also great. Time is taken to get to know them and you get to like them before the terror starts.

The movie is violent. Is it gorey? No. The tension, suspense and the amazing acting makes this film more terrifying then what any gore could add to the film.

Not only that, but we get beautiful shots of the Australian Outback. It shows the viewer just how beautiful our country is.

I hope one day we get the Unrated Cut in Australia which has 8 additional minutes not shown in theatres. I had to order a copy from the US. It is strange how they never released the Unrated version here. It was created and filmed here. It had me beat.

This film is a must see not only for horror fans but for those who want to see how a great a movie can be from Australia

The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008)

Pretty disappointing follow up

[5/10 · 25 September 2018]

The finale of Season 9 of The X-Files wasn't the greatest. So I was looking forward to this movie.

While seeing Mulder and Scully reunite on the screen was amazing, the movie itself was pretty dire.

Where they could have continued on from where the show left off, creator Chris Carter went off in a different direction. There were suprisingly no alien conspiracies or any of what made the show famous.

It is pretty much like one of the standard monster of the week episodes the show used to do, but a boring one.

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson were fantastic as usual, and Billy Connolly (who happens to be my favourite comedian) played brilliantly in a straight yet perverted role.

And Mitch Pileggi as Walter Skinner does not even show up until the movie is over. A complete waste of his talents.

Truth be told, this movie is ok but it doesn't feel like The X-Files at all.

You could honestly skip this and watch the season 9 finale and go straight to Season 10, and you won't miss a thing from this movie. It does not add anything at all to the X-Files mythology.

An ok but disappointing film

The X Files (1998)

Mulder and Scully fight the future

[7/10 · 25 September 2018]

This is the first (of two) feature films based on the classic television show The X-Files.

When it first came out it was said that if you had never seen the show, you could still understand the movie.

That is not true. The movie is set between seasons 5 and 6. And you need to understand some of the events of the show to be able to understand the movie. Not too mention the following season wraps up some of the events from this film.

Regardless, I am an avid fan and understood what was going on when the movie hit theatres. Some of my friends never saw the show and were confused.

The movie itself was pretty much a longer episode of the series with a larger budget.

The movie is about the alien conspiracy and colonisation which was built up over the course of the series. Like the tv show, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson played there roles as Mulder and Scully to perfection. The remainder of the cast was great as well.

I recommend the movie to fellow fans of the show and for those who like sci fi who may not have seen it. Like I said above, become familiar with the show before watching the movie so you know what is happening. And it is also great to have while you are doing an X-Files marathon.

The X-Files (1993–2018)

One of the greatest Sci Fi shows EVER

[10/10 · 25 September 2018]

You must have been living under a rock if you never heard of The X-Files or seen an episode.

For the uneducated it is a television series where two FBI agents are assigned the task to investigate cases involving the paranormal/supernatural for the Government.

Over the years we see the usual monster of the week episodes turn into a massive alien conspiracy that some in the government are well aware off.

David Duchovney is the perfect choice to play the all believing Fox Mulder. And Gillian Anderson was the perfect choice to play the skeptical Dana Scully. Also featured are amazing actors Mitch Pileggi, William B David and Robert Patrick. Though Robert Patrick comes into the series in the last couple of series.

Prepared to be frightened and thrilled at the adventures Mulder and Scully go on and prepared to be amazed at what they find.

This truly is a classic show in every sense of the word. The Season 9 finale however was a bit disappointing but luckily they made two extra seasons further on down the track

Young Sheldon (2017–2024)

A great spin off series

[8/10 · 25 September 2018]

Young Sheldon is the spin off to the extremely popular 'The Big Bang Theory'

And like the main show, the cast is an incredibly talented ensemble. All have there funny quirks and talents.

Young Iain Armitage is the perfect choice to play Young Sheldon. His character is just as funny and eccentric as his older counterpart Jim Parsons.

Not a sitcom like the main show, the show has plenty of laughs and heartfelt moments. It reminds me of The Wonder Years in some ways.

Since Big Bang is up to its last season, I hope Young Sheldon still goes on for more seasons. There is still plenty of misadventures for Young Sheldon to take