Haunt (2019) Movie Review

Haunt (2019) IMDB

Haunt (2019) movie poster

I like a good old fashioned slasher flic now and then, and that is exactly what this is. The concept is a group of friends who get sidetracked down a country road to a haunted house. Of course the haunted house is run by actual crazies because this is a horror film. And while there is nothing groundbreaking here, the story that is told is done well and is believable. We have kids being chased by guys in evil clown masks and we all hate clowns am I right ? Yes or yes ?

As far as the maze goes, well this is a haunted house with winding paths and choices along the way which they speak about needing to escape from. They even call it a maze at one point. If you like horror, this is for you. You even get a glimpse of this in the closing credits with a diagram of the haunted house !!! If only our characters had the map.

Haunt (2019) movie map of the maze

I have seen dozens of movies with a similar premise and they are typically terrible. This one is not, I recommend it !
I give it a 6.5/10.

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Chinese Zodiac (2012) Movie Review

Chinese Zodiac (2012) IMDB

Chinese Zodiac (2012) movie poster

Jackie Chan. Welcome to the maze party. If you are looking for a movie review for Sap ji sang ciu, you are also in the right place. This is an adventure movie where Jackie tries to find and collect 12 bronzes of the creatures of the Chinese zodiac. It is also a comedy (allegedly). What you get is a rarely funny, martial arts heavy movie with a weak premise, and average acting. In other words a typical Jackie Chan movie except in this one he is not a cop. You know I’m right.

What makes this movie part of my site is a scene early in the movie where Jackie is acquiring a bronze and while escaping he makes his away outside into a hedge maze full of dogs that don’t seem to like him much. Can he escape (or is the movie over after 24 minutes?) . SPOILER: he does find a way out so the rest of movie takes place outside of the maze. The movie may have been better had it stayed in the maze. Here is a screengrab of the escape (pretty cool maze, and large).

Chinese zodiac movie hedge maze scene

The execution is weak of this premise. See this only if you love Jackie Chan.

I give it a 5.3/10.

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Cursed (2005) Movie Review

Cursed (2005) IMDB

Cursed (2005) movie poster

Our first werewolf movie that has a maze in it (but not our last). We have plenty of horror maze movies, although most of them are terrible. Of course the best maze movie of all time is a horror flick (do you know which movie it is ?). This is not that movie.

We have an early 2000’s flick that includes a lot of actors that you are familiar with, like Joshua Jackson, Jesse Eisenberg and Christina Ricci. And if you are a fan of Arrested Development (who isn’t ?) you get Portia de Rossi, Judy Greer and Scott Baio ! This movie revolves around young adults that have an encounter with a beast, later they find it was a werewolf, and struggle with the ramifications, like are they becoming werewolves ? We have a typical teen movie with angst and a bit of a mystery of who is a werewolf. Eventually we have a scene that takes place in a maze of mirrors where we get a showdown between our characters and a werewolf.

Unfortunately, this movie showed the transformation from person to werewolf using the special effects available at the time. Not very special. Overall this movie is not very good despite a cast that I thought could do better. This is Bizzarro Twilight.

I give it a 4.8/10.

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Dungeons & Dragons (2000) Movie Review

Dungeons & Dragons (2000) IMDB

Dungeons & Dragons (2020) movie poster

I am in the process of watching a lot of movies. Like, a lot of movies. Possibly a record breaking amount of movies ?? Dungeons and Dragons, a fantasy movie from 2000 based on the game was next on the list to watch. It is a typical quest fantasy movie and because of the D&D theme we have a cast of characters that will remind you of a Lord of the Rings movie, i.e. elves. orcs, dragons. Part of the quest involves our main character needing to solve a maze to get a prize. It is called a maze multiple times, but actually feels more like a dangerous obstacle course. It feels like something Indiana Jones would go through except with interested spectators.

As far as fantasy movies go the only fantasy I had while watching this one was that it would soon be over. This is a rough movie even if you look past the horrible special effects. Jeremy Irons plays the bad guy in this one, but he could not save this movie.

I give it a 3.8/10.

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