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V/H/S [2012] V/H/S/2 [2013] V/H/S/94 [2021]
V/H/S/99 [2022] V/H/S Viral [2014] Vacancy [2007]
Vacancy 2: The First Cut [2008] Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets [2017] Valhalla Rising [2009]
The Valley of Gwangi [1969] The Vanishing [2018] Vanishing Point [1971]
The Vast of Night [2019] The Veil [2016] Velvet Buzzsaw [2019]
Venom [2018] Venom: Let There Be Carnage [2021] Veronica [2017]
Vesper [2022]
Veteran [2015] VFW [2019] Victor Frankenstein [2015]
A View to a Kill [1985] A Vigilante [2018] Viking Destiny [2018]
The Villainess [2017] Visiting Hours [1982] The Void [2016]
Volition [2019] Voyeur [2017] Vulgar [2000]
Vesper [2022]

            

A teenage girl experiments with DNA sequencing in an attempt to create sustainable crops in a world destroyed by ecological collapse. First off, if you're easily depressed, do NOT watch this film as it is dark, pessimistic and really quite sad culminating in what they thought was a hopeful act which I found unnecessarily irresponsible. That being said, the characters are incredibly compelling grabbing your attention and never letting go throughout its 2 hours length which, surprisingly, didn't bother me. Just wish it wasn't so grim.
Volition [2019]

         
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A clairvoyant attempts to avoid premonitions of his death and the death of another. I'm really glad I went into this not knowing anything and that the trailer actual avoids telling you what this film is really about. I would suggest you do the same but other reviews have probably already revealed too much so my warnings will be for naught. This really is a unique and well acted, written and constructed mind bending experience dealing with the questions: Is the future set? Can fate be changed? ...and at what cost? A very cerebral and entertaining thrill ride.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets [2017]

         

On Alpha, the titular city, two special agents, Valerian and Laureline, must retrieve the last surviving Mul Converter but things get complicated. This super spec fx heavy piece, done in epic Star Wars fashion, is actually far better than many of the Star Wars films I've seen. Lots of action and excitement, some truly original aliens and a good dose of humor, as well... the sequence with the Boulan Bathors and Bubble was a riot. The constant banter between our two leads over their future relationship got old real fast but otherwise, great, thrilling, eye-bulging fun.
A View to a Kill [1985]

         

I've never really followed the James Bond films but, occasionally, I'll grab one and give it a try. This one was really fun! The first half had it's slow moments but the second half took off at a very brisk pace with an absolutely outstanding climax ...especially for an 80's film. When they're on their game, they have the ability to take totally ridiculous, over-the-top action sequences and make them believable and they did a fine job in this one. Grace Jones and Christopher Walken were 'insanely' fun to watch. Super entertainment ...even if you're not a Bond fan.
Vacancy [2007]

            

After their car breaks down, an angry couple ends up staying at the motel from hell in the middle of nowhere. An effectively tense little thriller with Frank Whaley putting in a genuinely psycho performance. The characters acted as expected - although the constant verbal jabbing they put each other through in the first 20 minutes got old real fast - and their bad decisions were based more on panic than logic. In fact, I had a few logic problems with the film but I didn't let that get in the way of enjoying some good edge-of-your-seat, escapist entertainment. Well done!
Vacancy 2: The First Cut [2008]

            
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The first film centered around the nefarious group of voyeur / murderers who filmed their escapades at a motel. This prequel takes us back to the beginning and the first tape. Plays out pretty much as you'd expect with no real surprises. Except for a few minor incidences, I spent the first half waiting for the second half, which picked up rather well. Action wasn't driven by stupidity, certainly a plus in my book, also, the actors played their parts well, especially the head psycho. All in all, if you don't expect anything special, it's actually an entertaining watch.
VFW [2019]

         

A girl, who just stole the entire stash of a drug lord, runs into a VFW bar full of veterans celebrating a birthday party. Let the siege begin. Being a fan of Stephen Lang since Crime Story, and growing up with many of the other familiar faces in this film, made it a joy to watch despite it's issues. Those issues? The action would often conveniently stop for a dramatic pause of some sort and it was directed without any sense of intimacy ...I felt more a spectator than to actually feel involved in the story. But, good, psychotronic, escapist fun, none-the-less.
The Valley of Gwangi [1969]

         

The story? Think King Kong, replace Skull Island with an isolated valley, add some cowboys, and replace the ape with a T. Rex named Gwangi and there you go. Firmly placed in the 60's, this film is exactly what you'd expect on a Saturday matinee ...something I'm far more familiar with than most people reading this. The effects were handled masterfully by stop-motion animation genius Ray Harryhausen and it had a rather high production quality for this type of film, back then. Exciting, fun, and a nostalgic joy to watch. Don't forget the popcorn!
The Vast of Night [2019]

         

Taking place in a small New Mexico town in the late 50s, a DJ and a switchboard operator begin receiving a strange signal of unknown origin and their night becomes very odd. The characters were excellent, likable and you became very concerned over them very quickly. The story moved along at a descent pace ...sort of. Which brings me to an odd complaint that I don't think I've had before ...too much dialogue. This movie is just loaded with incessant chatter and unnecessary babbling that got really irritating at times. Beyond that, good film.
Victor Frankenstein [2015]

         

Every so often, it behooves someone to, yet again, re-tell the story of Frankenstein. This one is predominately centered around the tortured psyche of Victor Frankenstein and his rescued, and thereby, loyal assistant and friend, Igor, giving Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy a vehicle to show off their talents, which they do in an outstanding fashion. In fact, everyone's performance was excellent. The creation of the monsters was secondary to this rendition of the story but the characters demand for your attention makes it quite compelling.
Valhalla Rising [2009]

         
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As viewers, we ride along and observe an ex-slave / barbarian, a young boy, and a bunch of crusaders, as they travel from the Northern Highlands of Great Britain to North America sometime around 1100 AD. That's about the entire story in a nut shell. However, it's extremely authentic and exquisitely photographed. We get to know and understand the characters explicitly with little dialogue. As slow and somewhat pointless as it turned out to be, I was mesmerized throughout and I think it really deserved a bigger audience.
The Vanishing [2018]
aka Keepers
            
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A fictional possibility of a mysterious actual historical event where 3 lighthouse keepers disappeared from Flannan Isle off the coast of Scotland without a trace. This comprehensive character study, with phenomenal performances, chronicles how grief, greed and guilt can slowly descend into madness ...really, really slowly, in fact. That must be the style today but it's getting increasingly hard for me to enjoy a movie when I'm spending half my time waiting for the next scene. It's really good but, once again, requires lots of patience.
Viking Destiny [2018]
aka Of Gods and Warriors
            
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A Viking king has a daughter and switches it with the son of his brother. Now that the siblings are grown, he realizes his error too late. Can you say 'silly'. I bet you can. Sure. First of all, the queen-to-be has full make up; lipstick, mascara, blush, perfect eyebrows, etc. and nothing and nobody looked Viking making it all very anachronistic. And every time I started to take the film seriously, it got silly again like it had an almost adolescent quality about it. It wasn't a particularly bad film - I was generally entertained - it's just, well ...sorta silly.
Vanishing Point [1971]

         
  
Attracting the cops to his speeding, a car delivery specialist is pursued by law enforcement through 3 states while driving a souped-up 1970 Dodge Challenger. Arguably the best chase film ever made and not just because of the chase. This film also touches heavily on the '70s culture, intolerance, a police force's incessant need to stop him when all he's really guilty of is speeding, excellent music, and some truly colorful characters. Add in the flashbacks of our protagonist's life and the vanishing point becomes increasingly clear. Remarkably good film!
Veteran [2015]
aka Beterang
            

A veteran cop goes after a corrupt and sadistic corporate president - whose assault on a truck driver left him in a coma - even though he gets nothing but ridicule from everyone. Not so much a South Korean, action film but rather one driven mostly by the flamboyant personalities of the characters and some really good writing. Never really too serious but never really too campy, the movie does a great job of just being entertaining and fun. I really enjoyed it.
V/H/S [2012]

            
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This anthology centers around a gang of thugs breaking into a home to steal a specific VHS tape. What they find is a lot of tapes and when they start viewing them, things fall apart. The five stories, plus the wrap-around story are intriguing, frightening and disturbing. All made with hand held (or similar) cameras (including one made entirely from webcams), the stories feature a different director and writer for each providing us with some very unique and disturbing visions. This is good stuff!
V/H/S/2 [2013]

            
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The original V/H/S was excellent. This one blows it out of the water. Five tales of horror all filmed with hand held cameras, spy cams, eye cams, dog cams, etc. The stories aren't anything complex but they grab you by the throat and won't let go. Original, horrific, gruesome, disturbing and painfully memorable, there isn't a bad story in the bunch. Good, bloody, adrenaline fueled, terrifying fun!
V/H/S Viral [2014]

         
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After making 2 terrific VHS films ...what happened? There isn't a single story in this one that measures up to any story in V/H/S or V/H/S/2. Makes me sad. This could shut down a franchise that was truly original and one that I was really looking forward to what would happen next. The trailer, which contains all the best moments, makes it look far greater than it is.
V/H/S/94 [2021]

         
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V/H/S is back, baby! After a dismal 3rd effort, I figured that would be the last I'd see of this series. But Shudder came through with a 4th that is easily as good as the 1st. Taking place in 1994, the wraparound story was pretty weak and basically just presented the other stories, all of which were excellent. None of them have a deep concept or even really a plot to speak of. They're just violent, blood soaked exercises in carnage with just enough sardonic humor to keep the over-the-top mayhem from being too serious or too silly. Nicely done. Do another one! Now!!
V/H/S/99 [2022]

            
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When a VHS anthology hits, it rocks. When it misses ...ugh! Apparently, someone made the decision to make every person in this mess unlikable and/or obnoxious to the point of not caring about anybody ...except Mabel. Mabel was cool! "Shredding" - Dark, badly photographed, nearly unwatchable. "Suicide Bid" - I liked the spider scene. "Ozzy's Dungeon" - Excessively revolting and unresolved. "The Gawkers" - Good ending! Too bad I had to wait so long to get there. "To Hell and Back" - Best one but the principals were morons. Better luck next time.
The Villainess [2017]
aka Ak-Nyeo
         
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After slaughtering an entire gang by herself, a girl is brought into an agency to be trained as an assassin. This is a complex, personal and highly engaging story with incredibly deep characters and emotions. The high point is the action. Although over-the-top and somewhat over choreographed, it was still super fun to watch. You'd think the drama vs. action would clash but it somehow all works brilliantly. Overall, an extremely pleasant and awesome ride.
Velvet Buzzsaw [2019]

            

A man's dying wish is that his artwork be destroyed but it's found by an asst to a major art dealer before that happens and it becomes a global sensation! Then people start dying. Exquisitely well-written and acted character study that goes far beyond what you'd expect. In fact, the film is not presented, nor does it feel like a horror story as it manipulates the viewer into being as absorbed into the characters as they are into themselves and the horror is almost a side note. But, despite it's dark, conceited humor, this is a brutal and unforgiving horror film.
The Void [2016]

            
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A cop stumbles across an injured man and takes him to an out-of-business hospital. Hell then proceeds to break out ...literally. Didn't see a mention of being based on any H.P. Lovecraft but it is certainly Lovecraftian, otherwordly horror. Doesn't make much sense but when you're dealing with indescribable monsters (some of the best I've seen since The Thing) and gateways to somewhere else, it doesn't really need to make sense. Very horrific stuff for us cosmic horror fans. Good job!!
The Veil [2016]

         

Siblings (making a documentary) and a sole survivor return to the site of a cult mass suicide 25 years before looking for answers. They may not like what they find. This was an extremely well made film that maintained a heightened level of paranoia throughout, does well to keep one guessing, and throws in a few good jump scares for good measure. Story is far more complex than it may, at first, appear. One of the better horror films I've seen this year. Poor ratings, be damned ...this was a good flick!
Voyeur [2017]

         

A frustratingly long-winded documentary of the relationship between a self-confessed voyeur, who watched people in their motel rooms for years as owner of the motel, and a famous journalist who's attempting to tell his story. The back story leading up to current events was interesting but the rest was just unnecessary filler material that was boring me to tears up until the highly dubious ending which, at that point, I no longer cared.
Vulgar [2000]

         

Down on his financial luck, a party clown decides to expand his business to cover being a gag clown at bachelor's parties where things go very wrong. This is an ultra-low budget feature presumably made by a group of friends and whoever they could get ...and they did OK. There's plenty here to show their inexperience as filmmakers but, overall, the film is goofy, perverse, obnoxious, has some very difficult to watch scenes, and mildly entertaining with some occasional brilliantly funny dialogue.
Visiting Hours [1982]

         

A newswoman is attacked by a psycho and sent to the hospital. The psycho then proceeds to kill several other people, in his pursuit to finish her off, because he has no ability to carry a logical thought farther than the next room. In fact, he's the dumbest psycho I've ever seen ...he wears a bell!. This whole movie is half padding, with scenes that build up the tension but ultimately serve no purpose, and the other half is just illogical and thoroughly contrived to the point of incredulity. There was certainly no imagination wasted on this mess.
A Vigilante [2018]

            
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Follows a woman who has become an Equalizer for the domestically battered and abused. Deeply personal and painfully emotional, this film takes you firmly into the psyche of the oppressed forcing you to look at it head on. Personally, I found the film spent way too much time on our protagonist's personal anxiety, demons and angst, well beyond the 'I get it' level, but that doesn't take away from the overall impact of the film. The majority of violence is off-screen and there's no real action. Rather it forces you into the character's worlds and does it well. Nicely done!
Venom [2018]

         

A down-and-out reporter is infected with an alien parasite, of sorts, that can transform him into a vicious, destructive killing machine ...who likes to eat human heads. This was a very clever, humorous, exciting, action film with a very unique and sarcastic creature that was a real joy to watch. Great special effects and well developed action sequences, as well as Tom Hardy's performance as the hapless victim, all worked very well. My only con is the antagonist, Carlton Drake. He just didn't suit me as a mad scientist but that's probably just me.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage [2021]

            

Eddie interviews a serial killer who bites him and becomes Carnage! forcing a war between him and Venom. The characters are likable and the movie was fun but, as with most Sony / Marvel films (except the Spider-man films), everything about it never quite hits the mark and you end up with a matinee style experience that's forgettable. The mid-credit scene tries to tie it to the MCU. *sigh* Too much time spent on the banter between Venom and Eddie, which I guess is supposed to be comic relief that found tiresome. Enjoyable but it could have been better.
Veronica [2017]

         

Three girls play with a Ouija board in an attempt to contact a dead friend and a dead father. Turns out, it worked ...and they forgot to say goodbye. This Spanish film was an extremely effective little creepfest that has some really unique, scary and shocking moments. The movie begins with one of the best teasers in recent memory and then jumps back 2 days. At this point, I'm hooked! I have to see what leads up to that moment. Characters were very natural and realistic, which added to the concern and dread.
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