The Depraved (2011) Movie Review

A group of people are led into the vast Berlin underground thru a secret entrance in a club by a local guide. That is the set-up for the movie The Depraved, so how is this horror movie and should you see it ?

The Depraved (IMDB) (Amazon)

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If you are going to get lost in a maze-like space it’s always a good idea to make sure it is dark, damp, underground, and full of trash, rats and bugs. Because, naturally that makes for a better horror movie. Now if you are scoring at home, that is worth about 2 points (out of 10). Without getting into specifics about the plot there becomes a reason why the group needs to split up, because that is always a good idea in a horror movie that NEVER leads to any complications, EVER.

Now one thing about the version I watched was that the parts in German where not subtitled, but in a horror movie the context is enough to understand what is happening. There are a few versions on YouTube in other languages where you will not understand the German. I don’t think it hindered the “plot”. So how is the movie ? Terrible. 4/10.

Here is a trailer to get you pumped to NOT see this !

Andron (2015) Movie Review

What happens when you combine elements from Cube, The Matrix, The Maze Runner, and The Hunger Games into one movie? Do you get the greatest film of all time ? Let’s find out. I also want to mention that I found 2 different versions of the movie poster. One with Alec Baldwin and one without. Which do you prefer ?

Did it make my list of The 10 Best Maze Themed Movie Posters ?

Andron (IMDB) (Amazon)

Andron.png

Also known as Andron: The Black Labyrinth the film starts with people awakening in an unknown place without any memory of why they are there (Cube). The place is very dark and industrial and set-up in a very confusing maze like fashion (The Maze Runner). Slowly they group (called contenders) finds out that only 1 of them can escape the maze and win their freedom (The Hunger Games). The game is controlled by evil corporations in the future and they are connected into a neural network (The Matrix). So then, this IS the greatest movie you have never seen right ?

No

It’s terrible. With bad effects, numerous plot holes, bad acting and really no character that you want to cheer for or against. The Bad guys go down like Storm troopers in outfits made by your aunties crafting group. The special effects give special a bad name. AVOID. 3/10.

Foxes (2011) Movie Review

I seem to be on a movie kick lately. There have been some great maze movies and there have been some terrible ones, umm…. The Funhouse Massacre, The Maze and Mazes and Monsters . So how is the short film Foxes ? Have you seen Vivarium ? That is important to understand this review.

FOXES (IMDB) (Amazon)

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This is actually 2 different reviews based on one piece of information that only you know - Have you seen Vivarium starring Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Potts or not ? The movie poster and trailer should help you if you are not sure.

vivarium movie poster

Best movie trailer thumbnail ever ?

Now read the appropriate section !

I have seen Vivarium - Read this

I found this movie when I was researching the movie Vivarium which was based on this short film from the same director, Lorcan Finnegan. So comparisons between the 2 movies make sense, like how this film feels much less maze-like than Vivarium. Remember how the housing complex in Vivarium had a very artificial and plastic look to it, well the housing complex this couple is trapped in has a much more realistic look to it. While the couple in Vivarium has a much more linear timeline, this couple appears to be in a more Groundhog Day type loop of sameness. The wife eventually senses this and tries to break out of the monotony. And there are shrieking foxes. And things are weird. There aren’t a lot of answers in this film but there sure are a lot of questions. It is worth a look (see the video below!).

I have NOT seen Vivarium - Read this

The 2011 short film Foxes is directed by Lorcan Finnegan who later directed the film Vivarium based on this same story. Have you ever been to a planned community in suburbia where every house looks the same and they seem to stretch on forever ? Every street you turn down curves around to another street that looks the same as the last one. You are more likely to meet a roundabout dead end than the main road because the traffic planners did not want to make streets that could be navigated quickly, slowing vehicles down and keeping the local children safe. Those subdivision developments are built on the edges of towns where large amounts of land can be secured and they have names like The Meadows, Canyon Estates and Magnolia Country Lakes. Now you have a sense for the setting of this movie. Now add in a bit of Groundhog Day like daily grind of being that you can get stuck in from the routines we have from going to work each day. And every once in awhile because the subdivision was built on new land you get visited by foxes. Loud foxes. And you begin to question what exactly is really going on. What does this all mean ? You won’t find any answers here, but you will have lots of questions. This is a short film worth watching. I recommend it.

Hey, no need for a trailer, why don’t you just watch the whole thing !!! If you have 16 minutes, I think it is worth your time !

Vivarium (2019) Movie Review

I watch any movie that features a maze or labyrinth as part of the plot. Usually that means some great maze movies that I would recommend everyone watch. But it seems I got the best movies out of the way first based on my last 3 sub-par movie reviews: The Funhouse Massacre, The Maze and Mazes and Monsters . So where does Vivarium come out ? Let’s find out….

Vivarium (IMDB) (Amazon)

Vivarium movie poster

So Vivarium is a comedy horror film starring Imogen Potts and Jesse Eisenberg as a young couple looking to purchase their first house. They stop into the Yonder Homes rental office and decide to visit the development where they are shown house #9. The sign as they pull into the development says “Quality Family Homes. Forever”. Everything from there on out goes wrong. The rental agent mysteriously leaves them and despite a full day of driving they cannot find their way out of the development, continually driving in circles stuck in a maze of identical looking homes. Exhausted, they spend the first night in the house eager to try exiting again the next day.

And the next day.

And creatively the next day.

And again, and again. . But they are stuck. Forever ?

Invisible workers that can never be caught are dropping off food and taking trash, and one day the drop off something a bit more interesting with a note that says if they complete a task they can leave.

Things get weird (wait they weren’t already weird ?) from there. And creepy. And finally a bit crazy.

This is an interesting concept for a movie but the last 20 minutes could have been improved. Still I liked the movie better than the critics and would recommend it as a free stream/ library rental. It certainly is worth having a conversation about with friends. What would you do in this situation ? What the heck was going on ? etc. What’s was the deal with ****** (spoiler free question !!!) ? And when you are done watching the movie, if you were interested, you will search for “Vivarium ending explained”.

This movie is the longer version of the short film Foxes (2011) from the same director. The theme is the same with a slightly different story, and I would recommend it. You can read my review which includes a link to watch the entire movie.

One of my favorite parts of this movie is the thumbnail for the trailer below ! We’ve all felt this way.