John Dies at the End (2013)

I'm familiar with David Wong's works from Cracked.com, and knew he was a decent writer. This wasn't quite what I expected, and I now I'm not sure WHAT I was expecting.It's a wild trip from start to finish, and I feel like there's more questions than answers. Not the ones that make you ponder, but the ones that make you want more and want some sort of closure. Or maybe a sequel.I'm definitely picking up the book, though - maybe I'll be able to figure out some of the things that the movie didn't explain.Definitely a lot more dick jokes than you see in most movies, that's for sure.

This film delivered right from the confusing start to the pure joy of the ending (credits started to roll and they kept adding more to the movie as if they didn't want it to end, I certainly didn't want it to) Like a Kool Aid Acid Test refresher course in science fiction and horror, its B-Movie madness but with triple A acting.Having never read the book it was all new to me and I must admit to even now scratching my head about how some of it tied together. But who cares? Its not high budget, its not glossy Hollywood but it certainly was made by people who care about film, about treating the audience as if they deserve something better than an identikit investment project.The acting deserves a big mention, I didn't recognise anyone apart from of course Paul Giametti and Glynn Turman but there wasn't a dud in the whole cast.Too many times I find movies these days with characters who I don't like or care for but this film was acted with devotion and an unbelievable dedication to making sure that the audience would enjoy every second.Much respect for the big chance taken in making this movie and for putting so much care and attention into it.I've given it a ten as film making like this should be respected and encouraged whenever possible. Its far from perfect but at the same time, in its genre, it is a king.

I love SciFi but this seemed to be a movie more about drugs and trippin. It was hard to follow. I understand that this is based on a book and maybe the Director/Producer(s) had a hard time translating the book into a movie. Now, I never read the book so I have nothing to compare it to but for me it was just a bunch of non-sense happening.I understand it was suppose to be two losers who get a hold of a new drug that is on the street one uses it willingly the other by accident. Afterward, a bunch of strange stuff happens. Some of it seems to be alternate dimensions while other stuff possibly alien. Really, who knows. It was to random and drug induced for me to follow.However, the acting and the cinematography were both good. Clearly, the movie was meant to appeal to young men; especially those that use drugs.If you're a high young guy, you're gonna love this movie; everyone else,not so much.

This terrific, bizarre comedy is not necessarily something one can explain to the uninitiated. Most simply it is a story of two guys who deal with supernatural phenomenon, with the movie mainly focused on how they started out. The movie is done in the form of a horror/monster movie, although it's not especially horrific and gory. It does, however, offer exciting and surprising moments.I found myself comparing it with one movie and then ten minutes later thinking it was more like a different one. The slackers dealing with the supernatural made me think of Ghostbusters. The special-effects-laden comedy made me think of Army of Darkness. The intricate, twisting concepts threaded through involving time and reality made me think of Inception. The bugs and hallucinogenic quality are sometimes reminiscent of Naked Lunch. (If I have to compare it with a single movie, I'm inclined toward Army of Darkness.)It's a fascinating and original movie. The only film I've seen previously by the director, Don Coscarelli, was the (IMHO) overrated Bubba Ho-Tep, and his earlier film don't sound appealing to me (nor do his next couple, yet another Phantasm movie and a Bubba sequel), but I sincerely hope he's optioning the sequel to John Dies at the End because I would love to see something similar to this.