Ben Ervin

Ben Ervin

A casual viewer, with too much to say.

Favorite films

  • Ghost in the Shell
  • Mirror
  • The Thing
  • Thief

Recent activity

All
  • Win or Lose

    ★★★★

  • Smile 2

    ★★½

  • After Hours

    ★★★★

  • Smile

    ★★½

Recent reviews

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  • Win or Lose

    Win or Lose

    ★★★★

    The visual equivalent of being jumped by a gang of little leaguers who force you to drive them to therapy.

    Along the way you laugh, see the world from their eyes, and shed a few tears, and go about your life.

  • Smile 2

    Smile 2

    ★★½

    Sponsored by Voss.

    Smile 2 is more of the same. For some this would come as a great relief, since the first film is quite liked by horror fans. However, the faults of the first film are still present in this film (the length, ending, and general tone) while it's strengths also abound (lead actress, sound, score). Somewhere in between these extremes sits Parker Finn, who has made something that has all the tools to be interesting but always falls…

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  • The Stuff

    The Stuff

    ★★★½

    I watched this film as a kid and thought it was incredibly scary. On a revisit I find the films messaging on consumerism, and the addiction to processed products to be quite relevant even today. Though it's a goofy B-movie, the film sets this up from the first second as a man walks on to a random construction site and just eats a white liquid seeping up out of the ground because it's "soft."

    If you enjoy some stilted southern…

  • Terror Firmer

    Terror Firmer

    ★★½

    This is a baffling gore fest that left me shocked, grossed out, and sometimes watching through my fingers. But this gruesome send up of Slasher's in the vein of "Sleepaway Camp", this one tops the list as delivering on all fronts.

    That is to say, this film is not for everyone and probably not for most Troma fans, since this is easily the most Troma Troma film that has been made. I will say the realization of some of the hints to the twist and clever editing jokes were welcome in a film that made me wince and gasp.