BACKCOUNTRY [2014]

The deep of the Eastern Canadian woods quite literally becomes bad news bears for a couple of tent-pitching hikers in director Adam MacDonald's thriller, Backcountry.
There's a bear.  He's hungry.  Conveniently there's a couple of lost campers who are probably pretty tasty.  Put the two together and you get a bare-boned story that might actually work.
What should be quite laughable is actually effective, thanks to the script never going anywhere ridiculously implausible, a hefty build-up of tension and lead actresses Missy Peregrym pulling off a believable performance.
It's a what you see is what you get sort of film that is light on substance but some clever editing, atmospheric photography, restraint on it's script and brisk-pace make it all the more enjoyable in a fluffy sort of way.

3 pan-fried trout out of 5

SKYLINE [2010]

Score composer Brian Tyler curiously serves as executive producer on the SyFy-esque alien invasion film, Skyline.

With a cast made-up a b-list television actors it feels more like a sci-fi TV movie of the week even more so.  The special effects are done on a very low budget but somehow makes it all the more fun.  As bland as the characters are and predictable as the story is (or you're led to believe), you can really feel the passion for film-making put into the shitfest.  It's unmemorable fun and no more.  

2½ rides into the sky out of 5