Best movie of this year hands down!

Simply Perfect

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Director Nick Castle delivers a suspenseful dark comedy about a group of college students who play a game of TAG, consisting of sneaking around with suction-dart guns and keeping tabs on who lives and dies.In the cat and mouse game, each participant lurks in the shadows… dorm rooms, hallways, and even showers… to "remove" their opponents from the list, all covered by L.A. based rock DJ Frazer Smith as the frantic scorekeeper.Enter Robert Carradine as a wannabe pulp writer working for the campus newspaper, interested in covering what, in his opinion, is a strange and subliminally violent pastime where students center more on a fictional death than studying, reading, or anything else worthwhile.With signature full lips, sexy smile and independence, quick-witted Linda Hamilton becomes his very own Lauren Bacall. But the real story begins after scene-stealing Bruce Abbott, as the brooding antagonist, getting accidentally taken out by a dart and being the only player who's never lost, loses his mind: turning into a calculating killer using a real gun with real bullets.Director Castle, a student of John Carpenter, keeps things at a steady pace and, as Abbott sneaks around campus like a shadowy wraith, the body count/horror film aspect works along with the dark comedy and steamy romance. While GOTCHA starring Anthony Edwards, with a similar plot of a game turned lethal, became more mainstream a few years later, TAG is darker and more intense.Kristine DeBell co-stars as a creative but ultimately unlucky gamer and Michael Winslow wields his voice sound effects sporadically. The tagline, "Everybody Gets It In The End," was used as an actual title overseas. And the name fits, almost.A parody of horror combined with Noir and a dash of exploitation, there are plenty of cool homage's to old black and white films and some more "modern" classics, including Abbott looking much like a youthful GODFATHER2/TAXI DRIVER era Robert De Niro.Good stuff from start to finish, 'cause you never know what'll happen next...For More Reviews: www.cultfilmfreaks.com

Tag - The Assassination Game is yet another one of those unknown slashers from the 1980's, but has a few famous stars in it Linda Hamilton (The Terminator 1&2) as the final girl and Bruce Abbott (The Re-Animator) as the deranged killer (not a dead give away it's revealed very early on).To be honest you can't really call this movie a slasher as the killer doesn't use any sharp instruments just a gun as he takes the game of tag quite literally, with fast descent into madness. Especially when Linda Hamilton becomes his latest victim then we get the classic killer and final girl showdown. Tag is a very entertaining movie in my opinion especially loved the cheesy starting where it looks more like a 70's TV show than a horror/thriller movie. I also liked romance angle between Hamilton and the reporter- when they get all lovey-dovey the soundtrack turns to mush, all sax solos and dinner lounge piano. The acting is pretty good and the cast is likable, especially from the main leads. But the only drawback that this movie is that it's a little bland at times with no suspense. But all in all an OK movie.

OK, all one really needs to say is "This is a film about college kids shooting each other with rubber tipped dart guns." If you are looking into a movie with that premise for anything other than breezy entertainment, you need to raise your standards.That being said, this is a pretty good film. Linda Hamilton, as another commenter said, was really honing her craft here, and many of the skills that she demonstrated in Terminator were beginning to be displayed. Her simultaneous edginess and softness with occasional sultry looks are well worth a view. Carradine is passable as a lead as a wannabe "front page", but like all the Carradines, not very memorable.Finally, it is worth noting that Michael Winslow has some enjoyable scenes as a TAG contestant who entertains himself and others with his very commendable skills as a sound effects specialist. He would eventually go on to great fame in the Police Academy movies 2 years later.Not much in the way of technical expertise displayed here by Nick Castle, who played the Shape in Halloween (though he probably had no budget to work with). Most enjoyable for me was the boom mike that appeared in a classroom scene above Linda Hamilton's head. This however was his first directing role, and it had moments of greatness in it that showed his potential.

At a college campus the latest craze is a game where people are given targets to chase after with fake guns loaded with plastic darts. However, the reigning champion so upset over losing decides to use real bullets instead and continue on with the game. Fast paced film with an appealing cast and a fair amount of suspense, style and humor. Also proves tons of violence is not necessary to make a good horror / thriller.Rated PG; Violence.