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Scream (2022)
Doesn't Measure Up
For me, the film pales in comparison to its predecessors, particularly the trilogy. I can't say whether it was the mostly-new cast members that were typically poorly developed and stereotypes, the relative little screen time for legacy characters, and/or the loose connections of many of the new blood to the original characters. Overall, it was not compelling for me.
I watch the "Scream" films not for the gore/kill scenes but for the enjoyable plot and twists and turns. Somehow, this version did not draw me in as the ones before. The established rule that all victims needed to be connected to the legacy characters did not seem to hold true with several of the targets - namely, the sheriff and her son. I didn't care about the characters and did not feel connected to most of them. Despite strong acting by the leads, I felt detached. Also, several survivors should not have been able to live based on the depiction of their attacks and the severity of their wounds.
Overall, it was just okay for me. I might have given it 5 stars as a standalone film but I bumped it up because of the franchise.
Nine Dead (2009)
A Disappointing Effort
The "bottle" concept for a film involvng a group of strangers in a single location has been presented often in the last 10 or 15 years. Therefore, the viewer must be grabbed by the motivations of the characters and their relationships with each other.
I was feeling okay about this film at the halfway point, but then it took a downward turn. The acting and dialogue were terrible, yet I felt it could still be redeemable with a compelling backstory, the bigreveal of the connection between the characters and satisfying conclusion. However, the film continued to unravel. The characters made discoveries that were not only implausible but ridiculous. There is no way they could have figured things out the way it was presented, short of someone being very talented at mindreading. You can only sysoebd belief for so long before the script is no longer forgivable.
A lot of acting was clichéd and unbelievable, yet Melissa Joan Hart stood out in a very bad way. Anyone else could have done better.
I think the ending could have been improved if perhaps the characters had never figured it out, and we were left with a only a partial explanation at the end. The ending could have been improved without the last-minute twist at the end. The ending could have been improved showing Melissa Joan Hart being arrested, and perhaps the kidnapper escaping, and the other remaining individuals having to live with themselves.
Making a personal vendetta the motivation for the kidnappings and murder was risky. It might have been successful had we had any character history, but it did not work coming in cold and somehow miraculously deducting a chain of events using nothing more than supposition. Perhaps a more global/societal/religious motivation would have been better.
This concept has been done before and since, and has been accomplished much better. There is no reason to watch the film.
41 (2012)
Brilliant Indie!
This is a brilliant indie film that I would highly recommend. It had a compelling story, was visually appealing, and featured a beautiful score. The time travel elements were just right, in my estimation - complex enough to make you think and question after the movie ended, but simple enough to avoid being a convoluted, ill-conceived mess ("Lake Artifact" unfortunately falls into this category).
I wholeheartedly disagree with Taylor Holmes regarding the acting, sets, casting, and direction. I thought the acting was spot-on, particularly from the protagonist. He was not over-the-top or overly excitable. I found him to be relatable, and the majority of the actors did not appear to be acting (save perhaps one of the gentleman in the Wednesday discussion group). I can't imagine what the complaints would be about casting - this film entirely worked with a group of who I would assume to be unknowns (not being Australian, I am not aware of any of the actors are popular).
The sets were good. There did not need to be much variety given the story, and for me, they all worked and were more than adequate for their functions. The camera angles were good, the picture was crisp, and the transitions from scene to scene were not noticeable, which is how it should be. The cinematography was excellent from my novice perspective.
The only minor complaint I have is that one of the students' voices appeared to be out of synch with the picture in the opening lecture hall scene. Aside from that, nothing in particular stuck out to me, and I can be pretty picky.
This film was thoughtful, with a lot of heart. It was interesting and looked and sounded beautiful. I typically prefer suspense/horror/thriller, but I thoroughly enjoyed this film as, which I would categorize as a drama with Sci Fi elements.
Highly recommend!
Lake Artifact (2019)
This Movie is a Mess
It tried hard to be smart and clever and deep. However, it was an amateurish attempt that fell flat in a number of ways. It was way too on-the-nose and obvious from the very beginning. The characters immediately knew something was off and even mentioned theories based on previous Sci/Fi plots. There was no buildup, no creativity, no mystery, nothing for the viewer to connect or conclude.
In addition, the purported plot made no sense. It borrowed blatantly and badly from other time loop movies that were successful in their delivery (I won't mention names for fear of spoilers). They had held tensioning intrigue and suspense, while this film was filled with random scenes that did not come close to forming a coherent hole. The cuts were abrupt and jarring abd were frankly lazy - no attempt was made to flow from one scene to the next. The entire story came off as contrived and ill-conceived. You cannot expect the viewer to accept fantastical explanations if you have provided no consent or clues leading there. The characters were provided knowledge that they could never have acquired. Too many things went nowhere and seemed pointless. The cult backstory was ridiculous and did not serve the time loop premise whatsoever, and the so-called "satanic are shoved down viewers' throats pointlessly. The documentary premise does not make sense while the viewer is also watching events occur outside of documentary. Either it's found footage or a documentary or the camera serves as an omniscient narrator with no awareness on the part of the characters. It can't be a combination of devices. That does not work.
I might have been able to forgive some of these story errors if the performances had been moderately compelling. Sadly, this qas not the case. The dialogue was stilted and unrealistic, and most of the actors were unconvincingand unsympathetic. The "Tommy" character seemed like a caricature of an urban black man. The "Megan" character was a stereotype of a hard-partying, shallow, hysterical girl. The characters' words and actions did not make sense within the context of the events. I appreciated the chill undertone of "Thomas," but everyone else was disappointing.
Low-budget movies can br enormously successful in executing their visions. You don't need fancy special effects or sets or locations to make a good film. You do need a compelling story. This film was fine visually - I had no issues with the picture or camera work. Rather, the flaws lay in the script, character development, and execution.
At times a movie is so complex that it creates confusion, and the viewer might need or want to watch again to fully appreciate it. "Inception" comes to mind as an example. This film is the opposite. It is confusing in its lack of a story. It's as if random clichéd plot points were dropped into a bowl, and a handful were selected and put together with no care or thought.
I think this film could have been interesting if there had been a well-developed story based on the concept.
Annabelle: Creation (2017)
Disappointing Overkill
I'm a big horror fan and I try to look at each film individually, no matter if part of a series or anthology. I keep an open mind and reasonable expectations for entertainment, such thay I'm willing to overlook flaws, inconsistencies, and suspension of (dis)belief so long as the film as a whole keeps my interest. This "Annabelle" prequel failed to meet my liberal standards.
The plot of orphan girls moving into a large farmhouse, although contrived, was promising. However, the movie dragged for me. I kept waiting for it to be over. I think far too much time was spent on the orphan girls' personality development and exploration of the new environment, and far too little on the origin of the evil/threat and what had happened to the Mullins, which was not revealed until the third act. The repetitive scenes of bloody violence and torture were unnecessary. I think the film could have been accomplished successfully with only the two youngest orphan girls and Charlotte the nun, and more screen time with the Mullins. It was hard to be invested in the characters when so much run time was spent on the other girls, who did little to move or affect the plot.
The last few minutes were eerie and satisfying, with a nice connection to the first film. Unfortunately thr errors in execution could not be overcome.
Child's Play (2019)
Fear Not the Doll but the Monopolies
I was struck by this movie in an unanticipated way. Never having seen any of the original "Child's Play" films but being vaguely familiar with the premise, I'd say that the movie more than fulfilled my expectations of horror, blood, gore, and a menacing toy (read: wasn't expecting a slasher pic but thatmight be my fault).
I enjoyed a second, more sophisticated layer of fear conveyed by the looming threat of technology uniting to defeat humanity. Sure, that story has been told before, but maybe not quite in this way. In the age of smart technology, interconnectivity, and few mega-corporations exerting control over the market, it is easy to imagine this type of threat being more science-fact than science-fiction. It is common knowledge that our devices and apps monitor and record our behavior and suggest curated products/content. But what if all devices in our home were controlled by a single common platform (this may already be the case for those more trendy than me)? What if a nefarious entity managed to control every product and device everywhere, and used them for a hostile takeover? Violent or not, this is a version of reality that is as fathomable as it is terrifying. I think back to the scene in "I, Robot" (2004!) where Will Smith's character refuses to utilize any automated devices, as rudimentary as they were depicted back then. I have such kinship for him in that moment. This aspect of the film gave me more food for thought than I would have surmised.
Forgetting the technological feasibility of the actions "Chucky," which I am not qualified to judge, I did take issue with what I consider an obvious flaw. How many kids/tweens live in households where fancy knife block sets are accessible for everyday use in the preparation of PB&J sandwiches? Come on now. I know Chucky needed to learn to stab to move the plot forward (and possibly to remain consistent with the previous films), but this seemed awfully contrived. Who uses heavy-duty knives to slice a sandwich and then leaves the knives out?
I was also disappointed with Aubrey Plaza's character. Given who she often plays, I was expecting her be a lively badass. Instead she was kind of a clueless, absentee mom who worried more about her boyfriend than her child for much of the film. She was bland and passive abd made bad decisions. I wish her characterization could have risen to the level of her son. I get that sometimes the adults have to be maddeningly dull so the kids can shine (and they did here) but it would have been a nice change of pace to have the ignorant mom role be reimagined along with the backstory.
Suspiria (1977)
The Real Horror is in the Lack Thereof
It's tricky to view iconic films for the first time from a modern lens. It's hard to say how I would have interpreted the film during its era. However, having grown up with late 90s/2000s horror movies, I view this film as lacking in comparison.
Visually, the film was stunning and interesting - which is why I rated it 5/10 and not lower. I enjoyed the interior design of the buildings and the use of color - the overall atmosphere was excellent. The score was also good. However, these aspects could not make up for the over-acting, unrealistic dialogue, terrible special effects, and weak plot.
All of the acting was over the top and not believable. I realize that some of my displeasure may be related to the apparent dubbing of all language, but whatever the reason, it didn't work. The dialogue was contrived and forced. There was no character development and therefore no reason to care about the characters and their fates.
I kept waiting to be scared. At most, I was at times uncomfortable. I was really disappointed with the rudimentary special effects - fake blood looked exactly like paint (color and consistency were way off), fake bat that looked like a puppet, fake dog biting a fake throat. Nothing approached realism. I'm not sure how the effects would have been interpreted in 1977, so perhaps that's unfair, but c'est la vie. I was relieved when the film ended.
I wanted to watch the original before the remake so I could compare. Considering how beloved the original appears to be and the criticism I've seen of the remake, I don't have high expectations, but it may surprise me in a good way.
The Girl in the Photographs (2015)
Unfortunately, IMDb rating was accurate
I wanted to give this film a chance despite the 4.4 rating here. Sometimes I'll disagree with the consensus. This is not one of those times.
The premise was promising; however, the execution was sorely lacking. The score was obnoxious and distracting, the characters were flat, the dialogue was bad, and the plot never coalesced for me. At times it dragged and other times was confusing due to a lack of establishment of characters/places before they met an untimely demise. The graphic violence was pointless - a good slasher film should draw you in with an explanation or backstory for the murderers. The major plot point of a girl passing through a small town being targeted by sadistic killers and tapped for a modeling career by a major LA photographer is extremely contrived. There were too many clichéd events and implausible behaviors throughout the film. Perhaps had we learned about Colleen and her comrades we might have been interested in their fate. I appreciated the ending sequence but overall, nothing seemed to matter with this movie. What was the motivation? I guess we'll never know
An American Haunting (2005)
Amateurish and Disappointing
Despite a well-pedigreed cast, this film was uncomfortably amateurish. The acting and accents were forced, the story dragged, and the film was visually irritating with its rudimentary special effects and abrupt color shifts. It wasn't particularly scary. The scenes with the daughter being "attacked" were extremely repetitive. The whole time I felt like I was watching a cheesy, low-budget production. The reveal at the end was interesting, but not enough to elevate the film even to mediocre status. I finished watching only so that I could accurately rate/review the movie.
I think the concept could have been intriguing if it had been well-executed. However, it just fell flat as a horror film and a film, period.
Intruders (2011)
Very Hard to Watch
The idea may have had merit but I found this film extremely difficult to watch. The jumps between settings/characters were abrupt and disjointed, with the two "pieces" seemingly unrelated for the majority of the narrative save for a shared antagonist (Hollowface). The parallel stories made it very difficult to become invested in the characters. Perhaps if it had been more cohesive it could have worked. I can appreciate multiple storylines when well-executed, but these appeared almost to be standalone, independent plots with no attempt to connect them.
I found the film to be confusing and disappointing overall. It is visually interesting but falls flat in execution, character development, dialogue, and resolution. I wanted to give it less than 5/10 if not for the potential that was ultimately squandered.
Fantasy Island (2020)
Much Better Than Ratings Suggest
I watch a lot of horror movies. Most are mediocre at best. This one kept my attention throughout. I thought the plot was cohesive and creative. Unlike many counterparts, there were not any moments here for me that felt contrived, boring, cheap, or forced. Sure, there were a few things left unexplained, but overall, this was an entertaining and enjoyable film. I don't understand the 4.9 rating whatsoever. I'll give a film 5/10 if it was mildly entertaining with obvious flaws and weak points. This film exceeded that benchmark. I'm not familiar with the Fantasy Island TV show, but this movie worked well as a standalone film.
The Weight of Water (2000)
Pointless
This was a very long film to ultimately not have a coherent message or takeaway. I kept waiting for something to connect the two stories (1873 murders and modern .... something) but nothing did. The separate times and characters did not fit together and it made no sense within the context of the narrative to link them. I think the historical events could have been a much better and more compelling standalone film. I didnt understand what the modern perspective was even doing there - I did not feel for the characters or their motivations and wondered what the point was of their inclusion. It was presented at the outset like a supernatural connection or murder mystery but instead we were left with a jumbled mess of possible infidelities and betrayals for no good reason. The Jean character's obsession with the 1873 murders and survivor was never justified or explained. The plot description that the modern woman is living a life in parallel to the 1873 survivor is what drew me to watch, and this was inaccurate and actually fraudulent. Nothing was connected. Everything was random. It was pointless.
Very disappointed. Would not recommend the film. The 4/10 stars I gave were for Sarah Polley's excellent performance- but she could not elevate the rest of this nonsensical mess.
Ready or Not (2019)
Enjoyably Exceeded Expectations
Ths movie was very watchable. It grabbed me from the first scene and did not let go. You pretty much knew the basic plot from the description, but that's not a bad thing in this case. The folklore got a bit richer while honoring the same promised themes. It was not a deep movie but it was a satisfying one. It had humor and even a bit of social commentary. I didn't feel like anything was filler or out of place- ultimately the film was well-edited and the effects did not appear overtly fake. There were minimal cheap jump scares and despite the plot being relatively simple, it was not predictable or cliched. Some might say the premise is unoriginal, yet I haven't seen quite this take on a deal with the devil. Several of the lead haracters surprised you, although the majority of the supporting playera had no real character development. It was well-acted - nothing cheesy or over-the-top. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and would recommend it.
Pay the Ghost (2015)
Potentially Good Idea Fell Flat
Even though it was Nic Cage, I was hopeful. I've seen some good performances and good films from him among the drek. But this one played like a C-grade made-for-TV movie, and was disappointing even under that framework.
I am trying to figure out exactly where it went wrong but there are so many possible culprits that it's hard to pinpoint. I think the idea could have been intriguing if properly executed. Beyond that, everything failed. The characters were one-dimensional, the dialogue was contrived, and all of the people who were there to move along the plot were unconvincing not only in their knowledge but also how this knowledge was acquired.
The random schoolteacher at the Irish Halloween celebration coincidentally held the key to finding the child after having said she knew nothing moments before? The blind homeless guy coincidentally knew about the portal to the other side? The university colleague in (literature?) knew just where to find and access the conveniently detailed historical documents in the archives that told you exactly what had happened hundreds of years ago to a random colonist? And was then killed for that knowledge? To what end? She had already revealed what she knew to Nic Cage - what could be the purpose of killing her? The cop who basically did nothing aside from serving as a foil to Cage's character and failing to pursue supposed leads for the missing children?
The plot seemed disjointed and the acting was unconvincing. It was like random scenes independent of each other or the greater storyline - in particular, the psychic who was burned internally, the vultures, the spirit appearing before Halloween to the children, the children saying "pay the ghost." For any if this to work there would have needed to be a greater exploration into the mythology and a solid connection to present-day events. Nothing is explained and we are there left confused and underwhelmed. The possession elements of Nic Cage and his wife were just there, sans explanation or exploration.
I also found myself wondering how a newly tenured professor and his (architect? Designer?) wife could afford what is likely a million-dollar brownstone in NYC.
You didnt feel for the characters because they were never properly developed. Their relationships were not deeply explored. I think I liked the child actor best in this film, even though he had only a few minutes of screen time. Everyone else was disappointing.
This film is not worth anyone's time, and I wish I hadn't wasted mine.
Unsane (2018)
Good, Could Have Been Better
I liked this movie overall. Dark and disturbing, it moved well. It made me uncomfortable, which was the intention. I might have rated it as a 7 or more but for the completely unrealistic American accent from Claire Foy. I haven't seen her in anything else but it was so incredibly obvious that she's British - rarely a word came out of her mouth where it wasn't dreadfully apparent. Great actress but this removed me from being a rapt viewer in the story because it so clear she wasn't some girl from Boston, as was her character. The terribly-disguised accent along with the juxtaposition of blatant display of American flags in the beginning of the film- her office at the bank, outside when she's eating lunch, and in the office of the facility doctor - combined with the telltale signs of other masked British accents in the head nurse and the administrator - make it seem like the film was possibly made in the UK but packaged as American for audiences.
There are other things to pick at as being unrealistic in the plot but I am willing to suspend my disbelief for the sake of the world created as a part of the film. Thanks to Foy's dire need of a dialect coach, I could not fully be immersed in that world. Some people might not care about this, but why hire a Brit or an Aussie to play an American if they can't do so convincingly or at the very least passably? Plenty of actors are up for the challenge (Toni Collete and Cate Blanchett come to mind, although they are obviously a different demographic), and if not, I'm sure some American or Canadian engenue could have done a good job- not like this was a high-budget film.
If the IMDb message boards still existed I may have posted my comments there instead, but no option anymore unfortunately.
As a movie, it's worth a watch. If you don't care about the perceived authenticity of actors matched to their characters, even better.
Sucker Punch (2011)
Very Disappointing (This Will Be an Unpopular Opinion)
I've wanted to see this film for years. Unfortunately I was very disappointed with the execution. The cutaways between "reality" or (mid-reality) and the fantasy fight sequences were abrupt, intrusive, and disjointed. I did not care for these sequences at all - they were uninspired and flashy but lacked depth and did not seem to fit with the flow of the film. I found myself only half-watching and waiting to return to the main plot. I think they would have fit in a different film (pure video-game or comic genre) but the contrast did not work for me at all. It was like watching two different movies that did not meld together. There could have been much more effective and satisfying ways to create fantasy worlds/alternate realities without cutting to contrived supposed "dance sequences" that were never shown in lieu of a random collection of overblown battle/mission scenarios.
All of this is before the letdown "twist" ending. This movie could have been great in the right hands. I couldn't say if the problem was the script, direction, editing. It just didn't work for me on any level. The narration throughout the movie did nothing to help its cause and seemed like a pathetic attempt to bring higher meaning to a meaningless story.
The Forest (2016)
Enjoyable - Glad I Didn't Pay Attention to the Rating
I was hesitant to watch the film with a 4.8 on IMDb. Glad I did anyway. It was creepy, atmospheric, and visually appealing with a great story. Excellent psychological thriller that makes you question reality often. Although not devoid of a few cheap jump scares, the acting was solid, plot moved well, and I was willing to forgive Natalie Dormer's bad approximation of an American accent. I'm fairly critical and I thought it was a good film - give it a shot.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016)
Derivative and Boring
As much as I enjoyed the original, I wish I could sing the praises of the sequel. But this is one movie that would have been better left to the imagination. It has all of the original characters, along with all of the original jokes and conflict and story. But it was neither funny nor original this time around. The attempts to inject new life into the franchise by the marital conflict, rebellious teenage daughter, and possibly non-marriage of the Portokalos patriarch and matriarch fell flat for me. What was amusing and unique the first time around was simply flat and repetitive now. The characters seemed more like caricatures, and the charades and shenanigans were irritating. I was not drawn in by the contrived plot, nor sympathetic to the characters. I did not care what happened to them and I found myself wanting the movie to be over. I was watching on a plane and was not able to quite finish the movie, but was unbothered. I think fans of the original will be sorely disappointed. This is one film easily missed.
American Horror Story: Room Service (2015)
Nonsensical and Inconsistent
Aside from the typical incredulity I experience when characters do something that is completely contrary to their personality and way of life (read: Alex deciding to become a vampire, even though she was repulsed by the thought), there are some major problems here.
The mythology of how people are turned into vampires has either not been fully developed, or the writers have selectively decided to disregard it at will. We have seen that the Countess turns people by having them drink her blood. However, how alive or dead do you have to be? We learned that Donovan was turned when he was near death, and this saved his life. Tristan was very much alive when he was turned. Donovan turns mommy dearest, Iris. But was she alive or dead at this point? We don't know.
The bigger issue at play is that of Measles Max. Alex injects him with her blood to save him. He is instantly healed. Okay, I'm on board so far. But he is okay with eating real food immediately afterwards? The relationship with food hasn't been previously established, so, okay, fine. Max kills mom and dad. Sure, whatever. Max goes to school, kisses his puppy love, Madeline, bites her, and then lets her have a drop of his blood in return. Are we to believe that this mere drop will turn Madeline into a vamp as well, when it took a fair amount every other time? Furthermore, why would Madeline immediately display serious signs and symptoms of measles? Even the Ebola virus does not transmit that fast. That's impossible. And how would drinking copious amounts of someone else's blood cure her of this, and complete her transition? This makes no sense for her, nor for the rest of the students in the class.
Either consuming a vampire's blood makes you a vampire, or it doesn't. Consuming the blood of a vampire who previously had the measles shouldn't simply give you the measles and nothing else. And consuming a non-vampire's blood shouldn't turn you into a vampire if you weren't one already. Yes, vampires need to feed on human blood, but in all other cases depicted, this hunger was not immediate.
I can think of several possible explanations, none of which is plausible even considering the usual suspension-of-disbelief that accompanies supernatural shows and movies:
1. The kids were magically turned into vampires with a little bit of Max's blood. In this case, they shouldn't have contracted the measles (speed of transmission notwithstanding), because once you become a vampire you are healthy and vital and all that jazz. Not to mention, Max's blood would no longer have any trace of the measles virus, because he is also the picture of health and vitality. So there would have been no way for it to be transmitted at all.
2. The kids were turned into vampires from a whole lot of Max's blood (not shown). Max is somehow able to withstand giving his blood to 20-something students without issue. Same problem with the measles as above. If you are a vamp, you shouldn't have them. Max wouldn't have been able to pass the measles on.
3. The kids, when demonstrating the measles symptoms, were not yet vampires. They are clearly ill, and you are not ill if you are a vampire. This is the most likely scenario to me. However, drinking someone else's blood could not have turned them into vampires. You need a vampire's blood for this. And once again, they should not have been able to contract the measles from Vampire Max.
I can't believe that the episode made it on the air in this state. Shame on the writers/producers/editors and possibly, focus group participants for not catching this egregious error.
The Voices (2014)
Pointless
I wanted to like this movie. Ryan Reynolds is usually quite appealing. He is a great actor, but even he couldn't save this pointless film. The premise was interesting and the opening was promising, but the film fell flat for me after Fiona's demise. He was connecting with Lisa, but then she was killed, and Allison soon followed suit. And for what? There's only so much you can get out of hoarding (which, by the way, was never explained), dismembered body parts, and blood and guts smeared everywhere. The talking dog and cat were frankly obnoxious, and the psychiatrist was useless. You know the patient's history and know how important the meds are, and yet you halfheartedly ask him if he is taking them? You note that he appears troubled and do nothing. No follow-through. Why even bother having the character? And I kept waiting for some sort of resolution at the end, but it never happened. He *finally* gets caught at the 11th hour. Okay. You'd think someone might have connected the dots a bit sooner given his obvious feelings for Fiona and his suspicious behavior following her disappearance. Lisa knew how he felt, as did Allison, but no one was concerned? And the cops weren't, either? And at the end, Jerry allowed himself to die, and awoke to a song-and- dance routine with his dead mother and the girls he killed? This was ridiculous, not funny. The film was worthless.
The Age of Adaline (2015)
Great Production Value But Emotionally Unsatisfying
This film is certainly beautiful to look at, from the costumes to the settings to the cinematography. However, to me, it lacked emotional depth. I didn't really care that much about the characters, certainly not to the extent that I would be rooting for Adaline to find true love. In fact, I found the quickie relationship between Adaline and Ellis to be contrived and not believable. The only relationships in the film that resonated with me were those between Adaline and her dogs, and, to a lesser degree, Adaline and Flemming.
I couldn't say whether it was the script or the acting that fell flat. Lively did a nice job portraying a refined, educated woman from another time. I enjoyed her diction and the way she carried herself. But nothing about the movie cut to my core or stayed with me after the closing credits, which I believe is essential for a film to be considered great. I think perhaps the writer/director tried too hard to pay homage to (or, to be less generous, rip off) the masterful "Benjamin Button." The latter was superb in acting, script, and emotional range, while "Adaline" was merely adequate. Don't get me wrong - this was a pleasant film, but nothing spectacular or extraordinary.
The Babadook (2014)
Grotesque and Cruel
Any movie that shows unwarranted harm to an animal automatically loses a number of points in my book. (I would have probably given the movie a 5/10 due to the incessantly annoying nature of the child, Samuel. I like kids but I couldn't help hating him, far before the Babadook ever entered the picture.) But, portraying the vicious murder of a defenseless dog was disgusting. It had already been depicted in the book - there was no need to have it play out in the movie, especially so graphically. The death of the dog wasn't necessary, but they especially didn't need to SHOW this scene. It could have been implied to even greater scare-factor. Shame on the filmmakers, and shame on viewers who use the defense "it's only a movie." That is never an excuse.
2/10 due to annoyances and animal cruelty
Alyce (2011)
Pointless, Disgusting Piece of Garbage
I would count this among the worst if not the worst movie I've ever seen. The first 20 minutes were tolerable but the rest was a gratuitous display of sex, drugs, violence, and gore. The last 20 minutes in particular were so graphic that I'm amazed this film managed an R rating rather than NC 17. And through it all, there was no point - nothing gained, nothing to take away. There was no real plot, no character development, and no reason to depict all of this nastiness. I deeply regret watching the movie all the way through - in fact, I only did so that I would be able to write an accurate review. I can't fathom what other people may have been thinking to rate this film as any higher than 2 or 3 stars out of 10 - and that would only be if you really like to see drugs, sex, and gore.
Dead & Breakfast (2004)
Stupid and Unfunny Garbage
I tried very hard to keep watching this movie but couldn't. Upon several attempts I could only make it about halfway through. It is all the worst that horror movies can be - cheesy, ridiculous, farcical, dumb, and not scary. I'm not sure what the goal was here. Horror comedies can be quite clever and entertaining when done well (Fido is a good example) but this film failed on every level. There was no real plot or characters aside from tiresome clichés. The so-called action left much to be desired. Even the gore was boring (if that's your thing - it's not mine). I can't see any redeeming qualities. I really don't know how the film yielded a 5.9 current rating on IMDb. It's not worth wasting any of your time on this movie.
The Shrine (2010)
How Did This Get a 5.6 Rating?
Aside from the first 10-15 minutes, there was no plot to speak of, only gore. I was never scared and ceased being startled, or interested, very early on. The fact that the majority of the film has a spoken language other than English - and no translation - only added to my disengagement. Why should I care what is going on if the filmmakers don't bother to tell me? I wonder if they didn't know, either - maybe it was simpler just to have a bunch of dialogue in a foreign language than deal with pesky details like character development and storyline. Wrapping things up in a neat little package in the last 5 minutes doesn't make up for the previous 45 minutes of senselessness.
I don't understand all of the positive ratings. How could anyone think this was a clever, well-done horror movie? I'm at a loss.