Scodelli Reviews

Cemetery Man (1994)

Excellent and misunderstood. Artisic and existential

[8/10 · 28 May 2024]

This is a great and thought provoking film.

Yes, thought provoking.

I've seen some viewers call this movie "schlock" and level related criticisms at the movie.

Did we even watch the same film?

This isn't schlock.

2 obvious reasons for this are: A: The film is well made and B: it's very thoughtful.

It's like did alot of viewers somehow miss the intentional pervasive irony and dry humor of this movie?

Did they not perceive it at all?

But though humor is used this is actually a very tragic and sad movie existentially.

I think people don't give it the time of day because they don't respect it as a film at all. They have preconceived notions when they watch it.

It's like alot of the reviewers just miss the point all together.

It uses the setting and situation of the film symbolically.

The film is not about killing zombies. That happens. But the essence of the film is philosophical.

Now I can imagine readers consternation when hearing that, but it's true.

Somehow they missed the whole movie.

In the final act of the film the symbolic intention becomes so strong, one wonders how anyone could miss it.

The setting and situations and alot of the characters are used symbolically. In a philosophical way.

Now I know some of your are going to find this quite ridiculous. But it's true. And a perceptive viewer should be able to see it.

This is a very re-watchable movie to me.

Because while I picked up on some of the symbolism and metaphor, there's alot to unpack and sort out as to what the film is specifically saying.

At the very least the basic setting should be quite relatable to anyone who's had some menial dead end job.

But that's just basic to what the film deals with philosophically.

So this is a movie for the perceptive viewer.

If one takes it on face value one will miss 80% of the movie.

The film is not about the actual events of the story but instead uses the narrative to explore philosophical themes and that should become very obvious by the end of the movie.

The philosophical themes and threads are complex so I'll probably rewatch to nail down exactly what the film is saying.

But it explores themes like menial work, death, love, fate, lack of purpose, freedom(or lack there of). And just general existential struggle.

I recommend this film to a perceptive, open minded viewer who can stomach horror.

Upgrade (2018)

Action movie elevated by it's story. (7.5/10)

[8/10 · 21 May 2024]

At first, this looks like a simple revenge action movie. I expected nothing more than simple action.

Just a typical violent action packed movie.

But this movie is elevated by the story. It does have depth.

And the ending really makes the movie.

It has a great ending.

So while it may look like a simple action movie it turns out to be something better. The story turns out to be valid and interesting.

And I will say that this film has some really well done suspense in it. The kind you don't always see, in my opinion.

The cinematography is great. It's exciting. And it has more depth than your average action movie.

The ending really makes the film.

Underwater (2020)

Medoicre

[6/10 · 21 May 2024]

So I watched this movie because I was desperate to find something to watch.

Two youtube reviewers recommended it, so I watched it despite the low imdb rating.

While there is some excitement and the action moves along, this movie is just mediocre.

Not bad but certainly not good. Like many reviewers have said, it just feels shallow.

Beyond that, the "alien" aspect of the film is poorly introduced and heightened.

Instead a well crafted, tension building slow reveal it was quite clumsy and not too effective.

I'm not expecting a masterpiece but it's just mediocre.

There wasn't any emotional depth to the story really. As many have stated, no character development.

The extensive use of CGI will bother some viewers I'm sure.

While not terrible, it's not a movie worth watching.

It does have a fast pace and some exciting elements.

But never rises above mediocre. And handles things poorly when it comes to suspense and the "alien" reveal.

It's not without some suspense. But at best it's just okay. It's not a movie I'd recommend but it's not terrible either.

But for me, it's not good enough even for a watch and forget Friday movie when you're desperate to find something to watch.

A Bay of Blood (1971)

Much better than expected. 7.5/10

[7/10 · 14 May 2024]

So I went into this film with measured expectations. I heard many reviews saying the story was basically filler stringing kills together.

But that is not the case. The film draws intrigue from a fairly rich backstory which is revealed more and more throughout the film.

It's also has nice artistic direction and cinematography.

The story doesn't drag like many films from this era.

And the practical effects are well done.

Someone said the film makes no attempt at character motivation. But that is categorically false. Every character has a specific motivation that's drawn from the back story.

So the story was better than expected. The artistic direction was there. The gore is plentiful and well done. The pacing of the movie is good.

Instead of having no story, the story was actually a little confusing on a first watch but is well developed.

On the surface this movie may be discounted simply because of the genre. But I find it odd that a viewer would miss the whole story going on though.

All that being said, this movie isn't a masterpiece but it was good. Surprisingly good for the kind of movie it is.

Rest assured, the movie really lives up to it's title "Bay Of Blood".

Beau Is Afraid (2023)

Good? Bizzare, strange, wierd, challening. Also powerful

[7/10 · 28 April 2024]

This is a very weird movie.

This is not a movie for everyone. Indeed it is not a movie for most people.

It's bizarre, it's strange all in a very intentionally unsettling way.

The beginning of the film has alot of dark humor I found pretty funny. You have to perceive it but it becomes too big to ignore.

The 2nd stage of the film has more of a subtle dark humor in contrast. And it's funny.

Towards the ending section of the film as things grow more and more intense, the humor largely fades away(for the most part).

Throughout the film there is this powerful sense of unease and anxiety and it is effectively unsettling.

We feel Beau's anxiety.

About half way into the film, the more surreal aspects of the film come into play. And it is bewildering and profound.

It's a film that touches on alot of themes quite well. Quite viscerally in the ending scenes.

Now I want to come right out and say it's okay if you don't like this movie.

I usually get frustrated when good artistic films and art films are met with hostility.

But in this instance, it is perfectly understandable if this films not for you.

Here's the warning.

This is a strange, bizzare, surreal, unusual film that leans into it's into themes in deep but ambiguous ways.

It is 3 hours long. Some parts are fast, some parts are slow.

It is bizarre and strange throughout. All with an unsettling, anxious atmosphere.

So you have been warned, so please restrain the down votes if you don't like it. Because I gave a strong warning.

In any case, you have to give it to Ari Aster for having the guts to make a movie like this.

Personally, I am not exactly sure how I feel and this film. But I really did appreciate all the visceral exploration of deep themes at the end.

If you are ready for a bizarre, unsettling, surreal adventure then give it a watch.

I watched it in part to see if it met it's strange reputation. Which it did.

And I also watched it as a point of reference, so I know that point in film's landscape.

Again, you're warned. It's not alot of people's taste. And it's also okay if you don't like it.

I view it favorably but it was a challenging watch.

Angst (I) (1983)

A divisive psychological horror film

[7/10 · 7 April 2024]

This movie takes you into the mind of a serial.

The characterization of the killer is quite good. And there are some layers to it.

It's a psychological study of the serial killer.

There's a strong sense of realism in this movie. It makes the brutality more impactful.

The film is artfully shot. This kind of captures the attention in the beginning but soon leaves the attention as the action begins.

One thing I will say about the camera work is there are a number of times the killer is on the edge of the frame. This is very intentional and done to add to the unease.

The story is quite simple but well told.

The ending 20 minutes or so kind of drag but the dogged focus on the brutality remains.

This is a disturbing, upsetting film.

It's not for everyone. And an unperceptive viewer may miss the layers of characterization within the film.

It's a very simple plot. What makes it good is the characterization. The horror of the movie is not just murder but the mind of the murderer himself.

The movie stays very engaging but kind of drags at the end. But still good.

The movie is not for everyone.

Not only because of it's disturbing, brutal nature.

But there will be those who take it on face value and miss the psychological subtext at play.

But it's a well made film, if you can stomach it. Should appeal to fans of dark international cinema.

Well it's good, I wouldn't go so far as to say it's all out excellent.

But it's worth a watch for those who can handle it.

V/H/S (2012)

VHS *sigh*...

[6/10 · 18 March 2024]

If you don't like found footage this is not the movie to change your mind, at all.

With that out of the way, this is a mediocre movie at best.

Many of the characters are frat boy/bro-ish types.

This makes sense for the "I Like You" story, but beyond that it's just annoying.

And alienates you from many of the characters.

The wrap around characters are very unlikable bad people. The wrap around story comes across as convoluted and the ending of it just feels like an arbitrary cop-out.

The "I Like You" story is pretty strong. If you can get past the frat boy characters.

But, don't think about it too much, or that will degrade the experience.

The various stories are a mixed bag, as is often the case with alot of anthologies.

Some of them have twists that are implausible - a problem that plagues many horror movies.

Writers don't seem to realize that if a twist is implausible it doesn't really have much impact.

Some of the stories are slow to get going.

Which really shouldn't be the case with anthology stories.

Don't get me wrong, it's good to set thing up well, but the set up in the slower stories turns out to be pretty nominal.

You get a variety of horror themes, which is kind of neat but the stories range from okay to not that good.

There are some interesting concepts in some of them, so not to bash them too much.

There's alot of gratuitous nudity which I am not a fan of.

And as I mentioned, alot of the characters are unlikeable. Alot of bro-ish characters in alot of the stories.

The ending story is awful. Really poor.

The wrap around story comes across as convoluted with a lazy end.

And those characters are so unlikeable.

This had alot of potential but sadly it turns out to be another mediocre movie.

The whole old vhs, analog horror thing could have been really compelling.

A missed opportunity.

The lower imdb score is well deserved.

Some people really like this movie. But the overall quality is just okay at best.

Exte: Hair Extensions (2007)

Not what you'd expect. Drama with horror elements 6.5/10

[6/10 · 18 February 2024]

So this movie was very different than I expected.

I expected something in the vein of Machine Girl or a (tamed down) Tokyo Gore Police or something, roughly speaking.

Something bonkers and violent.

Instead what we have here is a drama with strong horror elements.

But the drama is the real core of this movie and it does it pretty well.

I expect other viewers have experienced a jarring deviation from their expectations.

Having said all that, while the movie is good, without the wrong expectations, it's still pretty middle of the road 6/10 fare.

So though it has a bad rap from not meetings expectations, it is not exceptional.

This movie is slow to get to most of the horror. As I said it's mainly focusing on the drama. But with things popping up here and there.

The pace does lag a little bit. Even if you like the drama element of it.

In the end, it's not bonkers like you'd expect from the premise of the movie.

And it's just pretty middle of the road overall.

Don't expect something shocking or violent.

This movie does have some pretty engaging special effects, but don't expect any bloody violence.

Black Sunday (1960)

7.5/10 Great old spooky black and white horror film

[7/10 · 5 February 2024]

This film is full of atmosphere.

It's very well directed. Especially for the time.

In terms of the story, it is quite simple but very well told.

The pace is good, in my opinion.

It can drag a little. But there's always something happening leading the story along.

It's all drenched in that atmosphere.

There's something about watching an old black and white spooky movie.

But I don't give movies a pass though when it comes to that.

There are very good films and bad films from this era.

But this film is not only good, it is a cut above alot of movies of it's era.

For a person who is open minded and not cynical it is an effecting watch.

Although I enjoyed it and think it is well done, I can't quite bring myself to give it an 8/10.

But this is a very high 7. And is much better than alot of movies with that score.

The King (I) (2019)

Sad and bleak but that's ultimately it's strength

[8/10 · 21 January 2024]

This isn't the kind of movie that you have to wonder if it's good or not.

It's masterful from the beginning.

Great direction. Great acting. Well paced.

A very intelligent movie.

It also turns out to be quite dark. It has a realistic tone to it.

It has an ugly and brutal depiction of medieval warfare, that is well done.

Though it is definitely much more of a drama than an action movie.

It does a great job when it comes to portraying medieval politics and intrigue.

And showing the grim reality of medieval life.

It's also a very dark movie. There is a feel of grim realism to it.

The ending is quite impactful.

But don't expect a feel good movie. It's not the simple tale you might expect it to be.

The whole premise of wayward heir becoming king, while central to the movie, is only part of the overall story.

It's a legitimately great film. Just don't expect it to be happy.

It's dark and bleak, with an ending that hits very hard.

The Devil's Candy (2015)

Interesting yet ultimately average. Flawed execution

[6/10 · 6 November 2023]

First off, I found the couple in the movie to be implausible.

I understand the normal girl falling for the free-spirited artist, but I think the movies takes this too far.

Her vibe and level of normality just makes the relationship feel not real or plausible.

The metalhead Dad and metalhead daughter aspect is fine, and that kind of dynamic happens in real life more than some might expect.

Not too be too critical on this movie though!

It is genuinely disturbing. In fact, it is more disturbing and uncomfortable than alot of movies.

Even though it doesn't have the same level of explicit violence and supernatural activity, as far as horror goes.

But it does get violent in the end. Just a standard level of violence for a horror movie.

As far as the central premise and theme of the movie, it is an interesting concept. Unfortunately it lakes a smooth, well crafted build.

It felt like the movie didn't take full advantage of it's premise and theme.

There are alot of directions you can take a horror premise like this.

What they chose is okay.

There is tension and discomfort but the movie could have gone harder. And other ways to take the story could have been more effective and engaging.

But I'm not bashing this movie. It is decent. A decent watch if you're trying to find something to watch on a friday night.

At an hour and 15 minutes, it is a shorter movie.

But it doesn't feel short. In my opinion it doesn't feel rushed.

Though they could have done more with this story and the development of the central theme.

The villain of the movie was interesting. A kind of character you don't always see. Fairly unique.

However the villain isn't that scary, even though situations with him are decently scary.

(If this statement makes any sense.)

So, in the end, we have an average movie with an interesting premise. Okay, perhaps good if you're having trouble finding something to watch.

But it's not great.

It does have some effective moments.

But is just your typical 6 out of 10 movie, ultimately.

Hell House LLC (2015)

Nice indie film. 6.5/10 Ultimately not remarkable.

[6/10 · 29 October 2023]

First of all, this is a very low budget film. Some use low budget as a derogatory term but it's simply a result of how much funding the director was able to get. Which can be hard for first time directors making independent films.

For a found footage film, the pacing is pretty good. There's not alot of the long, boring preamble alot of found footage movies have. The pacing overall works quite well I think.

There is some shaky acting, primarily from the commentators.

The acting of the main character team was quite adequate.

For me, there were some elements I found fairly scary.

However I can see why alot of people won't like this film. If a viewer is easily dismissive and close minded they obviously won't get into the story.

Now, although the movie was good it's not remarkable. I did enjoy it but at the end of the day I can't give it more than a 6.5

The movie did have that feel of an inspired director who is still learning his craft.

And handling the limitations and constraints of a low budget. Here I thought he did pretty well.

But this is in no way like "The Poughkeepsie Tapes" which screams amateur at every turn.

This movie does have alot of creepiness to it, which I find very effective.

Also, the director of this film doesn't like jump scares. There are none in this movie.

Which should be pleasing to many viewers who are tired of jump scares.

In the end, the director did a good job. But I still can't rate this movie beyond 6.5/10.

Saw X (2023)

Surprisingly good

[7/10 · 23 October 2023]

This is a genuinely good movie.

Not mediocre(at best) franchise fare.

The production values seem pretty high for this kind of movie. Although it's limited locations it's a solid production.

The script is well written. The acting is good.

It is by far the most grisly and violent Saw movie made.

There's some scenes where it gets really intense. There are scenes with that combo of terror and violence that go really hard.

Now, the set up is long. A good length of film. I think that has brought the imdb rating down because alot of people will feel the set up is too long.

But it is never boring.

Personally, I like the long set up because it gives to the film some substance and makes the second half of the film more compelling.

But I can understand why some horror fans won't like the long setup.

Now, personally there are some problems with this whole movie.

John Kramer is the protagonist.

I have seen the Saw movies thru the 4th one.

The motivation of John Kramer has always been an interesting one. And fairly unique to an extent.

But he was always the villain. We could appreciate the ambiguity of his motivation and action but it was always ultimately wrong. At the end of the day.

This movie really takes John Kramer's side very strongly. He is the main character. He is portrayed as right. The movie sides with his methods, at least partially.

Regardless of that, it is a good movie.

The Beyond (1981)

Great movie - For a perceptive audience

[7/10 · 24 September 2023]

This film has great atmosphere. There are some great moments and elements here.

I like it's approach to horror. To me it inspires the imagination.

It holds up as a gory film, even today. Which is an accomplishment.

However this film is not for everyone. You have to be able to appreciate older movies. And have a little open mindedness. But it does hold up well.

With movies like this, with giallo in particular, it won't be appreciated by some close-minded modern viewers.

Because this film works on inspiring the imagination.

With movies like this, it taps into that sense of wonder connected with fear and mystery.

A capacity for wonder is sorely lacking in our day.

Why this film works well is that it taps into wonder, fear and mystery. It implies more than it shows.

In usual Fulci style, it zooms up and focuses on the gore instead of cutting away from it, or whatever. Which I really appreciate.

But if you truly understand this movie, the impact comes not from gore but from what is implied in the story. And the atmosphere.

The film has a great ending which really makes the film for me.

Now it is a little bit of a slow burn. But even in that there is death and gore happening so it certainly shouldn't be considered boring.

But it takes time to build into the crescendo of the final act.

Some might consider it dated but in actually it has that charm of time. It has this late 70s horror vibe that can be really enjoyable for a genre fan.

(Yes, I know it was made in '81)

Ultimately, an objectively great film.

But I would only recommend it to open minded, perceptive viewers who can appreciate it like it deserves.

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

One of the better sequels. Not great but decent. 6.5

[6/10 · 10 September 2023]

Lately I've been subjecting myself to the various Halloween sequels/remakes for some reason.

This is actually one of the better ones. Jamie Lee Curtis makes a difference and she give a reasonably good performance.

The characters are a little more developed and likeable.

The huge caveat though is that the horror action doesn't start for a looong time in this movie.

But I found there to be some actual suspense in this movie.

The ending was good as well.

Although it's a decent Halloween movie it ultimately doesn't stray too far from mediocre.

Some elements of the movie weren't handled well. It develops the characters slightly but takes a long time to get going.

But I found it good enough to give 6.5.

Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

Shockingly bad. What were they thinking?

[3/10 · 3 September 2023]

Minutes into this movie I realized it was going to suck and be hard to sit through.

It's just awful. What were they thinking?

It's such a shameless cash grab.

One of the many problems is all the comedy in the movie. One of the great and enduring things about Halloween is the atmosphere.

There is no atmosphere here!

The premise is pretty implausible and doesn't make much sense.

Basically a haunted house style lockdown in the Myers house that's supposed to be this breakout hit for a zany character.

This movie also has some quasi-found footage elements. (Yes, it gets worse).

The attempts at tension fail. There are scenes where you could see what they were trying to do with tension but they were utterly failing in that effort.

It's an atrocious movie. As I said, in the first few minutes I could already see it was going to suck bad. Even by watching the beginning credits.

It's boring and poorly made in every way.

Not much more needs to be said about it.

Even if you're a completionist genre fan I still wouldn't bother with this movie.

It's that bad.

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)

Well, they tried...

[6/10 · 3 September 2023]

For some reason, I have been subjecting myself to all kinds of Halloween sequels/remakes.

Now this film actually incorporates several new elements. This makes it far more interesting then alot of the rinse and repeat sequels.

But the movie lacks the film-making skill to support the new elements.

And every new element in this movie is poorly handled and under-developed.

The opening sequence of the film is pretty good. But then it slips into mediocre sequel vibe land except with some new elements incorporated.

I appreciate the effort made to actually have something new in a Halloween sequel.

But unfortunately it is all handled poorly.

But there are enough somewhat interesting elements to give it a 6.

Pi (1998)

Excellent existential filmmaking

[8/10 · 21 August 2023]

This is an art film.

The entire film is shot in black and white. The tone and presentation is very different from a mainstream movie. It's very well directed and artistic at every level.

If you don't like art films or significantly artistic movies you will hate it.

With that out of the way, this is an excellent movie. It's a very intelligent movie. It has alot of subtext. It really wrestles with philosophical themes.

There is this existential dread throughout the film.

It's important to note that this is an independent film, to the point where they didn't have any permits for the places they were shooting.

In my opinion, this is one of the best independent films ever made.

Masterfully directed. Great acting. Great script.

Most indie films don't achieve the level of greatness this movie has.

And it comes down to the director. Skillful, masterful and able to bypass the challenges and pitfalls that often plague independent movies.

A strength of this movie is it grabs your attention from the get go. And turns mathematics and philosophical themes in riveting subject matter.

It has great atmosphere.

In a way it reminded me of a waaay toned down and far easier to understand Eraserhead.

It has that kind of vibe to it.

But of course, far more subtle.

Pi is a very sad and vaguely disturbing movie for me. There's just this existential pathos in it that really hits a nerve.

And that's a good thing.

Calvaire (2004)

A great disturbing movie. 6.5/10

[6/10 · 1 August 2023]

I heard this movie heralded as a hard edged French Extremity film. So I gave it a watch.

And it does have some teeth.

It is a slow burn/set up. The horror doesn't kick in till well after the 45 minute mark.

But once it does it become dark and twisted. A disturbing messed up story.

The story alone is vile and disturbing to the point that it's all it needs to qualify.

An important point is that this film is very well directed meaning a dark and intense movie to experience.

In terms of violence there isn't really much here as far as the genre goes.

But the story is well disturbing itself.

It does deliver. But when it ended I just had this feeling that all I could give it is a 6.5.

And it wasn't that I was offended or thought the story was too twisted. Because I am quite the opposite when it comes to that.

But for some immaterial reason it just felt like a 6.5 film at the end.

Even though it was well executed throughout and the ending scenes are a great and stark experience visually and narratively.

If you are looking for a twisted vile film, this is definitely it. And I do recommend it.

P. S.

Some viewers may feel a lack of realism or plausibility.

One of the twists is a stretch.

The story is quite lurid. It may or may not meet your sensibilities.

However this is a movie where it's fairly clear through reputation what kind of film you're getting into.

The Amityville Horror (1979)

MUCH better than I expected

[7/10 · 24 July 2023]

I watched this recently just to have it as a point of reference as a horror fan.

And though the imdb rating is dubious I had heard people calling it a classic.

I was expecting a mediocre, slow and generally unimpressive film.

What I got was a solid good movie.

The acting is great. When it comes to horror films the acting can too often be quite poor. But in this movie the acting was solid and good.

I had heard people saying the movie is slow. While it takes some time to build because it's a haunted house movie, it was boring or slow to me.

The male lead is quite well characterized and the complexity of that character throughout this film is well done.

Also, with the beard and bushy hair style you definitely know you're watching a movie from the 70s, lol.

The story is good. The acting is good. The script plays things out right.

Is it amazing? No.

But I think it definitely deserves a 7 out of 10.

Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010)

Not for everyone - but good

[8/10 · 2 July 2023]

This an art film. If you dislike art films you will hate this movie.

But beyond that, this is not a movie for most people. Not because it is bad but because it is different.

With that out of a way, this is a very unique movie. In a time when truly unique movies are very rare.

The direction and camera work are artistically and masterfully done.

The revealing story is very interesting and catches the imagination. The movie has an mysterious nature to it. Things are presented in an ambiguous style.

It is ambiguous but not in the typical usual way. You're not left wondering "did this happen or did that happen?" What's happened is actually fairly clear. The feeling of ambiguity comes more from the stylization of the script and direction.

Now this is also a movie that is very self aware.

All the stylization, cinematic choices and atmosphere are all deliberately chosen.

The movie knows what it is doing and does it out of intention.

There are some fascinating themes to this movie. The stylistic directing and presentation really enhance these themes and stirs the imagination.

That bit of ambiguity and mystery really plays out in the film's favor.

The acting is great. There is one actor in particular who just exudes creepiness and evil, convincingly portraying a disturbing character.

Now if you don't like slow burns you probably won't like this.

But I consider the term "slow burn" problematic with this movie. Because this is not a primarily plot driven movie. It doesn't start at A and go to B, foreshadowing B along the way, like a typical slow burn.

I said this movie isn't plot driven but that doesn't mean it doesn't have a story. It has a story. A good story but it is revealed over time in a different way.

The movie has this 80-esque synth soundtrack that's great and fits the movie well.

For those who like art films, who are open minded, who are perceptive will find this to be a great movie.

The Butterfly Effect (2004)

Excellent pyschological thriller, with powerful drama

[8/10 · 7 June 2023]

This is a great movie. Such a powerful story.

A really disturbing thriller.

If you take a minute to think about what the main character is actually going through, it almost verges on horror.

Perfectly paced. Masterfully scripted.

Acting is great.

Well directed, though I was too engaged with the story to think about the camera work.

Which is an indication it was great.

There are twists and turns and an escalating intensity to the story.

I would say, that as a psychological thriller, this holds it own among many great thrillers.

The drama is strong. I think the combination of drama and thriller is very effective.

It was a very emotional movie. It was disturbing in a number of ways. It's a movie that actually brought out a deep emotional stirring for me in ways that most movies don't.

Any open minded reviewer should enjoy this movie. I give it at 8 personally, but the 7.5 here on imdb is quite well earned.

It's not all the time that I can find a truly great movie to watch, so it is refreshing to see a movie like this one.

Huesera: The Bone Woman (2022)

Breaks all expectations - Not for everyone. But good.

[7/10 · 16 May 2023]

This is a tricky movie to review.

Before I watched it I checked it on imdb and saw alot of views saying "this is not a horror movie!".

That is half right. Maybe 65% right.

The movie plays out like a drama. But there are reoccurring horror elements in the story.

But it feels more like a drama.

As far as modern horror movies go, the movie is fairly tame over all.

The ending sequence does really bring the horror for the last 20 minutes or so.

The problem is people will expect a typical horror movie. They will be expecting everything associated with the horror genre.

And that is not what this movie does and many people will hate it because of that.

The movie description doesn't help out matters either. From that movie description line I was expecting quite a different plot line and it took me quite a while to realize the description line was nonsense.

Is it a horror movie? Maybe. Not for alot of people.

But the film is structured around horror. The whole story is based on horror.

But as I said it plays out as a drama. You could use the term "horrodrama" to describe this but I do think the film is a little light on the horror for that term.

But the horror elements in the movie are psychological. Very strong but implicit.

A horror fan used to just slashers, violent survival stories, all out haunting stories or anything like that is probably going to be very disappointed.

I do believe their is a strong horror to the story but it is psychological, it is implicit, it is between the lines. It's doesn't come out in a bunch of intense scenes, though the movie has it's moments sprinkled in.

The film is also a slow burn.

So here you have subtle horror, moments sprinkled in here and there, in a slow burn movie.

So this is definitely not for everyone.

To really appreciate this movie you have to get into the drama of the story and feel for the main character. Which was easy for me.

The drama aspects of this movie are very good.

It's not token drama or filler or some weak thing put in to bolster a typical horror movie.

The drama and the story are very good so I actually didn't mind this movie playing out as a drama.

So feel free to role the dice on this one.

I like it and found it good but I can certainly see why alot of people wouldn't.

From Black (2023)

Decent yet flawed - Ultimately unremarkable

[6/10 · 30 April 2023]

This is an interesting film.

The setting it opens with is different.

A woman in recovery wrestling with the loss of her son.

The drug/recovery aspect is portrayed with a degree of focus and relative accuracy. Something you don't see in alot of movies.

As the movie starts to kick into gear it offers a pretty compelling and engaging journey into it's central theme.

Unfortunately, this movie has a very severe problem.

The acting. The main actress has a crucial flaw in her acting.

Whenever she should have a grimace or sadness in her face she is smiling.

And it looks like a smile.

She is competent in the rest of her acting though.

But this flaw in her acting is too severe to overlook.

I think it comes from a misguided film school tip of how to portray emotion.

I will explain it like this: Alot of times we will see competent actors whose mannerisms when crying is very close to laughing.

This is something that is taught in more dubious film schooling.

That's why they do it.

And, of course, the result is dubious.

I think why she smiles when she's supposed to be grimacing is something she was taught in film school.

It's strange because her acting is otherwise adequate. But such a severe flaw in acting cannot really be overlooked or forgiven.

I liked the movie quite a bit while I was watching it. To me, the main story thread was a little new and different. For me it was pretty engaging.

But in the end it's just an average movie. I can see why it's rate so low here, with her strangely flawed acting.

But for me, even with the flawed acting from the lead, I'll still give it a 6 because it does portray it's main theme/story thread in a good and relatively compelling way.

In this movie, everything is building to the final reveal. But this film does lack teeth. It's ultimately pretty tame.

This movie also has what I call a "modern horror feel".

What I mean by that is slick, simple and streamlined. A very simple concept and a very straightforward execution.

An example of a movie with a "modern horror feel" would be Smile.

Though I enjoyed that movie it still had that slick, simple, streamlined feel to it.

Films like The Harbinger(2022) for example, fall into this category for me.

Often films with this "modern horror feel" lack teeth. Or at least sharp teeth.

Now this movie has a sister cop interrogating and having close involvement with the main character, her sister.

This is severely unrealistic because a police officer would not be allowed to be involved in the investigation and interrogation of their own sister because of the very clear conflict of interest.

No police department is going to allow that.

In the end, this movie doesn't go too hard with the horror and that is an ultimate weakness of this film.

There is a quite interesting aspect of the final reveal but in the end it doesn't save the movie from the "decent-ish" category.

The final end is meant to shock and close with an umph but it fails and just comes across as a cop out(for me anyway)

Evil Dead Rise (2023)

I loved it

[8/10 · 25 April 2023]

I heard alot of great buzz about this movie. So I was excited to go check it out. But I wasn't sure how good it would be because I have a high standard for movies.

First off, the characterization is great. The film takes the time to establish a strong drama setting. The characters are likeable and believable. And the set up didn't feel very long because it was actually interesting.

The writers had a creative way of bringing the Evil Dead aspect in. And it wasn't too hard to swallow. More like 'okay, I can roll with that'.

This becomes a very intense movie.

The characters are confronted with something totally outside of their paradigm or understanding.

The bewilderment and shock was very well done.

Once the horror kicks in it's all out for the rest of the movie. Very visceral and suspenseful.

It leaves us with some great disturbing visuals.

It's bloody and gory, particularly at the end of the film. Nice and violent.

The writing and directing is really good. How it is shot enhances enhances the horror even more. Very well directed.

I was a little put off by the Evil Dead remake, although it wasn't bad. Simply because the original Evil Dead is such an incredible film.

But I actually liked how this one is separate from all that and takes the premise and does it's own thing with it.

This is a great movie. I was really pleasantly surprised at how good it is.

Just a great horror movie.