susieqeisus Reviews

Buckskin (2021)

Just average

[5/10 · 7 March 2022]

This popped up on my recommended movies list and when I found out it was because I made the mistake of watching the movie Bull Shark from the same director the reason was clear. Still, the trailer looked engaging enough and I've seen this lead actor before so I decided to give it a try.

Based on the director's previous work I expected this might be miserable to sit through but after giving it the time of day I'm not disappointed. It's not a bad movie and it certainly isn't a great one.....I'd call it perfectly average. It has flaws but the things that work for this movie really pop.

The movie is anchored by its lead actor and his commitment to the film. He is tasked with carrying the movie on his shoulders because he's in almost every scene and every other actor is hit or miss. For every good performance you're likely to find one as bad as the other was good.

The cinematographer looks to be a regular with this director and his work is put on much better display here than the last effort I saw, and it's another saving grace of what might have otherwise been a lackluster piece of entertainment.

I can't recommend this film highly but I wouldn't steer anybody away from it either. Give it a shot and see what you think. There's certainly worse ways to kill 90 minutes.

Bull Shark (2022)

Not the worst shark movie ever

[1/10 · 4 March 2022]

That title would probably go to the other 2022 shark movie The Requin. Bull Shark seems to be in a competition to top it but just falls short. One can also consider the newly released Beneath the Surface.

The directing here isn't the worst there is but everything about the movie is unfortunately dampened by a hackneyed and poorly developed script that spends most of its time ignoring the threat of the shark to focus on the story of a struggling alcoholic, which could be compelling if it wasn't instead so sloppy. One decent performance might have saved this movie, making it salvageable at least, but try as I might I can't find one to point out.

Schizophrenic cinematography is on display with plenty of pleasing moments for the eye followed with so many others that look like they were done by film students that I wonder if they were shot by the same person. Some decent visual effects on what was obviously a low budget saved this from being a 1, even though the shark we see on screen is a Great White instead of the Bull Shark that the title and characters indicate.

A movie about a Bull Shark let loose in a Texas lake could have been great. Unfortunately it wasn't left in capable hands. Hopefully somebody else may come along and attempt to right the wrongs.

The Boy Behind the Door (2020)

Not what you think

[9/10 · 4 March 2022]

It is a staple of a slasher or chase movie to have characters making idiotic decisions that leave you scratching at your scalp and wondering why in God's name they did what they did. Sometimes it's fun. Sometimes it's the most aggravating thing. It all comes down to the rest of the story's set up because, you see, this is all just part of the fun.

The Boy Behind the Door follows many of the tropes you've come to expect from horror-thrillers such as this one but it pulls itself up with clever writing and likable victim characters and somehow manages to shed its influence from something more typical in a slasher or chase movie and draw influence from bigger, better classic pieces like The Shining. You'll just have to see what I mean.

The tension runs high and is more effective than 99% of these movies have achieved in the last ten years, with the final act being a nail biting masterpiece that left me on edge. If you're looking for a senseless bloodbath then move right past this one but if you want something intelligent and fiercely tense then look no further. You've found more movie.

I'm looking forward to seeing what this duo does in the future.

47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019)

A letdown from its predecessor

[4/10 · 15 February 2022]

The first 47 Meters Down is everything you could hope for from a shark movie. Tense situations. Strong acting to carry the suspense. A few genuinely frightening moments here and there. I really enjoyed it. This one not so much.

The acting isn't quite as strong and is even embarrassing at times. The tension doesn't run nearly as high as the first and is mostly just a watered down rehash of what came before.

Pretty visuals and just a few good shark kills get a generous 4 from me. I want to rate it a 3 but somehow that just feels wrong.

47 Meters Down (2017)

A fun and genuinely tense shark movie

[7/10 · 14 February 2022]

When looking for a good shark movie to watch the first thing to come to mind would never be X movie starring Mandy Moore so I've put this off until I was in the mood and it just so happens that sharks have been on my wish list so I've finally given it a chance.

47 Meters Down manages to be original while not necessarily breaking the mold. It has it's problems but at the end of the day it manages to be genuinely tense and frightening and for a movie like this that's what it boils down to the most.

It's not Citizen Kane and it's not even the Citizen Kane of shark movies but if you're looking for good, fun, tense entertainment then look no further than 47 Meters Down.

Great White (2021)

Okay

[5/10 · 11 February 2022]

Part 2 on the shark movie binge:

This one was okay but nothing that the trailer had me hoping for. Another run of the mill great white movie featuring some pretty people stranded in another hopeless situation with the only thing standing between them and their freedom is a hungry shark or sharks.

This is the exact plot I'm looking for and this one was decent enough. The problem is that there isn't a single thing done in this movie that hasn't been done better in something else that came before it. With a shark movie I understand the premise is hardly ever going to be original but I want something more than carbon copies of better movies at the very least.

And haven't these filmmakers learned from some of the early critiques of the Jaws sequels that sharks don't growl or roar, and that we're going to make fun of you if you have them do it in your movie?

Fail for that alone, but credit where it's due. I can at least say I was mildly entertained.

The Requin (2022)

In the mood for a good shark movie?

[1/10 · 11 February 2022]

I was. And now I still am because this thing certainly failed to deliver. The poor attempt at using flashbacks to indicate something deeper is an illusion used in an attempt to convince you there's a story here but it doesn't work at all.

The CGI is terrible, not just on the shark but on the terrible backgrounds as well. The trivia says this was shot at Orland Studios and I would say that's quite obvious. The green screen shots stand out like a sore thumb and it might not be so bad if there was any sort of redeeming quality but none seems to exist here.

I'm a fan of Alicia Silverstone, or at least the version of her we had in the 90s but her performance in this is a travesty that consists of little more than obnoxious screaming throughout the runtime. I don't know if this was her or a director decision but she should have known better.

Ultimately nothing good about this one but that's okay. At least I'll be encouraged to hold a shark marathon now in order to quench my thirst.

The Free Fall (2021)

Indie horror continues to impress

[7/10 · 22 January 2022]

The Free Fall is another outing from the world of indie horror that proves that the most interesting efforts don't always lie among the mainstream. It's a haunting mystery surrounding a young woman who struggles to regain her memory after a failed suicide attempt.

The film is a low budget indie effort starring Shawn Ashmore and it certainly moves at a slower pace. Not so much for the Insidious crowd but anybody who has followed the A24 section of horror will probably find something to enjoy here.

The mystery is the driving point of the film and, unlike so many others that fail to engage, this one will likely keep you guessing to the very end. To say anything else would surely be to spoil it.

Give it a watch. It's not the best of the bunch but it's certainly worth the runtime. I so love when directors get it right with this type of film.

The Green Knight (2021)

A Masterpiece For the Modern Age

[10/10 · 2 August 2021]

David Lowry is back, this time with a mind-bending epic adventure that is a masterpiece for the modern age.

If you've seen Lowry's previous works then you should know what to expect, and that goes for whether or not you'll find yourself enjoying it. This certainly manages to maintain itself on the same philosophical level as A Ghost Story while broadening its horizons and expanding to a new level of awe.

Dev Patel shines here as Gawain, the nephew of King Arthur whose obsession with what it means to be a legend is wholly captivating. It may help viewers to read the poem first, but even if you go in blind you should be able to put the pieces together if you're able to move along with its slow pace and settle in for the ride.

Do not watch if you can't handle a slow burn. Otherwise, enjoy a real treat of a movie.

Midnight Devils (2019)

Does it get worse than this?

[1/10 · 7 June 2021]

I am finding it difficult to even be able to find the words to describe how incredibly awful this movie is. If I could find even one positive thing that could maybe just maybe inspire me to put it at a 2 then I would but this movie has nothing. The acting is below a 101 class, cheap would be a polite way to describe the look and feel and the script, if there was a script, feels like it was put together by cutting random letters out of a magazine and pasting them on paper until they formed something that made even a little bit of sense. In fact that actually may have made this movie better.

I was excited to see Michael Berryman in the movie but he is featured for just maybe five minutes so unfortunately he wasn't able to save it. If you are considering watching this movie I encourage you to reconsider beforehand and maybe consider the possibility of doing anything else at all. If you can't think of something better to do then maybe reconsider your life.

Choke (2020)

Strong performances

[4/10 · 17 February 2021]

Choke starts out as a somewhat enjoyable experience but it quickly devolves into something that is almost unwatchable. It's a shame that the apparent skill in the beginning wasn't seen through to the end because there were signs of a great film sprinkled throughout, and some of the unsettling moments really were unsettling. It's just that the rest of the movie didn't deliver on its promise.

The story is jumbled and mostly manages to remain predictable and I can't every say that I was caught off guard at any point while watching.

I will hand it to the cast for what its worth. The majority of them did a fine job with what little they had to work with, and for that the deserve to be commended.

Silhouette (II) (2019)

Depression is more haunting than ghosts

[9/10 · 23 November 2020]

The first thing that has to be said about Silhouette is that before you watch it you should ask yourself if you're in the mood for a typical haunted house movie. If the answer is yes then move past it and keep looking.

Now that that's out of the way, it needs to be said that Silhouette is one of the best independent movies I've watched during the pandemic. This can easily be described as a ghost story and that shouldn't be overlooked but the truest horror you will find here lurks even deeper in the shadows than the spooks you'll find here. It lurks in that familiar territory of the mind that finds we, the viewer, constantly questioning ourselves as we spiral into the madness that unfolds over nearly two hours.

The performances are the driving force behind the movie, centered around three characters played to perfection by actors you might wonder why you haven't seen much of before. They are fundamental in guiding us along a story filled with both supernatural and psychological terror.

The movie is dark, it is sad, and at times it is a little difficult to watch and might drag a little bit but it never fails to be engrossing. Be warned that this isn't the scary movie that you sit down to watch for a fun night with your friends. This is the movie you watch alone with full attention given and only if you're prepared to suffer the consequences because the ending will leave you devastated.

A strong debut from a director and cast that I'm sure we'll be seeing more from.

Lake Artifact (2019)

Decent sci-fi outing

[6/10 · 15 September 2020]

What you have here with this movie is a nice effort that doesn't let its low budget hinder its production quality. The movie is directed and shot very well and the actors are outstanding in their roles. The score is basic but it manages to do the job it was intended for. If I have one complaint with this it would be the script. It isn't bad by any means at all but it feels like the concept could have been explored just a little better for a slightly more coherent story, even if it feels like ambiguity was intended. Ambiguity and coherence don't have to be mutually exclusive and this movie would have benefited greatly from the latter.

Still. I can't say that the minor flaws take away from an enjoyable and somewhat unique sci-fi experience.

We Summon the Darkness (2019)

Fun throwback

[7/10 · 23 August 2020]

This was a fun throwback to some of the campy style of 80s horror movies. It had a unique spin that is better left not spoiled. You could tell that the actors were having a good time making this and it made for an even better experience. Good for a fun horror night.

The Pale Door (2020)

This is not a good movie

[1/10 · 21 August 2020]

The trailer made it look like it was going to be interesting but this movie is not good at all. The acting is wooden, the story isn't interesting even though it could have been, the costumes look brand new and there is nothing scary or funny or thrilling or moving about it at all. Is it impossible to find a good low budget horror these days? i know small budgets come with limitations but that shouldn't have an effect on creativity. As somebody else said, watch Bone Tomahawk instead if you want a good western set horror movie.

The Scientist (2020)

Please stop

[2/10 · 20 August 2020]

I've had it up to here with the false advertising. This isn't a zombie movie. It almost works as a good build up to one but even then it's barely worth mentioning and that isn't the way it was marketed. The movie looks bad. The movie sounds bad. The movie is bad. The only thing about it that makes me give it two stars is that most of the actors were good. That's it. That's the only thing it has going for it.