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Reviews
Reunion from Hell (2021)
Decent horror start for Hayden Newman
Here are some positives and negatives to the film.
Positives:
Director got Cathy Podewell to return to the silver screen. I thought she did very well as the mother, and she was the strongest actor in the film.
For a very low budget film, the practical effects and score were good.
Jeremiah Lee (Steinert), and Kharn (Cody) Alexander did pretty good performances, and were the other notable standouts in the movie.
I appreciated the moody sets and design that were used, considering the budget.
The plot was good. A killer lures the intended victim back home with a murder, and tortures him by killing his friends one by one. It's been used before, but it was a solid plot line.
Negatives:
The script was not great. Character development was lacking with plenty of the actors. Dialogue was rough throughout the film.
While the overall plot was fine, there are pretty big plotholes throughout the film. Not sure if these plotholes were editing issues where story was left out, or if the script just didn't consider them, but it made the movie confusing in certain spots.
Quite a few performances were wooden, while Newman had wavering quality in performance in his portrayal of Riley. Since he was the main character and the bulk of the dialogue, it made the film weaker when Riley was just throwing tantrums rather than driving the plot forward.
Overall, I didn't hate the film. I gave it a 3.8, which rounds up to a 4. There are strong elements here that Newman improves on his second film. However, there are huge demerits that hurt this film that have nothing to do with the low budget. I do think Newman has some improvement to do in his scripts though, and I think that can elevate his films, and potentially his performances in them.
Reunion from Hell 2 (2022)
Decent indie horror sequel
Plot is pretty simple. Riley is going with his friends to his family cabin in a remote area for Christmas. This seems to be his first reunion with his mom since the events of the first movie that happened two years ago. While there, a killer is making preparations to attack Riley and his friends yet again.
There are some really strong positives for the movie, but also some pretty big negatives.
Positives:
Hayden Newman once again gets horror actors from the 80s to bolster his film. This time he has three actors from the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise.
The film looks really good, with a clear, sharp picture, and decent panning shots throughout. Cinematography is also good for a low budget film.
The special effects are also really good for a low budget film. Deaths are sufficiently bloody, and the practical effects are impressive. Well done, in my opinion.
Lisa Wilcox and Mark Patton do stand out in the film, and the director did well in using their talents. Stokes, Hassel, and Redmond are also pretty good in their roles. The director does give each actor a moment to shine, which helps with some character development.
The plot overall is decent for a horror film, and motivations make more sense than the first one.
The end credits song is actually pretty catchy. Fire Tiger sang a song that is very 80s esque, and I liked it. I wish more of their work had been used.
Negatives:
The script is fairly weak. Some dialogue is stilted and exposition is given when it's not really needed in some parts, while lacking in others.
Danny Hassel is severely underutilized in this film. Where he does act, it's good and you start seeing the development he could have gotten with a stronger script.
Hayden's character Riley is not incredibly likeable, and most of that is due to the fits of rage he has throughout the film. His tantrums make you almost cheer for the killer rather than sympathize.
Hayden's performance is also hurt by the script. There are times when he shines, and times when he is not great, and most of that is due to the dialogue he gave himself. Since his character is shouldering the bulk of the movie, it does hurt the film.
It's a low budget film, so sound quality wavers. It is strong when the camera is facing the character, but wavers when dialogue comes from someone away from it. Editing also is choppy in several areas.
The score was not as strong overall as the first film. I thought the first film's score from Hodge was better for a horror film than the reorchestrated Christmas music he used in this one.
I would give this film a 5.4 out of 10, which rounds down to a 5 in IMDB.
Countdown (2019)
Decent thriller that could have been better
This horror thriller plays off Final Destination, but with a twist. An app tells you when you will die. If you deviate from your predetermined path, a demon comes after you. The concept is interesting and I liked the added lore, though it's delivered by a kooky priest. There are your typical jump scares that mean nothing, but there are some super creepy well done scenes, especially one with a nightlight.
The main characters are likable and you end up rooting for them, but the main flaw is that character development is sacrificed for other meaningless plot points. I'd rather have known more about Quinn and Matt's past traumas than the ancillary sexual harassment plot device. That storyline might work in a different horror movie, but it felt disjointed in this one. The ending closing credit scene is dumb.
Overall a decent film, with some good elements, but also some pretty big plot deficiencies. Worth watching on Netflix, but not buying or renting.
Only Murders in the Building: Framed (2022)
I'm hoping this awesome show doesn't go off the rails
People are complaining about Amy Schumer. That doesn't bother me, because the building seems to need a real life star to intermingle in the story. Last season it was Sting, and this time it's Amy. I am confused how Sting would ever let Amy stay at his place though. She is at least an interesting character. I'm fine with her being in it, as long as she isn't a throwaway character.
The real issue is the 180 turn on Mabel's character. She's now interested in women too? That would be okay if she had shown any sign that it was part of her character or she showed interest in her female friend growing up, besides only being interested in Tim and Oscar. The bizarre romance just seems shoehorned because she's interested in a weird woman that she's met twice for about five minutes of screen time. Meanwhile, we get a toss away line that Oscar might be out of the picture? It also seems awkwardly done.
The saving grace of the episode is the introduction of Shirley McLaine, as Bunny's mother. Great casting, and I think her character will add a lot to this season if she's a regular. Also, I'm hoping for a return of Jane Lynch, especially with the Brazzos show getting rebooted. Lynch was phenomenal last season for her one episode.
Daniel Isn't Real (2019)
Psychological thriller that makes you wonder with the main character what is real
I enjoyed the concept. It is a unique view of mental illness that takes you on a journey with Luke (Robbins) as he struggles not only with his mother's (Masterson) shattering mental state, but also with his own. Having endured a childhood trauma, Luke starts interacting with an imaginary friend. Later in college, he is asked to reconnect with him, and Daniel (Schwarzenegger) appears to come to his aid. At first, the reunion is playful and beneficial to Luke, as Daniel gives him company and encouragement in his social interactions. Things turn sinister when Daniel starts asserting himself more and more in Luke's life. But is he actually real? The movie is ambiguous even towards the end, as you question if the supernatural stuff Luke is seeing is real, or in his head.
I thought the actors all did a fantastic job, with both male leads playing off each other pretty well. Robbins shows depth in illustrating mental decline, while Schwarzenegger does well in switching from charming to malevolent. It's no Oscar movie, but I liked the story, characters, and pacing. It was free on Amazon, so worth checking out.
I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016)
Tries to be like Edgar Allen Poe, but fails
The other reviews are right. This film is dunked in mood, with great cinematography, and creepy monologues. It is like a poem that tries to be similar to Poe, but unlike Poe, there is no payoff for waiting till the end. It really is an awkward woman walking around a house, having awkward conversations with her patient, her boss, and herself. There are all the elements of a good horror story: creepy house, creepy senile old woman, creepy music, and even a ghost. But the writer did hardly anything with it. It was like watching a cryptic poem that no one really wanted to decipher and discuss.
The Student (2017)
It's an ok movie.
Late night watch on Netflix. The plot has been done before...smart, hard working student who needs perfect grades gets a bad grade from a professor/teacher, then proceeds to go psycho. Drama ensues through a battle of wits. The acting is decent, with the student (with the ridiculous name of Vance Van Sickle), teacher, and the dean being the better of them. Escalating and provoking situations happen despite both the protagonist and antagonist being very smart and socially adept. The ending is predictable, but was still thrilling enough to watch. It's not a total waste of time, but it's just a rather empty movie, which is sad because it brought interesting themes of prosecutorial misconduct and unfair imprisonments. Sadly, these themes are just blips on the plot, and thinly applied motivations for characters instead of more deep view of how the characters could have dealt with them. Exploring these motives and character flaws might have made the movie a bit more original.
Roswell, New Mexico (2019)
Not nearly as good as the original, but has some promise
For fans of the original, there are some huge letdowns. One, the Season 1 intro for Roswell is probably one of the best TV show intros ever, with Dido playing, and Max and Liz gazing longingly at each other in the diner window, it really gave the show a nice start. The new show doesn't have that. Two, the intro to Max and Liz doesn't compare. Nor do any of the characters, with the exception of Michael Guerin. Maria and Liz aren't great friends. Alex is not really friends with them. And the alien trio don't seem especially close (this does improve). Three, it's 10 years later, so you replace teenage angst with adult politics. That might be a tough sell, especially since the politics is very heavy handed. Gone is the humorous banter of high school kids, and instead you get snarky political digs that lack humor and sound bitter. There are ways to approach such things with more finesse (Jane the Virgin is a great example) and even humor, but Roswell, NM, wants to be taken seriously.
However, there are some good things. The story is different, which does add some entertainment. The show seems darker, maybe they are taking cues from Riverdale. Losing some of the kid drama seems kind of refreshing. There is a mystery to solve, and the characters individually are pretty good. You'll see familiar faces from The Originals, and Vampire Diaries. While they aren't gelling yet as a cast together, there are good performances overall. It's only slotted for 13 episodes, so I'll keep watching. The changes don't bother me and the politics doesn't trigger me as much as it causes slight eye rolling at how awkward it seems in the script. I'm hoping the writing tightens up some and the cast becomes more entwined. As it is, it seems like there are just separate stories of Max, Liz, Michael, and Kyle, with the alien theme being the only unifying connection, and with some characters seemingly left out of that and only tangentially involved via the seperate storylines (Alex and Maria). I hope it gets better, because there is promise for the show.