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Longlegs (2024)
Yep, it's been hyped too hard.
Just got back from the film. Here's my quick breakdown of the positives and negatives without spoilers.
Pros: Cage is great for the time he's in the film. Great cinematography if you're into visual flare and style. Some decent elements of horror that are very interesting.
Cons: Hardly any visceral horror or gore whatsoever, feels incredibly "safe" for a film like this. Story is really competent and well-written until the very last act of the film and feels like a cliched trope we've seen in too many horror films in the last few years.
Overall, you'll have a good time. It's got moments of pure horror that can be easily expanded on or brought to light more, but the story itself takes a massive nosedive that just felt really jarring and too on the nose as if the audience wasn't intelligent enough to figure it out themselves. Just felt too safe to me to be considered the horror film of the year. There are significantly far better horror films that easily can make Longlegs run for its money and honestly the hype glorified this too much to be enjoyed as it set out to be. It's got great moments that show the potential of what it could have been, but it just detoured into something that everyone has seen already.
Five Nights at Freddy's (2023)
What happened here?
I don't have a lot to say other than that I haven't seen a video game adaptation this bad since Paul W. S Anderson's Resident Evil series. I don't really want to fill this entire review bubble up but I would HIGHLY suggest avoiding the theater for this one, it's a mess and a big one at that. It has way too many plot holes and pacing problems that it's unbearable to sit through- the acting from Hutcherson and Lillard is good, but I cannot say the same for the rest of the cast whatsoever.
Incredibly underwhelming and worst of all: not scary, whatsoever. This film's tone was back and fourth and I couldn't believe what I was watching for nearly forty minutes.
As far as adaptations go, it's bad, and I mean really bad. It's own story felt completely rewritten by Hollywood executives and not Scott himself, and it's just disappointing to such an extent that it's hard to imagine Scott even had a hand in any of this whatsoever because I couldn't imagine him being ok with the final results.
Of course there's the PG-13 issue but this is something I somewhat anticipated (the games were never hyper violent nor gory, just dark material as far as storyline goes) but it's held back so much by dropping the violence in favor of weak jumpscares- it's disappointing to say the least.
I dunno guys, I couldn't recommend spending nearly $12 to go and see this in the theaters- luckily we caught this on Peacock but it's really not worth admission for what you're expecting. Is it cool seeing the animatronics? Absolutely. Is it frightening and dark like the games were? Nope. Is the story just like the games? Nope.
Look, take it as you will but it's just not worth your money. It's disappointing and I think the best part out of it all was Corey and that's all I could gather from it.
Talk to Me (2022)
Talk to Me Review
The brothers have produced their first ever film debut; I have to admit it is a really solid horror film, and at the peak: one of the best paranormal/supernatural horror films in 2023. It's hard to believe that these guys came from humble beginnings (YouTube) and managed to secure a place where they could explore their talents to the fullest reach without being held back by budget constraints and censorship.
Anyone who knows RackaRacka on YouTube can expect a return-to-form here on this movie with an amazingly ridiculous amount of violence, terror, and straight up bleak comedy infused into its characters and plot. It's simple and effective- it doesn't need the audience to indulge themselves on premise but rather to just sit back and enjoy the ride- and it's a beast of its own rite.
I think for what it's worth, this is going to be a really fun movie to watch over and over. It's got a stellar cast that seems to understand the material really well and has fun with it altogether, and the direction is promising for a debut from two brothers.
If you enjoy supernatural horror films, or any horror film for that matter, I could definitely name Talk to Me as a strong contender for your preference. It isn't perfect by any means, but it's too unique and self-identified to be passed up as a standard cliche horror movie; it's different and it enjoys being different. There's a lot to dig in to here, and I think if you give it a shot, you'd be more than pleasantly surprised by the work performed on all fronts of this production. It's a solid horror movie and will be on my shelf soon!
Evil Dead Rise (2023)
Evil Dead Rise is one of the best!
Just got back from theaters and my God, this movie had me white knuckled through the whole span of its runtime. I've never been more tensed up and just downright freaked out. I loved the original movies as well as the Evil Dead (2013) film and had high hopes for this installment. All I will say is if you're an Evil Dead fan, you NEED to go and see this like right now.
As for the review bombing, I have no idea why but people are very bent over this movie and have no reason to be. It's a damn good horror film, and probably one of the better horror films in the last few years that we've all seen. Check it out. Seriously do yourself a favor. It's great.
Terrifier 2 (2022)
Big Improvement of a Horror Film
Terrifier 2 is by far one of the most intriguing and unique sequels thus far for a horror film; I found the film to be incredibly rewarding in upping the ante in the practical effects, and just the overall quality of the franchise. It's a fun watch, not for the queasy at all however. This is a solid sequel that expands upon the first by far, and somewhat explores the lore by a tad.
For fans of the first, you'll be satisfied with this sequel. Better dialogue (not perfect but we're not here for the characters) and a more coherent plot that's easier to understand behind the motivations. While there are plenty of questions being asked, there's a subplot going on that entices the thought of a Terrifier 3. Which I'm all for. Regardless, this is a awesome horror film to watch.
The Midnight Club (2022)
Mediocre but has its moments.
The Midnight Club is one of the two shows that Mike Flanagan is releasing as of the next few months, and with The Midnight Club being the first iteration to hit Netflix after Midnight Mass, there's a lot at stake to push the format further on Netflix (by Flanagan of course) and here is what I've got from my viewing of season one...
The Midnight Club is a very different series compared to his other work- maybe in a less terrifying way, and more so in a more charming and curious way; something told me through this viewing that this is a tonally different project than what fans of Flanagan's work are seeing, and there's nothing wrong with reaching different spectrums in horror.
HOWEVER, there are some issues I've been poking at with this show in regards: it's got some problems. Cast-wise, there's a lot of characters here that are genuinely appealing and relatable in a sense that you're there with the members of this group. There are SOME characters that genuinely had me rolling my eyes and scratching my head. Ilonka is a huge red flag as the protagonist of this story: she is an abhorrent character through and through.
Plot lines being unfulfilled and incomplete by end of the season is also a HUGE red flag. Even if there were plans for continuations of this series, why on earth would you end a show with no actual resolution or climax? After the last episode, I genuinely just lost all interest in seeing what comes after.
Horror is not the fun factor in this show either, for someone as talented in the genre as Mike Flanagan, this was a very big miss on his end; tons of jumpscares that did not even land, and moments that just made me chuckle more than tense up. The show has a very odd shift in terms of how it wants to handle its horror.
Midnight Mass was able to perfectly incapsulate drama and horror without skipping a beat, yet here, I'm feeling tugged by the intrigue of magic and curiosity, and being tugged by creepy, unsettling things going bump in the night occasionally.
The Midnight Club is definitely an oddball in Flanagan's work, and I think honestly one of more harder ones to sit through than anything else. It's got great characters aside from a few who really just irk me to death, and a very interesting theme revolving around death and avoiding it at all costs, but there's nothing noteworthy of this series that makes me think Flanagan really went all out here.
Here's hoping that The House of The Fall of Usher turns our heads around after this one.
Smile (2022)
Smile Movie Review
Smile, at first glance to me was another run-of-the-mill teenage camp fest. And sure enough, it was in terms of the plot and characters. Every single pivotal point in the movie was so predictable that it was laughable. However! There are GOOD things here to view in the movie: the horror itself is quite interesting and unsettling but there are so many cliches it hurts the film more than it deserves.
Aside from all of that, I'd wait till streaming. Just isn't worth your $20 to go see something you've seen done several times in other films, and you deserve to watch a horror film that doesn't bore you with the same thing over and over. Smile suffers from a bad plot with lazy writing, but has great horror and a creepy antagonist.
Barbarian (2022)
Barbarian Review
Barbarian is a cult classic in the making for sure. One of those rare exceptions of a horror movie turned on it's head. I think most avid horror moviegoers will find this film highly enjoyable for a simple story that then turns into something more massive than expected.
While I find the movie highly enjoyable, there are of course few faults to be found. I couldn't exactly specify them in this review just due to spoilers but all I can hint towards is the actual reveal in the film, and my problems concerning that.
Altogether though, the pacing and characters are really appealing (somewhat dumb and arrogant too) but they hold their own in this movie for the better part.
Practically speaking, the gore effects and the violence is pretty tame compared to other horror films that have been out this year- but I think the movie sells more on the tension and suspense that you develop from watching each minute pass by throughout the film.
Definitely a solid horror movie to check out in theaters or at home when you can.
What Josiah Saw (2021)
What Josiah Saw Review
What Josiah Saw is a strongly engaging horror-drama film that invokes particular emotions over family trauma and grief- whilst it is not the most scariest of these types of films, it does rustle up some hairs and creates a sense of morbidity.
It's a good film with intervals that intertwine into a coherent plot that can be somewhat filled in through the viewer's minds. Of course, it is not perfect by any means of the imagination, but it's pretty good as a long horror film that can be throughly enjoyed for the context.
While I have particular complaints, I believe there were some missing pieces to a much more complex story than what we were given on screen, and it can be noticeable at certain scenes themselves.
All in all, I could recommend the movie to most avid horror fans but I do however feel that it should be stated there isn't much scare here as there is interest and curiosity, and that's not always a bad thing.
Orphan: First Kill (2022)
Orphan: First Kill Review
Orphan, was one of those films in the early 2010's that just happened and developed a small cult following, and to my opinion: was mediocre at that. It had a decent cast with an interesting plot that derived from most slashers/psychological horror films, but wasn't anything to break ice over.
With a unnecessary prequel that really didn't need to happen, we get to see Esther come to life again and bring back her mischievous deeds to a new family. To be honest, I just really didn't see a reason for this prequel other than just placing it on a timeline for further explanation (if you really are that feeble minded about a 30-year old woman that looks like a child) on who Esther is.
It just wasn't anything of value to the original movie in my eyes. It wasn't unsettling or scary, it wasn't anything that amplified the original. It just simply expanded on a character who is pretty much already explained from the first film. The only reason I can suspect why this prequel was green lit was simply because of the cult following it developed from a few dozen fans that loved the first movie.
At it's strongest, Orphan: First Kill has a big twist that does change up the scenario pretty quickly but I think it was so hastily done that it interferes with the whole concept of what makes Esther "evil" and puts it on a 180-degree turn. The rest of the movie is incredibly fast and has inexplicably poor characters with no real motivations or reactions to situations.
There really isn't a lot to take from this movie, just like the first film, there isn't much substance other than the character itself. Is it worth paying a subscription to Paramount Plus or seeing it in theaters? Honestly no, and you're much better off finding a more sophisticated and well-crafted horror film than you would here. To me, this movie screamed greed, and nothing more.
The twist maybe brings the movie up a point, but the rest of it just really didn't work for me. I'm sure most viewers who enjoyed the first film will probably have their own opinion concerning this film and how it holds up to the franchise formula, but as a horror film, it just wasn't anything to boast about.
Day Shift (2022)
Day Shift Review
Day Shift is an action-horror comedy directed by J. J Perry, starring Jamie Foxx and Dave Franco. For starters, it's a solid fun ride to watch and enjoy without taking it too seriously. I think that's really how the film was intended, and not to be taken verbatim.
It's action and gore effects are pretty awesome, it's something worth your time in that regard. It has a ton of well-crafted fight sequences and choreography.
There is however, a LOT of problems within the script, characters and antagonist itself. I think it's borderline embarrassing with how badly they fumbled the antagonist and introduced the character (just poor dialogue, not very good motivation and a lack of attention given) so that's one of my gripes alone.
There are scenes that feel off and out of place when certain characters are brought into the plot with no real substance or explanations other than "Here, this is a new character to throw into the mix" and it just doesn't run right with its pacing.
As far as CGI for the vampires go? It's so-so. Most of it can look pretty eerie and off-putting, then the latter half felt pretty rough around the edges.
I'd still recommend the movie, just with the caveat that you're pretty much watching a horror comedy that has action packed sequences and a low-budding story that isn't worth noting about. I wouldn't call it the best action vampire film in recent years, but compared to other Netflix originals, this one is definitely more up there than what they've got right now (Purple Hearts).
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Thor: Love and Thunder Review
Marvel has been doing pretty rough lately concerning phase four, and with Thor: Love and Thunder, it stays consistent with that sentence.
I found the movie to be lacking in terms of concluding the character's arc and pretty unmemorable for what it's worth. The comedy was much more amplified (most of the comedy didn't even stick for me) and felt incredibly awkward.
There are good things about the movie, like Gorr, who I enjoyed throughly with what screen time he did have. And I found Jane Foster's story to be pretty interesting and more enticing than what we were being presented.
Chris Hemsworth was great as Thor, but the writing given to his character is a huge disservice to what was supposed to be his "passing of the torch", and it's a huge let down. They almost stupefied his character to the point that it's a parody of who Thor is.
The rest of the movie was ok at best, serviceable and somewhat fun but I wouldn't really go as far as to say it's the saving grace of phase four. I think at this point, us Marvel fans, are going to be hurting for some quality films from the studio until they can get things situated and planned out better. Because as of right now, there's not much hope for the future of the MCU.
Crimes of the Future (2022)
Crimes of The Future Review
Crimes of The Future is a nifty idea that's hindered by its own script and plot, and lacks any real vision for what it attempted to accomplish. As a sci-fi film, it's pretty great. It definitely feels like a gritty cyberpunk dystopian future, and it seems to fit those niches pretty well. As a body-horror film? I couldn't even really call it that.
The movie barley itches the horror aspect of what it advertised itself as. Maybe the marketing got the film all backwards and scuffed things up and gave the audience the belief that this was a grotesque film? On the contrary, it's really not that grotesque.
Plot-wise, it felt like I was supposed to know the characters and world beforehand and just never caught on to it throughout the movie. I only gathered what I was shown and went with it. There really is no plot or antagonist or protagonist, it's almost like a portrait of a future, Cronenberg built and just ran with it.
I couldn't really recommend this to anyone, even if you're a fan of Cronenberg, something went wrong here and it just sucks that it turned out to be lackluster in just about everything other than the world itself. The rest of this movie is a shame.
The Black Phone (2021)
The Black Phone Review
The Black Phone is a new horror-thriller by Scott Derrickson, and is an original film based on a short story by Joe Hill.
To start off, I have to give the director credit for managing to create his own distinct tone and feel in his horror films. Sinister was a very deeply monotone, eroding film with dark themes intertwined into its universe. The Black Phone incorporates this tone as well, making its self-image presently aware of its setting and era. It's a gorgeous recreation of the 70's and feels just right in mood.
The film overall was a enjoyable, harrowing experience. It was enticing and engaging, keeping the audience motivated throughout the story. The child actors did a bang-up job of being young and naive, while also forging a strong bond between another, giving chase to a more endearing reaction. Ethan Hawke nailed the titular villain, The Grabber, really well. He was mesmerizing in the (little screen time he really had) film, and creeped me out. While the film has a familiar story or plot to something akin of Misery or Coraline, it was a coherently made movie. The pacing was pretty decent, keeping in check with the audience itself.
As for the nitpicks and other pieces of the film, there's definitely room for improvement, and there's not a lot to explore in this story other than what you see and are told by characters. Most of the background on these people are strongly hinted at or shadowed by without much thought, which I cannot tell if that was intentional or misleading.
The movie is good, not great, and not bad either. It's a good film in its own way, but it suffers from a lack of world-building and explanations. The scares are pretty lackluster too, and it's hard to say if this really is considered horror. It felt more thriller than it did anything else. With that said though, it's definitely worth watching for Ethan Hawke's performance, and the story itself being incredibly harrowing and tense.
It's better in some ways than that of Sinister, but worse in some ways that Sinister was able to capture in film.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Top Gun: Maverick Review
Top Gun is one of those movies that you'd hear your parents reference all the time; about how influential it was and how awesome it felt to see it. At the time, when I was introduced to the first film by my mother, I found it to be 80's schlock (not that it's a bad thing) and it was pretty entertaining to say the least. I could see the influence it had during its time, and what came of it's pop culture. I do believe it rang true with lots of folks in that time frame.
Fast forward a hefty amount of years, and this sequel comes out. Surprisingly, I had no interest at first, because I didn't really think it was necessary to have a sequel. With that said, I ended up going to see this in theaters with minimal expectations of a decent movie.
Boy, was I surprised and blown away.
Top Gun: Maverick is ONE of the best action films to see of all time, and that's not an overestimate to the genre either. This was top-notch solidified action intertwined with its predecessor's story, and it was such an amazing experience to have in theaters. Top Gun: Maverick to me was the Terminator 2 to our parents, in my eyes. It was such a good film, in so many ways.
The sequences, the flying, the story, and the development and pacing were executed perfectly and felt very paced and very decently written. There's a lot to see in this film, and it respects the audience that had seen the original years ago. It's very opening for new fans and old fans alike, catering to both audiences knowing what it's about and what it gives to us.
I could understand why the first movie was talked about so much, and why so many people loved the original, because the sequel only sealed the deal with what made it great originally. I'd recommend this to anyone, because it's a must-see for sure, and SEE IT IN THEATERS! You will not be disappointed that you did, this is a movie that has to be experienced in theaters. Do not waste the film's potential by staying at home to see it, it deserves the big screen.
Ku bei (2021)
The Sadness Review
I don't think there are much words to describe this film, but few come to mind: sadistic, disgustingly violent, and unrelenting.
The movie is insane. And there's a lot of things that I don't feel like going into detail about, but this movie will wind up on the most disturbing movies iceberg. There's no doubt in my mind concerning that.
With all that said, do I recommend this? I honestly don't know. It is a good film, in terms of the ultra violence and gore (practical effects and stunts are really well done here) and the story is pretty simple to follow. In terms of the comfortability, I can't say you'll be able to sit through it without cringing or gasping once. It's a hard one to sit through. That's for sure.
X (2022)
"X" Film Review
X, is directed by Ti West, a notable horror director coming from films such as, The Inkeepers, and The House of The Devil.
It's a good horror film, but is by no means extending its reach to new heights in the genre. There's a lot of build here up to the climax, and it has some pretty awesome scenes that pay homage to classic slashers and 70's styled horror films.
I couldn't really enjoy the plot itself however, but I found the characters fairly intriguing with some okay writing and script, and the antagonist of the film was more bizarre than anything but it made for a unique change of pace for your average titular villain.
I would definitely recommend a viewing, but I wouldn't go in thinking it's the MOAB of all slashers or horror films in general, but it's a great throwback to the golden days of those times.
Euphoria (2019)
Euphoria Review
I fell into the crowd that's been floating this show around for a while and ended up watching the show in its entirety, currently.
What I can positively say about the show is the fundamental design of its story and how it's intertwined with multiple characters- it is very well done, and considerably one of the better of a "teen drama". Other positives that I could probably point out is that Zendaya steals the show every time for me, as she shows that she does have the potential to be a grade A actress that has the confidence to play some really hardcore roles.
I'll be blunt and upfront however about the surrounding hype and massive traffic this show has churned up: it is a good show, fundamentally and cohesively, it's a well developed and directed TV show- do I think it tops everything else similar to it? No, not at all. There are a lot of set scenes "memed" and revealed online, but out of context and due to most of the population having not seen the show, it lacks any sense of its existence. The show is very well made, and I have to give it that benefit. It's weird for me to usually follow the bandwagon, but I got tired of seeing the stuff online so I checked it out and I found myself surprised and dazzled out by the show.
Of course there will always be room for improvement with media in general, and this show is no exception. There is quite a lot on here that is going on, almost chaotic and unnerving to sit through due to its pacing and unrelenting hardships of teenagers (that's a bit of a stretch, however) and it can be a lot to take in for some audiences.
Again, I wouldn't really recommend Euphoria if you're just simply not interested, and I can understand the problem that people have due to the massive amount of social media attention the show has garnered, but I do believe the show has good grounds for a good drama- there are just things involved with it that make it worse than it could be. The multiple characters, sexual encounters and violent backgrounds to some just seem way too overwhelming and exaggerated even for a standardized understanding of teenagers in general. I have to remind myself that these actors and actresses are portraying kids in high school which doesn't enlighten the mood or sense of urgency in the show. The things that the creators have gone lengths with on here is astounding in terms of its reveals and scenes, because again, we're watching teenagers doing these things... I don't think in my high school, I ever seen anyone like this or become of this once.
There are definitely more prominent issues on hand with the show, but as it stands now (with this being a drama and a coming-of-age tale) I can say it does it's job well and performances across the board are very compelling and authentic. I just don't agree with the hyperbole of teenagers and their lifestyles in high school because again, it's super unrealistic and overwhelmingly exaggerated. With all that being said, if you do think about watching it, I say give it a watch and just try to grimace through it but understand it's ultimately one character's story mixed with a bunch of other character's. It does flow well, and it has a lot to show and explain.
Don't flame me for writing this, I genuinely wanted to be critical and actually give the show a chance rather than dissing it right away (as easy as that would be to do) because I found myself pleasantly surprised and interested enough.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) Extended Review
TL;DR (EXTENSIVE REVIEW)
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, to me, was just another one of those really cheesy and over-the-top horror franchises for the sake of being shocking, and nothing more. Looking back at the first two films released, I began to appreciate them a lot more and seeing the director's vision; he wanted to create something fresh and overwhelming for a new audience that would appreciate those creations. In return, I found myself loving the first two films altogether. I never bothered to watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Next Generation, or even Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3.
Yet, I did see the remakes in 2003 and 2006. Both, I found to be underwhelming (which on the contrary, is surprisingly disagreeable with most fans) and didn't really pay much attention to the latter of the franchise soon after.
When I had seen the announcements of a new Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I felt that tingling sense of intrigue that there was a possibility for this franchise to receive the Halloween treatment and possibly grow into a much more mature and darker toned film that competes it's much desired writing and realism (as such with the first film) but once again, it didn't meet those expectations after all, at least, to a degree.
For me, Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) stood out as a very humble, 83-minute jam-packed gore-fest that relied on what the made first one stand out: shock factor. I think that this movie suffered a heap of studio interference/management that created differences in the director's vision for what he wanted this film to be. I can see that this was designed as a complete reboot/sequel to the first film, disregarding the rest of the series and an attempt to bring a new generation to the franchise. Do I believe this was the right way? Kind of? It's weird...
Throughout the entirety of its short runtime, there really isn't much plot or story to bounce off of which is pretty similar when comparing it to the first film, where a bunch of teenagers drive out to the countryside of Texas and find themselves in a Hell that is inescapable, with one of the group being the Final Girl to get out. It's cliché, but that's what made the first film work, and it's done here in a manner similar. The characters are lackluster when it comes to feeling sympathy/empathy or even remotely having interest in their backgrounds aside from one character in particular, but that character is never expanded upon. Some familiar characters return, but it's nothing noteworthy or worthwhile- in fact, it is almost alarming with how the returning characters are written and poorly used. And of course, the staple of the franchise: Leatherface, returns.
What I think really didn't help the film whatsoever was the complete lack of any characterization for Leatherface; almost in conjunction to the sequels and reboots that were made, trying to humanize the antagonist. Because here, there is no explanations or given coverage as to who Leatherface is (assuming that this film is meant for new people and to expand its reach to a generation that may have never seen a Texas Chainsaw Massacre film) and to me, that felt skewed in all the wrong ways. Again, this is a sequel so I guess in contradiction, some people would already be aware that they know who Leatherface is. I still believe that having more explanation on his character in this film, would've enhanced the experience and intrigue of his motives (because Leatherface does have a lot of depth, no different than Michael Meyer's and Jason Vorhees) but it is hardly touched upon.
Aside from the abhorrent plot, and uninteresting characters- this movie does offer some of the franchise's most brutal kills and practical effects which I loved to death in this film. I do believe that is this film's saving grace, which isn't a lot to run with, but as a horror film? It's perfect. You're not really being burdened with a odyssey slow-burn similar to Hereditary or The Lighthouse where that horror is intentionally built up over a period of time... in here, this is all throw at the viewer practically right away. It's a sudden, jolting amount of violence and sadism thrown all into a singular location and never lets up at that point. I think they nailed this to a tee, and that encapsulates the shock factor of the franchise and what it was known for.
I think the main issues a lot of people are having with this are expecting this to be a significantly more deep, social commentary horror that enlightens on the terrors of rural life and country folk- possibly the dreadful feelings of being alone in a unknown place with no help from the outside. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) gloated this message loudly. And it is loved and regarded by fans because of this.
With all that has been said and done, I believe the film is a short paced horror that will embrace the more popular pieces of the franchise, but lack in everything around it. This film unfortunately just slips everywhere else and isn't captivating as a Texas Chainsaw Massacre film, but as a stand-alone horror movie, I think it does itself enough justice to get by. I would recommend any new viewer to at least give it a watch, but to not have high expectations unless you just have an itch for some shock factor and gore- everything else with story, characters and pacing is out the window with this movie.
The franchise really hasn't moved anywhere and it's still stagnant here with this entry, which is sad considering the success of the rebooted Halloween films and the promising rise of Slashers again, but there may still be hope for a much more competent entry in this stale franchise that is dirty, greasy and disgusting- over time, we will never know the fate of the franchise, especially after this film.
Antlers (2021)
Creature Flicks are back!
Antlers was albeit a long haul and a long time of waiting in anticipation for its release. After a few days of thinking over the film in all, I've come to the conclusion that it's worth the wait but it still misses on specific marks.
The cinematography and story are phenomenal. It's a great little horror story with a provoking social undertone. I think it stands out on its own as a creature flick more than it does anything else. I couldn't say that this is the "win-all" of horror films this year but it's a really solidified horror film to check out.
All actors did a good job, and it felt believable. It was a grounded story with ambitions met. My only complaint with the film is the musical score/lack of screen time for our monster. Overall, Antlers will keep you invested in its runtime and have you excited to be able to get a creature film for the first time in years since we've had one. It's a really decent horror film, it's got great effects and a good story.
Halloween Kills (2021)
Halloween Kills
Halloween Kills is the second installment in this semi-reboot/sequel trilogy and picks up right after Halloween (2018).
I'll keep this short and sweet: this film in the entire franchise I believe is one of the more gory and over-the-top sequels than what we've seen in any Halloween. It's got great effects, great kills, and will definitely please those that love to see unique deaths in slasher films.
The story however, absolutely needed a revamp and reevaluation before it released- it's pretty choppy and it's pretty rough around the edges, the pacing is insanely fast. I understood a majority of the film enough, but felt like they crammed as much into it as they possibly could before Halloween Ends (2022) releases.
V/H/S/94 (2021)
True Sequel to V/H/S 2
Personally, I found V/H/S 94 to be a true successor to the franchise and I enjoyed the time I had on it. This film is definitely much better than what V/H/S Viral was and does what the first two films did correctly. Whilst I can attest to say the four segments in this movie aren't as on par (effects, story, and characters), the heart is definitely there.
I don't think many people will enjoy this movie though as it suffers from poor production value unlike the first two films had. It isn't properly well made and it shows in a lot of the segments, especially Terror. With that being said, I think fans of the V/H/S series will probably appreciate this one more than Viral but will see it as the weakest of the main 3 films.
The Many Saints of Newark (2021)
No Sustenance For The Sopranos
The Many Saints of Newark, was one of my most anticipated films since finishing The Sopranos nearly a couple months ago. I was really excited to see the prequel and get a fundamental understanding of who Dickie as a character was and what he inspired Tony Soprano to be.
Sadly, this film went way below expectations and just nearly grazed the itches I had for the film. It's a okay movie at best, and that's being fair- with that said, the story and premise itself is hit or miss, and it seems to be too jam packed into one film for it to be conclusive enough. I wouldn't really even bother to consider this noteworthy of The Sopranos. There's just too much stuff to point out to say what could've made this movie better, and it all just fell flat.
The actors were great, and I loved each one. It was really awesome seeing them young, not to mention portraying the original characters to a tee. The rest of the movie however was just okay. I wouldn't say this is something I'd watch again and again, and it definitely doesn't help that it's about The Sopranos. It was such a letdown.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)
Venom: Let There Be Carnage Review
Venom: Let There Be Carnage, is the highly anticipated sequel that dwells into chaotic action and introduces a expanded story on the bond between Eddie Brock and Venom.
I will say that this movie is by far a lot more fluid and polished than Venom 1 was, and has a little bit more depth than the first one did. Now that isn't speaking too much volume to the movie itself, because it still suffers the same pacing issues the first one has.
There are some pretty good moments scattered throughout the movie that stick out well and there are some things that probably should've been expanded upon more or had more in-depth coverage of. The action was improved much more compared to its predecessor and it looks great. The villain is awesome, and Woody Harrelson did a fantastic job of portraying Cletus Kassidy. Tom Hardy as usual has done a phenomenal job for both the voice and acting of Venom/Eddie Brock. I noticed complaints about Venom's voice but it wasn't all too different from his first film either.
My main complaints that I found with the film was the lacking in Carnage's motivation/goals and the development overall. There were so much things that didn't stick out well for me with how Carnage was portrayed as a symbiote, and it just had me more so confused- similar to Venom's sudden change for staying on Earth from the first movie. The movie is incredibly fast, and burns through its short runtime giving the audience everything it has upfront. The best way to put it is the first hour of the movie contains the Eddie/Venom relationship, and the last half hour is Venom VS Carnage for the rest. Unfortunately, it just suffers the same pacing/writing issues that the first one has, but because of how chaotic and packed it is, it's much harder to see the poor pacing/writing.
The movie overall is totally for fans of Venom and Carnage, it was never intended to be a down-to-Earth replica of the comic books and it was definitely not meant to be taken seriously, it's a fun movie nevertheless and it engages with the audience with its comedy and action scenes. It's a great time to watch the titular antihero go against his arch nemesis in cinema.
I would recommend anyone to see it if they enjoyed the first Venom, but those that didn't really enjoy the first one probably won't see much of an improvement here other than some small updates made to the fights and relationships. The post credits scene is worth the film alone, but that to me is what takes away from the film in its entirety. The post credits scene is remarkable and probably one of the best post credits scenes we will ever witness, but it takes away the attention from the film itself. Regardless, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is a great action film full of mindless absurdity and chaos that will satisfy avid MCU and comic book fans for the vast majority.
What If...? (2021)
What If? Fun and Underwhelming.
Out of the current roster of episodes available, I've only come to a consensus now for people who haven't checked out any of the recent entries and to give a more calculated and non-biased review... this will be fairly lengthy, but do as you will.
What If?, is a Marvel TV show that premises on scenarios based around different possibilities and realities of Marvel's universe. Comics wise, there's a ton of things that could be covered in this. All the way from What If Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe all the way to Marvel's Ruins. Essentially, this show is a MCU cut-and-paste version of that. With that being said, my fundamental complaints with the show primarily lie on its animation and certain adaptations from the comics- so this will be pretty geeky and gawky for sure to talk about...
The animations for this show definitely don't reveal well to us and don't look standard for a billion dollar industry; you have to ask yourself the question, "How come Disney couldn't afford better artistry or animators?" That's something beyond all of our minds as fans anyways, mostly business-related I'm sure. However, the animations and artwork itself are puzzlingly bad/decent to a degree that it's hard to really make a critique of its quality in some angles but it's easy to point out in other places. I found the animations profoundly lackluster and chalky, which is such a weird thing to say about an animation in general- most of the time, animations look well done and seem believable for the most part- here it feels very cut and dry. The color palate looks great, but the outlines, the movements, and the style is just so out of tune with some of these episodes. I've recalled bringing this up with a friend one day and suggested something like, "Maybe they could've just had separate animators and artist do each episode to their own accord? Halo Legends had that." Again, this is just a critique.
My next knock off is towards the content it's covering, some of these episodes have very dark material, and have been watered down in favor of a younger audience (which is totally fine!) and it takes away the visceral things about that storyline itself- my main one being Marvel Zombies, and boy, that's a can of worms that I never expected Disney to dwell into. Yet they indulged on the kid-friendly concept so hard that it toned the entire idea of Marvel Zombies! Bizarre is an understatement for sure, and any avid comic book fan who read Marvel Zombies knows just how much they knocked off for it to appear on the show. Anyways, aside from the nitpick, there's much more interesting concepts they could've covered instead of de-aging the mature content for viewers; before you read any further, Kevin Feige expressed that he will keep R-Rated material and mature content for fans of the Marvel universe, a.k.a Deadpool, Punisher, Daredevil, so it's hard to see What If? Do the things it's currently doing.
Now the good stuff, the episodes are good for the most part- they're great time burners, they're interesting, and there's all sorts of unique storylines interpolated into the MCU. The action set pieces look good, the characters are awesome as usual, and there's going to be 18 episodes of all this for everyone. Ranging from action to horror in each episode.
I would recommend this series, it's good! It just suffers from low-quality animations and bad choices in certain episodes to cover from the comics. Overall, it's a fun time to watch them. It teaches the audience about the different stories and variations that Marvel Comics has.