Change Your Image
aprilsfriendorin
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
The Taking (2014)
A genuinely creepy movie
Wow. I'll start by saying I'm not usually a fan of found footage films. I typically think they're boring and hard to follow. But I actually liked this one. It was actually creepy; as a fan of horror movies, I can 100% say that this one had genuinely spooky moments that creeped me out. There were things I've never seen in other horror movies. It also had a decent amount of comedy, which I always appreciate.
Is it the best horror movie ever? Definitely not. But is it an entertaining time? Yes. Does it have genuine scares? Yes. Will horror fans appreciate? Most likely, yes. Again, I'm not a fan of found footage films, but I liked this one. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a good old horror.
Red Eye (2005)
Decent thriller to pass the time
As far as thrillers go, this is a pretty good one. Great actors, fun plot, and has enough going on to keep you intrigued. One thing I really appreciate is that it has a fairly short runtime. If anything, it could've been a little shorter; there were definitely parts where it was stalling and you could see that they were struggling to fill the runtime. Especially closer to the end.
That being said, it is a pretty fun movie overall. It's not necessarily the most memorable; like I wouldn't expect it to leave a major impact on you. But it is a good way to pass the time, and ultimately I did enjoy watching it.
The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)
Pretty average horror thriller
I don't really get the hype for this movie. There are SO MANY horror thrillers out there that are more suspenseful, exciting, interesting, scary, and original. This movie was average in every sense of the word. I'm a bit annoyed that all these reviews convinced me to watch it. I don't necessarily regret watching it, as it's become somewhat of a recent classic, but I definitely could not give it my full attention. It's fairly slow, the characters aren't that interesting, and anyone who watches horror movies is not gonna be remotely spooked by the "scares." There's maybe one truly scary moment in the whole thing.
Låt den rätte komma in (2008)
It's good, but kind of overhyped?
Let me start by saying this was a good movie. Good acting, writing, storyline, etc. Also good symbolism, there's definitely a deeper message to the movie. That being said... it's kind of overhyped? From the way people have described it to me, this is apparently one of the best pieces of cinema to ever exist. Personally, I didn't see it that way. I thought it was good, but ultimately kind of forgettable- not the kind of movie I'd rewatch or insist other people watch.
I'll also say it's more of a coming of age/romance story than it is a horror/thriller. I was expecting the latter, which probably influenced my opinion.
Barbarian (2022)
Really thrilling movie that goes in multiple directions
This is a movie that I recommend to anyone who enjoys horror. It's hard to say much because I don't want to give anything away... just know it has a lot of twists and turns. It's kind of like two/three interconnected movies. I would advise not looking up anything about it or watching the trailer; for the best experience, you should just go in completely blind.
Unsure if you'll like it? I'd say you'll like it if you enjoy creepy, suspenseful movies, don't mind some gore, and are open-minded/into surprises. You won't like it if you're over analytical, obsessed with realism, or are looking for a very straightforward, simple movie.
Goodnight Mommy (2022)
Creepy, interesting thriller that keeps you engaged
I'll start by saying I haven't seen the original (this is an American remake), so I don't have anything to compare this to. Maybe if I'd seen the original, I'd complain that it's not as good. But as a stand-alone movie, I honestly really liked it.
I'm a big fan of creepy thrillers that don't have a clear direction, and this one fits the bill. It's full of shocking moments, twists, and good old scary tension. The acting was good as well.
One thing I'll say is that I watched it with other people and we were cracking jokes the whole time. It's definitely not a movie that you have to take super seriously. If you do, you might not enjoy it as much.
Watcher (2022)
Insanely slow movie
I'm shocked by the number of positive reviews on here. Yeah, a 6 average isn't all that high, but it's definitely higher than this movie deserves. When I tell you it's slow.... Like holy crap, nothing happens for so long. I could get up, run a few laps around the block, get back, make myself dinner, sit back down, and I probably wouldn't have missed anything. I understand that some movies are "slow burns," but this one really puts the emphasis on slow....
If they cut down the run time or just made more things happen, it would've been a lot better. But apart from a few key scenes, there's really just not much going on.
The Watchers (2024)
Not bad for a PG-13 horror movie
As someone who likes scary movies, I think most PG-13 horror movies tend to be mediocre (minus some key exceptions, like insidious or the ring). So I went in with fairly low expectations. Overall, I thought it was a pretty decent horror/thriller. It's not really that scary, and it doesn't really bring nothing new to the genre. But it was fairly creepy and a good way to pass the time. There's also enough going on to keep you interested.
Personally, I wouldn't bother paying for this movie or going out of your way to see it. But if it ends up on streaming and you're looking for a thriller to pass the time, I think it's worth watching.
Madame Web (2024)
Honestly not as bad as I expected
Based on the reviews, I was expecting this movie to be a lot worse than it actually was. Honestly, if you don't take it too seriously, it's kind of entertaining. Is the writing all over the place? Yes, I wondered whether the writers were on drugs or something. Is the character development, and just the character writing in general, really weak? Yes, there's truly nobody likable here. Are there moments in the movie that make absolutely no sense, like *scratching your head wondering how they let this slide" nonsense? Oh, 100%.
All in all, it's really a wonder how this got made. But it's still somewhat entertaining. Just don't take it seriously, and definitely don't pay for it.
Hit Man (2023)
Relatively boring rom com
This movie could've been a lot better, but it ultimately fell short due to a fairly boring plot that focused too much on the "romance" and not enough on what made things interesting (the hit man scheme). The romance was also a little hard to buy.
Honestly, I don't really know what to say about this film. It's one of those movies that works on paper, and there's really not much I can pinpoint to say "this is bad" or "they should have done this." But for whatever reason, it's just kind of boring and forgettable. Not a terrible choice to throw on in the background when you're not paying attention, but not something I'd fully focus on.
Ricky Stanicky (2024)
Are these positive reviews fake?
The "humor" is so bad that I'm having a hard time believing that all these positive reviews are real. I didn't crack a smile once watching this movie. The jokes are beyond juvenile- really low level toilet humor that I'm surprised anyone past middle school will find funny.
To make matters worse, the characters are really unlikeable. The main two guys are whiny liars who secretly treat their partners/families terribly, and the sidelined Black gay friend is shoved to the side and underutilized. What saves this movie from being a total bomb is the premise and John Cena. Cena really brings his all to the part, and the concept is interesting. They just didn't execute it well.
Wonka (2023)
Surprisingly fun and heartwarming film
Like a lot of people, I didn't think we needed a continuation of Willy Wonka. Nothing can beat the original film, after all. But I decided to still give this one a chance.
In case you didn't know, this is a prequel- not a remake. And I didn't know I wanted a Willy wonka prequel until now. It's a surprisingly fun series of events, with a good balance between references to the original and originality. It's humorous yet also deep and heartwarming. And, the songs aren't bad.
If you liked cruella, you might like this one. Although it's a much more whimsical prequel. It could've been fun if it was a bit darker, since the OG Willy wonka is kinda strange, but I liked this more lightbearted take as well.
Freelance (2023)
Nothing revolutionary, but a fun time nonetheless
I was pleasantly surprised by this movie! Usually, movies like this are either a painfully bad waste of a time or a forgettable but pleasant time. I was fully expecting this movie to land in category 1 based on the Rotten Tomatoes score; however, that wasn't the case. (Side note- 6% from critics is crazy low. How pretentious are these people?).
Now of course, like most comedic action thrillers, the movie is somewhat corny and ridiculous. But, there's also lots of fun stuff going on. For starters, the plot has good twists. I don't want to give too much away, but it doesn't follow the very stereotypical format. There's definitely a few things you won't see coming, at least at first. I also enjoyed the actors, and I liked that it wasn't really a romcom. You just get to enjoy the characters interacting in a crazy setting.
Is it the best movie out there? No. But it's not trying to be. It's just a fun way to pass the time.
Poor Things (2023)
Good, but could've been way better
There's a lot of good stuff happening in this movie. The premise is interesting, the comedy works, and it manages to be both funny and thought provoking at the same time. There's a deeper message behind everything we're seeing, but it's delivered in an entertaining, non-overbearing way.
The only problem is, much of this good gets overshadowed by gratuitous sex scenes. I'm no prude, but at some point it gets to be a bit much. And things are complicated by the fact that technically, you're watching a mentally challenged person do things they arguably cannot consent to. That kind of puts a damper on the "comedy part."
I understand that the sexual liberation was how Bella freed herself from controlling men throughout the film; however, I also think that there are other ways they could've portrayed the feminist messages. I also think this movie would've just been better if it toned down the sex scenes and focused more on Bella's interactions with the human world. My favorite scenes were when she was just out there living- talking to people, witnessing atrocities, experiencing real emotions. That's where the humor and humanity really came out.
Ultimately, it's a relatively entertaining film that leans a little too heavy on the sexual content, which is a shame because the non-sexual content is really quite interesting.
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
Better than Oppenheimer... but that's not saying much
Let's start with the good. The movie has an interesting premise, and it tells a very important story (the murders of indigenous women for their oil/land). Also good acting (especially from Lily Gladstone) and I like how it told the story from the perspective of the insiders. Totally disagree with comments arguing that it should've been from the FBI perspective- we already have so many movies like that, and it would've just taken the story away from indigenous people and made the FBI (who ignored their pleas for help numerous times) look like the heroes.
Now onto the bad. As many have mentioned already, the runtime is wayyy too long. It 100% did not need to be this long. It could maybe work if it was engaging the whole time, but at some points I found myself checking the runtime and wondering when this would end. There were definitely parts that could've been cut out. Also, some of the storytelling was messy- they jumped between characters and things got jumbled up. You'd think with 3.5 hours, they'd be able to iron this out more...
I will say I thought this was a better movie than Oppenheimer. But I also didn't like Oppenheimer all that much.
Mea Culpa (2024)
Did AI write this?
I don't even know where to begin with this one. Right off the bat, the dialogue is ridiculous. Like, comically ridiculous. Within the first 15 minutes, I had to double check that this wasn't supposed to be a parody of thrillers. Like, how could someone write this and not intend it to be satirical? There's an evil mother in law that's so over the top, I'm convinced the writers just went to ChatGPT and asked it to write stereotypes. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if this entire script was AI-generated.
The movie is worsened by unnecessary sex scenes and bad acting. Is it supposed to be an erotic thriller or a murder mystery? Pick one and do it well, don't try to do both and fail. The romantic male lead is such a bad actor, I was laughing at some of his line deliveries. Honestly the best thing about this movie was the mystery element, which was painfully predictable and trite. I gave it a two cause I guess it could be worse?
Miller's Girl (2024)
Boring and concerning "teacher student" romance
There's no question that the teacher student romance trope has been overdone. However, I thought that maybe this film would bring something new to the table. I was very wrong. There's so much wrong with this film, but here are the highlights:
1) Dialogue: This is some of the cringiest dialogue I've ever heard. I was a teenage girl once, and teenage girls don't talk like this. The graphic descriptions of sex were also cringey. Just so bad, all around.
2) Story: The storyline leaves much to be desired. It was so slow, pretentious, and boring. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen, and was left sorely disappointed.
3) Messaging: Perhaps the most egregious part of this film is the mixed messaging. Instead of making it clear that the ADULT TEACHER is the bad guy, it blurs the lines and implies the student is a villain. I'm tired of movies that present teacher student romances through a lens that's sympathetic to the teacher. They're repulsive, as is this.
Overall, a really bad movie. Not even fun bad. Not worth a watch.
Freaky (2020)
Pretty much what you expect
If you've read the plot, then I can guarantee you that you can pretty much guess the entire story already. I mean, it's pretty much exactly what you'd expect from a movie about a serial killer and teen girl that switch bodies (minus maybe a couple of surprise moments).
However, the fact that it's predictable doesn't make this movie any less enjoyable. It's definitely more comedy than horror, but it does have some decent graphic/scary scenes. For the most part though, it's just entertainment. Don't go in expecting some revolutionary cinema- go in looking for a fun way to pass the time.
The only thing I can't get on board is that a pretty blonde girl would be a social outcast in high school. I'm so tired of that trope. But everything else is good- ridiculous, but embrace that and you'll like it.
Gone Girl (2014)
One of the best thrillers I've seen
I very rarely give movies a 10/10 rating, but this one deserves it. Nowadays, a lot of thrillers lack originality, compelling characters, or a decent plot. This one delivers on all fronts, and also offers amazing acting and great cinematography. Above all, it has extremely captivating scenes. You think you've seen the craziest part of the movie, and then more craziness happens. It's great.
I've noticed that the people who didn't like it seem to take the plot way too seriously. To which I'd say- it's a movie. Nobody likes people who take movies way too seriously. Just have fun with it and go in with an open mind.
Honestly, I just love this film. One of the only movies I could watch several times and never get tired of!
M3GAN (2022)
Campy, fun horror comedy
Looking at all the mediocre reviews here, I think a lot of people came in here expecting a legit horror movie. This is definitely more of a horror comedy. There are some spooky/creepy moments, but there are a lot more laughs. It has a really great, absurd sort of comedy- the kind you would expect from a movie about a murderous girl doll, I guess.
Ultimately, what you get out of this movie depends on how you go into it. If you start expecting the pinnacle of horror, you'll be disappointed. If you go in expecting some laughs and an almost satirical view of horror, you'll enjoy it. I've seen this twice, both with different groups of people, and we all had a great time.
Oppenheimer (2023)
Boring movie that seems more profound than it is
Every so often, a movie comes along that everyone seems to praises on the surface; and yet deep down, everyone also knows it's boring and pretentious. That's what Oppenheimer is. It's one of those movies you go into knowing you're supposed to like- and then when you inevitably don't like it, you feel like your taste is too juvenile or you're not smart enough. But none of that is true- it really just is a boring, dull, and kind of pretentious movie.
In short, it's really just a bunch of dialogue and stuff for three hours. Nothing particularly emotional, exciting, or eventful. Some interesting stuff, but not enough to justify a three hour runtime. I fully believe this movie only got the recognition and awards it did because of a high budget and famous director/cast. Keep the storylines and dialogue but use unknown (but equally talented) actors, and nobody would care about this.
This is a movie you watch once to say you did it, then never watch again. Thank goodness.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
Bizarre thriller that's sure to disturb you
Do you like quirky, out-there thrillers that are as disturbing/creepy as they are bizarre? If you're open to movies that subvert the genre and aren't afraid to blur the lines between fantasy and reality, give this a watch.
It starts off like a fairly typical thriller, and then goes in a completely different direction than you might expect. It's one of those movies where, if you don't already know where it's going, you're going to be shocked. Whether you like the shock depends on how open-minded you are to unique movie concepts. Ultimately, it has all the benefits of a classic thriller, with enough creativity and innovation to make it original.
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
Fun thriller that's not meant to be taken seriously
Based on the negative reviews here, I think a lot of people are taking this film too seriously. The thing is, this isn't your standard thriller. It's really more of a satire than a traditional thriller in any sense. If you don't take it too seriously and just look at it as a fun, silly time, you'll like it. (Side-note- it's also creative and has good twists.)
In essence, it's an over the top, stereotypical portrayal of Gen Z in a classic horror set-up. While some of the dialogue is inevitably cringey, it's also pretty funny (at least, if you have a sense of humor). Ultimately, if you're liberal- you need to be able to laugh at yourself. If you're conservative- you need to be able to watch young, liberal characters without triggering your fragile ego and short temper.
X (2022)
Can't decide if I like this or not
This is one of those movies where... you just don't know what to think. It's derivative and predictable, but just bizarre and weird enough to make it memorable. It has the creepiness and gore you want from a horror movie, but also retains some of the infamous cliches. It's bad and good at the same time.
Let's start with the positives: great cast (this would be a C list movie without the cast); good creepy factor; enough weirdness to keep it unique
Now the negatives: somewhat predictable plot, gratuitous and unnecessary sex scenes, sometimes kinda cringey and uncomfortable
Ultimately, it's a good horror flick if you don't mind raunchiness. Just don't watch with your parents.
Anyone But You (2023)
Pretty predictable, typical rom com
Based on the trailers, it seemed like the movie was really relying on its star power to stand out. After watching the film, I see that this assessment was true. For the most part, it's a pretty typical rom com with an "enemies to lovers" trope. There's nothing about the plot that makes me say, "wow, you have to see this!" You already know exactly what you're getting.
Highlight: Some good jokes. The side characters are far more entertaining than the main ones.
Low point: Poor character work. The film hinges on the fact that the two man characters hate each other, but they don't do enough to justify this hatred. It makes the whole thing more ludicrous and the characters less likable .
Mixed bag: The acting. Glenn Powell is great in this; Sydney Sweeney is not.
Overall, decent enough comedy but nothing better.