-------------------------------------------------------------------
In case you haven’t seen the intro from my entry dated
1/26/19 (it’s in my archives whenever you want to read it), I’m no longer going
to review every single movie I see. I’m
going to review one, with the occasional bonus, and just give ratings for the
rest from now on (unless I decide to pick it up again in the future). You can always ask me why I gave the ratings
for the films without reviews though (via comments or the e-mail addresses
under the ‘About Me’ section).
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The Conference OK/G
Swedish slasher flick available on Netflix (yes, that means
there are subtitles). Stephen Graham
Jones wrote in his most recent Fangoria column, Slasher Nation, that
there are generally two motives for killers in slasher movies; one, being
revenge (as many of them are), and the other involving territory (i.e. Leatherface).
This one is obviously the former. You know why the killer is killing here
fairly early and it doesn’t matter because us slasher fans have seen enough of
these movies to know what to expect; we just want to get to know the characters
a bit and see some kills, the kills being the main attraction. The setting plays a factor in these films too
and here it’s perfect---an isolated campground with a bunch of little cabins
surrounded by a lake and woods. There
are no kiddies or teens being hacked at this camp though, nope; it is a bunch
of adults holding a conference (surprise, surprise) at the location to discuss
the inauguration of a mall planned nearby (said mall and the ensuing
consequences being the foundation for the killer’s revenge). Not all the characters here are exactly
likeable, but that’s not always necessary as long as we do get to know them,
and we do. The kills are fine, but I
felt they held back on some that could’ve been more extreme than they were; at
least what we were shown. We never get
to meet the killer, nor do we ever truly see what he looks like, even when he’s
not wearing a mask (mascot head, to be exact), but most of us slasher fans probably
don’t care about that anymore either. As
far as modern slasher movies go, it really wasn’t too bad; passable even and
may age better. 10/14/2023
Bonus reviews:
Strays OK/G
You know those live-action family-friendly movies featuring
talking animals, such as Homeward Bound
and Babe? This may appear like one of those films with
cute little doggies, but, much like South
Park having the appearance of a colorful children’s cartoon with cute
little kids, it is entirely not for the kiddies (lots of profanity rightfully
earned its R-rating). That is,
obviously, the sole novelty of this feature, as the adult humor and language
are what would (or should) make something like this funny, and there are
definitely funny moments, as opposed to the same exact film being a harmless
family-friendly version (which, I know, could also be funny). Two parts are gross, one even
stomach-churning, but, as great as dogs can be, they can be gross (hell, humans can be gross too; we’re just supposed to
know better). While not an amazing film,
I had a decent amount of fun with it. 10/11/2023
LEGO Jurassic
Park: The Unofficial Retelling OK
Yes, Jurassic Park
has been LEGO’d in this Peacock exclusive.
Jeff Goldblum’s character recounts the film to us in a truncated
22-minute version. They did an okay job of trying to compress as much
as they could in those 22-minutes. It
would help if you actually saw Jurassic
Park before watching this to know what they’re trying to imitate, otherwise
you’ll think everything is happening too swiftly from scene to scene. [And if you haven’t seen Jurassic Park by now, what the hell were you waiting for? Two of my nieces, ages 5 and 7, have already
seen it a couple times and love it!].
Part of me wonders how it would’ve been had most of the film been
adapted this way, but I’m unsure how long it would take for the novelty to wear
off, especially if I already know everything that’s going to happen (as will
any fan of the film). Perhaps a slightly
longer version might’ve worked? I don’t
know. Another part of me wishes they
could’ve made it with some PG-13 violence like the film, but I think the kiddos
were considered for this retelling.
Honestly, I’d rather just watch the film itself! 10/11/2023
Other movies and TV show(s) I’ve seen and their ratings (see above):
Fright Krewe
(Season One) >>>EH/OK
(Peacock/Hulu;
10 episodes)
10/31 Part III >>>EH
Totally Killer >>>OK
(Amazon Prime)
---Sean O.
10/15/2023
No comments:
Post a Comment