I Like Moobies

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Uzumaki

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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).

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Uzumaki OK/G

I am a fan of the live-action 2000 film of the same name. [I never read the manga series created by Junji Ito on which it is based, but it has been on my ‘to-be-read’ list]. It is heavily bizarre, but quite possibly one of the most unique films I’ve seen. A former Rue Morgue writer put it best in saying it “is a masterfully rendered living portrait of warped, apocalyptic art.” In it, a small Japanese town ends up destroying itself, spirals being the leading cause (spiral is the English word for uzumaki). This animated adaptation (available on Adult Swim), also based on the aforementioned manga series, consists of four episodes ranging from 23-to-33-minutes each (each episode a bit longer than the previous one). [Yes, it is in Japanese, just like the film, but you do have the option here of watching subtitled episodes or dubbed episodes. I, personally, never mind reading subtitles; I find dubbed movies distracting. I did choose to watch this series dubbed though since I didn’t think an animated dub would be too distracting; it wasn’t]. Being that this is animated meant they could take the surreal imagery even further, and they did. The plot remains the same in that a small Japanese town slowly destroys itself, stemming from one man’s spiral obsession. As bizarre as it gets, it is still generally intriguing, much like the film. I did expect the ending here to be a little grander, but it was still fitting in a way, retrospectively making it a bit more eerie. I didn’t read of any continuations, but I don’t think there needs to be; I think these four episodes were just enough and any more will likely be repetitive. I suggest you check the film out first (if you haven’t already), only because it came out first, then watch this. (The film’s events are largely covered in the first episode). Neither adaptation may be perfect, but they are both truly one-of-a-kind. 11/15/2024

Bonus review:

The 4:30 Movie EH

Can you believe I wasn’t aware of this new Kevin Smith movie until it was released in theaters not that long ago? I mean, yeah, the man hasn’t really been on the top of his game since Clerks II (Jersey Girl not included), but I still like to know what he puts out. This film takes place in 1986 in New Jersey and features three teenage boys that plan on spending a day at a movie theater movie hopping. The title comes from the time one movie starts wherein one of the boys is supposed to meet up with a girl he likes. Obviously this had autobiographical elements for Smith, it allegedly being his most personal flick. (I thought Clerks was?). I should’ve loved this movie based on the time period and synopsis, but I think the Hollywood mentality took hold of Kevin once again. Clerks III may not have been great, but it was an acceptable comeback that I truly thought could’ve been the beginning of his revival (you can read my review in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2022/12/clerks-iii.html). This is the type of unfunny, amateurishly-written comedy that would’ve never put his name on the map had it been his first film. I don’t think I disliked it as much as his other flops like Reboot (review in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2020/01/creepshow-season-onejay-and-silent-bob.html) and Yoga Hosers (review in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2016/12/mooby-reviews-121316.html), but it still sucked (the best part was an Eighties-influenced song during the end credits). 11/18/2024

Other movies I've seen and their ratings (see above):

Another Cabin in the Woods Movie >>>OK

Bad Girl Boogey >>>EH/OK

Blood Mountain Massacre >>>EH/OK

House of Spoils >>>EH/OK

(Amazon Prime)

---Sean O.

11/20/2024

Thursday, November 14, 2024

Doc of Chucky

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Doc of Chucky

New documentary on the Child’s Play franchise (available on Shudder) that is roughly five hours! I didn’t sit through the entire film in one sitting (prove to me that you can); I watched it five different times. It covers all seven films leading up to Cult; the remake and television series are not discussed. Aside from those omissions, this is supposed to be an exhaustive documentary on the series. (Damn well better be at five hours!). [There is another documentary titled Living with Chucky, but obviously not as extensive]. On a personal note, I liked this before even watching due to my lifelong fondness for Chucky (well, since 6^th grade, so more than half my 42 years). That said, this doc is strictly for the fans. (If you somehow haven’t seen all the films, I would recommend you do so before watching since spoilers are within). It generally follows the archetypal documentary format---cast and crew discuss the films, their roles, what happened behind the scenes, their opinions; some cast members were likely pulled out of hiding for this and it was strangely neat seeing some of them (they did age). I learned a few interesting tidbits, i.e. the sexuality of a certain actor (not Don Mancini; I knew he was gay for years, and he’s not an actor), what inspired the return of the franchise with Bride, and an actress in a small role from Bride being the niece of a late Scream Queen. I’ll admit that documentaries, regardless of content, are often hard to maintain interest the entire runtime (especially if they’re five hours!). This one, as much as I love the subject matter, suffered at times from that too. I think more than enough time was spent covering the first film in the beginning; the rest of the films were covered a reasonable amount of time though. Like I said, I’ve always been a fan of the diminutive killer, so I was bound to like this, even if it did meander at times (inevitable for a five hour film) and had to watch it in more than one sitting. [I don’t remember being too enthusiastic about the other aforementioned documentary, but apparently I gave it an OK/G rating, so I really do love my “friend to the end”]. If you’re a fan (whether as much as I am or not), I don’t think you’d mind this. 11/12/2024

[Here are my reviews of:

The remake---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2019/06/childs-playtoy-story-4.html

The TV show:

Season One---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2021/12/chucky-season-one.html

Season Two---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2022/11/wednesday-season-1chucky-season-2.html

Season Three---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2024/05/chucky-season-threeinfested.html]

Other movies I've seen and their ratings (see above):

Black Cab >>>B

(Shudder)

Decision to Leave >>>B

(In Korean and Mandarin with subtitles)

The Five Devils >>>EH

(In French with subtitles)

The J-Horror Virus >>>OK

(Mostly with subtitles)

---Sean O.

11/14/2024

Sunday, November 10, 2024

Meth Gator

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Meth Gator EH/OK

There’s an article in the latest issue of Fangoria written by Rebekah McKendry about the history of alligators and crocodiles in horror. It’s a good article. I actually wished it was longer. In it, the author states, “I, for one, will watch Methgator with the same level of enthusiasm as Crawl anytime.” In the next sentence she labels this film a gem. She put the title as one word. Everywhere else I saw it as two. The title listed on All Movie is Attack of the Meth Gator. Whatever. Meth Gator is fine and it looks better as two words. (By the way, I knew of this film before reading the article; the article just made me finally watch it; currently available on Tubi). Anyway, I, too, look forward to watching gator/croc movies (any wild animal film, really) whether it be ones like Crawl and Rogue, or even ones like this where I know there’s a high possibility of suckage, and the dreaded use of CGI. The way the creature looks is often a huge factor in how worthy these movies are. The creature here wasn’t terrible; at least not as terrible as it could’ve been, and those in the past have been. (It actually looks funny when it’s hopping on land). In terms of a plot, and there actually is somewhat of one, a gator ends up swallowing some meth (obviously), thus becomes addicted to it and searches for more (like a true drug addict!), so authorities and others must try killing it before it reaches a nearby meth lab none of them know the location of. (The gator does still kill people too, if you didn’t deduce that; the violence not the greatest, but not altogether horrible either). So, did I like this gator flick not meant to be on the same level as Crawl and Rogue? Well, it wasn’t terrible, but I still wouldn’t exactly call it a gem. It does still come off as one of those cheap TV movies that began to overstay its welcome a bit (there was a clever little twist towards the end though). I know, what did I really expect, especially from The Asylum, a production company not exactly known for releasing gems? And from the fact it’s a mockbuster spawned from the success of Cocaine Bear on top of others like the dreadful Cocaine Shark, Cocaine Cougar, Cocaine Werewolf, and Cocaine Crabs from Outer Space (the last three I have yet to see, lol)?; much like Cocaine Bear, this, too, according to the Wikipedia page, was loosely inspired by true reports! If you’re like me and watch these types of movies anyway, whether out of curiosity, or simply just wanting to set your brain aside and take in a mindless flick, you don’t need me to decide whether or not you should spend roughly 90-minutes of your time with it; you should pretty much know what you’re in for. 11/3/2024

[Here are my reviews of titles mentioned above:

Cocaine Bear---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2023/03/cocaine-bear.html

Cocaine Shark---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2023/06/cocaine-shark.html

Crawl---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2019/07/crawl.html]

Bonus review:

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting

Suicidal Person OK

The title makes this French-Canadian film (yes, that means subtitles) sound like a parody. It’s not. It’s an indie drama with horror elements (there is some violence). It’s very much like Let the Right One In. Not exactly like it (not as good either), but it very much reminded me of it. Let’s see, there’s a vampire girl and a human boy that’s quite the loner, often bullied (both teenagers though; well, the girl looks like one). The girl is a “black sheep” amongst her family in that she doesn’t want to kill anyone, but she does still need blood to survive since they can’t eat human food (she just drinks from blood bags provided by her family’s kills). The boy is suicidal and it’s pretty apparent they’re bound to meet from the get-go. The whole film is, by and large, predictable. Sure, there may be a certain charm to it (goth teens might revel in it), but, ultimately, the only thing unique about it is the title. 11/4/2024

Other movies and TV show(s) I’ve seen and their ratings (see above):

Civil War (2024) >>>OK

Dream Scenario >>>EH

Falcon Lake >>>EH

(Mostly in French with subtitles)

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum >>>EH/OK

(In Korean with subtitles)

Grotesquerie (Season One) >>>EH/OK

(FX/Hulu; 10 episodes)

Hayride to Hell >>>OK

Love Lies Bleeding (2024) >>>OK

Noroi: The Curse >>>OK

(In Japanese with subtitles)

Reality+ >>>OK

(Short film; In French with subtitles)

Riddle of Fire >>>OK

The Substance >>>OK/G

Tastes of Horror >>>EH

(In Korean with subtitles)

Teacup (Season One) >>>OK/G

(Peacock; 8 episodes)

Time Cut >>>EH/OK

(Netflix)

The Zone of Interest >>>OK

(In German, Polish, and Yiddish with subtitles)

---Sean O.

11/10/2024

Monday, October 28, 2024

Carved/Hysteria!

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Carved OK/G

A killer pumpkin? I had to! It isn’t a killer with a pumpkin head like Jack-O; no, this is an actual killer pumpkin. The only other time I recall seeing that was in a segment of Tales of Halloween. This isn’t an expansion of that segment, but it is one of a 5-minute short film of the same name released in 2018, both directed by Justin Harding (you can view the short if you Google it; this one is available on Hulu). In it, a pumpkin is taken from a field and about to be used in a pumpkin carving contest in a small town festivity. It isn’t long before the sentient gourd starts attacking and killing those in attendance with a bunch of tendrils it creates, in addition to other weapons. There is violence, yes. A group of people then hide in a nearby barn and try figuring out a way to escape this killer fruit. (It takes place in the early 90s, so no cellulars, and the only means of escape involves keys not handy). Was this great? Nope. It was fun enough in that ‘90’s VHS’ kind of way though. (There was definitely a nod to Jack Frost 2 at the end). The effects and creature design may not have been stellar, but they were passable, looking mostly practical (not when it appears more like a giant spider while walking with its tendrils in the distance); the pumpkin undoubtedly looked better than the one used in the short film. Happy Halloween! 10/22/2024

Hysteria! (Season One)

1989. Satanic Panic. A metal band. Bruce Campbell. I was definitely in for this Peacock series. (All eight episodes, roughly between 50-60-minutes each, are available). A trio of teenagers (2 guys, 1 girl) in a small town (somewhere in Michigan, filmed in Georgia) are in a metal band and use the whole Satanic Panic theme to get more attention, which inevitably leads to one misunderstanding after another (amongst peers, townsfolk, authorities, etc.) following the murder of one of their classmates. Bruce plays a cop that tries to get to the bottom of it all. A reveal halfway made this less dark than I thought it would be; a rather pedestrian one too, and nothing much is done with it afterwards either. There were sometimes hints of leading to dark places, but it always seemed to wimp out. Plus, there were suggestions of a supernatural presence (right up to the very end), but I’m not sure whether any of it was real or not. Cons aside, I did enjoy following the three band members and was curious to see where all of this was going (more so before that reveal, yes, but still a bit after). There is no confirmed second season yet, but maybe I would welcome one. Perhaps it might make this season (when all was said and done) feel less of a letdown…10/27/2024

Bonus reviews:

Catnado

They did it with sharks (six times!) and clowns, so why not cats? And what’s next, right? This actually came out two years ago, but wasn’t released until now (at least on streaming and DVD). It wasn’t entirely what I expected, because I assumed it would be a single narrative, but it’s actually an anthology film consisting of six tales, one a take on an original Twilight Zone episode. The titular disaster does appear in each segment though. Now, does anyone (at least most people) actually expect a movie called Catnado to be any good? Especially for one that didn’t get nearly as much publicity (apparently none until now) as the shark ones? It is awful. Aw-ful. The acting is bad, the effects are really bad…what did you expect, right? Curiosity will surely get people to check it out, but we all know what curiosity killed, right? (Wink, wink). I will admit though that it is often pretty funny at how ridiculously awful it is…10/27/2024

WNUF Halloween Special B/EH

I finally got around to watching this film from 2013 presented as a live news broadcast set in the Eighties. One segment of this broadcast involves a crew entering a haunted house that hasn’t been occupied in 20 years after a boy killed both his parents there. Now, of this roughly 83-minute film, only about 20-minutes of it focuses on this particular segment. If they were going for an authentic news program with tons and tons of commercials, they definitely succeeded. My goodness was there a shitload of ads! I hate commercials when watching a real movie or TV show, let alone an entire film containing them; fake ones too! The majority of the ads weren’t compelling either; I think I might’ve enjoyed them more had they been from the actual 80’s (I might’ve even remembered some of them). The segment in question was totally lacking too, containing a reveal that made me think “Really? That’s the best they could come up with?!” This “movie” was a waste of time. 10/24/2024

Other movies and TV show(s) I’ve seen and their ratings (see above):

American Horror Stories (Season Three, Part 2) >>>EH/OK

(Hulu; 5 episodes)

Azrael >>>OK

The Beast Within (2024) >>>EH

Deer Camp ’86 >>>OK

Don’t Move (2024) >>>OK

(Netflix)

Family Pack (2024) >>>OK

(Netflix; In French with subtitles)

MadS >>>OK

(In French with subtitles)

The Phantom Carriage >>>OK/G

(Swedish silent film)

A Quiet Place: Day One >>>OK

Woman of the Hour >>>OK

(Netflix)

---Sean O.

10/28/2024

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Terrifier 3

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Terrifier 3 G

I can’t believe how popular Art the Clown became. (I think he’s more of a mime, but I’m okay with him being a clown). This was the number one movie in the country last weekend! A fourth film was already mentioned before this was even released! [I wonder if a 4^th one was intended from the get-go though, because this one didn’t conclude]. Plus, there may be a fifth one too! (Apparently Art, much like other cinematic baddies, can’t be killed). Am I a fan? I guess you can say I like him enough (I do own a miniature Art smashie I basically got for free after coupons). There was a whole bunch of “negative” publicity before this was even officially released, i.e. 9 people walked out of a U.K. premiere before the opening sequence, France banned minors from seeing it, and two people passed out during a screening in Australia. Yada, yada, yada. Oh, and there was a Christian group that protested it outside of a theater in Kansas City. Cue the eye-rolls. Negative publicity is still publicity that’s only going to make people more curious, even though fans of the franchise are going to watch it anyway. Plus, controversy always gives movies an edge, eventually garnering cult status as a result. In regards to those that walked out, passed out, or were maybe even just grossed out, what the hell did you expect from a Terrifier movie?! Did you even see the first two?! [My reviews of those are in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2018/06/mooby-reviews-61318.html, and here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2022/11/terrifier-2.html]. Yes, this is gory, very gory, but it’s a friggin’ Terrifier movie that delivers exactly what you’d expect!!! Art is crazy and the whole fun of these films is seeing what he’s going to do. Plus, it’s so over-the-top, as has also become expected for the franchise, that it’s more fascinating than nauseating, at least for us horror fans; there was even a gory scene here that audience members laughed at because of how far over-the-top it went! Put it this way, if you were able to stomach the first two, you’ll do fine with this one. Anyway, five years after Terrifier 2’s events (yes, you do actually need to watch these in order), Sienna, the female protagonist from that film, goes to stay with her aunt, uncle, and young cousin after being in and out of an institution, while Art slices, chops, eviscerates, what have you, any poor souls he comes across before their eventual and inevitable confrontation. No one is spared either, not men, women, or children. Some scenes reminded me of ones from Jason X, Pieces, and Sinister 2, the scenes here definitely giving those a run for their money. I enjoyed this enough (didn’t even seem like it was roughly 2-hours) to definitely deem it a worthy addition to the franchise, as well as Christmas horror flicks (yes, it is a Christmas movie, if you somehow didn’t know, even though it came out during Halloween). A jolly, bloody good time! 10/15/2024

Bonus review:

It’s Me, Billy

It’s Me, Billy Chapter II EH

Silly me thought It’s Me, Billy Chapter II was a direct fan film sequel to the original Black Christmas. Luckily I read the entire intro before the film (available on YouTube) or else I wouldn’t have known that it was actually a sequel to another fan film (It’s Me, Billy) released in 2021 (also available on YouTube). Therefore, I watched both, not back-to-back, but you very much can, given they’re both a little over 40-minutes each (hence, an 80-plus minute feature). Those that are fans of Bob Clark’s Black Christmas (as I very much am) will recognize the title as the words uttered by the killer in that seminal Canadian feature. Black Christmas is definitely one of my favorite slasher movies, maybe even movies period, one that didn’t originally get as much recognition as it deserved (I didn’t even see it until right after high school), and it’s one that never had countless sequels like many of its ilk; two remakes, yes, but no official sequels (you can read my review of the original film and the first remake in here---https://vampireclown82-2.blogspot.com/2016/11/imdreaming-of-blackchristmas.html, and my review of the second remake/reimagining here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2019/12/black-christmas.html). I may not necessarily think fan films are great, but I do look forward to watching them; expectations usually aren’t that high and many aren’t even feature-length (my review of a Texas Chainsaw Massacre fan film, The Sawyer Massacre, is in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2022/11/terrifier-2.html, and there’s a link in there for my reviews of some Friday the 13^th fan films). The first in this duo of fan films, both written and directed by Bruce Dale and Dave McRae, follows the granddaughter of Jess (played by Olivia Hussey in the original film) traveling with two of her friends to the sorority house (not the same one, obviously) the murders occurred at all those years ago. Based on the title, I don’t think I need to tell you that Billy is still alive in the house and not everyone makes it out alive. Was I a fan of this fan film, films collectively (the second part picks up right after the first)? No, I wasn’t (my rating, which goes for both, should’ve told you that). The original Black Christmas worked well enough just knowing “Billy” was a psycho that happened to end up in a sorority house killing the inhabitants; seeing or knowing any more about him just ruins the mystery. Yeah, I may have grown to appreciate the first remake over time (as you’ll see in the review above from one of my other blogs), but it still didn’t need to exist. I understand these films were “unofficial” sequels and simply meant to be mild forms of flattery (as all fan films are), but I still don’t think they were worth watching, or necessary, above all. There will always only be one Black Christmas! R.I.P. Bob Clark. [On a side note---one actress from the original film makes an appearance in Chapter II playing the sister of her character]. 10/13/2024

Other movies and TV show(s) I’ve seen and their ratings (see above):

#AMFAD: All My Friends Are Dead >>>EH/OK

Daddy’s Head >>>EH

Eight Eyes >>>OK

(Sometimes in subtitles)

Family Guy Halloween Special >>>EH

(Hulu)

Haunt Season >>>OK/G

Mr. Crocket >>>EH/OK

(Hulu)

The Platform 2 >>>EH/OK

(Netflix; In Spanish with subtitles)

Snack Shack >>>OK

---Sean O.

10/16/2024

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

V/H/S/Beyond

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V/H/S/Beyond G

This is the seventh film of the anthology franchise! Ninth if you include the two spin-offs! [The only other ones I reviewed were V/H/S/99, as a haiku review, in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2022/11/speak-no-evil.html, and V/H/S/85 in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2023/11/vhs85.html; in the latter review, you’ll see my ratings only for the other four, plus links to reviews of the spin-offs, Siren and Kids vs. Aliens]. I’ll admit I wasn’t too enthused upon hearing this one was going to be more sci-fi; don’t get me wrong, I like my fair share of sci-fi flicks---The Faculty, Annihilation (review of that in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2018/03/mooby-reviews-3818.html), Alien isn’t bad (just the first one from memory), and I guess pretty much any movie with aliens would count (in that case, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Night of the Creeps, Critters, Attack the Block, E.T., Mac and Me, lol, just to name some)---and it could very well be a cousin genre to horror, but I guess I’m just not a fan of hokey special effects, especially digital ones, often associated with them (even practical ones have been corny too, John Carpenter’s The Thing being an example, the effects the main reason I’m not a fan of it). Sci-fi as a theme though, I’m all for (to me, The Twilight Zone is a better series than The Outer Limits). This film certainly had otherworldly elements, but obviously caters to the horror crowd, given the franchise’s roots. The wraparound segment is presented as a docuseries about alien encounters, the other segments “recordings” of such encounters. It starts off with a bang in an entry that plays like a shoot ‘em up zombie videogame in a derelict house; the undead, or whatever they are, have a distinct look (they aren’t the only creatures here either); bloody good fun segment that does not disappoint. The second one was probably my least fave. It takes place in India (yes, that means subtitles) and involves a female pop singer with a deadly secret; it’s rather formulaic, but very gory (seems like a tactic often used these days to compensate for what lacks in the script). The third one was another good one involving a birthday skydiving excursion gone wrong, very wrong. Those that make it on the ground aren’t safe from harm either. The extraterrestrials here undoubtedly give the ones in the V/H/S/2 segment, as well as its spin-off (Kids vs. Aliens), a hefty run for their money, and probably most evil aliens in entertainment. I wish this segment was longer (hey, Kids vs. Aliens happened). The next one involved a dog lady with a rather sinister agenda. This one was probably the least sci-fi, although likely qualifies conceptually, a concept not exactly unique, but, again, the violence that occurs makes the segment a little more unique. Lastly, a girl filming in the Mojave Desert enters a spaceship that, at first, appears to have beneficial advantages, but notice how I put ‘at first’ in big bold letters! This one should’ve been a bit longer; not that I wanted it to be, but it should’ve because it felt a bit lacking (I didn’t dislike it though, nor did I any of them). Like many an anthology, it may not have been perfect collectively (as least two of the segments were great though), but I enjoyed it enough, more than I thought given I wasn’t looking forward to it too much, to recommend it. 10/4/2024

Bonus reviews:

Hold Your Breath OK/G

Southern gothic film on Hulu taking place in Oklahoma during the 1930s (shot in New Mexico though). A woman (Sarah Paulson) lives with her two daughters on a farm while her husband is away working. Dust storms occur frequently which can make one sick, maybe even die if caught in one (hence they try sealing every crevice in the house during them). An entity may be in these storms too, based on a ghost story the young girls read. There was a very eerie quality to this film, a pervading sense of unease, which I did admire. It does end up feeling clichéd though, style ultimately trumping substance, but such style it does have…10/3/2024

It’s What’s Inside EH/OK

Ever wanted to be someone else? A group of friends get to do just that in this Netflix thriller when they get together the night before a wedding. One of their friends whom they haven’t seen for a while (you’ll see why) brings a machine that somehow allows them all to switch bodies with someone else in attendance. There was something I admired about this film, there really was, in that it defied expectations, in addition to being well-shot with some nice use of color here and there. I liked how it didn’t go the body count route it was set up to be, and what I thought it would be (there are deaths though, but not in the way you think). However…this made me think too much, and not in the way meaningful discussions will be generated afterwards, but in the way you need to stop watching several times to take notes and keep track of everything. There’s eight people you need to follow and I couldn’t take keeping up with who was who and when, even though they did have pictures of the real people attached to the bodies they were in, occasionally showing the real people in a parallel shot (that aforementioned nice use of color). I couldn’t imagine reading this in a book (it’s not, it was written and directed by Greg Jardin, this being his feature-length debut), because if it was confusing watching this all visually…cue head shake! Mr. Jardin, clearly you have ambition, but you tried a little too hard here, buddy. 10/4/2024

Other movies I've seen and their ratings (see above):

Blackwater Lane >>>EH

Didi (2024) >>>OK/G

(Sometimes in Mandarin with subtitles)

King on Screen >>>OK

Sasquatch Sunset >>>OK

---Sean O.

10/9/2024

Thursday, October 3, 2024

Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey II

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Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey II OK

Sequel to the much-maligned predecessor (released last year) nominated for five Razzie Awards and winning all five, including worst picture! I don’t understand why it was hated as much as it was; I probably wrote one of the nicest reviews for it (which you can read in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2023/10/zombie-townpet-sematary-bloodlines.html). Everyone is their own critic though, right? [I don’t understand all the hate (and Razzies) Showgirls got either, while shite like Oppenheimer won so many praiseworthy awards; I probably gave that one of the most scathing reviews in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2024/02/bad-cgi-gator.html]. Now, even though I was very curious (and, undeniably, somewhat anxious) about this sequel, my expectations weren’t that high, but they were a bit higher than low because critics said this was an improvement over the first one (which, again, I didn’t think was that horrible). [This one, as of this writing, received a 46% rating on Rotten Tomatoes out of 41 critics, whereas part one only got 3% out of 62 critics]. Well, I didn’t think it was better than the first one. I didn’t dislike it; there is violence, to be sure, some of it worthy. It was an okay follow-up. The director is still the same, but it did feel like a different movie (still being a slasher movie though). Owl and Tigger join in on the mayhem this time; both of them talk too (Piglet spoke at one time as well); Owl kind of reminded me of the Creeper from Jeepers Creepers. Pooh and Piglet both have different looks (Pooh looking meaner, Piglet looking worse than before), and Christopher Robin is played by a different actor. Plus, we get a backstory on the creatures, one blatantly cribbed from another movie I won’t reveal in case of a spoiler. I can’t say this was an unnecessary sequel, given the franchise, but I was a teensy little bit disappointed since I expected it to be better. That’s just my opinion though, right? And that’s what I get for listening to other critics, right? *wink* A third film was already mentioned shortly after this one’s release. Obviously I’m going to watch it. OCD aside, I am still curious…10/2/2024

Bonus reviews:

What You Wish For G

Culinary thriller that was better than I thought it would be; I enjoyed it more than The Menu. In it, Nick Stahl plays a chef that leaves the States (for a reason) to meet up with a buddy in some Spanish-speaking country. He eventually has to prepare a meal for a group of rich people, and let’s just say some of the ingredients demanded are a little specific. 10/1/2024

Horror’s Greatest

New docuseries on Shudder containing five episodes (roughly ranging from 50-60 minutes each; all now available) covering different horror film categories/topics, they being Tropes and Clichés, Giant Monsters, Japanese Horror, Horror Comedies, and Stephen King Adaptations, in that order. I always enjoy talking about horror and hearing others give their two cents (several people do here), so I didn’t dislike this series, even when films I either haven’t seen or disliked were discussed (like many in the Giant Monsters episode). I can’t believe they didn’t include Idle Hands in the Horror Comedies segment, which is not only underrated, but one of the best horror comedies! They didn’t discuss any of the Chucky movies in that episode either (I only recall a brief clip of Bride of Chucky)! They should’ve discussed the original Pet Sematary in the Stephen King Adaptations one too, not just include it on an extra list they showed in every episode (it should’ve also been on the ‘Must See’ titles at the end instead of Doctor Sleep and the IT remake)! And there was no talk of the original IT, which is much better than both parts of the remake (which was discussed)! Personal opinions aside, I still enjoyed this series enough to recommend for horror fans. I’d welcome more episodes, even if they were continuations of some of these (Stephen King Adaptations, as an example, could definitely be covered in more than one hour episode). [F.Y.I., it is assumed you’ve seen all the titles discussed, so there are spoilers]. 9/24/2024

Other movies I've seen and their ratings (see above):

Amp House Massacre >>>EH

The Collingswood Story >>>OK

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken >>>OK/G

Oddity >>>OK/G

Rez Ball >>>EH

(Netflix)

Sleep (2024) >>>OK/G

(In Korean with subtitles)

---Sean O.

10/3/2024

Thursday, September 19, 2024

In a Violent Nature/The Watchers

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In a Violent Nature OK

Slasher flick, directed by Chris Nash (ABCs of Death 2 segment), wherein we follow the killer instead of the victims. We don’t see the POV á la young Michael Myers in the beginning of Halloween, but simply follow him (Johnny) more than we do any of the potential victims. We do follow other characters at times, yes, but not as much. Why didn’t we follow him every inch of the way if that was the intention though? [Why did we witness one kill from afar?]. Would it have worked effectively though, I wonder, in a roughly 94-minute feature, given the characters (a.k.a potential victims) are part of what makes these often plotless, mindless movies appealing? This isn’t like Maniac or Sleepaway Camp 2 and 3 either where the killer we follow actually has a personality; this killer is the silent type akin to Jason Voorhees. [I’d be curious to see how much different, although likely indistinguishable, this would be if executed typically]. The kills too, of course, play a very important factor in these movies, and the majority of kills here are pretty brutal; one, specifically, I can’t say I’ve ever seen done before (and I’ve seen my fair share of slasher movies), one that would likely give Victor Crowley a run for his money. Part of me did admire this, but another part of me expected better. [In true slasher fashion, a sequel was already mentioned two months after its theatrical release]. 9/13/2024

The Watchers OK

I read the novel by A.M. Shine a couple months ago before this adaptation was released theatrically (I don’t know why I feel the need to do that, but I prefer reading an adapted novel before seeing the adaptation, not vice versa). The novel was decent, not great, at least not enough to want to see this adaptation right away, directed and written for the screen by one of M. Night Shyamalan’s daughters, Ishana (M. Night was also one of the producers). It’s possibly a little too faithful to the source material, therefore I think you should only choose one medium, your choice obviously based on whether you prefer reading or watching (the book did feel like you spent more time with the characters, but that’s often the case). In it, four people become trapped in these woods in West Ireland wherein they must stay inside a house at night (dubbed The Coop) to avoid being attacked by the titular creatures; they’re free to roam outside during the day. The film does look good (as if Ishana wouldn’t have the means), but, even if I hadn’t read the book, it is still a rather typical scenario in which a group of people are stuck in a predicament, they need to learn to survive, and they may or may not escape (just a matter of how and when). There is a twist too (the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, huh?), and, whether you read the book or not (like I said, this adaptation is very faithful), it shouldn’t be too surprising even if you didn’t see it coming. This may not have been a masterpiece, but it wasn’t terrible, it was okay (as my rating indicates), pretty much how I felt about the novel; it does seem like an instance where I, more often, preferred the written word over the visuals (some of the creature effects being a prime example). Ishana has potential though; if anything, her directorial debut was definitely better than daddy’s last effort (you can read my review for it in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2024/08/trap.html). 9/17/2024

Bonus review:

Handling the Undead EH

I did read the book of the same name by John Ajvide Lindqvist, once dubbed “Sweden’s Stephen King,” in which this Norwegian film is based (yes, that means subtitles). I read it over ten years ago though and don’t really remember much, so I went into this blind which is how I should (even though I do feel the need to read the book before seeing certain adaptations). In this, the dead inexplicably return to life (seemingly after a power outage), and the focus is on three separate families. They don’t appear hostile as other zombies tend to be, at least not at first (PETA would certainly be up in arms over one scene); they’re simply just (ahem) dead, in more than one way. It is a horror-drama, emphasis on the drama; the appearance of a few zombies is the sole aspect labeling it as horror. The film is very slow, but I had a feeling it might’ve eventually lead somewhere, and not just because I read the book. I didn’t take much from this film other than what I assume to be that “sometimes dead is better,” like the quote used in Pet Sematary (a much better film involving the undead, and I do hope you know I mean the original only). I do remember not liking the book as much as the author’s previous novel, Let the Right One In (which was adapted into one of my favorite vampire movies), but I don’t remember being as disappointed as I was with this underdeveloped film (perhaps a re-read is in order). 9/18/2024

Other movies and TV show(s) I’ve seen and their ratings (see above):

Boy Kills World >>>EH/OK

The Perfect Couple >>>EH

(Netflix; 6 episodes)

We Are Zombies >>>OK

Wonka >>>OK

---Sean O.

9/19/2024

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice G

I remember when Beetlejuice came out. I didn’t see it in the theater (I was almost 6!), but it was really popular when it came out on video. I remember the animated TV show that came out a year later too; I watched it religiously (I even remember happy meal toys they had at, I believe, Burger King). [I bought the entire television series on DVD about ten years ago, recently re-watching it a couple months ago in “preparation” for this sequel; I got up to the beginning of season four, season four containing way more episodes than the first three seasons combined. Beetlejuice is actually more irritating in the cartoon, but I do still love that late 80s/early 90s drawing style. You can watch the animated series on Tubi now, by the way, meaning free, with ads]. Is this sequel, released 36 years later (!), worth it? Considering the huge gap, I’d say it was pretty decent; it contains plenty of Burton’s signature touch and actually feels like a direct sequel as opposed to a remake. It probably helped that at least three of the original cast returned (including the eponymous “ghost with the most”), and, more importantly, Tim Burton directed again, as well as (frequent collaborator) Danny Elfman scoring once again. It wasn’t a perfect film (i.e. the animated sequence showing what befell patriarch Charles Deetz---I just wasn’t a fan of the style and expected something better and/or different from the director, and the musical scene at the end may have been a bit odd; only a bit), but there were more pros than cons for me. [Hell, as much of a cult following the first one has, it’s not perfect, nor even the best Burton flick, but it’s fun and I’m a fan; not just for nostalgic reasons either]. Tim certainly needed a comeback after the flop that was Dumbo, my least favorite film of his (you can read my review for it in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2019/04/dumbo.html), and I’d say this and Wednesday (my review for that is in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2022/11/wednesday-season-1chucky-season-2.html) adequately solidified his welcome return. 9/10/2024

Bonus review:

The Deliverance EH

New Netflix movie directed by Lee Daniels (Precious) involving a family of five (a woman, her three kids, her mother) that just moved into a home in Pittsburgh, said house being haunted. Starting off as what could’ve been a cozy horror flick eventually drowns in a bog of clichés (i.e. the youngest child talks to an “imaginary friend”), cribbing from The Amityville Horror, The Exorcist, and fill in the blank here __________ with basically any possession/exorcism movie. There’s a happy ending to top it all off and it’s “based on a true story.” Eye-roll. 9/3/2024

Other movies and TV show(s) I’ve seen and their ratings (see above):

Behave (2024) >>>EH/OK

The Demon Disorder >>>OK

(Shudder)

The Garfield Movie >>>EH/OK

Imaginary >>>EH

Rebel Ridge >>>EH

(Netflix)

Terror Tuesday: Extreme (Season One) >>>EH/OK

(Netflix; 8 episodes; In Thai with subtitles)

---Sean O.

9/11/2024

Monday, September 2, 2024

Strange Darling

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Strange Darling OK

A thriller in six parts. That’s what we’re told we are watching when the title appears on the screen in the beginning. [Apparently this is based on real events that happened between 2018 and 2020 (I think those were the years mentioned)]. The six parts aren’t presented chronologically. Something revealed a little later makes it a different movie than initially thought, thereby making it less harrowing than I initially thought it could be (certain twists just aren’t that effective anymore). Going the nonlinear route is the only thing preventing this from being a very ordinary flick with not too many surprises, violent or not (and it is violent). Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the structure (Quentin Tarantino is one of my favorite filmmakers), and I didn’t dislike this film, not at all (I’ll probably watch it again eventually and might think it’s better; it’s happened enough times before), but I just didn’t think it was particularly exceptional when all was said and done. 8/27/2024

Bonus review:

Suitable Flesh OK

Imagine Freaky Friday written by H.P. Lovecraft. It is based on a short story by the late author (“The Thing on the Doorstep,” which I don’t recall reading, but I do own a collection of Lovecraft stories), but I wouldn’t say it’s entirely Lovecraftian. It’s basically a body switch movie like the aforementioned title, akin to something like Jason Goes to Hell as well. Basically, an evil entity switches bodies with others whenever it chooses to (there is a procedure, of course). I was curious to see how it all panned out, but nothing much is done with the concept, making it appear simple, trite even; it’s roughly 100-minutes too. It might’ve sufficed more as a half-hour episode in an anthology show. 8/28/2024

Other movies I've seen and their ratings (see above):

Exploited (2022) >>>EH

Hell Hole (2024) >>>OK

(Shudder)

Incoming (2024) >>>EH

(Netflix)

Kinds of Kindness >>>G

Milk & Serial >>>OK

(Available on YouTube)

Snow Falls >>>EH/OK

Something in the Water (2024) >>>OK

---Sean O.

9/2/2024