Child's Play/Toy Story 4

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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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Child’s Play                                                                OK/G

Yes, as much as I complained about this remake (like any) and as much as I hated Chucky’s new look, curiosity got the better of me after reading several reviews from horror publications.  You would think how much I complain about remakes, I wouldn’t bother watching them in order to stop promoting them (I blame my OCD).  Some of them are actually worthy (check out my list in my review of the Pet Sematary documentary, dated 4/11/19) and, let’s face it, they’re going to keep happening from here on out whether we like it or not.  Regardless of what version is out there, the version you love and/or grew up with is never going to be eradicated.  Anyway, as much as I love the Chucky movies, I never saw one in the theater---the first three I was too young, I can’t remember why I didn’t go see Bride, Seed I had no interest at the time, and the last two (Curse and Cult) were direct-to-video.  Therefore, this is officially the first Chucky movie I’ve seen theatrically.  What did I think?  As a standalone film, it actually wasn’t that bad.  That being said, I think they could’ve made this its own movie.  Yes, it’s called Child’s Play, there’s a killer doll named Chucky, and there’s a kid named Andy living with his single mother whom works at a department store, but those are all adjustable comparisons.  Instead of the doll being possessed by a serial killer via voodoo, this doll, actually a technological device similar to Alexa called Buddi instead of Good Guy, was intentionally made defective by a fired worker in a Vietnamese production facility.  It could be yet another cautionary tale about how dangerous modern technology can become, sort of like a Black Mirror episode.  There are some funny moments and a good portion of worthy violence (one scene involving a car is a bit silly), but the film felt too short and I expected more violence.  I definitely didn’t hate it though, far from it, as much as I hated the idea upon hearing of it, and actually won’t deter you from checking it out during bargain times or when it’s released on DVD/Blu-ray/Streaming.  Like I said, the original Chucky films will always be there and will likely always be my favorite versions since I grew up with them, but this was a passable re-imagining (never thought I’d say that).  6/24/2019

Toy Story 4                                                                  OK

I have officially seen all the Toy Story movies in the theater.  Toy Story 3 was supposed to be the last one, but I never take anyone’s word for it when they say that (case in point---The Devil’s Rejects was supposed to be the end, but 3 From Hell is coming out; Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back was supposed to be the end of the titular duo’s cinematic appearance, but there’s a new Jay and Silent Bob movie coming out; and so on and so on).  Toy Story was great, Toy Story 2 and 3 were worthy and fun, 3 being the most emotional, and this one was…just okay.  Sure, this may have been emotional at times and some of the new characters were funny, but I felt like I’ve seen it all before.  And call me “no fun,” but I just didn’t have too much fun with this one.  And criticize me all you want, but I couldn’t stand Forky.  You’re going to watch this if you’ve seen the first three (don’t tell me you’re not), but, as much as I hate to say, I think they should’ve ended at 3 like they intended, making this an unnecessary sequel (dare I say).  Surprisingly, 98% of 330 critics on Rotten Tomatoes (as of this writing) disagree with me.  6/25/2019

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

Captive State  >>>B

Hale County This Morning, This Evening  >>>EH/OK

Hellgate  >>>EH

Her Smell  >>>OK

Under the Silver Lake  >>>EH

---Sean O.
6/25/2019

The Cleaning Lady

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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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The Cleaning Lady                                                      OK/G

This was a decent thriller involving a lady mistakingly befriending the (physically and mentally) scarred cleaning lady.  Basically, you should always be cautious of who you allow into your life and home.  Clearly this cleaning lady is off from the get-go and you know something is eventually going to go down (I don’t think I’m spoiling it by saying something does).  You do gradually learn more about this girl and understand how she became the way she is, like most cinematic villains, but any sane person would say that still doesn’t condone her behavior towards others.  Like I said in the first sentence, this was decent but felt rather generic; plus, it ended quite abruptly, making it appear somewhat closure-less, at least to me.  Oh, and if you’re a mouse lover or any kind of animal rights activist, you might want to skip the very beginning.  6/15/2019

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

Bent (1997)  >>>OK

The Strange Colour of Your Body’s Tears  >>>EH/OK

Turkey Shoot (Escape 2000)  >>>OK

A Vigilante  >>>EH/OK

---Sean O.
6/16/2019

Black Mirror: Season Five

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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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Black Mirror:  Season Five                                        

Here we are at season five of this anthology series (available on Netflix) involving various forms of technology usually, if not always, having a negative impact.  This season only contains three episodes, all a little over an hour.  The first two seasons only had 3 episodes as well though, and there was a standalone, choose-your-outcome film (Bandersnatch) released 6 months ago (you can read my reviews for that film plus the entire series thus far in the archives---www.abcreviewarchive.blogspot.com).  Since there were only three episodes, each with different ratings, I reviewed them separately:

“Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too” (OK)

This one stars Miley Cyrus as a famous pop singer, not herself mind you, but as Ashley performing an un-catchy dance-pop cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Head Like a Hole” and a slightly more rock version later on that I thought was even worse.  The Ashley Too of the title is a miniature robot version of her that apparently contains parts of her brain.  This episode wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been, but it’s ultimately about young artists having no say in their creative output and wasn’t distinctively Black Mirror material.

“Smithereens” (EH)

Here’s another segment that didn’t necessarily have to be a Black Mirror episode as it’s a bland hostage story involving a man angry at an app company despite being no one’s fault but his own for how his life turned out.  Props though for the gunman not assuming his hostage is straight at one time (Down with heteronormativity!  Nothing against straight people, mind you, they’re just not the only ones in the world).  Oh, and Topher Grace does not look good with a man bun; that was never a good look to begin with (sorry man bun friends/acquaintances). 

“Striking Vipers” (G)

This one starring Anthony Mackie was the only one this season that actually felt like a Black Mirror episode.  It involves the titular video game in which two grown men simultaneously play as opposite-sex avatars and “bond” in a way they never have in reality before.  It isn’t exactly “San Junipero” of season three, but it reminded me of it.  Being John Malkovich slightly came to mind as well, but it wasn’t like that at all.  This is a potent episode, with an ending that was just right, confirming that some people still have trouble being their true selves.

In conclusion, this wasn’t the best season as a whole, last season was better, but like most anthology shows/movies, segments are going to be hit and miss, sometimes equally, sometimes one over the other.  I will tune in for season six and beyond; let’s just hope next season is better overall.  6/6/2019

Bonus review:

Black Spot:  Season One                                             OK

French series available on Netflix consisting of 8 episodes, all 50-something minutes.  Unfortunately, they all felt like it too, most of them feeling even longer.  The set-up and location are great though; it’s an isolated small town surrounded by woods---perfect for a mystery/thriller.  Being that it’s a small town, isolated at that, everyone knows everyone and most of them have secrets.  Yup, this small town (on screen) is no different.  There’s an air of Twin Peaks about it all, complete with a sawmill in town (go ahead and deny the influence, creators, but you should’ve been more subtle than that).  There’s even a mystery surrounding a missing girl in town from the get-go who may or may not be dead (you do find out).  Laura Palmer may have been dead from the onset of Twin Peaks but the comparisons are hard to deny.  After finding out where the missing girl is here, alive or dead, the revelation is a ‘whatever’ reaction.  There were a couple episodes where it seemed a different case was brought up before the culprit was revealed, almost making it a sort of CSI-type show (or Scooby-Doo more accurately).  Oh, and this ain’t no “ordinary” town either; there seems to be a bipedal creature with antlers dwelling in the woods that we only see sporadic glimpses of until the very end.  I wish the series would’ve spent more time on that mythological aspect; it almost gave it a Wayward Pines kind of vibe.  Overall, I don’t think this show is entirely worth watching; despite looking great as I’ve mentioned, the episodes drag as I’ve mentioned and the characters aren’t as compelling as that aforementioned David Lynch-created series.  That being said, this is an exercise in style over substance (I’m very hesitant in continuing with season two that’s soon to be released).  I suggest you watch Twin Peaks instead (again or for the first time), or even Wayward Pines.  6/8/2019

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

Ahockalypse  >>>EH/OK

            (closer to OK)

Bedevilled  >>>G

Dragged Across Concrete  >>>OK

The Head Hunter  >>>OK

---Sean O.
6/9/2019

Greta/Ma

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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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Greta                                                                           G/VG

This thriller from Neil Jordan (The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire) is nothing we haven’t seen before.  Instead of a heterosexual relationship though in which one is the stalker/psycho, this film involves two women, one young and one older (played by Chloe Grace Moretz and Isabelle Huppert).  Their relationship isn’t intimate though; Greta (Huppert) is just a lady whom Chloe’s character befriends after returning a bag to her before realizing she’s one of many that did the “right” thing.  Greta is a crazy be-yotch and will make you think twice about doing the “right” thing (but you should already know there are people like Greta out there; maybe just leave the bag unattended or wait until lost and found is actually open?).  The film may have been predictable at times and there’s a twist at the end I figured out (What can I say? I watch too many movies), but everything was situationally right for this picture.  The performances were all great and I don’t think I was bored a single time.  Greta has my stamp of approval!  6/2/2019

Ma                                                                               OK

Octavia Spencer once played a role in which she baked a pie containing her own shit to get revenge on an employer (The Help).  Here, she plays the titular character, dubbed so by one of the teenagers she allows to party in her basement, and while she may not use fecal matter, she gets revenge in other ways, deadlier ways.  While I’m sure the average teenager would love a place to party without worrying about being caught, no one initially thinks it odd that a woman old enough to be their parent (especially not a parent to anyone either) living in the middle of nowhere allows a bunch of you to party at her pad?  And if one of the rules she enforces is not to go upstairs, something must surely be up there and eventually we’re going to find out (you do).  Clearly Ma is unhinged (as you should know before going in) and somewhere down the line you know she’s going to snap.  There’s a bit of Annie Wilkes about her, Kathy Bates’ character in Misery for those that don’t know.  Bottom line, those you make fun of or wrong don’t necessarily forget (time doesn’t always heal all wounds) and some people like Ma get revenge.  This does get violent but not as much as I would’ve thought and, overall, the film is nothing special, just okay, and not worth seeing in the theater (unless you have a free pass like I did).  Wait until it’s cheaper (or free) to watch at home (I don’t think it’s even worth bargain time prices).  6/1/2019

Bonus reviews:

Black Summer:  Season One                                       OK

I saw this was a new horror release on Netflix last month.  I then read it took place in the Z Nation universe, a show (currently on season 5) I’ve been meaning to check out but haven’t gotten around to (I have a long list).  I then read it was a prequel that took place way before Z Nation.  I then saw it was only 8 episodes with the longest being 45 minutes and the shortest being 21 (what an uneven setup!), so I decided to binge it with nothing else new to watch.  Now, if this aired back in the day (before On Demand and binge-option networks) and I had to tune in every week, I likely wouldn’t have bothered or continued.  And even though I have yet to watch Z Nation, this series appeared to stand alone and, let’s face it, this is as typical as zombie entertainment gets---the epidemic begins, a group of survivors meet up and fight off zombies and other humans, they all work their way to a supposed sanctuary, yada, yada, yada.  The zombies are more like the “infected” from 28 Days/Weeks Later, but, like those films, you still become one of them if they come in contact with you, and similar to The Walking Dead, you still become one if you die period.  Is this undead entry particularly worth your time?  Not necessarily, unless you’re a zombie completist or need a new horror show to binge-watch on Netflix, and I guess if you’re a fan of Z Nation.  I have heard Z Nation was better than The Walking Dead, but that show should’ve ended 6 seasons ago (I officially stopped watching it last season).  I didn’t dislike this show; I liked it better during the first half, especially the episodes taking place in the school and diner.  I did like how there were different characters to focus on since it likely would’ve been tedious having the entire series take place in either the school or diner or anywhere with the same characters.  After they all meet up, things began to feel rushed with lots of uninvolving running and shootouts before culminating in a clichéd and expected bittersweet ending.  Like I said, Z Nation is on my long list of things to watch, but if I’m going to commit to at least 5 seasons (currently), I hope it’s better than this.  5/30/2019

Rust Creek                                                                   OK

A college girl gets lost in the backwoods of Kentucky on her way to DC for an interview before being pursued by two brothers in this movie that begins Wrong Turn-ish.  Then, it ultimately becomes a movie about making drugs with some Stockholm syndrome involved (kind of).  Basically, you can’t always rely on GPS.  If you’re ever driving on backroads though and you’re far from any kind of civilization, don’t stop and get out of your car to look at a map, especially if you’re a young girl.  And if movies taught us anything, don’t trust the cops in a small town because one or more are likely in cahoots with the people that tried to harm you.  While this felt more like a drama, it wasn’t bad on its own merit, but I expected more of a straight-up horror film.  Come to think of it though, knowing it was a 108-minute movie beforehand, I was hoping it wasn’t just going to be a chase movie through the woods, so I really don’t know what to say.  6/1/2019

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

Always Be My Maybe  >>>OK

The Girl in the Spider’s Web  >>>EH/OK

MFKZ  >>>OK/G

---Sean O.
6/3/2019