True Detective: Night Country

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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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True Detective:  Night Country                                   OK

The first season of this anthology series is one of my favorite shows; I’ve watched it at least three times and I’ll probably revisit it again in the future.  The second season sucked, and many agreed with me; I didn’t care about any of the characters (a “homophobic” character ends up being gay---how original!) or the entire season as a whole.  The third season wasn’t bad (you can read my haiku review for it in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2019/02/overlord.html), but still wasn’t nearly as good as the first; basically just a once-and-done affair.  That’s pretty much how I felt about this fourth season containing only six episodes, as opposed to eight the other three, all roughly an hour (the last one an extra 15-minutes), all directed by Issa Lopez (Tigers Are Not Afraid).  The setting this time is the fictional town of Ennis, Alaska (filmed in Iceland) around Christmastime when it’s dark for 24 hours.  The mystery here is what happened to a group of scientists (all men) that disappeared from a facility and are all eventually found dead in the snow, naked.  The episodes are fine, for the most part; there are some supernatural elements belonging in a clichéd horror flick, and Jodie Foster’s character is sort of unlikeable (they succeeded if that was intended).  The first part of the big reveal was lame and made me almost dislike the entire season, but the second part was a bit more compelling.  All in all, I’d say it’s a fairly decent watch, but, like I said, just once-and-done.  7/24/2024

Bonus review:

Abigail                                                                         OK

A group of people are hired to kidnap a young ballerina and babysit her for 24 hours in a secluded mansion in hopes of obtaining money from her wealthy father.  If you’ve seen any previews or read about it I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say the little girl is actually a vampire and the “hunters become the hunted.”  [If you somehow didn’t know it was a vampire movie, sorry for ruining it for you].  We do get to know all the characters quite well, and it is violent, there’s no doubt about that (the same duo also directed Ready or Not, plus Scream 5 and 6; respectively, you can read my reviews for those in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2019/12/ready-or-not.html, here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2022/01/last-night-in-sohoscream-2022.html, and here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2023/04/scream-vi.html).  The violence is ultimately what it has going for it.  It did get silly at times, more so than I thought it would be, and isn’t without its clichés (i.e. the inevitable jump scare, the overall motives); sometimes it’s predictable too.  It’s far from being terrible, but I don’t think it belongs alongside the fanged cinema greats.  R.I.P. Angus Cloud.  7/20/2024

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

Ghostbusters:  Frozen Empire  >>>EH/OK

The Mean One   >>>EH/OK

Silent Night (2023)  >>>EH

---Sean O.

7/25/2024

Longlegs

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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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Longlegs                                                                      G/VG

Maika Monroe plays an FBI agent tracking down the eponymous killer played by Nic Cage; their paths have crossed before, when she was a child.  Families with a daughter born on the 14^th of any month tend to be the victims.  Mr. Cage, unrecognizable, looks like a certain rock star, aged, one he’s been compared to before, at least in a meme; he’s an equal amount of creepy and bizarre, heavy emphasis on the latter; probably one of his most eccentric roles yet.  It is a bleak film, often dimly lit, taking place in 1995 (I believe) in, I assume, Oregon (filmed in Canada though).  I’ve heard comparisons to The Silence of the Lambs and Seven (ironically, that film came out in 1995), and I can understand that at times, but this isn’t entirely like either of those.  Director Osgood Perkins, the son of “Norman Bates” himself, also gave us The Blackcoat’s Daughter, which wasn’t bad (my review is in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2017/06/mooby-reviews-61117.html; please take into account this was written years ago and I would heavily edit it now), I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, which was okay (review in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2017/04/mooby-reviews-4317.html), and Gretel and Hansel, which I wasn’t a fan of (review in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2020/05/gretel-and-hansel.html).  [His next film is an adaptation of the Stephen King short story, The Monkey].  I think this is his crowning achievement so far.  I know I’m going to have to watch it again, not because it went over my head (I very much did take something from it), but because I know there were some things I probably missed while trying to absorb it all the first time.  I should say I want to watch it again.  7/13/2024

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

Arcadian  >>>OK

Camp (2024)  >>>EH/OK

                 (Tubi)

Camp Pleasant Lake  >>>EH

The Hole in the Fence  >>>EH

   (In Spanish with subtitles)

Night Shift (2024)  >>>OK

---Sean O.

7/19/2024

Maxxxine

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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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Maxxxine                                                                     OK

The third and final film in…is it The Ti West Trilogy or Mia Goth Trilogy?  Either one would suffice given Ti directed all three and Mia starred in all three (I saw it called The X Trilogy somewhere.  Whatever).  It began with X (you can read my review for that here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2022/05/x.html) and followed with its prequel, Pearl (you can read my review for that in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-cellarpearl.html), just a couple months later in 2022.  Now, you’ll see in my review of X that I wasn’t too big a fan when I first wrote about it.  I gave Pearl a slightly better review, but still didn’t exactly praise it.  You’ll also see in one or the other review that I said they might age better and I might appreciate them more over time.  Well, I did grow rather fond of both and have seen them a couple times, thereby anticipating this chronological sequel to X.  For some odd reason I thought X was a much better movie after watching Pearl, Pearl working more as a character study, the kills being a welcome addition.  So was this, my most anticipated movie of 2024, a worthy addition to the trilogy?  Well…it is a mixed bag, as one review I read said.  There’s a much different feel this time, the setting being Los Angeles (actually filmed there too) instead of a farm in Texas (filmed in New Zealand), occurring in 1985 (during the time of the Night Stalker), six years after the events of X, wherein the titular character (Mia Goth resuming her role from X, with just one X in her name) has made a living as an actress before her past eventually catches up to her (namely the events in X).  It’s marketed as a slasher movie, and, while people do die (the kills are fine), it barely even is.  The revelation felt like a cop out; it’s a bit tacky, if you will.  Now, I wouldn’t say I exactly disliked this film.  I did admire that it didn’t go the typical slasher route the entire time, and I was curious as to how it would all play out since I really didn’t know what to expect; therefore, I was never bored.  If it were a standalone film though I would likely think it rather lackluster; it didn’t really add anything substantial to the storyline, thereby making it seem a bit unnecessary.  Who’s to say it won’t grow on me over time though given how much I grew to admire X and Pearl?  As of now, it just wasn’t quite what I hoped for in this trilogy’s concluding entry.  7/9/2024

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

An Angry Boy  >>>OK/G

Cellphone (2024)  >>>EH

Monolith (2024)  >>>OK

No Way Up  >>>OK

Rock, Paper, Scissors (2019)  >>>OK

We’re All Going to the World’s Fair  >>>OK

---Sean O.

7/11/2024

The Bear (Season Three)

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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 Bear (Season Three)                                             OK/G

Although this series is entirely fictional it should make you appreciate dining out more, especially at fancy restaurants that make dishes so small (yet so expensive) with such precision and detail.  [Sometimes I think certain dishes should be permanent works of art instead of eaten].  The setting this time is primarily the fancy titular restaurant as opposed to the sandwich shop in the previous seasons.  It still contains the manic energy it’s known for, for the most part; seems like there were a few slow parts scattered throughout.  I, personally, didn’t care for an entire episode devoted to the sister about to give birth in the hospital; maybe if it was only part of it.  I am still a fan of this Hulu series though; I looked forward to each episode because, in the words of Forrest Gump, “you never know what you’re going to get.”  I can appreciate a slice-of-life story, such as the episode wherein we see how one chef eventually started working for the restaurant.  And I think we can all relate to Carmy (Jeremy Allen White a.k.a. “Gene Wilder”) when he feels the need to confront someone that irked his soul in the past, said person likely part of the reason for his demeanor.  There are ten episodes again this season (all around 30-40 minutes each) and there is a fourth one coming, not only because the story hasn’t ended yet, but there was another one planned before this was even released  (you can read my review for season two in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2023/09/the-bear-season-2.html).  You’ll see in my review for the last season that I said I’d welcome at least another season; well, after another season, I want even more (and not just because it isn’t over).  Bring it on!  6/30/2024

Bonus reviews:

Kung Fu Panda 4                                                       OK

Four movies?  Apparently I didn’t see the third one until I rectified that before watching.  There are also at least three TV series’ and four shorts/specials, none of which I recall seeing, nor do I really have a desire to (except for maybe the holiday one which I’ll wait until that time of year to watch).  I remember liking the first film when it came out, enough for me to purchase the DVD, and I gave it 3 out of 4 stars (back when I gave star ratings), according to my archives.  Apparently I gave the second film 3 out of 4 stars as well, which would be equivalent to my G rating now.  I definitely wouldn’t give either such ratings after rewatching them in preparation for this fourquel; I thought they were both just okay, kind of.  They’re basically big, dumb action movies, animated.  Funny how your opinion can change overtime; I understand when movies you liked as a kid not being as good when revisiting them, regardless of nostalgia, but I was very much an adult when watching those for the first time.  I actually think the third one was the best based on watching these all now.  In the first film, the titular panda “accidentally” becomes the Dragon Warrior in China and must battle foes to protect everyone.  The same thing, by and large, happens in each film, this one no different.  I wouldn’t necessarily say this was unnecessary, even though I don’t think four films, in addition to three shows and four specials, is exactly necessary for this franchise, because it is harmless and offers enough to entertain at least the younger crowd.  I didn’t dislike this film, nor any of them really, but it was merely just an okay entry.  [There was actually a funny East Asian-influenced instrumental version of “Crazy Train” that distracted me from what was happening during that scene because I was trying to pay attention to it].  6/26/2024

Porch Pirate                                                                OK/G

Indie horror flick I heard about via Bloody Disgusting (great app for horror news, by the way).  I don’t know if you remember hearing news stories about packages being stolen from homes, but someone in this film puts a little something in boxes for such thieves (“porch pirates”) that leads to nothing good, as two such men find out.  Filmed in and around Philadelphia (one scene was filmed in Berlin, New Jersey), it was directed by Dorian Vasquez, who has worked on Mare of Easttown and Servant (you can read my review for Mare in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2021/09/mare-of-easttownthe-retreat.html, season one of Servant in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2020/04/servant-season-one.html,  a haiku review of season two in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2021/03/pg-psycho-goreman.html, and a haiku review of both season three and four in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2023/06/black-mirror-season-six.html).  This is obviously low-budget (one scene involving two of our protagonists beating someone up is extremely horrendous), but it is adequately engaging with enough of a creep factor to make it really not that bad.  It’s barely 75-minutes and currently available on Reveel, an app which is free, with ads (just like Tubi).  6/26/2024

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

Alice in Terrorland  >>>B/EH

Bloodline Killer  >>>EH

#ChadGetstheAxe  >>>OK

The Devil’s Bath  >>>EH/OK

   (In German with subtitles)

Kung Fu Panda 3  >>>OK/G

Loop Track  >>>OK/G

Night of Fear  >>>EH

Somewhere Quiet  >>>EH

Sting  >>>OK

Unidentified Objects  >>>OK/G

Wolves (2022)  >>>OK

---Sean O.

7/3/2024