Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Y2K/The Creep Tapes

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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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Y2K                                                                             OK
I remember when the year 2000 came.  I was 17.  New Year’s Eve in 1999 I went to dinner with my fam at a restaurant that isn’t there anymore (I don’t even remember the name of it or what I had, just the location), and then went to see Toy Story 2.  Anyway, I recall thinking the whole Y2K thing was just another day and year, but I also remember all the paranoia surrounding it (particularly in regards to computer systems).  This film takes place on New Year’s Eve of that very same year (obviously) and something indeed does happen shortly after the clock strikes midnight.  It was labeled a comedy on one movie site, while All Movie puts it under the Action-Adventure, Comedy, Horror, and Science Fiction genres, Disaster Film as a subgenre.  All Movie is correct in that it’s not just a comedy; I think it’s mostly a sci-fi/horror flick that begins as a teen comedy.  I heard someone compare it to Maximum Overdrive, and I can see the comparison since technology does come to life and kill (yes, there is violence; it is rated-R), but it’s not entirely like it.  (That’s an underrated masterpiece, by the way; one of the best examples of a really good bad movie).  One film that actually came to mind (aside from obvious ones like Maximum Overdrive and 1988’s Pulse) was Slither, but replace slimy alien creatures with robots comprised of various forms of technology, resembling Transformer/Terminator entities (but it could probably be compared to pretty much any feature involving non-humans conquering humans).  This is no masterpiece, and not because of the tropes (particularly in regards to the teen elements), but I can’t say I disliked it either; it’s the type of B-movie schlock you would’ve rented on VHS at the time it took place (A24 actually has VHS copies of it for sell already), and time (as well as fans, of course) would’ve determined whether or not it gained cult status.  12/17/2024

The Creep Tapes                                                         EH/OK
Creep was decent (you can read my review from one of my earliest blogs in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2016/04/movie-reviews-4152016.html).  I didn’t like Creep 2 as much (review in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2018/01/mooby-reviews-12218.html).  As you’ll see at the end of that Creep 2 review (if you read it), I wrote “I hope Creep 3 is better because the gimmick wasn’t so fresh this time.”  So was this six-episode Shudder/AMC+ TV series necessary?  No, no it was not.  [At least they are all under 30-minutes, as TV episodes should be].  If you’ve seen at least the first film, and I would assume anyone checking this series out has, you know what’s coming so there’s really no suspense.  Mark Duplass plays the titular creep, he hires someone to film him, or someone just happens to be filming, he introduces himself, initially seeming charming yet obviously a bit shady, gradually becomes passive-aggressive, culminating with the inevitable kill.  It does try mixing things up a bit here and there, such as when he tries framing the other subject, waits for someone at a hotel, and the final episode where we meet his mother, that probably being the best one in terms of uniqueness (totally messed up too, but funny at times).  [The second episode was definitely the lamest].  As of now, there are no talks of a continuation, but I hope there aren’t; the novelty wore off well before this.  There’s only so much you can do with the simple concept.  12/13/2024

Bonus reviews:

A Christmas Story Christmas                                      OK
I know, this came out two years ago, but I didn’t have access to it until now.  The first one came out in 1983, took place in 1940, and this is a direct sequel taking place in 1973; some of the actors return as their aged characters.  I am a fan of A Christmas Story; I didn’t watch it in its entirety until I was 20 or 21 (so I’ve been a fan for a little more than half my life), but I immediately grew fond of it (no one else in my immediate family cares for it though); I don’t love it, but I think it’s a fun, nostalgic holiday film.  [Ironically, the late director, Bob Clark, also made the original Black Christmas, one of my favorite slasher flicks].  Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) is now a down on his luck writer living in Chicago with his wife and two kids before returning home for Christmas.  It isn’t exactly a remake (although there are homages, i.e. daydream sequences, bullies, etc.) and wasn’t bad for a sequel released almost 40 years later (still has a bit of that holiday nostalgic sense), but it’s still akin to that feeling of returning somewhere after so many years and things not quite being as good as you remembered.  In other words, it does suffer a bit from sequelitis.  [They made a musical film a couple years ago too; my review is in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2018/01/mooby-reviews-1418.html].  12/10/2024

Dream Productions                                                     OK
Inside Out was the best Pixar movie in a while when it was released in 2015; I loved it.  I actually looked forward to the sequel released earlier this year; while I didn’t expect it to be better, or even as good, it wasn’t bad as far as Disney sequels go (you can read my review for it in here---https://vampireclown82.blogspot.com/2024/06/inside-out-2.html).  Seems like they’re trying to ride on the success of both films.  In this four-episode spinoff series available on Disney+, we follow the Dream Team in Riley’s head, they working as a film or television crew to make dreams for her every night (yup, there’s scripts, props, performers, and everything).  I didn’t dislike this series, it was creative at times like both films (and the episodes are all under 30-minutes, as shows should be), but I just wasn’t feeling it as much as the movies, specifically the first one.  It felt too spinoffy.  Or perhaps I just didn’t really care about the Dream Team as much as I did the Emotions (who appear briefly at times here).  I’d prefer a third film over another season of this…12/13/2024

Adult Swim Yule Log
Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branching Out                      OK
(haiku review)
Two killer log flicks.
Yup.  Both outstay their welcomes.
Neither boring though.  12/9/2024

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

Borderlands (2024)  >>>B

Carnage for Christmas  >>>EH/OK

Carry-On (2024)  >>>OK
            (Netflix)

The Day of the Beast (1995)  >>>EH
        (In Spanish with subtitles)

Nutcrackers  >>>EH
            (Hulu)

Satranic Panic   >>>EH/OK

The Simpsons: O C’mon All Ye Faithful  >>>EH
                            (Disney+)

Smile 2  >>>EH

Subservience  >>>OK

T-Blockers  >>>EH/OK

Werewolf Santa  >>>EH/OK

Werewolves (2024)  >>>OK

---Sean O.
12/18/2024

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