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Reviews
Damsel (2024)
Damsel warrior?
This highly anticipated Netflix film stars Millie Bobby Brown as Elodie. The special effects are commendable, and the trailer piqued my interest last year.
It's a departure from a Disney fairytale, leaning more towards the Brothers Grimm with a darker tone. Despite holding a PG-13 rating, it has its limits. The antagonist, a dragon, is a tamer version of Smaug from J. R. R. Tolkien's Hobbit.
Elodie, hailing from a financially struggling family, finds potential relief in an unexpected arranged marriage to a prince. What begins as a typical fairy tale swiftly transforms into a cat-and-mouse chase, evading a human-hunting dragon. It's unfortunate that the dragon isn't voiced by the talented Benedict Cumberbatch.
Millie carries the majority of the film, excelling in her portrayal of a protagonist who learns to confront fears and, more importantly, fight back.
In conclusion, this Netflix film is above average and well done.
Lift (2024)
Motion eleven?!
After a hectic week, I sought something to intentionally (intended pun) lift my mood and landed on this film. It falls into the generic Netflix category, akin to an airplane-serviceable, meeting expectations for the genre but far from spectacular.
Starring Kevin Hart, this is a budget-friendly attempt at an Ocean's Eleven vibe. It depicts a group of infamous con artists compelled by Interpol to execute one final job to erase their criminal records, reminiscent of the iconic heist films.
While watchable and entertaining, it doesn't transcend mediocrity. The ending is predictably formulaic, resembling the work of an aspiring college student. It's a one-time watch that doesn't lean towards being either bad or good, leaving no desire for a repeat viewing.
The Wrath of Becky (2023)
Becky's returns
This was a surprise sequel to the Becky film that was a surprising hit for me. The dark humour and kill scenes were good. This is a continuation of Becky's story after surviving a traumatic ordeal during which her dad was taken hostage and killed by a bunch of escape prisoners. She was able to exact vengeance on them with a much finesse dark humour death scenes.
Becky has moved on from this tragic incident and now living in a foster home. She works as a waitress and encounters a bunch of entitled teenagers. She on purpose spills hot drink on one of those men and they take revenge on her. Her foster mother is killed and her dog is kidnapped. She embarks on another killing spree.
It is as fun as the first film and the kills are as more elaborate given that she is now an older teenager. I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel and long may this franchisee continue.
The Killer (2023)
Inner thoughts
I just watched The Killer on Netflix, and it defied my expectations for a hitman film by taking a unique narrative path. Michael Fassbender's character maintains limited interaction with others, relying on inner monologues to reveal his intricate thought process on executing his assigned "targets."
As his latest assignment takes an unexpected turn, he races against time to return home before the fallout impacts his loved ones. Upon arrival, he discovers a break-in, and his cherished partner is hospitalized as a consequence.
Utilizing his skills, he seeks revenge against those who harmed his family, leading us through a gripping journey until he achieves justice. The film proves to be both engrossing and entertaining, standing out as another gem in Netflix's collection, rare amidst a sea of mediocrity.
Dark Harvest (2023)
Nostalgic horror field
I recently viewed the film Dark Harvest, and it diverged from my expectations. It's a contemporary movie set in the 1950s, drawing inspiration from classic films like Jeepers Creepers, Halloween, Children of the Corn, and a touch of The Purge.
Within an isolated country community, teenagers partake in an annual tradition of hunting and killing a creature before midnight on Halloween. Success promises the community a "good harvest" for the upcoming year, but not without a heavy toll on the main characters.
The 1950s setting injects a unique angle into the overworked horror genre, capturing my interest and providing enjoyable entertainment until the end. Despite foreseeing the final twist midway through, it didn't diminish the fun of the experience. Overall, it stands as a decent choice for a Halloween horror film to watch during the night.
The Boogeyman (2023)
Did this kill IT?
After watching "The Boogeyman," I was pleasantly surprised by how well it turned out. This positive experience largely stemmed from having no initial expectations.
The film presents a blend reminiscent of modern genre classics like "Lights Out" and "The Babadook," establishing itself as a rare decent adaptation of a Stephen King story. While not reaching the level of "IT," it's a solid choice for an engaging late-night film.
The cast convincingly portrays a family in the throes of grief recovery, particularly Sadie (Sophie Thatcher) and her sister Sawyer (Vivien Blair), who exhibit compelling chemistry, accurately depicting the dynamics of a typical sibling relationship.
Definitely worth a watch, "The Boogeyman" stands as a near-perfect selection for a casual Halloween movie night.
T.I.M. (2023)
D.i.m
Watching the trailer filled me with excitement. However, twenty minutes into the film, my artificial intrigue began to wane. The main protagonists, Abi (Georgina Campbell) and Paul (Mark Rowley), have a strained relationship due to an infidelity incident in which he was involved. T.i.m (Eamon Farren) is an artificial intelligent helper gifted to them as a welcoming present, programmed to run errands for its masters. But what could possibly go wrong with such an invention?!
It draws inspiration from classics like Blade Runner and feels like an English adaptation of M3gen and Ex Machina. To me, it's akin to diluting a flavorful fruit drink beyond its greatness. In other words, this film falls victim to essentially copying something great and ends up making a weaker movie.
Abi is the only redeeming and likable character in this film. The subplot of whether or not Paul is cheating again, and if T. I. M can tell the truth or has an ulterior motive, is quite predictable. Suffice it to say, I saw the truth coming from a mile away.
Georgina Campbell seems to be a rising star, having featured in Black Mirror, Barbarian and Bird Box. Barcelona. Sadly, this one is a miss with an uninspiring and rather predictable ending.
Fear the Night (2023)
Fear the waste of time
Maggie Q drew me into watching this film, but I'm left wondering if it falls into the category of "woke" films. Does the film offer a decent storyline amidst my disappointment? While I'm a fan of Maggie Q, this movie was quite a departure from what I've come to expect from her.
Although the female characters are intended to be likable, I found many of them to be quite wooden. It's as if the writer aimed to create a female empowerment movie without fully developing the protagonists. Instead, the film leans into the trend of portraying female characters as primarily innocent victims within a patriarchal context. This approach tends to depict men as mere misogynistic figures, without any likable male characters present in this "woke" narrative.
The film feels somewhat reminiscent of a TV movie, though that's not my main issue with it. While I used to believe that few things are worse than a teacher scratching a chalkboard, this film has changed my perspective. The themes of male criticism presented in this film come across as quite misandristic and overshadow the overall experience.
Cobweb (2023)
Knock on the wall
I finally watched this highly hyped film. The story follows a young bullied boy who faces daily torment and is haunted by eerie sounds and voices from his bedroom walls. The unsettling behaviour of his parents adds to the mystery. The film keeps the audience guessing about the cause of the strained relationship between the boy and his parents, with a hint of that Barbarian film vibe
The filmmaker skillfully hides the antagonist's identity until the end. While I had a hunch about the final twist, it took longer than usual for me to piece together in this genre of movies. The ending, along with the intense and gory scenes, delivers a satisfying experience for horror enthusiasts. The film surpassed my initial skeptical expectations.
Talk to Me (2022)
90 seconds...
This film looks like many of its peers. The beginning scene was a great introduction to what to expect from the rest of the film.
The story revolves around a group of modern teenagers who play a deadly game involving a severed hand and a willing participant. To begin, they need to hold the said hand and utter the words "talk to me," followed by "I let you in." A spirit will then appear before the participant, and they have 90 seconds to allow the spirit to possess them and communicate with the people surrounding them. If the participant plays longer than 90 seconds, there will be dire consequences...
Mia (Sophie Wilde) is a troubled teen who is more than willing to play this deadly game. She breaks the golden rule of the game and plays it longer than 90 seconds, which leads to her experiencing hallucinations among other things...
The gore scenes are surprisingly more intense than what you would typically see in this genre of films. The writers have done a commendable job of keeping the viewers on the edge of their seats. The ending is particularly satisfying. Well done.
Bird Box: Barcelona (2023)
Bird box city
Having enjoyed the first film, this film had big shoes to fill. Rather than concentrating on Sandra Bullocks' family & a few stray characters, this tells the tale of strangers from all walks of life bounded out of necessary to survive.
The special effects are improved and the antagonist seem more tangible than in the original. It is a nice touch. It is no longer a gust of wind followed my a person's vision & then their violent death. The group of multicultural misfits seemed more drawn out and guessing how or who may be next is intriguing. It is claustrophobic & there may be potential danger at every turn makes this a thrilling film.
Barcelona has not seemed so ominous. The fact that you get to see the inflicted character's point of view/ seer's makes for an interesting twist too.
Run Rabbit Run (2023)
Just run away from this one!
This psychological thriller that tries to keep the viewer guessing the sanity of its lead protagonist, Sarah. Sarah is a successful fertility doctor that has a daughter Mia (Lily LaTorre). They seemingly have a great mother-daughter relationship but things changed after her daughter's birthday...
With Mia's personality change, Sarah needs to figure out what has triggered this transformation... Blah, blah, blah...
The storyline is more annoying than entertaining. Sarah (Sarah Snook) is such an unlikable, unredeemable, unsympathetic character. For a mother character that is so unloving and unhinged due to some past trauma, I cannot empathise with her life decisions made in this film. I would compare her to Annie Hardy in Dashcam that must be regarded as one of the most irksome movie characters in recent times. Unlike that film that had some "interesting" scenes, this is like attending a funeral as it is all doom and gloom. It wants to be the next psychological genre defining Invisible Man but it fails to do the basics right. It has a storyline that has been done before but Most importantly done well and better than this atrocity of a film.
I don't like criticizing young actors but I felt the director did the young Mia character some injustice. It is as thought she was asked to play the generic child psychological unstable character.
The storyline is a basic thriller film. The problematic Sarah character is an unsalvageable mess that is akin to a black hole: she sucks the life out of any potentially interesting storyline. The ending is so predictable that an amateur teenager could probably have come up with it. Spoiler alert- please avoid watching this.
Insidious: The Red Door (2023)
It went further than I wanted...
This is the fifth installment of this franchise & 5 out of 10 seemed to be a fair rating. I am a big fan of this franchise so watched this with anticipation.
Watching the trailer made me expect a lot from this film. However, sometimes hope doesn't translate into the desired outcome & lost in the void (intended pun). This is by far the worst of the bunch of the Insidious films. If I were to compare this film to the conjuring universe, then this is just above the Nun. It is not as bad as the Nun that was devoid of any scares & showed the best parts in the trailer.
The acting is decent but it is let down by the script. It is an awful shame. The cameos are a good... The red demon was a great antagonist of the first film and he is relegated to a chasing the lead characters role. It deserves better than that storyline & sadly I left with a bitter taste. It should have concluded this with a more than satisfying ending rather than opting for the stereotypical generic one.
Shadow Master (2022)
Shadow of a film
This is a very confusing film. As I watched it, it confirmed this. It wants to borrow elements from superior films such as Big Trouble in little China, The Raid, Old Boy & also bad ones such as Mortal Kombat & a generic bargain bucket Asian horror film. Those that attempts to emulate the classics more than often create something that amounts to a tribute. Tributes rarely do justice to the original inspirations and Shadow master is a prime example of this. One might say this is shadow of a good film as it failed to master the fundamentals of good film making.
The only saving grace to this ham fisted attempt of a gritty action, supernatural film is the well choreographed fighting scenes.
The Flash (2023)
Flash point
Having watched the TV series & see how Grant Gustin brought the heart to the flash character, I wonder how troubled Ezra Miller would do in this role.
This big budget adaptation offers so much promise. But can this promise finally be realised in this DC Blockbuster? The answer is an "oh they tried but failed".
The first scene of the Flash trying to save people & babies falling out of a window was comical but in the unintended way. Spoiler alert: Microwave plus baby equals wtf moment! This is one of its major faults of this film (it is trying to out Marvel the Marvel universe) furthermore, this only reminds people of that X-Men scenes of Quick Silver which was fun &
a movie stealing scene. This is a tribute & as such pale by comparison.
The relationship between the Flash and Iris West seemed awkward af. Ezra played the awkward character fine but the chemistry was lacking. Also, young Barry Allen is a rather an annoying character with whom is difficult to sympathise.
On the plus the cameos/ guest appearances are probably the best part of the film. This was used to keep the audience guessing as to which Batman & Justice League actors will appear in this film. This is sadly the highlight of the film & the rest is a mess.
Critics complained of the CGI & I can see why. Some scenes are decent and passable whereas others are so obviously filmed behind a green screen. I criticised Wonder Woman 1984 for this shortfall but this is done at exponential level that cannot be overlooked or ignored.
One cannot help but compare this film against The Avengers. To nobody's surprise it is left behind like DCs failed attempt at their own version of The Multiverse. James Gunn has his work cut out. I'm saddened that this film has bombed at the cinemas.
Extraction 2 (2023)
Give you more...
This feels like a John wick clone with the action and kill scenes. Chris Hemsworth takes the lead yet again in this sequel. He is assigned to rescue his ex wife's sister and her children from prison. How could this go wrong?!
The action scenes are relentless and it is so immersive one might be forgiven for thinking it is a John wick's clone, but a good one. The action scenes make this movie great with well drawn out characters from the good guys and the villains.
This is a good way to spend 2 hours of your evening entertained. Netflix movies tend to be polarising in that I find that out of 10 films, you may only get one or two good ones and rest average at best. This is a gem of a film amongst the disappointment.
Fast X (2023)
A familiar ride
This is just another fast and the furious franchise. It has all the flashy cars and ott chases scenes. There is Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) "talking about the importance of family".
Jason Momoa (Dante) plays his character like an ott Austin Power/Dr Evil but straight faced. The number of cameo appearances may be the best part of this movie & guessing who will appear is a game one can make. This is providing you do not cheat and look at the credits for the answers The storyline is basic but serviceable. It takes a back seat to the action, car chases and explosion scenes.
Just like my review, that is just writing enough to meet the character requirements, this film is full of fillers that tick off all the requirements that "make an action film". So don't expect this to be a genre changing film and enjoy this as it is: just another fast and furious film.
The Pope's Exorcist (2023)
Talking in Italian
Remember that Bananarama song #Robert de niro talking Italian # probably not. This is Russell Crowe speaking Italian.
His name bought me to watching this film. I have seen more than my share of average or even below average exorcism films. I did not expect much from it but came in watching it with an open mind.
This is a serious film that somehow managed to steer away from the pitfalls where all other wannabe films have failed. It is not generic with lazy writing and predictable endings. The writing is considerably better than most that have tried and failed.
Russell Crowe (Father Gabriel Amorth) is the front end centre of all that is great about this film. He is charismatic & brings a warmth believable pope character that is in possession of devine expertise with an injection of humour. The supporting cast are all decent. The possession scenes and the storyline are done expertly. You can tell that particular care was taken to ensure this film will succeed where others failed.
Assassin Club (2023)
Killing in the name of...
This is a serviceable film that achieved what it sets out to do. The beginning scene of a loving father killed and his daughter is injured. The world of assassins seem to be what Jason Bourne would do if he were a functional character, rather than him suffering from amnesia & trying to piece together his forgotten past.
This is less complicated whereby the assassin/protagonist Morgan (Henry Golding) is living a seemingly adjusted life with his girlfriend Sophie (Daniela Melchior). He wants to leave this life but his handler Caldwell (Sam Neill) has reservations to this idea.
So think of John Wick's backstory where he must fulfill one last task before this can be done. As you could guess, Morgan must kill a group of assassins to be freed from his life long contract.
Things are not as easy as it seems... He has to keep his girlfriend Sophie safe and unravel the plot within plot.
The action scenes are decent enough for Hollywood standards. The storyline moves at a steady pace. It brings nothing new to this genre of film. It is an average film that you can enjoy for a viewing.
Two Witches (2021)
Flash backs
This film is what I imagine if you took the witch(es) from Sam Rami's Drag me to Hell and played it seriously. The acting was fine enough. The set design was really good...
The storyline is interjected with extraordinary amount of flashback scenes that are to the film's detriment. I don't mind a reasonable amount of flashback scenes with exposition to enhance the storyline. It felt as though this happened every 5-l0 minutes. It may be done to add an air of mystery or suspense but for me it annoyed me instead
The characters are not developed enough for me to care about them or their fates. To add to the mix, there are the clichéd Hollywood over reliance of jump scare scenes. It is as though the film makers were having a competition with themselves to see if they can have more flashback or jump scare scenes in the film!
Overall, I did not once get scared by this unsuccessful Hollywood formula of illicitly scares. It is no Witch!
Clock (2023)
Tick tock
This is one of those psychological films. It kind of want to jump on the bandwagon & emulate the recent surprise hit film Smile. As they say with imitators, a copy of a copy rarely is good as the original source.
This is a social commentary on woman, whose body clock is almost over, that chooses or have no interest of becoming mothers & the social pressure that is placed on them.
The premise is fine. The protagonist, Ella is highly successful business woman but her inner circle is friends that are pregnant. Her lack of interest in becoming a mother is met by pressure from her friends to seek a specialist's, Dr Elizabeth Simmons' advice.
Ella is convinced ,by her loving partner Aiden, to undertake a new cognitive therapy that could change her aversion to motherhood. However, the are unwanted side effects...
This is a middle of the road type of film. It is watchable enough & the so called twist I saw a mile away. It is neither offensive nor exceptional. In fact it is another of those forgettable films that people may repress into their sub conscious.
Ghosted (2023)
Roles reversals
Sadie (Ana de armas) & Cole (Chris Evans) have a blossoming one night stand. However, Sadie holds a dangerous secret that Cole would never have guessed. . There is great chemistry between Chris & Ana as usual.
There is humour to be had. The action scenes are ott & the role reversals are played out for laughs. The damsel in distress goes against audience expectations. Chris Evans (that played Captain America) plays the side kick in this role & petite Ana de Armas is the kick as# CIA agent. The spot the cameo scenes are fun.
It is nothing mind shattering brilliant but it is a decent enough film to waste an evening watching.
Evil Dead Rise (2023)
Fear not this film is far from being dead!
I was slightly worried that a reimagining of this cult classic b movie would lead to some disappointment. This is especially as the titular character Ash is no longer involved. Within 15 minutes I knew any reservations I may have had were unfounded.
This is darker than the other evil dead films & bloodier too. The camp humour is replaced with a more suspenseful film. The small cast are great & helps along making this elevate from an average remake/continuation of many franchises.
The book of the dead is more bloody and the special effects help to add to the horror/suspense factor. This is definitely an easy film to recommend for horror lovers out there.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
More like zap!
After the success of the success of the first time this sequel falls victim to DC's second film (socomore syndrome). Just like Wonder Woman 1984, it fails spectacularly worse than the aforementioned film in sticking the superheroes landing.
Shazam nailed the fundamental of good story telling. It tries to create a film that showcases the underdogs triumphing against adversity storyline. But it achieves this goal and, with its global success, it was green lit for this sequel.
There are elements of a good film in this sequel but it is coercive mess. The storyline is dumb down so much it can be patronising to the audience on the "kids humour" that is neither smart nor as funny as the writers think they are. It is another franchise that ended too soon. The marvel universe does not have any thing to worry about from DC films just yet...
The Devil Conspiracy (2022)
The writers' conspiracy?!
It wouldn't surprise me, having seen the success of Zach Snyder's 300 film & the marvel universe franchise, that the probable Christian writers thought they can emulate its successful formula. Though I appreciate the efforts they to make it interesting, I do not think it succeeded in its end goal.
The good versus bad in a biblical battle had been told countless times. The passable cgi scenes does not capture the same excitement as the aforementioned films. Religion may not have its strong hold as it did in yesterday years. I do not know if there is enough of an audience that would actually want a film like this to be made yet alone be viewed for entertainment.
It is very predictable; anyone that has attended a Christian Sunday school or been "taught the good Christian values" at school will know the outcome: good will always triumphant over evil.