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chrischurilla
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Terrifier (2016)
Building Up A Tolerance
About 18 months ago I came up with the idea for a horror film and started writing it. The punchline is I don't like horror movies; the world is scary enough as it is, and for me movies are an escape.
So, to better understand the genre and its conventions, I forced myself to start watching them. I had known about this movie for a while, debating whether to watch it or not, given its rave reviews by horror aficionados.
I think I have built up a tolerance to this sort of thing because I wasn't scared once and I didn't even flinch at Art's brutality, the piece de resistance being where he saws a woman in half from her crotch to her head.
After that, it was pretty standard fare, though I was surprised he used a gun to take out one of his victims.
If you like people getting brutalized while the special effects makeup department uses up most of the budget, then go ahead and watch. This one is a definite pass for me.
Johnny Frank Garrett's Last Word (2016)
Effective Low-Budget Psychological Horror Film
I watched this movie because I am looking to write a horror movie of my own and I must say I was rather impressed with it. This film focuses on one juror from the trial and his efforts to find the truth when weird things start happening shortly after the execution of the title character. I was surprised to learn this was an actual case, because I am not usually a fan of such movies because I know the makers are going to take artistic liberties with the truth.
What made this movie work for me was the scares. Now given this is a low-budget film made with virtual unknowns -- besides Sean Patrick Flanery -- that meant the scares were few and far between, but they were highly effective, unsettling me quite a bit. What I liked even more is the film did not rely on jump scares or excessive gore; again, due to the limited budget, the gore was minimal yet effectively used.
I won't say this has changed my mind about movies based on true events, but I will say this was an exception.
Hatchet (2006)
Horror Movie or Girls Gone Wild?
One of the taglines for this movie was "Old School American Horror". Since I am trying to write my own horror movie, I watched this in hopes of getting some inspiration for it.
There was none to be found.
There was an opening sequence featuring horror icon Robert Englund and another fellow killed while they were gator hunting at night in the swamp, but after that, there was nothing for the next 25 minutes beyond a plethora of bared breasts, after which I gave up.
I'm a heterosexual male, so I like bared breasts as much as the next guy, but I wanted some good old graphic violence.
I don't claim to be an expert on horror movies and the slasher subgenre, but when you have one that's under 90 minutes, shouldn't there be more kills?
I don't know, maybe my expectations were too high.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
As Good As The Original, Maybe Better
"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, thus setting the bar very high for any future sequels.
This one knocked it out of the park. It has joined that small cinematic pantheon which is home to what I think is the rarest feat in the film industry, one which is occupied by "Godfather II" and "Aliens": a sequel that is as good as -- or perhaps even better than -- the original.
The film's visual style is eye-catching, allowing the makers to do things that are virtually impossible for live-action films, but that is not what makes this movie so good.
In this era of CGI, good-looking movies are a dime a dozen; people expect it now. What sets this film apart from its brethren is its heart. Here we see these "superheroes" drops their masks, showing the pain and anguish that comes from the difficulties of normal on top of just normal living, and how those experiences have shaped them into who they are and why they do what they do.
I want to give a special shout out to all of those involved in the role of Miles O'Hara, one of the film's two antagonists: the writers, the directors and actor Oscar Isaac. He and Miles Morales share wildly opposing views on how to go about saving people; they are both firmly entrenched in their views, both thinking they are right, and this makes for some truly great cinema.
I am very curious to see if this movie gets another Academy Award Nomination for Best Animated Film.
Promising Young Woman (2020)
Almost Perfect
This was the second rape revenge movie I saw over a weekend, the other being Revenge (2017), and these two movies couldn't be more different.
Whereas Revenge was a violent blood-soaked fantasy completely detached from reality, this one was far more grounded and less violent--at least physically.
The weapons of choice used by the protagonist in this one were psychological, and while not fatal, would leave scars of their own as she carved out her path of vengeance.
What I liked about it is she did things some might say were going too far, and I think the writer-director did that to provoke discussion among viewers as they left the theater. I can see why the screenplay won an Oscar.
The one flaw in my opinion took place in the 3rd Act when the writer-director took her one and only turn from reality, but it was a big one. It took the film in a very surprising direction, and while it was one I had never seen before, it ruined it for me, regardless of how cleverly the protagonist won in the end.
But up until that, it was perfect. I expect good things from the writer-director in the future.
She is a promising young woman.
Revenge (2017)
Defies Plausibility
The best way this movie can be viewed is as a fantasy, because if you try to approach this movie realistically as I did, you're going to end up VERY disappointed.
In this, the protagonist demonstrates levels of endurance and resiliency that defy all belief, not to mention a completely unrealistic depiction in the use of firearms.
My best guess is the writer/director was going for an homage of 80s action films, in which the protagonist could walk through virtual downpours of enemy fire and not so much as even mussing up their hair.
All I do know is 110 minutes are gone from my life I will never get back.
Dark Crimes (2016)
Put Me to Sleep
It's quite an impressive feat, considering this movie clocked in at just over 90 minutes. Had it been twice as long, that might make sense, but there was nothing in this movie to hold my interest.
Jim Carrey playing a wholly serious role is the reason to watch this, but he is so restrained in this movie as to be lifeless; he has only one emotional display in the movie and it came near end of the movie, far too late to try to get me to bond with him. To be honest, his speech of self-loathing in Liar Liar was far more effective.
You can hardly blame him when he had a bad script to work with; there's no one in the movie I felt anything for, not even the murder victim, who was revealed to be a sadist who frequented a brothel (or maybe a sex club).
Then there was the color scheme. Everything was either black or a shade of grey. Now maybe it was supposed to symbolize moral murkiness, but it rendered everything in a dull sheen. Who is responsible for this: the production designer? The cinematographer? Either way, it was just another nail in the coffin of this joyless movie.
Perry Mason (2020)
Good, Except for One Thing
I'm old enough to remember watching Perry Mason the lawyer on TV--not during its original run, just when it was in syndication.
If this is what you're expecting, I've got bad news.
This Perry Mason isn't anything like that. He is now a private investigator in the early '30s
Is this how Perry Mason was originally written by Erle Stanley Gardner?
I don't know that. If it was, kudos to the makers for their more faithful interpretation.
However...
They failed in the most important aspect: making me care about him.
He is just about every single cop/private eye cliche seen.
Financial problems? Check.
Broken marriage? Check.
Doesn't get along with his ex-wife? Check.
Loves his kid? Check.
Has a smart mouth? Check.
About the only thing about him that stands out is he doesn't live in the city, he lives on a farm.
How does that make him interesting?
For me, it doesn't.
Perry, I find you guilty of being boring, you are hereby sentenced to never being watched by me again.
Slumberland (2022)
Momoa Shines in This Movie With Heart
I wasn't planning on watching this movie, even if it did have Jason Momoa in it, but a friend of mine recommended it, saying it evoked the magic of "Wizard of Oz".
With such a bold statement, I felt obligated to watch it, and I now say it is one of best movies I have seen all year.
The young actress in the lead was phenomenal, showing a lot of range and capability for someone so young, and Jason Momoa was great in a supporting role outside of his usual action ones; I hope he chooses more projects like this, he definitely has the ability to do more than just action movies.
What makes this movie work is its heart. It is very effects-heavy, but never loses its heart, which is always a danger in such a movie.
I think this is a movie that can be enjoyed by both kids and adults alike.
Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood (2019)
Misfire
One would think a movie with Leo and Brad working off a script by Tarantino and being directed by him would be a slam dunk, but somehow they missed.
Tarantino somehow managed to make them boring. Only two scenes were vintage: Leo's scene shooting as a villain in a Western and the very end.
I firmly believe Brad's win was a sympathy vote for all of his years in Hollywood rather than actually thinking it was the best performance of the year. For me, that was Tom for his performance as Mr. Rogers.
Maybe I'm a victim of my own expectations.
Spenser Confidential (2020)
Not My Spenser
I grew up reading Robert B. Parker's series and watching the series starring the late Robert Urich and this is NOTHING like them.
I understand Hollywood likes to take artistic liberties when adapting material, but this is terrible. Could they at least try to honor Mr. Parker's material?
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
I'm Rooting For the Dinosaurs Now
I saw the trailer for this and I thought the plot was quite silly.
I then saw it.
This is one of those times when I REALLY hate being right.
One definition of insanity is repeating the same action but expecting different results.
Three times humans have tried to control the dinosaurs, yet through their own arrogance and greed, the dinosaurs broke loose and feasted on the stupid humans.
The humans in this universe have not learned a damn thing. They still think they can control the dinosaurs, yet each time they have been proved wrong.
I want every single human in this universe to die, because stupidity should not be rewarded--except with painful death.
This also marks the first time I have ever hoped for an innocent child to die.
I last time I felt sorry for the actors in a movie was "Howard the Duck" because they had to spew such drivel.
This movie now marks the second, and Satan has now found a new movie to torture me with if I go to Hell.
31 (2016)
Absolute Waste of Time
A friend of mine rented this and something compelled me to watch it.
Biggest mistake of my life.
Roger Ebert called "The Terminator" simply sick violence. This is "The Terminator" on steroids. There is not one single redeeming quality about this movie. The fact that people crowdfunded this says a lot.
Terminal (2018)
Hot Mess
I watched this move based on the trailer. It really didn't tell me much about the plot and after having viewed it I can tell why: the plot was a mess. With Margot Robbie in the lead it was a very good-looking mess but still very much a mess.
The most interesting role in this movie belonged to Simon Pegg as a teacher dying of something. For a long time I wondered about the reason of his presence but when it was revealed I was admittedly surprised; most of the work I have seen from his was comedic so to see this dark turn was an admittedly pleasant surprise in this jumbled mess of a plot.
Wind River (2017)
Taylor Sheridan, A Writer-Director to Watch
I had heard good things about "Sicario" when it came out and while I missed it in the theaters I later saw it on DVD and said to myself that this writer was good. He took the crime thriller and added some weight to it by asking questions about the blurring of lines between right and wrong in the pursuit of justice.
What first drew me to this movie were the stars, but when I found out who wrote it I knew I would try to see it. Now given the timing of its release, I expected it would be limited at best so I when saw it being shown at my local theater I jumped at the chance and I was not disappointed.
Like in "Sicario"--I didn't see "Hell or High Water", but it is on my watch list--this film takes the traditional crime thriller and puts some meat on its bones. The film is not so much a mystery as it is a meditation on how people deal with pain. Some rise to it, others don't, and in this film's setting that response goes a long way in determining whether you live to see the next day.
With these three films--and this one being his directorial debut-- Mr. Sheridan has shown he is someone whose star is on the rise, and I look forward to his next project. I would encourage anyone who likes their movies a bit on the weighty side to do the same.
Dunkirk (2017)
The Human Side of War
"Saving Private Ryan" is widely considered one of the best movies about WWII made in the modern era, and this movie makes its case to be in that elite company.
While Nolan's attention to detail is at its usual high standard, I think what he really brought to life was not only the isolation of those 400,000 Soldiers but the desperation as well. These men are trapped on a beach with the enemy all around them, attacking at apparent will and yet they are so close to home. He captures the sense there are no safe places on that strip of sand, and in that desperation we see what men are capable of--not only in good ways but in bad ones as well.
I will be very surprised if this movie is forgotten come award season.