Late Night with the Devil

8.5/10

In Late Night with the Devil, Jack Delroy (played by David Dastmalchian), the host of the late night show Night Owls, tries to restore his show's dwindling ratings by having a special Halloween show that includes Lilly D'Abo (Ingrid Torelli), a girl allegedly possessed by a demon.

I think it's been a while since I've seen such a well constructed story. All plot points flow naturally and we are fed information bit by bit. The interesting thing about this film is that it isn't your typical demon possession tale. There is a lot more going on and one is left interested as to what exactly is at play here.

One is kept engaged as to where everything is going and what'll happen next. True scares can be a slow burn often, but that really isn't an issue due to the film's general sense of unease in that Delroy is messing with stuff he shouldn't as well as solid characterization (Delroy's got several guests/show staff with differing agendas and views on the supernatural). 

Only reason I'm not rating this higher is the ending.  It runs a little longer than needed, and it lacks the cohesion and satisfaction of the rest of the film. To the ending's credit, it does show, not tell, however, I would've prefer the info. to be more explained and spoon fed. Part of the fun of this is putting all the clues together, but the movie ends with you asking a lot of "wait, what about?" questions. That having been said, the ending's not an absolute stinker, I've seen vaguer endings, and what occurs is definitely a choice.   

Strong cast in this. Dastmalchian is like Alan Tudyk in that he's one of those character actors who popped up more and more until they just suddenly hit that point where they became a known name that's in demand. (Among other things Dastmalchian was the main villain the MacGyver reboot, the Russian guy in the Ant-Man movies, and Polka-Dot Man in Suicide Squad.) He especially seems to have gotten his foot in movies lately. However, this is the first time he's gotten the main lead, and he kills it as an charming but ratings hungry TV host who also has to carefully navigate strange occurrences and various opinionated members of the show. 

Other highlights of this are Torelli whose Lilly is more uncomfortable when the demon isn't speaking through her, Rhys Auteri as Delroy's affable co-host Gus McConnell, and Fayssal Bazzi as showman psychic Christou.

The movie really encapsulates the feel and look of the 1970's and talk shows. It doesn't feel anachronistic or forced. Budget was clearly small, but the Night Owls' set is pulled off nicely.

Highly recommended. Yes, the finale's not perfect, but the film as a whole is definitely worth a watch. Unfortunately, this is only in limited theaters, the ones that are usually close to or in cities.  If you're not near one of these, this'll be on Shudder in a month, I believe, and if you're not subscribing to that, most films from the streamer appear on DVD/Blu-ray a few months later.

Imaginary

7.5/10

In Imaginary, Jessica (played by Jurassic World: Dominion's DeWanda Wise) and her husband and two stepdaughters move into her childhood home. The youngest girl Alice (Superkitties/Erin & Aaron's Pyper Braun) finds an old stuffed bear named Chauncey who becomes her new imaginary friend. However, there's something sinister about the bear who begins to have more and more control over poor Alice.

Wasn't expecting much from this movie; Blumhouse didn't give this much advertising. But, this turned out better than expected. This is one of those horror films that is trying to have fun, which is refreshing with so many movies going with the serious psychological horror route.

There are some pretty good scares in the beginning. I've seen so many horror movies that I've become desensitized. I rarely get scared, so it was refreshing to have a couple of the scares get to me. (The film's pretty good at catching you unexpected.)  Also, the film does a surprisingly good job of making a stuffed bear with minimal movement be creepy. The final act isn't as effective in being scary, but it makes up for it by being one of the more visually creative finales to a horror film.

For yet another movie where the child's imaginary friend turns out to be a monster/ghost/demon, the story is told better than most. Jessica makes for a compelling protagonist who's worried about her stepdaughter, and Alice makes for a sympathetic kid.

This is a Jeff Wadlow movie (the Fantasy Island movie, Truth or Dare, Wolf Creek) and this has the flaw I've seen in his other horror movies. Guy has some solid ideas and scenes, but the plots are always uneven. There are parts of this where the dialogue and exposition could've been tighter. 

There's some pretty good casting. Wise in particular is one to watch as she's so convincing. However, there are two actors playing figures connected to Jessica's past that really don't work out.

Recommended. Yeah, this could've been more polished, but this is an entertaining and spooky work.

Night Swim

7.5/10

In Night Swim, Ray Waller (played by Falcon and the Winter Soldier/Monarch's Wyatt Russell), a former baseball player suffering from multiple sclerosis, and his family move into a new house with a pool, but it's not a regular pool, it's a scary supernatural murder pool.

I'm surprised that a pool has never been turned into a an average--object-turned-element-of-murder movie. Pools are kinda scary. People can drown, strike their heads on the cement parts/diving board, and there's something unknown/ominous about the gaps where the water flows through. This movie makes good use of the concept and does a diverse job of showing various ways in which this pool just ain't right. There's some fairly creepy imagery, including seeing things in the background that aren't in focus. However, the scares are diminishing returns; the best parts are earlier on.

The plot itself is decent but could've been improved upon. There are plenty of horror movie families, but you don't usually see one dealing with a family member with a disease, which adds a little more to the usual formula. You get a feel for the characters, especially the dad, but the script doesn't go for that extra mile in their characterization. Some scenes and dialogue are mixed in quality. (This was originally a short film and you can see some of the growing pains in fleshing the story out.) Cast is good, especially Russell, but there is one small role that really isn't working.

Special effects and makeup are fairly good, though there a couple moments that feel a little weak. This is one of those horror situations where the supernatural threats aren't as effective as when you clearly see them.

Recommended. Story is good but not great. What makes this work definitely is the scares. 

Thanksgiving

9/10

In this new Eli Roth film based on his 2007 mock trailer made for the Grindhouse double feature, a year after a tragic Thanksgiving event a killer dressed up as Plymouth Colony governor John Carver goes on a vengeance-driven killing spree.

Thanksgiving is a love letter to slashers. It manages to not only honor the building blocks of the genre but is also its own thing. There are so many slasher movies where the script didn't work out or is just okay that it's refreshing to see a film that moves efficiently and is well written and thought out. The opening that shows the "event" is just so well crafted. Characters feel distinct and there's even a good portion of dark humor. If you're tired of horror movies where they make bad decisions, this is refreshing in that the characters play things relatively smart. 

The movie has some of the more gruesome and innovative or well orchestrated kills in some time. If you saw the nastiest kill hinted in the trailers, I got to warn you that it is a LOT. This movie is not for the squeamish. Some of the kills are Thanksgiving themed and there is a demented creativity behind them.

For those who like horror but would prefer a morality tale where the guilty are targeted instead of the innocent, then this is for you. It's kinda easier to enjoy the carnage as most of the characters aren't great people and have a reason for being targeted. However, for the main group of teens they make them self-interested enough that they make solid cannon fodder, but not mean-spirited enough that you aren't invested in the chance of them making it out alive.

The biggest weak point of the movie is that it's pretty easy to guess who the killer is. Which is too bad, because the film did a good job of making multiple characters have good motivation (you understand the "event" is the general reason the killings are happening, but there are multiple aspects of it which makes guessing the exact "why" a little more interesting) or of making characters without a motive seem suspicious without knocking the audience over the head.

Solid cast. I'm surprised you don't see Grey's Anatomy/Enchanted's Patrick Dempsey in more stuff. He's playing the sheriff complete with a Massachusetts accent and really sells his role. Some may have mixed opinions on Thomas Hoffman's performance as the owner of Plymouth's biggest store. His performance has an odd energy and it's hard to guess where he stands. However, I felt Hoffman's acting choices stood out.

Highly recommended. This is an original slasher that maybe even outshines other recent types of the genre.

Goosebumps- Season 1

7.5/10

In this the second show to be based on the popular children's horror series by R.L. Stine, a group of teens accidentally open a secret room unleashing a collection of cursed objects upon their town.

I give the creators credit for doing something other than the same ol' with the Goosebumps style. Instead of the more colorfully shot tales like with the original stories and the films that star children, this has the leads being teens and the story being told with bleaker lighting and somewhat more grounded writing. The show has more weight and story than your regular Goosebumps. I rather liked the whole backstory of the secret behind the accursed objects and other forces. This took a few risks for a Disney+/Hulu family program. However, the show still manages to be macabre and scary without crossing content lines. (Parents be forewarned that the very last episode is more violent than the entirety of the rest of the show.)

Though a more serious Goosebumps, the writers are having fun. There's a decent amount of humor to balance the tone.

The main teens though maybe not the most standout characters, are all good enough. This is another one of those "teens with parental problems" shows. The show doesn't do much new with the formula. I'm so tired of every series/movie starring teens having emotional trauma issues. I get it, a lot of people in this world don't have super parents, but seeing this done ALL the time is exhausting and kinda depressing. Can't we just have teens going on an adventure that focuses on just the adventure and not their problems? At least the parental issues in this aren't as strong as they would have been if this was more of a teen/adult show.

Standout in this is Justin Long (who'd have guessed at the start of his career that he'd become so associated with horror?) as the teens' teacher Mr. Bratt. He gives a pretty lively, offbeat performance. Childrens Hospital's Rob Huebel (who I'm surprised isn't in more things as he's good with drama or humor) is also pretty watchable as a semi-ineffectual school counselor.

Recommended. Goosebumps purists may not love the somewhat radical changes, but this managed to deliver something new without feeling like its completely discarded the elements of the books.

Five Nights at Freddy's

7/10

In this new movie adaptation of the popular video game series that is airing simultaneously in theaters and on Peacock, Mike (played by the Hunger Games films' Josh Hutcherson) gets a job as a security guard at the closed down family restaurant Freddy Fazbear's Pizza where there is more to the dormant animatronic characters than first meets the eye. (I assume this takes place over five nights. I didn't count. I'll take the film's word on this.)

When it's being scary, the film captures what makes the games work. The animatronics, created mostly through practical puppet suits created by the Jim Henson Workshop, are unsettling, feeding on the fact that there is something uncanny about how animatronics move in an uncanny valley way. These characters were originally created on a low budget years ago and their designs were made to be simplistic and something that works in a video game. Some can make the argument that they don't look as close to the classic animatronics of the Show Biz Pizza/Chuck E. Cheese era, and that a game or movie could've been more scary if you had something like one of those. However, Fazbear and friends do have something about their simplicity and blocky appearances that feels imposing even when they're stationary.  

This isn't one of those movies that rely on characters in the shadows and the less-is-more formula. You see the animatronics a lot, and it works in this situation, because the constant hint of menace beneath the character's faces always intimidates. The kills in this are well done, and director Emma Tammi has a nice visual eye. I particularly like how the opening credits are: a solid way of delivering exposition while staying true to the feeling of the games.

The biggest downside of this movie is that the scary parts are few and far apart and there is a LOT of plot and backstory. The movie is fair to the lore of the games. However, the games slowly teased the backstory over several installments. Here, way too much is thrown at you. I think most would've preferred the simplicity of mostly taking place at the restaurant and having Mike just try to survive. Speaking of the guy, Mike has a dark past and present day personal troubles and has way too much on his plate. The movie could've cut down on all the personal issues. There are also a few plot holes.

That having been said, the script mostly works and I wasn't turned off. (You can't accuse this horror film of choosing style over story.) There are also a couple funny bits. 

The backstory to this movie does get dark. If you don't like violence against children, this won't be for you.

Hutcherson is convincing as poor Mike. He isn't in this much, but "why-isn't-this-guy-in-more-things" Matthew Lillard is clearly stealing the show with his delivery as the employment counselor Mike works with. You's Elizabeth Lail plays a cop that befriends Mike. She gets some of the worst dialogue and motivations to work with and while she isn't bad, she just isn't able to fully make it work.

Kinda recommended. The over-exhibition and darkness of the film won't be for everybody, but when it works it works, and I can honestly say that it does a have a bit of a different feel than a lot of other films.

The Fall of the House of Usher

9/10

In Mike Flanagan's third limited Netflix horror series based on a popular house-based work of fiction (and probably his last since he has signed a deal with Amazon), we get an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's short story The Fall of the House of Usher as well as several other of the author's other works. After suffering a great tragedy, CEO of the powerful pharmaceuticals company Fortunato Roderick Usher (played by Thirteen Days' Bruce Greenwood) invites his nemesis district attorney Auguste Dupin (Alias' Carl Lumbly), who's been trying to get him charged for various criminal activities for decades, for a confession. In it, Usher recounts what befell him and his family and why.

This is an interesting departure from the last two house shows. Whereas those were more typical haunting shows with low body counts, this one's rather different. Body count's high here and the show is far more violent. (Perhaps this is Flanagan's reaction to criticisms about his previous show The Haunting of Bly Manor which is more psychological and the least with straight scares.) There is one kill in particular that is EXTREME and not for everyone.

Whereas the previous shows were about basically good people in bad situations, the Usher family, which are obvious parallels for the Sackler family, the ones responsible for the opioid epidemic, are mostly the opposite. This is one of those morality tales where bad people have things happen to them that are equivalent to their trespasses. Flanagan has always been big on characterization, and he does a solid job of making ourselves understand how the Ushers turned out the way they are. The two major strengths to FotH are getting to know the rich, diverse cast of characters and predicting how the next over-the-top death will happen.  One may argue that it's a bit lazy of Flanagan to focus most of the episodes around specific Poe stories, but he does a superb job of updating them to modern times.

Most of the dialogue works in this. However, there are a few speeches given by characters where it does not feel natural and is just Flanagan trying to too hard to get a message across.

As with most Flanagan productions, we get a great cast, including many of the the director's regulars. Originally, Frank Langella was cast to play the Usher Patriarch but got fired for repeated inappropriate comments. I won't lie that I would've liked to see what could've been with Langella's trademark bold voice and performance. (Not to defend him. He was warned to stop, and he still kept on.) However, Greenwood is a veteran actor and he does an awards-worthy performance as a complex, nuanced character. The man's expressions can say so much with so little effort. One of the best parts of this show is the framing device of Greenwood's conversation with Lumbly: two talented men working off of each.

Best performance probably goes to Carla Gugino as the mysterious woman involved with the Ushers' misfortunes. She utilizes multiple disguises in this and its impressive how the actress slips into various personalities.

A surprise casting for this was Mark Hamill as the Ushers' lawyer/fixer Arthur Pym. The actor has been popping up in live-action more often these days, but it still feels like the movie/TV world often still doesn't know how to properly utilize the guy. I think this will be considered alongside The Big Red as one of his best works outside Star Wars. He plays the guy who knows where the bodies are buried; the one employee the spoiled Usher children know you don't mess with. Hamill brings to life a no-nonsense, smart character but who also has a bit of humor and personality to when he is faced with the unexpected. There's a discussion in this that is arguably one of the best performances he has ever given.

Highly recommended. I'd say this is the second best of the trilogy. Hill House has the better scares but the difference between the quality of these two is not by much.

Totally Killer

7.5/10

In this new film on Amazon Prime, the masked Sweet Sixteen Killer resurfaces after 35 years and attacks teenager Jamie Hughes (played by The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina's Kiernan Shipka). She seeks safety in the time machine photo booth her friend invented and is sent back to the late eighties. There she tries to save the lives of her mother's three friends and figure out who the killer is. 

This is a slasher horror comedy similar to Happy Death Day and Final Girls. Much like how HDD is a "what if Groundhog's Day was a horror film," this is "what if Back to the Future was a horror movie." What ensues is a solidly written and fairly funny work with a solid story that makes you guess what'll happen next. (Plus, we get a final fight that's never been done before.)

The high point is having a modern girl in the 80's. I've never seen a movie so accurately nail the difference between today's culture and the non-PC culture of the eighties. Seeing Jamie amazed with how different things were back then never gets old. 

This movie is about Jamie learning to understand and get along with her mother Pam (played in the present by Modern Family's Julie Bowen and in the past by Cloak & Dagger's Olivia Holt). Time travel helping someone relate to their parent has been done before and there's nothing new here, but the movie does it well.

Jamie immediately knows what's going on. We don't have to go through the whole obvious character-takes-time-to figure out she's in the past bits. She's immediately on her mission.

It can be frustrating how dense and self-destructive the teens are when there's a murderer on the loose. Yeah they're teens, but I still feel they're played a little too cartooney.

If you're more into comedy than horror, and you're wondering how violent this is then this might not be for you. When the kills happen, director Nahnatchka Khan doesn't pull any punches, and they are bloody.

Also, understand that this is entertaining and clever, but I wouldn't say this is the funniest film of the year. I enjoyed myself but never laughed out loud.

Recommended. Just a generally good time, especially if you like jokes about generational differences.

The Exorcist: Believer

4/10

In this the sixth Exorcist movie, young Angela (played by Good Girls' Lydia Jewett) and Katherine (Olivia O'Neill) go go missing for three days and have no knowledge of what happened. Soon, it becomes quite obvious that the girls are possessed. 

This is from David Gordon Green, the director and co-writer of the recent Halloween trilogy. If you had issues with the way people felt a little surreal in Halloween Ends, this movie is that but even more so. To his credit, Green is trying to have this be a movie that focuses on characterization. However, the dialogue is off throughout. Pacing is real fast. Green's trying to get through all the plot points which makes it hard to really get to know some of the characters. The relationship between Angela and her father Victor (Hamilton's Leslie Odom Jr.) never feels natural and kinda weird. Plus, there is one whispering scene where you guess they're trying to provide exposition, but you can't make anything out.

Giving that those involved were trying, I was initially inclined to give this a slightly higher rating. It was bad but only kinda bad and an "interesting mess". Then the ending came. All good will was thrown out the door. It's not worth watching through the entire movie for what happens.

Green did make a concentrated effort not to have this be just another exorcism movie, a genre that admittedly has gotten pretty similar over the years. Yeah, making it two kids possessed instead of one might be a bit obvious, but it does work. You have to watch two separate and different parental units handling the situation. The exorcism itself is also a bit different.

The scares and effects are definitely scary and well done. The makeup for the possessed girls is real creepy. If the plot hadn't been so frustrating and dominated over the good stuff, I would've given the movie more of a pass for its fear factor. Color scheme is similar to the 70's throwback feel that the Halloween movies had and is effective. Settings weren't too shabby either.

The cast can't be blamed for this film. Everyone's good here and do the best they can with the poor dialogue they're given. Odom is especially strong as a concerned and desperate father.

Not recommended. An off film that never quite works.

The Nun II

6.5/10

In this sequel, Sister Irene (played by American Horror Story's Taissa Farmiga) is tasked with hunting down the demon Valak/the Nun (Bonnie Aarons) across Europe.

This sequel made a concentrated effort to address the criticisms about its predecessor. (I liked that one, but I confess it's my least favorite of the ones I like. All the others put a little more effort in.) More emphasis is put into the story here and the scares. Whereas the graveyard scene is the only scene most people remember from the first, here we've got a few memorable and eyecatching ones. Definite thought was given to the visuals kinda bringing a beautiful darkness to the whole affair. The newspaper stand scene from the trailers is a creative standout. This movie feels more like an adventure film than the other Conjuringverse movies. Some fairly high production values here for a horror film. The Nun does get a little too physical a couple times rather than only relying on traditional demonic powers. The demon felt a little too much like a slasher killer. 

Though I liked the scares, not enough time is spent on them. In order to correct the lack of a story backbone, I fear this movie went too far the other way. Irene's story feels like it's just there to give her a story rather than being anything substantial. The story of Maurice (Jonas Bloquet), her ally from the last film, definitely has more weight to it, but the problem is that they repeat story beats way too often. His story should've been much leaner. Because of the story padding, we're left frustrated and waiting for things to get scary again. Sure, the last movie was basically just pottering around a monastery, but at least the spookiness remained consistent.

Farmiga gives a strong performance, nailing all the emotional beats. Given that this movie is more serious than the last, Maurice isn't given the chance to be as comedic and fun as the last movie, but I do love Bloquet's performance. Maurice is just a nice guy. Unfortunately, Damian Bichir doesn't return from the first film as Father Burke. I liked the guy. Also, it seems odd that the Vatican sends Irene out by herself without any exorcism professionals.

Kinda recommended. I liked the scary parts, but I did wish the film moved faster. I think I prefer the last one better as it was quicker paced even if it didn't have as many strong scenes.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter

7/10

In this film based on a section from Bram Stoker's Dracula, the audience follows the crew of the Demeter, the ship that brought Dracula from Transylvania to England.

This is one of those movies that fail to go that extra mile but are competently made. Though there are some pretty good lines of dialogue, a lot of it, including the exposition-heavy first thirty minutes, feel perfunctory. Camerawork and lighting are good, but again just decent. The very opening scene and the very ending scene feel forced and don't flow naturally. Also, there's one obvious moment near the end where you might go "Why didn't they...?"

But like I said, this was by no means a shoddy effort. I was engaged and didn't regret watching this. Loved the set design of the ship; it felt impressive. The filmmakers went darker than you'd think with this, and I applaud their guts. The throat biting is the goriest I've seen in vampire movies. 

Some may be annoyed that LVotD goes with mostly silent monster Dracula and not conversational able to pass as human Dracula. However, in this film, he does make an unsettling creature. The creepiest thing about Dracula is his toothy mouth. He's enjoying this and seeing him smile is even more spooky. Wouldn't say this has the best CGI, but director Andre Ovredal (Troll Hunter, Authopsy of Jane Doe, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark) is wise enough to know less is more and keeps Dracula partially hidden in shadows most of the time.

No complaints about the casting in this. Straight Outta Compton/In the Heightss Corey Hawkins as ship's doctor Clemens and Game of Thrones' Liam Cunningham as Captain Elliot both have some above average delivery.

Kinda recommended. This does nothing to break the mold; but it's a decent watch.

Haunted Mansion (2023)

6/10

It's been twenty years since the first Haunted Mansion movie which didn't do that well. (Never understood the hate for it. I liked it. Can we at least agree that Terrence Stamp was great in that?) Now, Disney has made a second attempt at doing a film based on its theme park attraction. In this, Ben Matthias (played by Lakeith Stanfield), a down-on-his-luck former astrophysicist dealing with tragic events in his life, becomes involved, based on a previous interest in ghosts, with breaking the curse on Gracey Manor.

This is one of those movies that have some good ideas and moments but fail to reach a cohesive whole. The editing is rather circumspect.

There are many decent lines but not all of them land. 

I like that this movie was more faithful to showing actual elements from the attraction and when you see the ghosts they're definitely fun and one of the highlights of the movie. They can even be a little scary but not too much for kids. You also get them early enough, so that you don't have to wait for them. However, the emphasis is on the human characters more than the ghosts, and I think that was a mistake. The movie's always more entertaining when spooky things happen.

The mansion and and the main antagonist The Hat Box Ghost (voiced by Jared Leto) both have interesting backgrounds to them. Ben's past is pretty emotional and well written. However, all the current goings on just aren't as intriguing or cohesive. There's one subplot involving a ghost that you think would be resolved, but it isn't.

I think that a problem with this is that the movie has too many characters to focus on. Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, and Rosario Dawson would be a dream team, but they're not. Part of it is the writing for their characters not being the best to work with, but also there just isn't as much personal interaction between the talented actors as you'd think. Sure they're in a lot of scenes together, but they don't do that much together if you get my drift. 

Lakeith does a great job as Ben who's one of the best written parts. He really is a tragic, three-dimensional character, and a fairly solid guy once his mettle is tested. Second best character is Tiffany Haddish's psychic Harriet. Her character has the second most going on next to Ben. Haddish may be the best actor in this as she really sells a someone who's often trying to put on a confident face. 

Wilson as Father Kent and DeVito as history professor Bruce Davis do their best, especially the latter who shines when given a chance, but they're given so little to work with. I honestly feel Devito got a lot of scenes edited or cut, and he probably had a backstory that didn't make it in.

Dawson as the mansion's owner Gabbie is wasted. She's just a nice mom/love interest who isn't given much to do and definitely not proactive enough. She also gets the worse dialogue. There's one delivery from her that's truly awful, and I hope it was due to direction/editing. Chase Dillon as Gabbie's son Travis is one of those child actors who deliver their lines too much like an adult. Something always feels off about him.

I genuinely liked the villain in this. The Hat Box Ghost is an old school genteel, loquacious baddie, and I liked his retro style. 

Visually, director Justin Simien (Dear White People) has a great sense of visuals for not just the mansion, but all buildings. Even Ben's small place has a distinct look to the exterior.

Not recommended. It's not a hard no. It could be a decent watch for the kids, but there's no need to see this and definitely no reason to spend big bucks on it. I'd say the original Haunted Mansion was better. Yeah, Ben's conflict is definitely better than the "dad who's too busy working and has to learn to spend time with his family" conflict, but the original's overall plot was stronger.

Insidious: The Red Door

8/10

(Note: Contains no spoilers about Red Door, but contains a brief reference to the conclusion of the second film.)

After them being absent in the third and fourth installments, which were prequels, we revisit the Lambert family. The psychic father and son Josh and Dalton Lambert (played by Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins) had their memories wiped of their abilities in order to prevent the residents of the Further from gaining access to our world. Dalton's going to college now (credit should be given to bringing back the original actors who were kids instead of recasting them, (looking at you Independence Day sequel; Mae Whitman starred in The Duff, but she wasn't good enough to come back for you?!)). The hypnosis has left Joshua with a foggy mind and there's a rift now between the two. Soon, events cause the two to again investigate the dark and dangerous world of the Further. 

This is Wilson's directorial debut and he does a decent job of keeping up Insidious' distinct feel. It doesn't quite have the scare and cinematic quality of the first film but in fairness, none of the sequels quite manage it. Important thing is you still get a good heaping of creepy imagery and ghosts.

Like in the previous entries, this has a few jokes. It's rather one of the funnier entries (without damaging the atmosphere.) 

Patrick again does an excellent job as the Josh and he really sells his difficulty but also willingness to connect with his son and his mental struggles in general. Sinclair Daniel plays Dalton's new college friend Chris Winslow and is one of the hightlights, serving as the snarky comic relief as well as the voice of reason. Sadly, Lin Shaye as psychic Elise Rainier and Leigh Wannell and Angus Sampson as her assistants (who'd been promoted to leads in the last two films) barely appear in this.  

Unfortunately, the movie continues the sequel-that-came-out-some-time-later-than-the-last-story  trend of having the heroes end up in a far worse place than when we last saw them which has become really tiring. I think Dalton's mother Renai Lambert (Rose Byrne) was basically character assassinated in this piece as I didn't agree with her choices or root for her.

I'm not loving the lack of creative ambition when it came to the forces of darkness here. The Insidious movies have always been known for the distinct style of their supernatural entities. However, Red Door has lost that distinctness. Don't get me wrong, the ghosts and such are still scary, they just don't have that Insidious brand look to them. I was disappointed there is no new big bad here. I've always felt that a strong point of the films were that had new villain with a new look and gimmick rather than recycling. 

The scares are separated by lengthy scenes of people just talking to each other, which to be fair also kinda happened in the first film (I liked that three and four felt a lot faster), but it feels more obvious here. Some may get bored, but for me it wasn't a deal breaker, and I thought the dialogue mostly worked.

Kinda recommended. Many will enjoy another Insidious movie and this continues to deliver what we want. However, some may be bored by the pacing or disappointed that it doesn't 100% quite have that Insidious feel to it. I'd rank this above Insidious 2 and below the other movies.

The Blackening

7.5

In this horror comedy based on a Comedy Central digital short, a bunch of African American friends from college are having a reunion at a nice cabin in the woods. Soon, a masked killer forces them into a deadly game that requires them to prove their blackness.

This was a pretty funny film. The trailers really don't do it justice. Sometimes with social issues comedies they can be like Velma in that they might go with the broadest, most obvious jokes. (And I stress sometimes. I'm not trying to be anti-woke. I just think there are writers out in there in the world that just don't do a great job of addressing the content in a humorous narrative.) I'm happy to say that the lines are often clever or silly and land.

Great cast in this all around. Apparently, a lot of this was adlibbed and everyone pulled it off. Standout is Jermaine Fowler (from Coming 2 America and Sorry to Bother You) as the nerdy and awkward Clifton. Admittedly, I felt his affectations, a twisted mouth and stereotypically nerdy voice, were trying a little too hard, but the guy has a way with his delivery. We also get the prolific Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show/American Housewife) as a park ranger and the guy's always funny and lively in whatever he does.

I liked the set/location they filmed at. It looks like a pretty sweet cabin.

Some may find the first act and the setup for the characters to be slow at points. There's nothing downright wrong with any of the dialogue, but parts could've been cut short or restructured. There is conflict between a trio of the friends that while providing personality and drama just isn't really that interesting.

Recommended, this is smartly written and adlibbed and makes for a good time.

The Pope's Exorcist

7.5/10

In The Pope's Exorcist based (I'm guessing EXTREMELY loosely) on Father Gabriele Amorth's memoirs An Exorcist Tells his Stories and An Exorcist: More Stories, the father (played by Russell Crowe) investigates the possession of an American boy in Spain.  

Sooooo... This is a very by-the-numbers exorcism movie. Everything's that happened in previous movies probably happens here and there isn't anything that's unpredictable. HOWEVER, this is a very competently made exorcism movie.

The movie flows naturally without much feeling drawn out. The introduction scene with Amorth is pretty memorable. 

This has a solid look to it. (The production team was clearly having fun.) I loved the foreboding, kinda stylized look of the ancient manor the family's staying at. There are a couple weird visuals that grab the eye.

The best part is definitely Crowe. His Amorth is really likable and he breathes life into the role. He seems to be on an accent streak here (the last being his role in Thor: Love and Thunder), and I can't speak to his Italian inflection's accuracy, but it works pretty well. Penny Dreadful: City of Angels' Daniel Zovatto plays the practically requisite younger member of the church who's a rookie to exorcism Father Esquibel, and does an admirable job working off of Crowe.

The one straight-up weak point to this (besides the plot predictability) is that there's a subplot with Amorth's enemy within the Vatican Cardinal Sullivan (Ryan O'Grady) that feels half-baked and unnecessary. I wonder if some of his scenes got cut? 

Kinda recommended. Doesn't break the mold, but it makes for a fun time-waster.

Malum

6.5/10

In this remake of director/co-writer Anthony DiBlasi's 2014 film Last Shift, rookie police officer Jessica Loren (played by Split's Jessica Sula) gets herself assigned to watch over the night the old, practically abandoned police station that's being closed down. She's intentionally there as she's trying to investigate the death of her father. Soon, strange things start happening...

What this movie is good at is is providing unsettling, creepy stuff. There's some things that'll definitely stick in your memory. I believe one reason DiBlasi decided to pull a Hitchcock and made the rare choice of remaking his own movie is that he was able to play with a bigger budget. (When I heard this was a remake, I watched the original first because I was kinda fascinated with what the differences would be between the two.) The original while having decent special effects was clearly made on the cheap and took place entirely within one filming location. Here, DiBlasi is able to pull off more. There's a couple visual scares I miss from Last Shift, but there are also a few originals here that really leave an impression.

Going back to the shooting location, Last Shift's police station was a really well lit affair (again probably a budget thing), here it's the opposite, and DiBlasi makes strong use of the unknown that lurks in the darkness. Also, I really liked the front door area to the place they shot at. Has a distinct look. 

This movie is effectively scary, but the plot is... debatable (much like the original). The script does do a better job of explaining why some things were happening in the first film (for instance, in the original it's a coincidence that Jessica is assigned to the station her father worked at.) However, changes to the story bring up a bunch of brand new plot holes, stuff that'll make you say "Wait, what? But...?"  

Casting is predominantly stronger than the first, there's a few performances I preferred from the original but on the whole we've got a higher class of actors. Though I feel Loren's superior Officer Grip Cohen to still be more of a plot device than a realistic character (sadly, his dialogue was largely untouched from Last Shift), Britt George's performance as him is a lot more tolerable. There is one actor replacing their role from the first: Natalie Victoria (the director's wife). I'm so glad they had her ditch her lousy southern accent this time around.

This was one of those movies that's hard to rate. If you love scary stuff, you'll probably like this. But if you hate it when horror movie plots get super vague, this probably won't be for you.

Scream VI

8/10

In this new entry in the horror series, the Carpenter sisters and friends have moved to New York City, only to become the targets of a new Ghostface killer.

The trailers are completely accurate in that this may be one of the most intense Scream films. The last film had already escalated things, but this one goes even further with some unforgettably brutal kills. This Ghostface is a lot gutsier and eyes-on-the prize than some of the others, even going as far as attacking in public. This also has one of the best openers and really invigorates the concept.

I won't lie, I wasn't loving the move to New York (I guess I prefer the films to happen in less crowded areas), but I was wrong. The filmmakers do a wonderful job of making use of the big city and how threatening it can be.

However, I'd rank this as second-to-last in the films. Don't think of this as a dislike of film, it's just that there's tough competition as the franchise has been surprisingly strong for a horror series, and I 'd consider 3 the only bad one.

Love the beginning, but I felt this had the weakest killer reveal. This is also the only film where I figured things out, at least partially, before the end of the film. The writers really show their hand in this. This may also be the Scream movie with the biggest plot holes (why don't the characters get a police escort?)

This movie carries the last film's slow break from the feel of the previous films. Like the current Jurassic Park trilogy when compared to the original, the tone and dialog never 100% feel like they're in the same world. Also, this movie has more of a grainier style of filming to it, and I miss the brighter camerawork of the first two movies.

The return of Kirby Reed (played by Hayden Panetierre) from Scream IV, who I and most people liked, lacked the punch she had before. Dialogue wasn't as fun. I understand she's now at a different place in her life than many years ago, but I didn't buy her as an FBI agent, and if they were trying to show change in her, it wasn't working.

Recommended, despite my complaints, I was still drawn in with the tension and what was going on (this flows pretty well) and will definitely watch this again.

Cocaine Bear

8/10

In this movie based on a true story, a bear in the 1980's eats cocaine that was airdropped from a plane and goes on a rampage across its national park. (This is loosely based on the true story. The actual bear just died of a heart attack. However, what happened to the person who dropped the cocaine appears to be fairly accurate.)

Cocaine Bear is one of those rare theatrical films these days that are intentionally campy. Writer Jimmy Warden (of the movie The Babysitter: Killer Queen) and director Elizabeth Banks (yes, THE Elizabeth Banks) decided to see how nuts they can go with this.  The kills can be delightfully over-the-top and you're kept guessing as to what'll happen next (especially since it's hard to predict how the drug-addled bear will react) and who'll survive. This has the goofiest Mexican stand-off scene you'll ever see.

Great cast in this, especially considering how silly the subject is, including Keri Russell, Margo Martindale, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and Ray Liotta in what was the last role he filmed before he passed. The majority of characters are surprisingly fleshed out. The stand-outs are definitely Solo's Alden Ehrenreich and Outta Compton's O'Shea Jackson Jr. as two drug dealers, the former of which being retired and reluctantly dragged back into the business, who've been sent to retrieve the cocaine. They have this real every guy reaction to the insanity they find themselves in.

Admittedly, some of the bits and exposition scenes that don't feature the bear could've been edited down in order to make them stronger. Some of you may get bored with the people characters. A subplot about Whitlock's detective and his pet dog feels half-baked. Also, the clothing and personalities of a group of punk teens roaming the woods doesn't feel that Eighties.  

The computer generated bear doesn't look too bad. You can tell it isn't real, but it works, and I was impressed that the effects guys put more effort into its anatomy than you'd think.

Recommended unless you're not big on R-rated violence. This is an enjoyable brains-off, sit-back-and-enjoy-the-ride situation.

M3gan

8/10

In this new horror comedy, toy designer Gemma (played by Girls and Look Out's Allison Williams) invents M3gan (voiced by Jenna Davis and performed by Amie Donald) a robotic doll equipped with advanced AI. Gemma's niece Cady (Violet McGraw), who just lost her parents, becomes the test user for M3gan.

Yeah, both the whole evil robot and whole evil doll thing have been done to death. Doesn't help that there are also the natural comparisons to the Child's Play reboot a few years back. Yet, M3gan does a surprisingly good job of being entertaining and fresher than you think. It's not like this doesn't follow the very basic framework of the AI slowly goes bad story, but script is more robust than you'd think, featuring some effective plot points. The movie looks at  a career-focused woman who suddenly has the responsibility of raising a kid and struggles with the task. It's also a look at people's reliance on using technology to raise their kids that's smarter than you'd think. 

What really makes the this work is M3gan herself. You don't see a lot of big talkative/personality-heavy horror movie killers, probably because it's easier to make a silent or hide-in-the-shadows villain scary. M3gan is a villain that stays in your memory thanks to her personality. She's also a lot more understandable and relatable than your usual killer AI. She's definitely the most persuasive. I found myself agreeing with her point of view on several points. 

Physically, she also leaves an impression. Unlike Annabelle or reboot Chucky, she looks like an actual doll that kids would want. Yet, she still manages to be disconcerting due to her uncanny valley face and inhuman body movements and innovative kills. (I'd actually advise you avoid the trailers if you haven't seen them yet since most of the really good parts are spoiled.)  

As a comedy, this works well enough. Not the funniest film of the year, but it has it's moments. This is more lighthearted than the average horror film and it's nice to see an entry like this or Happy Deathday just having fun.   

A couple caveats: M3gan's supposed to be smart, but I found the timing and planning of her kills feel sloppy. Although, the majority of this is strong, the very conclusion feels cookie cutter.

Allison Williams does a pretty good job of playing a programmer who's more interested in what they can do rather than what they should, but also manages to bring a human element. (This is her third horror movie. After Girls, could anyone guess this is where here career would head? Or playing Peter Pan for that matter, but that feels like less of a jump.) Davis does a phenomenal job voicing M3gan. On the comedy side, The Daily Show's Ronny Chieng gives a reliable job as the ridiculous CEO of the toy company that makes her. 

Highly recommended, this is one of those popcorn/let's-have-fun movies and it really works. Plus, it looks like M3gan may be one of the top new horror monsters of the decade.

Werewolf by Night

9.5/10

In this Marvel Halloween special on Disney+ based on the comic of the same name, a group of monster hunters are summoned for a competition to secede their late leader as the possessor of the powerful Bloodstone. However, there are a couple hunters whose priorities are a little different...

Wow! Marvel's first special knocks it out of the park. It's especially impressive that besides a couple shorts, this is the first directing job from popular film composer Michael Giacchino (that theme from the beginning of Up, that's him.) The action is pretty good. I know a dozen people have already mentioned it, but this is the most violent Marvel offering (not counting Marvel TV) to date being helped by the black-and-white color scheme of the movie.

Humor's pretty good too. A nice touch to this is that the monster hunting society is populated by a bunch of eccentrics, the higher ups being particularly weird, providing some unexpected, fun bits. I think the character of Elsa Bloodstone (played by The Nevers' Laura Donnelly), the daughter of the former leader, is probably my favorite in this as she's the straight man and gives some decent reactions and pushbacks to the insanity around her.

Werewolf by Night looks great, going with a 30's/40's appearance. Some of the outfits, sets, and props are just really impressive looking. The werewolf outfit in this, however isn't as good as what your imagination can come up in. The torso's too puffy and evokes the impression of the actor wearing a wool coat. (On the plus side there is one really strong monster design in this.) In terms of cinematography, this may be the best I've seen a movie replicate the appearance of a different age. Only downside is that like early movies, the camera focus isn't always 100%, especially with the backgrounds.  The blurriness may get to some people.

If there are any other cons about this, the fact that this is only only fifty-two minutes means limited time to build the lead characters of Elsa and hunter Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal). You do get enough to understand the characters, but there is also some having-to-fill-in-the-blanks that may annoy some people. Some may also wish that the ending be a little less open.

Highly recommended, this is a unique and very fun film that looks superb.