Y2K

Grade: B

SNL alumni Kyle Mooney's directorial takes place on New Year's Eve 1999. In this alternate reality, Y2K wasn't fixed in time and electronical devices start attacking and killing people. The movie follows unpopular teen Eli (played by It's Jaeden Martell) as he tries to survive the night. 

The movie is fairly funny, has some surprisingly well-written character progression with a couple supporting characters, and a couple of moments that really take you by surprise. This was clearly made on the cheap, but the mostly practical electronics effects look good.

The first half is really well-paced and moves quickly. However, the plot slows down for the second half, and a few of the dialogue exchanges really feel like they could've been cut down and cause you to lose your enthusiasm a little.

Eli's goal of landing the popular girl is a pretty basic high school comedy storyline that we've all seen before. I honestly wished they'd gone with another scenario for this premise. 

The best performances in this are the supporting players. Mooney plays a druggie DVD rental clerk, and he's good with making fun of laid back 2000's-personalities. Hunt for the Wilderpeople's Julian Dennison as Eli's best friend brings the same loud personality he's known for being good at. Yeah, it's nothing new, but he still has one of the best scenes in the movie. The actors who took me most by surprise are Chilling Adventures of Sabrina's Lachlan Watson and Tales from the Loop's Daniel Zolghadri as a couple of rap enthusiasts with differing philosophies (mainstream vs. non-commercial). 

Not particularly recommended one way or another. Some will have genuine fun while others may be bored with the second half or Mooney's over-reliance on references to the 2000's rap/rock scene.

Time Cut

Grade: B

In this new Netflix movie, smart high school student Lucy (played by Outer Banks' Madison Bailey) happens across a time machine and is sent back twenty years ago to a before Summer (Ginny & Georgia's Antonia Gentry), the sister she never knew, and her friends were murdered by a serial killer.

There are going to be the natural comparisons to last year's Totally Killer, given that they have similar concepts (also it's super weird that the killers' masks look alike), but it appears that production on this film actually started first. Just one of those X-Men/Doom Patrol parallel ideas at the same time situation.

I admit that Totally Killer was more entertaining and had a better cast, but I felt this had the more interesting story. TC does some stuff I haven't seen done before with a "someone-travels-back-in-time-and-meets-their-younger-family" story. We've seen people interact with their parents as teens and learn more about them stories, but meeting a sibling you never knew is one I haven't really encountered. The relationship between the two sisters with contrasting personalities and personal problems, but they also work well off of each other, is really the backbone of this.

I'm pleased with the killers' identity. This isn't one of those movies where the killer is too obvious or the movie is forcing on one suspect so hard that it's obvious a red herring.

This is probably more for time travel fans than horror ones. This honestly feels at times more like suspense than slasher. Totally Killer, which was also a comedy, actually had more slasher action in it.

Recommended. I know this has been critically panned, but I felt it had a solid story and characters with some interesting ideas.

Mr. Crocket

6/10 

In this Hulu full-length adaptation of the short Bite Size Halloween episode of the same name, the newly widowed Summer (played by Grey's Anatomy/Hunters' Jerrika Hinton), finds an old VHS copy of a kids' show starring Mr. Crocket (Godfather of Harlem's Elvis Nolasco). However, there's something not quite right about the show and its host and the grasp they have on Summer's son Major (Ayden Gavin). 

The best part of this is the titular Mr. Crocket. Nolasco delivers quite a performance and brings us an unsettling character. It's hard to put into words what makes Crocket scary. I guess it is sort of the fact that he feels like someone who has a figurative mask on over what he really is, but the mask has partially slipped off, and he's not putting it back on; often never playing the character as full psychotic or full his show persona. Crocket feels like that person you met in real life that had some red flag issues if they had the power to do whatever they wanted.

Crockett's playhouse and his "pals" are distinct-looking and pretty freaky. The pals in particular are straight up nightmare-fuel.

However, the script never feels like it reaches its full potential, making decisions that don't quite work. (Also, doesn't help that due to the, I assume, low budget, that there are not a lot of extras around making the world feel desolate.) 

The biggest issue here being the relationship between Summer and her son. Yeah, the mother and her child having difficulty dealing with the loss of a loved one storyline is well known and tried, but this oddly fails the formula. One could give the movie props for not being cookie cutter, but the storyline does not work. Major is portrayed as just too unlikable. Yeah, he just lost his dad, but the movie never shows like he was what before hand or any positive qualities whatsoever. Major feels more like a damaged child in real life that requires a fair amount of therapy. One could credit the movie for treating the topic more seriously, but this feels more like a topic that should've been in an A24 atmospheric horror movie, not one with an over-the-top murderous kids' show host.

Partially recommended. Lots of people will be into Crocket and his world, but others will just be bummed by the story.

Monster Summer

7/10

In Monster Summer, kids on a small island town are being attacked and turned into shells of themselves by a mysterious being. Young Noah (played by The Black Phone's Mason Thames) teams up with grizzled, retired cop Gene (played by Mel Gibson) to track the monster down.

This is one of those movies like Monster Squad (or the 1999 TV movie the Darklings; highly underrated), it's kind of a kids film, but the content is edgier than expected. The movie earns its PG-13 rating.  A lot of this feels like traditional children's fare and there's no explicit violence, but the threat is dark and dangerous and the finale is surprisingly tense.  (It's kinda like that Nancy Drew movie with Millie Bobby Brown where people were surprised with how close the villains were to messing Nancy up.) The biggest "Wha...?" about this that there are straight up references to child predators/abductors and the characters compares the antagonist to them. They never specify what child abductors do, but it's still shocking coming from a movie with more basic children's leads and shenanigans.

Admittedly, the mix of light and dark and this sort of retro old-school darker 80's kids movie feel works in Monster Summer's favor. It is a unique blend that made me nostalgic for the yesteryear of children's movies. Can't say the movie is perfect. You're just thrown into the plot and the characters. I wished Noah and friends were introduced more naturally (the movie doesn't mention that Noah has a little sister until like a half hour after you meet him and his mom; she's just there all of a suddenn), seeing them hanging out and living their lives more before the poop hits the fan. 

The look of the movie also goes for that old school 80's and 90's feel. This is the second film from Wizards of Waverly Place lead David Henrie, and for a newbie director working with a small budget, he does fairly well for himself. He uses too many closeups, but he's got some solid stuff going on too like some nice panning shots of the island and he manages to make the villain's car intimidating as of itself. Speaking of the island, they picked a pretty photogenic place to film.

A lot of the casting is just alright, but the few known actors they got for do this do lighten up the proceedings. Gibson gives the best performances and is probably the most interesting character in this. Also, the characters of Gene and Noah just work really well off of each other. Credit should also be given to King of Queens' Kevin James, who seems to be in this just to show everyone that he does a really good southern accent. (It's weird. Between this and Becky, it seems that lower budget, lower profile films are the ones that really managed to let James shine as an actor).

Recommended. Admittedly, Monster Summer feels a bit confused as to who its demographic is, but it makes for a decent watch and its divergence from the norm keeps things fresh. (Also, watch The Darklings if you can find it. It's a kids' version of Rear Window.)

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

8.5/10

In this sequel to Beetlejuice, and now grown up Lydia Deetz (played by Winona Ryder) must make a deal with the chaotic demon Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) when her daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) get stuck in the afterlife.

The Beetlejuice sequel has been gestating for a long, long time, since the 90's in fact. Winona Ryder even had a clause in her Stranger Things contract that gave her time off to do a Beetlejuice sequel if it ever came to fruition. Well, they finally did it. They made another Beetlejuice with director Tim Burton returning, and honestly this is the most inspired he's been in a long, long time. He's been cautious about doing sequels, the only reason he did Batman Returns is because they wouldn't take "no" and offered him complete creative control, but he never gave up on Beetlejuice. The reason he never faltered and regained his mojo is the same reason Big Eyes is one of his stronger latter entries, he has a genuine passion for the subject material.

This movie is nuts in a good way. So much creativity went into this with so many fun ideas and macabre humor thrown at us. It manages to do something different, which is what made the first film so popular. The third act is definitely something and the funniest part.

We get to see a lot more of the afterlife here, and it's a wild impressive-looking ride. For this, Burton tried to use as much practical effects as he could, and it really helped. If you missed the eighties/nineties era of practical effects, then you'll like this. It just feels more real than CGI, and helps lend to the movie's kitschy feel. Actor turned ghost cop Wolf Jackson, played by Willem Dafoe, has part of his skull missing, and their is just something so distinct about the colors and makeup they did for it. It may bug some that the sandworms in this looker cleaner and have less life in them than the original.

But of course, you can't have a Beetlejuice movie without Beetlejuice, and Michael Keaton's still got it. He's like Jim Carrey in the Sonic movies, he can't due to the rapid physical humor like he could back in the day, but he's got the comic delivery down pat. Beetlejuice remains a hilariously awful being. Unsurprisingly, Catherine O'Hara, returning as Lydia's avant-garde artist stepmother Delia Deetz, is one of the major draws. The writers took some inspiration from her career reviving turn in Schitt's Creek and allowed her to be more over-the-top, which feels natural as she has just become more of her major traits as she's gotten older. Her delivery is on par with Keaton and she steals any scene she's in. 

Best newcomer is Dafoe's Wolf. Though he's a real cop now, he can't help playing it like a TV actor and hamming it up. He's an unexpected character when compared to everyone else and the tone of the afterlife, but he somehow works. Torchwood/Pacific Rim's Burn Gorman is also fun as a priest who speaks in a verbose, old-school pastoral manner.

Though this is one of those surprisingly strong follow-ups made decades after original, it isn't quite at the same level as the original. (Let's be honest; a lot of Tim Burton scripts are imperfect.) First off, Beetlejuice is pining for Lydia, who he met as a FIFTEEN-YEAR OLD! And no one in the production process shot this down?! You would especially think they'd avoid something like this due to Jeffrey Jones not coming back due to his child pornography charges.  

This doesn't have quite the heart of the original and seems to revel more in being meaner. I do miss the Maitlands, the ghost couple from the first film. They were the actual main characters, and in my opinion as important to the movie as Beetlejuice was, and their normalcy and being generally nice people is what served as the backbone of the plot. The ending in particular feels less solid and more cynical. There are attempts to add an emotional element to the film, but they feel half-baked. Astrid's discord with her mother doesn't feel natural enough.

Going back to the "being meaner" part: The writers follow the recent trend for a lot of franchises saying "we need to kill more people and go for a harsher turn". (Be prepared that this is noticeably more violent than the original). If I want to watch a new blockbuster franchise film, I want to have fun, not have it be a bit of a bummer.

I felt Ortega’s talents were wasted here. She had a couple good reaction moments, but Ortega was given a basic character without much to do. The character of Rory (Justin Theroux), Lydia's manipulative boyfriend and producer is completely unnecessary. Theroux plays the role well, and he has a couple nice bits, but he doesn't add much to the plot, and you don't quite understand why Lydia puts up with him, because it feels inconsistent with the rest of her behavior.

Recommended. It's not 100% the original, but it doesn't miss by much. There are valid criticisms with the film, but I feel the spectacle, humor, and whole of it all is massively entertaining.

Alien: Romulus

8.5/10

In a time between Alien and Aliens, a group of teens or young adults (they weren't specific), want to run away from the mining space colony they lived in. In order to achieve intergalactic flight, they steal some equipment from an abandoned space station. Unfortunately, said station was the host to research on a certain horrifying species.

This kind of feels like a greatest hits album. I'm not saying this does anything to break the mold or put itself on the exact same pedestal of the first two films, but this movie does the Aliens formula particularly well. The plot and characters are solid. The movie pays homage to a lot of the films in the franchise without feeling like it's derailed by nostalgia baiting (with the exception of one very obvious scene). 

But of course, being an Alien film, it's all about the look and the scares. And yeah, this does it pretty well. Alvarez works well with how disturbing the Xenomorphs are. Though I called this a "greatest hits, the movie does have a few scenes, one involving the Xenomorphs blood in particular, that are creative.

Alvarez feels most inspired by the desolate technology aspect of the first film. The space station is a Ridley Scott-esque work of genius. It is detailed and elaborate with a cold and overwhelming feel to it. The station itself is just as scary as the Xenomorphs. The music also really adds to the ambience.

Acting is decent but the real standout is Industry's David Jonsson as Andy, a member of the group of runaways. I won't give any spoilers about the character, but he steals all the scenes.

 Highly recommended. I feel this is the third best Alien movie, and a nice return to form if some of the last few weren't working for ya'.

AfrAId

5.5/10

In AfrAId, a family becomes hosts for a prototype of the new digital assistant AIA, an AI that is far more advanced than the likes of Siri and Alexa. Soon, the patriarch Curtis (played by John Cho) becomes suspicious of her attentions.

This is one of those movies that has good ideas but isn't consistent. In it's defense, all the movie's commentary on the negatives of AI and an increased attachment to technology work. And yeah, M3gan also addressed technology recently, but not as strongly as the very aspect of AI itself (this is the first film to take advantage of how creepy poor AI art can be.) Also, for a movie about the dangers of technology, it doesn't feel as cookie cutter as you'd think it would.

But, it's when you get to the rest of the movie that quality fluctuates. There are good lines in this, but a lot just don't work. The movie tries to provide personality for the family members, but they aren't interesting enough. Also, the backstory and personality of Meredith (Fantastic Beasts' Katherine Waterston), the mother, is disseminated in an oddly unnatural and slipshod way. The first act in particular feels boring, because we haven't gotten to those AI shenanigans yet.

Can't fault the cast for this film, who are all doing the best with what they're given. This actually has a few solid actors in this, including several that made me say, "Oh, I like them." I have high hopes for the future career of Isaac Bae, who plays the youngest child of the family; kid has a presence. Bottoms/No Exit's Havana Rose Liu does an especially good job of voicing and expressing AIA. Yeah, she's another rogue computer program, but she definitely has personality. (She's no M3gan, but there's no shame in that.)

The film is very conservative with showing us the avatar representing her true form. Usually they do that because its scarier if the monster isn't over utilized, but here it felt more like they realized AIA's appearance wasn't working. I don't think I've been as disappointed with a monster design as I am with this in a long time. If you saw the part of the trailer where AIA says she's going to show her true face, they don't include that here. It feels like someone on the film said, "We can't have a prolonged shot on her. She looks awful!"

A soft not recommended. Like I said, there are interesting parts to AfrAId and it isn't as cookie-cutter as you'd think, but I can't in good faith say this is a must-see. 

The Exorcism

4.5/10

In The Exorcism, actor Anthony Miller (played by Russell Crowe) is cast as a priest in a new demonic possession movie, only to find himself possessed by an actual demon. (Yeah, it's weird that Crowe decided to do two exorcism movies so close together, but he does play a very different character here.)

This is one of those movies that is frustrating because there are hints of what could've been a good film. Miller's tragic backstory, and the reason he's vulnerable to possession, is well-crafted. There are some good pieces of dialogue and performances are good throughout.

However, the movie is inconsistent in quality. There are also several lines that don't work. Pacing is very slow. The lighting is just too dark. Also, there appears to be a logic to the demon's plan that isn't made as clear as it should be.

Now if it was just the flaws above, I would've been more charitable with the rating on behalf of the stuff that does work, but then comes the ending. The finale is truly disappointing. 

Going back to the performances, you really can't blame the cast. Crowe may not have the best material, but you definitely believe him as the character. It's too bad Frasier's David Hyde Pierce isn't in that many movies (I recommend you see him in the underexposed thriller The Perfect Host; he's quite good.) He's very congenial as a priest consultant on the film. The Equalizer TV show's Adam Goldberg is probably the best at making all the lines work as the movie's director.

Not recommended. The slow pace and bad ending do not make the ending worth watching.

In a Violent Nature

7/10

In a Violent Nature, undead Jason Vorhees-esque killer Johnny (played by Ry Barrett) goes on a killing spree in the woods as he purses a golden locket that was taken from his resting place. This is a twist on the slasher genre in which instead of focusing on the final girl and future victims the movie follows the silent killer for 90% of the film. 

This is definitely an interesting idea. People crack jokes about what the killers in these films are up to between kills and how they transport from place to place. Well, here we get it, and it's an interesting concept. I've heard complaints online (and from one random stranger at the movie theater) that the movie is too much of Johnny walking around the woods. Personally, I didn't find this to be a deal breaker (and I honestly didn't think there was THAT much walking), because the cinematography and sound are excellent. The movie is short like a nature documentary kinda in that a lot is silent observation of a being in the woods. I don't think I've seen a forest-set horror movie that truly one hundred percent felt like it was filmed in a natural park. There are so many excellent captures of foliage and the natural landscape. Except for a couple moments at night, the lighting feels natural. There's no soundtrack in this. My congrats to the sound guy or guys because they make the environment feel so natural like you're actually outdoors. 

The movie should be particularly congratulated for using pieces of dialogue overhead by Johnny as he stalks and the general conventions of slasher flicks that we are easily able to piece together what's happening on the victims' side of the story without spending much time on them. 

Also, there are some great uses of angles and reveals. Given that Johnny is the main subject, there is an interesting use of focus where often he'll be in the foreground and his victims a little out of focus when he's observing or pursuing others. 

Going back to the "movie is a lot of walking" criticism, when we get to the actual kills, they are worth the wait. This is up with Thanksgiving as one of the most violent slashers of recent years. IaVN has two of the most memorable, over-the-top kills I've seen in quite a while. Also, the movie doesn't waste time with the pursuit of the victims. It's all about the violence.

Whereas the pacing didn't feel like that big a problem, there are a weak spots. Admittedly, Johnny is a little too derivative of Jason Vorhees. The killer's mask, which is an old time firefighter's hood is a unique idea, but it looks a little too much like a mosquito and doesn't feel like it quite lands. 

The dialogue for the regular people is mostly bad. The script goes with the regular tropes of horror movies, but with less effort. I know a lot of the victims in these movies die because of being jerks or being too carefree, but these guys just a rub you the wrong way a little too much.

Remember that line about the movie being 90% Johnny? Those who like the concept may not love that the movie doesn't go that extra 10% to commit to the concept. Lastly, people are going to have mixed feelings about the ending. I'm honestly unsure how I feel about it.

Kinda recommended. The pacing and offbeat nature may not be for everyone (also, if you don't like gruesome violence, you won't like this), but others amongst you will find this interesting. Worth giving a chance. Even if you're not a fan, this isn't painfully bad.

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.