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.

South Park: Joining the Panderverse

8/10

In this new South Park special on Paramount+, the South Park boys face the threat of their universe merging into one where are all the cast are multicultural women. 

This may be one of the show's cleverest satires in the last few years.  It pokes fun at both Disney movie pandering and those who get upset at anything the slightest bit "woke" at the same time and how a lot of franchises are taking advantage of the multiverse craze. Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, much how they expressed their dislike of Family Guy and its reliance on cut-away jokes, deliver some probably honestly held beliefs of theirs about the overextension of multiverses through the South Park boys' dialogue. I appreciate that they are nuanced and not 100% one-sided when addressing the topics.

The writers were clearly having fun with the "woke" South Park universe idea. It's particularly funny seeing all the kids being played by adults who speak the exact same way the kids would. Stuntwoman Janeshia Adams-Ginyard, who also plays one of the Dora Milaje in the Black Panther movies, voices Diverse Cartman. Her delivery of Cartman's lines is pretty funny. She's not mimicking his unique cranky voice, but she gets all the nuance of his selfishness down flat. Kenny's muffled voice usually hides the fact that his dialogue is the dirtiest of the main quartet. Diverse Kenny (Diana Lauren Jones) has no coat covering her mouth, and seeing a woman sincerely delivering all of Kenny's dirty, hormonal boy dialogue makes for a fun time. Montana Jacobowitz completely nails Butters' gullibility and anxiety. Cartman (Parker) is sorta the main lead and again one of the funniest aspects of the show. He's best when he's his most paranoid and obsessive. Cartman's crazed, racist over-the-top fears of being replaced by diverse women are pretty entertaining as we see how increasingly desperate he gets.

The only downside to this is that the show really should've dipped its toe into the whole multiverse thing a lot more, and it felt like a lot of jokes and potential was left on the table. Thing is there's a B-plot. (It's not really mentioned in the promotional material, so I won't spoil the surprise of what it's about.) The satire of it is sound but just isn't as funny as the a-plot. It could've been its own half-hour episode. Plus, it stars Stan's dad Randy (Trey Parker), who I feel is really overexposed recently.

Recommended. Another prime example of the show's satire and both-sides, Libertarian-esque humor.

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.

Once Upon a Studio

8.5/10

In this short Disney special, the characters lining the animation cells on the walls of the Disney Studio come to life and come together for a photo.  

Now this is how you do an anniversary special! OUaS really covers all of Disney history. Not just the popular characters but the ones from EVERY single Disney movie. 'Course some get more spotlight than others but directors/writers Dan Abraham and Tent Correy make the effort to give the less famous guys lines and have them mingle with others.

The nice thing about animation projects with short run times is that more effort can go into the animation as the budget isn't spread around as much. It also all looks standard big budget Disney. What is so impressive is that all the characters feel like they were scooped out of their respective time periods as their animation and design are all tailored to their original periods.

Recommended. I mean it's light entertainment that's basically "remember this," and I guess it's not required viewing. However, it is an enjoyable 9 minutes and a big treat for animation fans.

Scavengers Reign- Season 1- Episode 1

6.5/10

In the first episode of this adult animated show on Max, the crew of a damaged spaceship become marooned on a planet full of strange animals and plants.

First off, I've got to give Max credit for giving this a shot. There are so few adult animated shows and films out there that aren't comedy. Scavengers Reign shows the value of telling serious stories through animation. You'd never be able to depict such a visually ambitious alien world with a live-action budget.

The best thing about this is the animation and sheer creativity to the planet. The creator or creators have hatched such a unique environment featuring ideas I'd never think of. What I saw in the first episode isn't leaving my brain any time soon. Designs are colorful but definitely alien. I don't think I've ever seen an alien world depicted on screen that is just so different from our own. As beautiful as the planet can be, it can also be unsettling or straight up macabre. The whole show feels like a European comic.

Credit should be given to Max for taking the risk on telling such a weird and unarguably adult and sometimes dark tale. Going back to comparing this to a comic, this felt like one of those stories that would've been toned down in order to make them more audience friendly if they had been adapted to screen, but no, the show is allowed to be as weird and adult as it likes.

Thing is that I'm not planning on continuing to watch this. I know I spent several paragraphs saying I admire the gutsiness of the project, but that's just it. I admire the endeavor but not the final project. The whole affair was just too slow-paced for my tastes, and I don't think I could push myself through eleven more episodes.

The alien world is creative but just a little too off-beat for my taste. Also, the dialogue felt a little stale/unnatural. 

There is some fine voice acting in this including from Loki/Lovecraft Country's Mosaku as crew member Azi and Arrested Development/Search Party's Alia Shawkat as her robot companion Levi. However, some delivery feels stilted including from Bob Stephenson as crew member Sam. (In fairness to Stephenson, it may not be his fault. His audio felt off when compared to the others, like they recorded his audio remotely because he couldn't make it to the studio and the quality wasn't up to par.)

Kinda recommended. Some people will be put off by the pacing and general content, while I see others being really into this. Though I'm not returning, I don't regret giving this a shot.

The Burial

7.5/10

In this Amazon Prime film inspired by real events (I admire how the film is straight up honest in its embellishment) that takes place in the '90's, Jeremiah "Jerry" O'Keefe (played by Tommy Lee Jones), the owner of several Mississippi funeral homes, is suffering from money problems. He makes a deal with Ray Loewen (Bill Camp), the owner of a Canadian funeral home company to sell a few of O'Keefe's businesses. However, Loewen stalls for months on signing the contract so he can just wait out on O'Keefe not being able to afford insurance so he can sweep in and take over O'Keefe's entire turf. The Mississippian decides to sue and since the trial takes place in a predominantly black district, he decides to hire black personal injury lawyer Willie Gary (Jamie Fox), who has never lost a case but does not have contract law experience.  

The Burial is your typical feel-good historical drama that involves disparate people working together. The movie's biggest weakness is that it's too blatant in certain parts of dialogue in its attempts to emotionally tug on the audience's sympathies. However, it is a well orchestrated film of its type. The cast and script are solid and make for an enjoyable two hours and six minutes that blow by.

Needless to say that the best part of a movie starring Fox and James is Fox and James. Fox owns the role of the fast-talking, showman type of lawyer, and Jones easily has mastery over the role of a salt of the earth, family man. Camp doesn't get much screen time, but he succeeds in the time he has as a guy who is slime, but intelligent and knows the game. Ferris Bueller/Succession's Alan Ruck and Elemental's Mamoudou Athie also do well as O'Keefe's long term contract lawyer and the lawyer who introduces O'Keefe to Gary.  

Recommended. It's just a well told story that works. 

Monster High 2

6/10

In this made-for-TV Nickelodeon sequel, Draculaura's future practicing witchcraft is threatened when witches attack Monster High. Plus, Clawdeen's attempts to make the monster world more progressive is threatened by returning student Toralei Stripes (played by Salena Qureshi).

First film was stronger. I miss a bit of the humor from that one. The main villain pales in terms of personality and motivation in comparison to the last movie's one. MH2 is all about the three main leads trying to stop the war between vampires and witches. They talk a lot about the reasons why to be sympathetic with witches, but we don't get to see enough benevolent witches, so it's hard to see how peace can be achieved when the understanding is one-sided.

That all having been said, I do credit the writers for putting effort into the plot. This could've been complete fluff and general Nickelodeon hijinks but the movie has a clear message about getting along and diversity. Thought was given into the whole history of the witch/vampire war and the whole affair does feel like a genuine threat to monster kind.

Songs, except for one that pits Clawdeen Wolf (Mila Harris) against Torali, aren't very memorable, but I wouldn't say any are bad either.

Sorta recommended. Not the greatest children's movie ever made but decent, and kids will probably like it.