Lake of Death on paper sounds like it could be an Evil Dead esque film but instead is more Dark Water. This film looks gorgeous but the plot and characters are not well developed. Characters will go on and on about one topic, then freak or get scared only to go back to the original topic. It is uneven, one moment they are fearful and the next they are smoking up. The climax isn't bad but it ultimately feels added on and choppy. Another boring film from Shudder.
When i saw Shudder's Impetigore was from Indonesia, i thought this might be great. Well it is well crafted but much like La Llorana this is just as dull. The first two acts move at snails pace but there are some decent shots plus you thrive off the tension, that tension really goes no where until the last act. To call this a slow burn would be putting it mildly, this film just has pacing issues. If it trimmed maybe 17 minutes it would flow better. Good film but Impetigore is more like Impetibore.
Well i have now watched two La Llorana films in the past year. The Conjuring version was pretty bad, this here on Shudder, is not. In fact it is a well crafted slow burn, unfortunately it is a slow burn that just fizzles out. I respect the film for being a new take on the tale but sadly the execution is quite dull. It is worth watching if you are into the folk story but ultimately it is basic Shudder fare.
This year has seen some great docu series in The Last Dance and The Last Ride, now it gets a great documentary in You Can Not Kill David Arquette. This is a sad, brutal, inspiring, and uplifting film, a story i knew but one that still brings in alot of new info. Seeing his treatment by the old guard, his beat downs, his training in Mexico, and the aftermath of the Nick Gage match is worth checking out alone. I've always dug David and this continues to show the heart he has.
At just 57 minutes, Host, on Shudder, seemed like it would be quite tedious. A horror film based on a seance during a zoom chat? And at first it is, but then about 15 minutes in the demon arrives and from there on out it becomes quite immersive. Good jump scares, solid acting, and an innovative concept shows what can be done during a pandemic. Shot during quarantine, this is the type of film that could only be made now and is truly a product of the time and a reaction to the world.
The past decade has seen a plethora of possession films, most of which feel by the numbers and cliche. They're dull and cookie cutter, luckily Korea has crafted one of the best since the Conjuring. 0.0 MHZ is a haunted house film but it is so much more, the Evil Dead influence is especially noticeable in the last act. I haven't been impressed by alot of Shudder films but i plan on catching up on the 2020 films they released, and this here was a great start.
Cursed Films covers some great films, films i already knew about the supposed curses but i was still interested. THe problem with this show is lack of focus. For example the Exorcist episode strays from the "curse" of the film to showcase a legit exorcism. It's fast watch, it's entertaining but it needs to focus more and be more detailed in season 2.
The Toys That Made Us, The Movies That Made Us, THe Games That Made Us...that is what this should have been. High Score wasn't bad but a bit dull, it used to the same editing techniques as the other two just was no where near as interesting. I am no where near the gamer i once was but even if i was i think i still would have found it to be the same.
I haven't watched basketball on a regular basis for about 15 years, i still play it on Sundays, and i still love NBA Jam but i mainly just follow the Sixers. Growing up however i was always playing basketball and NBA Jam, i loved(still do) Space Jam, and i worshiped Michael Jordan. So THe Last Dance pulled me in, and this is easily the second best Last Docuseries of the year after The Last Ride.
The premise of Teenage Bounty Hunters sounds like a dumb mid 00s comedy. However with the right cast in the right roles with sharp enough of scripts you can create something funny, charming, heartfelt and action packed. The mid 70s to the mid had enough dumb cop shows that shouldn't have worked, this is like that but with modern TV touches. Both Anjelica Fellini and Maddie Phillips shine as twins that fall into bounty hunting, but their boss played by Kadeem Hardison steals the show.
As always the case Lucifer is more about the characters than the plot. Also as usual the plot is quite contrived, but going back to the characters, they always make this show work. This year showed range too, the noir episode alone showed sides that most of the cast has never shown prior. The finale was great though and fully embraced the fantasy elements that this series needs to embrace more often.
I'm not a major David Ayer fan, most of his films are decent one time views. Admittedly the one i've seen the most is Suicide Squad, no i don't love it but i am intrigued by it. Bright i defended alot, not because i loved it but i liked it and felt it got too much hate from viewers wanting it to be an Avengers flick. Add in that SJWs were freaking out over Shia LaBeouf, i had to see this. Well the first two acts might be the worst thing Ayer has done BUT the final act totally makes up for it in a bloody and stylized climax.....well until they kept going after you shot the load. After the final action piece is done it goes back to being quite dull.
Dave Franco knocked it out with his directorial debut, The Rental. It has the feel or early Ti West and fits in perfectly with the rest of Joe Swanberg's productions. A psychological slow burn where shit just keeps getting worse. It balances a fun weekend well with tension, and leads to a fantastic ending that i applaud. With setting that is primarily in one house and with a super small cast this is the type of indie horror that more should aspire to make.
Relic is one of the slowest burn horror films in quite some time. During said burn you get wrapped up psychologically, it is atmospheric and builds tension. When it feels like nothing is happening something is still stirring and the final act is when shit hit the fan. Is it worth all the hype it has received, no, but it still is worth popping on late at night, even just for the score alone!
I was interested in The Good Things Devils Do for one reason, it being set on Halloween. I'm a sucker for a holiday but holy shit this attempt at doing vampires by way of Evil Dead with Kane Hodder was just the type of crap i'm used to being sent for screeners. It isn't boring, it is just poorly written, acted, directed and lacks the joy that Haloween should. Sure Carpenter's isn't full of joy but you feel the season, here you just feel the desire to turn it off.
Funny that i mentioned Nerve recently as Spree is very similar. Take the obsession with social media but amp it up with addiction, addiction to follows. Add in a Searching style way of shooting of just using phones, dashcams, webcams & security cameras. On top of that bring in a dose of social and political commentary. This film while not perfect definitely delivers dark humor, a scary look at human psyche and some decent amounts of gore. This is a perfect role for Joe Keery as he gets to have a split from Steve Harrington. It's dumb and contrived at times, there aren't really likable characters but it is fast moving and entertaining.
Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman have once again delivered another awesome film with a high concept. Nerve is criminally underrated but their newest, Project Power is pretty badass. With this and The Old Guard, Netflix has been delivering films that would have been perfect for the theatre. Here we get a a great twist on the superhero genre with the same fast pace as Nerve plus some awesome acting from Jamie Fox, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Dominique Fishback. Fox is cool as hell as usual and steals every scene. As far as being a "superhero" hero, don't let that scare you away, this isn't the typical tale.
Sure the 80s cartoon is always going to hold a special place in everyone's heart. especially the movie. Sure the live action films hold a special place in everyone's toilet(except Bumblebee) but the Transformers are Now, Then, Forever and their newest cartoon takes what worked in the animated film, the robots in disguise, and upgrades the animation and plots and gives us one of the best animated(kids) series in a while. Yes this is for kids but you would not be able to tell, it is mature and just has an overall good way to tell a simple story and sets up the rest of this trilogy of shows. Autobots vs Decepticons, all you need and this gives it.
Already a tremendous year for animated series but Close Enough might be the funniest of the bunch. It takes the Adult Swim model(go figure it is produced by Cartoon Network) of doing 10-15 minute stories but combines two per episode, with the finale is one extended episode. For those wondering it is from the creators of Regular Show, so think that but with more adult content. It reminds me alot of Clerks the Animated Series, Home Movies, and Mission Hill.
The idea of An American Pickle almost sounds like a 00s Sandler vehicle. luckily with Seth Rogen it has alot more heart than that. An absurd premise but it works, the clash of generations is perfect and is full of satire, on top of that the film is just really funny. It's light, it's quick, and hopefully being on HBO Max it doesn't fly under the radar.
