Crystal Lake

 I hate that everything becomes a TV series, but I was willing to give Crystal Lake a chance. A24 being involved raised my eyebrow but make me interested. The show itself is quite great. From the credits(especially the pilot) to the kills, the characters, the music choices, the Easter eggs, this show had fan service all while being fresh and having a unique take. I want more of this as the finale really gave us a glimpse of things to come. I can see why people dislike it, it's a different time, gives sympathy (way better than Rob Zombie trashed with Halloween) and can be a bit Stranger Thingsy(7th episode) but I love when shit gives us something new, and this did that all while embracing love of the saga. 

Clayface

 DC Studios is killing it, sure Supergirl was more of the same of what Superman gave us, but Peacemaker was a Troma fueled series, Lanterns was a crime drama and. Ow we get Clayface which is a body horror slasher. I thought the film looked fine but wasn't super stoked, but this got me. I love the no name cast, and everyone nailed their roles. I love the effects, it was very Brian Yunza or Frank Henenlotter. Mike Flanagan knocked out a hell of a screenplay. This was multi layered, shades of grey and morally bankrupt at times. We see how a villain is born, and for those that have watched the Harley Quinn cartoon, we know the heart Clayface has.  I don't want a sequel but if we get more comic book slashers I will take it, regardless I am ready for what DC will deliver.

Street Fighter

 I grew up with Street Fighter. I played the hell out of the SNES game. I watched anything Street Fighter I could and had all the figures. The OG film is disastrous, really nothing redeeming other than nostalgia for some. My teens and some of my 20s I would attend Marvel vs Capcom tournaments at the arcade. While Mortal Kombat has stuck with me more I will always have a spot for the fighters of the street, hell I even bought the Ultimate Warrior Blanka figure. The new film has a huge cast, a great cast, and this cast is having a blast ...as was i.....even as bad as it was. This is not a good film, it's not a bad film, it's a good Street Fighter film though. The plot is all over the place and it is full of plot holes, fights randomly break out characters disappear, it makes no sense but it felt fitting and by time the cliff hanger ending happened, I wanted a sequel. This is a visual film with an amazing albeit not time accurate soundtrack. I'll take round 2. 

Lego Mandalorian

 Disney might oversaturate with live action shows but I am here for animated specials. They don't need to be fantastic, just fun. That is exactly what we got with this legit special. A fun and quick retelling of the show with little nods at the audience.

VHS Mixtape

 Most of the VHS films are a chore, I actually gave up on the series once but started up once Shudder took over...even then it was a chore to get through most. The latest Mixtape I mainly wanted to watch being a fan of Ghost. Sadly every segment here is tiring to sit through except for one about a apartment tenant hearing his neighbor play music, with that said this was just not good. Unless somehow John Carpenter or Edgar Wright or Ti West get involved with the next, I am out. 

Hokum

 I am not huge on Damian McCarthy. Most of his films bored me, but Adam Scott honestly being in a horror film made me interested in Hokum. This film is very atmospheric from the start, feeling very ghostly. Scott is a pure dick at the start, and he goes to an odd Irish village. He becomes a bigger dick and the hotel becomes more odd. After a girl goes missing Scott decides to help find her and unravels a haunted hotel room. It does barg down a bit in the middle but the vibes remain the same. It ends in a bleak but nice way, just as his novel would have wanted....

It's Always Sunny

 

It's Always Sunny is always funny but this year was equal parts as funny as usual or less funny depending on the episode. The finale however has some of the most heart of the series, while also being as offensive as ever. 

Toy Story 5

 

Pixar knows how to pull heart strings. Part 2 did it, part 3 was bleak, part 4 did it, and now part 5 does it in a growing up sort of way and then again in a happy coming together aspect both of which hit hard. The plot is perfect for 2026, people on devices, I hate them but I am on one right now, regardless they distract and in the case of this film they take away from playtime. However perhaps there is room for both figures and electronics and the two can form an alliance. Besides Al of that we get reunions with Woody and Buzz, we get to see Jessie as the lead, and we see passes of time from decades ago. It's a beautiful story, a sad story, a funny film story, a Toy Story. Bring on the 6th!

Match of September

Death Riders vs Don Callis Family 

 Los Americanos vs Fraxiom vs LWO vs Tokyo Boys

El Grande Americano vs Dominic Mysterio

Chad Gable vs Dragon Lee

Roman Reigns vs Penta 

Ted Lasso s4

 I absolutely adore Ted Lasso. The first season was a great intro, season 2 was the characters we loved returning, 3 was the end. Now we have fourth season, did I want it? No. Did I need it? No but I will always take the warmest hug in TV which is this show. I thought if 4bss an epilogue, but to their credit they made it bullet proof by admitting things were different. 3 ended so perfectly that was knew where our characters were going, 4 changes that, what we thought we knew we didn't. Which is real, people leave, people break up, people move on, I didn't want them to but....the show does it perfectly and honestly wraps up this season perfectly too. Our new characters are great, it takes time to know them but the same thing happened with season 1. I believe that I don't need any more, but if the 3 season arc ends with season 6 then believe I will watch. 

Lanterns

 I love James Gunn, I love what he's doing with DC. I loved Peacemaker and Superman. Peacemaker is a troma esque series, Superman pointed out the absurdities of the DC universe. Supergirl....was more of Superman, I guess. Now we have Lanterns, a grittier and darker tale of this universe. Set in my home state it shows the Trumpers being scared of the city folk and then we get alien conspiracies.....holds up. Bit seriously though it's a crime drama disguised as a superhero show. I loved that it didn't try to be a cookie cutter superhero show, it had a voice and gave depth to characters. The acting across the board is top notch, many of Kyle Chandler's lines you could hear Ryan Reynolds say which is sad on how awful that was but this.....this is great. I was worried when Guy Gardner would join that the shift in tone would be huge. A more goofy character joining but much like life we are all different, but in film it doesn't always work, here it did, and his exit at the end being the start of something new more us the audience is exciting. In brightest day, in darkest night I want more of Green Lanterns light. 

Digger

 

Alejandro Gonzalez  Iñárritu keeps showing why he is one of the best filmmakers in the world and I e of the most imaginative. While the only film of his I loved was Birdman, I admired everything he has done. Now he has either his best film since Birdman or his worst film over all in Digger. I had a great time with this but it is a cluster at times but constructed with intent. Can't really discuss the plot without spoilers but there are essentially two stories being told here and when story 2 interrupts story 1 it pisses you off because of how bonkers....and dare I say play esque the first story feels. Then once you figure out the narrative of why the film was constructed the way it was it truly makes you realize......this is far from his worst film and it truly is his best since Birdman. It's raw and honest and bleak and hilarious, and Tom Cruise does his best performance since Collateral, hell maybe even Magnolia. This is cinema this is film and Digger dug us out!

The Mummy

 The Mummy is from director Lee Cronin and he and the studio seem to believe his name is worth a damn. He directed Evil Dead Rise which was awesome but not deserving of this. The trailers grew tiresome and now that it is on HBO Max I can finally see Lee's next gre......goo....passa...,..his next film and much like the tiresome trailer this film is tiresome, dull and boring. This should not have been called a Mummy movie, it is going to confuse the masses, his name should be erased from future posters. This felt like a early 10s possession film which was a time they should also be erased. 

Deathgasm 2: Goremageddon

 

The first Deathgasm has become a huge cult classic, part of it do to horror, part of cause of metal, some just cause of memes. It's a funny film with some very Evil Dead undertones. The sequel reunites our characters in a zombie capacity and we see where those that lived turned up. Situations make sense and once again the horror and plot work, the humor is a bit more mean spirited than the first but overall this was a good time. 

Star Trek Strange New Worlds

 Strange New Worlds is like the outlaw mud show of Star Trek. It is a series many old school fans should hate, it's goofy, campy and they have muppets.....and it is all glorious. I love how experimental this show is, episodes all feel different. We get horror, fantasy, noir, and the characters always work tremendously. Next year might be the last but this show will live long and prosper. 

Jackass the Best and Last

 I grew up loving Jackass, hell I was inspired by Jackass. The movies were next level, and the third film ended things perfectly. Weezer at the end was a cherry on top. Jackass Forever was a nice reunion for the cast and the fans bringing in new members too. Now we have The Best and Last which while it might be the last is far from the best. This is essentially a clip show which is fine. Had this been a Paramount Plus special I would have ate it up but for a movie it is a waste. I wanted to see it in theaters but glad I didn't. Does it pull heart strings at times? Yes, I love these people but this was a glorified special and. It every member got a chance to shine. For me 3D is the final film and Forever is the epilogue. This here was just a special. 

Resident Evil

 Resident Evil isn't a great Resident Evil the Game movie but it is a great Zach Cregger film, hell this is a great Brian Yunza film. I feel Welcome to Racoon City is a great adaptation, this here is a better film though. Cregger took an existing IP and made it his own, this doesn't feel like a director for hire film or a cash in conveyor belt film to kick start s franchise, this is Cregger through and through. His characters, his panic, his tension, his camera movements, it is all there. The film starts off with our lead Brian, played by Austin Abrams already having a day. This is a series of one unfortunate event after another and his reactions are instantly relatable. The humor doesn't detail the film it makes it more believable. The horror is tense and even has one of if not the best jump scare this decade.....or even century. The effects and character design are pure Yunza and the film embraces ooze and goo. If Sony wants a sequel then they need to hire another great director to make it their own and keep giving free reign. 

Scary Movie 6

 I love the first Scary Movie, it's a dumb stoner spoof of its time. The second one I hated the third one was so so as was the fourth. The fifth was the worst one....was. the sixth and hopefully final entree takes that. This film had one moment I laughed at, the eating out/rolling up scene, the rest was painful. Unfunny, unoriginal, forced, edge lordy and thinking it is smarter than it is. This is the worst film of the year and possibly this decade. 

Passenger

 

Andre Ovredal is a director that knows atmosphere. Al of his films are fun and keep a sense of eeerie. Passenger is that, while it feels suited for a short film it works well at 90ish minutes. Think La Llorana or any episode of Supernatural, it's a highway film and as someone that loves highways and grew up reading about hobo life I found much of this fascinating. The demon is creepy and the tension is kept throughout.

Buddy

 

I love Casper Kelly. His work with Cartoon Network, particularly Adult Swim is legendary. Too Many Cooks is one of the greatest works ever conceived. His Yule Log films are worthy of his bonkers style. Now he has his theatrical release with Buddy. Here we get a Barney style childs TV host that lures kids into the television and forces them to clean, dance and other goofy shit. The kids become aware and escape. In classic Kelly fashion the film stock changes when we enter the real world and find a family with a mom possibly grieving. Then the stories cross paths. This film is insane, it's dark, it's funny and it's bloody. It honestly is probably his most tame work but also his bleakest. Just remember you can never have Too Many Buddies.