Category: Horror
-
Chappaquiddick (*****) – cold hard reality of a strong and murky current
#chappaquiddick “Curran and writers Allen and Logan have crafted a strong and clear portrayal of one of the dark moments of the lives of many people. Ultimately we see the true form of a man who saw himself as a victim of expectation as he thought nothing of those he victimized.”
-
A Quiet Place (****) is intense, pure
#aquietplace “Of course the film is silent. It’s probably the only time I have been made aware of the silence in the theater to the extent I didn’t even want to adjust my position in the chair for fear I would break the spell. The few times we hear noise in the film, we have…
-
The Strangers: Prey at Night (**1/2) not too hard
If this film catches the viewer at the right time, it could be effective. The best thing about the first film – the hapless victim stuck in a place where they should feel safe – is absent this time around. Instead we have running, screaming, house to house hiding, scare, then repeat. Not great, but…
-
The Florida Project (*****) is the scariest movie ever
Moonie, her life is a fragile bubble that could pop at any time. Or she could learn to live like this, relying on the good will, mercy or silence of others to subsist in a life that is dishonest to us but just plain life to her.
-
Day of the Dead: Bloodline (no stars): In the spirit of Romero
Back to Romero and his legacy. The producers who were behind Texas Chainsaw 3D made this film the way they did to keep as close to the spirit of his work. In this respect, they are close to the mark. Romero didn’t make that good of films either, even if he did have a decent…
-
Annihilation (***) almost overcomes its disadvantages
For Garland, this is on par with Ex-Machina. For many, this will be seen as success. I was only mildly impressed with that movie too. So I will just wait for the next Jeff Nichols film and hope enough people notice he’s been outpacing everyone for years.
-
Cloverfield Paradox (**) Good cast, wasted
The Cloverfield Paradox – 2018 Director Julius Onah Screenplay Oren Uziel Starring Daniel Brühl, Elizabeth Debicki, Aksel Hennie, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Chris O’Dowd, John Ortiz, David Oyelowo, Zhang Ziyi As a surprise drop on Netflix a few hours after the Superbowl, The Cloverfield Paradox is packed full of references to the first two films of the series. The film goes a long way to…
-
Happy Death Day (**) If Disney made slasher films…
See it if you must, knowing most of the film and deaths are covered in the trailer. It’s always kind of a bummer when a film gets hamstrung by its advertising, but never having seen the trailer probably wouldn’t have made the film any more enjoyable.
-
Insidious: The Last Key (**1/2) #timesup
None of this is bad. It’s mostly bland thrills and chills where women overcome what weak men and demons put them through. It doesn’t further the journey, like the second and best film in the series. It’s just another loose strand that tries to add to the outfit.
-
Jigsaw (**) – Disposable Morality
It’s understandable that this franchise could go on forever and for no real reason other than people like to see mishaps with painful contraptions. If they really wanted to work as hard at scaring you, they’d work on your mind as much as the eyes.
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 