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s-stetsko
I am an arts educated movie lover who has been an avid horror and scifi fan for several decades now, and as such feel versed enough to offer insights on these genres extensively (although now that I am committed to reviewing more I don't intend to restrict myself just to these genres). I know my point of view, on a forum like this, is of small value, but maybe it might be of some worth to someone who decides to follow up on and/or consider my comments. If you do go so far as to check out what I write, and see some value in it, feel free to let me know. Whether you do or not, either way, as a fan to a fan... enjoy your movies and TV shows :). May you forever find ones that you enjoy.
Ratings
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Reviews
Yummy (2019)
Zombie outbreak in a less than ethical eastern European cosmetic surgery center... what do you expect?
To be honest I anticipated less, and got more than I could have possible been led to expect. This movie is actually pretty solid and entertaining. The acting is better than expected, the premise is better than expected, the characters (while flat) are better than expected, and the effects are pretty well done. The humor is generally low brow and bawdy but even that is not too bad for what it is, and the ending is actually pretty good even if somewhat implausible. I picked this flick on a whim expecting a truly trashy zombie romp, and instead found a serious genre zombie comedy that was a good cut above much of what is released all too often now.
If you want good old fashioned zombie gore with some cheap sex jokes, some over the top absurdity, and even a reasonably decent premise to be made into a movie, then you can do much worse than to give this movie an hour and a half of your time.
Relic (2020)
A beautifully executed and thought provoking piece of work (very minor spoilers).
From the start, I will say this movie will be altogether too slow for a few viewers, but in my opinion, people who can't watch horror slowly unfolding are really missing out on the best horror can provide. There are no jump scares here, no heavy handed soundtrack, blood and gore or horrifying monsters, or even, with the exception of the ending, really all too much action at all. What it has is carefully crafted atmosphere slowly dished out until the claustrophobia is palpable and the loss and despair is oozing from every surface, and remarkable performances by the leads that make us really believe the drama as it unfolds and make us invested in their lives. It also has, at its core, subject matter that may be all too personal for anybody who has dealt with the slow decline of a loved one, so I want to clearly warn any possible viewer that this is, in a manner of speaking, a commonly true story that might be very uncomfortable for some viewers.
On the surface the tale is a familiar one... a house under a curse passed on through generations. The cinematographic elements are carefully chosen to make the home genuinely feel aged, imposingly looming, inevitably encroaching, and in a specific way, hungry. All of this is done with just directorial choices; well framed camera angles, creaks and shadows, the occasional off center lurking entities which you might even miss if you aren't looking in the right place. Our characters... 3 generations of women in a family, have come together when they thought the eldest one had gone missing, and once she is found they play out their relationships trying to deal with the obvious impending decline of her. The subtleties of this drama is, like real family dynamics usually are, told more through subtle observations of body language than any direct narrative devices, and all the while the house figures heavily into every aspect of it. At this level alone it is a superbly executed ghost story of sorts... but it is not this level that brings the real meat.
I don't want to say too much about this deeper level but I need to say something since this aspect increasingly becomes so engrossing, so I will try to make it as enigmatic as I can. The house and the elder's decline are linked... the house is changing along with the state of its master, the forgotten passageways molding and becoming labyrinthine, and it becomes obvious escape is somehow essential. But how can someone escape the decline of age? Can you preserve anything from ultimately being lost: as time consumes all is there anything that can be salvaged? This is a tale of love and loss, memory and forgetting, pride and degradation, and time... and entropy. It is a depiction of a kind of relentless horror, saturated into everything around us... in the very atmosphere. It is what lies beneath our busy lives and our all too human skins. It is honest, horrific, and even, at times, beautiful from a certain perspective. I strongly recommend it to anyone who is wanting to slip into something deeper and darker than the average haunted house tale. But be warned, it isn't a thrill a minute, but it does go right for the heart.
Useless Humans (2020)
A surprisingly satisfying, cheesy B scifi comedy snack.
I expect some people will pan this film completely, while some others who love B films will praise it to the extreme. I am not completely won over to either side, but overall, for a low budget comedy B Grade scifi horror, I have to admit it earns some noteworthy credit.
A lot of these kinds of films try SO hard to be funny and cheesy and they fail miserably. This one comes by both the cheese and the laughs honestly. It didn't exactly leave me with my sides splitting, but I felt entertained and at the end felt like I had been a part of a lighthearted cinematic romp, and at times some of the funny parts really hit well... and really what more can you expect?
Speaking on style and such, the acting is mostly quite solid, which is something many of these intentionally B films really fall flat on. The characters are quite flat, but of course they would be... it fits the genre. There are a couple times where the acting is off a bit unintentionally, but you have to let that slide and it is pretty minor overall. The humor is quite silly and juvenile, and a lot of it is drug centered (with fairly evident influences--most notably from That 70s Show)... but of course it is, THAT is usually part of the genre. The character effects and gore are extremely cheesy, with a straight up classic rubber suit alien who likes to pose dramatically to roar, and who teleports with cheesy little spark effects. Again... all exactly what one would want from a self aware B comedy scifi horror film. Sound is well done and lighting is handled professionally so you don't have to struggle to see or hear. The plot... well, I won't say much about it because there isn't much to say. It is what it is (although there is a bit of a ''twist'' to it).
All in all, honest entertainment for people who love the kind of movie it sets out to be. If it sounds like your kind of flick, then it probably is. I hope you watch it and have fun with it.
Midsommar (2019)
Artistic horror at its best.
Midsommar is a magnificently atmospheric tale about mysticism, cultural difference, and the duality of beauty and life, and horror and death. For many viewers it won't be their favorite kind of film, as it eschews action and narrative for atmosphere and (at times) cryptic ideology and ritual, but no matter who you are I think you will appreciate the artistry of it. At the very least it is cinematographically wonderful, although it has much more to offer for the person who it appeals to.
As a plot it is simple enough...a group of young visitors attend and observe a secretive festival which has ancient roots, and as the movie moves along they get pulled into arcane rites and have their neutrality and even their sanity challenged. That is it... to say more would spoil it. At this level it is still a pretty good horror movie, but it is when you really start to grapple with the nature of the rituals that this narrative blossoms. There is so much depth to the actions of the villagers, most of which you must figure out from observation as little is directly stated in narrative. This is the magic of Midsommar... this enigmatic, beautiful and simultaneously horrifying pageant which is being revealed to you.
At the beginning we see several people approaching the festival, being led by natives to attend, and most of them just disappear even as the festival starts. Where did they go? Well, you are one of them. You are one of the visitors, privy to see the secrets and left to grapple with what they mean and how you feel about them. If you don't recoil away too quickly, if you let yourself get pulled in, Midsommar is a remarkable thing to be a part of.
Gretel & Hansel (2020)
A bit weak in content but STRONG in flavor.
I have come across many analysis over the years in which it is pointed out that 'Hansel and Gretel' is really just a story about Gretel. It can be read as a commentary on traditional women's roles in the family, a female coming of age tale, and can be looked at from a Freudian perspective as well, all beyond it just being a favorite children's story. Gretel and Hansel jumps right in to these deeper readings, as well as being a nice take on the traditional tale itself, all while weaving in a sinister mythology all of its own which is sustained as nicely symbolically and through allusion as it is revealed through direct narrative.
These things alone give it a strong backbone, but boy oh boy, it doesn't stop there. Really good performances from the female leads give it more credulity, and it is... well... to be honest, a feast for the eyes. Beautiful cinematography, moody, atmospheric set designs, subtle detailing, all combine to create a film that is a treat to watch and manages to manifest a truly creepy tone, even for people who might not be so into the more esoteric aspects of the horror of the film. And it is esoteric, and this may make it less enjoyable for some people. It periodically slips into almost surrealistic territory increasingly as it develops, and for those who like a more direct and conventional horror it might be stepping too much into the realm of an art film. But even if you ultimately decide that is the case for you, I don't think any true movie fan can walk away from this one with complete contempt or regret. For many it will be seen as a beautiful story well told, but if not, at the very least, you will admire the art of it. That alone will make you walk away thinking you had spent your time well.
Bit (2019)
As a teen vamp movie... 7, as a mature viewing... 5 if you are generous.
I am feeling generous so I will give Bit a 5. Watchable, but ultimately not a good movie. To be fair, the acting is pretty good although the roles are not exactly demanding, the effects are well done, the concept is even really pretty good, but it is so chock full of cringeworthy sexy Vampire stuff; so tailored to people who never grew out of their teens even though they are now in their twenties (or older), that it is really hard to appreciate that there is a good movie in there somewhere. It also so badly wants to be serialized (it even quite directly says so in an epilogue) that it avoids giving a satisfactory ending. Not even a THE END???... just a straight up to be continued (and to be honest I wouldn't bet on there ever being that follow up).
I can not stress enough how chockablock full of generic teen content it is. Sexy young twenties Vamps, ''underground'' raves and parties oozing sexuality, innuendo, wealth and young sexiness, and, of course, the naive small town protagonist who is seduced and who is going to be a victim, but has ''a certain something'' (although I can't tell what that something is except maybe being a bit similar to a certain someone in Twilight) that makes her get brought into the family. It has the Nosferatu disadvantages mostly glossed over... weakness to sunlight removed, far more control over blood lust (unless you don't feed for several days of course), garlic aversion removed, etc... which I don't really have a problem with except that it is so generic. The characters are similarly cookie cutter drab, each of which would have been perfect in Buffy, Twilight, maybe Blade, or any other pop vampire movie of the past twenty or so years. There are some current issues in the film as well, but they are mostly shoehorned in and do little more than pay lip service to a narrative of female empowerment and identity than actually serve a real function. This really is a just vampire fantasy at the core.
And of course... Dracula himself is there, but mostly as a background plot device, which I also don't really have a problem with to be honest. Not every vampire movie has to be about Dracula-- I would actually prefer if it wasn't anyway.
Now if you want teen content, this movie is likely VERY MUCH up your alley. Like I said, the concept has some freshness, and the production is actually pretty solid. If you are looking for something really new, there are definitely MUCH better things to spend your time watching.
1BR (2019)
A compellingly odd movie, with a low budget but a high aim.
1 BR starts kind of cliched... it seems like the new to the city young woman with a naive but hopeful outlook is going to be relentlessly persecuted... and she is... it is not a spoiler to say this. Had that been the goal of the movie, they would have had to pad it out and it would have barely rated a 3 at best--but that is NOT what it is about. There is altogether more sinister story playing out... alluded to and developed quickly so the movie can go where it needs to go. I will say no more about the plot except to say that for some people the ending will make perfect sense, and for others it will leave them maybe a little dispirited.
Regarding other aspects, well, there is not much to criticize. I wouldn't say it is the MOST gripping or at all times the most surprising movie you will ever see, but the story telling is well done with good use of foreshadowing and suspense, and twists are parceled out carefully enough to not give things away too early. The directing and cinematography works well, and the acting is very competent... disarmingly so. The characterization and scripting, much of which feels a bit stilted at the start, gels nicely and towards a destination as the story develops. All in all it is a movie which heads into some newer territory and does justice to the potential to be found there. I am not sure if it will be everyone's cup of tea, but I think it will more than please most who watch it. Go ahead... follow up on the advert for 1 BR. It might be the right place for you.
Blood Quantum (2019)
Another zombie movie... but one that brings a bit of newness and some thought.
I have said, and will say again no doubt, that I am not overly generous with praise. That said I struggled a bit on rating this movie. My thoughts varied between a 4 and the 6 I finally settled on. truth be told, any zombie movie these days will have a hard time getting a good score. The genre is, let's be honest, pretty dead. The strength of a zombie movie is no longer about making larger and larger scale, or wilder and wilder zombie types... we have seen pretty much every variant we can... it is in recognizing the survival element in the genre and exploring the only aspect that still can innovate, the characters.
In this respect Blood Quantum brings something pretty fresh to the table. Without becoming heavy handed and didactic it examines native relations and history in the various perspectives of the characters (and is nicely acted as well... especially if you have grown up around natives and know some of the mannerisms native people often express). It is nicely filmed, has good scripting, and it takes its intention as a survival horror seriously but still manages to insert a bit of comedy without making it a farce. It examines a relationship in a family, discusses small town life a bit, and deals with personal issues of despair and hope-- kind of a staple of the zombie genre. Overall it sets out to be a zombie flick with a bit of depth unobtrusively woven into it... and it is a success in this regard.
It is not a perfect film, but if you love the zombie genre you could certainly watch (and almost certainly have watched) a lot worse than this one. Give it a go... I think it deserves the hard earned '6' I finally gave it.
Amjeon (2019)
It has moments, but those moments are not enough.
I though about making my header comment... ''Warning... do NOT play'', but that was both low hanging fruit and not completely honest. This movie is not a complete waste of time, and some people might even like it more than I did-- if those people are looking for a rather formulaic Korean horror that tries really hard, but ultimately superficially, to be surprising and gripping. It is competently filmed in its own right, and you can tell that some experience was behind the making of the film, but...
The truth is the premise of a ''lost'', cursed creative product lurking to be rediscovered by an ambitious young creative was uninspired, the plot development is not nearly so innovative as alluded to (and the end was rather predictable to me), the mixing of found footage and professional was disappointingly cliched, and most glaringly, the characters were at best, stock. The mad director, the insatiably curious (and even unsympathetically unethical) young new writer looking to overcome their writer's block, the impatient producer, the earnest supporters who will likely be fodder... etc. The movie has a few honestly creepy moments, but those moments are themselves cliche, albeit fairly well done, and the addition of a few creepy scenes can not overcome the overall dullness of the movie, or the badly written characters and overacting which so many Korean directors seem to feel makes it more gripping.
At least it wasn't needlessly filled with screaming... lot's of ragged hyperventilating, but not too many screams, so that is something.
The Deeper You Dig (2019)
A very solid movie made on a shoestring.
I am not an Indie fan... really. All too often just being amateur and low budget is used to give a movie a pass, and I don't agree with that logic. All too often being Indie just means bad and getting praised despite it, but every so often... well, when you have talent, and vision, you can make a good (or even great) movie on a shoestring.
I am also not generous with praise, so when I give this movie a 7 that is high praise in my books... especially considering the budget and limited experience involved. The Deeper You Dig isn't perfect, but it is solid. Solid (and at times even elevated) acting, effective and quite professional cinematography, editing, and directing, effective score and professional sound, and a genuine script that has vision and is believably compelling. The works.
That said, I will not guarantee it will be a movie for every person. It has a supernatural element that I found welcome but which was handled a bit crudely, and this alone will likely put some people off. It was in fact the reason I didn't give the movie an 8... and I even considered giving it a 6 (which is still a good movie in my judgement). Also, it really is more of a drama about loss and mourning, guilt, will, love, faith, and other elements, than it is a horror, so people who tune in to see explicit horror will likely find it unfulfilling. But IF you want a well made dramatic horror which is both sincere and has heart, AND is competently crafted on a budget, then I strongly recommend The Deeper You Dig.