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Reviews
Game of Thrones: The Long Night (2019)
Vastly improved by the availability of HDR
HBO should be ashamed for still broadcasting in HD and SDR at the time this episode originally aired. Most TVs would show a few blotches of grey and there was no detail to be seen in the darker scenes. With HBO Max providing GoT in 4K HDR, it changes the game. The series is worth rewatching in binge format if you're someone who waited week by week when it originally aired and was disappointed with this episode. When watched as a complete series, the pacing seems more on point and none of the things that originally bothered me about this episode remain.
That said, this should be the end of the series. It's excellent. Everything after is just... disappointment with no real payoff.
Nope (2022)
Just Fun, Nothing Special
I would have loved for this film to have had Closed Encounters energy, but it just didn't. In that way, it was a bit of a disappointment. But in every other way, it was refreshing and enjoyable. Great cast. Solid acting. Not too slow or boring, but also definitely not full of action. It's a monster-alien hybrid and it's well done and tons of fun. Is it a must-see? No. Are the special effects unforgettable or anything like that? No. Is it scary? No. Is it funny? Sometimes. Did it make me care about the characters? Yes. Was there a lot of suspense? Yes. It wasn't the Halloween movie I had hoped for, but it was a great way to spend a couple of hours just relaxing and enjoying the screen and soundtrack.
Hellbender (2021)
Top-Notch Home Movie and Worthy Watch
There are a couple of very jarring cuts and poorly implemented transitions, but that's honestly to be expected from a home movie. There are some scenes that seem woefully youthful, and the music scenes are a bit self-indulgent at times. But the music is not bad, I'm fact it's often enjoyable in the context of the film. The editing and directing follies are to be expected when you're talking about such a tiny production crew of basically 3-4 people. The artistic implementation of special effects is solid and enjoyable. For what it is, it probably deserves 10-stars, but I just can't give it such a high score when it's being put up against many of the greatest films of all times. So I'll settle on a 7. The story is well conceived and the film is paced comfortably and appropriately for the weird content it contains. Only a small bit of the writing reminds me of The Room in the way it makes me cringe. It never gets boring and with a few more trained professionals in the mix a lot of the kinks could be worked out and this would reach its full potential.
Sissy (2022)
You Haven't Seen It Before, So Why Not?
The gore is a bit excessive and the music is a bit too loud during dialog, but otherwise the production values are very good. Sissy is not entirely predictable and it's different. The acting is good, the writing is believable, but it just doesn't stand out over anything else. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and it's not too campy. It's not boring, but it's not rewarding to watch either. It's just a movie. I won't watch it again and I won't tell anyone it's must see, but it's not the kind of film you start but decide you can't possibly finish. If you're looking for a movie to watch and you're really not sure what to watch, you may enjoy it. But you won't remember it.
Devil in Ohio (2022)
Solid Miniseries
The writing, acting, and production values are all quite good. Cast is excellent and characters are intelligent. Story is very interesting and believable. This seems to get a lot of hate from people who didn't enjoy it, but it's a good family and crime drama centered on a very interesting concept. The portrayal of law enforcement is not completely realistic in the sense that there's no state or federal law enforcement involvement. The characters seem to be completely oblivious to the idea of human sacrifice. In reality satanic cults and human sacrifice are not actually connected the way it's usually made out in film and television. Still most real people seem to jump right to ridiculous assumptions that satanists do such things in real life, but these characters seem to be exceptions. So there are flaws. But it's a solid, enjoyable drama exploring psychology, human relationships, teenage behavior, and it's emotionally evocative. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a thought provoking and enjoyable miniseries.
The Silence (2019)
Your Average Monster Movie
Most of the production values and acting are actually pretty decent. The writing is not completely awful, though it's not good and requires you to accept that humanity is truly incapable of overcoming what basically amounts to an aggressive flying rodent infestation. You may think that's a spoiler but you find that out and see the monsters before the opening credits even roll. There is too much random happenstance focusing on not just insignificant but completely irrelevant characters. The story isn't particularly interesting and the premise never really takes hold. I never began caring about any of the characters. The monster doesn't ever even seem like a real threat. This would be a solid five if the director and/or editor hadn't disregarded basic principles of filmmaking you can learn in film 101, but that's about it.
Malevolent (2018)
Decent suspense, worth a watch
I'm really not sure what some of the others are talking about. I think they may have actually seen a different movie then I did. There's hardly any gore through most of the film, and when it does appear it's central to the threat facing the protagonists. The pace is a bit slow, and the payoff at the end isn't perfect. But overall it's an enjoyable horror film. There are some cheap scares, but there's also substance. Some plot points are left unexplained but it doesn't really take away from the film.
The Crescent (2017)
Slow, creepy, and mysterious
Lynchian in it's essence, The Crescent is not what you'd expect from a horror film. It's an emotional rollercoaster, and the more you invest emotionally in the characters, the more suspense and psychological thrills you'll draw from it. If you are expecting cheap scares and instant gratification, you won't find them here. If you're looking for a unique and mature mystery with supernatural implications, you'll get exactly what you wished for.