Death Proof

Fundamentally different, absolutely. Still pretty good, hell yeah!

If the director himself considers this his worst movie, Quentin I just gotta tell you I don't see it. It's a remarkedly different beast compared to the all guns blazing Planet Terror with a much smaller scale plot involving two seperate groups of girls being stalked by a murderous stuntman appropriately named, Stuntman Mike, and it's funny cause that simple plot alone are two different beasts. The first is film grained up, jump cuts, has a very 70s vibe despite it taking place in modern day and is my favorite of the two segments. Which is no slight against the second with a quartet of ladies with two being everyday gals and the other two being fairly badass thrillseekers who run across Stuntman Mike and outperform him with some impressive stunts, it's shot in both pristine black & white alongside color, with modern filmmaking techniques, and some stellar stunts. Kurt Russell steals the show, being effectively creepy like so under my skin freak me the fuck out kinda creepy, but it's Kurt and he's got so much charisma and likeability it's interesting to watch despite not knowing much about Stuntman Mike. Standouts in our lady groups is Vanessa Ferlito from the firste troupe, I don't know if it was the accent or the no nonsense attitude or just her absurdly pretty face but I gravitated toward her so easily, and while everyone rightly lauds and praises Zoë Bell for her wit and insane physical performance Rosario Dawson was my gal in this and I thought she was groovy and props for her on getting the final blow. The production was spot on, again a very low budget effort but works insanely well on how they used the budget, they saved their big bucks for the big shit with some gross effects, a showstopping crash, and a car chase that will stick in your mind for some time. I will say I do wish we could have focused on one group or even did a mixed bag between the two casts, but it all works out and doesn't really hurt the film provided you don't mind almost a 2 hour runtime with a fair bit of dialogue and slow burns before the lid pops. I was still invested throughout and honestly wouldn't mind owning the whole Grindhouse experience! It's a long forgotten niche of cinema but definitely has it's fans and while I can safely say I'm more of a casual observer I still respect and enjoy the distinct style and filmmaking choices even if they aren't all for me. For one brief moment in 2007 you could go to a theater for a double bill with fake trailers and advertisements for an experience that can't be replicated and that I am strongly jealous of, considering I was 12 at the time and a fledgling movie fan who had no concept of grindhouse cinema. But I'm extremely happy to have finally seen both these movies that I've heard about for more than a decade. I give this 3 stars, 7.5/10, and we're jumping back to the 1960s next week.

Planet Terror

I have rarely seen movies more nuts than this.

A spiritual throwback to 70s grindhouse cinema coupled with modern production, Planet Terror is nothing short of a trip! I don't even rightly know how to describe it, cause it's absolutely hilarious, absurdly ridiculous, so gory and nastay, and surprisingly endearing! It's a zombie movie no doubt but it takes every convention of that genre and just turns it on it's head, with a group of survivors including a stripper named Cherry, a badass named Wray, a sherrif named Hague, and a doctor by the name of Dakota fending off utterly grody and disgusting zombies while also getting roped into some black ops shit, the movie is all over the damn place. But not in a disjointed or bad aspect, it all somehow works perfectly due to the tone and direction by Robert Rodriguez and I am so happy to see another of his movies! We are checking out the second part Death Proof next and I'm dumbstruck how that could potentially usurp this movie. I don't know what it is but this was one of the most entertaining movies I've seen this year and I adore it! The cast alone is reason to watch this movie! We got Rose McGowan who is fucking acting her heart out in this movie and her wit, outspoken demeanor, and frankly awesome finale catapults her to the higher echelons of lady badasses in my book. Michael Biehn, friggin' Josh Brolin, Fergie Ferg how the hell did they get Stacy into this I'll never know, Michael Parks, Tom Savini, Bruce Willis, like this is a fairly insane cast for essentially a low budget exploitation film. Granted you see every penny on screen from the extensive prosthetics, the explosions, the sets, it really does look like a grindhouse movie if it had a couple million to throw at the screen and some extremely talented people. It just hit all the right buttons for me and I know for a bleedin' fact this won't garner the same level of appreciation from everyone, but as a lover and admirer of cinema in all it's variant forms, as someone who respects the shit out of the horror genre, as a big fan of both Rodriguez and Tarantino, this is a standout movie and I'm beyond happy to see it! A sterling 4 stars, 9/10 from me, apologies for being a day late in writing this we got a little work schedule change going on so Death Proof will be up on Friday so stay tuned.

Tron Ares

Personally I don't think you can call it Tron without showing Tron, but hey I'm a mark for this stuff!

Aside from that woeful misstep along with some heinous marketing on the red carpet the sequel I never eveeeerrrrrr thought would come around is finally here, so what does a mega nerd for the Tron series think of it? Well I think honestly this whole series has followed in the same vein as the original Star Wars trilogy, first movie groundbreaking in special effects with a basic story that admittedly took a cult status, second film improved on every single aspect and can easily be considered one of the best sequels ever made and a masterpiece that only ages like the finest venetian wine, and the third retreads some familiar ground while still putting new elements into it. If you saw the trailer it admittedly isn't as epic as a full scale invasion from the Grid into our world, but rather a discovery of personality for the titular program and a battle of attrition between Encom and Dillinger enterprises and while far from great is an overall solid movie! Now am I biased? Well duh, I was going on a tangent in my mind about the continuity of the Grid for Christ's sakes, I think I'm in too deep here! It's not airtight in terms of writing and some of the performances have jank to it, but the cinematography is very solid with still unique visuals that you can tell the director put thought into, coming off the heels of a juggernaut like Daft Punk's score for Legacy you would think Nine Inch Nails just couldn't compete but they do damn good work and I think it stands on par with that phenomenal soundtrack, the fanwank was to the brim and while I strongly appreciate it I can also see the modern trappings of it I mean this is a legacy sequel in every way Tron Legacy wasn't. Is that inherently bad? No, but they do lean hard on it which could be distracting for others. I know a lot of people hopped on the fence when Jared Leto was announced to star and I don't really know jack shit about him personally so all I can do is just give an opinion on the performance alone, it's a notch uneven but I levy that more towards the script than the actor with a more robotic program suddenly switching to a very opinionated and passionate individual, but I kinda love the idea of a program reading the mother of science fiction Mary Shelley's Frankenstein who also is a fan of Depeche Mode so hey take from it what you will. Greta Lee is a decent human lead and her story is anything but paper thin though I felt it just needed either more time to breathe or better instances, however I will give the movie points for showing and not telling much so overall it's a solid performance. Evan Peters doesn't exactly convey the gravitas of his Dillinger grandfather but room is always there for improvement especially with some heavy ass sequel baiting, so I'm willing to bide time and see if it goes anywhere. We get my man back, our Dude and savior Jeff Bridges and even though it's really just a single solitary scene my jaw dropped. I won't lie to you, the man is my idol and I aspire to be like His Dudeness, so to see force ghost Flynn was a high highpoint for me unequivocally! Also shout out to Jodie, you got the moves, you got the energy, and I still got a soft spot for villains. The look of the film is top notch, feeling like a logical evolution from Legacy and as a Dude myself of darker nature, seeing so much predominant red and black was such a fantastic sight with finely crafted costumes, sets, and visual effects. It wouldn't surprise me if it got some big time award nominations! And just as a little bonus let's lightning round some thoughts: Apparently any artificial lifeform gets all existential when in contact with rain so the memory of Roy Batty continues decades after Blade Runner, seeing several Grids and how each command issued by a user is a full blown scene is not only logical but really damn cool pushing the envelope for the Tron series surprisingly, we get some biiiig namedrops for heavy fans such as myself that makes my mind race with the possibilities should Disney be a buddy and continue on, and despite the lack of "Bio-digital jazz man." I'm fairly proud of myself I called a few quotes including the mid-credits teaser by the by! Overall it's a solid movie, to a 15 year fan I'm quite happy with it and I know it ain't gonna hit the same for everybody else but I'll look forward to adding this to the DVD shelf along with the other two movies. 3 stars, 7.5/10! End of line man.

Late Night With The Devil

Hohoholyyy shhhhit!

Boy you ain't gonna believe this! Guess who had a hand in production? IFC and Shudder. I don't plan this man, I don't! I swear! This is as common as dirt when it comes to this show, correlation is off the charts! Moving swiftly on to the actual review, I remember seeing the trailer for this not that long ago and I gotta admit it had my attention and it never left my mind on the list of future reviews and now that I've finally seen it, it was everything I expected it to be and yet so much more I didn't see coming. There's a good sized intro really getting you in the right mindframe for this movie, setting up the decade of the 70s, who Jack Delroy is and what his talk show is like, what he went through before the Halloween taping of a spirit medium, a skeptic, and a literal possessed girl and it's really friggin' good! I'm a sucker for period pieces and that extends to history less than a century ago, the costumes, set design, and overall vibe is perfectly situated in the 70s and couple that with the TV quality of that time and you almost could pass this off to a parent or grandparent as something real. In fact the movie almost does take this urban legend lens, it even plays on the frankly horrifying concept of the Mandela Effect at one point, and while we never leave the studio and see the effects of the broadcast we don't need to. Because we are the audience. Kinda meta man! But what an absolute joy, this treat it is, to see David in a leading man role! To see him from Joker thug in The Dark Knight to this is amazing and I'm quite proud of him, as he does deliver a subdued but nevertheless nuanced performance of a man trying to get on top while dealing with a lot of dark stuff in his past. The minute I laid eyes on Ingrid Torelli as the possessed girl Lilly I knew it was gonna be a cracking good performance and she did deliver, simultaneously being this bright bouncy girl and yet simultaneously unnerving and while we don't really see a lot of the demon itself I think the movie understands the quintessential lesson of less is more. It still leaves an impact, it still works in the atmosphere of the film. Ian Bliss as skeptical Carmichael whether you believe in the supernatural or not is a good character to boo and hiss at, he's such a pompous ass who can't fathom something unnatural happening and it's wild to think we essentially have one set, and five characters to bring this 90 minute movie to life and they do nail it! The production as stated is damn good, with a nice little ode to Brian De Palma when the screen splits, and the combination of on air color footage and black & white off air footage really reminded me of Oppenheimer. This undoubtedly has a cult following and I can strongly see why, the concept alone is worth the price of admission and this whole week was just the right remedy to get me hip deep in the Halloween season. But we got more to come, 4 stars, 8/10, and as always remember the owls are not what they seem.

In A Violent Nature

I have rarely seen a more appropriate title.

It is violent and there is nature, what more could you ask for? Funny to think it took this damn long since the slasher trend began in the late 70s to just have a film all from the perspective of the killer themselves, and I thought it worked beautifully. There's not much plot but that's because you're looking from the other side of the mirror, with this undead brick shithouse of a man rising from his grave to retrieve a stolen locket from your typical group of teenagers. But aside from the base premise itself, there's just no other horror movie even slightly like it. In fact I found it to be extremely calming at times, almost constantly surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature interspersed with some gnarly ass kills, it was surprisingly up my alley. It takes it's sweet time and if you got a short attention span you better lock the hell in or give up now, for a movie just a bit over 90 minutes it ain't rushing! There's a lot of long takes and sitting shots, liberal use of wide shots that stick around for a bit, it just has this laid back feel to it which is an odd ass word to describe a slaher film! Hell there's not even a soundtrack, there's three songs all diegetic to the movie that the characters are listening to, beyond that just take in the sounds of nature. I really digged the shit out of this movie and because of the way it was produced and directed, when it came to the kills I was curious and impressed at how they pulled it off, some are more edited but others I'm just wondering if they hacked one of the actors stone dead forever. That's movie magic right there! Again, very simple premise, not a lot of cast, extensive natural locations, it was even made by the same companies as Good Boy with both IFC and Shudder having a hand in it all. That is a coincidence, but as one trained in the Force I know that true coincidences are rare. It's not a modern masterpiece but a very good film it is and I'm kinda curious to look into the sequel at a later period in time. 4 stars from me, 8/10, we got one more for the week so stay tuned.

Good Boy

I think this is the most riled up I'll be all month.

What an interesting movie man, this is truly independent and yet has caused some waves. I mean the simple premise of a ghost story from an animal's perspective is interesting and honestly got me more on the edge of my seat than the vast majority of horror movies, it's not probably that much of a secret humans vastly favor animals than other humans so it's ridiculously easy to get invested. Even me as a cat person through and through, he a good boi! You a good boi! Can I pet that dawg? Indy is a star and I want you to acknowledge it, look at him with his little bowtie on the red carpet! Who is gonna hate on this movie? Not I. It's shot pretty friggin' good honestly, with plenty of atmosphere and touches of that exquisite fall atmosphere I love, with ample senses of dread and foreboding no doubt bolstered by our lead. Even little touches like we don't really see a lot of the human's faces, it plays a lot with shadow very akin to Hereditary, it even gets artsy for a hot second, it's a well directed film! And considering the cast is like three people and a dog, it doesn't have to go far to be effective. Shit when I looked up the movie and saw a runtime of one hour and twelve minutes I was kinda gobsmacked, last damn movie I reviewed that short was when we did Island Of Lost Souls not that long ago, so it really doesn't lolligag about. Sometimes you just don't need much to be good, short ass runtime, small cast, relatively low amount of locations, make not only an effective horror film but a damn fine example of modern independent filmmaking hitting it pretty big. No definitive word on budget but raking in over 2,000,000 buckaroos and plenty of positive word of mouth ain't too shabby! A succesful experiment and we're just getting started for the month. 3 stars, 7.5/10, and next time we'll follow another interesting perspective film that I can't say I've heard of before.

In Retrospect: Nosferatu (2024)

Happy October!

Shit this movie's still really good! It was high time to see it again less than a year since entering the cinema on a cold Christmas night and I can safely say it has improved on repeat viewing. When a movie can make my jaw utterly drop 2 minutes in there's something special about it. I could get lost in the snowy night of this movie for a long time, my God what a visual masterpiece in my opinion. It really takes what was present with the Herzog version and it's nature filled landscapes and only elevates it, the sets, the costuming, the cinematography, it's all a little too damn good. Still just as friggin' horrifying as the last time, it was easy to get creeped right the frak out and it is effective horror even if being only somewhat visceral. Needless to say the performances even stand on stronger ground the second viewing, if anybody got just flat out snubbed for major awards it's Lily! My God woman you had such a great script to work with and your performance will not he easily forgotten for decades to come. Bill the impact you have left on this world and those freaky romantics even more so cannot be understated, an effectively unsettling and gruesome potrayal of the most famous (and best in my opinion) vampire cinema has ever known. I gotta admit it was fun to see Nicholas so recently after Superman and really does show he can play such a wide arrange of parts pitch perfectly. Willem, my guy, my main man, I'll never tire of seeing you in movies regardless of part and I'm thrilled you were a part of this production! Just...it really hammers the point home how finely crafted and handled this entire project was, there are few movies I laud so highly of being such expertly made and flawlessly interlinked from all aspects, to writing to music to worldbuilding. It shouldn't be this good but it just is! The appeal is still strong, the horror is just as rich, the apparent horniness I still don't greatly see albeit it has it's moments, even the drama felt so much stronger and present, if you haven't watched it since I can safely recommend another viewing. Hell even in broad daylight this movie still got under my skin, that's something I can so rarely say it's like seeing Bigfoot and Nessie on the same day kind of rare. A blood soaked shining example of modern day horror, and that trend will definitely continue next week as I catch up on other modern horror films that have cropped up on my radar. 4 stars, 9/10 still, I can't wait to share this whole month with you.

Scooby-Doo And The Ghoul School

Fun while it lasted.

This was another of the tapes I had when I was young, I used to watch this and The Boo Brothers a lot so how was it on rewatch all these years later? Well it certainly is not one of the grandest Scooby movies but it holds appeal for any fan of this series. Still in Shaggy's red shirt phase him, Scoob, and Scrappy take up the responsibility of being coaches for the eponymous ghoul school where the daughters of famous monsters reside, now the idea of Shaggy and Scooby being teachers for monsters does indeed have potential and while it would have been more fun seeing them teach the girls potions, scare tactics, and host a PTA meeting, knowing their reputation as physical marathoners still checks out. The school has a lot of inspiration from the Addams Family and Munsters with students Sibella who is the daughter of Dracula and weirdly has one of the most sultry voices in animation (Which is a...choice.), Elsa Frankenteen which I have to admit is a cute reference to The Bride in both name and appearance, Winnie the werewolf who's easily the most tomboy of the group, Phantie the banshee giggler who I actually wish we got more of, and little Tanis the mummy who is baby girl of all babygirls and I would die for her and unleash all the ten plagues of Egypt on anyone who upset her. They're all great and have their moments to shine and I don't know what it is but the idea of all the classic monsters being single fathers just puts a smile on my face, we need more single dads in media and any respectable father would cherish their daughters like they do here. I gotta admit though the antagonists are kinda weak, both in the nauseating rival school of military boys and boy don't get me started on the concept of military school but also this odd addition of a powerful witch who wants to use the girls to eliminate their famous papa's. As much as I could care less about the boys the plot really didn't need to go that deep despite a decent climax, and indeed because of that villain introduction this is easily one of the longer Scooby-Doo movies pushing over 90 minutes when most wrap up before even the 80 minute mark. It's paced okay, the animation had a bump up in quality from the current show as this was a TV movie, it has moments of that exquisite fall atmosphere and quite good backgrounds all around, the story is enjoyable, and I got a kick out of the future student lineup you see at the end. What's wild to think about is just one single month after this another TV movie came out The Relcutant Werewolf which is extremely rare even in today's video market, I guess Scooby fans were eating good in 1988 before a severe drought hit for almost the entirety of the 90s which blows my mind to think about and I couldn't be happier I was born at the time I was and got into Scooby-Doo from 1997 or 1998. Thank God for reruns is all I'll say. Of course there's tons more movies and indeed shows I have yet to cover from this wonderful series and it's no mystery this still is my favorite cartoon even after so many greats have been made since. It was fun to briefly talk about and it did gear me up for the full Halloween season in all it's myriad forms. Finals scores I'll give this 2.5 stars, 6.5/10, and the trend will continue as I rise up from my tomb giving out multiple reviews each week of October. Finally it's my time again.

Scooby-Doo And The Loch Ness Monster

Like man this sure put me in a good mood.

I don't know if I can rightly pinpoint as to why, maybe it was returning to familiar ground with early 2000s Scooby-Doo back when I was at the peak of my fandom, maybe it was the story setting in Scotland which God willing if I get there I'd probably never leave, whatever the reason I had a grand old time watching this! I know for a fact I saw it on the Cartoon Network when it was brand spanking new and yeah a story as simple as the gang visiting Daphne's scottish relatives and getting swept up in the mystery of Nessie works really dang well! Obviously the animation style is deep rooted in the What's New Scooby-Doo era and I gotta admit I missed that animation style, but in reality I just miss the early 2000s animation regardless of show. Coming off the Halloween movie the condensed and easy plot is a godsend and firmly exemplifies what the failings were on that one, it's barely an hour and 15 minutes but uses every minute to get you involved, have some fun, and walk away pretty happy. Honestly the fact Daphne has scottish relatives just puts the biggest smile on my face, and we get to breathe in a bit of the environment of the scottish highlands, the foggy loch, the very gothic castle of the Blake family, it looks really nice! Another aspect that brings warm feelings to my heart is I got to hear Casey again, and that kinda choked me up a bit it's been far too long since I've heard his voice and it fills me with unparalleled pride I share a birthday with the incredible man himself. Just so much about this put me in very high spirits and really did take me back to being a 9 year old revelling in my cartoons and imagination. True this more likely than not is strictly a case of my own nostalgia and probably won't be felt by many others unless perhaps you were there in that time and corner of the world, but damn it I thought this was good! The animation is crisp and that weird semi-2D but really 3D effect on the Loch Ness Monster works quite well, the chase songs are something I feel is SORELY lacking in modern Scooby-Doo, the voice cast does a good job and hey the scottish accents aren't godawful buuuut then again I'm biased towards such accents especially from wee ladies with red hair, the mystery is decent and actually may come as a bit of a twist for those who haven't seen it before, hell I was even digging the Jaws tributes sprinkled throughout, it was just a very positive viewing experience. I know some feel that the golden age of Scooby movies passed after Cyber Chase but for me, I kept watching the direct to video movies for quite awhile after the fact not really slipping from the fandom until about 2007 or 2008 but it's never really gone from my life. I fell in love with Mystery Incorporated around 2011, I still caught movies like Mask Of The Blue Falcon and Frankencreepy which are still some of the absolute best in the modern era, you just never ever forget your first. I give this one 3 stars, 7.5/10, and we will go even further back in time with one of the few remaining 80s movies next.

Happy Halloween Scooby-Doo

Well I suppose this is a humble beginning for the most wonderful time of the year.

Now being a hardcore Scooby-Doo fan I can safely say I've had more good experiences than bad experiences with this series, but with Happy Halloween I couldn't feel more conflicted. Cause it's not...bad, not really at all but there were several elements that kinda threw me off and while it did certainly make me laugh and I was digging certain parts this feels like a very mixed bag, slightly slap dash plot, that ultimately results in some Scooby fluff. I love fluff, it doesn't have to be amazing to be enjoyable but this is absolutely one of those cases where you're really not gonna remember much about it in a few days. We start off at the tail end of a mystery with the gang halting The Scarecrow, yes Dr. Jonathan Crane himself from trashing a Halloween parade led by the Mistress Of The Dark herself Elvira, before something wicked this way comes in the form of radioactive pumpkins which not only is a call back to The Witch's Ghost but for you lads and lasses out there of a certain generation gave me hard flashbacks to Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy with the Jacked Up Halloween special which makes it even more surreal cause this was directed by the creator Maxwell Atoms, sending the gang on mostly the backpedal as they try to work out just how to stop these ghoulish creatures. You can kinda tell from that brief synopsis this is all over the place, I mean I can fully accept Elvira being a part of the Scooby-Doo world I mean shit if Vincent Price can be she certainly can too. I know Mystery Incorporated have indeed crossed paths with the Caped Crusaders on several occasions but does it really do a damn thing for the story? And worst of all despite my love for the man, Bill Nye the science guy is here for....absolutely no good reason, he's barely in it, barely does anything, and contributes a whopping plate of nothing with a side order of zilch to any of the proceedings. Like what was the plan here guys?? They really just went too off the tracks here and tried to do too much. Between this and Return To Zombie Island Cassandra Peterson is becoming a ill omen for Scooby-Doo and that's horseshit because she is the bomb man, she has such wit and good comedic timing, I actually really enjoyed her little storyline with Daphne they were great together and got a good few laughs from me! But it just feels off, something feels wrong with this production and I can't pinpoint why! It bugs the hell out of me cause this isn't a hard story to tell but they just commit to certain things that leaves me feeling adrift with nothing concrete to cling on. I mean the animation is solid I have zero issues with that, with good use of color, could use a bit more emphasis on Halloween but nothing deal breaking as we get some nice visuals, and they have some good sight gags in there. Voice cast just, damn dude I don't wanna say this but it did not feel like they were on their A-game, but I truly feel that's more due to the shiftless writing and direction than the actual voice actors fault. Cause all of them, even just once, have their moments! I honestly feel like it's me that's off center here because almost from the word go I wasn't feeling this too much, but it is how I feel and I can assuredly say it didn't pick up much as it continued. Is it horrible? No I wouldn't say that at all, maybe a bit scatter brained and exceedingly average but you know it's for kids, you can throw this on as a bit of background noise while they gear up for tricks or treats or just something to keep them entertained for barely over an hour. It has moments, it has a good look, it's not a waste of time but in the pantheon of Scooby-Doo movies this is maybe a mid-tier movie and I'm hoping that the week will indeed improve before the October festivities go into high gear. 2 stars, 6/10, we're going back in time to the second classic era of Scooby-Doo movies in my humble opinion.

Rebuild The Galaxy: Pieces Of The Past

Better late than never.

Lego Star Wars baby, it don't get better than this! Taking place not long after the first installment a clash between Sig and Dev has unleashed a dark force from a dimension unheard of in any Star Wars story leading our main characters to form a fragile alliance to save the very existence of a galaxy far far away, a solid enough story told once again over the course of roughly 90 minutes with still quite good characters and comedy to keep it thoroughly entertaining. It still holds the same level of detail, care, love, and even jokes from the first creating another memorable experience with even more what if madness thrown in. From Darth Revan and Cal Kestis to pirate queen Padme Amidala and evil K2-SO there's some much welcome additions to this mad mad mad mad galaxy, with as far to my knowledge all the supporting heroes and villains returning once again. The story does take the next step in making the conflict bigger yet I feel how could they top the literal erasure of the entire Star Wars universe should they wish to pursue a part three? It's not impossible but I'm a bit stumped how they would do it. Of course the voice acting across the board is still really damn good with plenty of love going to our main leads like Gaten, Bobby, and Marsai and it is pretty awesome to hear Sam, Ashley, and Mark reprise their roles even in such different circumstances! Animation is still just as good if not even a smidge better than the first, further showcasing the imagination and fun Legos can bring to any story. Though man I actually almost hate the fact the Landolorian is just real in this what if story cause man, I would watch ten seasons of Lando and little Grogu just being smoother than shimmersilk and doing bounties and shit. The fact Servo got this british yandere girlfriend of a probe droid is frigin' stellar and I'm so here for it! Plus I didn't think it was possible but Darth Rose has my heart in a force grip after this, Kelly you're a gem and I treasure you so! It was cute, it was fun, the writing still has genuine merit and not just a showcase for the lolz, it's another solid little series! With Andor wrapped up, Mando just around the corner with Maul not far behind, and Starfighter just beginning production this was a quick and lovely little stop in my favorite fandom of all. If my memory doesn't fail me I believe Visions is next and well, I'll give you three guesses how I feel about that! 3 stars, 8/10, and I got a little something for you next week before the October festivities begin.

Caught Stealing

The trailer was definitely leaning towards lighter fare.

Now admittedly, did I go see this movie purely to see Matt Smith punked out from head to toe? Yes! Was I happy with the final film notwithstanding his presence? Oh absolutely! But maaaaan, this is some heavy shit. It has moments of comedy and enjoyment but it's a serious tale with very realistic serious consequences. Set in the great year of our lord nineteen hundred and ninety-eight we follow everyman Hank who upon being tasked with watching his punk neighbor's cat gets embroiled in a stolen money caper with several interested crime parties pretty much going at him non-stop to get it, leading to an array of chases, deaths, and making peace with the past in the process. Once again, Austin Butler our friggin' guy, has yet to miss! The entire movie is carried on this performance, great supporting cast though without question, but he plays it pitch perfect in my opinion! Hank is a very damaged man and you see great pain throughout and not just from the gruelling scars he accumulates, it really is gonna be one of those sleeper performances of the year in my estimation! Zoë Kravitz gets some time to shine and while admittedly I wish she got involved more in this dangerous situation she still did good work. Do I even have to talk about Matt? He's in the movie roughly as much as Zoë, but needless to say I was revelling in every minute of it and of course being the nerd I am it's funny how easily I see things like his stride or his little finger twiddling and just think yep that's Eleven, just with soooo much more swearing and aggression. He's a true punk, he's a cat person, he's a family man himself, pure 10/10! Oh yeah and we get to see a wee baybah the whole movie, ho ho ho ho he's a fluffy boy and I must pet him! You know me and cats, you don't fuck about with them in my presence unless you want to eat lead and...yeah they hurt the little one's paw so I was craving blood to the climax. Though I will admit the movie threw me for at least two loops, I caught one mere seconds before it was sprung, but yeah it's nice to be surprised at the movies from time to time considering the obelisk of media I've consumed. It's very solidly directed, the cast brings it all the way, the action though limited is more candidly shot truth be told with a wide enough angle to where you can see everything which I like, soundtrack was pretty good but I just wanted to hear more punk songs, it's got a very good pace and the time flies by, you do get invested and it keeps you invested till credits, so I can sure fire recommend this. 3 stars, 7.5/10, and that about does it for this month. What will next month entail? Who knows, not me, I make this up as I go along.

Island Of Lost Souls

Again, kinda feel like an ass for not seeing this sooner!

Originally produced by Paramount yet somehow finding it's way to the Universal Monsters Classic Collection in the 90s, Island Of Lost Souls is a damn good movie. Made slightly before the Hays code went into effect this is one of the most grotesque and disturbing horror films you can find from that era. Concerning a shipwrecked man named Edward who gets rather unceremoniously dumped on the island of Dr. Moreau and after quickly discovering the sadistic doctor's experiments on animals has to find his way out alive. But the madman has plans and aspirations of his own in a truly gross and unsettling test of his most prized experiment Lota to see if the change from beast to human can go...all the way, shall we say. I can't even express in words how easily this film can get under your skin, and the worst part is it doesn't take much provocation for your mind to start imagining such gruesome surgeries and to really peer into the mind of Dr. Moreau. Admittedly he's played to perfection by Charles Laughton who if you really pay attention to any of the actors, more specifically him and Kathleen Burke as Lota, they put so much into these roles through body language alone and it rewards your attention. He plays this sick, demented, totally unshakeable in his work scientist and to see him just study Lota with Edward in such a voyeuristic tendency, his utter dismay at the thought of his horrific experiemnts potentially not working, his chilling delivery of the line "Do you know what it means to feel like God?", just eeeuuugghh! He freaks me right the hell out! Fantastic performance and really an unsung great actor our Charles was. And like I said Kathleen Burke as Lota is lord where do I even start, she's undoubtedly a tragic character who's went through I don't even know what to become the woman she is and again a lot of the performance is in her body lamguage. I know people will get hung up on the more sexualized aspects of her feline nature and dress, but she comes off so sweet and curious and quite gentle. That scene where she views herself in a mirror and you can see the tears filling her eyes...that hits like a fucking BRICK, I will remember that for a very long time to come! And don't even get me started on Kathleen being typecasted and only ventured in the domain of filmmaking for about 6 years, she's acting her heart out here in her first movie role no less, and yeah I know the movie is gonna be 100 years old relatively soon but goddamn it I'm upset over that! They are easily the highlights of the entire picture and I can strongly recommend watching it just on the backs of them two though of course the rest of the cast does well. Richard Arlen is quite a strapping fella and conveys the horror and intelligemce when dealing with such a sociopath very well. And of course like everyone else I have to shoutout Bela Lugosi in this film, even despite it being a very minimal role it's still a memorable performance and visual, my almost lifelong stance as a fan not withstanding. It's a very visually similar film to The Most Dangerous Game, an island, a dense jungle, the fotress of the main antagonist, but it still works and the set design is rich. Another interesting note is the film score is dead silent, you hear music at the very beginning and end but no musical accompaniment which admittedly heightens the horror and uneasy tone. But yeah this is a standout movie that I know is considered more a minor classic, but I can strongly urge people to watch it. High recommendation, 4 stars, 8.5/10!

That was a fun little trip, I know I'll have to find more time to write reviews in the future cause it still is an enjoyable and gratifying experience. Definite new release next week so tune in for that and as always be safe!

The Most Dangerous Game

Out of the silent era and into good ol' RKO.

From the same producers of King Kong and shot on many of the same sets comes an adaptation of a short story, concerning a shipwrecked hunter who finds himself entangled in the sick game of a russian master of hunting and sport who is tasked with surviving for one night to obtain freedom off the island or become just another attraction in a trophy room. For a movie that barely clocks in at one hour it does a surprisingly good job not only taking enough time to set up the story, the villain, and the stakes but deliver on a nonstop 20 odd minute chase scene through the jungle that must have been exhilarating in 1932. I have no qualms saying Leslie Bank, in his first motion picture role I might add, is the reason and the highlight to watch this movie. The man doesn't even have to act he just looks so sinister, and yet can potray this charming and very affable host before the facade falls and you see just how commited he is to enacting this horrid game. Joel McCrea is a fine albeit basic leading man who has the know how to lay traps and use the terrain to his advantage, and it is interesting to watch more a clash of minds in the wilderness rather than brute strength. Fay Wray, icon that she is barely has to do a damn thing and yet still remains a highlight and it's wild to think she was filming King Kong the exact same damn time as this. Boy, movies are NOT made like that anymore. The sets are very well constructed, from the Count's fortress and grisly trophy room to the dense foliage and misty swamp of the jungle, for a lower budgeted movie it still looks quite nice. Now I know the concept of using humans as prey isn't entirely new to storytelling but it's a solid story, that somehow slipped into the realm of the public domain but you can easily find a good quality version even on Youtube and it is worth a watch for film fans or even people who want to see one of the early examples of a thriller and not a horror film. I love talking old black and white movies and to bring more attention to them, so this was a no brainer to review. A quite good movie but hopefully we end on an even higher note. 3 stars, 7/10, I'll be seeing you next time.

The Lost World (1925)

Welcome to the 100th anniversary of the first dinosaur movie.

I truly feel that The Lost World is one of the most important and monumental films ever created. Really break this down with me, we can view a film a century old and silent films are a rare breed considering the vast majority are lost, this is the film that showcased Willis O'Brien and his craft of stop motion effects that would inspire generations to come like Ray Harryhausen and Phil Tippet, you get to see how the world viewed dinosaurs 100 years before in terms of appearance and behavior that still has left an impact to this very day in cinema, and the author himself of the original story Sir Arthur Conan Doyle not only was able to see the film and enjoyed it but the filmmakers got the man himself to introduce the picture. That retinue alone should make this one of the greatest films ever made, and I'm happy to say that. Even as a lover of silent cinema this film intrigued me, shocked me, made me laugh, and get very emotionally invested throughout. Now I did a wee bit of research concerning the runtime and I found there's an hour version and a hundred minute version, I picked the latter which is not only available on the Youtubes but is showcased in high definition with the proper color tinting so that's the one I strongly recommend. The story involves a reporter who hears claims of an explorer who encountered the ancient terrible lizards in the Amazon, and joins the expedition not only for the story but also to aid a young lady to find her father. What follows is a high scale adventure evading ravenous dinosaurs, trekking through caves and jungle, and as old Hollywood is wont to do find romance in the process. Despite the reporter named Ed being the main focus I truly feel the real main character is the young girl Paula played by Bessie Stone. Nowwww am I slightly smitten by this little lady? Yes! But that is not coloring my perception of the film, she wants to find her father who got marooned there, she has a romance with Ed, she's easily the best damn character in the movie emotionally, this truly is her show. That and I was having several meltdowns over how frick fraking pretty she is, oh my God! I gotta move on. I quite liked the professor who originally stumbled across the dinosaur laden land played by Wallace Beery, he almost has this burly crazy haired look like he got abandoned on that lost world and his rageful outbursts against reporters just cracked me up. I actually really appreciate the different protagonists that make up this expedition, you got the everyman reporter, the sweet charming lady, the game hunter, the experienced leader of the party, and the more academic centered professor. All the characters work very nicely together and despite the obvious lack of sound have good chemistry on screen, and this is one of the few instances where I wish I could hear their voices. The scope of the production is nothing short of stellar, from the lavishly dressed buildings of civilization, to the dense foliage of the jungle, from the painted backdrops to the really real fire scorched landscapes this is a damn well made movie and we haven't even got to the dinosaurs yet! How the hell am I gonna talk about all lf this and not take an Age to put it all down? Holy moly guacamole these dinosaurs are the bee's knees! The design of their shape, the texture of their hides, the fact they fuggin' BREATHE, this is too amazing for words. I revelled in every second and wondered in awe how they even got some of these shots, this is a groundbreaking piece of cinema that truly had no equal for years, maybe even decades to come depending on who you ask. It's so timeless and yet classic, it was kinda scary at a certain point and my God this movie is gory as shit which really shocked me! Like it doesn't shy away from what carnivores do to herbivores, and most of the scientific information was spot on for 1925! Interesting choice to go for an Allosaurus instead of a vastly more popular Tyrannosaurus Rex, but the inclusion of Brachiosaurus, Triceratops, Pterodactyl, and a Stegosaurus lends itself quite nicely to the variety. I feel the movie is entertaining enough to where you're not just waiting for the stopmotion creatures to appear, but man are they still a highlight all these years later! So damn influential, so damn amazing, I know 5 year old me would treasure this movie if I saw it back then. Really only negative I could throw at it is I'm pretty sure, like 109% sure, we have a heavily unfortunate case of blackface for one character and yeah I know it's the 1920s it ain't gonna perfectly congeal with 2025 ethics, but it still sucks. So that'll knock the final score down but this is still a truly great movie that I feel like a total ass for waiting three decades of life to finally watch it! 4 stars, 9/10, and we're jumping ahead to the sound era of the 30s next time!

Nobody 2

The dust has settled and I am back for a short while this month.

Speaking as a light fan of the first movie I was stunned to learn that a sequel was being made, hell to be embarassingly honest I've been so out of the loop on new movies coming out this hit my radar about 2 weeks before release. Don't get old kids. But I'm kinda speechless to say I enjoyed this movie far far more than the first, maybe it was the familiarity with the characters or the emphasis on the family unit but this hit all the right buttons for me from the word 'Go'. And it's not much more complicated than the first, Hutch has been working so much he's been neglecting the family so he decides to take them on a vacation where he gets embroiled in this crime boss' affairs, because of course he does, and now papa's gotta take care of business. The first thing I really gotta say is despite the lack of action, the real stranglehold grip this movie had on me was you get to spend a lot of time with Hutch's wife and kids and while indeed the element was there and was quite good in the first, I just gravitated to it so strongly here. Connie you fucking gem of a woman, I'm honestly jealous as shit she's married in this movie because I would kiss the ground that mama bear walks on, and I do appreciate they give Becca a bit more edge here. The kids are pretty good too with Gage Munroe as Brady taking on his dad's violent urges despite Hutch wanting him to be a better man than he ever was, and Paisley Cadorath as Sammy who is the sweetest most cutest girl ever and boy did my protective side leap out at a certain scene involving her. Like I fully understood the urge to just whip someone's ass if they laid a finger on my daughter, no scratch that I would spill someone's guts onto the floor if they touched my daughter so papa Hutch is a man after my own heart. And yeah Bob is probably on even better form here truth be told, both as a character and as an action man with plenty of time going to both, showcasing his hard edged fighting style but also his wish and happiness to give his kids memories to look back on. It's not overt, it's more subtle but that's why it works so damn good. In terms of action I can count every major setpiece on one hand but each is different and impactful, they still very much like using random bits of the environment during the fights in true Jackie Chan style which I actually feel is harder and more gratifying to write than if it was a straight up gun/fist fight but it was solid stuff! I very very much enjoyed this movie and while I felt the sheer idea of a sequel seemed tenative I was pleasantly surprised and wouldn't mind a potential third entry if all the planets align. I'm sure the first was more of a sleeper hit and I'm hopeful this one will do even better, it is worth seeing in theaters I can tell you that much. So full 4 stars from me, 8/10, and next week we're shifting gears big time going back not only to 3 reviews for the week but allllll the way back to the golden age of cinema with some movies I've always wanted to talk about.

Superman (2025)

Yeahhhh, to say a spanner was thrown into the works would be the understatement of the decade (Doctor Who will happen I promise).

So Superman! Best comic book movie ever? Great start to the new DC universe? A piece of filmmaking that could potentially reek of 2025 or stand as a testament for years to come? Wellllll yes and no. It wasn't a phenomenal movie but it was a very good solid ass comic book movie, and to be honest that's all I wanted. Set in an already established world where Superman has been active for 3 years we follow his most recent skirmish trying to avert a war between two countties and try to stay one step ahead of the machinations of quite possibly the most xenophobic Lex Luthor in history. It's definitely an involved plot, there is quite a lot that happens and the movie is always moving, not to an extent of burnout and whiplash between scenes but it's fast. It's also quite an ensemble cast, there are so many characters and they all play into the progressing story even if they're on screen for a few minutes but it didn't seem overcrowded and overtly busy, they know when to use a character or introduce a character. It's a very light and bright superhero movie akin to the Richard Donner original but definitely has stakes and doesn't veer away from some violent moments. But it is undoubtedly very Silver Age in it's tone with robots, random monsters, a true boyscout Superman who still has some emotional baggage to sift through, it has friggin' Krypto the superdog for God's sake! To shift over to cast for a moment, David is a stalwart Superman and can pull off the Clark Kent side which very few of the actors were able to do in this long history, he gets his ass beat in this movie and really has to come to terms with some stuff but there isn't a doubt about his morals and commitment to help people which is what's great about Superman. Rachel Brosnahan was...interesting as Lois, maybe this is my shortcomings to not being very familiar with Superman but she gave Lois so much damn attitude and seemed quite prickly, I mean more than usual, which makes me both respect the hell out of her but also kinda drives me nuts. Nicholas Hoult was a very solid Lex Luthor, very easy to hate but certainly held that intelligence edge and genuinely did crack me up a bit throughout. Big time shoutout to Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific, a character I know precisely dick about but he won me over fast and he was a standout for me! I think this is the first time I've actually seen Nathan Fillion in something and didn't immediately adore him, Guy Gardner is an asshole and he pulled it off spectacularly with this very cocky leader type but hey he had his moments of humor so fair play to him. Do kinda wish we got more Hawkgirl but I'm just a mark for that lady and I dig Isabela Merced in this part. Big surprises in the cast list that I can't even go into now, in fact I strongly urge everyone to steer friggin' clear of the IMDB cast list cause man it's stacked. The effects were damn good, both in terms of flight and fight, I don't know man seeing Superman fly regardless of decade never quite gets old and the battles are shot inventively and you can keep up with it no problem. I do feel the music was strangely subdued throughout, even when you get soaring scores and that ridiculously awesome electric guitar it seemed kinda buried in the mix, maybe that's more a shortcoming from the theater so I'll look into that. I gotta say it was weird not being the aficionado for once on a well known superhero, Blue Beetle I can forgive myself on, but Superman I mean I caught some but I certainly didn't catch all but I'm sure the mega nerds and lifelong fans will appreciate the nods. I certainly liked it, I'm happy and yet simultaneously depressed so many real world parallels could be drawn in this movie from foreign wars, to social media demonizing, to literal loss of rights for an alien immigrant being taken into custody and shipped off to God knows where, it stuck to it's guns and I'm proud of that. Truly I am. In a world where such pinnacles of hope and power do not exist, I don't think it hurts if we embody such characters ourselves for a better world. What's so funny about truth, justice, and the american way? Far from a masterpiece but a strong step in the right direction, I give it 3 stars, 7.5/10!

Boy howdy life has been tailspinning recently so I'm not sure when I shall return but I'm sincerely hoping for sooner rather than later. If I still have a roof over my head come August I shall endeavour to pick up the pieces and do some varied writing for you.

Ballerina

We got new movie sign!

Been a friggin' minute, and I have to admit I was very much looking forward to this movie since hearing about it. So how was it? I will fully say it's pretty good but whether or not you hold it as highly as the John Wick quadrilogy is up to the person, and frankly I am in dire need of a rewatch to make that decision myself. But it simultaneously follows suite and yet plays around with the formula a bit that's been established, with a relatively new agent who takes on the mantle more of a guardian than assassin who is on the hunt for what is deemed a cult of assassins who killed her father when she was young, simple story but the devil is in the details. Obviously Ana has been more of a grower on me, and I may or may not have my own headcanon this is Paloma from No Time To Die before she was in Cuba, but man does she firmly plant her action hero flag in this movie. I mean she gets her ass beat six ways to Sunday but in the few instances of Jedi wisdom I agree with, perseverance reveals the path and she keeps getting up to pretty brutally dispatch opponents. Whether or not this continues with a sequel, I like the story they told here even if it is common as dirt. Of course we got Keanu in it and I'm happy they do much much more with him than just a glorified cameo and he comes in clutch like always. Gabriel Byrne is our villain and the performance itself was good but the material is pretty weak, no fault of course on the actor but it is your typical John Wick villain. There's probably a reason Norman Reedus wasn't brought up a lot in the marketing and considering I've seen next door to zero of his work, for the brief screentime he has I had enough interest and actually wanted to see him throw down more! Of course we also got Ian McShane but who I wasn't expecting was our man Lance back, in his final role no less and while they're very much ancillary characters I'm never going to turn away the chance to see them. The action fare has that gold stamp of approval from previous entries, with a fair bit of innovative fighting including a pair of ice skates, hammers, and a flamethrower, so it got faaaaar from predictable or boring, with ample love going to the stunt crew and the choreographers. Visually it's a striking film, with unabashed favorites including a rocking club and the snow filled night that gives it so much substance on screen, but even in environments like a log cabin or some construction site on Continental grounds still has elements that play into the action where every fight has one memorable moment minimum. I would be remiss to not briefly touch on the score, while far from explosive still sets mood and tension well and frankly any movie with Swan Lake gets at least half a point! So all in all I'm happy to have seen it, it's worth supporting your local theater to watch it, and I can see die hard fans of this series eagerly pick it up on video in the future. So 3.5 stars, 8/10, and I'll be back with a foray through time and space once more!

Andor: Season 2

I'm kinda pissed off I will not lie to you.

Now admittedly the vast majority of the first three episodes were really not doing anything for me (to the point I kinda wanted to quit to be brutally honest for a moment), but really after that whatever issues I might have with this season are down to I just didn't like the conclusion to the Imperial stuff. Shocking I know! But beyond that how does this second part to a technical quadrilogy if we go all the way to the end of A New Hope stack up? When it gets going it is slipping right back into the good stuff that you would expect and loved from the first season! If anything I can sum up this series as, all the pieces on the chessboard are making their final moves cause this does indeed end right before Rogue One begins so we see Cassian fully commit to the Yavin rebels, we see the final moments of Mon before leaving the Senate, Luthen really cutting it close to being discovered, and Dedra being shuffled to the right places at the right time. It never is as easy as I explain it and indeed there is a loooot to talk about maybe more than I have space for so let's discuss technicals first. Acting wise the calibre has not diminished if anything it's exceeded the first season, with the highlights going to Diego, Denise, Elizabeth Dulau who really comes into her own as Kleya, and of course light of my life Genevieve. It's very easy to forget you're not watching actors in a show that's all I'll say! The expansive sets, costumes, props, and visual effects are still top notch and I do truly hope we get so much more physical sets despite the Volume being a marvel of technology. The tone has truly gotten more grim and even real at certain points, which...even as a die hard Star Wars fan I never imagined I could truly say. There really is no way to gloss over or sugar coat it, seeing Ghorman and the massacre was striking, it was scary if even for just a second, if this show knows how to do anything it's calculate the rising tension and suspense to a staggering effect, and it hits as well as it does because we've seen this shit before on the news. Now of course Star Wars has always had some real world inspirational draw, this is not some modern spin take on it. To sum it up in one point, why were the Imperials mainly british and the rebels mainly american? It was a little world event in history, might have heard of it, it was called THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. But Jesus wept, it just hits so close to now and yes it is undoubtedly entertainment but you also have to acknowledge what the writers were trying to get across. I can forgive three goddamn episodes of Cassian being stuck doing nothing while being caught between two dipshit factions, because of all the better story elements that come in later. I honestly don't even know where to go from here, and the worst part is because my ass was so behind the times that I kinda was already hearing "spoilers" for lack of a better term and it did indeed damage my viewing pleasure and experience. I knew about Bix and all she was going through, I knew about Brasso, I knew about Dedra's outcome, I knew about Saw's questionable recreations, I even knew about the damn healer. So I really hate to say it but the score will suffer because of that. Do I still think it is a very well crafted and entertaining show? Yes! Will I most likely watch Rogue One after writing this? Yes! Was it as good as season one? That is an impossible question because I didn't know shit through season one until each episode came out, so it's already unfair but even then as a whole, I would say no. Life is unfair and mostly bullshit, but I'll get over it. I'm dying one day anyway and I still had several surprises in store for me, and there is always something to look forward to. Still pretty fucking bummed out anyway but emotions are the most fickle thing in existence. In like a years time this In Retrospect will quell any issues and I'll be all the happier for it. Reeealllyyy gonna piss off pretty much everybody, though unintentional I swear, when I say 3 stars, 8/10, I'm willing to have my opinion changed. But not today.

In Retrospect: Andor (Season 1)

Fashionably late or just very late, life is kicking me in the ass and this is just the show I needed.

So does the superbly acclaimed Star Wars series hold up on a second viewing? Was Tatooine originally a water planet? I have to say it was a very different viewing experience marathoning the whole first season, cause I was right there every week on original release date hanging on every action and word until Thanksgiving Day 3 years ago. I will fully say it does indeed improve, now that I know the plot elements I can focus on all the other bits, pay even more attention to the great acting, revel in the visuals from costuming to environments, dig deep into this dialogue, and get hyped for season two all over again. The unfolding events in Cassian's life is certainly a wild trip to watch in one fluid sitting, from being a two-timing scoundrel home, to pulling off quite possibly the biggest bank heist in recent galactic memory, to escaping one hell of a prison, to pretty much putting himself on the line in joining the Rebellion. Crazy! Diego Luna, love that man, gets so much to do and the writing enhances his already great acting ability. Stellan Skarsgård as Luthen Rael is easily the most interesting character and also has easily the best speech and that's saying something in this show. Genevieve ohhh my stars, I am going to be so insufferable watching season 2 mark my words because that woman is a walking treasure trove and despite my Imperial leanings my heart goes out to Mon Mothma, and reading Reign Of The Empire enhanced that severely, (Even though I still hate her husband, there's better people to marry...like meeeeee.) emphasizing the stress and sheer paranoia someone in such a position would feel. Denise Gough that's mah gurl in this series, hell to the yes for the ISB making the leap to a visual medium, and my lord there could be a masterclass on facial acting from Dedra Meero alone! Also need more Major Partagaz in season two, just saying. Still really rather despise Syril Karn than ever before, I mean who knows maybe the next season will give me more to where I will dread his demise but I doubt that. Also just want to shoutout Brasso, I took him as kind of a nothing character first time around but now I'm a staunch supporter and love the guy, he's a true real one! Also fully believe our man and king Andy Serkis is still alive and thriving as Kino Loy, I know we're not gonna get dick on his character in the next season but I have dreams damn it! And I'm so happy to see people gravitate so strongly and praise the shit out of this show, granted I haven't heard a lot of stories from non-Star Wars fans who watched it and loved it but I'm positive they exist, the reception couldn't be more glowing. That kinda has some cons to it, like annoying bitches saying Star Wars will never be this good again or they start comparing shows and bash anything else which I find just intolerable and I hex those fuckers like there's no tomorrow. Is it strikingly unique in the Star Wars universe with stellar practical sets, excellent writing, fantastic actors, and a tone that makes Rogue One seem like a skip in the park? Yes! But just enjoy the show, it's different but there's plenty of media in this galaxy that's great stuff. I had a wonderful time and, well being the nerdy ass white boy I am and knowing galactic history like I took a college class on it, eeuugghhh it's about to get rough. Jesus Christ this show is about to hit so different in this foul year of our lord two thousand and twenty-five. The revolution will indeed be televised. 4 stars, 9/10, a short microjump and we'll be back for the series finale.

Tales Of The Underworld

Tis' a good day.

Tales Of The Underworld is I feel a story of two halves, one being a more light story that gives a bit of character depth for Ventress and the other being a pretty rock solid heavy drama story about the evolution of for my money the best bounty hunter in the galaxy Cad Bane. Although I will come out front and say the Ventress story really has two things to do with the seedy criminal underworld of Star Wars, jack and shit and jack left town. However an enjoyable and decent story it still was with her taking on a protector role for a young Jedi in hiding and trying to locate the Hidden Path, with fantastic chemistry and banter between her and young Lyco with plenty of lightsaber action to assuage nerds like me. Oh but Star Wars never change, it shows how long I've been doing this when we see a new Imperial Inquisitor and I'm calling that he's dead in two minutes and not even a name will be put to him until a book comes out, which spoilers I'm right again as always! But duuuuuuude WOW this Cad Bane story justifies the whole flip flapping series for my money, taking an evolutionary look from rapscallion youth, to henchmen young adult, to fastest gun this side of the Hydian Way mature badass. And this is a short story, keeping in the style of the Tales series where each arc is pretty much forty minutes without credits so you can knock this sucker out in the course of a meal, but how much emotion and dramatic storytelling they can squeeze in without it ever feeling forced or too densely packed is really damn impressive! It takes the western archetype of main character has someone close to him die by gunslinger who he swears revenge on, tweaks it just a notch, and it becomes a new and interesting story proving Star Wars will never get old. Vocal performances are still top notch, obviously all the love goes to Nika and Corey who have brought these fan favorite characters to life, but even the new talent like Lane Factor as this bit of a smart aleck Jedi or Artt Butler as Cad's oldest friend turned lawman with such short appearance runtimes craft something uniquely theirs. Do I even have to mention the animation? It's pretty clear we're only climbing higher and higher with the attention to detail, movement, and atmosphere with each subsequent series since technically Rebels before even last season of Clone Wars, and this is no exception. Of course I'm an easy sell on this universe, but I will admit I don't always need something groundbreaking as the next big project for Star Wars. I love the side stories, the brief snippets of character development, the connecting threads in this ever expanding tapestry, cause I just find it interesting and really cool. Even if some of the newer stuff doesn't grab your attention trust in me when I say there's been something you haven't experienced in the past almost 50 years of this franchise that will. Considering the grossly uneven (yet still good) caliber of the stories within, I'll give this 3.5 stars, 8.5/10! And truth be told, I honestly think Andor will be next cause new movie wise consider May a graveyard for reviews so we'll see how it goes.

Twin Peaks: Season 3

Ooookayy then...

Not really what I was expecting. When I say the word conflicted, I don't think I've ever meant it more in my entire life. I do want to say first and foremost I am not going to be one of those people who lauds this season but I'm also not a person who is actively hating this season either. Cause it did hold my attention and interest for the ungodly 18 hour runtime mainly due to the very simple question of, "Where is this going?" and the thing is you're not gonna get much. I think this honestly is my Inland Empire where I don't really get it and I don't know what to do with it. It's rather interesting to watch this season because you think, my God 18 episodes at an hour a piece soooo much must happen! And it...just does not. I can sum it up in three instances, Cooper gets out of the Black Lodge physically but not fully mentally, Gordon Cole is slowly piecing together more on the Red Room and the return of Cooper through murder investigations, and we follow the evil doppleganger of Cooper as he tries to circumvent being trapped in the Black Lodge again. Now I'm going to share with you a technical term of writers that you typically do not see in media: non-sequitur, is the word I would describe this season as. Essentially it means that the very next scene to anything has no bearing or impact in the long run. But to be paradoxical for a second, is a non-sequitur still a non-sequitur if it continually happens again and again? Because when I tell you that this season at least 80% of the time feels like filler cul de sacs I'm really not exaggerating. This season meanders, and plods, and wanders to a limit where most people's patience would burn out before they got a quarter of the way through it. But as I said I was too intrigued and curious to ever call it quits! I was shocked, puzzled, laughed, and cried at moments that kept me engaged to the end of it all but I safely can say this is not for everyone if not the vast majority of anyone. Yet the production and David's full time creative mind is on solid form, broadening the horizons of the world to the point where I'm not even fully sure it can be called Twin Peaks anymore due to how little we are in that town (yeah I'm sounding like one of those people I knowww), it does admittedly lose a bit of the magic with it's post 2010 look yet it still looks pretty gorgeous at times, the music is the absolute highlight of the entire season for me without a shred of doubt almost to the point where I want to say to hell with the show buy the soundtrack, the new additions and returns of the old cast are still handled very well albeit criminally short for our returning castmates, and it does have entertaining moments. Now was I fully expecting some hardcore nostalgia riding into the aftermath of the season two finale? Frankly, not even a little bit. I had faith in David to continue this strange torpedo while still bringing something entirely fresh and new to the story without having to really tread over familiar ground beyond the town of Twin Peaks itself. And I eventually did get that! 14 episodes in out of 18, and hell Cooper isn't fully back to 100% until episode 16! It still wasn't too little too late for me at that point, but I am almost fully endorsing the most disputed of golden calfs in any fandom ever created, the fan edit. I have only touched a fan edit one single time and it was for The Hobbit trilogy and the one I found honestly is the only way I will watch it from now on. I'm at least trying to give you a different angle to approach this finale. Coming from an individual who's patience is near boundless and can easily sit through higher than average runtimes, 18 hours is shockingly unnecessary for this. There are a virtual army of The Return truthers out there who will praise and gush over this series without so much as an average opinion on any aspect, and I envy those people. The oh so simple easy way to throw out terms like, bait & switch or unmitigated high expectations, to flow from my lips is striking but I don't really feel that. No one, I repeat no one could make a television series like this on accident, there is something to it that David wanted to convey. Just because I don't get it doesn't mean it's bad. I don't know entirely what I'm feeling though at this time. What do I even rate it? A big fat question mark would be appropriate but I try to center myself on something. As a whole, both of production and story, I'm gonna give it a 7/10. May have broken new ground ten years on since starting this show, cause television series ratings do not go down each subsequent time on this website. I don't even like that this was what it came to be, but what can I do to change it? Nobody can change it. You either accept it or deny it. I'm willing to accept even if not happily. But it certainly does not diminish or taint my love for David and the creations he has brought to this world and I'm happy to have gotten through this show regardless. I hope you all have more days of beautiful blue skies and golden sunshine all along the way. Everyone have a great day!

Twin Peaks: Season 2

NO! NO! YOU DO NOT GET TO PULL THAT!

Are you frick fraking serious right now?? I have never freaked the hell out this hard over a season finale in my life, and the worst part is I can't even talk about it! Yeah yeah, 30 year old show, don't care cause you need to watch it! Okay, gotta breathe, inner peace. Whew, I got this. Don't really know where to start, but I got this. So Twin Peaks, resounding success despite the Lynchian aspects to it comes back swinging with a whopping 22 episodes for this season making it the longest (and possibly most involved) season of the entire show. So much happens in fact I have no choice but to do it a tremendous disservice and not cover everything because 1. The plot greatly expands beyond the murder of Laura Palmer, and 2. Because of the length I had to watch it over the course of 4 days and my memory has more holes in it than a sponge! But basically after the attempt on Cooper's life the case continues on and even I will admit I was shocked how quickly we found out who killed Laura Palmer, now massive cock up on my end with watching Fire Walk With Me first that is all on me, but even still not half the season passes before we get the resolution on that. And this is actually one of the biggest detractions I have heard about this series, that nobody really gave a shit about the show after the murder mystery was solved and that it was pushed heavily by the studio who didn't want to see it naturally conclude. That's bullshit and very frustrating but here's the thing from my perspective: The show is called Twin Peaks, and not The Case Of Laura Palmer. We spend oodles of time situated in this town, getting to know these people, sinking into their own lives and drama and indeed following the aftermath of the killer I was still strongly invested! Did it wane a little bit before it got close to the finale? Yes, but ultimately the story that follows with this psychopath from Coop's past setting up shop in Twin Peaks for his own devious schemes isn't horrible! I feel the show has to juggle so many plot threads eventually some just get dropped without even a remotely satisfactory conclusion, but truth be told that's the only major strike against this season. Production wise in nearly every aspect if it isn't as good as season one it certainly has been improved upon. Now I know that David at this time pretty much from episode one of this season was off filming, if memory serves Wild At Heart, and for a fraction of a second loses that unique enigmatic charm that pervades the entire first season but rest assured it finds it's own footing again by episode two. And indeed the remainder of the season has charm, laughs, surprising twists, and a good fair few cliffhangers that made me dash to the next episode. It's still a very good season despite the naysayers that have accumulated since the original broadcast dates. I'll certainly tell you this, the characters are not dull and have plenty to do. Kale is still on stellar form regardless of scenario or unexpected twist as Coop, and it's no wonder him and David were thick as thieves since Dune. Michael Ontkean goes through the ringer this season and we see a lot more from Harry than just a stalwart good police officer, which is nice and obviously a good sign of expansion which a lot of the characters, for good or ill have. Richard Beymer has a full on 180° as Ben Horne which was unexpected and certainly kept me guessing to the point where I'm infinitely curious if he'll turn up in the third revival season. Sherilyn Fenn I think has the hands down most full character arc of the show when you really break it down, from anarchist teenager to growing businesswoman under her father so she got nothing but range in this series! If I could just shoutout Don S. Davis as Major Briggs, he already had my attention in the first season but even though he is still on that side character podium his performance and cadence is nothing short of spellbinding, and...just that moment in the diner when he's telling his son Bobby about his dream, I'm just gonna say it that's not only my favorite scene in the entire show thus far but is one of the crown jewels of the series. Also strongly have to shoutout Frank Silva as Bob who is simultaneously one of the most intangible threats in fiction and yet extremely terrifying, I have no doubts the man was a joy in real life but how they direct, and shoot, and write about Bob eugh, it just gets under my skin so perfectly. And our replacement villain is an interesting bat shit force to be reckoned with played by Kenneth Welsh, and the personality of this well read almost thespian murderous psycho with a penchant for chess is still just that right amount of weird for Twin Peaks. And just to lightning round my thoughts on the other side characters, Donna and James have moments but mostly is kinda filler hate to say, same kinda goes for Ed, Norma, and Nadine but ooh Nadine is very much my kind of lady woman, Shelly and Bobby pretty much are still on the same page as season one with some fresh elements thrown in here and there but ultimately average, the will they won't they with Lucy and Andy I rather adore and was a persistent highlight for the season with me, Pete you're still my king and you deserve the world, oh sweet bloody Mary can we just talk a sec on the guest appearances? How in the nine circles of hell itself did no one, I repeat NO ONE, ever bring up the fact that David Warner the legend himself is in this, Dan O'Herlihy of Halloween 3 fame who by the by you cannot convince me for a micro second that's not Conal Cochran resurrected from witchcraft fuckery, David Duchovny who is a transgender woman in the FBI by the name of Denise in 1991 before either women were permitted in the bureau and The X-Files was a thing so props to you for being surprisingly progressive, and we got Billy Zane as a romantic side character cause why the hell not! Don't get me wrong I'm here for it 1,000% percent but I'm still reeling from that information even as I type it! To touch a bit more on the production, it feels bigger than the first season with the sets and directing, the cinematography is still very nice for a TV show and does lend itself to cinematic moments for sure, the Angelo Badalamenti score is the stuff dreams are made of and despite only a few new pieces of music never gets dull in my opinion, the lore or mythos of Twin Peaks gets strongly expounded upon and if the Red Room was kinda losing you abandon all hope ye who enter here because it gets out there! In fact it got more out there than even I anticipated and how that finale goes down, it's done super well and can be effectively disturbing but knowing there was a 26 gotdamn gap and for all intents and purposes that was the ending, I am counting my lucky stars that I was born the year I was, I'm watching Twin Peaks the year it is now, and I don't gotta wait! How in the fuck did you people do this?! I'm flabbergasted just thinking about it! So, what do I rate it? It isn't as good as the first season which is a rare occurence on my show but it is a good season and that's all I really need. This was a scatterbrained review if I ever friggin' wrote one and there was so much to unpack I know I forgot something it was as inevitable as the sun will rise and the sun will set, but it is worth watching all the way through. 3 stars, 8/10, and we got one more before we go.

Twin Peaks: Season 1

We're here.

I didn't even begin to have an inkling of what Twin Peaks was, and I gotta say upfront it is not like Fire Walk With Me really at all. Obviously I've only seen the first season of this show thus far and to be honest the thing I saw most in association with this show out in the wild as it were was, there's some great big underlying mystery that people have tried for decades to crack, and maybe I just read stuff on face value but this first season while not necessarily cut and dry is very easy to grasp, understand, and enjoy. Not the wisest decision to watch the film first, that's my bad but I'd be lying through my teeth if I said I wasn't hooked. Spanning only a modest 8 episodes we follow Special Agent Dale Cooper as he arrives in the rural town of Twin Peaks to aid in the murder investigation of Laura Palmer. But it's not really the full extent of the show, we spend a lot of time getting familiar with this town and vastly more so it's residents. Who they are, what they do, what's their link to Laura, what relationships do they have with each other, it's really impressive storytelling to see this engrossing web get weaved episode by episode and not for a microsecond does it get dull. Obviously a show has groundwork to set up and ample time to do so, but it really does craft this character in and of itself for the town of Twin Peaks all on the backs of these characters in relatively a short span of time, and the writing is really damn good at it. It's more an ensemble series rather than a main star and a revolving door of supporting characters. In fact it was really hard to narrow down the cast list for this review because there's that many! I suppose we'll start with Kale as Dale Cooper who is easily my favorite character of the show, I seriously have no clue what it is maybe it's the script maybe it's the delivery but he just cracks me up in this! It's impossible to describe, you just gotta see it. Which kinda sums up this show so far for me, I'm not a fine enough wordsmith to articulate what I have seen here and there's almost too much to talk about. I can't remember who said it but they equated Kyle playing Dale as David Lynch, and it clicked eerily well so maybe that's why I love him so. To lightning round the characters so we don't spend all day just discussing that we'll focus on main supporting cast. Agent Cooper works in cooperation with Sherrif Harry S. Truman (Yes I'm serious.) played by Michael Ontkean who is head of the modest yet dedicated police force of Twin Peaks. We meet Laura's best friend named Donna played by Lara Flynn Boyle who takes the murder investigation into her own hands seeking answers, where she interacts with anarchy incarnate rich girl Audrey played by Sherilyn Fenn and biker boy James played by James Marshall to aid in her investigation. But there's other goings on in Twin Peaks and not all of it is good but you'll have to watch the show to learn more, and there are a lot of names so I recommend having a notepad to help keep all the strands untangled. It's worth it, that's all I'm saying. Very interesting to watch especially by episode 3 which everyone claims is the make or break episode for audiences, the first two episodes get you situated in this world with these characters and takes it's time to build the world, and thennn the 3rd episode happens and all I have to say is The Red Room. I don't even know what, but I'm rolling with it. Then the show adds supernatural otherworldly elements into it, but nor does it lean heavily into it either! It's just sorta there and isn't made that big a deal of, but I get why people would be turned off on that because the first two episodes for the most part are a mystery drama and people don't like when something shifts genres unexpectedly. I call it the From Dusk Till Dawn effect. But I was so engrossed in this show that it was just another layer of enjoyment for me! Some people might laugh at the almost soap opera-esque moments but I feel that was intentional on David's part. I'm kinda having a hard time to describe why I liked it as much as I did, I can't even remember the last show that got me so hyped and scrambling to put the next episode on because of the last episode's ending. I can't pin it on anything specific like the mood or style, or the fine acting, or the deepening story with all these characters affecting it, I'm really stumped on this. I just loved it. Couldn't recommend it stronger if I tried in all seriousness even when I know it just isn't going to be everyone's damn good cup of coffee. I haven't seen anything else like it in my life and most likely never will again, so I feel compelled to spread the word. Even though this show just had it's 34th anniversary so it's been around in the ether for some time, I don't care you have to watch it. I have spoken. Great start so far, 4 stars across the board, 9/10! !kcor s'teL

Sinners

Fwack me sideways that was a great damn movie!

Not to like pat myself on the back or anything but I just sure know what I like and I know how to pick em'! I saw the trailer and the simple concept of Michael B. Jordan fighting what looked like daemons and I was pretty much sold but I got oh so much more than that! Set in 1930s Mississippi we follow the Moore brothers who come back home and open their own club while getting back in touch with all the people they left behind before well, it gets very From Dusk Till Dawn. And what I appreciate so much is they don't rush this by a hot damn minute, there be no weak ass setup just to get to the survival horror but instead rock solid buildup where you kinda forget the movie is heading in that direction watching all these characters who've had history reconnect. It's great stuff and the period piece setting with heavy emphasis on blues music as the score really embeds you in that time period, and it doesn't shirk away from the unpleasant realities even if it doesn't come right out and say it. Michael B. Jordan does fantastic working playing both brothers Stack and Smoke, honestly to the point I just kinda forgot it was the same actor cause I just saw the characters with Smoke being the more aggressive business type and Stack being the silver tongued devil which is a good mix. But the real star in my opinion is Miles Caton in his first role as a young man named Sammie just wanting to sing the blues and gets hired to perform, holy moly is he good in this with a fantastic voice both speaking and singing the man just has incredible talent and I sure hope I get to see him in more roles soon! Jack O'Connell is our villain here not as a demon from the bowels of hell but rather a vampire who has his eyes set on Sammie, and without any major tropes of horror movies is effectively creepy and a real threat, you don't know who he is or where he came from or what his ultimate goal is with Sammie and it makes your mind race with possibilities! Jayme Lawson, Hailey Steinfeld, and Wunmy Mosaku play the holy trinity of love interests for each of our protagonists bringing a fair bit of heart and no small amount of attraction, each very striking and memorable, and the romance angle while more on the side is a welcome addition to the overall story. The production design is top notch from the clothes to the cars, the cinematography has some dat look gud moments for sure, Ryan knows how to make a movie engaging and interesting visually, and the muuuuussssiiiccccc! Ohh when I tell you hearing Sammie perform nearly made me just shout out in that theater "GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY!" I tell you no lie. I'm a sucker for blues and there ain't no heavy metal without blues (something the movie directly connects) so soundtrack alone fffffucking 12/10! The horror elements are very good without getting in your face, in fact somehow I will never know how this movie made an irish jig the most heathen thing which is actually kinda funny cause the movie could maybe just maybe be considered a musical. It's weird man but I love it and it did not detract from anything. I love how it starts, I love how it goes, I love how it ends, I am practically begging to the summits of heaven and the depths of hell that this movie not only does extremely well but gets a very large fanbase. I fully believe it deserves it! The film truly does it's own thing even with similar elements from other movies and I have no problem saying we already got a contender for top 10 of the year. So glowing 4 stars from me, 9/10, and alas this will be the last new movie for the month but I have something special planned to both begin and end the birthday week. 

The Amateur

We got movie sign!!

I'm back, new release new review. Pretty much what you see is what you get from the trailer of this movie, with a decryptor working for the CIA who's wife is killed in a hostage situation leading him to start developing new talents to hunt down her killers while evading every nation's governmental forces. I had no clue whatsoever this is in fact a remake of a 1981 film bearing the same name but I'm happy the direction this film goes probably does differentiate it from the original. 40 odd years of cinema upgrades notwithstanding the sheer crux of this being a revenge flick where the hero doesn't have the nerve to actually pull a trigger is fascinating and Rami Malek is very believable in the role, using his meticulous mind and scientific know-how to eliminate his targets is neat to watch even if it might lean a notch towards Jigsaw type deaths. But the motivation is strong, it does have drama to it when it comes to the relationship between this guy and his wife who was taken far too soon, and while it doesn't dwell on it long it dwells on it just long enough. In fact the entire pacing of the film is quick, clean, and direct like a bullet where we get the pertinent information and not much time is wasted on even side stories, this is a very streamlined film clocking in just at 2 hours with credits and does exactly what it sets out to do. I like the country hopping aspects which keeps it fresh and varied, the action is very limited but has weight to it and consequences, the score is quite nice, the acting is just right across the board, and it does make for an interesting sit. Even after the main conflict was over I was still a fair bit uneasy about the actual ending right before credits, cause well...I don't trust american government offices that much especially leaning towards the military/espionage branch. It's a good movie that's worth seeing either at the cinemas or at home, I give it 2.5 stars, 7.5/10! And if my calculations are correct, next week we reach one of my most anticipated films of the year.

Death Of A Unicorn

Weirdest damn ending I have seen in considerable time!

But bless A24 for just existing. If you've seen the trailer for this movie, it is exactly what is advertised! A dark comedy centered on a single dad and his daughter who meet with a very affluent family after ramming into a unicorn on the road and have the bright idea to bring the mostly dead creature with them, until bodies start getting gored by the big mama of the family. I would claim fucking white people as to why there are so many consecutive horrible decisions in this movie but I can much more safely say fucking rich people, oh big shock there that they continuously rape a situation from bad to worse but my dear lord I have rarely seen a cast of characters so utterly contemptable and annoying in all my years. When there's only two characters I like, Wednesday and Victor Zsasz we got problems! Yeah, even Paul Rudd is a tool of the highest proportions which on one hand I commend to see him as this not 100% altruistic guy like usual but oof, he was getting zero love from me from almost the word go. Not to say the acting is bad, quite far from it! Do I look like the kind of Dude who is going to be upset seeing Richard E. Grant in anything? Him, Tèa Leoni, and Will Poulter play these self serving rich asshats so incredibly well with good humor sprinkled in, that I kinda forget I'm watching actors. It's that Umbridge Effect as I like to call it. It's actually funny how if you took the bloody as hell kills and swearing out, this is almost shockingly like a low effort family film, this distant work addicted dad gets to grow closer to his daughter after harming a mythical creature that these money grubbing swine that he works with want to capture and profit from the magical beast but they stop them in the end, hooray! Which is either unintentional genius or they knew what kind of tone they wanted and just cranked up the adult elements. But it's an okay movie, the dark humor doesn't hit constantly but certainly had it's moments, the setting is simple and it does have pretty scenery, the soundtrack once again was kinda doing it for me, the effects are solid and the way they kinda get free reign to make up the magic abilities of the unicorn was fun, and the story while simple still worked. I think I do see it more as a movie that gets a bigger crowd years down the road once it hits video, but it's worth a watch at the cinemas if the trailer striked your fancy a little bit. Far from their best but decent stuff! 2.5 stars, 7/10, and that about does it for a good while until the next new release comes out so be safe, be good people, and I'll see you at the movies.

A Ghost Story

And now I'm a ghost! Ooooohhhhh!!

I cannot even begin to tell you how long I have been wanting to both watch and review this movie, and after all this time since well post 2016 when the movie came out I can say it was worth the wait. I don't rightly know how the hell to recap this plot because it's one of those movies where you ain't got a clue how it will end and the subsequent series of events makes it even more of a mystery than life itself. But in a nutshell, a married couple is sadly torn apart when the husband gets in a car crash and manifests as the quintessential ghost form as he haunts his own home. That is all I dare divulge because for a movie 90 minutes long with credits by the by, it does so much that it left me flabbergasted, in awe, and completely entrapped in it's story. You want to talk about a whole different beast of a movie? I don't even know where to start. Not much dialogue to the point where it would be an interesting experiment to re-edit it into a silent film, black and white, all that good jazz. The aspect ratio is very akin to The Lighthouse which does lean it more towards arthouse film or college student project but it adds all the more unique identity to just the look of the movie. The soundtrack is really up my alley and I have zero qualms looking up the soundtrack later on, from ambient to slightly terrifying it brings so much flavor to each situation. Very basic editing but it has little moments of flair when it comes to cinematography and really has some damn good lighting too I must say. Since there's little dialogue and our main character is shrouded in a sheet you'd be surprised how much emoting comes through and you can just tell from body language and actions what the characters are going through. Since it deals with the afterlife the movie does get philosophical and surprisingly brings up a combined point from the Ghost movie Rite Here Rite Now, about how living in a house is a allegory for life and death as we see our main player stuck in this house for God knows how long. It's handled so well and has so many points of interest, you think it would be kinda dull but I assure you it is anything but. And I don't really mind saying this, despite the childlike depiction of this ghost there are moments of eerieness and even dread I dare say that I can't really even pin down as to why it effected me in that way. I am severely impressed and through all the twists, turns, and loop-de-loops I was with it every step of the way. I sure as shit know probably not a lot of people are gonna love it as much as me or maybe even like it at all for that matter, but it strangely worked for me. It hit all my buttons, I found it intriguing and boy it kinda hit a little too near and dear for my heart. If I can be cataclysmically honest here, that feeling of isolation, that feeling of never being seen or heard, feeling like a misguided ghost travelling endlessly to nowhere, only being acknowledged in moments of rage or outburst by the outside world, waiting for people who are long since gone...that is who I am. And with my luck even after I'm dead and gone, nothing will have changed much. On that brutal bombshell it is time to end, thank you so much for joining me, goodnight. 4 stars, 9/10!

A Decade In The Making.

It can't have been that long. Already? My eyes do not decieve me though, and it indeed has been a decade of writing and sharing opinions on a multitude of films and shows. And the worst part is, there's always more to see and talk about and there's no way I could get around to everything no matter how much I want to. This is extremely hard to write, but just...hang on. I'm not retiring, I'm not quitting, like fucking hell I am! Doctor Who and Andor are coming back for my birthday month! New movies I really want to see are still slated for this year! I'm not quitting I assure you, however I will not be here as much and this was rattling in my head since pretty much this year started, what was I gonna do once we hit 10 years? I knew I wouldn't want to bow out completely, but I've also been adhering to a very committed schedule for so long since the beginning with breaks peppered in of course to keep me from being burned out. But time catches up with us all and while I loved this it was time to focus more on life. So I will tell you what I'll do, new movie reviews are going to be the constant however in terms of regular reviews it'll be more when madness strikes or I see something I truly want to talk about. There is so many movies I have yet to get around to and I know I will discuss them when I do see them, it's just time to sit for different purposes. I have some plans for my birthday which will coincidentally end on my Nan's birthday, and we certainly still have some movies to look into this week. So it's far from the end, just time and world enough at last. I do still feel my writing has only kept improving since the beginning, but read the old stuff there's good recommendations buried in the past 1,000 reviews. Hell the fact I can say I've seen vastly more good movies than bad movies on my track record is something I hold dear, considering my inspirations mainly focused on the shitty side of the cinematic spectrum but that was the name of the game back then. Nowadays, it's a brave new world with animosity and praise and everything in between being put forth towards the media we watch, or read, or experience. I of course am extremely thankful for everyone around the world who has tuned in, even if just once, cause those are the people who made it all worth it. Even if you may have disagreed profusely with me, that makes the countless hours both watching and writing fulfilling. It doesn't seem real at times that I've been at this for so long and have written as much as I have, but even though I've been making pennies a year I could care less cause I get to talk my shit about movies and my interests so what more could I ask for. I've done a Dude's job sir. I guess I'm through now? Almost. It's too bad I won't live, but then again who does?