Category: Movie

Longlegs

Posted on by Mikey

TV show or Movie: Movie

Where to watch: Theaters

Writer: Oz Perkins

Director: Oz Perkins

Premise: In pursuit of a serial killer, an FBI agent uncovers a series of occult clues that she must solve to end his terrifying killing spree.

Cast: Maika Monroe, Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt, Nicolas Cage.

Review: Well, I was super disappointed in this movie. I hate the marketing strategies that horror movie use now. Before Midsommar was released, there were ads talking about people passing out in theaters, vomiting, being taken to the hospital. And there was one scene in the whole movie that grossed me out a little. With Longlegs, there were ads about Maika Monroe’s heartbeat on set and then on set seeing Nicholas Cage for the first time. I say that these marketing campaigns don’t work on me, but I guess they still subconsciously get to me. I was super excited for this one. It was hailed as the new Silence of the Lambs. I guess the only part of it that was similar was it featured a female detective who happened to know the killer.

There are scenes in the movie with Monroe or Cage where I didn’t know where or not to laugh or not. Nicholas Cage’s character not only looked like a Batman villian, but also had a similar name to one of the main antagonists in Gotham.

I was disappointed to find out the film had a certain element/theme to it that it did. I really wish it stuck to being more realistic.

And the whole third act was just full of plot holes.

And the jump scares in the movie felt very cheap. The only jump scenes were flashbacks that showed up quickly on screen with a loud, shrieking sound to scare viewers.

Maxxxine

Posted on by Mikey

Rating: 

TV show or Movie: Movie

Where to watch: Theaters

Writer: Ti West

Director: Ti West

Premise: In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.

Cast: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Bacon.

Review: I really wanted to like this one. I really enjoyed X. I enjoyed a lot of aspects of Pearl. Mostly the cinematography and Mia Goth’s acting and her character’s slow dive into madness. Neat fact: The film was made with the crew from Avatar 2 while they were on break. And another one: Final Destination 5 was the second film done with James Cameron’s 3D cameras after Avatar.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the cinematography, score, soundtrack, and set and costume design for Maxxxine. And, I know I am not the first review to point this out, this movie did not use Mia Goth to her full potential. Or really half of her potential. She more played an NPC in the film.

Kevin Bacon was great. I was very surprises to see a Bobby Cannavale movie without Rose Byrne. They are always in one another’s projects. Halsey had a cool supporting role.

The movie had some good kills. But it wasn’t a horror movie. What I like about this trilogy is that each film has been it’s own genre. I knew this was going for an 80’s crime noir type of film, but I would have liked some more horror in there. Some more scares.

One day, I will watch the trilogy in order. I technically did that, but over the years. Maybe as a marathon would make me appreciate this more.

Trailer:

Life

Posted on by Mikey

TV show or Movie: Movie

Where to watch: Free: Starz. Subscription: YouTubePrimetime, Hulu Premium, Sling TV Pemium, Roku Premium, Amazon Prime. Rent/Buy: Google Play, Apple, Fandango at home

Premise: In 1932, two strangers are wrongfully convicted and develop a strong friendship in prison that lasts them through the 20th century.

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Ned Beatty, R. Lee Ermey, Obba Babatundé, Bernie Mac, Anthony Anderson, Miguel A. Núñez Jr., Bokeem Woodbine, Guy Torry, Michael Taliferro and Barry Shabaka Henley.

Writer: Robert Ramsey, Matthew Stone

Director: Ted Demme

What it reminds me of: Let’s Go to Prison

Why I like it: This is one of my favorite movies from the 90’s. And it’s just one of my favorite movies. I could watch it over and over again. What I love so much about this movie is that it is the perfect dramedy. You would think it is just a comedy from the trailer and the cast. But this movie has so much heart. I also love it because it has another formula of a favorite type of movie of mine: It takes place over decades.

The movie also has Bernie Mac in it and he was a hero of mine growing up. He plays such a great role in this movie. Anthony Anderson plays a small, but memorable role in the film. And the soundtrack is done by Wyclef Jean. And Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence are at their best here, in my opinion. I know it isn’t “Beverly Hills Cop: or “Bad Boys,” but it is still a classic to me.

This movie will make you laugh, but it will also make you tear up. It will make you think about friendship, love, loss, and more. Oh, and cornbread!

Trailer:

The Watchers

Posted on by Mikey

Rating: 

TV show or Movie: Movie

Where to watch: Theaters

Writer: Ishana Night Shyamalan

Director: Ishana Night Shyamalan

Premise: A young artist gets stranded in an extensive, immaculate forest in western Ireland, where, after finding shelter, she becomes trapped alongside three strangers, stalked by mysterious creatures each night.

Cast: Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Olwen Fouéré, Oliver Finnegan.

Review: I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. The early reviews had me a little questionable. I have been very excited for this movie and for her father’s movie, Trap, coming out later this year with Josh Hartnett. This movie has some great cinematography and some really creepy scenes. I do wish that they was more backstory. We really didn’t know anything about the history here. Some things are explained in the third act, however.

The movie felt like a blend of Lost and From – Both similar shows starring Harold Perrineau and directed and executive produced by Jack Bender and showrun and executive produced by Jeff Pinkner. And it also reminded me of The Village and Wayward Pines both from Ishana’s father, M. Night Shyamlan. It even had some Annihilation feels to it.

I would watch a prequel or sequel and I am intrigued to read the book.

Trailer:

Late Night with the Devil

Posted on by Mikey

Rating: 4/14 Lay Riottas

TV show or Movie: Movie

Where to watch: Theaters, soon to be on Shudder

Premise: In 1977 a live television broadcast goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation’s living rooms.

Cast: David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss, Fayssal Bazzi, Ingrid Torelli, Rhys Auteri, Georgina Haig, Josh Quong Tart.

Review: A few weeks ago, I had a dream about seeing this movie. I woke up looking at showtimes to see it that weekend. It was not out yet. The next few weeks went by slowly. Maybe due to seeing this movie, but also because of food poisoning and a kidney stone. Well, I finally saw it on Friday and I really enjoyed it. It was one of my most hyped movies of the year. And the best part about seeing horror movies is that you get to watch twenty minutes of horror trailers before the final course ever starts.

It was great to see David Dastmalchian in his first starring role. Datstmalchian has such an impressive resume, acting in films such as Ant Man, Gotham, The Dark Night, Dune, The Suicide Squad, Oppenheimer. He is also in such a crazy horror movie, The Belko Experiment, which was a dream that James Gunn had and turned into a movie.

Late Night with the Devil played out like a feature length film of one of the V/H/S short movies. The movie was super creepy, the costume and set design were great. The cast was all so great. I didn’t grow up in the 70s, but it all felt so realistic.

The movie is very claustrophobic. Little nods in the film let you know that when all hell breaks loose, it’s going to be hard to make the way out of the studio. The film reminded me a lot of Carrie.

I wish the third act went in a slightly different directions but, overall, it was such a cool, original concept that was so well done and disturbing and wild. The movie is a trip from start to finish with a very big final scene.

Trailer:

Spaceman

Posted on by Mikey

This review is a special one, as it the first ever guest review. It is brought to you by filmmaker, Mark Phinney. Mark kept asking me to be a part of this website and I thought that I would finally give him a chance.

Just kidding, I read Mark’s review on Facebook and thought that it was very pretty and asked if I could put it on this site.

TV show or Movie: Movie

Where to watch: Netflix

Premise: Half a year into his solo mission on the edge of the solar system, an astronaut concerned with the state of his life back on Earth is helped by an ancient creature he discovers in the bowels of his ship.

Cast: Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, Paul Dano

Reviews: Sandler makes the right decision yet again.

Spaceman is a tender and strange meditation on loss, memory and longing. Forget that Commander Sandler bonds beautifully and believably with Paul Dano’s alien spider. Forget that Carey Mulligan appears in fragments of time and space. This is Major Tom. The Peter Schilling version. Spaceman breaks all surreal walls down. You’re connected to the quiet pain that the “loneliest man on earth” floats along with in his aimless mission through the stars.

Life is a series of dreamscapes and fragments of something that may be there. Love. Happiness. Satisfaction. None of it is real or true. We, like Sandler, are on our own ghostly hunt for what can complete us on this journey.

Sandler delivers the sadness that we all feel. He has mastered this through several films with directors.

I think of Don Draper pitching The Carousel through his own NOSTALGIA.

The echoes of Kubrick’s 2001 floats hauntingly through the expanse of space, loss and ultimately hope. In the end, hope is all we really have.

This film, certainly one of the years best far, makes bold, wondrous discoveries on the state of mind we’re in. Confusion.

Like Major Tom, he just wants to go home. Like we all do.

Mark’s film Fat, starring Mel Rodriguez went to the TIFF and can be watched for free on Tubi and YouTube!

And Mark’s newest film, Fear of Flying, which stars Twisted Metal and Doughboys Mike Mitchell. Learn more about the film here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29281893/

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Posted on by Mikey

This film has earned 4 1/2 Ray Liottas.

TV show or Movie: Movie

Where to watch: Theaters

Premise: Black Manta seeks revenge on Aquaman for his father’s death. Wielding the Black Trident’s power, he becomes a formidable foe. To defend Atlantis, Aquaman forges an alliance with his imprisoned brother. They must protect the kingdom.

Cast: Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson. Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Randall Park, Dolph Lundgren, Temuera Morrison, Martin Short, Nicole Kidman.

Reviews: I was a big fan of the first Aquaman film. It starts with me being a James Wan fanboy. From the Saw movies to Malignant to really just everything. The first Aquaman film actually made him the first Asian director to reach one billion dollars at the box office.

I am also a fan of Jason Momoa. He is great in this role. And Randall Park is back in this role with way more scenes and way more story. He actually plays a right hand man to the lead antagonist, Black Mantra. And Black Mantra’s costume is super cool. I wonder why more people didn’t go as him for one of the previous Halloweens.

I would say that this movie was like the Thor: Ragnarok of the Aquaman films. It was very, very comedic and was a great buddy-buddy comedy. This sequel focuses on Aquaman an his brother Orm, played by Patrick Wilson, teaming up to take down Black Mantra.

When I first saw the trailer for this sequel, I thought it looked like a blend between Avatar and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. There is definitely some scenery and some characters that were reminiscent of these films, but not in a bad way.

The two things that I didn’t like about the film were it’s cheesiness at times and the chemistry, or lack-there-of, with Momoa and on-screen lover Mera, played by Amber Heard. Her acting was pretty awful in this movie.

As mentioned, this movie is super, super funny. The action is great, the cinematography and special effects are beautiful. It really is a fun time.

This was also a really great ending to the DCEU. Besides, in my opinion, the first Wonder Woman, The Flash, The first Shazam film, and the Aquaman films, DC hasn’t been very successful with their universe. Especially in comparison to what Marvel has done.

There is a quick extra scene at the end of the movie. You won’t even feel like it is during or after the credits. Obviously, with this being the end of the DCEU there isn’t anything to set up, but there is a funny additional scene that is a call back to earlier in the film.

I am pretty excited to see what James Gunn does with this next phase of DC films.

Trailer:

Vanilla Sky

Posted on by Mikey

TV show or Movie: Movie

Where to watch: Amazon, Paramount Plus.

Premise: A self-indulgent and vain publishing magnate finds his privileged life upended after a vehicular accident with a resentful lover.

Cast: Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Kurt Russell, Jason Lee, Noah Taylor, Cameron Diaz.

What it reminds me of: Black Mirror, What Dreams May Come, Inception.

Why I like it: This movie is fun, trippy, beautiful. I absolutely love the score and the soundtrack is fantastic, including “Salisbury Hill” by Peter Gabriel and a few songs by Sigur Ros. The movie will have you guessing until the very end. It is a roller coaster ride and the perfect sci-fi, romance, psychological thriller. The movie also has some great other cast members including Michael Shannon, Johnny Galecki, and Tilda Swinton.

Trailer:

Scary Things I Watched in October

Posted on by Mikey

Although I didn’t average one scary thing at night for the month of October, I came pretty close. Here’s what I watched:

  • The Walking Dead: Dead City
  • V/H/S 99
  • V/H/S/85
  • Tell Me a Story
  • Seven
  • Chucky television show
  • The Call
  • Summer of 84
  • The Babdook
  • The Descent
  • The Boogieman
  • Tucker & Dale vs Evil
  • The Collector
  • The Orphan: First Blood
  • Slotherhouse
  • The Blackening
  • Five Nights at Freddie’s
  • The Void
  • Trick R’ Treat
  • Cobweb

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

Posted on by Mikey

TV show or Movie: Movie

Where to watch: Hulu, Peacock, Netflix, Prime

Premise: Affable hillbillies Tucker and Dale are on vacation at their dilapidated mountain cabin when they are mistaken for murderers by a group of preppy college students.

Cast: Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, Katrina Bowden, Jesse Moss, Chelan Simmons

What it reminds me of: Cabin in the Woods, The Blackening

Why I like it: The movie had a limited release in the United States after it premiered at Sundance.

Trailer: