RedKidBytes Reviews

The Unheard (2023)

Spastic VCR with Epileptic Cassettes

[5/10 · 17 April 2023]

The film starts with a warning that some scenes could induce seizures. And, it stays true to that assertion to the end.

Lachlan Watson plays Cloe, who is a depressed and deaf young adult who undergoes experimental surgery to regain her hearing, which was lost when she had a childhood meningitis infection. As she returns to her childhood home for recovery, she regains her hearing. Soon after she starts to hear ghostly whispers, garbles, and eerie sounds particularly when she watches the old VCR tapes from her earlier childhood.

Lachlan Watson is an upcoming Hollywood star in the making. From an early age, she started taking small parts in the Burning Coal theater and later in the Triangle theater. She played in the "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" and the second season of "Chucky"

The concept is interesting. It is more of a drama with a bit of horror and not the other way around. I think that extremely corrupted and distorted video images and sounds made storytelling much less compelling and a lot more confusing.

Florida Man (2023)

Gangsta in FloRida

[7/10 · 16 April 2023]

The 7 part series display an effective batch of romantic crime thriller with a bit of drama conjugated by wistful turns and keeps you attached to the story and keeps you guessing to the end.

The veteran actor Anthony LaPaglia (Sonny Valentine) shows that he still got it, and is a perfect match for the character at the display. The superficially fidgety yet ambiguously deep love relationship between Edgar Ramirez (Mike Valentine) and Abbey Lee (Dell West) carries on the series.

Abbey Lee's acting debut was in George Miller's action film, Mad Max: Fury Road 2015. A role that put her on the map. In 2016, she played the lead role "Sarah" in the critically acclaimed Neon Demon, portraying a complex character with psychological issues, which cemented her acting range. And, it was the proof that she was much more than a beautiful photographic model.

She was rightly chosen to play Dell West, the most complicated character in the series with deeply hidden and somewhat combusting emotions. She's filled with underplayed fury and a will to survive in the world of gangsters. Her courage, love, distrust, and fragility are often on interchangeable.

It's good entertainment, has good acting, and is a fun watch.

American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing (2023)

Tragedy in Boston

[7/10 · 13 April 2023]

On April 15, 2013, a marathon that was about to come to an end transformed into a tragedy that shook the world. Three people died, and more than 260 were injured in the Boston Marathon bombings. The suspects were identified as two brothers, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who were of Chechen descent. The Tsarnaev brothers used homemade bombs constructed from pressure cookers, nails, and other shrapnel while targeting the Boston Marathon finish line. One of America's most prominent cities Boston had turned into a warzone after the tragedy struck.

The Boston Marathon is an annual event that has been taking place for more than a century. The race begins in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, and ends at Copley Square in Boston. The 2013 marathon was the 117th edition of the historic race, and it drew thousands of participants and spectators from all over the world. The finish line is located just a few blocks away from the Boston Public Library, and it is a popular spot for gathering and cheering on the runners as they complete the arduous route.

At around 2:50 PM, two bombs went off near the finishing line, causing pandemonium and destruction. Within a span of a few seconds, everything changed. The crowd, runners, and innocent bystanders who had come to enjoy the day were suddenly in a state of shock and panic. Immediately, medical personnel and police rushed to the area to take care of the wounded and maintain order. The explosion caused a large amount of smoke, dust and, debris to rise and obscure the area, making it difficult for rescue workers to see who they were assisting, and who needed help the most.

Tsarnaev brothers' strategy was to plant homemade bombs near the marathon finish line, timed to destroy everything within their radius simultaneously. Pressure cookers are known for their rapid increase of pressure when heated and when that pressure is suddenly released, the cooker can act as a mini-bomb. The bombs were well-planned and had been strategically placed to maximize their deadly impact. They caused extensive damage to buildings, vehicles, and people.

The investigation into the attack was thorough and exhaustive. And, this documentary outlines, a lot footage footage from surveillance cameras, eyewitnesses interviews.

The aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing was felt across the country. People from all walks of life came together and showed their support in every way possible. A powerful response of love and compassion was shown to everyone who had been affected by this attack.

The Boston Marathon bombing may have been an incident of terror, but it was also a reminder of the strength and resilience of our nation. Boston was not cowed by the attack. The people of Boston showed remarkable courage and strength following the tragedy. They banded together, offered help and created "Boston Strong," a slogan that captured their determination and resilience.

In conclusion, the Boston Marathon bombing is a stark reminder of the dangers of terrorism and the need to remain vigilant against it. The attack left a lasting impact on the city of Boston and has forever changed the way marathon races and other public events are organized in the United States. It also highlighted the power of love and compassion in the face of tragedy. Bostonians were able to come together and support one another despite the horror that had taken place. It remains important to honor the victims and their families, who continue to grieve their losses, and to acknowledge the bravery of those who risked their lives in the aftermath of the incident.

Chupa (2023)

Fable of an adorable flying creature

[7/10 · 9 April 2023]

It is almost impossible not to like the teeth-full creature named Chupa. Irresistible cuteness, talks and acts like the most sought-after children's toy. Incredibly creative CGIs bring up the emotions of the cuddly creature at the forefront and establish a believable real bond between the children and the creature.

The director Jonas Quaron also co-written "Gravity" another CGI masterpiece, with his father Alfonso Quaron. And there's no doubt that the same creative genius played the role in developing the character of Chupa.

Alex (Evan Whitten) was sent by his mother to visit his paternal grandfather (Demian Bichir). Alex feels alone ever since the loss of his father and immediately connects to the creature who is also young and lost his parents.

It is a great children's story. It's also great for adults who like children's stories.

Murder Mystery 2 (2023)

The funniest parts are already in the trailer

[5/10 · 1 April 2023]

The 2nd part of the romcom murder mystery falls a bit short of the first one. Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston are playing still a very likable and charismatic couple of detectives who are trying to figure out who kidnapped the Maharaj, played by Adeel Akhtar.

Comedy ploy is dependent on the exaggerated characters, and funny one-liners that carry out through the entire scheme. Particularly the inapt detectives who, by chance and sheer luck survive the unsurvivable and come on top every time.

Akin to the Pink Panther series (remember generation X :-), that started in 1963 and lasted in 1993 after 9 films (also had animated series 1965-1985). Whereas the inapt detective Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) displayed a combination of childlike innocence and naivete as well as super smart detective skills, the "Murder Mystery" couple displays inapt detectives with an unending learning curve for how to be detectives who only to rise to the challenge if they become part of the ordeal.

I liked chapter 2 but I loved chapter 1. I was very excited to see chapter 2 but now I am not looking forward to chapter 3.

The Night Agent (2023– )

Entertaining yet Impossible Plot

[6/10 · 26 March 2023]

The 10-part series starts of with the Jason Borne vibes and carries itself with turns and twists enough to get the viewers hooked early on to find out what happens next. However, as the plot slowly unravels, the story starts to stray from reality to the point of impossibility.

Functions of the FBI, Secret Service, and overall National Security are reduced to child's play. NHS (National Homeland Security) has no role in the coverage of the domestic terrorism plot. White House Chief of Staff is empowered to give assignments to the 2 protagonists, one is a civilian, and the other is a fairly newbie FBI agent to solve the terrorist plot without the knowledge of the director of the FBI or the director of the Secret Service. Besides the NHS, the Military Intelligence and CIA have no serious involvement in the case either.

The male protagonist, all-American national hero prototype Peter Sutherland's (Gabriel Bosso) character is written more like a state trooper who writes speeding tickets on the highway. His feelings are not presented on his face. His partner, female protagonist Rose Larkin (Luciane Buchanan) on the hand neither looks like a hacker nor acts like a former million-dollar self-made business entrepreneur. But she is a firecracker and reminded me of Olivia Munn's character Casey Brackett in the 2018 "Predator" film.

I think that they should have explored more of the crazed killer's character Eilen (Eve Harlow) who appears to adore killing as a form of art. The best acting comes from Hong Chau's character Diane Far. She stands out from all the rest.

It's watchable and entertaining despite being so far away from reality.

Control (2022)

Creative and Skittish without bathrooms

[5/10 · 23 March 2023]

A young woman awakens in a stylish prison with no memory except for when she sleeps. Eileen played by Sarah Mitich, sees herself and her daughter in her dreams at a beach singing the same lullaby over and over again. An analog-sounding Alexa-type computer that appears to lack AI has monotone one-way answers to the questions which Sarah Mitich asks.

The computer forces her to complete tasks that become impossible to do without using Sara Mitich's psychokinetic powers, which Sarah learns to control over agony, distress, and fear whilst attempting to achieve the expected result of the test. She's threatened by the dormant Computer with the life of her child.

The cinematography is very good, and Sarah Mitich's acting is very believable. Her husband played by George Tchortov is a bit wooden but he is playing a comatose character.

A creative low budget film misses its marks. If you were to fast-forward Sarah Mitich's dream scenes you wouldn't miss anything. For example, the lullaby repeated often does not tie to anything.

I think that the film is still worth watching. The concept is Interesting.

Spoonful of Sugar (2022)

All is crazy

[6/10 · 13 March 2023]

One of Shudder's low-budget horror stories. It is a slow-burning film. It takes its time to develop the characters. It's not a horror-action movie.

At the forefront of the story is a young couple who's struggling to take care of their only young son who is severely autistic. Johnny (Danillo Crovetti) throws violent tantrums and is sometimes hard to contain. Dealing with Johnny's issues puts a great strain on the couple's relationship and they look numb on the outside as well as inside.

After losing the last nanny, they hire Millicent (Morgan Taylor) without doing a background check. Millicent is a cookie herself with a whole sort of psychological issues. She perfectly plays the role of someone who has been abused and has been in and out of foster homes throughout her life.

When Millicent meets Johnny, an immediate rapport is established between them. Millicent first time feels a sense of family, and, Johnny first time feels safe. Soon after, Millicent quits her prescription LSD drops for feeling much better and gets the bright idea of using her LSD drops on Johnny's foods and medicine. What could go wrong?

It is not an exciting movie but it is a good story, good direction, and good acting. The script is good. If you don't like slow-cooking stories, it might not be your cup of tea.

The Witch: Part 2 - The Other One (2022)

Witch is Not

[4/10 · 7 March 2023]

Every so often, when a motion picture is unexpectedly well received, writers and directors tend to make the story in the sequel twice as explosive. And sometimes this works and other times it doesn't.

What worked in Witch I was not the expansive action but it was rather how seemingly a simple narrative unfolded as a complex and unusual one. It was about getting to know a traumatized young child who played an innocent introvert, loved by her best friend, and adored by her adoptive family. In the end, it turned out that her shy young teen appearance was a well-thought-out facade, a cunning plan for survival. She carefully searched and selected the family who adopted and adored her. Although, she also loved them back. Characters were slowly built up. The story made sense, we felt her anger, despair, and concerns. Her supernatural abilities were in the background and were not the main story.

However, in Witch II, all of the supernatural abilities are in the foreground like in the DC Universe. There are almost no character built up and there is no story to tell. Most people have superpowers. They bounce like a pinball in the air and it is hard to make out who's hitting who. But then that does not matter because large amounts of characters are introduced to us except with minimal dialog without a background. We don't get to understand why they fight except for small excerpts. And what is told does not make any sense. Some of the beginning scenes are straightforward copies of Milla Jovovich's Resident Evil franchise (where she walks out of the hospital disengaging seemingly relentless tubes).

Lastly, subtitles do not always follow the act. Sometimes it comes to the fore and others to the aft. I find myself rewinding more than a few times.

Overall, Witch II does not have the sensibility, spirit, and punch of Witch I.

We Have a Ghost (2023)

Ghost for the entire family

[7/10 · 25 February 2023]

From the well-known writer-director Christopher Landon, who has showcased films such as Freaky, Disturbia, Happy Death Day 1, Happy Death Day 2, Scouts Guide to Zombie Apocalypse, Viral, and 5 of the Paranormal Activity films under his belt, comes the supernatural thriller We Have a Ghost. He is the son of the infamous actor Michael Landon who became famous in the 70s through early 90s with Tv series such as Little House on the Prarie, Bonanza, and Highway to Heaven.

Unlike his earlier films that have more intensity and heightened elements of fear and horror, We Have a Ghost is a much more tapered-down version of his somewhat uniquely unhinged style typical with wistful turns.

The story is much similar in spirit to one of the most-known iconic films "Ghost", directed by Jerry Zucker and played by Patrick Swayze and Debbie Moore. Although Jerry Zucker's Ghost is a love story, Christopher Landons' We Have a Ghost is a story of young adults who are struggling with their identities in a brutally judgemental harsh social world, that is instantaneously connected to everyone. And such displays the disparity between the parents who were raised in a world that does not exist today and the children who grow much faster and more maturer than their parents did thus, they feel disconnected and do not understand their parents as well as their reasonings. And they are dealing with a silent Ghost in their house in their own ways.

It is very well-acted, directed, and written. It may not be everyone's cup of tea because the targeted age group is young adults and it is a film that you can be watch with the entire family.

Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal (2023)

Murder he wrote

[8/10 · 24 February 2023]

The original 3 part of the true-crime docuseries investigates the Murdaughs, the most powerful family over the past 100 years in Low County, South Carolina. The family last name led the office of prosecution for 87 years. They became a formidable force through their connections with local law enforcement, political leaders, and the owners of the local banks and businesses. Whilst holding public office of prosecution, their family members have also established a law firm with partners that provided them with almost an iron grip over all the surrounding communities.

On February 24th, 2020, Paul (19 years old) the youngest son of Alex Murdaugh, was piloting a speed boat whilst under the influence of Alcohol. One of the passengers, Mallory Beach (19 years old) was killed in the accident when the boat hit one of the pillars of the bridge at about 2:30 pm.

Paul's father Alex and his grandfather immediately entangled themselves in the event to cover up Paul's involvement in the accident. They blamed Mallory Beach's boyfriend and warned police that he was the one who was piloting the boat.

However, the event brought national attention and brought the Murdaugh dynasty under the microscope. What happened next was an unbelievable set of events that finally started to crumble the dynasty.

Although the details of the events have long been in the news, however, the documentary brings up the personal perspective of the people and the unfortunate lives that were destroyed. It's a well-done true crime documentary.

Unlocked (2023)

Hacking for whacking

[5/10 · 21 February 2023]

A young woman's phone is hacked with destructive consequences. Such as for many young adults, the most important aspects of her social, business, and private life are inseparable from her cell phone.

After someone returns her lost phone, she takes it to a cell phone shop for a broken screen repair and makes a big mistake of writing her password on a piece of paper when the shop owner requests it. Obviously, you don't need to give your password to get your screen replaced. Even if it is required, you should only unlock your phone without giving away your password. And never take your phone to an unauthorized dealer.

The shop owner jail-breaks the phone and side-loads the spying software which allows him to see her through her phone's camera and mirrors her phone screen onto one of his phones. He watches her every move and records all her calls.

The acting is great, however, the script is disappointing in the 2nd half. Particularly the dialog between the two police officers is ridiculous. The way they handle the case is so unlikely, unreasonable, and plain stupid that their actions cause irreparable harm to the plot. It literally drops icy cold water on the face and disconnects the viewer from the story.

The plot had so much to offer. If the police handling of the case would have not been written so dumb, the film could have been much more enjoyable.

Viking Wolf (2022)

Dog Bite

[5/10 · 15 February 2023]

I can see how some reviews comparing the film to a cluster of other horror films with bits and pieces sawn up together to make up the "Vikinggulven". Some may disagree but, I personally think that having been inspired by other films is not the problem until it becomes imitational. And it is not what happened in this film.

Although the subject matter- werewolf is beaten to death through the past 5 decades, almost all possible ploys are consumed and endings feel like regurgitations of the same. Take for example a similar topic of zombies. The 1st zombie movie that has ever been made believed to be directed by Victor Halperin named "White Zombie" in 1936. However, the worldwide introduction of this particular spectacle is achieved by the director George A. Romero with the release of "Night of the Living Dead" in 1968. Since then according to Wikipedia, over 570 zombie-themed movies were released by the end of 2021.

Accordingly, motion pictures that are made with the same brand of themes are similar in architecture, ambiance, character design, dialogs, and monologs as well as spaces (cities or small towns, forests or underground places, etc)

Nonetheless, it is not unexpected for viewers to find similarities in this film and the others when a topic is so exhaustingly used up. However, the acting is ok, directing good, the writing is standard and CGI is good for a small-budget film. However, it's predictable, forgettable yet watchable.

My suggestions for the writers and directors as well as wannabes create a new object and objective. Give it a few similar yet quite unfamiliar traits. Use your imagination. Don't give people what they want. Give them what they can not expect!

Pamela: A Love Story (2023)

Norma Jean of the 21st century

[8/10 · 2 February 2023]

Pamela Anderson was thrown into fame after a divine intervention allowed her to be selected for a picture opportunity out of the thousands in a football game, which ended up in the hands of the Play Boy recruiters. The savvy makeup artists crafted her into flaming beauty with beach blond hair, simmering blue eyes and illustrious lips curved to perfection. Over a night, she was every men's dream. And every girl wanted to be like her.

However, she moved to Los Angeles at a time when deplorables like Harvey Weinstein and such were kings. She famously played in Bay Watch, which further cemented her as the ultimate sex symbol. As though she wanted a breakthrough from this mold, Hollywood was the good 'ol boys network (and it still is) and most notable interests in her required further exploitation of Pamela as a person.

I could not even fathom how difficult it would be for a young girl with beauty to perfection to come from a small island town in Vancouver to be thrown into the hands of the wolfs' of Hollywood. But she stands on her two feet anyway and her only self-defeating prophecy is that she's afraid to be alone. Perhaps, one of the reasons why she goes through men like a deck of cards. Maybe marriage is financial security or everyone she meets is not Tommy her only love. Maybe dating is underrated. Who knows?

Toward the end, there are a few clips from Pamela's newest endeavor. She plays Roxie Hart in Broadway's Chicago. In production for nearly 25 years, she sings, dances, and receives many accolades.

Anyone can ace in Broadyway can ace anywhere. I for one, look forward to seeing her on the screen again.

Nanny (2022)

Not a Horror film nor a thriller but a solid Drama

[7/10 · 22 December 2022]

I do understand why so many folks gave this film low scores. If you are a horror fan such as I and have seen the trailer bait which looked like a horror movie, you might feel cheated to find out that this is not even remotely a horror movie. Perhaps, it is deserving that the film receives low scores.

On the other hand, if you are also a fan of the 'drama' genre and watch the film from that perspective, you will enjoy it.

I do not know who decides to interpolate the genres a film carries within the description, are they IMDb people or Amazon people or whatever but the film, the script and the acting do not pretend to be a horror movie for sure. Therefore I do not blame the film itself for the false tag of horror.

The movie is the melodramatic life of the new immigrant to NYC, a Senegalese woman who works for a rich family as a nanny and takes care of their young daughter whilst trying to save enough money to have her 7 years old son to move in with her to the states. She is struggling with missing her son and working long hours for a family who demands a lot yet does not pay for all of her hours. And the longer it takes them to pay for her work, the longer it takes her to bring her son to NYC, and she starts breaking down in the distress.

It's a very well-acted film. I look forward to watching more of Anna Diop, who plays the nanny Aisha, in the future.

Ravage (2019)

Director gives the middle finger to the viewers in the end

[3/10 · 19 December 2022]

Imagine watching Bruce Wilis' Armageddon. They drilled the hole in the asteroid and, set the nuclear bomb and then "The End" . No seen of explosions or understanding of weather the earth was saved or the crew came back alive.

Think about 'Kill Bill 2'. How would you feel, if, in the end, you did not get to know whether if Bill was killed? Or if the final chapter didn't show you how Uma Therman's character killed Bill? The entire saga is about Beatrice Kidow (Uma Therman) taking her revenge on the culprits who almost killed her and her unborn daughter. It would have been plain stupid not to give it a satisfying ending, with Bill's death.

That's exactly what you get in the end in this film. Needless to say, this movie is nowhere near the quality of either "Armageddon" or "Kill Bill 2". Rage, leaves you in anger and feeling about how could a revenge movie could end up without showing what happened to the 2 main culprits in the end.

If these were the 80s, I would have said it ends like they just ran out of the film.

Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies (2022)

You can take it to the court with probable cause but you need 100% tangible evidence for a conviction

[8/10 · 6 December 2022]

There was no concrete evidence to prove that Casey Anthony was the killer. That's why she was exonerated. In order to successfully get the death penalty, you need a lot more than the suspicious reaction of Casey Anthony. There must be irrefutable evidence such as fingerprints, DNA evidence, direct witnesses, or more.

In this case, the available evidence only tied the remains of Caylee Anthony to the house of Anthony. There wasn't any tangible - beyond the reasonable doubt evidence that pointed Casey to the murder.

Yes, she surely acted like guilty and her initial testimony was laden with lies about where she has been or who saw Caylee the last, which made her look like a killer who was covering her tracks. Her reaction was most surprising, without emotions, dull and stiff, unexpected from a mother who lost her child and didn't report it until her own mother called the police 30 days later.

Nonetheless, none of the above is nearly enough to charge someone with the death penalty.

However, the documentary elucidated other very relevant information that wasn't flashed in the media the way that her behavior did. It turns out that other family members have made a lot more seriously erroneous statements than Casey Anthony did in the beginning.

Consequently, when you look at the evidence that the jurors saw, you get a clear understanding of why they have acquitted Casey Anthony.

The documentary tells the story from the eyes of Casey Anthony for a good reason. We have been bombarded by the media, from the era when the me too movement was absent and the news were bombastic. And no one until now saw her side of the story.

A few of the previously unknown facts about the case are shared with one of Casey Anthony's roommates' who arguably tells the documentary crew that he believes that Casey is guilty because she has been a habitual liar in this case. When the truth is revealed you can see the shame he felt for not believing her for such a long time.

The documentary does a great job of getting out Casey Anthony's point of view. You may or may not believe her but the evidence and the facts are undeniable.

Many of the commentaries appear to not have watched all of the episodes. In the first two episodes but particularly in the 1st episode she appears to be 100% guilty.

For me, this is a must-watch for anyone who is wholeheartedly interested in knowing the truth.

P.s. I have to admit that I have never heard a grandfather recalling his experience with his granddaughter in such quotes; "I have missed the sweet sweat of my granddaughter"

Boo, Bitch (2022)

Boo hoo elder millennials in high school

[5/10 · 25 November 2022]

Seems to me that adult-imagined high school lives, likes, and vibes are enforced upon millennials who naturally tried to act like minors and talked like elder millennials. Except for Zoe Colletti, who looks and plays the age-appropriate Gia. The rest of the staff could easily be picked as the late 20s or early 30s.

Although the plot is cute and entertaining, there were several breaking points for me; Why would Gia change places with Erika in the first place other than to do a plot twist in the last episode?

Where were Gia's parents?

How could a high school not put out a search for Gia's disappearance?

Erika has thrown sauce on the dead body's face by looking down at it. Did she not see that was not her face? Erika and Gia have different hair colors!

And how could Gia, arguably one of the most beautiful-looking women in the series plays a woman that, no one notices when she was alive?

Ergo, the story did not look believable to me. And no matter how many times Jake (played by Mason Versaw) and Erika (played by Lana Condor) kissed, their love looked regrettable and unmatched, without chemistry.

Capturing the Killer Nurse (2022)

America's most prolific serial killer

[7/10 · 12 November 2022]

Netflix, shortly after releasing "the Good Nurse", featuring Eddie Redmayne and Jessica Chastain, put forth a documentary about the same events. The documentary follows Charles Cullen, an ICU nurse, who jumps hospitals every time he gets into trouble and finds most of his work in intensive care units, which handle patients with severe or life-threatening illnesses or injuries.

Cullen is mostly described by his coworkers as smart but corky, and a bit weird however overall a good nurse. He has a certain panacea for pharmaceuticals particularly remembering the name use of the medicines even for the rare ones.

After graduating with a nursing degree in 1986, Cullen started working for St Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston. He went on a killing spree from 1986 until his arrest in December 2003. He repeatedly claimed that he wanted to end patients' lives to end their suffering, nonetheless, he killed patients who were getting better and sometimes as young as 21 years old.

Over the years he confessed to killing 40 people. Although when considering the time frame of roughly about 16 years of nursing and the relative ease of killing his patients, he is assumed to kill more than 400 people.

Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty (2022)

The Murder He Wrote

[8/10 · 6 November 2022]

The original 3 part of the true-crime docuseries investigates the Murdaughs, the most powerful family over the past 100 years in Low County, South Carolina. The family last name led the office of prosecution for 87 years. They became a formidable force through their connections with local law enforcement, political leaders, and the owners of the local banks and businesses. Whilst holding public office of prosecution, their family members have also established a law firm with partners that provided them with almost an iron grip over all the surrounding communities.

On February 24th, 2020, Paul (19 years old) the youngest son of Alex Murdaugh, was piloting a speed boat whilst under the influence of Alcohol. One of the passengers, Mallory Beach (19 years old) was killed in the accident when the boat hit one of the pillars of the bridge at about 2:30 pm.

Paul's father Alex and his grandfather immediately entangled themselves in the event to cover up Alex's involvement in the accident. They blamed Mallory Beach's boyfriend and warned police that he was the one who was piloting the boat.

However, the event brought national attention and brought the Murdaugh dynasty under the microscope. What happened next was an unbelievable set of events that finally started to crumble the dynasty.

Although the details of the events have long been in the news, however, the documentary brings up the personal perspective of the people and the unfortunate lives that were destroyed. It's a well-done true crime documentary.

Killer Sally (2022)

Sally's got a gun

[6/10 · 5 November 2022]

It's a true crime documentary drama about the former US marine and bodybuilder Sally McNeill. She meets her second husband Ray who also is a bodybuilder when they were both in the marines.

Ray turns out to be an abusive husband to Sally (raping, beating, choking) as well as an abusive and fearsome stepfather to her two young children (belting, yelling).

The narrative of the story does not get deep into the plot instead stays mostly at the surface. It asks simple questions about the events coming up to the point of the incident. From the audience's point of view, neither the persecution proved without a reasonable doubt that Sally premeditatedly killed her husband with intent nor the defense proved that Sally was a victim of abuse and she pulled the trigger in self-defense. Particularly, such became difficult to prove because, after shooting her husband once in the torso, she went to the bedroom to reload her weapon and came back to shoot him in the face for the 2nd time when he was laying on the floor.

Everyone was a victim of this crime including Ray, Sally, and her younger children. However, I would have wanted to see Sally's side better. More in-depth questions should be considered. Does going back to the bedroom to reload the weapon properly prove that Sally was guilty with intent? How about the mental and emotional state of a woman who has been abused for years? Because she also had been abusive, does that mean that she was not afraid of getting killed that night? This documentary barely skimmed over such questions.

Enola Holmes 2 (2022)

Stays true to the Sherlock Holmes Franchise

[7/10 · 4 November 2022]

T has all the elements of the previous films of its kind. If you are not into the "Sherlock Holmes" movies this might bore you. However, if you loved the previous Holmes film, you will likely enjoy this one as well.

The only part that I have not been able to get used to is the parts where girls or women get into fistfights with men sometimes heavy-set dudes and beat the turtle out of them. It just doesn't look believable.

It is a well-crafted and played film. Lots of turns and twists, ques, and puzzles. Enola, her brother, and her boyfriend unite once again in this sequel. The characters are truly charming. It is definitely a good watch.

The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself (2022)

Nathan Son of a Witch!

[8/10 · 30 October 2022]

Created by the writer Joe Barton who also wrote the Lazarus Project, comes an 8-part series of the fantasy drama. Sunsational CGI effects, immersive backgrounds, and artistic cinematics make watching more enjoyable.

The main character is Nathan, the bastard son of a witch, a blood witch who grew up in Fairborn witch territory. Blood and Fairborn witches continuously hunt each other. Blaming each other for the blood drawn.

To be honest, this genre had been explored many times before. However, Joe Barton's version is definitely unique and very creative. He has his way of connecting multiple stories together without confusing the audience. Also, the chemistry between the main actors are clearly visible. It's a very effective fantasy-gory-drama.

Wild Is the Wind (2022)

Whirlwind is in the Thorn Tree

[7/10 · 29 October 2022]

Comes out of nowhere this South African drama with great actors which are not very well known in the US. Filmed in the traditional South African dialect, English viewers will need closed captions to understand the dialogues.

The engrossing crime drama is about searching for the responsible person(s) for the rape and murder of an18 years old white girl in a town, woven with racial distrust, inequality, injustice, and corruption.

The film starts with two police officers stopping a car for speeding. Unbeknownst to the police, the driver has a ducked-up woman in the trunk. They accept a cash bribe instead of searching the car. They later learn that a woman was burnt to death in the same car. This event changes the officer's played Mothusi Mogano's life. He occasionally sees her, directing him toward the clues.

It is solid entertainment and a great performance. A Must watch!

Hellhole (2022)

Holly tomatoes, what was in that soup...!

[7/10 · 29 October 2022]

It's an edgy and confident play by the director Kowalski. Unexpectedly good. It doesn't follow the general norms and it's not predictable.

Sometimes it has irrelevant objects like a wandering eye looking around on the floor or, bodies with missing extremities, flies hatching out of a molar, and such. Also what about that terrible-smelling gory-looking soup? They all add to the climax of the mysterious monastery.

All members of the monastery look rancid, toe-nail-eating, Drury, slapped-faced, overweight ogres representing the epitome of evil.

I would suggest for readers avoid reading spoilers. It spoils the experience of watching :-)