kobrakai-1 Reviews

Hellraiser (2022)

I'm not sure what fans were hoping for, but I had a great time.

[8/10 · 14 October 2022]

I'll be the first to admit I'm not someone who holds any nostalgic attachment for the Hellraiser franchise; not out of any sort of hatred for the material or anything, but I just never really had access to those films as a kid and I never actually seen the original film all the way through until well into adulthood, so maybe I'm coming at this from the wrong angle, but I honestly really enjoy David Bruckner's spin on things.

I feel like for as much love as there is for Doug Bradley's portrayal of Pinhead/The Hell Priest, people sometimes forget that he and the cenobites are kind of an afterthought in the original film, so as this movie ticked forward and more and more focus was being put on these grossly mutilated beings, I was quite happy with that. It helps that Jamie Clayton does a fantastic job at threading the needle (no pun intended) of putting her own spin on The Priest while keeping enough of Doug Bradley's influence in her performance to not make the character completely unrecognizable.

Another thing this movie does that I think trumps the original is the way it handles the Lament Configuration. This puzzle box is actually treated like a puzzle box and there is tension that comes with every time someone starts playing around with it, because there's that knowing that whoever solves it is in for a really bad time. There's even certain twists to the box and how it works that were pleasant surprises to me when they were revealed.

I do understand the complaints about the character development and most notably the lead Riley, but I personally thought it was fitting. Clive Barker tales aren't unfamiliar with focusing on deeply flawed characters and I thought in the context of this story, it made sense that so much focus would be on a character who is purposefully written to be a rather toxic person whose poor choices throughout the film negatively impact everyone around her. The movie never once mistakes her for a heroine and even goes out of its way at parts to spell out how her poor decisions were effectively all for nothing. The other characters aren't particularly interesting and they are definitely the weak point of the film, but they do serve a purpose.

That leads me to the gore, which is obviously the main reason why anyone really watches these films in the first place, and no, this movie is not as gory as other entries, especially when it comes to the first half when there are a few cutaway kills. Once things pick up however, the film doesn't really stop and here is where I feel the film more than makes up for the slow beginning. It also helps that the one thing the actors do nail effectively is conveying the pain they're in when they're being tortured. One character in particular has a rather prolonged sequence where the facial expressions and the screams they made were enough to make me feel uncomfortable even without the film being overly gratuitous.

Overall this is a remake I really had fun with, and one that I think hardcore fans can enjoy too with an open mind.

Halloween Ends (2022)

Not a bad film, just not the film fans want it to be.

[5/10 · 14 October 2022]

When the end credits first started rolling, I was ready to dismiss this as a huge misfire and among the worst entries of the Halloween franchise. I was about to type up an angry review out of spite, but decided it better to sleep on it, and when I woke up I had to ask how much of my disappointment had to do with a genuinely bad film versus how much it went against my expectations.

As the title suggests, I don't think this is a bad film. There's a lot here to like once you get past the fact that this is not the story that should be chosen to cap off a trilogy-but unfortunately, that's what we're looking at and it can't be denied that after the setup of the previous two films, it should be understandable for fans to have a certain expectation on what a third movie will focus on. I can't fault anyone who outright hates this movie because it does swing for the fences and aims for greater heights than its reach can grasp.

I won't get deep into spoilers, but Rohan Campbell has a very thankless job here. Suffice it to say his character plays a very prominent role in this movie and while the actor himself does a very good job with what he's meant to do, it's the mere inclusion of his character that's going to divide a lot of people. It's not at all his fault, but there's an early sign of trouble in the opening credits when four names are listed for coming together on this screenplay, and the movie certainly plays out as though there were a lot of cooks in the kitchen. I don't know at what point in the filmmaking process that this movie became more about this specific character and I don't know who is responsible for that, but while I personally can find enjoyment in his character, people hoping for more Michael Myers vs. Laurie Strode are going to be understandably disappointed.

That's not to say there isn't a satisfying showdown between Michael and Laurie to be had, because once the film finally gets to that point, it's stressful. Jamie Lee Curtis gets to run through the gamut of emotions in this movie and whenever she's onscreen the film shines. Thankfully she's more present here than in Halloween Kills, but fans will still likely wish they had more of her. Also unlike Halloween Kills, this film has a very deliberate pace and the death scenes (with one really jarring exception) are toned down compared to previous entries. There is a body count yes and you will get some carnage, but the movie does take a while to get there.

I wish I could rate this movie higher-and maybe on a rewatch some time down the road, knowing what I'm getting myself into and fully prepared for the road this movie goes down, I probably would think of it in a better light. It's very fitting this film uses the same title font that's used in Halloween 3: Season of the Witch. Just like that film, this movie is probably going to get a lot of hate for quite some time, but down the road when the dust settles and people look back on this movie, I can definitely see this gaining a cult following.

They/Them (2022)

I expected better from John Logan

[3/10 · 17 August 2022]

Theo Germaine and Carrie Preston are why I'm giving this film a 3, because there's really not a whole lot going for it beyond that. I tend to love John Logan's writing-even in his more underrated and underappreciated work like Penny Dreadful: City of Angels-and it's great to be able to count on someone who is willing to bring us more positive LGBT+ representation in film/TV/ Unfortunately, this movie is touted as a slasher film but it seems to forget that until the final 15-20 minutes when the story rushes through its third act with some hasty and mostly offscreen kills.

It's a shame, as a premise revolving around a gay conversion therapy camp in itself could lead to all sorts of potential for a horror film, but They/Them doesn't tap into it nearly enough to leave a lasting impact. The whodunit aspect to the film isn't exactly that hard to figure out, either; I managed to guess the killer the moment the character was introduced. It also doesn't help build tension when the killer is VERY selective about who they target, and those people in the killer's crosshairs also happen to be the least likable characters in the film. I know there's a reasoning behind that, but it also results in a total lack of suspense and there's not even any real gore to compensate, resulting in a very boring film that tries to market itself to Gen Z'ers, but ultimately falls flat.

Prey (I) (2022)

A worthy sequel that deserves a theatrical run

[8/10 · 5 August 2022]

Being a fan of Dan Trachtenberg and his previous works, I had a feeling this movie was in good hands and I was happy to have been proven right. The story structure isn't that much different from any of the previous films, but the 1700s setting really does well to set this film apart.

The sound and visual design really puts this movie on another level. I was surprised just how much of the main set pieces take place in daylight, and the FX really do look good considering the budget. Most movies that go directly to streaming end up looking the part-this one made me disappointed that I wasn't able to see it on a bigger screen, with multiple standout action scenes that I'm going to have to go back and rewatch. The Predator in this film is vicious and while its technology is definitely pared down, it still has enough gadgets up its sleeve to make for a number of gory surprises. It may not be over the top gratuitous, but this movie wears the R rating very well.

Amber Midthunder and Dakota Beavers are great in their respective roles and the film does take time to make sure they shine. The dialogue is minimal but Midthunder in particular conveys so much through her facial expressions. As for the side characters, their development is definitely the film's weakest link. Outside of Naru and Taabe, everyone else is interchangeable, so there's no real stakes or surprise as to who lives and dies. I won't, however, bother to entertain the complaints about a woman being able to kill a Predator. I watch movies like this for some silly action driven fun, tomahawk-on-a-string and all, and Prey provides exactly that. I think some people really need to take a deep breath and just enjoy this film for what it is.

The Baby (2022)

The wheels are spinning but the stroller isn't going anywhere.

[5/10 · 13 June 2022]

What starts out as a fun and intriguing premise ultimately gets sunk when the plot begins dragging around the halfway mark and never really picks back up again until the finale. I can't help but feel like this would have been better off being made as a movie as opposed to stretching a plot like this out over eight half-hour long episodes.

Michelle de Swarte is a really fun lead who elevates the material as best she can and I do appreciate the themes the show delves into, plus I admit I really did enjoy the finale, I just wish we got there sooner.

Splinter (I) (2008)

Decent low-budget fun

[6/10 · 27 April 2022]

If you want a creature feature with a simple premise and a fast pace, you can do a lot worse than this. For what is clearly a very small production, the creature design is cool and the gore effects work well-when you are able to get a look at them. Unfortunately, shaky cam and some poor editing do crop up at times; particularly in one moment early on when a character dies but the editing is so frenetic that it's impossible to actually tell what happened to them. The dialogue awkwardly tries to fill in some gaps by telling us what happened without properly showing it, but it doesn't really work. It isn't that bad all the time, but when the shaky cam hits it hits pretty hard.

Still, this is overall a better written film than the average monster movie of this sort; characters actually do things that make sense in the context of the film and the actors do a good enough job carrying the material when the writing does get a bit questionable, with Shea Whigham's performance being the highlight. Add on to that a solid third act with a few tense sequences and you got yourself a movie that's worth 80 minutes of your time if you have a body horror itch to scratch.

Spell (2020)

Derivative, but fun nonetheless.

[6/10 · 19 November 2021]

Yes, like pretty much every other review here has stated, this is pretty much Misery with voodoo thrown into the mix, and yes, Misery is a much better film than this.

There are still problems with the movie beyond that, particularly in regards to the script and certain decisions characters make, as well as some pretty shoddy editing towards the climax. Scenes transition in a sudden and jarring manner, as if someone was determined to keep the film from running past the 90 minute mark.

All that being said, I still did find myself entertained. Omari Hardwick and Loretta Devine are the two big reasons for that, putting in a pair of fun and engaging performances even during moments where it feels like the script let them down a bit. Devine in particular really does elevate things when she's onscreen; she's an interesting antagonist, although I wish her character was explored further. Despite how familiar the story beats feel, there are a couple of nasty surprises to be had here as well. While this is far from the type of movie that is front to back filled with gore, I felt like that made the brutal moments in the film that much more impactful. Each time I felt the script starting to lose me a bit, there was a scene like that pulling me back in.

It's a solid 6/10 IMO. It's not the kind of movie you'll watch over and over, but certainly good enough to deserve a viewing especially if you're a fan of horror.

Halloween Kills (2021)

Lives up to its title, but still a step down from the 2018 reboot.

[7/10 · 15 October 2021]

Most of the reviews are pretty accurate on this one. There is tons of gore here, making this easily the most brutal film in the franchise (yes, even more so than Rob Zombie's Halloween II). Michael Myers is as sadistic and menacing as he's ever been, and if that's all you're looking for then you are bound to be happy with this movie. The pacing is fast and engaging, and there's even a few flashback scenes that are incredibly well put together, complete with a banger of a soundtrack that hearkens back quite a bit to the 1978 classic.

On the flipside, the film clearly suffers from being a "bridge" to get us from Halloween 2018 to Halloween Ends next year. There's not much of a story to be had and Laurie takes a back seat in the film for Anthony Michael Hall's Tommy Doyle, who pulls a Halloween 4 and riles up a mob to hunt down Michael Myers. There's some social commentary to be had here about the damage a mob mentality can cause, but it just isn't balanced out all that well with the absolute gorefest this movie is. The ending also suffers from the fact that we already know a follow up film is in production, so it was bound to end on a cliffhanger. The problem is that said cliffhanger isn't just sudden, but it also doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

It's still a film worth watching if you're a fan of the franchise, and it's certainly still better than most of the Halloween sequels, just don't expect it to top Halloween 2018.

Kate (I) (2021)

Long Kiss Goodnight set in Tokyo

[6/10 · 15 September 2021]

This is standard action fare, which is more than I can say about some other Netflix releases as of late. There's nothing necessarily must-see about this, but Mary Elizabeth Winstead once again shows how good of a leading lady she is and she proves she can be a formidable action heroine to boot.

The action scenes are well choreographed and very much inspired by the John Wick films, as is to be expected from a lot of action fare nowadays. While it's not particularly memorable, I did have a better time with this than I had with similar recent femme fatale films such as Ava or Atomic Blonde, thanks largely to Winstead's performance along with the chemistry between her and the actors around her. Worth a watch if you want to turn your brain off and enjoy some solid gunplay and knife fights for a couple hours.

Malignant (I) (2021)

Unbridled, over the top, and entertaining ridiculousness

[7/10 · 11 September 2021]

While I don't agree with all the bad reviews, I can understand where the hate is coming from. This is just one of those movies that you'll either embrace for how absolutely bonkers it gets or you're going to want to wipe it from your memory banks ASAP. It's far from high-quality cinema, but I'll be damned if my eyes weren't glued to the screen wondering what kind of utter madness was going to happen next. If you're in the mood for some campy horror, give Malignant a shot.

The Suicide Squad (2021)

Twisted, gruesome, everything the original film should have been

[10/10 · 6 August 2021]

David Ayer's Suicide Squad, for all its flaws, did have some things going for it-and James Gunn was wise enough to take those positives and stick with them while improving upon everything else that dragged the 2017 film down. The editing is much cleaner, the script is tighter, and the R-rating is fully embraced with spectacularly bloody results. I watched this on HBO Max and I won't hesitate to catch it again in a theater as soon as possible.

Fear Street: Part Three - 1666 (2021)

Flawed film, but the best of the trilogy.

[6/10 · 24 July 2021]

Maybe it's my lowered expectations after being disappointed by the last two movies but I actually enjoyed this one, flaws and all. Better overall characters and a more intriguing plot and setting helped me forget if accents slipped (they did-a lot) or if the dialogue included some anachronisms. The second half doesn't quite live up to the first, but it does a decent enough job tying things together and closing out the trilogy. Besides; if you managed to get through the first two films, you might as well give this one a shot as well.

A Classic Horror Story (2021)

Average Italian horror... until the final twenty minutes.

[6/10 · 15 July 2021]

This movie is very reminiscent of a certain horror satire from 2011, and if you can pick out which film I'm referring to then you already have a strong idea of what to expect here. For the majority of A Classic Horror Story's runtime, it is pretty standard horror fare with a lot of reliance on cliches and winks towards the meta, and for that this is really the epitome of a 5/10 film... but I can't deny that the final act of the movie entertained me a great deal, either, so for that I'll bump my score up to a 6.

Fear Street: Part Two - 1978 (2021)

It's more of the same, and I'm not sure what else I expected.

[4/10 · 11 July 2021]

This film shouldn't turn off any fans of the previous movie, but I don't expect it to win over any new ones, either.

Like '94, this film just has to cram as many songs from the time period into its first act as possible, but I will say at least it isn't done in quite as obnoxious a manner as it was the last time. This film also does a better job of getting the look of the 70s down, too, but it's still not perfect, as especially when it comes to how characters talk and act. That being said, the characters are the main improvement here overall. There's not much in the way of development, but at least there isn't a main character here that nearly kills their ex.

On the downside, for as much as this movie wants to be like Friday the 13th and Sleepaway Camp, the overly polished look to this movie's direction just does not suit it very well. What makes those older films work is that they have a raw and gritty look and feel to them, which this film is sorely lacking. This film also suffers from an unnecessarily bloated running time and pacing problems. There's no reason a movie like this should clock in nearly at two hours.

In the Heights (2021)

Sometimes you just need a good heartwarming musical

[8/10 · 10 July 2021]

It's not a flawless film and sure, I could nitpick it for feeling disjointed at times, but I really just don't want to. At the end of the day this musical is simply too much fun, with the kind of catchy song and dance numbers you would come to expect from Lin-Manuel Miranda. Anthony Ramos does a fine job in the role of Usnavi and from him right on down the rest of the cast, everyone turns in strong performance to accompany the beautiful visuals and energetic pace. I won't deny even getting a little teary-eyed by the time When the Sun Goes Down kicked in; a scene that I regret not being able to catch in theaters.

Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness (2021)

Another bland entry in the RE CG universe.

[4/10 · 8 July 2021]

This really isn't much of a series being that it's only four episodes and each episode is somewhere around 23-24 minutes long without credits. As a result, characters and their motivations are fittingly one dimensional. A couple of characters in particular are guilty of this, be it the government official who is all "China China China," or the grizzled army vet who's about nothing but "fear" and "terror."

Animation ranges from standard to subpar. A tense sequence on a submarine is probably the series' highlight, but there are also struggles with lip syncing and characters merely walking without looking twitchy. Don't expect a ton of action, either; encounters with B. O. Ws are fleeting as are any zombie attacks.

Nick Apostolides and Stephanie Panisello are the real positives here as they reprise their roles as Leon and Claire from the Resident Evil 2 Remake, though unfortunately Claire is largely a sidenote in comparison to the amount of time Leon is given. These characters only have fleeting moments of interaction together as well which is even more disappointing.

Overall, us Resident Evil fans have seen far worse adaptations, but this I will just chalk up as another one of those takes on the franchise that I'll forget about in a day or two.

Fear Street: Part One - 1994 (2021)

Insufferably cynical

[3/10 · 3 July 2021]

It takes less than twenty minutes for this movie to rattle off every millennial's basic childhood pop rock playlist. I'm not kidding-in twenty minutes I counted eight 90s songs used. Eight songs in twenty minutes, meaning the film will transition from playing Cypress Hill to Radiohead with as little rhyme or reason as someone just flicking through radio stations. This isn't nostalgia; it's cheap, it's cynical, and it's irritating, especially when it's the only thing the film gets even remotely right about the time period it's meant to take place in. Top it off with some seriously unlikable characters and it all makes for a film that felt like a rough 100 something minutes to sit through.

Klaus (2019)

Bound to be a timeless classic.

[10/10 · 19 December 2020]

I regret missing this film back when it was first released, because in a word, Klaus is simply masterful. Stellar cast, tight script, beautifully simplistic animation and a whole lot of heart and soul, this film brought me to tears a handful of times. Klaus isn't just a phenomenal Christmas movie, it's a phenomenal movie, period, and everyone should watch it.

Dragon's Dogma (2020)

Play the video game instead.

[4/10 · 26 September 2020]

As a fan of the Dragon's Dogma video game, I'd be the first to admit that this isn't exactly something that struck me as a game worthy of adapting into another medium. Sure, the gameplay is breathtaking and addictive, but the story-at least until the game's final hours-leaves a lot to be desired.

Such is this case with this anime take on the source material, sadly. There's just not a whole lot here worth investing in, beyond a smattering of well-choreographed action scenes between the show's two leads and the assortment of monsters and demons thrown in their way. It's not enough to help mask the bland writing, poor characterization, and questionable CG. The voice actors all do a competent job, they're simply let down by a lack of material to work with. This lack of investment toward these characters renders what should be a powerful plot twist into nothing more than a disappointing foot note to a ho-hum first season.

Enola Holmes (2020)

A fun little spinoff, if you can get past this not being the best Sherlock film.

[7/10 · 26 September 2020]

In case it hasn't been made abundantly clear in other reviews, we'll just get this out of the way: Henry Cavill is not built to play Sherlock Holmes. Geralt the Witcher? Sure. Superman? Perfectly capable. He's not a bad actor by any stretch and it honestly isn't even much his fault that he doesn't fit here, but he simply feels miscast. For that, I can completely understand die-hard Sherlock Holmes fans not liking this based off of that alone.

That being said, I can't say I wasn't charmed by the quirky nature of this film. I enjoyed Millie Bobby Brown's little asides directed at the viewer. I appreciated that this movie didn't stray too far into woke territory in places where it easily could have. I was able to get past "historical inaccuracies" because from the start of this movie, it's not hard to tell that this isn't a film to take all that seriously. If you're not looking for that and you want a more serious Sherlock Holmes film with more emphasis on mystery and intrigue, look elsewhere. But if you want a more lighthearted side journey in the Holmes universe, this movie stands perfectly fine on its own two feet.

Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (2020–2022)

Though not without faults, it's a good kids show for Netflix.

[7/10 · 23 September 2020]

For a show that is aimed at a younger audience, I have to admire that this show doesn't just play it safe and with kid gloves. This is still Jurassic Park, people are put in danger and adults still get eaten by dinosaurs (albeit always offscreen). Of course you never believe for one second that the main cast of young teens is going to get seriously hurt, but the action set pieces and even some of the plot points here were solid enough to keep me watching.

Of course, this being a kid-friendly take on Jurassic Park, you'll just have to accept that these kids are left in a dinosaur-infested jungle with maybe two-three adult figures at a time at most, but are more often than not left to their own devices. The show does pick up after the first two episodes, though, so I was willing to let that go. The bigger problem the show has, however, is the character of Ben. Take the most dweeby, insufferably whiny character from a movie or TV show you could possibly think of and dial them up to 11, and they still would likely be more nuanced than Ben. It really makes you wonder how and why a kid this neurotic is even at this park (and what kind of parents would actually leave this kid there).

Overall, however, at eight episodes running just under 30 minutes each, this is a perfectly serviceable time sink for children and maybe even a bit of a half-decent apology to a more older audience for the mess that was Fallen Kingdom.

Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Jim Carrey back in top form.

[7/10 · 17 February 2020]

After the buzz about the terrible design of the title character and the effects team needing to get into crunch time to rework things to satiate disgruntled fans, I'm pleasantly surprised to say that as a cynical adult, I actually had a good time with this movie.

A big part of that is in thanks to Jim Carrey turning back the clock and putting in a not-quite-prime-level-but-close-enough performance as Dr. Robotnik. He's clearly having fun with every scene he's in, and he does get some pretty good zingers in when the movie lets him do his thing. Though of course he doesn't get to go quite all out like he would have back in the 90s (this is still a family film, of course), he's still great at chewing up the scenery if you've missed those performances of his. Obviously if you never were a fan of his comedy, this movie won't change your mind.

That said, Ben Schwartz does a pitch perfect job voicing Sonic. I had no problem rooting for him even when the character has his sketchy moments with the way he treats his human traveling buddy (played well enough by James Marsden). A lot of that has to do with Sonic actually being quite vulnerable and having a few moments where he needs to ask for help or is hurt. Of course, things never get too dark and the action is very much geared towards the younger audiences. Still, given the more dull family options that have been pushed out there lately (I'm looking at you, Dolittle), I think this one is paced just well enough to keep the grown ups awake and the kids laughing along throughout. I also have to give credit to the studio for listening to the strong backlash they received and instead of standing firm in pushing out a terrible product, they went back and reworked things, and it really does show in the final cut.

One little nitpick, though: I do wish movies would stop with this growing trend of opening in the middle/toward the end and having that whole "record scratch, freeze frame" moment where the main character starts off telling the audience, "You're probably wondering how I got into this situation..." This movie really didn't need that, it's as linear and straightforward a film as can be.

Also, yes, there is one fart joke and I could have done without it, but at least they kept it to one. Overall the humor sticks the landing more often than not.

Black Christmas (2019)

I feel like I owe James Wong and Glen Morgan an apology.

[2/10 · 14 December 2019]

Bob Clark's underrated 1974 masterpiece, Black Christmas, was a shining example of how to make a horror movie with a deep message attached to it. Sophia Takal's remake is a political message with a terrible horror movie attached to it.

This is a film with the subtlety of a man being run over by a pink Greyhound bus. Characters in this film talk entirely in buzzwords and taglines, and if you make the mistake of going to see this then you better get used to it, because the filmmakers were far more concerned with getting their agenda across than making a horror movie. Large chunks of time pass where it feels like the film is far too focused on beating the audience over the head with its message that it forgets to be scary, and once it actually tries, it falls flat on its face. Of course, it doesn't help that this movie clearly got axed hard in the editing room to get a PG-13 rating, leaving very minimal onscreen bloodshed to make the final cut. The plot is also so wildly different from the original (a simple look at the trailer gives that away) that aside from a wink or two here and there, this really is just a remake in name alone. For that, the 2006 remake of Black Christmas at least deserves a touch of credit in retrospect for trying to show some respect for the source material. Sure, it's still a very flawed film in its own right, but at least it actually resembled a film.

Imogen Poots and Cary Elwes are the only reasons why I'm even giving this a 2/10 instead of 1, because bless their hearts, they were trying.

Annihilation (I) (2018)

Though not without flaws, Annihilation is a strong sophomore directorial effort from Alex Garland.

[8/10 · 1 March 2018]

Natalie Portman stars as Lena, the centerpiece of a five woman team sent into The Shimmer, a nameless stretch of American soil cordoned off from the rest of the world by some sort of otherworldly barrier. This barrier appears to be expanding in size, and affecting whatever gets caught in it a number of beautiful, gruesome, and beautifully gruesome ways. Barring one exception, no one and nothing that has crossed into The Shimmer has returned to talk about it.

Lena, a biologist with an inner desire for redemption based on occurrences not immediately known to the audience, joins Dr. Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and three other women of various scientific backgrounds (Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, and Tuva Novotny) in what would appear to be a suicide mission into this fantastical mass of lush landscapes and frightening creatures in hopes to collect data on what exactly is the cause of this phenomenon.

Any further discussion of the plot would delve too deep into spoiler territory, and a film like this deserves to be seen with as little known about it as possible, so as not to ruin any potential surprises. This is a film that's at its most fun when you, along with the actresses onscreen, are gradually unraveling layers of mystery not only regarding The Shimmer, but their own psyche.

Annihilation, loosely based on the Southern Reach trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer, is a slow, ambiguous, yet visually and thematically arresting film that easily rivals the quality of director Alex Garland's previous film, Ex Machina. Though he has seen modest success in the screenwriter's role for many years now (The Beach, 28 Days Later, Dredd), Garland's prowess has proven to translate well from paper to screen in the director's chair. Many quiet and intimate moments are had here as a number of challenging questions are posed and largely left open for interpretation. For this reason, Annihilation-- for all its strong points-- will lead to be a rather polarizing film. That's not to excuse every instance of these quieter scenes; there are time jumps in the film that largely feel unnecessary, especially ones involving a subplot between Lena and one of her coworkers.

Those who see the trailer and expect an excess of gunplay and violence for the film's two hour running time may feel this movie to be lacking, but filmgoers who can appreciate a deliberate pace should welcome those quiet parts, as it is that deliberate pace that makes the inevitable moments of horror and despair all the more gripping. There is little to prepare you for just where this film is headed, and when things get horrifying, those moments stick with you. One particular sequence involving one of The Shimmer's dangerous wildlife should provide ample amounts of nightmare fuel for an unsuspecting audience. The haunting soundtrack does well to compliment the dazzling special effects at work here, the latter made possible by the same FX team behind Garland's aforementioned directorial debut, Ex Machina.

Fans of more intelligent science fiction should not want to miss this film while it is still in theaters. Annihilation is a movie that deserves to be supported, not dumped out onto Netflix as soon as possible by a faithless studio. And while the slow pace may be considered too slow for some, it is a journey into the surreal that is well worth taking, and should make for quite the conversation piece long after the end credits roll.

Gerald's Game (2017)

IT may not be the only good Stephen King adaptation we get this year after all...

[8/10 · 2 October 2017]

Gerald's Game was not a movie I had on my radar. I've read some of Stephen King's books, but the story which this film is based on was not one of them. Furthermore, what I had read of the film's synopsis didn't seem to be up my alley. With the positive word of mouth I had been hearing about the film, however, coupled with the involvement of director Mike Flanagan, a man whose previous work (Oculus, Hush) I enjoyed, I thought I would give the movie a chance. I'm glad I did.

The movie starts off with a simple enough premise: Jessie and Gerald Burlingame (played masterfully by Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood) decide to spend a weekend at their lake house in what seems to be a last ditch attempt at reinvigorating their marriage. Of course, this lake house is quite secluded and if something were to go awry-- as is typically the case in these kinds of movies-- there is nary a soul in sight to lend their aid. So when Gerald's failed attempt at acting out his sexual fantasy leaves his wife in handcuffs, Jessie has only her own wits to fall back on when Gerald suddenly suffers from a fatal heart attack before her eyes.

Without giving too much away, what follows is a deeply character driven tale not unlike something along the lines of films such as Buried and 127 Hours, where a great deal of the film is confined to one location while our heroine tries to battle her inner demons along with the very deadly situation she has found herself in. Jessie must use every last resource she can come into contact with, and Carla Gugino must do some rather heavy lifting as this film largely revolves around Jessie and the interactions between herself and the inner workings of her mind played out in front of her.

As is the case in this sort of film, Gerald's Game hinges entirely on the strength of its cast, and fortunately Gugino is more than up to the task. As is Bruce Greenwood, who gets his fair share of snappy dialogue and is responsible for some appropriately amusing moments. Though this is a small cast, the few other actors who make appearances in the film are all given enough moments to make a lasting impression as well. Like Andy Muschietti's adaptation of Stephen King's IT, this is a movie that is successful not because it throws buckets of blood and gore at the screen, but because it has heart and characters you quickly find yourself invested in. That said, there is still plenty of haunting imagery here; the worst of it simply relies less on gore and more so on the depravity of man. Gerald's Game rewards those who are willing to allow themselves to enjoy the slow build up of dread and unsettling visuals, as opposed to sudden and cheap jump scares.

Any complaints I have with Gerald's Game largely have to do with the epilogue. Being vague, I can only say that the final few minutes felt a little tacked on and didn't really gel with the tone set up by the rest of the movie. It's certainly nowhere near enough to deter me from recommending the film and though I cannot speak to how faithful the movie is to its source material, I must say that this movie now has me quite eager to pick up the book and find that out for myself.