lizshotter-19401 Reviews

Ellipse (2019)

So, so terrible..

[1/10 · 23 November 2019]

I initially thought that this was a parody of 80's science fiction, until I realised that this was for reals. Having a limited budget is no longer an excuse for crappy film making, as the guys that produced The Endless and Spring can attest to (seriously, check this films out..much better than this dross). Those films stayed with me for weeks afterwards, and ignited a sense of wonder. This just irritated me and insulted my intelligence as to how space works. The protagonist mistakes grunting and heaving with conveying pain and frustration, when in fact he just appears to be having a particularly hard and dry bowel movement. The one star is for the dog and because this site doesn't do minus points.

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

Waste of money and time

[3/10 · 5 October 2019]

My kids and I are huge fans of qt so this was the perfect film..or so we thought. The z generation don't understand the nuanced references, my age group do, but it's such a boring film. I get that qt was wanting to see how Hollywood, and the carefree culture at the time, would jave been affected if the Manson murders didn't happen. But this film was a lot of over indulgence, archaic references nobody cared about and an overkill scene that didn't make up for the excruciating boredom of nearly THREE hours! I have never seen people walk out of a qt film before, and they were leaving in droves after two hours of nothing. At one point my partner and I were having a thumb war for something to do and noughts and crosses on our phones. Cue the 10/10 emporers new clothes reviews screaming "make up your own mind!!" And "Don't listen to the critics!!!". Terrible and I want my money and time back.

Jacob's Ladder (2019)

Well, I enjoyed it..until I watched the original

[4/10 · 8 September 2019]

I wasn't expecting much from this, but I was intrigued from the start. You don't have to be a genius to work out the twist, but it was good. I thought all of the actors did a great job with a sometimes challenging genre. I care for people who've done terrible things when they've been in psychosis, and then come to and they're broken people after they realise what they've done, so this gave me insight into ptsd, trauma and mental health. I really liked the special effects, particularly the wings scene, it was beautiful. Update.. 3 days later. So, I watched the original. And Jesus Christ this film pales in comparison. I was obviously unprepared and it has literally taken me two days to watch it, as I couldn't physically get passed the dance scene. Those who haven't seen the original, and watch this first like I did, will wonder if the criticism of this version is warranted. But I implore you to watch the original. It's vicious, disturbing, visceral, beautiful and will stay with you for days, if not months. I get it now, purists. Jesus do I get it. It's frustrating that the most potent and astonishing line in the original (said by Louis, the chiroprator) that Jacob uses to let go of his attachments, just gets dropped in, at one of the weirdest points in the film in this version, making it appear tone deaf and badly photoshopped somehow. This version now appears PG in comparison, and spoon fed. In the original we are buckled in and thrown around the rusty, blood splattered rollercoaster in the dark, with occasional strobe lights, feeling as if we are right next to Jacob, wondering if he's dead or insane. There are no clear answers and no cheap thrills here, and we have to develop our own insights. With this version, it's wrapped very neatly, to the point that half way through i comprehended the twist, like a murder she wrote. It should have been released under a different name, yet drawing on some aspects of the original. I would imagine it's score would have got up to 6. For those of you reviewing this and making vile rascist comments about the actors ethnicities? GTFOA...unbelievable! That has zero bearing on why this film hasn't impressed me..at all.

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

What am I missing?

[3/10 · 28 August 2019]

Why do we watch Tarantinos movies? For the violence, the sharp and interesting characters and the satisfaction of seeing a well thought out story and ending. This movie is none of those things. It plods along, like an tired, over trained circus elephant with no real ending in sight. I'm probably not woke enough or bright enough, to comprehend the deeper meanings behind this movie, but we nearly walked out after two hours. Some people did, and I've never seen that with his films before. At one point my husband and I were participating in a thumb war, and rock paper scissors we were so bored. There were some good moments, like the Bruce Lee scene, but other than that, it was a great sea of nothingness. My youngest son just didn't get the references and the whole love letter to Hollywood thing, and us oldies just didn't care. I understand that the Manson murders were a clear point in history that signalled the end of innocence and free love, and yes it's interesting to wonder what life would have been like had they gone the way Tarantino portrayed. But not interesting enough to sit for three hours of endless character portrayal and development.

Never Grow Old (2019)

It's better than most

[8/10 · 19 August 2019]

John cuzac seems to have gone the same way as Bruce Willis and Nick cage, in that he's taking a lot of crap for a wage. Usually I cringe at most of his films now, particularly as he continues to insist on dyeing his hair raven black, but he's actually amazing in this. He obviously had a lot of fun as the bad guy, as he slimes his way into a god fearing town. Emile does a stunning job of portraying conflict as the town's grave digger and coffin maker. It was a slow simmering film, with some obvious plot points and z few surprises along the way.

In This Gray Place (2018)

Pretty bold

[7/10 · 7 July 2019]

It's funny how two people can watch the same film and come away having two completely views on what they just watched. Me: it was a haunting and beautiful love story with perfect music, and stunning cinematography. It was a story that dealt with boundless love, deep regrets and desperation. My husband: it was about a guy stuck in a bathroom for two hours.

Anna (II) (2019)

Same story different actress

[3/10 · 1 July 2019]

First off..cue the fake reviews with headlines such as: "DONT LISTEN TO THE CRITICS!!!" OR "WATCH IT AND MAKE YOUR OWN MIND UP!!!". It was pretty dire, and I've had a stomach full of stoic, Poe faced Russian/american 90 lb super models having the capacity to kill 15 men, whilst armed only with crockery. The wizzing back and fourth of timelines was hugely distracting, and became laughable around the fifth time it happened. It was only when I came on here that I learned this was supposed to be set in the 80's?! Well, you could have fooled me. Perfect cameras and remarkable surveillance footage were obviously available in Russia at that time. This has been done a million times but in the case of Hanna, was done a million times better. This is so similar to that mess that Jennifer Lawrence was in, husky voiced sultry sulky Russian babes that outsmart men, because the ladies can do stuff now. It's a shame as "Lucy" was one of my favourite films and that female representation was so much more respectful.

The Voices (2014)

Good and bad

[8/10 · 23 June 2019]

This film is a surprisingly accurate portrayal of someone who experiences voices and unusual beliefs. But it's disappointing that it portrays people with mental health problems going on to murder people. Having worked with people who live with the conditions shown (schizophrenia, dissociative identity, depression) they're more often a threat to themselves. The scarier people I've worked with, who've never been diagnosed with anything, have been the ones who've committed vicious murders. But ryan Reynolds is excellent in his portrayal, particularly as he played the voices of the animals. The part where he starts taking his meds and can see life as it actually is was very poignant. Many of the guys I work with say they miss their voices and unusual beliefs, as they've helped them with some really tough parts of their lives, but they're (rightfully?) forced to take their meds. It was a funny, sad and acerbic film and I thought it really went under the radar when it came out.

Murder Mystery (2019)

How?

[4/10 · 19 June 2019]

How Did this get the green light? To say so many amazing movies end up in production hell waiting to get made, then tripe like this gets chucked out, it blows me away. Dire script, unlikable characters, Adam Sandler, eye rolling purile jokes and Adam Sandler. I don't know how many times Aniston can dole out the ditzy cute role without it becoming a touch boring. She was amazing in cake and it was so refreshing to see her play a serious role, and even Adam Sandler works well in more challenging roles, but put them together and it's excruciating. Its like when you go to your in laws for Christmas and are forced to play charades; pointless, tedious and forced frivolity. But its got 6.5?! Fake news..4 stars because the cinematography and beautiful settings worked for me..for about 28 minutes then I noped out.

Ray & Liz (2018)

Honest

[8/10 · 18 June 2019]

I completely understand why some people will struggle with this film. It doesn't appear to have a beginning middle or end, the characters are wholly unlikable and it's tragic. Unlike shaun meadows, there isnt a redemption arc in this film, but a sea of sadness. But in order to understand it one must view richard binghams photos. Richard was raised in the backdrop of thatcherism, like I was, which was a period of deep unrest for lower classes. He and his brother were raised by alcoholic parents and subjected to intense neglect. I always find it miraculous when people raised in such circumstances go on to break the shameful cycle of poverty and abuse and alter their and their own childrens fortunes. This film is searingly honest, beautiful and desperately sad. I love the way he uses gaze from pictures and jigsaws as a form of witnessing the children's more challenging circumstances. I've never seen it used this way. I also thought using benefits streets "white dee" as a stroke of genius a woman reviled for her own part in poverty, and a matriarch of an underclass community. I strongly suggest that you look at his photos first, as it will help you understand why richard continues to return to his parents and his childhood for inspiration. We often revisit the places that caused us pain in childhood as adults, as a method of healing, and I commend richard for doing this in full view of the public. It's incredibly brave.

Black Mirror (2011– )

Dont watch if depressed..

[10/10 · 16 June 2019]

It's stark, chilling, funny, acerbic, gut wrenching, thought provoking and complex. There are some duds, (like the waldo moment and the miley Cyrus episode) but the majority are superb. The entire history of you and fifteen million credits in particular stayed with me for days, as well as white Christmas. I genuinely wanted to quit my phone, sell my stuff and move off grid after watching a few of them, but like everyone else im hopelessly addicted. Which is the point brookers trying to make.The stories are wonderfully intricate and multi faceted and offer a stark glimpse into our futures. Be right back was devastating to watch, as my husband died 15 years ago, and goodness..that one hurt to watch. But its not all sad and gloomy, hang the dj and uss callister are more uplifting. I watched them from season 5 to 1 (just because) and it was interesting to see the budget diminish, along with some pretty sweet cgi, but even the first season worked well without it. I really hope it doesn't lose it's originality and penchant to..well, mirror us, for the sake of big named stars becoming involved.

Men in Black: International (2019)

How can you mess m.i.b up?!

[5/10 · 15 June 2019]

How?! It's crazy..I've got such great memories of the first films..I was in labour with my first son during the first film, and didn't want to leave the cinema as it was that good. It was fun, original and utterly charming. This film feels crass, sickly sentimental and soulless. Weird yet predictable premise, jaja binks type characters that I don't care about and bloated with cgi effects. It lacks the care and attention to detail that the other films did, and feels like the alien characters were made up on the spot. It also seems that many of the alien characters only qualified as such if they had extra appendages. I really hope they don't spawn a load more like this, as this feels disingenuous and forced, like charades at Christmas with relatives you don't like.

Dead to Me (2019–2022)

Accurate

[8/10 · 9 June 2019]

It's refreshing for a film or series that accurately reflects the horror of being widowed, particularly with children. Rather than showing a demure, silently strong and together woman coping valiantly with loss, we're presented with a woman consumed by anger who has questionable coping strategies. I loved it when Jen questions her ability to be a "good" widow, and violently resents a role nobody ever wants, or expects, to take on. It's cool to see so many female roles that challenge tired and outdated perceptions of women, such as fleabag and killing eve. Women aren't always sweet, or hypersexual or agreeable. Sometimes we swear (a lot), drink too much or take drugs, we can be violent and be incapable of forgiveness. This series was refreshing and perceptive, and as a widow I found it disturbingly accurate. It shines a spot light on forgiveness, searing grief, resentment and resilience, but was funny and sad. I really enjoyed the female characters and both leads did an excellent job at remaining authentic to their roles.

Level 16 (2018)

Pretty good

[7/10 · 29 May 2019]

When you're on a very tight film budget (I imagine) one must keep the storyline tight and be able to produce strong characters to support the film, and keep viewers invested. I think this does a pretty good job, and although the outcome is very similar to other dystopian anti women story lines, it kept me intrigued. Katie douglas in particular does an outstanding job as the head strong head gorl (that's what I kept hearing..gru every time I heard "girls". And you will now), and she was consistent throughout. Her co star gorl, not so much. She got a bit painful with her hand wringing,whining, and overall meh-ness and i couldnt see much else from her and found myself hoping for her characters demise. I like a good indie underdog, and this didnt dissapoint, even though weve seen a lot of things like this recently. But with good reason as governments continue to erode the rights of gorls and women. Im looking at you Umerica.

The Breadwinner (2017)

Heart breaking

[10/10 · 26 May 2019]

As a woman raised in a country where I take my rights and freedom for granted, this film made me simultaneously grateful and ashamed. My biggest concern recently has been not being able to afford make up that I want to buy, and it's easy to forget the women who haven't even got basic human rights, or even developed countries now trying to diminish abortion rights for women. This film was a beautiful way to highlight the real lethal struggles of women under the Taliban regime, and showed the dangerous strategies young girls have to go through to support their families. But it also shows this families bond and their traditions of story telling to quietly educate their daughters, as well as their faith and culture. Wonderful story and it's made me grateful for the things I have, instead of yearning for the useless things I want. For now at least. And that's the power in this film; it doesn't needlessly dramatize it or make it political, or tell it in a condescending way. As a result we can see ourselves in the story hopefully developing empathy along the way.

Pyewacket (2017)

Scary af

[9/10 · 12 May 2019]

It's a long, long time since I've watched a horror through my fingers, but this was super creepy. It's a slow start and me and husband nearly called it a couple of times, but if you hold out you're in for a treat. I'm so used to jump scares in films, and it was nice not to be able to see what's coming (a mile off) for a change and I kept trying to guess what was coming next. It scared me enough to not want to be alone. Even hereditary didn't have that effect on me. This gets under your skin and never leaves, and that's what's missing in a lot of horrors at the moment. Every one in this did a great job of challenging horror cliches, and was similar to it follows in that it messes with your head a bit. If films like "it follows"and "the ritual" appeal to you, you'll love this.

Unplanned (I) (2019)

May the Lord open

[1/10 · 18 April 2019]

Unplanned was the fourth-highest grossing movie in the US on its opening weekend (March 29-31), and has already received endorsements from Mike Pence, Donald Trump Jr. and Ted Cruz. The film's trailer promises viewers they will "discover the truth," but the reality is one of manipulation, misrepresentation, and the invigoration of a nationwide trend which threatens the safety of women and their rights over their bodies.

The reach of such films must not be underestimated. Another anti-abortion movie, Gosnell, was screened by the White House last week. President Trump was apparently not present, but he has already proven himself an enthusiastic proponent of blatant abortion lies for the sake of political capital - claiming in a statement in February that New York lawmakers would happily "allow a baby to be ripped from the mother's womb moments before birth."

Planned Parenthood is depicted as "one of the most powerful organisations in the world," a ruthless machine devoted to coercing women into as many abortions as possible for profit. This is hugely misleading. Over 70 percent of Planned Parenthood's revenue comes from private contributions, government health services reimbursements, and grants. Abortions account for only 4 percent of Planned Parenthood activities, more than 90 per cent of which are preventative. These include wellness exams, contraception, breast and cervical cancer screenings, and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment. By default, the organisation's activities minimise abortions, by preventing unwanted pregnancies. To suggest otherwise perpetuates the false narrative of a heartless "abortion industry" beloved by the conservative press, which has already seized upon the film's spin. But the menaced threat of Planned Parenthood is far from the most dangerous message of Unplanned.The 'fighting' foetus of the 13 week abortion Johnson describes witnessesing prior to her conversion is impossible. A foetus doesn't develop the capacity to perceive pain - let alone respond to it - until at least the third trimester. The sight of Johnson first guiding people towards having abortions, then sobbing and shocked, paints women as ignorant pawns. It amplifies a message which gained traction with Kavanaugh's journey to the Supreme Court last year - that women who seek abortions must not be fully aware of what they are doing, because what they are doing is so awful that no-one in good conscience could go through with it. It is logic based in the premise that there is no distinction between a developing foetus and a functioning human. Unplanned plays into the hands of the anti-abortion lobby, making ghouls of the benign, and saints of the incendiary. In Unplanned director Chuck Konzelman's Congressional testimony last week, he claimed that since the film's release, 94 clinic workers have already sought help to leave their jobs. Irrespective of whether that bears out, direct action such as protesting outside clinics, which the film advocates, has the potential to escalate in ways which have proven deadly for healthcare providers in the past. Even where protest is relatively benign it is intimidating and upsetting, especially for patients who might already be going through one of the most difficult events of their lives.

The attention Unplanned is receiving by those in power is already marked. Ted Cruz has ordered a Senate hearing into the accidental suspension of the Unplanned Twitter account. If Unplanned nudges an attack on Roe closer to the Supreme Court, women's rights - and their lives - will be in greater danger than ever.

Sometimes the Moon Is Velvet (2010)

Pretty little short

[9/10 · 15 April 2019]

I love Joseph mawle, he's an exceptionally underrated actor, and I wish he'd get more of the spotlight as he was amazing as popa b. This a beautiful fairy tale, and my only complaint is that it was too short, but i imagine there were budget constraints. Or maybe it was perfect as a tiny glimpse into an ethereal world. Either way it worked for me. You can watch it on YouTube if you're struggling to find it.

Top of the Lake (2013–2017)

Very slow but picks up

[6/10 · 8 April 2019]

I watched this as it has holly Hunter and the "may the Lord open" lady, who I love. It is extremely slow, and down right odd at times, but i persisted, which im glad i did as it did improve. My other half tapped out half way through as he was bored to death and went to bed. I don't think it's ground breaking, and it's nothing we haven't seen before, but the cinematography and the performances were what kept me hanging in there. I'm going to watch the second to see if its better

The Ritual (I) (2017)

Rafe spall!

[8/10 · 5 April 2019]

I've watched this three times now, and I notice different things each time. It's very creepy, especially towards the end, and it could have gone overboard with gore or cheap cliched stock horror moments, but it resisted, and that's why this worked for me. It deals with grief, loss, shame and guilt and it has a fantastic redemption arc. There are some really disquieting moments, which forgo the usual jump shocks. It's interesting to watch how this group of friends deals with their resentments and issues around toxic masculinity, when the protagonist fails to save one of their friends from a robbery gone bad. We watch how they deal with it publicly and privately, and their chracters develop over time. Rafe spall is tremendous as the guilt ridden "coward" whose efforts to redeem and rebuild himself unfold over the course of the film. The cinematography is perfect and helps by adding to the murkyness and horror of the forest theyre perpetuallly trapped in. The monster is one of the things that does it for me though, on paper it shouldnt work, but its something to behold and is horrifying.

The Witch in the Window (2018)

I lasted 3.4 minutes

[2/10 · 5 April 2019]

I know, I know. I should have given it a better shot, but my partner and I have a system. If we're watching something and one of us says "I'm calling it!" We have to turn it off, even if the other is enjoying it. With this film we both called it at the three minute point, right after the mum gives her stilted performance mentioning trump ("now this president!") whilst complaining how "bad" her son is. What?! The son was obviously coached to be as obnoxious as possible, and it was just bad. Looking at the other reviews I haven't missed much, and it looks like it continues in this vain for the rest of the film. Watch the hole in the ground or the ritual for better, more insidious and unsettling horror. This presented more like a soap opera whilst pushing a weird political agenda.

The Hole in the Ground (2019)

Oi loiked it

[8/10 · 5 April 2019]

The creepy kid genre is a trusted, if a little worn, path. I know people are complaining that it was slow, but there's something to be said for a slow burn horror. I found that this was beautifully nuanced, and it was consistent throughout. Seana kerslake does a great job of carrying this film, and her performance was understated (love a film that shows strength and bravery in women, rather than objectifying and dumbing down) and her characters commitment to her son shone through. Always nice to see James Cosmo, everyone's favourite strength character, who's ever present to offer sense and backstory to the film. I knew I was on to a winner when he showed up. James quinn Markey was adorable, until he was required to be a weird creepy kid, and I thought he was very well cast. Overall if you like films like The Ritual you will like this, Irish horror is a much unexplored world and I hope to see more like this.

The Haunting of Sharon Tate (2019)

Oh hilary...

[2/10 · 5 April 2019]

Life is tough out there for 90's stars. They had it all..awesome fashion, cool thin eyebrows, ecstacy and a ton of money. But what do you do when those lucrative tv show parts dry up? You get desperate And decide to exploit one of the most repulsive moments in American history. This is truly a horrific film, with hilary heavy breathing and trying to look gorgeously startled throughout, whilst cradling her prosthetic bump murmuring "I think those people are a threat to me and my baby". Sharon Tate was so much more than a murder victim, yet we always overlook her talent and contribution to fashion and films in favour of morbidly sifting through her (and her friends who always seem to be a footnote) murder. But this film goes much further by mashing up the worst horror cliches (I'm tired of seeing people in the mirror-gasp- turn around and no ones there) with deeply offensive notions that Sharon prophesied her own murder. Sharon tates family have been through so much, and the fact that they have to deal with trite schlock like this really makes me feel even worse for them. It means that theyre not allowed to heal, and it perpetuates the murder porn that permeates throughout our society and it's sick. Two stars as the music, whilst cliched, is decent.

A Vigilante (2018)

Olivia Wilde was made for this

[8/10 · 4 April 2019]

It's great to see a film that deals with such subject matter in such a stark and realistic way. Films like peppermint do little to elevate tired approaches of women fighting back, as they're so unrealistic they're laughable, but this film is so different to that. Olivia Wilde shines in this role, as the wounded healer who helps women and children escape the war zones of "domestic" (hate that phrase) violence, and fleeing her own abusive husband. It's an understated, yet powerful, portrayal of a widely under reported blight on society. It's a shame this film hasn't received the attention and acclaim it deserves, as it's fraught with tension throughout, presents in an empathic and sensitive way and is really engaging. Interpersonal violence is still a misunderstood and under resourced issue that hasn't ever been tackled effectively, certainly not in the uk. We are losing 3 women and 2 children a week to their perpetrators, yet are losing shelters every month that could save lives. Films like this explore the possibility of a world where it could be different.

Welcome to Marwen (2018)

I really wanted to love this

[5/10 · 30 March 2019]

I love the story and the special effects were crazy good and something I've never seen before. But. It's just weird as it goes from beginning to end and doesn't feel like there's anything in between. It felt rushed and that really let it down. Steve carrel was as good as ever but I understand why it was a flop..and a monumental flop at that, which is sad. I think if they'd concentrated on the dialogue and character development as much as they concentrated on the special effects it would have been better. Maybe the disjointed story was supposed to reflect the main characters own disjointed presentation, but i doubt it.