Many people seem to have a gross (pun intended) misunderstanding of what the horror genre actually is. It is not always gore, and jump scares, and evil creatures; horror is classified by anything that examines dark themes which elicit shock, discomfort, disgust or fear, usually with a supernatural element. Stephen King specialises in revealing the horrors at the core of humanity, and "Mr Harrigan's Phone" fits this description, it is a fine horror drama. It isn't exactly like the original short story, but it is close enough, and therefore satisfactory.
6/10 - for standing by your man in times of need, even from the great beyond.
With the wide-spread scathing reviews and people telling me not to watch it, I expected an absolutely horrendous film. However, I'm glad saw it for myself because while it's not the greatest movie ever made, it's also NOWHERE near the worst.
6/10 - for the story (albeit understandably a little disjointed), the found family vibe and the cute costumes.
"Madame Web" was gentle fun, and I didn't hate it.
Absolutely brutal carnage and nothing else.
5/10
The bath scenes were absolutely unnecessary and problematic, but good movie otherwise.
...the last 15 minutes are very exciting.
It's typical DC fantasy fun (when they get it right), with a good story, CGI, delightful fight scenes, and nice music. I felt like it was better than the first Aquaman film, and I enjoyed that.
7/10 - for a little exciting escapism.
Absolutely unbelievable, not unlike a Marvel film, with the exception of the superpowers. However, at no point was I bored (unlike some Marvel films).
Absolutely a cult film for its cultural specificity in the singular New York punk scene focus, highlighting the girl band era of the late 70s and early 80s. Time Square is one of the best female coming-of-age movies ever filmed. However, while the dialogue is largely forgettable, the acting is splendid, with the two leads (Alvarado and Johnson) cultivating a transcendent bond that keeps the audience intrigued.
6/10 - it's dated now, but very worth the watch for the story of the bond forged between two girls, who come from very different backgrounds but want the same thing - freedom to be themselves.
A promising concept for a revenge horror, and although it starts off well, it loses focus around the middle.
A pleasant surprise considering the miniscule publicity, and very worth the watch. 7/10
Superhero movies are rinse and repeat these days, and like the rest of them Blue Beetle is not without flaws, but it's nice to see a more obscure hero take center stage. This one is definitely more fun than Black Adam, and in my opinion Uncle Rudy is the true star of the show.
Good concept, substandard execution. Poor character development resulted in a lack of connection with the lead characters. I was curious but not invested, and most scenes felt flat.
5/10 in favour of the concept, acting, and cinematography.
Good movie in terms of exposing a bit of injustice, but you've got to ask who really gains by this? It's really just more profit for those who already have, made off the lives of the broken who have (and had) little to nothing - nought all changes for the better.
Anyway, 7/10 for the effort made and care the actors gave to attempt to effect positive change.
It's Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", but modernised and gender swapped, with some truly ridiculous dialogue and pantomiming scenes. So, standard Xmas remake.
5/10
Boring and pretentious. It's not quite John Cage's 4′33″, but close enough.
Brilliant set and costume design, but the story doesn't justify that lengthy runtime. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari remains my top pick for this genre.
6/10 - for the aesthetic and for inspiring many contemporary works.
Considering the production date (2005) and the source material (a retro action rpg), this film was fairly enjoyable. I particularly liked the music.
6/10 - for Karl Urban and Rosamund Pike, and those cool FPS scenes.
Beautiful tribute at the end there, but the first 50 minutes were a right bore. 4/10 for Harold
Fair enough for its era. The script isn't great, but the visual elements are where it shines.
It's the usual summary - a beautiful film visually, and the concept is appealing but the writing (specifically structure and dialogue) is ridiculous.
6/10 for cinematography, acting, sound and editing... pretty much everything was good, except the key element - the writing.
Compelling story, good acting, beautifully filmed, but that pacing is glacial. A 6/10, would have been an 8/10 with half the screen time.
Very poor sequel to the original film. A disappointment.
I finally got around to watching this ultimate dick measuring, dude-bro movie. It's absolutely fantastic if egocentricism is your juice.
5/10 - for the tolerance and professionalism of Anthony Edwards and Kelly McGillis.
All the potential, especially with that historical subtext, only to be disappointed by poor scene structure which created a pacing headache... ah well, at least the fight scene was fun, they should have ended it there, the final scene just made it all worse.
4/10 - for prosthetics, costume, set and prop design (they did a great job), and for the actors, who did their best with what they were given.
I love the aesthetics and acting, but not the plot execution. The design elements (set, cinematography, sound, costume, hair, and make-up) are the true appeal of this film. The concept is brilliant, but it is badly directed and pacing is sleep inducing.
5/10 - for being a successful art film of its time.
CODA is a beautiful depiction of life in a deaf family. Aptly named for the acronym meaning Child Of Deaf Adults, but also for the final scene or score in a work of art (song, dance, or text). Ruby is a CODA, and this time in her life just before adulthood, before she leaves home to experience the world, this time is also her CODA.
The most moving scene for me is when Ruby's father asks her to sing for him. In that moment he does more than some hearing parents ever do, he finally "listens" to what she's been telling them all along, and he literally feels her passion for singing. Ruby said, "we roll deep", in
reference to her close family... we should all be lucky to love and be so loved.
7/10 - for a brilliant look at a community we rarely see in film.
It is not as good as the first one, as is usually the case, but the characters are fun, the story is good, and Del Toro's style is always a win in my book. The only downfall is in the slow pacing.
6/10 - for Nuala
Maybe I'm just getting old, but most modern films just aren't hitting the same, they lack that je ne sais quoi... depth, perhaps? I keep gravitating back to the fantastic old shows that were made for the love of the craft, for that nostalgic goodness, Hellboy is one of them. I love it every time.
8/10 - for Ron Pearlman in the greatest role of his career, for the King of character acting, Mr. Doug Jones, and for a fantastic live action film all around, timeless from 2004.
The original had its flaws but was interesting and fun, this remake is an embarrassing copy with minor variations and added fight scenes for the sake of modernity.
4/10 - for the actors who clearly tried to make the most out of what rubbish they were given.
Blair Witch Project, The Walking Dead and The Last of Us - the no budget tri-blend, crap script parody. Good for a chuckle and a brief distraction.
3/10 - for the consistent heavy breathing, the retro Nokia and the radioactive bear.
