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jackofnathan
Reviews
Malum (2023)
A Sensational Remake
Most who are obsessive fans of horror movies know that Malum is something of a reimagining of the same director's last movie Last Shift, which was already promising but suffered from low budget flaws here and there. It's a little worrisome and egocentric to think of a director redoing his own movie but now we have Malum.
Seeing this makes me wonder why more directors are giving their promising but ultimately lackluster movies another go if they have the resources. Great soundtrack, production value, and neverending terror make this a huge step up from Last Shift. It's brutal and scary and a real treat for horror fans everywhere.
If you haven't decided if this story is worth revisiting, cast doubt aside and give Malum a watch. Best horror movie I've seen in a LONG time.
Titane (2021)
Right in between the sweet spot
I've seen the good reviews for this one and I've seen the bad reviews. I think they all have merit for one reason or another.
For me, Titane fell right in the middle. It wasn't amazing and it wasn't bad either. It had its moments and it had its weaknesses but it was nowhere near the level of artistic achievement that was Julia Ducournau's previous film Raw.
Swell performances with cinematography that made for great eye candy and a pounding score not likely to be forgotten.
The ending really drove it in and made the first half worth it, I just wish that what came before had more to do with the story instead of just relying on the shock factor.
Not for everybody but likely everything for some. I won't soon forget Titane but I doubt I'd watch it again.
The Pale Door (2020)
Good western/horror flick
The western/horror genre probably isn't utilized as often as it should be and when it is it's rare that it delivers anything worthwhile. That is not the case with The Pale Door by writer/director Aaron B. Koontz.
The film does leave a little to be desired when it's over but that doesn't stop it from being an entertaining thrill ride, especially when you consider the limited locations available to spread it out and make that interest easily maintainable. I think this movie shows a director with real promise in the future. There's a handful of good scares and the performances are great.
Ultimately, this probably won't go down in history as a classic but it's very much worth the watch.
Silhouette (2019)
Excellent indie movie
When it comes to indie movies that are made on a low budget it really doesn't get much better. I've had the misfortune of sitting through a lot of these at festivals or random streaming finds and it's not very often that they're as well done as this one here.
The movie is a real downer and requires your full attention if you intend to put all the pieces together by the end. The production value is superb and the performances from the three mains is as good it gets and matches just about anything you might find in a movie made on a much larger platform.
I highly recommend, as well as a shower when it's all over.
Choke (2020)
Absolutely dreadful
This is a poor attempt at an art house movie gone terribly wrong. The story is all over the place and doesn't make sense or add up to anything satisfying at all. The acting is hit or miss, but the acting by leading man Shane Ryan is just abysmal and drags this movie down lower than it maybe should have been otherwise. Performance-wise, the movie is redeemed a little bit by Sarah Brine, who is so fun and interesting to watch that she almost makes up for everything else about this sad effort. The music is decent and it isn't completely awful to look at, so there's that.