Normally I like a taut 90 minute-ish film, but I could have done with this being a bit longer. There's little to no characterisation, making it hard to understand the villains' motivations, or root for the good guys. I had more questions than answers about the mechanics of the dream world at the end too. Tonally it's odd as well - at first I thought it was a kids' film, but there's loads of effing and jeffing. Also, all the 'kids' have tattoos - what's happening there? (Or maybe I just got old.) It does have some very pretty visuals, but that's about the only thing I enjoyed. It just didn't come together for me.
Reviews
27 Reviews
Beautiful but a tough watch
13 September 2023
This is a stunning drama about escaping from cycles of violence and the things that (some) men do to women. Starring Sigourney Weaver with a slightly dodgy Australian accent, it tells the tale of the damaged Hart family, including Agnes and her daughter Alice, who seems doomed to repeat her mother's tragic life. With subject matter including domestic violence and rape, it's often not an easy watch. But the acting is wonderful, it's shot beautifully (if rather dimly) and ultimately optimistic. The main characters are greatly flawed and make decisions that will make you angry, but isn't that exactly what happens in real life? Well worth your time.
65
(2023)
Adam Driver vs dinosaurs and asteroids
17 June 2023
This does exactly what it says on the tin - it's Adam Driver fighting a load of dinosaurs. The story is quite slight and not a huge amount happens in the 1 hour 30 minute run time, apart from Adam Driver fighting/running away from those dinosaurs. The relationship between the two main characters is sweet and the creature effects are good in the main (although I don't think any of the dinosaurs will be winning awards for their scientific accuracy!). All in all it's not brilliant, but it's not terrible either. So if you're looking for a nice easy watch that won't tax your brain any, this is the one for you.
Unwelcome
(2022)
Tonally uneven, but really good fun
3 April 2023
A young couple living in London discover they're pregnant and suffer a brutal home invasion in the same evening. A convenient inheritance from a child-free aunt takes them to an idyllic cottage in rural Ireland (albeit with a large hole in the roof). The only caveat seems to be that they must leave a blood offering for the little people every evening...
Cards on the table, I loved this film. It is a bit uneven, and can't seem to decide if it's a comedy horror or a straight horror, but apart from that it's well worth a watch. The little people are beautifully realised, and there's lots of blood and guts too. Give it a go.
Au-delà des murs
(2016)
Wonderfully sad and unsettling
3 April 2023
I advise you to go into this superb French haunted-house story knowing as little about it as possible. Unfortunately I have to say something about it to hit the IMDB word count. So, Lisa is a somewhat lost young French woman who's dealing with some past trauma. She sleeps on a mattress on the floor in her almost-empty flat, and has an imaginary husband. One day she inherits a house from someone she's never met. It isn't long before she discovers something strange behind the walls...
This series is atmospheric, bleak and bitter-sweet, but ultimately redemptive, with some genuinely slow-burn scary moments (no cheap jump-scares here). Well worth your time.
The Parish
(2019)
Generic story with nothing new to say
19 September 2022
Just very boring. The story is uninspired and generic - kid draws scary stuff that turns out to be true/scary nun/school friend that may or may not be a ghost - the list of horror-film clichés goes on. I kept hoping for a last-minute twist to make it interesting, but sadly, that never came. The denouement has some dodgy special effects, and some of the acting is equally wobbly. The main characters accept the fact that they're seeing ghosts as if it's nothing shocking at all. Some story threads are left dangling and there are loads of plot holes. All in all, a waste of time - avoid, avoid, avoid.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
(2022)
Not a 1 or 2-star show - what's wrong with you people?
4 September 2022
It's laugh-out-loud funny, with lots of breaking of the fourth wall which means it's even more self-aware than other Marvel films and shows. Tatiana Maslany is her usual likeable self, and the supporting characters are good too. Half-hour episodes keep things fresh and make it easy to dip in and out. Lots of good cameos to keep Marvel fans happy too, including the well-publicised Bruce Banner one - the relationship between him and his cousin is very well-written and acted, and feel very natural.
If you can rise above all the blatant review bombing on this site and elsewhere (funny how it so often happens to female-led shows, isn't it?), you're in for a treat.
If you can rise above all the blatant review bombing on this site and elsewhere (funny how it so often happens to female-led shows, isn't it?), you're in for a treat.
The Village in the Woods
(2019)
Slow-burn folk horror
25 February 2022
This is obviously very low budget, and although it sometimes shows, it's worth setting that aside. The performances are mainly strong, and the reveal, when it comes, is pretty original. At a taut hour and 20 minutes it never outstays its welcome. Worth a watch.
The Deep House
(2021)
It's an underwater haunted house. What more could you want?
11 February 2022
Yes, James Jagger's acting is bad (I wonder how he got the job? Definitely nothing to do with being Mick's son), but thankfully he's behind a scuba mask for most of it so it's not quite as jarring as it could be. There's a weird bit with a worm that doesn't go anywhere, but apart from that this is a decent little horror film with some genuine scares and lots of claustrophobia. The story itself isn't particularly original, but it's underwater! Worth a look.
The Wind
(II) (2018)
Slow-burn horror that's open to interpretation
5 February 2022
If you're after instant gratification, this isn't it. But if you're interested in slow-building psychological horror, then this is the film for you. Lizzie is a frontierswoman who's plagued by visions of an evil presence once the sun sets on the prairie. Is it all a creation of her own mind or something more sinister? Well worth a watch to find out.
Bleed with Me
(2020)
Stripped down horror about the dangers of co-dependency
15 August 2021
This has a lean cast (three people) and a lean runtime. It's an ambiguous slow burn with two impressive central performances (the third isn't bad either, but has less to do). If you like stripped-back horror that leaves things to your own interpretation then this is well worth your time.
The Empty Man
(2020)
Surreal, hard to explain and well worth a watch
30 July 2021
I'm still not entirely sure what I just watched. But whatever it was, it was full of striking imagery and interesting ideas. The acting's great as well. I encourage any horror fans to give this a go - from what I've read the studio really threw it under the bus and it definitely didn't deserve that.
Ginny & Georgia
(2021– )
Darker than it appears
14 May 2021
I thought this was going to be a frothy American drama, and on one level it is. But it also has a much darker undertone which asks questions about female exploitation and racial issues. The teenage girl is a bit irritating but her friends (Max in particular) make her just about bearable. The adult storylines are much more interesting as Georgia's dark past is revealed. It's also very funny at times. Well worth a watch.
Scare Me
(I) (2020)
I gave up with half an hour left
12 April 2021
Maybe if I'd watched til the end I might have changed my mind, but I just didn't care what happened. I like Aya Cash, but all the characters were annoying, and the stories they told were boring. I really wanted to like it as the set up was great, but I couldn't get on board. Shame.
The Power
(II) (2021)
Effective slow-burn period horror with a modern message
11 April 2021
Not sure why all the hate in the reviews (maybe because it's a female-led film that was also written and directed by a woman?). This is a perfectly acceptable horror film with some genuinely scary and shocking moments. Good performances all round and a properly creepy setting all add to this. Well worth a watch.
Sweetheart
(I) (2019)
Fun low-budget creature feature
9 April 2021
For a film that's largely devoid of dialogue for the the first half, this is surprisingly compelling. The creature effects are pretty good, and it has some genuinely scary moments. Well worth your time (although I would have loved to find out what happened in the lifeboat...).
Beneath
(I) (2013)
So bad it's (a little bit) good
1 April 2021
If Bruce the mechanical shark had a much-less-better-made freshwater cousin, it'd be the fish in this film. It swims incredibly slowly - I'm sure even I could outswim it. It also conveniently swims with most of its head out of the water, which I'm pretty sure isn't how fish work (although I'm not a fish expert). The dialogue is terrible, the acting shonky and the characters are all deeply unlikeable. The film does have a certain so-bad-it's-good-charm, which is why I've given it three stars, but it's basically awful.
Baby Done
(2020)
Just not that funny
26 February 2021
Love Rose Matafeo. Love Taika Waititi. Quite like Neville from Harry Potter. So I was really looking forward to watching this. But, Rose's character's behaviour is downright unbelievable. I could have forgiven this if the film was hilarious, but it just isn't - there are a couple of funny moments, but that's it. Such a shame.
The Stand
(2020–2021)
Some good moments but feels rushed
21 February 2021
If you've read the book then you'll likely enjoy this more as you'll already know character's motivations and backstories. If you haven't, then why people do the things they do will be a bit of a mystery. The Trashcan Man in particular is given no backstory whatsoever and feels like an afterthought - without that his final act is rather confusing. Mother Abigail doesn't do much except spout biblical wisdom, making you wonder why people flock to Boulder as they do. Even the Walking Dude himself is given little screen time, and his powers are sadly diminished for it. It's a shame, as the casting's great (Greg Kinnear in particular stands out), and the cinematography and set pieces are striking (Vegas is gorgeously decadent and corrupt).
Usually I'd applaud something sticking to a lean run of nine episodes, but this feels like it could have done with quite a few more to really flesh out the story. Despite that it's worth a watch, but it's not the epic that King's magnum opus deserves.
Usually I'd applaud something sticking to a lean run of nine episodes, but this feels like it could have done with quite a few more to really flesh out the story. Despite that it's worth a watch, but it's not the epic that King's magnum opus deserves.
The Circle
(IV) (2017)
Not terribly scary but an interesting story
19 February 2021
Tapping into Norse mythology, The Circle has an interesting story and a bit of a twist in the tail. Some of the acting's a bit clunky and it's not terribly scary, but there are worse ways to spend your time. I enjoyed it.
Catacombs
(2007)
Not that bad
29 January 2021
I'm a bit obsessed with the Paris catacombs which is why I watched this. And while it's not great - the story is as slightly nonsensical and Shannon Sossamyn spends most of it running and screaming - it's quite atmospheric and very watchable. There are much worse films out there.
Archive
(2020)
Excellent sci-fi story telling
22 January 2021
This is an excellent, if low budget, sci-fi thriller. It's really twisty turny, and I didn't see the ending coming at all. Sometimes the low budget shows a bit, but it doesn't detract from what is an excellent story. Tonally it's very reminiscent of Moon, so if you liked that, you'll enjoy this. Well worth your time.
The Twilight Zone
(2019–2020)
Great cast and interesting stories
6 March 2020
I'm not sure what all the hate is about on here. I'm six episodes in and I'm really enjoying this - obviously some are better than others, but I e enjoyed all the stories at least a little bit. And the cast is really star-studded. Give it a go.
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