meanmrslinky Reviews

The Clovehitch Killer (2018)

It was so good until the end

[4/10 · 20 May 2021]

This was a solid film until the last 30 minutes. I was heavily invested in the story, but the ending is just terrible and ruined the rest of the story for me. I have to give a brief summary of the story and explain the ending because it's so ridiculously stupid.

The main character, Tyler, believes his father, Don, is the 'Clovehitch Killer,' but he's unsure. He seeks help from a girl, Kassi, that follows the clovehitch killers case. She has access to photos, records, and everything to do with the clovehitch killer. Later on we find out Kassi's mother was murdered by the killer. That explains why she wants to find out who it is. So, Tyler and Kassi track his fathers phone and sure enough they catch him in the act. They watched him stalk a woman, follow her home and caught him suffocating her while she was tied up. They confront him with a gun. Kassi reaches for Dons pistol that is laying on a table, but Don catches her and slams her against a wall, knocking her out. What does Tyler do about that? Nothing. In fact, he hands his father the gun. Of course Don is a psychopath, so he attempts to shoot his own son in the face, but luckily the gun isn't loaded, so it just clicked. Awkward moment. They begin to tussle, fall to the ground, and Don starts choking Tyler. Kassi saves Tyler by knocking Don unconscious with a lamp. What do they do next? They somehow drag Don in the woods, set up a camp fire and tent, and kill him-making it look like a suicide. The community never finds out about Don being the killer and he's remembered as a swell guy. They even have some kind of Boy Scouts memorial service for him and he's honored as a great scout leader. Tyler even says "Dad, if you can hear me...I love you." with Kassi right there.

So, what happened with the woman they caught Don suffocating? We don't know. All we know is she lived and that's it. Apparently she's very forgiving and didn't go to the police or anything. They just left her there. They also took their sweet ass time getting the bag off her head. They fully neglected that poor woman, but whatever. I can look past it I guess.

The part I can't look past is Kassi being satisfied with this ridiculous outcome. The man murdered her mother, she spent YEARS looking for him, and after she finally cracks the case, she's ok with the community remembering him as a standup fella? You might be thinking, "hey, she got revenge. She helped kill him." Yeah, but guess what? She ONLY helped kill him. She didn't actually kill him. Tyler killed him. Tyler put the gun to his fathers head and credits roll. Wouldn't it make more sense to let Kassi pull the trigger so she gets revenge, and Tyler doesn't have to murder his own father that he "loves"? The ending was infuriating. All they had to do was let Kassi pull the trigger and this would have been a fine ending...but no. That's not what happened. It's such a shame, too, because the story had such great potential. The ending was clearly rushed and thrown together so it makes for an overall pretty bad movie.

Arizona (2018)

Surprisingly Funny and Entertaining

[6/10 · 20 January 2020]

I wasn't expecting much going into this movie, but I was ultimately pleased with it overall. Danny McBride is hilarious as the angry kidnapping client, and Rosemarie DeWitt is great as the real estate agent who is kidnapped. If you're a fan of dark humor, give it a chance. There's some hilariously shocking scenes that will have you gasping, which will be followed by a burst of laughter. Watching McBride's character dig himself deeper and deeper into a hole throughout the film was surprisingly entertaining and funny. I gave it a 6/10 because the ending is weak. I don't think I'll ever give it a second watch, but I still enjoyed it overall. All in all it's just a silly, dark comedy thriller worth a watch.

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

An OK End to a Messy Trilogy

[6/10 · 22 December 2019]

'Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker' is the film fans have been anticipating since the announcement of a sequel trilogy. For nearly half a decade we had no idea what was to come of a sequel trilogy. 'The Force Awakens' introduced us to many new characters and hardships, and of course continued the stories of the original trilogy. There was hope for the continuation of the Star Wars franchise until 'The Last Jedi', which practically had nothing to offer to the story as a whole. Director Rian Johnson scrapped many of the ideas from the previous movie, and tried to go in a different direction. Now we have JJ Abrams back in the directors chair for episode 9 trying to wrap everything up. The full story is a mess due to two directors trying to go two different directions with the characters. These films are tied between paying homage to the original trilogy and bringing something entirely new to the table. They can't please everyone. 'The Rise of Skywalker' is a very visually pleasing movie. Many of shots are beautifully done, and the action sequences are exciting. John Williams' score is wonderfully done. The music, along with the visuals, are really breathtaking at times. The film falls flat with the character development in the end. It's no secret that Palpatine is back. This is a bold move for director JJ Abrams. Fans loved the idea of Anakin saving his son and bringing balance to the force in the end of episode 6 by killing The Emperor. What does that all mean now that we know Palpatine was alive the whole time? Either way, the film isn't absolutely awful. It's fine and worth watching if you've followed the sequel trilogy so far. Nothing will ever be like the original trilogy and fans need to accept that.

Charlie's Angels (2019)

Charlie's Man-Haters

[1/10 · 30 November 2019]

Elizabeth Banks wanted to make a badass girl-power film. So, what does she do? She remakes Charlie's Angels. Is this a joke? Is this really meant to be taken seriously? It's astonishing how terrible this film is. It isn't even fun to joke about. It's sad more than anything. Before the film was released, Banks said it wasn't a film for men to enjoy. So, when it turned out to be a complete failure, who does she blame? Yup, you guessed it. She literally made a film to trash men, told men it wasn't for them, then she says the films failure was due to lack of male support. Yes, her film about women being superior failed because of the lack of male support. How ironic.

Forget about the story itself. The plot is so uninteresting and everything you see has been done. The characters are weak and aren't relatable in the least. When Kristen Stewart is giving the best performance, something is wrong. The action scenes were decent. That's the only positive thing I can say. Everything about the film is just boring. I was far more entertained with the guy in front of me tossing popcorn in the air and catching it with his mouth.

Hollywood needs to realize remakes aren't the key to a successful film. It's typically the opposite, unless some originality is present. People simply don't care to see the same movie made twice. I'm surprised the idea of a remake is acceptable in the first place. Now it has gone beyond too far.

Did I mention the fact that Banks asked men to support her film out of the kindness of their hearts? Yes, this is how pathetic she is. She makes a movie trashing men, tells men they won't like it, the film fails, she blames men for its failure, THEN asks men to support it out of the kindness of their hearts. Yes, because men love paying money and giving support to a film (and filmmaker) that completely trashes them.

Just save your money. Don't pay any attention to this garbage. This isn't a film for men OR women. It's for idiots who entertain the notion that sexism can be solved with sexism. Elizabeth Banks needs to stick to being the dumb girlfriend in stoner comedies. I actually enjoy her idiocy in those films. Her idiocy in this case is just frustrating.

An easy 1/10.

Vice (I) (2018)

No Beating Around the Bush (Pun Intended)

[7/10 · 25 November 2019]

Vice is a biographical drama/comedy about the rise of Dick Cheney, played by Christian Bale, and shows how he quietly gained immense power as the Vice President to George W. Bush. We see the events that occurred leading up to his vice presidency, and the intense motivation his wife, Lynne Cheney (played by Amy Adams), gave him.

Christian Bale and Amy Adams are easily the two best things about this film. The way they transformed into their characters made the performances so believable. Bale being the quiet and intimidating politician, and Adams being his main supporter the entire time. It digs a little into their personal lives as well. Bale put on a ton of weight for this film and that shows his dedication to the role. There are some other notable performances from actors such as Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, and Tyler Perry. The casting for this film couldn't have been better.

Though the actors did excellent, it is not a flawless movie by any means. There are some questionable decisions as far as editing goes. The film tends to spell things out a bit too much, and I wish the director would have had a little more faith in the audience. This film is not in favor of Dick Cheney for obvious reasons. Him, and others in the White House, are depicted as immoral and downright evil; responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent people. The story is meant to be brutally honest, but can easily come off as biased. This isn't a movie for anyone who is a supporter of Cheney. It's so far left even leftists might cringe at some of the narrative. What else would you expect from Hollywood?

Overall, I enjoyed the film. Fantastic acting, some really funny moments, some really surprising moments, and good direction. It's a well done depiction of how power can go to one man's head, and how he can then change the whole world. I would recommend it to anyone interested in how he gained such power.

Judy (II) (2019)

Perfect Cast, Poor Structure

[5/10 · 12 October 2019]

Judy takes place 30 years after "The Wizard of Oz," and focuses on the many challenges Judy Garland faced towards the end of her life at the young age of 47. Although the film is an accurate adaptation, it struggles with pacing. Renée Zellweger saves the film with her performance as Garland. There are certain facial expressions and mannerisms of Judy's that Renée captured so well. Even the stage performances throughout the film are incredibly accurate. Renée certainly did her homework. The ending is touching, but still doesn't quite make up for the poor structure. Judy is worth a watch, but only once or twice.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)

This Film is Only Setting Up Episode IX

[4/10 · 9 October 2019]

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi has been out for a couple of years now, and fans were mostly disappointed by the film. Some regarding it as the worst Star Wars movie ever made. It seems this movie's sole purpose is to set up the end of the trilogy, which is Episode IV - The Rise of Skywalker. The Last Jedi leaves a lot of questions unanswered, and many of the questions that were answered were underwhelming to most fans. While many Star Wars films, especially in the original trilogy, have much to offer to the story, The Last Jedi has almost nothing to offer.

Much like Episode VII borrowed scenes from Episode IV, The Last Jedi tries to be much like Episode V at some points, with a young protagonist seeking the help of a lonely Jedi master preparing to face her enemy, whom she has a connection with through the force. There's a lot of question about whether or not Luke created Kylo Ren, and turned Ben Solo to the dark side, and that is the reason Luke disappeared years before this story takes place. Luke spends the better half of the movie feeling sorry for himself, acting like a pathetic has-been, while Rey does everything she can to seek his help, even though she's already perfect. She's a great pilot and an excellent fighter, and this is where Rey falls short. There's no character arc for Rey. From the beginning, the creators were afraid to make their strong female protagonist too weak, and many people question that choice. Could it be that Rey is not human and only a creation of Emperor Palpatine, whose laugh we hear in the trailer of The Rise of Skywalker? It's a stretch, but something like that is a possibility. Kylo reveals Rey's parents to be nobody's, and that felt like an anti "I am your father" moment. Revealing Rey's parents to be a a familiar face in the Star Wars universe would make the film too similar to Episode V, but Kylo could have easily been lying. Many people suspect that she is somehow Obi-Wans granddaughter, which is also a stretch. At this point in the trilogy, it seems as though anything they do with Rey's backstory will feel cheap. It will be interesting where the go from here in The Rise of Skywalker.

Now, let's talk about the subplot, mostly happening in space and sometimes in a casino. Good grief, what a mess. There's talk of running low of fuel, animal rights, blatant dictatorship from the good guys, force floating through space, and it's just plain boring. There's no other words to describe this whole part of the film. It is what ultimately brings the whole story down, and why many people dislike the film as a whole.

The ending scenes are the best. They played it safe and gave Luke an epic force projection fight scene against Kylo, and a dramatic death in front of the two suns where he began his journey. It was a beautiful shot, but did not make up for the rest of the film unfortunately. It was overall pretty uneventful, and it's only purpose is to set up The Rise of Skywalker. Hopefully Episode IX will answer a lot of questions, but who knows anymore? It could be just as disappointing as the last.

Men in Black: International (2019)

Meh in Blah

[3/10 · 9 October 2019]

Men in Black: International is just another forgettable installment in the M.I.B. franchise, and fails to bring anything new to the table. You feel as though you've seen it a hundred times. The funniest character is a chess piece while the two main characters are pretentious and boring. The potential was there, but this movie has a very basic and uninteresting storyline. You can almost predict what is going to happen shot for shot. There isn't much to say about this film because not much happened. I wouldn't necessarily say it's a bad movie, but it isn't a good one either. There are some fun action sequences, and some cool looking gadgets, but that's about it. Men in Black: International is a solid 3/10.

Joker (I) (2019)

A True Masterpiece

[10/10 · 9 October 2019]

Joaquin Phoenix delivers a stunning performance as Arthur Fleck, AKA Joker, in this jaw-dropping masterpiece that will be talked about for years to come. It proves to be more than just a comic book villains backstory. 'Joker' meticulously captures the gradual decline of one man's mental health, and shines light on the subject of mental health in general. There are points where you begin to sympathize with the madman. Despite some of the terrible acts he happily commits, you find yourself rooting for him which leads you to question your own morality. The world has viciously beaten this man down, and this is only the beginning of his retaliation.

This is, without a doubt, Phoenix's best performance so far. He carries the entire movie flawlessly, and leaves you with a lot to talk about afterwards. The brilliant method actor ensures that people will feel this characters pain, and does not disappoint for one second. Robert De Diro, another brilliant method actor, gives a fine performance as Aurthor Fleck's favorite comedy talk show host, Murray Franklin. Though he's only in the movie for roughly 10-15 minutes total, he does a very well job at depicting a phony, belligerent, television personality. Brett Cullen also gives a fine performance as the billionaire mayoral candidate Thomas Wayne, and has a part in Jokers madness.

The word 'masterpiece' should never be thrown around lightly. It's a term we use to describe an outstanding, almost perfect, piece of art. There are only so many films that can be considered 'masterpieces'. Rarely do we ever see a flawless movie, especially this day in age. With that being said, it is hard to NOT consider 'Joker' a masterpiece. Every scene is just as important as the next, every actor delivers a wonderful performance, and Todd Phillips does an outstanding job directing the villains transformation. 'Joker' absolutely deserves a 10/10, and nothing short of that. This movie holds a mirror up to society; it should make you question what part society takes in one's slow drift into madness. This is very relevant to today, and is a perfect example of why something like this needs to be addressed and taken seriously. Everyone needs to see this movie. Again, it will be talked about for many years to come, and could very well be considered one of the greatest drama/thrillers of all time.

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Misunderstood and Vile

[8/10 · 26 September 2019]

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile explores the double life of serial killer Ted Bundy and how he kept his dark secret from those closest to him; mainly his girlfriend, Liz. You rarely see the dark side of Bundy throughout the film. He appears to be a rather charming and witty young man with a nice girlfriend and bright future, but that all goes south (literally) as the law catches onto his gruesome crimes and he begins to flee across the country, earning himself a spot on the FBI's Top 10 Most Wanted.

Zac Efron delivers a chilling performance as the manipulative killer, and is easily the highlight of the film. There are times where you want to believe him. That's how convincing he is. Lily Collins portrays Liz, who is, at first, oblivious to it all. That is until she sees Teds face in the papers, and grows skeptical. Collins displays the characters hesitancy and gradual realization of her lovers secret very well. Jim Parsons plays as the lawyer up against Bundy, and is excellent in revealing the shocking detail of Bundys crimes.

Many have pegged this film as disrespectful to the real life victims of Bundy, but really it's just a brutally honest depiction of what the public believed him to be before he was proven guilty. It shows how one man can lie to and manipulate so many people, even with all the evidence piled against him.

If you're looking for a movie filled with killing and violence, you will be disappointed. Again, this film mainly shows the friendlier side of Ted Bundy, and rarely shows his true colors. It is to represent the mask serial killers effortlessly hide under, and Bundy was the most convincing of them all. I recommend this to anyone who would enjoy a biographical film about a murderous psycho hiding in plain sight.

It Chapter Two (2019)

A Long, Underwhelming, Gory Mess

[4/10 · 26 September 2019]

It: Chapter Two disappoints in continuing the engrossing story of Pennywise the Clown terrorizing the town of Derry. Being just under a lengthy three hours, the film packs a fair amount of unnecessary and boring sequences. It relies too heavily on visuals, rather than building a real sense of foreboding and suspense. There are many scenes where it feels more like a dark comedy, rather than a film that is supposed to frighten viewers. There are some memorable moments, but unfortunately, the bad outweighs the good in the end.

The film offers an excellent cast, very much resembling the younger Losers. You can easily see who is who right from the beginning. These actors were able to deliver the liveliness and humor of their younger selves, which worked very well. This may be one of Bill Haders best performances. The young versions of the Losers also make an appearance in the film. They too deliver a solid performance, much like they did in the first chapter.

One of my biggest problems with this movie was the overuse of CGI, and the expected jump scare in every other scene. It was too predictable, and did not deliver one truly horrifying scene. You see Pennywise in many different forms, but not one of them is as frightening as the clown form. With that being said, Bill Skarsgård was underutilized. His natural ability to portray Pennywise was overshadowed by giant screaming CGI dummies with bobbling heads.

There's an ongoing joke throughout the film that foreshadows the insipid ending. This is likely referring to Stephen King himself, as he has been known to make monotonous endings to overall adequate stories. This happens to be one of those stories. Rather than altering the ending, they make fun of it, which just comes off as lazy. Perhaps they were trying to play it safe, but it failed nonetheless. What brings Pennywise to his knees in the end is utterly disappointing, and quite pathetic. Fans deserved a better ending. Sorry, Stephen.

If you're looking for a well written and scary sequel to follow the first chapter of It, you will be let down. Though there are some fun and enjoyable moments thanks to the talented cast, it does not make up for the inconsistencies and lazy story telling. The shockingly horrifying and successful triumph that was It: Chapter One should have had a better second half.