aharrouch Reviews

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (2023)

I'm not a fan, AND YET-

[8/10 · 28 October 2023]

I am far from a Swiftie - but this tour was so talked about, I had to give it a watch with friends of mine who ARE huge fans.

I was hooked in immediately by the amazing production value, set design and energy of this concert. Taylor Swift really created a full on EXPERIENCE for true fans of hers and allowed them to relive their favourite moments throughout her musical career. I was smitten and thoroughly entertained ! Not to mention wildly impressed by the dancers and theatrics. My only issue is how long it is. Even with five or six songs cut, it felt far too long. I'd have cut another 5 or so - mostly because not every song hits quite as hard, even as a non-fan.

But definitely worth a watch.

Final Destination 3 (2006)

Gloriously basic, simple & fun.

[6/10 · 12 July 2022]

The dialog is TERRIBLE. Characters' main attributes have to be SAID for us to know who they are. "I'm such a control freak..." - They are all literally BASIC stereotypes and one dimensional if that. Those poor girls playing Ashley and Ashlynn, my goodness. HOWEVER...

There is something oddly fun about the Final Destination franchise which allows you to forgive the incredibly formulaic script and poorly written dialog. The originality is all in the deaths and the way they really set those up for the big payoff when a character ultimately dies horribly.

This chapter really stands out for the horrific tanning bed sequence which is arguably one of the most effective and disturbing to be featured in all five films. Unfortunately from there the deaths happen literally one right after the other and never quite measure up.

Thank goodness the two leads have charisma and chemistry because their characters (and the supporting characters) are entirely thankless.

Shout-out to Alexz Johnson and Kris Lemche for bringing something the stereotypical punk couple.

Scream: Legacy (2022)

I don't know what to say.

[3/10 · 6 May 2022]

It's impressive that this was made by devout fans as a big love letter to the films - and that it achieved a final product that can easily measure up to other non-union, low budget, shoots. But it's pretty terrible.

Acting is bad all throughout, minus a few exceptions with smaller roles that amount to nothing. I don't recommend actually sitting through it, but if so, just know to expect that level and have a few too many drinks to go with it.

And Just Like That... (2021– )

I don't hate it, but...

[6/10 · 31 December 2021]

I actually really enjoyed the first two episodes. It truly felt like that was where we'd find Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte at this point in time, which I can appreciate given it's been over ten years since the last film.

HOWEVER, there's only so much woke-ness and catching up on the times in order to rectify issues the show had been called out for, that a loyal audience member can take. It doesn't always feel phony, but it rarely feels organic...

By episode 5, I have to say that several major plot points were highly predictable from early on and not in a way that is satisfying to see unfold. Basically the show seems to lack a true vision beyond proving a point. And that's why I think so many fans are struggling.

Performance-wise, I can't ask for more from these actors. They do great work with the material they are given. But the writers really did not bring their A game. This was a 90's show. It doesn't feel right in today's world. That said, I'm still curious to see where it goes and if I'll somehow find myself pleasantly surprised.

Oh, and please stop alluding to how hilarious Sara Ramirez's character is... no tea, no shade, she really, really, REALLY... is not that funny.

The Bitch Who Stole Christmas (2021 TV Movie)

1+1+1 = 3

[3/10 · 15 December 2021]

3 is the best I could score this.

• 1 star for Michelle Visage. <3
• Another star for the countless Drag Queen cameos, some of which are actually fun... (Mayhem Miller, Chad Michaels...)
• And lastly one for the fans who will undoubtedly tune in, wether they enjoy this or not.

It's poorly shot and directed, unoriginal, grossly redundant and overall pretty damn boring. But if you're a Drag race super fan, like myself, seeing Peppermint and co. On the big screen is always better than not. Even if some of them (looking at you, my beloved GotMik)... should probably never pursue a career in acting... so tune in if you got a mound of dishes to do and prefer to multi-task. Otherwise you're not missing anything.

Murder in the Woods (2017)

So bad, it's not even good.

[3/10 · 6 January 2021]

You *know*, within a scene and a half, that this was basically a film student's final assignment. Had I not actually PAID to rent it after being VERY EASILY fooled by what appeared like positive reviews from underground horror critics, I could not have stomached the full hour and a half. The script & characters feel like they were concocted by a twelve year old who just saw Scream for the first time and thought "I could do that!"... and the acting... oh, god the acting.

LAUGHABLY bad performances by the majority of the cast, if not all of them. Predictable from beginning to end, as far as who the killer is and the pecking order of the victims.

The one thing I'll say is I didn't expect any kind of SFX to be successful, and they pulled that off better than anything else.

3.5/10 for actually completing their vision, against quite literally ALL the odds.

Someone Great (2019)

Bridesmaids for Disney Channel.

[5/10 · 21 April 2019]

The movie has enough easy fun & funny gags to keep you mildly entertained throughout. But overall, you're looking at a super clumsily executed story you've seen a million times & is trying too hard to be different.

The three girls and various supporting cast are talented individually, and the writing can be humorous & clever. But the story's stakes are never high enough, and the overall product is so forced, you can literally feel the cameras rolling at all times. Make no mistake, you never once think "I wish those were my friends"...

Especially in the case of Gina Rodrigues who is so over the top in her attempt to be the every girl, you can never get on her side. Not to mention how theatrical she gets in the relationship flash-backs especially. I felt I needed to throw a bouquet after each scene.

Still, the movie gets props for occasionally making me laugh in the most intensely cliché moments you're likely cringing in.

5/10 and that's generous. Watch, if you're in the mood for an easy chick flick & prepare for uncontrollable eye rolls.

Terrifier (2016)

Watchable at best...

[4/10 · 15 September 2018]

Stumbled upon this one on Netflix because the image of that clown was pretty creepy. I was able to sit through it without ever really wanting to turn it off, because being a fan of the slasher genre, your expectations need to be lo pretty much 95% of the time...

The weakest aspects with TERRIFER are for sure the incredibly formulaic, unoriginal script with bland characters who make dumb decisions the entire time. The lead actors somewhat pull off the mediocre dialogue they're given to work with, but aren't strong enough to pull off the higher stake, emotional scenes. Based on the acting alone, it could have been a high budget student film for all I knew.

On the bright side, Art the Clown is pretty unforgettable. The costume, the make-up, the whole vision of that villain makes the movie. He really does make you forget about Pennywise altogether. This is a truly sick, twisted, unsettling character to watch and it works because the actor (who I truly hope to never meet in real life) commits full heartedly to it. He really nailed the movements and facial expressions. Without mentioning any spoilers, there is a scene of him purely making faces at the lead girl, that is perhaps the scariest part of the entire movie.

Yes, it's also got a retro 80's thing going on which also helps elevate the product a bit - I just wish they'd gone a bit more "House of the Devil" on it and focussed much more on building tension and creating a dark atmosphere than relying on cheap gore and mediocre effects.

So if you want to see it, definitely don't expect to be emotionally invested with anything or anyone - but appreciate the birth of a (most likely) new horror icon in Art the clown.