lizshotter Reviews

Excision (2012)

I want to be her friend

[9/10 · 13 March 2023]

I've never related to a character more than I did with Pauline, even down to the narcissistic and toxic feminity mother. I too sat in stair wells and doorways trying to hear what my parents were saying about me. Everything I did repulsed my mother; I wasn't feminine enough, tidy and clean enough, collected strange objects, I stole and lied and swore. If I would have seen this film 35 years ago I would have felt so much better about myself as Pauline is my hero, she's unapologetic, weird, maudlin, direct and is deeply motivated to saving her sister. It's amazing to see a teenage film that is about the love of siblings rather than boys.

The Eternal Daughter (2022)

Seeing double

[5/10 · 7 December 2022]

If you're expecting a horror or supernatural film keep looking, you won't find it here. This appears to be more of an exploration on the horror of grief, contencious patental relationships and impending old age than anything else. It's likely you will guess any kind of twist but it's safe to say it's somewhat obvious. There are some weird continuity issues and holes in the story, such as if the mother isn't there how is she having conversations with staff, walking their dog etc which meant a lot of the time i felt confused. I wonder if this was Tindas way of exploring grief with her deceased parent as this seems to be personal exploration. Sometimes I felt as if I was invading by watching this and maybe that's the whole purpose as the sense of isolation and sadness was accurately portrayed.

Sator (2019)

Misunderstood

[7/10 · 15 January 2022]

There are films out there that require patience and imagination. Much like "come true" this film doesnt hand things to you. The beauty of this film for me was the cinematography and the intensley private nature of the protagonists life. We are so quick to dismiss media that doesn't immediately grab us and thrust its message in our faces. The directors commitment to this work, despite a very limited budget is the most inspiring part of this film. He did everything, including building the cabin! There's no doubt that it lacks coherence, particularly in the first 40 minutes, but read the trivia. Sator was very real to "nani", and its message of mental health, family secrets and isolation were very apparent. The camera work is sublime, particularly when tracking through the rooms filled with candles and everyone involved in this should be proud of it.

Come True (2020)

Has an "it follows" feel

[8/10 · 10 May 2021]

I really wasn't expecting much from this as sleep paralysis has been done to death, but I really liked this. It had me right from the opening scenes, in fact the dream/nightmare scenes were the best part about it. It doesn't rely on cheap jump or shock tactics, it simply relies on a perpetual sense of unease and disorientation. The cinematography is sublime and goes so well with the haunting music. It definitely had an it follows feel to it, so much so I came on here to check if any of the writers had produced this. It has that same uneasy and unsettling atmosphere which let's your brain scare itself. Who ever thought that seeing a young woman be stalked by a grandma in her nighty in it follows could be as horrifying as it was is a genius, the same sense is produced here as the dream scenes made me feel like I was on a ghost train I couldn't get off. It's what is implied rather than what is rammed down your throat with other cut and paste films of this genre. The actors, especially the unconventionally looking female main, perform well and we can see some pop culture Easter eggs amongst the scenes,which were fun.

Clarice (2021)

The spinoff you never asked for

[3/10 · 14 February 2021]

I was really looking forward to watching this, as I loved the Hannibal series and original film. There's no doubt that it was an ambitious feat to try to shine the spotlight on clarice, but it falls at every hurdle. The heavy handed misogyny, the flat delivery of a tired story, the lack of any interesting or unique characters all serve to diminish any potential this series had. I always wonder why film makers don't just put their efforts into something original instead of sitting on the coat tails of classic cinema. It would have stood a chance if we weren't perpetually reminded of the film and other successful series. As it is, this doesn't hold a candle to them and comes across as trying way too hard.

Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter (2014)

This is (not really) a true story

[9/10 · 6 February 2021]

I watched this cold without looking at the reviews and it stuck with me for long time after i watched it, which is the magic of powerful and simple story telling and authentic acting. Whilst this is a wholly fictitious premise around the tragic death of Takako Konishi, it captured my imagination. I wasn't the only person who believed the original fargo was a true story. Why? Because we were told it is.

This film is starkly in contrast to the fargo film and subsequent tv series. There aren't any quirky, interesting characters. No cautionary messages around good and bad deeds. No build up to showdowns, shootouts and powerful conclusions. It's a quiet film, and I struggle to remember when I felt such sorrow and discomfort than when I saw the lead part with her only friend in her lonely life.

The true story of takako is even more banal, pitiful and desolate. I won't discuss it here as I think finding out about her prior to, or after, watching the film is part of the process of watching this. Needless to say she was simply a woman who was searching for comfort and kindness, and for whatever reason, believed she could find it in fargo.

Films like this are rare and should receive more attention.

Shadow in the Cloud (2020)

Super bad

[4/10 · 3 January 2021]

I read the synopsis before I realized Grace morritze is in it and I thought the premise sounded dreadful. After watching the trailer I thought I didn't have anything to lose by watching it. Turns out i lost brain cells, as it's laughably bad, so much so I had to watch it to the end, as I was incredulous and curious about wether it would improve, but it just got more odd.

I think it's meant to be 80's B movie bad, hence the heavy synth music and poor effects. I really hope that's the case as it just got weirder by the minute. Everything was poor; the script, the heavy handed misogyny, the acting (at one point Chloe reprimanded her colleagues for their remarks and she sounds like a teacher telling kids off, rather than an authoritive soldier), the effects (apart from the dog fights, they were cool), the storyline was terrible, just awful.

I really hope I missed something and this was supposed to be a homage to old camp ott 80's horror, because if not I'm concerned about everyone's career in this. I'm sure there was a message about the indomitable spirit of womanhood, "girls can do stuff now" and the lengths we will go to protect our own, despite the blatant sexism and misogyny we experience and the odds being stacked against us, but if so it was jammed right in our faces and we were bludgeoned with it.

It could also be viewed as a comedy as there are so many "oh, come on!" moments, my eyes rolled so hard they nearly popped out of my head. If you watch this do not take it seriously,, and you might just make it.

Rewind (III) (2019)

Exceptional

[10/10 · 22 December 2020]

As a social worker (and now training to become a play therapist with children) I have spent time with children who've experienced the worst possible abuse, often at the hands of multiple abusers, and often people who were supposed to love and protect them.

Whilst this was obviously challenging to watch, it was absolutely necessary, not only to professional counsellors like me but for everyone. Sachas goal is to open up the discussion around ritualistic child sexual abuse and the syndrome of secrecy it omits in families. The more we stay silent around this issue or switch off or turn away, the less likely a child is to recover and the more likely abusers will continue their sickening acts, as they feel secure that nobody will listen to their victim.

I found it so difficult to watch sachas overwhelming empathy for his father and when you watch it I'm sure you will understand why. But this young man's capacity for forgiveness, resilience, love and the unwavering adoration he has for his family unit is extremely powerful. Perspectives such as this helps us to spot abuse and challenge it and the more we're educated the better equipped we are to help a abuse survivor heal.

There comes a time in a survivors life where you can choose for the abuse to not be a dominant and overarching part of your story, and instead adopt new perspectives, new experiences and take back control of your life and body. With this film it appears that sacha has achieved this and he and his sister are remarkable people. I highly recommend watching this, but be warned that there are a lot of triggering moments and descriptions of brutal child abuse, but we have to start listening to these accounts in order to move forward.

Books of Blood (2020)

Well, I liked it

[7/10 · 25 October 2020]

This is the first time ive seen mysophonia referenced in a film. Both my husband and i experience it; him with mouth noises and me with water noises, and it was a realistic portrayal of how overwhelming it can be. This anthology was an unexpected find and I'm glad we gave it a go. The actings great, the stories are engaging and varied and it wasn't predictable. I know clive barkers books are visceral and complex and I certainly understand why some fans would feel short changed, but it's worth taking a look

Polaroid (I) (2019)

Camp as a row of tents

[5/10 · 3 September 2020]

Give your brain cells the night off and watch this for what it is: camp, daft, nonsensical and oddly satisfying. First the acting..pretty good, although some of actors went a bit hammy, but the lead female was really good and I hope to see her again in something. The plot is laughable, improbable and has more holes than a fishing net, but as you're not required to engage too much, it's relatively easy to go along with it. The effects were good for what I imagine is a low budget film and it passes 90 minutes, which helps when you're in lockdown.

Body Cam (2020)

Missed the mark

[5/10 · 12 June 2020]

The only scary thing in this film is it's timing, given the current deep unrest around police brutality, but that's it. The acting is very stale, in particular mary blige. At one point she sees an horrific scene, and whilst her rookie partner is throwing up because of it, Mary stands there looking mildly dissappointed as if she's been told McDonald's don't have the flavour mcflurry she wanted. It's permanently night time where they live as well, and very few people seemed alarmed that lots of people of their workforce are being slaughtered. It could have made a big impact but sadly it's a paint by numbers "horror" that brings little of anything new to the table

The Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson (2019)

Just no

[2/10 · 12 June 2020]

This film is so offensive, and if I were part of nicole brown Simpson's family I'd be outraged at how her legacy has been portrayed. It's a huge shame Agnes Buckner is in this as she was outstanding in The Woods, and I really expected great things from her, but she appears to have been overlooked for substantial parts and ended up doing rubbish like this. There's nothing redeeming about this film.

Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020)

Absolutely vital film

[9/10 · 20 May 2020]

I never thought I would see the day that countries, states or counties would backslide away from abortion legislation and rights, but that's exactly what's happening in America. A staggering 25% of countries still haven't legalised abortion, which is brutal. Eight states in america are proactively stopping abortions using the covid pandemic as a smoke screen for forcing women into continuing their pregnancies, leading the women to buying dangerous abortion medication on the dark net. There couldn't be a more fitting time for this film. In this film we're shown the complexities of simply being a girl; unwanted touches, kisses, comments, looks, and sometimes all of these in one day, with no recourse to rebuff these leary advances without being branded a sl*t, a prude, mentally unwell, a lesbian or a trouble maker that doesn't have a sense of humour who obviously hates men . There is a running theme throughout the film that this young woman's body is simply not her own, which is essentially what the legislation, the thinly veiled "family planning medical centre" (anti abortion clinic that attempts to pressure, hood wink, guilt trip and plead young women into continuing their pregnancies) emphasise with their repeated attempts to show her the baby, listen to it's heart beat and watch (a very real) anti abortion video in attempts to halt the termination. The sexual harassment echoes the theme of the women not having agency over their bodies and this is done stunningly well throughout this. In so many films we see this behaviour over dramatized or done poorly, but the director and actors portray everyday sexism (a website called everyday sexism where people tell their personal stories of misogyny and discrimination if anyone's interested) that women endure every.single.day. The director spent time with many professionals and service users before creating this film, and it absolutely shows as it's heart achingly real. I have supported friends in this situation and their decisions to terminate their pregnancies were all different and unique to their situations, but none of them undertook their decisions lightly, and all of them, some years later, still carry grief, shame and guilt. The last thing they need is their district, family, country, community, medical personnel compounding these feelings. This film is absolutely necessary and holds a mirror up to the uncomfortable reality that in some states and countries a bundle of cells has more rights than the women. Forcing women to proceed with an unwanted pregnancy isn't pro life, it's exceptionally cruel. Well done to everyone that created this film, it's message is vital.

Killing Eve: Meetings Have Biscuits (2020) Season 3, Episode 3

Wtaf?

[5/10 · 12 May 2020]

I never thought I would be writing a bad review for KE, but this season is terrible. It suffers badly from dreary dialogue, dreary wardrobe (villanelle's outfits and flair are a crucial part of the character), and a chaotic script. On paper this season should work, but somehow it just doesn't seem to gel and I've found myself not able to care about what happens to the characters. I don't know how they've managed it, but even villanelle and eves intense relationship has lost its intrigue and excitement and feels as though it's being phoned in when villanelle inexplicably turns up on eves bus..erm, what?!. I get the feeling the actors disagreed with much of the direction of the series as even they seem to cringe through parts of it, and are internally eye rolling at some sachirine sentence they've got to trot out. I also never thought I'd see fake 10/10 reviews for this series but this site is littered with them, which is a sure fire confirmation that this series is done. I miss phoebe :0/

Extraction (2020)

What am I missing?

[3/10 · 3 May 2020]

I don't know what film people saw, but I saw an overhyped, weak plotted, tedious film that even hemsworth couldn't revive. We called it 50minutes in as watching it became hard work. It's being pushed left, right and centre on my news feed and many of the 9, 10 reviews on here appear to be fake (I know, I know most are on here). This was a swing and a miss for me. I just don't get it

NOS4A2 (2019–2020)

Now I know why this didn't get the publicity

[3/10 · 2 May 2020]

I saw yesterday that this existed as they're filming a second series, and I couldn't believe that this had come out with such little fanfare. Now I know why. Huge plot distortions, poor casting, dire script ("hello, fellow teens!"), tedious story lines that do the book no justice. Look, I know how challenging it must be to transpose a book into a film/series, but this seems like the writers ripped pages out of hills book, threw them in the air and then just created a script from where the pages fell. It appears that hills work is destined to go the same way as his dads; kings books (with the exception of Carrie, it and the shining) rarely hit the mark and end up being a huge disappointment to fans. Locke and key was another example, it just seemed like a chore rather than a genuinely enjoyable adaptation. Stick to the book, it's truly a work of art and has the soul and body this series was so let lacking.

M.O.M. Mothers of Monsters (2020)

Passes the time

[6/10 · 15 March 2020]

I like completely understand what the writers and actors were trying to portray, and initially they succeed. It was intriguing at first but unfortunately it collapsed under it's own weight, until both actors are left hamming it up and overacting towards the end, and it resembles a soap opera. This will obviously be compared to we need to talk about Kevin, which was a searing and exquisitely executed film about troubled teens and their parents. As a result this ends up looking like a copy of a copy of a copy. There were glaring inconsistencies in the characters behaviours, and although were supposed to be questioning if the kid is capable of murder or not, I found his "teen speak" ("snooze fest" "ain't gonna fly") embarrassing, as teenagers don't talk like that, and his portrayal of a "dangerous" teenager laughable and distracting. I've given it 6 because the production and editing were pretty good for a budget movie.

Honey Boy (2019)

Therapy and chickens

[8/10 · 14 March 2020]

It's difficult to watch this film as shia leboefs childhood is played out in excruciating detail. Shia has recently rehabilitated from alcohol and appears to be in a more reflective, honest and healing place and it shows in this film. I loved how open it was and how shia was able to use his own rehab experiences to convey the damage his character "otis" goes through, and the work he has to do to understand his behaviours and take responsibility for his recovery. It's such a brutal, funny, touching and sad portrayal of his childhood and I loved it. The kid who played otis was remarkable and I hope to see more of him in the future as it was a heavy film for a kid, but he carried it through. It was a nice surprise to see f k a twiggs in this too, and the chicken deserves an Oscar.

The Invisible Man (I) (2020)

Sobering

[9/10 · 5 March 2020]

This film throws you in at the deep end right from the start of the film, as the tension is unbearable. What struck me was the lengths her abuser will go to to control her, keep her close, assuage his own issues by projecting them on to her and I know some people would suggest that it's far fetched. But I worked with survivors of interpersonal violence (aka domestic violence) and their stories echo much of what this protagonist goes through. We once had a guest speaker who had survived 24 years of stalking after she left her wealthy boyfriend when he tried to control her with his substantial wealth. He'd never experienced anyone leaving him before and he bugged her phones by bribing a bt engineer, bought the flat opposite hers, discredited her profession by circulating fake stories online, (she was a self employed writer) bribed her closest friends to give him information and the list went on and on. His goal was to financially ruin her to force her to return to him, and eventually she had no choice but to live in a caravan and move every two weeks! This film highlights how abusers encourage the victims supporters to question her sanity, label her as hysterical, become fatigued and give up on her. Often society doesn't acknowledge the constant pressure and stress the victims experience and the damage it causes.abusers take advantage of this apathy, or ignorance and they just need a different kind of visibility: an absence of scrutiny. As far as they're concerned, a man you aren't looking at might as well be an invisible one. Terrific film and expertly executed.

Color Out of Space (2019)

Disturbing acid trip

[8/10 · 27 February 2020]

If you enjoy films like Mandy you'll love this. Its Lovecraft inspired, so be prepared for visceral and difficult scenes you can't look away from. I love the way this closely mimicked an hallucigenic trip, where the colours seep in slowly at first and everything's filled with beauty and wonder. Then it hits fast forward and the colours and scenes are like bombs that just explode around you and you start to lose control and it turns into a bad, bad trip. There are some scenes that stayed with me that were really difficult to watch, not dissimilar to The Thing when I first watched it, and I can still hear whimpers and guttural sounds of pain from that scene now. Richardson was a welcome edition to this, and she played a completely different role from what we normally saw of her, and she did a great job. Nic cage is his usual crazy, loco self but it's great to see him in roles that are actually watchable instead of the dross he's been doing for the last ten years. I really hope he continues to work on cult classic material, as this is his new niche. I'd love to dissect it more but I don't want to spoil it for any one.

Prodigal Son (2019–2021)

It just doesn't know what it is

[4/10 · 18 February 2020]

I was genuinely intrigued and excited to watch this, but had a niggling feeling after 15 minutes it wasn't going to hold its own. I soldiered on, but it was confirmed when the lead started using puns as a vehicle for humour, the script became laboured and clunky, Michael sheen gritted his teeth through the dialogue and did his level best to deliver (which he did). The efforts to convey complex trauma and ptsd were laughable. Whilst I know everyone presents differently with ptsd, I can tell you from my own diagnosis I've never woken screaming from a (daytime) nightmare (at work) and run into the arms of a colleague whilst sobbing uncontrollably. Everyone seems like a caricature of their characters, almost as if we're reading a comic and dont get me started on his mother..how old is she?! She looks less than ten years older than him! Every "serial killer" wants to listen to the profilers reasons as to why they're "broken, but weren't born that way..but made". I eye rolled so hard at that one my husband thought I was having a seizure. The serial killers were pretty dull or so over the top I couldn't take any of them seriously. It's such a shame as Michael sheen is a marvel to watch and he works exceptionally hard with each role he takes on, but even he can't save this luke warm turkey but he's the reason it gets four stars. The Hannibal series was just beautiful, complex, visually gorgeous, sickening and disturbing and this is just a confusing mess.

The Room (2019)

A sweet find

[8/10 · 8 January 2020]

I think for the most part we've become very expectant with the films we watch, and have seen everything and it's tougher for lower budget films to surprise us. But this film did, and I was pleasantly surprised and happy that I couldn't see where the plot was going. It's an amazing concept and provoked a lot of discussions between my husband and I as to what we would wish for and why. All of the actors did credible jobs, if a little panto at times. I'd watch this over the bloated and disingenuous remakes Hollywood is churning out (star wars and Charlie's angels (just ugh)) as this prompts discussions and challenges perceptions

Jojo Rabbit (2019)

Beautiful reflection on today's issues

[8/10 · 4 January 2020]

I am an ardent fan of anyone who is prepared to hold a mirror up to racism, cruelty and persecution and harpoon these subjects with humour and ridicule. There is a rise in incidents of racism and intolerance and the president has raised the "respectability" of such behaviour. Jojo rabbit challenges so much of this using a gentle and absurdist satire. I know some critics think it doesn't go far enough, as in with The Producers (springtime for hitler), but I feel it does make some highly relevant points. Johanson is a joy as jojos courageous and resilient mother trying to show her son a different path than the hitler worshipping blind faith that jojo exhibits. The relationship between jojo and his best friend is incredibly sweet and touching, but it's jojos relationship with his imaginary friend hitler that is hilarious and at times difficult to watch, but provides some simple but compelling messages. It's definitely worth watching.

The Nightingale (I) (2018)

Brutal

[8/10 · 20 December 2019]

Ok for those of you that need to skip the brutal multiple sexual assaults fast forward to 30.01. That's the only way I could watch this film there is also another sexual assault around the 60 minute mark. I've not hit the spoilers button not because I'm a troll, but if people who've experienced such events stumble on this it could be a massive trigger. People are complaining that the protagonist experiences an overkill of brutality. I agree, but I think it's more the case that WE can't deal with it. This is what it was like, and this is how the world continues to operate in some parts of the world. I applaud the film makers for their attempt to maintain authenticy. This is no schlocky I spit on your grave film, it's vicious, visceral and horribly rewarding. The protagonist is a walking flame of righteous anger and hate. Her guide is there to temper that and to offer retribution and spiritual peace, making him a guide in every sense. We English were vile and pompous,in our efforts to claim land and resources and further our empire. We snatched like spoilt over privileged children and took what we wanted because it was there. Give this a watch.

The Lobster (2015)

Obviously polarising

[8/10 · 20 December 2019]

It's interesting to read the wildly differing reviews. There's no doubt it's a challenging film, but it's definitely worth watching, if only for the remarkable cast. It's a very absurd but oddly accurate reflection on how society views relationships. There are also some wonderful lines, such as : "if you find yourself arguing a lot, then children will be assigned to you" and "There's blood and biscuits everywhere".It left me thinking for a long time. I have a friend that had a series of failed, rapid relationships but when she started a relationship with a rugby player she complained that she'd have to learn about rugby. I remember pointing out to her that she always changed and attempted to fit into boyfriends ideas of their perfect woman, but she was adamant that this was the route to a perfect relationship. I also have family members that have had children in a vein attempt to save their marriage. I think it's a perfect film