Change Your Image
jjgonzalez-06426
Reviews
Priscilla (2023)
Completely Jaw-Dropping
Insane. This was WAY more than the film I thought it was going to be, and is probably one of the most intense of the year. Cailee Spaeny killed it, and is personally my pick for Best Actress of the 2024 Oscars. Jacob Elordu has managed to outdo every horror villain in years with his bipolar, unhinged performance as Elvis. This honestly just really goes deep into the behind-the-scenes not just in Elvis', but a lot of lives that celebrities/artists that we love that are just despicable people in reality. Honestly one of this year's best, most in-depth look into a life, and just one of the best films in general. I can also definitely see why the Elvis estate didn't want this to be made but hey, truth comes out eventually.
The Holdovers (2023)
The Holdovers is a New Cult Classic
Quite possibly one of the best Christmas films ever? I first saw Payne & Giamatti's previous film together, "Sideways" during my screenwriting training class, and it is one that I would think of for a while. Their new film, "The Holdovers", is hilarious, beautifully shot and acted, heartwarming, and has a great sense of grief and joy meshed together. Definitely leaning towards Randolph for Best Supporting Actress; her performance BLEW me away.
Overall, I love these films. Light-hearted & comedic while also have a sense of darkness and a lot of heavy emotion to it. Definitely is one of the most heartfelt films of the year.
The Killer (2023)
"This is what it takes, what you must commit yourself to."
David Fincher's The Killer is a huge win in my book, and a very cold, sociopathic film in general. My only gripe is how easy everything seemed to come to Fassbender's character, The Killer. But the alternative soundtrack from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The musical duo behind the scores of Bones and All, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem); absolutely murdered the scene. Fincher's direction for this is fantastic, along with Fassbender's ice cold performance. This definitely sits up there with Fincher's best; and it's also nice to have a new movie that Netflix puts out that isn't a completely sludge fest. This is creativity and brutality amped up to a whole nother level.
Five Nights at Freddy's (2023)
Hear me out...
Controversial review. Very controversial review. But I loved it. I mean, loved it. First off the story/plot of the game on the big screen was amazing. Some of the kills were great (even though censored heavily but I mean hey, kids in the audience). As a FNAF veteran (Since the month the game CAME OUT); I enjoyed every minute of this, even though it may seem like "typica horror schlock" to the general audience. My only gripe was that COME ON BLUMHOUSE, you underused MATTHEW LILLARD??? That and some flaws in writing were the only issues I have but honestly, as a "bad movie lover", I bypassed them. Just so happy to see the animatronics going beyond the games, and also how perfect they look. The bro-sis chemistry between Josh and Piper was also great. Gonna enjoy this again VERY soon. Definitely BlumHouse's safest play for wanting kids to go see it. Concerning the general audience, I can understand not liking it for its flaws, but fans are definitely gonna love it. I loved it.
Terrifier 2 (2022)
Even more terrified(er)
I'm gonna start with this. I had high hopes for this movie, and somehow Dir. Leone exceeded them by like, quite a few miles. This is the only film to have me squirm in my seat and gag, and I loved every second of it. David Howard Thornton is DERANGED. I love it. This film is also one of the only horror films that I absolutely love the central protagonists. Lauren LaVera & Elliot Fullam knocked this out of the park, and I'm not even gonna mention how eerie the entire setting is. Oh, and that terrifying demon girl (Amelie McLain, you freaked me out), that is the icing on top of this. Definitely one of my new favorite slashers that I'm definitely gonna revisit over and over every Halloween.
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
Martin Scorsese's best, and most personal film yet.
An absolute triumph in film. Martin Scorsese made a deep, dark, emotional, and thoughtful film when he made this. Lily Gladstone and DeCaprio made it in terms of acting; but hell, the entire supporting cast was great (Even the smaller appearances from Fraser and Plemmons).
Finding an absolutely great film, one that surpasses all expectations with its writing, its story, its heart, is very rare. The runtime definitely scares some people, but honestly I would've stayed for another hour and a half. But the absolute cruelty that the Osage faced from Hale and Erckhardt is insane. The loss of life, this completely and utterly tragic event was somehow... forgotten.
With the situation our country is in right now; concerning people being persecuted by a larger (whiter) authoritarian figure, this does sadly prove that a lot of evil goes unpunished in this country, and even the slight chance that it makes an impact, it is small and forgotten. Never forget the lives that were lost. Never forget you, and your people's stories. At the first ten minutes of this film; the dialogue was already too real and too brutal, even for today.
Thank God for Martin Scorsese.
M3GAN (2022)
M3GAN is our new horror icon.
This might be the best movie to start 2023 off with. After the success that was last January's horror film (SCREAM), I am completely convinced that early-winter-horror can do no wrong.
M3gan is a technology-infused horror flick, and earns that title pretty damn quick. This film balanced the themes of technological danger and childhood trauma; with M3gan being introduced as almost a replacement... parent? In an hour and forty-two minutes, we are thrusted into the death of our protagonist's (Violet McGraw; The Haunting of Hill House) family, which leads to her solitary, toy engineering aunt (Allison Williams; Get Out) taking her in. M3gan does what a certain other A. I. infused killer doll movie failed to...
But holy hell. The random, unsettling humor mixed with the blank expression and dead eyes of an A. I. doll's face is perfectly eerie. This film has a few select, non-gory kills (which looking at the audience it was advertised for, seems like a better idea to make that box office cash back), but keeps the chilling atmosphere that some recent horror has failed to do.
Overall, it's a great horror film. Creepy as hell, but'll have you cackling like a damn hyena. Just wish there was a little more visual for the kills and some gore.
A Quiet Place Part II (2020)
A Perfect Sequel
Absolutely beautiful and terrifying. Amazing performances from the ENTIRE cast, and is definitely not only fun as hell, but emotionally charged and written to perfection. Possibly the best alien(?) franchise right now. Krasinski's behind-the-camera talent and on-screen talent is magnificent, with Millicent Simmonds taking the cake for best performance. I honestly cannot find a single flaw in this film, even with CGI & VFX being used for a LOT now, it was done to perfection in this. The alien-monster (forgot the name) was TERRIFYING. Absolutely love that disgusting little bugger. Cannot wait for the next installment, I know it's gonna be great.